WELCOME

TO THE

JARED ELIOT MIDDLE

SCHOOL

 

Transition Booklet

June 2007-2008

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With deep appreciation to Darlene Weitzman who provided “the spark” for creating a transition booklet, and to the many faculty members who have worked on this endeavor at one time or another since its inception five years ago.

With special thanks to all the students who submitted their ideas of the cover design. A very special thank you to Jasmine Mealy, whose design was selected to appear on the cover of this year’s Transition Booklet.

With much gratitude to Karen Silverman and Edward Merola for being so supportive in the revision and production of this booklet for the incoming students to Jared Eliot Middle School. I couldn’t have done it without you!

Gail Smalley

Sixth Grade Teacher

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

What’s New and Different about Eliot

Faces You’ll See at Eliot

Ask Eliot…Dispelling the Myths and Fears about Our School!

Highlights of Eliot School Life

Getting Organized for Success

Tips from Former Sixth Graders

For more information on Eliot, check out our website at: www.clintonpublic.org

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INTRODUCTION

 

WHAT’S NEW AND DIFFERENT ABOUT ELIOT

 

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FACES YOU’LL SEE AT ELIOT

sixth grade staff            seventh grade staff           eighth grade staff

Mrs. Gilcher	Mrs. Stonick	Miss Buley	Mrs. Bowen	Mr. Robinson	Mrs. Jones
Academic Assistance	Reading Consultant	Speech and Language		Physical Education

Sixth Grade Staff

Seventh Grade Staff

Eighth Grade Staff

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ASK ELIOT    Dispelling the Myths and

                             Fears about Our School!

 

How will I know where to go on the first day of school?

Fifth graders come to Eliot with their teachers at the end of the school year to look around. Then the week before school begins, there is an Open House for all new students entering our school. Earlier that same day, lists of homerooms with students’ names will be posted. You are welcome to check out your homeroom that evening. That will be the room you will go to on the first day of school.

 

What if my best friend is on a different team? Will I ever get to see him or her?

Of course you will get to see your best friend! Although the teams do not have classes together, you all will be eating lunch at the same time and can choose whomever you wish to sit next to in the cafeteria.

 

Do students have recess?

Students do have recess in sixth grade. The only exception might be if they have work to complete, tests or quizzes to make up, or a world language class. Recess can be held outdoors or inside, depending on the weather.

 

Is there a school store at Eliot?

Yes, there is a school store at Eliot. It is open during each lunch wave on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. An assortment of school related and some novelty items can be purchased there. All materials requested by each grade level are available at our store.

 

When are you given a detention?

There are two types of detention---teacher detention and central detention. A teacher detention may be given if homework is not completed, a test/quiz that needs to be signed is not returned, or for misbehaving in class or in the hallway. A central detention comes from the office. This is a consequence for not following basic school rules. Some examples of situations, requiring a central detention, are given in the handbook you will receive on your first day at Eliot.

 

Are teachers available for extra help?

They sure are! Teachers are available during enrichment and recess (if you are in sixth grade). In addition, there are many teachers who meet with students before school as well as after school.

 

How many classes are there in a day?

There are eight class periods everyday, but the number of classes you have per day varies with your grade. In sixth grade, you will have language arts, writing, math, science, social studies and world language (Spanish). In addition, throughout the week you will have gym, health, art/music, unified arts, and library/SSR (silent sustained reading). French and Spanish are presently taught in seventh and eighth grade. All students at Eliot have Enrichment once a day unless they have signed up for band or chorus.

 

What is lunch like at Eliot?

Lunch at Eliot is very good. We always have a hot meal, sandwiches and salad bar to choose from. Of course, you can bring in lunch from home, too. Students eat with their own grade because there isn’t room for everyone to sit down at once. Since both 6^th grade teams eat together, friends on 6.1 and 6.2 can sit with each other.

 

Do students really get lost going to their classes?

Students don’t really get lost here. All of the new kids are taken on a tour of the building on the first day to show you where things are. Also, teachers are in the hallways between classes to guide you to your class.

 

Will we have homework every day, including weekends?

You will have homework regularly, even on weekends. Sixth graders can expect to have about one hour of homework each evening. There are long-term projects assigned that students should work on each night.   We have “Enrichment” each day. That is time when you can begin your homework and get help with anything you are not sure of.

 

Do we have to change clothes for gym?

Yes, students change their clothes for gym. It would be embarrassing for kids to get sweaty doing gym activities and then go to classes in the same clothes, Whew!

 

What should I do if I am bullied on the bus?

