Middle School

SCA Middle School Parents,

I am continuing to study different school models and programs as we begin to have the SCA Middle School program take shape. I have spoken with several administrators at different schools both private and public about effective curricula, schedules, and practices that are in place at their schools. I have also visited a number of websites for Christian schools across the nation. One of the features that I have noticed on a number of these sites is a place for the principal of the school to “blog”. Most of the blogs are just a paragraph or two long and share news, commentaries, and reflections of what is currently coming across the principal’s desk. They are informal in nature, and do not replace official communications about policy and procedure.

I have decided to try my hand at this blogging concept in the spirit of “New Principal—New Ideas.” Ideally, this will be done every couple of weeks and made available on the school website. It will be unofficial and informal in both language and structure. It will not replace any line of communication, but will hopefully augment communication.


2/15/2011

"I give you a new law. You are to love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. If you love each other, all men will know you are my followers."
John 13:34-35

Parents of Middle School students,

I am hoping that you will continue to find opportunities to reinforce with your children the importance of treating their peers well. This should be done across lines of social status, grade level, affluence, friend circle, gender, athletic ability, academic ability, and every other barrier that would attempt to divide our children rather than unite us as a body of believers.

As a school we are constantly working to deliver the message that treating classmates as the Lord would have us treat them is of the utmost importance. Teachers have been integrating the "Character First!" program into their lessons across the curriculum, our chapels just in the last month have focused on the Biblical view of how a true "friend" acts towards peers as well as how we must all humble ourselves in light of our imperfections (manifesting themselves as sin in our lives) as compared to the sinless life Jesus led. No one of us is "so good" that we may look down on another.

Unfortunately, as we all fall prey to sin (even at a Christian school), there are times that our students do not treat their classmates in a manner that is uplifting and positive. When this occurs, the problem is often intensified by an atmosphere of unwillingness to come forward with information both by students and adults. Everyone wants the problem solved, but fear of repercussion or reluctance to "snitch" on others often leaves the issue unaddressed.

As the Middle School Principal, I am asking that we come together as a Middle School Community to ensure that we have a positive environment for all students who attend. Revisit Matthew 7:12 with your sons and daughters: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Take a minute or two to read this article about bystander response. Reassure and remind your children that there are adults both on campus and at home that will help with these kinds of issues if we are made aware of them. If the children leave the adults out of the equation, we will not battle the issue effectively. Thank you for taking the time to discuss this with your families.


2/14/2011

Bravo to Tim Wead and all of our Middle School students that put on a fantastic performance of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was just great. My wife and I, and several of you, made it a "Family Friday" by starting out at the SCA Barbecue and wrapping it up with the play. There were a number of parents involved in both functions whose efforts really made it a really nice evening for those of us in attendance.

I was so impressed with the talent that was up on the stage. We have many gifted performers in our Middle School! The time and effort that went into the battle scenes was evident. Every role was cast brilliantly in my mind, and really let the kids' personality shine through.

I was also happy with our students' behavior in the audience. We took some time in Chapel on Thursday to talk about what makes up appropriate behavior at an event like this (as opposed to a football game for instance) and it felt to me like they took the suggestions to heart. We had many problems with student behavior at my previous school at plays / musical performances due in part to the fact that parents rarely accompanied their kids to events like these to explain (and more importantly model) what is appropriate. So extra kudos to those of you who enjoyed the performance alongside your kids!


1/31/2011

Big time thanks to Sarah Bruch and the Middle School STUGO for arranging the Ice Den Night last Friday. It was a blast! We had over 110 students, parents and friends representing SCA. Our kids were well behaved, appreciative, and really enjoyed themselves.

The official winner for "Best Adult Male Figure Skater" was Ed Black, who barely edged out Coach Fox. I believe I was a distant third.


1/11/2011

Please lift up in prayer all of our 6th grade students, teachers and chaperones as they enjoy, bond, and learn on their San Diego trip this week!

