Banana Splits

Link to Permission Slip - Please print and sign

Dear Parents,

I am writing to announce an offering in the middle school – Banana Splits.  Banana Splits is a school-based children’s group program to aid children who have experienced loss due to separation, divorce, remarriage, absent parent, and death.  Banana Splits supports children, parents, and teachers in schools across the country and around the world.

The purposes are:

·       To provide a safe place to express feelings

·       To normalize feelings through sharing

·       To train children in problem solving and coping skills

·       To increase self esteem through mutual help

·       To support parents and school staff in working with Splits kids

·       To increase communication among children, parents, and school

This group allows children with common experiences to know and learn from one another, and to support each other if a challenging situation arises.  Banana Splits is a positive, enjoyable, club-like experience, as the name suggests.  It is voluntary, on the part of both children and parents, so that members will be comfortable and willing to take full advantage of what the group has to offer.

Banana Splits will be held on Wednesdays during lunch in the Lehman Building Office, and will be facilitated by our Health & Wellness Coordinator, Kathy Kelly.  Kathy has been trained to institute and run groups for students at all age levels with divorced/deceased/single parents.  Kathy connects well with students by creating an atmosphere they feel safe sharing in.  She would be more than willing to answer any questions you may have, so please email her directly (kkelly@mph.net) if you have specific questions about Banana Splits.

If you and your child are interested in your child participating in Banana Splits, please sign and return the permission slip found at: .  The slip needs to be returned to Mrs. Bernazzani in the Middle School Office by Monday, October 1^st.

Thanks,

Kendall Hoekstra

Interim Head of Middle School

Leadership Team Positions and Schedule

For all MS Students:
 

Advisory Representatives –

One representative will be chosen from each advisory section.  This representatives is expected to attend all leadership team meetings.  He/She is responsible for bringing ideas from his/her advisory to the leadership team and reporting to his/her advisory all announcements from leadership team. 

This position is appropriate for students looking to take on a leadership role in their class.  Advisory Representatives should have ideas about changes and improvements they would like to see made in the school.  They should be comfortable talking in front of classmates and the whole middle school. They will help to plan dances and socials, as well as set up other activities for middle school students.  They will be responsible for implementing new programs and ideas as decided upon by the leadership team.

For 8th Graders Only:

President –

The president will oversee the leadership team.  He/She will be in charge of organizing an agenda for leadership team meetings as well as overseeing all meetings.  The role of the president will require the most time of all leadership positions as he/she may have to spend time organizing events or meetings outside of school.  It is important that this person have the time to dedicate to leadership team.

A successful president will be willing to speak in front of the middle school and even the whole school or parents at times.  He/She should be organized, dedicated to creating a positive environment at MPH, and possess ideas on how to enhance the middle school experience at MPH.  He/She should be comfortable and confident in motivating their fellow classmates.

Vice–President –

The vice-president will assist the president in running the leadership team.  He/She will be in charge of recording what happens at leadership team meetings and distributing this information to the other leadership team members.  He/She should be prepared to help motivate the rest of the leadership team.

A successful vice-president will be comfortable taking notes during meetings, and speaking in front of the middle school and whole school at times.  He/She should be organized, dedicated to creating a positive environment at MPH, and possess ideas on how to enhance the middle school experience at MPH.

Schedule:

 9/25 - day 1 - pres and VP speeches, followed by 8th grade voting 
9/28 - day 3 - tutorial rep speeches in closed tutorials, followed by voting

Instagram Safety

Instagram, a photo sharing application, started in 2010 and slowly began growing until it was bought by Facebook in 2012.  At that point in time, it took off and has grown exponentially since.  Many adults reading this are probably thinking that they use and love Instagram to keep up with their friends and families and to take "cool" pictures with their phones.  Students however are using it in many different ways that we should all be aware of.  Although Instagram has a policy against inappropriate or nude photos, their filters  do not keep all these photos out.  Simply by using some seemingly innocent search phrases, students can end up exposed to inappropriate photos very easily.

The Children Online Newsletter wrote a great article on Instagram this month and I recommend that you check it out.  Their newsletter is quite often full of helpful tips and things to think about so you may want to subscribe to it for free from their website as well (Children Online).  At MPH we are looking at putting together some parent sessions to help you navigate the difficult online waters with a teenager or pre-teen.  Please let me know if you would be interested in something like this and if you would find it helpful.

