Welcome to

1. Welcome to Pleasant Lea Middle School PLMS commits to learning by fostering a culture of high expectations and teamwork.

2. Tonight’s Presenters • Janette Cooley, Principal • Kim Fritchie, Assistant Principal -7th Gr. • Gloria Helmer, Assistant Principal- 8thGr. • Jeremy Bonnesen, Counselor- (A-Hob)7th&8th • Angela Martin, Counselor- (Hoc-Sc)7th&8th • Colleen Schieber, Counselor- (Se-Z)7th&8th

3. Tonight’s Agenda • Power Point and Video Presentation • Break Out for Discussion and Q & A • Staff Members Available in the Commons to Answer Individual Questions

4. PLMS Mission Statement “PLMS commits to learning by fostering a culture of high expectations and teamwork.”

5. PLMS Mission Statement • Belongs to students and parents as well as staff • Committed to Learning: All decisions are made based upon what is best for the learning of each student. • Fostering the Culture: Our staff maintains a special family-type atmosphere; there is a special warmth at PLMS that is not present in all schools.

6. PLMS Mission Statement • High Expectations: We not only have high expectations for students and parents but also for ourselves as a staff. • Teamwork: Student success is a shared responsibility between students, parents and staff.

7. We Are PLMS video

8. Elementary School / Middle School • Seven Period Day • Six exploratory courses or one year-long elective and two exploratory courses • State required health course provided for all students • No Recess/ 4 minute passing times • Interdisciplinary Teaming • with Integrated Curriculum • Sports/ Co-Curricular • One Class with one teacher • (some departmentalized subject areas) • Limited Elective Classes • Recess Time • Pull out Special Services • (ASPIRE/ Reading/SPED)

9. Life in the Middle Middle Level students change dramatically in four primary areas during the “middle years.” • Physically • Socially • Academically • Emotionally Three key concepts characterize the “middle years:” Exploration of Identity, Exploration of Social Groups, and Exploration with Boundaries.

10. Curriculum and Expectations • Curriculum is more intensive at the middle school level as it is designed to transition students to the rigor of high school. • The more intensive curriculum requires the need for students to plan approximately 30-60 minutes of homework each day. • In middle school all subject area classes receive a grade. (e.g. core, art, music, P.E., and elective classes.)

11. Grades and Grading • Students earn 1/2 unit of credit for each semester of a course that is passed. • If a student does not pass 5 1/2 of the 7 credits possible or pass at least 3 credits of core classes, that student can be retained or may need to take summer school. • Poor grades can impact a student’s eligibility for sports and school functions ( 2 or more grades of an “F.”) Middle school grades determine class placement in high school classes.

12. Citizenship / Student Conduct • Students receive citizenship grades for their class citizenship, which includes their behavior in class and being responsible for assignments and class materials. • Poor citizenship grades may make students ineligible for sports or some extra curricular school activities. (2 or more citizenship grades below‘C-’.)

13. Teaming • Students are scheduled with the same 4 core teachers: math, science, social studies, and language arts. • Students are scheduled with homeroom • teachers who are within their team.

14. Benefits of Teaming • Students have a smaller community of students and core teachers within the larger population of the entire school. • Student academic and social needs can be • addressed in a more efficient and • effective manner. • Students can identify with their team. • Teachers are available to meet with parents • as a team to discuss questions or concerns.

15. Nine Week Classes • Nine week class electives: • Speech/Drama • Exploratory Language & Cultures • Family & Consumer Science • Industrial Technology • Keyboarding • SMARTS (Students Maximizing Academic Resources and Success)

16. What is taught in SMARTS? • Organization and Time Management • Note-Taking • Test-Taking • Information Literacy

17. Why should my child take SMARTS? • SMARTS is a class designed to benefit the struggling student to the organized straight “A” student. • This is the ONLY elective class that is not offered beyond 7th grade. If SMARTS is not taken in 7th grade, students miss their opportunity to take it. • 99% of daily work is completed during class, so there is very little homework!!!

