NMS School Council Meeting on Wed 4/27 at 3 PM in Media Center

2015-2016 John T. Nichols, Jr. Middle School Council

Are you interested in getting involved with your child’s education in another way besides PTA or fundraising?  Would you like to be more involved in the academic aspects and decision making of your child's education here at Nichols?  If you are, then seriously consider whether you would be interested in joining the Nichols Middle School Council (also called a School Improvement Council).  By law, every school in the country has to have a School Council.  

The law outlines four major areas of responsibility for councils.  School councils are to assist principals in:  

1. Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards; 
2. Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school; 
3. Reviewing the annual school building budget; and 
4. Formulating a school improvement plan.

We meet once a month on the 4th Wednesday of each month, except where specified below – with our next meeting on Wednesday, April 27, for about an hour, beginning at 3:00 PM and ending around 4 PM, to discuss such items as our School Improvement Plan, parent involvement, how we are working with MCAS data, what we are doing to improve teaching and learning, different curricular ideas, courses, etc.  In all, the group is not like the “PTA”; it is more a group of people who are looking into school improvement and how we can get the improvement we are looking for.

We will be discussing topics that will form our School Improvement Plan for 2016-2017.

The group is made up of parents, teachers, and at least one community member.  

If you are interested or would just like to come and check it out, please come to the our next meeting, Wednesday, April 27, at 3 PM, in the Media Center at NMS or email me at mgeoghegan@middleboro.k12.ma.us. If you have any questions, please let me know.  Thank you.

2015 – 2016 NMS School Council Meetings

April 27, 2016

May 25, 2016

** All dates are the 4th Wednesday of each month – except where specified

2016 Spring Student-Led/Parent-Teacher Conferences Put Learning at the Center

April 6&14 Student-Led & Parent-Teacher Conferences Show Off Student Learning

On Wednesday, April 6, and Thursday, April 14, NMS parents and students with the help of their teachers engaged in Student-Led Conferencing (SLC) and Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Students in all grades explained to their parents how they were progressing with the standards.

They would show their parents their work examples and talk them through where they might have been in the beginning of the school year, how they improved, to where they are now.

I was super impressed with all the families who came during these busy spring evenings. With baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, dance, twirling, scouts, homework, work ... life ... there are many things that can take up our time. But parents and students came in batches as cars drove in and out of Tiger Drive to listen to their children explain their learning.

As I was walking around, there were so many conferences going on where I would see the student, the parent or parents, a sibling or two, and the teacher right there at the side supporting or guiding the conversation as well.

This is what we hope for. We want our teachers to be the "guides at the side" for our students' learning. We want our students at the "center of their learning" and be able to explain how they are doing, and what they are going to need to do to improve. Our teachers are here to support them and help them with that improvement, but it will be their, the students' challenge to get to their eventual goal.

This is what is so tremendous about these evenings and why I cherish them as awesome displays of academic achievement.

I have to thank all our faculty for making these nights possible, and our NMS PTA for supporting us with their Raffle Table and Book Fair.  So much great stuff going on.

Thank you all for all that you are doing to help us keep learning at the forefront for our students here at NMS.

Please check out some of the pictures from the evening on Thursday, April 14, and pay specific attention to how many conversations had faculty involved and how intent parents were to listen to their child. Very cool. Thank you again.

You MUST Order Your 2016 NMS Yearbook by May 1st

ORDER YOUR 2016 NMS YEARBOOK NOW!

Attention Parents:
Don’t miss out!

Don't have your children be left out and feel sad.

It’s time to purchase the 2016 NMS Yearbook.
If you have not ordered your copy of the 2016 NMS Yearbook you must order NOW!
The Cost is $22 cash or money order only, or order online at:

Click to Buy Now

The NMS school number to Order online is 13678.

The Deadline to order a Yearbook is May 1st.
There will NOT be any extra copies available in June.  

If you wish your child to receive one you must order prior to the deadline.

Hard cover, 60 pages, all color.

Order Your Yearbook Today!

If you don’t order, risk possibility of not getting a yearbook. :(

Questions, please contact Ms. Debbie Walgreen, our NMS Yearbook Advisor at dwalgreen@middleboro.k12.ma.us

ROAR Award Winners Posted for March 2016

March 2016 ROAR Awards Handed Out

A couple of years ago, NMS began a new program, which recognizes student achievement each month.  the ROAR award is given by each cluster and Unified Arts to acknowledge students who have been Respectful, On-time,  (displaying a positive) Attitude, and Responsible.  The goal is to recognize students who not only take care of basic expectations in class but are good citizens and role models in our community.

