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A note from the principal . . .

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Happy December!

Half way through the year? Can you believe it? It seems like we were justgearing up for the year, talking about new classes, meeting each other at back-toschool night, transitioning our 7thgraders, and encouraging our 8thgraders totake on the role of leaders at school. Now here we are with new electives thathave finished one entire cycle, expert 7 thgraders, and 8thgraders who arebeginning to plan for and worry about high school! What a difference half a year

can make.

7thgrade parents, great job making it through the initial transition! You haveofficially survived the beginning of middle school. I love how quickly thestudents leave their elementary selves behind and jump into the roles of middleschoolers! They have all gained such confidence and independence. I know thatthese traits can be difficult from a parenting standpoint, but they are such greatqualities that we truly want all of our kids to have. These traits sometimes arethe 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 keepencouraging your 7thgraders to try new things, challenge their thinking andyours, and to not be afraid to work hard but sometimes fail. What better time forour kids to learn these lessons than now, when it is safe and low stakes. There isnothing easy about being a 7thgrader or parenting a 7thgrader; I know! There isalso so much enjoyment and growth during this time. Dont blink; they will be

in high school before you know it!

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P A G E 2

Mountain Ridge Middle School

A note from the principal . . .continued

Fellow 8thgrade parentshigh school? Are you kidding me? I am reallynervous about this next transition! There is just something so grown up andmature about high school. I look at my 8thgrader and wonder if I have supportedhim enough. I wonder if I have given him the tools to advocate for himself andmake 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 thesethings keep going through my head as I look at this next step. At the end of theday, I have to practice what I preach. I have to trust his teachers over the years.I have to trust his 8thgrade teachers to know what he needs to know before highschool and prepare him. I have to trust the high school to challenge and supportmy child as he becomes an adult. I have to trust myself that I have taught himhow to be responsible, hard working, and kind. Ultimately, though, I have totrust him! This is the hardest part for me. I trust him in the sense that he ishonest, but do I trust him enough to take on his own education and experiencesas a high schooler? I have to. He is no longer my little boy, but a young manwho 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 8thgrade parents, remember how amazing it is that our kids are at this point andready 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 arehalf way through another year made me realize how quickly this time goes for usparents! Again, you have raised amazing, thoughtful, respectful kids that welove seeing every day at MRMS. Ultimately, that means that you have done agreat 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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We are wrapping up this semester with some fun team activities! On the last dayof 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 AndersVega, 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 oftheir choice. They practiced supporting their arguments with evidence andpersonal examples. The topics ranged from wanting a Starbucks at school, tolegalizing 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 revolutionsoccur 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 UnitedStates. We recently watched a PSA from the 1950s informing students what to doin the case of an atomic bomb. Remember the wise words of Bert the Turtle: duck

and cover!

Team 7-One Wonders!

P A G E 3

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Team 7-1 Wonders! continued

P A G E 4

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 witha 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 ourknowledge to real life situations and used similar triangles to indirectly measurelocations around the school. (Flag pole, light post, school height, height of TheCommons). They enjoyed using the high-tech iChalk on the concrete when theymade 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 beenlearning about the 6 major nutrients and their importance to our bodies. Studentsare also learning about what influences the food choices that they make. Afterwinter break, we will finish up the nutrition unit with learning about causes andeffects of eating disorders. Students will explore the following questions: Whatare 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 thequarter, students are asked to create a positive sustainable change to the learning

environment at MRMS.

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Now, that offers LOTS of voice and choice, and it also offers lots of logisticalchallenges 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 arenot anywhere near them and even if you are not working on it at the same time. Ilearned what asynchronous collaboration is and I have also learned what skillsbusinesses look for in their employees. I think that knowing this will give me alittle 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 learningexperience and prepare myself for getting that job.

I have also learned that it is extremely important to find a group that you knowyou will work well with and that you can collaborate and communicate with. Ilearned about all of the 4C's (Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication,and Creativity. I think that on this project these skills are most important in thisorder: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and then Critical Thinking. Ilearned 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

good job.


