Weekly News: 7Z Homeroom!

April 2^nd, 2026

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Despite the rain, most of the students put forth great effort with the WeGrow Garden today! We are still looking for chaperones for the outings after Spring Break and will need to have a signup by prior Friday for each week. Please signup here if you can help!

Regular uniform for tomorrow, April 3rd!

Tuesday Tutoring is offered again after Spring Break. Please make sure to signup here by 4:00 Monday, April 13th to guarantee a spot.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students used the claims, evidence, reason strategy to respond to a non-fiction passage, reinforced Latin-based vocabulary in Jensen’s lesson 10, and completed their stewardship/human dignity-focused argumentative essay writing.

This week in religion, students completed Lenten-themed blackout poetry, learned about St. John the Apostle who stuck by Jesus’ side, exhibited stewardship at the WeGrow garden, and attended Stations of the Cross.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

When we return from the break, students will complete author research for their new class novel and start exploring figurative language through poetry!

After the break, we will recognize the beginning of the Easter season and discuss the call to discipleship.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “This Holy Week –Semana Santa-, we remember the mysteries of our faith, emphasizing what happened on Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, with some vocabulary for each day such as: Viva Cristo Rey!, ramos, burro, lavar los pies, pan y vino, cuerpo y sangre de Jesús, cruz, muere, amor, silencio, triste, Virgen María.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in Engineering, we finished our bridges and presented them. All bridges passed the minimum load test! When we come back from break, we will work with circuits and explore basic logic gates.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “Students explored abstract portraits, focusing on lines and texture. While they struggled to make them realistic, the challenge sparked creativity and encouraged personal expression.”

March 26, 2026

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Thank you to Jennifer Stiff for volunteering to chaperone for our first WeGrow outing next Thursday! We are still in need of a chaperone for subsequent weeks. If you are able to help chaperone and gain some volunteer hours, please signup here .

We have about one week to go until Spring Break! Kindly let me know ahead of time if you anticipate your child leaving before week’s end so we can help reduce the chances of them falling behind.

Tuesday Tutoring is offered again next week. Please make sure to signup here by 4:00 next Monday to guarantee a spot.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students used the Claim Evidence Reasoning method to respond to non-fiction reading, checked for reliability of sources, and started on their argumentative essays.

This week in religion, students completed a Lenten check-in, learned about considering perspectives during conflict (Second Step), discovered where Rice Bowl donations go in helping the country of Timor-Leste, and continued researching for their stewardship/human-dignity-based argumentative papers. Tomorrow, we join with first grade buddies for Stations of the Cross.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week, students will read Holy Week passages to create Lenten blackout poetry as well as finish up their argumentative essays.

Next week in religion, students will complete their last Lenten check-in, take part in Stations of the Cross, and focus on Holy Week.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “7^th graders have started a new unit on ecosystem dynamics. We are learning about how deforestation is impacting ecosystems in Sumatra and Borneo – but we will soon be applying what we’ve learned to more local changes to the ecosystem. Next week, make sure to study for a unit test on food webs!”

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They conjugated regular verbs that end in -ar using 12 personal pronouns.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Actors performed their dialogues and were introduced to new skits.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “Students are currently working on their bridges. This will continue into next week.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “In art class, students are learning that being an artist means developing focus, perseverance, and the ability to follow through from idea to completion. By paying attention to details and taking creative risks, they are building skills that support problem-solving and success both in and beyond the classroom.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “In photography this week, we have been intentionally composing photos to convey TEXTURE. Attached is the PowerPoint with the student portfolio of their COLOR images which they presented on Tuesday before we moved on to TEXTURE.”

Band (Mrs. Creech): https://school.assumption.org/music/2026/03/26/acs-band-newsletter-3-27/

Choir (Mrs. Morton): “This week the choir sang at the mass for the solemnity of the annunciation. We will also be having our final practice of the songs for the singing project. Performance day for the singing project will be moved to Wednesday, April 1st due to numerous students being out of town on 3/27.”

March 19, 2026

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

We are so fortunate to be able to work in the WSU/Master Gardeners WeGrow Garden again this spring. Much of this food is raised for our very own food bank and helps in demonstrating faithful stewardship. Field Trip forms have been sent out! If you are able to help chaperone and gain some volunteer hours, please signup here.

Thank you to those who helped raise funds for Ghana through Rice Bowls this week! Please bring these donations tomorrow. Next week, we will be raising money for Timor Leste!

Tuesday Tutoring is cancelled next week due to other commitments. Keep reading the Wednesday Newsletters for the next startup date!

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students practiced the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) method of reading responses, deconstructed argumentative essays, began research surrounding the biblical defense of stewardship/human dignity for argumentative essays, and shared their student-led podcasts!

This week in religion, students completed a Lenten check-in, reflected on strategies to manage emotions when conflicts arise (Second Step), learned about where Rice Bowl money goes when helping people in the country of Ghana, had a visit from Fr. Dass, and made connections between theological virtues and prayer/ almsgiving /fasting.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students will share their research with peers to evaluate reliability, outline/draft their argumentative essays, and use the CER method to respond to a non-fiction, biographical reading passage.

Next week in religion, students will reflect on ways to exhibit virtues, read about St. Francis, and walk through Stations of the Cross with 1st grade buddies.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We begin conjugating verbs in the present tense.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Actors are practicing their lines, understanding blocking in reference to where their audience will be, and studying voice inflection and facial expressions.”

Visual Art (Mrs. Santos): “In art class, students continued working on compositions that focus on layering and overlapping to create depth. They are learning how arranging shapes and lines can build space and make their artwork feel more dynamic and complete.”

Photography (Mrs. Evans): “This week in photography class, we have been focusing on COLOR as an exercise. We are trying to see color in new ways and use all our compositional skills to present what we see.”

Choir (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are working on music for the Solemnity of the Annunciation mass on March 25th. We will also be wrapping up our singing performance project by the end of the month and will have one more class to run through the vocal pieces before performance day.”

Band (Mrs. Creech): “https://school.assumption.org/music/2026/03/19/acs-band-newsletter-3-20/”

Orchestra (Ms. Varon): “This week in Orchestra we are…

Playing through Gaelic Castle and focusing on pizzicato sections for rhythmic accuracy
Using a metronome and rhythm flashcards as a warm-up for quick recognition
Beginning assigned playing test sections for Gaelic Castle”

March 12, 2026

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Thank you to those who helped raise funds for Guadalupe through Rice Bowls this week! Next week, we will be raising money for Ghana!

Tuesday Tutoring is cancelled for the next couple weeks due to other commitments. Keep reading the Wednesday Newsletters for the next startup date.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students reinforced Latin roots in Jensen’s lesson 9 vocabulary, read through Act 5 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and recorded podcasts within their podcast groups.

This week in religion, students checked in about their Lenten goals, learned more about needs in Guadelupe, reflected on how conflicts escalate (Second Step), and learned more about the order of priests/bishops/archbishops/pope.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students compare persuasive writing with argumentative writing, finish Jensen’s lesson 9, and wrap-up their podcasts!

Next week in religion, students will complete a Lenten check-in, complete reflective writing on stewardship, and make connections between theological virtues and prayer/almsgiving/fasting.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They practiced starting a conversation using vocabulary about the activities they like and dislike. They also did these conversations in written form.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Actors chose dialogues and began rehearsing with their partners.”

Visual Art (Mrs. Santos): “Inspired by the artist Koyamori, the students sketched ideas from their childhood to create patterns, overlapping shapes, and a sense of movement in their compositions.”

March 5, 2026

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Towards the end of the month, and for a few Thursdays in April, students will have a second opportunity to demonstrate stewardship at the WSU WeGrow Garden! Once dates are confirmed, I will send out new field trip forms and see if any of you can possibly chaperone. Please watch for this info in the next couple weeks!

