The Cougar News
November 8, 2024
A Note from Principal Bame
Dear Apex Middle School Families,
Today, we had the privilege of hosting our 3rd annual Veterans Day celebration. This meaningful event provided an opportunity for us to honor the brave men and women who have served our country, with special recognition to those from our own school family and the wider Apex community. It was a moment of reflection and gratitude for the sacrifices made to protect our freedoms, and we are thankful to all who joined us in paying tribute.
As we move into the second quarter, I want to remind everyone that report cards are being sent home with students today. Families can also access their child's report card via PowerSchool for convenience. Additionally, Honor Roll certificates will be distributed to students on Monday, November 18th. We are proud of the hard work and dedication our students continue to show.
Looking ahead, we are excited about the 8th grade field trip planned for the spring. To make this experience accessible to all students, we are reaching out to our community for support. If you are willing and able to contribute to our field trip fund, your generosity would be greatly appreciated. Please consider making a donation using this link.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making our school a place of excellence and inclusivity.
NOTE: Please be sure to scroll all the way down for Community News for more information about our PTA Fundraiser - PENNY WARS!
Warm regards,
Raleigh Bame
Principal, Apex Middle School
📣 No School on Monday, November 11th (Veterans Day) 📣
School Updates for the Week
2025 AMS Yearbook Now Available for Purchase!
Ensure your child receives a copy of this year’s memories! Order the AMS yearbook online by March 28, 2025, to secure your copy. Visit the Varsity Online Yearbook Center (www.yearbookordercenter.com) and enter school code 10708. Each yearbook is $40 (plus shipping and handling), and ordering online is the only way to guarantee your copy. Don’t miss out—order today!
8th Grade Yearbook Ads – Celebrate Your Student!
Visit the Varsity Online Yearbook Center and enter school code 10708 to get started. Choose from 1/4-page ads for $20 or 1/8-page ads for $15, with a variety of font and image layouts available. For any questions, please contact Ms. Dabagian at hdabagian@wcpss.net.
Athletics for the Week:
Break this week for Winter tryouts
Credit by Demonstrated Mastery
CDM is the process by which a student may earn credit for a high school course by demonstrating a deep understanding of course content, without course enrollment or seat time.
For information about Credit by Demonstrated Mastery, you can view our CDM parent presentation.
To apply to participate in the CDM process, complete the CDM Application and Agreement. Applications must be submitted to our school-based CDM Coordinator, Dana Pilkington.(dpilkington@wcpss.net)
Application Window: Oct. 14 - Dec. 20, 2024
Phase 1 Testing Window: Feb. 18 - March 3, 2025
Save the Dates -
- 6th grade Social ~ Friday, November 15th (3:30 - 5:30 pm)
- PTA Sponsored Winter Dance ~ December 13th (time TBA)
Need a Tutor? Check out the ITC Tutoring Program @ Green Level High School
AMS is excited to partner again this year with students at Green Level High School through their ITC tutoring program. This program provides free virtual tutoring sessions by a select group of highly qualified green level high school students. Selected high school students offer virtual tutoring sessions once a week on Google Meet at an agreed upon day and time. How can you sign your child up? – You can request a tutor by completing a brief Google Form. (https://forms.gle/AFP4bnouewhZMGwW9) The sign up window will be open from October 20th through November 5th. Tutors will start reaching out to families on November 15th to begin sessions. If you have any questions, please contact your grade level counselor.
School Pictures - Fall 2024
- Retake: December 3, 2024
Spelling Bee 2024-25
🐝 Preparation for our School Spelling Bee in partnership with Scripps National Spelling Bee is underway and we are buzzing with excitement to celebrate Scripps' 100th anniversary!
We are dedicated to making this year's School Spelling Bee an unforgettable experience for all our students, from preparation to competition day, and we hope that you will encourage your child to participate. It's a fantastic opportunity for our students to enhance their vocabulary, improve their spelling skills, and build confidence in public speaking.
Students have a new way to study by downloading Word Club for free in the App Store or Google Play Store. They can choose from five spelling play modes and three vocabulary play modes and track their progress as they conquer the School Spelling Bee Study List and Words of the Champions, the recommended study resource for classroom, school, and regional spelling bees.
More detailed information, including dates and study resources, will be shared with students by Mrs. Pilkington next week.
