Math Madness Competition

Charles F.  Patton Middle School finished in 13th place in the National Interstellar Math Madness competition. Students competed individually and the top 5 students scores during each match made up the school score.  Congratulations to all the students who competed in this high level math competition including Daniel Hu, who finished 25th overall, and Victor Li, who finished 27th overall!

MLK Day of Service

For the Martin Luther King Day of Service, Patton Middle School is providing an opportunity for our students to make part of their day off, a day on Monday, January 18, 2016. This year our students will again be working outside in assisting clean up at Anson B. Nixon Park in Kennett Square. The general information for the day is to meet at the Patton Middle School at 8:30am with work gloves in hand, district transportation to ABN Park, on site for clean-up efforts, and arrive back at Patton at 12 pm. If your son / daughter desires to serve, please have them complete this brief electronic registration by Thursday, January 14. Thank you very much for your consideration of this service opportunity in support of others. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Fulginiti, Patton Middle School Assistant Principal, at 610-347-2000 x3810.

Patton Dance Club!

Attention students! Patton is starting a Dance Club! This will be for every grade level and no experience is needed. The club begins after Winter break on Tuesdays after school starting January 5 from 2:30-4:00 PM. There is a flyer in the main office with more information.

Giving Tree Delivery!

All donations to the Patton Giving Tree were delivered on Thursday, December 17! They were accepted with many thanks and joyous hearts. Additionally a team of Patton Students spent the day doing community service, packing 550 boxes with sugar, flour, corn, green beans, oil, rice, pinto beans, gravy and cranberry. This weekend a turkey or ham, carrots, onions, eggs, bread, and fresh pears will be added to the food boxes for needy families to pick up at the Christmas Basket Event in New Garden township. Thank you everyone who donated, together we have made a difference in our local community. And a big thank you to Patton Art teacher, Ann Ferron for her continued leadership in this program throughout the years at Patton. Check out the photos from this great day on our Patton Photos Page!

Patton Tournament Team

Three teams represented Patton at the National Academic Quiz Tournament on Saturday at Great Valley High School. Teams competed in 8 rounds of academic questions where a total of 24 teams from Chester County and Delaware schools competed. Catherine Odom placed 3rd in earning individual highest points scored, and our team of Catherine Odom, Andrew Ge, Hunter Courtney, Angie Shen, Rachel Folmar, and Austin Zhou made it to the championship round and came away with a 2nd place win, where they awarded a team plaque. Congratulations to all of the Patton teams for doing an outstanding job!

Food Drive Results

A HUGE thank you from the Patton Student Council to all who donated to the annual Canned Food Drive. Your tremendous generosity will benefit hundreds of area families this holiday season. In total, our Patton family donated 3,100 items! Patton Proud!

Smart Music on YouTube!

If you were not able to attend the Smart Music Clinic presented by Mr. O'Rourke on November 24, make sure to check it out on the Patton Band YouTube channel! See this revolutionary technology that is changing how students view practicing! Check out what people are saying about SmartMusic!

Patton Writers Recognized!

Congratulations to Jessica Zhu, who scored first place, Lily Yang, who scored second place and Rachel Folmar who earned third place in the Patriot's Pen Essay Contest!  All three girls wrote beautiful essays!

Patton Band at the Movies

Patton Band Goes to the Movies!!!  Join us at Patton MS on December 11th for a night of fun! The pizza party kicks off at 6 PM ($5 cash) and movie time is 6:30 PM (in the Patton band room) Parent pickup is 8 PM. Click here for more information.

The Giving Tree!

Patton's Annual Holiday Giving Tree will be busy now through December 16! Please support Patton’s annual December Community Service Project by donating new, unused, unwrapped gifts for people of all ages. All contributions from Patton Middle School are donated to The Kennett Area Community Service. This organization distributes food as well as gifts to less fortunate families in the Kennett, Unionville and Avon Grove area so that they TOO will have a happy holiday season. On December 19th, over 625 local families will be invited to the annual “Christmas Basket” charity event so we’ll need LOTS of gifts! Our Patton family has always proven we have hearts of gold, so remember…TIS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE! What will YOU bring in for the Giving Tree?

