Your Question is Our Opportunity! What would you like to know?
- Do you ever permit a child to switch Houses?
- My child takes medication regularly. How can I get the school's help with this?
- My child does not bring home ANY notices! How will I know about sports and what's going on at school?
- Many of my child's friends are in the other House. Will they see each other during the day?
- What does "vertical teaming" or "looping" mean?
- What is so important about the Houses both being "balanced" or the same?
- How do Number Grades Translate into Letter Grades?
- My child has special needs. How will I be sure these needs are met?
Do you ever permit a child to switch Houses?
Not usually. However, the Principal may permit a child to
switch to the other House depending upon unique circumstances.
My child takes medication regularly. How can I get the school's help with this?
Our school nurse, Ms. Juanita McLeod, is expert at handling this and
any other health-related issues. Some students take medication at
school in a quiet, confidential setting with our school nurse.
Contact the counselor or the nurse for any questions or to set up
this arrangement.
My child does not bring home ANY notices! How will I know about sports and what's going on at school?
Some students are very organized and bring papers back and forth
from school to home without a hitch. Other students seem to
leave all the deadline and important papers one place or the
other! We have three ways to improve the chances that you are
informed about what's happening at school. First, our Principal,
Mr. Rogers, sends weekly "Something Moore" e-mail newsletters
to all parents highlighting general activities around school; ANY
parent without e-mail or preferring a hard copy can contact our
school and we will send it in the U.S. mail. Secondly, our House
Teachers send out weekly "Week In Preview" notes, also on e-mail
to all parents in the House about what work is coming up for the
week; again any parent may ask for a hard copy to be sent home by
U.S. mail instead. Thirdly, parents may contact their child's
homeroom teacher or the school counselor to be sure to ask that
ANY notices going home be sent through the mail instead (or in
addition) to handing them out in class. Sports tryouts, sign-ups
and announcements are included in these updates.
Many of my child's friends are in the other House. Will they see each other during the day?
During the school day, the two Houses are generally together only
during lunch however even then, students generally sit by House.
Students may earn a "Falcon Pass" however, and this pass gives them
the privilege of open seating during lunch. Otherwise, students of
the different Houses mingle usually before and after school.
What does "vertical teaming" or "looping" mean?
Lyman Moore particiaptes in what is called "vertical teaming."
In "vertical teaming" the students are divided into two different
Houses at the beginning of their sixth grade year and these
students remain associated with this "House" (either Baxter or
Acadia) for three years.
Vertical teaming also makes it possible for subject area teachers to occasionally meet
with each other to ensure continuous student learning that builds
on the work covered the previous years.
Students are "placed" into a House at the beginning of their
middle school education. This way, "placement" does not happen
again and again in each of the later grades.
"Looping" is when teachers remain with the same group of students
for more than a year. At Lyman Moore, our teachers "loop" for
grades six and seven, so a student has the same teachers for two years.
What is so important about the Houses both being "balanced" or the same?
Middle School truly is about adolescent development and all the
adaptations required to help that transition into maturity as a
young adult. Confidence to rise to accept the challenge of new
learning in a new environment with new friends is one of the most
crucial elements in this development and we believe parents will
support this.
The School Counselor determines initial placement in either the
Baxter or Acadia House in grade six, and determines two "like" Houses:
the Acadia House and Baxter Houses have similar numbers, usually
an equal number of students coming from each of the sending schools,
the same number of girls and boys in each house, and similar student
strengths in each House.
How do Number Grades Translate into Letter Grades?
What number grade translates to an "A" "B" "C" etcetera?
93 - 100 is an "A" or "Exceeds the Standard"
92 - 85 is a "B" or "Meets the Standard"
84 - 78 is a "C" or "Partially Meets the Standard"
70 - 77 is a "D" or "Does not Meet the Standard"
69 and below is a failing grade.
We do not issue failing grades on report cards below a 60.
My child has special needs. How will I be sure these needs are met?
Our school has many specialists and resources in place to provide
a range of services and supports for students with special needs.
*Chapter 104 services: Consultation on behalf of students
identified as among the top two percent of academic achievement
in the areas of Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies and
Art; This consultation is often broad and includes contact with
parents. It may include co-facilitation of a group or project
within the classroom or unique opportunities outside the
classroom.
* Individual Education Plans (Special Education, iep) are
examined each year and a new iep meeting with parents, teachers
and our Team Leader will help make clear how our
specialists and regular education teachers can work to provide
specialized instruction for your child.
* Resource Room support is also available at certain times. This
may be a special educator working with your child on one
particular subject area to go over something more in-depth; or,
it could be the special educator working with your child and
other peers to teach some concept in a specialized way in advance
of the regular education teacher presenting it to the whole
class. Some students who do not qualify for special education
services may also be provided service by our special educators in
the Resource Room or in the regular classroom.
* Section 504 Accommodation Plan is a specialized plan for
students with a particular disabling condition that prevents them
from fully accessing school in the way non-disabled students can.
The Section 504 plan stipulates certain accommodations, or
strategies and alterations that teachers and others will make to
help the child get access to his or her education even in spite
of the disability.
* English Language Learning support, Literacy support, "Academic English"
support at Lyman Moore, is provided by trained certified
specialists in learning English as a Second Language. This
support may include working with small groups of students two or
three times per week to enhance their understanding of the
academic terms and vocabulary of learning.
* Reading, Literacy Support with Read 180 includes providing
specific reading instruction through a licensed program called
Read180 two or three times per week for students identified with
this need.
Special Educators serve as Case Managers for students with an
iep. Even though official "annual" meetings are held only once
per year, parents may request a staffing, or consult meeting at
any time throughout the year to check in about how things are
working or to make adjustments along the way.
Teachers meet each day with each other as a Team and parents may
request to come in for a portion of that team meeting to discuss
their child's learning needs or issues that need to be addressed.
Lyman Moore teachers welcome parent input! You are invited to
request a meeting with teachers, the counselor or others at any
time. If you feel you need to have the Learning Strategist or an
administrator join you to meet with the teachers, the teachers
would welcome that as well; we all share the same goal for your
child to enjoy learning and succeeding in every aspect of middle
school life!
