Friday, September 2, 2016

WELCOME! WELCOME! WELCOME!

Dear Parents/Students:

Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year at Ray Elementary.

On behalf of the middle school team at Ray School, welcome back to school! We hope everyone had an excellent and relaxing summer. We are looking forward to a school year filled with a continued love for learning and growth. We look forward to meeting you and working with you in building your child’s education.  Parental support will be necessary in order for all students to reach their potential and strive to succeed beyond it. 

We are looking forward to a very successful and exciting year and we know you are too. We have high academic and social expectations for your child and will do all that we can to help your child achieve those expectations.  It is our goal to provide all students with an educationally challenging, yet fun, experience in our classrooms.

Below you will find some needed information about some of the classroom policies.

Homework
Please let your child know that homework is important.  Homework will be assigned daily.  Homework assignments reinforce concepts learned in class and are used to assess the student’s understanding of those concepts.  Incomplete and missing assignments will result in grade reduction.  Homework should always be completed neatly and on time.  In addition, long-term projects will be introduced and worked on in class and at home. Due dates will be fair and strictly enforced.

Expectations:
Only your child’s best behavior and work are expected and accepted at all times.
All students must:
1)  Be on their honor.  Students must do their own work on homework, class assignments, tests
     and projects.
2)  Respect themselves, classmates, and teachers.
3)  Persevere.  Always give 100% and be positive.
4)  Be in attendance and be on time.
5)  Students shall not engage in activities that could cause harm to themselves or others.
6)  Students should respect themselves, peers, and their teachers.  They shall not talk to or 
     about themselves, another student, or a teacher in a disrespectful or inappropriate manner.
7)  Students are to have all homework completed on the day it is due.
8)  Students must be prepared each day by having proper materials.
9)  Students should dress in a respectable manner and follow the Ray Parent and Student Handbook.
10) The policies in the Student Code of Conduct book must also be followed.

Current grades are posted regularly for student and parent viewing. Use CPS Parent Portal to view student grades and attendance. Our classroom blogs include many of the assignments, assignment due dates, and a variety of other helpful information.

Thank you for your commitment to your child's education and we look forward to seeing you in the very near future.

Sincerely,
The Middle School Team


Thursday, June 16, 2016

7th/8th grade supply list for RAY 2016-17 school year!

3″ Binder with at least 5 dividers
Loose leaf paper
6 composition notebooks
Pens: blue or black
#2 pencils
Enclosed pencil sharpener
Colored pencils (at least pack of 8)
Highlighters (2 different colors)
Glue stick
Scissors
Ruler (with inches and centimeters)
Pocket folders with 3 holes to keep in binder (6)
1 roll of paper towel
1 box of Kleenex
1 bottle of hand sanitizer
1 box of large zip lock bags
1 pack of 3″ x 5″ lined index cards
1 pack of graph paper
1 pack post-it notes
1 ream of copy paper

Safety goggles for science class

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Summer Math Homework for incoming RAY 7th and 8th graders!

Hello! Over the summer I need everyone to practice with mathematics vocabulary. Your assignment is to make a FOLDABLE book or books that has the 25 words listed below; each with a definition in your own words, and an illustration. I have a link here to some terrific ideas on how to make a FOLDABLE books. Please use one of these ideas in this link to create your mathematics vocabulary FOLDABLE book or books! Due the first day of school of the 2016-2017 school year. This will count as your first mathematics grade, so start the year off great with completed FOLDABLE books when you arrive the first day!

Vocabulary List --essential mathematics vocabulary for any incoming RAY 7th or 8th grader


  1. Area
  2. Volume
  3. Expression
  4. Equation
  5. Correlation
  6. Consecutive
  7. Ratio
  8. Perpendicular
  9. Unit Rate
  10. Proportion
  11. Percent
  12. Range
  13. Perimeter
  14. Mean
  15. Median
  16. Similar Figures
  17. Array
  18. Reciprocal
  19. Ordered Pair
  20. Absolute Value
  21. Integer
  22. Angle
  23. Ray
  24. Vertex
  25. Congruent

Saturday, June 11, 2016

No Homework week of 6-13-16

Hi all,

No homework this week! But 7th graders should be looking out for a summer assignment to be handed in and graded upon returning as 8th graders in September! It will be posted this week!!

