Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School
272 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901
www.summit.k12.nj.us
“We give respect; we take responsibility.”
VOLUME III
MARCH 2016
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK Welcome to next year's sixth graders and their families who are receiving The Gargoyle for the first time. These fifth graders are part of Summit High School’s graduating class of 2023! Many of our incoming parents participated in our orientation program, which was held on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, at the Middle School. A special thank you to the department supervisors and school counselors who made presentations throughout the evening. As you read The Gargoyle, I am confident that you will get a sense of the caring, active, and supportive place that will be your child’s home away from home for the next three years.
Planning for 2016-­‐2017
Planning for next September for all three grades is well underway. During March, parents of fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students will receive a scheduling letter. Sixth and seventh grade parents will be receiving, via email, a copy of our Program of Studies 2016-­‐2017. Fifth grade parents received their copy of the Program of Studies at the orientation meeting. Fifth grade parents who were not able to attend, received their copy via their child. Detailed information relative to your child's tentative course placements for next year will be contained in a mailing that will be sent out shortly. If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s course placement for next year, please contact your child’s guidance counselor no later than Thursday, March 31, 2016. High School counselors will also be meeting with graduating eighth graders at the end of March to develop course selections for their freshman year. Watch for key dates for your involvement as our planning process develops through the spring. Your attention to several guidelines will help us serve everyone: •
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Let us know in writing, and as soon as possible, if your child will not be attending Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School or Summit High School next year. Accurate enrollment counts are vital to our planning process. We are setting Thursday, March 31, 2016, as the final date for any change requests for course options (World Language, Band, Chorus, etc.). Please think very carefully as you make decisions. Your cooperation in not making requests for a particular teacher or team is appreciated. Standardized Testing All students will be taking the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Test here at LCJSMS, in a single window, between April 4 and May 13, 2016. While results will not be used for class placement, it is important that students put forth a strong effort and familiarize themselves with PARCC as the NJDOE sees this assessment as a high school graduation requirement in future years. As the PARCC testing window nears, more information will be communicated to our school community. Eighth grade students only will participate in the NJASK Science assessment on May 25, 2016, as mandated by federal law. All students in Grade 8 will test in a single day. It is extremely important that students be present in school and on time on the days of testing, well rested and having eaten a good breakfast. Students who are absent during their testing period, are required to take make-­‐
up tests. Thanks to our PTO Thanks to the PTO, bagels are purchased and distributed throughout the year for our Advisory program. To make this happen, the PTO receives donations from our parents. The bagels truly FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK (CONTINUED) add to the atmosphere of Advisory. Advisory is a time for students to have meaningful discussions about important issues. Our bagel breakfasts help to break the ice and provide needed nourishment on Advisory mornings. As always, we appreciate your support of the PTO.
Thanks to the SEF
We are very fortunate to have a major educational resource in the Summit community – the Summit Educational Foundation (SEF). Each year the SEF funds grants throughout our school district. Many innovative programs and state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art instructional initiatives have been made possible through their support. We are particularly excited about the many grants that are making an enormous impact on our school. § Sphero Robotics (Mrs. Megan Hartley and Mrs. Beth Thomas Grs. 6-­‐8) § Go With the Flow – Flocabulary (Mrs. Suanne Ackerman, Mrs. Nicole Gutierrez Grs. 6-­‐8) § Off the Grid (Mrs. Karen Cotter, Ms. Aimee Perchak, and Mr. John Ross Gr. 7) § Forensics Debate Team (Mrs. Theresa Martin and Mr. Warren Wannamaker Grs. 6-­‐8) § Stage Band Clinicians (Mr. Justin Toomey Grs. 6-­‐8) § LCJSMS Wind Ensemble (Mr. Alex Bocchino, Mr. Justin Toomey Grs. 6-­‐7) § LCJSMS Main Gym Sound System (Mr. Anthony Ferrante and Mr. Kevin Zaleski Grs 6-­‐8) § Learning Ally Audiobooks (Mrs. Janice Cavanagh, Ms. Jenna Colineri, Mrs. Jaime Walter, and Ms. Brooke Simandl, Special Education Grs. 6-­‐8) We want to express our sincere appreciation to the SEF for providing our students and staff with the opportunity to innovate and redefine how technology and learning environment can impact teaching and learning. Eighth Grade Trip to Washington, DC
