Pearl R. Miller School

Ms. Bennett and Mrs. McClain will be in 6th, 7th and 8th grades teaching lessons this month. In observance of New Jersey’s Respect Week and Violence and Vandalism Awareness Week and National Red Ribbon Week, guidance lessons will focus on the topics of Respect, Positive Choices, and Drug, Alcohol and Nicotine Abuse Prevention. Please read the below to find out additional details.

8th grade:

Week of Respect/Violence and Vandalism Awareness
Counselors will be going into classes to teach lessons with the objectives of: 1) Understanding the new HIB legislation and how that relates to respect and their choices in and out of school and 2) Understand their role as bystanders and ways they need to show respect, especially respecting diversity, in regards to bullying, violence and vandalism. They will view parts of the video “Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History” and then discuss the role of the bystanders, respecting diversity, and the legal ramifications involved in this real life case about a teenager bullied because of his sexual orientation.
High School Peer Leaders will be coming into 8th grade classes to talk about bullying and what they can do to show it’s not accepted here. Students will be encouraged to wear pink that day to show that they stand against bullying.

Red Ribbon Week
Counselors will team up with Physical Education teachers to guide 8th graders through stations using fatal vision goggles. Teachers and counselors will explain the various levels of impairment simulated through the goggles and discuss the repercussions of performing daily tasks while under the influence and alcohol and marijuana.

7th grade:

Week of Respect/Violence and Vandalism Awareness
Counselors will be going into classes to teach lessons with the objectives of: 1) Understanding the new HIB legislation and how that relates to respect and their choices in and out of school and 2) Understand their role as bystanders and ways they need to show respect in regards to bullying, violence and vandalism. They will view a short video about Bystanders and then discuss the important role of bystanders and how they can help change the climate of a school community.

Red Ribbon Week
Counselors will go into 7th grade classes to discuss the role peer pressure plays in their decision making. Through group work and skits, students will look at how peers influence their choices and ways they can make good choices and get out of uncomfortable and unsafe situations.

6th grade:

Week of Respect/Violence and Vandalism Awareness
Counselors will be going into classes to teach Bullying lessons with the objectives of: 1) Understanding the new HIB legislation and how that relates to respect and their choices in and out of school and 2) Understand the difference between conflict and bullying using specific real-life examples to analyze in groups.
Peer Mentors will meet with the 6th grade Physical Education classes to do Project Adventure activities. The goal of these activities is to help 6th graders feel connected to the older students in Pearl R. Miller School. Peer Mentors also get the opportunities to learn leadership skills and help promote positive interactions which then diminish bullying throughout the school community. Project Adventure values are used to debrief all activities.

Red Ribbon Week
Rachel Lender from the Health Department will be doing lessons tobacco education for all 6th graders on October 26th and 27th. She describes the make up of cigarettes and nature of chemical addition.

Changing Family Groups will be starting soon! If there has been a change in your child’s family situation: divorce, separation, death of parent or sibling, or new step family member(s), your child(ren) could join our Changing Families Lunch Group! Please contact Ms. Keri-Ann Bennett or Mrs. Tara McClain for more information.

School Wide Guidance Activities/Events:

New Jersey’s Respect Week is October 3rd – 7th.
New Jersey’s School Violence and Vandalism Awareness Week is October 17th – 21st.
National Red Ribbon Week is October 24th – 28th.
National Mix It Up at Lunch Day is Tuesday, October 18th.

Words of Wisdom in the morning announcements will focus on respect, anti-bullying messages, violence prevention, positive and healthy choices, and drug and alcohol prevention.

Red Ribbon Week School-Wide Activities and Information
With the help of Peer Mentors (PAC) Counselors will run themed activities each day of Red Ribbon Week. Classes keep a total of participation and winners receive prizes. Students that sign a pledge to stay drug-free receive an anti-drug bracelet.

Red Ribbon Week Theme Days
Monday, October 24th – Red Shirt Day – Wear something red to support Red Ribbon Week.
Tuesday, October 25th – Team Up Against Drugs and Alcohol – Wear your favorite sports shirt or clothing.
Wednesday, October 26th – Put a Cap on Drugs – Wear a hat/cap.
Thursday, October 27th – Group Together to Resist Peer Pressure – Come to school dressed like one or more of your friends.
Friday, October 28th – Living Drug-Free is no Sweat! – Wear a sweatshirt and/or sweatpants.

Read more information about Red Ribbon Week and other drug and alcohol information:

http://www.justice.gov/dea/ongoing/redribbon_factsheet.html
http://www.nfp.org/
http://www.drugfree.org/
http://camarenafoundation.org/

Week of Respect/Violence and Vandalism Awareness
On Tuesday, October 18th during Violence and Vandalism Awareness Week we will be having Mix It Up at Lunch Day. This day provides students with an opportunity to get to know kids they normally don’t interact with. Students are assigned different tables to sit in at lunch. Peer Leaders use conversation starters to help students get to know others. This is a national activity that promotes a positive climate in schools and encourages respect and tolerance of differences.

