Welcome Back Letter from Principal Bowden
Dear Families of China Middle School Students,
I hope your summer is going well and that you have had the opportunity to enjoy special times with family and friends. Before you know it, it will be time for the opening of the 2017-2018 school year!
The anticipation of the first day of school was always something I looked forward to when I was a child, and I still do as an educator. I hope your child is also looking forward to a new school year. For those of you that are new to our school, I want to assure you that your child is coming to an absolutely welcoming and wonderful place. Our teachers and staff are passionate, caring and hardworking. They are continually learning and growing as educators for the benefit of your child. They have been preparing their classrooms for a new school year that will be engaging, meaningful and rigorous!
I am excited to introduce the following new staff members to China Middle School: Mrs. Lori Benson (6th & 7th grade Math Teacher), Ms. Carly Cooper (Special Education Teacher), Ms. Katherine Lyons (Instrumental/Music Teacher), and Mr. Joshua Schmidt (7th & 8th grade Math Teacher). Each person comes highly recommended from previous positions, and we feel fortunate to add them to our team. I am also pleased to announce that Mr. Joshua Brooks is the new Athletic Coordinator for China Middle School. He will be available at our Open House to provide information about our fall sports.
Your child will have the opportunity to meet his/her homeroom teacher and all of their teachers at our annual Open House, which is scheduled for Tuesday, August 29th from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Individual student schedules and locker assignments will be available in your child’s homeroom. You will also be able to pick up your packet of annual forms as well as receive information about the transportation schedule.
If your child will be attending a daycare or an alternate place (other than your house) before or after school, please notify Tina Strout at 445-1500 or [email protected], so that transportation is arranged appropriately.
The first day of school is Wednesday, August 30th for grades K through 5 only! We have a full day of activities planned for the 5th grade students to become oriented to the middle school. The first day of school for grades 6 – 8 will be Thursday, August 31st. Our school hours are 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. In the interest of safety, please do not drop off your child before 7:15 a.m. as there is no supervision before that time.
We would like to invite and encourage you to become involved in your child’s education and our school. The PTO is an active group of parents and educators that meets regularly the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the China Middle School Library. Please consider getting involved in this important organization. Your active participation and support is an essential component for the success in your child’s education.
Last year, China Middle School piloted the progress reporting system in PowerSchool. This year, our plan is to give you access to the Parent Portal within a few weeks of school starting. We believe that you will find PowerSchool to be user-friendly and a great communication tool to provide feedback on your child’s academic progress. The Parent Portal will give you online access to your child’s daily assignments, quizzes and tests, as well as their progress on each standard. We will no longer be using Empower to track standards.
We are looking forward to a positive and productive year. Our dedicated and committed staff will do their best to ensure that your child feels welcomed in a safe and accepting environment. It is important to us that your child feels safe to take risks so that he/she may have a successful year of learning. We do not take it lightly that you entrust your child to us every day. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me.
Enjoy the remainder of your summer!
Lois Bowden
China Middle School Principal
(207)445-1500