Golowich's Goings-On

"Book in a Bag" and "Non-Fiction" Projects for Language Arts

Dear Grade Six Students of Ms. Beahm, Ms. Jackson and Ms. Puckett:

To those who have already completed this, congratulations ... you have truly disciplined yourselves to accomplish what is expected.  Your process as a student is in good development.

For those who had to hustle to finish, please let it be a lesson of the dangers of procrastination.

Yahoo! for Yahoo!

This from its website:

 

Parents, do you wonder what it takes to help your kids do their very best at school? Good Housekeeping went into classrooms at schools around the country and talked to the teachers who spend their days with your children. Here's what they said about how you can help them help your kids:

1. Don't be a stranger!
Talk to your child's teacher early and often. Back-to-school night shouldn't be the only time you connect, but it's a great time to introduce yourself and find out the best way to contact her in the future. Then stay in touch with updates on how things are going at home, questions about your child and his work, or to schedule conferences to head off trouble (should you worry about that string of C's?). Most teachers have e-mail at school, which is a great way to check in.
Related: 5 Tips for Talking with Your Child's Teacher

2. Learning doesn't stop at 3:15.
You can help the teacher do a better job by encouraging your child to show you something he's working on at school, suggests Ron Martucci, who teaches fourth grade in Pelham, New York. It doesn't have to be a big deal: "Ask him to demonstrate how he does long division or to read his book report out loud," says Martucci. "Every time your child gets a chance to show off what he knows, it builds confidence."
Related: Prepare Your Child for School with These Print-and-Go Shopping Lists

3. Stay involved — even when you don't know the material.
You can provide moral support and be your child's cheerleader no matter how well (or poorly) you did in a certain subject. "Parents tell me they didn't take trigonometry or flunked chemistry, so how can they check the homework?" says Tim Devine, a high school social science teacher in Chicago. "But we don't expect you to be an expert on every subject." Just knowing a parent is paying attention can be very motivating for a student.
Related: Check Out These Free Online Tutoring Resources

4. Keep your child organized.
That means helping teachers with the paper chase. "I spend way too much time tracking down tests or forms I've sent home for a parent's signature," says Judy Powell, a fifth-grade teacher from Richmond, Virginia. Usually, the missing items are crumpled up in the bottom of the kid's backpack, along with lunch leftovers and other clutter. Powell's solution: Have your child empty his backpack every day as part of a regular after-school routine. Set up a special place, such as a box in the kitchen, where he can put the day's papers, and provide another spot, such as a desk drawer, for old assignments that you want to save. A bright-colored folder is a good idea, too, for toting homework — and signed papers — to and from school. And about those supplies: Keep plenty on hand. "Kids run out of pencils and paper, and it'll be three weeks before they'll remember to tell you," says Powell.
Related: The Best Kids' Backpacks

5. Let your child make mistakes.
Don't forget, he's learning. Teachers don't want perfect students, they want students who try hard. "Sometimes parents get caught up in thinking every assignment has to be done exactly right, and they put too much pressure on their child," says Brian Freeman, a second-grade teacher from Red Spring, North Carolina. "But it's OK for kids to get some problems wrong. It's important for us to see what students don't know, so we can go over the material again."

Is your child struggling with an assignment? Help him brainstorm possible solutions. If he's still stuck, resist the temptation to write a note. Instead, encourage your child to take charge by asking the teacher for help the next day.

Hands off bigger assignments, too, says Marty Kaminsky, a fourth-grade teacher in Ithaca, New York. "I assigned a project on inventors, and several kids brought in amazingly detailed reports with slide-shows. They looked great, but they clearly weren't the work of a nine-year-old," he says. "I was much happier with the posters with the pictures glued on crooked, because I knew those children did the work themselves. What matters isn't the final result; it's letting a child have ownership of the project."
Related: Is Your Child Cheating? How to Deal with It

6. Raise a good reader.
Even if your child isn’t a natural-born bookworm, you can encourage him to love literature. Keep reading together, even if your kid can breeze through a book on his own. Reading aloud can expand his vocabulary, and your chats about the book will help him understand and enjoy more. But you might want to shelve books that seem way over his head. It’s tempting to push literary limits, but the goal is understanding and enjoyment.