During the next few school Masses between March 9-25, we will be collecting school contributions of Rice Bowl money in support of developing countries. Next week, we will be raising funds for Ghana. Please encourage your middle schooler to collect funds and bring what they can to our class by next Wednesday!

Tuesday Tutoring continues next week. If you would like your child to attend, please make sure to sign up at least 24 hours in advance. If you have them on the list, and later decide they do not require the extra help, kindly remove them from the list at least 24 hours in advance. You may signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEA92FA4F9C43-58940625-middle

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students completed their Jensen’s Latin 8 quiz, drew a scene based on descriptive language/vivid imagery, read Act 4 in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, worked in their podcast groups to write their scripts, and performed self/peer assessments of the scripts.

This week in religion, students checked in about their Lenten goals, discussed how some struggle can lead us closer to God, tried out for Good Friday’s Stations of the Cross roles (if they chose to), and reflected on the sacrament of Reconciliation.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students focus on Act 5 in their novel, reinforce sentence-writing skills in preparation for argumentative essay-writing, and start recording their podcasts!

Next week in religion, students will explore common reasons conflicts escalate (Second Step), learn more about how Lenten alms work globally (specifically, in Ghana for next week), and start preparing for Good Friday Stations of the Cross.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “Students reviewed skills for their volleyball test and finished the week with full-court volleyball games in a round-robin tournament, showing great teamwork and sportsmanship.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We practiced how to answer questions when given two options to choose from. For example: ¿Qué te gusta más, leer o cantar? -What do you like more, reading or singing?- Posible answers include Me gusta más leer o No me gusta ni leer ni cantar. -I like reading more or I don’t like either reading or singing-.

We are also practicing the numbers from 1 to 100, both in written and oral form.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Actors have rehearsed and will perform their original monologues this week.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering, we began our bridge project. The goal of this project is to build a bridge that spans 18″ between 2 desks, can hold rush hour traffic, minimizes the cost to develop and build, and possesses transcendental attributes that point those who encounter the bridge toward God. This week the students familiarized themselves with their group members and the materials they will be using. They began the design process and designed two experiments that will help inform their design further toward perfection. Next week we will be experimenting and refining our design.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are learning how to sing in three-part harmony. The choir divided into groups of three and worked on a two-measure section of music and then each group sang their three-part harmony for the class. On Friday, the students will attempt practicing their songs for the singing performance project from memory.”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in Orchestra we are…

Working extensively with a metronome to strengthen rhythmic accuracy and independent practice skills, sight-reading a variety of rhythms to improve ensemble precision, continuing work on the beginning section of Gaelic Castle, and playing the rhythmic reading game King of the Mountain to practice quick, accurate thinking and performance.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “This week in photography, the students have been investigating how aperture changes their images, and what depth of field means with regards to their photos. They will be reviewing their first set of images as a class today and discussing what they have learned.”

February 26, 2026

Happy Thursday! The students have had a busy week! Read below for the details.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Tomorrow our 7Z homeroom leads Mass. Feel free to join us!

Tuesday Tutoring continues next week. In order for me to adequately prepare, as well as recruit additional help as necessary, please signup your child no later than one day before. Signups, or non-signups (sudden appearances), after this time may result with your child having to go home instead that day, so please be aware of this. You may signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEA92FA4F9C43-58940625-middle

Just a reminder that smart watches are to stay either at home or in backpacks (this is in the parent-student handbook). If parents/guardians need to get ahold of students, they are encouraged to phone the school. If a student needs to use their device while still on school property, they require staff permission first.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students reviewed sentence structure, drew scenes based on vivid imagery (to better-understand description for their podcast ads), met with podcast groups to outline their podcast ideas, shared Book Reports, and read through Act 3 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

This week in religion, students checked in about their Lenten goals, created “tableaus” to depict how Jesus exhibited forgiveness/healing through his ministry, and [will] lead Mass!

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students will finish-up lesson 8 in Jensen’s, work in podcast groups to start scripting their podcasts, and focus on Act 4 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Next week in religion, students will discover where the Lenten practices of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are found in the New Testament as well as have the opportunity to celebrate reconciliation, if they wish.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE, students reviewed volleyball passing and serving skills and learned more about the rules of the game, including scoring and rotation. They applied their skills by playing 3v3 half-court round robin games and 6v6 volleyball games. It was great to see teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship in action!”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We practiced formulating and answering questions in negative and positive forms about different activities, both orally and in writing. ¿Te gusta bailar?. No, no me gusta. ¿Te gusta cantar?. Sí, si me gusta mucho.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Actors wrote and edited their own monologues.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering, we talked about the three transcendentals: Truth, Goodness and Beauty. We discussed how these are relevant to engineering and how we can live out our faith as engineers by designing our creations to highlight these three things. Doing so will point those who come across our creations to God Who perfectly possesses the transcendentals in their fullness. We also learned about different bridge designs and began designing a bridge of our own that is good, true and beautiful. Next week, we will continue to design our bridges and do some experiments that will help inform our design”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “This week in art class, students learned and practiced how to create emphasis in their artwork by making one part of their composition stand out as the focal point. They explored techniques such as using bright colors, larger shapes, strong contrast, and thoughtful placement to guide the viewer’s eye.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir the students are working on memorizing their songs for the singing performance project. They will perform the pieces during class on March 27th.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “https://school.assumption.org/music/2026/02/26/acs-band-newsletter-2-26-26/”

February 19, 2026

Happy Thursday! Thank you to all the chaperones, parents, and Mr. Prenosil who made our retreat day today possible! It was both action-packed and reflective at the same time.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Tomorrow is regular uniform day!

Tuesday Tutoring resumes next week. In order for me to adequately prepare, as well as recruit additional help as necessary, please signup your child no later than one day before. Signups, or non-signups (sudden appearances), after this time may result with your child having to go home instead that day, so please be aware of this. You may signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEA92FA4F9C43-58940625-middle

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students read through Act 2 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and learned more about advertising techniques in order to create ads for their podcasts.

This week in religion, students celebrated Ash Wednesday, reflected on changes (such as adding prayer) they can make during Lent, and attended a retreat!

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students read and respond to questions about Act 3 in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, reinforce vocabulary in Jensen’s lesson 8, and work together to write podcast scripts. Just a reminder that the February Book Report is due Thursday, Feb. 26^th!

Next week in religion, we will continue working on positive self-talk (Second Step) as well as explore Jesus’ ministry as one who teaches, forgives, and heals.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “We learned the underhand and overhand volleyball serve. We practiced these skills while playing Speed Serves and The Serving Game.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We review vocabulary about Miércoles de Ceniza y Cuaresma -Ash Wednesday and Lent-, such as: orar, ayunar, dar, morado, 40 días, cambio, camino -to pray, to fast, to give, purple, 40 days, change, journey-. They started learning a pray named “Las llagas de Jesús” -The wounds of Jesus.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Drama students are writing original monologues that they will then memorize and perform.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “This week in art class, students learned how to tell better visual stories by using strong composition and thoughtful placement of elements on the page. They sketched their own original story scenes, focusing on creating a clear focal point, action, and movement.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “This week in photography we are finishing our intensive study of how shutter speed affects images, especially those of objects in motion. We had a great walk down to the river on Tuesday where we enjoyed photographing the river at high, medium and low shutter speeds, as well as just being free to shoot what we saw around us! [Included in photos] is a picture of the group at the river with our two awesome volunteer teachers, Doug and George. ”

February 12, 2026

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Tomorrow is dress uniform day, but we will also be celebrating Valentine’s Day! If your middle schooler would like to hand out Valentines, please have them bring them in for the whole class tomorrow.

In preparation for their Book Report project this month, which will be a 3D model, please check in with your middle schooler about finding a non-fiction book (examples can include anything from autobiographies/memoirs or historical accounts to car manuals!).

