Happy Christmas Eve!

I hope your family is enjoying this Christmas season! Just for fun, here is one of my favorite Christmas tunes played by the Boston Pops Orchestra, directed by John Williams. Enjoy Sleigh Ride!

Teeter Totter for Jordan Northington

Some of you may have heard of Jordan Northington, an Alabama Christian Academy student currently battling leukemia. We have been asked by our friends at ACA to post the following announcement, and to encourage you to participate if at all possible:

Come join the community as we ride the Teeter Totter for 48 hours straight to help raise money for the Northington family and support them with their battle against Leukemia. there will be fun activities such as Ultimate Frisbee, games, football, and live music.

When: December 21-23 from 12pm - 12pm

Where: ACA (Alabama Christian Academy)

What: 48 hour Teeter Totter Marathon

Merry Christmas!

Well, we've made it through the first semester! Exams wrapped up earlier today and the campus is eerily quiet. Folks are preparing for trips out of town and visits with loved ones. Little ones are anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival. It is an exciting time of year!

It is my prayer that your Christmas be filled with happiness and cheer, and that the time away allows you to focus not only on those who are so important to you, but also on the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

From all of us here at Trinity, may you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

See you in 2010!

Middle School Notes

Happy Friday!

It has been a good week here at Trinity, and I hope you and your family enjoy our final weekend before Christmas vacation.

We will be on a different schedule next week, so please take note of the following changes:

Monday - Normal school day - no tests. Students will be able to redeem any Paw Prints they have for a dress down day.

Exam Schedule:

Exams will run from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., beginning Tuesday. Students are dismissed after their final exam of any given day.

The 6th grade exam schedule is as follows: (6th graders are dismissed at 9:30 each morning)

Tuesday - Science

Wednesday - Math

Thursday - English

Friday - Social Studies

The 7th and 8th grade exam schedule is as follows:

Tuesday - 1st and 2nd period exams

Wednesday - 3rd and 4th period exams

Thursday - 5th and 6th period exams

Friday - 7th period exam - 9:30 a.m. dismissal

Have a great weekend!

Middle School Notes

Happy Friday!

As you can see in this picture, we have had yet another successful installment in our Lunch with Leaders program for members of our student council. Our guest this week was Mrs. Leah Slawson. Mrs. Slawson currently serves on the Trinity Presbyterian School Board of Directors, and is a published author. Our students were very excited to meet and visit with her yesterday.

During this semester, the fathers of our 6th grade boys have sponsored a Wildcat Watch devotional held each Tuesday morning at 7:00 in Willett Hall. Wildcat Watch will meet December 8 and 15, with Randy Ragsdale as the featured speaker on the 15th. Sixth grade boys and dads are encouraged to attend.

You might want to check out and bookmark this blog on middle school parenting. Updated frequently, this site offers timely advice on a variety of subjects of interest to parents of middle level learners.

Here are our tests for this week:

6th Grade:

Tuesday - English

7th Grade:

Tuesday - Civics, Math 7/Pre-Algebra

Wednesday - Keyboarding, English Vocabulary

Thursday - Pre-Algebra

Friday - Science, Literature

8th Grade:

Tuesday - U. S. History (McLemore)

Wednesday - U. S. History (Weeks), English

Thursday - Algebra I

Friday - Science, English

Have a great weekend!

Blue Jean Bash Invitation

Parents,

Invitations were sent to our 6th grade students recently for a Birthday Blue Jean Bash this Saturday hosted by Jeff and Julie Reynolds and the Camp Chandler staff. This event honors Virginia Reid and Parker Reynolds. Jeff and Julie don't want anyone left out, so if you have a 6th grade child who did not get an invitation, please contact Jeff for information about this event.

Jeff's contact information may be found in your Trinity Directory.

Thanks!

Middle School Notes

Happy Friday!

As the above picture shows, we were happy to welcome Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange to our campus this week for the second installment in our Lunch with Leaders program.  Mayor Strange is pictured here with our student council, with whom he had lunch Tuesday.  During their time together, the mayor discussed the importance of developing good character, and working to hone one's leadership skills.  He was then kind enough to take a few moments to address our entire student body, where he discussed the importance of staying away from drugs and making good decisions.  Many thanks to Mayor Strange and his staff for visiting us Tuesday!

Please remember that school is only in session Monday and Tuesday of next week.  We will be off Wednesday through Friday in order to observe Thanksgiving.  We will be on activity schedule Tuesday as our faculty and students participate in our annual Thanksgiving chapel service at Eastwood Presbyterian Church.

Here are our tests for next week:

6th Grade: None

7th Grade: 

Monday - Literature

Tuesday - Old Testament, English Vocabulary

8th Grade:

Monday - Algebra I, Pre-Algebra

Tuesday - U. S. History (McLemore, Weeks), French

Have a great weekend, and GO CATS!

Middle School Notes

Happy Friday!

I hope everyone enjoyed a great Veteran’s Day Holiday this week.  More importantly, I hope you took some time to remember those who bravely serve our country, have in the past, and, most especially those who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy.  We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our men and women in uniform.

If you have signed up to attend our bonfire tomorrow night, I look forward to seeing you there!  We are going to enjoy food, fellowship, and football (of the SEC variety!) beginning at 6pm near our tennis courts.  Parents may pick students up from this event at 8pm.  Many thanks to Julie Green and our social committee for making this happen!

Eighth grade parents are reminded of our Washington, D. C. trip meeting this coming Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. in Willett Hall.  The “DC Trip” is a blast each year, and we’re looking forward to taking your kids along in February!

