Shark Talk
Quarter 1, 2009
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Dear Sutherland families,
SHARK TALK is a publication of
Albemarle County Public Schools. It is
published quarterly and distributed to all
Sutherland Middle School families.
Dave
Rogers,
Principal
Albemarle
County
Public Schools
does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
age, sex, disability, national origin, pregnancy, or
marital status.
Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972,
20 U.S.C. §§1691 et seq., prohibits discrimination
on the basis of sex in educational programs or
activities receiving federal funds, including
discrimination in employment and student
admissions. All Albemarle County Public
Schools students, applicants and employees are
covered by this law.
Questions or concerns regarding compliance with
the School Division’s nondiscrimination policies
may be directed to: Director of Human Resources,
401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901,
434-296-5827)
Our Vision:
All learners believe in their power to
embrace learning, to excel, and to own their
future.
Our Mission:
The core purpose of Albemarle County
Public Schools is to establish a community of
learners and learning, through rigor,
relevance, and relationships, one student at a
time.
As we approach the end of the first marking
period, I am delighted with the challenging work our
students are doing in all subject areas. We have a
deeper focus on problem solving and “authentic” work
this year and it has resulted in a number of special
projects already. Among these are a pilot project on
wind power, the beginning of medieval exhibit and fair,
and numerous science experiments. Our students are
doing more writing and the focus on the craft of good
writing is the strongest that I have ever seen at
Sutherland.
I am also very proud of our students’ heightened
community awareness. This has led to more extensive
recycling efforts than last year and even some project
planning around school beautification. We have been
recognizing student contributions from offering to help
peers and teachers to volunteering to straighten up the
cafeteria after lunch. Our student council will be getting
underway very soon and we hope they will continue to
build on the great contributions that past SCAs have
made. I am delighted to add that the 2009-10 year book
will be a student designed and edited publication as
well. I am very impressed with the positive spirit.
Our main goals are to improve student academic
performance and understanding through providing
challenging and interesting learning experiences while
providing a variety of opportunities for support for all
students when needed. We are also seeking to build a
school community that accepts and appreciates all
individuals to the fullest possible extent. We believe
that our very positive climate can become our absolutely
outstanding climate. It is a joy to work with you and
your children. Together, we can give them the best
possible foundation for success in the 21st Century.
Please know that your ideas, suggestions, support, and
concerns are valued and help us to be the best school we
can. Contact us any time!
Sincerely,
www.k12albemarle.org
Excellence. Young People.
Community. Respect.
Dave Rogers, Principal
MS. DESIMINI’S SIXTH GRADE HONORS LANGUAGE ARTS
The students in Ms. Desimini’s 6th grade Honors Language Arts classes have been
incredibly busy already this 1st nine weeks! All the students began the school year setting
‘SMART GOALS’ for Language Arts that they plan to strive toward the rest of the school
year. In addition, all students shared their ideas and progress with their parents/guardians
during Conference Evenings with “Student-Led Conferences” that showcased their
academic as well as citizenship development. Last of all, the students are currently
working on learning literature’s story elements through short stories and various writing
assignments, the most recent being a character sketch. Ms. Desimini is extremely proud
of all her students and really looks forward to the coming months when Historical Fiction
and Biographies will be focused upon.
MRS. HAAN’S LANGUAGE ARTS NEWS
The school year has gotten off to a wonderful start and I am so impressed with
each of my students! We have been very busy this year. Every day we begin class with
15 minutes of silent reading. My students love the opportunity to dive into their favorite
books and sometimes it’s difficult to stop when the time is up. After we read, we then
respond critically to our books with a variety of probes and questions.
On Fridays we have a longer, more extensive reading response that correlates
directly with the literary elements we have been learning in class. Students have already
prepared and presented their first formal oral presentation, called a Book Chat. They did a
fabulous job incorporating the skills of effective public speaking along with sharing an
evaluation and critique of their book. We have started our Word Build program with the
root word “stru, strue, struct” which means, “to build.” Students have been working with
various prefixes and suffixes to create words, sentences, and definitions. Currently, we
are focusing on the literary element of character and the four techniques that writers use
to help us understand them better. Students will create their own characters and design a
poster of their character to present to the class. Just in time for Halloween, we have just
completed a comparison /contrast of the ghostly stories In the Fog” and The Hitchhiker.
