Tilden Retreat

Parents,

Our 8th grade retreat will take place tomorrow in Tilden Regional Park.  We will be doing some hiking, group activities, and reflecting in order to come closer to God, each other, and ourselves.  Please make sure that your children are equipped with the following materials:

-Clothing appropriate for hiking in warm weather

-Lunch and morning snack (think about packing more food than normal for your child, we will be moving all day and middle school students have fast metabolisms!)

-Water bottle 

-Sunscreen

We will be leaving at 8:30 am sharp, so it is very important that all students arrive at school ON TIME.  We will not wait for students who arrive late.

Feel free to email me at fklein@csdo.org with any questions.

Parent Letter

St. Jerome Middle School Parents,

  As our students enter their teenage years, and as our 8^th graders prepare to move on to a larger school environment, it is natural for them to be curious about a variety of subjects.  One of the subjects they may be curious about is the underage consumption of alcohol, or the use of illegal drugs.  While it is normal to ask questions about the drug and alcohol use students see on T.V. and hear about in songs, we hope you will take the time to speak with your child about the damage drug and alcohol consumption can do to developing brains and bodies.  This developmental age is the perfect time to discuss family rules and expectations, as well as the unrealistic portrayals of drug and alcohol use they may see on T.V. or hear about in songs.

            Below you will find some websites that may be helpful to inform discussions with your child about underage alcohol consumption or use of controlled substances.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:

            www.aacap.org

 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

            www.cdc.gov

 The Partnership:

            www.drugfree.org

 Teenshealth:

            www.kidshealth.org

 Palo Alto Medical Foundation:

            www.pamf.org/teens/parents/risk

Persuasive Writing

8th grade parents,

Today in class we started brainstorming topics for a persuasive essay.  The 8th grade class came up with a lot of thought provoking issues to research and write about!  Check in with your scholar about their topic and ask to hear more about their thoughts.  They have some insightful ideas about a lot of issues going on in our world.

Regards,

Ms. Klein

8th grade Newsletter

Hey 8th grade families!  The following is the newsletter that was sent home with your scholar today.  Please be sure to note our new LATE WORK POLICY that will be going into effect on Monday.  Have a good weekend!

Announcements from 8^th Grade

8^th grade parents,

Today is the official end of the second trimester.  Barring any unforeseen circumstances, your scholar will bring home their report card next Friday, March 8^th.  Here are a few upcoming important dates to keep in mind:

-8^th grade will lead the Stations of the Cross on Friday, March 8^th, at 2:15 pm.

-March 18-20 are the dates of our WCEA accreditation visit.  Please remind your scholar that it is critical they come to school with all their necessary materials and in FULL uniform.

-As the third trimester begins, we are entering a new phase of our 8^th grade class.  In order to prepare our scholars for the rigors of Catholic high schools like Salesian and St. Mary’s, we are making an adjustment to our late work policy.  Beginning Monday, March 4^th, all 8^th grade students will be held to the following standard:

-All assignments not turned in by the assignment deadline MUST be turned in the following day.

-Any assignment not turned in by the day after the deadline will not receive points.

-Scholars who are absent on any given day will need to meet with their teacher in order to discuss adjusted assignment deadlines.

-Student homework is posted daily on the 8^th grade page of the St. Jerome website.  Please check the website, and check in with your scholar in order to ensure that assignments get turned in on time.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at fklein@csdo.org