The KEY and SNAP Workbooks - DEADLINE THURSDAY JAN 31

With June and this year’s Provincial Achievement Tests (Grade 9) just around the corner, MidSun School is offering to order THE KEY study guides and SNAP workbooks at a huge discount from local bookstores.

These resources compliment classroom instruction, provide students with additional learning opportunities and practice at home. These materials are 100% aligned to the Alberta curriculum.

THE KEY study guide provides the student with a complete overview of the course, a table of correlations at the beginning of each unit to relate to curriculum expectations of each question, and detailed solutions for every question in the study guide. “The Key” is available in all four of the core subjects, English, Social, Math and Science for $17.00 a guide  (reg. price $29.95).  including GST and delivery.

The Student Notes & Problems (SNAP) workbooks are available for Math and Science at a cost of $18.50 a workbook including GST and delivery. These workbooks provide students with key definitions, formulas, reminders, steps and procedures to aid the student’s understanding of key concepts. Detailed solutions illustrate the problem-solving method used to arrive at the correct answer. 

Castle Rock Research, the creators of THE KEY study guides and SNAP workbooks has an informative website that parents and students can preview prior to making their decision to purchase. Please visit them at: www.castlerockresearch.com.

A form was sent home with your child last week with this information as well as an order form.  If you would like to purchase these items please complete the order form on the back of that letter. Payment can be made by cheque, credit card, or EXACT cash amount.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact either learning leader below.

D. Severin                                                                   A. Belseth

Learning Leader Math/Science                                   Learning Leader LA/SS

djseverin@cbe.ab.ca                                                   adbelseth@cbe.ab.ca

MidSun Fine Arts Night

As term one comes to a close, it is always one of the best times of the year.  After 5 months of hard work the projects in the construction lab are all completed. On Tuesday January 22 we held our fine arts evening, this was a chance for the students and parents to see all the wonderful work that the students do in their option classes. The Drama students did mini performances, the Jazz band played a couple of tunes, and we turned the atrium into an art gallery. The Foods and Fashion department displayed their sewing skills and served hors d’oeuvres, and  French students served   au chocolat chaud and croissants. All in all it was a very nice evening.

Thank you to all who attended.

MidSun Annual Fundraiser Carnival - FRIDAY

MidSun Annual Fundraiser Carnival to  support construction of our outdoor school area is happening this FRIDAY January 25th. Just 2 days away. Carnival games will cost between 50 cents and $3 to play Or buy an unlimited play wrist band for $15 or $12 with a food bank donation. Wristbands are well worth the purchase but do not include food items. Every game played provides the opportunity to enter the draw for the Grand Prize of  a 42”LCD 3D TV with an XBOX 360 with games. All funds raised goes back to the students at MidSun. Help support…bring your money Friday or prepurchase a wristband tomorrow.

ENVOE Classes take up Winter Sports

Last week on Monday (the 14^th) students from all 3 grades went out to Kananaskis for a day of fun in the snow with the ENVOE program at the school.  There were 18 grade 9 students who were learning how to cross-country ski, while there were 14 students from both grade 7 and 8 who went snowshoeing.

The group was out at Pocaterra in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park for a nice winter day.  The students had a great day and everyone stayed relatively warm.

Mike Harris

Val Miles

Chad Howie

Junior Boys Basketball Update

The junior boys basketball team ran their record to a perfect 5-0 last week with two convincing wins here at MidSun on Friday.  The boys defeated both teams (Sir John A. MacDonald School and Rundle College) by double digits.  The victories can be attributed to a great work ethic and high skill level by the team.  The team continues its games next week with two more league games (on Tuesday at Woodman School) and then a tournament at Vincent Massey School on both Monday and Wednesday.

One of the best things about the season so far has been the tremendous fan support at each of the games.  There have been close to 40 people (both friends and family) that have come to cheer on the boys at each of their games.  This has been awesome and something that the boys truly appreciate!  Good luck with the rest of the season boys.

Mike Harris

Coach

Complimentary Subjects' Open House

The complimentary subjects' open house (aka Celebration of the Arts) will take place tomorrow (Tuesday January 22nd)  from 6.30 to 8.00pm in the Atrium and Atrium Balcony.

Admission is free to this great event!

This event will showcase our students' talents in Art, Drama, Dance, Construction, Foods, Fashion, Jazz Band, French, Design and more.

	Event	Location:
Drama	Drama Performances	Drama Room
Art	Trifolds	Center of Atrium
French	Circulating around with French Treats	Entrance be Red Pod
Construction	Project Displays	Atrium (North Side)
Design/IP	Projects/Smart Board Displays	Atrium (East)
Jazz Band	Jazz Band will play at 7:15	Atrium in between vending machines
Film Studies	Smart Board	Green Pod Entrance
Foods	Catering Club	Circulating Around with Treats
Fashion	Display in	S. Side of Atrium (in Front of Fashion Room)

We hope to see you then!