App Store hyperlink: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/word-club-spelling-vocabulary/id1479862742
Google Play Store hyperlink: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scripps.spellingbee.wordclub&pli=1
A Note from Mrs. Broadbent, School Psychologist
Often school communities focus on teachers and administrators, and the vital role they play in children's education. During the week of November 11-15th, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and schools across the United States will mark National School Psychology Week (NSPW). The goal of NSPW is to raise awareness about who School Psychologists are and the support we can offer students, parents, and teachers.
Click here to learn more about who school psychologists are and what we do!
Grade Level Updates
6th Grade Social Next Friday Afterschool!
6th Grade Social: Mark your calendar for November 15th from 3:30-5:30 for the upcoming Sixth Grade Social.
This will be on campus and will require an entrance fee of $5. Cash will be collected at the door.
We will proved a snack and a drink for all who attend. If you would like to donate a snack, please click on the link and sign up! We greatly appreciate it.
Students are encouraged to wear white or neon.
If you child is going to attend, they must remain on campus after the bell.
Students will need ride home at 5:30. Those who are not picked up on time may not be able to attending the next after school event.
Kona Ice will have a truck here Prices are the same as the PEAK celebration.
6th Grade Updates
ELA UPDATES:
Next week we will begin Module 2: Voices of Adversity. Students will explore the idea of adversity of people across time and in different places, and through multiple modes of writing. Students will read informational articles, literature, monologues and poetry, about various aspects of medieval life, learning and practicing the skills of summarizing an article, analyzing how ideas are developed across a text, and describing how a part of a text contributes to the whole. They will also identify adversities faced by the characters, examine the author’s craft, specifically identifying and interpreting figurative language as well as analyzing how word choices affect the tone of the text. Throughout this Module students will show their understanding of the skills taught in various way such as test, quizzes, tasks, and writing samples.
We only have class sets of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village so students will not be able to take this book home. We will link the novel pages on Canvas for students to view if need be. However, if you would like to purchase a copy of this Modules book, please click here.
For Quarter 2 students will be required to be reading a book independently for homework to improve their reading skills taught in class such as fluency and determining unfamiliar words, as well as building their reading stamina. The will have the entire quarter to finish the book and then will complete a performance task choice board (MAJOR) to show understanding of their chosen book.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assessments:
Mon Nov 18: Excerpt 1-2 Quiz (SKILLS)
Tues Nov 26: Serf Peasant/Lord Lady Essay (MAJOR)
Tues Dec 3: Mid Unit Assessment (MINOR)
- Fri Jan 10: Independent Book Project Due (MAJOR)
MATH UPDATES:
Math 6: Students will begin Unit 3: Unit Rates and Percentages. They will complete lessons 1-5 in their workbook
Math 6+: Students will complete lesson 16 in their workbook. They will complete a study guide and have a review day to prepare for their End-of-Unit 3 Assessment on Thursday 11/14 (Major). On Friday, students will receive the Unit 4 workbook: Scale Drawings.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assessments:
- Math 6: None this week
- Math 6+: (Major) End of Unit 3 Assessment on Thursday 11/14
SCIENCE UPDATES:
Our scientists are going to apply their knowledge of waves and their properties to the Electromagnetic Spectrum and Light Waves. We will be doing multiple activities to investigate the behaviors of light waves and how the EM Spectrum contributes to multiple aspects of our lives.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assessments:
- 11/13 Waves Properties Quiz
- Week of 11/18 Light and Interactions Quiz
- Week of 12/2 Waves Test
SOCIAL STUDIES UPDATES:
This week historians will continue their study of ancient civilizations, focusing on their religion, traditions, and culture. We will continue exploring polytheistic religions of Mesopotamia, Egypt, West Africa, and MesoAmerica.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assessments:
- Minor: Polytheism Quiz FRIDAY 11/15
7th Grade Updates
- The 7th grade team is looking forward to a strong start for Quarter 2. Please review these important reminders with your student!
- A new quarter is a clean slate! Work hard from day one!
- Come to school prepared with all necessary supplies each day (a charged Chromebook, pencils, folders, etc.)
- Use your planner to organize your daily assignments and stay on top of due dates.
- Check PowerSchool and Canvas daily.
- When absent, check Canvas and complete work upon return to school.
- Remember the late work policy (review in Student Handbook and ask teachers if clarification is needed)
- Utilize working lunch
- ONLY submit work that is your own! Remember to cite sources and never copy/paste without a proper citation. All assignments, with the exception of direct, cited quotes, should be your own thinking and your own words.
- Your teachers are here to support you and want you to be successful! If you need help, ask! We will make time for you!
