Good evening TLC families. We hope this newsletter finds you well and safe. As this situation continues and we look ahead at more days of ‘shelter in place’, we would like to offer another round of Chromebook Checkout for those who missed our first one.
We were happy to help over 80 students last week with a Chromebook to borrow so they may continue with their school work during this time away. This Friday, March 27th, we will again be passing out Chromebooks to those who need it. Please go to the link below and sign up.
Our teachers have also been hard at work putting together activities and lessons so that our students do not fall behind in their work. PCS and DCS have been sending weekly emails with enrichment and activities for all subjects. We hope students are taking some time out of their week to complete these. If you have any questions about the emails please contact your teacher, we are here to help.
MHS teachers have also been posting activities online and are glad to see so many students participating. An online review game of ‘Kahoot’ in the Spanish classes had almost every student participating! Way to go Falcons! It’s not the same as a class but we are so happy to have the chance to interact with you all.
With the ability of all students to have a computer and a small teaching staff, MHS is in a unique situation to move to online learning. Our teachers have been meeting (virtually) to develop a plan forMHS Online.
MHS Online will kick off our 4th Quarter and will allow students to continue their classwork from home. Please see the letter below from our MHS Leadership team:
March 23, 2020
Dear MHS Families,
We have decided that moving to an online platform is the best way to go and we will be starting our new 4th quarter on Monday March 30th. We will count these first two weeks as Spring Break (March 16th – March 27th) and begin our “Online Schooling” on Monday, March 30th.
All teachers will be using Google Classroom to communicate all lessons and assignments to students. We expect all students to get online this week and make sure that they have access to all of their classes on Google Classroom. If your teacher does not currently have a Google Classroom we will be setting those up and the class codes will go out in a future Charter Chatter as well as posted on our website–tracylearningcenter.com
We will have another Chromebook pick-up this Friday, March 27th from 8 am to 10 am at the front of the school. Families that are in need of a computer must first fill out the online form: https://forms.gle/FZubFeg95aT1J72UA
Quantities are limited. (note: Google classroom is compatible with mobile devices)
Each week, teachers will post one assignment per class.This will be a graded assignment that will go into the Aeries grade book. Our new 4th quarter grade book will consist of 3 categories:
3rd quarter transfer grade, worth 50%
Online assignments, worth 40%
Final Assessment, worth 10%
If at any time there are questions or concerns about assignments or anything, please reach out to your teachers for clarification.
As of right now, our plan is to end the 4th quarter as scheduled on May 20th. However, if we are not able to physically resume school on May 21st, then we may continue our online schooling into Fast Track.
If there are any questions or concerns that individual teachers cannot address, please feel free to email both Matt Young (myoung@tracylc.net) and Tywania Griffin (tgriffin@tracylc.net) on the same email.
We hope that everyone is doing well and staying healthy during this ever-changing situation.
We know this is a difficult and changing time for all of us. We would like you all to know that if there is a need, our TLC School site will be having Full Day Child Care available each weekday from 8am – 6pm by our current before and after school childcare company, Champions.
This care would be provided to our “First Responder” or mandated working parents in which both parents in the home are required to work out of their homes.
This will be a $50 per child registration fee and the daily cost will be $35 per child per day.
Before we initiate this, we must find out if there is a need for this.
Parents, if you require this care for your child/children please respond asap to Kay Fagundes at kfagundes@tracylc.net . It is extremely important that we get a list of families immediately so that Champions knows whether or not they will be caring for children at this site.
We need your response by 3pm today if you will be enrolling your child/children. This care can possibly begin as soon as Monday, 3/23 if there is a need.
Hello TLC Families, we hope this finds you safe and well. We wanted to check in with you all and let you know we are implementing a system to get Chromebooks out to families who need them.
Teachers have been sending out weekly info to their classes providing work and exercises that your students can do at home. Our goal is not to try and teach everything we would normally do in a classroom but to allow students a way to keep their minds sharp and provide some ‘normalcy’ during this time.
If your student DOES NOT have a computer at home, we would like to offer a Chromebook check out system that would allow you to borrow a computer during this time away.
For those who do not know, a Chromebook is a very simple laptop that works when you log in with your provided school credentials (older students have their own, younger grades will be given their class log in information). Chromebooks ONLY work with an internet connection. It is simply a device that allows you to access material online, nothing is stored or installed on a Chromebook.
2. Come by the school Friday, March 20th from 8am to 10am to sign out a fully sanitized Chromebook and charger.
If your home does not have internet, Xfinity is offering free service to those who need it. We are not sure how the program works or what is needed to sign up but please check out this link for more info.
We understand school is not the number one priority right now but we want to do everything we can to help you in this time. We did see the comments by Governer Newsom that school closures may continue beyond the current date and we are all working daily on how to proceed if that happens. Once we know more we will contact you.
If you have any questions about this or anything else please email us at contactus@tracylc.net
I think we are all still ‘shell-shocked’ from a week that seemed to change every 5 minutes. As you know, all schools in San Joaquin County are closed for the next 3 weeks beginning March 16th. TLC Spring Break will continue as planned, from April 6th through April 19th, so we will all return to classes on April 20th. I don’t think anyone has experienced anything quite like this and it is almost too hard to comprehend.