There will be no Tuesday Tutoring next week, but tutoring will resume the week after. In order for me to adequately prepare, as well as recruit additional help as necessary, students will need to be registered for EDP by the week before as well as entered into the Signup Genius signup as late as one day before. Signups, or non-signups (sudden appearances), after this time may result with your child having to go home instead that day, so please be aware of this.

You may signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEA92FA4F9C43-58940625-middle

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students finished Jensen’s lesson 7, completed some research on Shakespeare, started to read A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and gathered in student-led podcast groups for the first time.

This week in religion, students reflected on how personal sin can lead to larger social consequences, were assessed on the Act of Love prayer, and practiced positive self-talk.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students will start Jensen’s lesson 8, focus on Act 2 in their class book, learn more about ad creation, and meet in podcast groups to outline their podcast.

Next week in religion, we celebrate Ash Wednesday, rehearse for our class-led Mass February 27^th, and hold our retreat day!

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “In Science, students have just learned the anatomy of vascular plants. We have discussed how to identify different tissues and how certain plant tissues function to help the plant (ex: epidermis is an outer layer, similar to our skin). Students will have a quiz next week on the anatomy of plants and they’ll begin to learn more about the process of photosynthesis.”

P.E. (Coach Eager): “Learned and practiced volleyball skills including bump, set, and serve. Applied these skills with partners and in games such as Keep It Up, Rapid Serves, and Dead Fish.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We began talking about the different activities they like to do, such as: nadar, pasar tiempo con los amigos, esquiar -swimming, hanging out with friends, skiing.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “This week in photography, the students have been learning about how to control light using the camera shutter. We have been learning the impact of changing the shutter speed on our images. Our first activity, on Tuesday, was to play with rotating lights in the dark at different shutter speeds and on Thursday we will learn how to “stop action” of catch a blurred image as it crosses our frames.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are working on music for mass this Friday and songs for Ash Wednesday. For Ash Wednesday, we are working on Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart, and the hymn “Lord Jesus Think on Me” as well as the Lenten Kyrie. The choir has a new challenge -all the music on Ash Wednesday will be sung a cappella because it is the start of Lent.”

Orchestra (Ms. Varon): “This week in Orchestra we are…

Practicing the second half of Join the Carnival, focusing on precise rhythm, not rushing, and listening across the ensemble
Changing seating arrangements to experience playing in different ensemble configurations
Beginning work on Gaelic Castle
Listening to and studying the score of our next piece, Blue Ridge Reel”

February 5, 2026

Happy Thursday! The students have been busy in project mode this week! Read below for all our news.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Please continue to have your middle schooler bring a charged computer and their cord each day to school next week. We will continue our MAP testing and will have one makeup day as well.

Thursday, next week, is pink/white/red day and Friday is dress uniform day. If your middle schooler would like to hand out Valentine’s, we will do so on Friday (class list sent in last week’s email).

Tuesday Tutoring is available next week! When signing up your middle schooler, please make note of what they are needing help with specifically (ex. if math, please state “fractions”). Since multiple students attend, this will help me organize and help us all work more effectively. You may signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEA92FA4F9C43-58940625-middle

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students reinforced their Latin through Jensen’s lesson 7, watched The Outsiders to compare novel with film, and collaborated on a group biography project focusing on one of The Outsiders‘ characters.

This week in religion, we analyzed what we already know about Lent as well as what questions we have, looked up bible passages depicting messages of forgiveness, and practiced interrupting unhelpful thoughts by reframing scenarios.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, we finish-up Jensen’s lesson 7, explore ideas for student-led podcasts, start reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and analyze some common sentence mistakes.

Next week in religion, we prepare for Lent, analyze how personal sin can lead to social consequences, and practice positive self-talk.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “Together, we went over the syllabus. They read the Hail Mary aloud, and I helped correct some errors in their pronunciation.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering, we learned more about experiments and even began to design our own experiments. We learned that experiments in engineering are meant to help answer questions we may have about what we are building so that we can be well informed about the materials we are building with and the environment we are building in so that we can have the best chance of having a successful product. Next week, the students will be placed in groups where they will need to bring what they learned from their experiments to justify their design decisions to the rest of their team”

Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “Students explored texture in painting by using bubble-blowing techniques to create water-inspired effects. This activity encouraged them to experiment with layering, movement, and creative ways to represent natural elements.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): https://school.assumption.org/music/2026/02/05/acs-band-newsletter-2-6-26/

Orchestra (Ms. Varon): “This week in orchestra we are….

Learning a new piece called Gaelic Castle
Practicing Easy Kanon for a smooth entrances to blend sound and match bow stroke”

January 29, 2026

Happy Thursday and beginning of Semester 2! Thank you to all the parents and family members that were able to join us on Wednesday at lunch! It was great to see both new and familiar faces.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

This week, we welcomed a new student: Isaiah Cotter! If you see him or his family around, please pass on a warm welcome to our school.

The students will not need to bring their instruments for band or orchestra tomorrow, January 30^th as we will be holding the Variety Show rehearsal at end of day.

Tuesday Tutoring is back up in session! When signing up your middle schooler, please make note of what they are needing help with specifically (ex. if math, please state “fractions”). Since multiple students attend, this will help me organize and help us all work more effectively. You may signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEA92FA4F9C43-58940625-middle

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students met to discuss chapters 8-12 of The Outsiders, started a group biography project, pinpointed examples of symbolism in their novel, and reinforced their parts of speech knowledge.

This week in religion, students researched accounts within the New Testament that directly relate to the seven sacraments and discussed the Sacraments of Initiation.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students will continue Jensen’s lesson 7, watch The Outsiders to compare with novel, and finish their group biography project.

Next week in religion, we begin our discussion about Lent, look for examples of forgiveness in the bible, then learn how to interrupt unhelpful thoughts and reframe a challenging situation.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we participated in our last day of Winter Ride and played an invasion game called Capture the Flag that involved teamwork, strategy, chasing and fleeing. Next week we will begin our volleyball unit.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “In our first class this semester, we introduced ourselves and talk about guidelines for getting along in class.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “We started out the new semester of engineering by thinking about what engineering is, how we can think about engineering as Catholics and what we should emphasize as engineers this semester. We talked about the importance of experimentation and research and did an activity where we designed an experiment to learn more about paper and blocks.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Welcome to the first day of drama, second semester! We went over introductions, improvisation games, and expectations.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): ACS Band Newsletter – 1/29/26

January 22, 2026

Happy Thursday! The students had a very short but busy week!! Next week is the start of the new semester, so please read below to see what we will be up to!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Book Reports (graphic novel) are due next Thursday, January 29^th. Please check in with your child about their progress.

As of now, most parents/guardians have responded more favorably to dropping off and picking up their child from Sacred Heart Parish Hall for our 7^th grade retreat on Thursday, Feb. 19^th. If this changes, I will reach out. More information regarding this day will be attached to the field trip forms that go home.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/lit, students completed their Jensen’s 6 quiz, met in Book Clubs, and took part in a creative writing tournament!

This week in religion, students were introduced to the Act of Love prayer then read about St. Bahkita and her Christian response through adversity. Students also discussed how thoughts/emotions are connected and can affect their decisions.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/lit, students start Jensen’s lesson 7, finish reading The Outsiders, review test-taking strategies, and work together on a character biography project.