18. Academic Support Programs • Power Lab • Homework Hub Privilege during Power Hour • Partnership Discipline Plan (Student Contract) • Advanced Studies Classes (Math, Sci., SS., LA.) • Learning Lab (2nd Semester/ Mon.-Thurs. 3:00-4:45PM) • Math Lab Class and Reading Lab Class

19. Math and Reading Lab Classes • Math Lab provides extra math support and remediation for students performing below grade level in math. • Reading Lab provides extra reading support and remediation for students performing below grade level in reading. • Students can work to improve math and reading skills and then move onto experiencing exploratory class options.

20. Advanced Studies I. Recommendations given by 6th grade teacher 1. Recs will be listed on the enrollment card 2. Recs will be for 0-4 of the core areas. II. Parents may elect to have student take 0-4 AS Parents must sign a waiver to enroll the student if the student has not been recommended for the AS class. III. More Rigorous Instruction/Content/Work Required 1. AS classes will have more homework with increased expectations 2. AS will be weighted +1 for the MS 11 point honor roll calculation 3. AS classes designed to prepare students for LSHS AS program

21. Period Course Name Teacher Room Term • 1 Integrated Science Buehre, Chris 312 S1 • Music I Terrell, Misty 218 S1 • 2 Boys PE Oswald, Joe 223 S1 • Language Arts 7 Bartlett, Nancy 212 S1 • 7th Grade Pre-Algebra Bullimore, Donna 212 S1 • Health Reichert, Sandra 217 S1 • For Lang Cultures Aldenderfer, Emily 118A Q3 • 5 SMARTS Kendall, Leslie 305 Q4 • Adv. St. E. Hemisphere Fuchs, Joanne 211 S1 • Explo. Keyboarding Hardin, Carrie 109 Q1 • Discovering FACS Mendenhall, Sandy 303 Q2 • 7 Explo. Speech and Drama Zornes, Cathy 117 Q3 • Intro to Indust. Tech Albert, Keith 213 Q4 • HRM Homeroom 7th Bullimore, Donna 212 S1 • 9 First Lunch 10:54-11:16, Before 4th Hour Commons S1

22. TIGER TIME Homeroom BusinessSTARS Tiger Tracks POWER HOUR Advisory and Bulletin*Club *Privileges *Team Choice *Power Labs may take place Tues. – Fri. in elective and core classrooms, for student interventions.

23. 6th Grade Enrollment Card Overhead Example

24. PLMS Overview Video

25. Calendar of Elementary School Visits by Pleasant Lea Middle School Counselors Lee’s Summit Elem. Monday , March 2 Prairie View Elem. Monday, March 2 Westview Elem. Tuesday, March 3 Pleasant Lea Elem. Wednesday, March 4 Woodland Elem. Wednesday, March 4 Highland Park Elem. Thursday, March 5

26. Pleasant Lea Middle School Tiger Orientation Days forIncoming 7th grade Students • 7th Grade Schedule Pick-up Day (Wednesday, August 5th from 1PM to 7PM) • Pleasant Lea Middle School Tiger Transition Day (Friday, August 14th from 7:50AM-12:50PM) ** Parents will receive a letter this summer explaining the details of the 7th grade Schedule Pick-up Day and The Pleasant Lea Middle School Tiger Transition Day.

27. Date to Remember: • Thursday, March 12, 2008 • 6th Grade enrollment cards due back to elementary school teachers!

28. Parent Involvement • Your involvement is essential! • Studies show that the more parents are involved in a student’s education, the greater success that student experiences!

29. Thank You for your time. • Pleasant Lea Middle School • Phone Number: 986-1175 • Fax Number: 986-1225 • Website:http://plms.leesummit.k12.mo.us • Counselor’s Office: 986-1178 • Asst. Principal’s Office: (Kim Fritchie) 986-1184

30. SMALLGROUPSBreak Out for Discussion and Q & A Group I Gym A Gloria Helmer/Jeremy Bonnesen Group II Commons Janette Cooley/ Angela Martin Group III Room 218 Kim Fritchie/Colleen Schieber