In speaking with students on Friday there was a feeling of disappointment and uncertainty. As adults, we feel frustrated and then realize this is what is best for our community and the world but for our students, the change is jarring and confusing.
The link below touches on some great ideas to make this time easier on everyone. The overlying message is communication and discussion at the appropriate age level and providing some structure to your day.
With regards to our school and your child’s education, here are some FAQs we have received:
Will we have to make up these 3 weeks at the end of the year?
TLC is in a unique place where we already have a longer day and year and so even with this extended break, we still meet the state requirements for instructional time. We are in communication with the state with regards to any changes to their policies.
How will this affect Millennium Fast Track since they do not have an extended year?
We have some options here as well. We will make sure students complete courses and are able to take their Fast Track classes. We will continue to follow the state guidelines.
Are students going to be doing distance learning or online classes?
This was discussed, especially in high school, but the logistics of getting every student the ability to work online was impossible. We cannot be sure EVERY student has internet access and did not want students to be REQUIRED to go out in public to use the library WiFi etc.
However, we do ask that students and parents monitor their emails and the newsletter as we will be providing information and links to help students keep up with their academics. Enrichment or review work through web links and pdfs can help your student maintain some order and structure during this time so please be on the lookout for announcements from our classrooms.
I cannot emphasize enough how much we appreciate your understanding during this time. If you have any questions or concerns please contact your teachers or tlc (contactus@tracylc.net). We are all in this together and want to support our TLC families any way we can.
PreK, TK – 4th Grade Spring Picture Day and 8th Grade Promotion Picture Day has been postponed and we are working on alternative dates. Stay tuned……
Spring Break – Monday April 6, 2020 through April 19, 2020. All Students return on Monday, April 20, 2020
Personal/Family Days for Current and Future School Years
VERY IMPORTANT Information for our current 2019/2020 school year beginning August 5, 2019, we have reduced personal/family days for students from 10 days down to 7 days. Allowing 7 days is still much higher than what the district schools allow and we feel 7 days is more beneficial for the school and for each students’ education.
Don’t forget to click the STAR after scanning and enter your student’s classroom number for credit.
At Preschool we work hard at helping our students learn that they are in control of their own upset. We teach our students to use breathing techniques such as the S.T.A.R to help feel calm again. S.T.A.R is an acronym for:
Stop
Take a deep breath
And
Relax
Try it! You’ll find that it works for adults too!
Initial Phase
Thank you to all of the parents who came out to meet with the teachers this week. We love having the opportunity to tell you how awesome your child is. Now we enter the final stretch of our year.
This week we discussed ways to keep ourselves healthy and prevent sickness. We watched a brain pop on proper hand washing, ask your student to tell you how long they need to take to properly wash their hands. Teachers have been cleaning surfaces down even more than usual and encouraging all students to wash hands or use hand sanitizer throughout the day.
This week in TK, we learned all about Habitats.
First, we learned all about the Arctic Habitat. Some of the animals that live there are polar bears, seals and arctic foxes. The weather can get as low as –50. Brrr!
. Next we learned about the Rainforest Habitat. There are four levels in this habitat! Some of the animals that live here are birds, snakes, monkeys and sloths.
Lastly, we learned about the Ocean Habitat! The kids really enjoyed learning about all the animals that live here. Some are octopus, squid and even plants like seaweed.
Phase One:
Phase 1 teachers would like to thank all the parents that were able to conference with us this week. We enjoyed sharing your student’s growth and successes. Many of you voiced concerns about the Coronavirus. We hope we were able to answer all of your questions. Be assured that we are taking every precaution and following updates closely. The students know and understand the importance of washing hands and keeping germs to themselves!
In science the students had a fun week learning about plants. They learned all about the parts of a plant, its life cycle, and observed a fun experiment. Did you know you could turn flowers blue because of the way they ‘drink’ water? The students had fun making hypotheses and seeing the results.
The Book Fair was a huge success! We were so excited to see how excited the students are about reading!
Have a great weekend.
Phase Two:
Thank you for coming to parent-teacher conferences this week. We appreciate your questions and enjoy sharing your child’s success and goals with you.
Our book fair was a big hit! Did you know our school receives free books based on our sales? Our students loved shopping for books and fun supplies. Thank you to the parents who volunteered to help out.
Varsity: Students took their unit 3 test this week.
Honors: Students have been continuing to work on proportions. The students have worked on percent proportions all week long to prepare for the next lessons in the unit.
Scholastic: Students are completed their unit 5 test this week. They have also been reviewing past concepts to prepare for state testing. Last week, students used quizlet live to study for the vocabulary words on their unit test. (see photos below)
Mrs. Nijjar’s Math:
Varsity: We spent this week reviewing the concepts about comparing fractions and learned about improper fractions. In addition, students took the quiz for the same and are close to completing the fourth unit. When we return, students will be learning about mixed fractions and will be comparing the same.
Scholastic: Students spent this week learning about simplifying fractions, equivalent fractions, improper fractions, and mixed fractions. When we return, students will be taking the unit test for the fifth unit.
Honors: Students put their best efforts to take the unit-4 test and our class received the second-highest score out of ALL the Algebra 1 classes – 78%. We have started with the fifth unit and took the first quiz for this unit. When we return, students will be learning more about solving linear equations using different strategies.