December Art After School

Join the creative energy this holiday season in the art room! December's Art After School starts on Tuesday the 1st and concludes on the 16th. This month is gift making time! We will make a pinecone wreath, mason jar luminary and black ink and button winter trees. Find your forms here or on Mrs. Ferron's website.

Fall Photo Club

Students in Mrs. Basilio's Fall Photo Club have been busy all over the school, learning new techniques and taking some awesome photos! Check out all of them right here!

8th Grade to Gettysburg

8th grade students and teachers visited Gettysburg on November 11. It was a wonderful experience for all and whether our students were interacting with the tour guides, visiting the museum, traveling to and from Gettysburg on the buses, our students were knowledgable, polite, respectful, and well behaved throughout the trip. Collectively, this is an amazing group of young people and their conduct on this field trip is yet another reason for all of us to be "Patton Proud." They are to be commended for representing both their community and their families in such a poised and confident manner. View photos from the trip right here.

UCFSD Coat Drive

UCFSD Community Service Warm Coat, Hat and Mitten collection is underway! UCFSD Community Service gives away gently used warm coats, fleece jackets, hats, mittens/gloves and snow pants to local families in need. Donated items can be dropped off in the lobbies of any of the UCF district schools now until Thursday 12/17. Items should be clean and in good condition. All styles and sizes are needed. New items are also gladly accepted.

Unite for Her Thank You!

From Cameron Cotrufello and your Friends at Unite for HER: "On behalf of Unite for HER, please accept this most heartfelt thank you. The show of support, spirit, joy and compassion was evident all week, as your players and fans 'sported their Pink' and paid tribute to the loved ones in their lives affected by breast cancer. Your numbers were tremendous! The Patton Community though their Pink week efforts raised - $2,824.50!!! Your efforts will go to Wellness Day programs, education and grants that are directly in our community, supporting the programs we have in place at local hospital communities." Read the full letter right here. Patton Proud!

Doodle 4 Google!

From cave paintings to selfies, artists have always found creative ways of expressing themselves. Now, with the Google homepage as their canvas, we’re asking students to do the same. Young artists can doodle with any materials to show what makes them unique, and the winner’s artwork will be featured on our homepage for a day. Enter Doodle 4 Google today! This year's theme is "What Makes Me...ME" Click here for more information.

Heritage Day 2015

Heritage was a huge success this year, here are some pictures from this awesome event! The volunteers showed great leadership and dedication to Patton while celebrating their heritage and the different cultures that make up Patton Middle School. To thank these leaders we are hosting a thank you breakfast in the small cafeteria this morning! If you were a Heritage Day volunteer please make sure you stop by for some goodies! Thank you to all the staff and students who made Heritage Day a success!

Student-Led Conferences

On November 23rd and 24th, we will be holding our annual Student-Led Conferences at Charles F. Patton Middle School. Read this letter for some important information regarding the Student-Led Conferences this year. And check your email for a message from your teachers with instructions on how to register for a conference. We look forward to seeing you!

SmartMusic Clinic

Attention UCFSD band students and parents! You are welcome to attend the SmartMusic Clinic on November 24, 2015 from 7-8 pm in the Patton MS Band Room. Come see the revolutionary technology that is changing how students view practicing! Check out what people are saying about SmartMusic! You are asked to register for this event so Mr. O'Rouke has an idea on numbers attending. Visit the Patton Band website to register for this event!

Patton Night at the YMCA

Hey Patton Hawks!! It?s "Patton Night" at the Kennett Area YMCA on November 21, 2015 from 7:30-10:00pm. NO membership is required and it's Open to all Patton Middle School students. We're turning the lights on at the Y just for you! Head to the Y to play games, shoot hoops in the gym, swim in the pool, work out in our Wellness Center or just chill in the lounges. It's all about YOU! Teens, you decide what to do! For Saturday night fun, the Y is the place to be! You'll need a parent permission form, download one right here!

