SJA-EClass-G7/8

Middle School Chicago Trip 2010

2010-05-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

It's finally arrived and all our hard work fundraising this year has paid off! We are off to Chicago on Friday, May 14th. All students need to arrive to school between 7:00 and 7:15 a.m. We will leave St. Joan of Arc at 7:30. Students will need to dress for the weather -- jeans, comfortable shoes, sweatshirts, etc. Keep in mind that Chicago is always colder than Indianapolis, and we will be on the water. Students should bring the following other items:

back pack or purse to carry around the city
camera
umbrella or rain jacket?
snacks for the bus ride (however, only water to drink on the bus)
pillow (if wanted)

**Please be sure that the backpack / purse is comfortable to wear all day long! We will not keep personal belongings on the bus.

Here is our itinerary for the trip:

7:30 a.m. Depart Indy

10:30 a.m. Arrive in Chicago

10:45 Walk to Adler Planetarium and tour facility

11:45 Cosmic Collisions Sky Show

12:15 Lunch

1:30 Field Museum

3:30 Board bus to Wacker Drive for Architectural Lake and River Tour (boat ride)

5:30 Walk to Navy Pier

5:30-7:30: Navy Pier

7:30 Depart Chicago

10:30-10:45 Arrive back in Indianapolis

We are looking forward to a great time! If you have any other questions, please contact Mrs. Funk at sfunk@sjoa.org

Middle School Field Trip to Victory Field

2010-05-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

As part of the Sports Connection portion of Math class, students will have the opportunity to watch an Indians Game at Victory Field on Thursday, May 13th. Students may be out of uniform, as long as their apparel is school-appropriate. We will depart school around 9:30 and return by dismissal. Students will need money for lunch, as we cannot bring any food or drink into the ballpark.

KIB Work Day

2010-05-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

As part of our Keep Indianapolis Beautiful grant, the entire school will be working on the grounds of St. Joan of Arc tomorrow, May 12th from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Students should dress in clothes and shoes they can wear to work outdoors. Keep in mind that it may be wet, so our students may get dirty. Hopefully the weather will cooperate!

May Crowning 2010

2010-05-11T10:49:00.001-07:00

More Photos From May Crowning

May 6, 2010

May Crowning 2010

2010-05-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday's May Crowning was a huge success! The kids did a beautiful job with the Mass and Rosary at Mary's Statue. Check out our slideshow for more pictures!

Walk-a-thon

2010-05-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

This year's walk-a-thon will be held on Friday, May 21st. Field day will also be held on this day. All students are to raise money for walk-a-thon; prizes will be given to those students who raise the most money for our school!

The 7th and 8th grade are to attend the following masses this weekend to fundraise for walk-a-thon:

Sunday, May 17th @ 5:30 p.m.

Thank you for your support!

Meeting for Chicago Middle School Trip

2010-04-21T10:52:00.001-07:00

There will be a meeting held for parents of middle school students to address some specifics for the upcoming Chicago Trip. The meeting will be held on Monday, May 3rd at 7:30 a.m. in Mrs. Funk and Mrs. Jeatran's classroom (Room 23). Hope to see all our parents there!

Thanks!

6th, 7th and 8th Grade to see The Wizard of Oz

2010-04-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, April 22nd, the SJA Middle School will be attending Bishop Chatard High School's performance of The Wizard of Oz. We will depart from school at 9:15 and return at 12:00 for afternoon classes. Our students, especially the ones who participated in our school's Spring play, are very excited about this opportunity!

Welcome Back!

2010-03-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone had a restful and fun spring break! We are now entering our final quarter of the school year! It's hard to believe we are on the home stretch! This 4th quarter is filled with many different activities and events that involve our 7th and 8th grade.

