- Mount Nittany Middle School
- Orange Team Supply and Info Letter 2023/2024
8th Grade Orange
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Welcome to the Orange Team!2023-2024
Summer greetings from the Mount Nittany Middle School Orange Team. We are happy to have you as a student on our team, and we look forward to a successful school year.
Meet the Orange Team teachers:
Amy Anderson Art (Fall) axa14@scasd.org
Jonah Klixbull Music (Spring)
Cassie Mosier English cgm13@scasd.org
Chelsea Cummins Academic Literacy csm19@scasd.org
Amy Dietz Math amd20@scasd.org
Dan Stevens Science dls25@scasd.org
Paula Homa Social Studies prh11@scasd.org
One of our Orange Team goals is to help our students with organization. With that goal in mind, please refer to the list below when purchasing your school supplies. Clearly labeled binders will also be beneficial when retrieving materials from lockers.
Supply List:
*** A school-issued, charged Chromebook, wired earbuds, and pencils are required for all classes.
Students can choose how they want to organize their binders/folders. A suggestion is to have a binder (maybe 2 inch) for their odd day (or A day) classes, and then another binder for their even day (or B day) classes. If students are using binders for multiple classes, tabbed dividers are recommended.
Homeroom: 2 boxes of tissues
English: one durable folder that is hole punched to put in a binder, earbuds, black pens, colored pens, highlighters, and a book to read
Science: 1 composition-style notebook, 1 folder just for science class, pencils, glue sticks
Social Studies: binder, pencils
Academic Literacy: binder, notebook paper, highlighters, earbuds & pencils
Math Classes (your child is enrolled in 1 of the following classes):
Advanced Algebra I: binder, pencils, and Texas Instruments (TI) graphing calculator (TI-83, TI-84, TI-84+) (not required, but strongly recommended)
Algebra & Geometry 8: binder, basic calculator, highlighter, pencils
Advanced Geometry: 2” 3-ring binder, protractor, and a compass
Art (fall semester 2023): 2-pocket folder, a 9X12 sketchbook, and four (4) #2 pencils to be donated and used in the art classroom
Music (spring semester 2024): earbudsIn addition, all students should have and maintain an ample supply throughout the year of #2 pencils, erasers, pens (blue and colored for self-correcting), highlighters, and loose-leaf notebook paper for each binder.Snacks & Water
We permit nutritious snacking during block five/six, as long as it does not disturb the class. Each student must bring his/her own nutritional snack; sharing distracts others. Please do not send candy or full-size bags of snacks. They will not be permitted. Water in plastic bottles is permitted. Refillable water bottles are encouraged as we have a filling station in the 8th-grade hallway.
Eighth Grade is a Pivotal Year
The Orange Team recognizes that eighth grade is the culminating year at Mount Nittany Middle School. Your child has changed in many ways since he/she entered sixth grade. The sixth and seventh-grade years were building blocks in developing successful academic performance. Your child must learn to balance academic challenges, peer issues, extracurricular activities, and family responsibilities during this school year. Learning to maintain this balance is never easy; we believe that it is a life skill that requires dedication to responsible academic and social behavior. The rules we have established will not only facilitate the transition from middle school to high school, but they will also become tools that your child can use to achieve success in the future. Please review these rules with your child before the start of school.
Orange Team’s Steps to Success
• Students are expected to be prepared for class. They should make sure that they have all materials needed before class begins. Students may go to their lockers between classes. Once class begins, they will not be permitted to go to their lockers.
• To receive full credit, homework must be completed and turned in on time.
• Homework is not late if a student is absent. However, students are responsible for turning in past assignments upon their return to school. Tests need to be scheduled and made up promptly, as well. Students who will miss part or most of a school day due to medical appointments, field trips, extracurricular activities, etc. are expected to turn in homework and obtain assignments before they leave and make up any quizzes or tests the next school day. Students who arrive late to school are responsible for seeing the teachers of the classes missed before arrival.
• Academic integrity is critical for success; therefore, if a student is caught copying another student’s work, both papers will be taken and the school discipline policy will be followed. Both papers will be forwarded to the appropriate teacher if the offense is for an off-team class assignment.
• Students should show respect by treating each other with integrity. We want to create an atmosphere where all students feel comfortable learning and socializing. Harassment and unkind teasing will not be tolerated.
Study Skills Tips
Study skills are a very important part of your child’s education. Students need to establish strong skills at an early age. Here are some helpful hints:
·Students should establish a specific schedule for doing homework and studying.
·Students should study in several short sessions of 40 to 50 minutes each with a few minutes break between each session. Students should take notes as they read.
·Encourage your child to review class notes and readings each day as an integral part of his/her study time. This will improve overall comprehension and long-term retention.
·Review previous quizzes and tests with your child.
·Students should use an assignment book daily to record all assignments.
Enjoy the remainder of your summer vacation!