Ms. Rodieck’s Language Arts and Humanities:
Welcome to Trimester 3. This week students were assigned their first Book Book. Scholastic and Honors need to be done reading their books by April 27th. They will be creating a Book Trailer in a group that week. Varsity will be turning in their first Book Club Book Report Friday, April 24th.
Some classes also did a Diagramming Nest Challenge – fun was had by all.
We also brainstormed ideas for our research project. More on this later.
Of course we continued reading Frankenstein and talked about some of the issues like forms of persuasion and nature versus nurture.
Language Arts with Mr. Harding:
Social Studies with Mr. Bird and Mr. McCarthy:
This week in social studies, we were very busy assessing what we have learned about ancient Greece. After a successful Olympic Games activity last week, students reviewed everything about ancient Greece before our unit test on Thursday. To review for our unit test, students played a fun game of Kahoot! Students were competitive and eager to show their knowledge! After our test, we celebrated on Friday with a Greek celebration as students brought in different Greek foods and other treats.
Science with Ms. Diaz:
Greetings scientists! This week, we did our weather experiments, where for the first time, we had to think of our own methods. Boy, was it a lot harder than we thought! Even when given the list of materials, it was still perplexing to map out what we had to do and the order of steps. But, upon trial and error, we finally figured things out (maybe with a little help for Ms. Diaz…). Check out the pics below AND this link http://bit.ly/tornadoinbottle to see a tornado in a bottle in action. We also got a taste of severe weather by starting the movie Day After Tomorrow. Next week, we will write up our very first methods papers from the weather experiments that we did. We will also continue Day After Tomorrow.
Last but not least, come one and come all to check out the DCS science blog site at: www.tlcdiscoverychannel.weebly.com. Read all about What Were Megalodon Sharks? (Harjap Randhawa) and The Top 10 Most Dangerous Prehistroric Animals (James Hayes).
Awesomely Interesting Announcements
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory “Science on Screen” event. Flyers available for your student.
Please don’t forget to check Google classroom and/or the science class website regularly with your student
Google Classroom: Hon/Scholastic→ jp9wlua Varsity→ 8d4s9b
Science class website: https://diazdoesscience.weebly.com
Stay curious & keep exploring!!!
Discovery Middle School 7th-8th
-Honors PSAT is on TBD
-MHS Placement Test TBD
-Superquiz Event Friday TBD
-Spring Break begins 4/6
Nest Certificate Winners for Week 28:
School Improvement Committee Invitation!
The School Improvement Committee is a new aspect of our DCS team this year. This Committee is comprised of students, staff members, the DCS Team Leads, parents, Mrs. Woods, Mrs. Stewart, and a TLC Boardmember (Mr. Murray). We meet roughly once a month to discuss the DCS Action Plan and the overall progress of our school. We would love to welcome new members! If you are at all interested in joining or attending a meeting to find out more about DCS then please contact myself, acerezo@tracylc.net for more information.
Attention all DCS Parents: 2019-2020 Parent Survey (SURVEY UPDATED)
Attached you will find a Google Form Survey that we are hoping our DCS parents/guardians will fill out. As a team we are always looking for ways to improve our practices and assist our students. We have developed a survey to check in with you all to determine how we are doing and what areas can be improved. If you have a moment, please complete the short survey. If you have any additional questions or comments feel free to email Ashley Cerezo (78) acerezo@tracylc.net or Kathy Prescott (56) kprescott@tracylc.net
For the month of January and February, students decorated their walls for the theme Healthy Habits. Here is our winner for 7/8!
Social Studies with Ms. Zaca
For one thousand years, Europeans believed that the sun and all other planets revolved around the earth. It wasn’t until Copernicus published his book after 25 years of observations that he finally proved Ptolemy’s theory wrong. 7/8 social studies students learned all about the scientific revolution the last month of trimester 2. They discussed how Galileo was experimented with two different falling objects, Kepler’s theory of the earth and other planets orbiting in an eclipse, and Isaac Newton’s finally identifying gravity and his laws of motion. As students leaned about these new discoveries, they connected it with their own lives.
With our final trimester already beginning, students are now analyzing the Enlightenment period. In Social Studies we have started to discuss how John Locke’s ideas led way to our Declaration of Independence.
Millennium High School
IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING SCHEDULING:
This week the High School began meeting with students to go over the class options for their schedule next year. Due to the Coronavirus closure, we are working on a system to continue these meetings. We have some options such as via email, phone etc. so please watch for Google Classroom or Remind notifications. We will let you know how we will proceed this coming week.
YEARBOOK ORDERS and SENIOR DEDICATION AD ORDERS CLOSING SOON!
Yearbooks are on sale now! Yearbooks are $75. Now is the perfect time to order a 2019-20 yearbook for your student. We look forward to yearbook delivery day, May 15th. Senior ad dedications are due by March 15th. Yearbook orders are open through March 30th. Click HERE to go to our convenient online order center! Or you may go to yearbookordercenter.com and enter code 21362. You may also pay by cash, check, or card in the front office or by contacting Miss Lamanna, blamanna@tracylc.net
Senior Dedication ads in the yearbook are available and can include photos alongside a personal message to your son, daughter, or teammate. There are a limited number of pages available, so act quickly. The deadline to place an ad is 3/15/20. Credit cards accepted! If you have any questions, please direct them to blamanna@tracylc.net.