SPIRIT WEEK!

Hey Hawks! We had a GREAT SPIRIT WEEK!! And Friday was Halloween Costume Day! Check out all the great photos here!

Art After School

November is turkey month!! Art After School students will be making a one of a kind gravy boat to use this Thanksgiving! We will use red clay and colored glazes for this awesome project. Gravy boats are food safe, dishwasher safe and even oven proof. Remember, Patton Pottery should never be microwaved. Sign up to join the group of After School artists, find your registration forms on Mrs. Ferron's webpage or right here!

Patton Heritage Day

Attention Patton 7th and 8th grade students! The fourth annual Heritage Day is fast approaching on November 12th! We are looking for 7th and 8th grade students, and teachers, to share their heritage with our 6th grade students.  If you are interested in participating in Heritage Day by creating a display to showcase your cultural background, and or joining our fashion show please come to Mrs. McMahon's, or Mrs. Battinieri's office to sign-up. We will have an informational meeting next week for more details, so stay tuned for more announcements!

Patton Published!

Patton Middle School student, Alenka Doyle, was published in the Fall 2015 Issue of Creative Kids magazine. Her story, "Cafe Bully" is listed on the cover and featured inside. Alenka worked on this story last year as a 5th grader. Creative Kids is a magazine by kids for kids, ages 8–16. Everything in the magazine is written or created by kids. We thank Mr. Nelms (UE Gifted Support Teacher) for mentoring and coaching Alenka and helping her to get this wonderful article submitted and published! Check out her story at www.ckmagazine.org.

Band Night at UHS!

Attention Patton Band Members!  Come one come all to the annual Middle School Band Night at UHS on Friday Oct. 23rd.  All Patton band members will be honorary HS marching band members for the night time football game against Kennett HS.  Any student interested in joing color guard is welcome to attend as well.  The festivities begin right after school on the 23rd.  Hope to see you there!

Parent Portal Account

Attention parents!! Make sure you visit the Parent Portal and create a parent account! This portal is the hub for student information accessible to Parents and Students throughout the school year. Parents may view class assignments, schedules and grades.You can also setup email notifications as well as add/modify contact email addresses for teachers to use. Visit ps.ucfsd.org and click on "Create Account" to get started. Check out instructions here for creating a new account. Contact the middle school main office or jwalsh@ucfsd.net if you need assistance with your account.

NOPE Presentations

In our ongoing efforts to educate our young people of the consequences of drug/alcohol abuse, we are pleased to inform you that the Chester County NOPE (Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education) Task Force will be presenting to our 7th and 8th grade students on Tuesday, October 13, 2015.   Additionally, a high school presentation for students is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, 2015. A parent / community program will occur on Wednesday evening, October 14th from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the UHS auditorium.  This program comes to us through the efforts and support of the Unionville Chadds Ford Education Foundation and our FOCUS (Family Outreach Committee of Unionville Schools Organization). You can more details on this program here.

After School Ecology Program

Join us for a free Backyard Ecology After School Program with Sequoia Rock, Land Manager for The Land Conservancy of Southern Chester County. The program runs Mondays after school until 4pm to learn about ecology and the environment in Patton Middle Schools own backyard! Tuition is free but class size limited to 10 students. Classes begin October 5 and forms are due to Mrs. Ferron By September 30. Download a registration form right here!

Art After School

Art After School with Mrs. Ferron starts on October 6th! In October,make a clay plate set using Fall foliage for inspiration. Collect real plants from outside, roll them into clay and use the slabs to build one of a kind pottery! Use your pottery to serve salad, pasta, desserts and more. Class is open to all Patton students, space is limited to 15 students so register early. Download a registration form here.