Use audiobooks as a tool to inspire love of reading. They aren’t “cheating;” they’re a terrific way to engage kids in a good yarn.  Check out bookadventure.com for more with books kids will enjoy.
Related: Top 13 Books for Middle and High Schoolers

7. If the teacher deserves a good grade, give her one.
Teaching isn't easy, and there are days when a kid has a tantrum, or a teacher feels like crying because a parent speaks to her harshly. So why not e-mail or call when your child enjoys a class event or says something nice about the instructor? And if you feel the teacher is doing a good job, let the principal know. Volunteering is another way to demonstrate your enthusiasm and support, even if you only have time to help out once a year. It shows your child — and his teacher — that you really care about his education.
Related: What to Do When Your Child and Teacher Don't Get Along

8. The teacher's on your side — give her the benefit of the doubt.
Rachel James, a third-grade teacher in Reson, Florida, was having a terrible time with one of her students. For days, the boy had been disruptive, rolling his eyes and sighing dramatically whenever anyone spoke to him. Naturally, she had to reprimand him. "His mom called and accused me of picking on her son," says James. "When I told her what was going on, she was shocked." After the mom had calmed down, they worked out some ways to change the boy's behavior. "A lot of parents go into attack mode when their child complains about a teacher," says James. "Or they take the problem to the principal, so the teacher feels blindsided. But parents need to get all the facts before they react."
Related: Etiquette Tips for Dealing with Teachers and Other Parents

9. There is a secret to better grades.
Set up a brief get-together with your child's teacher(s) early in the school year. A one-on-one conversation is the perfect time to bring up important issues, like the fact that your child struggled in math last year or tended to hand in homework late. Also check in with the school district’s or teachers’ website in order to stay on top of your child’s assignments, grades, test dates and scores — and more. Find out what resources there are for you, and use them.  If your child is having a tough time in a particular class, don’t just swoop in and try to make things right. Encourage your child to meet with his teacher to resolve a problem on his own.

If there’s issue between your child and a teacher, don’t automatically run to the principal behind the teacher’s back. Certain situations that involve your child’s safety do merit a meeting with the head of school, but otherwise, going over the teacher’s head signals a lack of respect. When you can’t agree on a solution, set up a meeting with the teacher and a school administrator, who can help work things out.
Related: More Tips to Good Grades

Team 6C

A number of parents have contacted Lovinggood’s office with questions regarding the formation of the new “6C” team.  Following is a summary of why we have created this team in the hope that questions, both ones asked or ones not thought of as yet, will be definitively answered.

In response to severe overcrowding in the sixth grade, with some classrooms numbering in excess of 40 students in a classroom, the sixth grade added a third team.  Hiring the right candidates was at once a daunting yet incredibly successful task. 

Finding two teachers who aspire to Lovinggood's standards posed the first challenge.  Speaking from experience, I have found that process of finding quality educators at this time of the year is difficult.  In addition, both teachers needed to be dually certified ... a very difficult proposition to face.

We were enormously successful, and our choice of candidates to fill the positions exceeded our expectations.  Ms. Puckett, a seasoned teacher who has enjoyed a wide variety of positions in Cobb and in the school districts of other states, will be the team's language arts and social studies teacher.  I'd like to share what a colleague at Lovinggood said about her hiring: "We are lucky to have her.  I’d have her on my team any time."  This quote is attributed to Mr. Hague, a former Cobb County Teacher of the Year. 

Ms. Buice, our new science and math teacher, brings the exuberance and calm demeanor that is a perfect fit for the other member of the 6C team.  She is a former Division II All-American basketball player, she comes with gold-standard recommendations, and enthusiasm is eclipsed only be her grasp of pedagogy and subject matter.

What an incredible opportunity for our young people to be on this team.  With only two teachers, these children will get the opportunity of having reduced the complexity of their workload.  The teachers, on the other hand, will get to more intimately come to know the children in their classes.  All in all, this is an exciting and winning proposition for our children of 6C.

I am sure that there are many concerns and questions with this new addition to our staff.  The hypothesis is that our children are going to have a tough time with their new adjustment.  I wish to take this opportunity to address this concern.

I have been through a process similar, but much more severe, of leveling class sizes that are most conducive to education.  In 2006, there was a huge influx of students who chose to come to Lovinggood as an option under the so-called “No Child Left Behind” Act.  As I recall, so many teachers had to be hired that it was almost the second nine week marking period before we had leveled the classes (Or administrative team did an amazing job of sifting through hundreds of applicants to find the best fits for our school – many who are still with us after having been hired again at the end of the school year!).  I would like to compliment our current administrative team for getting these qualified and talented teachers.