We do not permit bullying here at Eliot. Should anyone bully you on the bus or anywhere else, tell the first teacher you see. He or she will take care of it. Remember, if you don’t tell that you have been bullied, we won’t know to help you.

 

Highlights of Eliot School Life

Sixth Grade -        Nature’s Classroom – This is an outdoor education program, which takes place at Camp Jewel in Colebrook, CT at the end of April. Students spend an entire week there and participate in such a wide range of activities, which not only enhance our own curriculum but also increase their awareness of the environment and the community in which they live.

Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty, New York – This is a field trip where students experience first hand what it was like for many of their own ancestors as they arrived in America. On this journey, students carry their own personal passport, containing activities they will be able to complete given the information they’ve learned.

Indian River Cemetery, Clinton, CT – Students visit the Indian River Cemetery as part of an interdisciplinary project. They gather data to complete math, science, English, and social studies investigations.

Watrous Nursing Center, Madison, CT – This is a volunteer community field trip. Every five weeks a different group of students on Team 6.2 participates in this Intergenerational Learning Program, where the main focus is to interact with the elderly residents. Students are required to make up any class work missed while on this visit.

Paulette Morin… The Egypt Lady – This is a hands-on presentation on life in Ancient Egypt. Via replicas of items from this Ancient civilization, students have the opportunity to travel back to the time of pharaohs and pyramids.

Taste of Eliot – Team 6.2 – Student’s research their ancestral background in social studies and then bring in an assortment of ethnic dishes that represent our cultural community in Clinton.

Day of the Greeks – Team 6.1 – Students assimilate being a Greek for a day. Dressed in tunics, they participate in a variety of activities, including the Olympic Games, sampling food at the Court of Ancient Appetizers and personally meeting visiting gods and goddesses!

Medieval Magic Day – Team 6.2 – Students dress in medieval clothing, act out skits, and give presentations based on their research of life in the Middle Ages.

Moment in Medieval Time – Team 6.1 – Hear ye! Hear ye! There is much to do in Smalley Manor! After learning about life in the Middle Ages, students and teacher assume the role of a character of this time period and have fun learning about one another as they reenact life as it was back then.

The Decades – This interdisciplinary unit is designed to provide 6^th grade students with a broad overview of life during the decades of the 20^th century. Students research topics and showcase the knowledge acquired in a presentation of skits, music, and dance. This culminating activity is called “A Historical Review”.

International Luncheon – Team 6.1 – In the setting of a café’ students sample a variety of ethnic foods from countries around the world. They each bring in a favorite dish to share with their classmates.

Seventh Grade -      Camp Hazen Field Trip, Killingworth, CT – This one day field trip begins the year.  Here students are expected to participate in activities which emphasize development of character and team spirit.

Boston Museum of Science, Boston, MA – This is a day trip that starts early in the morning and finishes in the late afternoon. Exhibits enhance the curriculum content and knowledge of students.

Multidiscipline field trips are arranged throughout the year to provide academic, cultural and social experiences. An example would be going to the theater to view a play which related to the language arts discipline.

Eighth Grade -        Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT – Students visit an old whaling seaport -- walking, interacting, and participating in occupations connected to the sea during the first half of the 19^th century.

Old Sturbridge Village – This one-day field study is the culmination of a unit on the transition “from farm to factory” in the early 19^th century.

Holiday Hill, Cheshire, CT - The annual 8th grade picnic is held in June at Mountainside. The outing is a celebration of the completion of the Middle School experience.

Bio Bus – When the bus is available, students experience a state-of-the-art moving laboratory where they can interact with high tech equipment as well as participate in ongoing experiments.

Civil War Enactor – Tim Adriance, a Civil War enactor, visits the 8^th grade each spring to acquaint students with the life and hardships of a union soldier.

Special Programs:

                        After-Hours – All Eliot students can participate in the after school program that runs in the fall, winter, and spring for six weeks. Courses offered include Cooking, Volleyball, Wiffleball, Games and Magic, Computer Keyboarding, and homework Club (where a student can receive extra help). Transportation and snack are provided.

                                    TAG Enrichment – In conjunction with the Eliot After Hours, there are programs offered to students identified as Intellectually Gifted and/or Talented in the Arts (fine art and music).

                                    Dance/Activity Nights – These are held on a Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. for grades six through eight.  They are sponsored by Eliot Student Council and are chaperoned by the Eliot Staff and parents.

Sports Teams –  Fall:              Girls and Boys Soccer. Girls Field Hockey

                           Winter:         Girls and Boys Basketball, Cheerleading

                           Spring:          Baseball and Softball

All of these teams at Eliot have tryouts. Tryout notices will be sent home a few weeks before the start of the new season.

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