News

Dear Parents,

We celebrated a wonderful Grandparents Day today with a packed house! It was nice to meet so many grandparents and to honor the role they play in your children’s formation.

One thing mentioned during Grandparents Day was the fact that we want to graduate students who are servant leaders. We worked toward that end this week as we participated in the Human Food Chain. We also spent our last fall session in the WeGrow Garden and put the garden beds to bed for the winter.

In literature we continued reading Johnny Tremain and talked a lot about major and minor conflicts in a novel. We also talked again about the different kinds of conflicts such as person vs. person, person vs. nature, person vs. self, and person vs. society. We discovered that all four types of conflict exist in the novel. We will finish the novel when we return (just two chapters to go) and will talk about how characters change in a novel (static vs. dynamic characters).

The kids completed an adverbs test on Wednesday and made corrections to it today. I will share those at conference time. They also completed a writing project about the novel they are reading. You should be able to see three different writing samples at conferences.

We have only completed two of our Revolutionary War lessons so far. It is taking us some time to learn how to use this new online textbook. When we return, I will be teaching your kids several different ways to process each lesson so that they can have so say in how this works for them. Not all students learn in the same way, and I want to honor that.  

We spent most of our time in religion class working on writing the script to the Nativity play. We divided it into eight different scenes, then had groups write the details for the individual scenes. When we return from break, we will read through the play to be sure there is continuity. We will also start making our props. I haven’t received any large appliance boxes for the props, so if Santa is particularly good to you and comes with an early appliance, please send the box our way!

I will see you at conferences on Monday and Tuesday. Please be sure to bring your child, as he/she will be leading the conference. I have asked the students to be honest in their self-assessment. There has been quite a bit of unwelcome behavior in class recently. Part of this includes improper use of technology, cell phone use, sharing answers, plumbing issues in the bathroom, and generally loud, disrespectful behavior. I have asked your kids to think about their part in that and to talk about that at conferences.

Have a great Thanksgiving break!

Chris  

Dear Parents,

I’m sorry I didn’t have time to write a letter last Friday. Our accreditation work day was full! We did have a wonderful prayer service on Thursday of last week to honor veterans in our community. My father was a WWII vet, wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, so I am especially grateful for those who put their lives on the line for our nation’s safety, and I hope you are, too.

We have been working hard to finish up a few things to share with you at conferences November 25-26. The kids will be doing some self-reflection next week about each of their subject areas and will be leading their conference. They will have some work samples to share with you and will set some goals for themselves based upon what we discuss. If you have not yet signed up for a conference slot, please do so soon. Here again is the link: 8th Grade Conferences. I will attach a Parent Conference Planning Sheet to this email. Please take a moment to fill it out and email it back to me (or send a hard copy with your child) before Friday so that I can prepare for our time together.

We continue to read our Revolutionary War novel, Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes. Since this is a short month, I will allow the kids to complete just one book report based upon their outside reading. The other book report may be about their class novel. These will be due the last school day of the month, although I recommend that they complete one before Thanksgiving break to relieve some of the end-of-month pressure. I ask the students for substantive work (as described on the “Outside Reading Requirements” sheet found on the 8^th grade page under Resources) so they should not be surprised if they receive only half credit and are asked to re-do for more points. Please remind them that a reading log is due on Monday as well.

In religion last week we began researching the story of the nativity. The Nativity play will be the evening of December 19^th this year. All students are required to participate in this very special performance. We will be in need of three to four appliance-sized boxes to make our props for the play. If you have any of these, or other sheets of large cardboard, please send them in Monday or Tuesday. Thanks!

Service hours are part of your child’s religion grade. As a reminder, 18 service hours are due each semester. Your child will already have earned 12 hours as part of their WeGrow Garden work. Our last WeGrow visit will be this coming Wednesday. Thank you to Albert Reimer who has accompanied us to the garden each time. We could not have gone without him!

In social studies, we have begun our U.S. History textbook. We use MyWorld American History Beginning to 1877 by Savvas Publishing. This is an online textbook and utilizes videos, interactive maps, charts, and other engaging features. We have begun our chapter (called “topics” in this text) about the Revolutionary War (hence the novel Johnny Tremain). The kids took their first online quiz today.