Students have therefore had only about ten school days with other teachers.  Before long, they will most certainly be adjusted to their new teachers.

Another concern is that we adjusted the schedule before hiring the teachers, and staffed the classes with substitute teachers in the interim.  It is true that we had one substitute teacher take over for one teacher one day, and another (who has been in several supply positions here at Lovinggood with amazing success) for four days.

In fact, when one thinks about a substitute teacher being in for the second position, is it not just like a teacher who had to be out for a similar amount of time due to an illness?

At Lovinggood, we strive to respond most appropriately to situations in order to maximize learning and student safety.  I am confident that this has happened in the creation of the 6C team, and I am equally confident in the continued support we receive from students, teachers, and parents – our Lovinggood family.

Car Rider Policy

Policy: LMS Car Riders (revised 8/16/10; to begin 8/17/10):

 

Is your child a car rider?  Please know that the Lovinggood administration is sensitive to the needs of parents, but that safety is paramount in importance:

 

1. AM: This policy has not changed.
2. AM: Students are not to be dropped off earlier than 8:15 at the risk of leaving them unsupervised and parent subject to being reported as neglectful.
3. AM: At all times, pull as close to the second yellow crosswalk directly behind cars in front of you
4. AM: At all times, heed all adults on duty to keep children safe.
5. PM: In the afternoon, procedures have changed slightly:

a.     If waiting in line, parents must pick children up at curbside in front of school only.

b.    Parents may choose to park and walk to pick up their children.  Parking for this is the section closest to Luther Ward Road.  After you walk your child to your car, please do not rejoin the curbside pickup.

c.     Parents may gather in the “island” opposite flagpole, wait to be waved across, and must collect child near flagpole.  Parents and children will wait for permission to cross.  Children may not cross alone … ever.

d.    The lane closest to the school and the next parallel lane over will be single lane, one-way lanes.

6. PM: Again, pull as close to the second yellow crosswalk directly behind cars in front of you.  Do not stop in the middle of the car lane with nobody in front of you.
7. PM: Again, please be courteous to the educators on duty; their sole intent is to keep your child safe. 
8. PM: Children picked up after 4:30 are deemed unsupervised and neglected.
9. At all times, Cobb County provides bus transportation.  If you are unable to conform to the above conditions, please utilize the buses for your child’s transportation.

Dress Code

April 15, 2010

 

 

Dear Lovinggood Parents,

 

            Spring has arrived! With spring comes students’ desire to dress more frequently in warm weather clothing such as flip flops, shorts, and skirts. While these items are appropriate given the warmer weather, there are guidelines regarding violations that can occur when wearing these items. Here are examples of the most frequent violations:

 

• rubber soled, beach flip flops and “shower shoes”
• unhemmed “cut-off” shorts and skirts
• basketball-type gym shorts
• skirts that are shorter than the student’s longest fingertip
• sagging shorts or pants that hang below the student’s hips and/or which expose undergarments

 

This letter serves as notification to you and your student directing him/her to be in compliance with Lovinggood’s dress code so that future violations do not occur. Future violations from this point on, however, will unfortunately result in consequences.

 

At Lovinggood, we strive for excellence. We feel that appropriate dress is a contributing factor to achieving and maintaining this excellence along with ensuring the safety of all students. The guidelines for appropriate dress at Lovinggood can be found on page 12 in students’ agenda. It is also posted on our website (see “Student Handbook”).  Please take a moment to review this dress code so that you and your student are aware of what is appropriate to wear to school.

 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We will be happy to respond to your concerns.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Lovinggood

Middle School

Staff and Administration

8th Grade Dance: Dress Code

The 8th grade dance is going to be amazing!  What a fantastic way to celebrate three years at Lovinggood!  To make this the best night it can be, we will need to enforce all Lovinggood and Cobb County rules and policies, including dress code requirements.

Absolutely no limousines will be permitted on Lovinggood property at any time.

Only Lovinggood students may attend. 

Boys may not wear tuxedos or jeans.  Button down shirts are preferred; ties and jackets are optional.  Please, no tennis shoes.

Girls may not enter wearing formal prom (long) dresses. 

