1. MIDDLE SCHOOL 101
Everything you wanted to know about Maple Creek Middle School but were afraid to ask

2. GOALS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
Provide as safe and smooth a transition as possible from the small neighbourhood elementary school to the large world of the secondary school
Assist students in becoming increasingly responsible through the three years at MS.
We are not the same as a junior high!

3. Welcome to Maple Creek!

4. Maple Creek Middle School
625 students in grades 6-8
15 international 120 FI
44 teaching staff and 20 support staff
6 Teams of approximately classes per team

5. What’s the Focus at Maple Creek?
Becoming Respectful and Socially Responsible Citizens – locally and globally
Making Positive Social Connections
Strong Focus on Academic Achievement and safety and belonging

6. Becoming Respectful and Responsible Citizens

7. Making Positive Social Connections

8. Focus on Academic Achievement -Assessment as learning -Differentiated instruction

9. SIP Goal#1 – Improve reading skills

10. What are Teams? School within a school Groups of 3-4 classes
3-4 core teachers + 1 student services teacher
Located in same area of the building
Students spend 5 of 7 blocks each in the team each day, mainly with one core teacher
Grade 8 is a transition year

11. Teaming Works for Kids…
Teachers plan curriculum and activities together for the team
Teachers within the team ‘share’ students
Goal – every child has several adults to look after and care for them – including the homeroom teacher
Student Services Model for the team

12. What will the day look like?
Seven blocks per day
40 minutes each block
Five blocks – CORE time within the team
Two blocks – EXPLORATIONS time

13. MON
TUES
WED
THURS
FRI
HRoom HR 1
CORE 2
Break 3
EXPL 4
Lunch 5 6 7

14. What subjects will my child take?
CORE:
Language Arts
Math
Social Studies
Science
French as a Second Language

15. Who teaches these subjects?
The majority of core subjects will be taught by the homeroom teacher
Sometimes, another teacher on the team will trade subject areas with the homeroom teacher
-Math Curriculum

16. Blended Classes
Grade six and seven students in all classes at this level
Differentiated instruction, bell curve and A/B year
Students usually spend two years with the same core teacher “looping”
Students, teachers and families all get to know each other
Grade Seven students act as mentors to younger students each fall

17. What are Explorations? Not the same as electives
Designed to give kids a ‘taste’ of what they might want to pursue in secondary school…
Taught mainly by specialist teachers – Maple Creek has four specialist teachers who are all trained in their area

18. Explorations Subjects…
PE – all year every second day
Drama and Art – half year every second day
Music, Computers, Tech Ed, Home Ec (Cooking and Sewing), 8 full weeks each

19. General Music

20. DRAMA

21. ART

22. Home Economics

23. PHYSICAL EDUCATION

24. It all looks like a lot of fun, but do they ever do any homework
Students will be assigned homework on a regular basis
On average, around 45 minutes per night
Dependent on how much work gets done in class, projects, etc.
Homework will be recorded on the board each day
Beginning of the year – agendas signed
School Website – class websites

25. What Support Services are Available?
Full time student services teacher for each team
Learning Assistance
ESL
Gifted Programming
Resource
Full time counsellor
Full time youth worker

26. Extra-Curricular GET INVOLVED in a least one activity
Something for everyone – “niche”
Bring a friend – you don’t have to know how to do something in order to join that activity
Bring your positive attitude
…..”but, I’m not strong at…..”

27. Athletics Teacher volunteers, rely on parent support
FALL – Volleyball, swimming, Mtn. Biking, Outdoor club (year round), cross country running, Field Hockey, football.
WINTER – Basketball, Wrestling, Ski and Snowboard
SPRING – Track and Field, Mtn. Biking, Badminton, Rugby
NO CUT POLICY

28. Athletics

29. Grade Six – Co-Ed Non-Competitive

30. CLUBS AND GAMES

31. Lunch Time
We are a CLOSED CAMPUS
No ‘in’ and ‘out’ days
Responsibility
Intramurals…

32. Choir

33. Band

34. Spring Musical

35. Student Leadership

36. The Cafeteria…

37. GET INVOLVED Library, Green Team, Hawk Krew (numerous opportunities) Debate club, Games Club, Math Club, Yearbook, committees, me to we, …..there is something for everyone to meet new people and get connected with the school.

38. Intramural Program…

39. How Safe is Maple Creek?
School Goal – continue to improve students’ sense of safety and belonging
This is a core value – this year we will be focusing on a strand of social responsibility
We constantly try to work on improving
Ministry Satisfaction Surveys – we always score above the district and provincial averages on safety related questions

40. What about Bullying? We take it seriously
We follow up on every incident that is reported to us
We educate our kids about bullying through our advisory program, schoolwide programming and teachable moments
We ‘protect’ kids who report bullying to the best of our ability
BIGGEST CHALLENGE – kids who don’t report, “the code of silence”

41. Class Placements
Goal – to create the most positive placement for every student
Challenges – 440 Grade 6/7 students to place in the puzzle
Grade balance, gender balance, ability balance, matching learning and teaching styles, pre-existing social and relationship issues

42. Transition to Middle School…
P and VP have met with all grade five students for initial orientation session twice
Currently meeting with all grade five parents
Open House
Fine Arts Afternoon
Mid-May – teacher meetings and second visit with students
World wide band tour
June – Student tour of Maple Creek
Individual visits and arrangements

43. We look forward to having you join us!!