Academy Family Newsletter

Hello Academy Parents and Guardians,

Hope everyone is enjoying a much needed break. On Monday, March 6, 2023, we hosted our Academy retired teachers. It was great having them in the building to see the AAA Way continue. We even had the teacher who wrote the Academy song join us.

Friday, April 7, 2023 is an E-Learning Day. We will follow the same procedures.

It is time to complete registration for the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the PowerSchool registration using the Snapcode emailed and sent home. Be sure to upload your current proof of residency. This is very important as we prepare for the upcoming school year.

The nine weeks ended on March 10, 2023. Report Cards go home March 24, 2023.

We are on the countdown to ACAP testing. Testing will be next week for 2nd and 3rd grade. Fourth- eighth grade will test the first and second week of April.

Please email Ramona Calhoun if you do not have access to your child's grades and information in Powerschool.

Please, Please, Please send in absence excuses. Please try to have your child in school daily. Everyday counts for learning success.

Please remind your child of the NO CELL PHONE POLICY. We want to focus on learning and not managing the cell phones daily. Thanks for your help and support.

Please continue to discuss with your child the importance of completing assignments on time and staying focused during learning times. We are excited to see all of the progress our students will make this nine weeks.

Arrival and Dismissal Expectations

In the morning, there are two arrival points - carline and bus. Students should NOT be dropped off in the front parking lot unless it is after 8:00 am. The earliest arrival time is 7:30a.m.

PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT drop students off in the front of the school unless after 8:00a.m. Then, you must sign them in. We have seen several students running across the parking lot before 8:00a.m. This is not one of the supervised drop off locations. Buses drop off in the front loop. Car riders need to drop off in the car line area. If you have questions, please let us know.

AAA Way

This month we are highlighting our Hallway Expectations. Please remind your child. The playbill is below.

Important Spring Dates

Thursday, March 30th- Kite Day

Friday, April 7th- E-Learning Day

Saturday, April 15th- Fine Arts Festival

Thursday, May 11th- Fun Day

Wednesday, May 24th- Half Day, Stars and Clowns performance- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!

ACAP Vocabulary Words of the Week

1. arrogant- exaggerated sense of one's importance

2. prosecute- institute legal proceeding against a person, group, or business

3. reluctant- unwilling

4. unsightly- (adj.) not pleasant to look at; unattractive

5. assimilate- make alike

6. hindrance- a thing that provides resistance, delay, or obstruction to something or someone.

Have an awesome weekend!!!

Our Best Always!

Kitrise Torain

AAA Middle, Principal

kitrise.torain@hsv-k12.org

Dr. Evelyn Coffey

AAA Elementary, Principal

evelyn.coffey@hsv-k12.org

Another great source of information - Join our Facebook Group page Academy for Academics and Arts! Join Twitter @AAAMiddle

Grades 4th-8th

Tuesday, April 4, 2023- Math

Wednesday, April 5, 2023- Math

Thursday, April 6, 2023- ELA

Friday, April 7, 2023- Make-ups

Tuesday, April 11, 2023- ELA

Wednesday, April 12, 2023- Science

Thursday, April 13, 2023- Science

Friday, April 14, 2023- Make-ups

We've Got the Beat... and the shirt to prove it.

Show your love for music and AAA pride with this t-shirt.

S-XL are $15.

2XL is $20.

To purchase goto: Home | AAA Middle School Music Department (square.site)

(This would be an excellent shirt for students attending the Atlanta competition to be identified as a group)

Congratulations to our Stella Star Students of the week – February 27-March 3, 2023. We are so proud of their commitment to excellence. #WhyAAA #OurBestAlways

6th Grade

7th Grade

8th Grade

❏Pre-K- Wednesday, May 17, 2023 @1:00p.m.

❏K and 1st Grade- Wednesday, May 17, 2023@9:00a.m.

❏2nd and 3rd Grade- Thursday, May 18, 2023 @9:00a.m.

