DECEMBER 2013

Main Office 303-387-1800 Fax 303-387-801 Attendance 303-387-1802 Athletics/Activities 303-387-1812 Bookkeeper 303-387-1808 Registrar 303-387-1820 Transportation 303-387-0415 Weather Hotline 303-387-7669 Twitter follow@mountainridgems Online Payments dcsdk12.revetrak.net

A note from the principal . . .

Happy December! Half way through the year? Can you believe it? It seems like we were just gearing up for the year, talking about new classes, meeting each other at back-to school night, transitioning our 7th graders, and encouraging our 8th graders to take on the role of leaders at school. Now here we are with new electives that have finished one entire cycle, expert 7th graders, and 8th graders who are beginning to plan for and worry about high school! What a difference half a year can make. 7th grade parents, great job making it through the initial transition! You have officially survived the beginning of middle school. I love how quickly the students leave their elementary selves behind and jump into the roles of middle schoolers! They have all gained such confidence and independence. I know that these traits can be difficult from a parenting standpoint, but they are such great qualities that we truly want all of our kids to have. These traits sometimes are the reason behind the attitudes and stubbornness that we see as parents, but these are healthy and positive when we look at where we want our kids to be as adults. Keep your sense of humor and your clear expectations; but also keep encouraging your 7th graders to try new things, challenge their thinking and yours, and to not be afraid to work hard but sometimes fail. What better time for our kids to learn these lessons than now, when it is safe and low stakes. There is nothing easy about being a 7th grader or parenting a 7th grader; I know! There is also so much enjoyment and growth during this time. Dont blink; they will be in high school before you know it! continue on page 2

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A note from the principal . . .

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Fellow 8th grade parentshigh school? Are you kidding me? I am really nervous about this next transition! There is just something so grown up and mature about high school. I look at my 8th grader and wonder if I have supported him enough. I wonder if I have given him the tools to advocate for himself and make good choices. I wonder if he is mature enough. Has he learned enough? Has he struggled enough to be able to handle high school struggle? All of these things keep going through my head as I look at this next step. At the end of the day, I have to practice what I preach. I have to trust his teachers over the years. I have to trust his 8th grade teachers to know what he needs to know before high school and prepare him. I have to trust the high school to challenge and support my child as he becomes an adult. I have to trust myself that I have taught him how to be responsible, hard working, and kind. Ultimately, though, I have to trust him! This is the hardest part for me. I trust him in the sense that he is honest, but do I trust him enough to take on his own education and experiences as a high schooler? I have to. He is no longer my little boy, but a young man who IS ready for whatever high school holds; or at least will be by next year. So, as stressful as these high school conversations are that we are starting as 8th grade parents, remember how amazing it is that our kids are at this point and ready to begin their high school careers. Scary for me? YES! Exciting too? ABSOLUTLEY! Thanks for listening to/reading my sentiment about our kids. The fact that we are half way through another year made me realize how quickly this time goes for us parents! Again, you have raised amazing, thoughtful, respectful kids that we love seeing every day at MRMS. Ultimately, that means that you have done a great job! Keep up the good work and keep pushing your kids to be better today than they were yesterday. Shannon Clarke, Principal

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Team 7-One Wonders!

We are wrapping up this semester with some fun team activities! On the last day of the quarter, students will participate in a team talent show and later in the day, collaborate to construct gingerbread houses. We cant wait to see their creations! We announced our November Students of the Month; congratulations to Anders Vega, Andrew Barich, Maya Winslow and Morgan Scherrer! These students help our pod create a positive and enthusiastic learning community.

Heres whats been going on in each of our classes: Language Arts At the end of November, students wrote persuasive research essays on topics of their choice. They practiced supporting their arguments with evidence and personal examples. The topics ranged from wanting a Starbucks at school, to legalizing human cloning. Its always exciting to see what the kids create during student-choice assignments! Currently, students are studying poetic devices and are learning how to make their writing more engaging and descriptive. Social Studies Throughout the year in Social Studies class, we are studying why revolutions occur all around the world. Right now, we are focusing on the Russian Revolution and how this affected the relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States. We recently watched a PSA from the 1950s informing students what to do in the case of an atomic bomb. Remember the wise words of Bert the Turtle: duck and cover!

