N o ve m b e r 1 9 , 2 012
V o l u m e 1, I s s u e 1
T a u r i n H a r d y : Pr i n ci p a l
An t o n i o H a r ve y : As s i s t a n t Pr i n ci p a l
Contents
Principal’s News
Counselor Updates
Upcoming Events
Mission and Vision
6 th Grade News
Winter Uniforms
Tardies/Attendance
7th Grade News
8th Grade News
Exceptional Children
Band 5
Assistant Principal News 5
4
5
2
3
2
2
Instructional Facilitator 5
Library 6
6 Green Team
1
2
1
1
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11/28/12 Home
Basketball Game vs Cummings
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Discovery
Assessment
11/28/12
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Parent Power
Breakfast 12/6/12
8:00 a.m
Greetings parents and students! I want to thank you for your continued support of
Vance Middle School and all that we are trying to accomplish this year. Your help, support, and passion for your child’s learning is what drives the school. It’s hard to believe that the Holiday Season is upon us.
The school year has gone by so quickly that this is only our first newsletter. As we continue to embark on an unchanging future of high stakes testing and assessments, I want us to be diligent with our children in their studies. Our students need to know the importance of doing their best at all times and in all aspects; academically and behaviorally. TCAP assessments are still 15 percent of students final grades, therefore our students must come to school every day prepared to learn. That means they are here at 7:20 for homeroom, they are in proper uniform, they have school materials, they are not engaging in negative behaviors that distract the learning environment, and they are practicing our R.E.A.C.H Values of
Respect, Enthusiasm, Achievement, Caring, and Hard-work.
I want Vance Middle School to be the best
Middle School in the city of Memphis. We have some of the smartest students in the city, the best teachers in MCS, and the support of one of the most passionate communities in all of the city. With all of that in our favor, there is no reason for us not to be. Parents never forget that you are welcomed to come visit the school at any time to sit in class with your child and eat lunch with them. We are placing a survey on the school website to let us know how we can better serve you and our students. Please take the time to complete. The link to our website is located on the last page of our newsletter. Once again thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the Best
School in the City, Vance Middle School.
8th grade students just completed the
ACT Explore Test Nov. 7-8 (This test helps 8 th Graders explore a wide range of options for college and career.
Results are coming back soon.
VMS celebrated Red Ribbon Week Oct.
23-31, 2012 - A Contest was held
6th grade winner Marquisha Carpenter,
7th grade winners Kentya and Kentia
Strickland
8th grade winner Chrysia Mayhue.
Honorable mention 6th grade
Unveyunce Fitch.
VMS is currently celebrating National
Bullying Awareness Week Nov. 12 -
17, 2012. A rap, poem, essay, skit, or art contest is going on. Winners announced Nov. 19, 2012
Kingian Nonviolence Training conducted with all students Nov.
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th
The MISSION of our school is for our students to have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to reach their potential as responsible, productive citizens in a global economy and multicultural society.
The VISION of Vance
Middle School is to provide a quality education that develops knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will enable students to reach their maximum potential as responsible, life-long learners, and productive citizens
Sixth Grade teachers and students would like to thank everyone who supported the sell of Spook-O-Grams. Spook-O-
Gram sells will help fund the Sixth Grade celebration that will be held on Tuesday,
Monday, November 26, 2012.
After-School tutoring opportunities are also available from 2:30-4:30 for students need extra assistance.
November 20, 2012.
Attention Parents: Students will be given homework packets that are to be completed over the Thanksgiving Break.
Packets are to be returned to school on
Thanks for Your Support
6th Grade Teachers
Parents with the weather changing, please make sure that your child is coming to school appropriately dressed.
This means NO SHORTS. Students should have a jacket to wear to school and a uniform color sweater to wear in the building. At no time will students be allowed to come to school with shorts on in the winter months. If this is an issue for you, please contact me at the school. - Mr. Hardy
Parents there has been a number of students that have been coming repeatedly late to school. Please remember that school starts at 7:20 with breakfast being served at 7:00 a.m. Students need to get a good nights rest so that they are ready to for the rigor of the school day.
Tardy students will face disciplinary
measures including: 3 tardies in a quarter=detention, 6 tardies in a quarter=In school suspension, 9 tardies in a quarter= out of school suspension,
12 tardies in a quarter= Parent and student sent to the truancy office/judge.
It is vital that our young people are here
ON TIME every day to receive the knowledge that we have to give them.
Parents it is up to US!

