Timberwolf News & Notes
John Poole Middle School
April 10, 2016
Principal’s Message
Good Evening!
This week marks the official end of the third marking period and
report cards will be distributed on April 22nd . We are now in the
home stretch and in the last quarter of the year. As our students
turn their minds to their summer camps, vacations, and for a
third of our students to high school, our goal is to finish the
school year strong. We have had a great year so far and I know
we will finish on a positive note as well.
As we start the fourth marking period, it is important to sit with
your children and set goals for their performance for the fourth
marking period. Have a discussion with them about where they
are, where they want to be, where you see them going, and how
you can support them in getting there.
Upcoming Dates:

4/11 – 4th Marking Period Begins

4/11 – Student Town Hall
Meetings

4/12 – Soccer, Boys Home, Girls
Away

4/20 – Soccer, Girls Home, Boys
Away

4/22 – Report Card Distribution

4/25 – 8th Grade Field Trip to
Natural History Museum
Recently we have had issues in all three grade levels with
students “roasting” each other. While this normally starts out as
joking among friends, more often than not the comments
become inappropriate and have led to conflicts among students.
I would ask that you have a discussion with your children about
appropriate interactions with their friends and to help them
understand how this practice can lead to hurt feelings and
conflicts. I appreciate your understanding and support with this
issue.
Have a great week!

4/26 – HOLIDAY, No School,
Primary Election Day

4/27 – Student Member or the
Board Elections (Social Studies)