This week is Holy Week. There will be a rendition of the Last Supper on Thursday for the entire school. Our 7th and 8th grade boys will play the roles of Jesus and the apostles at the Last Supper. Friday, April 2nd is Good Friday. The performance of the Living Stations of the Cross will be held during the prayer service Friday morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. All students must be in uniform this Friday even though it is usually a spirit day (the first Friday of the month). Instead of spirit day on Friday, we will have "Dawg Day" in honor of the Butler Bulldogs making it to the NCAA Final Four. All students may wear jeans and navy blue or white.

Homework Club begins this week as well. Homework Club is an effort to "save" our students who are developing poor habits and not turning in their homework. All students should have a form (going home today) that all parents will need to sign and return. Homework club will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week from 3:15 to 4:15. If a student misses an assignment in class, he or she will need to call home and report to homework club that day. Please contact Mrs. Jeatran or myself for any other questions or information regarding homework club.

Please continue to encourage your students to sell spring flowers in order to raise money for our Chicago trip on May 14th. April 23rd is the deadline for flower orders; all orders and money need to be turned in to Mrs. Jeatran or Mrs. Funk.

That's about all for now. We are looking forward to finishing this school year as strong as possible! Thank you for your continued support of our 7th and 8th grade class!

Mrs. Funk and Mrs. J

7th and 8th Grade Science: End of March/Early April

2010-03-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

In 7th and 8th grade science this week, we are starting cell division: mitosis and meiosis! This wondrous topic will lead us into the very heart of genetics: our genes and all they control! The students have been dying to talk about mutations, and finally we are arriving at that subject. Hopefully in a few weeks your child can tell you about some of the crazy things that can happen, all because one nucleotide was misplaced!

Hope you enjoyed your Spring Break!

Ms. Klee

7th & 8th grade Social Studies Update

2010-03-15T07:43:00.001-07:00

This is what we are currently doing in Social Studies:

7th- The 7th grade has recently been studying China and Japan. We have discussed the geography of East Asia, the dropping of the atom bombs in Japan during World War II and Pearl Harbor, Confucius, Genghis Khan, Zen Buddhism, the Silk Road, Taoism, the Great Wall, samurai, Shinto, and many other elements of East Asia.

8th- The 8th grade recently researched the issue of slavery during the pre-Civil War era. The students had a very in depth debate on slavery. Some students took the position of anti-slavery and the others took the side of defending slavery. I was amazed at the amount of primary resources and photographs the students found and used to defend their position for the debate. Great job!:)

-Mrs. Powroznik

Prayer of the Week

2010-03-15T06:54:00.001-07:00

Dear God,

Bless this classroom and the children who dwell here, listening, learning and growing. In Your name we pray,

Amen

Middle School Spring Flower Sale

2010-03-15T06:42:00.001-07:00

Ready to plant some spring flowers? You're in luck! It's that time of year again - the Annual Middle School Flower Sale!

Please help our middle school students at St. Joan of Arc raise money to attend the end of the year trip to Chicago! All proceeds from the sale will support the trip.

We have a wide variety of flowers and plants this year to fit all budgets. Order forms have been sent home with all middle school students; however, extra forms are available in the school office. All orders must be in by Friday, April 23rd. Plants may be picked up on Thursday, April 29th from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. All orders must be prepaid. Please make checks payable to St. Joan of Arc School. Thank you in advance for your support!

Mrs. Jeatran and Mrs. Funk

Quarter 3 AR Goals are due by Friday, March 19th

2010-03-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

The end of the third quarter is quickly approaching. Just a reminder that all AR goals must be met by the end of the school day Friday, March 19th. Two test grades will be entered into students' Reading grades -- the first grade is the percentage to goal, and the second grade is the AR test average for the quarter. These test grades have the ability to change students' Reading grades dramatically, so please be sure to encourage your student to get that reading done! Thank you!

Mrs. Funk

Science Blog

2010-03-14T20:02:00.001-07:00

Apparently no one has been visiting my blog because of some technical difficulties on the website. If you would like to, here is the address:

http://sja-eclass-sci.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Ms. Klee

Prayer of the Week

2010-03-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

Every day, we have been reciting the following prayer as we begin our school day:

Heavenly Father,

Allow us to live simply, love generously, serve faithfully, speak truthfully, pray daily, and work diligently all in thy name.

