November 2017

Thank You For Attending Parent-Teacher Conferences

Once again we applaud you for your support and involvement in the education of your children. By attending conferences you have sent a strong message that you are interested in your son's or daughter's education. I hope you had the opportunity to have great conversations about your child. Maybe you learned something new, or even how to help them improve. We know kids face a lot of pressures we didn't face as children and when parents and teachers work together, the kids benefit the most! Casey Campbell, Principal

Know Your Student’s Style!

While it is quite commonly understood that people learn in different ways, most of us would have a hard time explaining our own learning style. Teenagers are no different! Yet, research shows that knowing and understanding how your child learns best (and encouraging them to become familiar with their own “style” of learning) can help them “play to their strengths” and get the most out of their school experiences. The three main learning styles and a few study tips for each style are listed below. Visual Learners : Learn best by seeing information Use of demonstrations, videos, images Color coding as an organizational system Highlight and/or underline important information in text Use of charts, diagrams, or flashcards Auditory Learners : Learn best by listening and talking Explanation of materials out loud rather than just reading Read out loud to someone else or to themselves...even if it feels silly Sit where they can hear well Use your online textbook to listen to reading assignments Kinesthetic/Tactile Learners : Learn best through doing things and trial-and-error Use real objects to model concepts Act out/role play ideas Study with flashcards or match-ups that can be moved around May need to doodle to help with concentration So, how can you become familiar with your own student’s learning style? You know your child best, so maybe you can already see some of these tendencies. Otherwise, there are many “inventories” for determining learning styles online that don’t take much time to complete and can offer you and your child even more tips for success.   Mrs. Warming - 6th Grade

Health Students Attend Club Scrub

Students of Mr. Rath's 8th grade health classes were given the opportunity to participate in the 1st annual "Club Scrub" event sponsored by the RAMC (Reedsburg Area Medical Center). Event coordinators, Allison Kouba and Tammy Skrabel along with a dozen or more RAMC staff, organized and staged an intensive and fun-filled career event designed to give students a "snapshot"of potential medical careers. Students learned about the nursing career and how to give a shot, set up an IV, deliver a baby and how to take care a variety of wounds from burns to compound fractures. Students also got a chance to learn what an "Imaging Technician" does to prepare for an X-ray, an MRI, and a CAT Scan including, mammography. Students also got to experience what respiratory, cardio, physical, and speech therapists do in their roles to help bring people back to good health. Webb Middle School staff sincerely wishes to thank RAMC for this wonderful hands-on event, which is an awesome example of school and community working together.  Mr. Rath, Physical Education/Health

School Website a Great Resource

Need to find information? Looking to help your student with homework? I know just the place. Recently I was helping a student figure out what her 7th grade science homework was. I had no access to the teacher, so we went online to see if that homework assignment might be available. I was excited to see so much information available on the teacher’s webpage. After figuring out the assignment, I looked around the Webb Middle School webpage. Staff members are doing an amazing job keeping parents informed on what is going on in the classroom. There are links to classroom textbooks, homework help sites, classroom agendas, schedules and expectations, and much more. I urge you spend a little time to check out the great things happening at Webb! Ms. Gronley, 6th Grade

Students Making Great Progress in Their Learning Through RtI

At Webb Middle School a large percentage of students begin their school day sensing they are cared about. It might start with an energetic welcome from Principals Campbell or Delkamp, maybe a compliment from a classmate, a “good morning” from a teacher or perhaps it’s the remnants of a hug received that morning from Mom or Dad. RtI (Response to Intervention) is another tool we use at Webb Middle to care for students academically. It is helping many of our students achieve beyond what they thought was possible. I am excited to share some of the successes that have entered and exited my classroom over the last nine weeks during the designated RtI time. Targeted students include those who simply want to learn more. There is an important distinction between wanting a better grade and wanting to learn more. I work with students to help them better understand that the goal is increased learning and understanding. The grade acts to provide feedback of how much was learned and will take care of itself in the process. Examples of how RtI can help include: clarifying ideas, reviewing concepts, or reinforcing newly acquired connections in smaller groups. In our room, students eventually showcase their new or improved understanding of a concept and are assessed accordingly.   My greatest take away to this point is students recognizing that with smaller group instruction or one-on-one clarification, they can learn things they initially thought too difficult. I am witnessing an increase in earned self belief, improvement in connecting main ideas, and the inevitable improvement in grades. Mr. Bestor, 7th Grade