And finally, please see this information below:

Human Food Chain is Monday, November18^th

Each year, we do a food drive for the Hope House to help stock their shelves before winter. This has always been a great tradition at Assumption. It is not too late to bring in non-perishable food items to the front entrance where there will be tubs to place the food. Please do not bring glass containers or beans (they have enough of these). Hope House has asked specifically for the following items:

Canned fruit and vegetables

Canned soup and chili

Pasta noodles 

Mac and cheese

Canned tuna or chicken

Bottled water

Beef jerky, Vienna sausages, beanie weenies, or tuna/cracker packs

Cereal (boxes)

Granola bars

Snack sized chip bags

Fruit cups

Pudding cups

Rice crispy treats

Peanut butter or cheese crackers 

Snack sized bags of nuts 

From their website:

Baby wipes and diaper cream

Toilet Paper

Size 5 and 6 Diapers

Pull-ups size 3T/4T/5T

NEW Underwear all sizes

Baby soap/shampoo

Wool blankets

Thick bed comforters

Pillows and towels

Backpacks/luggage

Sleeping bags

Men’s shoes

Laundry detergent

Dish soap

Deodorant

Have a great weekend!

Chris

Dear Parents,

What a windy, blustery day! It didn’t stop us from having fun at (indoor) recess where some kids discovered chess and other games they don’t normally play. Hopefully we won’t have too many indoor days, but it’s nice to know we have something to do inside.

This week the kids put their grammar skills to the test as they learned more about verbs and how to use them properly. They have been learning a variety of tenses and how to make sure the subject agrees with the verb. They also had a very brief lesson on the different between transitive verbs which take objects, and intransitive verbs, which don’t. We will review verbs and test next week.

Most kids have finished their Salem witch trial novels and are using their extra time to work on the two book reports that are due on the last day of the month – Thursday, October 31^st – Halloween. Please encourage them to complete these early so that they are not doing them last minute and under pressure

Our lesson on Church history this week focused on how the Church is catholic – for everyone. We learned about several popes and saints. They will be making saint portraits to carry up at the All Saints Day Mass on November 1^st with their Kindergarten buddies. All roles for this Mass have been assigned and your child may be practicing a reading at home. Fr. Moore taught about the sacraments today. The kids have been very engaged in his lessons and ask such great questions of him. I am glad to see that they are taking such an interest in these very important topics. This Monday will be our Circle of Grace  lesson. It will focus on being a good friend and how we can tell safe friends from unsafe ones.

In history class we’ve been focusing on the electoral process in anticipation of the upcoming election. The process can be a bit confusing, but the kids are learning it well. They will dive into the platforms of the major parties next week to understand what they really stand for. We will also have a mock election, which should be engaging for them.  

We will be taking our Kindergarten buddies to the WeGrow Garden on Wednesday. The little buddies will have a scavenger hunt and will look for the pumpkins their big buddies grew for them. Please pray for dry weather so that we can enjoy this fun event.

Please check grades this weekend with your child. The sports season is upon us and kids cannot participate if their grades are low. Have your child fill out and turn in a reading log on Monday. And if there is any extra time this weekend, please encourage your child to complete the two book reports that are due on the last school day of the month – Halloween!

Have a great weekend,

Chris

Dear Parents,

We had a fabulous retreat at St. Joseph’s Parish on Tuesday. The kids had a great time together and appreciated the message that Joan Williamson gave – that the choices we make in life are important and have consequences for both us and others. This lays the groundwork for our retreat in May, which will focus on preparing for high school (the choices the kids may be asked to make) and starting out with a firm relationship with Jesus.

In language arts we have been learning about verbs and verb tenses. We learned the principle parts of verbs (the base form [or infinitive], and present and past participles). We also learned that there are main and helping verbs. Next week we will learn how the perfect tenses are formed with the help of the verbs have, be, and do.

