Welcome to the upcoming 2009-2010 school year at Evergreen Middle School! As the new Principal, I look forward to continuing the traditions that make Evergreen Middle School a place “Where Good Things Happen” while continuing to challenge our school to be the best that it can be! As a middle school staff, we know that it is extremely important to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of our adolescent students. We will continue to “take care of kids” as we prepare them for high school and beyond.

This year, I will be sending out a Principal’s e-mail each Friday as a means of strengthening communication between school and parents. The e-mail will include a summary of the week, information about the upcoming week, and any other pertinent information that will help us work together as a team. I welcome constructive feedback from parents regarding this weekly e-mail, especially as I’m establishing the format. As a parent, if you are interested in receiving this weekly e-mail, please make sure that Mrs. Ruscio or Mrs. Highley has your current e-mail address.

This year, we have approximately 575 students with an incoming 6^th grade class of 185 students. For our incoming sixth graders, we will be hosting our annual Sneak Peek on Thursday, August 27^th from 8:45 AM until 12:00 Noon, starting the day in the main gym. After the general meeting with students and parents, students will find their 1^st period class/teacher from the class rosters posted in the gym. The students will then report to their 1^st period class to receive their schedule, check out textbooks, be assigned a locker (with a locker partner), and have the opportunity to meet their new classmates. Sixth graders will also meet with their 8^th grade mentors before being served lunch prior to going home at noon. After the general meeting in the gym, parents will move to the cafeteria for a parent orientation followed by an opportunity for parents to ask any remaining questions. Mrs. Boyd, Assistant Principal, Mrs. Naccarato, Counselor and I will be available to answer individual parent questions. The parent orientation is optional, but I would encourage parents to attend to learn more about the upcoming middle school years. J Our Sneak Peek morning is designed to ensure that our sixth graders feel comfortable as they embark on their middle school journey!

The First Day of School for all students will be on Tuesday, September 8^th at 8:10 AM with school ending daily at 2:40 PM.  Student immunization records are required by state law before a student can attend the first day of school. On the first day of school, students will be given a packet of information and forms that need to be completed and returned to school by no later than Friday, September 11^th. Each student will also receive a Planner that contains the Evergreen Middle School student handbook. This handbook outlines our expectations of students and answers most questions about our school. Planners are a great way to help teach students organizational skills while taking responsibility for their learning. 

Each Thursday, beginning on September 10^th, school will start at 9:10 AM for the purpose of collaboration. During collaboration, the staff will be assessing data to evaluate student achievement as a means of improving instructional practices, curriculum development, and individual student challenges.

This year, all of the middle schools in the Central Valley School District will be hosting student led-conferences in October and February. At the end of the school year in June, each school will host a Celebration of Learning culminating activity. The purpose of student-led conferences is to provide students the opportunity to formally evaluate their academic performance and take ownership for their learning. Student-led conferences serve a different purpose than traditional parent-teacher conferences at the elementary level.   During the conference, students have planned and will present their personal goals after analyzing their assessment results. By taking the time to do this, it will give students the opportunity to learn more about themselves and direct their own learning with assistance from parents and teachers.

Back to School Night is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22^nd at 7:00 PM. Parents will have the opportunity to visit their child’s classes and familiarize themselves with our school. If you want to discuss your child’s progress with their teacher, please feel free to contact them at anytime by phone, by email or set up an appointment to meet with individual teachers.

On behalf of the staff, we look forward to serving the students, parents, and community at Evergreen Middle School, “Where Good Things Happen”!

Mr. John D. Parker

Principal