World Geography 25-26

Thank you all for an amazing year of learning, growth, laughter and fun. It has been a privilege to be your child's teacher and to watch each student develop new skills, overcome challenges and support one another along the way.

The Class of 2032 is truly a special group. Their hard work, kindness, creativity and sense of humor made this year one to remember. I am proud of everything they accomplished, and I look forward to seeing all the great things they will achieve in the years to come.

Have a fun and safe summer, and above all- STAY TAVISH!

Parents,

We had a great day! The students had an absolute blast competing in our World Geography Jeopardy team event. A huge thank you to everyone who sent in goodies. I truly appreciated being able to use them as fun prizes for the kids!

As we wrap up the school year, here are a few important reminders:

Thursday, June 4th (half day):
If your child is receiving an award (parents were emailed), please encourage them to dress to impress. This special day is a great opportunity to capture memories with friends in their sharp outfits! Also, after the ceremony, we will host a paper airplane flying event. We will have some more competitive fun.

* I do encourage everyone to bring a backpack on this day for any final items that will be coming home.

Friday, June 5th (half day):
During our final half day together, I will be drawing Mr. T tickets for 24 lucky winners who will receive a delicious doughnut from North End. Our notebook challenge winners will also be announced. They each will receive a bubble tea from North End. Finally, the students will be signing yearbooks and enjoying some final outdoor fun together.

* No backpack needed. I would suggest just bringing a pen of choice for yearbook signing.

Thank you again for all your support throughout the year. It’s been a joy working with your children, and I wish you and your family all the best this summer and beyond!

Parents,

Congratulations to Alexis Peraino, Willow Alexander, Oliver Moore, and Draven VanHorn on being nominated as our final Students of the Week for Week 37 (May 25–29)! All four students are incredibly deserving of this recognition, and their classmates clearly agreed. Students who were nominated by their teachers but did not receive enough votes to be selected were also recognized in class for earning a nomination. We have so many students showing what it means to be BLUE each and every day. We just simply ran out of time to recognize them all this year!

Here is our final week's agenda:

Monday, June 1: GeoBall (We'll play the students' favorite geography review game one final time before Wednesday's big World Geography Jeopardy event.)

*Anyone absent on Friday (5/29) will take their Australia quiz and turn in their note packet and review for credit.

Tuesday, June 2: Mr. Taylor is out of the classroom on a field trip with his daughter. The students will be reviewing/preparing for our World Geography Jeopardy event.

Wednesday, June 3: World Geography Team Jeopardy (We will see who upgraded their mind the most this year and give out lots of prizes.)

Thursday, June 4 (half day): Awards 7:30-8:45 AM in the middle school gym After the ceremony, Ms. Speckmann will be hosting a paper airplane competition. Students will be creating and decorating paper airplanes to compete in a grade-level flight challenge.

Friday, June 5 (half day): We'll have our final Mr. T ticket drawing for doughnuts, award notebook winners with bubble tea, do a final locker clean-out, play kickball, sign yearbooks, and say our goodbyes. ☹️

Thank you for a wonderful school year. I have enjoyed traveling the world with your child and I hope they enjoyed it, too. I look forward to seeing many of you at our awards cermony next Thursday.

Parents,

Please congratulate Avery Smith, Sofia Hamel and Jaxon Doyle on being nominated as our Week 36 (May 18-22) Students of the Week. The Class of 2032 had another opportunity last week to vote for who they believed was most deserving of this honor. These three students have been BLUE since the beginning of school, so I am happy to see they were nominated by their peers. The students voted for our final Students of the Week today. There were many great candidates to choose from.

We also had nine incredible students pass this year's Seterra Challenge on Wednesday. These students know their political geography and mastered the location of 178 countries spanning over six continents. This year's Seterra Challenge award recipients are:

• Camren Humphrey
• Hayden Larson
• Isabella Sudia
• Dominic Henry
• Ashlyn Danner
• Gavin Penzel
• Owen Pender
• Ryne Denning
• Jordan Boillat

Finally, our final progress report was sent out on Wednesday (5/20). All work to this point is overdue and not being accepted for credit. Finally, thank you to all who have donated and continue to donate prizes for our review challenges. The kids are really enjoying our review games and the prizes are the cherry on top. I appreciate you all!

Here is our updated schedule for our final two weeks:

Week 37

We will continue to study the world's smallest continent- Australia!

5/25- NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)

5/27- BIG (Best In Games) Field Trip

5/28- LFHS Graduation 6 PM

5/29- Australia Quiz (Students will be able to utilize their note packets.)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Week 38

6/1- World Geography Jeopardy (Round 1)

6/2- Mr. Taylor is on a field trip with his daughter.

6/3- World Geography Jeopardy (Round 2) and Chromebook turn-in during 7th hour

6/4 (Half Day)- Sixth-Grade Awards (7:30-8:45 AM)

6/5 (Half Day)- Last day of school with yearbook signing and possible outdoor events if weather permits.

Parents,

Congratulations to Lissa Brown, Iasonas Batsios and Sawyer Yonan on being nominated as our Week 35 (May 11-15) Students of the Week. Last week, these three were nominated by their peers and were chosen because of the kindness, hard work and respectfulness that they show each day. We have two more voting sessions for Student of the Week (May 18-22 and May 25-29) to wrap up the school year.

The students took their Unit 5 Lesson 1 quick-check on Tuesday (5/12). Everyone was encouraged to create one page of notes (front and back) in preparation for taking their quick-check. Those who created their study page did well. Those who chose not to did not do so well. I have, once again, encouraged everyone to get their one page of notes looking good by Monday, May 18th, as they will be able to utilize this as a testing resource. Our final Unit 5 Lesson 1 post-test will be 40 questions over vocabulary, physical features, and political features of Europe. I am hopeful that those who did poorly on their quick-check see that they need to step it up before then and create their note page. The students must also have their Europe Review Notes completed by Monday. In fact, a student may not test on Monday unless their review is completed and checked. This will be their ticket to take the test.

Lastly, if you are able and interested, I am accepting prize donations for all of our end-of-the-year events and competitions in World Geo. I currently have a box of cotton candy from Sam's Club and two $5 North End gift cards. I like to do prizes and bigger than usual drawings at the end of the school year, but I can only do so much. If you feel compelled to send in a prize, please feel free to do so. Your support is always appreciated.

Here is our schedule for our final few weeks together:

5/18- Unit 5 Lesson 1 (Europe) Post-Test *The students may use their one-page of notes as a resource.

5/18- Middle School Choir Concert *Both band and choir rehearsals will take place during the school day.

5/19- 5th-Grade Visitors

5/19- 6th-Grade Band Concert

5/20- 178 Country Seterra Challenge *This is optional, but there is an award for those that complete it.

5/21- Blooket Challenge *We'll have a fun competition to see who remembers all that we’ve learned.

5/22- Australia Quiz *This is subject to change.

5/25- NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)

5/27- BIG (Best In Games) Field Trip

5/28- LFHS Graduation

6/3- World Geography Jeopardy and Chromebook turn-in during 7th hour

6/4 (Half Day)- Sixth-Grade Awards (7:30-8:45 AM)

6/5 (Half Day)- Last day of school with yearbook signing and possible outdoor events if weather permits.

First off, congrats to Lanah Slatton, Teddy Pawlowski and Graham Murphy on being nominated by their peers last Thursday as our Week 34 (5/4-5/8) Students of the Week. They each have done a marvelous job transitioning to middle school life and I look forward to seeing what they do in years to come. We have TWO weeks remaining for Student of the Week nominations and many continue to relfect their BLUE culture to recieve nominations.

The students and I are currently in the middle of learning about the complex continent of Europe. We are working hard to discover the physical and political regions of this historically important part of the world and much of this will come back in the future social studies classes.

Please encourage your child to create notes for the concepts that they are struggling with and review the resources that we are using in class. We will wrap up our school year with a trip to Australia and lots of review.

Finally, in the coming weeks, I will be giving my annual (and optional) 178 Countries of the World Seterra Challenge. If your child chooses to study for, attempt and pass this epic challenge, they will receive a certificate at our sixth-grade awards ceremony.