This year we have also connected the ROAR program with our TIGERS culture-building protocol.  We are specifically looking for students who are Trustworthy, have Integrity, are Generous, are Empathetic, are Responsible, and show Strength. 

Award winners receive a certificate, a coupon for a free book at the book fair, bumper stickers for their parents’ cars, and their individual picture displayed in the Main Office for the month.

The March award winners received their certificates from Mr. Geoghegan, Ms. Rae, and Mr. Thomas in a brief ceremony.

The ROAR Award winners for March 2016 for each team were:

Grade 6 Adventurers:  Kaleigh St. Clair

Grade 6 Challengers:  Allyson Rideout

Grade 7 Explorers:  Isabell DeJesus

Grade 7 Beacons:  Joshua Desmond

Grade 8 Apollos:  Jacob DeLuca

Grade 8 Comets:  Abigail Rebello
Unified Arts:  Jack LeGendre (6th Grade)

Congratulations to all!  Thank you for all your efforts; you are ROARing as you continue to "March" to an excellent school year!

NMS 2016 PARCC Testing Schedule

The Start of Another Season

We are about to begin a new season.  And I’m not talking about baseball or the Red Sox, although they are in full swing as of the Home Opener today.  This season, though, is not as well-known as fall, winter, or spring, but in this new age of education it is even more important and for us it is a new one:  the PARCC season is upon us.  Every student at the Nichols Middle School will be starting and completing the English Language Arts (ELA) and then Math administration of the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) in the next few weeks.  With our 8th Grade students also completing the Science Technology and Engineering MCAS.

We have to keep in the forefront of our minds that these tests are important.  The reason for this is simple.  I know it.  The teachers here at NMS know it.  Hopefully, the students understand it and do their best; and I am also hoping that parents are echoing these same sentiments at home. 

This is our first foray into PARCC for us here at NMS (besides a pilot in a few classrooms two years ago).  With this, we are also scheduled to complete the tests online.  We, at NMS, feel very positively about doing this.  We know our students have a very solid background in online testing as they have been working with Digits, our online math program, which is also developed by Pearson, the makers of the PARCC tests.  Also, every student at NMS went through the PARCC online tutorials on how to take the test online with Ms. Falconer in their Tech classes.

So on Tuesday, April 26, our 6th Grade Students will begin their first session of the ELA sections.  Here is the calendar of the testing administration:

PARCC Schedule for ELA:

• Tuesday, April 26: Grade 6 Unit 1
• Wednesday, April 27: Grade 7 Unit 1
• Thursday, April 28: Grade 8 Unit 1
• Tuesday, May 3: Grade 6 Unit 2
• Wednesday, May 4: Grade 7 Unit 2
• Friday, May 6: Grade 8 Unit 2
• Tuesday, May 10: Grade 6 Unit 3
• Wednesday, May 11: Grade 7 Unit 3
• Thursday, May 12: Grade 8 Unit 3

PARCC Schedule for Math:

• Tuesday, May 17: Grade 6 Unit 1
• Wednesday, May 18: Grade 7 Unit 1
• Thursday, May 19: Grade 6 Unit 2
• Friday, May 20: Grade 7 Unit 2
• Tuesday, May 24: Grade 8 Unit 1
• Wednesday, May 25: Grade 6 Unit 3
• Thursday, May 26: Grade 7 Unit 3
• Friday, May 27: Grade 8 Unit 2
• Wednesday, June 1: Grade 8 Unit 3

8th Grade STE MCAS:

• Thursday, May 19: Session 1
• Friday, May 20: Session 2

Testing Schedule for Each Grade:

6th Grade:

• Tuesday, April 26: Grade 6 ELA Unit 1
• Tuesday, May 3: Grade 6 ELA Unit 2
• Tuesday, May 10: Grade 6 ELA Unit 3
• Tuesday, May 17: Grade 6 Math Unit 1
• Thursday, May 19: Grade 6 Math Unit 2
• Wednesday, May 25: Grade 6 Math Unit 3

7th Grade:

• Wednesday, April 27: Grade 7 ELA Unit 1
• Wednesday, May 4: Grade 7 ELA Unit 2
• Wednesday, May 11: Grade 7 ELA Unit 3
• Wednesday, May 18: Grade 7 Math Unit 1
• Friday, May 20: Grade 7 Math Unit 2
• Thursday, May 26: Grade 7 Math Unit 3

8th Grade:

• Thursday, April 28: Grade 8 ELA PARCC Unit 1
• Friday, May 6: Grade 8 ELA PARCC Unit 2
• Thursday, May 12: Grade 8 ELA PARCC Unit 3
• Thursday, May 19: MCAS STE Session 1
• Friday, May 20: MCAS STE Session 2
• Tuesday, May 24: Grade 8 PARCC Math Unit 1
• Friday, May 27: Grade 8 PARCC Math Unit 2
• Wednesday, June 1: Grade 8 PARCC Math Unit 3

  

These tests sometimes bring anxiety, fear, anticipation, grief, resentment, and/or relief.  With everyone’s differing feelings on standardized assessments, though, one thing is for sure, they are here and we must deal with them for the best of our students.  Students at NMS have been preparing all year every day in their classes for these assessments, but we all must make sure we are doing everything we can in order to make sure each and every student is ready. 