Next week in religion, students find where the seven Sacraments are rooted in New Testament passages, examine the Sacraments of Initiation, and analyze how unhelpful thoughts can negatively affect the decisions they make.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “Next week we will be discussing the parts of cells and learn more about mitochondria as the “powerhouse” of the cell.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They learned which vowels and consonants can be written twice together in a single word, for example: leer (to read), zoológico (zoo), diccionario (dictionary), calle (street), perro (dog); and which ones are never written twice in a word, such as: f, g, k, p, t.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering we finished up our circuitry unit and semester by presenting machines that the students designed and built. The students were very creative and presented machines that ranged from submarine boats, DJ machines, teeth cleaners and iPad cars. Thanks for a great semester!”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Drama: The troupe will perform their final skit for the 3^rd grade class.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): ACS Band Newsletter 1/22/26

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in Orchestra we are…

Practicing the warm-up Sequence 4 to build finger coordination and accuracy
Working on Come and Join in the Carnival, focusing on staying together through syncopated rhythms and pizzicato playing, which requires careful listening and controlled plucking”

January 15, 2026

Happy Thursday! We are down to the last week of the semester! As a reminder, the last day for submitting incomplete or missing assignments (from the last two weeks) is tomorrow. Please check FACTS as a family tonight to double-check nothing is missing (noted by an M)!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Service hours (12) are due by tomorrow, Jan. 16^th. If your child has misplaced their log, please make sure each instance of earning time is recorded on a looseleaf piece of paper along with your initials and signature.

Our upcoming Gala is taking shape! A big thank you to all of those who have already submitted the procurement form and donation to fulfill their family obligation. If you have not fulfilled it already, the organizers are asking, more specifically, for donations in the way of items/non-monetary offerings for the auction. The class with the highest percentage of families who have fulfilled their obligation by the deadline (Jan. 22) will win free dress and a pizza party!

After checking in with all of the students yesterday, there are still several students that need to find a graphic novel for their Book Report (writing a paragraph biography about a main character and a separate few sentences on whether or not they recommend the book) due Jan. 29^th. A few have checked out the middle-school level ones from the school library, so, if your child still has yet to find theirs, please take a look for one in the next few days (there are several at the public library).

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students met in Book Clubs and reflected on stereotypes within The Outsiders, reinforced vocabulary in Jensen’s lesson 6, then interviewed a classmate to develop a biography!.

This week in religion, students attended Adoration, identified the function of water in comparing the old to new testaments, identified the sacramentals within the sacrament of Baptism, began discussing how emotions can affect thoughts/decisions, and reflected on the Baptism of Jesus.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students complete their Jensen’s quiz, meet in Book Clubs, and take part in some creative writing games.

Next week in religion, students will be introduced to a new prayer called the Act of Love, read about Saint Bahkita, and finish our discussion on how thoughts and emotions affect decision-making.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week we had a fantastic time skiing or snowboarding at Mt. Baker or Ice Skating at the Sportsplex. We also practiced chasing, fleeing, change of direction, and demonstrated knowledge of offensive and defensive strategies and teamwork while playing a game called “Yoshi”.

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They practiced how to say sentences with nouns and adjectives, emphasizing that in Spanish the adjective comes after the noun, for example: Julieta es una chica artística -Julieta is an artistic girl”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Students will be assessed on their play this week or next.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): ACS Band Newsletter 1/15/26

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in Orchestra we are…

Learning Come and Join the Carnival, a piece inspired by music of Brazil
Practicing the warm-up Sequence 4, focusing on finger skips moving upward in pitch
Reviewing proper bow care and instrument care”

January 8, 2026

Happy Thursday and start to 2026! Thank you for all the lovely Christmas/New Years greetings and gifts. I appreciate all of you. The students were busy getting back into the swing of things this week and the beginning of Winter Ride was also a success! Read below for more info about this week.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Service hours (12) are due by next Friday (Jan. 16^th) at the latest. Several students have turned in their logs already, but there are still some that need to. Please make sure your middle schooler turns theirs in to receive credit for all their hard work 😊.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students reinforced Latin vocabulary in Jensen’s lesson 6, created predictions and inferences based on our new novel: The Outsiders, focused on direct/indirect characterization within reading, and practiced in-text citation application.

This week in religion, students discussed the aspect of having faith (just as the Magi had on their journey to Bethlehem), reflected on the gifts they individually share with others, and created actionable steps for 12 month goals.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, we continue Jensen’s lesson 6, meet in Book Clubs to discuss chapters 2-4 of The Outsiders, and focus, primarily, on biographical writing.

Next week in religion, students will reflect on the Baptism of Jesus, compare sacraments and sacramentals, then analyze how thoughts/emotions affect thoughts/decisions.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “In science, students are learning about the metabolic reaction and how it relates to combustion. They will practice drawing molecular models to match chemical formulas, they will review exothermic vs endothermic reactions, and they’ll review which macromolecules breakdown into smaller molecules in our digestive systems. Students can find support materials here: 7th Grade Science Supports – ACS Seventh Grade. Next week, we will be doing Frog dissections! Students who do not want to participate are more than welcome to sit this activity out. Typically, all students start in the classroom and watch a video to determine how comfortable they are with participating. As students need breaks, they are encouraged to work on an alternative activity.”

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we had a fantastic day skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. We also played an invasion game called “King Pin.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We continued practicing the definite and indefinite articles in their masculine form, both singular and plural: EL / LOS / UN / UNOS.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in Engineering, we began working with circuits. We learned about input, output, and switches. This unit will carry us to the end of the semester.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “Students are painting their paper mâché sculptures with a focus on base coats, shading, texture, and thoughtful color choices. This project emphasizes craftsmanship and realistic or intentional details, helping students move beyond cartoon-style work and toward more mature, high-quality art.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): ACS Band Newsletter – 1/8/26 – ACS Music K-8

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir the students are choosing a song that they’ll learn, memorize, and perform for the class. They are choosing from a list of fifteen folk songs and Broadway songs. We will also be learning some new music for mass: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach, and “Ave Verum Corpus” by Mozart.”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in Orchestra we are…

Learning a simplified version of Pachelbel’s Canon and learning about the composer and the Baroque time period
Playing finger-twister exercises to build repetition and speed in common fingering patterns
Practicing reading and following bowing direction markings”

December 11, 2025

Happy Thursday! We made it to Christmas Break! Thank you for all of your support up until now. I am looking forward to seeing many of you tonight for the Christmas Program!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Tonight, please drop-off your middle schooler and pick them up from the appropriate music room (band/choir will be in gym; orchestra will be in the St. Cecilia room); to ensure we have accounted for the safe pickup of all students, please make sure that you/your child checks out with one of the teachers in these two rooms.

Tomorrow is a fun ½ day for our class (Mass, activities, class party). Please make sure your middle schooler packs a snack (there is a possibility of them using computers, so please make sure they pack these!)

We are in desperate need of chaperones for Portland in May. Right now, we have enough chaperones to accommodate just over 50% of the children. If we cannot accommodate all, we will, unfortunately, not be going, so please let either Mrs. Ernest or myself know if you can help! Thank you to those who have already volunteered.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students wrote creative stories in snowball writing, completed Jensen’s lesson 5, took part in Christmas-themed Readers’ Theater, and performed skits based on a particular character’s point of view.

This week in religion, students lit their third Advent candle (joy), practiced looking up Christmas passages in the bible, and completed their Angelus oral tests.

PLANS FOR WHEN WE RETURN:

In ELA/lit., we will continue working on creating hooks during Writer’s Workshop, start reading our next novel, and look more specifically at biographies **Over the holidays, please help your middle schooler find and start reading a graphic novel (this is the focus for our next book report due in January).**

In religion, we will focus on the Epiphany, wrap-up our self-concept unit, and start a unit on social justice.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we practiced our stick handling and passing skills while playing sideline hockey. We celebrated the upcoming Christmas break by playing in the Winter Olympic games which included the bob sled and ice skating.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They learned vocabulary related to this season of the year , such as: Virgen María, pesebre, dulces, niño Jesús, piñata, nieve, regalos, luces, and more. They spelled this vocabulary and wrote the words that I spelled for them.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “Photography class is working on their final project, due at the end of January. This is a presentation of their work over the span of this semester, presented as stories revealing something about the photo, the process of creating the photo, and most importantly, the photographer and how that photographer’s unique qualities shine their light on others.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “Students finished applying the papier-mache mixture and added final details to enhance texture and form. The next step in the process will be painting their sculptures. The art room wishes all families a Merry Christmas and a joyful holiday season!”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “We are working on Christmas Program and rehearsing for memory, musicality and stage presence.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are getting ready for the Christmas program. The choir is sounding great and feeling ready for the big night!”

