Late Arrival / Reading Day

Good evening!

     Remember that Wednesday is a two-hour delay (one of only two we have left, since we axed the rest to make up for storm days) for students, not staff. Classes will be shortened, but all after-school activities should continue as usual.

     Students in Clan Barclay will be reading all period in Language Arts; make sure you bring your books!

     Also, if anyone needs a refresher on figurative language, here is a video I posted for the class this week. Another, relating to rhyme, is below.

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

NaNoWriMo

Hello, class!

      I was hoping to present this to you in person, earlier in the week, but since we are on our third day off, and today is November 1, it is time to write a note instead! Every November, the National Novel Writing Contest Organization hosts a challenge for writers, young and old, to write a full-length novel in thirty days. That's 50,000 words in 30 days. With some rough math, that means an average of 1,667 words per day, without counting proofreading.

     If you want to give it a try (and remember, this is OPTIONAL, and just for fun), you can sign up as a student at https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ and use Classroom Code ZNCDNNKD. Read your terms and conditions, and if you are ready for a writing challenge unlike any you have faced before, join!

     Any questions you may have, or your parents may have, you can direct to me, or peruse their website and see if you can answer them on your own. 

     Remember, your classroom code is ZNCDNNKD. Write well!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Well, how about that…

Hello Everyone!

     It appears we have ourselves an extended weekend! Two days of cancelled school in a row, since Tuesday is off, too. Students, this is a great opportunity to get outside and get some exercise cleaning up fallen limbs, downed trees, and blown leaves — remember that more time outside and more time physically active is directly tied to more happiness! Or, if you just don't want all those health benefits, or for some reason you can't get outside (but still have power and access to the internet!) you can always proofread and resubmit assignments on Google Classroom!

     Or, when all else fails, get yourself a book, find a quiet spot, and read. Get those lexiles up, and lose yourself in another world!

     Last but not least, there's nothing like a day of making memories at home to remind you that you make memories at school every year. What better way to capture those memories than in your own yearbook? Order your yearbook here!

     Enjoy your fourth day of the weekend, and stay safe on Halloween!

Warm Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

This Week

Good afternoon!

     This week is atypical in a few different ways. First, Mrs. Schoenfeld is out all week chaperoning the Fall Girls Pathfinders, so if you cannot reach her… that is why.

     Ms. Lund will be out on Tuesday chaperoning the Girls Engineering trip to UMaine in Orono — a few of our girls will spend all day on campus learning about engineering and the opportunities they can find.

     Wednesday will be a two-hour delay for students (staff have meetings and trainings), so expect busses at 8:30 if they usually come at 6:30; the official school day starts at 9:10 instead of the usual 7:10.

     On Thursday, Mr. DeMaris will be out chaperoning the Boys Engineering trip to UMaine in Orono — it's like the trip for girls, but for the boys! Thursday night is the first production of the drama club's play from 7:00 – 9:00 on the stage in Lowlands Gym. See you there!

     Finally, Friday during Advisory students will walk against bullying; if you have an orange shirt, bring it and wear it. Friday night is the second and last production of the drama club's play; same time and place as on Thursday.

     If you have any questions, email, call, or comment, and we will get back to you!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Winter Sports Signups

Good Morning!

     If you are interested in signing up for winter sports here at Bonny Eagle Middle School, here is the link. You must sign up by Thursday, October 5. Any questions should be directed to Mr. Laprise, the Athletic Director.

https://sites.google.com/a/bonnyeagle.org/bemsathletics/sportsignups

Go Green!
Mr. DeMaris

A Reminder

Hello everyone,

     Please remember that tomorrow, Tuesday, September 12 is Picture Day here at BEMS. Students should come in prepared to get their photos taken; this will be the image used in the yearbook as well. Tomorrow evening is Open House (Back to School Night) from 6:00 – 7:00; come in and meet your teachers and get to see what their classrooms are like. This is not a conference night, and it is too early in the year to really discuss students' grades in any depth, but it is a chance to say hello and ask a few questions. Join us!

