"Unplugged"

There have been several articles out lately that talk about "unplugging" with your children at home. The concept is to get back to simpler times when technology did not rule the house. We all know that technology can be a wonderful thing, but too much a good thing can sometimes be a slippery slope. At school we see some students having difficulties expressing themselves verbally because they are so used to being able to type or text. Instead of expressing an emotion with their words, they use happy or sad smileys. In addition, spending quality time with your family and having real face-to-face conversations can go such a long way for the self-esteem of your children and the relationship you have with them.

Follow the link below to read about a mother who "unplugged" her children for six months.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_fea_parenting_teens_unplugged

S.T.A.R.S. 2010 Video

Check out the short video below to see some highlights from S.T.A.R.S. 2010!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Attention 6th Grade Girls - STARS Begins Soon!

6th grade girls interested in participating in the S.T.A.R.S. mentorship program can now pick up a permission form in the counseling office. S.T.A.R.S. stands for Sisters Together Addressing Real Situations. The idea of this group is to break the girls into small groups of 5-7 and match them up with two carefully trained and chosen 8th grade female mentors.

In their small groups, the girls will discuss and do activities centered around the following topics:
Friendship/Peer Relations
Communication
Conflict Resolution
Body Image
Self Esteem

S.T.A.R.S. will meet for six weeks on Wednesdays. We will rotate when we meet, starting with first hour on November 3rd, second hour on November 10th, and so on. Your daughter will only miss one class period of a particular class during the six weeks, but is expected to make up any work she missed.

The counselors will be supervising each session, but the 8th grade mentors will be in charge of leading the small groups. It is a great opportunity for 6th grade girls to make more connections with other girls in their grade, as well as form relationships with positive 8th grade role models.

If you have an 8th grade daughter who is interested in being a S.T.A.R.S. mentor, she may pick up an application in the counseling office as well. If you would like more information on S.T.A.R.S., please contact your daughter's counselor. We are asking that permission forms and applications be returned by October 22nd. If you plan on attending conferences, forms will also be available at that time.

Mastering Middle School Workshops

We had a great turn-out at both of the Mastering Middle School workshops last week. Parents and students learned about LMS basics, study tips, how to stay organized, and much more. It was a wonderful sight as parents and their children worked together to develop goals for the upcoming school year. We hope that the workshop was just the beginning of ongoing communication within the family. Thank you to everyone who participated; remember we will be available to help however we can throughout the school year.

Smart Start Days in August

Before the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, LMS will be having Smart Smart days for each grade. These days are intended to give students time to pick up their schedule, receive their locker assignment, have their photo taken for student ID and yearbook (this is the only time school pictures will be offered), receive a planner, update emergency information, and more. The dates are as follows:

8TH GRADE - Thursday, August 26th (8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
7TH GRADE - Friday, August 27th (8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
6TH GRADE - Monday, August 30th (8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) - This will be followed by a hot dog lunch and "meet the teacher" time for 6th grade students.

Variety Show

2010 LMS Variety Show
Monday, May 17th at 7:00 p.m. at the LPAC
Admission $2.00/person
REMINDER: Students participating in the show please be at the LPAC by 5:00 p.m. for dress rehearsal.

2010 5th Grade Orientation

This week, the middle school welcomed almost 300 fifth grade students for orientation. On May 4th, students from Alto and half of Cherry Creek made their visit; then on May 5th, students from Murray Lake and the other half of Cherry Creek made the trip. The pictures below show some of the activities enjoyed by the 5th graders including: the play "The Land of Ahh's," instument demonstrations from orchestra and band students, team building in the choir room, and a delicious lunch! We would like to thank everyone who helped make the orientation days fun and memorable for our fifth graders.