Parents: Are You Ready For
Middle School?
Silver Spring International
Middle School
Parent Summer Orientation
2010-2011
AGENDA
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Welcome
Icebreaker
Scheduling
Requirements &
Expectations
Communication
Attendance
Counseling and other
school resources
Important Dates
ICEBREAKER: The Company
You Keep
SCHEDULING
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8 period schedule
odd days - 1, 3, 5, & 7
even days – 2, 4, 6, & 8
School starts at 7:55 a.m.
Classes last approximately 1.5
hours
• All students take English,
world studies, science, math,
physical education/health
SCHEDULING
• Foreign Language/GT English
– Placement based on 5th grade
teacher recommendation
– MSA scores and other assessment
criteria are considered in
placement decision
– Student must be identified in
Grade 5 as working above grade
level in English and Reading to
take a Foreign Language or to
take GT English
– Foreign Language Classes are high
school credited courses
SCHEDULING
• Schedule distribution process
– Given to everyone on the first day of
school
– Given to 6th graders who attend the
August 26th orientation
• Schedule changes
– Criteria - meet with teacher, discuss
with grade level counselor, consult
with resource teacher
– NOT ALL CHANGES ARE POSSIBLE
– 1st choice electives don’t always fit
into schedule
REQUIREMENTS – Preparing For
Middle School
• Summer Reading and Math
packets
– All students in grades 6, 7, and
8
– Both packets are due the first
week of school
– Both packets count as a
portion of your child’s first
quarter grade
– Available online
– Not used to determine
placement
REQUIREMENTS - SSL
• Student Service Learning Hours
– 75 hours minimum are required for all
students to graduate from high
school
– Summer hours must be turned in by
September 30th to earn credit
– Middle School courses in which hours
are automatically earned if class is
passed: Grade 6 Science, Grade 7
English, and Grade 8 Social Studies
– Ms. Cindy Mannix is the Student
Service Learning Coordinator
EXPECTATIONS - Academics
• Academics
– Write down all homework
assignments in the planner
– Bring planner to each class every day
– Planner is also used as a hall pass
– Check Edline often
– Take advantage of extra support
during and/or after school
– Complete class work and homework
in a timely manner
– Come to school prepared with
materials
EXPECTATIONS – Student Attire
• Attire
– Girls: no spaghetti straps on a shirt
or dress; no off the shoulder tops,
no shorts or skirts that are shorter
than finger tip length; no low cut
tops; no sheer blouses or t-shirts
– Boys: no pants hanging low
enough for underwear to be seen
– Everyone: NO pajama pants; no
bedroom shoes
EXPECTATIONS – Student Attire
• Attire: Students who come
to school dressed
inappropriately are asked
to change clothes
immediately; students who
repeatedly have to be told
that their clothing is
inappropriate will receive
detention or other
disciplinary action as
appropriate.
EXPECTATIONS - Electronics
• Cell phone use
– No phones should be on
during the school day; no
exceptions
– Confiscated phones are
turned in to security and will
be released to the parent
only
– Students who repeatedly
violate the rules for cell
phone use will be given a
disciplinary action
EXPECTATIONS - Behavior
• Discipline Policy
– Infractions and their
consequences are printed in
the student planner
– No loitering after school:
must be in a sponsored after
school activity to remain on
school property AFTER the
school day has ended
– PBIS: Positive Behavioral
Interventions & Supports
COMMUNICATION
• Edline
– Parents AND students have
separate Edline accounts
– Updated bi-weekly by
teachers
– Accounts for parents are
given at Back To School
Night
COMMUNICATION
• Interims and Report Cards
- All interims are mailed home in the
middle of the marking period
- Report card distribution: given to
students (Quarter 4 mailed home)
- Report card distribution dates on
MCPS calendar
- Questions about a specific grade
earned or assignment should be
directed to your child’s teacher
- November 11: Parent conference
night/1st quarter report card
distributed to parents
Staying connected with your
middle school
• Contact the attendance
secretary if your child will be
absent or late to school
• Notify the counseling
department if your family
changes residence at any time
during the school year
• Monitor homework
• Stay in touch with the school
regarding your child’s
academic and personal needs
COMMUNICATION
• Getting in touch with your
child’s teacher or other
staff member
• Kid Day meetings/parent
conferences
• Silver Spring International
Middle School website and
MCPS website
WEBSITES
• Edline: www.edline.net
• Montgomery County
Public Schools:
www.montgomeryschools
md.org
• Silver Spring International
Middle School:
www.montgomeryschools
md.org/schools/ssims/
ATTENDANCE
• School hours: 7:55 AM –
2:40 PM
• Excused absences
– Requesting missed work
• Unexcused absences
• Tardiness
– 3 tardies to any class =
detention (during lunch or
after school)
– Tardy to school = after
school detention
COUNSELING & OTHER SCHOOL
RESOURCES
• Counseling Department
• Linkages to Learning
• Parent and Community
Outreach Coordinator
• IEP Team
• School psychologist
• Pupil Personnel Worker
(PPW)
IMPORTANT DATES
• Back to School Night:
September 16th
• Parent Conference Night:
November 11th
• County-wide new student
orientation: August 26th
• Outdoor Education: Week
of November 15th
Any questions?
Middle Years Programme (MYP)
• What is it?
– Signature program for grades 610 developed by the
International Baccalaureate
Organization (IBO)
– The program encourages
research, the acquisition and
application of critical thinking
skills, and the study of a second
language.
– All students at SSI are
automatically enrolled in MYP
What will be required of my child?
• There is nothing additional that will be
required for your student to complete as
part of MYP
• All components of MYP are aligned with
MCPS objectives
Example – In 6th grade science classes students will
examine Sligo Creek under the microscope literally
and figuratively as students bring their study of the
effects of human actions on the Chesapeake Bay
watershed by measuring levels of pollution, oxygen,
nutrients and viable life forms in the waterway that
flows past our doorstep.
• What courses participate in
MYP?
– ALL courses
• How will I know how my student
is progressing according to MYP?
– All students complete MYP
assessments. These assessments are
graded based on criteria set by
IBO.
– All MYP assessment grades are
entered on Edline as “ungraded
assessment”
How does MYP make SSI different
from other MCPS schools?
• MYP organize their units around a
central theme and connect all of
the students’ learning experiences,
inside and outside of the classroom
to that theme. The themes for MYP
units are drawn from authentic
issues, ideas and events that
provide relevance to our students
For more information on MYP
see our school website