December 11, 2025

Happy Thursday! With one week left until Christmas break, we have lots happening. Please read below to be in-the-know!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Next week, we will have pizza lunch (Monday), Red & Green Day (Wednesday), and our Christmas program (Friday). Please plot these on your calendar.

Next Friday, we will hold a class party (I will be gone Friday; however, the room parents, Amy and Tiffany, are organizing this fun event to take place while the substitute teacher is here; if you have questions, please reach out to them)!

Students’ next Book Reports (historical fiction) are due Monday. Instructions can be found here (no writing is necessary unless they’d like to bring notes for themselves). Students are also invited to bring their physical book in to show the class during this presentation, if they wish.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/lit., students tested their understanding of types of sentences through a color-by-number, game of Trashketball, and pop quiz. They also finished writing the good copies of their informational essays and reinforced vocabulary through Jensen’s lesson 5 practice.

This week in Religion, we “lit” the second Advent candle (symbolizing peace) on our personal Advent wreaths and reflected on how we can be instruments of peace to our families this week. We also discussed how Mary and the Holy Family serve as a models in our domestic church. Finally, in Second Step, students explored ideas around their “future self-concept”.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/lit., students wrap up Jensen’s lesson 5, use logic/inferencing to complete a Nativity Escape Room activity, and enjoy some “snowball” creative writing.

Next week in Religion, we “light” our third Advent candle (symbolizing joy), get together with buddies, complete our Angelus oral test, and analyze Christmas scripture readings.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we reviewed stick handling skills, learned how to pass the puck to a partner using a sweeping motion then flicking the wrist and “give” when receiving the puck. We practiced these skills playing 1 vs 1 Wall to Wall, Hockey Keep Away and Hockey Mania.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “This week, all the students talked and learned about Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe y San Juan Diego. You can ask them to sing La Guadalupana and explain what the song says.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Still working on the new play. It is finalized with the input of the students. Now, we will rehearse and hopefully be able to perform in front of an audience when finished.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week, students continued work on their plane project. They are learning about how to respond when their project deviates from the initial plan. They are modifying and accommodating on the fly. Next week, they will have one more class period to work on their planes before Thursday when they will compete to see which plane flies the furthest.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are focusing entirely on the music for the Christmas program. The following students will be featured as soloists during the Christmas program:

O Holy Night: Anneliese Twining, Evelyn White, Will Chen

The Journey to Bethlehem: Solomon Dinwiddie and Maddie Dechert

Breath of Heaven: Marcella Montiel”

Orchestra (Ms. Varon): “This week in Orchestra we are…

Learning Christmas carols for fun: The First Noel and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
In Banuwa, working on the key change section and practicing syncopated rhythms without slowing the tempo, listening across sections to play as a unified ensemble
Working on Joy to the World and practicing keeping a steady tempo each time we take the repeat”

December 4, 2025

Happy Thursday! I hope you all had a very relaxing Thanksgiving break! It was great to see so many of you during conferences. As promised, a photocopy of our conference sheet has been sent home with your middle-schooler this week. The students have been busy so please read below for weekly updates.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

1.5 months until the end of the semester! Please ensure your child is recording their service hours as this is part of their religion grade. Students need a total of 12 service hours based on volunteer, un-paid, work. If students were in attendance for WeGrow Garden days (total of 4), they can record 1 hour for each of these days.

A log will be sent home within the next couple weeks to start recording these but, otherwise, need to have separate entries to note: when each contribution was completed, a description of the activity/importance, how many hours, and parent initials. At the bottom, please also sign the paper. This service hour log (whether on the log provided or your own paper) needs to be turned in for credit by January 16^th.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students wrapped up their Washington State novels within Book Clubs, identified themes within those novels, worked on developing compound-complex sentences, created informational essay rough drafts with effective transitions, and shared their writing with peers.

This week in religion, students focused on the virtue of hope in Advent, learned about Jesus being both fully God and fully human in the Incarnation, discussed changes in self-concept during Second Step, and led Friday Mass!

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students complete good copies of their informational essays, analyze non-fiction text features to create Christmas-themed articles, work on Jensen’s lesson 5, and practice sentence-structure in a group game of “Trashketball.

Next week in religion, we will focus on the Advent virtue of peace, reflect on how we can bring peace to our families, and analyze how the Holy Family acts as a model for our lives.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we finished our last round robin basketball game. We also learned how hold the hockey stick while alternating taps or sliding the puck down the floor. We practiced these skills by playing Pirates.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We are singing a Christmas Carol (Villancico) named “La Marimorena”. We started practicing the definite and indefinite articles in their masculine form, both singular and plural: EL / LOS / UN / UNOS.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “Students completed their National Park compositions, incorporating detailed highlights and shadows to create depth and realism.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “In drama, students are rehearsing for their final play.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week the students began implementing their paper airplane designs. Before they were allowed to begin building, they completed a project proposal that outlined how the airplane will be built, how it will be tested and what materials they will need. They also created a plan for how they will use their time over the next few class periods as they try to make the December 18 deadline.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This is week in choir we are working on our three Christmas pieces: the Christmas Medley, O Holy Night, and The Journey to Bethlehem. We are also working on music for mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.”

November 20, 2025

Happy Thursday! Students have been in project mode this week and have made lots of progress. Outside of class time, students organized a “ducky wedding” and rehearsed a Grandparents’ Day skit (see photos). Please read below for updates!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Conferences continue next week. Thank you to those who signed up! Tomorrow is a half-day with early dismissal at 11:45.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/lit, students finished Jensen’s lesson 4, met in their Book Club groups, and started to organize/draft their informational essays. Due to great focusing down, the class was able to push their rough draft due date to Tuesday, December 2^nd.

Last week in Religion, we looked for theological and cardinal virtues as depicted through individuals within the bible. We then analyzed real-life scenarios to make moral decisions based on the object, intention, and circumstance framework. On Tuesday, students exhibited the virtue of charity while passing non-perishable food items as donations to the Hope House. Finally, students searched for central ideas and virtues within the Pauline Letters of the New Testament.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

When we return from Thanksgiving break, students will finish up their drafts and start sharing with peer editors. Additionally, they will finish up their WA State history novels!

When we return from Thanksgiving break, Advent hope will be the focus of our week. We will also look at the Holy Family as a model of the domestic church.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we learned how to pivot, the give and go, how to defend another player and different types of fouls. We practiced putting dribbling, passing and shooting together playing half court (4vs4) games in a round robin tournament.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They learned when to use definite articles LA/EL, and when to use indefinite articles UNA/UN.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): This week in photography we finished our art displays for the Allied Art Festival. The student art will be displayed between Nov 21 to Dec 24^th in the Sunset Square near Safeway (the old Rite Aid building). Come see their terrific photos!”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “This week in drama, actors performed their final skits. When they finish, they will be given a play which will be their final act in drama class.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering we formally begun our plane project. Students are in groups of 4 and will need to come up with a design, experiments that will help improve their design and complete a final build of their airplane. The final build is due December 18^th. They are currently in the project proposal stage, where they look at the big picture, and their timeline, and figure out how to split the project into smaller tasks.”

