Seventh-Grade Newsletter
GENERAL INFORMATION
Sarah Telepak, MS Principal: stelepak@cvcaroyals.org
Jon Knab, MS Assistant Principal: jknab@cvcaroyals.org
A couple of reminders as we get close to the end of the quarter:
- Check Canvas Daily
- End of the first quarter: October 8
- Middle School Fall Break: October 8-12
- Canvas Symbols:
- When looking at your student’s Canvas gradebook, you will notice that late assignments are labeled with a BLUE LATE.
- If the assignment is marked with a RED MISSING indication, this means the teacher has NOT received it, whether on Canvas or on paper.
- Teachers try to make sure that every assignment is accurately labeled by the end of the day.
Word of Encouragement: Great job showing school spirit for Spirit Week! It was amazing to see the creativity and excitement. Continue with the excitement and hard work as we near the end of the first quarter!
Pre-Algebra 7: The first unit we covered this year was operations with Rational Numbers, and students demonstrated a strong understanding of positive and negative addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Our next unit will be properties of exponents. After that, we will be jumping into algebraic skills with Algebraic Expressions and Equations. Students will use the skills they learned in Chapters 1 and 2 to simplify expressions, solve equations, and solve inequalities, all of which are skills they will continue to use in later math classes.
Foundations: As September ends, we will finish our chapter on Integers and Rational Numbers. Students will review what they have learned about adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers and rational numbers through The Amazing Number Race classroom activity later next week. You can support your child at home by helping them memorize basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. This will help them greatly as we move into the next chapter on Algebraic Expressions.
Our year in science starts with scientific method practice and designing experiments! We then continue into atomic structure and the Periodic Table. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the different elements found on Earth through various labs and projects. One project we do during this unit is the “Name Project,” where students spell out their name using elements from the periodic table. We build on this knowledge to introduce biomolecules and how they show up in our everyday lives through food and our DNA!
Neufeld: As September concludes, we will finish a literature unit on Plot, Conflict, Setting, and Characters, and we’ll look at each of these elements in various stories and even a script. We will then transition into a grammar unit reviewing and learning how to use different types of punctuation correctly, including commas, semicolons, colons, italics, hyphens, quotation marks, and apostrophes! Students should make time to train three times a week (Wednesday to Tuesday) for ten minutes each session in our Membean vocabulary program.
Davies: We are wrapping up a literature unit on Plot, Conflict, Setting, and Characters. Students have read various short stories as well as a script. Our next grammar unit will review how to use punctuation correctly. Students are busy writing in their journals each week! It has been such a joy for me to read and learn more about each of them! At the end of September, I will send home information about our next literature unit. Please discuss the book options with your child and help them choose their top two choices. I will then place them into literature circles where they will work and read with a group for the month of October. Students should make time to train three times a week (Wednesday to Tuesday) for ten minutes each session in our Membean vocabulary program.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Jon Knab: jknab@cvcaroyals.org
David Ramey: dramey@cvcaroyals.org
Christian Canonico: ccanonico@cvcaroyals.org
Mason Boardwine: mboardwine@cvcaroyals.org
Unit 1 Wrap-Up: We just completed our first unit and took the Unit 1 test! Students can earn back half credit on missed multiple-choice questions by completing test corrections with clear explanations for their answers.
Unit 2 Launch: We’re diving into “What is a Civilization?” where students will explore common characteristics of ancient civilizations and participate in their first interactive historical simulation. The entire 7th grade will compete to see whose civilization survives—with the very first spot in the Hall of Simulation Domination on the line! Please make sure your student brings wired earbuds to class daily, as we’ll be using them frequently in our upcoming units.
Over the last two weeks, we’ve been covering Old Testament history through Kahoots and class notes, focusing on major themes and lessons from figures like Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Saul, and David. We emphasized key terms and concepts that will be important in the New Testament, such as the Messiah and righteousness. Next week, we will continue with Solomon through Exile and Return, eventually addressing the Greek and Roman conquest of Israel. Our goal is to give students a foundational understanding of events leading up to Jesus’ arrival.
To prepare for the Gospel of Luke next quarter, students have started reading the first chapters in their Luke Workbooks, highlighting important parts, underlining unfamiliar words, and formulating questions. We’ve dedicated some class time to discuss these questions, leading to great discussions.
ELECTIVES
Jennifer Moore (Choir): jmoore@cvcaroyals.org
Scott Isaacs (Band/Orchestra): sisaacs@cvcaroyals.org
Charlier Hubbell (Band/Orchestra):chubbell@cvcaroyals.org
Kiara Brown (Art): kibrown@cvcaroyals.org
- The Middle School Women’s Chorale (7th/8th grade girls) will sing at the Wayside Nursing & Rehab Center on Thursday, October 15, and then head to Kalahari for the evening. Permission Slips are due by Monday, September 28.
- The Middle School Show Choir will perform at the Fall Worship concert on Tuesday, October 6 at 7:00 p.m.
- The Middle School Show Choir will travel to Valley Christian Academy on Wednesday, October 21 to lead Chapel.
- Middle School Art students recently finished studying the Elements of Art and Principles of Design, and are now exploring styles like Graffiti Art while transforming flat designs into three-dimensional forms. Throughout the quarter, students have worked with diverse materials and developed new artistic skills. Over the next few weeks, they will learn techniques that encourage personal expression and help them explore their identity in Christ. Future assignments will focus on strengthening visual observation and illustration skills, experimenting with new materials, introducing new artists, and analyzing artwork through a Christian lens.
- Important Art Reminder: During the week of September 23–30, MS Art students will begin working on still-life and gesture drawings. Each student should bring two CVCA-appropriate items to class that have personal meaning or tell a story. Examples might include a teddy bear, cowboy hat, favorite book, sports item, small toy, or pumpkin.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Tyler Buckwalter: tbuckwalter@cvcaroyals.org
Brandy Tepley: btepley@cvcaroyals.org
The second quarter will begin on Tuesday, October 13, at which time 7th grade girls will start PE and 7th grade boys will go to health.
TBD
The 7th Grade “Fall Fest” Service Day will be on Friday, September 25, and will give our 7th graders opportunities to spread out and serve at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Cornerstone Community School, and Summit Christian School. After serving in the morning, all students will meet at Fun-N-Stuff to eat their packed lunches together and enjoy a fun class party there. This service day will fall within the hours of a normal school day and will result in every student participating receiving 7 hours of service credit. Every student is required to complete a total of 16 service hours by May 7, and this service opportunity will give them a great head start.
NOTE: All students going to Cuyahoga Valley National Park with their Living Room Groups must turn in a special paper permission form, passed out last Friday, to participate in service there.
SMO
Dwayne Reed: dreed@cvcaroyals.org
Mazie Smith: masmith@cvcaroyals.org
Shanna Young: syoung@cvcaroyals.org
TBD
EXTRA-CURRICULARS
- MS Academic Challenge: Tuesdays 5A Lunch | Room 264 | Starts September 15
- MS Art Club: Every-other-Tuesday | 3:00-4:00 p.m. | Room 181
- Talking Royals (Speech and Debate) | 6th-12th grade | Wednesday & Thursday | 3:00-4:30 | Auditions in October and Practices start after Auditions
Nail Polish Club (MS Girls Only) | Room 135 | October 2, 16 and November 6, 20