We started a new literature unit reading books about the Salem witch trials. The kids were allowed to preference the novel they wanted to read. There are a variety of reading levels, so if your child has a novel that seems a bit easy, it is because they chose it for their interest level. The kids are hoping to be able to do some writing of scary stories at the end of this unit, like they did in 7th grade. I am considering having them step into the shoes of either an accused or an accuser and tell a witch trial story from that point of view.

In U.S. history, we have been learning about the idea of democracy and how it began in ancient Athens. We learned about some of the political institutions and principles of ancient Athenian democracy and discussed which of these institutions or principles continue in our form of democracy today. We analyzed the purpose, strength, and shortcomings in the rules and structure of Athenian democracy. And finally, we explored some aspects of their democracy found in a few articles from the U.S. Constitution.

In religion we learned what the four marks of the Church are – that it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. This week we began learning what it means to be holy and explored how the sacraments are founded on Jesus. We will finish this chapter and test on it next week. We also participated in a blessing of animals. It was surprising with the number and variety of animals on the playground that we still managed to have a “peaceable kingdom”. The kids decided that we would adopt Chili as our class mascot. She came to the garden, and we found out that she is a digger dog!  

On Wednesday we had a make-up day at the WeGrow Garden. We put together two more raised beds (the kids have fun completing this engineering task), took apart one rotting wooden bed, and installed a new raised bed in its place. The kids continue to love going to the garden. Of course, it was a beautiful, sunny fall day, and that certainly helps!

Please don’t forget to have your child complete their outside reading and turn in a signed reading log on Monday. Also, please check FACTS with your child for low/missing grades.

Have a great weekend!

Chris  

Dear Parents,

We finished our novel The True Adventures of Charlotte Doyle. It was full of twists and turns. Many of the exciting events at the end could be interpreted in different ways. This led to some lively discussions to prepare the kids for an essay: “Is Charlotte Doyle innocent or guilty of the crime of murder?” Before writing, I provided the kids with a template for an argumentative/persuasive essay so that they could get their ideas down on paper first before actually writing. We reviewed the structure of an essay and how it should include a hook, some background, and a thesis statement. Most kids didn’t know that a thesis statement is a bit like the topic sentence in a paragraph – it lets the reader know what the main points (paragraphs) of the essay will be about. I told the kids that I will be grading their essays for writing style, clarity, and mechanics (grammar and other conventions) and ran through the rubric with them on the back of the template sheet. They have already been given two class periods to write and will have only Monday language arts time to finish these before doing some peer review, some revisions, and then turning them in to me for a grade that same day.

In language arts we finished a Latin lesson and took a test. The kids are doing great at these. We started a unit on verbs and have learned the difference between linking verbs (usually “be” verbs) and action verbs.  They also learned about verb phrases (two or more verbs working together) and how to make them using helping verbs. Having a good understanding of how our language works will help the kids to learn another language.

In religion we finished learning about how our Church is apostolic. The kids completed a chapter review and took their first chapter test yesterday. As with all work, including tests, kids who wish to retake or make corrections may do so, they need only ask.

We had to cancel our time at the WeGrow Garden on Wednesday due to rain and wind. I have rescheduled our time for this coming Wednesday, October 2^nd, from 10:30 – 12:00. Next week’s session won’t be on the SignUp Genius, but of course you are welcome to come along – just be in our classroom by 10:20 to walk with us.  We typically go rain or shine (although last week was pretty torrential), so please be sure your child comes with a rain jacket and good walking/gardening shoes.  

We have learned the various forms of government including direct and representative democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, oligarchy, autocracy, and theocracy. Today we did a deeper dive into the roots of democracy and will finish that next week.

Please sit with your child this weekend and look on FACTS. All grading should be in and updated. Don’t forget to have your child fill out and return a reading log on Monday. This is registered in the gradebook and does affect grades. Also, please remember that there is a two-week window in which to re-do or turn in late work (20% deduction for being late). Beyond that two-week window, your child will receive a zero.

Please see my email from earlier this week about the retreat and who will be driving on Tuesday.  

Here are some notes from your child’s other teachers:

Middle School Orchestra: This week in orchestra students are learning and reviewing how to tune, and drilling finger patterns to gain speed and accuracy.