For all online sites, the key is monitoring what your child is doing both through your own site so you can see what their page looks like as well as by having access to their personal password and site.  This is true on Instagram, Facebook, Google Plus, etc.

Being Social Media Savvy

Another successful day on the books in middle school!  Today was our first full day of classes and I loved seeing students excited about what they were learning.  One of my favorite things about working with kids is asking them at the end of the day what they learned that day and hearing them pour out a really interesting story!  I heard several of those as I waited in the breezeway with students today.

A colleague at school (French teacher Alex Leclercq) shared this article from Mashable with me today and I thought it was worth passing on.  It's entitled "12 Things Students Should Never Do on Social Media" and is worth sharing with your children if you get a chance.  The first one doesn't really apply to middle school students, but after that, I think these things are very important for students to know. 

Many of our middle schoolers aren't yet using social media, which makes this the perfect time to talk about what to put out there on the internet and what not to put out there.  It's scary to think that for middle school students, everything they put on the internet now will still be there when they apply to colleges and even begin looking for jobs!  We were all able to live a little more anonymously not too many years ago, but for students nowadays, the anonymity is gone thanks to the internet and social media.  The internet has brought us so many wonderful things, and can really transform education.  At the same time though, it can be a scary place without appropriate boundaries. 

We will be talking about most of these things in technology courses in middle school this year, but feel free to share the list with your child as well.  Let me know if I can help you with the conversation in any way, I'd love to be of assistance if necessary.

Great First Day!

I was so happy to see full hallways and hear students everywhere today.  Our day got off to a very warm start in the gym with the handshake ceremony but thanks to the chair of the board, Pete Carmen, we all learned shaking every teacher's hand on the first day "Is an MPH thing".  I loved being able to welcome every student back with a brief greeting and handshake.  It was a perfect way for me to get to see each and every student today.

The rest of the day continued from our opening ceremony with each of the students' day 1 and day 2 classes meeting for half an hour.  The day seemed to fly by with the shortened periods and with the exception of a few schedule changes, things went smoothly.

Today I was most proud of how our returning students welcomed the new students in the middle school.  We have over 20 new students in the middle school this year coming from as far away as China and South Korea!  Watching students show the new kids to classes and talk to them about their common interests was impressive.  At one point, I was about to introduce a new student to a teacher when an 8th grader beat me to it!  I love seeing how mature our students are and how comfortable they are interacting in new situations.  To me, this ease in all environments is part of what makes MPH special, it must be "an MPH thing"!

Welcome Back!

It doesn't quite seem real yet that school opens tomorrow and students will come pouring through the doors.  I'm so excited to begin the 2012-2013 year with students in my new role as Interim Head of Middle School.  I can't wait to be able to interact with all students in the middle school, to head the new leadership program, and to still teach a few classes.  Mix that in with meeting with parents and other administrators, evaluating our curriculum and grading policies while exploring other options and it's sure to be a busy but exciting year!

I am looking upon this year as though I am a new student.  I have learned so much from working with Jim Eagen over the last 5 years but I know I still have so much to learn.  This summer has opened my eyes and reminded me what it is like to be new again and to feel lost at times.  Please be patient with me as I make this transition.  Know that my #1 concern is supporting all students to help them learn and grow through middle school.  If we all know this is the goal, hopefully we can find a way to compromise to make it happen.

I shared my goals for the year with faculty and I'll give a brief synopsis here.  I feel that sharing goals holds me accountable so feel free to share your goal as well in the comments section if you would like. 

1) Establish a solid leadership program for middle school students
2) Evaluate our current curriculum, acceleration, and grading policies
3) Research new grading, acceleration, and curriculum options to enhance our academic offerings
4) Support faculty as they try out new ideas in the classroom

Enjoy your year, and please contact me if there is anything I can help you with as we navigate these first few days of school, I can't wait!

6th Grade Class Trip

The 6th grade will be heading to YMCA's Frost Valley camp in Claryville, NY from Wednesday, September 12th - Friday, September 14th.  The trip falls very early in the year which means you need to get your permission slips in the first week of school!  I have attached the forms below if you need them, but please return them to Mrs. Bernazzani as soon as possible.

This is a great trip, please contact me if you have any questions about it!

MPH Forms

Frost Valley Health Form

Frost Valley Behavior Contract

Packing List