Team 7-1 Wonders! continued

P A G E 5

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P A G E 6


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 meansthat soon our students will be dissecting a frog! Comparinghuman anatomy with frog anatomy is powerful andcompelling; many students have dissected various "parts" inelementary school, but the frog dissection is a great way tolearn how all those parts work together. And since froganatomy is so similar to human anatomy, understanding a frogtruly 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 andculture. Students have learned how geography and history have impacted severalAfrican 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. Aperson and an event that made many students lists are Nelson Mandela andapartheid. While learning about these, we discussed how ones point of viewinfluences their perception and understanding of history. We delved intoquestions like...Was Mandela a freedom fighter or a terrorist? Students evencreated their own political cartoons that showed how an issue can be interpretedfrom completely different points of view.

As a concluding activity, students coupled their knowledge of Africa with theirmap skills and in collaborative groups, created thematic maps that show off thebest of the continent. This winter, well be heading north and east to Asia.

Team 7-2 - Are You Aware?

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P A G E 7


Language Arts


Africa

Students in language arts demonstrated theirlearning of Africas geography, history, andculture by creating a travelogue or storyincorporating at least three places on the Africancontinent. 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, orGoogle presentation format. This helped build background knowledge for the playA Christmas Carol. Students participated in a readers theater in class as theybecame 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 DrivingQuestion. They have been researching, surveying, interviewing, collaborating,brainstorming, testing, modeling, and creating some very innovative ways toimprove the physical, social, academic and affective aspects of the MRMS

learning environment.

Team 7-2 - Are You Aware? continued

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P A G E 8


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 thehope that some of their ideas might actually be implemented!

Health / PE


Supersize Me! Or not.

What we put into our bodies DOES matter, a lesson that students are learningthrough our study of nutrition and the choices we make. As part of their learningthe students are currently viewing and discussing the documentary, Supersize

Me. What a timely topic as we travel through the holiday season enjoying all ofthe 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!

Team 7-2 - Are You Aware? continued
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P A G E 9


Team 7-4 Change Agents

One of the top 6 teams at MRMS!

7-4 Change Agent of the Month : Matisse Molina

Matisse exemplifies what it means to be a changeagent by modeling good citizenship, awareness ofothers, responsibility, and genuine kindness to herselfand others. Her care and concern for others comesthrough with her interactions with peers and adults.Matisse shows a wonderful level of empathy towardsothers around her as well others in need around theworld. Her ability to focus and manage all of herresponsibilities with such a remarkable level of

dedication is outstanding.

Congratulations Matisse!

Weve had such a great semester with our kids. We look forward to watchingthem grow as Change Agents next semester and changing the world around

them.

Quotables from a 7thgrader :

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)

Important Dates

Please check grades on

December 20thfor 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

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P A G E 10


Hour of Code Announcement

Last week (Dec. 9Dec. 13) all MRMS students were able to partake in an Hourof 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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P A G E 11

World Languages


Happy New Year fr om the Worl dLanguage Department.

As people around the world say good-bye to2013 and welcome in 2014, we thought youmight enjoy a little cultural experience and readabout New Years Celebrations in France and

Spain.

We enjoy teaching your children a new language and an important part of that isintroducing 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 inFrance during New Year's

Day.

In France,New Year's Eve(la Saint-Sylvestre) is usuallycelebrated with a feast, le

Rveillon de la Saint-

Sylvestre(Cap d'AnyinNorthern Catalonia). Thisfeast customarily includes

special dishes including foie gras,seafood such as oysters, and champagne.Thecelebration 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 exchangeNew Year's

resolutions,kisses, and wishes. Some people eat ice cream.