PE

This week in PE we discussed the difference between muscular endurance and strength and the benefits of stretching.  We took the Fitnessgram push-up and flexibility test.  

Have a great weekend,

Chris

Dear Parents,

This week we worked on MAP testing and completed both the reading and the math portions of the test. The kids understand that this fall test is simply a baseline so that we can see how much growth they make throughout the year. We will be able to talk about these results at conference time in early November and perhaps use them to set some goals for your child. We will continue testing next week on Tuesday from 8:15-10, and Thursday from 10-11:30, so please try to avoid pulling kids for appointments during those times. Also, please remind your child to bring a charged laptop on testing days – well, every day!

We completed our nouns unit, spending the majority of our time on possessives and appositives (add-ons, as one student aptly called these). The kids showed a good understanding of these and I told them that I expect them to use nouns correctly, especially possessives, in their writing from here on out. Our Latin test will be on Thursday next week.

In literature, we are reading our way through The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. We are nearly finished and are enjoying the plot twists and turns. I have been recommending Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall’s Mutiny on the Bounty for those interested in reading a higher-level book of this topic. The kids have been learning a lot of new vocabulary and have been discussing the elements of literature as they pertain to our novel. This weekend and next would be the time to finish up the two book reports that are due on Monday, September 30^th. Your child should ask you to sign their reading log, which is due on Monday.

In social studies we finished learning about the sovereign state, it’s features and the role of state government. The kids created their own imaginary states and looked at the economy, education, geography, and other features of that state and then shared a few with the class. We will learn about the various types of governments next week.

Next week we will walk to the WeGrow Garden on Wednesday. Please see the SignUp Genius for this recurring event, if you would like to accompany us. Remember that we go rain or shine, so be sure your child wears appropriate shoes (it is a casual dress day every Wednesday).

On Tuesday, October 1^st, we have our Fall Retreat. I am still arranging carpools and will let you know right away with which parents will be driving. Lunch (pizza), snacks, and drinks will be provided for the kids, so please don’t pack those that day (although a refillable water bottle would be appreciated). If your child has special dietary needs, please let me know or provide a safe lunch for him/her to bring along.

Please sit with your child this weekend and log in to FACTS to check grades and missing work. This really helps the kids to get in the habit of working to better themselves. Some kids told me they were having trouble getting into FACTS and I will look into it next week.

Next Tuesday, September 24^th, is Picture Day. These are individual pictures, so your child may come in (appropriate) free dress.

I am pasting news from specialist classes below:

PE 6-8: This week in PE, students learned about the 5 components of fitness, specifically cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength.  They participated in the fall Fitnessgram mile run and Curl-up test.  They learned about setting realistic and specific goals. 

Have a great weekend! 

Chris

Hi Parents, 

It was so nice to meet so many of you at Curriculum Night on Wednesday. Thank you to those who attended the D.C. fund-raising meeting right before that. We ended up having sixteen attendees, so we will receive scholarship points towards our trip. 

On Wednesday night I spoke about our service project at the WeGrow Garden. If you are interested in seeing the garden, it is part of the Whatcom County Farm Tour happening this weekend. You can come visit the garden at 1815 Ellis St. from 10-4.

Speaking of field trips, I am sending home the Fall Retreat permission slip today. Please ask your child for it. We will be heading to St. Joseph’s Parish in Ferndale for the day on October 1st. Our retreat leader will be Joan Williamson, long time retreat leader for ACS. Our plan is to leave right after drop-off (around 8:15) and leave St. Joseph’s at 2:20 to be back for pick-up by 2:45. If you can drive either direction, please indicate on the slip. You need not stay for the day. I will provide more details about the retreat the week before. Thanks!

We’re nearly finished reviewing the intricacies of nouns. We will finish our unit next week with a brush-up on possessive nouns before testing the kids’ abilities. We took our first Latin test yesterday after playing a game of “Sparkle” to review the spelling and definitions. The kids did very well on their first Latin II test.  