Ötzi and Scientific Inquiry

During the first quarter of school, Miss Durst and Mrs. Templin’s Earth Science classes have been exploring the Nature of Science. A big part of this is scientific inquiry. Through scientific inquiry, scientists are able to conduct research to further examine how the world works. To help our understanding of how scientific inquiry works in the real world, students analyzed the case study of the Iceman. The Iceman was found frozen in t he Ötztal Alps mountain border between Austria and Italy, on September 19, 1991. The Iceman, now known as Ötzi, helped our students understand the process of scientific inquiry. Students examined early questions and hypotheses about Ötzi, like how old is he? How did Ötzi die? Once the questions were asked and the hypotheses were formed, the experimentation process was carried out. This helped to develop students' understanding of how the experimentation process can prove or disprove a hypothesis, which in turn, lead students to discover when and how to retest or revise hypotheses, to draw conclusions based on the outcome of their investigations, and to share the data gathered throughout the process.  In the near future, students will begin their work on the Science Fair. Ötzi helped our students gain a deeper understanding of scientific inquiry, which is the process students will undergo while working on their own projects for the Science Fair. It is never too early to start developing questions that students may want to investigate for their inquiry process. We are looking forward to this work and are very excited to see what the students choose to investigate. Ms. Durst, 8th Grade Science/Language More information about Ötzi

8th Grade ACP Conferences The counseling department at Webb is starting Academic and Career Planning (ACP) Conferences for all Eighth grade students! Parents should have received a letter in the mail explaining the conferences. The purpose of the ACP Conference is for the parents/ guardians and eighth grade student to meet with the school counselor and discuss the student’s talents and interests, their educational and career development, and future planning. These conferences can be very beneficial and help with the upcoming transition to high school. Conferences will run from November 1st through December 21st. We have utilized a booking website to help with scheduling. Please go to the following website to see the variety of days and times available for ACP Conferences: https://webbacp.youcanbook.me  If your family cannot find a time on the calendars, please call us to custom book your conference.

Cathy Mindham (608) 768-8930 ext. 2105 cmindham@rsd.k12.wi.us

Tracy Anderson (608) 768-8930 ext. 2158 tanderson @rsd.k12.wi.us

Student Cell Phone Use

In an effort to keep you informed of school rules, I share with you our cell phone policy: Students at Webb Middle School are NOT allowed to carry cell phones with them throughout the school day. If a student brings a cell phone to school, it must be kept in his/her locker at all times. Cell phones are absolutely not allowed in classrooms, the lunch room, on the playground, in bathrooms, or in locker rooms. If a student is ill and needs to make contact with a parent, please have him/her do so from the office, so we are aware of the situation. Thank you for supporting our effort to keep our focus on learning! Matt Delkamp, Associate Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Thursday, November 9th - 7/ 8 Boys BB vs Portage Monday, November 13th - 7/ 8 Boys BB @ Wisconsin Heights Monday, November 13th - 6/7/8 Wrestling vs Baraboo Tuesday, November 14th - 6/7/8 Wrestling @ Portage Thursday, November 16th - 6/7/8 Wrestling @ Rich. Center Monday, November 20th - 7/ 8 Boys BB vs Mount Horeb Tuesday, November 21st - 6/7/8 Wrestling @ Sun Prairie Wednesday, November 22nd - No School Thursday, November 23rd - No School Friday, November 24th - No School Thursday, November 30th - 7/ 8 Boys BB vs Poynette Thursday, November 30th - 6/7/8 Wrestling @ Sun Prairie All Middle School Events All District Events

Food Service

Breakfast and lunch menus may be accessed by clicking the button below. Payments may be made online or in person. For more information on payments, please visit our website. It's not too late to apply for free and reduced priced meals. If at any time your family’s income is reduced, free and reduced forms are available from Food Service, the school office, or by clicking  here. All forms are kept confidential and may be completed any time throughout the year. Menus for this Month

School District of Reedsburg  Webb Middle School  (608) 768-8930  707 North Webb Avenue Reedsburg, WI 53959

District Mission Statement Our mission is to prepare our students for the future, instill a sense of respect and a passion for learning.

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