Keeping you plugged into the exciting things happening at the Middle School
Published May 7, 2023
Volume 173
Adam Vinson - Middle School Principal
A MESSAGE FROM MR. VINSON
Over the next 3 weeks, you will see your child engaging in the final testing opportunities for this school year. This week (Monday and Tuesday), our students will take their end of year Progress Learning assessments. Progress Learning is our benchmark testing that shows learning growth over the course of this year.
Here are a few suggestions for maximizing your child’s performance this week.
REST - make sure your child gets plenty of rest the night before the testing.
RELAX - encourage your child to do their very best without stressing.
In addition, PRIORITIZE ATTENDANCE for these days. Students are required to make up any missed Progress Learning testing, so to avoid being pulled or staying after school, please prioritize your child being present and punctual each day.
HOW ARE WE DOING?
Let me know how our team is doing in keeping you informed about your child’s education this year. If you are lacking communication regarding one of your child’s classes, please let me know so I can help! adam.vinson@tcslions.org
LAST WEEK IN CHAPEL
On Thursday, we hosted our National Day of Prayer service with our students engaging in directed prayer for our nation and leaders.
LIONS OF THE WEEK
6th Grade - Ava Pamparo
7th Grade - Brody Powell
8th Grade - Sophia Selleck
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: UPCOMING MIDDLE SCHOOL DATES
May 8-9 = Progress Learning Testing
May 9 = 8th Grade Dance
May 15-16 = IOWA Standardized Testing
THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE
Psalm 18:28, 30
v. 28 For it is You who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.
v. 30 This God – His way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.
Bible Distinction Opportunity:
Middle School Students who wish to earn the honor of distinction at our end of the year program in May may complete the following extra assignments/expectations for their memory verse. Students who choose these standards will be uniquely honored for going above and beyond in their spiritual walk.
6th Grade Students - Memorize v. 27 as well
7th Grade Students - Memorize v. 27 and be prepared to take your quiz with no blanks provided
8th Grade Students - Memorize v. 27, and be prepared to take your quiz with no blanks provided and write an application paragraph for the verses
Psalm 18:27 – For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.
MAY HABITUDES MOMENT:
Below you will find the monthly habitude for each grade level highlighting important leadership principles to implement in their own lives. Learn more about our Habitudes curriculum here.
6th Monthly Habitude: Name: Opportunity Statue
Principle: We can spend, invest, or waste each day we have.
Lesson Summary: Leaders manage opportunities. Everyone has 86,400 seconds each day to use or abuse. Opportunity is a statue that has hair in front but is bald in the back—you can’t grab it once it is gone.
7th Monthly Habitude: Lightning Rods
Principle: Embrace criticism while redirecting negativity.
Lesson Summary: A lightning rod protects a building by safely taking the strike and grounding it. It channels the impact of that strike to a safe place. Leaders handle anger and criticism in a similar way. They take the heat for the team, and they find appropriate outlets for their own anger.
8th Monthly Habitude: Mentorship: Travel Agents or Tour Guides
Principle: Find a guide to receive direction and support.
Lesson Summary: The big difference between a travel agent and a tour guide is this: one goes with you and one only tells you where to go. During this season of transition, you will have many travel agents. You must find a tour guide for direction and support.
THE GREAT HISTORY CHALLENGE
Last weekend, four of our Middle School students (Caleb Walls, Mia Pettersson, Kai Szopa, & Will Lambert) were invited to participate in the The Great History Challenge National Championship, a nationwide academic competition that offers scholarships to winners and is an excellent opportunity for students to highlight their knowledge in history. The four students who attended Saturday’s competition first completed an online quiz here at Trinity last fall; their scores qualified them to attend a regional event in Atlanta earlier this spring. After receiving high marks at the regional event, they were invited to attend the national competition, which also took place in Atlanta. We are so proud of our four participants who competed individually against students from all over the country! We are further thrilled to announce that Caleb Walls (8th Grade) was the 8th Grade National Champion! What an incredible accomplishment! Way to go Lions!
BE PREPARED FOR END OF YEAR ASSESSMENTS
As we close out the second semester, check out the assessment schedule below for our middle school students.
6th Grade
May 12 - Final History Test
May 12 - Science Project Due
May 19 - Final Science Test
May 24 - Final Math Test
Note: History presentations will take place May 18-24, and a final writing assignment in English will take place during the month of May (TBD).
7th and 8th Grade
May 12 - Final History Test
May 12 - Final Science Lab/Project Due
May 19 - Final Science Test
May 23 - Final Math Test
Note: History presentations will take place May 18-24, and a final writing assignment in English will take place during the month of May (TBD).
COMMUNITY SERVICE DUE
All middle schoolers should submit their community service form to their Bible teacher by May 8. Remember, each student should have 10 hours of service completed.
8TH GRADE GRADUATION CEREMONY
We are so excited to celebrate our 8th graders as they prepare to make the transition to high school! Check out the details below regarding our ceremony, including information related to our special Prayer of Blessing!
Date: Tuesday, May 23
Location: TCS Gymnasium
Time: 6:00-7:00 pm
SUMMARY: We will be celebrating the end of middle school for our 8th graders with an evening of awards and recognitions while also offering a special time of prayer before their promotion to 9th grade. Parents and special guests are invited to attend but seating will be limited due to the gymnasium capacity.
DRESS CODE: Students are encouraged to wear normal dress code attire or their Sunday best. No shorts please.
QUESTIONS: Contact Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org)
Prayer of Blessing:
Each year we conclude our 8th grade graduation ceremony with special prayers by those closest to our graduates. Our students will be seated during this time and those special individuals chosen to pray will stand behind their specific student. Those chosen individuals will have the chance to pray quietly or silently over the student, with Mr. Vinson leading a corporate prayer to close out our time.