Also, as we mourn and pray for God's presence in the lives of those in Tucson whose worlds were turned upside down this last week, I am reminded of the words of Aaron Thomas. Aaron was the son of the small-town Iowa football coach Ed Thomas who was gunned down in cold blood by a former player haunted by mental illness and drug use. The same day that his father was killed, Aaron addressed the media and said, "We also express compassion for the (shooter's) family and ask that you pray for them as well. They too, are suffering and grieving and we want the community to embrace them." I can't imagine how difficult those two sentences would have been to speak a couple hours after the senseless murder of your father. They were spoken in a confident, unwavering voice that reflected a true faith in God and his Word. We are not promised understanding, but promised support and comfort and are also asked to bestow support and comfort.


12/3/2010

What a great week!

While it is always melancholy for me when football is over for the year, it opens up my time to get out more to see what our other students are involved in here at SCA. Monday night I was able to see our 8th grade and 7th grade boys' basketball teams play. Both were victorious, but more importantly showed hustle, teamwork and respect for their coaches. EVERYTHING was, "yes sir…no sir." I am also always thankful that our parents conduct themselves well even when calls don't go our way. It is a huge reflection on our school that we conduct ourselves appropriately in the stands.

Between the games I was able to go over and see the Middle School Band's Christmas performance. I think that Mr. Nguyen is doing a wonderful job with this group. I have always had a special admiration for those with the skill to work with middle school age performing arts programs. To get these kids to collectively put together a "sweet sound" for our Lord's ear is really something special. Our kids were pretty fabulous too!

Thursday, I had the opportunity to drive our High School Chorale to their luncheon performance at the Phoenix Country Club. I thought that their performance under the direction of Ms. Brock was stellar. Similar to Mr. Nguyen, we have asked a great deal of Ms. Brock in her first year here at SCA, and she has responded wonderfully. On the ride back to school, I was treated to several impromptu renditions of Christmas standards by some really, really talented kids. As our gourmet lunch at the PV Mall food court was wrapping up, one of the security guards came over and told our kids that it he was really thankful to have a group of high school kids that still knew how to act in public. How nice is that for him to go out of his way to acknowledge our kids?

SCA is a great place to be for a few big reasons, and a hundred little ones. Thanks for a great week.


11/2/2010

Homework Survey.

A great deal of thanks goes to those who responded to my request to complete a survey about homework at the middle school level. The survey sought to measure the attitudes and feelings of our parents about homework in general and our specific situation here at SCA Middle School. We had over 70 sets of parents complete and submit the survey. I am finishing my calculations of the results, and will be posting a link to the results shortly. I will also share the results and comments with our teachers. The information that we gathered is going to be a valuable tool in continuing to identify and follow a path of schooling that is both rich in academic value, and conducive to our students being involved in activities that provide for a well rounded childhood.

It is important to remember that it is a path that we are seeking, not a destination. As an academic institution, we are constantly in the process of trying to close the gap between the school we are, and the school we are capable of becoming.

Survey results will be up shortly.


9/28/2010

Lost and Found…growing faster than the national debt.

Parents please take some time this week to stop by the lost and found area located outside my office. We have a 50 gallon barrel and a table full of clothing, books, lunch boxes, and other school supplies. Some of the items are really quite nice and all were purchased with your hard-earned dollars! I would like to do some fall cleaning out there soon, so hurry in while the selections are still plentiful!


8/25/2010

Thanks to all who attended Back to School Night last evening. I appreciate your involvement in your students' educational experience here at SCA. We had a larger than expected turnout!

I think that we need to improve on the quality of the sound system that we used for the large-group session. We can also improve on the communication with parents about teachers who will be holding their sessions in a room other than what is printed on the schedule…that was frustrating.

I'll tell you folks, you are not going to find three teachers with more of a heart for young people, Christ, and this institution than Craig Chambers, Chris Seyler, and Kathy Matney. I am blessed to have them at this level. Kathy cracked me up, and I am wondering why they put ME in charge of dress code!