Exam Resources

The "Parents" section of our website now contains a list of various study resources in regards to exam preparation:

• Getting ready for tests

• Exam strategies

• Success in math

• Alberta Education Provincial Achievement Guide for Parents - Grade 9

Be sure to check out these great resources!

MidSun Madness Basketball Tournament

Our Annual MidSun Madness 3-on-3 basketball tournament took place this past weekend and it was a huge success!

With 4 schools competing (Simon Fraser, Sir John A. MacDonald, S.W. Shaw and MidSun), a total of 40 games were played within the 2 day schedule!

The girls were encouraged to improve their skills and work together. 

The finals had two MidSun teams facing each other!  Lander, Alissa, Rebecca and Danielle came away with first place medallions and Bria, Jess and Nicole came in a close second.  The score was 11-9.

A huge thank you to all of our volunteers (Mr. Harris and Mr. Pratt were our referees) Jessica from Centennial was another referee; Mrs. Bender and our secretary Mrs. Ewart for helping with the food in the coach’s room, all of our Leadership students for making sure we had popcorn for sale and for making sure we had scorekeepers at every game!  We could not have done this without your help!

Nicky Amirault B.Ed

Phys. Ed. L.L. I Athletics I MidSun School

MidSun Music Parents Society Fundraising Casino

MidSun Music Parents Society Fundraising Casino

Our casino will be held at the Elbow River Casino on May 25th

and 26th, 2013. This casino is located at 218 18th Ave S.E. DON’T

FORGET TO MARK THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR. We

will need approximately 45 shifts to be filled.

Volunteers are required for this event as follows:

General Manager (1/shift) - Two day shifts (10:40 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.)

& Banker (1/shift) - Two night shifts (6:15 p.m. – 3:00 a.m.)

Cashiers (2/shift) & - Two day shifts (11:15 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.)

Chip Runners (2/shift) - 8 persons in total

- Two night shifts (6:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.)

- 8 persons in total

Count Room (6/shift) - Two night shifts (10:15 p.m. – 3:00 am)

- 12 persons in total

In addition, we need approximately two to three spares for each shift.

Note –Volunteer’s applications requesting specific shifts will be accepted in

the order that they are received. It is important that we get your volunteer

application returned as soon as possible.

The Casino has a volunteer lounge where you take your breaks. A

television, telephone, and usually coffee is available in this lounge. In

addition, volunteers will be provided with food from the cafeteria.

Remember, you will not be involved with the games, so need no knowledge

of gaming. All training required is done at the beginning of your shift.

Please consider volunteering your time for your school and band. If you

have any questions, please contact Lori White at 777-6430 local 2104.

Please return your completed Volunteer Worker Applications forms to

the school as soon as possible.  

The forms are located on the "Quick Links" section (left side bar on Midsun's main page).

Additional forms are available in the school

office.

Fun Lunch Schedule for the rest of the year

Hello everyone

I wanted to let you know that Fun Lunches have been booked on Healthy Hunger for all short days left this school year. Go to www.healthyhunger.ca to pre-orders yours now. You can pay for all at once on your credit card!

Here are the upcoming dates:

Jan.18 – Extreme Pita (orders due today)

Jan.25 – no lunch (Carnival)

Jan.31 – Booster Juice

Feb.7 – Flying Wedge Pizza (Charity Bball Game)

Feb.8 – Subway

Feb.13 – Opa

Feb.22 – Booster Juice

Mar. 1 – Opa

Mar. 8 – Subway

Mar.15 – Extreme Pita

Mar.21 – Flying Wedge Pizza

Apr.5 – Extreme Pita

Apr.12 – Opa

Apr.18 – Booster Juice

Apr.26 – Subway

May 3 – Extreme Pita

May 10 – Flying Wedge Pizza

May 24 – Opa

May 31 – Booster Juice

Jun.7 – Subway

Jun.14 - Flying Wedge Pizza

Tatiana Ryall

Midsun Junior High School

403.777.6430 x.3035

taryall@cbe.ab.ca

Sr Boys Basketball Win Silver

Grade 9 Boys won Silver at the Rundle College Cobra Cup basketball tournament on the weekend.  On Friday they easily handled Rundle Academy by a score of 52 to 37.  Saturday morning they played a fast team from Medicine Hat, there were numerous lead changes throughout the game as both teams vied to make the finals, but the Lakers came out on top winning 58 to 55.  In the final the boys played Heritage Christian Academy but lost, finishing in second place and taking home a silver medal.  MVP of the tournament for MidSun was Derek Maucieri with over 30 points in three games.  The boys begin their regular season on Thursday at Mountain Park.

Sean Slaughter

Coach

Upcoming Midterms for All Grades Jan 29th and 30th

On January 29th and 30th students in all grades will be writing LA and Social midterms.  On Tuesday the 29th they will write an LA reading comprehension MidTerm, and on Wednesday, the 30th they will write a Social Studies Midterm.  