4/28 – 8th Grade Career Day
The April after-school activities
calendar is on the JPMS website.
Respectfully,
Mr. Robert Sinclair Jr, Principal
8th Grade Parents Needed
The 8th Grade Dance Committee is looking for parent volunteers for the dance on Friday, May 21,
2016. We need help setting up the room the evening before (Fri. 5/20) and the day of the dance. We
also need volunteers to collect tickets, chaperone and work at food/game booths during the dance, as
well as help cleaning up afterwards. Please visit the sign up genius below to sign up for one or more
time slots.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084fada72fa02-volunteers
Hallway Heroes
Hallway Heroes are students we honor for demonstrating exemplary PRIDE behaviors as they move from class
to class, helping to keep our hallways safe and comfortable for everyone. The students recognized below
consistently demonstrate Purpose, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Effort everywhere they go at JPMS. They
are Hallway Heroes and we are proud to celebrate their high expectations and their Timberwolf
PRIDE! Congratulations to last week’s winners:
Samuel Hicks
Michelle Lu
Colin Rickert
Jacob Roe
Mikaela Tejada
Katherine White
PARCC Testing Schedule
At John Poole Middle School, students will be taking the PARCC between May 9 and May 27. We will run two
sessions a day, the schedule can be found below, please note that ELA stands for English Language Arts. Please
make every effort to avoid scheduling appointments on the day your child’s grade level is testing.
Click on the link to review more information to parents http://www.parcconline.org/resources/parent-resources
Week 1
Mon 5/9/16
Tues 5/10/16
Wed 5/11/16
Thur 5/12/16
Fri 5/13/16
7:55 – 9:38
Math 6 Unit 1
Math 6 Unit 2
Math 6 Unit 3
Make Up
Make Up
9:42 – 11:52
ELA 7 Unit 1
ELA 7 Unit 2
ELA 7 Unit 3
Make Up
Make Up
Week 2
Mon 5/16/16
Tues 5/17/16
Wed 5/18/16
Thur 5/19/16
Fri 5/20/16
7:55 – 9:38
Math 7 Unit 1
Math 7 Unit 2
Math 7 Unit 3
Make Up
Make Up
9:42 – 11:52
ELA 8 Unit 1
ELA 8 Unit 2
ELA 8 Unit 3
Make Up
Make Up
Week 3
Mon 5/23/16
Tues 5/24/16
Wed 5/25/16
Thur 5/26/16
Fri 5/27/16
7:55 – 9:38
Algebra I Unit 1
Math 8 Unit 1
Algebra I Unit 2
Math 8 Unit 2
Algebra I Unit 3
Math 8 Unit 3
Make Up
Make Up
9:42 – 11:52
ELA 6 Unit 1
ELA 6 Unit 2
ELA 6 Unit 3
Make Up
Make Up
Week 4
Mon 5/30/16
Tues 5/31/16
Wed 6/1/16
Thur 6/2/16
Fri 56/3/16
Memorial Day
Make Up
Make Up
Make Up
Make Up
John Poole Middle School_____________________
17014 Tom Fox Avenue
Poolesville, Maryland 20837
301-972-7979
Fax: 301-972-7982
http://www.mcpsmd.org/schools/poolems
Office of the Principal
March 23, 2016
You should have received the letter below from your child on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.
Please return the form by April 15 if your child is NOT participating in the survey.
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Our school is participating in the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Middle School (MDS3) Initiative through the
Maryland State Department of Education. The goal of the MDS3 Initiative is to develop a sustainable system to measure
and address school climate in middle schools, which includes content in the areas of school environment, student
engagement, and school safety. An online anonymous school climate survey will be administered at our school in the
coming weeks. The survey will collect responses from students, staff and parents to questions related to bullying,
substance use, student attendance and engagement, and the school environment. This information will be used to guide
us in promoting a healthy school environment for students to learn at our school and throughout the state.
Your child will be surveyed through English class. The Maryland State Department of Education is asking that parent(s)
and guardian(s) be notified about this survey. We hope you will agree to permit your son/daughter to help us in this
important study.
The survey is voluntary and will be given in selected classrooms during school hours by our teachers. It is expected to
take about 20 minutes to complete. In order to encourage truthful answers to the questions and to assure each
student’s privacy, no student names will be written on the survey or in any way linked with the students’ responses to
the survey questions. Student responses will be anonymous.
You can review the MDS3 School Climate Survey at the school by contacting Ms. AnneMarie Smith, Principal Intern at
301-972-7979 or [email protected] . Ms. Smith will arrange a time for you to review the survey. If you
have questions about the survey, call the MDS3 Research and Evaluation Team at (410) 614-4473, or send an email to
[email protected].
If you do NOT consent to your child participating in this survey, please complete and sign the attached form and return it
to the school.
Sincerely,
AnneMarie Smith, Principal Intern
Tear off and return
I have read the above statement and I DO NOT CONSENT to my child participating in the 2016 MDS3 Climate Survey.
Child’s Name (print) _________________________________________________________________
(First)
(Last)
Parent/Guardian’s Signature ___________________________________________________________
Date of Signature __________________________________________
Magnet Program Community Meetings
MCPS recently released a study on choice and special academic programs, including the magnet program at
Poolesville High School. The report can be found online at http://bit.ly/1RKRWdV . There are also community
meetings planned to discuss the reports. I would strongly encourage you to read the report and consider
attending one of the community meetings. (The dates and times are below)
Thank You!
In conjunction with the reading of Animal Farm, 8th graders were treated to a discussion about Russian history
and culture by Mr. Brizhik, Luka’s father. It was interesting to hear first person accounts of life in Russia after
the Russian revolution and we are very grateful to Mr. Brizhik for taking the time to come and share his
experiences with us. The support John Poole students receive from the community is incredible!
Attention 6th Grade Parents
BE PREPARED! The Maryland mandatory immunization requirements will change next year when your child
enters 7th grade. The new requirements for 7th grade are: Meningococcal (MCV) & Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria,
pertussis/whooping cough). Visit your child’s health care provider for required immunizations. Please provide
proof of immunizations to your school’s health room as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please call
the nurse or health tech at 301-407-1029.
Parent Academy Offers New Workshops
The spring session of the MCPS Parent Academy will begin on April 9. The Parent Academy helps equip parents
with the tips and tools they need to help their children succeed. All of the workshops are free and are held at
schools and other locations throughout Montgomery County. Spring workshop topics include active parenting,
preparing for college, PARCC assessments, and cybersafety and social media. Childcare and interpretation
services are provided at all classes. The schedule of workshops is available at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy/workshops.aspx
MCPS Special Education Summit Set for May 14
MCPS parents, staff, and community members are invited to the third annual Special Education Summit, Leading
the Way Today, Partnering for a Better Tomorrow. The summit will take place on Saturday, May 14, 8:15 a.m.
to 1 p.m., at Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Boulevard in Gaithersburg. The summit is free and will
feature resources and workshops for families of students with disabilities. Families will also have an opportunity
to meet representatives from many MCPS offices, Montgomery County agencies, and non-profit organizations.
For more information, visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/events/.
Elementary and High School Summer School Registration Begins 5/4
Registration for the 2016 high school and elementary summer school programs begins Wednesday, May 4. Both
programs are open to all students who are residents of Montgomery County, whether or not they are enrolled in
MCPS. High school programs will be offered at four locations: Winston Churchill, Clarksburg, John F. Kennedy,
and Richard Montgomery. The first session runs from June 27 to July 15; the second session runs from July 19 to
August 5. Registration ends on June 15 for session I and June 29 for session II. The eleme ntary school program
runs from July 5 to July 29 and will be offered at Cannon Road and Candlewood elementary schools. The
registration period closes on June 20. Parents can contact the Summer School Coordinator at their child’s school
for information on middle school programs.
Visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/extendedhours/summerschool/ for more information.
Don’t Miss the Gaithersburg Book Festival
Montgomery County Public Schools is proud to be a partner in the 2016 Gaithersburg Book Festival on Saturday,
May 21, on the grounds of Gaithersburg City Hall. The book festival has a great lineup of authors and activities
for children of all ages. Several members of the MCPS community will be conducting readings at the festival and
there will be many programs, workshops, and activities in the Children’s Village that are designed to promote
interest in reading and writing. For more information, visit gaithersburgbookfestival.org/.
Way2Go Maryland College Fair Set for May 7
The University System of Maryland (USM) will host a College Preparation Event for students in Grades 6–10 and
their parents on Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Universities at Shady Grove. The event will bring
together current college students and admissions and financial aid representatives from USM institutions to chat
with students and their parents/guardians about preparing and paying for college. Event attendees will also have
the opportunity to hear from the College Savings Plan of Maryland. This is a great opportunity for MCPS middle
and high school students to engage with college students and hear firsthand about life on a college campus. It is
also a great way for them to get tips directly from USM admissions officers on how to prepare for and apply to
college. Visit way2gomaryland.org/event/way2gomaryland-montgomery-county-event for more information.