6th SCIENCE IS FULL OF ACTIVITIES
6th grade science students have been studying watersheds and will be going
on a field trip in late October. They will be working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
on the field trip. Some of the planned activities include macro invertebrate sampling,
water quality testing, map reading, water clarity testing with a Secchi Disc, and canoeing.
The students will eat lunch in the woods and make a list of the plants, animals, and macro
invertebrates they encounter.
6TH GRADE MATH
Math is off to a great start in the 6th Grade. Students have been busy exploring
the internal world of numbers to find a few factors, while also journeying into the
expansive world to make many multiples. Even though most of our whole numbers are
composite, we have also been looking at what makes prime numbers so distinctive. The
latter topic has tied in nicely with prime factorizations, which students said they enjoyed
performing. This also led smoothly into our work with exponents, square roots, perfect
squares, and scientific notation. Our last topics in the first quarter will focus on fraction,
decimal, and percent conversions and comparisons, along with integer comparisons.
7TH LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSES ANALYZE SHORT STORIES
The seventh grade students have examined and written short stories for the
duration of the first nine weeks. Students have analyzed the different types of conflicts
and character traits. They also have investigated the plot diagram, the elements of a short
story, and have produced interesting presentations. In addition, students have written,
edited, and presented their own short story in Power Point, adding fascinating photos and
pictures as an exciting culminating event for all. Some have conducted “Student-led
Conferences” for this nine weeks.
THE EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED STATES
In 7th grade social studies, students have learned the reasons for westward
expansion and how settlers used new technologies to adapt to living in the West. They
also explored the relationships among natural resources, transportation, and industrial
development after 1877, as well as the reasons for the increase in immigration and the
growth of cities. Key issues during the Progressive Movement, both positive and
negative, were studied including child labor, the need for safety laws, the formation of
labor unions, the fight for women’s suffrage, and the temperance movement.
Students are currently analyzing the causes of World War I, what led to U.S.
involvement in the war, and the role the U.S. played at the conclusion of the war.
Roaring ‘20s, here we come!
7TH GRADE ADVANCED MATH CLASS
The 7th grade advanced math class has been working on a mathematical
properties project this week. Students are researching properties such as the commutative
properties of addition and multiplication, the associative properties of addition and
multiplication, the distributive property, the additive and multiplicative identity
properties, and the additive and multiplicative inverse properties.
In conjunction with their research, students selected one of the properties
with which to create a project. Students have been very involved in creating a rubric to
help guide their work, have worked with their partners in creating some very unique ideas
for their products, and have had great fun in the entire process. Students will begin
presenting their projects on October 26.
A BIG HELLO FROM 7TH SCIENCE
Ski Resort by Emily Walsh and Colette Rogers
We were so excited to get to the resort. We
parked in the parking lot, then went into the lodge
and paid for a day of skiing and snowboarding.
After that, we went into the rental shop to get our
boots and other equipment then walked out onto the
snow. We got our skis and snowboards on and
wobbled toward the chair lift and went to the hill we
wanted to go down. When we were going down the
trail we saw snow guns, which make most of the snow
on the hill. We also saw trees lining the border of the
ski resort. After we went down the trail a few times
we started getting hungry, so we went to the
restaurant and got some warm food. Then we
threw our trash away. Then we did some more
skiing. And that was our trip.
“Science! You call this Science???”
Absolutely!
In our plant unit the students are learning about photosynthesis, respiration, and
fermentation. Because of stories the students made in our last unit on cells, they were
able to use these analogies to help
understand where the chemical
reactions occur. So let’s take a
deeper look into that story:
The cell is being compared
to the ski resort. The nucleus is the
lodge. That is where all the
important decisions are made in
running the resort smoothly. The
nucleolus is the CEO of the resort.
