January 2012

Dates to Remember

Friday, January 13    

 End of Second Quarter   

 

Monday, January 16    

Martin Luther King Day

No Classes   

 
Tuesday, January 17   
Stanford Testing Starts

Thursday, January 19
Information Night for New Students
7:00 P.M.  
 
Friday, January 20
Report Cards Mailed

Thursday, January 26
Faculty Meeting Schedule 
School Starts at 9:00 A.M. 

__________

 

Stanford Testing  

by Ms. Concannon 

Ms. Concannon 

Since 2002, each January the CM Middle School has administered the Stanford Achievement Test.  The Stanford series has been considered the standard of excellence in achievement testing in the United States for many years. For that reason, the Archdiocese of Boston decided to adopt the Stanford this past March for the 18,000 students in grades 1-8. Here at CM we will continue with the Stanford, however, we will be using the new Stanford 10 instrument.

 

The Stanford 10 Achievement Test is a test battery consisting of five major tests, some of which will have subtests. The five main tests include math, reading, language skills, science and social studies. Standardized testing helps students, teachers and parents evaluate general academic skills and abilities in these important content areas. The results will be used in conjunction with progress reports and report cards as tools to help improve student learning.

 

Students will receive complete details about the testing sequence over the next two weeks. The testing will take place during the week of January 17th which coincides with the High School mid-term examinations. Results will be mailed home in early March.  The Stanford Achievement Test provides our students with their first CM experience of standardized testing. The Catholic Memorial testing program continues in progression through grade twelve. The expectation is that student performance on the SAT and ACT will improve after consistent practice and evaluation.

   
What are
Standardized Tests?

Standardized tests are commercially created and published tests written by experts who are familiar with what is being taught in schools nationwide.  These tests cover a wide-range of subjects and are used to measure student performance throughout the country.

 

Standardized tests are "yardsticks," or common standards of measurements, which play an important role in the educational system.  The data obtained from these tests provides information about what each student already knows, what he or she still needs to learn, and what his or her potential is.  This information may also indicate whether a student qualifies for programs such as reading intervention, special needs, or gifted services, such as, the Johns Hopkins Program.  It enables teachers to design individual educational programs to help students perform up to their cognitive abilities.  Schools use the results to evaluate their policies, ascertain the effectiveness of programs and curriculum, and help determine if their educational goals are being met.

 

A standardized test is one that is identical, or uniform, in all areas. It contains the same questions, is administered in the same manner, is completed in the same amount of time, and is graded or scored using the same method.  These tests fall into two categories: achievement and aptitude.  An achievement test measures a student's acquired knowledge, or past learning, in one or more areas and compares the results with the national reference group.  An aptitude test measures a student's potential for future learning and performance.

 

The difference between standardized tests is the way in which the test results are compared.  Some tests are criterion referenced while others are norm referenced.  If the test if criterion referenced, your child's test score is compared to test scores of other children.  The results indicate the level of proficiency-whether your child exceeds, meets, or falls below the established proficiency level in a given subject area.  If a test is norm referenced, your child's test scores are compared to a sample of children or select "norm group," usually within that same age and grade level.  The test scores indicate what percentage of children scored at or below your child's score.

 

The Internet is an excellent source of in-depth information about the different standardized tests available.  At the Middle School, we use the Stanford Achievement Test.  The Stanford Achievement Test- SAT is a battery, or group, of related tests combining achievement and aptitude tests using both criterion and norm referenced scoring for comparisons.  This is not to be confused with the other well-known SAT test, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, which is used as a college entrance exam.

 

Tests alone cannot determine your child's placement in the classroom.  They are only one of several methods used to identify ability, knowledge, and skills. Teachers use a combination of testing, classroom observation, homework assignments, day-to-day class work, and individual progress throughout the school year to evaluate their students.

In addition to test practice, test preparation provides strategies to help students improve their performance, increase their level of comfort, and reduce their anxiety when taking test.  Share the following strategies with your child:

  • Relax!  Studies have found that the more relaxed you are, the better you will perform on a test.  If you have attended school regularly, turned in homework and other assignments, and completed practice tests, you will be well prepared for any type of test.
  • Listen to and read the directions to the test carefully.  This important step will save time and frustration as you proceed through the test.
  • Take a quick look at the test before you pick up your pencil.  Once you have a "feel" for the content, answer those questions you are confident about first, followed by the more difficult ones.  This saves time and creates less frustration.
  • If you are stumped, don't be nervous.  Reread the question to see if you understand it.  If you still have no idea how to answer it, comeback to it. Later, if you still can't figure it out, make an educated guess.
  • For a multiple choice question, read all the answers first, then narrow down the choices by the progress of elimination.  Cross off the answers that aren't correct and focus on the remaining choices before you select an answer.  Figure out a reason to choose one answer over the other.  Take into consideration that the answer may contain an unfamiliar word.
  • For true-false questions, you can quickly eliminate those statements that begin with "all" or "never." Those are rarely true.
  • Make every effort to by neat.  Make sure your handwriting is legible, your changed answers are completely erased, and multiple-choice answers filled in carefully.
  • Check your answers. If you have any time left over after you've completed the test, look at those questions on which you guessed or didn't answer at all.  Also check for careless mistakes such as marking the answer in the wrong place (especially if a bubble, or fill-in-the-circle, answer sheet is being used).
  • Maintain your child's usual bedtime and morning routines on test days.  If your child usually goes to bed at 9 p.m. and eats Cheerios for breakfast, don't turn off the lights at 7:30 p.m. and cook bacon and eggs in the morning.  This will heighten the anxiety.  Reduce your child's anxieties by staying calm, giving positive encouragement, and not placing too much emphasis on test scores.

