Rocky River Middle School Pirate Passages newsletter volume 3 issue 12 Final2.pdfBuilders Club 5 Inside this issue: February 10, 2016 "In accordance with State and Federal law, the

Page 1 Rocky River Middle School

March 5th & 6th- RRMS Musical “Dig It!” 7:00

p.m.

March 10th– Mindful Parenting Book Club 9:30

a.m. (RRMS)

March 18th– Basketball Challenge Cup (RRHS)

March 22rd– 6th Grade Band/Choir Concert

7:00 p.m.

March 23rd– Girls Basketball Sports Awards

March 25th– Spring Break Begins

April 4th– School Resumes

April 7th– Mindful Parenting Book Club 9:30

a.m. (RRHS)

Dates to Remember Volume 3, Issue 12

Rocky River Middle School Pirate Passages

Megan Rose, Principal

Jeffrey Schultz, Assis-tant Principal

PTA Notes 2

Athletics 2

Student News 3

Counselor Corner 4

Sunrise/Sunset 5

Safe School Helpline 5

Builders Club 5

Inside this issue:

February 10, 2016

"In accordance with State and Federal law, the District will provide reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities who wish to attend and/or participate in school events. Such individuals should notify the building principal if they require a reasonable accom-modation."

Please note that the Ohio Department of Health has revised the immunization requirements for

the 2016-17 school year. This will effect immunizations required for incoming 7th and 12th

grade students for the next school year.

The attached letter provides guidelines so you can plan accordingly when scheduling your child’s

next medical appointment.

February 15th– Presidents’ Day (No School)

February 18th– Mindful Parenting Book Club

9:30 a.m. (Kensington Intermediate School)

February 19th-Student Council Basketball

Tournament 3:30 p.m.

February 23rd– 7th Grade Band/Choir Con-

cert 7:00 p.m.

February 24th– Wrestling Awards Night 6:30

p.m.

February 25th– 8th Grade Band/Choir Con-

cert 7:00 p.m.

March 1st– PTA meeting 9:00 a.m.

March 4th– Maroon and White Night

Updated Immunization Requirements

Procedures for Section 504/ADA Prohibition Against Discrimination Based on a Disability have

been revised. Parents may obtain a copy upon request or via our district website.

BOE Policy

Page 1 Rocky River Middle School Page 2 Rocky River Middle School

Mindful Parenting Book Club Each session will discuss different chapters in the book. If you have not read the book, but would like to attend, reading is not necessary to attend. The guidance department is teaching/stressing this philosophy to our students, if you can not attend the sessions, please read the book and discuss with your students. Middle School Info TEACHER APPRECIATION LUNCH Friday 2/26 PTA will sponsor a lunch for the teachers. Mary Amsdell is looking for volunteers to help supplement the lunch with salads and desserts. If you would like to help, please contact her at [email protected]. Maroon & White Night Friday 3/4 7:30 (8th grade preview 6:30 - 7:30) Donations are needed for the raffle or gift cards. Please contact Amy Massad, [email protected] if you are interested in donating an item. Remember PTA is a tax deductible organization! 6th Grade Social Dance Save the dates of April 8, 22 & 29 for your 6th grader to attend Dick Blake’s Social Dance. Volunteer and sign up information will be sent in March. 8th Grade Graduation Dance Food, Audio & Connections…. Do you have a connection to a food vendor, audio vendor or decoration company? The committee is looking for a connection in these areas to lower their ticket cost for the dance. If you can help in anyway, please contact [email protected]. Want to be on a committee for the dance? contact Cathy George, [email protected] for more information. PTA 2016/2017 Board Consider Volunteering on the PTA Board next year! Each year the PTA gives to the school and serving on the board is a way to say thank you to those who do so much for our students. Commitments of all levels, time and ability are available! For the Middle School, contact Marian Meyer, [email protected] OR High School, contact Margie Hack-ett, [email protected]. Next PTA Meeting Wednesday, March 2 @ 9:00am Plan to attend as we will be voting on the board for next year!

PTA Notes

Athletics

There will be a brief informational meting for current eighth grade students interested in playing football or hockey next year. The

meeting will be held in the West Gym at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 18th.

The middle school wrestling banquet will be held on Wednesday, February 24th at 6:30 p.m. in the Media Center.

“If your child has special considerations such as, but not limited to, medical needs, allergies, social emotional needs, cultural needs, accessibility needs, language needs, etc.

please contact the building principal who will ensure these needs are accommodated for during PTA sponsored and school related events.”