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Team 7-1 Wonders!

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Science We have just finished our projects on Meiosis and our lab on DNA extraction from strawberries. We will be continuing our study of genetics in the library with a 2 day Genetics Fest, which will lead us into our learning and discussions of evolution or "change over time"! Math All classes are finishing up their work with similarity. We have applied our knowledge to real life situations and used similar triangles to indirectly measure locations around the school. (Flag pole, light post, school height, height of The Commons). They enjoyed using the high-tech iChalk on the concrete when they made their calculations. Ask your child to explain how they used either the Shadow Method or Mirror Method to find the indirect measurements. Health/ PE In Health class, we are midway through our nutrition unit. Students have been learning about the 6 major nutrients and their importance to our bodies. Students are also learning about what influences the food choices that they make. After winter break, we will finish up the nutrition unit with learning about causes and effects of eating disorders. Students will explore the following questions: What are the major eating disorders. What are the signs and symptoms? How are eating disorders treated? iLab Part of the iLab philosophy is about authentic audience. Students should know that their thinking and products are used for a real purpose. For the rest of the quarter, students are asked to create a positive sustainable change to the learning environment at MRMS.

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Team 7-1 Wonders!

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Now, that offers LOTS of voice and choice, and it also offers lots of logistical challenges for the iLab teacher! I'm a guide, coach, mentor for these projects. But, I have to put them in front of experts who can offer advice. Here are some examples of student-driven projects: An MRMS app for learning. A sustainable garden. Re-design a desk, locker, chair for the classroom. Reduce waste at MRMS. Redesign the lunch line for faster service. Build small lockers for backpacks. Create a sustainable path between MRMS and the green space (east of the school). In iLab students are learning about the complications and rewards of designing sustainable solutions for authentic problems: An iLab student: Through this process, Ive learned that you can still get work done even if you are not anywhere near them and even if you are not working on it at the same time. I learned what asynchronous collaboration is and I have also learned what skills businesses look for in their employees. I think that knowing this will give me a little more of an idea on what I want to do for a job and also what classes I will have to take and even what college I might have to go to get the best learning experience and prepare myself for getting that job. I have also learned that it is extremely important to find a group that you know you will work well with and that you can collaborate and communicate with. I learned about all of the 4C's (Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, and Creativity. I think that on this project these skills are most important in this order: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and then Critical Thinking. I learned that you need to stay on top of your project or you might get distracted, drift off, and not complete it in time or not do a very continue on page 6 good job.

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Team 7-2 - Are You Aware?

Science
Understanding cultivates connections: Humans and Frogs?

In science, Team 7-2 students have been studying cells, tissues, organs and organ systems... and of course this means that soon our students will be dissecting a frog! Comparing human anatomy with frog anatomy is powerful and compelling; many students have dissected various "parts" in elementary school, but the frog dissection is a great way to learn how all those parts work together. And since frog anatomy is so similar to human anatomy, understanding a frog truly helps us understand ourselves!

Social Studies
Understanding cultivates connections: Africa

In Social Studies, we have substantially increased our understanding of Africa, specifically in the areas of Africas physical geography, history and culture. Students have learned how geography and history have impacted several African cultures. In addition, they have selected the P.I.G.E.s (people, ideas, goods and events) they feel have had the most significant impacts on society. A person and an event that made many students lists are Nelson Mandela and apartheid. While learning about these, we discussed how ones point of view influences their perception and understanding of history. We delved into questions like...Was Mandela a freedom fighter or a terrorist? Students even created their own political cartoons that showed how an issue can be interpreted from completely different points of view. As a concluding activity, students coupled their knowledge of Africa with their map skills and in collaborative groups, created thematic maps that show off the best of the continent. This winter, well be heading north and east to Asia. continue on page 7

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Team 7-2 - Are You Aware?

