We write mission statements based on teacher-developed goals because research informs us: our teacher's estimates of your student's learning has extremely high potential to accelerate student achievement. We write mission statements because collective efficacy and student progress-monitoring of learning also has extremely high potential to accelerate achievement. Read the research, here.

Last week and this week your student co-developed classroom mission statements based on our school and classroom goal: 100% of students will be proficient in all standards by the end of the academic year. Teachers are facilitators and students generated these words on their own.

Teachers are taking time to "set the stage," "frame," and build classroom culture which determines the trajectory of your student's learning throughout the year. Through peer-to-peer discourse strategies, summarizing skills, and many opportunities to share, classrooms are developing classroom mission statements. Below is an example from the Social Studies 6th Period classroom (almost done).

Did you know? The most important minutes - for adolescent learners to move knowledge from short-term memory to long-term memory - take place during the first minutes and the last minutes of classroom instruction? To support this research, we follow the "10-10" rule: All students must be in their classrooms the first ten and the last ten minutes of class.

Last week, from September 6 to September 9, 86% of students arrived on time to all classes throughout the entirety of the week. For these 86%, the potential for long-term knowledge retrieval is higher than other students who may arrive late.

Beginning this week, families of students who are late two times in one day will be contacted with a pre-written, robo-message about our intervention to support your student to be to class on time.

You can check your student's attendance, including whether or not they are tardy, in PowerSchool ParentPortal.

Students will continue engagement in our school's universal screener for Reading - iReady Diagnostic - this week.

Your student's scores will guide our decision to enroll - or not enroll - in targeted, specialized sections during FLX to support foundational reading skills or prerequisite Math skills. We will also send you your student's scores in both Diagnostics in mid-to-late September.

If your student is at-or-near grade-level for Reading and Math, then your student will either a) be enrolled in an extension section or b) be enrolled in an enrichment section. We determine your student's enrollment based on their strengths and weaknesses in core and elective classes.

Above is a snapshot picture of our school's reading data according to a formative screener, iReady. It is important we know our students' reading strengths and weaknesses so we can develop their skills.

Many students are close to finishing this screening tool. The information informs our staff we need to practice reading informational texts as well as develop our students' vocabulary acquisition.

For students who are one grade level below or more, we will enroll in specific sections to develop their prerequisite reading skills.

Estacada Middle School follows the PBIS model. PBIS is a positive behavior approach to discipline and school rules and expectations. At EMS students are rewarded, with points, for modeling and demonstrating desired behavior. Students are then allowed to purchase items, rewards and are eligible for incentives based on their points from the school PBIS store. Below is a current breakdown of points that have been earned and by grade level.

When students struggle to meet our expectations and make choices that are not aligned with our school's rules and expectations, students are referred to the office of the Vice Principal. This week 99% of EMS students were referral-free.

Estacada Middle School hosted a schoolwide assembly about positive school culture and bullying to establish a foundation and set our direction for the 22-23 school year.

In the Spring of 2022 our EMS students reported, on the annual survey, that the area of biggest growth to be made at EMS is students treating each other with respect. To coach, teach, and inspire our students on respect and kindness, EMS is bring in a guest speaker from Teen Truth to speak to our students about these topics.

This assembly was impactful to all students because we continue to foster an engaged, respectful culture at EMS. Students described the assembly as "Inspiring" and "Important." This past Spring our students told us (on the student engagement survey) that students treating other students with respect is one area where we have the opportunity to make the most growth as a school.

We will distribute MyView Bus Cards this week. Your student will be given this card so you (and the District) is aware of your student's travel to and from school as well as to and from athletic competition. Safety is a priority; you need to know where your student is and whether or not they are on the bus. We also use this data to help us make decisions about bussing routes.

Your student will receive their MyView Bus Card in their Life class. The card is enclosed in a badge holder and clip. See the image below.

If your student rides the bus, then your student will "swipe" their card when entering the bus and while exiting the bus. If your student does not ride the bus, your student must hang this MyView Bus Card in their lockers for use when participating in athletics or when going on field trips.

We will communicate with you nearly-weekly about your student's progress toward learning grade-level essential standards. To get a jump-start or head start, be familiar with two important online-based resources:

1. PowerSchool Student/Parent View. Here you can view your student's attendance, work completion, and proficiency scores.

2. ParentSquare: Here you will receive messages from school staff. Weekly messages include Newsletters from administration as well as progress reports.

Please click here to view Hometown Fan's website and learn more about signing up for all in-person, at-school events.

Our mission is to equip each student with the skills necessary to be resourceful and successful.

Email: emsinfo@estacada.k12.or.us
Website: www.ejhs.estacada.k12.or.us
Location: 500 Northeast Main Street, Estacada, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 630-8516
Facebook: facebook.com/estacadamiddleschool
Twitter: @estacadamiddle