This test is a low-stakes test, with the idea that the students will experience the pattern of writing a major exam and will not be a large part of their mark, unlike final exams.  Please encourage studying habits as our goal is for them to practice studying for cumulative tests.  Students will be provided with exam review materials before the exams as well as some ideas for how to study for a cumulative test.

 Students will arrive at school at normal time (8:55) for homeroom, write the test for one hour, and then will have regular classes (though shortened) for the rest of the day and will go home at normal time (3:28).

If you have any questions, please contact your child's social studies or LA teacher.

Driving in a school zone

A recent article in Calgary Metro Magazine reminds us that the fine for passing another vehicle in a school or playground zone is $172.00. The fines for exceeding the zones' 30 km/h speed limit can run as high as $202.00.  More importantly, our children's safety is put at risk when people do not follow the safety rules for school zones.  Please drive with care.

Option Change Process for Semester 2

Starting on Monday, January 14 students will be able to request a change in second semester options, but completing an application will not guarantee a change. Those applications will be available on Monday, January 14, 2013.  Students will not be able to move into or out of Band and French easily; a parent conversation with the specific teachers will be necessary. Students will not be able to change their current Laker Life assignment.  These are the parameters for change requests:

Students will only be able to exchange options within the same option block (same day, same period). Changes will only be made when there is space in the desired course(s) and the desired option teacher agrees to take the student. That teacher's signature will be required. The teachers of those classes from which students are leaving will also need to sign the form. Options which student have previouly taken can only be repeated with a teacher’s permission.  Parent signatures are required on the application form.  Option changes will be done on a first-come first-served basis.  No changes would be considered official until such time as a student receives a revised timetable.  Otherwise students would need to attend their currently scheduled options. Applications  need to be completed and returned by Friday, January 18, 2013.  Incomplete application forms will not be processed.

Accountability Pillar Survey

Alberta Education invites you to play an important role in your child’s education.

By completing this survey, you are giving your school, your school authority and your provincial

government important information to gauge the quality of education your child is receiving and

make improvements where needed.

When you fill out the attached Accountability Pillar survey, you’re adding your voice to the future of

education in your school and throughout Alberta. Results are used by schools, school authorities

and government to see what’s working and what needs to be improved.

For more information, please see the "Alberta Education | Your voice matters (pdf)" document under "Quick Links" (left of school home page).

2012/2013 Accountability Pillar Survey Information

Parents of grade seven students will soon be receiving the Accountability Pillar Survey in the mail. This survey is an important tool for MidSun School to identify our areas of strength and the areas we need to work on. The parent survey is mailed from and returned directly to Alberta Education.  

As an annual check-up on the education system, the Accountability Pillar provides an opportunity for Alberta Education and school authorities to ensure that we’re equipping students for success.

The Accountability Pillar uses a set of 16 indicators consisting of surveys of students, parents and teachers on various aspects of quality; student outcomes such as dropout and high school completion rates; and provincial assessments of student learning.

From January to the end of February, Alberta Education will be conducting the annual Accountability Pillar Survey.  In January, parents of students in grade 7 will receive a survey from Alberta Education.  In February, students in grade 7 and all teachers will be completing their surveys online at school. 

All surveys are anonymous and ask questions about experiences with the school.  In addition to English and French, the parent survey is available in Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic, Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish and Tagalog. 

Your participation in the survey helps provide important information on the quality of education your child is receiving, so we encourage you to return your survey promptly.

Survey results will be available to school authorities in May 2013, and will be reported publicly as part of their 3-Year Education Plans and Annual Education Results Reports.

Please also be aware that “don’t know” answers impact results negatively.  The percentage of satisfied respondents is based on the total number of respondents. “Don’t know” responses count in the same category as the dissatisfied or very dissatisfied responses.  Students, teachers and parents who “don’t know” the answer to a particular question should skip that individual question if they don’t want their response to count as a negative one. 

Grocery Gift Card Information

We are very encouraged by the great response to support the school by purchasing grocery gift cards.  We have had quite a few inquiries about using a credit card to purchase the gift cards.  

Grocery Gift Card purchases can be made by CREDIT/DEBIT CARD at the school office between the following times:

Monday, January 14, 2013 from 3:30 - 5:15 pm

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 from 7:00 - 8:30 am

Please bring your completed form, plus your credit card to the school.

We hope the money raised will help us purchase some much needed technology upgrades, purchase new wheels for our bleachers, new equipment for our fitness studio, more books and programs for our library, support the creation of our outdoor classroom and many more items to supplement learning at MidSun!

Book Club update

Mid Sun Book Clubs Resume Wednesday, January 16th

 Our book clubs resume on Wednesday, January 16 during the lunch hours. The Grade Seven club will be discussing Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen and the Grades 8 & 9 students will be offering their thoughts on Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. New members are always welcome, so please feel free to join us on Wednesday to receive the next books. Happy reading.

Peer Tutoring Announcement

Peer tutoring with Centennial students will resume on Wednesday, February 6, once their exams are complete. 

Completion Room is still available after school Monday - Thursday in the library.