• Course Descriptions
• Guidance
• Gifted and Talented Education
• Special Needs
• Progress and Reporting

Courses
Religion 6
Family Life 7
Language Arts 8
6th & 7th Math 9
8th Math 10
Science 11
Social Studies 12
General Music 13
Technology 14
Physical Education 15
Wellness 16
Spanish 17
Art 18

Religion
As adolescents grow in their journey of faith, religion integrates their social, intellectual, and spiritual needs. Meeting every day for at least thirty-five minutes, religion class encompasses the religion textbook, the guidance program, the family life program, as well as prayer services and liturgies.
In its broadest scope the religion program in Middle School covers the Old Testament and salvation history in sixth grade, the New Testament and the person of Jesus in seventh, and the gospel message and traditions found in Church History in eighth. Our religion standards require our students to demonstrate knowledge of the message taught, to reflect Christian involvement in service, and to show evidence of Christian relationships as we build Christian community. In addition, each grade level will utilize a service contract to encourage students to demonstrate service in their family, school, parish, and community.

Family Life Curriculum
God's Own Making: Catholic Values of Human Sexuality was developed to teach Catholic values in human sexuality in Catholic schools. The program is intended to support, supplement, and enhance the learning that first takes place within the family. Religion teachers spend up to one week each trimester using this curriculum with students. The students complete a four-page booklet, which is then sent home to act as a springboard for further discussion with parents. The three major themes discussed each year are:
Respect for Life
Sexuality as Relational
Life-Giving, Love-Giving
As the first educators of their children, parents must talk about and practice their faith with their children so that religious beliefs, practices, and values will be rooted in their children's lives. The same is true for education in human sexuality. Parents teach about love and sexuality in the way they treat and speak with each other and with the child. The philosophy of this program is that sensitive topics and fundamental biology is taught by the parents in context of their family. A parent guide, Between You and Your Child: Catholic Values of Human Sexuality for Your Family, is available in the school office for checkout or purchase for $5.00. It is a helpful guide of information and tips for having conversations with your child about human sexuality.

Language Arts
Language Arts is a challenging and diverse curriculum based on the study of Literature by theme for 6th grade and by genre for 7th and 8th grade. Teachers engage their students in Short Story, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Drama and the Folk Tradition by immersing them in quality literary pieces. Included in each unit is an overview of the key literary elements of that theme/genre. Novels may also be incorporated to expand students' interest and allow them to make connections.
Language Arts is taught every day for at least seventy minutes with the student's Home Base teacher. This block of time allows for flexible scheduling and the integration of the key components of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students are encouraged to reflect on the literary pieces through both written and oral responses. They are
also guided to analyze, critique and evaluate the works. Effective communication through both the written and spoken word will be emphasized, including teaching grammar and spelling tools and strategies. Various genres of writing are incorporated throughout the curriculum with three major types as a focus each year. Heterogeneous grouping allows the teacher to differentiate learning activities while stimulating individual students to develop and utilize critical thinking
skills.

6th & 7th Grade Math
The math curriculum is a rigorous multi-year program to help students more fully develop their math computation and problem-solving skills. The pacing and ability-grouped strands of this program also allow for advanced math students to take above-grade-level math courses in 7th and 8th grade.
All 6th grade students are placed in the Course 1 math book. Students are ability-grouped to best meet the needs of the students. These ability groupings are flexible and can be adjusted throughout the year. Seventh grade students are placed in either the Course 2 or Course 3 curriculums. Placements in these curriculums in based on ITBS scores and teacher recommendations. Course 2 is the regular on-grade-level 7th grade math curriculum. This course teaches important foundational 7th grade math skills including some pre-algebraic concepts. Course 2 generally leads to Pre-Algebra in 8th grade. Course 3 is an 8th grade level course. This curriculum has a strong emphasis on pre-algebraic
skills. Students placed in this Course 3 are essentially skipping the 7th grade book and thus need to have advanced math skills. Students who generally score above the 75th percentile on the ITBS Math Total using Iowa norms are possible candidates for this curriculum. Course 3 generally leads to Algebra (a freshman level course) in 8th grade.

