Parkville Middle School & Center of Technology
October 2015
8711 Avondale Road, Baltimore, MD 21234
410-887-5250 http://parkvillems.bcps.org/
Inside this issue…
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A Note from Mrs. Trivas
Language Arts News
Science News
Fine Arts News
8th Grade Field Trip
Volunteer Training
Bullying Prevention Week
Haunted Hallways
Monster Dash
School Spirit Apparel
BCPS One Cards
PTSA Happenings
Teachers are Heroes
Health News
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Calendar
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Oct 01—High School Magnet Open House
Oct 05—Bully Prevention Week Begins
Oct 06—Parent Information Meeting 6pm
Oct 06—PTSA Meeting
Oct 07—Magnet showcase for rising 6th graders
Oct 14—Volunteer Training
Oct 15—Vision & hearing screening begins
Oct 16—Professional Development Day
schools closed for Students
Oct 17—Free Flu Vaccinations
Oct 23—Haunted Hallways
Oct 29—8th Grade Field Trip to Philly
Oct 30—1st marking Period Ends
—schools close 3 hours early
Friday, October 09, 2015 is Picture Day!!!
Life Touch will be here
to photograph students
for the 2015-2016 yearbook!
Bring your smile
and look your best!
Order forms will be
sent home with your child
Thursday, 10/01/15.
Principal’s Message
October 01, 2015
Dear Parents:
It has been an exciting first month of school. We have transitioned to 90-minute
block classes and students and teachers are adjusting well!
The end of the first quarter marks an important milestone for parents of eighth
grade students because high school is now in sight. We encourage parents and
students to explore the county’s magnet and home school programs to determine the
best fit for their child. Each eighth grader may apply to three magnet high schools.
Throughout the first quarter, we will continue to provide the opportunity for our
eighth graders to examine the magnet opportunities available to them in high school.
If you have questions about the application process, please refer to the county website
at http://www.bcps.org/offices/omp/. Please keep in mind that all applications
must be received or post-marked to the magnet office by the deadline. If you have
any questions concerning the high school magnet application process, please do not
hesitate to contact the Magnet Office at (410) 410-887-4127.
I continue to look for ways to share information regarding the school with parents.
We will continue to have monthly parent information meetings. Please look for
e-mails or phone calls providing you with topics and dates. Please feel free to share
ideas for ways I can provide you with information or involve you in the school.
Together, we can do great things for your children.
Sincerely,
Erin R. O’Toole-Trivas
Principal
News from the
Language Arts Department
6th Grade Language Arts
Students have been exploring how a person’s actions can have a tremendous effect on
the lives of others. Through the short stories “Justice at Last” and “Water,” 6th graders
have learned of the impact both Jackie Robinson and Helen Keller had on the lives of
many. Their selfless acts of courage and determination to overcome the destructive
obstacles set before them, forged the paths and destiny of their lives that would one
day become our history.
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
-Jackie Robinson
6th Grade Advanced Academics Language Arts
“If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! I want to wake up in the
morning and decide things!”
-Jonas, The Giver
The advanced academic classes have begun reading the award winning novel, The
Giver by Lois Lowry. Students have been introduced to the idealistic desire for human
perfection and Jonas’ society of Sameness: the elimination of greed, oppression,
jealousy, competition, poverty, hunger, war; becoming a symbolic Garden of Eden…
Utopia. Students then came to the realization through high level thinking that this
ideally perfect world is just that: perfect in ideals only, for the natural progression of
human behavior suggests that imperfections can not be held at bay…Dystopia.
Through the novel and the short story “Harrison Bergeron,” students are learning that
through the genre of science fiction, authors can present cautionary tales of societal
and political trends in the technologically advanced dystopian worlds they create.
Continued...
News from the Language Arts Department Continued...
Seventh grade students are currently working with a nonfiction text that is new this
year – Outcasts United. It is the story of a championship winning soccer team in Georgia
made up of refugees from around the world. Students are working with multimedia
technology as they study this text.
“…a group of refugee boys who had survived the unimaginable, strangers now in an
unfamiliar land, playing the game with passion, focus, and grace that seemed, for a brief
moment anyway, to nullify the effects of whatever misfortune they had experienced in
the past.” ― Warren St. John, Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town
Seventh grade advanced academic students are working with nonfiction and
historical fiction as they read An American Plague and Fever 1793. They are learning how
authors use historical information to craft fictional works.
“Sometimes...I lose myself in looking back upon the ocean which I have passed, and now
and then find myself surprised by a tear in reflecting upon the friends I have lost, and the
scenes of distress that I have witnessed, and which I was unable to relieve. —Dr. Benjamin
Rush”
― Jim Murphy, An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever
Epidemic of 1793
Eighth grade Language Arts students are busy reading and analyzing a variety of
texts related to civil rights and personal freedom in our country. Through the analysis of
narratives, poetry, speeches, articles, and biographies related to the topics, students are
exploring what civil freedom is and why it is important. Some of the skills we are working
on include: identifying and supporting theme and central idea, analyzing and using
syntax and rhetorical devices, and exploring authors’ use of dialogue and plot events.
