Principal's Message - January 13, 2022

1/14/22
TGIF…Twin Groves it’s Friday! 
There will be no school on Monday, January 17th. See you on Tuesday, January 18th.

 

NEW *UPDATE ON PCR Testing SCHEDULED FOR TODAY*
Due to a shortage of supply kits regionally and the shortened school day today, the district did not receive the number of test kits needed for all participants.  

If your student received their kit and brought it home today, please have your child return the kit to school on Tuesday for testing. 

If your student did not receive their kit today, kits will be sent home on Tuesday and should be returned to school on Wednesday.  Specimens will be picked up on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday of next week. 


Thank you for your patience as our vendor O’Hare Labs works to expand its capacity to meet additional testing requests. District 96 is one of many entities that has asked to increase their PCR testing frequency. As a result, O’Hare Labs is working diligently to accommodate the unprecedented increase in the demand for testing. The typical timeline is 48 hours, however, nearly all PCR labs are seeing a spike in specimen testing requests. Therefore, the delayed delivery of results that we are experiencing is due to this spike in the demand for specimen testing. O'Hare Labs has added an additional lab this week, so we are hoping to see a faster turnaround time very soon.

Finally, as a reminder, O’Hare Labs is your point of contact regarding specimen questions for individual student lab results. 

If you have any questions regarding your results (e.g. you haven’t received your results) feel free to contact O’Hare Labs by email at [email protected]

 

 

 

NEW *UPDATE ON NEW ISOLATION, QUARANTING, AND TEST-TO-STAY PROTOCOLS
As we shared last week, new Covid-19 protocols for schools have been released and implemented.  All new guidance has been posted on the District 96 website linked below.  

https://www.kcsd96.org/covid-19
 

 

 

Twin Groves PTO- Looking for Volunteers
The Twin Groves PTO is looking for volunteers to take over the PE Uniforms for next school year. Please contact Keri Lynch at [email protected] if you are interested.

 

 

What’s Happening at Twin Groves?

6th Grade
Pre Algebra Survey: 6th Pre-Algebra Survey will begin with our expressions unit, which involves understanding variables, combining like terms, and writing mathematical expressions. A big focus will be on using mathematical properties to create equivalent expressions. This is the foundation of so much of their future math work, so it is great to see how hard the students are working! Last month we talked about encouraging the students to be precise in their work. This has been evident as they have been showing their work properly and labeling with units. This month the focus will be on modeling with mathematics. It is an integral part of Algebraic, numeric, and ratio reasoning and will truly show understanding. Thanks for all your support!

The students have access to the following apps that they should be using regularly:
Math Facts Ninja - For students who need extra practice with their math facts. 
IXL - This app covers topics in line with the Common Core Curriculum which the students are covering this year. This program is designed to develop critical thinking skills. 

Pre Algebra: Pre-Algebra will begin working on their equations unit. They will extend their work with 1-step equations to multi-step on both sides of the equal sign. This is the foundation of so much of their future math work, so it is great to see how hard the students are working! Last month we talked about encouraging the students to be precise in their work. This has been evident as they have been showing their work properly and labeling with units. This month the focus will be on modeling with mathematics. It is an integral part of Algebraic, numeric, and ratio reasoning and will truly show understanding. Thanks for all your support!

The students have access to the following apps that they should be using regularly:
Math Facts Ninja - For students who need extra practice with their math facts. 
IXL - This app covers topics in line with the Common Core Curriculum which the students are covering this year. This program is designed to develop critical thinking skills. 

Language Arts: In our language arts classes, we are continuing to analyze the author's craft. We are identifying mood and tone in fiction and nonfiction by looking closely at what words the author uses to accomplish this.  Text structure is another topic we are utilizing, such as: Why did the author include this scene? How would the story change if this conversation never happened? How does this scene impact the theme of the story? We are also continuing to find the theme and central idea in texts as well.


Science: 6th grade scientists are truly feeling like chemists now!  We worked our way through chemistry by learning about elements, compounds, and mixtures!  We learned about how molecules change state through various physical and chemical changes.  In fact, one of our favorite lab activities will take place “White Before Your Eyes!”  Our next target includes the law of conservation of mass.  Chemical reactions are “exploding” in lab activities!

SS: In social studies, we just learned about the various different forms of government throughout history. We will be using this knowledge to help us understand how the pharaohs of Egypt were able to take control and build such a successful civilization.  Throughout our study of Egypt, we will also see how different groups of people all had to do their part in order to take advantage of the wonderful resources provided by the Nile River.

7th Grade
Bridge to Algebra 1: The students have been working hard on solving systems of equations.  This is when students are given two equations and need to find the solution that satisfies both equations using either the graphing, substitution or elimination method.  It requires a lot of attention to detail and precision.  They have been doing great!

Algebra 1: The students have just begun their unit on Quadratics and Polynomial Functions.  We have learned how to add, subtract and multiply polynomial expressions using a couple of different methods.  Right now, they are working on factoring polynomial expressions.  This unit is a lengthy one.  Complete mastery of this unit will be extremely beneficial in future units and in future math classes.

