September 4, 2008
Dear Parents:
We are off to a smooth start and look forward to providing your student with continued quality educational programs and extracurricular activities during their middle school experience.
This year the Middle School will be implementing a new class endorsed by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction called Navigation 101 that takes place twenty times a year for forty-five minutes. The class is designed to help students start planning on classes they wish to take in high school based on their career and post high school education interests. In addition, the class will help them choose their best academic work which they will save throughout the year to present to you along with their State and District test scores in a “Student-Led Conference” in March.
Next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 9 and 10, all MLMS students are invited to attend a Leadership and Team Building Day at Silver Lake Camp to promote concepts they will be learning in their Navigation class, including team building, respect of others, trust, goal setting, etc. Seventh graders will attend on Tuesday from 8:30-2:20, and eighth graders will attend on Wednesday at the same times. Sack lunches will be provided at the Camp. During each day students will rotate through seven “stations” lasting approximately 60 minutes each with trained staff from the Silver Lake Camp. The stations are:
Zip Line – Self-reliance and accomplishment
Giant Swing – Teamwork combined with individual effort, overcoming fear/difficulties
Snowshoe Team Relay – Teamwork and overcoming obstacles
Climbing (Traverse) Wall – Goal setting, overcoming failure and celebrating success
Water Balloon Volleyball – Teamwork
Riddle Scavenger Hunt - Choices and how they affect our lives
Navigation Class (Geocaching) – Team building, problem solving and accomplishment
In order for your student to participate in the Team Building Day, the Silver Lake Camp requires parents to sign the Permission Slip and return it to the Middle School office no later than Monday, September 8. Please do not hesitate to contact one of us if you have any questions and/or reservations regarding this activity.
We hope to see you on Thursday, September 18 at 6 pm for our Open House and Ice Cream Social. Remember to view our website at www.mlsd.org and/or your Student/Parent Handbook and 2008-09 Calendar for upcoming events at the Middle School.