With about 20 days remaining in our school year, it's good to be well-informed. Here are some key dates and events as your child wraps up their sixth-grade year:

5/12- Unit 5 Lesson 1 (Europe) Quick-Check

5/15- Senior Clap Out and NWEA Reward Day

5/16- Final Saturday School opportunity (8:30-11:30 AM)

5/18- Unit 5 Lesson 1 (Europe) Post-Test

5/18- Middle School Choir Concert

5/19- 5th-Grade Visitors (Doesn't it feel like your child just did this?!)

5/19- 6th-Grade Band Concert

5/20- 178 Country Seterra Challenge (This is optional, but there is an award for those that complete it.)

5/21- Blooket Challenge (We'll have a fun competition to see who remembers all that we’ve learned.)

5/22- Australia Quiz (We'll study the Land Down Under!) *This is subject to change.

5/25- NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)

5/27- BIG (Best In Games) Field Trip

5/28- LFHS Graduation

6/3- World Geography Jeopardy

6/4 (Half Day)- Sixth-Grade Awards (7:30-8:45 AM)

6/5 (Half Day)- Last day of school with Chromebook collection, yearbook signing and possible outdoor events if weather permits.

It's May!

With roughly a month remaining, here are some important dates to note:

5/5- NWEA Math Assessment

5/7- NWEA Reading Assessment

5/12- Unit 5 Lesson 1 (Europe) Quick-Check

5/15- Senior Clap Out and NWEA Reward Day

5/16- Final Saturday School opportunity (8:30-11:30 AM)

5/18- Unit 5 Lesson 1 (Europe) Post-Test

5/18- Middle School Choir Concert

5/19- 5th-Grade Visitors (Doesn't it feel like your child just did this?!)

5/19- 6th-Grade Band Concert

5/20- 178 Country Seterra Challenge (This is optional, but there is an award for those that complete it.)

5/21- Quizlet Live Challenge (We'll have a fun competition to see who remembers all that we’ve learned.)

5/22- Australia Quiz (We'll study the Land Down Under!) *This is subject to change.

5/25- NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)

5/27- BIG (Best In Games) Field Trip

5/28- LFHS Graduation

6/3- World Geography Jeopardy

6/4 (Half Day)- Sixth-Grade Awards (7:30-8:45 AM)

6/5 (Half Day)- Last day of school with Chromebook collection, yearbook signing and possible outdoor events if weather permits.

Also, Ellie Fuhr, Annabelle Corcoran and Bailee Grove were nominated by their peers last Thursday as our Week 33 (4/27-5/1) Students of the Week. Each of these young ladies has worked diligently this school year and reflected all four of the attributes of being BLUE every step of the way. We have FOUR weeks remaining for Student of the Week nominations and many are shining their BLUE culture to recieve nominations.

Parents,

Let's congratulate Isabella Wolsker, Reese Skerjance and Riley Bain on being nominated as last week's (4/20-4/24) Students of the Week. These three students were nominated by their peers and have consistently demonstrated all four of our BLUE themes throughout the entire school year. They are brave, loyal, unstoppable and always engaged in our learning. We only have four weeks remaining for Student of the Week nominations, so the students are reflecting their BLUE attributes very well.

With roughly five weeks left in our final marking period and semester, things are ramping up. The pace is getting a bit faster and the material is getting a little more complicated. I have encouraged everyone to continue to do the following:

• Listen carefully.
• Take notes.
• Ask questions.
• Use the resources that I provide to study.
• Use class time wisely, as we have time to work/study in class.
• Study/review a bit at home if needed.

The students are taking their Unit 4 Lesson 2 post-test on Friday and we will quickly see who is taking my advice and who is going into summer mode too early. As always, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Parents,

What an amazing day! Thank you for supporting this event. There were so many wonderful stories shared today about all of these fabulous dishes and the kids left the classroom proud and stuffed. Please enjoy the pictures below and thank you again for your support.

Parents,

Please help me in congratulating Lilly Johnson and Carter Julite on being nominated as this week's (4/13-4/17) Students of the Week. The BLUE theme last week was "Unstoppable" and Lilly and Carter have been just that from the very beginning of school. They could have been nominated long ago, but they both have just come to school each day with a mission to leave smarter and have been patient. I am very proud of the effort that they bring into the classroom each day as they reflect our BLUE culture at LFMS.

*Our final six weeks of Student of the Week nominations will be voted for by the students. I look forward to seeing who receives the most nominations each of our final six weeks of school.

With World Food Day occurring next Friday (April 24th), I just wanted to send out some quick reminders:

1. It is not mandatory to bring in a dish, but it will be extra credit for those that do. Those that do bring a dish need to create an informational card. Please see these examples: https://youtu.be/GJLJ-vR1sjU

2. I will have table cloths, plates, napkins, forks and spoons for everyone. If your child's dish requires something else in order for it to be served or eaten (cups, bowls, etc.), please send that in with your child's dish.

3. Parents may drop off their child's dish before school. I will be here at 6:45 AM. First hour will be the first hour to enjoy the event and they begin at 7:38 AM. They will set their food up in my classroom. Everyone else will place their food in the classroom next door until they come to class. We have limited fridge space, so please send in your child's dish in some sort of cooler with ice packs if they are eating later in the day. We do have plugs if dishes are coming in crock pots.

4. Parents may also bring their child's dish in right before they come to class. You will have to ask your child what time they have World Geography, but here is our schedule:

7:38 AM - 8:27 AM 1st Period

9:24 AM - 10:13 AM 3rd Period

10:17 AM - 11:06 AM 4th Period

11:10 AM - 11:59 AM 5th Period

11:59 AM - 12:33 PM Lunch

12:33 PM - 1:22 PM 6th Period

1:26 PM - 2:15 PM 7th Period

5. Parents may stop in to check out the event, but you must have a current background check on file with the middle school office for the 2025-2026 school year to do so.

6. If students are bringing their food in a special container or serving utensil, they are responsible for taking it home at the end of the day. Nothing can be left at the school over the weekend and Mr. Taylor doesn't like doing dishes. :-)

As always, the success of this event really boils down to parent encouragement and help. I thank all of you in advance for making World Food Day another HUGE success for this year's sixth-grade group. Each of our family cultures is special and food is a great way to share and enjoy all the different cultures here at Lake Fenton Middle School.

Parents,

Thank you for reaching out yesterday with several questions about our World Food Day event coming up on Friday, April 24th. I also appreciate those that inquired about helping or purchasing event items such as plates, plastic utensils, napkins and tablecloths. Here are my responses, as I am sure others have the same questions and just have not reached out yet.

1. If my child cannot bring a dish, will their grade be penalized?

Answer: Not a chance! If a student cannot bring a dish that represents their personal or family culture, we totally understand with no questions asked. I do give extra credit points to those who do participate, but this will never negatively impact a student's grade.

2. Do we have to worry about food allergies and sensitivities when creating our family's dish to share?

Answer: No! All dishes will have a card next to them that the students create that will state the dish's name, why it is special and reflects their family or personal culture and have ingredients listed. Everyone with food allergies and sensetivities will make sure to read ingredients on the cards and verify if they can have it. *Please watch this video for more information: https://youtu.be/GJLJ-vR1sjU

3. Can family members come and join in the fun?

Answer: ABSOLUTELY, but with one stipulation. Any adult joining us must have a current background check on file with the middle school office. If you have that completed, please feel free to join us during your child's hour. Our class schedule is below. If you would like to join us and do not currently have a background check on file for this school year, please stop into the middle school office and have that completed soon. It may take a day or two to verify credentials, so please do not wait until the day before.

7:38 AM - 8:27 AM 1st Period

9:24 AM - 10:13 AM 3rd Period

10:17 AM - 11:06 AM 4th Period

11:10 AM - 11:59 AM 5th Period

11:59 AM - 12:33 PM Lunch

12:33 PM - 1:22 PM 6th Period

1:26 PM - 2:15 PM 7th Period

4. Will my child's dish be able to stay warm or cold until it's their hour's event? Will there be ways to heat up items? Where will items be kept until it's my child's hour?
Answer: Students who are bringing in their dish first thing in the morning will place their dish in the classroom next to ours until it's time for their event. 1st-hour students will bring their dishes right into my classroom, as they will have their event first. We will have plugs to keep dishes warm that are in crock pots. If your child's dish needs to stay cold, we can either place it in the teachers' lounge fridge (not a ton of space but some room) OR students can bring their chilled dishes in a cooler with ice packs. We will also have a microwave in class to warm dishes up if needed. Overall, we have options for everyone. I know many parents have waited to bring dishes in themselves during their child's hour in the past and that has worked out well, too.