As we wind down the nine-weeks, please pay careful attention to your child’s academic progress.  Lower grades are common after a tragedy the likes of which we experienced recently.  It may take a little more support than normal for some of our students.  Please feel free to contact your child’s teachers with academic concerns.  As always, we are happy to schedule conferences to discuss academic or other matters with you.

Here are our tests for the coming week:

6^th Grade:

Thursday – Social Studies

Friday – Science

7^th Grade:

Wednesday – Math

Thursday – Science

Friday – Civics, Pre-Algebra

8^th Grade:

Wednesday – Old Testament

Thursday – Pre-Algebra

Friday – Science, English

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Notes

As our weekend wraps up, I hope yours was a good one.

Please remember a couple of important things as we head into the new week:

There will be no school Wednesday as we celebrate Veteran's Day.  Enjoy the holiday and pause to remember and be thankful for those who serve to keep us safe today, as well as those who gave their lives that we might enjoy the freedom that we so often take for granted.

You should have received an email regarding our first-ever middle school bonfire and cookout.  We will be gathering this Saturday, November 14, for a good old fashioned bonfire complete with music, hamburgers, hot dogs and all the "fixins."  Please encourage your child to attend.  You may drop your student off at 6:00 p.m. and pick them up at 8:00 p.m. at the area between the baseball field and tennis courts on the Trinity campus.

Here are our tests for the coming week:

6th Grade: None

7th Grade:

Tuesday - Pre-Algebra, Old Testament

Thursday - English Vocabulary

8th Grade: 

Monday - US History (McLemore)

Friday - US History (Weeks)

Have a good week!

Tests This Week

Here are the tests as scheduled for this week in the middle school:

6th Grade:

Friday - Math, Social Studies

7th Grade:

Tuesday - Science

Thursday - Keyboarding

Friday - Civics

8th Grade:

Tuesday - History (Weeks and Franklin)

Thursday - Science

Friday - English, Algebra I

You may want to check Edline to see if any of the above tests have been postponed. Also, please excuse our teachers from their requirement to post grades last Monday. We will have that caught up as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding.

Middle School Notes

Many thanks to those of you who have expressed sympathy as we have dealt with passing of Cole Ellis this week. For those of you who keep up with this blog and didn't know Cole, he was an 8th-grader at Trinity who passed away early Monday morning, October 26.

Please continue to lift the Ellis family up in prayer, along with the teachers and students here at Trinity. I am thankful to be a part of the Trinity Family, and I am deeply humbled to serve as your child's principal.

Unfortunately, I left for the day Friday without gathering the usual information posted here. I will make a complete posting sometime during the day Monday.

In the meantime, please take time to tell the people in your life that you love them, for we are never guaranteed tomorrow.

May God bless you richly.

Middle School Notes

Good Morning!

I hope your middle-schooler enjoyed homecoming at Trinity yesterday.  The rain cleared up just in time for our annual parade, which was a rousing success.  To top it all off, Trinity blasted Montevallo last night 39-6.  Our top-ranked Wildcats are now 9-0!

We have an exciting week planned as our 6th-graders head to Camp Cosby Monday through Wednesday.  Camp Cosby is a science field trip with an added spiritual emphasis.  Kay Kirtland and Ahna Baggett do a fabulous job of putting this together each year, and I am excited about going again!

As we enter the second nine weeks, I encourage you to check out this link which includes helpful study hints for your child.  In the coming weeks, look for articles on study habits and other suggestions for making the middle school years as productive as possible.

Here are our tests for next week:

6th Grade:

None - Entire grade will be at Camp Cosby Monday - Wednesday

7th Grade:

Monday - English Vocabulary

Tuesday - Civics, Math 7

Wednesday - Science

Friday - Civics Field Trip

8th Grade:

Tuesday - Pre-Algebra

Friday - US History (McLemore, Weeks), English

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Notes

As promised, I had planned to post pictures of Justice Harold See and his visit with our students last week.  However, there was an error with the upload attempt and I'll have to try again using a different format when I return to work Monday.  Look for a special post Monday outlining our time together, complete with pictures.

Many thanks to the parents of our 8th graders who were able to attend our meet and greet luncheon Thursday.  If you were unable to attend, I will be posting a detailed account of our talk shortly  after I meet with our 6th grade parents in the coming weeks.

This coming week is homecoming at Trinity and promises to be filled with lots of fun and excitement.  We'll be welcoming the classes of 1989 and 1999, as well as cheering our #2-ranked Wildcats to another victory!  Please encourage your children to participate in our spirit days as the week progresses.

Here are our upcoming tests for the week:

6th Grade:

Thursday - Social Studies

7th Grade: None

8th Grade: 

Tuesday - U. S. History (McLemore, Weeks, and Franklin), French

Wednesday - Latin

Have a great weekend!

Middle School Notes

Happy Friday!

We were happy to welcome former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Harold See to our campus Wednesday for our first installment of Lunch with Leaders.  Justice See spoke with our Student Council about his journey through school, college, law school and ultimately the Alabama Supreme Court.  Students were engaged, and asked some outstanding questions.  Pictures were made of our time together, and as soon as I get them, I'll post them here.

We have several things going next week, so let’s jump right in:

Please remember our school schedule for next week:

Monday – Columbus Day – No School

Tuesday and Wednesday – Testing – Noon Dismissal

Due to the hectic October schedule, there have been a few changes in our 6^th grade “Wildcat Watch” Bible study schedule for the month:

October 13 – No Meeting

October 20 – Regular Meeting

October 27 – No Meeting (Camp Cosby)

Here are a few more important announcements:

·      When requesting permission to be absent from school, please do so in writing and at least one week in advance.  Permission letters should be made to my attention, and I will forward them to the teachers.

