RIVER RAIDER

Dear BRMS Families,

BRMS first trimester report cards for the 2021-2022 academic year were mailed out this afternoon.  Our report cards inform families on a student’s progress toward grade-level benchmarks in both content and practices, and identify strengths and next steps. As you review your student’s report card please keep in mind the reporting system is a snapshot of a student’s progress over time and provides talking points for you, your student, and their teachers. 

Middle School Literacy

In the ELA section of the report card, our goal is to communicate student growth and independent levels in Reading and Writing.  Both sections include a Process and an Independent On-Demand grade. The Process grade communicates student work and habits with adult support and guidance.  In Reading, this includes responses to text in notebooks, engagement, and amount of time reading. In Writing, this includes going through the writing process of generating ideas, drafting, using feedback, and revising. The Independent On-Demand grade shows your student’s individual proficiency at the end of a unit of study, and demonstrates independent ability in Reading and Writing.

Middle School Math

The math section of the report card provides talking points regarding your student’s progress in both Math Content understanding & development in Math Practices.  Math teachers have collaboratively mapped benchmark understandings that outline the most important ideas at each grade-level. Though these are not all of the math concepts that we teach, they are the critical building blocks for future success. Additionally, you’ll see your student’s progress in their Math Practices, the variety of expertise that thinkers use at all levels. These two things combined - content and practices - provide you with a full picture of your student as a math learner and their growth across the year.

Middle School Science

In recent years, the main focus of science instruction has shifted from “learning about” to “figuring out.” In Middle School, students are actively developing their science and engineering practices across units. You will see your student’s progress in three overarching areas: Modeling to describe the ways things work, using Inquiry to investigate puzzling questions about our world, and Communication that supports explanations with evidence. These are the skills that endure inside and beyond school. Our goal is to report to you the progress in these critical habits and how they are applied to the concepts within each science unit.

Middle School Social Studies

Learning in Social Studies is focused on the National C3 Standards (College, Career and Civic Life)  which include these areas: History, Geography, Civics, and Economics. Students are engaged in learning about key historical periods and events with an emphasis on connecting this learning to being a member of a community, current events, and the decision making that lead to major events in American and global history. Varied sources and multiple perspectives is an important aspect of this learning in their inquiry, research, writing, viewing, and discussion.

Additional information about our curriculum can be found on the MMUUSD site at this link: https://www.mmuusd.org/family-curriculum

Kevin Hamilton

Browns River Middle School