Research for Better Teaching (RBT) Parent Workshops
Information was sent to parents/guardians last week regarding the upcoming RBT Parent Workshops that will be occurring in the winter and spring. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested in being a part of this experience. I will be reaching out to parents chosen to attend the workshops after winter break.
Pay It Forward/Thank You!
Service Learning Club would like to say THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts to all of our students, staff members, and families! It was once again a huge success!!!!! We helped spread holiday cheer to 60 FAMILIES!
Digital Citizenship
While many Julian teachers integrate aspects of Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy into their coursework, Illinois School Code 5 requires each school district to specifically address Internet Safety. In January 2016, Percy Julian Middle School advisories will focus on three important aspects of Digital Citizenship: overuse, oversharing, and cyberbullying.
Families can support their students by learning about these aspects of Digital Citizenship and extending the discussions to home. A couple challenges we will encourage students to participate in beyond the school day include Delete Day, Tech TimeOut, and Draw Your Line. We encourage you to take a look at some of the parent resources noted as well. Click Here to access more information on this topic.
Student Innovation Team
Julian Middle School is forming a Student Innovation Team consisting of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to support the technological needs of students and teachers. The team's collaboration will build the framework for its future and development. These students will aid in the use of multiple applications, iPad troubleshooting, Canvas navigation, etc. Our goal is to not only offer significant leadership opportunities for this team, but to meet the progressive needs of students and teachers as it pertains to instructional technology. For more information or an application click here. Students interested should submit a paper application to the Media Center by January 8, 2016. Additional applications are also available in the Media Center.
Julian Receives Grant for Media Center
In late September, we received notice that Percy Julian Middle School was selected to receive one of twenty 2015-16 Read for Information Grants, endowed via the Library Book Selection Service (LBSS) of the Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA). This grant allowed our Library Media Center to purchase $1,500 worth of nonfiction resources to directly support a 1st trimester summative research project for 7th grade Humanities. These titles are now in our general collection for student checkout and have been used for other research projects (notably, 8.2 Language A Unwind research papers). Thanks to Ms. Winchell, our Media Center Specialist, for pursuing this grant opportunity. Click here to read more....
"On Time and Ready"
Here at Julian we continue to focus on being "On Time and Ready." Each grade level team will be looking at data and setting some goals in an effort to decrease the number of times students show up late for class. We will be sharing this data and goal setting when we return from winter break.
"On Time" - students are in their seats when class begins.
"Ready" - students have the necessary supplies, work required, and their charged iPad.
In addition to this, On Time and Ready Freddy has been making weekly announcements with words of wisdom for our students to consider. Today, he said, "The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today." and "Opportunity does not waste time with those that are unprepared."
Honor Roll Breakfast
8th gr - Tuesday, January 5
Each breakfast is at 8:00am in the commons. Invited students have a 3.0 or higher GPA with no I, D or U grades.
Students received their invitations in this week's Advisory classes.
Have a great Winter Break!
Sincerely,
Dr. Todd Fitzgerald
Principal
Percy Julian Middle School
Email questions to Principal Fitzgerald.