Language Arts

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Understanding cultivates connections: Africa

Students in language arts demonstrated their learning of Africas geography, history, and culture by creating a travelogue or story incorporating at least three places on the African continent. They also included pictures and learned to cite pictures using web tools.
Understanding cultivates connections: A Christmas Carol

In December students began learning about Victorian England. They answered questions about its leaders, traditions, prisons, Union Work Houses, child labor, and social classes and presented their findings through a Power Point, Prezi, or Google presentation format. This helped build background knowledge for the play A Christmas Carol. Students participated in a readers theater in class as they became Scrooge, Marley and Tiny Tim; they discovered the change brought about in Scrooge as he learned the true meaning of Christmas.

Math and iLab

Understanding cultivates connections: A Better Learning Environment

Driving Question: How can we create a better learning environment at MRMS so that student engagement and learning are increased? Students have been using their Design Thinking skills to address the Driving Question. They have been researching, surveying, interviewing, collaborating, brainstorming, testing, modeling, and creating some very innovative ways to improve the physical, social, academic and affective aspects of the MRMS learning environment. continue on page 8

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Team 7-2 - Are You Aware?

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They made scale drawings and models to represent their ideas and have written responses to a Request for Proposal asking for ideas to improve the learning environment. They will be presenting their ideas to school stakeholders in the hope that some of their ideas might actually be implemented!

Health / PE
Understanding cultivates connections: Supersize Me! Or not.

What we put into our bodies DOES matter, a lesson that students are learning through our study of nutrition and the choices we make. As part of their learning the students are currently viewing and discussing the documentary, Supersize Me. What a timely topic as we travel through the holiday season enjoying all of the holiday treats! Students continue to challenge themselves to make healthy choices nutritionally and otherwise. Team 7-2 wishes all of you a wonderful Winter Break! See you in 2014!

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Team 7-4 Change Agents One of the top 6 teams at MRMS!

Important Dates Please check grades on December 20th for the quarter BTG Meeting January 1/15 1:15- 1:45 Room 285 International Town Interviews January 10th International Town Field Trip January 29th/30th 7-4 Change Agent of the Month:

Matisse Molina

Matisse exemplifies what it means to be a change agent by modeling good citizenship, awareness of others, responsibility, and genuine kindness to herself and others. Her care and concern for others comes through with her interactions with peers and adults. Matisse shows a wonderful level of empathy towards others around her as well others in need around the world. Her ability to focus and manage all of her responsibilities with such a remarkable level of dedication is outstanding. Congratulations Matisse! Weve had such a great semester with our kids. We look forward to watching them grow as Change Agents next semester and changing the world around them. Quotables from a 7th grader : What have you enjoyed about the first semester of middle school? Road Rally- Ryan Austin The teachers!- Jillian Marrison Getting to know my teachers to better connect with them and the chance to interact with new people- Matisse Molina What are you looking forward to next semester? Being so close to the end of the school year Ryan Boe International Town- Jason Kapernakas Overcoming new challenges that I will face with school work- Matisse Molina What is your favorite thing to do on Winter Break? My sister is vising from college and I love to bake cookies with her- Jillian Marrinson Sleeping- Ryan Boe Spending time with my family because its rare that we are all together at once.- Matisse Molina

We wish you a safe and happy holiday With love, Team 7-4 (Myka Nielsen, Michelle Grissom, Ellie Foust, Kevin Dipasquale, Ryan Lopez, Larry Davis, Lori Hemesath, Deb Hinchey)

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Hour of Code Announcement

Last week (Dec. 9 Dec. 13) all MRMS students were able to partake in an Hour of Code because at least one teacher on each core team facilitated a learning activity around coding skills. Heres what three students had to share about it: I enjoyed Hour of Code because it mixed Math and fun together. Cassie Pyles Hour of Code was challenging because it was so easy to make mistakes, but I learned a lot of patience from it. Samuel Schneider I thought it would be boring, just typing in numbers, but it was actually fun because we could design and personalize our experience. Michelle Cheng Congratulations to all MRMS students and staff members for committing to and achieving the goal of one hour of code for all MRMS students!

