Principal’s Welcome Principal Walter Willett

1. Principal’s WelcomePrincipal Walter Willett

2. First Things First 1) PTO-OTIS SPUNKMEYER COOKIE FUNDRAISER 2) BOX TOPS!

3. On line issues • Pinger • FormSpring • Facebook • MySpace

4. OCTOBER 21, 2011 – TMS PUMPKIN FESTIVAL

5. 8th Grade Open House • OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE • 2010-2011 • Time Presentation Presenter Where • 6:30 – 7:00 Welcome Walt Willett Auditorium Curriculum Coordinators • 7:00 – 7:40 Classrooms visits on the following schedule • 7:00 – 7:08 Period 1 • 7:10 – 7:18 Period 2 • 7:20 – 7:28 Period 3 • 7:30 – 7:38 Period 4 • 7:40 – 7:48 Period 5 • 7:50 – 7:58 Period 6 • 8:00 – 8:08 Period 7

6. TMS STAFF 745 Students (approximate) 67 Certified Staff (including Nurses) 5 Instructional Paraprofessionals 16.5 Special Education Paraprofessionals 5 Custodians 3 Secretaries Class Size Grade 6 - 21.4 Grade 7 - 21.4 Grade 8 - 21.4

7. UA, PE, and Reading Support in the following location(s) • Gina Cohen – Room 12 • Anastasia Lemaire – Room 103 • Beth Stewart – Chorus Room • Norma Marchesani – Room 120 • Nancy Rosenzweig – Room OF2 • Scott Schneider – Room 18 Period 3 Room 22 Period 4 • Heather Dale Titus – Band Room • Celeste Estevez – Library • Lisa Matson – Reading - 2nd floor near the elevator

8. TMS STRUCTURE • 7 Period Day • 5 ACADEMIC PERIODS (2 LA, 1 SS, 1 Math, 1 Science, Lunch, 1 UA) • TEAMing • SPORTS/ CLUBS – PAY TO PLAY • $125 initial fee to participate + remaining amount / # of players

9. TMS PAY TO PLAY

10. TMS ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS • Anti-Bullying Programs at TMS – What is done at TMS to address harassment and bullying as a school? • Efforts as part of General Instruction include: • Classroom incentive programs for good behavior as well as academics (team auction programs). • Language Arts addresses these issues through literature, discussing what students can do to respond to injustice, however great or small, including the devastating effects of doing nothing. This is covered in many places, but as an example through units such as: The Devil's Arithmetic – Holocaust, Warriors Don't Cry - Civil Rights Movement - including supplemental poems and resources, The Pearl - injustice and oppression, The Greenies – prejudice, Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust – and during the Salem Unit with Tituba and A Break with Charity. In addition to the conflict of society vs. the defenseless, the last novel also develops the group of accusers as a bullying force that intimidates the main character. Flowers for Algernon, demonstrates bullying under the guise of "just kidding around" and "he's our friend." Class projects that exhibit the lessons learned include the creation of an acceptance chain and work on how students can respect and accept people who are different than us.  Class attention in Language Arts is also given to work with non-violent conflict resolution. Social studies also addresses these issues from a historical/societal perspective. • Guidance Class Lessons: Guidance counselors visit classrooms regularly to present lessons. (Grades 6-8) Guidance curriculum topics include: Interpersonal Relationships, Diversity/Celebrating Differences, Bully Proofing/Violence Prevention, Conflict Resolution, Bully/Victim Characteristics, Respect for Others, and Peer Pressure. • PGM meetings (Principal Grade Meetings). ROPE is intended to address the concerns of children who are faced with the transition of moving from childhood into adolescence. Topics include: increasing self-awareness, developing positive self-confidence, learning decision-making and problem solving skills, increasing cooperation and trust, and increasing communication skills. • Guidance Program/Mediation Services. Important functions of our school counselors with respect to improving our school climate: deliver comprehensive counseling curriculum in a systematic manner, provide individual counseling, assist students and parents in addressing school related problems, provide mediation services, consult with school staff regarding student achievement, behavior, and school culture, consult with outside agencies (youth services, clergy, mental health providers). Reconnect meetings are typically done following a suspension, the student meets with his/her guidance counselor to review the reason for the suspension, discuss appropriate strategies for the future, replacement behaviors, and recommend in-school or community counseling/support as needed. • School Psychologist works directly with students and parents to resolve problems. In addition, she provides counseling and training in social skills and anger management. • Social Scene 101: 6th Grade Exploratory class focusing on survival skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving, and conflict resolution. • TMS utilizes comprehensive Focused Monitoring and Intensive Assistance Meetings. Meeting agendas include: Review/identify patterns of discipline history, review current grades/progress, review current in-school and out-of school counseling/support/remediation, discuss incentive/reward strategies used at home, review Focused Monitoring/Intensive Assistance modified discipline/demerit system (rewarding expected behavior by decreasing demerits), and completion of Student Action Plan writing samples. • TMS will implement a Positive Behavioral Supports program beginning 2010-2011.