Amen.

8th Grade Snapshots

2010-03-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

8th Grade Snapshots

2010-03-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the 8th Grade!

2010-02-17T11:47:00.000-08:00

The 8th graders found out this week where they have been accepted to high school!

Aerial Patterson: Bishop Chatard, Cathedral and Brebeuf

William House: Bishop Chatard, Cathedral and Brebeuf

Clay Miller: Bishop Chatard and Cathedral

Joe Kern: Brebeuf and Cathedral

Miles Murray: Bishop Chatard, Cathedral and Herron

Tracy Summers: Brebeuf

We are very proud of our 8th grade! They have all worked very hard this school year!

ISTEP Testing

2010-02-17T11:46:00.001-08:00

Just a reminder:

ISTEP testing for the middle school will be held the week of March 1st to March 5th. More information and a testing schedule will follow.

7th and 8th Grade to Attend Romeo & Juliet!

2010-02-16T12:26:00.000-08:00

The 7th and 8th grade classes, along with Mrs. Jeatran and Mrs. Funk, will be traveling to the IRT on Thursday, February 25th to watch the play, Romeo and Juliet. We are currently reading the play in class. This is a wonderful opportunity, as this Shakespeare classic is not performed every year. We know our students are looking forward to the field trip!

Finance Park

2010-01-21T11:42:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder: 7th and 8th grade students will be participating in the Junior Achievement Finance Park program tomorrow (January 22nd)!

Congratulations to 2nd Quarter Honor Roll Students!

2010-01-21T11:40:00.001-08:00

The following 7th and 8th graders achieved Honor Roll (a "B" average) this quarter:

Ronnie Hill
Clark Hutchings
Lauren Mosley
Joe Kern
William House
Tracy Summers

The following 7th and 8th graders achieved High Honor Roll (an "A" average) this quarter:

Quinn Charles
Dayne Slay
Lily Poe
Clay Miller
Aerial Patterson

We had two students make the Principal's List this quarter. Congratulations to:

Elicia Bates
Mary Cate Pachciarz

We are very proud of all of our 7th and 8th grade students this quarter. It's very nice to see that their hard work is paying off. Let's shoot for even more improvement 3rd quarter!

Mrs. Jeatran and Mrs. Funk

Finance Park

2010-01-08T07:16:00.000-08:00

7^th & 8^th Graders to Visit Finance Park

This week the 7^th and 8^th grade students began preparing for an upcoming visit to Finance Park, a unique experiential educational program operated by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana. Our students will study important elements of personal financial literacy and career awareness. On the day of the simulation, January 22^nd, each student will become an adult for a day. They will be responsible for planning a monthly budget for themselves and their fictional families. This is a fun, meaningful component of our on-going economics instruction in our curriculum.

Welcome Back!

2010-01-06T10:36:00.001-08:00

We hope that all our students and St. Joan of Arc families had a wonderful Christmas break! At school, we're right back in the swing of things! Students are working hard for a strong finish to 2nd quarter. The quarter ends on January 15th, 2010.

Students have until next Thursday (1/14) to meet their Quarter 2 AR goals. Our 7th and 8th grade class has shown a great deal of improvement with AR from last quarter. There are still some students with a good amount of work to do, but I'm confident they'll get it all done. Just a reminder that two test grades are entered into their Reading grades. The first grade is the percent of the AR goal achieved. The second grade is the percent correct on AR tests. Please contact me with any questions.

Permission slips are going home today for 8th grade students ONLY. Next Wednesday, January 13th, the 8th grade class will be shadowing students at Providence Cristo Rey High School. This is an exciting opportunity for our 8th graders, and they are looking forward to spending this day with high school students.

I think that's all for now! We're happy to be back! Have a great week!