     If you have any questions ahead of time, please feel free to email.

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

In Memory

We will not forget.

http://www.ixdaily.com/images/user/9-11-flag.jpg

Shared Clan Vision

CLAN BARCLAY

DO OR DIE

BARCLAY WILL OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGE WITH PRIDE, STRENGTH, AND INTELLIGENCE. WE ARE DETERMINED TO SUCCEED AND WE STRIVE TO BE OUR BEST. WE ARE ALWAYS THE G.O.A.T.

Welcome to a new year!

Welcome to Clan Barclay!

Wednesday

Hey All,

     If you earned a two or one on the first vocab quiz, or you did not take it Friday, you will take it Wednesday in class. You only get one retake, and the second grade stands. Study well for it.

     After that, you will continue working on your setting writing assignment — remember to include all five senses and your where, when, and what is there.

     Keep your focus!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Week of Dec. 12 – Dec. 16

Good morning, everyone.

     Well, the snow has just begun to fall here, and the predictions are pretty nasty for the whole day, so we will reserve judgement on whether or not there will be a snow day today. If there is, stay safe and off the roads as best you can, and then enjoy yourself and admire the beautiful winter scene in comfort. We aren't in charge of the weather, so we might as well make the best of it!

     Regardless of the snow day, this week will be about reviewing vocabulary and developing setting and character. Last week, students took their first vocabulary and spelling quiz, to mixed results, and you will all get the chance to retake it if necessary early this week. However, there will also be a few new words to learn, and a new quiz this coming Friday. So, if you did poorly, this is your opportunity to fix that mistake and study earlier and more often for the next one. We will be making a habit of having vocab quizzes this trimester, so pay attention and learn your words.

     Monday (or Tuesday, depending on the weather and our district's call!) students will get their vocab quizzes back and will have the opportunity to review their work and a chance to retake the quiz the following day. There will be only one retake given per student; after that, your grade is set. The new batch of words will also be provided, so start studying that night to prepare for Friday's quiz. Students will also review how setting works, and will dig into descriptive language by writing about physical objects in detail.

     The middle of the week will be devoted to honing setting by improving the language of student descriptions. Everyone will share their writing with another person in the class, and there will be conferencing on how to improve, followed by revision. By the end of the week, each student will submit his or her descriptive writing to be considered and graded; all five senses must be applied in the work for full credit.

          Wednesday will be a reading or writing day in class; students will either work on their settings or read from their books. Thursday will be a strictly reading day, so students should make sure their settings are complete before then, or prepare to write furiously on Friday to finish.

     On Friday, students will take their vocab quiz, write a Week in Review, and make final edits to their settings as needed. Beyond that, it will be more time to read. After all, there will be less than a week remaining before vacation!

     After school this week, Yearbook Club meets Tuesday and Chess Club on Wednesday; to my knowledge, all eighth grade games are away.

     Stay safe, stay warm, and keep in touch with any questions! Report cards went out on Friday, so if there is any lingering confusion about grades, now is a good time to ask.

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Week of Dec. 5 – Dec. 9

Welcome to Trimester Two!

     It has been a busy first trimester, but it is done at last! Grades are being calculated and posted by teachers at this very moment, and report cards will go home by the end of the week. Trimester One report cards will include, for Language Arts, persuasive writing, grammar, presentation, and timeliness scores. Before you know it, we will be on vacation again, and then it will be a new year. But that is getting a bit ahead of things, so let's focus on the present.

     This week in Barclay Language Arts, students will take the SRI (Standard Reading Inventory) to check on how their reading comprehension has improved since the start of the year. In the coming trimester, we will be focusing on that exact subject, so this will be a handy score to compare to the end of the trimester. Students will have all class on Monday to complete this, and may finish it on their own time at home. This must be completed by Wednesday so we can compare progress by Friday's in-class student-teacher conference about it.

