Week of January 21

We begin the new semester this week.  All students and staff are looking forward to a great second half of the year.  Last Friday we celebrated the first semester during an assembly at the end of the day.  There was plenty to celebrate. During the first semester: 32 students had perfect attendance, 88% of students did not earn an office referral, 49 students earn positive referrals, 326 students received positive postcards, and out of 555,000 opportunities to be in class, students were on tiem 553,097 times which is 99.97% of the time!  A big thank you goes out to all LMS students for a great first semester and a fantastic start to the second semester.

Mrs. Norman's S4S Class

The winter dance will be held this Friday from 3:00-5:00 in the LMS gym.  All LMS students in good standing are encouraged to attend.  Admission is $4.00.  We hope all students will join us as we dance away the winter blues.  Parents, you are encouraged to volunteer as chaperones.  Who knows, you might even be able to show our students a dance step or two.  

Report cards are going into the mail on 1/25.18.  Student grades can also be seen on Powerschool.  If a student is requesting a schedule change, they need to do so by Monday, the 28th.  Honor roll will be announced on February 1st. 

Upcoming Events: 

• January 25                     Winter Dance 
• February 15                   Early release 
• February 27                   NAEP testing

Week of January 14

It is the last week of the first semester.  We will be celebrating our students' hard work and success during the first semester with an assembly on Friday.  While we will be running a modified 'all' schedule on Friday to accommodate the assembly, our dismissal time is 3:00.  Only the elementary schools have an early release on Friday.  Students will receive their second semester schedules during lunch on Wednesday and report cards will be mailed out on the 25th.  First semester honor roll will be announced on February 1st.

All LMS students and families are cordially invited to the 1st Annual LMS Chili Cook-Off and family game night on Wednesday, January 16th from 6:30-8:00 pm in the LMS cafeteria.  Bring your family's best chili to share and relax and play some games while you see who has the spiciest, most unique, and best overall chili in the Laramie Middle School Community.  You do not need to enter a chili to attend.  We need plenty of folks to taste and vote as well.  We hope to see you all on Wednesday night.

There is no school for students next Monday, January 21st due to professional development.  We look forward to seeing all of our students back on Tuesday, the 22nd for the first day of the second semester.  If your student would like to request a schedule change, they need to do so by the end of the day on the 28th.  Students should see their grade level counselor to get the schedule change form. Please contact Mrs. Hodney (6th and 8th A-L) or Mrs. Hogsett (7th and 8th M-Z) if you have any questions regarding schedule changes.

Upcoming Events: 

• January 16                     LMS chili cook-off and game night
• January 16                     Wellness fair at LHS
• January 18                     End of the first semester 
• January 21                     No school-professional development 
• January 25                     Winter Dance 
• February 15                   Early release 

Week of January 7

It's great to be back in the new year. We are looking forward to a great 2019 beginning with a strong end to the first semester. There are two weeks remaining in this semester. All work submitted for credit needs to be by the end of Scout Learning Lab on the 19th. Please check your student's progress in Powerschool and contact their teachers if you have any questions or concerns.

A question we often hear from students, is "When am I ever going to use this?" In the second part of our So What? series, we are taking a look at some of the essential learnings in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math and how they apply to our lives outside of school.

Sixth graders learn different ways to multiply fractions. They discuss diagrams as well as the standard algorithm. Sixth graders also find the area of triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids. Students will use various methods for discovering formulas for the area of these shapes that will connect to problem solving and reasoning skills that they can use in areas outside of the classroom. It is important for them to learn how to see problems from a new angle in order to find various solutions.

The end sixth grade focuses on statistics and the value of numbers in a data set. Students use this knowledge to understand what different statistics actually mean. They can then solve problems such as predicting who will win an election before all the votes are actually counted.