Recycle!

Thanks to the Ed Foundation Green Initiative Committee for purchasing labels for our trash cans and recycle bins! There is a lot of confusion regarding what goes where and these new labels should help. If it's not on the label and if there is no recycling symbol on it, then it's trash. And what about the round green bins with the holes for bottles You can keep on using those like you always have been, but you can put your bottles and cans in the blue recycling bins too.

Pennsylvania Youth Survey

Later in the month of October, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) will again be administering the Pennsylvania Youth PAYS survey. The survey is a scientifically validated tool designed to gather Pennsylvania youths’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviors around alcohol, tobacco, and other drug usage, violence and other problem issues. Click here for more information or visit the PA Youth Survey website then click on the link for 2015.

Traffic Flow Update

Attention Patton Parents! With construction and renovation going on at the middle school, please note some changes in traffic flow. Bus drop off/pick up will still occur along Route 82 side of building - it's a bus lane only from 6:45-7:35 AM and from 1:45-2:35 PM. PLEASE - NO PARENT VEHICLES! Parent drop off/ pick up will still occur on the cafeteria side of building - access road off Doe Run Road is "in only" morning and "out only" afternoon. Parents dropping off high school and middle school students - drop off high school students, proceed around and up to middle school, drop off students at "Greenhouse" where students enter on side of the building, entrance #5 (between greenhouse and sitting area) See this traffic flow diagram for more details.

Interquest Detection Canines

Dear Parent and Guardians  - Please note that our Board of School Directors continues to be committed to providing students and staff with schools that are free of drugs, alcohol and weapons. The UCFSD school board has again approved the use of Interquest Detection Canines for the 2015-2016 school year. During the school year random visits will occur in our two secondary schools and student parking lot. Thank you for your continued efforts in parenting as we work together to provide a safe setting for teaching and learning.

Team Letters Posted

Everyone should have received a letter in the mail from your team for the 2015-16 school year. If you did not receive this letter or "the dog ate my team letter", you may download one right here.

Transition Camp 2015

We had a GREAT day at the 2015 Transition Camp on August 13!! Sixth graders and new 7th and 8th grade students enjoyed a full day of meeting teachers and staff, making new friends, opening lockers, finding classrooms and getting to know their new school! And they got to meet Charlie, too! Check out the fun photos from the event!

Construction Project Update

Due to the construction improvement project at the middle school, temporary changes to staff locations and parking/traffic flow are occurring. These changes are expected to last until the December 2015 /January 2016 time frame. At such time as construction work is complete, updated information will be provided regarding movement to the permanent new locations. The following information provides the current changes in place.

Fall Sports Reminder!

Reminder for Fall Sports: Physicals are due to the Main Office (located in Rm 109, entering the building from the Rt 82 side) by August 24th. Each athlete is required to have a completed Comprehensive Interscholastic Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation (CIPPE) form prior to trying out for a sport. The form was handed out at the sports meetings in June and is also available on the PIAA website. Please be sure you have the most current version of the form, which is dated 5/20/2015. The August 24th due date allows time to review all paperwork and identify errors or issues that may interfere with your child's ability to tryout for their sport. If there is a problem turning the physical in by that date, please email Mrs. Walsh-Shell at kwalsh-shell@ucfsd.net.

Final Awards Assembly

Patton's End of the Year Awards Assembly took place on June 15 as the entire student body and staff gathered in the gym to say goodbye to the 2014-15 school year. Students were recognized by their teams for achievement in all areas as well as all-school awards for academics, service, extra-curricular activities and sports. Check out the photos from the day right here.

