Grazers Restaurant Benefit Day for Voyager – March 20, 2019
Grazers Restaurant in Williston at Maple Tree Place (next to the Majestic 10 movie theater) is teaming up with the WCS Voyager middle school team to help raise funds for Voyager’s end-of-year field trip.
Bring lots of friends and family and enjoy a delicious meal at Grazers any time on Wednesday, March 20th and Grazers will donate 10% of your purchase to Voyager.
Check out Grazers website to see their awesome menu and learn more about this wonderful restaurant - www.grazersvt.com
Indoor Garage Sale Donations and Volunteers Needed!
Voyager House is holding its annual Indoor Garage Sale Saturday, March 30th in WCS's cafeteria 8:00am - 2:00pm! It's a giant indoor Reuse/Resale that raises money to benefit Voyager House and our most important fundraising event of the year!
We need Event Volunteers to pull this off!
- Click here if you can volunteer at this event. We need helpers and food donations (pies!)
- Click here to learn more about what items we need and how to donate.
THANK YOU for your support!
CVSD Unplugged Day - March 15th
Please join us as we "unplug" for the day on March 15th for the National Day of Unplugging. The National Day of Unplugging happened on March 1st, but since it was during our school vacation week, CVSD decided to create a district-wide day to replicate this Day of Unplugging in ways that are critical, thoughtful, and give teachers the autonomy to determine ways that work for them in their classrooms:
Please join us as we "unplug" for the day on March 15th for the National Day of Unplugging. The National Day of Unplugging happened on March 1st, but since it was during our school vacation week, CVSD decided to create a district-wide day to replicate this Day of Unplugging in ways that are critical, thoughtful, and give teachers the autonomy to determine ways that work for them in their classrooms:
The National Day of Unplugging is a “24-hour, global respite from technology. It highlights the value of disconnecting from digital devices to connect with ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities in real time.”
We encourage all adults and students to accept the CVSD Unplugging Challenge and join in on the fun. Taking a break from devices may help us be more mindful of how much we use them and for what purpose. There are exceptional examples of how technology is infused into the classroom for learning. Let’s also recognize and appreciate that as well.
Lucky You Tickets For Sale
Students will have the opportunity to enter individual raffles for a chance to win a special activity or experience with teachers and staff to help raise money for FAP grants, field trips, etc.
- Tickets on sale the week of March 11 - 15th
- 25 cents/ticket (suggested $5 limit/student)
- EVERY student gets one free ticket from their teacher
- Click here for more information
FAP’s Annual Fund Needs Your Help
Please consider making a contribution to the FAP Annual Fund. The Fund is used to support school field trips and awarding FAP grants to various student activities and projects. It is a vital funding resource to support your student’s educational experiences.
Click here to learn more.
Now accepting registrations for the CVU summer camp - Class of 2023
The CVU summer camp is a great experience for any student who will be joining CVU as a ninth grader or transfer student in the Fall of 2019. We pride ourselves on providing a welcoming and fun camp to help ease the transition to CVU while making new friends. Upper-class students are counselors of the camp and help to promote team building and grow social bonds between campers while have a blast during the summer. CVU camp T-shirt, lunch and snack provided!The camp offers two sessions:
- Session A July 8 - 11, July 15 - 18, and...
- Session B July 22 - 25, July 29 - Aug 1
Contact us at: Email: cvusummercamp@cvsdvt.org
Scholarships and financial assistance available.
Hello from the Yandow Family,
We just wanted to thank you all for all your love, well wishes and especially for all the wonderful, thoughtful meals you sent us in the last four months. We can’t express enough how much that meant to us and how helpful it really was. Many of you sent notes that I have kept and will treasure. Not only have you opened Mark's and my eyes but you showed our children how amazing it is to give and help others and what it means to be a community. For that we thank you. You all have given us strength and energy to keep pushing forward. We are so grateful to be a part of such an amazing loving community.
Sincerely
Mark, Amy, Matt and Mackenzie
Absent Student? Appointment? Change in Bus ride home?
- Please email tmilks@cvsdvt.org and your core teacher if your student will be absent, needs to be picked up during the day for an appointment, or will ride a different bus home. Core teacher emails are:
Please do not bring in food to share. We have many food restrictions on house. Thanks!
