Richard H. O'Rourke Middle School
173 Lakehill Road
Burnt Hills, NY 12027
Principal Donald Germain
(518) 399-9141, ext. 4000
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O'Rourke Middle School  
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Looking Ahead.... 

Wednesday, September 8  - 6th grade orientation - 7:45 AM - 11:35 AM
Students will report to the Cafeteria upon arriving at school to be greeted by the administrative team, and will then report to homerooms to be guided through an orientation session with their teachers.  Buses will be running to pick students up and bring them home.  Check the school calendar for approximate bus pick-up times or ask neighbors who ride the bus.   All 6th grade students will need to have documentation of having received the Tdap vaccination on file with the school nurse in order to attend.  More information on 6th grade vaccination requirements

 

Thursday, September 9 - No school for students.
 

Friday, September 10 - First Day of school for grades 6, 7, 8

New Student Registration

To register new students, please contact the Superintendent's office (518 399-9141, ext. 5002) to begin the process.  Once new students are registered through the Superintendent's office, appointments for orientation at the Middle School can be made. Orientation for students and families will be held on Tuesday, August 31. Contact the Middle School Counseling Center (518 399-9141, ext. 4040) for an appointment.

They're Here!!!!  Supply Lists for 2010-2011   Click below for:

Grade 6 Supply List    
  Grade 7 Supply List  
    Grade 8 Supply List

6th Grade News....

     Incoming 6th Graders..  Spirit Day is a quarterly reward for students who are keeping up with their assignments, following school rules, and doing their best to be all around good citizens. Eligible student sign up to participate in all kinds of fun and exciting activities like cooking, t-shirt designs, beading, Kung Fu, Salsa Dancing, Kites, clay, homemade ice cream just to name a few! 

 Dates for 2010-2011 Spirit Days:
September 24th General Spirit Day for All!!
Spirit Day #1 Friday, November 12th
Spirit Day #2 Friday, January 28th
Spirit Day #3 Friday, April 1st
Spirit Day #4 Friday, June 10th

   Parents, the sixth grade teachers are inviting parents to participate in our Spirit Days and share some of their creative flare and talents by volunteering to share some of these talents in workshops on the afternoons of our Spirit Days.
You can run one long session or two shorter sessions  You determine the number of students that you feel most comfortable working with. You purchase the necessary materials and the school will reimburse you for your cost of materials.

If you are interested in organizing an activity for one or all of the Spirit Days. please email Marie DiCristofaro at mdicristofaro@bhbl.org

Make Waves at  Your   “Community” Library

Our Middle School students are too young to hold jobs. We don’t want them sitting in front of computer games for two months. What could be better than sitting under a tree or by a pool with a good book? How great to nurture this habit that your child can enjoy into adulthood. Moreover, professional literature has documented the value of reading throughout the year as a way for students to maintain their reading skills. For these reasons, the Middle School Library has traditionally conducted a summer reading program; last year we developed a blog through which students posted reviews of the books they had read, and the blog was linked to the Speck Media Center home page.

Unfortunately, a reduction in our library staff makes the blog impossible to maintain. Instead, we are encouraging our students—incoming 6th graders, 7th graders, and 8th graders, to participate in the Town of Ballston Community Library program, Make Waves at Your Library. This partnership with the Community Library will give students the opportunity to receive credit for their reading from both libraries.

For the Middle School library, students should simply complete a book review form for every book read. These are available both from the Speck Media Center before the close of school or the Community Library during the summer, and they can be downloaded from the Speck Media Center website. The completed forms should be handed in to the school library in the fall or to the Community Library any time during the summer. In September, we will be acknowledging the reading our students have completed.

Along with the review form, lists of noteworthy and recommended books are also available from the Speck Library Media Center home page.

Since a summer reading initiative has traditionally been part of our program, we are disappointed that it has to be cancelled. However, we are happy that our students have an opportunity to be part of the Community Library program.

