Staff Update Week of September 1, 2025

Jack is happy because he loves The Writing Revolution, but he wishes more of his colleagues would focus their lessons on it, so he talks about it during lunch everyday.

Anyone that sends me an email by 2nd period Tuesday with a Because, But, So sentence based on the Browns (or Steelers) will win a prize. 

Important Dates

9/1-                        Labor Day (No School)

9/3-                        Picture Day

9/29-                        ICAC Assemblies (1st-3rd periods)

10/8-                        Picture Retake Day

10/8-                        Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30

10/17-                        End of 1st Quarter

10/29-                        Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30

Important Information

Safety 

We will have our annual Safety Week the week of September 29th.  We will be reviewing our safety protocols this week during PLCs.   Here is a basic run down of what the week will look like

Monday (9/29)-  ICAC Assemblies 1st-3rd periods, Fire Drill afternoon

Tuesday (9/30)-  Lockdown Drill/ Barricade

Wednesday (10/1)-  Mass Evacuation

Thursday (10/2)-  Situational Drill

Friday (10/3)-  Tornado Drill

CTE

Kirk Dressel and the rest of the CTE team will being working with 7th and 8th grade students this week for Career Connections.  

ICAC Assemblies

The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC) will be talking to our students on 9/29.  This will be done in grade level assemblies as we have done in the past.  

EMS Clubs

I will be sending an email out to parents later this week detailing many of the clubs and activities we offer here at EMS.  If you are interested in starting a new club, please come talk with me.  There might be supplemental money available.

PLCs 

Reminder....Please make sure you are completing your Team's Academic Planner each week prior to your scheduled PLC meeting.

Supplementals

Just a friendly reminder to complete your supplemental applications.  They are found online.  

Dangers of AI

Although I feel strongly that educators need to embrace the use of AI, there are some areas of concern.  The link below is a video from the Today Show about about parent's suing Chat GPT over it's role is assisting their son in ending his life.  Unfortunately, this is something we need to be mindful of.

Today Show Video

PBIS Team

Thank you for a great Kick Off assembly.  The connect four game as a big hit and the students had a lot of fun.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Station Rotation Instructional Strategy (Video)

 

Staff Update Week of August 25, 2025

Important Dates

8/29-                    PBIS Assembly 8th Period

9/1-                        Labor Day (No School)

9/3-                        Picture Day

9/29-                        ICAC Assemblies (1st-3rd periods)

10/8-                        Picture Retake Day

10/8-                        Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30

10/17-                        End of 1st Quarter

10/29-                        Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30

Important Information

Thank You

We had a great start to the year.  Thank you for all you do to make EMS the best place around.

PBIS Kick-Off Assembly

Our annual PBIS Opening Assembly will be Friday, August 29th, 8th period.

We will not be having an adjusted bell schedule.

PLCs 

Reminder....PLCs begin this week.

We will go over the expectations for the Team Academic Planner.

Safety Week   

We will have our annual "Safety Week" the week of September 29th.

I will provide details during PLCs.  Similar format as last year.

Supplementals

Just a friendly reminder to complete your supplemental applications.  They are found online.  

SmartPass

Please make sure you are utilizing SmartPass.  All staff members are expected to use it.  Thank you.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Middle School Slang Words

Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset in Middle School

 

Staff Update Week of August 18, 2025

Important Dates

8/18-                    6th Grade Orientation 11am-1pm

8/18-                    6th Grade Supply Drop off 5:30pm-7pm

8/19-                    7th/8th Grade Supply Drop off 5:30pm-7:00pm

8/21-                    First Day of School

9/1-                        Labor Day (No School)

9/3-                        Picture Day

9/29-                        ICAC Assemblies (1st-3rd periods)

10/8-                        Picture Retake Day

10/8-                        Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30

10/17-                        End of 1st Quarter

10/29-                        Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30

Important Information

August 18th

Convocation Day  7:45am-10:15am @ South

6th Grade Orientation 11:00am-1:00pm

Staff Meeting 2:00pm in Band Room

* staff expected to work 8:00am-3:00pm

6th Grade Supply Drop off 5:30pm-7:00pm

August 19th/20th

PD Days 8:00am-3:00pm

Here is a link to the PD Day Schedule

*  7th/8th Grade Supply Drop off 5:30-7:00pm (8/19)

Supply Drop Offs

These "Supply Drop off" events are taking the place of Open House.