8th Grade Math
The 8th grade math curriculum has three major strands to prepare students for a variety of high school math options.
Pre-Algebra is the regular on-grade-level 8th grade math curriculum. This course teaches the important foundational algebraic concepts such as working with equations. Most students that took Course 2 in 7th grade will take this course. This course generally leads to Algebra at the High School level.
Algebra is a freshman-level high school course. Students need to have advanced math skills and a solid understanding of equations. This course utilizes direct instruction. Most students that took Course 3 in 7th grade will take this course. This course generally leads to Honors Algebra at the High School level.
Self-Paced Algebra is a freshman-level course. Students need to have advanced math skills and a solid understanding of equations. This course uses the same materials as the Algebra class but allows students to work at an individual pace. Students must exhibit high levels of initiative, work ethic, motivation, and intellectual curiosity to be successful in this setting. This course generally leads to Honors Algebra or Honors Geometry in High School

Science
Science education is a journey of discovery about the world. Science education includes both content and methods. Students learn process skills, such as observing, classifying, experimenting, describing, measuring, inferring, predicting, and evaluating. The acquisition of these skills makes it possible for students to discover and learn a body of scientific knowledge through the four strands of science: earth, life, physical, and environmental.

Social Studies
The Social Studies Curriculum focuses on the historical, political, geographic, cultural, economic, and religious influences of various areas and time periods. The sixth grade curriculum studies ancient world cultures through the Middle Ages. Seventh graders study World History from the Renaissance to Current times. In eighth grade, students study American History from the Constitution through the 20th Century.

General Music
Students attend General Music class once every three days for the entire school year. In music class, we will explore various ways to create and appreciate music, including singing, dancing, playing instruments, composing, and reflective listening. We will also study the science of the human voice and how it changes during adolescence. Music reading skills, basic keyboarding skills, and liturgical/seasonal music will be included in the music curriculum throughout the year. Sixth grade students involved in Choir are grouped together for General Music. Seventh and eighth grade students are grouped heterogeneously for General Music because gender-specific Choirs are offered as separate 7th/8th grade Exploratory classes. Below are lists of individual topics that will be covered in music for each grade level.

Technology
Students attend technology classes every third day for the entire year. The programs used are Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, iPhoto, iMovie, and Garage Band. The following benchmarks will be addressed in computer class at all grade levels:
Keyboarding - Students will take a monthly timed test. Students who do not meet the specified goal for the month will do ten minutes of practice each class until the next timed test. Students in all grades will need to meet a 97% accuracy goal.
Saving documents: saving to a designated folder, and saving a back-up copy of documents to a server
Computer ethics: proper ethical behaviors of computer use, including software piracy, illegal copying of software, plagiarism, and copyright laws
Online safety
Evaluation of Internet resources

Physical Education
The focus of Physical Education will be on:
Helping students develop and maintain acceptable levels of physical fitness.
Helping students develop basic movement and manipulative skills.
Helping students develop the ability to use good sportsmanship.
Helping students enjoy and seek out physical activity.

Wellness
Life is about making healthy choices from a Christian perspective. Wellness class involves studying health and safety issues that may affect the choices students make for their well being. Classes meet every day during a trimester. Classes vary using community resources, guest speakers, simulations, and other media. The textbook Health & Wellness is also used as a supplement to the Wellness Class.

Spanish
Because the use of the Spanish language in the United States is growing and is projected to continue to increase, knowledge of this language is a valuable asset for our students. Mazzuchelli Catholic Middle School students are fortunate to have the opportunity to begin (or continue) their study of a second language in the middle school years.
Students will take Spanish class every day for one trimester per year. A textbook will be used and class activities will be centered on students learning to communicate (speaking, listening, reading, writing) in the Spanish language. Students will build a working vocabulary and use the language to express their own ideas to others and also to obtain information from others. Class activities will also focus on specific cultural aspects of the Hispanic world. By comparing the history and traditions of their own families and cultures to the history and traditions of Hispanic cultures, students will become more aware of their own significance in the world.

Art
In art class students will explore various art techniques and media such as drawing, painting, printmaking, and the use of technology. They will use different techniques and media to generate artwork to demonstrate their knowledge of what they have learned throughout each lesson. The students will also be completing written critiques of some of their
works. This will help them understand how to view their work critically. Being able to critiques one's own work to recognize areas that need improvement is important for future success. Students will be working on projects to develop their creativity, which will help them in their future endeavors. Additionally, study and critique

Guidance will be taught weekly in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, primarily during the Religion block of time. The counselor will go into each classroom twice per month. Teachers, individually or as a team, will teach their topics on opposite weeks of the counselor or whenever it best fits into their schedule.