8/17/2010

What an exhilarating first couple of days back at school! I think that I have actually opened EVERY 6th and 7th grader's lock at least once! I have mistaken Carter Bennett for another child, not believing how much he had grown, I have said to Sam Ortega "Good morning Mr. Brooks" knowing full well who both of them are, and I am still not positive which Stanton is Connor. But hey, it is day two! Getting to know my students' names is a HUGE thing for me both personally and professionally. Feel free to ask your kids if I am out there interacting with them, helping them with their lockers, asking them their names etc.

We are going to be very focused this week on teaching classroom procedures, and helping our students become economical and efficient in their trips to their lockers in between classes. I have instructed teachers that if they have one of their "small" classes, they can feel free to take 10-15 minutes and go to their students' lockers and make sure that locks can be opened, and help students in the organization of their class materials.

Chapel this Thursday could appropriately be titled "How to Properly Attend a Middle School Chapel." I will spend the majority of the time teaching and reinforcing procedures that our students will be expected to comply with at a Chapel service. Chapel is an extension of church. As such, there are certain rules that must be followed. Chapel is also an extension of the classroom. As such there are certain rules that must be followed. While there are several items and behaviors that are prohibited (phones, talking, horseplay etc.), there are two things that are FORBIDDEN: any words or actions that mock the Word of God, and any words or actions that mock those who are earnestly participating in worshiping our Lord and Savior. Will you visit with your student about these?

These are all normal things that must be addressed with this age group before the "meat" of subject-area instruction begins. We are moving towards self-sufficiency, but doing so with love, reassurance and age-appropriate pacing. Thanks for a great start!


8/13/2010:

Thanks to all the parents and students who took part in yesterday's Middle School Orientation. We had 47 students in the 6th grade session and 48 in the 7th / 8th session. While time constraints prohibited the completion of some of the games and exercises, I felt good about accomplishing the major goals of quelling nerves, seeing some of the faculty, and becoming acquainted with this half of the campus. I did not want this day to turn into an 8-hour "school day". Get them in, get their feet wet, keep them moving, and send them home.

Many thanks to all my helpers. I thought Chauncey, Jordan, and Miller did a nice job with the kids. They really enjoyed it and I think that they had an "ah-ha" moment that as high school seniors they are much closer to being adults than kids. They also realized that being a leader, or a teacher, or a coach of a bunch of junior high kids is not easy work!

Please email me your feedback on the day, so we can continue to make it a worthwhile event.

Karin Suter will be ordering more of the SCA Middle School t-shirts for purchase in the Eagle Shoppe. They can be worn on Fridays by the students, and anytime by the parents. If we are going to really create an identity for ourselves as a Middle School, this is a great step in that direction!


8/2/2010: Thanks for your patience!

I am so grateful to all of the SCA families (middle school and otherwise) who have been, and continue to be patient with the scheduling process. There are several factors that make this year a unique challenge. They include the formation of the SCA Middle School, the addition of several new teachers, and an unusual amount of students taking advanced courses (what a good ‘problem’ to have). The students in advanced courses can be quite difficult to schedule since most of them participate in more than one advanced course. If an 8th grader is taking Honors History period 1 and Honors English period 2, there are two hours of his day that are “locked in” (meaning that we only offer one section of each of those courses). Now we have to schedule the rest of his courses knowing that those two hours are off limits. Let’s say that when we go to schedule his Science class, there are 29 students in period 3 Science but only 21 students in period 2 Science. Common sense would dictate that he be placed in period 2, but he cannot be placed there because he must have Honors English that hour since it is only offered once!

When speaking with parents, I often used the analogy that SCA is “Small Town.” We have the advantages of Small Town in that there is much more of an opportunity to establish personal relationships with students, parents, administrators etc. It is much more difficult for a student to fall through the cracks academically and socially here versus other schools. We also have the challenges of being Small Town. Since we have a limited number of students, we have a limited number of teachers who teach a limited number of classes. When you have 3 different teachers who teach 8th grade English, your schedule problems are far easier to manage than when you have one teacher in that position! I do know that our counselors are working diligently, and will have us ready to go by registration.

