Incoming 6th Graders
Jefferson Middle School
Important Dates For Incoming 6th Grade Students
COMING SOON
Preparing and Transitioning into Middle School
Preparing for middle school is a crucial point in a lifetime of learning. While elementary school focuses on the student, and high school solidifies his skills, middle school is when your child will decide how important education is to him. Middle-school lessons will not simply teach facts — they will also teach how these facts carry over into real life. Long-term interdisciplinary units will call for creative, agile thinking. The change in scheduling will let your child immerse himself in complex, multi-dimensional topics.
Sixth grade brings many changes. Your child will be transitioning to Jefferson middle school where s/he will be among the youngest in the school. The transition to middle school brings many changes from new classmates, using and maintaining organization of a locker, and moving from having one teacher to having a different teacher for each subject. Preparing your child in advance to be aware of the changes this transition will bring helps in preparing their mindset. Students will have more long-term homework assignments and cross-curricular projects, and will need to step up their organizational skills to keep track of different assignments and deadlines from their teachers. You can help him by having your write down and keep track of his summer activities and engagements in a planner, as when they get to Jefferson, they will be required to maintain their assignments in a Daily Student Agenda, provided by our PTSA and uses in each of their teachers classrooms.
There may be more opportunities for your child to take part in sports and clubs on campus. During the summer engage your child in activities that interest him or her. If s/he likes to act or play tennis, support these opportunities by going to a play, or finding a court to play tennis.The transition to sixth grade can be challenging because of all of the new changes physically, socially and academically. Make it a priority to schedule time with your child involved in the activities that interest him. This will strengthen the bond between you at this very vulnerable age. Take your child to see and walk the campus during off hours (Schedule in advance with the school) this will assist them in getting use to the campus layout. This will not only strengthen the bond between you at this very vulnerable age, it will also help your child feel more comfortable with the transition to their middle school.
The Middle School Mission is Different
In middle school, teachers focus with a more heightened emphasis on a student's acceptable conduct, personal responsibility and organization, and proficiency in academic performance. Students are expected to be more responsible and take responsibility for their learning. It's not that middle school teachers care less; they care differently in helping to develop your child into a responsible and productive citizen of our school community while additionally developing their talents and leadership. Part of the mission of middle school is helping students learn the self-management and social system skills that will be necessary to successfully cope with high school. Self-management skills include developing the discipline to keep track of homework and the work ethic to process it on time. These are essential educational responsibilities students must learn to assume.
What are the social system skills? "Follow with rules, learn and follow school routines and procedures, be respectful and cooperate with staff." If a young person doesn't learn adequate self-management responsibility and social system skills in middle school, he or she will have a more difficult time making it through high school - an even larger facility, with less tolerance for off-task and socially disruptive behavior. This is why it is important for parents to continue focus on their supervision and guidance on the development of study skills, organization, personal responsibility and help your child learn these skills to be successful and the best that they can be as a Jefferson Middle School Student!
Click to view the 6th Grade Suggested Supply List
Elective Course Descriptions:
- Beginning Band (year long class) – This class is for anyone who has never played an instrument and would like learn. In addition, Beginning Band is for incoming 6th graders who have played an instrument in elementary school. We offer all wind instruments, including but not limited to flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone and tuba, plus all percussion instruments. You do not have to have any music experience. Beginning Band will perform 3 times through out the year, including a trip to Disneyland for a band competition.
- Chorus (year long class) – This class is for any student who enjoys singing. Singing or musical experience is not required. The JMS Chorus performs a minimum of 5 times throughout the school year, including a trip to either Disneyland or Knott’s for a competition, and then a concluding performance at the JMS Spring musical.
- Elective Wheel (Class rotates every quarter) – Classes offered within the elective wheel offer a variety of enrichment for our 6th grade students. Classes this school year include: Leadership, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), Health, and Technology – Study Skills are incorporated throughout each elective course, each quarter.
Middle School Book Resources
- " book series
- for SSR reading time
- on Parenting Tweens and Teens
- - American Girl books
Camp Jaguar for Incoming 6th Grade Students
Information coming soon.