In literature we’ve been enjoying “The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle” and the adventures and excitement this novel holds. We talked about cause and effect in a story and discussed the idea of a “chain of events” – that not all causes lead to only one effect, but that they can cause a ripple effect as well. We explored some chains of events in the story and gave examples from real life. We learned about the nature of conflict and that it is typically person vs. person, person vs. self, person vs. nature, or person vs. society. We had discussions about the variety of conflicts in the story and identified major and minor ones and how they drive the story. I reminded the kids that they have two book reports due by September 30th. If you could please encourage them to get one done soon, that would save me from having almost forty reports to grade at the end of the month! 

Please have your child check FACTS on weekends against the corrected work I send home on Friday to make sure that everything has been input correctly. They often make corrections to their work (I encourage it), and I may add the new score to my paper grade book but not add it to FACTS. They need to bring the work to me on Monday and show it to me so that I can make the change in FACTS. This doesn’t happen often, but it is a safeguard I want them to have. Don’t ditch the work until you’ve double checked FACTS! I also reminded the kids about missing work and correcting work — that it must be done within two weeks. Beyond that we will have moved on to new things. 

We have MAP testing the next two weeks. Our class will test:

• Tuesday, 9/17, 10-11:30
• Thursday, 9/19, 8:15-9:45
• Tuesday, 9/24, 8:15-9:45
• Thursday, 9/26, 10-11:30

Please be sure that your child gets plenty of sleep, a nutritious breakfast, and (hmm – we Catholics like things in three’s …) plenty of words of encouragement! 

Thanks, and have a great weekend,

Chris 

Dear Parents,

We have been finding our groove in eighth grade. The kids have been adjusting to the new schedule, greater expectations, and the more rigorous workload. I’m proud of the work they’ve done so far and the amount of effort and attention they’ve given during class time. The kids have been especially helpful and kind to their Kindergarten buddies, showing them how to enter and attend Mass, and showing them how to find their way to their pick-up points in the afternoon. They did a fabulous job mentoring their buddies at Mass this morning.

In language arts this week we began our Latin and grammar lessons, setting routines for homework, study, and classroom work habits. We are reviewing the intricacies of nouns, including concrete/abstract, and compound/collective nouns. The kids wrote editorials using these different types of nouns and will practice peer editing them next week.

In literature class we studied literary elements and took notes in our journals. The kids will be referring to these notes often and will use them as a reminder/starting point for writing about what they read. We began reading our first whole-group novel of the year: Charlotte Doyle, by Avi. We begin the year with a class novel so that we can explore it together and set expectations for listening and discussing literature. We will alternate between whole-group and small-group novels (literature circles) throughout the year. Please be sure your child brings in the reading log on Monday morning. This should be signed by you.

We finished our first lesson from iCivics.org about the purpose of government. These lessons vary in length and can be one-day or multi-day lessons. The site has interactive features, video content, and links to primary source documents, which makes it rich. If we make the most of this site, the kids will really benefit in their understanding of civics, especially as it pertains to the upcoming election.

Our learning of civics will serve us well as we prepare for our Washington, D.C. trip this May 19-23. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, we were offered a $1000 scholarship by World Strides if we have a parent meeting by mid-September. Since the topic of this meeting is supposed to be the same as our spring meeting, I will change it to simply touch base about dates, and then brainstorm any ideas for fundraising. Don’t worry – I checked, and this does count to give us the extra $1000 – as long as we can get at least ten parents to attend. We will meet at 5:15 on Curriculum Night in my classroom, since you need to be at the gym by 6 anyway. Please bring any ideas you might have. I know we are well on our way to having a nice amount to defray costs to each student. Remember, your child only gets funds based on his/her participation in fund-raising events.

We began our WeGrow Garden visits this week and received several compliments about what nice kids we have. I was so proud of them!  Our visits this fall will be: 9/11, 9/25, 10/9, 10/23, 11/6, 11/20. Please see the SignUp Genius I sent, if you would like to walk with us to the garden. Remember that you can explore the WeGrow Garden at the Whatcom Farm Tour Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10-4. This is optional, but the kids can earn service hours by attending. WeGrow is located at 1815 Ellis St. (directly across from the Bellingham Food Bank).