SUPPLIES: I am getting a number of calls, visits, and emails about supply lists. I don’t want this to be a source of stress for our Middle School parents. (I don’t know my teachers, so how can I check their supply lists online?) If students show up with notebooks, lined paper, pens, pencils, a couple notebooks and folders, they are going to be okay for the first few days! ANY items that are class specific specialty items will be made known to the students with plenty of lead time for you to make a last WalMart run!

See you soon!


7/22/2010:

In a recent conversation with one of my public school colleagues, I came to hear about an increasingly popular trend among teens in Phoenix: smoking incense. Not just any old incense, but material that contains synthetic cannabinoids… “fake marijuana”. This material is readily available in several shops around Phoenix that sell smoking accessories, and on Craigslist. Although it has been made illegal in several countries and states, it is still legal here in Arizona. Even though the packaging says that the material is not designed for smoking, it is the readily understood use of the product. The Phoenix New Times (the free paper available at the convenience store) even has a whole online page devoted to reviewing different brands of this garbage. Check out this link.

There is no solid evidence on the long term effects of using such products, although the ‘come-down’ sounds pretty lousy (massive headache etc.).

I have not seen any evidence of substances like this being used by our students. I have not heard the name-brands come up in conversation, nor have I seen them scribbled on backpacks or notebooks. But then again, I had NO idea this stuff was even here in Phoenix. My intent here is to share with parents information about what our teens are potentially exposed to. Do some reading (google ‘synthetic cannabinoids’), arm yourself with some information, talk with other parents about the issue, and be ready to have an enlightened discussion with your child about it.

It is okay to give them the message that use of these substances is NOT OKAY IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM WHILE UNDER YOUR ROOF REGARDLESS OF THE CURRENT LEGAL STATUS OF THE MATERIAL! You can also relay to them that possession or sale of any of these products here at SCA will be met with suspension and possible expulsion.

7/8/2010: What a wonder is God’s creation…

My family and I are back from a vacation in Montana that was abundant in its blessings. It was my first time there. What a beautiful place. We were able to fish several days, and go whitewater rafting. My wife’s cousin owns a whitewater rafting company in Big Sky. We got the VIP treatment! Rather than being jammed in with six other tourists, it was my wife, her sister, and I in the boat with the guide!

Most importantly, we got to spend time with her family there, and my daughter Emilee got to meet her great-great grandmother. What an amazing thing to be able to do!

Back at school I am working on the specifics of the 6th and 7th grade orientation for Wednesday, August 4th. I will send an email with the specifics to parents next week. If you would be interested in lending a hand on that day, please call or email me.

I will be in the office Monday through Thursday for most of the rest of the summer, if you have questions about next year, I am here for you.

6/17/2010: I wanted to share an article from Family Circle with middle school parents that I was sent on the subject of “sexting”: using a cell phone to send vulgar messages or inappropriate pictures. Parents and educators need to arm themselves with knowledge of the issues that our kids face so that we can help them make decisions that honor themselves, their families, and God. We are not immune to the issues discussed in this article at SCA. I have seen several instances of inappropriate cell phone use from grades 7-12. Good kids from good families. My heart breaks when I see a child subjected to the intense humiliation of a text or picture being distributed to several unintended recipients. It bothers me even more when I hear a 12-13 year old student react with “it’s NOT a big deal…geez.”

Professionally and personally, I am anti-texting, anti-Facebook, anti-My Space, and anti-Twitter. I find a preponderance of evidence that for children under 18, the risks far outweigh the benefits. I know that the policy at SCA is that cell phones may be used before school, and after school. Even with this permissive policy, many of our students carry their cell phones in their front pockets and text throughout the day. I had over 60 referrals to my office last year for kids using their cell phone at an inappropriate time. Our children’s attachment to their cell phones and to texting is, in my view, unhealthy.

At the same time, I know that technology is not going anywhere. We must continue to gather and share information and INITIATE (!) conversations with our kids about the issues they are facing. Parents should understand that it is okay to not only let them know our expectations for them, but to check and see that our expectations are being met.

