Many AE/MS staff members attended workshops and courses this summer to help them with the transition to the Common Core State Standards. We are pleased with the increased academic expectations.

Math classes will cover fewer topics, but the topics covered will be in much greater depth. There is an increased focus on arithmetic and number sense while highlighting mathematical procedures, conceptual understanding, and consistent mathematical practices in all grades.

In language arts, students will read more non-fiction and be asked to increase their focus by providing evidence in their oral and written responses. Students will read increasingly more complex text.

We are pleased with the clearly defined expectations at every grade level. Full-day kindergarten at AE/MS came at a perfect time and puts AE/MS in an ideal position to be successfully reach the higher expectations.

AE/MS was a very busy place this summer. As soon as the students left for vacation, all the classrooms were emptied, cleaned, painted, and in many cases relocated. In order to accommodate the two kindergarten classes, changes had to be made throughout the building.

An Ideal Set-Up

We have ended up with an ideal set-up now for collaboration between grade levels. The two kindergarten classes are now located on the lower level of the building, beside the library. Each kindergarten classroom has its own bathroom and an outside exit.

The area near the office has now become the primary school wing. Both first and second grade classrooms are located in the same hall. Also sharing the hall are the offices, the counselor, speech services, and occupational therapy. Third grade classes are located beside each other, facing the cafeteria, and the two fourth grade classes are next door to each other at the start of the middle school wing.

Grades five through eight remain departmentalized in the middle school wing. So after many moves and hauling furniture and supplies to new locations, we are settling in and ready to greet the new year.

NutriKids

Another big change for families this year will be the payment system for breakfast, milk, and lunch. Every student will have an account in the NutriKids Point of Sale System. Parents can access their child’s account from home and always see current balance information. Accounts can be prepaid. Confidentiality is increased for those children who receive free or reduced cost meals. Students will not need to carry in lunch money to school, and less cash will be in the school building.

Parents have been sent the information to set up their own accounts. Ms. Unger, our technology teacher, will also be available at the start of the school year to help parents set up accounts.

We might have slower lunch lines at the beginning of the year, but the speed will increase as students become comfortable with the new system. Younger students will be checked off by a staff member as they go through the line, but older students will be given PIN numbers to enter for their account.

Bus stops and bus routes have been updated and are posted on the school Web site at AEMSeagles.org. New students were added, and graduates were removed, but overall very few changes had to be made.

AE/MS staff members all have new e-mail addresses. My new e-mail is JSlayton@nullAEMSeagles.org. All staff members follow the same format – first initial followed by last name followed by “@AEMSeagles.org.” Changes have been in place since July 15, and no longer will e-mails with old addresses be forwarded. If in doubt, please visit the school Web site and find the contact information you need.

Eagles Soccer

Seventh and eighth grade soccer players have been practicing since August 19 with Coach Amy Makechnie. For the first time, the seventh and eighth grade students also have the option of running cross country track this fall with Coach Brian Reynolds.

In addition, a few of our seventh and eighth grade students are playing football for Merrimack Valley Middle School.

Active students perform better in the classroom, so we are pleased to be able to offer many recreational opportunities for our students. It is also very helpful that the Andover Recreation Committee continues to provide the younger children a quality soccer experience that AE/MS is then able to build upon.

The school garden has done exceptionally well this summer. Carrots will be ready the first week of school and will be served with burgers, hotdogs, salad, etc. at the annual Back to School Celebration on Friday, August 30. Families are welcome to join us for lunch and move to the music as the Long Tail Monkeys rock us into the new school year.

The doors open for the 2013-2014 school year on Wednesday, August 28. Stop by and see all the improvements that have been made.