The General Gist (Week of April 24,2023)

This Week’s Message – Dare to STEAM Big!
Our annual Family STEAMworks Night, which is free to the public, is right around the corner.  “Dare to STEAM Big” with us THIS THURSDAY, April 27 from 6-8 pm!  This year’s STEAMworks will feature exhibits from community partners such as West Sound STEM Network, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, The Naval Undersea Museum, Pacific Science Center, The Museum of Flight, SK Fire & Rescue, Poulsbo Marine Science Center, and Kitsap County Public Works.  JSMS student projects will also be on display, and there will be a variety of activities in which to participate including, but not limited to:

 

• Planetarium
• Whale skeleton
• Snap circuits
• Gravitrax
• Human anatomy
• Electromagnets
• Stomp rockets & foam rockets
• Van de graaf generators
• Underwater ROVs
• Wood Tech
• Mars moon landers
• Spherobots
• Drones
• Green screen
• Marine science
• Virtual reality
• Legos
• CO2 cars

 

Snacks and refreshments will be available for purchase, and attendees will receive a free button and be entered into a raffle for a gift basket.  We hope to see all of you this Thursday!

This Week’s Events
Apr. 24: AVID Site Team Meeting, A-234, 7 am
Apr. 25: EMS Team Meeting, 7:15 am
Apr. 27: JSMS Family STEAMworks Night, 6-8 pm

Events on the Horizon (Tentative)

*May 1-5: Staff Appreciation Week
May 1: Pacific Science Center “Space Odyssey” Workshops, 6th Grade Science Classes
May 2: Guiding Coalition, Library, 3:15-4:30 pm
May 4: STEAM Team Meeting, A-135, 7:15 am
May 8-26: State Testing Window
May 11: Unity Council Meeting, Library, 3:15-4:30 pm
May 12: PTSA Bingo Night, JSMS, 5:30-7:30 pm
May 16: EMS Team Meeting, 7:15 am
May 16: PTSA Meeting, Library, 6:30 pm
May 17: 2023-24 ASB Officer Election Info. Meeting, B-111, 8:30 am and 2:50 pm
May 18: Staff Meeting, Library, 7:15 am
*May 18: 7^th Grade Energy Expo, Commons, 5:30-6:30 pm (will be rescheduled)
May 29: Memorial Day (No School)
May 30: AVID Site Team Meeting, A-234, 7 am
May 30-June 13: 2023-24 ASB Officer Campaign Season
May 31: 8th Grade All-Music Extravaganza, SKSD, 6:30 pm
*Jun. 1: Staff Meeting, Library, 7:15 am (SPBD Survey)
Jun. 2: Class of 2030 Visit, JSMS, 11:00 am-1:30 pm
Jun. 3: Music in the Parks 8th Grade Field Trip, TBA
Jun. 5: Final Choir Concert, JSMS, 6:30 pm
Jun. 6: Guiding Coalition, Library, 3:15-4:30 pm
*Jun. 8: Staff Meeting, Library, 7:15 am (Staff Agreements)
Jun. 8: Marine Science Field Trip to Seattle Aquarium (All Day)
Jun. 8: Final Band and Orchestra Concert, JSMS, 6:30 pm
Jun. 13: AVID Site Team Meeting, A-234, 7 am
Jun. 13: WEB Field Trip to Tacoma Rainiers Game, TBA
Jun. 14: 2023-24 ASB Officer Election, Advisory
*Jun. 14: 8th Grade Class Photo, Gym, 2 pm
*Jun. 14: JSMS Staff Photo, Commons, 3 pm
Jun. 15: Staff Meeting, Library, 7:15 am
Jun. 16: Early Release, 11:25 am
Jun. 16: 8^th Grade Dance, Commons and Gym, 5-7 pm
Jun. 19: Juneteenth (NO SCHOOL)
Jun. 20: 8^th Grade Breakfast and Celebration @ DEFY, TBA
Jun. 20: 6^th and 7^th Grade Carnival, TBA
*Jun. 22: Student Recognition Assembly and Talent Show, Gym, 8:45-10:45 am
Jun. 22: Last Day of School, Early Release, 10:45 am

*Events added to The General Gist this week

It’s Almost Time to “Level Up!”
This spring, all students will take required Smarter Balanced state tests in the areas of English Language Arts (ELA) and Math.  In addition, our 8th graders will take the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Sciences (WCAS).  Our testing window this year is from May 8-26.  Here is a link to our Assessment Calendar.