5. How much food do we need to make? Our we talking about feeding the entire Class of 2032?

Answer: NO! Each student just needs to bring in enough bites/samples/servings for each of their classmates in their hour. To make things simple, I just have always recommended 30-40 bites/samples/servings. You DO NOT have to make each sample individualized, but many have done that in the past. Honestly, the event will have crockpots, pans, Grandma's Tupperware, Ziploc bags, plates covered in foil, individual bites in containers, etc. You name it, we've seen it!

Caveat: If your child brings their dish in something that needs to return home, they MUST take it with them at the end of the school day. This includes ALL non-disposable utensils, as well. Please see the question and response below.

6. Mr. Taylor, you've done this event for eight years. What is your biggest concern?

Answer: I am not concerned and this always turns into an amazing, beautiful and memorable event that not only brings humans of many cultures together in celebrating our uniqueness but also gets many picky eaters devouring many amazing family dishes and recipes from around the world. It's truly a potluck of our Lake Fenton community's "best of the best" food!

I will say, though, that when 7th hour wraps up the final event of that Friday and my classroom looks like an exploded buffet, I do need support from the kids on remembering to take ALL their non-disposable dishes and utensils home with them. I DO NOT like to do dishes after the event and tend to have to each year. You can imagine the smells would not be as tantalizing Monday morning after these things have sat around over the weeeknd if I didn't. LOL!

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. This year's event will, once again, be AMAZING!

Parents,

Congrats to Aalya Kapoor and Eli Butzler on being nominated as this week's (4/6-4/10) Students of the Week. The BLUE theme before break was "Brave" and Aalya and Eli continue to show bravery in all that they do. These two tackle each challenge thrown their way and I am very proud of the courage they show each and every day. Great job!

The students will be taking their Unit 4 Lesson 1 quick-check on Monday to see how they are progressing in our unit on world culture. We have learned about world languages and several world religions so far. We will also have a day that I show the kids many different forms of currency from around the world. WIth parent permission, the students may also bring in any examples that they want to share. We will have our World Currency Day on Wednesday, April 15th.

We will also be hosting a World Food Day on Friday, April 24th. Please see my original message below for more details. Many have assured me that they are communicating with their parents in advance about this big event and have a great plan in place. Each student may bring in a dish that best represents their family culture. That could be an old, special recipe with ties to their ancestry, a dish that their family thoroughly enjoys or just food that they personally love. They are to bring 30-40 small samples for each person to try and create a card that tells us a bit about their dish e.g., name of the dish, why it's important, name, hour, ingredients, etc. I will supply plates, cutlery and napkins. We will have limited access to a refrigerator to keep items cool (container with ice packs is best) and we will have a microwave to warm things up. We do have many plugs to keep things warm in crockpots, too. This is always a very special and memorable event for the students and last year was a HUGE success. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Parents,

If you are interested and able to contribute, I’ve included a sign-up link to help restock our classroom supplies and BLUE Buck store. These are items that tend to run out quickly and are especially enjoyed by the students.

If you would prefer to donate other items (Five Below is a very popular place to find items I hear), please feel free to do so as well. Any and all contributions are sincerely appreciated and make a meaningful difference for our classroom and school.

Thank you very much in advance for your generosity and support!

Parents,

A big congratulations to Ashlyn Danner and Elijah Reynolds for being nominated as our Students of the Week for March 23–27! These two consistently demonstrate an outstanding work ethic in class and take every opportunity to deepen their understanding and improve their grades by completing every extra credit opportunity available to them. They go above and beyond not only in their academic work, but also in their participation. Both are always ready to lead group discussions, contribute to team learning events, and share their ideas with others. I am excited to see how they will continue to lead the Class of 2032 in the future.

Most students did a wonderful job communicating their need to test early this week due to upcoming vacations. Those who are absent today and did not take the test early will complete it when we return to school on Monday, April 6.

At that time, we will begin Unit 4 Lesson 1, which focuses on world culture. This is a very interesting unit, and students often have many questions. The content is more complex than in our previous unit, so asking questions and regularly reviewing the material will be essential for success.

Please see the information below, if you have not already, about our World Food Day event scheduled for Friday, April 24, which will serve as the culminating activity for this unit of study.

That's all for now. I wish everyone a wonderful spring break!

I am excited to announce that our 8th annual World Food Day celebration will take place on Friday, April 24th! This event serves as the culmination of our world culture unit, allowing students to share and experience the diverse food traditions that shape their lives. I wanted to get out information before break, as many see family during this time and can have meaningful conversations about family history and food traditions.

Each student is encouraged to bring a dish that represents their personal culture, family traditions and/or ancestral heritage. The goal is to celebrate the rich variety of backgrounds that make up our classroom community.

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, April 24th

• What to Bring: A dish that is meaningful to your child’s culture, along with any necessary serving utensils (disposable is preferred). Students must be responsible for bringing home all non-disposable containers/utensils at the end of the school day.

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• Portion Size: Please prepare 30-40 small portions for your child’s class hour.

• Storage & Heating: We have limited refrigerator space, so ice packs and cooler bags are encouraged for chilled items. We do have a couple of microwaves available for heating small portions, and crockpots may be brought in if needed.

• Volunteers: Family members who have a current background check completed with the middle school office are more than welcome to join us during their child’s class hour. I can always use help. Please ask your child what hour they have World Geography so you know when they will have their event. Here is our class schedule:

7:38 AM - 8:27 AM 1st Period

9:24 AM - 10:13 AM 3rd Period

10:17 AM - 11:06 AM 4th Period

11:10 AM - 11:59 AM 5th Period

11:59 AM - 12:33 PM Lunch

12:33 PM - 1:22 PM 6th Period

1:26 PM - 2:15 PM 7th Period

Dish Description Card:

Each student will create a description card at home to accompany their dish. This card should include:

• Front: Student name, class hour, and (if applicable) a drawing of the country’s flag.
  
  

• Back: The dish name and a brief explanation of its significance to their culture.
  
  

• Underside: A list of ingredients to help students with allergies make informed choices.

*Please watch this video for more information: https://youtu.be/GJLJ-vR1sjU

This event is always a highlight of the year, and we appreciate your support in making it a meaningful experience for all students. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your help in celebrating cultural diversity through food!

Parents,

Congratulations to Mackenzie Bellis and Cru Husted for being nominated as our Students of the Week for March 16–20! Last week’s BLUE theme was “Engaged,” and both students truly exemplified this quality. Mackenzie has been taking some of the best notes this year and consistently participates in class. Cru has also been highly engaged, sharing thoughtful ideas and annotating content at a high level. I am very proud of both of them!

As we close the third marking period today (Friday, March 20), we are in the middle of Unit 3 Lesson 3 (Human Footprint). Students completed their quick-check assessment today. Anyone who was absent will have the opportunity to make it up in class on Monday. I have noticed a strong increase in listening, questioning, and studying as we approach the final marking period of sixth grade. Students will take the Unit 3 Lesson 3 post-test next Friday, March 27, before spring break.

After spring break, we will begin our fourth and final marking period with Unit 4 Lesson 1 (World Culture). It’s hard to believe we are already at this point in the year, and this final marking period always seems to move quickly. We will also begin discussing World Food Day, which will take place at the end of April. This is an exciting event for the entire middle school, and students always look forward to it. More information will be shared next week, but I have encouraged students to start talking with their families over break in preparation for celebrating their family cultures.

Thank you for your continued support, and please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Dear Parents,

I hope you are doing well! I wanted to provide a clear update regarding next week and our upcoming assessment.

We will continue regular learning all next week. Students are scheduled to take their Unit 3 Lesson 3 (Human Footprint) post-test on Friday, March 27th.

Important: If your child will be in school all next week, this message does not affect them. They will take the test as scheduled on Friday.

For students who will be leaving early for spring break:

Please have your child let me know their last day in class and whether they plan to take the test before or after spring break. I will keep track of each student’s plan so I can schedule testing appropriately and ensure everyone is set up for success.

Parents are also welcome to contact me directly with this information (student name, class hour, last day of school, and preferred testing date) if you prefer.

As always, thank you for your support. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Parents,

I would like to congratulate Emilee McKuen and Jenkins Eickholt on heing nominated last Friday as this week's (3/9-3/13) Students of the Week. The BLUE theme last week was "Unstoppable" and these two superstars from the Class of 2032 are just that. Emilee has grown so much throughout the school year and her work ethic has increased dramatically. I am so proud of how hard she is working in class and at home to find success. Jenkins has been unstoppable in how he faces each day's learning and challenges. He is always trying his very best and I know that he is bound to be an unstoppable, positive leader for the Class of 2032. Great job, Emilee and Jenkins!

The students took their Unit 3 Lesson 2 post-test today and MANY found great success. Some were even able to grow 100% in their knowledge from the pretest (knowing nothing to knowing everything) a few weeks ago. Note taking and inquiry continue to be a major focus as the students practice annotating the content. I am seeing a lot of effort and focus during learning time these days. The students also continue to reflect on their performance and learning strategies on their goal-setting docs at the end of each unit/lesson.

Our next unit/lesson will begin on Monday (Human Footprint) and next week is the final week of the third marking period. I told the students that the second semester flies by and they are now feeling it. As we approach our final marking period together, PLEASE encourage your child to finish strong academically and behaviorally. Many will be enticed to go into summer mode early as the weather becomes nicer, but we have to stay locked in until June. There is still a lot of work ahead of us. As always, the support from home is never taken for granted and is always appreciated.

Were there any consistent topics that were discussed during spring conferences? YES!

What is the most common factor that leads to a student doing poorly in a class?

The most common reason students struggle in class is missing school. When a student is absent, they miss important instruction, notes, conversations and activities. The more days a student misses, the harder it becomes to keep up with the class, learn the material and find the energy to give their best effort.

When students are absent, it is their responsibility to:

• Check the class planner to see what we did

• Update their notes

• Study the material they missed and ask questions

The formula for success in my class is simple:

Attend class + Try your best = Success!

If a student is coming to school, giving their best effort and reviewing at home a bit when it's needed, the sky is the limit! Please encourage your child to do these three things as we approach the end of the school year.

Parents,

The BLUE theme for last week was “Loyal.” Congratulations to Leila James and Khloe Thompson for being nominated as this week’s Students of the Week (3/2–3/6).

Leila has shown incredible loyalty to herself, her classmates, and her teachers throughout the entire school year. She is kind to everyone and always makes those around her feel important.

Khloe has also demonstrated strong loyalty to herself. She works diligently each day for both herself and her team. She also has some of the best penmanship around!

I am so proud of both of these young ladies for building healthy friendships and showing such big hearts.

Upcoming Events:

• March 12: Spring Conferences 1:00–3:30 PM (*Please use your child's progress report that were emailed on March 3rd to decide who you would like to meet with.)

• March 14: Free Saturday School 8:30–11:30 AM
  Space is limited — notify your child’s teacher if your child needs this time.

• March 20: End of 3rd Marking Period

• March 23–27: March Is Reading Month Spirit Week (see below)

• March 28–April 3: Spring Break

• April 9 & 14: M-STEP Testing

• May 27: 6th Grade Field Trip to BIG – Best in Games (more to come)
  

Parents,

The BLUE theme for last week was "Brave". Congrats to Teagan Callahan and Grayson Carmany on being nominated as this week's Students of the Week (2/23-2/27). Both of these students have been brave from the first day of school. They are always willing to raise their hand and share thoughts as we learn about our world. Both are great examples of how to believe in yourself. Great job, Teagan and Grayson!

Here are a few updates for this week:

1. The students took their assessments on Unit 3 Lesson 1 (North America) and the U.S. 50 states today (2/27). Everyone was able to create a one-page sheet (front and back) to assist them on both of these assessments. Many chose to take advantage of this!
2. With only three months remaining in our school year, expectations will continue to rise. The content gets more complicated as we approach the end of the school year, so listening well, asking questions, taking notes and studying become extremely important. Please encourage your child to finish their sixth-grade year strong academically and behaviorally.
3. Conferences are Thursday, March 12th from 1:00-3:30 PM. If you have any questions/concerns for me, please stop by. If you cannot make it, you may always contact me via email as many of you already do. I will be sending out progress reports next week to guide your decisions.
4. Next Friday, March 6th, the students will take their Unit 3 Lesson 2 (Russia) quick-check to see how they are progressing with our new content. Our goal-setting docs have really helped many reflect along the way in each of our units and lessons this year. We are in a constant state of reflection in Room B106.

5. Finally, I know many families have vacations planned as we approach spring break. Please know that I do my very best to post new notes and daily learning materials so students can stay as current as possible during their absence.

   However, I do not provide work in advance of when it is taught in class. Our learning is interactive and adjusts day to day based on student understanding, questions, and the pace at which concepts are mastered. Because instruction often shifts depending on how students are grasping the material, it is not possible to accurately predict where we will be over the course of a week.

   Students who are absent are responsible for reviewing the posted materials and completing missed work upon their return in a timely manner.

Parents,

The BLUE theme for last week was "Engaged". Congrats to Emerson Penzel and Gavin Penzel on being nominated as this week's Students of the Week (2/16-2/20).These terrific twins take fantastic notes during our learning time, are always willing to participate and have grown in their knowledge of the planet over the last six months. I am very proud of their effort this school year and know that they will find great success in seventh grade.

Our study of our home continent of North America is going very well. The average sixth-grader scored a 95% on yesterday's quick-check. Many are stating that their note-taking is really helping them learn and that they knew the information being asked on the formative assessment. Those that did not do well are being persuaded quickly to begin to take notes, as they are seeing the note-taking process helping others. There may be things that your child needs to work on at home before the post-test that is taking place next Friday, February 27. These may include:

• updating and studying their notes (vocab, physical and political features).
• creating their one-pager to use on next week's two tests.
• studying their 50 U.S. states map and practicing on the Seterra clickable map. The students will have a separate quiz just on the 50 states.

Parents,

I'd like to congratulate Ellie Moffett and Mason Bauer on their nomimations as this week's (2/9-2/13) Students of the Week. The BLUE theme for last week was "Unstoppable" and Ellie and Mason definitely demonstrate an unstoppable attitude in their pursuit of knowledge. I am always impressed with how hard each of them works in class each day. I am very proud of them both.

With all the days off lately, we are working diligently to get back on pace. The students definitely know that we have little time to waste, as the second semester tends to fly by. As of right now, we are beginning our new unit/lesson on North America. The students have placed our new vocabulary into their notes (slideshow or notebooks) and have labeled the U.S. 50 states (full names and/or abbreviations). We will hit the ground running on Tuesday (2/17) and continue to create regions on our home continent and study the physical features it has to offer.

As always, please keep informed on your child's progress by utilizing ParentVue and never hesitate to reach out (jtaylor@lakefentonschools.org) with questions or concerns. Progress reports were emailed out yesterday afternoon. Please take a look!

Parents,

Congratulations to Penelope Dorenzo and Easton Wiley on being nominated as this week's (2/2-2/6) Students of the Week. Our BLUE theme for this nomination was "Loyal" and these two have been so very loyal since our first day together. They are not only loyal to believing in themselves, but also loyal to their teachers, classmates and school. I am so very proud of them both and they are TRUE to the BLUE.

We will officially wrap up our unit on China next Tuesday (2/10) with our post-test. Another snow day has put us a bit behind again. Many students have stated that taking quality notes (and looking them over each day) is a learning strategy worth keeping. If your child scores below 80% on their assessment on Tuesday, they will have the opportunity to complete a deficiency assignment. The directions will be posted on Google Classroom. All others (those that scored 80% and above) may do the same for extra credit (grade booster).

We will be stepping away from Asia for a bit and heading to our home continent of North America beginning on Wednesday. Even though we call this massive piece of land home, sixth graders often find this continent one of the most challenging. As a part of this unit/lesson (Unit 3 Lesson 1), sixth graders will learn about our country's 50 states. Many are already working ahead and using their resources to prepare. Finally, I will be sending progress reports out next week once post-test grades are updated. As always, please contact me if any questions/concerns arise.