·      Congratulations to the following 7^th grade art students who have placed in the Montgomery Humane Society “Howl-iday” Card Contest: Madison Cornett, Anna Gentry, and Ben Biser.  Their specific place award will be announced at the annual "Walk-n-Wag" event Saturday, October 17 at 9:00 a.m. in front of the Shakespeare Festival.

·      Congratulations to the following 6^th grade art students who placed in the DAR Constitution Week Poster Contest:

o   3^rd Place: Hudson Hufham

o   Honorable Mention: Carly Mattox, Chloe Champion, Meredith Moore, and Trent Harris.

o   The award ceremony for these students will take place Sunday, October 25 at Goodwyn Hall, Auburn Montgomery (Time: TBA).

 Here are our tests for next week:

 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th Grades:

 Tuesday and Wednesday – Standardized Testing – Noon Dismissal

7th Grade:

Friday - English, Civics

8th Grade:

Friday - Science, Algebra I

Have a great weekend!

Middle School Notes

Hello!

Many thanks to Dr. and Mrs. Allen Clark for hosting our seventh grade parents for lunch yesterday.  We had many people in attendance, and I enjoyed getting to meet and speak with you.  If you were unable to attend, we took some time to discuss our AR program, Positive Behavior Support and its remarkable impact on our school discipline, technology in the classroom, and our vision for the future of TPS.  Watch your mail for future gatherings for parents of our sixth and eighth grade students.

We are excited to welcome former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Harold See to our campus this coming Wednesday.  Justice See will be having lunch with our newly-elected student council as we inaugurate our new Lunch with Leaders program.   Look for a write-up and pictures in next week's post.

Please mark the following dates on your calendar:

October 12: Columbus Day - No School

October 13 - 14: Standardized Achievement Tests - Noon Dismissal

October 23: Homecoming - Noon Dismissal

Tests/Projects for Next Week:

Projects: 

October 5 - US History Memory Work (Weeks, 8th grade)

October 7 - English 7 Book Report, Old Testament Project Due

Tests:

6th Grade: None

7th Grade: 

Tuesday - Math, English

Thursday - Keyboarding

Friday - Old Testament, Pre-Algebra

8th Grade:

Monday - Latin

Wednesday - Bible, English

Friday - Algebra I/Pre-Algebra, English

Congratulations to Coach Ragsdale and our Varsity Wildcats - Undefeated and #2 in the State!

GO CATS!

Middle School Notes

Hello, Parents!

Here are some important Middle School Notes for this week:

Seventh grade parents are invited to a lunch meeting at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Allen Clark this Friday, October 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.   I will be discussing a variety of topics, including our new AR initiative, the Positive Behavior Support model we use at Trinity, leadership development in the middle school, and our implementation of technology in the classroom.  I will also be taking your questions.

You should have received an email yesterday regarding this meeting, and you will see an official invitation in your mailbox today or Monday.  I hope you will be able to attend, as I am looking forward to meeting with you!

As a part of our Positive Behavior Support program, we have been distributing Paw Prints to students caught being good.  Your students have been anxiously awaiting the announcement of our reward system for having these "prints."  Please let them know that we will be outlining things for which they may redeem their prints Monday during our lunch announcements.

Speaking of lunch, our 8th-graders will enjoy a new "senior" privilege beginning Monday.  Greg Fuller, our Sage Dining manager, has graciously offered to open an "8th-grade-only" line, which will not only make our "seniors" feel important, but will speed up the lunch distribution process significantly.  We made this announcement yesterday afternoon and the kids were thrilled!

Here are our tests for the coming week:

6th Grade:

Thursday - English

Friday - Math, Social Studies

7th Grade:

Thursday - Science

Friday - Civics

8th Grade:

Tuesday - Algebra I

Wednesday - US History (McLemore)

Thursday - US History (Franklin)

Friday - US History (Weeks)

Have a Great Weekend, and GO CATS!

Middle School Notes

Good Saturday Morning!

I apologize for this late and brief post.  I was out yesterday with a sick child, taking my own advice not to send a student to school who is running a fever.

I will post a re-cap of this past week, along with some important announcements, Monday.  For now, however, we'll just stick with the tests for next week:

6th Grade:

None

7th Grade:

Wednesday - Civics, Old Testament

Thursday - Keyboarding

Friday - Pre-Algebra, Cell Project Due

8th Grade:

Monday - English

Tuesday - French

Wednesday - Pre-Algebra

Friday - Science

Have a great weekend!

Middle School Notes

Good Afternoon!

We have had a fantastic four-day week here at Trinity, but next week looks to be one of the biggest yet this year.  Here is a snapshot of what will be going on:

Monday, we will welcome Mrs. Edwina Rogers to our school to kick off our emphasis on Trinity's Accelerated Reader program.  Mrs. Rogers has worked for two presidents and four U. S. senators, and is seen regularly as a political analyst on the Fox News Network.  The title of her presentation will be "It Pays to Read."  Mrs. Rogers will be speaking during our activity period in the sanctuary of Eastwood Presbyterian Church, directly across the street from the school.  We are asking that middle school students wear chapel dress on Monday for this important event.

Monday also marks the beginning of campaign week for our upcoming student council elections.  Candidates will be making speeches during lunch each day, and we will vote on our new student council Friday.  Please encourage your children to take this election very seriously, as we will expect a great deal out of our student council representatives this year.

Please give your students a very big pat on the back.  As of today, we have no office referrals for this school year!  Our new discipline plan is working and your kids are cooperating nicely.  Please encourage them!