Please have your child choose a parent, older sibling, pastor, youth pastor, coach, etc. who they would like to pray over them.
Complete this form to indicate who your child has chosen. We want every student to have someone standing with them during this time!
8TH GRADE DANCE: DRESS UP YOUR DENIM
Our 8th grade dance is coming Tuesday, May 9 from 6:30-8:30pm at The Gathering Place and outside patio. This event is designed to be an “end of year” party, a last rodeo for our TCS 8th graders. Please note that dates are not permitted. Instead, we encourage our students to come and enjoy a night of country-themed fun as a group social. More details to come, but mark your calendars now.
DRESS CODE: Students are encouraged to come in their “dressed up” country attire. Denim is appropriate. Dresses are allowed.
FOOD: We will have drinks and snacks. (Parents will be encouraged to sign up to help provide.)
COST: $10 - details for how to sign up coming soon
ATTENTION RISING 6th - 8th GRADE ARTISTS
Do you think you have what it takes to join the middle school advanced art class?
Please fill out this Google Form and submit your artwork no later than May 15th to Mrs. Hackworth.
Be sure to check out all the details about our end of year events on our family landing page.
MAY HAPPENINGS
The month of May is always busy with end of the year events. Keep checking back in this section for details leading up to the end of the school year.
May 8-9 = Progress Learning Testing
May 9 = 8th Grade Dance (TCS Campus)
May 11 = Chorus Concert
May 15-16 = IOWA Standardized Testing
LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL (Note: Each day will be a full day of school - 8th graders will be finished with required school on Tuesday, May 23)
Monday, May 22 - 6th Grade Skating Party
Tuesday, May 23 - 8th Grade Graduation (6pm - TCS Gym)
Wednesday, May 24 - 7th Grade Bowling Party
Thursday, May 25 - 6th/7th Awards Program (1:30pm - only parents of students receiving a reward to attend due to parking/seating capacity)
DO YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY SERVICE PLAN?
Don’t forget that all middle schoolers are required to complete 10 hours of community service by May 8. This semester will go by quickly, so don’t delay in thinking through how your child can complete this requirement to give back to others!
GENERAL REMINDERS
HOUSE SYSTEM COMPETITION
Check out who is leading the competition at www.tcshouses.weebly.com.
IMPORTANT 22/23 RESOURCES:
IT HELP DESK LINK - if your child has an issue with their Chromebook, submit a ticket
DRESS CODE OVERVIEW - check out this year’s guidelines
PRE-ABSENCE FORM - submit pre-planned absences 5 days ahead of time for approval.
MS COMMUNITY SERVICE FORM - 10 service hours are due by May 2023.
MS THRIVAL GUIDE - learn how to THRIVE and not just survive middle school at TCS.
REMINDER: BLACKBAUD CLASSROOM INFORMATION
Be sure to check Blackbaud regularly to stay informed about your child’s progress this year!
LESSON PLANS: Need to know what your child is learning in the classroom? Check the “Bulletin Board” section for each of your child’s classes.
HOMEWORK: Need to know what assignments your child should be completing at home? Check the “Bulletin Board” section for each of your child’s classes.
GRADES/PROGRESS: Need to know how your child did on their last test? Check the “Grade Detail” section for each of your child’s classes.
REMINDER: COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS DUE
Don’t forget your child’s Community Service Form will be due Monday, May 8, 2023. Please email your child’s Bible teacher regarding any questions about community service. Remember, each student is required to complete 10 hours of community service.
REMINDER: ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES
The following steps should be taken for reporting absences for 4th - 8th grade:
Send excuses for absences, including doctor’s notes to attendance@tcslions.org.
Send PRE-ABSENCE REQUESTS (family trips, etc.) to Kasey Hanson (kasey.hanson@tcslions.org) via your child’s 1st period teacher.
If your child has to miss class this year due to sickness or quarantine, check out our process below for getting your child caught up on missing work and assignments. Please also notify the nursing team to make them aware of surgeries or long-term illnesses at nurses@tcslions.org
WHAT IF MY CHILD IS ABSENT 1-5 DAYS? - Have your child connect with their teachers upon their return to the classroom. We will not send makeup work home for sick absences of this length through our Return to Academics program.
WHAT IF MY CHILD IS ABSENT 5+ DAYS? - Reach out to Kasey Hanson (Return to Academics Coordinator) so we can best determine a makeup plan for your child. Mrs. Hanson will help collect makeup work for you to simplify the process.
NOTE: If your child is sick, we want your child to focus on resting and healing before worrying about missing assignments. Please know our teachers will work diligently to help your child catch up once they are feeling well enough to complete assignments.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACTS
If you have any questions throughout the summer or upcoming school year, use the guide below to ensure your questions are directed to the most helpful personnel.
6th Grade Academic Coordinator - Melissa Lanier (melissa.lanier@tcslions.org)
Mrs. Lanier can assist you with any academic-related needs for 6th grade.
7th and 8th Grade Academic Coordinator - Emily Walter (emily.walter@tcslions.org)
Miss Walter can assist you with any academic-related needs for 7th/8th grade.
Director of Student Life - Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org)
Mrs. McBurnett oversees our special events and field trips while also handling our middle school counseling duties.
Director of Student Development - Dylan Higgins (dylan.higgins@tcslions.org)
Mr. Higgins oversees the spiritual development of our student body while also assisting with discipline issues.
Middle School RTA Coordinator - Kasey Hanson (kasey.hanson@tcslions.org)
Mrs. Hanson can assist you with makeup work due to any extended absences.
Director of Skills Development - Jenn Opsahl (jennifer.opsahl@tcslions.org)
Mrs. Opsahl oversees our Skills Development Program.