Getting Back into the Swing of School

Wow, I can't believe that I am already writing a "back to school" blog entry, but we are only a month away from the start of the school year and I'm sure that families will soon be purchasing school supplies, school clothes, and students will be lamenting about the end of summer and having to go back to school.  So in addition to attaching the school supply lists and school dress code, I thought that I would give parents some ideas on how they can help their students get ready for the demands of a new school year.

Getting back into the daily routine of school of school can be challenging for some students.  Summer break often involves irregular sleeping habits, lots of out door activity, and sometimes a lot of idle TV time.  Three months of these habits can make it difficult for some students to get up early in the morning, eat breakfast, and stay focused on academics for entire school day.  One way that parents can help their students get back into the swing of school is establish a regular sleeping schedule.  To do this, parents may want to consider gradually adjusting their student's bedtime and wakeup time (10-15 minutes over the next few weeks) until their student is back on their normal school schedule.

It is also common for students to lose some academic skill over the summer.  This is simply caused by a lack of use....If you don't use it, you lose it, right?  Parents can help their students get back into the academic swing of school by gradually introducing study time back into their student's schedule.  Start small and have your student read at the same time every evening for 5 or 10 minutes.  Over the next several weeks gradually increase this time to 30 or 40 minutes.  This simple technique will help to reintroduce good study habits and it will also help your student with academic focus when the school year begins.

I also want to take this opportunity to invite students and parents to the CMS Back to School Information Meetings.  The purpose of these meetings will be to discuss the student/parent handbook, methods of communication, and to answer any questions that parents or students may have before the beginning of the school year.  The 5th grade meeting will also serve as an orientation in which they will receive their schedules, locker assignments, and have the opportunity to come into the school building and meet some of their teachers.  The 7th and 8th grade meeting will be held at 5:30 on July 30th, the 6th grade meeting will be held at 5:30 on July 31st and the 5th grade meeting will be held on August 2nd at 5:30.  All of these meetings will be held in the MS gym.  Parents and students can enter the gym on the east side of the MS.  I look forward to seeing a lot of parents and students there! 


Below is the CMS school supply list:
5th Grade
3 – Boxes of Kleenex
2 - 1” 3 ring Binder
1 - Trapper Keeper
4 - Packs of Loose-Leaf Paper (college rule)
2 – Single Subject Notebooks
2 -  2 Pocket Folders with Prongs
1 – Blue Highlighter
1 – Pink highlighter
#2 Pencils
Colored Pencils
Black or Blue Pens
Erasers

6th Grade
3 – Boxes of Kleenex
$4.00 for a cross-stitch kit (Family and Consumer Science)
Trapper Keeper
2 - Book Covers
2 – 2” 3 Ring Binder
4 – Packs of Loose-Leaf Paper (college rule)
2 – Packs Binder Divider Pages
# 2 Pencils
Blue or Black Pens
Colored Pencils
1 – Pack Eraser Caps
1 – Pack Pink Erasers
2  - 2 Pocket Folders
1 – Pack Highlighters
White or Light Grey T-Shirt (PE)
Black Shorts (PE)
White, Black, or Gray Athletic Socks (PE)
Tennis Shoes That Tie (PE)
Deodorant (PE)
Towel (PE)

7th Grade
3 – Boxes of Kleenex
$5.00 to $11.00 for locker caddy kit (Family and Consumer Science)
3 – 2” 3 Ring Binder
3 – Packs of Loose-Leaf Paper (college rule)
2 – Packs Binder Divider Pages
# 2 pencils
Erasers
Blue or Black Pens
1 – Pack Highlighters
1 – Pack Colored pencils
White or Light Gray T-Shirt (PE)
Black Shorts (PE)
White, Black, or Gray Athletic Socks
Tennis Shoes That Tie (PE)
Deodorant (PE)
Towel (PE)

8th Grade
3 – Boxes of Kleenex
$10.00 to $22.00 for a sports bag kit (Family and Consumer Science)
4 – 2” 3 Ring Binder
1 – 1” 3 Ring Binder
5 – Packs of Loose -Leaf Paper (college rule)
3 – Packs Binder Divider Pages
# 2 pencils
Blue or Black Pens
2 – Packs Multi-Color Highlighters
Colored Pencils
Erasers
Ruler with Holes to keep in Math Binder
Zippered Pencil Pocket for Math Binder
1 – Small Box of Hole Protectors
White or Light Gray T-Shirt (PE)
Black Shorts (PE)
White, Black, or Gray Athletic Socks (PE)
Tennis Shoes That Tie (PE)
Deodorant (PE)
Towel (PE)


I hope that everyone enjoys the remainder of their summer and I am really looking forward to another great school year!  I'll look forward to seeing everyone at the Back to School Information Meetings!

Best,

Mr. Dressel