Parents,

Please congratulate Phoebe Beadner and Wesley Patterson on being nominated as this week's (1/26-1/30) Students of the Week. Our BLUE theme for this nomination was "Brave" and these two show so much bravery each day. They are brave in how they care for others, participate and try their best. Wonderful job, Phoebe and Wesley! I am proud of you.

There has been a lot of catching up happening in Room B106 this week, as our time off put us quite a bit behind schedule. The kids know that I will never set them up to fail, so I have done my best to limit the stress and just continue the learning process. Currently, we are studying the physical and political regions in and around China and discussing how and why over a billion people are packed into one side of a country. They seem to find it all intriguing. We will take a quick-check next Tuesday (2/3) to see how everyone is doing.

As always, please check ParentVue for your child's current grades and never hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Stay warm!

Parents,

Congratulations to Elsie Foster and Tristan (TJ) Brousseau on being nominated as this week’s Students of the Week (1/19–1/23)! Our BLUE theme for this nomination was “Loyal,” and these two have exemplified that trait since our very first day together. They are loyal in believing in themselves, loyal to their teachers, loyal to their classmates, and loyal to our school. I am incredibly proud of both of them—they are truly TRUE to the BLUE.

Due to weather-related attendance inconsistencies this week, we found ourselves in a constant state of catching up. Today, many students completed a post-test or pretest originally scheduled for Tuesday, while others worked on vocabulary for our upcoming lesson. Students who were fully caught up had the opportunity to earn extra credit.

We are hopeful for a great—and FULL—week of school in Week 21!

Parents,

Please congratulate Sophia Rumble and Jordan Boillat on being named Students of the Week (1/12–1/16). Both are consistently engaged, participate actively, and stay ahead because of their focus. Great work, Sophia and Jordan!

The third marking period/second semester is off to a strong start. Students have shared their population projects, which I will review this weekend. Our post-test has been moved to Tuesday (1/20) due to the snow day and NWEA testing, giving students extra time to prepare.

Next week, we will take the Unit 2 Lesson 2 (China) pretest and begin learning about China’s physical and political features. Daily review questions will continue to serve as quick checks for understanding. If your child scores low on a review question, please encourage them to use class resources—copying and pasting from Google is not an acceptable option.

As we prepare for seventh grade, students will take more notes this semester. Notes may be kept in a notebook or on Google Slides and can be used to study and answer review questions. Our focus is on summarizing, paraphrasing, and capturing key ideas while listening.

As always, please reach out with any questions.

Parents,

Students are finishing their Google Slides projects on world population today. Each student selected a country and researched its population characteristics. Please ask your child how they are progressing on this 20-point assignment. These are due Friday (1/16).

Project directions:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1syvPH3zIunhACoXYlMVFSUXnqnPOg95iyCOW0VPMgb8/edit?usp=sharing

Mr. Taylor’s example:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gww60KqCVkUptvGDS6L_EBMPXJ2VgsOkUhtLuXnUel8/edit?usp=sharing

We also have our Unit 2 Lesson 1 (World Population) post-test on Friday, January 16. The students have a paper copy and it has been posted on Google Classroom. Below is the link to the study guide:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YkiWjvA31pLXjrBbcTF3tLy6lwP6aaG6DjrAuvsDep4/edit?usp=sharing

Please encourage your child to review the study guide. Many students have already begun highlighting items in different colors to show what they know well, somewhat know, and still need to study. Students can also review their personal notes, access all teacher notes on Google Classroom, study vocabulary on Quizlet (https://quizlet.com/471799446/unit-2-lesson-1-worldcountry-population-flash-cards/), and revisit the pretest they completed before break.

Thank you for your continued support,

Mr. Taylor

Parents,

Please help me congratulate Aubrey Garceau and Cody Gellings, who were nominated before break as our Students of the Week (1/5–1/9). They are our first nominees of 2026! Our theme leading into break was “Unstoppable,” and these two truly embody it. They consistently demonstrate kindness, a strong work ethic, and a positive attitude that helps both themselves and those around them succeed.

Monday marked the start of the third marking period and the second semester and this is a great opportunity for a fresh start for everyone. As always, the second semester tends to move quickly, so hang on! Students are now connected to their new Google Classrooms, settled into updated seating arrangements, and actively learning about world population.

This week, we completed a quick check to review what we’ve learned so far and recorded individual results in our goal-setting documents. Next week, we will continue working on our world population projects and will take our post-test on Thursday. After that, we’ll be heading to China as part of Unit 2 Lesson 2.

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.Thank you for your continued support!

Parents,

Congratulations to Enzo Williams and John Hensley on being nominated last Friday as this week’s (12/15–12/19) Students of the Week! These two students have done a wonderful job leading their sixth-hour team. They are often found helping those around them stay respectful and use their time wisely. Great job, boys!

Students took their Unit 1 Lesson 3 (South America) post-test last Thursday (12/11). The average sixth grader earned an impressive 88% on this 40-question assessment and showed 52% growth from the pretest—WOW! Fifth hour claimed the victory on this post-test challenge with an 89% class average and the highest growth at 60%. Many students are listening well, taking solid notes, asking great questions, studying hard, and finding great success.

We celebrated our departure from South America by watching the movie Up. When we return in 2026, we will begin learning about world population in Unit 2 Lesson 1. We will hit the ground running, as there will be much to accomplish during our first week back from break, especially with students moving into new teams and class hours.

Let the second semester commence!

Parents,

I would first like to congratulate Korra Buck and Owen Pender on being nominated last Tuesday as this week's (12/1-12/5) Students of the Week. These two young are some of my most engaged students. We use the phrase "locked in" in class and these two are locked in like fighter pilots. I am very proud of both of them.

The students will take their Unit 1 Lesson 3 (South America) post-test next Wednesday, December 10th. They have many resources that they can use to prepare, as well as the notes (slideshow or notebook) that we take in class. I have also posted two Quizizz practice tests and placed them on Google Classroom. Each student has three attempts for each and they will stay open until the end of homeroom on test day (12/10). Please encourage your child to study up and make sure to turn any missing/late work for this unit/lesson before test day.

One! Two! Three! Four! We declare a PENNY WAR!

Get ready for some friendly competition — Penny Wars are here! From Monday, December 1, through Friday, December 5, students will bring in spare change to help raise funds for our LFMS Giving Tree.

How it works:

• Pennies = Positive points for your team/class.

• Nickels, Dimes, Quarters and Bills = Negative points for other teams/classes.

• The class with the highest score wins!

Where to donate:
Containers will be in each classroom. Students can bring coins or bills daily and distribute before homeroom begins.

Why it matters:
Every penny counts! Your contributions will help our Giving Tree which supports families in our community during the holidays.

Let’s make this a fun and impactful event for everyone. Start gathering your change over break and let the games begin on Monday, December 1st!

Please congratulate Maci Alcorn and Bryson Murray for being nominated last week as our 11/17-11/21 Students of the Week. These two are extremely locked in during learning time. They can always be found taking great notes, asking questions and helping others each day. Maci and Bryson will get a couple of bonus days next week, as we only have two days of school next week. We will nominate our next two Students of the Week on Tuesday, November 25th. The students will be nominating their classmates for this next round.

The students are working diligently on learning South America's physical and political features. Their notes are looking great and they should be studying and reviewing these notes as we go. Please ask your child to show you their notes (either online in their slideshow notes or in their notebook). We took a quick-check today to gauge how everyone is progressing. They then placed that info in their goal-setting document and reflected on whether or not they needed to adjust their learning strategies before the post-test on December 10th.

Note-taking supplies that your child is responsible to have if taking NOTEBOOK notes:

• Spiral notebook (may need more than one for the entire school year)

• Note-taking supplies: mechanical pencils (no pencil sharpener in class), markers, highlighters, glue sticks, scissors, small ruler, folder for important papers, etc.

• Small pouch/container to keep all note-taking supplies tidy.

Parents,

Congrats to Bella Sudia and Ryne Denning on being nominated last Friday as this week's (11/10-11/14) Students of the Week. These two are loyal students and classmates through and through and their classmates and teachers are very proud of him. I hope they enjoyed their special week being honored.

We have wrapped up the continent of Africa (Unit 1 Lesson 2) and progress reports have been emailed to parents and students. The average sixth grader scored 31% on their pretest and 9o% on their post-test for this unit of study. That means the average student grew 59% in their knowledge of Africa from start to finish. Awesome! Please see the image below for specific results per hour.

