Dear Parents/Guardians and Students in Grade 5:
Welcome to Memorial Middle School!! The sixth grade team, student support services, and the administration have started preparations for the Class of 2024. Over the last two years, we have been able to provide several new programs that are very popular with students while working to meet the rigorous Massachusetts Frameworks:
- Enrichment and Intervention: This program provides time during the school day to receive extra help or to participate in enrichment activities.
- Accelerated Math: Students in Grade 7 and 8 have an accelerated math class option. Effort and grades during grade 6 will be very important to determine an appropriate placement.
- Engineering Technology: Students take this course each year to meet the MA State Frameworks for Science. Students learn to use hand tools, cordless drills, soldering irons, and glue guns as they learn to build mag-lev cars, bridges, catapults, AM radios, and hydraulic arms with electromagnets. Students are also introduced to robotics and computer programming using Lego Mind Storm kits.
- The Advisory Program: Once per week for 30 minutes small groups of students meet with a teacher to participate in team-building activities, to discuss academics and other issues relevant to students.
- National Junior Honor Society: Students apply after first term of 7th grade for this academic Honor Society. Excellent grades are very important during your first year of middle school in order to be considered for NJHS.
- iPad Program: Every student is issued an iPad to use in school and at home. This past year the middle school introduced Google’s G-Suite for Education. This is a suite of productivity tools that allows students to collaborate with other students and the teacher through a variety of cloud-based apps.
- Spanish: All students in grades 7 and 8 have the opportunity to enroll in Spanish.
- Additional Programs and Activities Include:
The Geography
Bee
Student Council
Thanksgiving Rally and Turkey Trot
Pi Day Rally
The Spelling Bee
Penny Wars (a charity fundraiser)
Science Fair/Mad Science Night
Memorial Mini Marathon
and Rally
These activities are in addition to other traditions including the PTO Arts Alive Day, Friday Night Dances (2 or 3 per school year), the PTO Book Fair and Read-a-Thon, Band and Chorus Concerts, and the Talent Show and ice cream social.
While many great things are happening at Memorial Middle School, the first step is to help Grade 5 students transition from elementary to middle school. We started this process several weeks ago when Mr. Kelley, the Assistant Principal, and I participated in Literacy Week. After reading to students, we took time to answer many questions from students about the middle school experience. Students asked many excellent questions about changing classes, the schedule, lockers, locks, homework and other topics. Mr. Kelley and I will also attend the grade 5 YMCA field trips on May 31st and June 8th to give students the opportunity to get to know us better.
The next transition event is Step-Up Day on Monday, June 5th. Students should follow their normal routine on this day and report to Jacobs Elementary School in the morning. Students will be bused to the middle school where they will spend the morning with the Grade 6 team. Students will meet their teachers, learn about classes and expectations, and have additional questions answered. They will also meet the School Nurse, Adjustment Counselor, School Psychologist, and the administration. They will take a tour of the building and will even practice changing classes.
Parents/Guardians of grade 5 students that have any questions or concerns about the transition to middle school can meet with me at a parent coffee hosted by Christine Cappadona. This event will take place on Friday, June 9th at 9:00 am at the elementary school.
On Friday, June 9th at 10:00 am, grade 5 students will have the opportunity to meet Mr. St. George, our Music Teacher. Mr. St. George will bring middle school and high school students to the elementary school to demonstrate the different instruments that students can play in the Grade 6 Beginner Band. Students will receive a form to select the instrument they wish to play and will also receive information about the instrument rental night in September. Students do need to supply their own instrument. Most families rent an instrument through our provider, Goulet &Co., for $25 to $45 per month depending on the instrument. Students that would prefer not to play an instrument can select chorus. These forms will need to be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to the student’s grade 5 teacher by Wednesday, June 14th.
Grade 6 Orientations will occur during the weeks of August 14th and August 21st. Mr. Kelley and I will host this program. Approximately six different dates and times will be available and will be announced in mid-July. Students and parents will attend an orientation approximately 90 minutes in length on the middle school, the iPad, Aspen (our student information database), and Social Media/Communication/Notifications. We will review the first days of school. Students will receive their email addresses, usernames, passwords, locker number and combination and will be able to practice their combination if they choose. If the master schedule is complete, we will distribute class schedules.
Your grade 6 team has been working together for many years. They know that some students adjust to middle school in a few minutes while other students need a week or more. The first week of school is very structured with extra time built into the schedule to allow students to “figure out” middle school. Additional staff is on hand on the grade 6 floor to help with combinations, lockers, schedules, directions and any other concerns that may arise.
I also wish to extend an invitation to any student or family that might be anxious about the transition. Please do not hesitate to email me over the summer to set up a tour of the building or to ask any questions. I am here most of the summer and always look forward to meeting new students and families. On behalf of the faculty and staff, welcome to Memorial Middle School! We look forward to the next three years providing students with an exceptional education!
Sincerely,
Anthony Hrivnak, Principal