Activities
Millennium Charter Prom has been postponed until further notice.
Disneyland Grad Nite – We will notify you if there are any changes to the following:
Some seniors have still not paid their $50 deposit for Disneyland. The $50 deposit to reserve your spot on the Disneyland Grad Nite trip was due by March 1st. This may be paid through our paypal donation portal at the bottom of the page on http://tracylearningcenter.com, or through our front office or Miss Lamanna by check, cash, or card. The full cost to attend Disneyland is $240. The $50 deposit reserves your student’s ticket and counts toward the $240 cost. Packets were sent home with students regarding this trip on our return from Winter Break. Extra information/release form packets are available in the front office and with Miss Lamanna.
This week in Science …..
All of the physics students participated in the MHS Inaugural Double Egg Drop Contest. Each team was given a set of materials to built a protective shell around two eggs. Congratulations go out to the winners, Milan Jaspal and Adriel Alvis.
Integrated Science: We have begun introductory level chemistry! Students observed the behavior of substances at different temperatures and explored the relationship between electrical charges and attraction/repulsion. Students were also introduced to the trends and patterns that are displayed on the periodic table of elements.
Environmental Science: The textiles we use have a major implications for society and the environment. Students have studied the origin and chemical structure of fibers like cotton, wool, and Kevlar. They also designed and conducted investigations to test properties of fibers, and researched the environmental impacts of the most commonly used fibers. Did you know that the average piece of clothing in the United States has a lifespan of 4 years? What resources does it take to produce that clothing and where does it end up when it is no longer in use?
Spring Sports at Millennium have been postponed until 4/3 with the school closure, and will continue through Spring Break, unless otherwise notified. Plans to re-evaluate the remainder of the season will take place on Monday 4/20 if no decision has been made heading in to Spring Break.
Summer College Early Start Process has begun for 9th-11th Graders!
On Friday 3/6, informational meetings were held during lunch for students interested in taking a Delta College Class this summer. Students who missed the meeting can pick up info at the Counseling Office. The first step is to apply to Delta College ASAP here, this weekend preferably!: https://deltacollege.edu/apply Students will need to provide their Social Security Number. It is important to get this step done ASAP to meet necessary deadlines. Ultimately, the College Early Start Form is due to the MHS Counseling Office on Wednesday, March 25th. More information can be accessed here: http://www.tracylearningcenter.com/counseling/college-and-carrer-planning/
Current seniors who need to apply to Delta College are encouraged to attend an upcoming application workshop on Delta’s Mountain House campus IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON ATTENDING THIS MEETING, PLEASE CONTACT DELTA COLLEGE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE CANCELLED OR POSTPONED:
Quarter 3 Ends March 6th
Report cards will be mailed out soon! We are now in the home stretch…Quarter 4! Make sure your students are working hard and preparing to finish this semester strong! Quarter 4 ends on May 21.
FAST TRACK – Our Mandatory Summer School Program
Official Dates: Friday May 22 – Friday June 26
FAST TRACK is our mandatory summer school program that students utilize to make up classes they failed or to get ahead. The program is five weeks long and students will be in school half a day. Students are able to earn a total of 10 credits, which is a year of one course.
Attendance to Fast Track is extremely important – missing one day is like missing an entire week of school! Additionally, students must be present a certain number of hours for us to be able to award credit for a class. Fast Track Attendance Policy: Students are only allowed to miss 8 hours of time during the entire FAST TRACK. Tardies count as one hour and a day is four hours. Any combination above 8 hours results in a need to withdraw and an F grade for the affected semester. There are no excused absences during FAST TRACK. Students may not miss more than two days. Four tardies are the equivalent of one day of school, therefore; two days absent and one tardy will result in a failing grade.
In coordination with Tracy Unified and the San Joaquin Health Services TLC will be closed to teachers and students for 3 weeks beginning Monday March 16th through April 3rd.
Our TLC spring break will remain in place for April 6th through April 17th as originally scheduled.
The campus will be off limits for all student activities during these next 5 weeks.
We appreciate your understanding in these unusual times. The safety of our students, staff and community is our priority.
Due to increased guidelines from the San Joaquin County Department of Public Health regarding gatherings under 250 people, attached, we are postponing Millennium Prom.
This is for the safety of our community and to remain in line with county health regulations in this fluid situation. Thank you for understanding. Please direct questions to blamanna@tracylc.net.
As stated yesterday, the situation with the coronavirus is fluid and changing daily.
TLC is following TUSD as they uphold the request by our Governor to avoid events with more than 250 people.
We have had to cancel the band’s Universal Studios trip and are trying to figure out the financial situation.
– Student and employee travel outside the county has been cancelled.
– Millennium Prom IS still happening this weekend and we are keeping attendees under 250.
Disneyland Grad night in May and the 8th Grade events and graduation are still planned but we will monitor the situation.
-We are working with Appleseed tour company regarding the Discovery Biosphere trip scheduled over spring break. Once we have more information we will let you know.
Sports will continue at this moment however we are expecting an announcement from the Department of Public Health office regarding athletic competitions in our county shortly.
