Middle School Newsletter

March 1, 2019

MS. WRIGHT'S WRITINGS…
A colleague shared this amazing quote with me…

“Speak to your children as if they are the wisest, kindest, most beautiful and magical humans on earth, for what they believe is what they will become.”

As I often do, I started reflecting on how I speak to my daughter, Finnley. I certainly hope she would say that I make her feel this way, but I can’t be certain she would. I know that she has often told me that I only focus on what she does wrong or what she needs to “fix”. And while I certainly don’t agree, it doesn’t really matter because this is how I have made her feel.

I wholeheartedly believe that when I am correcting her it is coming from a place of love and care. Clearly though, that is not always the message she is hearing from me. I think my intent sometimes gets lost in the way I speak to her. I stumbled across this simple article that lists 50 ways to speak to your child positively. The article mentions that when parents speak positively to their child they are less likely to have to nag at them. I don’t doubt that this is absolutely true but when you are in that moment when your child still hasn’t cleaned their room it is hard to remain positive.

I know that I need to remember that in how I use my words with Finnley so that I am lifting her up. As her mother, the person who loves her more than anyone else, my words should be a constant reminder of what a blessing she is...sass and all! I am going to make sure that everyday I shower her with an affirmation that reminds her just how incredible she is while also guiding her to make positive choices in her life.

I tell our students daily the most powerful tool they have is their words. They can use them to lift someone up or tear them down. Just this week Ms. Leftridge and Ms. Walsh have been meeting with classrooms to discuss the power of their words. They are having honest discussions of when they have used words to hurt one another and how they can change this behavior.

This weekend, talk to your kids about these meetings. And please join me and remind your child just how much you love them too!

Kindly,

Kim

314.645.9600 (607)~kwright@premiercharterschool.org

UPDATES:

Message from Ms. Walsh…

Please take a moment to read Ms. Walsh’s attached monthly newsletter on the mind of a middle schooler.

A note from the registrar....

Dear Families,

It is that time of year again, we are starting our re-enrollment process. If you are new to this process, this is how we determine if students will be returning to PCS next school year. Turning the completed form in, lets us know how many openings we will have per grade level for our school wide lottery in April. Teachers were all given Re-Enrollment Forms to pass out to students this week. Families can also submit a form online instead, to make the process easier https://goo.gl/forms/6HH3h38jF2oDRaNm2 .

Families are required to submit one form per student. All forms (either "Yes coming back" or "No not returning") are due back no later than March 21st. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Katie Lydon klydon@premiercharterschool.org or Erin O'Brien eobrien@premiercharterschool.org

Walk For Hope T-Shirt Design

Please see the attached flyer about our Walk for Hope t-shirt design opportunity. This is open to all students K-8.

Parents if you would like to purchase a shirt please see the attached form. This form is only for parents or non-PCS children. All PCS students are given a Walk For Hope shirt at no cost thanks to our PCG group!

Vending Machine

Thanks to the hard work of three 8th grade boys we have our new vending machine! We have made sure that the machine is filled with healthy snack options. Students may make purchases from 8:10-8:25, during lunch and from 3:25-3:35 daily.

Book Fair

Spring Book Fair News

Mark your calendars PCS! Book Fair week starts Tuesday, March 19th! We'll be open Tuesday (3/19) 3:30-4:30, Wednesday (3/20) 3:30-7:00, and Thursday (3/21) 12:00-7. All purchases benefit our school.

Volunteers make a difference! Help our students find their next favorite book at our #ScholasticBookFair. Sign up here: (https://volunteer.scholastic.com/#/signup/stLNdSk0Z)

Can't make it to the book fair? We’re now offering a new, cash-free payment option called eWallet, making it easier for kids to buy books! Set up your account today so your kiddo can visit the fair during the school day. Visit the book fair homepage to use eWallet!
http://www.scholastic.com/bf/premierchartersch1

Public Library book give aways

The Saint Louis Public Library is sponsoring literacy programs for all ages now through May:

Read-It-Together is for preschool to 2nd grade: Meet Vanessa Brantley-Newton, author of Grandma's Purse and receive a free copy of the book March 23 at 10 a.m. (Schlafley branch)

Reading Pays is for grades 3-5: Pick up a free copy of Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani from any SLPL branch and meet the author on May 8th at 6:30 p.m. (Buder Branch)

Read-It-Forward is for grade 6-adult: Pick up a free copy of Dear Martin by Nic Stone from any SLPL branch and meet the author on March 13th from 7-8 p.m. (Central Branch)

3rd Annual Xpress Yourself Spoken Word Poetry Night-NEW DATE!