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IMPORTANT LINKS
- Student Assistant Professional (SAP) - https://spark.adobe.com/page/ssMYvqB70CDFQ/
- WCS Athletics - Click this link to the website to view all information regarding the WCS Athletics program.
Voyager House Learning Tools for teachers, students, and parents
- Google Site - an important site for regular communication coming from Voyager. This site will be modified weekly and should be bookmarked on your desktop or laptop. This site contains a link to weekly academic summaries as well as important upcoming events. https://sites.google.com/cvsdvt.org/voyagerhouse/home
- Google Classroom - an online planner platform where students can check on daily assignments. This is in lieu of a paper planner. Just ask your child to log in using his/her email. It is important to know that this is not an assessment database. We do not check completion of the assignment on this platform. However, we do ask that YOUR CHILD press the button MARK AS DONE when an assignment is completed. This will make it easy for you and your child to discuss completion of work.
- Google Mail - an email system used by Williston Central School. All students have an email account and students use it regularly to communicate with peers around collaborative work and project-based learning. This is a great way for teachers to communicate with students and a great way for students to get reminders about assignments from Google Classroom.
- Jumprope - an online platform for assessment of the targets. Students can view weekly or biweekly his/her achievement on the targets by logging in using his/her email and a password. This password was emailed to each student in a letter last week. *Habits of Learning, like homework completion and collaborative learning skills will be posted on a biweekly schedule. This is where you CAN SEE whether your child is in good standing on daily assignments. https://nyc.jumpro.pe/login/
- Protean - an online Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) platform used primarily at this point by 7th and 8th graders. ⅚ students may post executive function skills reflections, personal interest projects, and other measures of growth and reflection after 1st trimester. https://app.protean.me/index.html
- IXL - a program that supports students on math and language arts skills. https://www.ixl.com/signin
- Moby Max - a math program used by ⅚ math students to build computational fluency and fill gaps in understanding on major concepts. Students have a username and password for this program.
- Typing Club - a program used by the ⅚ humanities students to build typing skills.
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ACADEMIC UPDATES
A Note from Ms. Sherman:
Conferences are coming up quickly. All Voyager teachers have or will have sign-ups for their available days and slots. For students that have individual education plans, conferences are still a good time to connect with teachers and get a snapshot of what is currently being studied in the different content areas. It's also an opportunity for your child to speak personally about their strengths and challenges and have them be the lead voice. Keep in mind that conferences are 15-20 minutes and cannot run over in time. If available, I will also attend conference on March 22nd and may be available for further discussions in my office space.
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Ms.Q/ Mr. Sironi
CMP8
This week the 8th graders have certainly shown a lot of perseverance. We have learned another way to solve systems of linear equations using combination and elimination and have begun to discern the best method for solving systems based on the equations that are given to us. The students solved a 3 Act math problem where evidence was given out a little at a time and they had to work collaboratively to find what question was being asked and how to solve it. We ended the week with looking at inequalities and next week we will delve into systems of inequalities.
CMP7
The 7th graders began the week with problem rotations that reviewed all the major concepts of scaling, symmetry and geometric transformation. In dyad teams the students created class records to prepare for our assessment and on Friday we began the Stretching and Shrinking Unit Assessment. Students will be working on a scaling project next week and will need a simple cartoon or logo to begin the project.
Science
We began the week with a reading about the formation of our solar system. We then worked on graphing planet statistics such as diameter, distance from the sun and number of moons. These statistics gave us evidence that confirmed how our solar system was formed from a disc shaped cloud left over from the sun’s formation. The ignition of the sun began the process of material clumping. Denser material was left near the sun forming the terrestrial planets and gaseous planets formed further out. Students had a brief summative on the solar system's formation and then they began an essay on a specific destination in space. These pieces will take the form of a travel log to a variety of celestial bodies in our solar system. Information about this project is in Google Classroom.