Thank you for your understanding in these strange times.
In an effort to keep open lines of communication we wanted to pass along a memo from the TUSD superintendent who is taking a very active roll in making sure Tracy schools are safe. Below are some highlights of his meeting with the San Joaquin Director of Public Health.
We will continue to maintain open lines of communication with all our TLC families. We want to avoid any misinformation that can spread when people are not kept up to date with this type of important information. An example of this was the untrue rumor that a member of Jacobson school’s staff tested positive; that was completely false. If you ever need clarification on information regarding coronavirus and TLC, please ask. We are all in this together.
One precaution TLC has decided to take is not booking any more field trips until the situation changes. This would be for some class field trips and college tours that were planned for after spring break. We have also postponed the High School Europe trip that was planned for April.
See Below from Superintendent Brian Stevens:
This morning, Dr. Rob Pecot and I attended a meeting of county school officials with the San Joaquin County Public Health Director Dr. Maggie Park. The meeting was hosted by SJCOE so that all schools in the county could have the most up-to-date information possible to bring back to our district. Both Dr. Pecot and myself were very impressed with Dr. Park as she was calm, knowledgeable and precise with the information that she shared. I left the meeting confident that our County Public Health Department was in good hands.
As of last night, there are a total of 119,086 confirmed coronavirus cases in the world with 4,284 deaths from the coronavirus. In California, as of March 10, there were 157 positive cases and 3 deaths. Interestingly, of the 157 positive cases there are only two cases involving children under the age of 17. It is now believed that the coronavirus impacts adults far more than children. Children likely have the virus but have weaker symptoms such as a sneeze, cough or feeling slightly ill. The symptoms for adults are much more impactful.
I asked Dr. Park a question on the closing of a school or schools should a student or staff member be positively identified having the coronavirus. She and her other public health directors are not intending to close or dismiss schools for large periods of time. She estimates that a school might be dismissed for a day or two so that a deep cleaning of the facility can take place but it would be her intention that the school would re-open as quickly as possible.
Dr. Park was asked on perhaps the cancelling of public activities. She did not advise districts to cancel events at this time. Dr. Parks added that the cancelling of public events may be necessary in the future but her advice right now was to not cancel these events.
As you are well aware by now, this is a completely fluid situation that seems to change multiple times a day. Dr. Pecot and I will do our very best to keep you informed as the situation evolves.
TLC is working closely with Tracy Unified District to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep our TLC families and staff safe. Below is the information from TUSD superintendent Brian Stevens. They also have a webpage set up with information and links that help us better understand this situation.
TLC will stay in communication with the district and the state to ensure we are taking appropriate steps. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us and we are glad to help.
PreK, TK – 4th Grade Spring Picture Day and 8th Grade Promotion Picture Day is on Friday, March 27, 2020, there will NOT be any retakes for these pictures
Spring Break – Monday April 6, 2020 through April 19, 2020. All Students return on Monday, April 20, 2020
Personal/Family Days for Current and Future School Years
VERY IMPORTANT Information for our current 2019/2020 school year beginning August 5, 2019, we have reduced personal/family days for students from 10 days down to 7 days. Allowing 7 days is still much higher than what the district schools allow and we feel 7 days is more beneficial for the school and for each students’ education.
Lunch Menu Week of Mar. 9 – 13
Mon – Pizza
Tues – Chicken Wrap
Wed – Beef or Veggie Burger
Thurs – Beef Enchiladas
Fri – No Meat Spaghetti
Don’t forget to click the STAR after scanning and enter your student’s classroom number for credit.
HEADS UP IN CARLINE!!! Softball season is underway! PCS/DCS parents, softball games begin at 4pm. If you sit in carline (or park along Mae at Acacia/Carlton), please be advised that you are doing so at your own risk. Foul balls/errant balls DO end up in the street so be mindful on game days, for the sake of your windshields. You can find the schedule for home games on the MHS website, or in the Millennium section at the bottom of the Charter Chatter.
TLC Preschool
At Preschool we work hard at helping our students learn that they are in control of their own upset. We teach our students to use breathing techniques such as the S.T.A.R to help feel calm again. S.T.A.R is an acronym for:
Stop
Take a deep breath
And
Relax
Try it! You’ll find that it works for adults too!
Initial Phase
P2 had so much fun celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday in our jammies! We read tons of Dr. Seuss books, made rhyming hats, stacked cups to make truffula trees, and made a “Fox in Socks” puppet.
We also started our science unit on bridges. We read “21 Elephants and Still Standing” about the Brooklyn Bridge. Students learned about different types of bridges and what can help make a bridge more strong and stable. Students participated in drawing up their own plans and building a bridge that would hold 21 elephants, just like in the book.
Next week will be a review week for Language Arts and Math. This allows time for teachers to get students extra help in any areas that they may be struggling in.
This week in TK, we learned all about Habitats.
First, we learned all about the Arctic Habitat. Some of the animals that live there are polar bears, seals and arctic foxes. The weather can get as low as –50. Brrr!
. Next we learned about the Rainforest Habitat. There are four levels in this habitat! Some of the animals that live here are birds, snakes, monkeys and sloths.
Lastly, we learned about the Ocean Habitat! The kids really enjoyed learning about all the animals that live here. Some are octopus, squid and even plants like seaweed.