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World Languages Happy New Year from the World Language Department.
As people around the world say good-bye to 2013 and welcome in 2014, we thought you might enjoy a little cultural experience and read about New Years Celebrations in France and Spain. We enjoy teaching your children a new language and an important part of that is introducing new cultures to them. We believe it gives them an appreciation for the people around the world and their languages. We hope you all have a safe and happy 2014 and we look forward to the second half of the year and working with your students. Andrea, Cathie, Jeff and Judi If you would like to see how other countries around the world celebrate the New Year, the following information was copied from the following sites. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/france/new-year-day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_Eve

France
King cakes are eaten in France during New Year's Day. In France, New Year's Eve (la Saint-Sylvestre) is usually celebrated with a feast, le Rveillon de la SaintSylvestre (Cap d'Any in Northern Catalonia). This feast customarily includes special dishes including foie gras, seafood such as oysters, and champagne. The celebration can be a simple, intimate dinner with friends and family or, une soire dansante, a much fancier ball. On New Year's Day (le Jour de l'An) friends and family exchange New Year's resolutions, kisses, and wishes. Some people eat ice cream.

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World Languages

continued

There is a special tradition in Viella, a village in the Hautes-Pyrnes region close to the Spanish border. A church service is held late in the evening on New Year's Eve. Afterwards, people walk to the vineyards in a torchlight procession. The grape harvest begins at midnight. A strong, sweet wine is made from the grapes that have matured naturally on the vines. Bottles of this wine are specially marked to show that the grapes were harvested on January 1. The holiday period ends on January 6 with the celebration of Epiphany (Jour des Rois). A traditional type of flat pastry cake, la galette des rois, made of two sheets of puff pastry, filled with frangipane (almond paste) is eaten. The cake contains a fve, a small china doll; whoever finds it becomes king or queen and gets to wear a gold paper crown and choose his or her partner. This tradition can last up to two weeks.

Spain
Madrid's Puerta del Sol on New Year's Eve, 2005. Spanish New Year's Eve (Nochevieja or Fin de Ao) celebrations usually begin with a family dinner, traditionally including shrimp or prawns, and lamb or capon. Spanish tradition says that wearing new, red underwear on New Year's Eve brings good luck. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, one on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonymous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine such as cava or champagne, or with cider. After the family dinner and the grapes, many young people attend cotillones de nochevieja parties (named for the Spanish word cotilln, which refers to party supplies like confetti, party blowers, and party hats) at pubs, clubs, and similar places. Parties usually last until the next morning and range from small, personal celebrations at local bars to huge parties with guests numbering the thousands at hotel convention rooms. Early the next morning, party attendees usually gather to have the traditional winter breakfast of hot chocolate and fried pastry (chocolate con churros).

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Electives: Art

Two projects that are being finished by art students this semester are functional art works. The Chair project is ongoing collage work in the studio with layers and layers of color, shape, line, texture and values built up on the surface to create a rich collage. Each student is working on a chair based on a different artist. Most of the artists are living today and all are currently showing in galleries and museums around the world. Students researched each artist and wrote a description of the artist and his/her work which will be part of the final piece. The other functional artwork students are completing is a working lamp that is based on the glass work of artist Dale Chihuly. The "glass" is liquid plastic that hardened in wire forms the students created based on Chihuly glass shapes. The base of the lamp is a ceramic glazed piece that unifies the lamp.

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Electives: Art

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Team 8-1
Quarter 2 Spoof and Reflection from students on Team 8-1

(Really we love you and really we have fun!)

Twas the day before finals and all through 8-1 The tests and projects were due and it was not all that fun! The scissors were snipping and paper was folded Mrs. Earl was stressed out by the papers she holded! Mr. Blair was preaching While the white boards were screeching. The students were sad Because the puns were so bad! Students were learning to solve systems by elimination Mrs. Andriese was crying as they did not understand the information! Mr. Lopez was discouraging a cookie snack While he sneaked a cinnamon roll behind our backs! The robots rolled and the alarms beeped. Mrs. Personett was wishing for a good nights sleep! Density was decreasing as Mr. Hill taught about space In his head he was thinking about which mountain to face! Our next team unit is how natural disasters effect us. If one really happens, we hope our friends text us! Our parents complain we are always on the computer But we learned that I-Code is whats in our future! As we get ready for high school, it is very clear That we will be well prepared to succeed next year!