Here are some further announcements:

1. Chapel dress for Monday -- very important

2. Please remember to support Stella's House.  Collection cans went home this week and are due Friday.  If you would like further information on this ministry, you may find it here.

3. Please mark September 22 on your calendar.  This will be College Day in the upper school, and our middle school will dismiss at 12:00 p.m.

4. Please remember that due to the high number of absences, we are now posting assignments to Edline. 

5. We now have a new test make-up policy which we are putting into place because of the high absentee rate we have been experiencing.  Make-up tests will now be given on designated days as follows:

Monday - Math

Tuesday - English

Wednesday - Science

Thursday - Social Sciences

Friday - Bible/Foreign Language rotation/Electives

If there are conflicts with the Friday slots, they will be worked out with the individual teachers.

Here are our tests for the coming week:

6th Grade:

Tuesday - Social Studies, English

Wednesday - Science

Friday - Math, Social Studies

7th Grade

Monday - English

Tuesday - Old Testament

Wednesday - Science

Friday - Math 7

Reminder: 7th grade cell project is due Sept. 25

8th Grade:

Tuesday - History (Weeks)

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Notes

Happy Friday!

I hope your pre-Labor Day week has been a good one!

Here are some important announcements:

1. Beginning today, teachers will be posting assignments to Edline.  If your child is sick, please check Edline for all assignments.  Teachers who use Wikis for this purpose will post a link to their Wiki on the Edline site.

2. Please keep your child home from school if they are sick with flu-like symptoms.  This is the best way that we can contain the spread of any illness here at school.  We will work with you with respect to make-up work.  Our primary concern at this point is the health and well-being of all of our students and employees.

3. Please remember that requests for excused absences (trips, etc.) should be made in writing at least one week prior to the date of the absence.  You should direct your written request to me, and, if approved, I will forward it to the teachers.

4. It is important that we remember that Trinity does not send weekly folders home in grades 6-12.  Instead, grades are posted on Edline every second and fourth Monday.  Additionally, as stated above, assignments are posted on Edline now as well.  If you have concerns about a specific class, please contact the Guidance Center to schedule a conference.  You may reach Mrs. Ramsey at 213-2201.

5. I am happy to report that our students are conducting themselves in an exemplary fashion!  Our middle-schoolers are a delight to work with, and are following our guidelines and procedures very well.  The sixth grade seems to be adjusting to middle school life, the seventh-graders are helping underclassmen as needed, and our eighth-graders are exhibiting tremendous leadership qualities.  We have a great deal of interest in our upcoming student council elections, and everyone seems to be taking the whole idea of student government very seriously.  In short, your kids deserve a big pat on the back!

Here are our tests for the coming week:

6th Grade:

Wednesday - Social Studies

7th Grade:

Thursday - Math

Friday - Pre Algebra

8th Grade:

Wednesday - Earth Science, Spanish

Thursday - Pre Algebra, Latin

Friday - History (McLemore, Weeks, Franklin), English

Thanks so much for your help as we work with you to educate your child.  I hope you and your family enjoy a fun-filled Labor Day weekend!

Middle School Notes

Good Afternoon!

I hope this has been a good week for you and your middle-schooler!

With the outbreak of H1N1, the regular flu, and other illnesses, I figured it would be a good idea to share some information with you that I hope will be helpful.

One of our parents is a registered nurse at a local hospital, and has been sharing information with us regarding the H1N1 outbreak.  Following is a quote from a recent email she sent me.  It is used with her permission:

Some people think that Tamiflu is like an antibiotic and after 24 hours you are not contagious, but this is not true.  We need to educate our parents that the flu is still contagious until you are totally fever free for 24 hours even if you are on Tamiflu.

It is also important to note that some children with H1N1 have a very mild case, and are not presenting with very many symptoms.  If you are the parent of such a child, I encourage you to keep your student out of school until he/she is fever free, without Tylenol, for 24 hours.  This is the very best way for us to contain the virus and to keep it from spreading here at school.

On that note, we are doing everything possible to keep our campus clean and to remind our students of proper hand washing technique as well as what to do when they cough or sneeze.

Thanks so very much for your continued cooperation in this matter.  

Here are our tests for the coming week:

6th Grade

Friday - Math

7th Grade

Wednesday - Civics

8th Grade

Monday - English

Tuesday - Latin, Earth Science

Wednesday - Bible

Friday - Algebra I

I hope you and your family enjoy a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

Middle School Notes

Happy Friday!

Well, we've made it through the first full week of school, and your kids have been outstanding!  Please congratulate them for me.  Our 6th graders are navigating the campus well, and things are settling in nicely.

Here are a few announcements:

1. Please make plans to attend our PTO night next Tuesday, August 25 at 7:00 p.m. in Willett Hall.  Our teachers are looking forward to meeting you!

2. Everyone is concerned about the spread of the Swine Flu, and we are doing everything we can to keep things as clean as possible on our campus.  Please help us out by reviewing with your child proper hand washing techniques, as well as coughing/sneezing etiquette.  If your child is coming down with flu-like symptoms, or is running a fever, please keep them home from school.  This is our best shot at containing this disease.  Thanks so much for your help!

3. Thanks for your help with our carpool line after school.  We're managing to clear everyone out a little faster than we did last year.  Your cooperation with our guidelines is most helpful and greatly appreciated.

4. I strongly encourage you to check our this blog site by Dr. Frank Buck, an expert in the area of organization.  He has recently posted a series of articles entitled "Managing School The Easy Way" that I think you will find very helpful.  Dr. Buck will be a guest on our campus when teachers return to school after the Christmas holiday, and we are looking forward to learning how we can all be more organized in our work with your children.