His office is in the lodge. The cell
membrane is the trees surrounding
the resort. There are only certain
places where people can enter or exit the resort. The cytoplasm is the snow. This is
where you will find all of the organelles. The mitochondria are the snow guns because
they are the energy producers for the resort. The vacuole is the restaurant because that is
where all of the food and beverages are stored. The lysosomes are the trashcans since
they are like the cell’s recycling center and waste area. The Golgi Complex is the rental
shop. It is here where the proteins (skis, boots, and snowboards) are packaged. The
ribosomes, the people wearing the equipment, get transported throughout the hill by both
the trails and the ski lift.
This is a pretty great way to learn about the parts and functions of the cell. Soon,
they will be transferring their knowledge toward understanding why scientists came up
with how all living things were classified into kingdoms, phylums, and so on. Talk to
your child about what they are learning in science. You’ll be amazed!
HONORS ALGEBRA
The 7th and 8th grade Honors Algebra students are off to a great start to the school
year. Once nervous and anxious about Algebra, the young budding mathematicians now
seem more comfortable and confident. They have shown impressive motivation and
interest in the topics so far and their stellar academic performance is to be applauded.
They also appear to appreciate and enjoy all the new review games that precede their
tests and quizzes. Their first class project will begin next week and I'm looking forward
to some neat and genuine products. It's been rewarding so far and I'm looking forward to
a great year with the young mathematicians. Thanks to the parents for their continued
support and effort in their students' mathematical development.
GEOMETRY
The geometry students have finished the first three chapters of the Discovering
Geometry text. We have covered foundational material, reasoning, and constructions.
Students have done a wonderful job adapting to this high school level course. The
students will take the first quarter assessment on Friday, October 30. We have begun
working on an in depth discovery of triangles. This chapter 4 material will be tested on
Thursday, October 29th. Remember the textbook can be accessed from home at the
website www.keymath.com/DG3 <http://www.keymath.com/DG3> . The class passes
are pease2nd and pease4th.
NEWS ON THE SCIENCE FRONTIER-8TH GRADE
Ms. Evans’ physical science students are getting ready to show what they learned in
science so far by creating an original physics experiment. They will perform the
experiment in class and present their results to their classmates. This is going to be very
exciting and great practice for young science students! This year so far, we’ve learned
just how cold liquid nitrogen is, how to make ice cream really quickly, what happens
when you crank a generator, how Rube Goldberg might pour a glass of orange juice, and
that packing peanuts aren’t all Styrofoam. Students had fun trying to match a motion
graph and beating each other’s high scores. We have played online physics games and
even experienced the physics of roller coasters at Busch Gardens. (I can’t tell you how
many students mentioned potential and kinetic energy to me that day!) We have
especially enjoyed working with Ms. Laura Stocke, our UVA teaching associate.
Coming up next: chemistry ... Just you wait!
MS. LEE’S 8TH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSES
In addition to vocabulary building and literary discussions, Ms. Lee’s classes have
begun our medieval unit. So far, we have discussed The Canterbury Tales, and the
students have memorized lines from Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a
Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz. The students have conducted research about
various medieval topics, including foods, clothing, laws and punishments, weapons, and
buildings. Not only are my 8th language arts classes participating in medieval studies but
also Mr. Crow’s technology classes and Mrs. Hollins’ choir. Other classes have also
expressed interest in participating in the medieval festival to be held Wednesday,
December 2, and Thursday, December 3 (more details will be provided). We sincerely
hope you will be able to attend and see for yourself the students’ final products.
In order for the students to bring to life that which they have read about, Mr.
Crow and I would appreciate any donations you could provide.
So far, we could use more of the following:
Wood (for swords, shields, booths, stocks, etc.)
Fabric (for costumes, hats, tents, booths, etc.)
Metal (for shields and armor)
Paint
Food item donations
Any medieval costumes or props that may be on sale after Halloween
MRS. KENNEDY’S 8TH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSES
This nine weeks Mrs. Kennedy’s 8th grade language arts classes have been quite
busy. The classes have read two novels: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
and The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Additionally, students have read several short stories
and presented oral book reports on their independent reading books to their respective
classes. Literary and grammatical elements have been reviewed as well. Furthermore,
students have also been writing and learning Latin roots.