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P A G E 12

World Languages continued


There is a special tradition in Viella, a village intheHautes-Pyrnesregion close to the Spanishborder. A church service is held late in theevening on New Year's Eve. Afterwards, peoplewalk to the vineyards in a torchlight procession.The grape harvest begins at midnight. A strong,sweet wine is made from the grapes that havematured naturally on the vines. Bottles of thiswine 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 desRois). A traditional type of flat pastry cake, la galette des rois, made of two sheetsof puff pastry, filled withfrangipane(almond paste) is eaten. The cake contains a

fve, a small china doll; whoever finds it becomes king or queen and gets to weara 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

(NocheviejaorFin de Ao)celebrations usually begin witha family dinner, traditionallyincluding shrimp orprawns,andlamb or capon.Spanishtradition says that wearing new,red underwear on New Year'sEve brings good luck. Theactual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of the Casa deCorreos building in Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid.It is traditional to eat twelvegrapes, 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 largeproduction surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed byalmost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonymous with theNew 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 denocheviejaparties (named for the Spanish word cotilln, which refers to partysupplies like confetti, party blowers, and party hats) at pubs, clubs, and similarplaces. Parties usually last until the next morning and range from small, personalcelebrations at local bars to huge parties with guests numbering the thousands athotel convention rooms. Early the next morning, party attendees usually gather tohave the traditional winter breakfast of hot chocolate and fried pastry (chocolate

con churros).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_%28Christian%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madridhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerta_del_Solhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prawnshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamb_and_muttonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caponhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerta_del_Solhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madridhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicantehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cava_%28Spanish_wine%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champagne_%28wine%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churrohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churrohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nochevieja_puertadelsol_2006.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churrohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champagne_%28wine%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cava_%28Spanish_wine%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicantehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madridhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerta_del_Solhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caponhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamb_and_muttonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prawnshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerta_del_Solhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madridhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_%28Christian%29

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P A G E 13

Electives: Art

Two projects that are being finished by art students this semester are functional artworks. The Chair project is ongoing collage work in the studio with layers andlayers of color, shape, line, texture and values built up on the surface to create arich collage. Each student is working on a chair based on a different artist. Mostof the artists are living today and all are currently showing in galleries andmuseums around the world. Students researched each artist and wrote adescription 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 isbased on the glass work of artist Dale Chihuly. The "glass" is liquid plastic thathardened 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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P A G E 14

Electives: Art continued


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P A G E 15

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 befor e fi nal s and all thr ough 8-1

The tests and projects were due and it was not al l that f un!

The scissors were sni pping and paper was folded

Mrs. Earl was stressed out by the papers she holded!

Mr. Blair was preaching

Whil e the whi te boards were screeching.

The students were sad

Because the puns were so bad!

Students were learn ing to solve systems by el imination

M rs. Andr iese was crying as they did not understand the information!

M r. Lopez was discouraging a cookie snack

Whi le he sneaked a cinnamon roll behind our backs!

The robots roll ed and the alarms beeped.

Mrs. Personett was wishing for a good nights sleep!

Density was decreasing as M r. H il l taught about space

I n h is head he was thinking about which mountain to face!

Our next team un it i s how natu ral disasters eff ect us.

I f one reall y happens, we hope our fr iends 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, i t i s very clear

That we wil l be well prepared to succeed next year!


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P A G E 16

Team 8-3


Twas the Week Before Winter Break

Twas the week befor e Winter Break , when all through the pod

Al l the students were sti rr ing - even becoming qui te awed.

The groups were established, and hung on the wall

I n hopes that St. Clarke would soon visit our hall .

The students were nestled, all using their leads,

Whil e visions of advanced grades, danced in their heads.

M r. M cKinney in his blue jeans,

And I in my black pants,

Had just settled down to wr ite a few grants.

When out in the pod there arose such a clatter

We all sprang f rom our desks to see what was the matter.