Grade boosters/deficiency assignments are due by Wednesday, November 19th. If your child scored below 70%, a notification letter was sent home explaining how a student may better their post-test score. Goal-setting docs are going very well and most are figuring out what they need to do in World Geography to be successful. Wednesday (11/12) was the final day to turn in any missing/late work for Unit 1 Lesson 2 (Africa). Any work not turned in at this point will stay missing in the grade book unless a student completes that work at a Saturday School.

We are now off to the continent of South America. We have started our notebook/slideshow notes for this unit/lesson andeveryone should have their vocabulary in their notes. Next week, we will begin labeling the physical and political features of South America before Thanksgiving break. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

Parents,

Lake Fenton Middle School is collecting necessary items for our Giving Tree program! Each 6th-grade tutorial (homeroom) classroom has been assigned specific items to collect. Thank you for helping us make a difference in our Lake Fenton community! Please look below for what each homeroom is assigned to bring this year:

Mueller – Shampoo & Conditioner
Lambert – Deodorant
Dye – Hand Soap
Speckmann – Nut Butters & Jelly
Tomeo – Baby Shampoo/Wash
Reichert – Socks
Taylor – Canned Soups

*Please ask your child who their homeroom teacher is to make certain you are picking up the correct items. :-)

Parents,

Congrats to Sofia Munoz-Garcia and Gannon Caldwell on being nominated last Friday as this week's (11/3-11/7) Students of the Week. These two are always very engaged and their classmates look to them for leadership.

We have many assignments that will be going into the gradebook before next Wednesday's (11/12) Unit 1 Lesson 2 post-test. Please ask your child how they are doing or check ParentVue. Here are all the assignments that are due before next week's post-test:

1. Unit 1 Lesson 2 quick-check (10 pts.) *The students took this on Tuesday and it gave them an idea of what direction they were headed in. The goal is always 8/10 (80%) or better on a quick-check and that verifies that learning strategies are working.

2. Some did not fill out the quick-check portion of their Unit 1 Lesson 2 goal-setting doc. The students will turn this in after they complete the post-test portion after next Wednesday's post-test. (10 pts.)

4. Africa Review Notes (10 pts.) *Students may use their notes to complete this assignment.

5. Notebook or slideshow notes check (10 pts.) *I like to check once a lesson.

6. Climate graph assignment (10 pts.)

7. Unit 1 Lesson 2 (Africa) Practice Test (10 pts.) *This is open until the 12th at 8:30 AM and is a great way to prepare for the post-test. Each student gets three attempts.

8. 55 African countries extra credit (optional) is also due on the 12th.

I just want to make certain that everyone knows what is going on. This is all posted on our daily/weekly planner and in Google Classroom. Some are choosing to not utilize their class time to complete work and then choose to do nothing at home, as well. This will ultimately impact their learning, success and overall grade. I will be sending out progress reports after post-test grades are placed in the students' gradebooks next week.

Parents,

Congrats to Alice Lasco and Cooper Staley on being nominated last Friday as this week's (10/27-10/31) Students of the Week. These two are unstoppable in their kindness, work ethic and participation. They are stellar students and teammates.

There was a lot of new material covered this week as we learned about the second-largest continent of Africa. This week's festivities (costumes, dancing, spending BLUE Bucks) didn't slow this group down one bit. They all did a great job of being BLUE.

Just as a friendly reminder, your child may be asking you for more note-taking supplies such as fine-tip markers, multi-colored highlighters, scissors and glue sticks. Many students are doing a great job of sharing, but many want their own supplies.

If students are not taking notes in a notebook, they are choosing to take electronic notes on the slideshows that I provide. We are working on choosing our path based on what works best for our own learning and not always on what is easiest. This can be a process of trial and error but will make students reflect more on their own learning. We do have some students choosing to do both styles of notes and that is absolutely amazing. We will do a note check very soon and our Unit 1 Lesson 2 quick-check is next Tuesday (11/4). Encourage your child to study their notes and use the study resources provided.

First, congratulations to Lia Moody and Greyson Gabany for being nominated as our Students of the Week (10/20–10/24)! These two consistently show what it means to be BLUE and are great leaders for their first- and third-hour teams.

Today’s Mr. T Ticket winners were Maci Alcorn and Alice Lasco—each received a $5 North End gift card!

Starting next week with the beginning of the second marking period, our classroom reward system will switch entirely to BLUE Bucks. While students have enjoyed the Mr. T ticket reward system, they’ve expressed interest in earning more BLUE Bucks to spend at the LFMS Mobile Store. Thank you to everyone who has donated prizes to keep our store stocked and exciting!

As we begin the second marking period on Monday (10/27), the material will become more challenging. I’ve spoken with all classes about the importance of listening carefully, studying consistently, and asking questions. Our daily and weekly planner includes all the resources students need to stay prepared.

I’ve also reminded students that Tutorial time each day is a valuable opportunity to complete work and review. Please encourage your student to use that time wisely.

Additionally, assignments must be fully completed to receive credit. Some students have been clicking “Turn In” just to remove the “missing” label, without actually finishing the work. In those cases, the assignment will receive a zero and can’t be redone for credit.

As we head into week ten, both my academic and behavioral expectations are increasing. We’re focused on helping every student grow and show what it truly means to BE BLUE at Lake Fenton Middle School.

Brave – Lead by example and seek new opportunities.
• Lead by example.
• Encourage others to be BLUE.
• Ask for help and try new things.

Loyal – Be true to yourself and your community.
• Be kind.
• Respect your classroom, teachers, and peers.

Unstoppable – Stay curious and strive to improve every day.
• “You can do challenging things.”
• Set goals and work toward them.
• Embrace failure and move forward positively.

Engaged – Be an active learner and follow expectations.
• Be on time, prepared, and complete your work.
• Listen carefully, ask questions, and stay curious.
• Use your device and class time productively.

Parents,

First off, congrats to Annelise White and Hayden Larson on being nominated last Friday as this week's (10/13-10/17) Students of the Week. These two are so kind and respectful.They always ask how I am doing (How's your weather today, Mr. T?) and have such wonderful personalities. They are also great friends and very loyal to each other.

It was great seeing everyone that could make it out to conferences this afternoon. We wrap up the first marking period next Tuesday, October 21st. The students will take their Unit 1 Lesson 1 post-test next Wednesday (10/22) and it is worth 30 points. The students will also complete their first official goal-setting doc at that time. This is worth 10 points. Many have been very reflective throughout this lesson over the last few weeks. The goal-setting doc truly allows everyone to see where they started and finished and what adjustments need to be made for future success. The students will begin working on their "My Perfect Location" projects on Monday. These are worth 20 points, as well, and serve as a great study guide. The students will have access to my example to guide them and this will be posted on Google Classroom. Our next unit of study will be on Africa. The content will begin to get more complex as we move forward. Please continue to encourage your child to listen well, ask questions, take great notes and study them. If they can choose to do that, they will find success.

Typical questions I receive at conferences:

1. What is Homework Help? Homework Help is a designated time after school (2:15-3:15 PM) that students can sign up to receive help with homework. If your child is struggling to keep up with their work, please contact the office to get them signed up. The cost of a session is $2.00.

2. What is Saturday School? Saturday School is hosted roughly once a month on a Saturday morning from 8:30-11:30 AM. Parents are contacted if a student needs to attend for academic or behavioral purposes. Saturday School has no cost.

3. Is there anything we can provide for class? I always appreciate families offering to provide materials for class, but I do not need as much as when I taught in the elementary buildings. I have most covered, but I gladly accept gift cards for our class drawings (I always do $5 gift cards to North End), Kleenex (the sniffles are beginning) and really anything for the BLUE Buck Mobile Store. If you would like to donate any of these, they would be greatly appreciated.

4. If my child is absent, where do they find what they've missed? What we covered that day (presentation links, resources, etc.) is located on our planner. All work missed will be posted on Google Classroom. Any notes that were taken that day are located in a basket on my desk. It is the job of the student to catch up on their learning and work when they are not in class.

5. What note-taking supplies does my child need? A notebook and a writing utensil would be the minimum, but many are finding it very helpful to have fine-tip markers, multi-colored highlighters, scissors and a glue stick. I often have a map or form that they can glue into their notebook, so glue and scissors are really important.

