Welcome to Your Final Year at OLG! Well, you’ve done it! You’ve officially made it to your 8th grade year! For some, your journey at OLG has been a long one, perhaps going all the way back to Ms. Janet’s Preschool class. For others, your time at OLG has just begun. No matter, at OLG, we are all in this together as one family, one community and one class.
As 8th graders, you are called to service and leadership in new and exciting ways, and are asked to rise to the occasion more so than ever before in your academic career. As 8th graders, you are asked to wear many hats, and set the example and the standard for the middle school, and for all younger students. You are the models to which everyone else looks up to. And while this may sound like a lot for a 13-14 year old, I am confident that YOU are up to the challenge!
Incoming 8th Graders!
- Required Summer Reading: HERE
- Juan Diego Project and Summer Expectations: HERE
- JDP Hours Log: HERE
- Extra research opportunity shared on the Daily Assignment Board on the last day of school can be found HERE.
Religion
Students learn parts of the Catholic Church’s history from the Acts of the Apostles up through modern times. We study the development of the church through Ecumenical Councils and historical events. Eighth graders also learn about morality from a social justice standpoint. We learn about and practice servant leadership in our school and community, and reflect on these experiences throughout the year.
Methods:
- Morality / Church History Textbook
- Juan Diego Project (JDP) this project also covers many of the religion standards and school-wide learning expectations (SLEs)
- Class service project – providing recreational therapy to and developing relationships with residents of Providence Mount St. Vincent through the Silver Kite program, an intergenerational learning program.
- Faith Family Program – school-wide monthly activities led by 8th graders
- Liturgy Planning
Juan Diego Project
- Student Created and Parent Supported.
- This is the long-standing OLG Traditional 8th grade independent student service project centered around social justice, advocacy and community relationships. It is a yearlong commitment to an organization in which stewardship and service is provided by the student for a total of 20 service hours, completed by the student.
- Over the course of the year, students will be presenting to various groups in multiple ways, aligning their project to the Catholic Social Teaching (CST), our SLEs and our call to social justice.
- Three main components:
- Service: 20 hours with an organization. See form below. Done independently outside of school.
- Research: Focus on your Area of Concern (CST or social justice issue) Primarily done at school– Independently
- Advocacy: Sharing what you have learned with the greater community. Mainly done at school. Shared during Open House and in other ways throughout the year.
- The student must complete all service hours no later than April 15th
- The link to the service log can be found here! Just make a copy and feel free to edit!
Mount St. Vincent / Silver Kite Program
This is our class service project. Together with The Mount and Silver Kite, Program, 8th graders participate in intergenerational learning, enhancing their understanding of the CST: Life and Dignity of the Human Person, helping students to form meaningful irreplaceable relationships with others. The focus is intergenerational learning; forming lasting bonds with our senior community members. This collaboration and project begins in October and goes through May.
Family Groups
8th graders lead Faith Family Groups, and will be responsible for creating themed activities and leading multi-grade level groups in prayer, liturgy and stewardship over the course of the year.
Eighth Grade Retreat
Our 8th Grade retreat happens in the fall, and provides an opportunity for us to come together as a class community to grow in faith, knowledge, teamwork and understanding of one another. This gives us an opportunity to build trust, strengthen relationships and set the standard for what the year ahead will hold.
Eighth Grade Musical
The 8th Grade Musical is a time honored tradition at OLG. The musical is part of your Language Arts curriculum (Mr. Santos) and is a wonderful way to grow as a learner, & to push yourself out of your comfort zone. As 8th graders, you get to learn new skills from highly qualified and talented volunteers, like one of our own 8th grade parents, Nikki Womac, in addition to the excellent guidance and direction provided by Mr. Santos and Ms. Savio.
High School Applications
High school applications are something that happen for eighth graders in the fall of every year. It is not a requirement to apply to Catholic or private high schools, however is a decision that is made as a family. Due dates and more information will be posted and shared with families directly, as they are provided.
Communication
As individuals preparing to be high schoolers, guided independence and accountability is key to the success of a middle schooler and OLG graduate. That said, it is an eighth grade expectation for THE STUDENT to communicate with their teachers when they have questions, have planned absences, etc. We encourage them to do this in person, and through their OLG student emails. PARENTS, we strongly encourage you to encourage your students to communicate with us directly. Of course, you will personally receive updates from the middle school team, and may be cc’d on your student’s emails. The use and expectation of student communication via email helps to build communication life skills, and also helps to encourage and promote positive and responsible technology usage.
Communication through ALMA
ALMA is our gradebook and information system. The Middle School Team updates gradebooks regularly and will communicate academic progress most consistently there. It is the student and family responsibility to check grades and student progress frequently. Assessment scores will be recorded here and may not always be communicated to parents elsewhere if a student chooses to not share with their parents. Parents, this is simply the best way to stay on top of your child’s work and assignments. Students and parents share a login.
