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AFTER HOURS | ATTENDANCE | AWARDS | COMMUNICATION | CONFERENCES | FRIENDS | HOMEWORK | MOTIVATION | SAFETY | SPRING TESTING | TRANSITION TO GRADE 7 | TRANSITION TO GRADE 9

Afterhours

Afterhours is a program available to students on Wednesdays after school so that they have a place to do school work.  It is expected that students will bring enough work to keep them busy the entire time they are in Afterhours, which is from 2:40 to 4:45.  Students who go to Afterhours are able to take the late bus home.  Mount Baker staff members are present during Afterhours in order to help students with any questions they may have.  In order to maintain a productive environment, students who are disruptive during Afterhours will not be allowed to come to future sessions.

Attendance

We want you to take care of yourself. Stay home because you are sick or you have a family emergency.  Try to schedule doctors, dentist or orthodontist appointments after school.  It is difficult to learn what was going on in class if you are not in class.  If you are absent, you are still responsible for the class work that you missed.  Having good attendance is one of the key factors in being successful at school.

Awards

Each quarter we honor individual students based on their performance, attitude and effort in the classroom.  Parents are encouraged to attend the awards assemblies.  They take place shortly after the end of the quarter.  Check your school district calendar for dates and times.

Communication

Many teenagers have a lot to say, but they don’t feel that their parents listen.  The best thing you can do for your teen is listen to them.  Even if they say something shocking or ridiculous, keep listening.  They want to see how you will react.  If a teen feels that you have taken the time to listen and care about them, then they are more likely to seek your advice.  They might even ask you for it.  A good rule of thumb is to listen to them for twice as long as you talk.

Conferences

You will have the opportunity to meet with teachers during Fall Conferences in October and again during our spring arena conferences, which take place in March.  We know that it takes an effort to come in for conferences and to keep up with what is happening in your student’s classes, but this may be one of the most important times in a student’s career for parents to stay involved.

Student performance during these years can change quickly, and the reasons for the change can be elusive.  Sometimes it seems that when a students performance changes it is because they are checking to find out if we are paying attention, or testing the consequences for non-performance.  Other times students seem to become so caught up in their social world that schoolwork loses its importance for them.

At an event like this we are reminded that most of our students do very well most of the time.  The best way to keep this happening is by staying informed and by letting students know good performance is important to you even when it may not be important to them.  Stay involved with your students’ teachers.  Talk to your students about their day and about their schoolwork.  Ask them if there is any way that you can help them with school.  Get to know their friends.  Our students want to know you care even if they sometimes don’t show it.

Friends

Friendship plays a very important role in the life of a teenager.  Many students will go to their friends for advice before their parents.  Teenagers base many decisions on what their friends do and what their friends think.  With this in mind, it is important that you know who your child’s friends are, what they are doing and where they are going.  If you are worried about who your child is spending time with, talk to your child about it.  Encourage your teen to have friends over to your house.  Not only can you be sure they are safe and making good decisions, but you can also get to know your teen’s peers.

Homework

Whether your child is practicing his spelling words, working on a project, reading her AR book or doing her math homework, it's important that he works on schoolwork in an area with limited distractions and interruptions.

Tips:  Turn off access to email and games when your child works on the computer. Declare the phone and TV off-limits during homework time.

Find space that fits the assignment. If your child is working on a science project, she may need lots of space; if she's studying for a History test, she will need a well-lit desk.

Help your child concentrate during homework time by separating her from her siblings.

Homework has a big impact on grades.  Students earn points for homework, and it also helps them when they take tests.  The skills students practice when finishing homework are the same skills that come up later on tests.  It is almost like earning the points twice.  Doing homework does not come naturally.  Most students have to learn and practice the steps involved with homework.  Here are a few tips to help you or your student learn more from homework and earn higher grades.

1. Write down every homework assignment in your agenda.  Include the due dates.

2. Use a divided notebook or 3-ring binder to help keep notes and handouts from each class separate and secure. 

3. Set aside time each day for schoolwork.

4. Find a quiet area to do homework in. (Research has demonstrated that sitting in front of the T.V. or in a busy family room is NOT an effective way to learn or do homework.  And, it takes longer!)

5. Ask for help.  Have an older family member nearby to help answer homework questions.

6. Turn in your homework on time.  Late work is often marked down.

Motivation
Most children say they want to do well in school, yet many still fail to complete the level of work necessary to succeed academically. The reason is often motivation. Tapping into your child's interests is a great way to get him geared to do well in school.