SPANISH ROCKS
In Spanish I (grade 8) the students are reading a “telenovela” (soap opera in Spanish).
The Spanish Exploratory (grade 7) students are acting out the action verbs in Spanish and
are starting to read simple stories in Spanish. The Spanish Conversation class (grade 6)
just completed their “Picassoesque” self-portraits and is learning about Spain. They have
already instructed their classmates how to color a picture in Spanish!
FRENCH ACTIVITIES
The Sutherland French students are focusing on two different areas during the first
nine weeks of school.
The eighth graders are preparing to present projects on famous attractions in Paris.
They are preparing slide presentations and written reports for presentations.
The seventh graders are learning expressions for likes and dislikes. They have
presented oral monologues in class for pronunciation grades and they are learning to
create phrases and questions with their new vocabulary.
GIFTED AND TALENTED ACTIVITIES
(OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS)
The year is off to a great start with students busily preparing for upcoming
competitions. The Robosharks have taken on the SmartMove challenge, this year’s First
Lego League topic. They are tackling robot design and programming, and have decided
to research Albemarle County Public School busing issues for their presentation.
Innovation: Impact and Change, the National History Day theme for this year, has
enticed students to sign up for this challenge. Each student or group of students will
choose an invention to research. In the spring, after months of preparation, they will show
the judges the impact their chosen invention has had on the world.
Sutherland students are taking on the MathCounts challenge as well. We have a full
classroom of competitors who are dedicated to spending time honing their problem
solving skills. Speed, accuracy, and teamwork will be developed as we prepare for the
competition in February.
The Sutherland Seven S’s, our 6th grade DI team, will be competing in the annual
Destination Imagination competition this spring. We are also hoping to form a team of 7th
and 8th graders.
The Stock Market Game is offered during Club Time this year. MRT Inc., The
Brunettes, The Stock Box, Triple T, The Duck, and the Bill Gators will be competing to
see who can build the biggest fortune in the stock market.
Our Writer’s Eye field trip to the UVA art museum will be held on October 15th.
Look for news of the upcoming DAR Essay contest, The Golden Spike of the
Transcontinental Railroad. Information regarding participation on the Piedmont Regional
Science Fair will be coming later this semester as well.
Congratulations and good luck to all participating Sutherland students in these
academic endeavors. We are proud to have you represent us.
ORCHESTRA NEWS
The orchestras will perform their winter concert on Tuesday, December 8, at
Albemarle High School. The concert is at 7pm and is free to the public.
The annual orchestra poinsettia sale will conclude in early November. Please contact
Mrs. Finnegan or a member of the orchestra to order your holiday plants this year.
7th and 8th grade orchestra members are encouraged to audition for Junior Regional
Orchestra. You must sign up with Mrs. Finnegan, in advance, and the auditions are held
at Jack Jouett Middle School on January 16 at 9am.
Other important orchestra dates:
Saturday, March 13 - District Orchestra Festival (grades 7 and 8)
Friday-Saturday, March 26-27 - Junior Regional Orchestra event (select members, grades
7 and 8)
Thursday, May 6 - Spring Orchestra Concert (all grades)
Friday - Sunday, May 21-23 - Spring String Thing camp at JMU (interested members,
grades 7 and 8)
DRAMA DEPARTMENT
The students in the Drama Department have been very busy this nine weeks learning
and putting into practice techniques that will help all students understand the various
aspects of performing on stage as well as how to be a supportive and understanding
audience.
The seventh grade drama students have been concentrating on games and activities
that help them alleviate their fears of performing in front of an audience. They
participated in pantomime and vocal activities and games to help them develop tools to
improve their performance skills. The eighth grade drama students have also been
working on similar techniques at a slightly advanced level. Both groups have
individually performed assigned monologues for the class and are currently performing
monologues that they themselves have chosen.
The drama department will present a night of one-act plays to showcase their talents
and techniques on January 13, 2010 in the gathering area of Sutherland Middle School.
