October 22, 2021 Middle School Principal Message Please join us in wishing our fantastic MS Administrative Assistant Kim McDonald a fond farewell! Kim is relocating back to her home state of California and returning to Cal State - San Bernardino this time as a project coordinator for the Institute for Child Development & Family Relations. Previously she was a research coordinator there with the University Center for Developmental Disabilities program prior to relocating to Oahu in 2017 to help care for her grandchildren. While back here we were fortunate enough to have her return to LJA where she once worked and where her daughter was part of the first graduating class. Needless to say, the students, faculty and staff here will miss her dearly as she truly has been a vital part of our daily lives over the past few years, especially during our more challenging days of the pandemic. Yours truly cannot say enough about what a great colleague she has been to work with and more importantly what a great friend she has been not only to me but to everyone she interacts with every day. I know she is very excited for her new position and to be closer to her newest grandchild who just turned 6 months, but she is sad to leave our kiddos!
Kim's last official day in her position will be today, Friday, October 22 however, she has graciously agreed to help out with the transition and training until she leaves for California in early November.
We thank you for everything Mrs. McDonald - your MS Ohana will miss you dearly!
Girls Intermediate Basketball It's not too late to join! Girls intermediate basketball still looking for players. Practice times: Monday-Friday 4:00pm-6:00pm. If interested please contact Jana Fraser at jana.fraser@lejardinacademy.org. No experience necessary.
LJA Halloween Celebration
The campus will be celebrating Halloween this year on Friday, October 29! (A day) Students may wear their Halloween costumes to school on this day.
Student Guidelines and Expectations for Halloween Costumes: -Students may wear their Halloween costume if they would like -Costumes must adhere to ALL dress code regulations and need to be appropriate - Face masks (for COVID-19) must be worn per the LJA Level 1+ guidelines - Administration, Faculty, and Staff reserve the right to ask students to change their costume if it is deemed inappropriate -Please bring a change of clothes just in case
Other costume guidelines: -No props that look like weapons -Cannot be offensive to any race, religion, or gender -Please not too scary as we have young students who also share our campus If you are in doubt of the appropriateness of your costume; please check with the administration before you wear it to school
Progress Reports Coming Rachel Domenic, MYP Coordinator & MS Academic Dean
Progress Reports will be sent out via email on Friday, October 22 after 3pm.
Check out the assessment slideshow here to see how students' knowledge, understanding, and action are assessed in the MYP. Watch the whole video presentation here (with Managebac tips from Leslie Witten).
What does each criterion (A, B, C, and D) mean? Each criteria represents a different category. You can see all the Criteria here. Typically Criterion A is a "Knowledge" category, Criterion B is a "Planning/Organizing/Analyzing" category, Criterion C tends to be a "Communicating" category and Criterion D tends to be a "Reflecting" category. Teachers are required to assess all criteria TWICE a year. Some teachers do not have grades for all 4 criteria for progress reports. If it is not assessed, it will be marked as N/A. If a student did not complete an assessment, it is marked 0.
What do the 1-8 scores mean? What correlates to an A? In MYP, 7/8 is the highest score. It represents innovative, exceptional work and deep understanding of concepts and skills. A 5/6 score shows high quality work with generally a deep understanding. In general, a score of 3/4 is acceptable quality work. A score of 1/2 shows minimal work/understanding. Please ask your son or daughter to examine the rubrics on each summative assessment to reach a full understanding of the score.
Since this is a progress report, do these scores get averaged for this semester or next semester? IB MYP uses a "best fit" model to determine the final score and not an average. It recognizes that learning is a process and a grade should show the knowledge at the end of the year. This encourages students to learn from their mistakes, pay close attention to feedback and grow from their learning. If students are not happy with their progress score, they should examine rubrics in detail and listen carefully to peer and teacher feedback. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on their learning and on their AtL skills.
If you have any questions about your son or daughter's grades, please first examine the teacher feedback in Managebac and Google Classroom. Ask to see the rubrics for the assessments. Talk with your teacher or Mrs. Domenic if you continue to have questions. As always, we are here to help!