This is the website for Educational Testing Service (ETS), a private, nonprofit organization that supports educational measurement and research. The section for parents contains timely and pertinent information about testing and education issues, Internet resources, and financial aid information.

The New Martin Luther King, Jr.
Memorial in Washington, D.C.

"The time is always right to do what is right."  MLK 

 

The new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is located in

West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., southwest of the National Mall. The memorial is America's 395th national park. The memorial is located at the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, on a sightline linking the Lincoln Memorial to the northwest and the Jefferson Memorial to the southeast. The official address of the monument, 1964 Independence Avenue, S.W., commemorates the year that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law.  Covering four acres, the memorial opened to the public on August 22, 2011, after more than two decades of planning, fund-raising and construction.

Sports Medicine

and Physical Therapy

by Matthew Demmler '17  

 

Mrs. Levy and Mr. Elliott from the Whittier Street Health Center came to talk to the seventh graders in December about sports medicine and physical therapy. Before this visit, Mrs. Levy previously visited CM in October to talk about physical fitness and the importance of setting goals. Mr. Elliott introduced himself by saying that he has worked with sports medicine teams and in rehab centers for quite some time. Both of the speakers had helpful facts for us. They pointed out that the average age of life expectancy will go down if we develop poor habits of inactivity and poor nutrition.  Mrs. Levy then asked everyone how long they exercise a day.  The average time was about two hours which she said was very good for someone our age.   

Mr. Elliott, Mrs. Levy, and Matthew Demmler 

The speakers also mentioned that the topic of concussions is one that is getting a lot of attention at this time. After saying that, they said that researchers are looking into making new helmets that will give us more protection against head injuries and concussions. The speakers also stressed the importance of wearing mouth guards and other equipment designed to prevent injuries. Mrs. Levy and Mr. Elliot said to us that this equipment is designed to absorb shock and prevent serious injury. Mrs. Levy than added that if you play sports while you have an injury there will be severe consequences, so you should not do it.  Someone then asked the question about whether or not you can exercise too much.  Mr. Elliott said yes, he said if you put too much stress on your body you are more prone to causing muscle and bone damage.  They concluded the presentation by telling us to set specific health goals and exercise at least one hour a day.  All of us in the seventh grade had a chance to ask questions and learn about how best to exercise and take better care of ourselves.

 
 

Nutrition Poster

by John Martins '17

 

During the month of November our math class completed a project based on nutrition.  To finish our assignment my teacher, Mr. Carey, assigned the class a project.  We had to make a poster on nutrition by picking a day and recording everything we ate and all the activities we did on that day.   We also had to keep a record of how many calories we consumed and burned.   After tracking everything we needed to show our results.  There was a section on the poster where we showed how many more calories were consumed than burned, or vice versa.  I did this by finding how many calories were in the foods that I ate and how many calories I burned.  I subtracted the calories I burned from how many calories I consumed.   My results showed that I burned more calories than I consumed.

 

John Martins 

We also needed to show how long it would take to burn or lose a pound on our results.  I completed this by dividing 3,500, the amount of calories in a pound, by how many more calories I burned than consumed.  Lastly, we had to design our poster with pictures of the foods we consumed and the activities we did during the day.  After finishing this project I learned many things, for example how many calories are in a pound and why we should eat healthy and stay active.   I had a great time completing this project for my math class. It gave me a better understanding of how the human body works and the importance of balancing what we eat with the amount of exercise we do.

 

 

My Trip to Normandy

by Dylan Dagg-Chalmers '16 

 

The summer before last we took a family trip to Paris, Normandy, and London. My family and I are real history buffs especially when it comes to World War II history. Actually when I attended Holy Name Parish School I received an award from the 29th Infantry Division for my knowledge of WWII and D-Day. The 29th was first on the beach in Normandy on D-Day.

Dylan with members of his family in Normandy 

In Normandy we stayed in the medieval town of Bayeux. There we saw the Bayeux tapestry. We also went to the medieval monastery of Mont St. Michel. This is the only part of France that has never been conquered. It was originally constructed because of a vision the Arch-Bishop, at the time, had of the Archangel Michael saying to build a monastery on this mount.

 

On Utah Beach we ate at a café that has a secret Bunker underneath it. It was not open to the public, but the people who owned it were nice enough to bring us down to see it. They gave me a bullet from a rifle used in the D-Day invasion. We also collected sand and sea shells from Utah and Omaha beaches. Standing there on the beach made us think of what that day must have been like.