Seventh grade math includes unit rates and proportions. A rate is a ratio that compares quantities in different units. Rates are commonly found in everyday life. Sometimes students ask, “Where will I ever use this?” The prices in grocery stores and department stores are rates. Rates are also used in pricing gasoline, tickets to a movie or sporting event, in paying hourly wages and monthly fees.

Eighth grade math classes solve multi-step linear equations and identify and model relationships between two variables that have a constant rate of change. Eighth grade also studies systems of linear equations. The ability to model the relationship between variables is critical to understanding how to solve real life problems. Knowing how to compare two situations and how they relate to each other can help us compare them and make a better decision.

Being able to solve a system of equations allows us the answer questions like: When does producing items by machine become cost-effective? and How does the cost of traveling by plane compare to the cost of traveling by car? The level of understanding needed to answer questions like these is expanded in later courses, but 8th grade math builds the foundation for solving systems of linear equations.

Upcoming Events: 

• January 7                       PTO meeting
• January 16                     Wellness fair at LHS
• January 18                     End of the first semester 
• January 21                     No school-professional development 
• February 15                   Early release 

Week of December 17

The final week of school for 2018 is upon us.  As we look forward to the opportunities of a new year, it is also a time to reflect on the passing year.  The LMS staff is thankful that you are sharing your student with us and for your continued support.  We relish the opportunity to work with your student to develop new skills, reach their goals, and to help them become better students, friends, siblings, and people in 2019.  Our theme: Respect is earned, Honesty is appreciated, Trust is gained, Scouts are forever will continue to frame our collective work in the coming year.  With your continued support, we are looking forward to putting in the work to fulfill the spirit contained within our theme.

All teachers will be working with our friends from the Laramie Police Department after school this Wednesday to review and update our safety procedures.  This is part of a coordinated effort between the District and LPD.  All ACSD#1 schools are engaging in this training.  Due to this commitment, there will be no Scout Learning Lab or late bus after school this Wednesday.  Students should go home directly after school on Wednesday.

This Friday is our third spirit day for December as we are celebrating ugly sweater day.  Students and staff will be showing their school and holiday spirit by rocking their tackiest holiday sweater.  The class with the best participation will earn points towards the Scout Cup.  Encourage your Scout to show out on Friday with the best, or worst, sweater in Laramie.

Our attendance goal for the school year is 95%.  In November our attendance was 92.8%.  Please help us reach our goal by having your student in school, on time, ready to learn every day possible.  I know it can be tempting to add a day or two onto a break, but those days add up over the course of a school year and there is no substitute for first time instruction.  Friday will be a regular 'all' day and students will be dismissed at 3:00.  Thank you for supporting your student by having them attend school all week.

Upcoming Events: 

• December 17                 Boys basketball informational meeting
• December 21                 Ugly sweater day
• December 24                 Winter break begins
• January 7                       Classes resume after winter break 
• January 18                     End of the first semester 

Week of December 10

We are sprinting towards the winter break.  The last day of classes for 2018 is Friday, December 21st.  The 21st is a full day of school and students will be dismissed at 3:00.  It's also time for our next activity changeover.  Girls basketball and wrestling are finished and boys basketball and nordic skiing are beginning.  Boys basketball is open to 7th and 8th grade students.  Open gym is being held on the 12th, 13th, 17th, and 20th from 3:00-4:15.  The informational meeting is on December 17th at 5:30 in the LMS cafeteria.  Nordic skiing is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students and practice is underway.  Skiers meet in the cafeteria after school.

Mrs. Heggie's cooking class recently competed in their annual cake decorating contest.  All of the cakes were fantastic and it was inspiring to see what the students created.  LMS students are very talented and that was evident in their cakes.  We'd like to congratulate all of the students who participated and we thank them for their hard work.  A special congratulations to the bakers of the first place entry 'Rocking Around the Christmas Tree'.  Great job Aubrey Howells, Libby Goodspeed, and Dalia Franco!