❏4th and 5th Grade-Friday, May 19, 2023 @9:00a.m.

❏6th and 7th Grade-Monday, May 22, 2023 @9:00a.m.

❏8th Grade-Tuesday, May 23, 2023 @9:00a.m.

8th Grade Celebrations- Girls wear white/ Gentlemen wear black/ blue/ khaki pants with a white shirt and tie/ bow tie.

Please check out these important events.

Please remember these important magnet dates.

We have the carline ending by 3:25p.m. If you pull in after this time, please go to the front office to sign out your child. Here are a few things that will help:

1. Please pull into the line in which you would like to exit. Pull in the line closest to the school if you are turning right onto Sparkman. Please pull in the second line if you plan on exiting left on Sparkman. THANK YOU!
2. Please do not yell at our faculty and staff. They are working hard to get your child to you in the safest way possible.
3. Display your child's name in the windshield, even as you pull up to the loading area. It is difficult to see names that are on the dash board.
4. Carline tags can be displayed on the sun visor with clips or rubber bands. Please keep the car tags in your sun visor until you are completely out of carline.
5. Being distracted by a cell phone, slows the line down more than one might realize. Please stay off the phone in carline.
6. The front line turns right on to Sparkman and the back line turns left on to Sparkman.
7. Pull up as far as you can.
8. Pull up as close as you can to the car in front of you.
9. Bus transportation is available to zoned schools. Most of the buses drop off at their first stop by 3:25 PM.
10. Afterschool tutoring pick up - Parents MUST park and walk to the door to check their child out.

Thank you for your patience! We can't wait to see how much this process improves next week. :)

1. The front circle is for BUSES ONLY in the afternoons!
2. Please do not park your car on the circle.
3. We have buses that drop off and pick up students every day between 2:30 and 4:30.
4. The curbs around the circle are not for car pick up and drop off, they are for buses only!

Cell phones must be powered off while students are in the building. Students will receive consequences based on the HCS Behavior Learning Guide if phones are on.

Please talk with your child to make sure they understand this procedure.

Thank for your support! Our students have been following the No Cell Phone Policy.

Math: We will begin reviewing for ACAP and going back to refresh/relearn Writing and Evaluating Numerical and Algebraic Expressions.

3/20 Writing and evaluating Powers and Exponents, Greatest Common Factor, Least Common Denominator and Orders of Operations. Alek’s assignment due Wednesday

3/22 Writing Algebraic Expressions. Alek’s assignment due Friday.

ELA:

Stricklin - We will be starting our argumentative writing unit as well as reading about Malala Yousafzai. Through several texts about Malala we will be learning about the genre of argumentative texts as well as writing argumentative short constructed responses and five paragraph essays.

Coming Soon…

First Read: Malala Yousafzai - Nobel Lecture

• After an initial reading and discussion of the text, students will be able to identify and restate the text’s key ideas and details.

Close Read: Malala Yousafzai - Nobel Lecture

• After engaging in a close reading and discussion of “Malala Yousafzai - Nobel Lecture,” students will be able to analyze how informational text structures communicate the author’s ideas in a short, written response.

Skill: Media

• After rereading and discussing a model of close reading, students will be able to integrate information presented in different media formats to understand a topic.

Skill: Arguments and Claims

• After reading and discussing a model of close reading, students will be able to trace and evaluate a speaker’s arguments and specific claims.

Skill: Informational Text Structure

• After reading and discussing a model of close reading, students will be able to analyze text structures and explain how a particular section contributes to the development of ideas in an informational text.

ELA: Welcome back! We are hitting the ground running preparing for ACAP testing! Students will be learning how to differentiate between different types of informational text structures as well as continuing to build their ability to analyze informational texts. For example, understanding the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning. They will also be learning their next grammar related standard on dangling modifiers. Their quiz on this unit will take place on Friday, 3/31. As a reminder, no late work will be accepted past the following Monday of each week at 8:00 a.m. unless via an excused absence. My bell work each week also counts as a class work grade. Paper assignments are located in each student’s ELA folder. In preparation for the Spring IReady diagnostic test, students are expected to complete 60 minutes of iReady reading and math each (120 minutes total) (lessons and then “My Path”) by Friday 3/31.