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In 7th Grade Science students will be introduced to a new type of inquiry learning. Students will begin using an
Internet program called Gizmos. The students use computer based technology to complete real life activities. Each student will be given an id to log onto the Gizmos site and complete assignments. Gizmos is a fun interactive way for students to experience lab activities that require either longer periods of study or resources that are not readily available. Students will be able to use their Gizmos account at home to gain further scientific knowledge. Gizmos were also developed for Mathematics instruction and
Common Core Standards. It is my hope that all parents will encourage their children to use
Gizmos to increase their Scientific and Mathematic reasoning. Students will be going to the science lab in Mr. Blackwell's 7th grade Science Lab weekly to work on Gizmos.
10 Ways to improve your Math Skills
Everyday
1. Figure out the change you should get back from the cashier before the register gives the answer.
2. During commercial breaks, calculate the amount of time left in the show you are watching.
3. Estimate the total of your shopping purchase before you check out.
4. Determine the tip you will leave at dinner without pulling out a tip guide.
5. When in a group of people (like at a concert or sporting event), count a small section of people then use this to estimate the total number of people.
6. Instead of asking someone’s age, ask the year they were born and figure the age out yourself.
7. Determine the number of days until your birthday.
8. When traveling in a car, estimate the distance you have traveled (use your odometer to check your accuracy).
9. Adjust the quantities of a recipe without relying on a calculator.
10. Calculate the number of hours until you leave work/school for the week.
In 7th grade Language Arts, students have been really enjoying the fantasy book, The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Students have been progressing rapidly in their reading levels and interest in reading in general because of the door that this book has opened. The next book students will be reading is a non-fiction book, Claudette
Colvin Twice Toward Justice By Phillip
Hoose. This book is about a young girl, about the age of these 7th graders, who stood up for her rights on the bus even before Rosa Parks did in the Civil Rights
Era. I hope that this book unglazes the eyes of these students' stances on social justice, equality and the privilege of education. I'd also like to shout out two students, Kentia Strickland: for having the the
Arts and Courtney Hicks: for being
grade in 7th grade Language
behaviorally and academically.
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Congratulations, to Mr. W. Clark's Social
Studies Class, on your European
Exploration Time Line Project; a job well done! Let’s shout out to all of the students who have shown mastery in
Social Studies for the 2nd nine week progress report.
-Mr. Clark
Caption describing picture or graphic .
-
Ms. White referring to her Pre-Algebra
Students.
Science after-school tutoring is being held each Thursday from 2:30 - 3:30
PM. Currently, the instructional focus for Grade 8 Science is geared towards students achieving at least an 80% mastery of tested SPIs in the areas of properties of matter and chemical reactions. Additionally, students are given classnotes and homework daily. I am requesting of all parents/guardians to have your child(ren) to study each evening. STUDYING IS HOMEWORK!
A child's success as a reader begins much earlier than the first day of school. Reading, and a love for reading, begins at home. My tip for this month is to Read aloud to improve your childs listening ability, concentration skills and comprehension. A 2008 study published in the "Archives of Disease in Childhood" and led by Elisabeth Duursma, Ed.D., found that reading aloud to children helps the child understand syntax, grammar and story structure. These skills are vital as your child works to bring their reading ability up to grade level. Read books that are more complex in nature, and stop frequently to assess their comprehension level.
Make this a fun time for both of you.
Upcoming Events:
1. Unit 4 Exam on Solving Equations with variables on both sides, Isolating a variable, and Graphing Systems of equations on November 21, 2012.
2. Students will have a 100 point skill packet to complete over Thanksgiving break.
3. Students are thinking critically, willingly writing, beginning to work with one another to solve problems and learn life-long skills of COMMUNICATING
EFFECTIVELY!
Parents and Guardians continue to encourage your children to seek success through HARD WORK! They are already brilliant, now they just need to work hard to continue to BURN BRIGHT!
-Ms. White

Parents, last week, Wednesday,
November 7, 2012 our class began implementing Learning Centers.
Currently, we have a Tier II Reading
Center. This is a Technology based
Reading Center that include Reading
Plus and Starfall.
We also have Literacy Centers. In the
Literacy Centers the students will be using Literacy Folders. The Literacy folders can also be taken to the student’s seats. The folders will focus on reading and writing skills, practice and review and individual practice.
Each folder will contain step-by-step directions and each folder will have task cards and answer sheet forms in the pockets. I will also be working with students one-on-one as needed.
Parents, if you are in the area or have some spare time please feel free to stop buy and visit with us.
The Vance Eagle Band is making significant progress. We are preparing for a December performance. (Go Vance
Eagles, Eye of the Tiger, Jingle Bells,
Drum Line Solo). Also, BTW's Ms. Murray and I request a band field trip to our school Dec 7 or 14 to perform for us, listen to us and integrate our bands in collaborative workshop activities.