Brown Bag Lunch Program

Hunger does not take a vacation. Help make sandwiches to assist the less fortunate in Chester County! Come to the FCS Room at Patton Middle School on June 23rd and July 1st from 9am-11am. Sandwiches will be delivered to homeless shelters in Chester County. Over 500 sandwiches have been prepared over the past two summers. For more information contact: Betsy Ballard bballard@ucfsd.net or Brendan Boyle: Breboyle@gmail.com or 651-263-2292

Planner Cover Contest

Our school Pride is soaring to an all time high this Spring! 21 students entered their amazing one of a kind designs in this year's Patton Planner Cover Contest. The two winners will be announced at Friday's Pep Rally! Thank you to all who entered; you are winners in our book! Check out all the wonderful entries right here. The art department would like to acknowledge the following students for their participation: Jenna Ahart, Anna Hricko, Sophia Mayer, Murad Wali, Charlotte Scully, Annie Dao, Grace Pignolo, Rachel Folmar, Kylie Harlan, Leah Walter, Giselle Wagner, Colton French, Aleksey Miller, Amelie Assmuss, Payton Hartz, Isabel Debenham, Molly Carson, Dominic DiMatteo, Lauren Driver, Olivia Macmurray-Evans and Devna Chopra.

Summer Reading 2015

Charles F. Patton Middle School is pleased to announce our Summer 2015 One Patton/One Book Selection: "Rain Reign" by Ann M. Martin. Hard back copies of this award-winning book are available in the school library for the discounted price of $14.00. Check out all the summer reading requirements and information by visiting the Patton Library website or the Patton Downloads page.

Making Garageband Music!

Students at Patton enjoy a club period every Friday at the end of the day. Students select three different clubs which they attend over the course of the year. Students in Mrs. Leahy's Garageband Club have been making awesome compositions using Apple's Garageband software. Listen to some of these outstanding pieces by clicking right here!

Sixth Grade Science News!

Exciting News from the Sixth Grade Science Students! Our Landscape Immersion Projects are done and we are proud to invite you to come and see them in the sixth grade science classrooms next week! Do you know what landscape immersion is?  Well, the sixth grade science students from A, B and C teams are now experts on this philosophy.  In short, this design ethic enables animals in zoos to enjoy living conditions that replicate as close as possible their natural habitats.  After learning many concepts regarding ecology in general, the students travelled to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia to view exhibits and dioramas depicting different biomes of the world.  The students were then excited to welcome a real life landscape architect and landscape immersion expert, who also happens to be a parent!  Mr. Mark Beauchamp donated a day of his time to show the kids exciting slides, and explain what landscape immersion looks like in zoos across the U.S. and Africa.

As the culminating project demonstrating their knowledge of ecological terminology, conservation principals and environmental preservation, groups of students were tasked with creating dioramas depicting 22 biomes found throughout the world. The projects are packed with a plethora of information about  the relationships of organisms within a biome, energy needs,  environmental problems and landscape immersion.  The projects look spectacular and will be on display in the science classrooms of Mrs. Bodenstab, Ms. Yarosh and Ms. Pancoast during the week of June 8th.

Please stop by and see these fabulous creations from the hard-working, creative and enthusiastic sixth grade students! Or check out some more photos from this event right here!

District Wide Art Contest

Hundreds of young artists throughout the district submitted work in this year’s District wide art contest. The competition was a difficult one to judge. Approximately 50 works were chosen to be a part of the new book Parenting Rules by Dr. Randall Stutman. Below is a note from Dr. Randall Stutman, author of the Parenting Rules book and sponsor of the 2014-2015 District Art Contest:

Thank you submitting artwork for the Parenting Rules book. The artwork was selected based on the degree that the illustrations fit with the content of our book, how well the images translate to print, and the way that the composition engaged the page. With so many quality drawings, many fantastic illustrations could not be included. 

We were impressed with Unionville’s talented students, and we appreciate the time and effort required on your behalf. 

Warm regards,

Randall Stutman, Shannon Rafferty, and Team

 Congratulations to Patton’s 8th grade artist Anna Semel for being selected. We are very proud of Anna.  Check out her awesome illustration!

Join Relay for Life!

