Smith News

December 1, 2019

Achieving Excellence One Student at a Time

Ramsey Parent Academies

TheRippleEffect-Ramsey.pdf

Parent Academies

Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - RHS Lecture Hall, 7:30 PM

Screening of Suicide: The Ripple Effect

To help continue our focus on mental health and to draw attention to the issue of suicide, we are hosting a special screening of the new inspirational documentary Suicide The Ripple Effect, which will be followed by an engaging discussion on the topic. This event is scheduled for December 4, 2019, Ramsey High School, starting at 7:30 PM. The film carries a message of hope and healing. We strongly encourage you to bring your children ages 10+. There is no cost.

The film highlights the journey of Kevin Hines, who at age 19, attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. The film chronicles Kevin’s personal journey and the ripple effect it has on those who have been impacted by his suicide attempt and his life's work since. In addition, the film highlights the stories of individuals and families who are utilizing their personal tragedy to bring hope and healing to others.

In the Classroom & Around School

#ProfileOfARamseyGraduate #EnhancingTheStudentExperience

Fairview Lake YMCA

Seventh Grade students participated in an overnight field trip to Fairview Lake YMCA Camp in Stillwater, NJ on November 19-20. Students learned a lot, got to experience nature first hand, and most importantly had a great time being with their peers!

Students participated in many activities including a Ridge Hike on the Appalachian Trail, Candle Making, Shelter Building, Rock Wall Climbing and many songs and games. Also the food was AMAZING!

Want to see more pictures and videos: Check out the Smith Twitter page: https://twitter.com/RSDsmithschool

We can't wait for our current 6th grade to have this awesome opportunity in 2020!

"La Toussaint"

On November 1st, the Smith School 8th grade French classes celebrated "La Toussaint," All Saints Day, by completing a scavenger hunt. The classroom was transformed into Pere Lachaise Cemetery, the largest cemetery in Paris and the most famous cemetery in the world. Buried in the cemetery are many famous people from French and world history. The students were required to visit five tombstones of famous French historical figures like Victor Hugo, Joan of Arc, King Louis XIV, Gustave Eiffel and Marie Antoinette and figure out whose tombstones they were by getting French information from the tombstone and completing the puzzle on their worksheet.

StuCo - Thanksgiving Food Drive

The Smith School StuCo would like to sincerely thank all who contributed to this year’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. All together, Smith School brought in over 900 items! Smith School never ceases to amaze! All of the items that were collected were brought to the Ramsey Responds to help aide families who are in need during this holiday season. The StuCo officers delivered the food to a Ramsey Responds staff who was astonished at how much was collected. We thank everyone for their continued support!

Mrs. Christine Davis

Supervisor of K-8 Education and Student Welfare

The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Why Do They Act Like That?

Impulsive behavior, lack of focus, emotional drama, the need for peer approval, and poor decision making are just some of the hallmark characteristics of adolescents. It turns out that there are scientific explanations for these behaviors. In fact, these traits are extremely important from an evolutionary point of view.

Thomas Armstrong, author of The Power of the Adolescent Brain Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students, describes how these traits serve to help children learn the skills they need to survive as they make their way independently in the world. For example, Armstrong explains that the strong need for adolescents to spend time with peers rather than authority figures, including their parents and teachers, has a sound evolutionary basis. The people that students will eventually spend the most time with once they grow into adults will be their peers, not authority figures. Other behaviors such as risk-taking and sensation-seeking create the desire to explore the world and eventually forge independence.

The reason for this behavior is based on the way the brain develops. The maturation of the adolescent brain occurs from back to front, with the prefrontal cortex maturing last. This is the part of the brain responsible for executive functioning activities such as impulse control, judgment, decision making, priority setting, and plan-making. Adolescents may be able to perform these skills when there are no pressures due to emotional situations or social interactions, but not as well when these pressures are present. And what middle or high schooler is not under some form of stress or pressure?

Other structures found just beneath the prefrontal cortex which control what is known as the “emotional brain” develop faster than the prefrontal cortex. Armstrong describes this phenomenon as “pedal to the medal without suitable brakes.” In other words, the “emotional brain” is fully functional sometime around puberty, and the “reasoning brain” isn’t finished developing until well into the twenties. This may account for the drama, bad decision making, hunger for peer approval, and propensity for risk-taking.

Another remarkable trait of the adolescent brain is that due to the increase in the brain cell connections, children of this age have the ability to learn new things much faster than adults. Students at this age are often said to absorb knowledge-- “like a sponge.”

Having an understanding of adolescent brain development helps educators to adopt strategies based on the nature of adolescents and their developmental needs. Middle schools intentionally focus on providing opportunities such as student choice, collaborative learning, expressive art activities, and real-world experiences to help students develop skills to avoid the pitfalls of adolescence while helping them take advantage of the tremendous opportunity to learn and grow.

References

Armstrong, Thomas. The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2016.

From the Desk of the Instructional Coaches

Courtney Rejent- Humanities Instructional Coach

"What did you learn in school today?" A question you most likely ask your child after school. The usual response? "Nothing." This answer usually ends the inquiry and you move on to other conversations. But what if there was a way to dig a little deeper? Maybe ask slightly different questions? Could it help you get a fuller view of your child's day? Below is a list of questions that might extend the conversations with your child.

What book(s) are you currently reading? What made you choose that book?
What was the hardest thing you had to do today? What made it challenging?
What was the easiest thing you had to do today? What made it easy?
What was something funny that happened today?
What was the best part of your day?
How did you help someone today?

Each question provides a different insight to your child's day. Some questions offer glimpses into your child’s academic life, while others offer glimpses into your child’s overall well-being. Each question has the potential to open the door to a longer and stronger conversation, while also providing you more insight to your child’s day. Happy conversing!

Yearbook

Yearbooks are available for order but not for long. The deadline for all yearbook orders is JANUARY 7th. Don’t miss out and order one now!

Order your yearbook by clicking here

Smith School order number is #4365.

Would you or a family member like to send a special shout out or message in the yearbook to a Smith student? Fill out one of our Well Wishes form and send it in to school along with a payment of $5 (cash or check made out to Smith PTO) - Well Wishes cannot be done online.

And finally - for the PARENTS OF OUTGOING 8TH GRADERS, for $22 you can additionally purchase a yearbook Tribute Ad for your graduate - a baby photo of your child accompanied with a special message of your choosing. Please visit the yearbook website https://www.yearbookordercenter.com (school order # 4365) to purchase and submit your Tribute Ad online!