Yearbooks are on sale!

Good evening!

You can preorder your yearbook at last! The Yearbook Club is going to spend the next several months designing and building this year's book, which we will print courtesy of Jostens. Every year, we pour the heart and soul of the Bonny Eagle experience into this beautiful publication, and it can be yours for only $25.00 in hardcover, or $20.00 in softcover.

But, from now until Columbus Day, there is a SALE going on! You can get 16% off hardcovers and 20% off softcovers if you order online or in person before or on October 10th. That's $4.00 off either option!

Buy now while prices are low, and guarantee yourself a book of memories that you will cherish for a lifetime. Order at http://jostensyearbooks.com?REF=A03296105 or in person in Room 83, right above the office. You can pay online with credit card, or you can pay with cash or check in person. Make checks payable to BEMS Yearbook.

Buying a yearbook supports your school and gives you something you can enjoy for years to come. Take the time; order a book.

Sincerely,
Mr. DeMaris

Late Arrival for Students

Good evening,

     Please remember that Wednesday is a two-hour delay for students; staff still arrive on time, but the student day does not begin until 9:10, instead of the usual 7:10. In Language Arts here in Clan Barclay, students will be reading silently, so make sure everyone has their book.

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Week of September 26 – 30

Welcome back!

     This week will be all about developing the practical use of persuasion. That means combining the simple persuasive method with letters and speech. On Monday and Tuesday, students will write a basic persuasive letter about a selected topic, finding evidence from credible sources to support their claims. Wednesday, the late arrival day, will be for silent reading in the classroom. Students must submit their letters by Wednesday evening to be printed for Thursday. Throwback Thursday will be a chance for students to present their claims and a part of their reasoning aloud to the class, and Friday will be a day for review.

     After school this week, Yearbook Club meets on Tuesday and Chess Club meets on Wednesday. On the sports front, there is field hockey Monday at 4:30, a girls' soccer game Wednesday at 4:30, and a boys' soccer game Friday at 4:30; the seventh grade games all happen at 3:30 the same days. If you have the time, come out and support your Scots!

     Remember, Wednesday is a late arrival day for students. That means everything starts two hours later — busses and the school day.

     Finally, the school news website is up and running! bit.ly/BENewsNet is the official site of the Newspaper Club — check it out!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Ferry Beach — What should I bring?

Good morning,

     Tomorrow (Wednesday) after the first Allied Arts class, Barclay students pack into busses and head down to the Ecology School at Ferry Beach in Saco. We will spend the rest of the academic day there, exploring the dunes and the forest and learning about the environment and the management of our natural world. Students will come back to school in time to get on their regular bus and go home at their regular time, or attend whatever after-school programs they do.

     Please remember that this means students will be walking on uneven ground for a period of multiple hours, with a break in the middle to each lunch. We highly suggest students wear closed-toed shoes, either sneakers or boots, so they do not injure themselves or break a sandal by slipping. The weather is predicted to be 75 – 80 degrees down in Saco that day, so you won't need any cold-weather gear like we will in the spring, but be advised that the school dress code still applies on field trips.

     Many students have indicated they will bring their own bag lunch on the trip; students who have said they need a school lunch have told us already, and will have a school-provided bag lunch available.

     We are looking forward to a good time!

With anticipation,
Mr. DeMaris

Learning Lab

Good morning,

     Learning Lab signup is now completely digital; there will not be a paper in the office to sign. Instead, you need to go to the link and fill out a form online, explaining which day you will go this week and what you will do there. There is a link to the form on this website, just as indicated in the image below.

     Please remember that Learning Lab is not a place to socialize or play games or simply waste time. This is a time and space for doing homework, studying for tests, or seeking help on concepts you did not quite master in class. Respect the needs of other students working there, and follow all the rules for good conduct.

Thank you,

Mr. DeMaris

The Week in Preview

Hello Everyone,

     This week in Clan Barclay we have ourselves a busy, busy schedule. Last week, students were introduced to the basic ideas of argument, and this week we will continue on that theme. But first, we need to refocus on our books.

     Monday will be spent in the library, reading quietly or finding new books and then reading. Students must be prepared by the end of September to present their reading book to the teacher and the class, and they will write a review of their books as well. Monday is a step in that process. Remember your book if you have one.

     Tuesday will be a day for argument development. Students will open their first argument assignment and begin to flesh it out, adding evidence and searching for credible sources to support themselves, separating the good from the bad. Remember, if your source is not credible, your evidence is not useful, and your argument is not valid. Do not ruin a good argument with bad evidence! Also, the next Newspaper Club meeting is Tuesday after school.

     Wednesday is our field trip to the Ecology School at Ferry Beach in Saco! Students will attend their first Allied Arts class, then pack into busses and head down for a day of walking and talking and exploring the coast and the woods nearby. Be sure to dress accordingly — check the weather forecast! We are going, rain or shine. Also, the next Chess Club meeting is Wednesday after school.

     Thursday we get right back to arguments, and this time they will be student pairs based on student-selected topics, albeit selected from categories we may discuss ahead of time. Remember, we will not use laptops this day. The key is a clear, cohesive presentation of your ideas, this time in written and spoken word.

     Friday will be a day for building on arguments by developing claims from evidence found in news articles. This day will be less free-form and more structured, so students can better understand how argument should be organized.

     Finally, I found this clever quotation by a modern author, and I appreciate it; share and consider!

Sincerely,
Mr. DeMaris

A Fundraiser

Hello All,

I have copied the text of a letter sent out to parents of some eighth grade students here at BEMS, and I encourage you to read it and consider donating to this project. 3D printing is a ridiculously futuristic idea that we can actually use in school and people are using in all kinds of fields in the work force. Toy companies print complex toy parts; engineering companies print machines. Just recently, doctors have begun printing artificial jawbones for bone cancer patients, an incredible way to improve the lives of many people. Here, we have a chance to introduce our students to the technology that is changing their world.

Please read, and consider.

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Dear Parents,

This year we have an exciting opportunity to develop a more technologically-based learning experience. In Math classes this year, students are learning about Geometric Transformations, and may apply their knowledge by using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software to create designs that can be printed on a 3D printer.

3D printing is an incredible new technology that allows students to turn a computerized design into a real-life object. In Math classes students can simulate real-world problems involving the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres. In Science classes, students can develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures. With these experiences the possibilities have few bounds beyond the imagination of our students.

While we do have access to a 3D printer, a single print for one student can take several hours, and with that printer designated to the whole school, this limits our ability to maximize the capabilities of our project. In June, we started a fundraising effort on DonorsChoose.org to get a 3D printer dedicated for 8th grade student work. However, the deadline for donations is approaching fast (Oct 15, 2016), and we are still only half-funded.

Our students are tremendously excited by this wonderful opportunity, but our finances are limited.

Any donation you can provide will go a long way towards making our dream a reality.

By contributing through DonorsChoose using this link or by scanning the QR code below with your phone - http://goo.gl/bpr1c2 - you will be helping your children to develop their skills with this fun and engaging classroom resource to succeed in an increasingly technological world. Thank you so much for your support!

Sincerely,

Oisin O’Searcoid

Mathematics

8th Grade

Bonny Eagle Middle School