Language Arts: Students finished up their Book Club novels this week in LA with a “wordless summary” presentation, where they used only symbols and images on Google Slides to tell the story of a character’s perseverance through a difficulty in the dystopian world they live in. Along with book clubs, LA students have also just completed a unit on poetry, and this past week’s CFA covered the skills of writing about irony, theme, and perspective in poetry in the form of an essay with an introduction, multiple pieces of evidence, and a conclusion. This combination of many skills is challenging, but our students are doing their best to work toward meeting these goals. Next, we start the novel The Outsiders, which is always a favorite among students. Since students are now in the habit of reading every night, we want to capitalize on that and keep cultivating that routine.

Language Arts Advanced: ADV wrapped up a unit on Satire just before Winter Break, which overlapped with a unit on poetry. This past week’s CFA covered the skills of writing about extended metaphors, themes, and perspective in poetry in the form of an essay with an introduction, multiple pieces of evidence, and a conclusion. This combination of many skills is challenging, but our students are doing their best to work toward meeting these goals. Next, we start the novel The Book Thief, which is different from the types of books most students pick up on their own. Over the course of the novel, many students will come to appreciate the moving and beautiful language Zusak chooses to tell his story. Since it is a very lengthy novel, please ensure that your student has an opportunity to read every night so that they can stay caught up with the class. 

Science: Students are investigating geo processes that have changed the earth's surface. They have explored plate boundaries, hot spots, glaciers, weathering, and erosion. In our upcoming target, students will be investigating waves as they travel through various materials. In the meantime, we will continue to work on our robot project.


SS: We are beginning to explore, investigate, and analyze civics and our American government:  The U.S. Constitution and its establishment after the failed Articles of Confederation.  Our nation and government is based on seven key principles and foundations. (Are we living up to them?) Our great Constitution contains seven articles, or “chapters”, that define and establish our system of government.  Within this, there are three branches of government to check and balance each other. (Is there one branch that is more vital than the others?) The Bill of Rights were demanded to be added during the ratification debates, and these are our 10 first Amendments safeguarding and protecting our liberties. (Is there a right that is most important, or perhaps a provision that is not as critical to our people and society today?)   Government systems transcend the national, state, and local levels.  Students are typically very curious during this time of study, especially given America and the world these days, thus, the inquiry model of teaching and learning proves itself very well.


8th Grade
Algebra 1: In Algebra 1, we are a few weeks into our Quadratic Functions and Polynomial Expressions unit! Students learned how to add, subtract, multiply, and factor polynomial expressions. Coming up later in this unit, students will learn how to solve and graph quadratic equations. This unit is a very important unit of study for Algebra 1. Please continue to encourage your child to get help, ask questions if needed, and utilize IXL/ Khan Academy! 

Algebra 2: We just started our Exponential and Logarithms unit. This unit ties together with the previous unit on Exponential functions since these two types of functions are inverses!  We will explain the relationship between the two types of functions and work with different properties in order to evaluate and solve logarithmic equations. This is another quick unit so we will soon be moving onto Sequences and Series!


Language Arts: Advanced Language Arts just began our first whole class novel, “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens. We will be exploring Author’s Craft throughout this rich novel and exploring Dicken’s brilliant use of foreshadowing, suspense, humor and descriptive language throughout this classic piece. Language Arts began the short story, “Flowers For Algernon” by Daniel Keyes. This is a uniquely written story that allows students to go on the journey with the main character as it is written as a series of journal entries. There is much Author’s Craft to explore with this piece as well. Alongside these stories we will continue to work on finding the central idea of a text as well as begin to compare and contrast texts with conflicting information. 

Science: In 8th grade Science, students are learning about natural and artificial selection.  We will be investigating superbugs, the current dilemma of antibiotic resistant bacteria faced by many hospitals. Students will also begin to look at genetically modified organisms as we investigate ways humans can impact the inheritance of desired traits. 

SS: In Social Studies, students have concluded learning about World War II, which included them sharing their opinion on whether or not the United States should have dropped the two atomic bombs on Japan. Students wrestled with the morality of such a decision and did a great job having conversations with those that may have had a differing perspective.  Students have since focused on the liberation of concentration camps by Allied soldiers, as well as the trials that took place to hold Axis power leaders accountable for their “Crimes Against Humanity”.  

We have just begun our Cold War unit, which will be the umbrella over the next 40 plus years of content, where students will see the competitive struggle between capitalist and communist nations working to rebuild the world in their image.

 

 

Technology Ticket Reminders
Dear Parents,

A friendly reminder that if you have technology-related issues at home with your student’s D96 technology (iPad, iPad Charger, Logitech Crayons, or iPad Case) please submit a help desk ticket at [email protected]

We have multiple technology personnel that are ready to help. Submitting a help desk ticket via the email address provided will ensure that somebody on the team sees your request. 

Thank you!!
 

 

 

NEW *Covid Metrics*
To stay up-to-date this school year on local metrics, please visit the COVID DASHBOARD for District 96. Our priority remains to keep our students safe and follow guidance from the CDC. If your student is identified as a "close contact", you will be notified individually through the contact tracing process. 

 


Daily Announcements
Please see Twin Groves website for up to date school announcements. The announcements let you know what exciting activities and clubs are going on at Twin Groves. Please click HERE to access the Daily Announcements.