DUNDALK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Newsletter
March 19, 2008
³Calendar ³
Mar. 21 Spring Break Begins
Mar. 25 Maryland Day
Mar. 31 Schools Reopen
MSA Testing Schedule
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Apr. 1 MSA Grade 7- Reading Grade 8-Math Apr. 2 MSA Grade 7- Reading Grade 8-Math Apr. 3 MSA Grade 6-Reading Apr. 4 MSA Grade 6-Reading Apr. 7 MSA Grade 7-Math Grade 8-Reading Apr. 8 MSA Grade 7-Math Grade 8-Reading Apr. 9 MSA Grade 6-Math Apr. 10 MSA Grade 6-Math |
Apr. 9 Grade 8 Panoramic Photo by LifeTouch
Apr. 11-16 MSA Make-up Testing
Apr. 18 Third Marking Period Ends– 3 hour
early dismissal for elementary and
middle schools
MSA
Parents are reminded that MSA testing will begin Tuesday, April 1, which is immediately following spring break, and continues until April 10. Make-up testing will follow from April 11 to16. Students are tested in reading and math at all three grade levels. MSA testing provides the school with valuable information about your child’s progress in math and reading. Testing data from the MSA is used with other data to determine your child’s program placement and educational needs. If your child takes the test seriously and performs his/her best, it will help our school make the best choices for him/her. Please mark these dates on your calendar and remind your child to give his/her best effort.
Language Arts/ Reading
To read without reflecting is like eating
without
digesting. ~ Edmund Burke ~
Every day, we eat. And every day, we read . . . but do we reflect? On the MSA, students are asked to do exactly that -- read and reflect. While selected response questions (SRs) may ask questions about sentence structure, word choice, or word meaning, brief constructed responses (BCRs) require students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate what they have read. Students are provided with 8 lines in which they must prove that they understand the complexities of a text. They must use text-relevant information to extend their understanding. Writing is not assessed, so students simply must prove they have read and understood – they don’t need to write short essays with topic and closing sentences. Students have been practicing using the BCR format in all of their classes.
How can you help your student prepare to do well on the reading portion of the MSA?
Here are some ideas:
¨ Learn more about the test and the way it is scored at the following website:
http://www.mdk12.org/mspp/k_8/index.html
¨ Model good reading habits with your child – read together!
· Have your child make predictions, inferences, and judgments based upon something that you read.
¨ Be sure your child knows how to support an argument (based on a text, of course!)
Talk to your child’s teacher, and ask for suggestions and strategies that are used in class.
Mathematics
What’s math got to do with it? Well…Everything!
Mathematics is an important skill that students use every day. It begins in the classroom and extends to their everyday lives. On the MSA, students are asked to show their knowledge in seven areas of mathematics:
1. Algebra, Patterns and Functions
2. Geometry
3. Measurement
4. Statistics
5. Probability
6. Number Relations and Computations
7. Problems Solving
Questions may be in one of three formats.
1. Selected response questions (SRs) ask students to find an answer or analyze information from four given responses.
2. Grid-in responses involve students working out a problem and recording their answer in a box.
3. Brief and extended constructed responses (BCRs and ECRs) require students to explain and justify their answer. When completing a BCR or ECR, students may explain using numbers or words or both.
What can you do to help?
Encourage your child to stay for coach class with their math teacher.
Check to make sure homework is completed each night.
Ask your child to walk you through their thinking on homework assignments.
Work with your child to show all steps when completing math work.
Contact your child’s math teacher for specific areas that you can work on with your child to prepare
for the MSA.
Franklin Institute Trip
(the newest date)
The trip to The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia has been changed to
Saturday, April 5. Students who have been selected will be given a reminder handout which will include the schedule for the day.
PTSA Recruiting Dundalk High School 2008-09
This year’s grade 8 parents who wish to be a part of the Dundalk High School PTA should contact Ms. Phillips or Mrs. Bosley by calling Dundalk Middle School at 410-887-7018.
Save the Date!
Computer Mania
Saturday, May 3, 2008
9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
The Center for Women and Information Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County will be hosting the sixth annual Computer Mania Day.
Online registration begins
March 1, 2008
at www.computer-mania.info.
• Participate in hands-on, technology-related demonstrations with over
750 middle school students.
• Gain a broad-based introduction to technology-related careers.
• Focus on increasing the participation of girls in information
technology-related courses and careers.
• Separate adult program with information and actions that parents and
community members can take to encourage students to embrace technology.
• Teacher session to disseminate information about the integration of
technology into classrooms and to gather resources to use in teaching.
For more information, contact cwit@umbc.edu or call Bria McElroy at 410-455-8642.