Away to the (off ice) window

We all fl ew li ke a flash

Tor e open the shu tters and thr ew 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 thissemester. They will be charged with answering the question: How do ideas and

inventi ons positi vely 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 workthey do beyond the classroom. Students on Team 8-4 are involved in so manythings, from hockey to basketball to lacrosse, to gymnastics and softball andsoccer, to singing and dancing and instrumental music. Our students babysit, writefanfiction, volunteer, lead church groups, rock climb, mountain bike, designcomputer 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 NationalsNote: 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 8-4performers 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? ThenThespian Troupe might be the thing for you. Hi, Im Savanah Howard and thisyear 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 tospend 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 kidscare so much about their acting and singing that they give up three hours everyWednesday 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. FromSeptember to December, all one-hundred and eight of us worked on our pieces,gave each other feedback, and performed for each other. When December 5throlled around, we all stood out in the cold and waited for the train to take usdowntown to go compete at the Colorado Thespian Convention. But Thespian

Troupe isnt just about making it to Dallas-Thespian is about making one hundredand eight new friends and having a great time doing what you love. I couldnthave made a better choice for myself. Im thankful for the teachers and highschoolers that helped me get to where I am today. Now, Im off to Dallas withsome 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.

P A G E 17


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Team 8-4 continued

Rachel Peterson: Figure SkatingHi, my name is Rachel Peterson and I am a competitive figure skater. All my lifethis has been my dream and its like living in a dream. Everyday from school I amgranted the honor to skate for a few hours. I am very proud of how I not only havegrown as a skater, but as a competitor. In February of 2013 I was awarded the JoeDelio Skating Scholarship. This was a huge honor for me to realize that myskating was noticed by some of the most important skating icons like Joe Deliosfamily. Skating, as you might imagine, is a very expensive sport. It became achallenge for my parents to pay for. It was very hard for me to have to skate lessand less. Ever since I got my scholarship for skating, I have been able to pay formy own skating sessions. Skating is my passion for it makes me feel like I defygravity. The amount of strength it takes, the commitment, the pain, the feeling offinishing 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 Ibelong. I have made so many friends from the rink and that is where I can make amistake, fall, get right back up and kick butt the second time. I would tellanybody that is interested in figure skating to give it a try. I have been skating forten years and never once got tired of it. It is a beautiful sport that can give youinspiration. What people dont know, however, is that there are so many differenttypes of skating. I am a competitive single figure skater who one day will be inthe Olympics , but there is so much more you can do. Disney on Ice, Show Timeon Ice, synchro, pairs, dance, and footwork, are only some of the things you cando if you become a figure skater. Skating is my passion above all and I hope it

could possibly become yours.

Max DeMarco: ArcheryHi, I am Max DeMarco and I compete nationally in archery. I travel all around thecountry shooting at indoor and outdoor archery tournaments. I am a Pro Shooterat Quick Draw Archery where I shoot and train every day. I also help out with theshop and give lessons. Archery has pretty much become my life. There is never atime where I am not thinking about shooting. As of right now I currently hold thestate record for Colorado and will try to break the National record in February. Iam 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 aswell 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 isspent shooting at tournaments or practicing for them, my favorite thing to do ishunting. The reason that I started archery was for hunting, though I never thoughtthat I would become a tournament shooter. Part of the reason that I love shootingarchery is the people that shoot it are so nice. Everybody helps everybody, even ifthey are competing against you. It is a great thing to do. I would encourageanybody who is thinking about this sport to try it. You will meet some greatpeople and might just find your new favorite hobby. If you want to try to shoot afew arrows, look up Quick Draw Archery and get a lesson with one of instructors.

I hope that everybody tries this awesome sport.

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Team 8-4 continued

Dominic Griffin: Boy Scouts and Interact ClubHi, my Name is Dominic Griffin and I am a Interact Club member and a BoyScout. Boy Scouts and Interact Club are big parts of my life concerningcommunity work. For Boy Scouts, we are always creating service projects thathelp our community grow and become more beautiful. I also help younger scoutswho are in Cub Scouts (the organization before boy scouts) go through theirranks. Even if Boy Scouts seems easy to you, its not. You have to completespecific requirements that relate to camping and important wilderness survivalskills. Included with those requirements are merit badges. These badges alsorequire you to complete certain items that teach you about first aid,Communication, Citizenship in the Community, and many more things. (Thereare about 128 total merit badges that you can earn in Boy Scouts). Interact club isalso 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 helppeople in need. Right now, I am the treasurer and I keep track of the money thatwe collect. We also go to retirement homes and visit elders who dont usuallyhave any visitors. When we arrive, they have big smiles and they are very excitedto 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 ushugs. 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 decidedto found the iCode Club here at MRMS. I build applications for iOS (the mobileoperating system for Apple devices). I am proud of many things including mycurrent project. Along with iCode, I have been building an app for MRMSstudents. This app is an all-in-one including things such as Infinite Campus andGoogle Drive. A challenge I have had was getting the technology I needed. I wasable to get this technology through babysitting and some other summer jobs. Ilove doing this because I like to make a computer think like a human. By codingyou can make a computer think however you want. I would say to anyone thatwants 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 continued