PCS community,

You're invited to the 3rd Annual Xpress Yourself Spoken Word Poetry Night with special guest poet Corey Black on Thursday, March 7th from 6:00 - 7:30. Let's support our budding writers and celebrate black history month. All participating students need to attend 2 rehearsals prior to the performance. Students must attend a dress rehearsal from 3:30 - 4:30 on the 7th, and arrive no later than 5:45 to prepare for the performance. Contact Mrs. Daugherty for questions or concerns at ndaugherty@premiercharterschool.org.

6th Grade…

Dear 6th Grade Parents/Guardians,

As we enter the second semester of the year, we want to be able to help students stay healthy and find success! One easy way to help this is by having plenty of pencils, hand sanitizer, and Clorox Wipes! If you and your family are able to send in any of these items, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your support of our students!

6th-grade team,

Emily O'Brien, Stacia Berwick, Erin Deason, Stan Graczyk, and Don Orelup

7th Grade..

7th grade is in need of Kleenex, paper towels and Clorox wipes. Any donations would be greatly appreciated!

Lottery…

Does your current student have a sibling who wants to come to PCS? Do you have a family member, friend, or neighbor who has a child ready for school?

It is that time of year again…Pre-Kindergarten thru 8th Grade applications for new students in the 2019-2020 lottery are now open!

Families can apply today through Schoolmint. If you do not already have a Schoolmint account, begin by going to premiercharterschool.schoolmint.net and create a secure account with a username and password. From there, you can fill out an application for your student for the grade they will be going in to next year.

Our first-round new student lotteries will be held on the following dates:

Kindergarten: February 1, 2019
Pre-Kindergarten: February 25, 2019
1st – 8th Grade: April 1, 2019

Should you have any questions regarding your student’s application, your Schoolmint account, or the lottery, please feel free to contact PCS admissions at admissions@premiercharterschool.org.

Safety Awareness…

As it starts getting dark earlier and we are reminded of situations as we watch the news, please have a conversation with your child about being aware of what is going on around them as they walk home from school. If your child has permission to walk to the park, YMCA or QT etc. please remind them not to accept a ride or engage with any strangers. While we are sure you have already had these conversations with your child we want to reiterate the importance so that your child can continue to make smart decision for themselves.

We want to remind you that PCS has safety structures in place if we were ever to be in a lockdown situation because of an outside threat. Please rest assured that we understand communication in these situations are of utmost importance. Parents will be notified through the automated school system; calls texts and emails. We have a very good relationship with the police department down the street and if we hear of or are made aware of a situation where lockdown might be a possibility, we will be in contact with district 2. They will be able to provide accurate details of the situation and from there we can receive their recommendation on our course of action. At all times, student safety is on our minds and we will always communicate with what you need to know. As always please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Dress Down…

On the last Monday of the month any student who has earned 80% or higher on their homework completion grade may dress down. Students can check their grade on Infinite Campus to ensure that they have indeed earned this privilege. Please remember that all clothing must be school appropriate.

Message from the Nurse…

Recently, PCS has been experiencing absences due to Influenza A infections.

Flu symptoms can include: fever, chills, headache, sore throat, runny nose or nasal congestion, muscle aches, fatigue, and vomiting & diarrhea. Not every one who is diagnosed with the flu will experience all of these symptoms.

Flu viruses are the cause of various types of flu. These viruses can enter your body through your mouth, nose, or eyes. Every time you touch your hand to one of these areas, you potentially infect yourself with flu virus.

Influenza A virus constantly changes which is why flu vaccines are given yearly. The flu spreads by people who are already infected, so it is important to avoid contact with sick people and while sick, limit contact with others. If your child is sick, they should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medicine. Teach your child to cover their nose & mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, throw the tissue away, and wash hands properly with soap and water. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with influenza virus.

