Volume 3, Issue 1
Benjamin Stoddert Middle School
Sept-Oct 2016
Stoddert Strong News
Kenneth J.
Schroeck
Principal
Dates of Interest:

Sept 15 – PBIS Spirit
Day - Jersey Day

Sept 16 – Teacher InService Day
Sept 20—Chick-fil-A
Spirit Night 5-7 PM


Sept 22 – HIST Expo
parent night – 6PM

Sept 24 - Community
Block Party - Bannister
Neighborhood Recreation Center (12-3PM)

Sept 28 – Early Dismissal – Teacher Planning

Sept 29 – OPEN
HOUSE 6-8 PM

Oct 03—Interims
issued

Oct 20-28—
Buccaneer Book Fair
in the library
Inside this issue:
Library
Music
Nurse
Clubs
Science
PPW
Language Arts
Around the school
Block Party
2040 St. Thomas Drive
Waldorf, MD 20602
Erica Williams
Cynthia Panizzi
Vice Principal
Matthew Newcamp
Administrative Assistant
Principal’s Thoughts
Dear Parents/Guardians,
                Welcome… and… Welcome Back to Benjamin Stoddert Middle School!
                The new school year is beginning with a sense of excitement and energy. We did an exceptional job of changing the culture
of the school last year with respect to discipline, academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, attendance, and
pride. The culture of the school is a critical component to the success of every student, so we will continue to work diligently to cultivate
and promote our new school culture. I would like to take a moment to thank each and every parent and guardian for the support and
work done at home which contributed greatly to the new school culture. I am extremely proud of the work our students and teachers
have been doing to support this change. The entire faculty is on board for another great year of growth and accomplishments. Everyone
is devoted to “Strong Instruction, Strong Relationships, and Strong Classroom Management.”  Our faculty has made the commitment to
“Be the Difference” for our students.  As the school year begins to unfold, please talk to your child regularly about what they are doing at
school, encourage them to give their absolute best, and encourage them to participate in extra-curricular activities.
                Parents, thank you for your support and dedication to academic excellence.  Our partnership is critical.  It is evident that the
students have embraced your strong values for education, and are driving to expand and extend their learning.  By now everyone is
quickly settling into their daily routines of learning.  Those routines are carefully crafted to increase academic rigor and cultivate a new
school culture; A new beginning.
Thank you for taking the time to review, sign, and return all of the beginning of the school year paperwork.  If any information on your child’s emergency card changes at any time during the school year, please contact us.  Please make sure to review the
student handbook.  Pay close attention to the cell phone policy.   If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call. 
In addition to knowledge and understanding of school policies and procedures, your child will be required to have an agenda
book and one-inch homework binder. The agenda book is an important tool for you and your child to use to communicate about homework.  Please continue to take the time to review your child’s homework daily.  The homework binder should contain the student handbook, the student agenda, and a pencil pouch to hold any needed writing or instructional materials.  The front pocket should be labeled
‘to do.’ This is the designated area for homework that needs to be completed. The back pocket should be labeled ‘done,’ for the homework that has been finished and is ready to be turned in by the student.  Students will need this binder with them at all times since it
contains their hall passes, as well as, the designated area for writing down homework assignments; the student agenda.  The binder
should never see the inside of the student’s locker. 
If you have not already done so, please stop by the school and register for the EDLINE parent access program. An EDLINE
registration table will also be set up at our September 29th Open House.   This will give parents the ability to look up a wide variety of
information through the internet such as important dates, assigned homework, and weekly updated grades.  In an effort to help students
take responsibility for their learning, our counseling department will be conducting a lesson with students to give each child his or her
own access code for EDLINE. 
We are working diligently to expand our after school club offerings to students. In order to increase the participation capacity
of several clubs, we are looking for parents who are willing to co-sponsor some of those clubs with our faculty members.  If you are
available and interested in supporting the students through this endeavor, please contact me.
Don’t forget to follow the many great things that are going on at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School at #StoddertStrong.
Kenneth J. Schroeck
Principal 
Page 2
Drama Club & Arts Aware Club
Drama Club
Were you born to be on stage? Do you love to “play with others”? Then Drama Club is for you! Join Ms. Kassig, Ms. Tatano,
and Mrs. Mervine as you learn to develop your stage presence,
public speaking, and acting skills. No previous experience necessary; only a willingness to work hard and have fun. First
task: Stoddert Stars Talent Show Planning. First meeting: Thursday,
October 13th from 3:00-4:30. Permission forms
available in the front office.
“Please use
Edline to
check on
assignments
and current
Arts Aware:
Artists who Care Club
Enjoy doing anything fun and artistic with others? Make
music, create visual artwork or perform a skit or play
with other students for the enjoyment of senior citizens. Students will
meet biweekly to explore their artistic talents while working with others in
our community. Starts Friday, October 21st from Dismissal to
4:30. Come explore where the arts can take you!