“There are things you can't back down on, things you gotta take a stand on. But it's up to
you to decide what them things are. You have to demand respect in this world, ain't
nobody just gonna hand it to you. How you carry yourself, what you stand for--that's how
you gain respect. But, little one, ain't nobody's respect worth more than your own.”
― Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Eighth grade advanced academic students are working with a variety of poetry,
short stories, and nonfiction in order to explore the historical context of A Narrative of the
Life of Frederick Douglass. They are learning how to compose effective narratives and
how to analyze the rhetoric of an argument.
“If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet
deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without thunder and lightning. They want
the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one,
or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a
struggle.” ― Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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Mystery, Curiosity, Exploration . . .
It’s Science!
6th grade
Mrs. Swecker - Students are currently working in groups to discover the characteristics of matter.
The students are working on the triple beam balances and will learn to measure mass. Classes are
attempting to solve the Mysterious Matter scenario, which is the end-of-unit project. Students will also have
the opportunity to work on special elements for extra credit. I look forward to seeing some great research
and sharing of information!
Mrs. Castro - We are studying matter so that we can identify the mysterious substances used by the
individuals causing mayhem in the Parkville community. As the fall progresses, we will transition into studies
of energy and energy transformations. Designing roller coasters and room protecting devices will become
our new missions!
Mr. Davis - Our chemists and physicists are busy in the lab this quarter learning how to measure and classify matter!
7th grade
Ms. Bohrman - My GT students are currently learning about cells. We have learned about the cell theory
and the structures and functions of plant and animal cell organelles. They are currently applying their
knowledge of cell parts to participate in a cell organelle election campaign. Next week we will be using the
microscope to view actual plant and animal cells.
Standard students are focusing on how organisms are grouped into kingdoms and smaller subgroups based
on similarities in characteristics. We have viewed living organisms and preserved specimens to describe
features and explain how certain characteristics can be used to determine relatedness. So far we have
looked into plant and animal characteristics, but we will soon be delving into the four other kingdoms of
life.
Mrs. Kamel - In GT science we are learning all about cells and the functions of the organelles. Students are
sharing their knowledge by creating a presidential campaign to elect their assigned organelle. I think I have
some up and coming campaign advisers in my classes!
Standard science are busy learning how to place organisms into kingdoms. They are fascinated with
Archaebacteria since it is found in those very extreme environments. Soon we will be learning about cells
and using the microscope!
8th grade
Mrs. Drury and Mrs. Horgan - In 8th grade science we are studying the Hydrosphere and Atmosphere.
Students have been learning about the properties of air, heat transfer and the water cycle. We have been
off and running with our interactive notebooks. All students should come to class every day
prepared with glue sticks, scotch tape, colored pencils, and highlighters. We look forward to
working with your children this year!
Mrs. Reinhart and Mrs. Drury - GT8 environmental scientists are off and running this year with their
ecology studies! Recent investigations have focused on biodiversity and relationships between organisms,
and we were able to apply our studies in the field with a recent canoeing expedition at Dundee Creek. Our
upcoming studies will focus on populations and examine the factors that affect them.
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From the Art Department:
High School Art Portfolio preparation workshops have begun and will continue
every Thursday after school in room 112 from September through January. Any
student interested in applying to a magnet high school art program is welcome to
attend. For more information, see your art teacher and stay tuned to the morning
announcements on PTV News.
Congratulations to Autumn Blackwell whose artwork was selected to be part of an
exhibit by the Maryland Art Education Association in conjunction with their
annual conference. Her work will be on display beginning October 14th along
with student artwork from all over the state at the Walters Art Museum in
Baltimore. A closing reception is scheduled for November 8th.
Garden Club
Garden Club will meet each Tuesday after school during the fall and again
in the spring for students who are interested in earning service learning
hours by maintaining and growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers in our
courtyard garden. Students may see Mrs. Knight or Mrs. Rickenback for a
permission slip and more information.
Thank you for supporting Parkville’s
PBIS Spirit Wear Fundraiser!
We are selling fleece jackets or vests in royal blue or grey
with our Squires Logo embroidered on the left chest.
Prices range from $20—$28
The funds raised will be used to reward positive behavior throughout the
2015-2016 school year. Our students earn Behavior Bucks on a daily basis which can be used to purchase items from our Shine Cart, purchase tickets to attend
quarterly incentives, enter to win weekly and quarterly raffles, and much more.