Page 1 Rocky River Middle School

Student News

Sixth grade Pirate Award winners:

Ellie, Henry, Taylor, Megan,

Emmanuel, Megan, Grace, Adam,

Sam, and Nathan.

Page 3 Rocky River Middle School

Eighth grade Citizenship Award winners include Tommy and Paulina. The Stellar Student Award winners are Izabella, Matthew, Kate and Ryan. Congratulations to all of these deserving students!

Seventh grade award winners pictured above are: Students of the Month-Becca and Makenzie, Pirate Award-Nicole,

and M.V.E. (Most Valuable Explorer) Yunruo.

During the Dare K-9 day, students were taught about the handler,

breed, and dog. Diego, the K-9 star, demonstrated how the dogs are

trained and how the police use him in Rocky River.

Page 1 Rocky River Middle School

“February days

are a marketing

gimmick; love

happens every

day.”

Randeep Hooda

Page 4 Rocky River Middle School

Counselor Corner RRMS School Counselors Julie Morriss Moira Baylog A – K L – Z [email protected] [email protected] (440)356-6875 (440)356-6875 Your Teen Magazine Please click here to subscribe to Your Teen Magazine. Attention 8th Grade Students and Parents: If you plan to apply to a private/parochial school and are in need of transcripts or teacher recommenda-tions, please route all requests to Mrs. Debbie Wodzisz in the Counseling Office. Please submit requests no longer than five school days prior to submission deadline. Mindfulness Movement at RRMS: All students have learned about mindfulness through Fitness and Health classes. Mindfulness is the simple art of paying attention to the present moment with kindness. There are different strategies including mind-ful breathing, listening, movement and many other activities designed to reduce stress and anxiety. All stu-dents are invited to attend a Mindful Morning session in the West Gym on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:45 to 8:00 a.m. Students are reporting they feel more calm and can focus better in class. As we con-tinue through second semester, counselors will be infusing mindfulness into the classroom and individual meetings with students. Parents are also invited to learn more about mindfulness and the clever, fun tech-niques you can implement right away at home. The takeaways will help you and your children find the bal-ance and calm in today’s hectic world. There will be another Mindful Parenting Book Club session on Thursday, February 18th at 9:30 a.m. held at Kensington Intermediate School. If you are not able to attend, but would like more information, please email [email protected] and you will be added to the group list to receive summaries of our discus-sions. Upcoming Events: Mindful Parenting Book Club – Discussion of chapters 3 – 5: February 18, 2016 9:30am at Kensington Intermediate School *Note the Mindful Parenting Book Club replaces previously scheduled RRMS HELP Sessions. Mindful Parenting Book Club – Discussion of Chapters 6 – 8 Thursday, March 10, 9:30am at RRMS Mindful Parenting Book Club – Discussion of Chapters 9 – 11 Thursday, April 7, 9:30am at RRHS

Page 1 Rocky River Middle School

Do you need help with homework?

Do you need a quiet place before or after school to get your work done?

Come to

SUNRISE or SUNSET!

SUNRISE is in D101

7:35 a.m. to 8:05 a.m. Tuesday – Friday.

Mrs. Rowe is the supervisor.

SUNSET is in the Media Center

3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday – Thursday.

Mrs. Landers is the supervisor.

Page 5 Rocky River Middle School

Pirate Passages

Safe School Helpline Break the Silence – Prevent the Event 1-800-418-6423 ext. 359 www.safeschoolhelpline.com

This Helpline has been developed for you, and other students, parents and staff members to help maintain your safety and the most positive school environment possible. The purpose of the Safe School Helpline is to pro-mote school safety and report wrongdoings or illegal activity. Please call the Safe School Helpline if you know anything that threatens our school’s safety. It’s free and confi-dential 24 hours/7 days a week. Please report any facts, remarks or actions that could jeopardize the safety of our children, school or staff. Examples of harmful or threatening behavior might include: bullying, violence, theft, drug or alcohol abuse, talk of suicide, sexual harassment, weapons. The service also provides 24-hour access to a trained mental health counselor to provide support for suicide intervention, family crisis support or other mental health issues. Help Keep Our Schools Safe!