Upcoming Events:

• Wednesday, September 11^th – World Strides meeting in 8^th grade classroom 5:15PM
• Wednesday, September 11^th – Curriculum Night starts in gym 6PM, then to classrooms 6:30-7:40

Have a great weekend!

Chris

Dear Parents, 

The kids were happy to be back together after the summer and showed some excitement and wonder at what their eighth-grade year might look like. I told them that they can expect it to be their best year yet! We went over what each class might offer this year and talked briefly about grading expectations. I told the kids that their eighth-grade year is a time to prepare for high school and that they should fasten their seat belts and get ready to work hard. We’ve got lots of learning ahead and they should expect to work a bit more than they did in seventh grade. School guidelines are that they have up to one and a half hours of homework nightly, and while they might sometimes have that (and rarely even a bit more during busy times), I try to keep what I assign to one hour, knowing that they may have work from other teachers, too.

One change from last year is that the kids will have fewer teachers. I teach four of their seven subjects: history, religion, language arts, and literature, so they will be moving less throughout the day and will have fewer teachers to “figure out”. This consistency should help them to feel more settled and able to get right to work.  The students have planners again this year. All middle school teachers are training them to use them consistently to keep track of their daily and long-term assignments. These should come home each night and for some, will be a way for parents to keep closer track of what has been assigned and whether it has been completed. I will show you other ways you can check homework on Curriculum Night, September 11^th.

I spoke to the kids about middle school expectations around late or missing work (most know these from my literature class last year). These expectations are also listed in the Family Handbook. Please take time to review the Family Handbook and policies around uniform expectations, too, this weekend. This includes things like hair length, make-up, and jewelry. There are a few changes this year, so be on the lookout. I will be enforcing these policies, although I really hate to be the “boogeyman”, so would you please be that for me before your student even gets to school?

Your child was given a document about reading requirements. The main difference between this year and last is that the kids must now read 250 pages per week (combination of class and home reading). If your child didn’t share this with you, you can find it under “Resources” on the eighth-grade page. To get there, go to the school web page then Parent Resources→Classrooms→8^th Grade→Resources. You will find several different resources there in addition to a homework page (which I update nightly), and access to the Parent (Friday Class) letters. One item that has not yet been updated in the Resources list is the Legacy Project document (I have not yet set the dates for this year). I will update that by October.

Our service-learning project this year is to work in the WeGrow Garden, a community garden one block south of Bellingham High School. WeGrow provides low-barrier training to youth and adults who plant, grow, harvest, and distribute produce to those in need. Most of what we grow goes to the Bellingham Food Bank, right across the street from the garden, or to the Lighthouse Mission. The garden serves as an educational space for school groups, non-profit youth agencies, and the public. It showcases how food is grown, managed, and harvested. We will begin our visits to the garden next Wednesday, so look for a permission slip and SignUp Genius for volunteer opportunities (we can’t go without at least one volunteer). The “learning” part of our service-learning project will begin next week when we study several topics including the benefits of community gardens, sustainable and organic gardening, food insecurity, and at-risk youth. We will make display boards about these topics to hang in the garden. The WeGrow Garden is participating in the Whatcom Farm Tour on Saturday, September 14th from 10-4. I told the kids that they would receive service hours if they came to the garden for any part of the tour (optional, of course). Bring them on the 14^th to see where they are serving this year (and so they can get some extra service hours.

Please mark your calendars to attend our Washington, D.C. trip meeting at 5:15PM in my classroom on September 11^th. It will take place immediately before Curriculum Night September 11^th which is from 6-8PM. Those not signed up yet will get a quick preview of the D.C. trip. For others, we will talk about how fundraising is progressing and where we still need help. We will then head over to the gym to begin Curriculum Night. If we have at least ten people attend the D.C. meeting, we will receive another $1,000 towards our trip!  At Curriculum Night you will learn about what is coming in eighth grade, and I will answer questions you might have. Feel free to email me with any questions that can’t wait until then.

Have a great three-day weekend!

Chris Eusebio