Eighth graders are beginning to get excited about their trip to Washington, DC, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, May 23rd and May 24th. A special planning meeting to provide students and parents with all of the necessary information concerning this trip will be held the evening of Tuesday, March 1st (snow date: Thursday, March 3rd). Upon receipt of the packet to be handed out at this meeting, eighth grade parents are asked to please return, at their earliest convenience, the notarized completed permission form and deposit. We will begin the process of assigning rooms during May. A scholarship fund has been established for those in need of financial help. If this trip poses a financial hardship for any eighth grade family, please call me. All contacts will be kept confidential. I can be reached at (908) 273-­‐1190, extension 4500. Final Note
We have recently had several successful events that were planned and implemented by our students and staff. One such event, Night for the Soul, featured traditional soul food held Tuesday, February 23rd. Students displayed their energy and enthusiasm for our school during our multitude of Spirit days, which culminate in Spirit Week, held the second week of March. As we look ahead to spring, we are looking forward to many more exciting events. From the DC trip to the spring musical, Hairspray, I know that our students will continue to impress us as they exceed our expectations. I am struck by how talented, knowledgeable, and enjoyable LCJSMS students really are! Mr. Damen G. Cooper Principal
GR. 6 CEREAL BOWL BENEFITS MORRIS COUNTY INTERFAITH FOOD PANTRY For two weeks at the end of January, the sixth grade homerooms entered into a philanthropic competition to fight hunger. Students brought in boxes of cereal to their homerooms, and on each team a winning homeroom was selected. On Team A, Mrs. Deborah Schwarzmann’s homeroom donated 93 boxes of cereal, and Mrs. Ronna Silagi’s was close behind with 92 boxes. On Team B, Mrs. Theresa Martin’s homeroom brought in 63 boxes of cereal, and on Team C Mrs. Bridgette Moore’s class collected 96 boxes of cereal. Overall, 872 boxes of cereal were donated to the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris County (IFP), totaling 1,059 pounds of food. Each month the IFP distributes over 18,000 pounds of food to local families, and cereal is always one of the most needed items. Students from the winning homerooms on each sixth grade team helped pack the donated cereal and load the bins provided by the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris County. Two truckloads of food were taken to the food pantry. Mrs. Deborah Schwarzmann, Team 6A Mrs. Tara Weiss, Team 6B Mrs. Bridgette Moore, Team 6C TEAM 8A IS SAILING INTO THE FUTURE! In Mathematics, Pre-­‐Algebra and Foundations of Algebra students continue to develop skills associated with solving multi-­‐step equations and inequalities. Enriched Algebra students have just completed the Systems of Equations unit and will begin to sort through the many ways in which exponents are handled in Mathematics. The dates for the new state assessment (PARCC) are quickly approaching; therefore, all students will experience some supplemental instruction to increase their comfort with the material and ward off any standardized test anxiety. In Social Studies, students are in the process of writing the entire Constitution of Xlandia, a nation who has just overthrown their former dictator – the evil Mr. Miller. This Constitution has seven articles covering legislative, executive, judicial, federalism, rights, amending, and ratification. Integrated Science began in September with a preview of the main topics that will be covered this year through a series of hands-­‐on activities. Our first unit, Chemistry, had the students tackling elements at a subatomic level. They saw first-­‐hand how their organization affects the bonds they make. Our unit in Physics focused on Newton’s Laws of Motion where students designed, built, and tested vehicles that were powered by moving air. Currently, students are exploring concepts related to energy. They used their knowledge of kinetic and potential energy to design a virtual roller coaster! They are discovering how energy can be transformed from one type to another in objects found in their everyday lives. Following Physics, we will venture into natural predictable patterns and movements of the sun, moon, and Earth and how each can impact climate, seasons, and eclipses. Lastly, we will wrap up the year looking at systems of the body and examining hot topics, such as, cloning and GMOs. In Language Arts, students continue to hone reading comprehension skills with critical thinking and text support, writing with argumentative and persuasion skills, as well as making important historical connections through The Diary of Anne Frank and the Holocaust. Third marking period began with The Pearl by John Steinbeck and The Bomb by Theodore Taylor, identifying comparative text, and will conclude with choosing research paper topics for argumentative essays. Students are learning how to formulate a thesis and support their argument through research, along with all aspects of creating research papers. Finally, Team 8A staff periodically recognize students who distinguish themselves in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, academic performance or improvement, witnessed acts of kindness or generosity, and service to the community. The significance of this recognition is that once nominated, it requires the full support of the instructional team in order to become a reality. Congratulations to the Student of the Month recipients for the first half of the school year: Alyson Feeley, John Fischetti, Omar Guerra, Beatrice Halper, Grace Hauer, Aryel Rodriguez, Isaiah Shakir, and Sophie Zachara. Well done! Mr. William Hogan Team 8A Leader TEAM 8C: 2015-­‐2016 UPDATE Team 8C had a great start to the school year, and the teachers of 8C look forward to a fun and exciting second half. To build spirit Team 8C is conducting team Olympics throughout the school year. The students on 8C have been placed on one of five teams and will compete in a variety of events including Minute to Win It type games. Our first few events have been very successful, and we look forward to a fun and competitive second half of the year. In Mathematics students have explored a variety of topics while integrating technology into their studies. Enriched Algebra students have begun to use graphing calculators to explore Systems of Equations and Quadratics. We have also just completed our unit on the Quadratic formula and a few of the students have created some entertaining music videos to help remember the formula. Pre-­‐