If your child would like to support our school, help out in the community then Builders Club is for them! The club will meet every Wednesday at 7:45 a.m. in the Media Center and is an excellent opportunity for students to meet new friends and give back to their community. Builders Club is an international student-led organization providing members with opportunities to perform service, build char-acter and develop leadership. Core values of the group include:

Character building: The ability to do the right thing, even when it might be the unpopular choice. Leadership: The ability to listen, communicate, serve and guide others. Inclusiveness: Accepting and welcoming differences in other people. Caring: The act of being concerned about or interested in other people or situations.

Please feel free to contact Builders Club Advisor, Mrs. Moira Baylog with any questions.

NEW IMMUNIZATIONS REQUIRED FOR 7th AND 12th GRADERS

FALL 2016

Dear Parents/Guardians: The Ohio Department of Health has revised the immunizations requirements for the 2016-2017 school year. All students entering the 7th grade are required to have one dose of Meningococcal vaccine and one dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) prior to the start of school. In addition, all students entering the 12th grade are required to have two doses of Meningococcal vaccine prior to the start of school. However, if the student received their first dose after their 16th birthday then just one dose of Meningococcal is required. You may obtain the Meningococcal and the Tdap vaccines from your private physician or other community providers. Please consider the new guidelines when scheduling your child’s next medical appointment. These vaccines are also available from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Please call 216-201-2041 for an immunization appointment or for additional information. Debbie Busdiecker, M.Ed., R.N. School Health Supervisor Andrew Heffron, B.S.N., R.N. Immunization Clinic Supervisor

Maroon & White Night

MARCH 4TH

Dear Parents: Maroon & White Night is happening on Friday, March 4th. Listed below is information regarding buying wristbands and tickets, as well as, areas where we need your help to make this night a success.

You can purchase your child’s admission wristband and raffle tickets

now! For on-line purchases please go to: https://rockyriver.wufoo.com/forms/maroon-and-white-night-tickets/

Raffle tickets are used to purchase food, to play all the games and to win prizes. Wristbands and tickets will be given out during your child's lunch period on March 4th. Additional tickets can be purchased during M&W Night.

We are in need of many volunteers for that evening! Please sign up at: http://vols.pt/3JoJzA.

Please consider donating a $15 kid friendly gift card. The donation box is

in the office now. We use the gift cards to award prizes for students all night long. Ideas include: Itunes, Target, Mitchell's, Crocker Park, Movie Theaters, Five Guys, Dick's, Starbuck's, etc.

If you would like to make an additional donation, please leave it with Dawn

Kelly in the RRMS office. We put together all different kinds of prize packages or feel free to coordinate with other parents and come up with something creative for the kids to win!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Amy Massad

([email protected]) or Margie Hackett ([email protected])

© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

February 2016

Danielle joined the swim team because she likes to swim and wants to see what she’s capable of. Her motivation comes from within. This intrinsic motiva-tion will help her do her best—not only in swim-ming but also in whatever she puts her mind to. Help your middle grader develop that kind of motivation with these tips.

Choose wisely Maybe you hoped your child would

try out for the math team, but she wants to be on the student council. She’ll be more naturally motivated if you allow her to choose what matters to her. Also, giving her a say in how she pursues her interests will spark her enthusiasm. For instance, let her decide whether to run for office or be a committee member.

Challenge yourself The more your tween sees her skills

improve, the more encouraged she will be to push further. Suggest she ask teachers and coaches what she can do to reach the next level. Her volleyball coach might say she should practice

Think on your feet Improv comedy can pro-vide fun with friends or

family and challenge your tween’s creativity. Have a group form a circle. One person steps in the middle and starts acting out a scene, such as a monkey swinging in the jungle. Then, the others join in the acting, perhaps throwing the monkey a banana.

In order Organizing information in a sequence will give your middle schooler prac-tice with critical thinking—and another way to review material when she studies. She might put historical events in order from least to most important, for example. Or she could plot character development in a book from the most life-changing actions to the least.

Driver-in-trainingIt’s still a few years before your child will be behind the wheel of a car, but it’s not too early to start “pre-driver’s ed.” Point out ways that you drive safely and stay calm in stressful situa-tions. If it’s raining, you might say, “I’m driving more slowly because the roads are slick.”

Worth quoting“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” Beatrix Potter

Just for fun

Q: What never asks questions but is often answered?

A: Adoorbell.

Motivated from the inside

returning serves to become more consis-tent. Then, she could set a goal for her practice sessions—and aim for more successful returns during games.

