I have been asked several questions about how lunch works at the middle school. I hope that I can answer a few of them here, but please ask if I have not covered your question.
What is the difference in lunch prices?
If a child goes through the regular lunch line, they will be charged $2.05 for lunch. If your child goes through the ala carte line, he/she may purchase a lunch basket for $2.05 as long as it does NOT have fries. If your child chooses a basket WITH fries, he/she will be charged $2.85. All of these meals come with the salad bar which consists of fresh fruit, salad, vegetables, and bread. Cookies and Chips cost extra.
Does my child have to sit at the same table every day?
No. If your child wishes to move to a different table, we ask that he/she talk to a lunchroom supervisor about the reason. The supervisor will assist your child in finding a new place to sit where he/she is comfortable. While we ask that your child not move on a daily basis, he/she is welcome to move when they feel it is time.
It seems like my child does not have enough time to eat.
There may be days that the hot meal takes longer for the cooks to serve. This means that the children take more time getting through the lunch line. When that occurs, the bell may ring before your child is finished eating. The lunchroom supervisors and I encourage your children to finish their meals and we excuse them from being late for class. This is not a frequent occurrence, and we continually work with the lunch staff to make sure this doesn't happen. One new thing we are trying this year is that we have added two new payment stations to the line to assist with the traffic flow.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Magic Tube
"It's only confusing because what you THINK doesn't match with reality." Mr. Gilroy
I walked into 6th grade science this afternoon and was amazed by the engagement of the students. No one looked up when I opened the door, the usual waves from across the room didn't happen! Hmmmm---these students were mesmerized! As I took a closer look, I realized all this was due to the "magic tube". Mr. Gilroy created a device with ropes hanging from the sides (see pictures) The students' job was to "play with it." It was such an experience for me to watch their natural curiosity evolve into high level questions! These children were reviewing their notes, looking back at past learning, drawing new diagrams, and asking each other about their ideas. Finally---after a great deal of time had passed, one little girl looked up and stated, "I am completely confused!"
Mr. Gilroy calmly smiled, reassured her that the guesses were productive, and encouraged her to continue. THIS was scientific discovery in action. Every child was engaged, thinking at very high levels, and working in small teams to reach logical conclusions.
Mr. Gilroy has learned many of these strategies in his professional development courses through CAB---a program offered by AEA. He has spent a great deal of time creating activities and making plans to implement these research-based activities--and all our students benefit! Nice job!
I walked into 6th grade science this afternoon and was amazed by the engagement of the students. No one looked up when I opened the door, the usual waves from across the room didn't happen! Hmmmm---these students were mesmerized! As I took a closer look, I realized all this was due to the "magic tube". Mr. Gilroy created a device with ropes hanging from the sides (see pictures) The students' job was to "play with it." It was such an experience for me to watch their natural curiosity evolve into high level questions! These children were reviewing their notes, looking back at past learning, drawing new diagrams, and asking each other about their ideas. Finally---after a great deal of time had passed, one little girl looked up and stated, "I am completely confused!"
Mr. Gilroy calmly smiled, reassured her that the guesses were productive, and encouraged her to continue. THIS was scientific discovery in action. Every child was engaged, thinking at very high levels, and working in small teams to reach logical conclusions.
Mr. Gilroy has learned many of these strategies in his professional development courses through CAB---a program offered by AEA. He has spent a great deal of time creating activities and making plans to implement these research-based activities--and all our students benefit! Nice job!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Back in the "Swing of Things"!
One and a half days down, and things are going very smoothly! The students flood through the doors in large groups, talking incessantly and dramatizing their stories with their hands waving everywhere! They are laughing, joking, and so wrapped up in their social scene that they almost forget to say good morning to us. But they do--which is both amazing and impressive to me! These children are not only extremely polite but they are experts at multi-tasking!
Middle school is such a social time and being around their peers is the most important thing on the students' minds.
If I were to write a handbook for the middle school student, I think one of the first words of advice I would give is, "if you wear new clothes the first week--be sure the tags are off." In order to spare a little bit of embarrassment, I have been busy straightening collars, ripping stickers off of jeans, and making sure each child is dressed as they had intended. They want to be grown up in the worst way---but they also want us to understand that they are still little kids! What an amazing age group of children!
Middle school is such a social time and being around their peers is the most important thing on the students' minds.
If I were to write a handbook for the middle school student, I think one of the first words of advice I would give is, "if you wear new clothes the first week--be sure the tags are off." In order to spare a little bit of embarrassment, I have been busy straightening collars, ripping stickers off of jeans, and making sure each child is dressed as they had intended. They want to be grown up in the worst way---but they also want us to understand that they are still little kids! What an amazing age group of children!
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