This document provides information for parents about the start of the school year at Crestwood Middle School. It introduces the administrative and guidance team. It announces the open house format and that schedules and bus information are available. It also provides updates on grading, curriculum, support services and communication policies to help parents and students transition to the new school year.

1. Crestwood Middle School
Opening SY13
Welcome Back!

2. Administrative/Guidance Team
Principal – Dr. Daniel Lippy
Assistant Principal – Dr. Roger Copeland, Gr. 6/7
Assistant Principal – Chelsea Skoczylas, Gr. 7/8
Counselor – Carrie Pierson, Gr. 6
Counselor – Deb Boyce, Gr. 7
Counselor – Cathy Kazio, Gr. 8

3. General Announcements
 Open House Format – short
presentation followed by meet and
greet with teachers
 Course information will be available
 Please do not talk about specific
student/class concerns

4. General Announcements
 Schedules are available in the guidance
office
 Bus information is available in the media
center

5. PTSA
 AGENDAS!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
 Cultural arts experiences for each grade
 Support student activities, i.e. Cavalier Spirit Days
 Multicultural Event
 Hospitality events for teachers and staff
 Information available in the hallway outside of
Media Center
 Raffle opportunity for anyone joining tonight!

6. Middle School….
 No one fits in a locker.
 Students are rarely lost. We GPS them.
 Your child will not tell you anything…..
about themselves, but everything about
everyone else!
 MS students see everything as right or
wrong with no in between.

7. Middle School MythBusters
 We do want you involved.
 We do support students.
 We do address bullying.
 We do provide a rigorous academic
program that prepares students for
CCR.

8. Grading
 Focus is on STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT!
 Pinnacle Grade Updating (Weekly by Tuesday)
 Assignments by curriculum indicator
 Focuses conversation on skills and content
 What is your child understanding?
 What is your child not understanding?
 Maximum 30% penalty for late work

9. Common Core Curriculum
 SY13 Transition Year
 Rigorous and Challenging
 e.g. Algebra I
 Old – Basic concepts with data analysis
 New – Combines Algebra I & II, probability and
statistics

10. Change in Instruction
 We are growing!
 Trying new strategies that involve
technology, critical thinking, and constant
evaluation.
 Pre-Test – pre-tests will be used to help
teachers determine what type of instruction
student needs. Mastered? Need support?

11. Support Services
 Weekly administrative team meetings
 Teacher Workgroups –
 Data Analysis and Curriculum
 Tiers of Tutoring – class, TEE time, pull-out, afterschool
 Interventions – academic and social
 PBIS – Reinforces appropriate social behaviors
 School Counselor
 CASS Social Worker
 Community Liaison

12. Communication Policy
 Any parent correspondence (phone, email,
letter) needs to be returned within 24 hours.
 Please notify me if you are not receiving a
response.
 Common problems – email names,
voicemail boxes, and Pinnacle updates

13. Study Island
 On-line tutoring service for Reading, Math,
and High School Algebra
 Content is available in English and Spanish
– computer interface or game format
 Every student will have access to the
program
 Program includes an email option that
sends weekly progress reports to parents

14. Schedule
 You will never get it, but your child will
understand it by the end of the second day!
 Counselors and other staff members can
help you understand how to read your
child’s schedule.

15. Tee Time
 45 minute block from 12:52 to 1:37 every
day
 Content
 Grade level tutoring 1x or 2x per week
 PBIS Lessons
 Classroom Extension
 Classroom Intervention

16. First Day Logistics
 6th and 7th Graders are in the gymnasium
 8th Graders are in the cafeteria
 Students dismissed to class at 7:45
 Staff members available for assistance
 Schedules will be reviewed basic policies
and procedures (hallway, lunch, lockers,
trek to specials

17. FYI’s
 School Hours are 8:00 am to 3:01 pm
 Dismissal will be a little early for the first
week to get used to the hallway traffic,
lockers and bus lineup
 Backpacks are allowed for the first week
 Student ID’s are needed to buy food

18. FYI’s
 Best location to get staff email and phone
lists is from the website.
 Weekly Newsletters – send an email to
cms.news@fcps.org with “please
subscribe” as the subject line.
 Cell Phones – must be off. If used during
the day, the phone is sent to the office.

19. OVERWHELMING!!!
 You will be overwhelmed with information
for the first week.
 Please remember that you can always
contact us for clarifications and/or
questions!

20. Meet the Teachers!
7th and 8th graders new to Crestwood Middle need
to meet in guidance for a brief meeting with the
counselors.