Phase One:
Phase 1 had a lot of fun celebrating Dr. Seuss’s Birthday! We enjoyed reading books by Dr. Seuss, making crafts, and learning in our comfy pajamas. We even had a dance party at lunch time. We are lucky to be able to learn and have fun at the same time.
In Science we explored the difference between inherited traits and acquired traits. We demonstrated how traits could be inherited by doing a fun activity. We created baby eggs that had characteristics from both mommy and daddy eggs. What cute creations they were!
We are excited for the Book Fair next week. It will take place in the Gym, Monday – Friday from 8:00 – 4:30. Come by and take a look!
We look forward to meeting with all of our parents next week during parent- teacher conferences. Please let your students’ teachers know if you will not be able to attend, so other arrangements can be made.
Congratulations to all the students that earned their Green Certificate for Trimester 2!! Great Job!!
Phase Two:
This week our phase 2 students finished their American Hero bobblehead dolls. They are so creative! We also completed our reports and will conclude our presentation part of the project next week.
Don’t forget next week is parent-teacher conferences and it’s also the Scholastic Book Fair! The book fair will be held in the gym every day next week form 8:00-4:30. You can also order any of the book fair books online!
Please see today’s green folder for all the book fair info.
Discovery Middle School 5-6
Upcoming ⅚ Dates:
March 9-13: Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 17-18: ⅚ College Fair, 9-10:30am (Zuniga’s classes on 17th; Nijjar’s classes on 18th) Flyers to go home soon!
Attention all DCS Parents: 2019-2020 Parent Survey (SURVEY UPDATED)
Attached you will find a Google Form Survey that we are hoping our DCS parents/guardians will fill out. As a team we are always looking for ways to improve our practices and assist our students. We have developed a survey to check in with you all to determine how we are doing and what areas can be improved. If you have a moment, please complete the short survey. If you have any additional questions or comments feel free to email Ashley Cerezo (7/8) acerezo@tracylc.net or Kathy Prescott (5/6) kprescott@tracylc.net
Varsity: Students are completing Unit 3 this week and our hope is to take our Unit test this week. We did a coloring activity to review prime factorization and exponents. (See photos below)
Honors: Students reviewed proportion word problems this week and took their second quiz for the unit. We also began to look at percent proportions which is very common in everyday shopping.
Scholastic: Students are completing Unit 5 this week and hope to take our unit test this week. Next week we will begin looking into operations of fractions.
Mrs. Nijjar’s Math:
Ms. Rodieck’s Language Arts and Humanities:
Trimester 2 is done. That means 14 more weeks of school, and they go fast. Trimester 3 is a time for students to apply what they have been learning in projects. It is also a time for State Testing.
We look forward to conferences next week and having the students share with you their progress.
Language Arts with Mr. Harding:
We have one trimester left, and it is going to be the best one yet! We begin this trimester focusing on expository texts like newspaper and magazine articles, instructional texts, and informational websites. We will be evaluating what we read for text features and effectiveness so that when we present information we are clear, concise, and can grab your attention. The first hurdle: making a paper swan. Maybe the texts will be sufficient, maybe they will be missing some steps – the learners will have to be able to analyze instructions, not just follow them. This is a very important life skill, not just an ELA skill. Hopefully, they will know the difference between a good “How to” text and one that is missing something. Along the way, we will have fun.
Social Studies with Mr. Bird and Mr. McCarthy:
This week in Social Studies, we are taking advantage of the great weather and conducting our Olympic Pentathlon games. On the days Wednesday and Thursday classes went out to the field and became Olympians. They Competitions were footraces, the long jump, the discuss throw, and the javelin throw. A quiz was given Friday on the Legacy of Ancient Greece. Next week we are having our unit test on all of Ancient Greece. We will hold a few study reviews classes and students should be studying from notebooks when they go home.
Science with Ms. Diaz:
Greetings scientists! This week, we began writing up our Water Cycle lab reports. Because we’ve had so much practice, we have graduated to submitting individual lab reports, no longer needing peer guidance. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we can’t collaborate with each other if questions do arise. On Monday, more Trimester 1 top 5 students attended an MHS forensics class. They learned about DNA and a procedure called PCR (polymerase chain reaction) that makes billions of copies of the same DNA strand. Check out the picture below for some awesome handiwork. We also played Kahoot! to review for our water cycle quiz which was on Wednesday. On Thursday, we moved on from the water cycle and learned about what weather actually is. What different types of weather are there? Next week, things are going to get exciting because we will learn about severe weather and what causes it. We are going to be “blown” away with all the interesting facts!
Last but not least, come one and come all to check out the DCS science blog site at: www.tlcdiscoverychannel.weebly.com. Read all about Mosquitos (Tanner Bohren) and Chernobyl Disaster (Lexi Duncan).
Awesomely Interesting Announcements
Day After Tomorrow movie permission slips handed out—> due ASAP
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory “Science on a Saturday” and “Science on Screen” events flyers given to your student. cdiaz@tracylc.net for more information
Please don’t forget to check Google classroom and/or the science class website regularly with your student
Google Classroom: Hon/Scholastic→ jp9wlua Varsity→ 8d4s9b
Science class website: https://diazdoesscience.weebly.com
Mission to Mars
Mission to Mars final parent meeting–> Tuesday, March 31st @ 6pm
Science Olympiad
Competition March 14, 2020. McNair High school ~7am-4pm
Stay curious & keep exploring!!!
