Summerour Blue Devil Blast

Volume 3, Issue 30 - March 15, 2024
Dr. Looney's Message
Important Dates
Upcoming Dates
- March 16 - Environmental Club to Tellus Museum
- March 19 - JA Finance Park (GA Tech & Shukla HR)
- March 20 - JA Finance Park (GA Southern & Brinkworth HR)
- March 21 - JA Finance Park (UGA & Levell-Russell HR)
- March 21 - PTA Meeting
- March 23 - Saturday Intervention (Math/ELA)
- March 23 - Saturday Science Bootcamp
- March 25 - 8th Grade Guest Speaker (Media Center)
- March 26 - Title I Planning Meeting
- March 27 - Scoliosis Screenings (6 & 8)
- March 28 - Spring Dance
- April 1-5 - Spring Break
- April 9 - Gear Up to Jimmy Carter Center
- April 15/16 - Cheerleading Tryouts
- April 18 - PTA Meeting / Transition to Middle School Parent Meeting
- April 22/23 - GMAS: English/Language Arts
- April 25/26 - GMAS: Mathematics
Testing
End of Year Testing Dates
- April 22-23 - GMAS, English/Language Arts
- April 25-26 - GMAS, Math
- April 30 - GMAS, Science
- May 1 - GMAS, Social Studies
- May 2-3 - GMAS, Enhanced Algebra (8th grade only)
Grade 8 Enhanced Algebra: 3 Assessments in May
During the spring of 2024, middle school students enrolled in the Enhanced Algebra: Concepts and Connections will be required to take three different assessments in May.
For 2023-24, new math standards were implemented statewide; this required all new Milestones assessments to be developed. When a new assessment is developed and after it is administered, the state will undergo a process to ensure that the test is neither too easy nor too hard but is just right for the students. The Georgia Department of Education will work through the process during the summer of 2024 and will not provide scores to schools prior to the end of the school year.
- Milestones Math End of Grade (EOG): The grade level math Milestones is required for federal accountability; the student score is used in the state accountability (CCRPI) score for the middle school.
- Milestones Algebra End of Course: The End of Course Milestones is required for federal accountability. The student score is used for the state accountability (CCRPI) score for the HIGH school the first year that the student enters high school. Typically, the EOC score is 10% of the student’s final course grade per State Board of Education rule; since scores will not arrive until Fall 2024, we will administer the 2nd Semester Final for Enhanced Algebra: Concepts and Connections.
- 2nd Semester Final Enhanced Algebra: Concepts and Connections: For May 2024 only since we won’t have EOC scores to measure student’s learning of the AKS, we will give the 2nd Semester Final for Algebra Concepts and Connections. This will go in the gradebook in the EOC category.
New & This Week
Officer Schunk Honored
OUR cluster SRO, Officer Schunk, was recently honored at Baldwin Elementary School for his work as a "Person of Influence". Thank you, Officer Schunk, for all you do for OUR cluster schools!
Blue Crew Game Night
Blue Crew hosted a game night last week at Summerour. It was a great success. Kids had a lot of fun. Thanks to all of OUR students who stayed to participate, and thanks to OUR Blue Crew who did the hard work of making this happen. Thanks also to the adults who gave their time to chaperone and run things.
Bookfair Open Until Thursday, March 28
OUR Bookfair has an online presence:
Book Fair Homepage (scholastic.com)
See the web page for how to set up an E-Wallet. Students can purchase at the fair from the account that parents set up. You decide how much money to put in and they can use it at the School Fair.
Band Practice Isn't Always What You'd Expect
Grade Level News
Welcome to 6th Grade!
Ms. Belinda Terry
6th Grade Assistant Principal
Ms. Tannia Wood
6th Grade Counselor
6th Grade Scoliosis Screening
March 27, 2024
All Day
During School
A yellow paper with information came home this week. Please make sure that your child has brought it home to you.
Welcome to 7th Grade!
Dr. Toni Weir
7th Grade Assistant Principal
Mr. Al Sadler
7th Grade Assistant Principal
Ms. Angelica Rosas
7th Grade Counselor
Welcome to 8th Grade!
Ms. Christy Gray
8th Grade Assistant Principal
Ms. Robin Blackwell
8th Grade Counselor
Ms. Allegra Morgan
Gear Up Counselor
8th Grade Scoliosis Screening
March 27, 2024
All Day
During School
A blue paper with information came home this week. Please make sure that your child has brought it home to you.
Parent Resources
Summer Opportunities in Gwinnett
Gwinnett County has a ton of offerings for summer activities for your children. Click the pictures below to see some of them.
Norcross High Softball Parent Meeting
Norcross High Softball Tryouts
Norcross Youth Softball Summer Camp
Maxwell High Summer Adventures
Coding: Paul Duke STEM HS
Norcross Community Football & Cheer
Georgia Milestones Information for Parents
Milestones testing dates for the end of the year have been announced. Please ensure that your child is here and ready to test on the dates below. For more information about Georgia Milestones, or any other test administered in GCPS, please refer to the Accountability and Assessment webpage.
Summerour Specific Information
OUR Student Work
Purchase Yearbooks Now!
Summerour Yearbooks are available for purchase now in the Summerour Media Center or at Jostens.com. They are $40.
Chorus LGPE Excellence
Congratulations to Ms. Smith and her Chorus students. Large Group Performance Evaluation is like Milestones testing for Performing Arts. It is very stressful for both students and their directors. Please take a moment to congratulate Ms. Smith and her students. They received a 2 rating, which is considered Excellent and the second highest rating possible. Please congratulate them!
Have You Checked Out Culture Club?
Culture Club is Awesome!
...and Culture Club is just one of the many clubs we have at Summerour. Has your child gotten connected in extracurricular activities? This would be a great one to check out.
If not this one, we have others. Have your child ask around if they need something to do after school once a week.
Join PTA!
Make sure your voice is heard. Want to be able to vote at PTA meetings? Click or scan the QR code to join PTA.
OUR PTA needs parent volunteers!
If you are interested in helping OUR Students, OUR School, by volunteering, email Shakeia.Brodie@gmail.com
IB Learner Profile: Principled
IB learners are principled. They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
IB students are infused with the academic integrity that is a fundamental value of universities and colleges.