Here are our tests for the coming week:

6th Grade:

Friday - Social Studies

7th Grade:

Tuesday - Civics, English

Thursday - Science

Friday - Pre-Algebra/Math 7, Old Testament

8th Grade 

Tuesday - Earth Science

Wednesday - Public Speaking

Friday - History (McLemore)

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Middle School Notes

Good Afternoon!

I hope your first week of school was a good one!  We had a very smooth start to the school year, and your children are to be congratulated making everything work so well.

Here are some important reminders as we begin thinking about week two and beyond:

1. Please make sure that your children label all of their belongings.  With class changes and locker stops, we tend to find misplaced items in the hall.  However, it is impossible for us to match an item with the owner when there is no name written anywhere.  If your child is missing something, have them stop by the front office and look through the lost and found box.

2. In an effort to help your child learn valuable organizational skills, we are using student planners in all of our classes.  Teachers are working to ensure that homework assignments are written in planners each day, and we are asking that you check these at home each evening.  Tests will continue to be posted on this blog each Friday afternoon.

3. Please note that our tutoring fees have increased this year from $25 per hour to $30 per hour.  You may contact Connie Cantey, our middle school tutor, if you are interested in tutoring services for your child.  She may be reached at ccantey@trinitywildcats.com . 

4. Please continue to help us with carpool.  Middle school students may be picked up in front of Willett Hall.  It is very important that you pull forward as far as possible in the carpool line so we don't overflow onto Trinity Blvd.  Thanks so much for your cooperation!

Tests next week: None

Have a wonderful, restful weekend!

Ready, Set, Go!

The "Halls of Trinity" are abuzz as we work to get things ready for the 2009-2010 school year.  Our Guidance Center sponsored a locker orientation day Wednesday, and we welcomed our new teachers to campus today for their first official day on the job.  

We have three new faces in the middle school this year:

Lisa Smithson will be teaching 7th grade English.  Mrs. Smithson comes to us from Southside Middle School in Tallassee where she has been for the last couple of years.  She has also worked in the Montgomery Public Schools, Lee County Schools, Auburn City Schools, and Marion Military Institute in a teaching career that has spanned some 14 years.

Kelly Long will be teaching 7th grade math.  Mrs. Long has been the computer teacher in our Lower School for the last 15 years.  She has also taught junior high math in the Montgomery Public Schools.

Tim Bethea will be teaching middle school boys PE, in addition to serving as an assistant varsity football coach and head varsity golf coach.  Coach Bethea has coached and taught at The Montgomery Academy for the last 23 years.

As you prepare for the new school year, locker organization might be at the top of your list.  Getting the year started off right in this important area will make things run much more smoothly for everyone.  To that end, you might want to take a few moments to read and discuss this post from last year.  It includes some great tips for getting and keeping your locker neat and functional.  (Note: You'll have to scroll down a bit to get to the locker info)

Enjoy your last weekend of summer, and I'll see you next Wednesday!

Welcome, New 6th-Graders!

Earlier this morning I had the privilege of participating in the first-ever "5th Grade Moving-Up Ceremony" at Trinity.  Mrs. Shelley and I both had the opportunity to speak to the current 5th grade class and present each student with a wonderful book.  Following is the text of my remarks to this outstanding group of young people:

Good morning rising 6th graders!  Today you officially begin your journey toward adulthood.  You will experience as much growth and development during the next three years as you did during your first two years of life.  You will essentially look and act less and less like a child, and more and more like an adult over the next several years, and we are going to be here to guide you through those changes.

The middle grades are an exciting time.  For the first time in your school-life, you will have a tremendous amount of freedom.  Classes will change seven times in a day, and you will have some choices as to what your areas of study will be.  At Trinity, you will be able to choose between many different, exciting courses in the fine arts, study three foreign languages, and engage in competitive athletics.

In the middle school, we strive for Christ-like excellence.  We like to think of this endeavor as shooting for "Straight As."  We want you to excel, to the extent of your God-given abilities, in the areas of Academics, Athletics, the Arts, your Appearance, and your Attitude.

Let's look at each of these areas briefly:

Academics - This heads the list because it is the key to your future.  Excellence in the academic arena will open countless doors for you, and will allow you to pick and choose among colleges and universities, as well as your career.  There is no substitute for a solid academic background, and we are committed to giving you the sound foundation you need in order to build a bright future.

Athletics - Many of you are gifted in this area and Trinity has a stellar reputation for outstanding athletic teams headed by gifted, committed coaches.  When participating in competitive sports at Trinity, you will be taught how to win with humility and handle defeat with grace and dignity.  Our coaches are Christ-like men and women who will shape you into true winners, both on and off the competitive field.

Arts - In ancient Greece, a person was not considered to be educated unless that education included instruction in the fine arts.  Music, dance, and art classes are every bit as academic as English, math, science, and social studies, and are treated as such here.  You are encouraged to pour yourself into the arts during your middle school years.  You will find the experience to be very rewarding.

Appearance - The way you dress and carry yourself has a direct impact on how you feel about yourself as well as how others feel about you.  We take our dress code very seriously in the middle school for this very reason.  Our Accelerated Reader program is taking this ball and running with it next year as we implement "Dress for Success" days.  We want you to care about how you present yourself because it will directly impact your future.

Attitude - This may be the most important thing upon which we focus in middle school.  Your attitude is everything.  While you can't always control your circumstances, you can control how you react to your circumstances.  In short, we want to be Christ-like in our attitudes, demonstrating the Fruit of the Spirit each day, and treating each other with utmost respect at all times.