CHORAL DEPARTMENT
All choral students are hard at work developing and improving their singing technique
this nine weeks in preparation for the upcoming Holiday Concert on December 9, 2009.
The choirs are learning the importance of proper physical breathing and vocal practices
as they rehearse during each class period. Some of the songs that will be featured during
the concert are “The Polar Express”, “A Bell Carol”, and “Shut De Do”.
LIFE SKILLS DEPARTMENT
Students in the Life Skills Department have been investigating and discussing the
importance of knowing about themselves, child development, developing good character,
and making a difference in society. They are currently about to begin a unit on simple
sewing techniques and will be making aprons from tea towels in preparation for a unit
that will cover cooking basics. At the end of this unit, the students will create a Fall
Holiday Treat!
6TH GRADE MUSIC
The 6th grade general music students have been actively exploring all kinds of music
aspects this nine weeks through discussion and games. The content has included music
symbols, reading and counting basic rhythms, reading the staff, identifying orchestral
instruments, and evaluating various musical styles. More recently, the classes have been
active in writing music and moving to a more recent style of square dance!
CLINIC NEWS
The clinic has been busy with illness (mostly nasal congestion, sore throats,
stomachaches, headaches, some fevers) and bumps and scrapes.
If you want your child to be able to have pain medicine at school if he/she becomes
sick or injured, he/she must have a completed medicine form in the clinic. The student
must also supply the medicine. Having a medicine form and medicine already in the
clinic frequently saves a parent trip to school!
Please encourage frequent hand washing by your child. Encourage good cold,
cough, and sneeze etiquette. All of these help prevent spreading illnesses. Our goal is the
same—a healthy and successful school year for children and staff.
THE GUIDANCE UP-DATE
The 7th grade students will have a wonderful opportunity to attend the Career Expo at
the University of Virginia on Tuesday, November 17th, from 9:15 to 12:00. The
counselors, Ms. East and Mr. Guy, will present a preview in their Language Arts classes
on Monday and Tuesday, November 9th & 10th. The morning at UVA will consist of a
ballroom full of exhibitors from various careers sharing information with the students on
what qualifications are necessary for particular jobs. Afterwards, the students will hear
two presentations. One presenter, who is a professional from the area, will speak about
important skills essential to securing a desired job. In addition, UVA students will
present in another session about challenging oneself while in school to learn important
skills essential to become a life-long learner.
The 7th grade students will travel to UVA on 5 buses with their teachers and
counselors as their chaperones. We will return to Sutherland just in time for lunch. We
are all looking forward to a great adventure!
Ms. East and Mr. Guy met with all of the 6th graders in the first month of school,
introduced themselves, and presented information for the students to make sure that they
know what services are available through the Guidance Department. Many students have
had lunch bunch groups with the counselors, and it has been great fun meeting all the
new Sutherland Sharks!
The counselors have also visited most of the 8th grade Health classes to present a
lesson on using “I” messages to improve communication with friends and family.
Students role-played various scenarios to practice these important skills. Hopefully, you
may notice new ways in which your sons and daughters communicate at home.
At the end of January, the guidance counselors will begin to make classroom visits
and discuss the upcoming course requirements for 2010 – 2011. As we present the
information, there will be notification of parent programs, as well, so stayed tuned to the
SMS newsletter, web site, and emails.
SUTHERLAND RUNNING CLUB
The Sutherland Running Club is a new club for the 2009-2010 school year. Open
to all students, the club’s goal is to not only promote healthy life-long exercise habits, but
to encourage students’ involvement within their community. The club’s planned physical
activities include proper stretching, warm-up and cool down exercises and of course,
running. In the future, Ms. Davis and Ms. Desimini, club advisors, strive to have “club
runners” involved with local running events either as participants or even as race
volunteers. Ultimately, The Sutherland Running Club would like to organize their own
race in the spring of 2010 that would benefit a charity of the club’s choosing. Ms. Davis
and Ms. Desimini welcome any parent participation in planning and/or helping with the
event! On your mark, get set, GO Sutherland Running Club!
CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION CLUB
There are an abundant amount of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students actively
participating in the Campus Beautification Club sponsored by teachers, Mrs. Karen
Singel and Mrs. Cheryl Harris. These students, who chose to sign up, volunteered their
time, effort, and expertise in beautifying the front left side of the entrance to the school.
They trimmed hedges and the huge Holly tree. They also gathered the cuttings of the
shrubbery, tossed them over the back embankment to encourage growth and to help in
stopping the possibility of erosion. The cheerful crew continued to clear out the area,
then planted 12 Mums within the thick mulch. Thanks to the members and sponsors for a
job well done on a project in which everyone can enjoy!
FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION
Family Life Education will be taught in January. All students are included in Family
Life classes unless parent notification is given to the child's health teacher. If you wish
for your child to opt out of Family Life Education, please notify by December 1st so an
alternate assignment can be given during that time. The family life curriculum is
available for review in the Media Center.
ARCHERY COMING TO PE AGAIN THIS YEAR
Students have enjoyed learning to shoot a bow and arrow in PE the past couple of
years. Student will participate in archery again this year, in December, thanks to a grant
from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
SIXTH GRADE SKATING PROGRAM
Sixth graders have the opportunity to participate in inline skating in PE class in
January. Skates are provided from a rental company called Skatetime. The cost will be
$9 for skates and safety equipment for 2 weeks of skating during PE. Students cannot
bring their own skates because of insurance policies but they can bring their own helmets
and protective gear if desired. More information will be coming home in late November.
SEVENTH GRADE RIDING MOUNTAIN BIKES
7th grade will be riding mountain bikes in PE class thanks to a PE grant awarded a
few years ago. Students enjoy riding while learning bike safety and biking skills to
improve enjoyment of this life long activity.
EIGHTH GRADE HAVING GOLF INSTRUCTION
8th graders can look forward to participating in golf instruction in PE. A new
teaching method and equipment will be used to teach students golfing skills. The PE
department could use some additional golf clubs. Contact Ms. Davis if you'd like to
donate some used equipment.
LOOKING AHEAD
Hoops for Heart and Jump Rope for Heart, sponsored by the PE department, will be
in March this year. Over 30 students participated last year to raise approximately $1500.
for the American Heart Association. We hope to exceed that amount this year with more
participants and donations. Our “thank you celebration” occurs during 1st block and
includes contests, prizes, and free refreshments.
ALBEMARLE COUNTY SCHIOOL BOARD SEEKS APPLICANTS
Long Range Planning Advisory Committee
The Albemarle County School Board is accepting applications for membership on
the Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee from the following magisterial districts:
Jack Jouett, Rio, Rivanna, Samuel Miller, and White Hall.
The Committee will analyze enrollment trend data, population growth trends,
building capacities, staffing standards, and other relevant information to develop
recommendations for the School Board concerning facility needs for the Capital
Improvement Program. The Committee is also part of any redistricting committee that is
convened.
School Health Advisory Board
The Albemarle County School Board invites parents and community members to
apply for membership on the School Health Advisory Board. The Board meets at least
four times a year and annually reports to the School Board on the status of school health
education and services in each of the division’s schools. The report also includes an
assessment of health needs of school-aged children in the school division and may
include recommendations designed to address the needs identified in this process.
Applications are being accepted for representatives from the following magisterial
districts: Jack Jouett, Rio, Samuel Miller, and White Hall. In addition, the Board is
accepting applications for the “Other Health Professional” representative.
Applications for both committees are available on-line at www.k12albemarle.org
<http://www.k12albemarle.org> , under School Board, then Committees, in the School
Board Office at 401 McIntire Road, County Office Building, Room 345, or by calling
972-4055. Applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 11, 2009.
Applications can be faxed to 434-296-5869, emailed to jjohnston@k12albemarle.org
<mailto:jjohnston@k12albemarle.org> or mailed to
Albemarle County School Board
Attention: Jennifer Johnston
401 McIntire Road, Room 345
Charlottesville, VA 22902