6. What are your biggest concerns moving forward? I would say that task completion, meeting deadlines, using class time to complete work/study and being fully engaged in our learning are the top opportunities for growth with this sixth-grade group. Most are doing very well, but for those who are not, these seem to be the biggest hindrance to finding success.

7. What are the keys to my child continuing to find success in the second marking period? In my opinion, attendance is the biggest key to success. The second most important thing is communication. I highly encourage everyone to play an active role in their learning. Some are comfortable with doing this right away and some have to learn how to do it. I am here to enrich and assist both groups. Finally, the note-taking process is vital to a student's continued success. Most students cannot just take notes in class and retain the information. I encourage everyone to look over their notes each night (5-10 minutes) and come to class with questions the next day as each lesson builds on the next. If a student has great attendance, communicates in class and takes/studies their notes, they will continue crush it.

8. Are there any opportunities to increase a low test score or get extra credit? There is always the opportunity to improve a post-test score. If a student scores under 80% on a post-test, they may do a deficiency assignment to better understand the material and raise their test grade. A parent letter will come home in this instance to inform parents of their child's test score and the opportunity to improve it. This letter must be signed and returned to me for the student to have this opportunity.

Students who score 80% or higher may do the same for extra credit (grade booster). These opportunities are assigned the day of a test and the students have one week to turn it in. The updated test grade or amount of extra credit is decided by the level of effort of the deficiency assignment/grade booster.

Parents,

If your child is attending the Halloween dance after school on Thursday, October 30th, please send in $5 with them so that we can get a headcount for food and drink orders. Thank you!

Parents,

Tomorrow (10/15) is the final day to donate items for Socktober, as we try to help those in need in our community. The picture below gives donation ideas for your sixth grader. This year, sixth grade is in charge of paper products and cleaning supplies. Thank you to all that have already donated.

Parents,

Sofia Sharpe and Walyon Bilbrey were nominated last Friday as this week's (10/6-10/10) Students of the Week.These are some of my most empathetic and helpful students. They continue to be BLUE each and every day. Also, today's Mr. T ticket winners were Mackenzie Bellis and Teddy Pawlowski. They each won a $5 giftcard to North End. Our next Mr. T ticket drawing will be Friday, October 24th. Finally, check out the video linked below on how the BLUE Buck Mobile Store is doing. The kids are really enjoying spending their BLUE Bucks.

The students will take their Unit 1 Lesson 1 quick-check next Tuesday (10/14) to see how they are progressing through our new unit/lesson. We have been learning about how the Earth's climate works and most are really locked in. They will also continue to track their progress on their first official goal-setting doc. The students began the process by filling out their pretest data last week. This will be completed and turned in after our post-test on Tuesday, October 21. Many have been very reflective on their goals and the learning strategies that they put in place to achieve those goals. The goal-setting doc truly allows everyone to see where they started and finished and what adjustments need to be made for future success. Please continue to encourage your child to listen well, ask questions and study a bit. If they can choose to do that, they will find success.

Parents,

Morgan Whitney and Jaxon Gucwa were nominated last Friday as this week's (9/29-10/3) Students of the Week. These two have truly reflected the attributes of being BLUE over the previous six weeks and deserve this honor. There are so many students making great choices in the Class of 2032. It is difficult to choose just two to nominate each week. We also had MANY students hit a free throw in class this week and win five Mr. T tickets (or a BLUE Buck) to put in for our bi-weekly drawing (our next drawing is Friday, October 10). Gabe Haller, Cru Husted and Layla Shaffer all hit the shot in class today and it was awesome!

With conferences occurring on Thursday, October 16th (12-2:30 PM and 4:30-7 PM), I wanted to note a few things beforehand:

Task completion: Work must be turned in on time in order to receive full credit. If an assignement is turned in late (no more than three days) and done well, it will receive partial credit (up to 80%). Any assignment turned in after the unit/lesson post-test will not be accepted for credit. The students know that I am not a big fan of homework and that I give a lot of time in class to complete work and study. Although this is true, some may have to study at home, as everyone processes at different levels and speeds. Each student is beginning to understand how they learn best and I have urged everyone to think about what makes them successful.

Absences: When your child is absent, please remind them to look at our daily/weekly planner and Google Classroom. This will tell them what they missed and what is expected of them when they return. Notes taken during a students absence are always available.

Grades: Grades can fluctuate. If you see something peculiar on ParentVue, please contact the teacher. It could be as simple as your child having a rough day, choosing not to listen, leaving the classroom to avoid work, etc. I appreciate it when parents are actively checking on their child's progress and ParentVue is a great way to be well-informed.

Chromebooks: Please remind/encourage your child to FULLY charge their Chromebook each night. They must be responsible and come to class prepared.

BLUE Buck School Store: Many parents have asked if we need anything in class and I always appreciate this question. With that being said, we have opened a brand new, mobile school store for the kids to spend their hard-earned BLUE Bucks. Donations to this cause would be AMAZING and truly appreciated. The grand opening is on Monday, October 6th, and their will most certainly be a flourish of buying. To keep this store stocked, any and all donations are greatly appreciated. Here are a list of ideas:

• Healthier options for sweet treats like Peelrz, Yoggies, Joyride, SmartSweets, and YumEarth candies

• Middle-grade books (Book Fair would be a great time to donate a book.)

• Fun snacks (think healthy, packaged, and grab-and-go!)

• Sportscards/trading cards & collectibles (These are always a hit!)

• Squishables, fidgets, and small fun toys (Think small, fun trinkets.)

• Cool note-taking supplies (gel pens, highlighters, mini notebooks, sticky notes)

• Middle school–approved treasures like water bottles, stickers, $5-$10 gift cards to local businesses (North End, Uncle Ray’s, Ziggy’s, Starbucks, Ulta, Crust, etc.)

Parents,

Charlotte Martin and Brantley Ricksgers were nominated last Friday as this week's (9/22-9/26) Students of the Week. Both of these students have been exceptionally BLUE in their transition to Lake Fenton Middle School. I will announce our next Students of the Week to the students later today. Many are working very diligently to earn this honor. Also, Isla Heusted and Jayden Fay won $5 gift cards to North End for this week's Mr. T ticket drawing. Our next drawing will be Friday, October 10th.

Although it was a very busy week with drills, homecoming festivities and lots of learning, the students were still able to buckle down. We've been working diligently on our map skills and the post-test will be taken next Wednesday (10/1). The students were given a study guide a few days ago (posted on Google Classroom and a paper copy) and have access to a practice test that is posted on Google Classroom. Please encourage your child to look over their study guide and use the Quizizz practice test that was posted on Google Classroom. Each student may take it up to three times before next Wednesday's post-test.

The students and I also talked about the late-work policy. As we begin our sixth week, late work will begin to be fully penalized. I have also communicated my frustrations when a student turns in an assignment late only to find out that it was only partially done or not completed at all. When this happens, the assignment will be returned to the student and they will lose the opportunity to turn that assignment in for partial credit. Partial credit is always better than a zero in the grade book and I do expect the work to be fully completed. Late work must also be turned in by the day of a post-test. Late work will not be accepted for a previous unit/lesson after the post-test.

The kids know that I am not a fan of "homework", as I know everyone is very busy with family time, sports and hobbies after school. If you work hard and listen well, you won't have much to do at home. With that being said, the students know that I give a lot of time to work on things in class and that they must use this time wisely. If homework is coming home, it may be a sign that class time is being wasted i.e., socializing, using the bathroom as a means of avoidance, sneaking games on their Chromebook, etc. Please talk with your child about how they are choosing to utilize their time in each of their classes.

Finally, next week will mark the beginning of students filling out goal-setting docs that track their individual progress throughout a unit/lesson. Please look for a quick video in the near future explaining how these work.

Parents,

Brielle Aziz and Beithomy Reid were nominated last Friday as this week's (9/15-9/19) Students of the Week. Brielle and Beithomy have reflected the attributes of B.L.U.E. from the first day of school. I will announce our next Students of the Week to the students later today. Also, our first Mr. T ticket winners were drawn last Friday (9/12). Ellie Moffett and Jenkins Eickholt won $5 gift cards to North End. We do Mr. T ticket drawings every other Friday and these tickets can be earned for all sorts of reasons. Our jar is filling up fast! We also occasionally do a free throw shot at the end of class for Mr. T tickets, too. So far this year we've had several students make the shot and earn five Mr. T tickets. We work hard and play hard in Room B106.