Students, I congratulate you on your accomplishments thus far, and I welcome you to our middle school.  It is my hope that the next three years will be some of the happiest and most meaningful in your life.  I pray that the Lord will begin to prepare your hearts for this transition even now, and that He will guide your every step during your middle school journey.

Exam Changes

Parents,

Please note the following exam date changes:

The Varsity Baseball team will be playing in the State Championship series this Thursday at 4:00pm and on Friday beginning at 10:00am.  Due to the start time of game two, we will postpone our Middle and Upper School 2nd period exams until 10:00am Wednesday, May 20.  Students will take their first period exams as scheduled on Friday, May 15 from 8:00-9:30am.  they will then be dismissed so that they can attend game two at Riverwalk Stadium,

Note - These changes to not affect the 6th grade.  Students in 6th grade take exams from 8:00-9:30am each day of the exam period.

Revised Exam Schedule

Friday, May 15 - 1st period exam only - 8:00-9:30

Monday, May 18 - 3rd period exam - 8:00-9:30; 4th period exam - 10:00-11:30

Tuesday, May 19 - 5th period exam - 8:00-9:30; 6th period exam - 10:00-11:30

Wednesday, May 20 - 7th period exam - 8:00-9:30; 2nd period exam - 10:00-11:30

Thanks!

Middle School Notes

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Friday!

I hope you enjoy the video posted above.  This new feature, entitled "This Week at Trinity," will be seen frequently on this site during the school year.  Pictured in today's montage are scenes from our Science Olympiad party, the induction of our "TPS Corporation" AR program, the "Great Flood of 2009," and a guest speaker, Dr. Lynn Stallings from Kennesaw State University, in our math department.

Exam Prep 101

Exams are introduced at the middle school level here at Trinity to help your child prepare for higher-stakes testing in upper school and beyond.  With one week to go before the first test, it is certainly not too early to begin daily preparation.

Look carefully at the upcoming exam schedule, outlined at the end of today's blog post.  Work backward from each exam day, and plan your study time carefully.  Start today -- cramming doesn't work.

Here are some specific study tips to remember when preparing for important tests:

As was mentioned in this post from a couple of weeks ago, select a specific study time and place each day.  While you want your child to learn how to study alone, it doesn't hurt to help your student organize his materials and plan his study sessions.  Guidance in this area is a good thing, and will allow for more independent work in future years.

Take some time to help your child by quizzing the material studied in those solitary sessions.  You may simply call out questions from your child's notes, or you can create flash cards to aid with this.  Use a variety of question styles, thinking of the possible ways you might see a question phrased on a test.

Allow for breaks if your child becomes frustrated.  A frustrated student will not retain much material.  To that end, provide encouragement to your student.  Positive thoughts, a "can-do" attitude, and the expectation that one will do well are all certainly helpful when taking a high-stakes test.

Use the following acrostic to help you remember some basic tips for exam preparation:

S - T - U - D - Y

S - Sleep at least 8 hours a night leading up to exams.  Also remember to eat well.  Good nutrition and adequate rest will boost performance.

T - Take Careful Notes during upcoming review sessions.  If the teacher mentions something in a review session, you can bet your bottom dollar it will be on the exam!

U - Understanding  Check for this when helping your child study.  It is not enough to simply remember facts.  Material that is thoroughly understood can be applied to a variety of exam question types.

D - Don't Procrastinate!  Waiting until the last minute to "cram" for exams is a terrible mistake.  You have time now - use it wisely!

Y - You Can Do It!  Lift your child up with encouragement.  They need to enter the exam room with confidence!

Here is our upcoming test schedule, including our exam schedule, for the next two weeks:

6th Grade:

No tests before exams

7th Grade:

Tuesday - Science

Wednesday - Keyboarding

8th Grade:

Monday - English

Tuesday - Pre-Algebra

Wednesday - English

Exam Schedule

Friday, May 15:

1st and 2nd Period Exams

6th Grade Science Exam

Monday, May 18:

3rd and 4th Period Exams

6th Grade English Exam

Tuesday, May 19:

5th and 6th Period Exams

6th Grade Math Exam

Wednesday, May 20:

7th Period Exam

6th Grade Social Studies Exam

Make-Up Exam Day

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Notes

Good Afternoon!

I hope you had a great week, and I hope you have some exciting things planned for this weekend!

Today was a wonderful day here at Trinity.  We started things off by honoring several of our best and brightest with the National Junior Honor Society induction ceremony.  I'll try to post a picture sometime next week.  However, here are the names of those inducted this morning:

Ashley Ann Adams, Austin Adams, Holly Bellenger, Abby Betts, Dow Birchfield, Josh Brooks, Melissa Chambers, Will Clements, Chris Colee, Nick Conversino, Tanner Cox, Blair Davis, Kristian Duraski, Cole Farris, Anna Fatzinger, Elizabeth Franklin, Win Grice, Francie Hogan, Dylan Ingram, Payne Jennings, Brinkley Jones, Lauren Kingry, Jacqueline Morris, Jacey Morrow, Hayden Payne, Stone Phillips, Kennon Pouncey, Bailey Richards, James Rinehart, Candler Reynolds, MaryAugusta Slawson, Nina Smith, Marley Sport, Thomas Stallings, Brock Stevens, Brady Taylor, Caroline Ward, and Emily Alston Wiatt.

Congratulations to each of these fine students for a job well done!

Please remember that exams are approaching quickly.  Students should be preparing for these tests even now.  Encourage your child to plan ahead, study "smart," and avoid cramming.

Watch How Much You Watch TV!

Being from the "Sesame Street" generation, I was floored when my parents told me that they did not own a television set until after they had graduated from high school.  Even then, they didn't get a color set until the late 1960s.  