Mrs. Funk and Mrs. Jeatran

National Geographic Geography Bee

2010-01-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

The 7th and 8th grade students had classroom competitions answering questions on geography. The top two students from each class that scored the most points will be representing their grade on Tuesday, January 12th at 12:45pm in the gym for the National Geographic Geography Bee. The competition is for grades 4th-8th and all family members are welcome to attend. The winner of the school bee will take a qualifying written test to move on to the state competition. Congrats!

Sam and Mary Cate- 7th grade

Clay and Joe- 8th grade

We wish you the best of luck! Mrs. Powroznik :)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-16T06:14:00.001-08:00

Christmas Break begins at 1:00 p.m. on December 18th. School resumes on Monday, January 4th, 2010.

Mrs. Jeatran and I would like to wish all of our St. Joan of Arc students and families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We feel very blessed to be part of such an amazing school, and we feel very blessed to teach your children. Have a wonderful break!

You're Invited!

2009-12-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

The 7th and 8th grade will be performing The Nativity Play on Friday, December 18th and 9:00 a.m. as part of the St. Joan of Arc Christmas Program. The class has been practicing very hard for the play, and they are excited about performing it for the school and their parents. Students are free to dismiss immediately following the Christmas program.

For students whose parents cannot make arrangements for them to leave after the program, there is still a 1:00 dismissal on the 18th.

7th and 8th Grade Christmas Program

2009-11-30T08:29:00.000-08:00

The Annual Christmas Program (Nativity Story) will be put on by members of the 7th and 8th grade on December 18th, 2009. Time and other details will follow shortly. Students will be assigned their parts tomorrow, and rehearsals will begin this week!

Progress Reports

2009-11-30T08:28:00.000-08:00

Progress Reports will be sent home Wednesday, December 2nd.

Storytelling Festival this Friday!

2009-11-30T08:26:00.000-08:00

Permission slips will go home today for students to attend the Storytelling Theater on Friday, Dec. 4th. Students will engage in a day of fun-filled stories, music, laughter and learning. We're looking forward to this exciting opportunity!

Poinsettia Pick Up -- December 3, 2009

2009-11-30T08:23:00.000-08:00

Poinsettias will be delivered and ready for pick up on December 3rd, 2009 from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m. We will be located in the school gym.

Special Persons Day -- Wednesday, November 25th

2009-11-23T11:50:00.001-08:00

Hello Parents!

Just a reminder that all 7th and 8th graders are encouraged to invite a special person to mass on Wednesday. Mass will begin at 8:45 a.m. and then the students' special persons are invited to stick around for refreshments and to view our students' artwork. Students are allowed to leave school with their special person once the festivities are over. We have a 1:00 dismissal that day for those students who do not leave early.

Thanksgiving Break is Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26th and Nov. 27th.

Midterms will be sent home the week after Thanksgiving Break.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are very thankful for your children!

Mrs. Jeatran and Mrs. Funk

2009-11-11T10:03:00.001-08:00

2009-11-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

SJOA 7th and 8th Grade attend The Giver at the IRT

2009-11-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

St. Joan of Arc Math Night!

2009-11-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

Math Night is Wednesday, November 11, 2009. Dinner begins at 5:30 and Math Activities are from 6:30-7:30. Flyers will be sent home again Tuesday. This event is sponsored by the Marion College Math Dept. and the FSF (Families Supporting Faculty group). Over the past several years this event has grown tremendously. Please encourage your students to turn in their forms by Friday 11/6. Thank you!

In Reading this Week . . .

2009-11-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

The 7th grade has finished reading The Giver and will spend Monday and Tuesday reviewing for the test on Wednesday. Next Wednesday (Nov. 11th), we will be taking a field trip to the IRT to watch the performance of The Giver. This is an exciting opportunity, as The Giver has not yet been performed at the IRT. The kids are really looking forward to it!

The 8th grade is continuing to read Twice Upon a Marigold. We hope to finish up the novel by the end of the week. They will take an AR test for the novel that will count not only toward their AR goal for Quarter 2, but also as a test grade in Reading class. The 8th grade will also be joining us at the IRT on Nov. 11th, as they read The Giver last year in class.

