7 th Grade Townhall Meeting

1. 7th Grade Townhall Meeting Terrace Community Middle School

2. Mr. Steinmetz • Traffic Patterns • Safety

3. FORMULA FOR SUCCESS • 33 1/3 • Students, parents, and teachers must share equal responsibility to ensure success at TCMS. • 33 1/3 +33 1/3 +33 1/3 = 100%

4. Florida Standards • College and Career Ready • Emphasis on • Writing across the curriculum (argumentative and informational) • Complex Text and Academic Vocabulary • Non-fiction and Informational Text • What does this mean? • Written responses/citing evidence • Access to materials for research • Increased time for grading/feedback • Computer Practice

5. CIVICS • Statewide EOC (End-of-Course) Exam will be taken in May. Currently counts for 30% of student’s course grade.

6. Homework • No late homework will be accepted at any time per TCMS policy. * (Information will be provided in each teacher’s syllabus.) (Before HR is the key) • It is each teacher’s discretion as to whether homework and other assignments will be posted on Edsby. • Utilize the student planners. Students should write homework assignments in their planners DAILY. • Students should expect to have about 30 minutes of homework per subject area each night.

7. Tips For Home • Quiet, supervised study area • Two hour, uninterrupted block of time every day • Study partner • Stay informed • Planner • Edsby • Teacher contact • Talk with student about what they are learning • Tutoring/Extra Help

8. The value of planners • This is an opportunity for parents to stay updated with what their child is doing in each class, as well as for teachers to ensure parents are seeing what their child is doing at TCMS each week. • Students should write “word for word” what the teacher writes every day for homework in every subject area. At no time should a student have a “blank” space in their planner. If no homework is given, the teacher will write this, and therefore the student should write this as well.

9. Learning Scale • 4- I get it, can teach it, and relate or connect it. • 3- I get it and I can teach it. • 2- I almost get it, but I have this question: • 1- I’m a little lost.

10. TCMS Tutoring • Tutoring plays a vital role in students’ academic success. • Please encourage your child to attend these extra-help sessions. • Students may attend tutoring regularly, seek assistance with a particular skill or assignment, or to help prepare for tests and quizzes. • Last year, students that attended tutoring regularly showed significant academic improvement.

11. Tutoring Schedule

12. Weekly Grades • Every Thursday evening, please sit down with your TCMS student, log on to Edsby, and review their grades for each class. • This percentage should be recorded into their planner. Parents must also sign their planner. • Student should be prepared to show their grades and signature to their homeroom teacher every Friday morning.

13. Communication • If you have a specific question or concern regarding a particular subject area which could be answered by a note or telephone discussion, feel free to email or call the teacher. Be sure that your specific question is addressed in the email/phone message, as well as your child’s first and last name, and please include a daytime phone number where you can be reached. • We will respond within 24 hours unless the communication falls over a weekend or holiday. Please note that teachers are often able to respond more quickly in email form rather than via the telephone. • If you have not received a phone call or email response within 48 hours, please try again; occasionally emails will filter into a spam folder or be directed to an incorrect voicemail box.

14. Conferences • Team conferences will be held during teacher planning times on Tuesdays and Thursdays. • Conferences are held with the core curricular instructors rather than on an individual basis. • Please contact Mr. Bethune to schedule conferences.

15. Attendance • Parents need to call/email the school office and/or the grade level administrator within 24 hours in order to have an absence excused. • Handbook Policy: “A student whose absence is unexcused shall receive a grade of zero for any graded class work and homework missed (except in the case of suspension).”

16. Make Up Work • Students who have excused absences have the number of days they were absent to make up work. Keep in mind, they will be expected to keep up with current homework as they complete their make up work as well. • It is the student’s responsibility to ask each teacher for their make up work upon return to school. They are also responsible for turning in work that was due on the day of their absence upon return to school. • Students are encouraged to contact a planner buddy or friend for assignments they have missed when they are absent prior to returning to school and speaking with their teachers.

17. Make Up Work Continued • If a student misses classes due to arriving late or leaving early, it is the student’s responsibility to turn in any homework that was due that day and pick up any assignments given during class that day. • For example, a student who arrives to school during second period must turn in work that was due to his or her first period class before the end of the school day and obtain that day’s homework.

18. Dress Code • Uniforms will be checked in homeroom daily. • Shirt must be tucked in, belt must be worn (if the bottoms have belt loops), and ID badge must be in the student’s possession at all times. • Spirit Days: Every Friday (unless otherwise noted), students may wear a TCMS t-shirt tucked in with uniform bottoms and a belt. • Spirit shirts will be available for purchase during Open House.

19. Important Dates • Open House: Friday, August 15th 10:50 am-12:45 pm • Picture Day: Friday, August 22nd • 7th Grade Materials Bundle: $46, paid by August 22nd • Barnes and Noble Night: Tuesday, August 26th 5:30-8:30; Moe’s Night: 4-9 • Field Trips: Florida Keys Trip Feb. 25th -27th

20. Gifted Consult To Served • The need for accelerated course work for gifted students is provided in the advanced/gifted classroom through the ‘Back to Basics’ curriculum.  Instruction is differentiated, engaging, fast-paced, and challenging, with expectations for student achievement set at the highest standard.   • With this in mind,  Mrs. Murphy and Ms. Dausch will be sending home an invitation to revise the Gifted Education Plan to reflect a change in placement from consult to served.  We will be happy to process the paperwork in your absence, with your permission.  Exactly like we did at the beginning of the 6th grade year, only in reverse. • You will be receiving a phone call and the invitation soon.

21. Testing Tentative Dates Semester Exams: Jan. 12th -16th Florida Standards Writing: March 2nd-6th Stanford 10 Reading- March 30th- April 2nd Florida Standards Assessment Reading, Math, and FCAT Science: April 13th – May 8th Civics Exams: MAY 13th-18th End of Year Semester Exams: June 1st-5th

22. Athletics • Fall Sports • Competitive Boys Soccer • Competitive Girls Volleyball • Competitive Cross Country • Winter Sports • Competitive Girls & Boys Basketball • Competitive Girls Soccer • Spring Sports Clubs • Flag football, tennis, and running Tampa Charter Athletic League

23. CLUBS • Math league • Forensics • Battle of the Books • Lego • ROV • NJHS • Step • SGA • CIA • Builders • And more!!!

24. TCMS PRAParent Resource Association Welcome to Terrace Community Middle School Ruby Anderson, President Parent Resource Association You are the PRA!TCMS Parents automatically are members of the PRA.

25. What is the purpose of the TCMS PRA? Support School Needs                Promote Academic Excellence             Fundraising and Event Coordination Knowledge Sharing and Connecting Platform for Parent’s Voice to be Heard

26. PRA Activities Open House Barnes & Noble Night/Moe’s Night Team Tornado Scholastic Book Fair TCMS Teach-in Teacher Appreciation / Holiday Luncheons Walk-a-Thon Spring Fling Temple Terrace 4th of July Parade

27. Volunteers Our parent volunteers are the heart of our school. We would like to thank each and every one of you for sharing your valuable time throughout the year to support our students and our school.