Most of us grew up with TV.  We see shows from the past and they bring up a host of memories from our younger days.  My generation could especially identify with the likes of Rick Schroder, Kirk Cameron, Justine Bateman and other teen stars of the '80s.  It is interesting to see them as thirty-somethings (or maybe even forty-somethings!) today.

While TV is certainly not bad in and of itself, it can become quite time consuming.  Consider the following statistics provided by the A. C.  Nielsen Company:

Ninety-nine percent of all US households own at least one television set.  The average number of sets per household is 2.24, while 66% of homes include three or more sets.

A television set is turned on in the average household more than six hours every day, and this adds up to some 250 billion hours of television watched annually by Americans.  Sixty-six percent of families in the US watch TV while eating dinner, and the percentage of people in this country who pay for cable TV stands at 56.

Some of the numbers can become quite disturbing, especially when you consider that 54% of four-year-olds  who, when asked to choose between watching television and spending time with their fathers, chose television.  Or if you consider that the average child has seen some 8,000 murders on TV by the end of elementary school.  By the age of 18, that same young person will have seen over 200,000 violent acts on the tube.

As stated earlier, television is not necessarily a "bad" thing.  In fact, it can be quite wholesome and educational -- when utilized properly.  It is up to you, the parent, to set the boundaries.  Don't be afraid to do so.

Consider cutting off the TV during dinner time each night.  Use the time to enjoy one another's company and catch up on the events of the day.  As has been suggested in public service announcements, declare one night of the week to be "Family Game Night."  Reading books would also be a good substitute.

The idea is to strike a balance and make the most of the time you have with your kids.  The years have wings, and your little ones will be walking down an aisle with a cap and gown on before you know it.  Let's make sure we've made the most of our time with them!

Tests - Week of May 4:

6th Grade

Thursday - Social Studies

Friday - Math

7th Grade

Tuesday - Geography

Thursday - Math, Pre-Algebra

Friday - Science

8th Grade

Monday - History (Franklin), Treasure Hunt Day!

Tuesday - History (Weeks)

Wednesday - Science, History (McLemore)

Thursday - Algebra I

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Notes

Good Afternoon!

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful Friday, and I hope your week was a good one.

April and May seem to be some of the busiest months of the year if you are around a school, and Trinity is no exception.  Please pay careful attention to the school calendar, located on the front page of our website , for a listing of events.  Additionally, here are some important middle school-specific dates of note:

- Friday, May 1 - National Jr. Honor Society Induction.  This ceremony begins at 8:15 am in Willett Hall.  You should receive a letter shortly if your child is up for induction.

- Monday, May 2 - Our 8th grade students will be participating in a scavenger hunt around campus as they conclude their study of Treasure Island.  Although this event does not include parents, I thought you would find it interesting to see how creative our teachers are as they provide educational activities that are fun and move the kids out of the "daily grind."

- Tuesday, May 5 - Awards Day.  This ceremony begins in Willett Hall at 8:20 a.m. and should last roughly forty minutes.

Pictured here are our two latest winners of the "Who's the Best?" contest in the 7th and 8th grades.  Ms. McLemore's 7th period and Mrs. Pirtle's 4th period claimed the honors this time around.  These kids are not in uniform because they received a dress-down day as a reward for winning.  In the coming weeks, the 7th and 8th grades will be competing against one another in the final round of "Who's the Best?"

Organizing Your Child's Spaces

In last week's post, we began looking at ways we can help middle schoolers get organized by making maximum use of the 24 hours we have in each day.  Today, we will discuss how you can help your child organize his personal spaces.

The school locker is "home base" at school.  It should be free from clutter, so it is important that your student clean it out regularly, keeping only what is necessary.  Many of our students now clean the locker out completely on Friday afternoons, packing everything into the backpack for the "purge" at home over the weekend.  

It is helpful for students to keep books and notebooks in the order of the school day, from left to right in the locker.  Additionally, students should have a "locker plan," carefully deciding just when to visit the locker each day.  For example, a student could grab supplies for first and second periods at the beginning of the school day, and wouldn't have to return to the locker until our break period just prior to 3rd period.  This type of schedule would minimize locker visits, making more time for socializing, visiting the restroom, and making it to class before the tardy bell.

It is also very important to determine what all will be needed at home each evening by making notes in the daily planner.  Students may then refer to the planner and retrieve the needed books before leaving for the day.

Other helpful locker hints include posting the daily schedule on the inside of the locker door, and keeping the combination in a safe place just in case it is forgotten over a long break.

The planner, mentioned above, is provided by the school and is absolutely essential for organizational survival.  In his book, Get Organized! Time Management For School Leaders, Dr. Frank Buck describes the planner as the "signature tool."  This simply means that the planner is the one place to trap all of the important information that comes our way during the day.  In the case of the student, this will include homework assignments, upcoming tests, and critical due dates.  In addition to marking important dates on the calendar in the planner, students should put reminders in place a day or even a week in advance depending upon the nature of a particular project.  The planner should always be with the student, available to "trap" that important information during any class.

For more information on the signature tool, see this post in Dr. Buck's popular blog on organization.  You might find this information useful for yourself as well!

Most teachers give very clear instructions as to the organization of the notebooks required for their classes.  However, there are some universal tips of which we should all be reminded from time to time.

As has been said before, get rid of the clutter!  Useless clutter creates stress and should be removed on a daily basis.  Create the habit of removing that which is not needed from all notebooks, books, and the backpack itself daily.  Finding things will be easier and stress will immediately be reduced.