Discovery Middle School 7th-8th
National School Choice Week!
Please watch the following video to celebrate with us!
Parent-Teacher Conferences take place the second week of March. Be on the lookout for invitations from your student’s homeroom teacher!
Tri 2 Music Concert:
Congratulations on a job well done to all of those who participated in this trimesters music concert! Great work!!
Nest Certificate Winners for Week 27:
School Improvement Committee Invitation!
The School Improvement Committee is a new aspect of our DCS team this year. This Committee is comprised of students, staff members, the DCS Team Leads, parents, Mrs. Woods, Mrs. Stewart, and a TLC Boardmember (Mr. Murray). We meet roughly once a month to discuss the DCS Action Plan and the overall progress of our school. We would love to welcome new members! If you are at all interested in joining or attending a meeting to find out more about DCS then please contact myself, acerezo@tracylc.net for more information.
*Next meeting is April 3rd*
Attention all DCS Parents: 2019-2020 Parent Survey (SURVEY UPDATED)
Attached you will find a Google Form Survey that we are hoping our DCS parents/guardians will fill out. As a team we are always looking for ways to improve our practices and assist our students. We have developed a survey to check in with you all to determine how we are doing and what areas can be improved. If you have a moment, please complete the short survey. If you have any additional questions or comments feel free to email Ashley Cerezo (78) acerezo@tracylc.net or Kathy Prescott (56) kprescott@tracylc.net
Winter has come and gone, and spring is finally here (whether our allergies care or not)!!!
Now that the weather is nicer, Discovery is hosting its beautification days again. We will be participating in our Campus Beautification on Saturday, March 14th, from 8:00-10:00 am. 7th/8th students were sent home permission slips this week and are due Tuesday, March 10th to Ms. Zaca at carline.
Mrs. Rapp’s Classes
This week we wrapped up the second trimester for all of 7/8. In Varsity we finished strong with a cumulative final on units one through 5. Achieving a class average of 70%. We are diving right into Unit 6 which covers Multiplication and Division with Fractions. Currently, there are no big dates coming up other than a unit test in the weeks to come.
Scholastic/Algebra 1 is working through Unit 6 on Exponents and Exponential Functions. With a class average of 92% on the first quiz, we are shooting for an average of 90% or higher on the unit test. Some of the activities that we have been doing to practice in class have been a lot of whiteboard practice as well as activities that allow us to get up and move. We have done scavenger hunts and task card scoots to practice all of the exponent rules that we have been learning. We will be tentatively be testing on March 20th.
Honors/Geometry is continuing in Unit 8 on Right Triangles and Trigonometry. This has been a fun unit this far as we have really taken a look at right triangles and the beginning of trigonometry. As a teacher, this is one of my favorite units in Geometry. Students really get an understanding of geometric application problems this unit and a small start of what they will see later in PreCalculus. Our Unit test will tentatively be on March 19th or 20th.
Millennium High School
YEARBOOK ORDERS and SENIOR DEDICATION AD ORDERS CLOSING SOON!
Yearbooks are on sale now! Yearbooks are $75. Now is the perfect time to order a 2019-20 yearbook for your student. We look forward to yearbook delivery day, May 15th. Senior ad dedications are due by March 15th. Yearbook orders are open through March 30th. Click HERE to go to our convenient online order center! Or you may go to yearbookordercenter.com and enter code 21362. You may also pay by cash, check, or card in the front office or by contacting Miss Lamanna, blamanna@tracylc.net
Senior Dedication ads in the yearbook are available and can include photos alongside a personal message to your son, daughter, or teammate. There are a limited number of pages available, so act quickly. The deadline to place an ad is 3/15/20. Credit cards accepted! If you have any questions, please direct them to blamanna@tracylc.net.
Activities
Millennium Charter Prom is 3/14, from 7-11 at the Stockton Golf and Country Club, Delta Ballroom. The theme is “An Evening at Gatsby’s”. Tickets are $80 and may be purchased by check, cash, or card through Miss Lamanna.
A full, three-course gourmet dinner and dessert are included in that price! The menu is:
Garden Salad Bar
Chicken Breast with Rosemary & Herbs
Tri-Tip with Mushroom Demi-Glaze
Roasted Red Potatoes
Creamy Pesto Bowtie Pasta
Steamed Seasonal Vegetables
Assorted Breads and Rolls with Butter
Assorted Cookies and Brownies
Water and Lemonade will be served in carafes.
Tickets must be purchased by 3/6 for students to attend. Guests from other schools are welcome to join our students, but must have a completed guest pass and ID — tickets will not be sold to anyone who has not returned their completed guest pass, signed by an administrator from their guest’s school.
Disneyland Grad Nite
Some seniors have still not paid their $50 deposit for Disneyland. The $50 deposit to reserve your spot on the Disneyland Grad Nite trip was due by March 1st. This may be paid through our paypal donation portal at the bottom of the page on http://tracylearningcenter.com, or through our front office or Miss Lamanna by check, cash, or card. The full cost to attend Disneyland is $240. The $50 deposit reserves your student’s ticket and counts toward the $240 cost. Packets were sent home with students regarding this trip on our return from Winter Break. Extra information/release form packets are available in the front office and with Miss Lamanna.
