Back to School Night @ Good Shepherd

1. Back to School Night @ Good Shepherd Welcome, Thank you for coming! September 2nd, 2010

2. Opening Prayer • School Year Theme: Become God’s Word

3. Introductions • Samantha Roy – 8th S.S., Assistant Principal • Janell Hogan – 7th & 8th Religion • Carol French – 7th & 8th English, 8th Literature • Sue Schmidt – 7th & 8th Science, 7th Literature • Annie O’Grady – 7th & 8th Math, 7th S.S. • Peggy Bevan – 7th & 8th Math

4. Sign Up Sheets for 7th & 8th Grade Activities • Please sign up in the Junior High hallway, there will be a variety of sign up sheets. • Also pick up the Junior High Newsletter!

5. 7th Grade • Stop by and pick up the 7th Grade Newsletter in the Junior High hallway. • There is information regarding the changes from transitioning from 6th grade to 7th grade. • We need parent volunteers for the 8th grade Graduation banquet. • Newsletters will now be made monthly instead of weekly. • ITBS Testing starts September 21st, please try not to schedule appointments during the testing times - watch for more information.

6. 8th Grade • Important Dates: • 9/23-24: 8th retreat • 10/20: Pro-Life Forum • 11/5 or 11/6: Confirmation Prep Meeting • 1/27: Graduation Pictures in Caps and Gowns • 1/28: Talent Show • April: 8th Grade Musical • May: End of Year Retreat • 5/11: Mass led by Class of 2011 • 5/11: Graduation Banquet following 8:30 AM Mass • 5/12: Graduation Ceremony 7:00PM • To Be Announced: Worlds of Fun

7. Good Shepherd Celebrates ConfirmationSave These Dates! Sacrament Prep for Families 11/5 or 6 Confirmation Retreat (Candidates) 3/27 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Rehearsal (Candidates and Sponsors) 5/17 7:00 PM Confirmation Celebration 5/18 With Abbot Barnabas Senecal, OSB 7:00 PM

8. Classes - FYI • Your students are grouped in different math and science classes based on the scores of their ITBS Test, Kansas Math Assessment, and their Classroom Performance. • This does NOT mean that they learn any different material from the other classes, they all learn the same Archdiocesan Outcomes and State Standards.

9. Teacher Contact • A new Archdiocesan policy prohibits teachers from responding to parental emails VIA E-MAIL. We are instructed to CALL parents in response as well as when initiating communication in regard to behavioral and academic issues, (not attendance).

10. School Website • Check out our Teacher Websites! • There will be information regarding homework, tests, and important dates. • Go to the school website and click on Staff Info. • Ask your student how to find our sites.  • Please check your student’s grades frequently online, they should know how to. • You will receive your username and password after the presentation in church tonight.

11. Team Building • 1st quarter – 7th & 8th grade team building activities every Wednesday afternoon from 2:15-3:10. • We are in the process of preparing some service projects for team building this year. • J esus • O thers • Y ourself • We are looking for more ideas as well, please contact your homeroom teacher if you have any ideas (students cannot leave school for this). • We would greatly appreciate any parent volunteers to help out. • Our first service project will be through Harvesters and it is called “Give Lunch”. • More information will be given in a few weeks.

12. “Give Lunch” Challenge: Food Drive & Volunteer Activity • Support the hungry in our community by hosting the Give Lunch food drive for Harvesters’ agencies. • How does this food drive work? Simply host a food drive for the specific items listed below. It is best to generate bulk donations so that each sack has the same items. • Each lunch sack needs to include one of each item listed below: • Whole grain item (crackers, pretzels, cereal etc.) • Protein item (single serving canned meat with pop top) • Juice box • Snack item (chips, mixed nuts,) • Fruit cup with pop-top • Reduced sugar dessert (shelf-stable pudding or Jell-O) • Collecting items in bulk or asking several volunteers to purchase food in bulk after collecting monetary donations works very well for this drive.

13. Electives • 2nd, 3rd, 4th quarters – Electives are every Wednesday from 2:15-3:10. • We would love to have as many parent volunteers as possible as well as new ideas! • There is a parent meeting on September 15th at 2pm for electives if you are interested in helping out.

14. Bullying Program • Olweus program is the anti bullying program we are continuing school wide. • It is a nationally known program. • We will continue assemblies and weekly class meetings with this program. • You will see more information as the year goes on.

15. Other Important Information • Conferences – will be held Wednesday and Thursday, October 27th and October 28th - sign up with your homeroom teacher in the library tonight. • Planners – please sign your students’ planners every night for the first quarter. • Monday, October 4th – Catholic School Open House at Good Shepherd.

16. NCA Strategies • Math: MAPS, Computation, Weekly Math Log • Reading: QAR, SSR, Weekly Reading Log • Please pick up handouts about these in the Junior High hallway. • Also look for information about these in our monthly newsletters.

17. Thank you for your time, We look forward to a great year! • Do not hesitate to contact us whenever you feel you need to  • This Presentation will be on our teacher websites.