Looking forward to another great quarter!

No School Friday!

2009-11-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

Dear Middle School Parents,

This is just a reminder that there will be no school this Friday, November 6th for all 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. The Superintendent of Indianapolis Schools has issued a waiver for all middle school students to miss school on 11/6/2009 so that all middle school teachers may attend the National Middle School Teachers Conference downtown. This day will not need to be made up by our students.

Thank you,

The Middle School Teachers

Academic Olympics Victory!

2009-10-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

The SJOA Academic Olympics team competed against St. Mark's this past Friday at Cathedral. They beat St. Mark's 23-18. The Academic Olympics is similar to the Brain Game, but geared towards middle school students from schools in the archdiocese. The teams are given various questions on all subjects and they have to be fast to respond with correct answers by hitting their buzzers. The team is made up of 6 students-Clay Miller, Joseph Kern, Elicia Bates, Sam Osborn, Vincente Venegas, and Mary Cate Pachiarz. We are very proud of them! The next competition will be Round 2 on Saturday, November 14th at Cathedral. The team we will be competing against is still to be determined.

Student-led Conferences

2009-10-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Reminder: student-led conferences will be held on October 26th and 27th for all middle school students. Students will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m. on October 27th and October 28th. Fall break is October 29-30. Please remember to return your child's conference reminder form to school if you have not yet done so. Thank you.

2009-10-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Two weeks left to meet Quarter 1 AR goals! Read, read, read!

Heartland Film Festival Ticket Raffle

2009-10-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents,

We wanted to inform you about a wonderful opportunity for 25 lucky 4th through 8th grade students. Heartland Truly Moving Pictures, Duke Energy, and B-Side Entertainment have donated tickets for our students and their parents to attend movies showcased at the Heartland Film Festival.

Fourteen students will be awarded vouchers that may be redeemed for general film screenings during the Festival at AMC Greenwood and AMC Castleton:

October 16th -- AMC Castleton ONLY
October 17th - 24th -- AMC Castleton and AMC Greenwood Park Mall

Eight students will be awarded Opening Night Event Screening Tickets for Thursday, October 15th at the Murat Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The screening is at 7:30 p.m. and they film showing is Hachi, A Dog's Tale.

Finally, three students will be awarded tickets to the Family Movie Event on Sunday, October 18th at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. The doors open at 1:00 p.m. and the screening begins at 2:00 p.m. The film is The Perfect Game.

This Friday, October 9th, during morning prayer, we will draw names of students in grades 4 through 8 who have met their quarter AR goal or who are within 5 points of reaching their AR goal AND have a 90% or above average on AR tests. This is a wonderful opportunity presented to us by Michael O'Brien and Grace Crowell to reward our good readers here at St. Joan of Arc. We thank them, as well as the ticket sponsors, for their generosity.

Thank you!

Mrs. Jeatran and Mrs. Funk

7th and 8th Grade High School Night

2009-10-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

Ronnie Hill, 7th grade, and his mother talk to representatives from Brebeuf High School.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

In Reading this Week . . .

2009-10-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

The 7th and 8th grade will continue with Literature Circles, meaning that the 7th grade will continue with The Giver and the 8th grade will continue with Twice Upon a Marigold. This week, the focus lessons will include point of view, foreshadowing, and imagery.

This morning, I reminded all 7th and 8th graders about their AR goals. Some students are needing to pick up the pace in order to meet their Quarter 1 goal. Again, whatever percentage of the goal that is met on Oct. 23rd is the grade they will receive as a test grade in Reading. Please encourage your students to be reading at home in addition to the time they spend reading at school. Thank you for your help.

2009-10-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the King Tut exhibit at the Children's Museum!
Big thanks to Mrs. Powroznik for organizing the trip. What an
incredible opportunity it was for our kids!

Middle School Reminders

2009-09-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

Progress Reports will be sent home Wednesday, September 23rd.

