User Manual

Mission Statement

Adolescence is a time of great change. Our Aquanauts are becoming young adults and thus, we have high expectations for them. We want them to discover that they should have high expectations of themselves, also. We will hold them accountable for what they learn and expect them to communicate their learning needs to their teachers and their parents. We encourage open communication between the home and our classrooms, and feel that this will assist our students in academic accomplishment.

Academically, we hope that our Aquanauts explore topics such as different reading and writing genres in Language Arts, human impact on our world in Science, problem solving in Math, and how we connect with all parts of the world in Social Studies. Aquarius House teachers will provide meaningful learning opportunities and explore multiple learning styles to find what will make our students most successful.

Personally, we anticipate that our Aquanauts explore new friendships, learn ways to solve problems and practice making good choices. They will discover a sense of belonging in the Aquarius House, as well as a sense of community. We hope that they learn to look out for one another and develop a sense of pride in our house.

Mission Safety

NAVIGATING SYSTEMS

Being a 1:1 school, we utilize technology systems to help students and parents keep connected. See chart below for an overview of each system and its purpose.

HOMEWORK

All Aquarius House core teachers post their lesson plans on the Aquarius House website. This is the best place for students and parents to go to first as a one-stop spot to look for their homework assignments and what was done in class. Homework is also posted in all the classrooms. It is the students' responsibility to check this daily.

LATE WORK

One of our school’s strategic goals is to make our middle school students academically and socially ready for future endeavors. One of those more immediate “future endeavors” is high school. It is our expectation that students submit homework and assessments when they are due.

Teachers will temporarily put a zero in PowerSchool as an indication that work is missing. This occurs in the event of a student absence or a missing assignment and functions as a reminder that the work still needs to be turned in. Once the work is turned in, grades will be updated.

DISCIPLINE

Our house mission statement includes creating a sense of belonging and community for our Aquanauts. We stand behind the school’s anti-bullying campaign 100%.

We hope to establish a cooperative environment within our house, so the discipline problems will be few. If, however, problems arise, such as inappropriate language or actions, rudeness or lack of respect, unsafe behavior, or inappropriate dress, we will address them promptly and professionally. We use a school-wide program called LiveSchool to track student behaviors.

ABSENCES

For excused absences, the appropriate amount of day(s) will be given to make up the work according to school policy. It is the student’s responsibility to approach the teacher for missed work upon his/her return to school. For planned absences (i.e., vacations), a pre-planned absence form from the office MUST be completed before the absence. Work that is assigned before the absence will be due on the first day of the student’s return. Again, the missing work will be assigned a zero in PowerSchool until it is completed.

RETAKES

Homework completion and preparation for tests goes hand in hand with educational success. District and house grading policy allows for students to have the opportunity to retake a test. The reason we do this is that we want students to demonstrate that they know the information being assessed, which leads to improved learning.

The purpose of a retake is to allow students to truly demonstrate they have mastered a skill. If a student wishes to take advantage of a retake, they need to advocate to the teacher, complete an assessment reflection, prepare, and attend the scheduled retake time.

MISSION RESULTS

Mission Training

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

We will be using a workshop approach to communicate our thoughts in response to a variety of genres and topics in both reading and writing. Independent reading books of their own choice will also be incorporated.

SOCIAL STUDIES

The goal of 7th grade Social Studies is to expose students to the branches of social studies (geography, political science, history, economics, and behavioral science) in order to help them find areas of interest when selecting pathways for study at Bay Port. We will participate in various simulation based learning experiences, independent and group projects, and game based learning in order to connect with our past, present, and future.

SCIENCE

Science

The focuses of 7th grade science are the study of chemistry, ecology & the environment, geological processes, and earth & human activities. We will approach these topics using a variety of methods: direct instruction, self-paced study, problem-based learning and project creation. Reading strategies and writing skills will be revisited in science also. Throughout the year, we will utilize the scientific method to find answers to our questions about nature.

Accelerated Science

Accelerated Science is a fast-paced and challenging curriculum, which is designed for motivated students with high interest, aptitude, critical thinking skills, and appropriate math skills. It will compact most of the 7th and 8th grade regular science curriculum. Assessment of the accelerated science student's progress will be through homework, labs, quizzes, projects and tests.

MATH

Through a combination of whole-class, small-group, and individual problem solving, ALL students will find success in math this year! Aquanauts will work in collaborative groups to continue deepening their understanding of algebra, geometry, numbers, and data. Students will be thinkers and will learn from both their successes and their mistakes. We will be using the Reveal Math series, which allows students to work in collaborative groups while solving problems and preparing for their math career in high school.


The following things will help you get the most out of class and help us build an awesome community:

  • Stick with hard things and look for opportunities to stretch and challenge yourself

  • Take risks and share ideas, even when you’re not sure that you’re right

  • Listen and build on others’ ideas, poke holes in others’ reasoning, include and support your peers, and appreciate your own and others’ brilliance

  • Come to class on time and with supplies

  • Stay focused and productive during class