Jarrett Cesmat: BusinessHey, 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 shirtsthat have my logo on them. I hope one day it will become as big as Nike or UnderAmour. I got the idea because my friends and I always had competitions ofcreating the coolest brand, so I decided to create Uplift. I have created awebsite that allows you to look at media, shop, learn about the brand, and contactme if you have any questions. My website is (http://uplift153.webs.com/). I had afriend 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 definitelyrecommend 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 brandthat 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 churchand 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.

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MRMS 8thgrade girls basketball ended up placing 4th during the season-endingDistrict Tournament. The girls had a great season and showed greatsportsmanship. 7thgrade girls basketball started Monday, December 9 th. Wehave over 40 girls out for the team. Their tournament will be January 25, 2014 atThunderRidge High School. Wrestling is still going strong; tough times dontlast, tough people do! The season ending tournament is Saturday, January 11,2014 at Mountain Vista High School. 8thgrade boys basketball will startJanuary 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 threeclubs that really stood out during the fall and through December. One RAMembraced the Pay it Forward model. Mrs. Andrieses RAM hosted a penny warand were able to donate $1700 to the Salvation Army. Landon Ashley and team7-4 loaded 6 carloads of food for Panther Pantry. Ryan Phillips initiated a RAMcompetition and donated a 15-passenger van full of food for flood victims. TheNational Junior Honors Society has raised over $500 dollars this year to supportour school and other charities, and have made 10 quilts for donation. The StudentCouncil hosted a hat day and raised over $100 for flood victims. The InteractClub has donated $300 to the Red Cross and over 50 clothing items to the PantherPantry. Our school continues to find ways to make a positive impact in our

community.

Activities and Athletics
http://uplift153.webs.com/http://uplift153.webs.com/http://uplift153.webs.com/

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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 onJanuary 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 inDouglas County to use Naviance, a college and career website used to helpstudents explore college and career readiness. The purpose at the middle schoollevel is to gather information about their skills, interests and passion areas forfurther study in high school, college and career planning. Every high school inDouglas County uses the Naviance platform to track data and set goals for collegeand career plans and middle schools are coming on board. Mountain Ridgestudents 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 andcompleted 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 routinebath 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 provesbeneficial.
http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/how_much_sleep.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/how_much_sleep.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/how_much_sleep.html

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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 backgroundinformation. 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 stillcheck out a book or return one even if they miss the 3 PM deadline.) The libraryprovides 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 atwo week time period. Reference materials and magazines are available forovernight checkout. Please encourage your student to return all books andmaterials on time. You can find plenty of general and specific info, as well as lotsof great research resources, on the library wiki. The website is http://

hardwiredforstories.wikispaces.com/(you can also get there by just Googlinghardwired for stories). If your students class is working in the library on aproject there are usually links, pdfs, and sometimes even related videos posted onthe 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 Librarystaff strives to maintain an environment that promotes critical thinking whilebeing positive and engaging. Lastly, we want to encourage you to help us teachyour 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

from the staff at

Mountain Ridge

Middle School
http://hardwiredforstories.wikispaces.com/http://hardwiredforstories.wikispaces.com/http://hardwiredforstories.wikispaces.com/http://hardwiredforstories.wikispaces.com/http://hardwiredforstories.wikispaces.com/

05 December 2013 MRMS

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