Group of 6th grade students talking about State Testing. 

St 1 “Is it all week?”

St 2 “That’s a lot of time”

St 3 “Do we have to know about ALL of the states?”

Hello Maverick Nation!

Well – the countdown begins! As of next Monday we have only seven weeks remaining of the 2023-24 school year. We are smack dab in the middle of state testing and the kids are doing GREAT!! We’ve got lots of fun activities coming up for kids in May including ASB Executive Board elections, a school dance, door decorating, etc.

Highlights of upcoming school events in May:

1. Activity/Dance day on Friday 5/17
2. Door decorating in Advisory – Thursdays and Fridays from 5/2-5/17
3. Spirit week – week of 5/13 culminating in the dance. Daily themes are TBD and will be announced by the end of this week
4. Kickball – will be a single elimination tourney (via Advisory) this year with a round robin between grade level winners. Games will start the week of the 13th and more info will come through Advisory slides next week.
5. ASB elections – speeches will likely be on 5/23!!

More and more articles and studies about adolescent cell phone use – here another one from Upworthy – please read!!

Article on no cellphones in schools.

8th Grade Fun!

8th grade Beach Day will be Tuesday, June 18th.

We will have permission slips coming out in the months to come.  We are asking you to volunteer if you are able and also to provide some food…more of this to come. It is a super fun, chill, and easy field trip. The kids just play, eat, and sign yearbooks. It’s magical!!

While this is a super fun, lovely experience for our 8th graders, we would like to remind you and them that this is a privilege not a right. If students cannot comply with basic and reasonable expectations (including kindness and respectfulness towards peers and adults), they will not be allowed to participate.  We hope to not have to apply this consequence to any 8th graders but we do want to remind them that we expect them to show PRIDE for the remainder of the school year and to earn the fun that comes at the end. 😊

Mariners:  The PTSA has shared that we will have a great turn out for the Mariners’ Game on Friday May 8th – woot! Woot!  Hope to see you there!!

We Need You!

• Staff Appreciation:

It takes a special kind of person to teach and support our middle schoolers. Let’s show our wonderful staff how much we appreciate them. The PTSA has a great week planned with lots of ways to help. Sign up here:

Sign up to support staff appreciation

• 8th Grade Beach Day volunteers needed!

Our fabulous 8th graders will spend Tuesday, June 18th at Golden Gardens for Beach Day — a beloved McClure tradition. We need your help to pull it off! Volunteer spots available to donate food & drinks, set up, hang out, photograph, and clean up. There’s a way for everyone to get involved so take a look at this Beach Day Signup and see how you can help make it a special day.

• Volunteer to Help With Spring Dance!

McClure will have a Spring Dance on May 17 from 2-3:45 pm (during school hours). You can sign up to volunteer at the dance (we all know that’s a bucket-list experience!) or you can simply drop off some snacks. All help is much appreciated!

Help with Spring Dance…it’s fun!!

 Spring Paper Drive Contest Now thru May 10th!

 Spring Paper Drive Contest is on! The grade level to raise the most money for our Spring Paper Drive will win Otter Pops for their entire grade level! We know it’s hard to lug in cases or even reams of paper. The cost of a case of paper from the district warehouse is $38. We will happily take any donation your family can comfortably afford. When you place your donation, you will also be asked to mark the grade level for your student so they earn credit towards the contest. Go MAVS and thanks for supporting your school!

School Pay Link for Paper Drive

8th Grade End of Year Fun!

Okay 8th grade families – it’s time to start planning for your 8th graders to celebrate their departure from middle school. (Don’t oversell this at home. We still need them to focus for 3 ½  more months!)

Here are the detes:

1. 8th Grade Celebration will be Wednesday, June 1th 5:30-6:30. Most middle schools (at least in the northend) have stopped having formal, stuffy promotion ceremonies. We instead have switched to a more kid-friendly celebration which involves a student parade around the school (by advisory) and meeting up in the field for refreshments and merriment 😊…and there’s a balloon arch!

State Testing (SBA) Spring, 2024 (repeat)

McClure’s spring state testing will occur on the following dates:

• Mon, April 22 through Tues, May 7 = block days on Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri (with 6 periods on Wed still) 

ELA SBA Testing during class – All grades.

• Periods 1/3/5: April 22nd, 25th, 29th
• Periods 2/4/6: April 23rd, 26th 30th

Math SBA Testing during class – All grades.

• Periods 1/3/5: May 2nd, 6th
• Periods 2/4/6: May 3rd, 7th

Science WCAS Testing during class – 8th grade only.

• Periods 1/3/5: May 30th
• Periods 2/4/6: May 31st

• May 9-10 will be 6-period days to give the school a break!!
• Tests will be given in their ELA, Math, & Science Classes.     
• There will be make up days if students are absent or do not finish.
• Each student will have two tests in Math, two tests in ELA (and one test in Science if he/she/they is in 8th grade).

Special Education Schedule: Students with an IEP may test on different dates to allow for accommodations and supports such as one on one or small group setting, etc. 

• Check with your child’s case manager if you have questions.
• Learn more about Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA)
• Learn more about Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS)

Tools for testing success

• Students need to be in class on time on their scheduled testing dates.

• Students should be well rested and eat a healthy breakfast.
• Have a positive attitude about the test. They have prepared all year to learn the grade level standards that are on the test; they are ready!!
• Have laptops charged the night before and have your McClure student BRING THEIR CHARGER!!

May 2-3: Math SBA Testing

May 6-10: Staff Appreciation Week

May 10: McClure Family Mariners Game

May 17: ASB Spring Dance

May 27: Memorial Day – No School

May 31: 8th Grade Science WCAS Testing

June 12: 8th Grade Celebration/Parade

June 18: 8th Grade Beach Day

June 19: Juneteenth – No School

June 21: Last Day of School! 1 hour early dismissal

Join the PTSA! (You’ll be so glad you did!!)

Please join the PTSA!  It’s a fun and easy way to connect with your McClure community and contribute to the school. Please click on the link and join as an individual or family.   Join McClure PTSA

That’s it for now!
Go Mavs!
Principal Shannon Conner
McClure Middle School