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Mr. Roof - 7&8 Humanities
This week, students looked at the interwar period, which are the years between WWI and WWII. We focused on the United States during the 1920's and 1930's. Students were able to choose which decade they wanted to learn more about, and then also pick a specific topic from that decade. Students conducted research on one of the following topics: Film, Fashion, Food, Dance, Music, Politics, Economy, Sports, Family Life, and School. From this research, students produced at two well written paragraphs. The first paragraph was a summary of the decade. The second paragraph was a summary of their topic. Also included were a few visuals. On Friday, students completed a "gallery walk" visiting each other's tables and sharing their research. It was really cool to see the collaboration and focus from students as they visited each other. In addition to this, students wrote claim and evidence responses to CNN 10 from the February 28, 2009 broadcast, completed individual skill work in IXL, and worked on literacy skills supported by Reading log 18.
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Mr. Merrill - ⅚ Humanities
Reading Cafe - Students are preparing to turn in their Reading Response Notebooks for the end of the trimester. They should have at least 150 tier 2 words (found in their independent and literature group books) with lots of definitions and word maps, 30 Me as a Reader reflections, and other reading strategies work as assigned. All students should have a book list that shows they are on pace to read 25 books by the end of the school year.
Wordly Wise - We started a new vocabulary program. Students will complete a Wordly Wise lesson each week. Words will be introduced on Monday and students will complete the activities within the lesson for homework during the week. There will be a vocabulary test every Friday. This week’s test was open book and served as a practice run. Next week, students will need to prepare for the test.
Shark Tank - We kicked off our Shark Tank project this week. Students will create an invention to pitch in the Shark Tank in 3 weeks. Groups of 7th and 8th graders will be the investors for our Voyager “Shark Tank”. Each investor will have $100,000 to invest. Every 5/6 student will present their invention to a group of investors. At the end the presentation, the investors will make their best offers, and the highest bidder will write a check to invest in the business.
This week we used a number of brainstorming techniques to come up with an invention (see the Creating Your Invention assignment). Students also started writing their business plan (see the Create your Plan assignment). Next week we will start working on persuasive writing strategies to prepare a strong pitch for the Shark Tank!
Coincidentally, my wife was on the TODAY show the day before we kicked off the project. The story was on her invention and business - Mamava. We watched it and discussed the problem that she solved and how it turned into her full time job.
Mamava TODAY Show Clip
⅚ Science: This week we began a series of lessons on modeling observable, predictable phenomena in our solar system. As discussed with students, the purpose of this unit is not to just be able to explain what is happening, but to be able to develop and use a model to explain what is happening and why it is happening. We discussed three things to consider when modeling: the players, who or what must be in the model? When modeling the behavior of hot molecules, students decided to be the molecules themselves and enacted the behavior of those molecules when hot. And then they did the same when those molecules cooled. The molecules are the players. When we modeled the day and night cycle, we determined that we need the Sun and the Earth for that. They are the players in the model. We also decided together that models must show how those players relate. As in the seasonal cycle, we need to know that the earth and sun are relating in a very specific way. The Earth is revolving around the sun for seasons to happen. We also identified other things too, like the tilt of the Earth. And lastly, we that the players need to be doing something in order for it to be a phenomenon. So in the case of the Sun appearing to rise in the east, the Earth has to be rotating, in a counterclockwise position for the us to perceive a “rise in the East” and a “set in the West.” Students did a great job mucking around with these models. There were a lot of ideas, some underdeveloped, but it was so important for them to figure it out on their own. Not super complex ideas, but very tough to model. We are moving on to the Moon. On Friday, we talked about what must be true about the moon, in order for us to see the Moon’s shape changing. We agreed that the moon’s light is the sun’s light reflecting off the surface. The helped to determined two players in the model, the Moon and the Sun. We also studied lunar calendars again, to determine the 29 day cycle, and the predictable growth and decay of the moon’s light. Ironically, on Friday night, I caught a glimpse of the moon’s self shadow, which we also discussed. It was a beauty. Hope you saw it!