Click here for the story: Sext-Ed

6/8/2010: Now please don’t take this in the wrong way, but it is so much easier to get work done when classes are not in session. However, I do miss the daily interaction with all of them, and the energy level on the campus.

Thanks so much to Jennifer Johnson for spearheading the effort to help teachers get re-located into new rooms. The amount of frazzled nerves that were soothed, anxiety that was quelled, and aging muscles that were spared, was immeasurable. I know that there were several other families that helped, and I don’t want to leave your names out, but this is not the school’s official THANK YOU…it is just my blog.

We are quite close to having the Middle School staffing complete. We will have some new faces at the front of classrooms this fall, and I am excited for what is to come. I am also excited that we are adding an extra section of 7th grade math, Bible, science, English, and social studies with over 80 students enrolled at that level! What wonderful news! It was like watching my house value drop on zillow.com for the last 36 months, and then seeing it go up last month!

I am putting together a day in early August for incoming 6th and 7th graders to come to campus, get their bearings in the new MS setup, do some team building activities, meet some of the teachers, and get some questions answered about times, rules and procedures. I would like to do two sessions of an hour and a half each. I am hesitant to exclude eighth graders, as they will be an essential part of the Middle School, but they already have their feet wet as far as schedule, rules etc. When plans for this day get firmed up, I will email details.

Continue to enjoy your summer.

5/26/10: I had the opportunity yesterday to visit with the members of the Parent Teacher Fellowship group as the Administrative Team served them lunch. It was a small gesture that we all hoped would somehow convey our gratitude for their efforts this year. The PTF organized several events this year from dinners, to gold buy-back events, to collecting box tops for education, all of which helped our school in increasingly tough economic times. I’ll tell you, these were not the typical dinners that some schools put on where you would begrudgingly pay $5 to eat the meal, and eagerly pay $10 to NOT eat the meal. These were first class, and I am still waiting for a couple barbecue recipes from Barb Whitehead!

I would like to extend an invitation to our new Middle School parents to become a part of the Parent Teacher Fellowship. I know that they have several events in the works for next year, and are eager to add more members. These ladies know how to get things done, and have a great time doing it. (By the way…dads are welcome too). Please visit the website at http://www.scottsdalechristian.org/ptf.html and contact Barb Whitehead if you have questions.

I told the group yesterday that one of the things that I have found, and continue to find so attractive about SCA is that we are one of those schools that is closing the gap between “the way things are” and “the way things ought to be”. Schools need a strong parent organization with a true heart for serving the school. I have seen good examples of these organizations, and bad examples that had devolved into ego-driven machines of self-promotion. The PTF at this school is one of the good ones, and I hope you prayerfully consider becoming a part of it for the 2010-2011 school year.

5/12/10: Thank you all for doing such a wonderful job of getting your students’ course requests prepared! Everything seems to be going smoothly at this point. I really enjoyed getting into both the fifth and sixth grade classrooms and meeting our future middle school students! I closed every class meeting by telling your children that they and I are no longer strangers, and they now know the SCA Middle School Principal by name. (I also told them that they can greet me as “Coach” since that is a little easier to remember right off the bat than “Mr. Laugen”). I was so pleased to have a chorus of “hey Coach” when I saw many of them at lunch yesterday.

Just a couple of notes on course requests:

I know that many of you have made adjustments to your child’s request form, and that is fine. I would ask that you get a final copy in to Ms. Koon no later than Friday. We need to tally up the requests, and make sure that there is enough interest for every class to “make”. If there is a class that does not “make” we will contact parents of those who signed up for that class.

Once we finish the tally, we will start the arduous task of actually plugging in schedules. You will not know your child’s actual hourly schedule for 2010-2011 until sometime late in the summer. This is normal…don’t worry that they are missing anything!

We will set up a half day orientation for incoming 6th / 7th / 8th graders sometime in the late summer as well. I hope to do this on a day when we will be the only students on campus.

I am welcoming feedback on the course request sign up process this year. What went well? What could be done better? Gathering information like this will help our future students’ transition from the Elementary to the Middle School at SCA!

