Middle School Newsletter

January 11, 2019

MS. WRIGHT'S WRITINGS…
Winter break always seems to come and go so quickly and I tend to find it both exhausting and relaxing. This is such a welcomed time to visit with family and friends but I also find that I try to cram so much into everyday. However, I can say that this year, I made time for some much needed reflection. Now, I am not one who sets New Year resolutions every year. Typically I find that I set goals throughout the year. But over break I was reading a blog and the author describes how she chooses one word that will guide and inspire her through the new year. I didn’t even make it to the end of the blog before I was on board.

I was then faced with the huge question of what my word was going to be? What is going to inspire me when life gets tough and I am exhausted? At first I considered HOPE because I find myself truly hopeful for 2019, but I wasn’t sold. And then it came to me...YES. My word for 2019 is YES. I am going to say YES to life by challenge myself to embrace the opportunities that come my way this year that I might have previously ignored. While this may sound easy, I tend to get really comfortable in routines and I find myself saying no way too often. My first YES of the new year...going to a cooking class (I HATE cooking). I know at times I will want to fall back into my old habits and get cozy in my routines, but I am really going to challenge myself to enjoy this journey and all the experiences saying YES will bring me.

As we enter the second half of our school year, I am eager to see students continue to push themselves to do their best. For some reason the second semester appears to be a time when we see motivation dip. There are a number of factors: being cooped up due to cold weather, content rigor increases, spring fever...I could keep going. Regardless of the reason, students need our encouragement and support to preserve through their struggles. We should all be asking them, “Did you do your best?” everyday. Some days this will be easy for them but on the hard days they need us to remind them why it is so important. Please continue to have these critical conversations with your child as these are skills that will greatly impact their future.

If you had to choose a word to inspire or guide your year what would it be? I have asked many friends, colleagues and family members the same question. I love hearing their responses and the reasons behind them. Take some time this weekend and talk with your child and see what his or her word is for 2019. If you decide on your word and would like to share, I would love to hear from you. I am really looking forward to 2019 and all the great experiences it is going to bring us!

Kindly,

Kim

314.645.9600 (607)~kwright@premiercharterschool.org

UPDATES:

Coffee & Conversation…

Please join me on Wednesday, January 16th from 7:30-9:30am for coffee, light breakfast and good conversation. This is an opportunity to build relationships with one another as well as answer any questions/concerns you may have. I truly hope you are able to join me even if you can only stay for a few minutes or pop by and grab a bagel to go. Please let me know if you plan on stopping by so I have enough coffee and snacks (kwright@premiercharterschool.org)

6th Grade…

Dear 6th Grade Parents/Guardians,

As we enter the second semester of the year, we want to be able to help students stay healthy and find success! One easy way to help this is by having plenty of pencils, hand sanitizer, and Clorox Wipes! If you and your family are able to send in any of these items, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your support of our students!

6th-grade team,

Emily O'Brien, Stacia Berwick, Erin Deason, Stan Graczyk, and Don Orelup

7th Grade..

7th grade is in need of Kleenex, paper towels and Clorox wipes. Any donations would be greatly appreciated!

Lottery…

Does your current student have a sibling who wants to come to PCS? Do you have a family member, friend, or neighbor who has a child ready for school?

It is that time of year again…Pre-Kindergarten thru 8th Grade applications for new students in the 2019-2020 lottery are now open!

Families can apply today through Schoolmint. If you do not already have a Schoolmint account, begin by going to premiercharterschool.schoolmint.net and create a secure account with a username and password. From there, you can fill out an application for your student for the grade they will be going in to next year.

Our first-round new student lotteries will be held on the following dates:

Kindergarten: February 1, 2019
Pre-Kindergarten: February 25, 2019
1st – 8th Grade: April 1, 2019

Should you have any questions regarding your student’s application, your Schoolmint account, or the lottery, please feel free to contact PCS admissions at admissions@premiercharterschool.org.

Safety Awareness…

As it starts getting dark earlier and we are reminded of situations as we watch the news, please have a conversation with your child about being aware of what is going on around them as they walk home from school. If your child has permission to walk to the park, YMCA or QT etc. please remind them not to accept a ride or engage with any strangers. While we are sure you have already had these conversations with your child we want to reiterate the importance so that your child can continue to make smart decision for themselves.