Find a purposeHave your youngster look for reasons

why school subjects or after-school activities are relevant to her life. That will make them more appealing and increase her motivation to tackle them. For instance, she might think about careers that interest her and how she would use the information she’s learning. Example: A nail salon owner uses math to set prices and order nail polish.

ShortStops

Parents (still) wanted! Research shows that tweens want to spend

more time with their parents, even though they may act the opposite way. Consider these ideas for enjoying time together:

■ Look for activities to do side by side. You might try out new recipes in the kitchen, do Sudoku puzzles, or play chess or checkers.

■ Build in daily “solo time”—just you and your tween. Perhaps take a nightly walk together after dinner, or go into his room for a chat at bedtime.

■ Make a date. Once a month or so, go to a movie, a museum exhibit, or anything else that appeals to the two of you.

Rocky River Middle School

© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

To provide busy parents with practical ideas that promote school success, parent involvement,

and more effective parenting.Resources for Educators,

a division of CCH Incorporated128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630

540-636-4280 • [email protected]

ISSN 1540-5540

O U R P U R P O S E

Middle Years February 2016 • Page 2

Listen, then repeat. Ask him to repeat the important points when you give him directions (like what to do after school if it’s different from his usual routine). That will help him practice listening for crucial details. And it has the added benefit of letting you know he got the message!

Watch, then highlight. Have your child summarize a political debate or sporting event he’s watching on television. He can take notes during the broadcast and then pretend to be a news analyst or sportscaster. His “on the air” updates should highlight the most important happenings of the debate or game.

Follow the clues

Does your middle grader enjoy read-ing mysteries or watching detective shows? With this idea, you can set up an imaginary “whodunit” and let your child use real-world forensic science skills to crack the case.

1. Have each fam-ily member press her right thumb to a sepa-rate glass. Place one of those glasses at the “crime scene.”

2. Lift the fingerprint from that glass by sprinkling on cocoa powder and gently dusting with a brush. Press clear tape to the print, lift, and press onto an index card. Label this, “Evidence.”

3. With a pencil, shade in a square of paper for each family member. Have each person press her right thumb on a square. Use tape to lift the prints, press onto separate index cards, and label each card with the person’s name.

4. Compare the fingerprints to the one left at the scene. Who is the culprit?

Summing things up

Summarizing is a skill your middle schooler needs when taking notes during class, doing reading assignments, and researching papers. Suggest strategies like these.

Read, then tell. Encourage your youngster to tell you about a biography he read by giving you three main facts. Tip: To keep his summary short and to the point, he could jot key words on a sticky note while reading.

When my son’s Spanish teacher called to say Carl

was disrupting class by talking too much, I was not happy. Mrs. Anderson said she had moved Carl’s seat and made sure he doesn’t sit near his good friends, but she wanted me to be aware of the problem so we could work together.

I thanked her for letting me know and asked how I could help. She suggested that I mention to Carl that we had

No more self-putdowns ■Q My daughter used to be so confident. But lately I keep overhearing her put herself down.

What should I do?

■A It’s normal for kids to become more critical of them-selves as they approach the teen years. But there are strat-egies you can use to keep this from becoming a habit.

First, be sure you’re kind to yourself in front of your daughter. Try to avoid making negative comments about your appearance (“I look fat in this”) or abilities (“I’m not good with numbers”). Instead, let her overhear confident, self-motivating statements, such as “I’m going to have a great workout” or “I know I can figure out this spreadsheet formula.”

Then, ask her to pay attention to how she talks to herself—out loud and in her head. Together, you could come up with “code words” to use if you hear a self-putdown. Examples: “I don’t think so!” or “We need a redo!”

Working with teachers spoken. Also, she said if things didn’t improve, she would want to meet with both of us.

I told Carl I was disappointed to get the call. And I made sure he knew he was being disrespectful to both his

teacher and his class-mates. Carl knows that I’m going to follow up with Mrs. Anderson—and I’m hoping that our teamwork will encourage him to stop interrupting in class.

ActivityCorner

Parentto

Parent

Q&A

Talking regularly with youth about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs reduces their risk of using in the first place.

Know! encourages you to share this Parent Tip with friends and family.