 

We are offering incentives to students who “Level Up” or score a 4 on their state assessments this spring.  Students can become “Test Terminators” and earn one or more prizes by leveling up at least one level from last spring’s SBA and from 5th grade on the WCAS.  Prizes include a t-shirt, vinyl decal sticker, water bottle, lanyard, and keychain.  

 

Please help your child(ren) perform their best by ensuring that they attend school, get plenty of rest, and eat nutritious meals on and around assessment days.  Most importantly, please encourage them to do their best on every assessment.  While state assessments are not the only indicator of success for our students, they are valuable tools which help us measure growth and target intervention and enrichment moving forward.

SKSD Bond
During the regularly scheduled School Board meeting on Wednesday, May 17, there will be a presentation on our district’s upcoming bond proposal.  Join at 5 pm at the district office to learn more about the proposed projects and share your feedback.

8th Grade DEFY Trip

In order to be eligible to go to DEFY on June 20, 8th graders must be in good academic, disciplinary, and financial standing.  Individualized letters were distributed to each 8th grader last week indicating their status.  Those who are ineligible to attend at this time are invited to develop a plan by May 1 to become eligible, with the permission of our administration.  In this way, we offer an incentive and a means for making things right.  More details, including cost, can be found in the attached sample letter.  There is no charge for students who have qualified for free or reduced meals.

Counseling Corner

New Staff Member: We are excited to announce the addition of a new resource available to students and families.  Our local educational service district has received a grant which pays for a Student Assistance Professional, primarily focused on supporting students and families impacted by substance abuse.  Allie Wojtanowicz has been hired to provide this service on a part-time basis.  If your family or your student is in need of support in this area, please reach out to Ms. “W” at wojtanowicz@skschools.org.

Wolves Walk for Wellness: On May 6 from 11 am to 1 pm, there will be a community walk for mental health awareness at SKHS’s Kitsap Bank Stadium.  This event is a fundraiser sponsored by the SKHS Associated Student Body.  Check out the attached flyer for more information.

IXL at Home
IXL is a tool we use to close learning gaps as well as extend learning.  One of the advantages of IXL is that it can be used for practice at home.  Here is a link to some resources for parents who may be interested in learning more about IXL: 

 

• Getting Started
• Implementation Guides (select “Personalized Practice”)

Brain Research
Our Guiding Coalition team members are doing a book study on John Medina’s Attack of the Teenage Brain.  Chapter 7 is all about social-emotional learning.  Here’s more on the importance of Social-Emotional Learning programs:

“Teenagers are emotional rookies, especially when it comes to empathy and perspective taking.  The reason, of course, is that their brains haven’t finished developing – the central thesis of this book. 

Researchers have wondered at what age the Force becomes a little stronger in the emotional understanding of adolescents, specifically relationally positive feelings like empathy and perspective taking.  Given their measurable importance to factors other than social success – like academic achievement – these are important questions to address.

One solid attempt involved a group of Dutch researchers studying the development of teen empathy and perspective taking over a six-year period.  The study started with 13-year olds, tracking the progress of 283 boys and 214 females.

Empathic Concern (EC) scores didn’t change much, with tallies at age 18 roughly at parity with the subjects’ younger 13-year-old selves.  There were clear differences between the sexes, however.  Females consistently scored higher than boys at the beginning of the study, and they maintained those higher levels throughout.  In addition, males actually showed a temporary decline in their already-lower EC levels, a decrease that didn’t stop until age 16.