We want to remind you that PCS has safety structures in place if we were ever to be in a lockdown situation because of an outside threat. Please rest assured that we understand communication in these situations are of utmost importance. Parents will be notified through the automated school system; calls texts and emails. We have a very good relationship with the police department down the street and if we hear of or are made aware of a situation where lockdown might be a possibility, we will be in contact with district 2. They will be able to provide accurate details of the situation and from there we can receive their recommendation on our course of action. At all times, student safety is on our minds and we will always communicate with what you need to know. As always please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Dress Down…

On the last Monday of the month any student who has earned 80% or higher on their homework completion grade may dress down. Students can check their grade on Infinite Campus to ensure that they have indeed earned this privilege. Please remember that all clothing must be school appropriate.

Message from the Nurse…

Hand washing is the single most effective preventative measure that you can take to remain healthy. Teach children to wash hands after using the bathroom, before eating or preparing food, before holding or interacting with an infant,& after blowing their noses or coughing or sneezing into their hands. You can encourage little ones to wash their hands by buying foaming soaps, liquid soap in a bottle featuring their favorite character or superhero, or buying a soap with a fun fragrance. Make sure they scrub for 20 seconds--singing the Alphabet Song while scrubbing will get them to 20 seconds. Hand sanitizers are helpful but not as effective as proper hand washing. It's a good idea to review hand washing technique with your older children too as they are often in a hurry and need to be reminded of the importance of proper hand washing techniques. You may want to review a hand washing video with your child and then practice together. Here are a variety of videos from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/videos.html

DEPARTMENT UPDATES:

Social Studies

6th Grade...

6th grade social studies is studying Ancient Egypt. This week we were talking about the many gods and goddesses of the polytheistic Ancient Egyptians. Who was the most interesting god or goddess to your student? We also learned about the Pharaohs and have begun studying the history of Ancient Egypt. After Egypt (we still have several weeks left in this exciting unit) we will be heading to Ancient Greece.

7th Grade...

We the f the United States, in Order to form a more perfect , establish , insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this for the United States of America.

Could you fill in the blanks?

This month in 7th grade, students will analyze and discuss the functions of our government and how it was created! We will be diving into the parts of our Constitution and our rights as citizens; then, developing a government of our own!

8th Grade…

In 8th grade Social Studies, students just finished researching a European country of their choice. We are discovering that the continent of Europe is very culturally and geographically diverse. Students shared their research with their blocks via games, gallery walks, slide show presentations etc. We are also learning about the European Union. We are identifying the pros and cons of the union and reasons why some countries are choosing not to be a member. Our 8th graders are doing a great job thinking critically and increasing their awareness of the rest of the world. It's so exciting to witness!

Math Department…

Here is your math department problem of the week!

A snail is at the bottom of a 20 meters deep pit trying to get out. Every day the snail climbs 5 meters upwards, but at night, it slides 4 meters back downwards. How many days does it take for the snail to get out of the pit.

SPECIALISTS UPDATE:

Explorations Academy...Explorers are starting the new year with a unit on fashion titled: Repair, Redesign, Repurpose. Explorers are learning about the abundance of career opportunities in the fashion industry as well as the global effects of fast fashion. Using their knowledge and skills, explorers will be creating solutions towards sustainable fashion to improve our world.

A part of this unit will be repurposing old t-shirts. Please donate any old t-shirts you have, including children's and baby sizes.

Music…We started the year learning more guitar and percussion. For percussion, the students have been learning to read music with quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and play different parts together. For guitar, the kids have been learning different chords. It is so fun to see the students, even the ones who did not think they "could" play guitar, begin to learn these new skills.

STUDENT CLUBS:

Girls on Fire:

Girls on Fire is seeking professional women to participate in our 5th Annual Networking Event on Tuesday, April 16th from 5:30 - 6:30. This event provides an opportunity for the girls to practice networking skills while receiving advice and learning more about various career paths. See the attached flyer for details. Email Mrs. Daugherty at ndaugherty@premiercharterschool.org for more information.

ATHLETICS
Girls Basketball:
The Eagles girls basketball team currently holds a record of 1 win and 2 losses. Kirkwood girls team has cancelled both games due to a lack of players. Please mark the Tuesday, January 15 game OFF of your calendar. The next game for the girls will be against Confluence Academy South City. This game will be on Tuesday, January 22 at 5:00 pm and the boys will follow at 6:00 pm. Come out to support your PCS girls basketball, boys basketball, and cheerleaders!
Melanie Rhine
mrhine@premiercharterschool.org

Cheerleading:

Cheerleading practice will continue on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school

Cheerleading Opportunity:

UMLS is hosting a cheerleading clinic for students in kindergarten through 8th grade on January 25th. Students who attend will then have the opportunity to cheer with us on January 26th during the men's halftime. Attached is a copy of the flyer for the clinic..

REMINDERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

IGNITE Theater Event…

Join Ignite Theater Company for a special production of Disney's Beauty & the Beast January 10-13! Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Middle School Trip…

Middle School Trip: Colorado 2019

Families planning on completing the last fundraiser for the Middle School Trip to Denver, CO, the fundraising packets for Popcornopolis will be passed out on Tuesday, January 15 during study hall. If you child did not get one please reach out to Ms. Slattery at kslattery@premiercharterschool.org, call her classroom phone x. 435 or have them see her. The forms and money are due back on Wednesday, January 30th. Happy selling!
If you have any questions regarding the trip please email Ms. Rhine, mrhine@premiercharterschool.org. If you have specific payment questions please contact Denise Matthews at AST, (877) 397-5700. When calling please tell the AST representative that you are with the Premier Charter School group.

BAC Update…

Dear PCS Families,

As the weather starts to turn colder we want to take a minute to remind everyone of our morning drop off and Before Care procedures. All students must be walked into the building and signed in at the office if they are dropped off prior to 8:00 am. If any student is at PCS prior to 8:00 am, we will bring them to before care and will charge the regular $5 drop in fee. In order to maintain a safe student/adult ratio and ensure we have adequate staffing in our BAC program, students are only allowed 5 drop ins over the course of the school year. The safety of our children is our highest priority and we thank you for your adherence to these procedures.

Fundraising Opportunity…

Please see attached flyer for a Martial Arts Fundraiser
$49 will give the students 4 weeks (8 lessons)
100% of all money raised will go back to PCS

This is valid for both elementary and middle schools.
Contact Shelby Ford at Karate Life Studios, 314-352-6166

SFE Update…

Please see the attached newsletter from our food vendor about some of the great things they have done and upcoming events.

PCG Update…

The PCG is a support group for the students, teachers and parents of Premier Charter School.

Parent volunteers promote social and extracurricular activities, which will lead to successful and

positive experiences for the students. We want to welcome you and encourage all parents to

become involved in PCS. The best way to become involved is to volunteer or help out in any

way you can and you can do this through the PCG.

Please take a look at the attached letter and PCG events for the year.

Fun Around Town…

ONGOING FREE EXHIBITS

Oct 19, 2018 through Feb 10, 2019

Kehinde Wiley: St. Louis at the St. Louis Art Museum

Artist Kehinde Wiley gained national notoriety for his work on the official portrait of Barrack Obama. Mr. Wiley now is exhibiting portraits of ordinary St. Louisans in his ongoing exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum; free now through 2/10/19 in Galleries 249 & 250 in the East Building.

Note: Due to construction directly in front of the Art Museum, Fine Arts Drive is blocked in front of the statue of St. Louis overlooking Art Hill but you may reach either one of the 2 free parking lots coming from the Zoo side or from Skinker Ave side but you currently cannot drive past the statue of St. Louis going in either direction.

https://www.slam.org/exhibitions/kehinde-wiley.php

Now extended through March 24, 2019

Panoramas of the City at the the Missouri History Museum

Panoramic photos of St. Louis as large as 10 feet x 30 feet taken from 1900 to 1950 tell the history of St. Louis is the first half of the 20th century.

Exhibit date has been extended through March 24, 2019. http://mohistory.org/exhibits/panoramas-of-the-city/

Through June 2, 2019

Muny Memories at the Missouri History Museum

The nations oldest outdoor theater celebrates its 100th birthday. Learn about past performances, take a peek backstage, vote for your favorite star, & learn a dance step at the free ongoing exhibit now through next June. http://mohistory.org/exhibits/muny-memories/

Through December 21, 2018

Riverbend Public Art at the Gateway Arch

The 100-foot-long artwork, made of silver, mirror-like material that references the Arch, shows the navigable Missouri River, highlighting it as the primary means of Westward Expansion and Gateway to the West for Lewis and Clark and many others. Riverbend will represent the confluence with the Mississippi on the east and extend westward. Artist Margaret Keller won the Critical Mass for the Visual Arts Public Works Project commission to create this artwork.

Important Upcoming Dates

1.16.19-Report Cards Sent Home

1.16.19-Coffee and Conversation with Ms. Wright 7:30-9:30am

1.21.19-No School

1.24.19-8th Grade Field Trip to Hidden Valley

2.15.19-No School

2.18.19-No School

3.25-29.19-Spring Break

Included Attachments