Mr. Chalmers and Dylan in Paris

From there we went to Brecourt Manor which was made famous in the mini-series "Band of Brothers." There Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division silenced 4 big guns that were firing on Utah Beach. They were causing a lot of casualties. The "Silencing of the Guns" helped to limit the casualties on Utah Beach. My grandmother had met the people before so we were invited in. It was amazing.

 

Another real amazing place made famous in the movie "The Longest Day" was St. Mere Eglise. The night before D-Day paratroopers were dropped into this town in preparation for D-Day. Many American lives were lost.  We walked along Omaha Beach where the opening landings of D-Day began. This is where the American cemetery is, where over 10,000 Americans are buried. It was truly an awe inspiring experience. It was also very sad.  From there we went to Pointe Du Hoc where the Rangers scaled the Cliffs on D-Day. Then on to London and Churchill's war room bunkers. It was truly an amazing trip!

 

 

_______________ 

 

Art-full Opportunities 

 

Under the direction of Mrs. Peacock, students are given many opportunities to better understand, appreciate, and create works of art.  The Seventh Grade Art Program focuses on the basics of art at a beginner's level.  The students are taught the elements of art and the principles of design and learn how to use them to create original works.   Drawing is emphasized in order to provide a solid foundation for possible future art courses. Throughout the year, the students will complete several major drawings, mixed media, painting, and printmaking projects.  Most recently, the students drew a fall landscape with oil pastels.  Ms. Peacock was able to demonstrate the drawing process as the students followed step-by-step instructions.

Mrs. Peacock with one of her Seventh Grade Art Classes

The Seventh Grade Art Program focuses on learning all of the basics, but is primarily about having students giving their full effort and having students explore their creative sides.  Throughout the month of December, students focused on the principles of rhythm and emphasis.  They used Christmas imagery to achieve this effect by creating one large drawing as the focal point and repeating another image throughout the rest of the composition.

 

Interdisciplinary works are often incorporated throughout the middle school curriculum on a daily basis.  The art students create images to go along with a story they have written in English or for a chart they make in Science. Leading up to the Christmas vacation, when students created Advent calendars in conjunction with their studies in Theology. After vacation, students will begin learning about painting and practicing with acrylic paints. 

 

Mrs. Peacock also holds an Art Club every Monday and Wednesday afternoon from 2:30 - 5:00.  Students are encouraged to create their own original works using a variety of media including sculptural clay.  Many students use this as an opportunity to perfect projects for other classes that may include an art element.  Art Club students are involved in many other activities, clubs, or sports at CM.  Some of the Latin Club students create projects for their yearly Latin State Convention held in the spring. 

 

Kevin O'Toole 

Kevin O'Toole, current Art Club and Latin Club member is working on a gladiator helmet inspired by the recent Latin student field trip to "A Day in Pompeii," an exhibit currently at the Museum of Science. 

 

Eighth grader, Benjamin Trieber, recently took on the challenging project of creating a relief sculpture of Ludwig Van Beethoven. 

Ben Trieber 

 

 

The Art Club recently created painted panels for the Christmas Concert and the Lessons and Carols Presentation.  This year, the students built and painted a three panel piece of art for these events.  Concentrating on the theme, "Glory to God in the Highest," the students depicted God's glory through a star with rays of light.  They enhanced the work by adding foil throughout the panels.  This project was a great opportunity for students of all grades to come together and create art they can proudly display before the entire CM community.   

Members of the Art Club with the
panels they created for Christmas.

 

 

 

Mr. Murray and BERSI

by Owen Morris '16 

 

In addition to teaching eighth grade science and math, Mr. Murray runs the BERSI Program. I recently interviewed Mr. Murray and he told me all about BERSI and what they do.

 

Owen Morris and Mr. Murray 

BERSI is the Blessed Edmund Rice Solidarity Initiative. The program sponsors trips that are academic, cross cultural, and service oriented.  One example of a BERSI trip is when they go to Philadelphia and work in soup kitchens. While in Philadelphia, the students fast for forty hours to be in solidarity with the poor who don't have enough to eat.  Another example of a BERSI trip is the trip to Peru. While in Peru, the students work with Third World students and they experience Third World life. The students learned there that most people did not have the luxury of going to a great school like Catholic Memorial.  This year there are still spots open on the BERSI trip planned to Montreal. Next year there will be more BERSI trips to sign up for and Mr. Murray is always looking for suggestions for future trips. Make sure to sign up fast because the spots vanish quickly! 

 

As I was nearing the end of my interview with Mr. Murray, I asked him about the annual dodgeball tournament.  He seemed really excited and said the tournament would be taking place in the spring. I know that I'm going to be in it and I know that it's going to be great!   Mr. Murray said he would be updating us on the tournament a few weeks before it starts.

 


The Ugly Sweater Contest

The Contestants in the "Ugly Sweater Contest"
...and the students want to thank Mr. Murray
for coming up with another brilliant idea.
.