Order Forms can be found in the Front Office
Orders are due by Friday, October 16th
Thank you for your support!
Any questions?
The 8th grade Philadelphia field trip
Is scheduled for Thursday, October 29th.
A permission slip was sent home on September 28th.
Money and signed permission slips will be collected on October
6th, 7th, and 8th.
Approximately 50 chaperones will be needed for the trip.
Please make sure to complete the Volunteer Training
through BCPS and submit your chaperone request
when your student turns in the money and permission slip.
(See next page for Volunteer Information)
Questions - contact Mrs. German: [email protected].
Volunteer Training
2015-2016
Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year! If you are considering volunteering this year or being a
field trip chaperone, you will need to complete volunteer training. This training must be completed
each school year. For example, if you completed volunteer training during the 2014-2015 school
year and you want to go on a field trip with your child this year, you will have to complete the
training again.
For those parents who prefer to come to the school and complete the training in a group, we are
offering volunteer training on the dates below in the library.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.
For those of you who cannot come into the building for training, you can complete the training
online following these steps.
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Go to the BCPS website at www.bcps.org.
Click on the parent tab at the top of the screen.
Choose BCPS Online Volunteer Orientation on the side of the screen.
Click on the blue link to the training website.
Register by typing in your first and last names and a user name of your choice. (No password is
required.)
Select Parkville Middle School and Center of Technology as your location.
View the Orientation video.
Read the BCPS Volunteer Handbook, check the box indicating that you did so, and click on
submit.
Take the quiz.
Print out a certificate of completion and send a copy to your child’s school prior to volunteering.
Fill out the application for volunteer services document, print it out, and send it to school with
the certificate.
If you do not have access to a computer at home, call the school at 420-887-5250 to arrange a time
to come in and use one of our computers.
If you have any questions about volunteer training, call me at 410-887-5250 or email me at
[email protected].
Kimberly Mark
Sixth Grade Assistant Principal
Volunteer Coordinator
To those few who intimidate classmates on the bus
or in the cafeteria, who harass others online or through
social media, or who make fun of others’ appearances,
BCPS students have one thing to say:
Show your Support!!
Monday, 10/05 Wear Blue for Kindness
Tuesday, 10/06 Wear Green for Equity
Wednesday, 10/07 Wear Yellow for Empathy
Thursday, 10/08 Wear Red for Respect
Friday, 10/09 Wear Purple for Positivity
#juststopitbcps
HIGH SCHOOL MAGNET INFORMATION NIGHT
@ PARKVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL & CENTER OF TECHNOLOGY
October 1, 2015
6:00—8:00 PM
Seventh and eighth grade students, come join us for an information night
about High School magnet programs. You will have the
opportunity to attend up to three different high school presentations, hear
about their programs and ask questions.
High School Magnet Programs Attending:
Chesapeake STEM Academy
Eastern Technical High School
George Washington Carver Center for the Arts
Kenwood High School IB
Kenwood High School Sports Science
Overlea Academy of Finance
Parkville High School Math Science & Computer Science
Patapsco Center for the Arts
Sollers Point Technical High School
Sparrows Point High School S.P.E.C.I.E.S.
Towson High School
MAGNET SHOWCASE FOR RISING 6TH GRADERS!
Parkville Middle School & Center of Technology
will be holding a Magnet Showcase on
Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 6pm or at 7 pm
Parkville Middle School’s music department will be hosting a
Fall Welcome Back Concert beginning at 5:00 PM
The students and Faculty of Parkville Middle will be holding their annual
Haunted Hallways! Local elementary school students will enjoy a free and fun
filled evening touring the haunted hallways of Parkville Middle, playing games,
and eating lots of candy!
The following donations would be GREATLY appreciated!!
Paper plates (orange, black, white, green)
Halloween-themed cello bags
Straws
Cotton balls
Huge bags of candy
Chopsticks
Huge bags of white popcorn
Popsicle Sticks
White string (yarn)
Ribbon
Packs of ping pong balls
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer for this event,
Please contact Mrs. Serrano, [email protected] or 410-887-5250
Event Information
What: Haunted Hallways
Where: Parkville Middle School
When: Friday, October 23rd (6-8 pm)
Monster
Dash
Parkville Middle will be hosting our
Annual Monster Dash for Running Club Members.
Other schools in the area will be participating in
the ONE-Mile run here at Parkville on
Wednesday October 28th!
Please come out and show your support for the Runners!
If your child would like to participate in Running Club
please have them stop in the gym for a permission slip!
When: Wednesday October 28th
Time: After School
All runners must have a Running Club permission slip signed!
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The BCPS Department of School Safety and Security planned and developed a system for implementation
of a One-card student identification system. All students at Parkville Middle School have been issued
their One-card and are required to visibly wear the badge at all times during all school activities, unless it
is a safety issue.