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Attendee registration |
First Annual
Baltimore County Children’s Mental Health Fair and Town Hall Meeting
Sponsored By:
Baltimore County Association of Counseling and Development
Baltimore County Bureau of Mental Health
Baltimore County Department of Social Services
Baltimore County Public Schools
Baltimore County Local Management Board
Mental Health Association of Maryland
NAMI – Metropolitan Baltimore
Villa Maria Continuum
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Loch Raven High School
1212 Cowpens Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21286
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Schedule
5:00 pm to 5:30 pm Health Fair - Exhibitors
5:30 pm to 6:15 pm Dinner and Exhibitors
6:15 pm to 7:30 pm Town Meeting
7:30 pm to 8:00 pm Meet the Experts and Health Fair Wrap Up
Return to:
MHAM, 711 W. 40th Street, Suite 460,
Baltimore, MD 21211
or fax 410.235.1180
Dinner Provided to All Who Pre-register. If you have any questions regarding the event please contact Erin Leatherwood at 410-235-1178 x202
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( ) Yes. I will attend the FREE First Annual Baltimore County Children’s Mental Health Fair and Town Hall Meeting.
A free lite dinner will be served for all those who pre-register. Please return this form to Tami Fine, MHAM 711 West 40th Street, Suite 460, Baltimore, MD 21211 or by fax at 410-235-1180.
Name__________________________________________ Organization______________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone___________________________________________ Email___________________________________________________
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DMS MISSION
The mission of Dundalk Middle is to teach, educate, and inspire students to become empowered, career/college-oriented high school students.
Students of the Month
6th
Destinee Ray
Chantanae Sparks
Joshua Kokoszka
Ian Chiveral
7th
Sean Doetsch
Grace Billings
Sharmia O’Garro
Billy Adams
8th
Edrielle Pagarigan
Dwayne Marshall
Walter Leary
Mary Strachan
Congratulations !!
Faculty Email Addresses
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Bishop, Marcella A. mbishop@bcps.org Blimline, Debra A. dblimline@bcps.org Blizzard, Jeffrey A. jblizzard@bcps.org Bullock, Katherine A. kbullock@bcps.org Burkindine, Michaela R. mburkindine@bcps.org Cabezas, Candice T. ccabezas@bcps.org Carr, Christie L. ccarr2@bcps.org Cegielski, Donna L. dcegielski@bcps.org Chard, Karen A. kchard@bcps.org Clarkson, Ilene T. iclarkson@bcps.org Dennison, Michael R. mdennison@bcps.org Egorin, Mara L. megorin@bcps.org Felter, Teresa L. tfelter2@bcps.org Foot, Dana A. dfoot@bcps.org Gibson, Sharon L. sgibson3@bcps.org Hall, Eleanora C ehall@bcps.org Hamel, Norma J. nhamel@bcps.org Hartman, Diana L. dhartman2@bcps.org Himes, Susan E. shimes@bcps.org Ingle, David L. dingle@bcps.org Johnson, Hayward N. hjohnson4@bcps.org Joyce, Michael P. mjoyce@bcps.org Kariuki, Elizabeth M. ebeatty@bcps.org Kihu, Keziah kkihu@bcps.org Kirkland, Robin T. rkirkland@bcps.org Knight, Patricia E. pknight@bcps.org Ledwell, Teresa P. tledwell@bcps.org Liddic, Jacqueline jliddic@bcps.org Lisane, Kishi W. klisane@bcps.org Loss, Pamela J. ploss@bcps.org
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MacCubbin, Claire S. cmaccubbin@bcps.org Metzger, Joanie E. jmetzger@bcps.org Meusel, Kelli kmeusel@bcps.org Miles, Christine L. cmiles@bcps.org Merson, Nicholas nmerson@bcps.org Moody, Mary E. mmoody@bcps.org Mullin, Sara A. smullin@bcps.org Murphy, Nancy C. nmurphy2@bcps.org O'Toole-Trivas, Erin R. etrivas@bcps.org Patron, Virginia G. vpatron@bcps.org Phillips, Gwendolyn gphillips@bcps.org Pincione, Constance L. cpincione@bcps.org Potter, Laura lpotter@bcps.org Quayhackx, Joanne M. jquayhackx@bcps.org Roth, James K. jroth3@bcps.org Sabol, Linda C. lsabol@bcps.org Seniura, Judith jseniura@bcps.org Shanks, Amanda L. ashanks@bcps.org Shouldice, Paul T. pshouldice@bcps.org Sipes, Kristin L. ksipes2@bcps.org Smith, Keli ksmith16@bcps.org Soto-Coleman, Naomy nsotocoleman@bcps.org Sperling, Donna L. dsperling@bcps.org Stone, Duncan B. dstone3@bcps.org Sylvester, Jennifer L. jsylvester@bcps.org Tarr, Sarah C. starr@bcps.org Thomas, Patricia H. pthomas2@bcps.org Willett, Craig N. cwillett@bcps.org Williams, Brian M. bwilliams4@bcps.org Wojcik, Christopher M. cwojcik@bcps.org |
Grade 8 Panoramic Photo
LifeTouch will take the 2008 grade 8 panoramic photo on Wednesday, April 9. The entire eighth grade will be included in this shot. Don’t miss it!