Teachers are required to attend either the 18th or 19th based on the grade level you teach.

Make sure you have your locks and lockers ready to distribute to students that attend.  Hopefully we get a good turn out which will make homeroom run smoother on the first day.

SmartPass

We will be using SmartPass again this year.  However, it might not be ready by the first day of school.  I will update everyone at the staff meeting.

Grade Level Expectation Talks

Dave and I will talk with each grade level about expectations on Friday, August 22nd

6th Grade:  2nd Period in the Gym

7th Grade:   1st Period in the Gym

8th Grade:  3rd Period in the Gym

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

5 Dice Games Your Students will Love

Your Students Struggled on an Assessment- Now What?

6 Formative Assessment Strategies to Boost Student Learning in ELA

 

Staff Update Week of May 26, 2025

Important Dates

5/29-                    Last Day of School

5/30-                    Teacher Work Day

Important Information

Last Day of School (5/29)

Students will not be permitted to use lockers or bring items to school on Thursday, May 29th

At-Risk Possible Failures

Please make sure you update the At-Risk Possible Failure Spreadsheet prior to the end of the year.

Check Out Day (5/30)

Staff Meeting in Band Room at 9am

Teacher Check-Outs begin at 9:30

Please bring your End Faculty Check Out List

Check-Out order will be randomly selected Thursday.

If you don't mind having a later time in the day for check-out, let me know.

(my goal is to have all check-outs done by 11:30)

Summer!

This is the last bulletin post of the 2024-25 school year.  It has truly been a great year with demonstrated growth by our students and staff.  EMS is comprised of an awesome group of people who work hard for our students.  Thank you for all you do.  Enjoy your well-deserved summer break.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Using AI to help Differentiate the middle school classroom

 

Staff Update Week of May 19, 2025

Important Dates

5/19-                    Jack B visit to EMS- PLCs 6th-8th periods

5/20-                  8th Grade Class Trip-  Niagara Falls

5/21-                    Amplify Training (7/8 ELA only)

5/21-                    Tornado Drill 8:40AM

5/22-                    Choir and Band Concert- 7th Period in Gym

5/22-                   Amplify Observations (6th Grade ELA only-AM) 

5/23-                    Fire Drill 9:34am

5/23-                    7th Grade Field Trip (Bowling)

5/29-                    Last Day of School

Important Information

Jack B PLC meetings

Jack B is coming back to EMS on May 19th.  He will meet with PLCs using the following schedule

6th period-      7th Grade PLC     (Johnson's Room)

7th period-    8th Grade PLC     (Cramer's Room)

8th period-     6th Grade PLC    (Ianiro's Room)

Mark Your Calendars

The results for last week's  survey were overwhelming in support of changing Open House to a Supply Drop Off Night.

Therefore, please mark your calendars for next year:

August 15th-   6th Grade Orientation 9:00am-11:00am (6th grade teachers only)

August 18th-    6th Grade Supply Drop Off  5:30pm-7:00pm

August 19th-      7th/8th Grade Supply Drop Off   5:30pm-7:00pm

August 21st-        First Day of School

Students will have the opportunity to drop off their supplies, walk their schedule, set up their locker, and practice their lock.  

Teachers will need to have their Homeroom's lock assignments ready to hand out that night to students that attend.

Gym

Students are not permitted in the gym unless they are in gym class.  Do not send students down to the gym.  Do not combine any classes in the gym

Going Outside

Teachers, feel free to take your classes outside.

Monitors, do not take your study halls outside.

Congrats Karla Schwenk

On behalf of the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, I am pleased to extend our sincere congratulations on being selected as a recipient of the George B. Chapman Jr. Math Teacher Award of Excellence. This award recognizes your outstanding teaching, commitment to student learning, and your contributions to excellence in mathematics education.

Each year, in addition to honoring one George B. Chapman Jr. Math Teacher of the Year, the Foundation recognizes five exceptional mathematics educators with Awards of Excellence. Your selection for this honor reflects the high regard in which your work is held by your peers and the meaningful impact you are making in your classroom and school community.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Middle School Experiences

 

Staff Update Week of May 12, 2025

The Aviators dropping eggs from the roof.