11. RTI / SRBI • Math Development Program • Reading Program • Academy/Achievement Lab • Great Books Program • Writing Program • Red Folder Program • Homework Club

12. BOE Policy 6020: Homework Approximate times for homework completion are as follows: Kindergarten: up to 10 minutes per day – 2 days per week, as determined by the teacher. Grade 1: up to 15 minutes per day – 4 days per week, as determined by the teacher. Grade 2: up to 20 minutes per day – 4 days per week, as determined by the teacher. Grade 3: up to 30 minutes per day – 4 days per week, as determined by the teacher. Grades 4, 5 and 6: up to 45 minutes per day – 4 days per week, as coordinated by the instructional team. Grades 7 and 8: up to 90 minutes per day – 5 days per week, as coordinated by the instructional team. Grades 9 through 12: up to 180 minutes per day – 5 days per week, dependent on class level and teacher’s expectations.

13. Tolland Middle SchoolAvg Class Size = 21.5 Math Reading Writing

14. CMT Results • 8th Graders • 78.1 Math (2010) to 89.3 (2011) • 88.6 Reading (2010) to 92.7 (2011) • 80.5 Writing (2010) to 87.0 (2011) • 82.5 Science (2010) to 85.4 (2011) • 7th Graders • 83.6 Math (2010) to 84.3 (2011) • 92.8 Reading (2011) to 91.9 (2011) • 81.6 Writing (2010) to 87.0 (2011) • 6th Graders • 92.3 Math (2010) to 91.3 (2011) • 90.4 Reading (2010) to 94.1 (2011) • 85.2 Writing (2010) to 83.5 (2011)

15. Curriculum Coordinator Reports

16. Grade 8 Science • Based on CT State Frameworks for Science Grades 6-8 • Content Standards: • Three Units • Physical Science: Energy, Force & Motion • Physical Science: Matter • Life Science: The Human Body • Process Standards: • Science inquiry, literacy, & numeracy • Embedded within all units • Science CMT is administered to all 8th graders in March • Carolyn Tyl, Coordinator- ctyl@tolland.k12.ct.us Science is Everywhere!

17. TMS Mathematics

18. TMS Mathematics

19. Criteria • Work Ethic • Chapter Assessments • Benchmark Assessment data • Mid-Terms/Final Exams • Report Card Grades • Placement Assessments • CMT data

20. Introduction of TEAMs • Team Blue: • Kristen Blore, SS, 28 • Jami DeGuire, LA, 102 • Dawn Erikson, MA, 101 • Cindy Foster, SC, 11 • Mary Nichols, LA, 104 • Carla Corcoran, SE, 202 • Team Gold: • Amanda Bellman, LA, 24 • David Chassanoff, SS, 20 • Happy Hill, MA, 26 • Cynthia Morrissey, SE, 25 • Kim Reilly, LA, 201 • Sharon Petsa, SC, 10