2. Avon Public Schools Mission Statement Our mission is to inspire in each student a joy and passion for learning and a commitment to excellence, personal integrity, and social responsibility.

3. Goals for Tonight Begin our home-school partnership for this year Taste a sample of our school lunches Meet your child’s teachers Experience “a day in the life of an AMS student” Learn how to stay connected Hear a quick reminder for our PTO

4. Home-School Partnership StudentTeacherParent Success

5. Teaming Create smaller communities of learners Create meaningful connections among content areas Allow teachers to meet daily to discuss student issues, plan curriculum and meet with parents “Hands Up” Protocol for identifying struggling students

6. Backpacks, Totes, and Stringbags

7. New Attendance Policy (AVON BOE POLICY # 6072) Call our attendance line the day of your child’s absence. Send a note in with your child, detailing the reason for the absence, upon his/her return to school. First nine absences are considered “excused” with a parent’s note. Tenth Absence and beyond are only considered “excused” if they are due to illness, death in the family, religious observation, court appearance, district-based transportation issues, or pre-approved extraordinary educational opportunities (with a note ).

8. Personal Electronics and Computing at AMS Cell Phone rule: Off and away during the school day unless a teacher gives permission to use for academic purposes AMS has 5 computer labs, 2 Ipad carts, and 13 Chromebook carts for student use Computer Labs and Media Center are available afterschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 4 pm.

9. What’s New New Course Offerings: Mandarin Chinese and Theatre Arts Curricular revisions in all academic areas. World Language course overhauls Algebra One for All 8 th graders Exploratory Unified Arts Program Shared staff and students with Avon High School Partnership with Junior Achievement

10. How did we do? Percent of students at/above goal on SBAC and CMTs Grade ELA (SBAC) ELA State Ranking MATH (SBAC) MATH State Ranking SCIENCE (CMT) SCIENCE State Ranking Grade 784.2%772.8%8 not administered n/a Grade 882.4%1176.6%389.1%5 (tie)

11. Staying in touch Middle School Website PowerSchool Trending Now – Principal’s Weekly Staff Email, Voicemail, and Web Pages U.S. Postal Service ZippSlip School Messenger www.avon.k12.ct.us/avonmiddle

12. Final Thoughts Let them wrestle with their learning.