Important Dates

5/12-                    5th Graders come visit EMS

5/12-                  5th Grade Parent Night 6pm

5/14-                  6th Grade Field Trip-  Progressive Field STEM Day

5/14-                  8th Grade Field Trip-  West Side Market

5/14-                    Band Concert 7PM

5/15-                    8th Graders to South 9am-  only about 10 kids

5/15-                    Choir Concert 7PM

5/16                  8th Grade Awards Breakfast

5/19-                    Jack B visit to EMS- PLCs 6th-8th periods

5/20-                  8th Grade Class Trip-  Niagara Falls

5/21-                    Amplify Training (7/8 ELA only)

5/21-                    Tornado Drill 8:40AM

5/22-                    Choir and Band Concert- 7th Period in Gym

5/22-                   Amplify Observations (6th Grade ELA only-AM) 

5/23-                    Fire Drill 9:34am

5/23-                    7th Grade Field Trip (Bowling)

5/29-                    Last Day of School

Important Information

5th Grade Visit (Monday)

5th Graders will be at EMS from about 10am-Noon.  Please make sure you are in the hallways between classes and limit the number of students you allow in the hallway during class.  We dont need any random 7th graders having a tickle fight and giving our future students the wrong idea about behavior.

Open House Change ???

I would like to change our usual  "Open House" night to a "Supply Drop Off" night prior to school starting.

INSTEAD of having Open House a few weeks after school starts, I feel it would be more valuable for everyone to do a Supply Drop Off the evening prior to the first day of school.

Students and parents would come up to school, get their schedules, walk the halls, meet teachers, get their locks, and have the opportunity to set up their lockers.  

We did this last year with 6th grade and it went very well.  

Here is a link to a Google Form asking for your opinion.  Please complete the form sometime this week.  

We will chat about this in PLCs this week.

Jack B PLC meetings

Jack B is coming back to EMS on May 19th.  He will meet with PLCs using the following schedule

6th period-      7th Grade PLC

7th period-    8th Grade PLC

8th period-     6th Grade PLC

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

5 Teacher Tested AI Tools for Beginners

Staff Update Week of May 5, 2025

Important Dates

5/9-                   Northern Lights Assembly 2nd period

5/12-                    5th Graders come visit EMS

5/12-                  5th Grade Parent Night 6pm

5/14-                  6th Grade Field Trip-  Progressive Field STEM Day

5/14-                  8th Grade Field Trip-  West Side Market

5/14-                    Band Concert 7PM

5/15-                    8th Graders to South 9am-  only about 10 kids

5/15-                    Choir Concert 7PM

5/16                  8th Grade Awards Breakfast

5/19-                    Jack B visit to EMS- PLCs 1st-3rd periods

5/20-                  8th Grade Class Trip-  Niagara Falls

5/21-                    Amplify Training (7/8 ELA only)

5/21-                    Tornado Drill 8:40AM

5/22-                    Choir and Band Concert- 7th Period in Gym

5/22-                   Amplify Observations (6th Grade ELA only-AM) 

5/23-                    Fire Drill 9:34am

5/23-                    7th Grade Field Trip (Bowling)

5/29-                    Last Day of School

Important Information

Teacher Appreciation Week

Thank you for your unwavering dedication, compassion, and commitment to our students every single day.  Your hard work, creativity, and resilience make a lasting impact in and beyond the classroom.  We are truly grateful for all that you do.  Happy Teacher Appreciation Week.

Northern Lights Assembly (May 9th, 2nd period)

Our annual Northern Lights Assembly will be in the gym on Friday.  Please make sure you sit in the bleachers and keep the student quiet.  I will call students down to the gym at the beginning of 2nd period.

Testing is Done

Thank you for everyone's hard work during testing.  I believe that all of our students took the test seriously and I am looking forward to seeing the results in a few weeks.  There are a handful of kids that need to complete make-up tests.  This will be done on Monday and Tuesday.

Gifted Training

Friendly reminder, core teachers, you must complete 5 hours of Gifted Training prior to the end of the school year.  Let me know if you need any coverage to get this completed.

Jack B PLC meetings

Jack B is coming back to EMS on May 19th.  He will meet with PLCs using the following schedule

6th period-      7th Grade PLC

7th period-    8th Grade PLC

8th period-     6th Grade PLC

Career Workforce Development

Next year students in 7th and 8th grade will be learning about Career Workforce Development during Flex Time and Social Studies.  Here is a great video that shows the direction we are going.

Success In The New Economy

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)