Click here for a printable version of the handbook as printed in our student agenda.

GRADE PROGRAMS

GRADE 6

Core Subjects : Grade 6 students have one core teacher for all core subject areas (Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Physical Education, French).

Exploratory Subjects: Every second day Grade 6 students experience a series of exploratory courses. For the 2005-06 school year these will be: Technology Education, Music, First Nations’ Studies, Social Responsibility, Home Economics (cooking and sewing), and Keyboarding

Fine Arts: As well, students choose to take either Band or Art all year. This is offered every second day.

GRADE 7

Core Subjects : Grade 7 students have one core teacher for all core subject areas (Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Physical Education, French).

Exploratory Subjects: Every second day Grade 7 students experience a series of exploratory courses. For the 2005-06 school year these will be: Technology Education, Music, First Nations’ Studies, Boat Pro (students who successfully pass the test will receive their Provincial Boating License); and Home Economics (cooking and sewing).

Fine Arts: As well, students choose to take either Band or Art all year. This is offered every second day.

GRADE 8

Core Subjects : Grade 8 students travel as one class to several different teachers. In general, a grade 8 student will have one teacher for English and Socials, one teacher for Math and Science, one teacher for P.E., and one teacher for French.

Exploratory/Elective Subjects: Every second day grade 8 students experience a series of exploratory/elective courses. For the 2005-06 school year, students must take CAPP; however, they will be allowed to choose two other courses from the following: Technology Education, Leadership, Home Economics, Yearbook, Computers, Rocketry, Stage Band, Digital Media, Intramural Leadership. Students may not get their first choice due to numbers of requests and timetable limitations.

Fine Arts: As well, students choose to take either Band, Art, or Technology Education all year. This is offered every second day.

PARENT INFORMATION

INVOLVEMENT

Research clearly indicates that the more parents are interested and involved in their children’s schoolwork, the better children tend to do in school. Parents can be involved in their child’s schoolwork and school in a variety of ways:

• Check binders and planners on a daily basis.
• Ask your child everyday how the school day was or what they did at school. Some teenagers may respond “Nothing”, but they will tell you what is happening at school if you prompt them enough.
• Attend the Parent Advisory Committee meetings held monthly at 7:00pm.
• Attend parent evenings and parent/teacher interviews on a regular basis.
• Come to special events at the school such as Band concerts, Drama presentations, Fun Days, Recognition Assemblies, guest speakers, and cultural enrichment assemblies.
• Volunteer for field trips and special events at the school.

Homework should be a daily routine for your child. Students at Middle School can expect to do half an hour to an hour of homework every night. Parents can have a very significant impact on a child’s success if they do the following:

• Insist on seeing your child’s planner every day and make sure it is filled out.
• Set aside a time each day when the TV is off and your child is doing homework.
• Don’t let your child do their homework in their bedroom with the door closed. (The kitchen table is a great spot to do homework.)
• If your child truly does not have any homework, have them read or review notes, textbooks, novels or other schoolwork. Reading, playing with math principles or puzzle solving are great mind stretchers.

PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

Neill Middle School has an active P.A.C. that is very involved in school activities. The P.A.C. meets once a month and aids the school in a variety of ways. The primary function of the P.A.C. is not fundraising but rather to offer advice and support for the many activities and programs in the school. All parents are encouraged to become involved in the P.A.C. and its activities in whatever way they can. Involvement can be as much as volunteering to be a member of the executive; to simply attending monthly meetings to offer support and advice, to helping out by chaperoning special events or by sitting on special committees. While the P.A.C. does not hold fundraising as its primary objective, the P.A.C. does hold a Bingo Licence to support Field Trips, Music Programs and Special Events. The P.A.C. must provide volunteers to help the Bingo Hall with Public Information. This involves sitting at tables in the mall and during special events. Parents, who would like to volunteer for a shift, please phone Mr. Klaver at the school.

SCHOOL PLANNING COUNCIL

In the Spring of 2002, the Ministry of Education enacted legislation that creates a School Planning Council for every school in the province. This Council is made up of three parents, one teacher and the Principal. Parents are elected to the SPC at the September PAC meeting. While there are not a lot of extra meetings associated with the SPC, it is a critical committee and the school plan is finalized through this group.

PARENTAL CONCERNS

Parents who have concerns should address the issue right away. We are here to provide a sound education for students and often, parental concerns result in positive improvement for the student and the school. No concern is too trivial and a face-to-face meeting often resolves the issue to everyone’s satisfaction.

Concerns about issues in the classroom should be directed to the teacher first. Often the best method is to bring the student to a specially scheduled parent/teacher meeting. If the issue is not resolved satisfactorily a parent may then approach the school counsellor or administration (Principal or Vice Principal) who will attempt to bring a positive resolution to the issue.

Should a parent continue to have a concern then the next step is to contact School District administration at the School Board Office.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Students should come prepared on the first day of school with the following supplies. Some courses may require special supplies, not listed below. Students will be informed of those requirements during the first subject class.

Grade 6

• 12 duotangs
• 10 notebooks (keytab style)
• 1 graph paper notebook
• 2 packages lined loose leaf paper (3 hole punched)
• 1 package blank loose leaf paper (3 hole punched)
• 1 pencil case
• 1 blue pen
• 1 black pen
• 1 red pen
• 1 highlighter
• 1 black extra fine tipped felt pen
• 4 pencils (sharpened)
• 2 good quality erasers (white)
• 1 – 30 cm ruler (clear plastic)
• 1 glue stick
• 1 container white school glue
• 1 set of 24 pencil crayons (sharpened)
• 1 package felt pens (unscented) 1 pair good quality scissors
• 1 calculator (basic)
• 1 dictionary
• 1 geometry set

Grade 7

• 1 binder
• 8 - duotangs
• dividers for binder
• 2 packages loose leaf lined paper
• 12 good quality pencils
• 8 blue or black ink pens
• 1 package pencil crayons
• 1 package felt pens
• scissors
• 4 glue sticks
• 1 ruler
• 1 calculator
• 1 pack of lined exercise books
• 3 highlighters in different colours
• Container for supplies
• 1 small coiled notebook
• 1 protractor
• 3 erasers
• 1 package graph paper
• 1 black extra fine tipped felt pen
• 1 thesaurus
• 1 geometry kit
• 1 package of 3x3 post-it sticky notes

P.E. – Shorts, sweatpants or trackpants/t-shirt/appropriate footwear/gym-strip bag

Grade 8

• 2 – 3 inch binders
• 5 – duotangs
• 2 packages of dividers
• 4 – key tab (32 page notebooks)
• 2 packages loose-leaf lined paper
• 12 pencils
• 8 blue or black pens
• 4 red pens
• 2 glue sticks
• 1 geometry set
• 1 package pencil crayons
• 1 highlighter
• 1 calculator (with square root function)
• 1 thesaurus
• 1 softcover French dictionary
• 1 softcover dictionary
• 1- 30 cm ruler