Science:

Welcome back!!! This quarter will be all about cells and cell processes! We are starting out by learning about shared characteristics for living things, The Cell Theory and how it came to be. We will have a mini project over The Cell Theory starting Monday March 27th and due Thursday March 30th. We will also have a quiz over shared characteristics for living things and the Cell Theory on Thursday March 30th. After the quiz, we will begin our lesson on how we classify organisms. We will then learn about cell organelles and how they contribute to homeostasis. We will end the quarter learning about cell processes including photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Just a reminder that no late work will be accepted this quarter except in cases of absences. I am looking forward to a wonderful last quarter of the year!

Social Studies: Welcome back for the last quarter of the school year. The first 9 weeks of geography were filled with a lot of introductory information. Such as learning how to read a map and the difference in climate and weather. This 9 weeks students will begin using the information they learned in the first 9 weeks to be able to understand the concepts we are learning. This week we will begin learning about different cultures around the world and what exactly culture means. This week we will specifically be looking at Native American culture. We did not get to take a map test for the last 9 weeks. Students should expect one in the next couple of weeks on the 50 states and the 7 continents. I will be posting study resources for this and will update the students as we get closer to time for the test. I look forward to seeing what amazing things the students do in the last 9 weeks of 7th grade.

Math: Welcome Back! I am so happy to have everyone back. Here is the assignment from today:

Sales Tax, Discounts, and Markup ACAP Review . What is this week’s focus? This week your student will be preparing for the ACAP. We will work on ACAP practice problems to help familiarize the students for the upcoming weeks. I will send the practice questions home. The overall goal is to make sure that all students can work on these problems independently. The students will not be able to utilize help from the teachers or other students. The review started with sales tax, discounts, and markup ACAP Review. We have shifted our focus this week from the overall plans that you have previously seen. Also, no late work will be accepted without a doctor’s note or excused absence. Parents, I really will appreciate you having your scholar to submit their work on time.

Here is an example task we worked on today:

My family and I went to dinner at Juicy

Crabs on University Drive over the

Spring Break. Caleb ordered the number 1,

Tykeydria ordered the number 2, and I

ordered the number 3. The sales tax in

Huntsville, Alabama is 9%.

Before going to Juicy Crab,

I saw a groupon for 25% off

the entire meal. How much will I pay for all

three meals with the sales tax and

discount applied?

Science:

Welcome back to the final 9 weeks of your child’s 8th grade year!!! We are picking up where we left off with our introduction to energy,waves, and information transfer (EWIT-AMSTI), but we are beginning our BIG review of Chemistry as well. As we prepare for the ACAP testing, please make sure that your child is prepared with all necessary materials for each class EVERYDAY! These next few weeks are full of review games, activities, and lab experiences so please make sure that your child is at school to review all necessary material and information with their teachers.

*Greenpower permission slips for the trip to LaGrange, Georgia are due by April 1st.

Social Studies: We are picking right back up with where we left off at Ancient Greece! I am so excited to do this unit and the next with the kids and I am sure they are pretty excited about it too. We also are working on ACAP skills as we progress through the coming days/weeks. Although social studies/history is not specifically listed on the ACAP as a stand alone subject, we do support the ELA department with reading and writing skills. So, hopefully the students will be prepared to knock those sections out of the park. We are looking at having a vocabulary test in the coming days too so please make sure your students are studying up for that. They all made their own flash card study set on Quizlet, so they should not need any hard copy materials to prepare. We will also continue to work on more advanced skills such as DBQ’s and items like these in the hopes they will be better prepared for high school. By my count we have roughly 45 school days that we are here at the building so lets make them count! Hope everyone has a great week and feels rested after spring break!