Character Education:

PILLARS OF CHARACTER

Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
Citizenship
Trustworthiness
Caring

Students who display exemplary character traits are nominated each month by their team of teachers. Chosen students have their name and picture displayed on our “Pillars of Character” board by the nurse’s office. Their name and reason they were chosen is also announced over the loud speaker by Mr. Hynes.

Project Adventure Full Value ideals

Be Here – Be present physically and mentally. Pay attention. Listen respectfully. Participate.
Be Safe – Make sure our behaviors are physically safe for our bodies, minds and the bodies and minds of
others. Speak kindly. Be accepting of others’ differences.
Let Go and Move On – Learn to let go of past conflicts, upsets and disappointments and work to move past them. Forgive others and get over it.
Care For Self and Others – Respect others with our words and actions. Take care of ourselves and help others when needed. Include, encourage and celebrate everyone.
Commit to Goals – Set goals for ourselves as individuals and as classes, grade levels, and a community of learners. Persevere and be wiling to work to achieve the goals that have been agreed upon.
Be Honest – Take responsibility and…be honest.

Upcoming School Assemblies:

Morris County School of Technology will be coming to speak with the 8th graders on October 20th at 1:30 to give them an overview of programs available at their school. A representative from the school will be showing a short video and then answer questions that the students may have regarding the school. Please contact Mrs. McClain or Ms. Bennett if you have any questions.

Camfel Productions will be coming to PRM this Thursday, November 17th to show a multimedia presentation to the entire school about Self Control. The assembly “Get A Grip” discusses with students about the importance of self control and how it can impact their decision making skills. You can preview a part of the assembly at the following link: http://www.camfel.com/pages/getagrip.html

Peer Mentor Program/PAC News:

Created out of data received from our DSACS (Developing Safe and Civil Schools) Committee’s school climate surveys, our Peer Mentor group was formed in the spring of 2011. The main goals of the program were to connect students across grade levels and provide a more comfortable and smooth transition for students coming to the middle school. Current 7th and 8th grade PRM students applied for positions as Peer Mentors in April of 2011. Once chosen, they attended training during meetings held after school in May and June. These trainings taught mentors the standards of the program, as well as how to run and process some activities they would be doing later in the school year. Both the training meetings and orientation activities are grounded in the principles of Project Adventure’s Full Value Contract. These values are: Be Here, Be Safe, Let Go and Move On, Commit to Goals, Be Honest and Care for Self and Others.

Peer Mentors were randomly partnered up with 2 – 4 incoming 6th graders. They meet with and participated in Project Adventure activities with the incoming students during orientation in June.
Peer Mentors once again assisted incoming 6th graders by giving tours to students and parents at the end of August. The first week of school Peer Mentors were reunited with their 6th grade buddies during lunch time for a discussion about their transitional successes and concerns so far.
The relationships being built between Peer Mentors and their 6th grade buddies are invaluable. Each month we will be providing the opportunity for Peer Mentors to meet with and assist their buddies through various school activities. In addition, Peer Mentors will participate in the activities that PAC students previously did. Some of these activities include helping with Red Ribbon Week, co-teaching classroom guidance lessons, teaching lessons at Stonybrook, acting as group discussion leaders on Mix It Up at Lunch days, and serving as escorts during Career Day.
We are thrilled to be able to offer this new and exciting program at PRM!

Peer Mentor/PAC Activity
Peer Mentors will be going in to 6th grade Physical Education classes this month to lead Project Adventure Activities. Each Physical Education class will have 5 – 7 Peer Mentors leading and debriefing activities. The goals of these lessons are to provide 6th graders time to connect with 7th and 8th grade leaders in our building, while also reinforcing the values of Project Adventure.

United Way of Northern New Jersey and Youth Empowerment Alliance Youth Summit
Ten of our 7th and 8th grade Peer Mentors were randomly selected to attend the Youth Summit at The College of St. Elizabeth’s this month. They will participate in leadership focus groups with a hundred other middle school peer leaders from Morris County. They will work with the help of the other Peer Mentors/PAC members to create a project fostering positive climate change at PRM. They will need to report on their project’s impact at the United Way and YEA Celebration in the spring of 2012. We are so excited to have the opportunity to be part of this event. *An informational notice will be going home to the Peer Mentors who are attending once the exact location is announced by the United Way.

Youth Summit Confirmation Letter

Social Outreach Club (SOC) News:

The Social Outreach Club (commonly known as SOC) is a service oriented club exclusively for eighth grade students. Students participate in a variety of activities that aim to promote and give back to the community, including but not limited to: back to school night parent assistants, an annual Thanksgiving feast with elementary students, Read Across America Activities with elementary students, writing letters to the elderly in community nursing homes, collecting toys for underprivileged children at the holidays and assisting in walks for good causes, such as the Walk for Breast Cancer, Relay for Life, etc. Activities may vary depending on the year.

Please be advised that NJ ASK testing for Grades 6-8 will take place on Monday, April 30 through Thursday, May 3. Below is an informational guide that answers frequently asked questions and provides sample test items, prompts and scoring rubrics for each content area. The guide also includes approximate testing times for all testing days. By reviewing this guide, parents we will able to preview parameters and expectations regarding the NJ ASK.

Finally, students must make every effort to be at school and on time. Any student who is late or absent from school on these days will have to take makeup testing the following week.