SAVE THE DATE!! This Year's Relay for Life is this Friday and Saturday, June 5-6 at Unionville High School. Form your own team or join TEAM PATTON POWER! Students have already raised money through a 6th grade mixer, throwing pies at 7th grade teachers and some 8th grade fund-raising to come! Visit the Relay website to find out how you can join Patton Power, register or contribute!

NWF Award for Patton!

On Wednesday, May 27, a representative from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) visited the school to announce that Patton is the first school in Pennsylvania to achieve the NWF’s prestigious Green Flag award. Fertilized by the Patton Project Gardens, the Charles F. Patton Middle School is continuing to cultivate national recognition – along with a plethora of fresh produce! Read more about this story at Chadds Ford Live.

SmartMusic Clinic

Parents and students from around the district attended the SmartMusic Clinic held at Patton on May 27. The clinic, led by Patton Band Director, Mr. O'Rourke, featured the revolutionary technology that is changing how students view practicing!

5th Grade Visitation Day

Chargers and Patriots had a GREAT day at Patton as these soon-to-be-Hawks visited us for 5th Grade Visitation Day! Students were treated to performances by our Vocal Ensemble, Orchestra and Hand Bell Choir and then taken on building tours by our awesome Patton Ambassadors! It was a wonderfully positive welcome for these transitioning students - we do it right! Patton Proud!

Vocal Ensemble performs for our visitors

Mrs. Thacher addressing the students

Some of our Patton Ambassadors

Hawk Day Selfies!

Friday, May 15 was Hawk Day at Patton! We had our spirit on display with purple & gold and lots of Patton spiritwear everywhere! We were scheduled to have our spring Pep Rally but it was postponed and will be held at a later date. And did you get a chance to take your Hawk Day selfie!? If you did, send it Mr. Walsh at jwalsh@ucfsd.net and you may see it on HawkTV, on Instagram @PattonHawks or right here on our Google+ Photos page!

Jamie Wyeth Trip

The Brandywine River Museum of Art staff was disappointed this past March, as were the students at Patton Middle School, when our planned program with artist Jamie Wyeth was cancelled due to bad weather. Unfortunately, due to Jamie Wyeth’s busy schedule and the school schedule, it was impossible to find another date for the program. Brandywine staff did give Wyeth the lovely essays and letters that the students had written about meeting him, and the artist was impressed by their efforts and enthusiasm.

Our Well Is Built!

Patton 8th graders- changing the world!! This past March CFPMS Teacher Janice Lear and her eighth grade students read a book that opened their eyes to the challenges children face around the world to get clean water. They were so touched by the book that they planned their own "Walk for Water" at the school to raise money and awareness about the global clean water shortages. Their hardwork and dedication raised over $7000.00. We recently received the great news that the money they raised built a well for children in need of water at the Agama Primary School in Uganda. What a fabulous group of kids. We are Patton Proud! Check out the great photos right here!

Backyard Ecology

Join us on Mondays after school until 4 PM to learn about ecology and the environment in Patton Middle Schools own backyard. We will be hands on and in the field walking and talking about the natural world right on Patton Middle School grounds (weather permitting).  Species ID, trails maintenance, lecturing on natural environments and ecology will augment hands-on activities. Clothes and shoes may get dirty so please dress appropriately or bring a change of clothes/shoes. This group will meet every Monday (meets inside if weather is inclement). The program will be held Mondays after school until 4:00 PM and runs May 12 until June 8. Download an information flier and registration form by clicking here.

Cascarones!

Cascarones (confetti eggs) are a Mexican tradition seen around Easter, Cinco de Mayo and during town festivals.  Students in Sra. M's Spanish classes participated in their own version of the tradition this spring by decorating confetti-filled eggs with their own unique designs, and then breaking them over a classmate's head.  It is believed that having a cascaron broken over your head brings you good luck! Click here to see the photos from the day's activities!