Creative Writing - Students are starting their script and screenplay unit for the 4th quarter. Students will be learning techniques and formatting for script writing in preparation for the 10 minute play festival in the fall. There will also be an open mic event in April where students will read their poetry from the third nine weeks.

Media Arts - 6th Grade- Welcome back! We are going to be beginning our Production Unit and exploring stop motion animation for the next few weeks. We are going to begin a project called ‘Artist Statement Stop Motion Animation,’ where students will develop an artist statement using a combination of words, props, and art. They will use created and gathered objects to tell the story of artmaking in a stop motion animation and highlight their own voice and process as they present their final animations.

Theater/ Technical Theatre

• AAA Theatre

• We are about 10 days away from opening night of Comedy of Errors!

• Get your tickets TODAY at www.WhyAAA.org/MS-Theatre

• AAA Alumni Party starts at 1:30 on Sunday, April 2nd

• Make sure you are there for the announcement of the 2023-2024 Season!

• Theatre Performance

Welcome back! I hope your Spring Break was great!

• Introduction to Theatre

• Students are starting with learning about an acting method, the Stanislavski Method - created by Constantin Stanislavski at the turn of the century.

• Students will also work in group to use the Stanislavski method in their upcoming 2 page scene. Students started finding scripts on Monday and we will perform next Thursday.

• Theatre I

• Students are continuing to work on their Script Writing. This week they are working on character descriptions, a plot outline, and starting to delve deeper into beginning, middle and end dialogue.

• Theatre Production

• For the next 2 weeks, students are working in groups to create a series of Theatre Etiquette videos.

• Technical Theatre

Stars & Clowns - We are continuing to work on our competition pieces. It is starting to come together nicely. My dance captains have put their hearts and souls into these numbers. I cannot wait for you to see what they have come up with.

• Clowns: All Clowns that are renting costumes need to bring them to school on Wednesday, May 22.

• Stars: All Stars need to bring their costumes on Wednesday, May 22.

Dates:

March 31 - April 2 - Comedy of Errors (Ushers Needed-look for a signup genius in your email)

April 1 - Final Payments are due for the competition trip to Atlanta

April 15 - 10:30am - AAA Fine Arts Festival (More information to come)

April 24-26 - Stars Auditions

April 27-29 - Music in the Parks - Atlanta, GA - Competition

May 1-5 - Clowns Auditions (During School)

May 19 - Stars and Clowns Tour

May 22 - 6th and 7th grades Bridging Ceremony

May 22 - Tech Rehearsal in the Theatre

May 23 - 8th grade Bridging Ceremony

May 23 - ACT Night

May 24 - Last Day Performance

Music

Please support the AAA Music Department by purchasing a AAA Music t-shirt. We will be wearing these shirts on awards day during the Atlanta competition trip. Available for purchase for all students participating in orchestra, band, choir, stars, clowns, all parents and family members as well. Please support the AAA Music Department and buy a AAA Music t-shirt. Click on the link and purchase your t-shirts!

https://aaa-middle-school-music-department.square.site/

Strings-OMPA LOOMPA! LOL:) We are focused to get ready for the April 14th field trip for Sapphire Strings Members (2nd period and 7th period) permission slips will go home soon. OMPA is the Orchestra Music Performance Assessment sponsored by music education of the Alabama Orchestra Association component of Nafme/AMEA. We have a bus donated by our amazing city leader scholarship (per Mrs. Violet Edwards) 5th Grade strings volunteers will perform at the Fine Arts Festival April 15th 11:30 in auditorium-a short 15-20 minute showcase.

Band - Students in Advanced and Beginning Bands are working on our Atlanta competition trip. Each group separately will perform two adjudicated pieces for the festival. Beginning Band will play “Lyric Prelude” and “High Adventure”. The Advanced Band pieces are still being determined. We will combine Advanced Band and Orchestra and compete in the Full Orchestra category. The Full Orchestra will play “Fanfare Rondeau” and “Russian Fantasy”. We initially said that the Solo & Ensemble competition is April 1, 2023. There are two dates. We are going to the one at Athens High School in May. More information is forthcoming.