Tutoring Every
Tuesday and
Thursday 2:30-4:30
Hello Parents and students. I will begin a Mathematics Fantasy Basketball league starting in December. Fantasy sports are a hit worldwide, and now teachers and parents can take advantage of this phenomenon to give students a reason to look forward to doing math. The games and activities in
Fantasy Basketball and Mathematics will get kids excited about learning and practicing math, even if they're not big sports fans. With this fun-filled educational resource, you can teach one math concept or many and plan lessons that can last for a week or a whole season.
Vance has Extended Learning
(Tutoring) Every Tuesday and
Thursday from 2:30-4:30 pm.
Please make sure that your child is in attendances to receive extra support in the areas of Math,
Reading, and Science.
Our next Discovery Education
Assessment will be Thursday
November 28 th . Parents we want to see all of our students on the
Green Team, so make sure that they are doing their homework and spending at least one hour a night studying. We are AdVanceD!

Reading Club meets every other Tuesday of the month. Dates for rest of the semester are:
November 27, 2012 and December 11,
2012
Vance Middle School
673 Vance Ave
Memphis, TN 38126
Phone:
(901) 416-3256
Fax:
(901) 416-3257
http://www.mcsk12.net/schools/ vance.ms/site/index.shtml
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Mr. Hardy wants to give a special shout out to all of our Green Team Members for 1 st Quarter. These students scored green (proficient) or blue (advanced) on their first Discovery Assessment of the year:
6 th Grade Math: Sean Adams, Nakiya
Cathey, Unveyunce Fitch, Tony Rush
(Adv), Madison Velez.
6 th Grade RLA: Sean Adams, Marquisha
Carpenter, Unveyunce Fitch, Kristin
Fletcher, Bonterial Lewis, Brandon
Mitchell, Tony Rush, Madison Velez,
Kobe White, Tamarcus Whitley.
6
, th Grade Science: Sean Adams,
Marques Boatwright, Marquisha
Carpenter, Nakiya Cathey, Maxcine
Jones, Jerrika McDaniel, Brandon
Mitchell, Tony Rush, Kobe White,
Tamarcus Whitley.
7 th Grade Math: Lauren Allen-Leake,
Demarcus Humphrey, Keairen Myrick,
Hermeisha Perkins, Montrell Polk (Adv),
Kevonte’ White.
7 th Grade RLA: Lauren Allen-Leake,
Marvalisha Carpenter, Coreyonte Hayes,
Bryan Jordan, Hermeisha Perkins.
Montrell Polk (Adv), Kentia Strickland
(Adv), Kentya Strickland, Dorothy
Wright.
7 th Grade Science: Lauren Allen-Leake,
Marvalisha Carpenter, Marqueria Craig
(Adv), Coreyonte Hayes, Derinisha
Jackson (Adv), Bryan Jordan (Adv),
Latonia Moment, Hermeisha Perkins,
Montrell Polk (Adv), Carlina Richmond,
Kentia Strickland (Adv), Kentya
Strickland (Adv), LaDarius
Wallace.
8 th Grade Math: Markell Boyce(Adv),
Joshua Conrad, Traquencia Hill,
Markesia Humphrey, Kaylon Jackson
(Adv), Mariesha King, Jarques Maxwell,
Jamiya Means, Nadia Noel, Antonia
Poindexter(Adv), Karlissia Singleton,
Mahki Wallace, Tarmesica Williams,
Kenisha Wright(Adv)
8 th Grade RLA: Markell Boyce, Goldy
Chapman, Keion Covington, Tatsyana
Davis, Tyreenisha Douglas, Destiny
Holmes, Markesia Humphrey, Brian
Jones, Mariesha King, Sarah Lawrence,
Takaila Marshall, Patrice Martin, Chrysia
Mayhue, Jamiya Means, Asia Mosely,
Karlissia Singleton, Ladarrious Temple,
Asia Webb, Kenisha Wright.
8 th Grade Science: Gregory Bell, Kelsey
Brasswell, Christopher Carson, Goldy
Chapman, Stephon Davenport, Tatsyana
Davis, Tyreenisha Doughlas, Arian
Henry, Traquencia Hill, Destiny Holmes,
Deangelo Hughes, Markesia Humphrey,
Kaylon Jackson, LeAntonio Jones, Sarah
Lawrence, Nairobi Lyons, Tavarius
McKay, Jamiya Means, Asia Mosley,
Antonia Poindexter, Laperrious
Richardson, Charlsetta Riley, Briana
Roby, Karlissia Singleton, Mahki
Wallace, Asia Webb, Gabriel Wicks,