Things were a bit less boring when the researchers measured perspective-taking (PT) behaviors.  In contrast to the EC scores, both girls and boys started out at similar levels, but they soon showed very differing trajectories.  Girls’ scores ramped up quickly, with especially steep increases observed between 13 and 15 years of age.  Boys’ scores actually went down slightly during that same period, with no measurable uptick until age 16.

It’s hardly breaking news to say adolescent girls develop faster emotionally than boys, but it’s illuminating that the differences are noticeably quantifiable.  In general measures of adolescent social cognition, girls are, on average, about two years ahead of boys.”

Athletics
Spring sports are off to a great start!  Here is a link to our Spring Sports Schedules.  Be sure to click on each event to verify the level and location of each event.

Clubs
After school clubs are a great way for students to explore their interests and connect with peers.  We will provide a list of active clubs in The General Gist, on our website, and on our TVs in our commons.  Please make sure you pick up your student promptly at the club’s end time.

Anime Club meets every Monday from 3-4 pm in Portable 2.  Join the club’s Google Classroom: LTYU556.  Ms. Chalmers is the advisor.  For more info, contact chalmers@skschools.org.

Art Club meets every Wednesday until 4:00 pm in Room A-123.  Ms. Million is the advisor.  For more info, contact million@skschools.org.

Chess Club meets every other Tuesday in Room C-206 from 2:50-4:00 pm.  Ms. Cave is the advisor.  For more info, contact cave@skschools.org.

Dance Club meets every Thursday from 2:50-4 pm in Room A-246.  Ms. May is the advisor.  For more info, contact may@skschools.org.

Diversity Club meets every Wednesday from 3-4 pm in Portable 4.  Ms. Steen is the advisor.  For more info, contact steen@skschools.org.

Gamers Unplugged meets every Wednesday from 3-4:30 pm in Room A-224.  Mr. Wallach is the advisor.  For more info, contact wallach@skschools.org.

K-Pop Club meets every Wednesday from 3-4 pm in Room A-230.  Ms. Happold is the advisor.  For more info, contact happold@skschools.org.

Magic: The Gathering Club meets every Thursday until 4:30 in Portable 1.  Mr. Musselman is the advisor.  For more info, contact musselman@skschools.org.

Photography Club meets every Friday from 3-4 pm in A-233.  Mr. Durham is the Advisor.  For more info, contact durham@skschools.org.

Pickleball Club meets every Tuesday morning from 7-8 am in the Gym.  Ms. Langhorn is the advisor.  For more info, contact langhorn@skschools.org.

STEAM Club meets the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of every month.  Mr. Lantz is the advisor.  For more info, contact lantz@skschools.org.

Yearbook Club meets every Thursday until 4:30 in Room C-206.  Ms. Cave is the advisor.  For more info, contact cave@skschools.org.

AVID
Did you know?  In every Sedgwick student’s planner, there is an AVID section that includes a variety of AVID resources?  That’s right…in the front of each planner, you will find resources such as Focused Note-Taking, Writing in the Margins (marking the text), WICOR Strategies, Costa’s Levels of Questioning, Academic Writing Models, Backwards Mapping, Short-Hand, and Academic Scripts.

STEAM
One positive aspect of STEAM is that it’s fun!  Kids love learning about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, but they love doing STEAM even more.  That’s why our very own Mr. Dieffenbach and other teachers are working on bringing STEAM stations to Camp Rise, a summer camp for children between the ages of 8 and 12 who have been abused.  This is a true example of the heart of Sedgwick!

National Blue Ribbon Update
In Fall of 2018, our Guiding Coalition established three long-range goals: to become a Washington STEM Lighthouse School, an AVID Schoolwide Site of Distinction, and a National Blue Ribbon School.  We are honored to have accomplished the first two goals, and we are excited to share that we are within a stone’s throw of a National Blue Ribbon!