Choir - Students in Women’s Choir, Mixed and 6th Grade Choirs are working on our Atlanta competition trip. The Women’s Choir will perform two adjudicated pieces for the festival and we will combine the Women’s, Mixed, and 6th Grade Choirs to compete as a combined choir in the Treble Choir category. This combined Treble Choir will perform two adjudicated pieces. These choir pieces are still being determined. Congratulations to Ava Brown, Naima Hassan, and Alliyah Maher for representing AAA at the 2023 Alabama All-State Choral Festival in Birmingham, AL. It was an outstanding concert and experience for these special students.

Please encourage your children to practice, practice, practice! Both band and choir students can enhance their music skills if they would PRACTICE…As our Practice Motto says, “Amateurs practice to get it RIGHT; professionals practice not to get it WRONG…There is a difference…”

Visual Art- Welcome back! We are beginning new projects in all Visual Arts classes and they are as follows:

2D/3D & Visual Arts 1: We are beginning our Abstract Art Unit and our first project is called, ‘Abstract Insect Sculptures,’ where students will use the scientific observation of insects as inspiration for creating an abstract painted wooden insect sculpture. They will enhance and add detail to their insect with paint.

Visual Arts 2: Students will be picking up where they left off before spring break working on their ‘Numbers of Climate Change,’ students will finish sculpting, paper macheing, and painting this week.

Dance-

Welcome back!! We are back rehearsing for our upcoming production “The Wiz” which is May 6th-8th. Practices are ONLY on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. MUNCHKINS AND EMERALD CITY CITIZENS HAVE REHEARSAL March 21st, 23rd, 28th, and 30th from 3:30pm-5:30pm.

We are happy to accept any gift card donations ($5-10) to use for Teacher Door Prizes. Donations can be dropped off at the front office.

Chromebook chargers are available for purchase for $30 each. The chargers may be picked up at the front office. Prior to pick-up, you can pay the charger fee with a Credit Card/Debit payments via MySchoolFees: www.myschoolfees.com. Sign in as GUEST, Select AAA Elem (or Middle), Select Public, Select Chromebook Charger $30, be sure to list child’s name in the COMMENTS. Or you can pay the $30 fee at the time of pick-up with cash or check. All checks should be made payable to Academy for Academics and Arts Elementary (or Middle) School. If you have any questions, please contact the school at 256-428-7600 and speak to Erica Dillard or Ingrid Lawler, Bookkeepers.

Grades and Coursework - Contact the teacher first please firstname.lastname@hsv-k12.org

Data Generalist: Ramona Calhoun at Ramona.Calhoun@hsv-k12.org

Attendance - Ramona Calhoun at Jahshay.McKeller@hsv-k12.org

Cafeteria and Nutrition - Norma Martin at norma.martin@hsv-k12.org

School Counselor - Debbie Smith at debbie.smith@hsv-k12.org

Nurse - Christina Darby at Christina.Darby@hsv-k12.org

Librarian & Technology - Brenda Levert at brenda.levert@hsv-k12.org

Elementary Principal - Evelyn Coffey at Evelyn.Coffey@hsv-k12.org

Middle School Principal - Kitrise Torain at kitrise.torain@hsv-k12.org

Elementary Admin Assistant- Mary Christopher at Mary.Christopher@hsv-k12.org

Middle School Admin Assistant- Erica Dillard at Erica.Dillard@hsv-k12.org

April

April 7, 2023- E-Learning Day

PK-5th grade and 6th-8th grade Arts Magnet school in the Huntsville City School District.

Email: Kitrise.Torain@hsv-k12.org
Website: https://www.huntsvillecityschools.org/schools/academies-academics-and-arts
Location: 4800 Sparkman Drive Northwest, Huntsville, AL, USA
Phone: 256.428.7600
Facebook: facebook.com/AcademyforAcademicsandArtsElementary
Twitter: @AAAMiddle