Middle School Minute

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We will begin the week after Spring Break. Please ensure your students get plenty of rest, are well fed, and are prepared with charged devices for testing days. Testing dates are listed below. Small group testing and make up test may occur on days following planned testing dates. Elementary will test the same dates and time as middle school, but testing content may vary.

March 28 - April 7: Make up/small group ELA and science testing

Tuesday, April 8: Math section 1

Wednesday, April 9: Math section 2

• i-Ready - Students are required to complete 50 minutes of i-Ready Reading and two passed lessons. The more lessons they do and pass with an 80 or better; the more tickets they get to spend at the i-Ready store.
• Accelerated Reader (AR) - Students need to be reading and taking AR tests. The only way to grow in reading comprehension is to practice.They need to look at their individual goal through Clever on Renaissance Learning
• Schoology -
• Writing: We have finished our personal narratives. The final drafts were due 3/28 by midnight
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: We have just completed reading Ch. 1-4. We have not only learned about Percy Jackson but Greek Mythology as well. Students will participate in vocabulary, figurative language, text-dependent questions, and arts integration activities as we follow Percy Jackson through a heroic journey. Next up: Reading ch. 5-7.

• i-Ready - Students are required to complete 50 minutes of i-Ready Reading and two passed lessons. The more lessons they do and pass with an 80 or better; the more tickets they get to spend at the i-Ready store.
• Accelerated Reader (AR) - Students need to be reading and taking AR tests. The only way to grow in reading comprehension is to practice.They need to look at their individual goal through Clever on Renaissance Learning.
• Schoology -
• Writing: We have finished our personal narratives. The final drafts were due 3/28 by midnight.

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: We have just completed reading Ch. 1-4. We have not only learned about Percy Jackson but Greek Mythology as well. Students will participate in vocabulary, figurative language, text-dependent questions, and arts integration activities as we follow Percy Jackson through a heroic journey. Honors students are held to a higher standard of learning than my regular classes. This will include more writing and an occasional extended project.There will not be a project for Ch. 1-4 due to our school show of Bedtime Stories. Next up: Reading ch. 5-7.

All periods will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday, April 4th. Vocabulary words will be given Monday, March 31st, and their review will be due on Wednesday, April 2nd.

All classes are writing a research paper on "A Woman in History". The rough drafts are due on Friday, April 4th.

First and fifth block are reading the Hunger Games.

Third and fourth block are completing assignments in Studysync which can be accessed on Clever.

Information coming soon!

Science: The week of March 24, 2025 we start a new unit for AMSTI: Weather and Climate Systems. We will be tying our knowledge of weather and climate with our project from the beginning of the year, DETECTS weather balloon. Investigations will include making clouds, modeling heat transfer and convection, and human impact on climate trends.

Our science text is available online at carolina science online. The link is posted to the Google Classroom. Username: Estelle Student; password: password123.

***Please know that classwork must be completed ON TIME. Per our class syllabus, no late work is accepted with the exception of excused absences. If your child is absent and misses work, all work should be completed within five days of return.

6th Grade Social Studies:

- WWII - Chapter Test - Friday, April 4(A) / Monday, April 7(B)

Study on socrative.com

Room name: HESTER

Dear Parents,

I wanted to provide you with an update on our Oregon Trail journal project. Students have been making progress and were given the choice to work alone or with a partner. At this point, they should have some of their sources input on Schoology and have gathered notes to help guide their writing.

Students should now be focusing on getting their rough drafts started. The final drafts of their projects will be due during the second week of April. Please encourage your child to stay on track as we work through the writing process.

If you have any questions or would like to support your student further, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your continued support!

Make sure you are checking the website, www.whyaaa.org and join the Remind. Please turn in your $20 rental fee if you are renting.

• We have finished choreography for our first medley called “When I Grow Up/Naughty!” The students are doing well, but they need to keep practicing their music. We have started learning the music for the next song as soon as we finish choreographing the medley. Clowns competition theme is “Don’t Be Afraid to Grow Up.” We are still working on a title.

• We have two performances coming up in April. We have a couple of amazing performance opportunities coming up. Remember that performances are mandatory. We have been asked by the 40 Years of Magic committee to perform at the 40 Years of Magic Gala at the Orion on April 17, as well as, by PTA to perform for The Fine Arts Festival on April 5. I know these were not on the schedule, so I will be a little lenient. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE make every effort to have your child there, especially the 40 Years of Magic Gala. This is an astonishing accomplishment for our creative and performing arts magnet program. Most do not last this long. Click the link to fill out the GoogleForm to let me know if you will be in attendance. I only have 20 responses. Performances Google Form

Make sure you are checking the website, www.whyaaa.org and join the Remind. Please turn in your $20 rental fee if you haven't.