LJA Middle School Adventure Education Program
In 6th grade, students are offered a two-night experience at Camp Erdman. This trip is an important part of our emphasis on life skills and the practical application of sound character. It is also a great opportunity for students to get to know their classmates better and to practice being mutually supportive in a fun setting! Students attending must either be fully vaccinated or provide a negative COVID test to the school conducted 24 hours prior to departure to camp. Please click HERE for the required forms and a packing list.
Wednesday Early Release Survey Dear LJA MS Parents, if you didn't get the chance to fill this out last week please do so now. We are collecting information on when students are picked up from school on Wednesdays to help with supervision and space requirements. Students are released on Wednesdays at 2:30pm but may stay in the homework club (6th grade) or the Library (7th/8th grade) until 4:30 as necessary. The information you provide will allow us to adequately staff these programs based on demand. Thank you for your help. Complete the survey here: Wednesday Early Release Survey.
6th Grade Advisory Students Enjoy A Game Of Gaga Ball
LJA Wellness Message Date: 10/21/21 By: LJA Counseling Team Treatment for children's mental health and learning challenges can be confusing, especially when you're seeking it for the first time. How do you find the right provider? What does your family's insurance plan cover? What if your child doesn't want treatment? And how do you know that they need care in the first place? Questions like these can make getting the support your child needs feel impossible. To assist with this process, we are sharing a new feature from childmind.org called Connect to Care. The resources there are designed to help you through the process of getting care for your child, from the first phone call to the final treatment session. For general information about counseling services at LJA, please visit www.hscounseling.org.
Take care and be well, LJA Counseling Team
Technology Corner Teens are wired to take risks. Rather than face social media challenges with over-protection and prohibition, Michelle Lipkin of the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) says adults can prepare youth for the realities of the world that awaits. Read "How parents and educators can support healthy teen use of social media" and also visit LJA's Digital Citizenship & Internet Safety Resources to learn more.
MYP1 Humanities While learning about ancient Babylonians, students in MYP1 humanities class learned to write their names in cuneiform and then copied them onto 'clay tablets'
Travel Registration Please remember to notify the school nurse of any out of state travel using the form below. It's quick and easy. This form is for out of state travel only, regardless of vaccination status. Please notify the school here: LJA Student Travel Registration
Virtual Parent Conference Options Parents now have an opportunity to schedule time with teachers. This year's conference time will run from October 1-29. Please do not feel obligated to sign up for conferences, especially with every teacher. However, you might find it necessary to check in as we approach the end of the semester.
In the instance you do want to schedule a 10-20 minute conference with a specific teacher, please click here. Teachers have already marked their availability during prep periods as well as before and after school. Once you have scheduled your time, teachers will receive an email with the requested date and time. Teachers will then share their Zoom link with you. If you do not see a time that works for you, please reach out and teachers would be happy to set up an alternative time. Lunch Orders Lunch orders are available from the spirit store. All questions regarding the lunch program should be directed to Kyle Nakayama at kyle.nakayama@lejardinacademy.org. Support Project Grad - Holiday Greenery Le Jardin Project Grad has partnered with Habilitat to provide island families with the freshest holiday greenery while raising funds for their end-of-year Senior event. Please click here to learn more about the fundraiser and place an order. Orders due online by 10/23/21.
Ms Domeic's TRIBE Working As A Group To Order Teaming Skills Cards MS Important Dates November 1 - PDD #1 (No School - Ext. Day Available) November 8 - 10 - 6th Grade Camp* November 11 - Holiday No School November 24 - 26 Holiday No School December 1 - 3 - 7th Grade Camp* December 20 -31 - Winter Break January 3 - PDD #2 (No School - Ext. Day Available) January 4 - Students Return To School *pending any COVID level response changes
MS Important Links
Middle School Contacts Julie Do Middle School Principal
Kim McDonald MS Admin Assistant 261-0707 x1160 kim.mcdonald@lejardinacademy.org
Rachel Domenic Dean of Academics & MYP Coordinator 261-0707 x2050
|