     On Monday, before taking the SRI, students will get five vocabulary words for the week, which they will be expected to spell and match with a definition and part of speech on Friday.

     On Tuesday, students will dive into scene descriptions, examining one moment from their novels and identifying all the descriptive words from them. Proper reading comprehension means depth of understanding, so recognizing how authors describe a setting is key to success. Students will work on this in groups or individually, and will turn in their work by the end of class.

     On Wednesday, which is a two-hour delay start for students, they will engage in a similar activity regarding a character from their novel; this time, the descriptions may come from anywhere in the text, not just one scene. This is a more student-driven assignment, and so will be done in pairs or individually. Students must be prepared to present their characterizations to the class verbally (without a computer) on Thursday.

     On Thursday, students present their characterization to the class and attend to the characterizations by their peers. Any remaining time will be used to review the concepts of characterization and setting.

     On Friday, students will take a quick vocabulary quiz, write a Week in Review, focusing on how much they understand about setting and characterization, and will be brought up to talk about their reading comprehension one at a time as they write. Any remaining time in the period will be spent reading.

     After school this week, our boys play at home against Lincoln at 4:45 on Monday, and the girls play at home against Windham at the same time on Thursday. The Newspaper Club meets Tuesday afternoon immediately following school, and Chess Club meets on Wednesday.

     Get in touch with any questions or concerns, and welcome to Trimester Two!

Sincerely,
Mr. DeMaris

Week of Nov. 21 – Nov. 25

Good afternoon!

     This week is a short one from the school's point of view; there are only two days of classes, followed by Thanksgiving Vacation. The days are slightly unusual as well.

     On Monday, classes are their usual times for a Green day, but a few classes will be catchup periods. RTI will be primarily dedicated to Social Studies, with students who are set in that class given time to work on Math, Language Arts, and Science.

     On Tuesday, students will likely have shortened classes in the afternoon, and in the morning they will attend an assembly run by local meteorologist Charlie Lopresti. He will talk about extreme weather conditions, show some videos, and share his experiences working with a new company. This ties in nicely with our current science curriculum, which is about weather patterns. Tuesday is Full Chorus day during RTI. Yearbook club meets Tuesday afternoon, too.

     Wednesday through Friday is Thanksgiving vacation for students and teachers alike. Take this time to remember what good things you have in your life, and let someone who cares for you know you care for them. See family, smile, and share a few moments. The weather on Thanksgiving is supposed to be grey and rainy, but you can still appreciate the warmth indoors.

     Thank you for your time, and keep in touch if you have any questions.

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Week of Nov. 14 – Nov. 18

Good afternoon!

     This week is off to a great start; students were focused and attentive for the most part, and the weather was beautiful outside. This is also a pretty straightforward week, with only one aberration in the middle.

     Academically, all four classes are starting formal work with narratives; Gold, Green, and White classes began today with Elements of Literature definitions, while Blue class brainstormed what they knew about World War I, sharing it with the class. Every class will transition soon into story-based analysis over chosen books, with Blue class focusing on World War I literature that ties into Social Studies class.

     The rest of this week will be dedicated to choosing which book students will read in class; there are four options available, and students will be spending class time reading them, discussing them, and responding to them to develop their literary analysis skills. With rare exceptions, books will be kept in the classroom.

     Wednesday is a late arrival day, but other than that the weekly schedule seems normal. Next week, remember, is Thanksgiving, so we only have two days of school.

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Week of Nov. 7 – Nov. 11

Good morning,

     This week continues our work on story analysis with a comparison of original texts to movie versions of the same narrative. Over Monday and Tuesday, students watch a movie adaptation of "The Tell-Tale Heart" as a class, and compare it to the written text on their own, explaining what was changed and kept and why they think the director made those decisions. After that, on Wednesday, students move on to their own personal texts for a day. On Thursday, all classes visit the book fair one last time this season before spending the remainder of the class time reading.