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Team 8-3

Twas the Week Before Winter Break Twas the week before Winter Break , when all through the pod All the students were stirring - even becoming quite awed. The groups were established, and hung on the wall In hopes that St. Clarke would soon visit our hall. The students were nestled, all using their leads, While visions of advanced grades, danced in their heads. Mr. McKinney in his blue jeans, And I in my black pants, Had just settled down to write a few grants. When out in the pod there arose such a clatter We all sprang from our desks to see what was the matter. Away to the (office) window We all flew like a flash Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. With a little old? teacher so lively and quick Okyou know the storyyou know the drill

The students on 8-3 are embarking on their final interdisciplinary unit for this semester. They will be charged with answering the question: How do ideas and inventions positively and negatively impact a society? The students are already gearing up As the holiday season approaches, may your home be filled with warmth, comfort and good cheer. Sincerely, Team 8-3

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Team 8-4
All year, weve been highlighting our classes on Team 8-4, but this month, we want to take a moment to put some of our students in the spotlight for the work they do beyond the classroom. Students on Team 8-4 are involved in so many things, from hockey to basketball to lacrosse, to gymnastics and softball and soccer, to singing and dancing and instrumental music. Our students babysit, write fanfiction, volunteer, lead church groups, rock climb, mountain bike, design computer games, and create stunning works of art. They are leaders in the school, in their families, and in their community. We are so proud of all of our students! While we would love to spotlight all of our fabulous students, but in attempt to not completely dominate this newsletter, were starting with this group of six:

Savanah Howard: Qualified for Thespian Nationals

Note: Team 8-4 is sending eight of the 22 qualifiers to The National Thespian Conference in Dallas, TX (February 2014). In addition to Savanah, the Team 8-4 performers who received Superior ratings at the Colorado Conference are Alysa Carpenter, Catherine Stump, Val Urquhart, Bryn Tillman, Tommy Hipp, Jake Govett, and Alexis Brooker. Congratulations on this incredible honor! Do you sing in the shower? Perform in your room for your teddy bears? Then Thespian Troupe might be the thing for you. Hi, Im Savanah Howard and this year Ive been handed the opportunity of a lifetime. My best friend, Dani Mills, and I sing a lot of duets together, so we thought Thespian might be a way for us to spend more time on our music. The second we joined Thespian, we were welcomed by a group of the most caring and hard-working students. These kids care so much about their acting and singing that they give up three hours every Wednesday after school to work their butts off to make a song or skit a part of themselves. Dani and I were given a duet called Secondary Characters. From September to December, all one-hundred and eight of us worked on our pieces, gave each other feedback, and performed for each other. When December 5th rolled around, we all stood out in the cold and waited for the train to take us downtown to go compete at the Colorado Thespian Convention. But Thespian Troupe isnt just about making it to Dallas-Thespian is about making one hundred and eight new friends and having a great time doing what you love. I couldnt have made a better choice for myself. Im thankful for the teachers and high schoolers that helped me get to where I am today. Now, Im off to Dallas with some of the greatest people in the school, going to compete for a National Title and living a dream I had when I was just a little girl.

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Team 8-4

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Rachel Peterson:

Figure Skating Hi, my name is Rachel Peterson and I am a competitive figure skater. All my life this has been my dream and its like living in a dream. Everyday from school I am granted the honor to skate for a few hours. I am very proud of how I not only have grown as a skater, but as a competitor. In February of 2013 I was awarded the Joe Delio Skating Scholarship. This was a huge honor for me to realize that my skating was noticed by some of the most important skating icons like Joe Delios family. Skating, as you might imagine, is a very expensive sport. It became a challenge for my parents to pay for. It was very hard for me to have to skate less and less. Ever since I got my scholarship for skating, I have been able to pay for my own skating sessions. Skating is my passion for it makes me feel like I defy gravity. The amount of strength it takes, the commitment, the pain, the feeling of finishing your program and knowing you won first place; these are all reasons why I am passionate about skating. The rink feels like the one place where I belong. I have made so many friends from the rink and that is where I can make a mistake, fall, get right back up and kick butt the second time. I would tell anybody that is interested in figure skating to give it a try. I have been skating for ten years and never once got tired of it. It is a beautiful sport that can give you inspiration. What people dont know, however, is that there are so many different types of skating. I am a competitive single figure skater who one day will be in the Olympics , but there is so much more you can do. Disney on Ice, Show Time on Ice, synchro, pairs, dance, and footwork, are only some of the things you can do if you become a figure skater. Skating is my passion above all and I hope it could possibly become yours.