In order for us to adhere to all procedures, the following guidelines have been put in place when a student
has forgotten/lost their BCPS ID Badge.
1st Offense: Students who forget their ID badge will be provided with a temporary badge to wear.
2nd Offense: Students will be provided a temporary badge to wear and a letter will be sent home.
3+ Offense: Students will be provided a temporary badge for a fee of $1.00 and a letter will be sent home.
(Repeat offenses may also include lunch or after school detention for insubordination.)
Lost badges must be replaced for a fee of $5.00.
Please feel free to call us regarding any questions you may have about the established One-card
identification system. Thank you so much for your support and cooperation in this endeavor.
Erin O’Toole-Trivas
Principal
PMS...Providing Support
for those in Need!
All information will be kept in the strictest
of confidence.
Items may be picked up after school
call or email for details!
410-887-5252—Guidance Office
[email protected]
[email protected]
Special Education Resource Center
The Resource Center supports parents of
children with disabilities ages birth to 21
The mission is to promote positive, effective
partnerships within the school community
Jean Considine is the parent Coordinator
There is a lending library which is open
Monday through Friday 9 am - 4 pm.
White Oak School
8401 Leefield Road, Baltimore, MD 21234
Phone: 410-887-5443
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Joining the PTSA is a great way to play an active role in enhancing your child's
experience at Parkville Middle School. Membership forms can be found under the
PTSA tab on the PMS website. Thank you to the 145 parents and teachers who have
committed to the PTSA so far this year; we're off to a great start!
Membership cards will be distributed in October through your student's homeroom
teacher. A reminder: PTSA meetings are held the 1st Tuesday of every month at
7pm in the library. Also, PTSA events can be found on the Parkville Middle School
and Center for Technology Facebook page and also the PMS website
calendar. Please check both of these sites frequently for updates.
Thank you to those families who participated in the our first PTSA Spirit Night
at Chick Fil A. It was a great success!
Check our calendar for more spirit nights to come.
Kick-off packets for our Fall fundraiser, Race for Education, were sent home on September 22nd. Please review the packet, send in those labels and help us
exceed our goal of $15,000! Also, please note, donations of stamps for the
mailing are greatly appreciated!
If you are a small business owner we want to hear from you! The PTSA is looking for
business sponsors. If you would like more information on how to become a
business sponsor and all its benefits, please contact me directly at
[email protected] or 410-598-7176.
President: Gigi Causey
Vice President: Open
Secretary: Toroda Stanley
Treasurer: Lisa Czeczulin
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
BOX TOPS!
Please remember to turn in your box tops!
A collection box can be found outside the Main Office Door!
THE IMPACT
YOU CAN MAKE
IS
IMMEASUREABLE...
Simply make a purchase of qualifying products,
provide our school ID at checkout and we’ll
receive 5% back in credits for FREE supplies!!
Parkville Middle School
School ID # 70046126
Pre-K-12th grade only. Not available in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. 5% of qualifying purchases made during each program period will be offered quarterly as an Office Depot® OfficeMax®
Merchandise Certificate to the participating school designated by each customer (up to a total of $10 million). Products that do not qualify are: technology and consumer electronic products and
Thank you from Parkville Middle!! Last year,
$691.63 was raised through the A+ Giant Rewards Program!
If you are a current supporter, you do not need to
re-register your Giant card. We hope you will take a few
minutes if you are a new supporter to register your Giant
card on-line. Please spread the word and ask friends and
relatives to do the same to support our school.
www.giantfood.com/aplus
School ID # 01630
ABC2 recently introduced Teachers are Heroes, a 10 month
program highlighting one K-12 Maryland school teachers each
month that have gone above and beyond his or her job description and instilled a lifelong love for learning in Maryland students.
The program began in August 2015 and will run through June 2016.
We are encouraging students, parents, principals, and even other teachers to nominate
deserving teachers through our website at www.abc2news.com/teachersareheroes. The
program will be promoted on ABC2 for the 10-month duration, and monthly winners
will be selected by a panel comprised of station representatives who will read through
the nominations and choose winning entries based on merit and outstanding dedication
to the teacher profession.
ABC2 in partnership with MECU – Baltimore’s Credit Union, will award the monthly
selected teachers a $250 check to use toward classroom supplies along with a plaque
acknowledging their achievement. A reception will be held at the ABC2 studio at the
end of the year for all recipients and their families, and the winners will be highlighted
on ABC2 News and abc2news.com throughout the school year.
Thank you for taking the time to consider a deserving teacher for this award. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about our program and nominating deserving
teachers to ensure success of Teachers are Heroes.
Best Wishes,
Diane Kapinos
ABC2
410-372-2366
For questions, please feel free to contact Pat Bihy at 410-372-2320, or send her an
email at [email protected].