Information on Lead Testing at Ray

June 10, 2016
Dear CPS family,
In light of national events that have brought increased attention to the issue of water
quality, the City of Chicago announced several additional precautionary measures that will
be added to the City’s water testing protocol, continuing the City’s track record of complying
with current state and federal regulations as well as exceeding industry standards.
As part of this announcement, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) began testing the water for
levels of lead from all schools across the district. Our top priority is the health and safety of
our students and staff, and this testing was initiated out of an abundance of caution to
ensure the water in our schools is safe. Schools are being tested based on a priority criteria
that includes the age of the school, age of the students (with priority given to schools with
pre-K programs), presence of a kitchen (where meals are prepared) and presence of pipes
that could need repairs or replacement.
The results of all the schools are coming in on a rolling basis, and the majority have had
levels under the EPA’s action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb). We wanted to let you know
that no lead was found above the action level in your child’s school. The full results of your
school’s water samples can be found online at cps.edu/leadtesting.
Federal guidance indicates that children under the age of six are at the highest risk for
harmful lead exposure, and they can be exposed to lead from a variety of sources, including
paint, soil and even some consumer products. If you are concerned about your child’s
possible lead exposure risks, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends
going to your pediatrician for testing. Additionally, CDPH’s lead hotline can address any
health related questions you may have or help you in deciding whether to have your child
tested; for questions or more information, please call 312-747-5323. For additional
information about lead and children, visit www.cdc.gov/lead.
The safety of your children is our highest priority, and we are doing everything in our
power to address this situation in a quick and thorough manner. We will continue to keep
you and your family informed throughout this process.
Sincerely,
Forrest Claypool Dr. Julie Morita
CEO, Chicago Public Schools Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health




Tuesday, June 7, 2016

FREE opportunity for talented people to engage with professional artists and UofC mentors!

Here are some project logistics and details:
  • “Ode to the City” is a grassroots project that targets communities with stories to tell and art to create by providing neighborhood members with free resources and platform to tell those stories.
  • ALL people are welcome, regardless of experience, background, identity, age, etc.
  • Mixed media workshops make up an 8-week program in a variety of places with a wide-range of artistic mediums: visual arts, poetry, radio, performance art, and more. Students will be exposed to professional artists from different backgrounds, artistic mediums, and communities. For example, Jamila Woods!
  • Participants will have the opportunity to work within these spaces, with free supplies, teachers, mentors, the ability to connect with their community, and an opportunity to exhibit their work.
  • The intensive visual arts track will be held weekly and is geared toward participants with great interest and any experience in visual arts.
  • Workshops will tackle specific themes (e.g., race/ethnicity, faith, spirituality, gender, sexuality, and more)
  • Our community partners include: Young Chicago Authors, The Rebuild Foundation, The Poetry Foundation, StoryArts, Bing Bookstore, the UChicago Arts Incubator, and Living Hope Church.

Project schedule:
  1. Mixed Media Workshops (Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative, Greater Grand Crossing; Saturdays, 1-3 pm):
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
August 6, 13, 20, 27
  1. Mixed Media Workshops (Bing Art Books, Washington Park; Tuesdays, 6-8 pm)
July 5, 12, 19, 26,
August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
  1. Mixed Media Workshops (Living Hope Church, Woodlawn; Wednesdays, 2-3 pm)
July 6, 13, 20, 27
August 3
  1. Visual Arts Intensive Track (Arts Incubator, Washington Park; Mondays, 6-8 pm)
July 11, 25
August 8, 22

Here is the program registration form (if people could register asap, that would be great!): http://goo.gl/forms/Nx2CJs0zRHJwNNny2

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Homework Due 6-10-16

7th: Create riddles for each of the vocabulary words listed below. 

similar
congruent
ray
angle
corresponding angles
corresponding sides

Example: 

Riddle: I am two lines that never intersect. I am like train tracks or an equal sign. What Am I? 
Answer: Parallel

8th: No homework