grades”
Library News
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
The Buccaneer Book Fair is coming to
Stoddert on October 20-28th.
Students will have the chance to browse
the book fair with their language arts
classes.
Students will be able to purchase books
in the morning before announcements
as well as during language arts.
Page 3
Music Notes
Stoddert welcomes two new faces to the Music Faculty: Orchestra Director,
Brandy Spiering and Band Director, Daniel DiCocco, both from Pennsylvania. All
performance groups have received their course outlines. All State and All County
Band/Chorus and Orchestra nominations are due before the end of September.
If your child is interested in auditioning for any of these select groups please contact your child’s teacher to discuss the responsibilities and selection process.
Concert Dates for your Calendar:
Tuesday, December 13
Wednesday, December 14
Thursday, December 15
Band
Orchestra
Chorus
6:30PM
6:30 PM
6:30 PM
Finally, if your student needs assistance obtaining an instrument for Band or
Orchestra please contact your child’s teacher this month so we can all have a
smooth start to a wonderful year of making music together.
Destination Imagination
Destination Imagination (DI) will be starting again soon. If you were a team
manager in the past or would be interested in mentoring a team of students, please contact Mrs. Gaskill as soon as possible: [email protected].
Also contact Mrs. Gaskill if your student has expressed an interest in DI or
is new to our school and has experience from their previous school. The
Destination Imagination program relies on parent volunteers in order to
have enough teams for interested students.
Volume 2, Issue 1
Page 4
AROUND THE SCHOOL
Ms. Perry’s 6th class
During the first week of school, 6th Grade Science Students (Shawn Harley, Madisen
Cavanaugh, and Imani White) work together as
a team to build a structure that will hold the most
pennies.
Ms. Cardamone's History classes are
working on incorporating technology!
We are reviewing and exploring how
technology can be used to help us put the
missing pieces together and gain a better
understanding of what happened in the past.
MS. PERRY’S 7TH GRADE CLASS
The during the first week of school, 7th Grade Science Students (Antonio Chase,
Anthony Dorsey and Cameron Wilson) work together using the Scientific Method to
discover how many M&M's come in an individual bag and how many of each color.
Afterwards, they got to enjoy their M&M's.
Volume 2, Issue 1
Page 5
News from 6th grade
Welcome to 6th grade! We have had a great first couple weeks of school
and are looking forward to a successful and fun school year.
In order for your students to be at his or her best, please make sure your
student has sufficient sleep time and has eaten breakfast in the morning. There is also a free breakfast available at school starting at 8:15 every
day in homeroom. Please encourage your student to take advantage of
this!
It is recommended that all sixth graders should have a one inch- one and
a half inch binder that contains the following: their pencil pouch, their
agenda, and notebook paper. One side of the binder should be labeled
“TO DO” and the other side “DONE”. This has been shown to be highly
successful in helping your child stay organized and able to return work on
time. Please regularly check your child’s agenda to ensure they are using
it effectively for each class. All students should have an agenda. They
were free to all students. If your student loses his/her agenda, they can
purchase a new one at the School Store in the morning.
Parents are reminded to review each sixth grade teacher’s class syllabus
for rules, supplies, and classroom policies. Each teacher has their own variation of expectations for success in their classroom. Please review these
expectations for students to pass for the year in all of their classes.
Edline is a great resource to use to check for grades and class information. Please use Edline to keep an eye on your child’s progress. Feel
free to contact teachers anytime regarding missing assignments and
grades. Please contact Ms. Panizzi for information to sign up for Edline if
you have not already.
Mrs. Rourke -6th Grade Team Leader
Page 6
Nurse’s Corner by Nurse Williams
Builder’s Club
Builder's Club is the Middle School level service club sponsored by the
Kiwanis. Students work to identify and meet community needs. Our
school has helped local organizations such as our local Soup Kitchen
and Food Pantry, the Charles County Humane Society, Safe Nights Program, and the Morningside House. Contact Mrs. Gaskill with any questions or to offer your support: [email protected]. Our first meeting will
be Tuesday Sept. 20th after school from 3:15 - 4:00 pm.
Mrs. Jonica Gaskill
Teacher Benjamin Stoddert MS
Volume 2, Issue 1
Page 7
Language Arts/Reading
We're off to another great year and already students are engaged in many reading and writing activities in their classes.
Students took a reading pre-assessment created by the county to measure where students
are starting in terms of the skills they will be learning this year. During the third quarter, students will take the assessment again to measure growth and development. The scores from
the post assessment will count as 10% of their third quarter grade. Teachers will share student scores when they become available.
During the first quarter, the focus is on reading and writing narratives. In 6th grade, students
focus on the parts of a quality narrative such as using vivid details and dialogue to tell a story. In 7th grade, students add to that knowledge to develop a myth, focusing on a specific
purpose for story telling. In 8th grade, students focus in even further to examine the elements of a hero's journey and will write their own stories using what they learn. In the gifted