Math 5:
Ms. O’Brien Classes
⅚ Science: This week we began a series of lessons on modeling observable, predictable phenomena in our solar system. As discussed with students, the purpose of this unit is not to just be able to explain what is happening, but to be able to develop and use a model to explain what is happening and why it is happening. We discussed three things to consider when modeling: the players, who or what must be in the model? When modeling the behavior of hot molecules, students decided to be the molecules themselves and enacted the behavior of those molecules when hot. And then they did the same when those molecules cooled. The molecules are the players. When we modeled the day and night cycle, we determined that we need the Sun and the Earth for that. They are the players in the model. We also decided together that models must show how those players relate. As in the seasonal cycle, we need to know that the earth and sun are relating in a very specific way. The Earth is revolving around the sun for seasons to happen. We also identified other things too, like the tilt of the Earth. And lastly, we that the players need to be doing something in order for it to be a phenomenon. So in the case of the Sun appearing to rise in the east, the Earth has to be rotating, in a counterclockwise position for the us to perceive a “rise in the East” and a “set in the West.” Students did a great job mucking around with these models. There were a lot of ideas, some underdeveloped, but it was so important for them to figure it out on their own. Not super complex ideas, but very tough to model. We are moving on to the Moon. On Friday, we talked about what must be true about the moon, in order for us to see the Moon’s shape changing. We agreed that the moon’s light is the sun’s light reflecting off the surface. The helped to determined two players in the model, the Moon and the Sun. We also studied lunar calendars again, to determine the 29 day cycle, and the predictable growth and decay of the moon’s light. Ironically, on Friday night, I caught a glimpse of the moon’s self shadow, which we also discussed. It was a beauty. Hope you saw it!
Math 5:
It has been so exciting to get students to the standard algorithms for whole numbers. You can kind of tell that many have been waiting for it! We made huge progress this week on the multiplication algorithm. Parents, we have arrived. Feel free to work with them on the old fashioned way of multiplying. We also began early division algorithm work using a ratio table. Students are liking the use of the ratio table and the strategy of partial quotient. It was a big week!
Next week, is a WIN week. We are going to spend one week going back on some standards that students have missed or would like to achieve four’s on. Students have chosen one standard to work on and have made a plan for what the review process will look like. It will be a very individualized week for each student, and I will do my best to prep this weekend for that learning. Students will then reassess on the standard for an updated score if the target is met. We are interrupting units to do this, but I feel like it is time well spent. They are strong math students so each thing we do today, helps build understanding of standards learned prior.
Math 6:
We worked very hard on building a division algorithm for decimals this week. I have been really impressed by the growth in this group. They have really learned how to push each other, listen to each, and motivate around plain old numbers, which can often be boring. I actually think that they like working with raw numbers. It’s algorithmic and a little less work for the brain, but it is good to solidify the ideas and the recipes for solving them. We transitioned to some problem solving pieces toward the end of the week, so that students could see that decimals come up a lot in the real world. We will finish this work up after WIN week.
Next week, is a WIN week. We are going to spend one week going back on some standards that students have missed or would like to achieve four’s on. Students have chosen one standard to work on and have made a plan for what the review process will look like. It will be a very individualized week for each student, and I will do my best to prep this weekend for that learning. Students will then reassess on the standard for an updated score if the target is met. We are interrupting units to do this, but I feel like it is time well spent. They are strong math students so each thing we do today, helps build understanding of standards learned prior.
Next week, is a WIN week. We are going to spend one week going back on some standards that students have missed or would like to achieve four’s on. Students have chosen one standard to work on and have made a plan for what the review process will look like. It will be a very individualized week for each student, and I will do my best to prep this weekend for that learning. Students will then reassess on the standard for an updated score if the target is met. We are interrupting units to do this, but I feel like it is time well spent. They are strong math students so each thing we do today, helps build understanding of standards learned prior.
Math 6:
We worked very hard on building a division algorithm for decimals this week. I have been really impressed by the growth in this group. They have really learned how to push each other, listen to each, and motivate around plain old numbers, which can often be boring. I actually think that they like working with raw numbers. It’s algorithmic and a little less work for the brain, but it is good to solidify the ideas and the recipes for solving them. We transitioned to some problem solving pieces toward the end of the week, so that students could see that decimals come up a lot in the real world. We will finish this work up after WIN week.
Next week, is a WIN week. We are going to spend one week going back on some standards that students have missed or would like to achieve four’s on. Students have chosen one standard to work on and have made a plan for what the review process will look like. It will be a very individualized week for each student, and I will do my best to prep this weekend for that learning. Students will then reassess on the standard for an updated score if the target is met. We are interrupting units to do this, but I feel like it is time well spent. They are strong math students so each thing we do today, helps build understanding of standards learned prior.