Throughout the year, students will complete a trimester of Wellness. During these classes, students will cover additional guidance topics. In 6th, 7th and 8th grades, Self-Safety and Substance Abuse Awareness will be covered in Wellness, and in 7th grade, AIDS will also be covered. Additional topics will be presented by the counselor on an as-needed basis to each team. In addition to classroom guidance, the counselor will be available for referrals for individual as well as group counseling as those needs surface during the school year. Referrals can come from students, teachers, or parents.

Middle school philosophy is anchored in 14 basic belief statements.
Three of these statements are particularly applicable to the GATE program:
High expectations for every member of the learning community
Multiple learning and teaching approaches that respond to their diversity
Curriculum that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory
(This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents, NMSA, 2003)

At Mazzuchelli Middle School, we believe that all students are talented and all students have gifts. Our goal is to develop the gifts and talents of all students.

Gifted is a specific educational term that applies to a small percentage of students, those with exceptional aptitude. Achievement tests measure how well a student has learned what he/she has been taught. Grade-level ITBS scores are an important indicator of a student's progress (achievement). However, consistently high scores on these tests do not necessarily indicate an exceptional aptitude. Aptitude is a student's ability to grasp concepts that have not yet been formally taught.

The GATE program documents and facilitates program modifications for students identified as having exceptional aptitude. GATE modifications for identified students are made within the regular educational setting (non-pull-out). If a student consistently demonstrates exceptional aptitude in a particular area of study, parents will be contacted about the possibility of creating a documented GATE program modification. If parents feel a student has an exceptional aptitude that requires program modification, they should contact the school's GATE Coordinator to begin the formal identification process.

What is GATE?
Gifted and Talented Education involves program modifications for students whose needs are not being met by the regular curriculum.

Who qualifies for GATE?
Students whose academic needs are not being met by the current curriculum are in need of GATE services.

Who determines if a student qualifies for GATE?
GATE accommodations can be requested by parents or school personnel who recognize that a student is under challenged in a particular subject area.

What are GATE accommodations?
Documented modifications are made to a student's individual academic program within the regular classroom. The student is not removed from the regular classroom setting, although in some cases a student might be placed in a different (accelerated) classroom.

The Student Support Center is a program to give students extra academic support and instruction. Such services include remedial or tutorial assistance in reading, math, study skills, organization, and/or other subjects. The Student Support Center is staffed by a certified middle school teacher and two associates.
Students can be recommended for the SSC from their previous elementary school, parents, teachers, or the Area Education Agency. Current academic performance, standardized test scores, and/or other assessments can also be used to identify areas of need. In particular, any student in the building that scores in the low proficiency range (below 40th percentile on ITBS) will be closely monitored for needed accommodations and academic growth.
Once recommended for SSC, a Student Accommodation Form will be created by the SSC staff, administration, teachers, and parents. This plan will include a student's areas of strengths, areas of difficulties, and needed accommodations.
Student assistance in SSC can take many forms. Students can be pulled out of the regular classroom or stay in the regular classroom where a SSC staff member will offer assistance. Assistance can be offered in a small group setting or in some cases on an individual basis. Services can be provided all year, or as needed for particular units in the curriculum, after returning from extended absences, etc.

Monitoring and reporting student progress is important for the academic growth of our students. Progress reports will be sent home in the middle of and at the end of each trimester (12 weeks). On the final trimester report for the subjects of Religion, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math, Wellness, Music, Art, Physical Education, Spanish, and Technology, parents will receive three types of information:
Letter Grade (see Grading Scale)
Progress toward meeting Curriculum Standards (4, 3, 2, 1)
Comments which further explain the student's progress, areas of strength, and areas of growth.
For math a notation will be made if student is working at, above, or below grade level (++, +, -).
Students in Band and Chorus will receive evaluation marks toward meeting standards (4, 3, 2, 1) and comments but will not receive letter grades.
A set of Personal Development/Social/Responsibility/Citizenship rankings will be included in each progress report. Students will be assessed by their Team Teachers using a 4, 3, 2, 1 ranking.