WELCOME TO WINDSOR KNOLLS MIDDLE SCHOOL

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WELCOME TO WINDSOR KNOLLS MIDDLE SCHOOL

• 5th Grade Parent Orientation Night

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5th Grade Parent Orientation

• Agenda
• Welcome
• The Middle School Program
• Windsor Knolls Middle School Program

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5th Grade Parent Orientation

• Important Dates
• 6th grade registration due on March 7h
• 5th grade students to visit WKMS May 30th or 31st
• WKMS Open House to be held August 16th
• Please feel free to attend
• Symphony of Sweets 3/2/07 _at_ 700pm (WKMS)
• Theater Arts Performance 4/25/07 _at_ 700 pm (WKMS)
• Orchestra Concert 5/16/07_at_ 700 pm (WKMS)
• 6th and 7th Grade Band Concert 5/31/07 _at_ 700pm
  (WKMS)

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How is Middle School Different?

• Different classes and classmates
• A busier, more flexible schedule
• More choices and more teachers
• Varied extra-curricular
• activities and clubs
• New challenges and
• expectations
• Middle School has a lot more to offer!

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What is a Middle School Child?

• PICTURE

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A Middle School Child Is

• Intellectual Physical
• Prefers a wide array of pursuits - Increased
  Energy
• Likes active learning - Develops personal
  awareness
• Begins abstract thinking - Experiences Puberty
• Questions the world
• Social Emotional
• Strong desire for peer approval - Seeks
  independence
• Wants recognition for achievement -
  Self-conscious and sensitive
• Models variety of behaviors - Develops personal
  values
• Learns to work cooperatively and - Builds
  personal and academic
• independently self-esteem

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The Middle School Focus

• DEMONSTRATE CURRICULUM
• MASTERY
• DEMONSTRATE SENSE
  LEARN TO SOLVE
• OF COMMUNITY and
  PROBLEMS and
• DIVERSITY THINK
  CREATIVELY
• PROVIDE SUPPORT
  EXPLORE
• PROGRAMS
  EDUCATIONAL and
• CAREER OPTIONS
• BUILD
• SELF-ESTEEM

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The Middle School Program Philosophy

• Middle schools are not just in the middle of the
  educational K-12 continuum they are at the
  center of the continuum.
• Middle schools attempt to meet the physical,
  social, emotional and cognitive challenges of
  early adolescents.
• Basic skill development along with intellectual
  exploration and critical thinking through
  integration of disciplines and real-life
  application of curriculum.
• Teachers use differentiated instruction and
  varied assessment tools (formal/informal) to
  promote successful learning for all students.
• Student needs are met through practices such as
  flexible scheduling, advisory programs, teaming,
  grouping strategies, tutoring and mentoring,
  integration of curriculum, character education,
  and exploratory courses.
• Parents must be engaged in the educational
  process.

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The WKMS Vision

• Excellence in Every Effort
• Students who demonstrate excellence in every
  effort 
•             Master essential curriculum, content
  and skills
•             Have consistent and productive work
  habits
•             Meet the required benchmarks/exit
  standards
•             Are prepared to pursue their chosen
  goals in high school.
•  
• We will provide every opportunity for each
  WKMS student to fulfill this vision. Our
  instructional program and practices will include
  on-going assessment and adjustments to meet the
  individual needs of our students.

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The WKMS Vision

• Strategic Learner
• On grade in Language Arts and Math
• Reads for literary experience, to inform and to
  perform a task
• Writes to inform, to persuade and to express
  personal ideas and opinions
• Utilizes critical thinking skills such as
  application, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation
• Understands and applies problem solving and
  decision making skills
• Has skills and techniques to access appropriate
  resources to complete research process and to
  access curriculum
• Actively engages in lesson by asking valid
  questions, providing thoughtful answers and
  sharing relevant thoughts and ideas
• Sees different perspectives and considers them

• Independent Learner
• Demonstrates positive habits of mind
• Comes prepared for class
• Has adequate study skills
• Is able to work individually and/or in a group to
  complete a task
• Intrinsically Motivated
• Produces quality end products
• Takes pride in work and in self
• Effective time and resource management skills
• Demonstrates positive self-discipline
• Demonstrates positive character
• Character Counts!
• Student-service Learning
• Participates in extra-curricular activities

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The WKMS Vision

• INDICATORS and DATA POINTS
• Meet Adequate Yearly Progress as measured by MSA
• 100 students meet FCPS exit standards by
  completion of 8th grade
• Increased of students enrolled in and earning
  credit for high school credit courses (Algebra I,
  Geometry and Foreign Languages)
• Increased of students in honors level courses
  earning 80 or higher
• Increased of students with end of year 3.0 GPA
  for all courses
• Increased number of students earning Meritorious
  Service Award
• Maintain excellent(98) attendance rate
• Decreased number of yearly suspension incidents
  and days

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The WKMS Instructional Program and Offerings

• Core Academic Classes
• These courses are designed to integrate prior
  knowledge with new concepts and skills. They are
  the base from which applied learning can be
  fostered.
• Math
• Language Arts
• Social Studies
• Science

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The WKMS Instructional Program and Offerings

• Exploratory Courses
• These courses are interdisciplinary working in
  conjunction with grade-level subjects. They
  provide a why for learning in a variety of
  content areas while introducing critical thinking
  and problem solving.
• Life Skills
• Integrated Studies
• Technology and Careers
• Creative Arts

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The WKMSInstructional Program and Offerings

• Elective Courses
• These courses offer options for students to
  actively develop or pursue individual interests,
  skills, or talents.
• Band
• Theater Arts
• Orchestra
• Visual Arts
• Technology
• Exposition
• Communication
• Techniques
• Problem Solving
• Foreign Languages (FLEX, Spanish I II, French,
  German, Latin and Chinese)

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The Middle School Program Placement and
Registration

• Students were recommended for placement based on
  teacher input, MSA scores, work habits and
  grades.
• Placement determined through a collaborative
  effort of teachers, counselors, administrators,
  and parents.
• Honors
• Merit
• Co-taught Merit
• Heterogeneous Grouping in Science and Social
  Studies
• What are your options as parents?

