KMS NE

KMS NEWSLETTER

May/June 2008

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Once again the end of the year has crept up on us!   It does seem as if we just begun.  During these last two months of school teachers and students will be engaging in many activities to wrap up the school year.
As most of you probably know, we will no longer be able to have large events in our auditorium.  We are working on alternative plans to hold our end of the year events.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to announce at this time how we will be conducting our Achievement Day for 8th graders.  However, we will have an Achievement Day program.  When the plans are finalized we will mail the information to 8th grade parents.  Please plan on having only two guests for each family.  As we plan this event we will need firm workable numbers.  We will be sending just two tickets per family with the final plans for the ceremony.
Information regarding the end of the year concerts will be sent home with your children.  Again, the events will happen.  Thank-you for working with us to make this an enjoyable end of the year.
Have a safe and fun-filled summer.  Congratulations to our 8th graders.  It has been an honor to have been your middle school principal.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Frazier

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Parents of Sixth and Seventh Graders The last day of school is scheduled for Friday, June 20, 2008.  Keene Middle School will be dismissed at 11:50 a.m.   All other SAU #29 schools will also be dismissed 2 1/2 hours early.  The schedule for 8th graders will be mailed home with the Achievement Day plans.

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Who's received a Cardinal Award since the last newsletter?

Cardinal Awards are given to students who are "caught" doing an act of kindness or any deed that makes KMS the good place it is.  Some of the wonderful acts were:  Having a positive attitude, being kind and considerate, making good choices, returning found money and participating in the Spelling Bee and the Nutmeg Festival.    KUDOS to you all!
             Mrs. Frazier, Principal

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Progress Reports for Marking Period 4 will go home on May 20th. Final Report Cards for the year will be mailed home the following week after school closes.

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Attention:  All Grade 6 Parents:

A second dose of the Measles vaccine (MMR) is required before entering 7th grade.  Please make an appointment to have your child vaccinated if this has not been done.  Be sure to have your Health Care Provider send official documentation to the Keene Middle School Health Office, 17 Washington Street, Keene, NH  03431, Attention:  Mrs. Audet, RN.  If you have any questions or are unsure if your child needs this second MMR, please call Mrs. Audet, the KMS Nurse at 357-9027.

     

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Extensions 2008 Wrap-Up!

As the 2007-2008 KMS Extensions year winds down we are pleased to announce that Luminary Readers will be returning the next fall.  Lots of avid readers have missed this, one of our favorite activities in the past … but it’ll be back, we promise!  We are also looking forward to the return of the National Reader’s Digest Word Power Challenge.  This year the MathFax Math fanatics in grades 6 and 7 have really tried their hardest to nail those four Math meets and get the highest cumulative scores in their clusters, in their grades, and even nationally!  The final awards and standings will be announced at the Awards Assembly!

In Wordmasters, the third and final meet is coming up.  Who will be the KMS Word Master this year?   There’s some fierce competition among the 7th grade clusters this year… and the winner will take all!  Best of luck as we all look forward to the 4th quarter and the end of a highly successful year for our KMS competitors.

Mrs. Sylvia

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 Grade 8 Trip

We have just completed the 36th trip to Washington, D.C.  The trip was great!  We appreciate the following chaperones’ willingness to give five days to make this trip a memory for all eighth grade students:  Mrs. Audet, Mr. Bobbin, Mrs. Breda, Miss Brown, Mr. Chase, Mrs. DePalo, Mr. DePalo, Mr. DiBenedetto, Mrs. DiGeronimo, Mrs. Frazier, Mrs. Hebert, Mrs. Hubbard, Mr. Jenkins, Mrs. Jewett, Mr. Kress, Dr. LaRocca, Mr. Lasher, Ms. Lavatori, Ms. MacKenzie, Mrs. Manwaring, Mr. Margaitis, Ms. Menck, Miss Nicholson, Ms. Paquette, Mrs. Richi, Ms. Schofield, Mr. Segal, Mr. Shea, Mr. Singer, Miss Stauder, Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Tuttle, Miss VanDeusen, Ms. Wdowiak, and Mrs. Wilson-Tucker.

                                                                   Mrs. Tuttle, Ms. Menck, Ms. Paquette & Mr. Kress                                                                                                          Grade 8 Advisors

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Quebec Trip

Fifty French students will leave for Québec City, Canada May 8th. They will return May 10th after a 3-day tour!
Seventh grade students in Mrs. Hill’s and Mrs. Hawkins’ classes will experience the atmosphere and history of this French-speaking city in Canada. Bon voyage!

                Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Hawkins

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Student Council - Grade 8 Dance

The grade 8 dance will be held on Thursday, June 19th, from 6:30-9:30 p.m.  All eighth graders are encouraged to participate.  We would appreciate parental support in our continued efforts to keep this event from becoming too “fancy.”  This is not a prom!  Boys need to wear jackets and ties or sweaters and ties.  Girls need to wear dresses or skirts.  Apparel worn on the Washington Dinner Cruise would be ideal for this dance.  It is not necessary to have a “date.”  In fact, past experiences has proven that the majority of students who go without escorts, generally have more fun.  Only KMS eighth graders who are both academically and behaviorally eligible will attend.  This should be an enjoyable and enjoyable experience as it is the final social event at KMS for these students.  Please help us make all eighth graders feel comfortable and excited about attending.
                                                                           

Mr. Bobbin

 
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Memorial Day Parade

On Saturday, May 17 & 24, the KMS bands will rehearse for the Memorial Day Parade.  Rehearsal will be from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on the field behind the school.  This year’s Memorial Day Parade is scheduled for Monday, May 26th at 10:00 a.m. and will start on Gilbo Avenue.  KMS band students will meet in the middle school auditorium at 8:45 a.m.

PLEASE NOTE: We have a new procedure in place for the end of the Memorial Day Parade. We will march to the Rec. Center as usual, but when we reach the Rec. Center parking lot, we will be turning to the right, into the parking lot to meet parents. We will not be staying to perform for the ceremony. Families are, of course, welcome to stay to watch and to support our community’s performing groups.

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Music Department News

With the closing of the Keene Middle School auditorium we are in the process of looking at the schedule of music department concerts for the remainder of this year and how to best present the programs with as little disruption to everyone involved.   When a decision has been made, information will be on the school’s website and a notice will be sent home with the students. Please know that there will be concerts! The music students are very excited about our remaining performances and our goals are to cause as little disruption to the educational process as possible.

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Mathcounts

The Mathcounts program had another great year with over twenty students participating.   The KMS team placed fourth at the Regional Competition.   Students Lucas LaScala, Dan Damato, and homeschooler Miles Walter all qualified to compete at the State Competition at Plymouth State University.    Miles Walter did an outstanding job at this competition, placing tenth!

        Mrs. Greenwald, Mathcounts Advisor

 

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Yearbook News

At the June assembly, students anxiously await and anticipate the presentation and distribution of the KMS Reflections yearbook.  The yearbook club works hard to make each book a memorable representation of the KMS school year.  Questions such as:  What does the cover look like?  What is the theme?  What pictures are printed?  Who is retiring?  and Who is it dedicated to?  are all answered after the assembly, as students who pre-ordered their book, peruse through their copy in homerooms.   Meanwhile, those who did not pre-order anxiously await the announcement of the remaining book sales for their grade. 

Pre-orders are still being accepted until June 1st.  Simply fill out an order form (located outside the main office) and attach a check in the amount of $30, payable to Keene Middle School, and submit both to Mr. Marcou in room 308.  Be sure to include the student’s name on the check.  After June 1st, yearbooks will still cost $30 and any remaining books, after the pre-ordered copies have been distributed, will be sold first to grade 8, then grade 7, then grade 6. 

Don’t be left out.  Order your copy today!

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Guidance News

All 6th and 7th graders will participate in the NWEA/MAP testing in May.

All 8th graders will participate in the Science NECAP tests May 13th, 14th, & 15th.

Transitions:
All incoming 6th & 7th graders will visit KMS in May.
All 8th graders will tour Keene High School in May.

If you have any questions please contact Wendi Campbell,
6th grade Guidance Counselor/Guidance Coordinator
(357-9020 x 224 or wcampbell@sau299.org)

 
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Parent Group

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many parents, staff members, and students who have volunteered their time and energy throughout this school year.  It is because of your dedication to Keene Middle School, that so many wonderful events can occur.

We hope that you have a safe and relaxing summer and we look forward to the 2008-2009 school year.

Carmelina Tonkinson & Janet O'Brien

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Staff Appreciation Luncheon
Friday, May 16th
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Family/Consumer Room
                                                 

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NWEA/MAPS
May 5-23, 2008

      All 6th and 7th graders will participate in the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA) and Measure of Academic Progress (MAP).  Assessments in the areas of math, reading and writing.   These tests provide information about your child's instuctional levels and test results can help with planning for appropriate  programs.   For more information on NWEA/MAP, please visit the website:  www.nwea.org

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J. Larry Adams

John W. Day hired Mr. Adams to teach health at Keene Junior High School in 1970.  He had just moved to Keene from Kentucky where, for two years, he taught physical education, English and Social Studies.  He was also an assistant football coach at the high school there.

During the time he was teaching health, Mr. Adams completed his masters degree in guidance counseling at the University of Massachusetts.  Just before the transition from a Junior High to a Middle School, Mr. Adams was offered a position as a guidance counselor.  He worked as a counselor for 13 years before being hired as an Assistant Principal, the position he's held since then.  Throughout his time at KMS, Mr. Adams has been involved in coaching sports and clubs.  He has been active in promoting many of the initiatives at KMS.

Mr. Adams has worked in Keene for 38 years.  With the two prior years he spent teaching in Kentucky, Mr. Adams has spent a total of 40 years as an educator and administrator.  He will be sorely missed.  The students and staff at Keene Middle School wish Mr. Adams a happy and healthy retirement!