It was a busy week and a lot was accomplished. The students took their first post-test on the five themes of geography on Monday (9/15) and the average student scored 91%. Here are the student averages per hour (see the picture below for more detail):

1st hour: 88%

3rd hour: 89%

4th hour: 89%

5th hour: 91%

6th hour: 93% (This team won our first post-test challenge. A tie was broken with team growth.)

7th hour: 93%

Since the students completed their first post-test this week, it was time for them to learn how to calculate their grades and learn what to do after that. Everyone has calculated their percentage and knows what they earned on their first post-test. The students have also calculated their pretest percentage from two weeks ago to compare and see how much they've grown/upgraded their knowledge from the pretest to the post-test.

When a student scores 80% or better on a post-test, they have the option to do an extra credit (possible five points) assignment called a grade booster. I make this an option for these students because they have shown they are doing their job in class and I want them to then choose their workload. This can be in the form of a video, posterboard, etc. and its purpose is to showcase, again, what the student has learned in that particular unit/lesson. The possibilities for how they choose to do this are endless.

Students who score below 80% on their post-test have the same opportunity except that it is not optional and it is not for extra credit. This is called a deficiency assignment and it is done in the same manner as a grade booster. The difference is in its purpose. Students who score below 80% do a deficiency assignment to better understand the material and have the opportunity to raise their test grade. For example, if a student scores 67% on their post-test and completes a well-done deficiency assignment, I will raise their test grade to 80%. 80% is the highest I will raise a test grade to. I keep track of who should be completing a deficiency assignment for each post-test and students that decline to help themselves are noted. A parent letter will also be sent home to notify parents.

I did have students ask about the possibility of students scoring in the 79%-70% (C) range choosing whether or not to do a deficiency assignment. The C range is tricky. I did state that I will keep track of grades carefully, as 80% or better is always the goal. This first grade booster/deficiency assignment is due to me by next Wednesday, September 24. Students always have one week after a post-test to create this and turn it in.

We are now learning about basic map skills. We will have a quick-check next week to gauge how everyone is progressing and have our next post-test about a week after that. Please note that our lessons will begin to pick up pace and become more difficult throughout the school year. I am highly encouraging all sixth-graders to do their very best bell to bell (listening, asking questions, taking notes, using work/study time wisely) to limit the amount of work that comes home. I am not big on homework, but when a student knows they need to practice something, they are expected to use the resources I provide and do so.

I will be emailing progress reports today. As always, please continue to check ParentVue to keep track of your child and let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I am always here to help.

Dear Parents,

We are excited to announce that Cordelia Prieditis and Dominic Anstett were selected as our very first Students of the Week last Friday (9/5)! 🎉

Students of the Week receive several special perks during their special week:

• A BLUE Buck

• Five Mr. T tickets (Our first drawing for $5 North End gift cards is today!)

• Five extra credit points

• Reserved seating with a friend each day

• Friday treats (pop and cloud mints)

This honor is awarded every Friday and is based on the traits of B.L.U.E. (Brave, Loyal, Unstoppable, Engaged). Keep an eye out—our next Students of the Week (Sept. 15–19) will be announced to students later today!

Academic Update

We had a wonderful third week together! Routines and procedures are now in place, and we’re wrapping up our first unit: The Five Themes of Geography.

• On Tuesday, we completed a quick-check to see how students were progressing at the halfway point.

• The unit post-test will be on Monday, Sept. 15.

Each unit/lesson follows this cycle:

1. Pretest (ungraded) – to see what students already know.

2. Quick-check (about 10 questions) – mid-unit progress check.

3. Post-test – final evaluation and reflection. We do post-test challenges as hour competitions, so the students are not only studying and learning for their own growth but also for their team's growth. I am big believer in building positive team cultures in each hour.

By comparing the pretest and post-test, students can see how much they’ve grown. We’ll continue building on this process throughout the year with eventual goal-setting and learning strategies for each new unit/lesson.

Sixth-Grade Focus Areas This Week

Late & Missing Work

Note Taking

Some are choosing to take notes in their notebooks. Some are choosing to take notes online on the Google Slides that I create. Some are doing BOTH! The only inappropriate option is to do none of these. Please ask you child how their notes are looking.

Absences
When a student is absent, they must look to our daily/weekly planner and make sure to catch up on the learning/assignments that were missed. If we took any notes, those will be located in our note basket. It's very easy for students to forget that we are working diligently when they are out of the classroom and they must not forget to catch up and still turn in assignments in a timely manner.

Being Prepared

Students must bring all materials daily—charged Chromebook, notebook, and supplies. Beginning Week 4, no locker trips after the bell. A Think Sheet will be given if students are unprepared.

Leaving class frequently reduces learning time and leads to more work at home. Since I strive to keep homework minimal, our goal is to use every moment bell-to-bell for learning and growth.

Looking Ahead

• First progress reports will be emailed next week.

• As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns about your child’s progress.

Have a wonderful weekend, and as always—GO BLUE!

Parents,

I have created a video this week (as brief as possible) to show you what your child is working on in World Geography and how the class functions. We have definitely started to get to work, but we are continuing to nail down routines and procedures. Please check it out.

Dear Parents,

The first week of school has flown by, and what an exciting start it has been! I am thrilled to be working with this outstanding group of 160 sixth graders. Their energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm already make me confident that this will be a great year.

This newsletter will serve as an ongoing update for families. Each week (or so), I’ll send out a short summary of what we’ve been working on in class, along with important reminders and upcoming events. The most recent updates will always appear at the top, and you can scroll down for previous information. The students will have access to this newsletter, as well.

Below you’ll find a link to our virtual classroom, where students—and parents, if you’d like—can access everything they need for World Geography: weekly planners, the class syllabus, study links, schedules, and more.

Please know that I view communication as a key to student success. If you ever have questions, concerns, or ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out. My contact information is listed below and also in the virtual classroom.

Next week I’ll share more about what you and your child can expect as we begin our journey through World Geography. I’m looking forward to seeing the students bright and early Tuesday morning for our first official day of class!

Wishing you a wonderful Labor Day weekend,

Mr. Taylor

This Week in World Geography
✔ Teacher and student introductions
✔ Student inquiry about Mr. Taylor, his family, and his class
✔ Class supplies (charged Chromebook, spiral notebook, note-taking materials, etc.) *See syllabus below!
✔ Routines and procedures (bathroom use, cell phones, water/food, Chromebook expectations, class resources, etc.)

✔ What's the point of school? UPGRADE and UPDATE our bodies, minds and character!
✔ Academic and behavioral expectations (BLUE)
✔ Classroom rewards (BLUE Bonus Bucks, Mr. T Tickets, Student of the Week, and team rewards)
✔ Student Q&A from the sixth-grade class meeting
✔ Restorative practices (“The Name Game”)

Parents and Students,

Welcome! This running newsletter will be my main way of keeping families up-to-date throughout the school year. The newest information will always be posted at the top, and students will also have access so they can stay in the loop about what’s being shared with parents.

If you weren’t able to attend Open House this week, no worries! Below are two helpful links: our sixth-grade combined syllabus and my Open House slideshow, which will give you a glimpse into who I am and what to expect in class.

👉 Sixth-Grade Combined Syllabus: View Here
👉 Mr. Taylor’s Open House Slideshow: View Here

I’m also encouraging students to explore my virtual classroom (linked below). We’ll use it daily, and it’s especially helpful when a student is absent. We’ll go over everything together next week, but some “pregame exploring” is definitely encouraged!

I can’t wait to kick off a FULL first day of school on Monday, August 25th. It’s going to be a fantastic 2025–2026 school year, and I look forward to learning and growing alongside your child.

Enjoy the last few days of summer!

—Mr. Taylor

Email: jtaylor@lakefentonschools.org
Syllabus: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lfyCfDEU_F80jXLq8PJfwzW-86Sn1_8_2Znv9aTL11Q/edit?usp=sharing
Location: 11425 Torrey Road, Fenton, MI, USA
Phone: (810) 591-2284