Art in the Square 2015

Art in the Square 2015 was a rousing success for multiple regional school districts including Upland, Kennett, Avon Grove, Oxford and Unionville! Thanks to the UHS PTO, and the effort of treasurer, Mrs. Page! The exhibit was able to support hundreds of artworks from across southern Chester County - including Patton's! Check out the fabulous artwork photos right here.

Patton Reading Olympics

Approximately 30 students from Patton competed in the county-wide Reading Olympics competition on March 26 at West Chester East High School.  The Patton Blippos came away with white ribbons, while the Patton Pink Hippos and the Patton Nerdy Chickens captured red ribbons.  Reading Olympics is open to all students at Patton who love to read.  Next year's book list will be available in the next couple of weeks; listen to Hawk TV for that announcement.  HUGE thank you to Mrs. Rafferty, Mrs. Nanis, Mrs. Hutchinson, and the parent chaperones who supported the teams at this event.

Order a Patton Yearbook!

The 2014-15 Patton Yearbook is now on sale! We are offering an all-COLOR yearbook for just $40 but you have to order soon, time is running out! You and all your classmates will be in the yearbook as well as great photos of activities, clubs and sports teams! You can order them by visiting the yearbook website here or just pick up a form through your advisory!

Green Ribbon Recognition!

At Charles F. Patton Middle School, green thumbs provided the catalyst for national Green Ribbon recognition on the nation's 45th Earth Day. The U.S. Department of Education announced on Wednesday, April 22, that Patton was one of only 58 schools in the country that received the 2015 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award. We are Patton Proud!! Read all about it in Chadds Ford Live.

Patton Students Published!

Back in September, students in Mr. Kelley's Creative Writing classes looked to re-imagine the Verdi opera Don Carlo as a middle grade (MG) story. And this week, almost 8 months after they began the process, their book "QWERTY", written collaboratively by the students, is on sale at Amazon.com! All royalties come back to our middle school's Student Council--benefactor of the project--and will continue to forever. It is our goal to at least generate the initial money Student Council invested in our project so that we can repeat the project for many years to come. Buy your copy of the book today at: http://amzn.com/1505712661 and find out more about this outstanding student project right here.

5th Grade Parent Orientation

Just a reminder - 5th Grade Parent Orientation is this Wednesday, April 22 from 6:30pm-8:00pm. The night will begin with an Overview of Patton w/ Mr. Hoffman (6:30-7:00 PM in the Auditorium) followed by a Meet and Greet the 6th Grade Teachers (C7:00-8:00 in the Cafeteria). There will also be a Question and Answer session w/Current Parents and Students (in the Library) as well as Building Tours by our Student Ambassadors (meet in the Lobby) We hope to see you there!

Speech and Debate Showcase

Join us for the Speech and Debate Showcase on Tuesday, April 21st at 7-9 pm in the UHS Main LGI. See performances from our award-winning competitors and hear from our Senior Panel. Learn what Speech and Debate is all about. Refreshments will be served! For more information: contact: AMurphy@ucfsd.net.

SmartMusic Clinic at Patton

Attention UCFSD band students and parents! You are welcome to attend the SmartMusic Clinic on May 27th, 2015 from 7-8pm in the Patton MS Band Room. Come see the revolutionary technology that is changing how students view practicing! Check out what people are saying about SmartMusic! You are asked to register for this event so Mr. O'Rouke has an idea on numbers attending.  Click here to register for this event.

Talent Show Rescheduled

The Patton Talent Show has been rescheduled for Friday, April 17 at 7 PM. There will be a Dress Rehearsal for the show on Monday 4/13! Come out and see a great show!

Art in the Spring!

It must be spring -- art is popping up all over! Come to this local exhibit featuring over 100 pieces of art from students in Unionville Schools ....RIGHT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD! Art on the Square 2015 is the Annual Art Festival in Kennett Square, featuring UCFSD and Area school's curricular art showcased at the American Legion Building, 208 East State Street on Saturday, April 25 10-5 pm.