8TH GRADE: HIGH SCHOOL NIGHT WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH. More information will follow.

All middle school students will be taking a field trip to the Children's Museum on October 2nd to see the King Tut exhibit. ALL students will need to bring a sack lunch.

In Reading this Week . . .

2009-09-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Jeatran and I will be teaming up to teach writing this week. The students will be finishing their "alternate ending" writing assignment on Monday. Tuesday through Friday, students will continue working on their narrative essays. They will be in and out of the computer lab, typing their final drafts. They may not complete their final drafts until their rough drafts have been proofread by either Mrs. Jeatran or myself.

On Friday, and early next week, we will begin our first novels. The 7th grade will read The Giver and the 8th grade will read Twice Upon a Marigold. We will be working on these novels simultaneously, and will use Literature Circles as a method to teach the skills and activities that accommodate the novel.

Middle School Social Studies Field Trip!

2009-09-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to provide the middle school students with the opportunity on Friday, October 2nd to attend the special exhibit of King Tutankhaten at the Children's Museum. This exhibit allows students to take a journey back in time to Ancient Egypt to explore what life was like during the time of the great Pharaohs of Egypt.

The exhibition includes artifacts representing the life of the kings and queens and illustrates the importance of kingship to the Egyptian people. The exhibit has spectacular jewelry, pottery a replica of King Tut's burial chambers, Egyptian currency, and an Egyptian marketplace. This is a unique experience for the students to get a deeper understanding of a different culture and see how advanced some ancient civilizations really were.

~Mrs. Powroznik

No Help Session 24th

2009-09-20T18:40:00.001-07:00

There will be no help session this Thursday, September 24th. I have a check-up after school because of an injury I acquired this weekend. I will remind the students, and I also sent out a homework watcher.

Thanks,

Ms. Klee

In Reading this week . . .

2009-09-15T17:32:00.001-07:00

The 7th and 8th grade will have a test over the short story unit on Wednesday, September 16th. The test will consist of a combination of questions, including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer. All students had an opportunity to review Monday in class. Starting on Friday, we will be working on writing creatively. Our students were given an assignment to create a prologue, epilogue, sequel or alternate ending for one of the short stories studied in class. We will continue composing these stories into next week.

Progress reports are scheduled to go home Wednesday, Sept. 23rd. It is very crucial that your student turns in and fully completes every single homework assignment given. Usually, there is one (maybe two) grade entered per week. If a student misses one assignment and averages a zero on that assignment, his/her grade will suffer tremendously.

I also reminded students this week that at this point in the quarter, they should be halfway to their AR goal. Some students are reading very lengthy novels, so they are not yet finished. But I just want to be sure everyone is on track to achieving their point goals.

Thanks! Have a great week!

Mrs. Funk

2009-09-08T11:20:00.001-07:00

Reminder: no school Friday, September 11, 2009! (It is set-up day for French Market.)

French Market Raffle Tickets

2009-09-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Please remind your children to sell as many raffle tickets as possible for French Market. The student who has collected the most money for the school will win a brand new iTouch. Raffle ticket money will be collected on Thursday, so let's get busy selling those tickets!

CYO Camp!

2009-09-06T08:47:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful time on our middle school leadership retreat at Rancho Framasa. Our students learned many valuable, lifelong skills in leadership, teamwork, and service. Enjoy the pictures!

REMINDER: CAMP PERMISSION SLIPS ARE DUE BY WEDNESDAY!

2009-08-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

In 7/8 Reading this week . . .

2009-08-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

In Reading class this week, students will recieve their AR point goals for Quarter 1. It is imperative that students reach their goals by the end of the 9 weeks; otherwise, the percentage they have towards their goal will be transferred as a test grade in Reading class. (Other AR grades will factor in as well.) In 7th and 8th grade, we will be continuing with the creative writing assignment as well as our short story unit. This week we will be reading "Dinner Party" and "The Revolt of the Evil Fairies." Students will have a test on the short stories on Sept. 16th. This week and next will be "short weeks" of class because of our camping trip and Labor Day and French Market set up (9/11). Grade reports for Reading will go home this Thursday in Thursday folders.