Algebra and Foundations of Algebra students also used graphing calculators to explore graphing linear functions, and we continue to use the Smart Board extensively in our unit on Transformational Geometry. In Language Arts students spent the first semester analyzing and interpreting social commentaries made by authors like John Steinbeck and Ray Bradbury in their novels. Some contemporary connections were made to wealth distribution, gender equity, technology dependency, the role of government, and the importance of being an educated citizen. The second semester focuses on students analyzing a variety of writers' styles for techniques the students choose worthy of emulation in their own social commentaries. The theme of their writing is a topic they feel is a social issue today that needs to be addressed. Key components of the task are building close reading skills and giving the opportunity for the students to reflect and assess their strengths and weaknesses as writers. Students develop the ability to Read Like a Writer and improve not only their critical reading skills, but also their writing ability. In Social Studies students have been exposed to various aspects of public policy and local, regional, and global levels of human rights. Students were able to begin the year working in groups to develop a public policy related to the City of Summit and present their ideas to the community at-­‐
large. Within the second quarter, students explored their human rights and the rights of children through various governmental and global documents related to the CRC and the United Nations. The students worked collaboratively on creating websites and public service announcements that describe various human rights violations occurring all over the world. This was done to heighten awareness about the travesties faced by millions. The third quarter will focus on the concept of law and allow the students to participate in a mock trial, and the year will end with an economic unit where the students will be able to present an invention in the format of Shark Tank. In Science we are currently in the middle of climate change. This unit focuses on weather vs. climate, heat transfer, and real life applications of these concepts. Students will investigate the relationship of the sun, Earth, and moon. This relationship is commonly misunderstood. Later in the year, they will learn about the human body and survival of the fittest. As you already know, students will have an EXPO towards the end of the year to demonstrate their knowledge. Team 8C is looking forward to a great second half of the school year! Mr. Colin Breivogel Team 8C Leader LCJSMS WORLD LANGUAGE CLASSES HOST GUESTS On Tuesday, December 22, Mrs. Emmanuelle Loriot Apruzzese’s and Ms. Xia Zhang’s sixth and seventh grade World Language classes hosted two guest speakers – Mr. Sebastien Alonet from La Baule, France, and Mrs. Yan Li (Ms. Xia Zhang’s mother), from Chongqing, China. Mr. Alonet made a presentation about his hometown, La Baule, located in the beautiful La Bretagne region of France. He brought with him a flag and some goodies from this region. Mrs. Li shared a PowerPoint presentation about her life and Ms. Zhang's childhood. The students had the opportunity to communicate with the guests using the target language, discover the culture watching videos and PowerPoint presentations, and ask questions about the two countries and cultures. Students enjoyed the experience very much. Mrs. Emmanuelle Loriot Apruzzese Ms. Xia Zhang World Language Teachers MIX IT UP DAY 2016 On Thursday, January 21, during No Naming Calling Week, LCJSMS students across all grade levels took the challenge and participated in the national event, Mix It Up Day. This program was coordinated by the Guidance Department and took place during students’ lunch periods. The purpose of this experience was to help students make new friends, diminish social cliques, and increase group interaction. Furthermore, Mix It Up Day encouraged students to promote change and cross social borders by taking a new seat in the cafeteria. Students participated in a variety of activities at the lunchroom table, which gave students the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and complete fun, table activities while sitting with a new group of peers. One of the activities included a Slogan Game in which students tried to guess the popular brand associated with the slogan, while another activity included a Mad Libs activity. Based on student feedback, Mix It Up Day was well received and, while some students were initially hesitant to sit with new peers, students described the day to be eye-­‐opening and enjoyable. Mrs. Stefanie Jurista Guidance Counselor LIBRARY LEARNING COMMONS BUZZES WITH ACTIVITY ALL WINTER! ___ We are filled to capacity in the mornings before school with students reading, studying, working on homework and collaborating with each other on projects. We have also had many classes in for research on a variety of different topics, such as Super Bowl/Math connections, fossil fuels, social injustice, human rights, and Pakistan and Malawi research for classes reading, I am Malala and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. This past December we celebrated our second annual Hour of Code and it was a huge success. Over 400 students signed up for lunchtime coding activities, and a variety of classes visited the LLC to work through different coding tutorials. There were resources for beginners, as well as those who have some background in computer programming. To access the resources that were available to our students, visit our Hour of Code libguide: http://lcjsms.summit.libguides.com/hoc. Thanks to the generosity of the SEF, we have offered a Coding Club created by Google called, CS First. Our first eight-­‐week session met from October through December and focused on the theme of storytelling. Over 25 students (and four teachers!) met weekly to learn how to create stories using Scratch, a programming language created by MIT to introduce coding to youngsters. Our second session began recently, and over 50 students signed up to learn how to design video games. Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and students are always excited to showcase their work. We are also happy to announce that we have begun a subscription to a digital magazine resource called, Flipster. This subscription provides access to 16 titles including Sports Illustrated Kids, Popular Science, Consumer Reports, Boys’ Life, and Girls’ Life. The magazines can be accessed through our EBSCO subscription and then downloaded via the App. If your child has any questions about how to use these resources, have them see Mrs. Hartley or Mrs. Thomas in the LLC. Follow us on Twitter @lcjsmslibrary and Instagram @lcjsms_library to learn about what we are doing here in the LLC, and check out our Web site to see all of the resources available to our students: http://lcjsmsllc.weebly.com. Sixth graders enjoy Hour of Code activities during their lunch period. Mrs. Megan Hartley Mrs. Beth Thomas Library Specialists LCJSMS MULTICULTURAL NIGHT IS COMING! The LCJSMS World Language Department is proud to present Multicultural Night! This exciting cultural event will be held on Thursday, March 31, 2016, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the LCJSMS Main Gym. This event will highlight the many different cultures of our middle school students and will feature ethnic food from various countries, as well as an array of entertainment to celebrate Summit’s ethnic diversity. Students will be running cultural booths showcasing food, pictures, crafts, artifacts and more from their own ethnic backgrounds. Please join us for this evening of fun-­‐filled celebration. For more information about the event, or to sign up to volunteer for that night in advance, please visit www.LCJSMSCelebratesCulture.weebly.com. Mrs. Melissa Sarracino Grade 8 Spanish Teacher FRENCH CLUB BAKE SALE HUGE SUCCESS! On Thursday, December 10, 2015, the French Club held a very successful French Bake Sale. Mrs. Emmanuelle Loriot Apruzzese’s and Mr. Andres Lara’s French students donated a large variety of French treats and helped during the event in order to raise funds for Bridges Outreach, Inc. and St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center. Students had the opportunity to support a good cause while at the same time fulfilling service hour requirements. Students who did not qualify for service hours, received extra credit in their French classes. The incredible turnout for this fundraiser resulted in the students raising a total of $450, which was divided and donated to the two chosen charitable organizations. Kathleen Hanson, Gr. 8, one of Mr. Andres Lara’s Intermediate French students, at the bake sale. Mrs. Emmanuelle Loriot Apruzzese Mr. Andres Lara LCJSMS French Teachers NOTICE'OF'NON)DISCRIMINATION'
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It#is#the#policy#of#the#Summit#City#School#District#that#this#district#does#not#discriminate#on#
the# basis# of# race,# color,# creed,# religion,# sex,# affectional# or# sexual# orientation,# ancestry,#
national#origin,#social#or#economic#status,#or#disability.##
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Dr.# Jane# Kachmar>Desonne# has# been# designated# as# the# district’s# 504/ADA# Coordinator# to#
handle#complaints#alleging#discrimination#based#on#one’s#disability#and#to#coordinate#the#
district’s#efforts#to#comply#with#the#regulations#implementing#Section#504#and#the#ADA.#
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Mr.# Matthew# J.# Block# has# been# designated# as# the# district’s# Affirmative# Action# Officer# to#
handle# complaints# alleging# all# other# prohibited# types# of# discrimination# and# to# coordinate#
the# district’s# efforts# to# comply# with# the# regulations# implementing# all# other# non>
discrimination#laws.##They#can#be#contacted#at#the#following#addresses:#
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Dr.#Jane#Kachmar>Desonne#
Director#of#Special#Education#Services#
Office#of#Special#Education#Services#
14#Beekman#Terrace#
Summit,#NJ#07901#
908>273>6658#
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Mr.#Matthew#J.#Block#
Director#of#Human#Resources#
Summit#Board#of#Education#
14#Beekman#Terrace#
Summit,#NJ#07901#
908>273>3023#
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Students# or# parents# with# affirmative# action# concerns# should# address# them# to# the#
administration#or#to:#
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Mr.#Matthew#J.#Block#
Director#of#Human#Resources#
Summit#Board#of#Education#
14#Beekman#Terrace#
Summit,#NJ#07901#
908>273>3023#
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Artwork by
Artwork by Emma Arricale, Gr. 6 Published by Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School Summit, New Jersey Mr. Damen G. Cooper, Principal Mr. Nicholas A. Grimshaw, Assistant Principal Mrs. Carly S. Johnson, Assistant Principal Mrs. Regina Hill, Editor Mrs. Joanne Ryan, Technical Advisor Telephone: (908) 273-­‐1190
Fax: (908) 273-­‐8320
Attendance: (908) 273-­‐1491
Guidance: (908) 273-­‐1193
Web Address: www.summit.k12.nj.us