March 24, 2016

It's springtime at HMS and students are BLOSSOMING! Please check out only three examples this week. More to come...

Each year more than half a million students across the United States participate in National History Day (NHD). Students choose an historical topic related to the annual theme, and then conduct primary and secondary research. This year's theme is Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History! Students analyze and interpret their sources, draw a conclusion about the significance their topic, and then present their work in one of five ways: as a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary, or a website.  This year, HMS had 19 students participate at the Regional level for NHD and we have 4 students moving on to the State competition in April. 

Congratulations to our students and thank you to Mrs. Sarah Engstrom-Yde and Mr. Mike Yell for your advising!



More good news from our Hudson Middle students! Please check out the video above of our STEM Sisters presenting in Indianapolis earlier this week. Hudson Middle School Students Gabrielle Blakey, Madeline Pasche, Charlotte Stow, and Hannah Sutherland presented their "Weekend on Mars" project to a sold out crowd of 1800 people during teh opening ceremonies of the 2016 Project Lead the Way National Summit. They also had the honor or introducing keynote speaker Pro NFL football player and mathematician, John Uschel! Not only did this put Hudson Middle School students on the national stage, but it also made them instant celebrities. Several participants shared what an inspiration these students are for girls in STEM, asking them to record messages for their students - even asking if they would present at their school so that their students could see them and be inspired. Thank you, Mr. Chris DeLeon and Ms. Jodie Bray, Technology Education teachers at HMS, for your leadership and initiative! 
Sarah Drogseth received a top state award in the 2016 Scholastic Art Awards - Wisconsin Competition and Exhibit late in February. Her work combines multi-media techniques, a three dimensional aspect, and recycled materials! Thank you, Mr. Jesse Lam and Mrs. Julie King-Hildreth, for the many ways you foster creativiy in our students! Check out Sarah's creative piece in our school cafeteria display case! 

Dear Families in the Middle,

Thank you so much for your unwavering support and partnership with us in limiting the use of cell phones and personal devices during the school day. We're noticing much more conversation during lunch and appreciating the efforts our students are making to "break the habit" of cell phone addiction. I especially appreciate the thoughtful student conversations and e-mail messages posing questions and sharing perspectives as we consider various situations and circumstances. (Mr. Hagerman and I recently enjoyed a mini-lesson on the AppleWatch!) The ultimate goal is for our students to more effectively manage their use of personal devices on their own. It's very possible, with guidance and peer support, we'll adjust the restrictions as we demonstrate responsible and respectful decision-making throughout the day.

Photos from Teen Read Week at Hudson Middle School. Thank you to Kari Halstad, Reading Teacher, and her team for planning several ways to feature and celebrate good reads!!

Happy Daylight Savings Time! 

Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Dear Families in the Middle,

I had an opportunity to observe in Mrs. Bjerk's 2nd hour 8th grade Language Arts classroom Tuesday. She posed the question "Why is collaborative discussion important?" Several students shared their thinking. Responses included:
* It helps you see another point of view.
* We're not just looking for the answer; we're sharing our opinion.
* Sometimes it clears up confusion when someone explains the way they understand the topic.
I was reminded of a favorite quote I used often when I taught high school students:
Each of us has a small part of the truth. When we share our small parts with others, we have a broader and deeper view of the truth.
- paraphrased from John Powell's Through Seasons of the Heart, 1986. 
As a lover of puzzles, this idea of combining our small pieces of understanding for a greater understanding is intriguing and affirming. So grateful our Middle Team is working diligently to support students in appreciating and developing collaboration. I can think of few more valuable skills for life and learning!

We are anticipating our spring Parent Seminar scheduled for Monday, March 21. The three focus topics include:
* Understanding Your Adolescent - an introduction
* Communicating Concern with Care and Compassion 
* Supporting Student Self-Advocacy

As a follow-up, we are thrilled to host (here at Hudson Middle School) a Saturday morning seminar April 2nd: Understanding Your Adolescent, funded in part by a grant from St. Croix / Wisconsin Cares and UW-Extension. Please use the link below to register. We think the information is so valuable we've included a second link listing alternate dates in area locations for those who may have a conflict with April 2nd.
Understanding Your Adolescent
Alternate Dates for Understanding Your Adolescent

Dear Families in the Middle,

Such a delightful 6th grade choral and orchestra concert Monday evening! I am especially drawn into the rhythm of African music; the percussion and student movements were remarkable! What a large, talented and hard-working group of musicians we enjoy here in-the-middle!

This is Teen Read Week at Hudson Middle School! I noticed Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, Katniss from The Hunger Games, Superman, and Pinkalicious in our Hallways! Thank you to Mrs. Halstead and her team for planning this week of focus on reading with our students.

We're enjoying more daylight as spring approaches and hoping you feel the effects in the form of more energy, less stress and a happier spirit. In my experience, February is second to October in terms of high stress levels for educators. Thank you for the many ways you partner with our dedicated educators in support of our middle-level learners! Whether you provided food for the conference meal last week, purchased and donated a book from our Book Fair, or sent an affirming message our way...your kindness is so appreciated!

