Muscle Shoals Middle School

1. Muscle Shoals Middle School Sixth Grade Pre-Registration

2. “What happened to my sweet baby?! I’m living with an alien!”

3. Characteristics of Middle School Students • Intellectual Development • Physical Development • Psychological Development • Moral and Ethical Development • Social Development

4. Intellectual Development • Are intensely curious; • Prefer active over passive learning experiences; favor interaction with peers during learning activities; • Exhibit a strong willingness to learn things they consider to be useful; enjoy using skills to solve real life problems; • Are egocentric; argue to convince others; exhibit independent, critical thought; • Consider academic goals as a secondary level of priority; personal­ social concerns dominate thoughts and activities; • Experience the phenomenon of metacognition (the ability to know what one knows and does not know); and • Are intellectually at-risk; face decisions that have the potential to affect major academic values with lifelong consequences.

5. PhysicalDevelopment Physical Development • Experience accelerated physical developmentmarked by increases in weight, height, heart size,lung capacity, and muscular strength • Mature at varying rates of speed: Girls tend to be taller than boys for the first two years of earlyadolescence and are ordinarily more physically developed than boys • Experience bone growth faster than muscle development, which may result in a lack of coordination and awkwardness • Face responsibility for sexual behavior before full emotional and social maturity has occurred • Show changes in body contourincluding temporarily large noses, protruding ears, long arms, and often have posture problems • Are often disturbed by these body changes • Have ravenous appetites and peculiar tastes; may overtax digestive system with large quantities of improper foods;

6. PhysicalDevelopment • Are often erratic and inconsistent in their behavior; anxiety and fear are contrasted with periods of bravado; feelings shift between superiority and inferiority • Have chemical and hormonal imbalances which often trigger emotions that are frightening and poorly understood; may regress to more childish behavior patterns at this point • Are easily offended and are sensitive to criticism of personal shortcomings • Tend to exaggerate simple occurrences and believe that personal problems, experiences, and feelings are unique to themselves • Are moody, restless; often feel self-conscious and alienated; lack self­-esteem; are introspective • Are searching for adult identity and acceptance even in the midst of intense peer group relationships; • Are vulnerable to naive opinionsand one-sided arguments • Are searching to form a conscious sense of individual uniqueness­ "Who am I?" • Have emerging sense of humorbased on increased intellectual ability to see abstract relationships; appreciate the "double entendre" • Are basically optimistic, hopeful • Are psychologically at-risk; at no other point in human development is an individual likely to encounter so much diversity in relation to oneself and others.

7. Moral & Ethicaldevelopment • Are essentially idealistic; have a strong sense of fairness in human relationships • Ask large, unanswerable questions about the meaning of life; do not expect absolute answers but are turned off by trivial adult responses • Are reflective, analytical, and introspectiveabout their thoughts and feelings • Confront hard moral and ethical questions for which they are unprepared to cope • Are at-risk in the development of moral and ethical choices and behaviors; the primary dependency on the influences of home and church for moral and ethical development seriously compromises adolescents for whom these resources are absent; adolescents want to explore the moral and ethical issues which are confronted in the curriculum, in the media, and in the daily interactions they experience in their families and peer groups

8. Socialdevelopment • Experience often traumatic conflicts due to conflicting loyalties to peer groups and family • Refer to peers as sources for standards and models of behavior; media heroes and heroines are also singularly important in shaping both behavior and fashion • May be rebellious towards parents but still strongly dependent on parental values; want to make own choices, but the authority of the family is a critical factor in ultimate decisions • Act out unusual or drastic behavior at times; may be aggressive, daring, boisterous, argumentative • Arefiercely loyal to peer group values; sometimes cruel or insensitive to those outside the peer group • Want to know and feel that significant adults, including parents and teachers, love and accept them; need frequent affirmation • Challenge authority figures; test limits of acceptable behavior • Are socially at-risk; adult values are largely shaped conceptually during adolescence; negative interactions with peers, parents, and teachers may compromise ideals and commitments "Characteristics of Middle Grade Students,” Caught in the Middle (1989). Sacramento: California Department of Education, pages 144- 148.

9. MSMS Web site http://muscleshoals.al.msm.schoolinsites.com/- OR - http://www.mscs.k12.al.us Click on “Schools”  “Muscle Shoals Middle School”  “visit web site” Daily announcementsBell ScheduleCalendarsNewsletterFaculty and staff listingFaculty and staff e-mailCourse descriptionsExtracurricular activities/honors Facebook linkFormsLink to online grades!“Middle Years” newsletters“Notify Me” sign-up“Daily Tips for Parents – 6th Grade”“School Success Tips”

10. MSMS Web site Follow us on Facebook! Teacher e-mail links Student Grades Daily Tips for Parents

11. Sixth Grade Information • Separate wing – main building for lunch,P.E., library, exploratory classes • Multiple security cameras and a full-time School Resource Officer • Teaming – two teams with four teachers • Semester classes for science and social studies • Dismissal: • early in the mornings from the gym or lunch room • to go to lockers by gender or by locker location (memorize locker combinations!) • Changing classes without teacher assistance except first few weeks.