Fun Dinner Conversation Topic Featuring Math: Would you rather have a magic coin that doubles in value every day for a month or get $1,000 every day for 30 days?
ELA UPDATES
Upcoming Minor/ Major Assessments:
If you would like to purchase a copy of our featured novel, Lyddie by Katherine Paterson, for your student, you can find it HERE on Amazon.
No major assignments or tests
MATH UPDATES
Upcoming Minor/ Major Assessments:
Math 7
Mid-Unit Assessment (major grade) 11/15
Math 7+:
Surface Area Quiz (minor grade) 11/13
SCIENCE UPDATES
Upcoming Minor/ Major Assessments:
Station 1: Hurricanes Due Tuesday 11/12 (25% of major grade)
Station 2: Tornadoes Due Thursday 11/14 (25% of major grade)
Station 3: Thunderstorms and Floods Due Monday 11/18 (25 % of major grade)
Station 4: Drought, Winter Storms and Fog Due Tuesday 11/19 at the end of class (25% of major grade)
Severe weather Open Note Quiz (minor) on Wednesday, 11/20
SOCIAL STUDIES UPDATES
Upcoming Minor/ Major Assessments:
Reminder: Absolute Monarch Poster is due 11/12
Absolute Monarch Exit Ticket due 11/15
Absolute Monarch Graphic Organizer - Minor grade due 11/19
AMS 8th Grade Trip to Washington, D.C.
8th Grade Level Updates
Please note the AMS make-up policy for students:
- To accommodate absences, students will be granted an extension on missed work.
- For absences of 1 to 3 days, students will have 1 additional day to complete assignments for each day missed.
- For absences exceeding 3 days, students will be granted 2 additional days for each day missed.
It is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher to ask what work was missed during their absence and then submit it promptly.
ELA UPDATES:
This week we begin Module 2: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Comedy of Control. We begin by building a background of Shakespeare and examining the authorship question.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assignments:
None
MATH UPDATES:
Math 8
This week we will finish Unit 2 and take our test. Then, we will start Unit 3- Linear Equations.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assignments:
End of Unit 2 Assessment on Wednesday, 11/13.
Math 1
This week we will identify functions and find key features of functions in Module 3Upcoming Major and Minor Assignments:
Quiz on Friday, 11/15.
Math 2
Module 3 is about quadratics. Lesson 1 will focus on key features of quadratics..
Upcoming Major and Minor Assignments:
Pathway Activity 1
Pathway Activity 2
SCIENCE UPDATES:
This week we will continue our discussion of Water Distribution as part of our Hydrosphere Unit. We will specifically be looking at the Watersheds and River Basins.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assignments:
Frequently Missed Test Question Review
Vocabulary Quiz #5
SOCIAL STUDIES UPDATES:
This week we’ll be wrapping up the first half of this unit. We’ll focus on key figures and battles of the American Revolution.
Upcoming Major and Minor Assignments:- Instagram Project of an American Revolution Historical Person (Minor)
- Mid-unit assessment on the American Revolution (Major)
Community Corner
AMS FAMILY: EXCITING NEWS!
Need gift ideas for tough-to-buy-for teens (or staff!)? The AMS PTA is temporarily offering a selection of NEW items for holiday pre-order through Wednesday November 20! We need to cut it off by this date in order to receive the items for distribution (to classrooms or via pick up for surprises) by the days before holiday break @ 12/19. We also have added extended sizes for our original 2024 spiritwear that we started offering last month.
Check it out now, we only have 10 days! https://apexms.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true
Note: we need to hit a minimum order for each item in order to make it financially viable to order. We are not overly concerned about meeting these minimums, but if any items do not qualify, we will contact you and offer a refund. Additionally, the pajama pants are a bit delayed at the printer -- we have built in time to plan to have them arrive by 12/19, but wanted to note it just in case.
School Resources
Use School Cash Online to Pay for School Items and Fees
Apex Middle School uses SchoolCash Online (SCO) to collect payments for many school items and activities such as field trips. If you haven’t registered yet please take a moment to create an account. This will help save time and reduces the risk of lost payments. In addition, you are automatically informed about school activities! Scan the QR code and follow the directions below.
Updated A/B Day Schedule
School Social Media and Contact Information
Join the Official Apex Middle School Facebook Page for Updates and Announcements
Search for "Apex Middle School News" and follow us!
Apex Middle School
Email: apexms@wcpss.net
Website: www.wcpss.net/apexms
Location: 400 East Moore Street, Apex, NC, USA
Phone: 9193872181