8th Grade students in Mr. Fosse's World Studies Class in the Norman House chose a particular war to research and share with others. Their study included key events, power players, historians' input, primary source quotes, causes, attempts made at peace, and a comparison to the American Revolutionary War. Students also provided each other with meaningful feedback and Mr. Fosse with feedback for future projects and learning.

Dear Families in the Middle,

When you come to conferences this evening and next week, you'll want to take a walk down the hallway to the cafeteria. Several of our students in Art are re-painting magnificent wall murals - one for each continent. Here's a sample: 

It was wonderful to see so many parents this evening during conferences. Thank you for your insights, thoughtful questions, and positive feedback! The supper (14 soups, salad, bread, cheese, and tasty treats) was such a generous and appreciated kindness for our staff! Thank you to each family contributing to the marvelous meal!

Overhearing a parent conversation about why they come (or don't come) to conferences, I am compelled to share my perspective regarding the importance and value of parents taking time to visit with educators about their child's learning. Why go to conferences??
* Simply taking time to go to your child's school conveys you care...about him/ her and their learning.
* Including your child in this opportunity increases the value of this conversation. Several teachers provide time for students to reflect on their progress, their strengths and next steps to strengthen their learning experience.
* Few relationships are more critical to your child's joy and success in learning than the teacher-parent partnership; these limited opportunities are critical in fostering that communication.
* On a personal note and from a parent perspective, I remember my children (even through secondary years) hanging on the affirmations - even observations of quirky characteristics - teachers shared with us.

Thank you to the students and parents who took a few moments to introduce (and re-introduce) themselves to me during these important visits. It is a pleasure to match names, faces and interests to people in our learning community!

Enjoy this spring-like weather!
Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Dear Families in the Middle,

Hudson School District students have demonstrated high levels of achievement in our math programs through the years. Several factors contribute to our students' performance: student interest and motivation to use numbers and formulas to solve problems, parent encouragement and example, and teacher and advisor support for extensions and opportunities beyond the classroom. Twelve of our middle-level students participated in a Regional Math Counts competition at DeLong Middle School in Eau Claire in January. A team of four of our students placed 5th at that regional event and three of our students qualified for state level competition in March. Thank you to our Middle School Math Team - Ms. Leudtke, Mrs. Steely, Mr. Halvorson, Mr. Harker, Mr. Chuckle, Mrs. Sorenson, Mr. Majerus, Ms. Mattison, Mr. Dahl, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Hoveland and Mrs. Engstrom-Yde (Gifted & Talented Resource Teacher) for their work in helping our students enjoy math! Here's a news clip (less than one minute) about the competition held in Eau Claire last month.
Middle Math competition in Eau Claire 

Speaking of Math, once again, we are proud to have hosted the Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) event at Hudson Middle School. Kudos to Ms. Jodie Bray and her team of students and staff for the set-up, support, and sustained effort to provide many guests with so many interesting phenomenon to see, touch, and share! According to Angela Popenhagen, Stevens Engineers and Hudson community member...
“Continued effort is being made to encourage minorities and women to pursue a career in engineering through...organizations such as American Public Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Institute of Transportation Engineers, and STEM Forward.  From 1979 to 2015, the percentage of women graduating in civil engineering has increased from 9% to over 20% which suggests that the outreach within universities, high schools and professional organization is working. However, about 40% of those engineering graduates never entered the profession after graduation.  So, only about 11% of all engineers are women...this event provides an opportunity for women in those roles to connect with girls...When you’re only part of the 11%, it gets overwhelming to make those positive connections.  We hope that our brief time with these girls will give them the confidence to continue their exposure to all of the possibilities.”

Mrs. Ann Mitchell

Dear Families in the Middle,

This past weekend we took our youngest back to college for her second semester (first year). Libbie is the quietest of our six children and yet, when she isn't at home, our home is eerily quiet! I miss her. I share this with you only because I remember all too well when my oldest was a 7th grader. In the words of two parents this past week (on two separate occasions - and I don't even think they know each other), "sometimes I like my seventh grader."

Depending on the demands on your time and energy and the frequency and intensity of the interactions, while LOVE remains, LOGIC sometimes goes right out the window! Mrs. Bellville, our Middle School Social Worker, shared a link recently for the Love and Logic website. You'll find positive and effective tips and strategies to respond to your ever-changing middle-school learner.

One of my hopes is to highlight a learning experience in each week's blog post. As I walked through the Raider White House, observed Mr. Wickstrom's sixth grade science class, and noted the innovative bird creations, I asked a student to share photos for our blog. Enjoy these sample birds students created and described to show students' understanding the following:

1) All living things compete for resources. How does each wing shape help that individual bird compete for the resources it needs to survive?

2) The shapes of birds' wings (physical characteristics) can tell an observer about HOW they live (hunting and their habitat).

3) In Nature and in Engineering form follows function.  In other words, the shape or physical features of an organism serve a purpose and help the organism survive.

Please consider asking your student about their greatest strength in collaboration and an area for growth. We're practicing those skills in every subject area and know employers rank collaboration high on the list of desired traits in workers. We want Hudson Middle School students to be confident and strong collaborators!
Happy February!
Mrs. Ann Mitchell