For more complete information regarding the flu see the following: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/consumer/symptoms.htm

Please see the attached flyer for 7th grade families regarding required vaccinations prior to starting 8th grade.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES:

MATH

6th Grade…

Students are doing a great job working through our Algebra unit! They have developed algebraic equations and expressions using variables, written word stories and plotted them onto graphs and tables, and are now using properties of mathematics to make equivalent expressions. Ask your student how to describe the independent and dependent variables. I was impressed by how quickly they caught on! Also, wish 6th and 7th grade girls luck as they compete in Cor Jesu Academy girls' math competing this weekend. Let's go Lacy, Jaime, Anna, Huda, Vianney, Izzy, Adina, Mikayla, Zainab, and Lydie!

7th Grade…

In 7th grade math we are discovering what it means to be proportional. We are mixing juice and sharing pizza proportionally so we can learn how to find missing values in proportions. Soon we will be working on linear relationships and celebrating Pi Day by learning more about properties of circles.

P.S. Ask your student about the proportionality rap... It's a reality...
8th Grade...

8th grade has been working hard on our unit for writing linear equations. This unit has been full of exploring the different ways that these equations can be shown. Students have done an amazing job showing how graphs, tables, equations, and ordered pairs are connected and using these different representations to write their linear equations!

Math Department…

Here is your Math Department problem of the week!

SPECIALISTS UPDATE:

ART…

With only two art classes left in Quarter 3, students are reflecting on their artistic progress so far and looking ahead to end-of-year creative goals for Quarter 4. Students have been eagerly sharing their artwork with each other during in-class critique sessions and by submitting to the art gallery bulletin boards. I'm looking forward to seeing how middle schoolers continue to grow creatively in the final weeks of the 2018-2019 school year.

PE…

STEAM…

Ever wondered what’s really in your food? 8th grade students are learning all about food chemistry, fancy names for vitamins and how to be informed consumers in our current STEAM unit. Up next will be ‘Food for Thought’ where students will learn about careers in marketing and advertising.

STUDENT CLUBS:

Girls on Fire:

Girls on Fire is seeking professional women to participate in our 5th Annual Networking Event on Tuesday, April 16th from 5:30 - 6:30. This event provides an opportunity for the girls to practice networking skills while receiving advice and learning more about various career paths. See the attached flyer for details. Email Mrs. Daugherty at ndaugherty@premiercharterschool.org for more information.

ATHLETICS

REMINDERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Middle School Trip…

Pick up for the MS Trip Popcorn Fundraiser is Friday, March 1st from 3:30-4:30 in the MS Building, room 435. Please contact Ms. Slattery if you have any questions.

If you have any questions regarding the trip please email Ms. Rhine, mrhine@premiercharterschool.org. If you have specific payment questions please contact Denise Matthews at AST, (877) 397-5700. When calling please tell the AST representative that you are with the Premier Charter School group.

BAC Update…

Just a reminder our next half day is March 21st, school will dismiss at noon. Please make sure your students have a way home. If they attend aftercare, it will end at 4:00 pm. If your student(s) are not enrolled in aftercare but need aftercare please let us know ahead of time, half day drop ins are $25 per child. Just remember that students are only allowed 5 aftercare drop ins per year.

PCG Update…

It is time to start thinking about getting your group ready for our Annual Trivia Night. This is night you don’t want to miss out on. We are looking for donations for our silent auction as well as volunteers to help run the event. Please see the attached flyer for more information or email Terry Brogan at tbrogan@lashlybaer.com or Lisa Simon at lrsieve@yahoo.com.

Fun Around Town…

Important Upcoming Dates

3.7..19-Poetry Slam 6-7:30

3.8.19-MS Dance

3.20 & 21.19-Conferences

3.22-29.19-Spring Break

3.23.19-PCS Trivia Night

4.8-12.19-8th Grade MAP Testing

4.15-16.19-6th Grade MAP Testing

4.17-18-19-7th Grade MAP Testing

4.27.19-Family Night at Panda Express

4.28-5.3.19-MS Trip