     The second round of parent-teacher conferences take place Tuesday evening from 3:30 – 6:30; we meet in Mrs. Davis' room, while my room is used as a waiting area for those who arrive early or stay after. Yearbook and Newspaper Clubs (like so many clubs this day) are cancelled due to the early start of conferences. Wednesday afternoon Chess Club is still on; Mr. Edwards will not be joining us this week, or for many weeks to come, though.

     Friday is Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, and is a day to honor and remember all who have served this country in her armed forces. It is also a day off school as a result of it being a federal holiday. Take some time on your day off to thank a veteran for his or her service; it is their efforts that provide our safety and our freedom.

     If you have any questions or concerns, as always feel free to contact us!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Book Fair!

Hey All,

     The Book Fair is open this week and next on Green Days; I am taking Gold Class and Green Class tomorrow during class time, and White and Blue class next Thursday. Bring some money and look around for books!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Week of Oct 31 – Nov 4

Hello Everyone!

     We started the week yesterday with no internet access at school, so my posting of this little message was delayed. Regardless, yesterday's classes were spent finishing presentations and starting narratives, with most students choosing to read "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe. The other option, "The Open Window" by Saki, still had a few fans, but with the more gory aspects of Poe's work he naturally gets more attention.

     Today we move on to stories full-time, digging into the narratives to figure out how best to understand complex texts. Wednesday and Thursday are much the same, processing additional Elements of Literature as we go. Friday we write a Week in Review, and that is the week done! This is a vague description, I know, but different classes are operating at different speeds on these skills.

     Wednesday is Parent-Teacher Conference night, from 4:00 – 7:00, and all the slots are taken. We encourage the student to join us (after all, students are why we are here!) so bring them along. Next week conferences (also booked) are on Tuesday, November 8, from 3:30 – 6:30.

     Friday is Hat Day, raising money for a community need; bring a dollar and wear a hat!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Kokonut Kapers — A Komedy!

Hello Everyone,

     Tonight, our drama club puts on their performance of Kokonut Kapers, a classic comedy fit for all ages. They have worked long and hard to put this show together, so you should drive out and see the fruits of their labors. The play starts at 7:00 tonight in the Lowlands Gym here at BEMS.

     If you cannot attend this evening, I certainly hope you can make it tomorrow (Friday) night! The show is at the same time and same place. Bring the family, bring your friends, and have a good time.

     Finally, tomorrow is PICTURE RETAKE DAY. If you missed your shot last month, or you didn't like the way you looked, or you just want to get a better look for the yearbook, this is your chance. Dress well, smile brightly, and enjoy!

Sincerely,
Mr. DeMaris

Presentations

Hello,

     Remember that tomorrow (Thursday) is presentation day here in Clan Barclay; each of you must be prepared to present your claim and your evidence aloud to the class. Students may ask questions of you, and to earn a four on your presentation you must be prepared to show that they learned something from your work. To earn a four on your audience part, you must not only show that you listened and learned attentively, but you also can justify how well you feel the presenter did in his or her argument.

     Rest well, and tomorrow attend well. Thank you for all your hard work. As we say in Clan Barclay, engraved on our crest:  do or die! I am excited to see how well you all do!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

P.S. — On an unrelated note, the staff soundly beat the students at the staff-student soccer game today; the girls half was won 3–0, while the boys half was won 2–0.

Late Arrival Day!

Hello Everyone,

     Please remember that Wednesday, October 26 is a two-hour delay day for students (not staff) here at BEMS. Children can expect buses to be two hours later than usual, as the day begins at 9:10 instead of the usual 7:10. Staff members, as we always do on such days, will be up to our noses in faculty meetings and trainings during this time.

     Enjoy the time! Also, remember that Thursday we start presenting persuasive projects in class; be prepared to demonstrate you know your material, and be prepared to stand up in front of your peers.

With Regards,
Mr. DeMaris