Our winter spirit days continue this week with Flannel Friday.  All members of the LMS community are encouraged to rock their favorite flannel this Friday to show their school spirit and fight off the winter blues.  The grade will the most participation will earn points towards the Scout Cup.

It's never too early to think about ordering your copy of the LMS Scout.  Yearbooks are $40 and can be ordered on yearbookforever.com  Be sure to claim your copy of this award winning publication before they sell out.  Scouts are forever, but the number of yearbooks is limited.  Don't be left out in the cold, order today.

Upcoming Events: 

• December 10                 Wyoming Day
• December 17                 Boys basketball informational meeting
• December 24                 Winter break begins
• January 7                       Classes resume after winter break 
• January 18                     End of the first semester 

Week of December 3

It's hard to believe that December is here.  The school year is certainly flying by.  We are excited for an engaging, challenging, and fulfilling three weeks leading up to the end of 2018.  Winter break feels like a natural halfway point in the year, and psychologically it is.  However, the first semester actually ends on January 18th.  The two weeks after we return from winter break are crucial for consolidating learning and ending the first half of the academic year strong. Finishing on a high note sets students up for success in the second semester.  We understand that there are family obligations and other things that make adding a day or two on either side of a break tempting.  We ask that you have your student in school as much as possible as we continue to Strive for Five, where students have 5 or less absences for the school year.  There is no replacement for first time instruction and developing solid attendance habits in middle school set students up for success in high school and beyond.  If at all possible, please have your student plan to attend every class between now and the end of the day on the 21st.

Last week we addressed a situation in our PE locker rooms where bed bugs could have potentially been present.  We had the locker rooms professionally assessed and heat treated and they are now ready for use .  The service provider we contracted with also has dogs that are trained to detect the presence of bed bugs.  We will be following up with this intervention in January to help ensure that our locker rooms remain pest free.  We realize that our response to this situation could be improved and we are taking steps to deliver better customer service in the unlikely event of any recurrence. We apologize for the inconvenience and frustration you may have experienced as we dealt with this situation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kevin via email or at 721-4430.

The LMS student leadership team is building a float for this Friday's downtown parade of lights.  They are excited to show our school and community spirit.  This is the latest activity coordinated by the student leadership team to show school pride and to build connections with the broader community.  They are planning additional family nights in the coming months with potential themes such as an escape room and chili cook-off. Please keep an eye on this blog and the LMS calendar for information on upcoming events.

Upcoming Events: 

• December 7                   Laramie parade of lights
• December 24                 Winter break begins
• January 7                       Classes resume after winter break 
• January 18                     End of the first semester 

Week of November 26

We are thankful to be back in session after the Thanksgiving break.  The holiday is a wonderful opportunity to connect with family and friends as we reflect on what we are grateful for.  Vacation breaks provide natural milestones within the school year.  Looking at the calendar, we have four weeks of school until our next big milestone, winter break.  We are excited to work with all students to make the next month challenging, engaging, and fulfilling.  The first semester ends two weeks after the winter break, so now is the time to solidify our learning for the first half of the year and to lay the foundation for a strong second half.

The LMS student newspaper, The Scout Shout, has been released their latest publication.  Mrs. Baas, Mrs. Thomsen, and the dedicated students who make up the Scout Shout newsroom have been working hard to put together an informative and quality publication. Please click here to access the first edition of the Scout Shout for the 2018-19 school year.

As wrestling and girls basketball wind down, nordic skiing is set to begin.  Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades can participate in nordic skiing.  Students must have a sports physical on file, a signed code of conduct, and provide their own equipment to participate in nordic skiing.  There is a nordic skiing informational meeting for students and families on Thursday, November 29th at 5:30 pm in the LMS cafeteria.  All students planning to participate in nordic skiing and their families should attend.

Upcoming Events: 

• November 29                 Nordic skiing informational meeting 
• November 29                 Nellie T. Ross' birthday 
• December 24                 Winter break begins
• January 7                       Classes resume after winter break