4/28/10: Bullying:

One of the things that I would like to get running at the middle school level next year is an anti-bullying / character education program. I am investigating and evaluating a few different possibilities at this time including a program called Character First! It can be challenging to identify an anti-bullying program that is appropriate for a private Christian school. While we will certainly teach that every person will be treated with respect and courtesy, the Bible instructs us that certain lifestyles are to be avoided as they are sinful. Many of these programs send a message that every lifestyle should be greeted with acceptance.

In comparing different anti-bullying programs, one of the common threads that I see is the importance of “bystander response”. A great deal of bullying at this age happens in a group setting. A person will attempt to belittle a classmate using words or actions that are demeaning or insulting. When this occurs it is important for the bystanders (even more than the victim) to give a simple verbal response to the bully: “Jenny, don’t say things like that about other people, it’s unkind” This should not be done in a confrontational or angry tone that will escalate the situation, but a calm voice that lets Jenny know that this type of statement is not appropriate. If enough of the students adopt this simple practice, and begin to advocate for their peers outside of their immediate group of friends, it can have a tremendous impact on the amount of bullying that goes on at a school.

4/7/10: As we approach this year’s SAT 10 testing for our 7th, 8th and 9th graders, I am hoping that parents set aside time to speak with their children about the importance of doing their very best on the test. In my opinion, too many of our junior high and high school students do not take these tests seriously if they cannot be presented with a tangible reason of why they must do well. It is the natural progression of the “Is this going to count for a grade?” mindset. When a child asks that question they may as well say “If it is not, then don’t expect much of an effort from me!” While this can be viewed somewhat accurately as a child learning how to assign different levels of priority to different tasks, this prioritization process must be carefully monitored by the adults in the child’s life lest it become too selfish (is there anything in this for ME?) or even apathetic (it doesn’t count…so the endeavor itself is a waste of time).

These tests are important to all involved. Students get to see the progress that they have made from last year’s exam. Teachers and school officials use the data to assess effective instruction and make modifications in areas needing remediation. Parents can see academic growth, stagnation, or struggle in their child’s scores and reinforce areas of strength and nurture areas that need improvement. None of these benefits can occur if a student plays connect-the-dots on their answer sheet. Not only does this corrupt the data for that individual student, but for the grade and the school as well!

I am mindful of the fact that a school’s test scores are only one of several indicators of the quality of education at that school…but it is a big one. It is one of the first questions asked by many of us! I am also mindful of the fact that the education system in this country seems to be testing more and more, and teaching less and less. Ask anyone in public school how much fun the yearly AIMS tests are (in addition to the other 3 or 4 tests throughout the year). Multiple high stakes tests are stressful on the teachers, students and parents. Is all of this stress absolutely necessary? Probably not. Could we all use less stress? Definitely. However, this is not reason enough to do less than our best when these tests roll around.

Perhaps this would be a great time for you and your child to re-read the Parable of the Talents together (Matthew 25:14-30). Discuss with your child the idea that God wants us to do the very best with what He has given us in all things. We don’t have to outperform everyone else, but if we choose to not even try to perform our best…we cannot expect God’s favor. Tell your child that you are proud of him or her, and that it is your expectation that they do their very best on the Stanford 10.

3/26/10: One of the many things that I have been asked about for next year is if I will install a specific discipline system for the middle school (Love and Logic, Character Counts, Make Your Day etc.). I am not in favor of having one “name brand” system that I will ask all teachers in the new middle school to conform to. In my opinion, this takes yet another decision away from a trained professional who is already going to have one hundred things that he or she is going to be told to do this way! Without endorsing any one specific system, allow me to share just a couple of my philosophies and thoughts about effective middle school discipline:

Discipline BEFORE instruction. This is actually from Fred Jones, an educator who spent over 30 years studying “the naturals”—the teachers who seem to effortlessly run their classes with little to no discipline issues and identified common practices among these folks.

“Discipline comes before instruction because it's the only priority that makes any sense. If the kids are goofing off, they certainly are not doing your lesson. So, although instruction might be dearer to your heart than discipline management, it is second on your list of priorities.”