Academic Decathlon (Mrs. Evans): “We are moving full speed ahead in our Academic Decathlon preparations. Students know what individual topics they will be studying and which they will study for the Super Quiz. They will begin reading their books and studying over the Thanksgiving holiday. We had a logic quiz last week and it went terrific!”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are working on the Marian hymns for mass on Friday as well as the Caccini Ave Maria. We are also working on O Holy Night and the Christmas Medley for the Christmas program.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “This week in the ACS Band, we debuted the Eagle Pep Band at Monday and Wednesday’s girls’ basketball games! The last home game is Tuesday, November 25th, so come one out to cheer on our undefeated girls’ basketball team! In our scheduled band class, students received “Christmas Holiday March” to be performed at the beginning of the Christmas Program. Students not able to attend the Christmas Program have joined up to prepare “The Nutcracker Overture” for performance in December.”

November 13, 2025

Happy Thursday! Our research week has started off extremely well! Overall, the students have been quite focused in developing their informational essays and using in-class worktime effectively.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Conference slots are filling up! If you have not done so already, please schedule a parent-teacher-student conference from the selection here. This is a great opportunity for us to discuss academics, behavior, and goal-setting.

The next book reports are due Monday, November 17. Students have been provided in-class time to work on these this week. Please remind them to hand in by Monday!

Next week, we have our Book Fair from Wednesday-Friday. Then, we honor Grandparents on Friday. Please refer to the school calendar for specifics!

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students worked on Jensen’s lesson 4, met in Book Clubs, discussed MLA style, started research for their informational essay, and deconstructed the parts of an essay to analyze them further.

This week in religion, students compared the Ten Commandments with the Beatitudes as integral guides for moral living. Students then reflected on which are the easiest or hardest to live by, based on their own circumstances.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/literature, students finish off Jensen’s lesson 4, continue to meet in Book Clubs, and begin to organize their research.

Next week in religion, we take a look at theological versus cardinal virtues, sources of morality (act, object, intent), and how the Pauline Letters guided early Christians in moral living.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “We are wrapping up our chemistry unit in science and will be completing a final project and final lab. The final project will be student lead. They’ll choose which area of chemistry they are weakest in and create a lesson to teach the class about that topic. They have a choice of creating a poster, video, or powerpoint/canva to teach with. I’m so impressed with everyone’s growth in this unit! Great job 7^th graders!”

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we learned the pivot and give and go and man to man defense. We practiced these skills playing 2vs2 basketball and 4vs4 Half court games.“

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We started to practice singing La Guadalupana for Our Lady of Guadalupe. We started learning the indefinite articles in their feminine form, both singular and plural : UNA / UNAS.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “For this week and next week, our students are preparing to exhibit 3-4 of their choice photos at the Allied Art Festival which will open over Thanksgiving weekend at Sunset Plaza. Plan to see your students work along with over 150 other artists!”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are learning the Byzantine chant “O Gladsome Light of the Holy Glory”, which is one of the earliest Christian hymns. It is said to have been written by Saint Athenogenes as he was on his way to be martyred. We are also working on the Caccini Ave Maria for next week’s mass, which falls on the feast day of the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and “O Holy Night” for the Christmas program, which will feature Alex Romboa, Evelyn White, and Anneliese Twining as soloists.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “The ACS Band members put on a wonderful performance at the 2025 Veterans Day Prayer Service and Assembly! Check out the video of this performance in the upcoming band newsletter.

ACS Band students will continue work on their next project: music for the Christmas Program! Band students will be performing carols for a pre-show (in the foyer) as well as music at the opening of the program (in the church). Please read the band newsletter sent later today for more information!”

November 6, 2025

Happy November! The students have an official Christmas countdown on our board and negotiations have begun about when to start playing Christmas music 😊.

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

The next book reports are due Monday, November 17. The guidelines have been posted on the Book Report Guidelines here. Per agendas, students should already be well into reading their new fantasy or science-fiction based book to complete this (please check in with them!).

We have a busy next month and a half. Please check the Google Homework Calendar (link on homepage) with your middle schooler on a regular basis.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students reinforced vocabulary in Jensen’s lesson 4, experimented with point of view in their creative writing, then worked in groups to find main ideas and details to build thesis statements. Students were also given a list of potential research topics and calendar check-in points for their first informational essay (due December 10).

This week in religion, students met with two different vocational parties: The Sisters of Mercy and Deacon Larry to hear their stories! We also examined the ten commandments and how they can guide decision-making in everyday situations. Finally, students reflected on the multi-facets of their self-concept. See below for a sample of the Saint Report presentations!

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week in ELA/Literature, we start our informational writing research (around a WA state topic), complete Jensen’s lesson 4, and work on formatting for MLA. If you are able, please encourage your middle schooler to find some print (not just electronic) sources and bring these next week for use during our research blocks. Students will also have time next week (starting Wednesday) to work on their Book Reports so please remind them to bring their books in. To allow for more in-class research/work time, and less on students’ plates, Cornell notes and reading log will not be due the next two weeks.

Next week in religion, we examine the Beatitudes and compare them to the 10 Commandments as guides for moral living. Students will then create a depiction based on their reflection of these. Finally, we will attend Adoration and discuss influences on self-concept.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “This week we have spent a lot of time reviewing key concepts, like how to find the mass of an atom or how to predict ionic reaction products. We have also been balancing complex chemical equations. Students are practicing applied math during science and will soon be able to estimate the amount of reactants needed to create a predictable amount of product. Next week, we will be doing a series of labs to put our learning to the test!”

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we learned the acronym B.E.E.F (Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow through) to shoot the ball into the basketball hoop and the steps to do a lay-up. We practiced these skills playing Hot Spots and Lay Up Wheel.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “The drama class is once again split into two troupes. They have new skits that they will perform the week before the conferences.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering we thought critically about paper airplane design and what characteristics of our airplane design contribute to maximizing distance. We also began designing a new airplane that will hopefully fly very far. Next week we will only have engineering on Thursday because of Veteran’s day. That Thursday we will have an engineer from Boeing come and visit us and tell us about airplane design.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We talked about the celebration that takes place in México every year on November 1st and 2nd: El Día de Muertos. They learned about all the elements that should be on EL ALTAR or OFRENDA and the meaning of each one. We reflected on how death is part of the cycle of life, and we prayed for our faithful departed.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “In photography, we have been doing contemplative studies and this week our focus was on PATTERNS OF LIGHT.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we had auditions for the “O Holy Night” solos. We are working on a new Taize song, “Within Our Darkest Night” that will feature some first-time soloists.

We are continuing to work on the Christmas medley and hymns for mass.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “This week in the ACS Band class, we worked on tuning and went through “America” one more time prior to our upcoming performance at the Veterans Day Prayer Service. Students will need to bring their instruments on Monday (11/10) for this performance!”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in orchestra, we are:

-Working through tricky rhythmic sections of Banuwa and learning about the importance of rests and silences in music. Drilling these rhythmic parts by speaking, clapping, and then playing

-Practicing Tallis Canon to perform at the Veteran’s Day Assembly, focusing on performance etiquette and fluency when playing in a round/canon”

October 30, 2025

Happy Thursday! It has been an eventful week! Thank you to the room parents and parent helpers that made our Halloween Party so much fun! Tomorrow, student volunteers share their Spooky Stories, so please allow your middle-schoolers to bring a pillow and stuffy if they wish!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Tuesday Tutoring sessions are available again next week (see link on our homepage)! If you’d like to take advantage of this extra support, please make sure your child is registered for EDP by at least the day prior. If your child receives an email for mandatory Study Hall next week, please make sure they check in with me at lunch early before heading to it.

On Monday, we celebrate All Saints Day. This day also follows Spirit Sunday so, if they have a free dress coupon, they are welcome to switch into their Saint Costume during our religion block for extra credit!

A new incentive for Cornell notes was introduced this week for those students putting in top-effort! If your middle-schooler receives a perfect score on their Cornell notes (or corrections made to add up to this), twice in a row, they receive a free pass coupon on the next one! If your child receives one, coupons will be sent home for you to initial/acknowledge then send back.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

In ELA/literature, students meet with peers to gain feedback on their writing, finished their Spooky Story writing, completed Jensen’s lesson 3, and met in Book Clubs to discuss their WA State novels. They also created collaborative spooky spiders centered around spooky verbs, suffixes, synonyms, and antonyms.