PTA June 2010 Newsletter   -  Link
High School Orientation Resources
As part of the Crossing Over Route 50 Program of preparing 8th Graders for the transition to High School the following resources are available from the Middle School and High School Guidance Counselors.
8th Grade Parent Orientation Brochure Handout
Power Point Presentation for 8th Grade Parents
School Regulations regarding the attendance of Middle School Students at Sporting Events
Along with the privilege of participating in an athletic contest, either as a spectator or player, comes the responsibility to exhibit exemplary conduct, spirit and sportsmanship.  Please review these
specific policies regarding the attendance of Middle School students at sporting events. Link
 

Homework Request Policy

A reminder to parents of the policy for requesting homework that is found on page 7 of the O'Rourke Middle School Student Agenda and Handbook:

Homework can be requested when a student is absent 3 consecutive days by calling the main office where work will be collected and can be picked up.  If you need texts or supplies from your child's locker, please come to the school at the end of the day as lockers are inside classrooms  (please be sure to have your child's locker number and combination with you). 

In the meantime... please check teacher websites, or call a study buddy to find out what assignments have been given. 

Revised Summer School Grading Policy
Effective immediately, the O'Rourke Middle School Building Council and Cabinet have enacted a new summer school grading policy with the intent of aligning our practices with those of the High School, while applying more academic rigor and relevance for our students.
 _________________________________________________
Students who are required to attend summer school based on our summer school placement criteria (see "Promotion Policy" on page 23 of the Student Handbook) enacted in September 2005 will be evaluated for progress during summer school utilizing the following grading calculation:

Final Grade Calculation for Summer School Students:
2/5 = Summer School Average
2/5 = Two Highest Quarterly Averages from the School Year
1/5 = Summer School Final Assessment
Please note:  Advancement is contingent on compliance with summer school attendance and behavioral requirements and is at the discretion of the building principal. 
 

Parents are reminded to follow the morning drop-off procedures that have been established to ensure the safety of all our students and staff.

content bullet All student drop-offs must occur at the music entrance no earlier than 7:15 AM and up until 7:45 AM*
content bulletStudent drop-off must be from the right lane only and in front of the music door. Please do not drop students off in any other place in the parking lot and not from the left lane.
content bulletThe left lane is for through traffic and parking access only. No drop-offs should occur from the left lane.
content bullet As always, your patience and courtesy is appreciated.

*  After 7:45 AM students are considered tardy and need to enter through the main entrance and report to the attendance office to sign in. 
Link to the 8th Grade 2009-2010 English Vocabulary List.
 

Playing a Sport??
A Health Clearance (Yellow Sheet )is required.

A Health Clearance Form (yellow sheet) is required for students to tryout for any sport.  The Health Clearance form needs to be obtained from the school nurse within 30 days prior to the start of the sports season once all needed paperwork is on file in the nurse's office.  Complete information can be found on the Middle School Nurse's page.

content bullet  Procedures for getting out of school early:  If it becomes necessary for a student to leave school early
        > Bring a signed note from your parent/guardian to the attendance office before morning homeroom period.  If you are walking to a local doctor's office the note must state that you are walking. 
        >  Leave class at the excused time and wait in the Main Office.  A parent/guardian must come into the Main Office to meet and sign out the student.  If the student is not being picked up by a parent/guardian the signed note from the parent/guardian must state who is picking up the student or the person must be designated as an emergency contact on the emergency information sheet handed in at the beginning of the school year.
 

drawing of magic wand

Cinderella


Presented by the Middle School Drama Club

March 19, 2010 at 7 PM

March 20, 2010  at 2 PM & 7 PM
          ~ Pictures ~

 

 

photo of middle school boy writing
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This page is maintained according to the BH-BL Web Guidelines by Nancy Harrigan  (518) 399-9141, ext. 4001.  © 2005 Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District. All rights reserved. Produced in cooperation with the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service.  The BH-BL Central Schools is not responsible for the facts or opinions contained on any linked websites.