7th and 8th grade Social Studies-How to access your child's grades?

2009-08-31T07:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Families-
I am using a special online gradebook to keep all of the students social studies grades available to you at anytime to view. The online grading program is called Engrade. Your child will be given a flyer with a unique password (Access Code) to enter on the website to access their grades and any other posted information.

With the flyer, students will go to http://www.engrade.com/students, enter their Access Code(s), and choose a username/password combination. Students can then use their username and password to log in anytime and see their up-to-the-minute classroom information on Engrade.

Please remind your child that these usernames/passwords should be kept confidential and only should be given to you! I will also be printing your child's grades to put in their Thursday folders each week. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks so much, Mrs. Powroznik

8th grade Social Studies

2009-08-31T07:28:00.000-07:00

The main content in 8th grade Social Studies that we focus on is United States history.

Currently, the 8th grade is studying the roots of the American Revolution. We have started to look at the reasons the colonists decided to revolt against the British, the taxes that were imposed upon them, the Boston Massacre, and the Boston Tea Party.

Below is a link to view the Indiana 8th grade Social Studies standards. Please take a moment to check them out.

Directions:

Click on the link below and then go to "Academic Standards" on the left hand side under "Helpful Links." Click on "Standards" underneath "Indiana Standards and Resources." Then checkmark 8th grade and Social Studies. You may also use this link to view the other standards in their classes such as math, reading, and science.

http://www.doe.in.gov/

7th grade Social Studies

2009-08-31T07:25:00.000-07:00

The main content in 7th grade Social Studies that we focus on is Africa, Asia, and the South pacific.

Currently, the 7th grade is studying North Africa and Southwest Asia. We have started to look at the geography of these regions and will move into the ancient people of North Africa and Southwest Asia, including the Sumerians, Egyptians, the Muslim Ottoman Empire, and Jewish and Christian communities.

Below is a link to view the Indiana 7th grade Social Studies standards. Please take a moment to check them out.

Directions:

Click on the link below and then go to "Academic Standards" on the left hand side under "Helpful Links." Click on "Standards" underneath "Indiana Standards and Resources." Then checkmark 7th grade and Social Studies. You may also use this link to view the other standards in their classes such as math, reading, and science.

http://www.doe.in.gov/

Meet the class of 2010!

2009-08-30T11:21:00.001-07:00

2009-08-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hello! This year in science we will be following the 8th grade Indiana Science standards. So far, we have been discussing steps of the Scientific Method and Scientific Inquiry, as well as designing our own experiments. On Friday, the 7th and 8th grade conducted their group experiments that they had been developing all week. The question behind these experiments was the following: What liquid dissolves Alka-Seltzer the fastest? The students were allowed to bring in any school-approved liquids to answer this question. As lab groups, they developed a hypothesis, procedure, and a list of materials they would need for the experiment. After conducting the experiment on Friday, they had to finish their formal lab write-up in their lab notebooks.

Also--
Help Sessions:
I sent home a letter in your Thursday folders explaining information regarding my help sessions on Thursdays. I got a bunch back that were signed; however, the permission slip is the blue sheet of paper your child should have in his/her science folder. I need a permission slip every time your child attends my help session. This is for everyone's safety, so that I know that you as parents/guardians know where your child is. If your child has signed up to attend my help session, but will no longer be attending it, I need an email, phone call, or written letter stating so.
I need to know that you know that your child will not be at SJOA attending the help session.

On that note, my help sessions end at 4:30 PM. I will be bringing students down at 4:25 to NYO, to walk, or to be picked up. If your child is being picked up late, please call/email me and let me know. If your child is picked up late more than twice, I will have to ask that he/she no longer attends the help sessions. (For me, late constitutes after 4:35 PM.) If your child is a hindrance or disruptive to the help session, I will have to ask that he/she no longer attends the help sessions.