Learn more at: DrugFreeActionAlliance.org

Drug Free Action Alliance6155 Huntley Road, Suite HColumbus, Ohio 43229PH: (614) 540-9985FX: (614) 540-9990

If you have teenagers or if you’re a fan of pro-sports, you’ve more than likely heard of “The Dab,” or at least have seen it in action (whether you realized it or not). On one hand, there’s “dabbin’,” a super-popular dance where a person drops their head into their elbow as if to sneeze, while extending the other arm straight out. Pro-athletes like Cam Newton and LeBron James are dabbin’, and your teens and their friends are likely dabbin’ too. No harm, no foul, just having fun.

On the other hand, there is ”dabbing,” an activity of a completely different kind, far from harmless. In this case, dabbing is drug use. A dab is a highly concentrated form of marijuana, also known as butane hash oil (BHO), often called honey oil, budder or earwax, due to its appearance. The BHO is usually inhaled through a water or oil pipe, using a butane torch as the heating element. Another common method of intake involves the e-cigarette vaporizer.

According to the U.S. DEA, marijuana concentrates are extremely dangerous and contain extraordinarily high THC levels that can range from 40 to 80% - that is four times stronger than high grade or top shelf marijuana, which normally measures around 20% THC.

The long term effects of dabbing are not yet fully known, however due its extreme potency, experts say the effects may be even more psychologically and physically intense than traditional plant marijuana.

In plant marijuana use, effects are known to include:

• damage to the developing adolescent brain• paranoia • anxiety • panic attacks• hallucinations• increased heart rate• withdrawal • addiction

Unlike traditional marijuana use however, there have been reports of people using concentrates to the point of passing out, which can lead to a host of additional health and safety concerns.

Know! What in the World is DABBIN’

Know! is a program of:

Drug Free Action AllianceLIFETIME PREVENTION | LIFETIME WELLNESS

Click here to print a PDF of this article so you can start a conversation with your child

Link to the article on the Drug Free Action Alliance Facebook page

Link to the Spanish archives

Talking regularly with youth about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs reduces their risk of using in the first place.

Know! encourages you to share this Parent Tip with friends and family.

Learn more at: DrugFreeActionAlliance.org

Drug Free Action Alliance6155 Huntley Road, Suite HColumbus, Ohio 43229PH: (614) 540-9985FX: (614) 540-9990

Another dangerous aspect of dabbing is the process of creating the oil, inwhichbutanefluidisforcedthroughatubeorpipepackedwithdriedmarijuana trimmings and then torched to extract the THC. Because the extraction process is not real complicated, requires few resources and is the subject of countless how-to videos online, many people have tried makingitforthemselves,resultinginfires,severeburnsandviolenthome explosions throughout the country.

You may be wondering if the Dab Dance has anything to do with the Dab drug? Some people, including Rapper Bow Wow, believe the dab dance is a direct reference to drug use, and that dropping your head into your elbow represents a cough after hitting some “marijuana.” However, the creators of the song and dance say that dabbin’ has no connection to dabbing. In any case, this is an ideal opportunity to bring up the subject with your children, ask them what they know or have heard on the topic and then provide them with some facts on the dangers and risks of dabbing. And if you really want to get their attention, just show them your dab dance moves. Then you can start talking, once they stop laughing.

Sources: : Pediatric Perspectives: Assessing the Dangers of Dabbing: Mere Marijuana or Harmful New Trend? July 2015. Sports Illustrated: ‘Dab on them folks;’ A brief history of the Dab dance in sports, Nov. 2015. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration: What You Should Know About Marijuana Concentrates, Also Known as THC Extractions.

Know! is a program of:

Drug Free Action AllianceLIFETIME PREVENTION | LIFETIME WELLNESS

Click here to print a PDF of this article so you can start a conversation with your child

Visit starttalking.ohio.gov to get the conversation going !!!

January 7, 2016 @ Goldwood Primary School

February 18, 2016 @ Kensington Intermediate School

March 10, 2016 @ RRMS

April 7, 2016 @ RRHS Auditorium

Mindful Parenting Book Club

Between school pressures, extracurricular activities, homework, and demanding

careers, it’s hard to find time just to get dinner on the table. In Mindful Parenting,

child and family psychologist Dr. Kristen Race speaks directly to today’s busy families

who make up what she calls “Generation Stress” and presents an alternative – a

mindful approach. Drawing on the latest research, she shows how mindfulness helps

us – and our children – feel happier, healthier, calmer, less anxious, less stressed, and

more focused. The Mindful Parenting Book Club is open to all RRCS parents and

families. Discussions will be led by the RRCS Counselors.

Join the RRCS School Counselors at 9:30am on one or all of dates below: