Middle School Minute

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Title I Parent Compacts Update

Please make sure that your child has returned their school/parent/student compact (it’s orange) and returned it to a grade level teacher! It was given to students at orientation/their first day with their schedule. If you are not sure that you’ve completed it, feel free to email me at misty.suwarow@hsv-k12.org

Mz. Estelle

We continue with our project on narrative writing/script writing for a puppet play. In addition we are practicing independent reading time with a weekly record of our progress using a reading log/buddy exchange document. ELA students are responsible for completing 60 minutes AND two (2) passed lessons (70% or better) each week on iReady. This reading is for a grade. Students are also responsible for completing their Summer Reading Project, required by the district, by September, 19, 2025. Please see the HCS website for information regarding the Summer Reading Project.

Ms. Stricklin

Thank you for your continued support in your child's education. This week in ELA, we will focus on essential skills and strategies designed to help our middle school students work smarter, not harder.

As part of our curriculum, we are implementing specific requirements for iReady. Students in Regular ELA are required to complete 50 minutes and pass 2 lessons with at least a 67%. For those in Honors ELA, the expectations are set at 60 minutes and passing 2 lessons with a 67% or better.

The grading for the three elements on the iReady Pathway requirements is as follows:

3/3 - 100: passed 2 lessons with 67% or better; completed time requirement

2/3 - 75: one element is missing

1/3 - 50: two elements are missing 0/3 - 0: zero elements were completed

In addition, we are introducing the RACES strategy to assist students in writing text-dependent responses:

R: Restate the question.

A: Answer all parts of the question.

C: Cite the text to support your answer.

E: Explain your citation.

S: Summarize your main points.

Please encourage your child to engage with these strategies at home. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Thank you again for your partnership in your child's education.

Ms. Hunter

We have read through chapter 11 of the Hunger Games. Assignments for this unit so far are: Pre-Hunger Games vocabulary, a character chart on Katniss, R.A.C.E. strategy questions on chapters 1-3, a conflict map, and a journal entry from Peeta's perspective. Additionally, students should be completing the daily bellringer and keeping them for an upcoming check.

Ms. Fletcher

On Monday, the students have an assignment (with a substitute) in Newsela on Clever. Tuesday and Wednesday, students will complete and review the last of the short story unit. On a test, Thursday, they will have to identify/label. Every week, students must complete 2 lessons of their Pathway. (It's designed to meet students where they are academic regardless of the grade.) They must score 80% higher for each lesson, and they must work in i-Ready for 1 hour. Every Wednesday during class, they'll be given the opportunity to work on their pathway (up to 40 minutes unless there is another scheduled activity). They must complete the rest of their time at home. If they complete both lessons with 80% or higher, that grade for the week will be 100% in PowerSchool. If not, they will receive a zero. They have until 3:00 PM each Friday. Those students who have tested out of i-Ready will receive an alternate assignment.

Mr. Moore

We will continue Order of Operations and Exponents. Our test will be Thursday.

Ms. Whitney

General Math:

Hello Families,

Progress reports will be coming home Monday, September 8. Please take time to review your student’s current average. If your student has an average below 80%, they are encouraged to retake any assessments after we've had a chance to review the material together and strengthen understanding.

Additionally, all assignments are still eligible to be completed and turned in to improve any non-satisfactory grades. I want every student to know it's never too late to improve and grow!

📘 This Week in Math:

We’ll be continuing our work on understanding scale factor and similarity using visual models and proportional reasoning.

Hands-on Activity: Using graph paper and rulers to recreate scaled objects.

Digital Practice: Interactive lessons on Kami and guided practice using Amplify Learning.

If you have any questions about your student’s progress or would like to set up extra help time, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Accelerated Math:

Hello Families,

Progress reports will go home on Monday, September 8. If your student has an average below 80%, please remind them that assessments can be retaken after we work together to clear up any misunderstandings. All assignments remain open for completion and can help improve their grades.

📘 This Week in Math:

We will review Module 1: Transformations, preparing for our unit test later in the week.

Practice includes using Desmos for exploring rotations, translations, and reflections, as well as hands-on activities using tracing paper and grid paper.

Encourage your student to study nightly, attend help sessions, and ask questions — their effort can make a huge impact!

Ms. Cuff

Greetings students and AAA family, Thank you for your continued concern and support. Next week in math, we will continue working on refreshing previously learned skills with conversions between decimals and fractions, order of operations, powers and properties of exponents etc...We are still preparing for our upcoming Real Number System unit. We have been working on simplifying square roots, cube roots, squares and cubes, simplifying radical expressions, simplifying basic powers and using the product property. We will continue these topics into next week. We will also learn about powers with rational exponents and performing operations with these.The students must complete 2 iReady math pathway lessons each week. This will be worked on in and out of school (homework). Have an amazing week. :-)

Mz. Estelle

We continue into October with studying Weather and Climate. In collaboration with UAH, later in the 9 weeks we’ll get to launch a weather/high altitude balloon! This week our scientist scholars will demonstrate their learning thus far by presenting team progress reports – TPR’s . We will study some past launches and the data they generated in order to learn how we can analyze data from our own launches. It’s in-depth use of graphs, plot points, raw data. In October we will be headed for UAH to present our findings. Yes! It’s a field trip!!!!

In science, we will be using our online textbook as only a limited number of printed copies were supplied with our AMSTI kits. The textbook is available at Carolina Science Online. Username is: Estelle Student; password is: password123. Student notebooks and information about DETECTS is available at uahdetects.org.

Mrs. Thrasher

Our Cell Analogy Projects are due this week. A day on Monday September 8th and B day on Tuesday September 9th. There are 2 parts (one on canvas and one on paper, unless creating a story). Study guides are also due A day- September 8th and B day September 9th. Study guides were glued into our Interactive Notebooks on A day September 2nd and B day September 3rd and students are expected to fill them out.

We will have a test over the Cell Theory and Organelles on A day Wednesday September 10th and B day Thursday September 11th. After our test, we are going to start learning about how cells transport materials through the cell membrane.

Ms. Plummer

This week we will continue our study of matter and how it behaves. With the focus being on physical and chemical properties, students will be examining how each property helps to identify matter (specifically elements from the periodic table). Topics will include flammability, malleability, melting point, and freezing point.

Mrs. Hester

- Chapter 4 Lesson 1: Railroads Lead the Way (Canvas assignment) - due Sunday, September 7

Mr. Garner

Help us welcome Mr. Garner to AAA as our new 7th grade Social Studies teacher! He will have updates coming soon for his classes.

Mr. Hughes

In World History we will continue our study of Ancient Mesopotamia. We'll explore some of the innovations and inventions of the civilizations, and will have an activity later in the week to explore the difficulties of building a civilization

🤡 Clowns - Ms. Stricklin 🤡

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our costume design process! This week, students will be working on their swatch projects, which can be created digitally using Google Slides or physically by stapling swatches to their drawings. The due date for these projects is Wednesday, September 10.

I will begin conferences on that day and continue them on Friday. Please let me know if your child plans to rent or fabricate their costume by returning the signed form as soon as possible. The sooner we receive these forms, the sooner we can proceed with rental costumes and costume parades.

During the swatch project conferences, we will discuss any necessary changes. Remember, students will complete this project regardless of whether they choose to rent a costume, as it is essential for meeting our theatre design standards. This project allows students to deeply engage in the costume creation process, so please hold off on any rental or fabrication decisions until after the project is complete. Early choices can dampen their excitement and impact their grades.

CLICK LINK FOR FABRIC HELP: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V2WHwHz2BkOga8pygDNUG0-lc_nL6-HH85wKqbMzzIA/edit?usp=sharing

Here’s a quick overview of the process:

Gather Ideas

Draw – 3 Different Themed Ideas

Attach Pictures – If drawing is a challenge

Approval – Conference with Mrs. Stricklin

Swatch Fabrics

Approval – Conference with Mrs. Stricklin

Work with a Seamstress

Costume Notes from the Design Team

Final Edits and Alterations suggested by the Design Team

Basic Concepts to Consider:

Bright Colors

Black and White

Washable/Dry Cleanable

Durable Materials (e.g., Sequins, Satin)

Mix and Match Prints that will read from the stage

Follow the Rule of 3

Fit and Accessories Reminders:

Must allow for movement

Should enable touching toes and wrapping arms

Allow room for growth

Legs must be covered (socks, tights)

Shoes should have rubber soles

Consider hats, ribbons, bows, petticoats, bloomers, and hot shorts

Thank you for your partnership in this creative journey! Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

🤩 Stars - Ms. Stricklin 🤩

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our program! This week, we will continue working on our first number, "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town." This beloved song has become a cherished tradition, as we perform it every year and invite alumni from both Stars and Clowns or the Lee High School Trouveres who have previously performed it. We will begin our next song by the end of the week.

Thank you once again for your engagement!

✍🏻 Creative Writing - Mrs. Hester ✍🏻

- Fiction Story Rough Drafts should be completed no later than Sunday, September 14

🧰 Theatre Tech - Mr. Stricklin 🧰

We're learning the parts of and how to use DRILLS!

🎭 Theatre - Mr. Feemster 🎭

Congratulations to the Cast & Crew of Willy Wonka Jr! We are so excited to have you be apart of the show! Remember all information is on our website WhyAAA.org/MS-Theatre. Please make sure you are checking this and joining Remind 101!

Unfortunately, if you and your student were unable to attend any of our meeting and we have not been in communication yet, then your student is out of the show. We hope we can see everyone in November for the performances!!

If you didnt get chosen, no worries! We will have more auditions in January for our play, 67 Cinderellas!

Thank you!

Josh Feemster

💃Dance - Ms. Fuqua 💃

Updates coming soon . . .

🎻Strings - Mrs. Peck🎻

Hello Strings Families! I'd like to invite you to see the Shoals Symphony schedule with artists Secret Sisters coming Saturday, September 13th. It's been part of my 31 year career to perform with local and surrounding city concert groups and I will be in Violin II section for this concert Series:)

Looking into the rest of September for AAA MS strings members, we hope you attend OPEN HOUSE on September 17th. It will be wonderful to meet you, and to get your best support signing up for volunteering for many upcoming needs: Uniform sizing to know how to order and buy performance uniform, schedule of after school snack and play rehearsals for chaperones to sign up, familiarizing yourselves with local vendor instrument providers to secure the best instrument to rent for practice success, awareness of AAA FINE ARTS PICTURE DAY scheduled by our yearbook director and what that entails, CALENDAR MUST SHOWS dates to mark and commit to-Performance 1 evening-November 13th. Performance 2 evening-December 1st. Kind thanks! We've really stepped up to the next level in just 5 weeks with our AAA inventory/shared instruments! Keep working towards providing your child with a stringed instrument from Hallmans, Fret Shop, Huntsville Violins, Millennium, The String Shop, Rentfromhome.com

All events for AAA string orchestras will be in threefold description categories- listing as follows Advanced Sapphires, Beginning Orchestra A, Beginning Orchestra B.

mary.peck@hsv-k12.org

🎵 Band and Choir - Mr. Snodgrass 🎤

Beginning Band will be staring on their instruments on Monday September 8th. They have mastered the art of rhythm counting and they are ready for playing instruments. If students have not been tested for an instrument, please call Hallman's Music at (256) 830-2303 and make an appointment to go by the store (1920 Sparkman Drive Suite 2) to get tested.

Advanced Band is working hard. Most of the advanced band students were beginners last year and we are spending time trying to bridge the gap between beginning band and advanced band. Practice sheets will go home this week. Students are not practicing enough outside of the band class. In order to be successful, practicing at home is a MUST! Parents will sign the weekly practice sheets and students will circle the days they practice. We would like to see a minimum of any of the 5 days a week for at least 20 minutes.

Choir classes are preparing for the many upcoming events. September 15, 2025, 27 students will be participating in the University of Montevallo Honor Choir Festival. About 30 students will be auditioning for the Huntsville All-City Choral Festival on September 22nd or 23rd. Auditions will be held at Whitesburg Middle School. They will begin at 4:00 p.m. on both days. We are hoping that all AAA students will make it and can represent our school at the All-City Festival.

Musically, we are off to a wonderful start of the school year!

🎨Art - Mrs. Jackson 🎨

Students in Visual Arts explored the life and career of Brazilian-American artist Romero Britto, who is currently the most licensed artist in the United States. Known for his bright, bold, and patterned artwork, Britto inspired students to create their own unique designs. Additionally, students are making great progress on their Zentangle projects!

In Media Arts, students learned about the life and career of Mary Blair, Disney's first female media artist, renowned for her work on classics like Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Sleeping Beauty. Following this, students had the opportunity to design their own castles inspired by Blair's style, which they will turn into digital designs!

My Amazon Wishlist:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2K9OTEY7SRJGD?ref_=wl_share