Owensboro Catholic Middle School Newsletter
February 2008
Dear OCMS Families:
Ash Wednesday is already over and we have begun our Lenten journey. We are all reminded of the Lord’s call for renewal in our lives. This will be especially emphasized here at OCMS during Lent. Let us continue to pray and support one another.
We have several thank you’s for a number of things just completed here at OCMS. Thanks for supporting our chocolate drive. Thanks to all who helped make our Catholic Schools’ Week a special time; and thanks for your help and support of our academic team in hosting the District Governor’s Cup. Our students really showed their talents!
Please take note of our Mass schedule during Lent and join us when you are able.
God bless each of you,
Jim Duffy, Principal
ACADEMIC DEAN’S CORNER
By: Janice Clark, Academic Dean
Know How to Read a Textbook
To better understand and remember what you read in a textbook, use the Scan, Read, Review method.
SCAN. Scanning offers a quick overview of the material. Read all titles, subtitles, and everything in bold print. Take notice of any pictures, graphs, or charts. Read summaries, if available. Scanning provides information in a short amount of time. It provides you with an “information framework” of main ideas and makes detailed information easier to remember.
READ. Make sure your reading has purpose. This will improve your comprehension and help you stay focused. To give your reading purpose, look at each boldfaced subtitle and turn it into a question. Your question will give your reading focus. As you read each section, try to answer the question. Also, as you read each section, look again at bold print words, names of people and places, etc. Ask yourself, “ Why is this word, person, or place important?”
REVIEW. After scanning and reading the material, most people think they are finished and close their books. Try taking a few extra minutes for review. This will make a huge difference in what you remember later. Reviewing helps to lock the information in your brain before you forget it. Ask yourself, “ What is the main idea the author is trying to get across?” Then, briefly review each subtitle and think about and restate the main idea of each section. If you review again the next day, you can really lock in info and even cut down on study time for a test later.
Summary:
•
• SCAN- read subtitles, bold print words, summaries, graphs, charts, etc.
• READ – with a purpose.
• REVIEW- by scanning material to check your comprehension.
(Adapted from How to Get Good Grades by Linda O’Brien)
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle
ACRE TESTING 8TH GRADE
Assessment of Catholic Religious Education test will be Wednesday, February 20, 2008, in morning homeroom, for all 8th graders. Please see that your child is in school that day and that he/she eats a healthy breakfast.
GUIDANCE NOTES
Mrs. McCormick will be visiting the 8th grade classrooms in March. She will be with each 8th grade class for three days. Students will determine what their likes and dislikes are in relation to different tasks, working environment, activities, etc. The purpose is to help students relate this to career exploration or subject areas and level of education they wish to pursue. The students will then bring this information and their high school planning sheets home in a two-pocket folder. Please go over all of this with your son or daughter when he/she brings it home.
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
OCMS CONGRATULATES our students for the month of:
December: Nicole Ralph and Sam Rasp
January: Michael Polio and BrittanyNash
February: Mary Kate Clemens and Logan Cecil
FAMILY LIFE
We will be beginning the Family Life component of our religion curriculum during the 4th academic quarter. The curriculum for Family Life, published by Benzinger, is a continuation of the Family Life units that your child has experienced in grades 1-6 in all Owensboro Catholic elementary schools. We consider this to be such a very important element of our school program and is especially important during these early teen years.
If you have questions about this or any element of the OCMS curriculum, please feel free to call or come by the school. If you would care to see the texts, they are available in the principal’s office.
LIBRARY NEWS
Thank you PTO and Susie Alvey for providing snacks for our quarterly AR rewards. Grandma’s cookies and Capri Suns were served to 170 students as they enjoyed a break from class as a reward for earning their 20 points for 2nd quarter. Our goal is to have ALL students “reading” and “munching down” for 3rd quarter.
We always have competition among those “avid readers.” The top five-7th and 8th graders with the most points for 2nd quarter participated in a pizza party in the library. Congratulations to the following 8th grade: Will Bickett, Kaleb Caceres, Stephanie Dooper, Mary Shannon Sanders, and Nathan Lasley; and 7th grade: Rachel Hamilton, Will Johnson, Emily Whitehouse, Allison Schepers, and Megan Woodall.