I will be having meetings with each grade level to discuss the importance of the tests, better test-taking skills, and some overall strategies to help them do better and relax.  Our teachers are preparing students with skills they need to succeed each and every day either through teaching to the standards, extra test prep during DIAL periods, reading and writing throughout our curricula, or working with our online math program Digits.  

So what, may you ask, can parents do?  Well, I am glad you asked.  The following is from the Guide to the MCAS for Parents/Guardians put out by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, but we can just take out "MCAS" and put in "PARCC" to help with the support: 

What Can I Do to Help My Child?

Supporting your child is critical now and in his or her future academic career. Here are some tips for helping your child prepare for the next PARCC test administration.

·         Have regular discussions with your child’s teachers to see what you can do at home to support your child’s work in school.

·         Make sure your child gets enough rest, eats properly, and arrives at school on time every day.  Send your child to school prepared to learn.

·         Discuss with your child subjects that need improvement and whether he or she thinks there has been improvement.  If the answer is no, find out why.

·         Ask your child about homework that is due tomorrow and next week, and make sure this homework is completed.  Check your child's agenda nightly.

·         Ask your child to explain what he or she is studying.  These conversations help you follow your child’s progress, and help your child to remember what he or she has learned.

·         Help your child practice PARCC test questions, and review the tests together so you will all become familiar with the expectations.  Have them show you what the tests look like and try to answer the questions with him or her.

Here is also a link to a Parent Resource Site from Pearson with many helpful resources.

Test Practice Tests are on-line at PARCC Practice Tests where our students have visited with their teachers, but you can go there with them as well.  

Our teachers have been utilizing this all year, and more and more each day as we get closer to get used to the styles of questions as well as to be more familiar with the material.  We are getting there; each and every day we are getting closer to doing better as a school.

The PARCC is important.  Yes, it is, but we all know that we each have a part to play in the success of each child.  At NMS, we all believe each and every student can be successful at the PARCC or any standardized test and, for that matter, every other subject in school as well.  We are all going to work together as diligently as we can to make sure all of our students do succeed.  If we all keep this in mind and work together, there is no way we won’t succeed.  So, let it be the season of PARCC for it will be just another season of success for all of us at NMS.

Middleboro Team Dylan Having Hat Day Success

NMS Doing Our Part to Strike Out Cancer

On Thursday, April 7, the Nichols Middle School ran a very special 1/2 Day Hat Day in honor of Dylan Berio and The Jimmy Fund for the Rally Against Cancer 2016 Campaign.

Typically this is run on the Home Fenway Opening Day for the Red Sox, but since that was a Monday (Monday, April 11), we felt we would get better participation on a Thursday, half-day.

Well, today, the Nichols Middle School was able to raise with the online participation almost $400.

Any dollar raised will go to striking out this horrid disease.

When Dylan Berio heard how much we raised, he sent this awesome message:


Hey all NMS Tigers,

Hope you all have fun wearing your Red Sox gear to support the Jimmy Fund Rally Against Cancer
Middleborough Team Dylan.
I am getting ready to go into the Jimmy Fund with my shirt on.
Have a great day.
Go Tigers!! How big is your
Roar!!

Your buddy,
Dylan Berio

We received that message early in the day, as Dylan was heading in for treatment.

Again, our hope is that the funds raised will hopefully make sure children like Dylan don't have to go to the Dana Farber anymore and that we make cancer a thing of the past.

If you would still like to give, you can:

Sign-up by making a gift in one of three ways to help strike out cancer:

            1. Bring a cash contribution to school                    and we will add it to our                                    donation total.

            2. Send a check made out to "The                       Jimmy Fund" to school (again we                     will add it to the total).

                 Note in the memo section                                Middleboro TEAM DYLAN.

            3. Visit the website and make an                          online donation at:

Click Here to Donate to Middleborough Team Dylan. 

All proceeds raised will go to the Dana-Farber Pediatric Brain Tumor Research fund and to the Dana-Farber Brain Tumor Pediatric Patient Fund.

Thank you all for another awesome fundraising day for an incredible cause.

Here are just a few pictures from the day.