The National Blue Ribbon program was created in 1982 to recognize outstanding public and private schools in our nation for their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.  To qualify, schools must be in the top 15% of schools in their state.  A most recent snapshot of John Sedgwick’s academic performance finds us in the top 20% of schools!  Additionally, we have been on a positive trend since setting our “Big 3” Goals in 2018, rising 42 places in the WA Middle School Rankings on SchoolDigger, an independent website which rates schools based solely upon their performance on state standardized tests.

It takes our whole Sedgwick Community to achieve a goal like this, and with your continued support, we have no doubt that we can achieve a National Blue Ribbon this spring!  For more details, take a look at our National Blue Ribbon Status Report which includes links to comparable middle schools as well as SchoolDigger’s data (on last slide).

PTSA
Membership: Our PTSA is healthy because of our strong membership.  You can become a member for only $10.  To learn more about how you can be involved, visit our PTSA website.

Attendance Matters
Did you know?  By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school, and by 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.  Statistically-speaking, students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduate. 

It may come as a surprise, but in Washington State, starting at 8 years of age, students are responsible for getting to school; parents are only required to provide an alarm clock and a bus route or transportation.  Seven unexcused absences within a 30-day period or 15 within a full year requires that schools file a court petition.  All absences should be cleared within 48 hours (via phone, email, or ParentSquare) and cannot be cleared after two weeks.  Keep in mind that excused absences may require a note from a medical professional. 

School Entry
On school days, our doors open to students at 7:30 (8:15 on late start Wednesdays).

Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up
If you plan to drop-off or pick-up your student in a personal vehicle, please follow the directional signs upon entering school property.  Here are the basics:

1. Turn RIGHT upon entering the school.
2. You may drop-off or pick-up your student in the roundabout OR the parking lot.
3. If you are dropping off, picking up, or planning to park in the parking lot, USE THE THRU LANE ON THE RIGHT.
4. If you are dropping off or picking up in the roundabout, USE THE LEFT LANE UPON ENTERING, THEN MOVE OVER TO THE CURB WHEN TURNING INTO THE ROUNDABOUT.
    

Most importantly, DO NOT BLOCK TRAFFIC IN THE RIGHT-HAND THRU LANE.  Instead, continue into the parking lot to drop-off or pick-up.  If you park in the lot at the end of the day, please be aware that you will be blocked in until around 2:50 pm.

Celebrations and Thanks

• Congratulations to this week’s Caught Being a General student winners: Kevin F.. (6th), Alena K. (7th), and Dallin H. (8th)!
• Congratulations to our most recent Caught Being a General staff winner: Ms. Hamilton!
• Congratulations to our most recent Rainbow Award winner, presented on a monthly basis, to the JSMS staff member who brightens our building: Ms. Kennedy-Wheeler!
• Thank you to Ms. Colbo and her 8th grade Drama students for putting on an adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for our 8th grade students and staff!
• Congratulations to 7th grader, Sylvie Phillips, who won 2nd Place in the Northwest Radon Poster Contest!  Check out her poster and award.
• Congratulations again to Ms. Scheer, Sedgwick’s Masonic Educator of the Year!  We look forward to celebrating Ms. Scheer at this Wednesday’s ceremony.
• Thank you to our staff leaders and WEB leaders who supported our Class of 2030 Registration Night – it was so fun to welcome new families to our school!

Quote of the Week
"If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

Stay Connected
We love keeping in touch with our families!  Here are some ways to stay up-to-date on important information and events throughout the year:

• Instagram & Facebook: @jsgenerals
• Weekly Newsletter: The General Gist
• School Website: johnsedgwick.skschools.org 
• JSMS Schoolwide Google Classroom (for students)

Links to Important Resources
JSMS Website
General Guide
Skyward Family/Student Access
HelloID
Meals
Transportation

 

 

Dan Novick

Principal

 

 

John Sedgwick Middle School

8995 SE Sedgwick Rd.

Port Orchard, WA  98366

 

Office: 360.874.6090

Fax: 360.874.6430