For the week of  4/25 - 4/29

Dear Helen Keller Middle School Families, 

It's that transition time of the year! We have been meeting with the grade 5 teachers and staff, getting ready for our incoming students as well as holding internal meetings so we can create the perfect experience for students as they "rise" to the next grade.  If you have any requests for next year, now is the time to let us know.  

Throughout the classes and hallways, I am noticing students maturing into their best selves.  The academic and performing expectations are at a year-long high.  Music classes are priming themselves for the year-end concerts (see dates below). Standardized testing is upon us which ramps up everyone's focus and drive to do their best and show their growth. This translates to all classes and even social interactions.  If you think your 6th-grader suddenly seems like a 7th-grader, you're right, we are seeing it too!  As you enjoy the various segments of the newsletter, look for the heightened expectations from PE class students designing their own sports and teaching their peers, crazy tongue twisters to improve vocal accuracy (chorus), social issues book clubs (ILA in 7th),  conduction, convection, and radiation labs (6th-science) and preparing for the PSATs (grade 8). 

Next week is a big one around here as we turn our appreciation to our teachers and staff.  If our students are the lifeblood of the school, then our teachers and staff are the heart.  The heart is a muscle that pushes the blood to where it has to go, even if it does not want to go there.  It adjusts its speed and pressure as needed for the body to accomplish tasks.  The heart breaks when disappointed and fills with joy during times of celebration.  Teachers and school staff do all of this as well.  They are masterful at challenging students to reach outside their comfort zones and achieve personal growth.  They are filled with pride and happiness when a child lights up with new understandings.  Join me in appreciating them next week.  A quick note, nothing more than a simple thank you for what they do every day, will fill their hearts!  

Next week is also the town budget vote (Tuesday 5/3).  One of the few examples of true direct democracy in the world is when these few New England communities directly vote town budgets up or down.  It is an awesome, exciting, and inspiring responsibility.   While it would not be appropriate for me to advocate voting to support the budget or not.  I feel obligated to compel you to actually go and vote! If for no other reason than to set a good example for your child(ren).  In fact, bring them to the polls with you, it is great for them to see democracy in action and will instill this responsibility and expectation of their future community as they grow up.  The annual "spring fling" featuring the HKMS vs SSES staff softball game will be going on at SSES starting at 4:15pm on the afternoon of the vote. I would love to see you and your family there to root for the Cougars to win, or at least not get injured!  :)

One final note for next week. We will be having students bring their Chromebooks and chargers back to school next Friday and they will remain in school through the duration of the Smarter Balanced testing window.  Each homeroom will set up a charging station during our testing window, and student Chromebooks will be left in school overnight. We will send an additional reminder or two next week.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the newsletter and have a great weekend!

Steven Clapp, Ed.D.

Principal

Helen Keller Middle School

360 Sport Hill Rd, Easton, CT 06612

(203) 268-8651

sclapp@er9.org

Grade 6 Peeks

Popcorn Heat Transfer Lab - Conduction, Convection, & Radiation:  

6th-Grade students worked on predicting and describing changes in particle motion and temperature when thermal energy is added or removed.  After reviewing the vocabulary, students applied their knowledge of heat transfer through conduction, convection, and radiation as they popped popcorn. 

Students in Mr. D'Agostino's social studies classes are honing their note-taking skills while uncovering the downfall of the Republic of Ancient Rome.

Mrs. Burke's ILA students are using the text Esperanza Rising by Pam Muňoz Ryan to discuss how setting impacts the character and author's craft techniques that convey mood to the reader.  

Grade 7 Peeks

Mrs. Rose's seventh-grade social studies classes are learning about and creating their own African tribal masks.  To dive deeper into the meaning of African tribal masks, students are discussing symmetry and the balance between humans and the environment.

Mr. Roger's ILA students have finished their second social issues book club.  Recently, we shared the "one-pagers" students created about their first book club book.  Now check out the more detailed visuals students created to demonstrate the lessons they learned and the new levels of empathy they developed as a result of reading the book.  

Grade 8 Peeks

Tuesday, Mr. Mac's science classes "circled up" to review what they learned about the PSATs from their fall test and what to expect on the spring administration they took Wednesday!  

This week Mr. Walsh's students reflected on their Habits of Success.  Each student has set goals, self-graded, and has been assessed by their teachers throughout the year.  Good news on two fronts...habits are improving and the correlation between student self-assessment and teacher assessment is strengthening!  

FPA Peeks

Sixth-grade students in Mr. Breyer's health class are practicing techniques for refusing harmful substances.