Tips: Link school lessons to your child's life. If he's learning percentages, ask him to figure out the price of a discounted item next time you shop.

Link your child's interests to academics. If he's passionate about music, give him books about musicians and show how music and foreign languages are connected.

Give your child control and choices. With guidance, let him determine his study hours, organizing system or school project topics.

Encourage your child to share his expertise. Regularly ask him about what he's learning in school.

Congratulate your child, encourage him and celebrate all his successes.

Often what holds children back from trying is the fear of failure or the memory of a time they didn't do well. You can help break this cycle by celebrating your child's successes, no matter how small, and by giving him or her opportunities to succeed academically.

This article was adapted from www.greatschools.org.

Safety

Harassment - The entire staff at the Junior High is engaged in addressing the issue of harassment.  To partner with us, there are things that you can do as well. Talk to your students and ask if they are feeling safe at school.  Ask them if they feel like the adults at the school care about them and take them seriously when they have concerns.  Come to the school and get a feel for the place, volunteer or just walk around (please check in at the office).  Please call the school if you have an incident that concerns you involving your student, or call if you just want to check out the truth of a rumor you heard or want to know about our school policies.  Communication is key to the success of our efforts.

Dark Roads – The days get very short for many months during the school year and it is good to think about some of the safety issues that concern our students when it gets dark early.  First among these is walking along the roads.  Fast traveling cars in combination with students walking on roads that have little or no shoulder creates the potential for tragic accidents.  That danger rises when students are not wearing reflective items that increase the chances that drivers will see them.  Our late buses drop students in locations that may leave a considerable distance between the student and home.  Please have a plan for how students will make the last leg of the journey home after they take the late bus.  Sharing rides with other families, wearing reflective clothing, or choosing the right route can all reduce the risk to students.  Also remember that students can only stay after school if they are in a supervised after school activity

Spring Testing

During April we will be giving our 7th grade and 8th grade students the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, the WASL.  7th grade students will be testing in the areas of reading, math and writing.  8th grade students will be tested in the areas of math, reading, writing and science. 

These are challenging tests, and are meant to find out not just what facts students know but also how able they are to use what they know and how able they are to solve problems.  The thinking behind this kind of testing is that the schools should be working to create able minded people who will be successful in the quickly changing world we live in, that facts alone are not enough in today’s world to ensure success.

Our teachers here at the junior high have learned a lot over the last couple of years about what these tests ask of students and have been working throughout the year to prepare students so they have the skills that they need to be successful.  We do some preparation that is specific for the test in the month before it takes place. 

As we come into testing time please do everything you can at home to help your student be successful.  Well-rested, well-fed students will obviously do better than students that are hungry or tired.  Let your student know that you care about how they do, and that a good effort is important to you.  Students who hang in there and try on a hard question will get better scores than students who give up. 

State testing is not the only measure of what makes us successful as a school, but it is one important one.  If you have any questions about the testing we do or would like to see some sample questions that show the kinds of things students will be doing please call us at the school at 383-2030.

Transition to grade 7

Sixth grade parents and their students are invited to come to our junior high orientation night in May to come hear about our school and look around and meet some of our teachers.  This chance to visit our school and learn more about our programs should help to answer many of the questions you may have.  If you have questions that are not answered please let us know by calling or sending e-mail or arranging an appointment and we will be happy to talk with you.

These transitions are huge events in our students’ lives and we want to do everything in our power to make them successful.  A good start in a new environment can set a positive tone that can carry through the whole experience.  Please take the time to talk with your student about the upcoming school year to find out what their concerns are and what they are looking forward to, and support them in becoming involved in the many positive opportunities that await them.  Although it may seem early, thinking and talking about the year ahead is a great way to build the foundation for a successful experience at the next level.

When students start with us in the seventh grade, just out of elementary school, they are beginning a journey on this campus that will see them turn into high school students and then seniors in just a few years.  It is hard sometimes to believe this is possible.  Seventh grade students are generally unsure of themselves socially in a new school.  As a group, students of junior high age are in a period of great growth in the sophistication and scope of their social worlds  Fierce loyalty to peer groups, rebellious attitudes towards parents and authority figures, and a searching for identity and acceptance characterize this time in their lives.  This is exhausting work for both our students and for us as adults.

There is no way around all this, but there is a way through it.  One key is maintaining clear boundaries for students even as we recognize that their social world is expanding.  Another is keeping in mind that our students will continue to listen to us all the way through this process as long as they believe that we care about them.  They seldom let us know that they have learned the lessons of our words and deeds, but they will manifest these lessons in surprising ways as they go through their lives.