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The WKMSInstructional Program and Offerings

• The WKMS instructional schedule
• 90 minute blocks in Science, Social Studies,
  Electives, Exploratories, and Physical Education
• 90 and 45 minutes classes in Language Arts and
  Math
• 2 Day rotations- A/B days
• Math and Language Arts classes meet every day
• Social Studies and Science held every day on a
  semesterized basis
• Exploratories, Electives and Physical Education
  held every other day

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The WKMS Instructional Program and Offerings

• Extra-curricular Activities
• Student Government Association
• Yearbook Committee
• Math Counts
• Art Club
• Peer Ambassadors
• Stock Market Team
• Debate Team
• Intramural Sports
• Theater Productions
• School Newspaper

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WKMS Resources

• TEAMING CONCEPT
• Groups of grade-level teachers of various
  subjects work together to provide a more
  comprehensive and holistic approach to meeting
  the needs of individual students. Regular staff
  development and curriculum, and student concerns
  meetings occur through the grade-level teams.
• TUTORING
• Tutoring is offered to any student who has a
  specific skill gap. The intention of tutoring is
  to re-teach material and/or to remediate skills.
  Students are released from Physical Education
  and/or elective classes to be tutored by the
  classroom teacher and/or the school tutor.
• MSA Tutoring is offered to any student who scored
  in the Basic range in Reading and/or Math on
  the Maryland School Assessment.

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WKMS Resources

• Media Center
• The purpose of the media center is to provide
  services that encompass the philosophy, goals,
  and objectives of the Frederick County Board of
  Education and the Frederick County School Library
  Media program. To achieve this goal, the Windsor
  Knolls media program and resources will reflect
  the needs and interests of the middle school
  population and the goals of the Essential
  Curriculum. The media program will provide
  services to support the total education program
  of WKMS. These services are defined as (1)
  instructional, (2) reference, (3) audio-visual,
  (4) professional, and (5) curriculum.

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WKMS Resources

• SCHOOL COUNSELORS
• School Counselors monitor and promote student
  potential. Counselors intervene to help students
  cope successfully with developmental tasks and
  crises. Counselors meet individually, in small
  groups, and with families to address crises and
  problems specific to an individual or group.
  They conduct classroom sessions to provide
  developmentally appropriate programs. School
  Counselors continually monitor students social,
  emotional and academic progress. They help
  students develop short term and long term goals
  related to future education and career
  development.

       

• PEER MEDIATION
• Peer mediation can help reduce violence,
  vandalism, and absenteeism in schools and is a
  life skill that empowers students to solve their
  own problems through improved communication,
  problem solving, and critical thinking. To deal
  with conflict, a trained peer mediator
  facilitates a process of communication and
  problem solving that leads to resolutions. Peer
  mediation is "a chance to sit face to face and
  talk, uninterrupted, so each side of the dispute
  is heard.

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WKMS Resources

• Renzulli
• Renzulli is a school-wide enrichment program
  offered to all students.
• The Renzulli Specialist provides
  curriculum-related enrichment to individuals,
  small groups and whole classes. This program
  allows students to expand on the standard
  curriculum and to explore areas of personal
  interest.

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WKMS Resources

• Reading Specialist/Math Specialist
• The reading and math Specialists provide
  students, parents and teachers with assistance in
  promoting the skills of reading and math. The
  Reading and Math Specialists can assess the
  students skills, diagnose strengths and
  weaknesses, and then prescribe appropriate
  interventions.

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WKMS Resources

• Special Education
• For identified students, Special Education
  teachers provide
• Resource support
• Direct support in co-taught Language Arts and
  Math classes
• Pullout instruction to make progress towards and
  meet IEP goals
• Consultation with parents, regular education
  teachers to develop, implement and review IEP
  services
• Open Resource to provide support and
  accommodations
• Learning for Life program for identified students

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WKMS Resources

• The Knolls Code
• The Windsor Knolls Middle School learning
  community embraces the philosophy of Character
  Counts and uses it as a framework to their
  discipline code.
• Use appropriate school/business behavior at all
  times
• Show courtesy and respect to others and
  themselves
• Use socially acceptable language free of insults,
  profanity and name-calling
• Demonstrate academic honesty and integrity

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Parent Involvement at WKMS

• WKMS views education as a partnership between
  families and the school.
• As such, we have created and continue to use
  several home-school communication tools
• The Back Pocket
• The WKMS Website
• The Homework Hotline
• The WKMS Student Planner
• Pinnacle
• Conferences
• Parents are afforded the opportunity to meet with
  their childs teachers
• during conferences in the fall and the spring
• Volunteers
• WKMS is always in search of volunteers to help in
  classrooms, media center and on fieldtrips.

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The WKMS Program

• QUESTIONS ?????