Max DeMarco: Archery

Hi, I am Max DeMarco and I compete nationally in archery. I travel all around the country shooting at indoor and outdoor archery tournaments. I am a Pro Shooter at Quick Draw Archery where I shoot and train every day. I also help out with the shop and give lessons. Archery has pretty much become my life. There is never a time where I am not thinking about shooting. As of right now I currently hold the state record for Colorado and will try to break the National record in February. I am also working on getting sponsored in February in the Las Vegas tournament. When I finish high school, I want to shoot for the Texas A&M Archery Team as well as the shotgun and rifle team. My goal is to become the number one ranked archer in the world by the time I am 25 years old. Even though most of my time is spent shooting at tournaments or practicing for them, my favorite thing to do is hunting. The reason that I started archery was for hunting, though I never thought that I would become a tournament shooter. Part of the reason that I love shooting archery is the people that shoot it are so nice. Everybody helps everybody, even if they are competing against you. It is a great thing to do. I would encourage anybody who is thinking about this sport to try it. You will meet some great people and might just find your new favorite hobby. If you want to try to shoot a few arrows, look up Quick Draw Archery and get a lesson with one of instructors. I hope that everybody tries this awesome sport. continue on page 19

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Team 8-4

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Dominic Griffin: Boy Scouts and Interact Club

Hi, my Name is Dominic Griffin and I am a Interact Club member and a Boy Scout. Boy Scouts and Interact Club are big parts of my life concerning community work. For Boy Scouts, we are always creating service projects that help our community grow and become more beautiful. I also help younger scouts who are in Cub Scouts (the organization before boy scouts) go through their ranks. Even if Boy Scouts seems easy to you, its not. You have to complete specific requirements that relate to camping and important wilderness survival skills. Included with those requirements are merit badges. These badges also require you to complete certain items that teach you about first aid, Communication, Citizenship in the Community, and many more things. (There are about 128 total merit badges that you can earn in Boy Scouts). Interact club is also very involved in the community. We create functions so that we can raise money for certain charities like Red Cross and many other organizations that help people in need. Right now, I am the treasurer and I keep track of the money that we collect. We also go to retirement homes and visit elders who dont usually have any visitors. When we arrive, they have big smiles and they are very excited to see us. We dance with them and do crafts with them. At the end of our visit, they dont have anything which requires money to give so instead they give us hugs. These are both great activities to be in and I cannot imagine my life without being in both.

Mats Dale: Code

Hi, I am Mats Dale and I develop and build apps. Less than a year ago, I decided to found the iCode Club here at MRMS. I build applications for iOS (the mobile operating system for Apple devices). I am proud of many things including my current project. Along with iCode, I have been building an app for MRMS students. This app is an all-in-one including things such as Infinite Campus and Google Drive. A challenge I have had was getting the technology I needed. I was able to get this technology through babysitting and some other summer jobs. I love doing this because I like to make a computer think like a human. By coding you can make a computer think however you want. I would say to anyone that wants to start coding just give it a shot. Codeacademy is a great place to start. iCode is a great way at MRMS to get involved in coding

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Team 8-4

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Jarrett Cesmat: Business

Hey, whats up, uplifters! I am Jarrett Cesmat and I have created my own business. It is called Uplift. It is a brand where I created different hats and shirts that have my logo on them. I hope one day it will become as big as Nike or Under Amour. I got the idea because my friends and I always had competitions of creating the coolest brand, so I decided to create Uplift. I have created a website that allows you to look at media, shop, learn about the brand, and contact me if you have any questions. My website is (http://uplift153.webs.com/). I had a friend who helped me design a logo on Photoshop and different editing softwares. I have multiple colors and am working on new designs for the brand. I definitely recommend creating something that you love to do and sharing it with the world. My personal goal for this is to affect people all around the world with my brand that can help them in multiple ways, such as lifting them up out of tough times or difficult tasks. I am involved in a youth group that is connected with my church and one thing we do a lot is mission trips. I would love to create different items to help people that go on the trips to care for they are serving. continue on page 21