NOT EXACTLY NORMAL
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! We are “gearing up” for our Tuesday, February 26, 2008, visit from Devin Brown, the author of Not Exactly Normal. We are sponsoring a writing contest and the winners will have the privilege of eating a special lunch with Dr. Brown. Parents are invited to attend the afternoon talk and the book signing party. There are a few books left to purchase for $5.00. Please contact the school if you would like to purchase a book.
ACADEMIC TEAM
Congratulations to the Aces academic team who placed 1st overall in District Governor's Cup competition Saturday, January 26, hosted by Owensboro Catholic Middle School. Individual honors go to the following:
Will Bickett - 1st place Science; 1st place Social Studies
Alex Riccio – 2nd place Science
Allen Rakotoniaina – 1st place Language Arts
Chase Carrico – 2nd place Language Arts; 2nd place Math
Stephanie Dooper – 2nd place Composition
Alec Bahnick – tied for 3rd place Math
Kevin Thompson – 3rd place Composition; 4th place Social Studies
Megan Alvey – tied for 4th place Arts & Humanities
Team awards were given for 1st place Future Problem Solving. The Future Problem Solving team is comprised of Allen Rakotoniaina, Alex Riccio, Michael Crowe, and Megan Alvey.
Our team won 1st place in Quick Recall also. Team members are Will Bickett, Alex Riccio, Michael Crowe, Allen Rakotoniaina, Megan Alvey, Brian Gross, Patrick Lasley, Chase Carrico, Kevin Thompson, Justin Magnuson, and Martha Hughes.
The award we are most proud of is the Katherine Hume award, which is given to the team who displays the best sportsmanship during the competition. CONGRATULATIONS to all team members and Coaches Renshaw, Ebelhar, Riccio, and Alvey for a job well done. Also a very special thank you for all faculty members who helped with preparing for and officiating this meet.
The Academic team will now be preparing for Regional Governor’s Cup competition in 3 weeks. GOOD LUCK, ACES!!
SPELLING BEE WINNERS
Congratulations to Chase Carrico who placed 3rd in the Diocesan Spelling Bee, which was held at St. Mary’s in Paducah. He was the OCMS 2007-2008 Spelling Bee Winner and placing 2nd was Jared McMaster. The following students were Spelling Bee classroom winners and participated in the school wide bee: Jacob Mills, Travis Farmer, Kyle Mattingly, Cassidy Clark, Tyler Farmer, Alex Riccio, and Ben Wathen.
OCMS GEOGRAPHY BEE WINNERS 2007-2008
The following students won their classroom National Geographic Bees and qualified to participate in the School Bee: Issac Hardesty, Jacob Fullenwider, Brian Gross, Hunter Gough, Hunter Jones, Stefan Swift, and Chase Carrico
Tying for 3rd place in the school wide bee were Alec Bahnick and Daniel Fulkerson. Placing
2nd was Michael Polio. The OCMS Geography Bee winner is Kevin Thompson. He will take a written test to qualify for the state level National Geographic Bee. CONGRATULATIONS KEVIN!
RELIGION BEE
Congratulations to Logan Cecil who was the overall winner of the OCMS Religion Bee! Congratulations to the classroom Religion Bee winners: 8th Grade: Katelyn Orth, Stephanie Dooper, Christopher Hayden, Elizabeth McNulty, Michael Polio, Katie Brown, Will Bickett, and Nicholas Krampe; 7th Grade: Emily Rose, Kevin Thompson, Jared McMaster, Hayley Frey, Maggie Wilson, Michael Englert, Drew Carlisle, Ryan Carlisle, Rachel Hamilton, and Caleb Brand.
WORLD’S FINEST CHOCOLATE DRIVE
Congratulations to the top sellers of the World’s Finest Chocolate: 1st place: Kelsey Haynes; 2nd place: Nick Nunley; and 3rd place: Caitlin Coomes. Rae Bennett won the 5 lb. World’s Finest Chocolate candy bar! Thanks to everyone for their support!
KUNA
This February 24, 25 and 26 the Owensboro Catholic Middle School KUNA delegation will be attending the Kentucky United Nations Assembly in Louisville. This year we will be ambassadors from Afghanistan. The mock U.N. debates proposals of global significance written by middle school students from all over the state. OCMS has 27 students participating. Thanks to Mr. Rhodes and Mrs. Walter for working so hard with the OCMS delegates.
YEARBOOK NEWS
The yearbook staff has been working on the 2007-2008 school yearbook. Students may purchase the yearbook for $25.00. Attached to this newsletter, you will find an order form. Orders can be sent to the OCMS office.