12. Sixth Grade Information • P.E. is with sixth-graders only. Students dress out each day in black shorts and a white t-shirt. PTO will sell P.E. clothes in the fall. • Lunch is with sixth-graders only. Students may eat a snack after first block (around 9:45 a.m.) because of a late lunch time. • School hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (morning drop-off at 7:30) • 4 tardies to school per nine weeks = Saturday School • Saturday School for each subsequent tardy in that nine-week period

13. Middle School is all about… • Providing a transition between elementary and high school • Preparing for high school • Academics • Extracurricular activity interests • Socialization • Discovering strengths • Learning how to improve their weaknesses • Finding their niche

14. AcademicCompetitions • Alabama Peace Officers Association Drug and Alcohol Essay Contest • Alabama Penman Creative Writing Contest • Alabama Renaissance Faire Sonnet Contest • Chess Tournament • Geography Bee • Knowledge Master • Math Seminar Teams • Scholars Bowl • Science Fair • Spelling Bee

15. Clubs • Astronomy Club • Chess Club • Crafters Club • First Priority • 4-H • Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club • Junior Optimist Club • Readers to Leaders Book Club • Student Council • TSA/BEST Robotics

16. Honors • Honor Roll (All A and A/B) • Citizenship Award • Duke Talent Search (7th) • Junior Miss Trojan Beauty • National Junior Honor Society (8th) • National Physical Fitness Award • Perfect Attendance • President’s Education Award (8th) • Presidential Physical Fitness Award • Principal’s Award • Reading 100 Point Award

17. Sports for 7th and 8th Grades • Baseball • Softball • Cheerleading • Wrestling • Volleyball • Football • Boys and Girls • Golf • Basketball • Soccer • Cross Country • Track • Tennis

18. Fine ARts • Art • Band (Beginning, Concert, Symphonic, Jazz) • Chorus • Color Guard • Drama Club

19. You can do itin middle school! ALL

20. RegistrationForm • Your student received this in a meeting with us today. • Please sign and return to your child’s homeroom teacher by Thursday.

21. Required Courses • English • Reading • Social Studies • Science • Math • Physical Education • Elective

22. Elective Classes for Sixth-Grade Students • Beginning Band • You may play a sport and still take band while in middle school! • Exploratory 6 Rotation may include a twelve week rotation of: • Technology Exploration • General Music • Art

23. Sample Sixth-Grade Schedule 1st period Physical Education 1st block 2nd period Band or Exploratory 3rd period Math 2nd block 4th period (Math) 5th period Science (Social Studies in the spring!) 3rd block 6th period (Science) 7th period English 6 4th block 8th period Reading 6

24. Math ClassesAT MSMS

25. Math Seminar & Enriched MathSelection Criteria • ARMT+ math score • OLSAT score • STAR math test score(s) • Final Math 5 average • Prognosis Test (Saxon 6th Grade pretest) • Math seminar requires a commitment to attend at least five Saturday math competitions throughout the year. Some (but not all) dates are listed on the registration form. • If your child does not qualify for Math Seminar or enriched math at the end of fifth grade, he or she may qualify at the end of sixth.

26. Math Placement • If your child qualifies for Enriched Math, would you like for him/her to be enrolled in this class? Circle yes or no • If your child qualifies for Math Seminar (advanced curriculum with at least five required Saturday math competitions), would you like for him/her to be enrolled in this class and agree to a one year commitment required of math seminar students? Circle yes or no

27. OtherAdvanced / Honors Classes • 8th Grade – by student choice • Advanced Science • Honors English • Ability, Motivation, Maturity

28. RegistrationForm • Circle math placement preferences • Check elective choice • Parent/Guardian signs form • Return form to homeroom teacher by Thursday, March 21

29. “Middle Years” Newsletter • Life with a Middle Grader • Understanding Your Middle Grader • Parenting Through the Middle Years *all issues available on MSMS web site!

30. Tips from Sixth-grade Teachers • Try not to baby them. • They will have homework every night. • Start developing their study skills. • They need to be prepared with all class materials every day. • Practice organizational skills. • Check your child’s planner and the school web site daily for homework assignments. • Don’t miss school unless it is absolutely necessary. • Don’t be worried about them being around older children – we are in our own wing!

31. Thoughts from Dr. Stegall • Academics are vital; you want a well-rounded child. • Children must be involved in school (helps keep them out of trouble). • Support music/athletics/extra-curricular activities • Limit videos; exercise is a must – play outside • Be realistic – not all students are going to make straight A’s, and not all are going to play pro ball. • Create routines – study habits, activities • Develop Responsibility/work ethic • Work ethic – they need to be assigned chores or you will be taking care of them for a long time (go forth and work). • Don’t give, give, and give! Students are taking on more responsibility – let them. • No excuses – take responsibility for your actions.

32. Thoughts from Dr. Stegall • Develop Relationships • You are their parent, not their friend – that comes later. • They need their parents; they are your responsibility to rear. • They are trying to become independent and sometimes say they don’t want you around (but they really do…sometimes). • They are still children and must have rules and guidelines. • It’s ok to say “NO.” • Respect for You and Others • No talking back • No rolling eyes • Be kind to all – no bullying or meanness

33. Thoughts from Dr. Stegall • Create Memories • Spend quality time with them • Cherish this time – it goes quickly • Middle School students are fickle but so much fun! • They may be aliens now, but they will grow out of it with all our help!

34. Sandra Bullock, Oscar-Winning Actress • “I would like to thank what this film was about for me: the moms [who] take care of babies no matter where they come from. Those moms and parents never get thanked.” • She then thanked her own mom “for not letting me ride in cars with boys until I was 18, ’cause she was right…[for] making me practice every day when I got home, piano, ballet, whatever it is I wanted to be. She said to be an artist you have to practice everyday. And [for] reminding her daughters that there is no race, no religion, no class system, no color, nothing, no sexual orientation that makes us better than anyone else. We are ALL deserving of love.”

35. Dr. Mary Ann Stegall, Principal mstegall@mscs.k12.al.us Dr. Matthew Carpenter, Assistant Principal mcarpenter@mscs.k12.al.us Mrs. Robyn Garrett, Guidance Counselor rmgarrett@mscs.k12.al.us Mr. Nathan Haskew, MSMS Band Director nhaskew@mscs.k12.al.us