BMS-Prairie: Transitioning to Sixth Grade

Transitioning to Sixth Grade

Mr. Travis Lobbins, Principal Mr. Brad Choate, Assistant Principal Mrs. Debbie Young, Assistant Principal

Table of Contents

Camp 6th Grade....................................................................................... 3 6th Grade Courses & Teams.................................................................... 4 Lunch Information & Map........................................................................ 5 One to World............................................................................................. 6 Tips............................................................................................................. 8 Resources.................................................................................................. 10 Activites & Athletics................................................................................. 11 Frequently Asked Questions.................................................................. 12 Contact Information................................................................................. 13

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Camp 6th Grade A Transition for Students & Parents A transition from elementary school to middle school is an important one.

While students and parents are sometimes worried about this transition, we find that with the right support, encouragement and attention, students thrive at BMS Prairie Campus.

Camp 6th Grade is a great way to help your student feel comfortable at Prairie.

Camp 6th Grade offers engaging activities to introduce students to middle school life. Students will learn about the organizational structures at middle school as well as practical knowledge/skills such as how to navigate the school, how to order food in the cafeteria and how to open their lockers.

Camp 6th Grade is held at Prairie Campus. Students will attend camp at their middle school. AM and PM times are available at both schools.

TRANSPORTATION, for those who qualify, will be provided for both sessions.

There is room for all incoming 6th graders to participate in Camp 6th Grade.

August 16 & 17 (Tuesday & Wednesday) AM Session: 8:00-11:00 a.m.

PM Session: 12:00-3:00 p.m.

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6th Grade Courses & Teams Teams • 3 Teams (Broncos, Colts and Mustangs) • Team of 5 Teachers • Core Subjects Core Courses • English Language • Social Studies • Math • Science • English Literature Off-Team Teachers • Daily Physical Education • Exploratory classes* Art Musical Theater/ Dramatic Arts Consumer Science Health

Technology Lab I (PLTW) Technology Lab II (PLTW)

• World Language Classes (Choose 1)* French German Latin

Spanish Mandarin

*6th graders take language only 1 semester during the year, it may be 1st semester or 2nd. The other semester 6th graders rotate through exploratory classes.

Colt Time Students can choose one of the following four options.

• Band Colt Time • Orchestra Colt Time • Chorus Colt Time • Colt Time • Colt Time offers enrichment, intervention and study hall support.

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Lunch Information & Map Bell Schedule & Map

Lunch Information All 6th Grade students eat lunch together and have approximately 30 minutes each day to eat their lunch.

There are many different healthy food options available, from hot lunch options to a la carte items like individual salads, wrap sandwiches, snack items and beverages.

Students have the option to bring their lunch to school as many students do.

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One to World The Barrington 220 One to World Initiative Barrington220.org/OneToWorld This initiative allows students to participate as global citizens and: • Provides unlimited opportunities for real-world learning.

• Fosters creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.

• Facilitates personalized learning through ownership, choice, and reflection.

• Allows for immediate and strategic feedback.

Facts-at-a-Glance: 1. It is the responsibility of the student and parents/guardians to exercise reasonable care of the device at all times.

2. Students are expected to bring their devices with them to school every day, fully charged, in the provided case and ready to be used when they arrive at school.

3. Barrington 220 will distribute all district-provided software at no cost to the student.

4. Students must always treat the device with care to ensure it remains a valuable learning tool throughout middle school. While computers experience normal wear through daily use, students are ultimately responsible for handling the device responsibly, carrying it in a case, fully charging it each day and ensuring safe storage when not in use.

Parenting in the Digital World: Barrington220.org/OneToWorldParentInfo To ensure the success of the One to World program, partnerships between Barrington 220 and our parents/guardians are crucial. The website above is dedicated to providing information about Internet safety outside of the district and providing resources to help parents communicate with their children about establishing boundaries when using media and online resources at home. Please use the links on this website to read more.

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Parent Tips • Encourage your child to participate in clubs/activities.

• Have your child familiarize themselves with a combination lock at home over the summer to help prepare them for the locks they will use on their lockers.

• Create a supervised study time for your child. Establish a study area that can be monitored.

• Encourage your child to ask for help when needed.

• Check in periodically about your child’s progress.

• Allow your child to gain a sense of independence and responsibility.

• Encourage your child to practice good hygiene.

• Have your child “pack up” for school before going to bed, including their fully charged device. It will make things easier in the morning.

• Stay in communication with your child’s teachers through email.

• Remember your child is young and there will be bumps in the road.

Mistakes will be made—but it’s all a part of the learning process.

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Student Tips • Get Organized - Schedule a time for homework and other activities.

• Try New Things - Join a club or activity that interests you.

• Meet new People - Get involved in your school life.

• Avoid Trouble - Stay away from peer pressure and don’t get involved in bullying behavior.

• Attitude is everything – if you have a positive attitude you will succeed in middle school.