Dresses may not be strapless. 

Dresses must have a "back"; no halter dresses.

Dresses may not expose cleavage.

New this year:  spaghetti straps are acceptable.

Please note: Ms. Wilson, either by direct observation or through the observation of any adult, reserves the right to call home if a student is not appropriately dressed.

It will be a fun evening!

Ready for High School? New Late Policy!

New 8^th Grade Late Work Policy:

As a part of the articulation process for high school, the 8^th grade teachers will adopt a new late work policy for the final 4^th nine week grading period, which began Friday, March 12, 2010.  This policy, agreed upon by the entire eighth grade teaching staff and the school’s administration, is meant to conform to that of the high school in order to provide a more appropriate transition for your child.  As of Friday, March 19, 8^th grade teachers will no longer accept late class work or homework from students.  This will result in assigning a “zero” for missed assignments.  The late policy for projects, however, will remain in effect to reflect a progressive loss of credit which parallels the extent of lateness, culminating in a “zero” after the fifth day.  In addition, the Cobb County policy for students to make up work when they have an excused absence will remain the same.  Students will still have one day for every day absent, plus one, to make up missed assignments.  As this notice is being taken home attached to report cards, will be placed on teacher blogs and will be shared via telephonic message, a parent signature will not be necessary as indication of its receipt. 

This Letter was Sent Home Yesterday With Your Child

Dear Parents of Eighth Grade Students:

 

The end of the three year run at Lovinggood is drawing close as we near the beginning of spring.  Students are busy making sure that they finish strong academically, and they are looking forward to a new chapter of excitement beginning at Hillgrove or wherever else they may be going after middle school. 

 

To help in this transition, a series of opportunities have unfolded for our students.  They are able to have free seating at lunch once a week with the prospect of that opportunity increasing in number.  They will be visiting Hillgrove in order to have lunch there (and, as an aside, this notice is a passive acceptance of students going off campus to Hillgrove in order to do so unless a letter is sent to Mr. Golowich stating your preference that this does not happen for your child).  These occasions come on the heels of several articulation activities, including the registration process.

 

Unfortunately, there has been a recent increase in off task behavior on the part of students.  This is disappointing as it erodes at the otherwise fine reputation that this group of students has enjoyed up to this point.  It has therefore become necessary to implement two notices to students and parents.

 

The first notice is a recognition that, by now, students should have a firm grasp of the school rules.  Therefore, when a referral is issued to my office, it will incur consequences up to the highest level permitted by Cobb County School District rules.

The second notice is the planned implementation of a program called “Ten’ll Take You Out.”  Unfortunately, students who are aggressive rules-breakers cannot be trusted to participate in less-structured activities such as various field trips, picnic and activity days, and the 8^th grade dance.  Therefore, starting the fourth marking period, any combination of OSS (worth two “points” per OSS day), ISS (worth a “point” per ISS day) and Hawk Card citations (worth a half “point” per citation) totaling ten “points” will result in loss of activities. 

 

Sadly, some students who are unable to control their behavior will be affected by this program.  On a brighter note, however, our eighth graders still, by and large, enjoy a reputation of behaving appropriately.  I am confident that this plan will be implemented rarely, if at all, but for the continued security of our students and for the support of the school mission and its operation, this plan will be put in place.  Should you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Thank you for your continued support.

Any Use of Cell Phones Will Result in Consequences

The single biggest cause of distraction in a middle and high school classroom is no longer distracting students, lack of ability, personal problems, or any other type of distraction that one can imagine.  The single biggest distraction is texting during classes, which disengages students' brains from the lesson at hand, therefore severely reducing the ability to comprehend the lesson's objectives.  Lovinggood students are forbidden from using cell phones on the property at any time.  The consequences require a confiscation of the cell phone and a consequence ranging from an administrative conference to five days ISS.  In addition, from this point forward, if a student is using a cell phone, it constitute insubordination, resulting in consequences up to five days OSS.  Teachers are furthermore instructed that this is an automatic referral, and that they should aggressively find out any users of cell phones.

What to do if I have a concern about a teacher

Simple:

1. Contact the teacher

2. Contact the teacher via email or voice mail

3. Attempt to contact the teacher

4. Once 24 hours have expired, contact the teacher again

5. When you contact that teacher again, be sure to copy me on the email attempt.