In religion, students worked diligently on researching/preparing their Saint presentations. During Adoration, students continued to stay attentive and respectful.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

In ELA/literature next week, we will transition to Jensen’s lesson 4, expand on our understanding of sentence complexity, and experiment with writing from different perspectives.

In religion, we will be celebrating Vocations Week! Students will present their Saint projects, listen to guest speakers talk about their vocations, then reflect on self-concept in Second Step.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “This week in science we have been building atoms! Students have created 3D models of specific atoms by calculating the number of electrons, protons and neutrons necessary. We also had some fun with a lab on spectroscopy to identify elements based on the light they emit when burning. Next week, we will learn more about atoms vs molecules and practice balancing chemical equations (this is high school level science)!”

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we reviewed dribbling cues, violations such as traveling and double dribbling, the chest, bounce, and overhead pass, and shielding the ball. We played dribble knockout and Card Shark Basketball to practice these skills.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Actors performed “The Hike” and did a fabulous job! We played improvisation games to practice thinking quickly in our feet. Students who were once reserved and shy are beginning to shine! Those extroverts who had never been shy bring so much exuberance to the class!”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering, we explored some of the physics behind how planes fly. We learned about the equation for force and how much force the wings of an airplane need to produce to resist the force of gravity. Next week we will begin designing a new airplane made out of paper. We will include physics principals and results from our prior experiments while we consider our designs”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We practiced the articles la, las, el y los.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “In photography class this week, we have been focusing our weekly practice on the compositional element of form this week.”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “This week in choir we are working on a new piece called “Lead Me Lord” which features five soloists, the Ave Maria by Caccini, hymns for mass and the Christmas Medley for the Christmas program.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “This week in band, students are practicing the skill of slurring from one note to the next while percussionists are refining their 9-stroke roll for performance in ‘Silent Night.’ Students continue to prepare ‘America’ for a performance at the Monday, November 10^th Veterans Day Prayer Service & Assembly. Mrs. Creech will be working on updating the website this weekend!”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in orchestra, we are:

Rehearsing Believe, playing through the entire piece and focusing on the ending section, practicing the fermata and following conductor cues to create beautiful musical endings
In Tallis Canon, learning about performance etiquette – when to rest, how to hold the instrument in rest position, and proper bowing technique
In Banuwa, working on complementary rhythms and melodies, listening for how different instrumental parts “converse” and blend within the ensemble

October 23, 2025

Happy Thursday! We have a fun week ahead of us so please take a thorough read through!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Black and Orange Day is Wednesday, October 29th and it is also the day of our class party! Tiffany Smith and Amy Claypool are helping to organize this event. Thank you ladies!

Next Friday afternoon, students will share their [flashlight] spooky stories! We have spent quite a bit of time discussing what is appropriate to write about versus what is not. They are welcome to bring a pillow and stuffy the day of. Today, some students volunteered to bring some bagged popcorn for this event (they will have written in their agendas, if so), but please let me know if they cannot!

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

In ELA/literature, students drafted their spooky stories, performed skits to exhibit authentic voice, shared the first portions of their WA State novels in Book Clubs, and worked through Jensen’s lesson 3.

In Religion, we reflected on ways to build a better prayer life, attended Adoration, and discussed Self-Concept (in Second Step).

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Students will finish up Jensen’s lesson 3 with a quiz next Thursday and discuss the next portion of their WA State novel with their Book Club group. Students will also gather peer feedback then edit/revise their rough drafts of spooky stories. If you see your child’s spooky story-writing, please encourage them to make the edits and revisions ON their rough draft so I can see their process (they have double-spaced their rough drafts to help with this).

In preparation for All Saints Day, students will spend the week researching a Saint! The students were all very respectful during Adoration today, so we will continue this next week!

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “In Science, we have begun to discuss how we can predict chemical reactions. Students are getting more familiar with the periodic table and will soon be able to explain how different elements interact and what products would be formed in chemical reactions. Students will also begin a project on the structure of atoms. Please be sure to check the homework calendar for upcoming quizzes!”

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we learned the rules of Ultimate frisbee and practiced how to “throw off” to the other team to start the game as well as after a point is scored. We played three 8-minute ultimate frisbee games to demonstrate their skills and use strategy.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Drama students performed their skits today. The actors’ focus was on blocking, portraying characters, being on cue, doing improvisation if they forget a line, and sounding natural while speaking loudly (easier said than done when projecting one’s voice).”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “In Art Elective, students explored the creative world of explosions book! They learned how to transform a simple book into a dynamic 3D experience, carefully using space to tell a story. Each project connected art with storytelling inspired by Bible passages, allowing students to visually express meaningful messages and reflections.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “We have been practicing how to respond to the questions ¿cuántos?, ¿cuáles?, ¿qué?: ¿Cuántos son los días de la semana?, ¿Cuáles son los días de la semana?, ¿Qué día de la semana es hoy?”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “In photography class this week, we have been focusing our weekly practice on the compositional element of texture this week”

Choir Elective (Mrs. Morton): “We are working on hymns for our weekly mass, a Christmas medley for the Christmas program, and a Taize chant song for mass that will feature a number of soloists.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “This week in the ACS Band classes, we are refining and polishing our patriotic tune ” America” for our Monday, November 10^th performance at the ACS Veterans Day Prayer Service. Additionally, students received six short Christmas tunes in preparation for the ACS Christmas Program.”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in orchestra, we are:

Beginning work on Banuwa, the traditional African folk song also known as African Noel.
Continuing our work in our pieces Voyager, Believe, and Arkansas Traveler.”

October 16, 2025

Happy Thursday! It has been great seeing all of the middle schoolers in Holy Hoops this week. We certainly have some amazing players!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

Tuesday Tutoring sessions will open again next week (see link on our homepage)! If you’d like to take advantage of this extra support, please make sure your child is registered for EDP (by the day prior).

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/Literature, students reinforced vocabulary knowledge through Jensen’s lesson 3, used figurative language in creating My Life as a Metaphor, incorporated vivid imagery into their creative writing, and brainstormed about: “What makes the BEST spooky stories?”.

In Religion, students completed their last Fall session at the WeGrow Garden, reinforced understanding of respect for one another in Circle of Grace, and attended Thursday Adoration.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week, students continue working through Jensen’s lesson 3, meet in new Book Club groups to discuss the first portion of their WA State novels, and begin writing spooky stories! Just a reminder that Book Report #2 is due Monday, October 20! Book Report Guidelines can be found here.

Next week, students explore the idea of self-concept in Second Step and examine the components of prayer through Jesus’ example of the Our Father.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we reviewed the backhand and forehand frisbee throws, learned how to throw a leading pass (Throw and go) and moving to an open space. We practiced these skills while playing games called “Uno, Dos, Tres Punto” and “4 Way Frisbee”.

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering, we finished up our bridge project, butting a cap on our structural engineering unit. The students did a great job building suspension bridges out of string, wooden dominoes paper clips and paper. They learned patience as they had to rebuild their towers many times to get them just right. Next week we will be starting a new unit on airplanes. This unit will dive deeper into the physics side of engineering as we understand what makes planes fly.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Students are working in small troupes to rehearse for their new skits.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “Inspired by the work of Raku Inoue and Hannah Bullen-Ryner, students created nature scenes using leaves, flowers, and other natural elements to design lighthouse collages. They focused on showcasing highlights and contrast to bring their compositions to life.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “This week we talked about World Mission Sunday, that is this Sunday October 19th. We practiced how to tell the time, and they started memorizing the Prayer of Saint Theresa of Avila: NADA TE TURBE…”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “In photography class this week, we have had a great time sharing our photos that we intentionally composed and describing what compositional elements we can see in all the photos. We have also focused our weekly practice on the compositional element of color this week.”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): “This week in orchestra, we are:

Practicing the warm-up Sequence 3, focusing on common finger patterns in ascending and descending order

Continuing to rehearse the holiday song Believe, working on the middle section.