Organize with tabs.  No one likes flipping through page after page looking for something when sections can be divided with inexpensive tabs.  Some companies even provide a table of contents that can show what each tab represents when the notebook is opened.

Keep relevant papers in the pockets provided.  School can be fast-paced, and with that comes the tendency to shove papers in the first place available.  Encourage your child to take the extra time to put loose papers in the pockets of subject-specific notebooks.  Investment in a good hole-punch would allow these papers to be bound in a particular section at a later date.

It is also very important that you provide a good work space for your child at home.  This area needs to be dedicated to homework and study, and should be neat and attractive.  Make sure you stock the space with a variety of school supplies, and ensure that it is located in an part of your home that is free from distractions.  If the space is neat, has good lighting and ventilation, and is comfortable, your child will be more inclined to use it for those daily homework and study sessions.

Remember that teaching our children organizational skills is a process.  While anyone can learn to be organized, some will take more time and support to achieve success.  Consistent effort, reinforcement, and modeling during the middle years will produce a person who enjoys the fruits of good organizational skills for a lifetime!

Tests for the Week of April 27:

6th Grade:

Tuesday - Social Studies

7th Grade:

Tuesday - Math

Wednesday - Keyboarding

8th Grade:

Thursday - English

Have a Great Weekend!

 

Middle School Notes

Good Afternoon!

Please note -- this blog has been updated with new test information since the original publication Friday afternoon.

I hope you have had a great week!

Beginning today I will be using this weekly blog post to discuss timely matters for middle school students and families.  I will still include important announcements and the tests for next week, but the idea of partnering with you in your child's education has prompted me to expand things a bit.

Today's entry:

Helping Your Child Get and Stay Organized

Believe it or not, getting organized is one of the most important steps one can take toward reducing stress.  Think about it.  How much of the stress that you deal with each day comes from wondering whether you've forgotten to do something important?  How many times have you been awakened in the middle of the night with the terrifying thought that something has slipped through the cracks?  How often have you found yourself searching for that little slip of paper with the important phone number scribbled on it?

Can you imagine how much better your child would perform in school if we could dramatically reduce the stress in his or her life?  Let me show you some ways we can make that happen!

Rule number one: Manage your time, not your work.

Most of us would agree that we could probably work 24 hours a day and still find more to do.  In short, work will always be there.  However, time is the valuable commodity that we can't afford to waste.  We all have the same amount of time each day.  It is how we choose to use that time that makes the difference.

Start by helping your child structure his time.  Let's look at the typical day of a middle school student at Trinity.  We could divide the day into the following categories (not including the time they sleep through the night):

- Time before school

- The time school is actually in session each weekday

- Time immediately after school

- Dinner time 

- Time before bedtime

- Bedtime

It is important that you and your child decide together how the above time slots should be best used.  Here is a sample day:

- Time before school: Eat a good breakfast, make final preparations for the day, and check that your child has everything needed for the day before leaving the house.

- School day: Structured by the school.

- Time immediately after school: This time slot could include sports or some other type of practice, play/free time, or homework time, depending upon the situation.

Note:  When you begin homework, it is very important that you empty the backpack and decide what needs your attention, what needs to be thrown away, and what needs to be done in the way of homework.  Help get your child into this routine as early as possible and you'll never have that "bottomless pit" backpack that we've all seen!  It is also important to do homework in a place free from distractions.  Homework time should be sacred time.  

- Dinner time: This should be a time to forget about school work for awhile, cut off the TV and iPod, and focus on family.  Fellowship together.  Share interesting stories from your day.  But most of all, enjoy time with your kids without any other distractions.

Time before bedtime:  This time could be used for free time, reading or watching TV if homework is already done.  Some may choose to do homework during this time slot.  When you do homework really doesn't matter.  The important thing is to schedule a time for homework and devote that time to homework each day.

Before heading for bed, help your middle-schooler check over everything that is due on the following day.  Are there important forms requiring your signature that need to be turned in?  Is there a paper that needs to be printed and bound?  Are all of the next day's books and folders in place?  It is much easier to handle these details the night before than it is when making the mad dash out the door the next morning.

Bedtime:  This really should be etched in stone.  Research is constantly telling us that "tweens" need lots of sleep.  The more good, stress-free sleep they get, the better they will perform in school.  The time just before bed is also good for family devotions.  This has become a special tradition in our house, and I encourage you to consider it as well.

Bottom line:  We need to use these years to teach our kids how to structure their time.  Develop a system and stick to it.  This will take a good bit of direction on your part, especially on the front end.  But the result of consistency in this area will be a healthy, confident, organized young freshman who makes the 8:00 class fully prepared.  That day is coming faster than we would care to think about.  Let's make sure we're ready for it!

Next week we'll talk some about managing your physical resources for school: notes, notebooks, binders, pencil pouches and lockers.  Stay tuned!

Tests - Week of April 20:

6th Grade:

Tuesday - Science

Friday - Math

7th Grade:

Tuesday - Math/Pre-Algebra

Friday - Geography

8th Grade:

Tuesday - Science, Pre-Algebra

Wednesday - Algebra I

Friday - History (McLemore)

Have a great weekend!

He is Risen Indeed!

Happy Easter!

I hope your family enjoyed a blessed Easter weekend.  I always come away from this special time renewed in the faith, having a greater appreciation for what my Savior did for me, and a greater awareness that I need to serve Him daily.

Please be mindful of the upcoming tests in the middle school this week:

6th Grade:

Math placement tests for 7th grade will be this week

7th Grade: None

8th Grade:

Tuesday - History (McLemore)

Wednesday - History (Weeks)

Friday - English

Have a great week!