• We are almost finished learning our first medley called “Jump ‘n’ Boogie.” We have started learning the next medley called “Rock and Roll is Here to Stay.” We have started choreography on “Jump ‘n’ Boogie” next week. Stars competition theme is “Dancing Through the Decades!” I cannot wait to see this come together.

• We have two performances coming up in April. We have a couple of amazing performance opportunities coming up. Remember that performances are mandatory. We have been asked by the 40 Years of Magic committee to perform at the 40 Years of Magic Gala at the Orion on April 17, as well as, by PTA to perform for The Fine Arts Festival on April 5. I know these were not on the schedule, so I will be a little lenient. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE make every effort to have your child there, especially the 40 Years of Magic Gala. This is an astonishing accomplishment for our creative and performing arts magnet program. Most do not last this long. Click the link to fill out the GoogleForm to let me know if you will be in attendance. I only have 20 responses. Performances Google Form

Creative Writing:

- Summer Writing Workshop Opportunity for current 8th Graders posted in Schoology

- Students should be preparing their 4th and final workshop submissions.

- Open-Mic Night - Tentative Date - Friday, April 25, before Drive-In Movie event.

Please let me know if you have any conflicts with the date above.

• Volunteers Needed! We have a AAA Theatre Workday scheduled for Saturday, March 1st from 10-3pm. We need adult help.
• Ticket Sales GO LIVE on Saturday, March 1st! Make sure you purchase your tickets at WhyAAA.org!

See the flyer regarding dance merch!

Tickets for Princess and the Frog are coming soon! Stay tuned for more details!

An upcoming music program you can enjoy is https://whitesburgbaptist.org/event/23962115-2025-03-30-a-symphony-of-hymns/

I'm fortunate to be playing VIOLA with their orchestra!:)

We have important rehearsals coming up before our Friday, April 4th OMPA Assessment

Tuesday, April 1st a code purple full string rehearsal has been set. ALL STRINGS for OMPA should be in the orchestra classroom at 1:30

Thursday, April 3rd, ALL STRINGS MEMBERS for OMPA should stay after school from 3-4:30 for our 'mock judging comments and observation' We have guest 'judges' for this 'performance' set up.

Wishing you the best for testing mornings! I can't wait for us to come together for our last preparations for OUR BIG TEST at OMPA. Congratulations!

Our last 5 years Certificates express us maintaining scores of 'Excellence' and 'Superior (Excellence is 2, Superior is 1) I'm so excited that we can continue the tradition for 2025!

Kind thanks, and sincerest support-Mary Peck-3rd-8th Magnet Strings Director

Attention all artists!

We're excited to announce two amazing community events!

South Huntsville Art Walk & Chalk
Date: March 29, 2025
Time: 10 AM - 2 PM (arrive at 9 AM)
Location: South Huntsville Public Library
Theme: "Flower Power"
Entry Fee: $10

Join us for a FREE celebration of creativity with a sidewalk chalk art contest! Win cash prizes: 1st Place: $250, 2nd Place: $100, 3rd Place: $75. Food trucks will be on-site!

There will also be an amateur/kids area for those who want to participate outside of the competition.

Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd71JHamuLo4r4Eq3kF-daXRnuNileTsIUG2ng8iku5vG7t9w/viewform

AAA Fine Arts Festival
Submit your sketch for a chance to create a piece of sidewalk chalk art themed "Welcome to the Jungle" at the entrance of our building right here at AAA! Entries due March 28th. Questions? See Mrs. Jackson!

Don't miss out on the fun! Are you ready to create?

• Make sure you have signed up for the 6th grade Remind CLICK HERE
• Have students read at home for 30 minutes every day.
• Students need to be more mindful of the expectations here at school. Students are starting to bend and break the rules and procedures.

*** All sixth grade classrooms are STILL in need of hand sanitizer and tissues. We would be MOST grateful if you can send those items in. Thank you to all those who have sent in supplies!

iReady in ELA and math will be graded based on work completed Monday - Friday going forward. Time and lessons completed on Saturday and/or Sunday will not count toward their iReady classwork grades.

Please encourage your students to complete their classwork at school. The goal is for students to not have much homework and to use their classroom instructional time efficiently. This should also help decrease the number of missing assignments students have in PowerSchool.

8th Grade Parents/Guardians: The 8th Grade Bridging ceremony is quickly approaching. It is a special ceremony with a unified look. The girls are to wear white dresses or a white pants suit and dress shoes. The boys are to wear blue, black, or khaki dress pants, a button down shirt, and a tie or bow tie and dress shoes. If you should have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Fletcher or Mr. Jones.