Activities and Athletics

MRMS 8th grade girls basketball ended up placing 4th during the season-ending District Tournament. The girls had a great season and showed great sportsmanship. 7th grade girls basketball started Monday, December 9th. We have over 40 girls out for the team. Their tournament will be January 25, 2014 at ThunderRidge High School. Wrestling is still going strong; tough times dont last, tough people do! The season ending tournament is Saturday, January 11, 2014 at Mountain Vista High School. 8th grade boys basketball will start January 27, 2014 and end with a tournament on March 1, 2014. There are numerous clubs and activities that are making a positive impact on our children and our community. There were two students, One RAM, and three clubs that really stood out during the fall and through December. One RAM embraced the Pay it Forward model. Mrs. Andrieses RAM hosted a penny war and were able to donate $1700 to the Salvation Army. Landon Ashley and team 7-4 loaded 6 carloads of food for Panther Pantry. Ryan Phillips initiated a RAM competition and donated a 15-passenger van full of food for flood victims. The National Junior Honors Society has raised over $500 dollars this year to support our school and other charities, and have made 10 quilts for donation. The Student Council hosted a hat day and raised over $100 for flood victims. The Interact Club has donated $300 to the Red Cross and over 50 clothing items to the Panther Pantry. Our school continues to find ways to make a positive impact in our community.

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General Announcements - Counseling

8th Graders to register for MVHS classes January 14-15.

Mountain Vista High School counselors and staff will visit our 8th graders on January 14th and 15th to help them register for classes for the 2014-2015 school year.

NAVIANCE at MRMS Mountain Ridge Middle School is pleased to be one of the first middle schools in Douglas County to use Naviance, a college and career website used to help students explore college and career readiness. The purpose at the middle school level is to gather information about their skills, interests and passion areas for further study in high school, college and career planning. Every high school in Douglas County uses the Naviance platform to track data and set goals for college and career plans and middle schools are coming on board. Mountain Ridge students have the benefit of being familiar with Naviance when they transition to high school. Our 8th grade students have already logged onto their Naviance accounts and completed interest inventories. All 7th grade students will be logging onto their Naviance accounts in early January.

Tips from the counseling office: Is your child getting enough sleep? Did you know adolescents need 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep a night to maintain optimal academic performance? http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/how_much_sleep.html Here are some tips on how to help your child get a better sleep: Create a nightly routine bath or shower, a light bedtime snack One hour before bedtime, have students turn off electronics. Instead, encourage reading a book or listening to music. Having a similar sleep-wake cycle on weeknights and weekends proves beneficial.

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General Announcements - MRMS Library News

Welcome to the library section of the MRMS newsletter. Since this is the first library message posted in this newsletter, I will begin with some background information. The library opens each school day at 7:15, and officially closes at 3:00. (Note: since WIN begins in the library at 3 oclock, students usually can still check out a book or return one even if they miss the 3 PM deadline.) The library provides students with a wide variety of reading materials, and much more. It is staffed by Pete Vincelette and his assistant Liz Meyer. Students can have up to 5 books checked out at a time. Books are loaned out for a two week time period. Reference materials and magazines are available for overnight checkout. Please encourage your student to return all books and materials on time. You can find plenty of general and specific info, as well as lots of great research resources, on the library wiki. The website is http:// hardwiredforstories.wikispaces.com/ (you can also get there by just Googling hardwired for stories). If your students class is working in the library on a project there are usually links, pdfs, and sometimes even related videos posted on the wiki that can be accessed at home. Please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Vincelette or stop by if you are in the school and say Hello. The MRMS Library staff strives to maintain an environment that promotes critical thinking while being positive and engaging. Lastly, we want to encourage you to help us teach your child the love of reading. The power of being in the habit of reading for pleasure will benefit them their whole lives. Pete Vincelette (303) 387-1931

Mountain Ridge Middle School

from the staff at