reading classes, students delve deeper into the respective grade level topics by conducting a
novel study and making connections to society and the world at large. Be on the lookout for
novel assignments soon in these classes.
Our department welcomed several new staff members this year, so if you get an opportunity,
be sure to welcome Ms. Taitano, Ms. Tatano, Ms. Reid, and Ms. Nixon. These teachers are
bringing great ideas and a passion for reading and writing into their classrooms to help our
students grow and be successful or as we like to say Stoddert Strong. If you have any ques-
tions about the curriculum or materials used in the Reading Language Arts Department you
can contact our Department Chair, Mrs. Jonica Gaskill, at [email protected].
Mrs. Jonica Gaskill Teacher
Benjamin Stoddert MS
8th grade
The 8th grade team is proud to welcome our new class of 8th grade students! We can't wait to get them prepared for their journey to high
school next year.
This year, the 8th grade class will have the opportunity to attend not
only the King's Dominion field trip in the spring, but a second field trip as
well. More information will follow as the year goes on. We look forward to a great year!
Ms. Casey Cleary
ALG I and 8th Grade Math Teacher
PBIS Team Leader
Science Department
Welcome back! We are really excited to be jumping into
science with your student this year. 6th grade
students are learning about electricity, 7th
grade students are learning about cells, and 8th
grade students are learning about states of
matter.
Science Fair is an optional enrichment
opportunity offered to all students. If you want
to complete a project please come talk to Mrs.
Haynes in the 8th grade pod. If you don't know where
she is, ask your science teacher. It is going to be a great
year!
Block Party
Page 10
From the PPW
From the PPW: Shared from Attendance Works
Please visit http://awareness.attendanceworks.org/ for more information.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling
with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out
of high school.
• By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
• Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student’s academic success.
• Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every
few weeks.
• Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child graduate from
college and keep a job.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Make school attendance a priority
• Talk about the importance of showing up to school everyday, make that the
expectation.
• Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and
getting a good night’s sleep.
• Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school
day.
Don't let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or
stomach aches may be signs of anxiety.
Page 11
Science Club
If you are interested in getting some help on a science fair project, Mrs. Haynes is here to help! On Thursdays, twice a month
the Science Club will meet after school. Please stop by Mrs.
Haynes room or ask your science teacher for an information
sheet. Dates will be listed on the information sheet.
Mrs. Hailey Haynes
7th and 8th Grade Science Teacher
Nurse’s Corner by Nurse Williams
Page 12
Cold, Flu, or Allergy? Tips and Treatments
Symptoms
Cold
Flu
Fever
Rare
Usual, high (100-102 °F), Never
sometimes higher, especially in young children);
lasts 3-4 days
Headache
General Aches, Pains
Fatigue, Weakness
Uncommon
Slight
Sometimes
Extreme Exhaustion
Stuffy, Runny Nose
Sneezing
Sore Throat
Cough
Chest Discomfort
Treatment
Airborne Allergy
Common
Uncommon
Usual; often severe
Never
Usual, can last up to 3 Sometimes
weeks
Never
Usual, at the beginning of Never
the illness
Common
Sometimes
Common
Usual
Sometimes
Usual
Common
Sometimes
Sometimes
Common
Common, can become Sometimes
severe
Mild to moderate
Common
Rare, except for those
with allergic asthma
Get plenty of rest.
Get plenty of rest.
Avoid allergens (things
Stay hydrated. (Drink
Stay hydrated.
that you’re allergic to)
plenty of fluids.)
Aspirin (ages 18 and up), Antihistamines
Decongestants.
acetaminophen, or ibu- Nasal steroids
Aspirin (ages 18 and up), profen for aches, pains, Decongestants
acetaminophen, or ibu- and fever
profen for aches and
Antiviral medicines (see
pains
your doctor)
Prevention
Wash your hands often. Get the flu vaccine each Avoid allergens, such as
Avoid close contact with year.
pollen, house dust mites,
anyone who has a cold. Wash your hands often. mold, pet dander, cockAvoid close contact with roaches.
anyone who has the flu.
Complications
Sinus infection, middle
ear infection, asthma
Bronchitis, pneumonia;
can be life-threatening
Sinus infection, middle
ear infection, asthma
Page 13
Nurse’s Corner
Reminder to all Parents/Guardians with 6th Grade
Students
There are new immunization requirements for children entering
the 7th grade. All students entering 7th grade must have had one
tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis/whooping cough (Tdap) and one
meningococcal vaccination (MCV4)
These new requirements are in addition to the existing school immunization requirements.
According to Maryland School Immunization Regulations
(COMAR 10.06.04), to be allowed in school, students must be immunized according to the Maryland Recommended Childhood
Immunization Schedule.
Please work with your child’s doctor to receive any missing vaccinations. Please provide updated immunization record to the
School Health Nurse. If you are unable to schedule an immunization appointment with your child’s health care provider, call
Charles County Health Department at 301-609-6900 x6018.
If you have questions about immunizations that are required for
school, please call your child’s doctor or the School Health Nurse
at 301-753-1788 during regular business hours.
http://phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/OIDEOR/IMMUN/Shared%20Documents/Min_Vacc_Req%2015_16_FINAL.pdf