As a reminder: There is no help session on Sept. 3rd b/c we will all be down at camp.

Ms. Klee

8th Grade Light of Leadership Ceremony

2009-08-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Class of 2010 will be recognized as leaders of the school prior to tomorrow's mass. The ceremony will take place in the church at 8:45 AM. Members of the class will be charged with the responsibility of leading the student body in the areas of academic excellence, integrity, and service. All are welcome to attend this mass.

7th and 8th Grade Reading Class

2009-08-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

As you know by now, the 7th and 8th grade classes are combined in all subjects other than Math and Social Studies. In Language Arts, the 7th and 8th grade standards are aligned, so the transition for the students is a smooth one.

Just an update on what's happening in Reading class this week:

Students will begin their short story unit. Two stories will be read this week ("I Confess" and "Dead Man's Path"), and we will focus on literary elements such as satire, irony, point of view as well as conflict. The 7th and 8th graders are also working on a writing assignment for both my class as well as Mrs. Jeatran's. They are composing a creative writing piece -- a story where they have to choose from a list of characters, settings, and plot problems (conflicts).

CYO Camp Rancho Framasa

2009-08-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hello parents!

Here is some updated information regarding our Middle School Retreat to Camp Rancho Framasa Sept. 3rd and 4th. Please review and let us know if you have any questions! Thank you.

CYO Camp Rancho Framasa
September 3-4, 2009

This school year, we have a wonderful opportunity to take our entire middle school to Camp Rancho Framasa for a leadership and service retreat. The leadership program’s objectives are the following:
To practice leadership and teamwork skills for life
To recognize students’ roles as leaders in their community
To develop leadership skills
To understand a Christian’s call to be a servant leader as Christ and to learn to live that calling
This is an overnight trip. We have more than enough chaperones, and your children will be in good hands. The 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys will stay together in one cabin, and the girls will be in another. The male chaperones (parent volunteers) will be staying in the same cabin as the boys, and the female teachers will be staying with the girls, as this is the camp’s policy.

During our stay, we will be participating in the following activities:

Teambuilding Games
Low Challenge course (**this is NOT the high ropes course)
Hikes
Canoeing
Lanyard Making
Campfire Activities
Survival Techniques
Affirmations
Leadership
Climbing Wall
Mass led by Fr. Guy

We know this will be a powerful experience for your children, and it will be a great way to kick off our new school year at St. Joan of Arc. Please let us know if you have any concerns or other questions, and we’d be happy to discuss them with you.

Announcements

2009-08-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

If your child is interested in becoming a server for school masses or is already a server, he or she should attend the Server Training Meeting on August 30th after 10:30 mass. A parent is asked to attend with his or her child.

The activity fee for the 2009-2010 school year is $50.00. This fee will be used for a 2-day Leadership Retreat held at Camp Rancho Framasa on Sept. 3rd and 4th. Please check Thursday folders for more information. It will also be used for 2 field trips to IRT and the end of the year trip to Chicago. These events will be discussed at Back to School Night.

We have a new lunch program. If you have not enrolled your student in this program, please make sure he or she brings his or her own lunch to school.

Welcome Back!

2009-08-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we're embarking upon a brand new school year! We would like to welcome all of our students, parents and SJA families to our middle school blog. A few changes have been made for this coming school year. There will be a 6th grade homeroom and a combined 7th and 8th grade homeroom in the middle school this 2009-2010 school year. The 7th and 8th grades will have some classes together. These will include the subject areas where the Indiana State Standards are aligned, such as Language Arts, Science, Religion, Spanish, Technology, and PE. Mathematics and Social Studies will be separate classes. If you have any questions concerning the combined homeroom, we would be happy to answer them for you!

We look forward to meeting with you at the Back to School Night on August 27th. At this time, we will address the planned activities for the school year, the activity fee, curriculum information, and middle school policies and procedures. We will also ask you to sign up for your first quarter conference and any activities for which you would like to volunteer.

2008-08-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined"-Thoreau