Brown Middle School

1
TEAM 5-2

• Brown Middle School
• 2008-2009
• Open House

2
The Teachers

• Language Arts
• Lynn Prendergast
• Meghan Pagliuco
• Math
• Greg Pfaffenbichler
• Gay Tomasevich

• Science
• Melinda Aresta
• Laurine Moore
• Social Studies
• Lynne McPeake
• Ashley Joiner

Special Education Nancy Sylvain
3
Caring for our Students

• Will the staff at Brown School know my child?
• OF COURSE ?
• Our team of teachers meets 3-4 times per week
  from 957am-1037am
• We discuss the needs of individual students as
  well as curriculum business such as upcoming
  project and test dates
• We conference with parents on an as needed basis
• We communicate with the related arts staff
  regarding the children on our team.

4
Communication

• Email and handwritten notes are the most
  efficient way to reach a teacher.
• Voicemail is available
• Conferences are available throughout the year as
  needed. Contact your childs homeroom teacher,
  if you would like to arrange a conference.
• The team website can be found at
  www.brownmiddleschool.org
• -general information
• -unit
  descriptions
• -calendar/important dates
• -parent resources
• -photos of team activities
• -links to websites for units of study

5
Lockers

• Will my child be able to open his/her locker?
• Yes, but it takes a little bit of practice to
  become comfortable and confident opening the
  lock.
• Keys to Success
• Practice, practice, practice.
• Only put your belongings in your locker when you
  KNOW you can open it easily
• Teachers allow students to keep their belongings
  in the classroom until they can open their
  lockers on their own
• Students should make arrangements with their
  homeroom teacher to practice, if they are still
  having trouble using their lockers.

6
The School

• Will my child get lost?
• Students tend to get lost in the first few days
  of school, and then they figure out the lay-out
  of their classes.
• Teachers realize Brown Middle School is new, big,
  and confusing. We all offer assistance to lost
  students and understand if they are a few minutes
  late to class.
• As the year goes on and students learn their way
  around Brown, students should be arriving at
  class on time.
• Maps are always available and hanging up in most
  classrooms.

7
Travel Time

• Will the students have enough time to travel
  between classes?
• Students get a 2 minute passing time between
  classes. This is usually enough time for them to
  get to their next class.
• During the first few days of school, teachers are
  lenient about students who arrive late.
• Most students now feel confident about where
  their classes are located and do arrive on time

8
Friendships

• Will my child have any of his/her friends in
  their class?
• Yes. Unless they are new to the district, your
  child will know someone in their class.
• Children travel with their homeroom to their core
  classes.
• In Related Arts, children are mixed with other
  5th grade students.
• The opportunity to be with friends and make new
  friends exists throughout the day.

9
Lunch Period Seating

• Will There Be Free Seating At Lunch?
• Begin the year sitting with team
• Free seating within team
• Team 5-2 in small café
• Students free to change seats/tables each day
• Teachers will evaluate possibility of free
  seating across the grade level later in school
  year

10
School News

• How Will I Get School News?
• School Newsletter Available online at
• http//www.brownmiddleschool.org/
• School Website http//www.brownmiddleschool.org/
  includes links to Lunch Menus, Team websites,
  teacher websites, etc.
• Brown ListServ
• http//www.brownmiddleschool.org/browninfo.asp
• Other information periodically
• Backpack Express!

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12
Code of Conduct

• The Code of Conduct is a handbook designed for
  kids and parents to explain how students are
  expected to behave and the consequences for not
  behaving accordingly. The handbook discusses
  many topics including bus conduct, physical
  contact, dress code, language, technology, drugs,
  weapons and much more.

13
Grades

• This is the first time my child will get grades.
  
• How does it work?
• Beginning in fifth grade, a more specific
  measurement of your childs academic performance
  will be used.
• A 97-100
• A 93-96
• A- 90-92
• B 87-89
• B 83-86
• B- 80-82
• C 77-79
• C 73-76
• C- 70-72
• D 65-69
• F 64 below

14
Progress Reports

• Half way through each trimester, a progress
  report will be sent home with comments that
  reflect how your son or daughter is doing.
• Example
• Excellent academic achievement
• Good academic achievement
• Average academic achievement

15
Support Services
Student Assistance Counselors Michelle Boss
Nicole Sypher (Intern) Scheduling
concerns Counseling Peer relationships
School Psychologist Maria Manning Individual
Counseling Small Group counseling Testing Collabor
ative Model

• School Social Worker
• Alan Uzwiak
• Counseling
• Peer Relationships

Madison Youth Services Counselor Christy
Modine Individual Counseling Group
Counseling Peer Relationships
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Speech/Language Occupational
More Support Staff

• Tricia Edgar
• Individual Therapy
• Small Group Therapy
• Inclusion Support
• Collaborative Model

• Robin Sorey
• Individual Therapy
• Small Group Therapy
• Inclusion Support

• Reading Specialist
• Naomi Perkins
• Assessment
• Small Group Instruction
• Staff Support

17
Thanks for Coming!

• We look forward to a great year!