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Resources Books for Parents • The Everything Tween Book: A Parent’s Guide to Surviving the Turbulent Pre-teen Years by Linda Sonna • The Rollercoaster Years by Charlene C. Giannetti Books for Students • Too Old for This, Too Young for That!: Your Survival Guide for the Middle School Years by Harriet S. Mostache • How I Survived Middle School by Nancy Krulik • Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf: a Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L Holm and Elicia Castaldi • Help! I’m in Middle School… How Will I Survive? by Merry L Gumm Websites for Parents • Parenting a Preteen http://www.pamf.org/parenting-teens/general/intro.html • Smoothing Your Child’s Transition to Middle School http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/health/980-smoothingyour-childs-transition-to-middle-school.gs • Moving up to Middle School http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/817-moving-up-to-middle-school

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Activities & Athletics “Be a Part by Taking Part” Fall • Cross Country Winter • Wrestling • Spelling Bee • Bowling Spring • Scholastic Bowl • Track and Field Year round • Yearbook • Newspaper Club • Student Council • Student Ambassadors • Friends & Company • Java Club • Latin Club • Drama Club • Play/Musical • Spelling Bee • Speech Tournament • Art Club

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F.A.Q.’s When does school start? School begins with a full day on Monday, August 22, 2016. Classes begin at 7:55 AM daily. Dismissal times will be at 2:50 PM, Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 2:20 PM on Wednesdays.

At what time may I arrive at school in the morning? Students should not arrive at school before 7:45 AM unless you have a pass to work with a teacher or are involved in a school sponsored activity. Students who must arrive early for any other reason may enter at 7:30 AM using the Student Entrance 16.

Which set of doors may I use to enter school? Students may enter the building through the main entrance or the Student Entrance door 16.

Where should students be dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon? When dropping off students in the morning please use the front loop near the flag pole. Parents picking up students in the afternoon (at dismissal) must use the main parking lot in front of student entrance 16.

How do I report an absence? If a student is absent we ask that a parent call in the absence between 6:00 AM and 8:30 AM (847-304-3990), or report absence using the Infinite Campus portal. Our automated calling system will call the contact numbers from the parent portal after 10:00 AM if students are marked absent and not called in by parent. Students arriving after 7:55 AM are considered tardy and need to sign in at the front office.

What about scheduling doctor or dental appointments? Parents should make every attempt to schedule appointments for doctor, dental and orthodontist appointments for after school hours. All parents must come into school to sign their student out. Please check the school calendar for testing dates and times.

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F.A.Q.’s May I ride a friend’s bus home? No, Barrington Transportation has asked us not to allow students to ride buses other than their own, due to overcrowding.

What transportation is available for students involved in extra-curricular activities? For students participating in extra-curricular activities (athletics, intramurals, clubs and other organizations), an activity bus runs each afternoon except Wednesday. There are seven bus routes that provide general access to student attendance areas. This is not a door to door service. Activity busses will depart the middle school at approximately 4:30 PM. What if I have further questions about bus routes or transportation services? Please call 847-381-1043.

What do I need for PE? Physical Education uniforms will be distributed in PE during the first week of classes. Replacement uniforms can be purchased for $10 for T-shirt and $10 for shorts. All incoming 6th graders will have a $20 PE uniform charge in their registration fees. Optional, sweat suits being sold by the P.T.O. are not required, but strongly encouraged for the cooler fall and spring weather. P.E. uniforms should be purchased large enough to wear over sweat suits. Gym shoes are also required.

How many classes in one day? There are 8 class periods in a day When do I take a language? 6th graders take language only 1 semester during the year, it may be 1st semester or 2nd. The other semester 6th graders rotate through exploratory classes.

What are exploratory classes? Exploratory classes are: Consumer Science, Art, Technology Lab I and II (PLTW), Musical Theater/Dramatic Arts, and Health.

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Contact Information Mr. Travis Lobbins Principal 304-3990 tlobbins@barrington220.org

Linda Lesniak Registrar 756-2520 llesniak@barrington220.org

Cathy Guranovich Administrative Assistant 756-2510 cguranovich@barrington220.org

Laurie Ihde Counselor 756-2522 lihde@barrington220.org

Chris Matsukis Receptionist/Attendance 756-2503 cmatsukis@barrington220.org

Jenny Godinez Counselor 756-2526 jgodinez@barrington220.org

*Please report absences by 8:30 AM

Mr. Brad Choate Assistant Principal 756-2506 rchoate@barrington220.org Mrs. Debbie Young Assistant Principal 756-2507 dyoung@barrington220.org Crystal Quintana Administrative Assistant 756-2502 cquintana@barrington220.org

Sarah Lloyd Counselor 756-2523 slloyd@barrington220.org Monica Chaidez Bi-Lingual Counselor 756-2608 mchaidez@barrington220.org Laura Winter Library Media Specialist 756-2530 lwinter@barrington220.org

Amy Vittetoe Nurse 756-2515 avittetoe@barrington220.org

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