This week in English…..
MHS English Department Charter Chatter Week 28
In English I, students are completing their unit on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar; English 2 is finishing their unit on Hamlet. Both groups are working on sentence structure, using evidence in their writing, and incorporating literary devices. The quarter is wrapping up with students completing their unit final and projects. Students will then begin their unit on Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. This unit will also incorporate background information on The Great Depression and the history of migrant ranch workers in California. This is unit and a novel that students always enjoy.
Mrs. Ernst
In each class, we are completing our Shakespearean plays and will be wrapping up with a unit project and a unit test in the near future. Soon, we will begin our next book, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Each class is continuing to improve their writing skills. English 1 is learning to incorporate evidence in their body paragraphs and responses as well as learning to vary their sentence structure with compound sentences. English 2 is learning to identify, diagram, and write different types of complex sentences. Every class is developing their diagramming skills and expanding their vocabulary through weekly assignments.
Ms. Langston
English 3 students truly enjoyed their projects for The Scarlet Letter.
English 3 is now beginning their unit on I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
English Four is reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns.” This novel is returning to our curriculum after a two-year hiatus. Students are enthralled by the story so far! Students are very excited about graduation, but still working hard to master the concepts on our curriculum map. This year has been successful so far, and I can’t wait to find out which great colleges that have accepted our seniors! Please help your senior be successful as motivation can start to negatively affect their performance in the last two months of school.
—
Coach Reyes
In English 4, we have begun reading Macbeth by William Shakespeare. We started this unit by reading about and discussing the historical basis for the character of Macbeth. As we read we will analyze the play and we will focus on the theme of Fate vs. Free Will. We will ask the question “Does Hamlet have control over his own destiny, or is he playing into the cruel hands of fate?”
Mr. Crook
Speech and Debate
This weekend, FIVE of our Falcons qualified in SIX events to the California State Speech and Debate Championship! Congratulations to…
Danica Knowlden and Logan Malsack, Parliamentary Debate
Lucy Lamanna and Anton Souza, Parliamentary Debate
Summer Simmons, Humorous Interpretation
Lucy Lamanna, Original Advocacy.
We also qualified alternates:
Shika Acolatse, Original Prose and Poetry
Crysuel Cunanan, Original Advocacy
Danica Knowlden, Dramatic Interpretation
Congrats to all our hardworking Falcon Speech and Debaters! Their next step is National Qualifiers. We can’t wait to share more wins from our champions!
(Softball, Baseball, Track & Field, Golf, Tennis, Boys Volleyball & Swim): Saturday 3/7: Boys Volleyball @ Stockton Classic Tournament, Played at Edison High
Monday 3/9: JV Baseball vs Linden, 3:30pm
Tuesday 3/10: Softball vs Stone Ridge Christian, 4pm
V Baseball @ Stone Ridge Christian, 4pm, Played at Castle Field (Atwater)
Thursday 3/12: V Baseball vs Stone Ridge Christian, 4pm
Softball @ Stone Ridge Christian, 4pm, Played at Castle Field (Atwater)
Summer College Early Start Process has begun for 9th-11th Graders!
On Friday 3/6, informational meetings were held during lunch for students interested in taking a Delta College Class this summer. Students who missed the meeting can pick up info at the Counseling Office. The first step is to apply to Delta College ASAP here, this weekend preferably!: https://deltacollege.edu/apply Students will need to provide their Social Security Number. It is important to get this step done ASAP to meet necessary deadlines. Ultimately, the College Early Start Form is due to the MHS Counseling Office on Wednesday, March 25th. More information can be accessed here: http://www.tracylearningcenter.com/counseling/college-and-carrer-planning/
Current seniors who need to apply to Delta College are encouraged to attend an upcoming application workshop on Delta’s Mountain House campus:
Quarter 3 Ends March 6th
Report cards will be mailed out soon! We are now in the home stretch…Quarter 4! Make sure your students are working hard and preparing to finish this semester strong! Quarter 4 ends on May 21.
FAST TRACK – Our Mandatory Summer School Program
Official Dates: Friday May 22 – Friday June 26
FAST TRACK is our mandatory summer school program that students utilize to make up classes they failed or to get ahead. The program is five weeks long and students will be in school half a day. Students are able to earn a total of 10 credits, which is a year of one course.
Attendance to Fast Track is extremely important – missing one day is like missing an entire week of school! Additionally, students must be present a certain number of hours for us to be able to award credit for a class. Fast Track Attendance Policy: Students are only allowed to miss 8 hours of time during the entire FAST TRACK. Tardies count as one hour and a day is four hours. Any combination above 8 hours results in a need to withdraw and an F grade for the affected semester. There are no excused absences during FAST TRACK. Students may not miss more than two days. Four tardies are the equivalent of one day of school, therefore; two days absent and one tardy will result in a failing grade.
Learning Plans
Starting next week, the Counselors and Mrs. Stewart will be meeting with every student individually from 9th-11th grade to review their transcript and academic progress, and plan their schedule for Fast Track and the following school year.