Learning Arkansas Traveler, a well-known American folk tune, and exploring layered parts and ensemble coordination”

October 9, 2025

Happy Thursday! We have an exciting week of Holy Hoops coming up! Mr. Ramos, Mrs. Town, and I will be in Tukwila next Thursday; however, we will be cheering on staff (for the staff vs. alumni game) from afar 😊!

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

As per school tradition, homework is reduced during the week of Holy Hoops so please check the Homework Calendar for any limited homework assignments.

Please be checking your middle schooler’s FACTS account every 1-1.5 weeks for any missing assignments and or lower grades that they can do corrections on.

Please note the next Book Report deadline approaching (more details further down this page under PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK).

Tuesday Tutoring will continue the week after Holy Hoops! If interested in sending your child, please make sure they are registered with EDP (forms by the office), so they have a safe place to wait if not picked up at 4. Links for the signup are on our 7th grade homepage.

Due to several recent discoveries on Teams, students are no longer permitted to use Microsoft Teams for messaging on their school laptops/school accounts.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

This week in ELA/literature, students finished up Jensen’s lesson 2, experimented with figurative writing (similes and metaphors) in Writer’s Workshop, met in Book Clubs to discuss the last chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, and completed a “Book Tasting” of Washington State novels to vote on their favorite!

In religion, students learned more about the organization and literary styles within the bible, shared their “If…Then” Second Step plans, and helped to plant garlic in the WeGrow Garden! We have one more week of WeGrow help so make sure your middle schooler logs their service hours worked!

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Next week, we start Jensen’s lesson 3, incorporate vivid imagery into our writing (to prepare for spooky/mystery story-writing), complete author research, then meet in our new Book Club groups. Just a reminder that the next book report (genre: mystery/gothic-fiction; criteria found here) is due Monday, October 20th. Students are invited to bring their personal novel into class later next week for in-class work time on book reports!

Next week, we will start our Circle of Grace lesson(s) focusing on Saying No to Disrespect: Honoring Everyone’s Circle of Grace. A letter, highlighting key concepts we have reviewed, will be sent home following our lesson(s) so please watch for this.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “In Science we’ve been learning about the history of chemistry – we have done several of the experiments that early chemists used to identify new gases and find new elements. Now we will begin to discuss how chemists identified the properties of different elements and begin to learn to read the periodic table of elements. Students will be able to draw an atom by glancing at a periodic table!”

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we learned the backhand and forehand frisbee throw, throwing a leading pass and the 3-step rule. We practiced this throwing with a partner, playing “Kan Jam” relays and playing a game called “Uno, Dos, Tres, Punto” where a team can score a point if they make 3 consecutive complete passes.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering, we are finishing up our suspension bridges. Next week, please have your child bring in hot wheels or some other weighted item to test their suspension bridge.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “In drama, students have finished their dialogues and have now formed two troupes of four and five actors. They will begin rehearsals for their new skits next week.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “This week, students learned about graffiti artist Adam Fujita and explored his glowing neon-style artwork. They created a silhouette letter design, using the right tools to carefully cut the positive and negative spaces in their letter. Please bring natural items—like leaves, flowers, small sticks, or seeds—for our upcoming lighthouse collage.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They practiced antes y después (before and after), ayer y mañana (yesterday and tomorrow), both with numbers and with the days of the week and the months of the year.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “This week in photography we have been learning to compose photos intentionally, paying close attention to how we compose the picture.”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “This week, we reviewed note names and rhythms for measures 1 – 10 of the tune “America” in preparation for a tentative Veterans Day performance. We also spent a little time looking at more of our pep tune literature titled “Musical Stingers.” Excerpts include musical ideas from Chopin’s Funeral March and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): This week in orchestra, we are:

-Rehearsing measures 17–26 of Believe to refine rhythm and intonation. Then, putting it all together and playing through the entire piece.

-Focusing on pitch matching and listening for intonation accuracy.”

October 2, 2025

Happy Thursday and Happy October! We have had an exciting week with the First Responders Assembly and then our St. Francis Animal Blessing! Additionally, MAP testing is nearly finished, so we can return to [somewhat] of a more normal schedule next week.

This newsletter format is changing simply so you can have all web links in the same location (on our ACS 7th Grade Homepage).

IMPORTANT NOTES/REMINDERS:

The first middle school Tutoring Tuesday was a success! If your child is struggling with a certain concept or needing to get caught up in any subject, please encourage them to attend this after school support session. More dates have been added here.

WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:

In ELA/literature, students finished up fable-writing, experimented with sentence complexity, reinforced vocabulary through Jensen’s lesson 2, and met to discuss chapters 19-23 of Touching Spirit Bear.

In Religion, students worked in groups to present on seasons within the Liturgical Calendar, exhibited stewardship by working at the WeGrow Garden, created “If-Then” plans in Second Step, and looked deeper into the bible gospel accounts to better-understand who Jesus is.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK:

In ELA/Literature, students will implement figurative language into their writing, finish up Jensen’s lesson 2 (Spelling Bee Monday, quiz Tuesday), finish discussing the last chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, then take part in a Book Tasting to vote on their next small-group book.

In Religion, we will have another visit from Fr. Stephen before heading to the WeGrow Garden (to hopefully plant garlic!), attend Adoration as a class, and analyze organization of the New Testament.

ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMMUNICATION/LINKS:

Science (Mrs. Ernest): “In science we are working on identifying the difference between chemical and physical reactions and learning about the structure of chemicals. We’ve just begun to discuss the composition of atoms and how chemical bonds hold together molecules. Please be sure to check out the Science Supports page to review our key vocabulary!”

Social Studies (Mr. Costanza): sent separately

Math (Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Vonfeldt): middle school math link

P.E. (Coach Eager): “This week in PE we talked about the difference between muscular endurance and muscular strength, and how stretching prevents injury and prepares the body for activity. We took the Fitness Gram curl-up, push up and sit and reach (flexibility) tests.”

Engineering Elective (Mr. Sherwood): “This week in engineering, we continued work on our suspension bridge. This has been great hands-on learning for the students as they learn about the complexity of building bridges the attention to detail you must have as an engineer.”

Drama Elective (Mrs. Blas): “Students are working in pairs to rehearse their dialogues. They will perform the skits next week on Tuesday.”

Visual Art Elective (Mrs. Santos): “The students are creating imaginative compositions from unusual autumn-themed prompts, such as “a tree that grows candy” or “a pumpkin city in the clouds.” The goal is to use their imagination, draw from memory, and add personal details to make their artwork unique.”

Spanish Elective (Mrs. Esquivel): “They continued practicing numbers from 0 to 100. We focus on pronunciation of diphthongs, like: cUAtro 4, sIEte 7, vEInte 20.”

Photography Elective (Mrs. Evans): “In photography this week, we completed our introduction to controlling the camera’s aperture and will spend class Thursday varying shutter speed and aperture to control the amount of light we capture (exposure).”

Band Elective (Mrs. Creech): “This week, 1st year band students have been refining their first 5 notes and working on producing consistent sounds and articulation. 2nd and 3rd year members have been working on expanding their understanding of different articulations. All students have been excitedly working on several pep tunes for performance!”

Orchestra Elective (Ms. Varon): This week in orchestra, we are:

-Discussing effective strategies for how to practice at home, including breaking music into smaller sections, repeating tricky spots, and listening for intonation and rhythm accuracy

-Learning Sequence 2 as a warm-up to focus on playing intervals of a third

-In our piece Voyager, practicing complementary rhythms and listening across the ensemble to blend sound”

Have a lovely rest of your day!

-Ms. Zech

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