The Weekly Update #4

Well, we made it through the first week of school!

There is always something special about the beginning of a new school year. The building goes from being way too quiet all summer to suddenly being full of students, backpacks, conversations, laughter, forgotten locker combinations, and at least a few kids who aren’t exactly sure where they’re supposed to be.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We have had a really good start at Norris Middle School. Our students have come back ready to go, and I’ve enjoyed seeing them reconnect with friends, meet new teachers, and settle into the routines of another year.

I also want to brag on our staff for a minute.

People see teachers when students are in the classroom, but they don’t always see everything that happens behind the scenes to get a school ready to open. Our teachers and staff put in a tremendous amount of work before the first student ever walked through the door. Classrooms were prepared, schedules were adjusted, problems were solved, plans changed—and then changed again—and everyone worked together to make sure our kids had a great start.

That effort showed this week.

Now that we have gotten through the “Where do I go?” and “What time is lunch?” stage of the year, it’s time to get down to business.

We have high expectations for our students at Norris. We expect them to work hard, treat people well, take some chances, learn from their mistakes, and continue getting better. Middle school is supposed to be a time of growth. Sometimes that growth is academic, sometimes it’s social, and sometimes it’s simply figuring out that bringing a pencil to class every day makes life considerably easier.

We also know that kids will make mistakes. That’s part of growing up. Our job is to help them learn from those mistakes while continuing to push them toward the young men and women we know they can become.

There is a lot to be excited about this year. We have great kids, a staff that cares deeply about them, and a community that continues to support Norris Middle School.

The first week is in the books.

Now let’s see what we can do with the rest of the year.

It’s a great day to be a Senator!

Grade Level Reminder: Please check out the 6th grade webpage on the Norris Middle School website for tips and tricks on using Skyward and Google Classroom. Guardians please check your emails to accept the Google Classroom invites to receive weekly updates on your students' work.

ELA: Our sixth grade readers had a great week getting to know each other and our classrooms. On Friday, students began their weekly quick writes with a summer reflection. Students will complete these throughout the year, so we are excited to see how their writing will grow.

Starting on Monday, students will take their i-Ready ELA Diagnostic. This assessment allows us to pinpoint students’ reading levels and creates an individualized pathway that will fill in learning gaps or push students higher. Additionally, this data allows us to provide individualized instruction based on struggles. We will send home data forms with students, so you can see their current levels.

Additionally, we will be starting our first standard bellringer. This week, students will be focusing on making inferences and finding text evidence to support their inferences. Students will be formatively assessed on this skill on Friday, August 14.

We will start reading The Giver the week of August 17. If you are providing your student with their own copy of The Giver, make sure they have their copy by then.

We are very excited for our upcoming school year!

ELA Important Dates:

8/10-8/12- iReady ELA Diagnostic

8/14- Inference quiz

Math:

We have had a great start to the school year! It has been wonderful getting to know your children and establishing routines for a successful year of learning.

Beginning on Monday, students will take the i-Ready Math Diagnostic. This assessment helps us identify each student's strengths and areas for growth so that we can provide targeted instruction throughout the year.

Once students have completed the diagnostic, we will begin Unit 1 of our i-Ready Mathematics Curriculum. Our first unit will focus on finding the area of polygons, including parallelograms, triangles, and composite shapes.

We will also begin implementing our spiral review procedures soon. These daily review activities are designed to reinforce previously learned skills and build long-term understanding. Please watch for additional information that will be sent home explaining these procedures and how they will support your child's learning.

Thank you for your continued support. We are looking forward to a wonderful year of learning and growth!

Math Important Dates:

8/10-8/11 Math iReady Diagnostic Test

Science:

Today our sixth graders drew their idea of what a scientist doing science looks like. We analyzed our class’s drawings and discovered that many students drew chemists working in a lab. We discussed that scientific investigations range far wider than just chemistry and that scientists come from all countries, ethnicities, backgrounds, and physical abilities and can be any gender.

Our primary focus next week will be to conduct our first scientific investigation, the sand lab, which will guide them to some first understandings about the various types of energy and how energy moves. Students will complete the investigation and their first lab report in class. The secondary focus will be to engage with Power Words Vocabulary; these are key words that are used in science class as well as across other curriculum. We will take a quiz over these words on Friday. You can help your student study with the flash cards at this link: Power Words Vocabulary

Science Important Dates:

Power Words Vocabulary Quiz: Friday, August 14

Sign your student’s science class syllabus for 5 bonus points on this quiz!

ELA:

We have had a wonderful first week getting to know our students and building a positive classroom community! Students have been learning classroom routines, participating in team-building activities, and preparing for an exciting year of learning.

Next week, we will begin our Community and Belonging unit, where students will explore how communities shape our identities and the importance of creating a welcoming environment for everyone. We will also be completing our i-Ready Reading Diagnostic Assessment, which will help us identify each student's strengths and areas for growth so we can provide the best support throughout the year.

We look forward to another great week of learning!

Science:

Looking forward to a great 2026-2027. This week, your Science teachers have been getting to know your students, going over class policies and an overview of the 9-weeks. The first study will be a study of Matter - Solids, Liquids, and Gases. We look forward to getting a better picture of what your students know and then moving them forward.

Social Studies:

This short week was first spent reviewing school-wide, grade level, and classroom procedures and expectations. Then we completed a map activity for a geography review, watched a video to facilitate a conversation on why we study history, and lastly got started on our first unit with the Byzantine Empire Pear Deck. Next week we will learn about famous emperors such as Constantine and Justininian, and look at why Constantinople became the trading and cultural hub of the Middle Ages.

Math: Welcome to the 2026-2027 year! We are so excited for this new bunch of 7th grade students! Next week we will do our iReady diagnostic for math. Please encourage your student to do their very best on this diagnostic test.

Our Senators are off to an amazing start in science! I have loved getting to know our young scientists this week, and I am excited for all the discoveries we will make together this year.

Starting Monday, we will launch into our first unit: Newton’s Laws of Motion! Students will explore how forces and motion affect the world around them through hands-on investigations, experiments, and exciting classroom activities. We will be using a variety of science tools and equipment to help deepen our understanding of Newton’s Laws and bring science to life.

Each week, students will complete a McGraw Hill SmartBook assignment. These assignments will be posted on Mondays and will be due every Friday. SmartBooks are a great way for students to reinforce what they are learning in class and build a strong understanding of our science content.

I am looking forward to an exciting year filled with discovery, exploration, and scientific thinking. I can't wait to watch our young scientists learn, grow, and succeed throughout the year!