Mr. Dolecki and Mrs. Gidley and their students are working hard to prepare for the spring concerts. From singing together with different choral sections to using tongue twisters to improve diction, they are honing all of their musical performance skills.   

6th Percussion.mp4
Chorus Toad Tung Twister.mp4
PE Make your own game.mp4

Students in PE are inventing their own sports.  Student leaders then teach the new sport to their classmates who all get to try it out!

Eating Disorders

by Kimberly Heran, 

HKMS Social Worker

Eating disorders are complex mental health concerns that often emerge during the middle school years.

A recent article in the New York Times reported that eating disorders in teens have risen during the course of the pandemic ( https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/well/family/teens-eating-disorders.html).  In the United States, 9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million Americans, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime (https://anad.org/eating-disorders-statistics/).

Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.  Eating disorders are believed to be caused by a complex interaction of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors.

Parents can familiarize themselves with common behaviors and symptoms that might indicate a child is struggling with an eating disorder. Behaviors could include; 


Adults themselves might avoid discussion about dieting, discussing calorie or fat content in food, or classifying food as “good”,‘“bad” or “healthy” and “junk”. Research shows that early identification and treatment lead to more favorable outcomes and prognosis.  Parents who notice symptoms of anorexia or bulimia in their child should ask their family physician or pediatrician for a referral to a trained therapist and or a child and adolescent psychiatrist. A common treatment for eating disorders may include; Individual, group, and/or family psychotherapy, medical care and monitoring, nutritional counseling, and/or medication.

Additional Resources: http://www.anad.org/, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/, https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Eating-Disorders

Parent/Guardian Questionnaire:

The Counseling Team is requesting your input in regards to hosting a potential career fair for the 2022/2023 school year! Please fill out this short questionnaire linked HERE.

At HKMS we believe all students should be thriving whether performing below, at, or above grade-level standards.  This section will highlight just one of the ways we support learners and/or extend their thinking. 

Pictured here is The HKMS "delta team" which is made up of our literacy specialists (Mrs. Aponte and Mrs. Hoffman), the math specialist (Mrs. Dunkerton), our academic counselor (Mr. Sather), and administrators (Dr. Clapp and Mrs. Mohr - not pictured) at this week's data review meeting.  The delta team meets every 6-weeks to review a cycle of data and analyze the "big picture."  They look at units of instruction, interventions, and assessments as well as the social and emotional well-being of students.  Every child's data is systematically reviewed, from classroom grades and standardized assessments to attendance rates.  The process helps identify students who are suddenly struggling, making steady progress, or slowly falling behind.  The team then deploys resources to help support students and help "close any gaps" that are evident or emerging. 

All of the wonderful activities, events, and learning going on around HKMS this week (and beyond!). 

Inspiring & Informative

 Walls and Doors at HKMS

Math is important in everyone's life!  

Mrs. Dunkerton's doors are bringing that idea to life!

Our PE department is always modeling and talking about the incredible benefits of exercise.

Our amazing student support team is always here to help!

Grade 8 Student Government Spring Charity Drive!

Kami Export - Animal Drive (1).pdf

Spring Extra-Curriculars Up and Running!

JazzBand 4-26-22.mp4

Awesome jam from the HKMS Jazz Band Tuesday afternoon!

Last month we returned a wonderful display in our lobby to the Easton Historical Society, which was long overdue.  The display was only supposed to be up for a few months in 2020, but the pandemic delayed the retrieval of the artifacts.  The new display features our yearbooks going back to 1999, there is even a 1975 edition in there!  The center of the display is a US Flag that Flew over Camp Fernandez Long Plank, Iraq on December 4. 2004!  Check it out the next time you are here!

Community Service Opportunity!

Do you know of an individual or organization looking for a community service project?  We would love ideas and help to create an outdoor eating area off the side of our cafeteria. A patio? Flower boxes? Please reach out to Dr. Clapp or Mrs. Mohr.

Keller Educational Discussions

Do you have an area of expertise middle schoolers can learn from? Like sharing? We want you to give a KED-Talk! Click here for more information.


Have some gently used games getting little play?

The PTO is organizing a new game closet for students to sign out on days we cannot get out for an active mask break due to poor weather. Please send an email to eastonctpto.hkms@gmail.com if you like to donate.

Check out this image of terms associated with social justice.  What terms stand out? Which are the largest words? The smallest? Why? This is a great conversation starter for the whole family!

@HKMS_easton 

@helen_keller_middle_school

@hkmsmediacenter