Join Patton Pride for RFOS

Consider joining the "Patton Pride" team for Run for Our Sons! Visit the Race website and click JOIN A TEAM on the right. The 2015 Unionville Run For Our Sons, to benefit Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy in honor of Elliott and Henry Johnson, will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2015 here at Patton Middle School. Race time is 9 AM and registration begins at 8 AM. This is a GREAT event for a great cause and Patton has always been a tremendous supporter of this important event! Register by April 4 and the cost is just $20 – visit the Run for Our Sons website for more information.

Patton Hosts Choral Fest!

On March 17, 2015 Charles F. Patton Middle School hosted the District 12 Pennsylvania Music Educator's 7th/8th Grade Chorus Fest. This event involved over 100 of the best student singers from local schools in the area. The students gathered at Unionville High School for a fun and full day of singing with the esteemed guest conductor, Dr. Rollo Dilworth. The day cumulated in an outstanding concert for family and friends in the evening. Ms. Young Leahy and Mrs. Yvette Stratton, Patton Middle School music teachers, hosted this event. It involved months of planning, preparing and hard work. The outcome was an extremely rewarding musical experience for many students in our district and beyond!

Pen Recycling!

Pen recycling is back -- for good! The Earth Club has made containers for each classroom.  Used pens and markers will be collected and sent to a company that pays us for the materials, then recycles the plastic. This is good for the school and the environment!  Students are welcome to bring used-up pens and markers from home.  Please don't add to our landfills when we have this opportunity! Look for the containers around the school!

Heritage Day 2015

The Patton Counseling Department organized our third annual Heritage Day last Friday, March, 20. The program was presented to the 6th grade class by the 7th and 8th grade students who agreed to volunteer their time. The students created displays to showcase their heritage to the 6th graders. The 6th graders were also treated to a Heritage Day Fashion Show put on by students and staff! Check out the Patton Photos page for some images from this awesome day.

Patton Changing The World!

Another great day for Patton Pride! On March 21, over 120 students, teachers, and parents gathered here at Patton and walked approximately 3 miles, carrying gallon jugs of water to raise money for our partner H2O for Life. Not only was it a great day for school spirit, but we blew away our goal.  We started with a goal of $2500. Hit that. Then, we upped our fundraising goal to $5000. Hit that. As of today, the students here at Patton have raised $7405 - completely funding a well at a school in Uganda, and funding a water filtration/hydration system at a school in the Dominican Republic!! On behalf of Ms. Basilio, Mr. Little, and Ms. Lear, thank you 8th graders for making us so proud.  You have changed the world!! Visit the Patton Photos page to check out images from this great event as well as this awesome video created by Emily Lewis and Bri Wilkey! Read more about the Walk For Water event in the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Unionville Times!

Agilent Science Club Canceled

The Agilent After School Science Club activity scheduled for March 19, 2015 at the high school is canceled. No make-up date will be scheduled. There will not be any more club activities this school year.

Patton Nationally Recognized!

The Patton Gardens, the brainchild of Patton FCS teachers Kim Hisler and Betsy Ballard, is an innovative program, a unique part of our middle school curriculum and NOW receiving national recognition! Kim and Betsy will be traveling to Nashville with two of our Board members to receive the Magna Award from the National School Board Association (NSBA) - this honor that also comes with a $5,000 award! Read more about this prestigious award here.

Science Research Competition

The Middle School had six students receive awards at the Chester County Science Research Competition! Matthew Farr - Honorable Mention Bio-Chemistry, Emma McGovern - Honorable Mention Chemistry, Julie Griswold - 3rd Place Chemistry and special award for Chemistry, Will Knipe - 1st Place - Computer Science - will continue on to Delaware Valley Science Research Competition, Hunter Courtney - 2nd Place MicroBiology - will continue on to Delaware Valley Science Research Competition, Evan Wang - 2nd Place Physics - will continue on to Delaware Valley Science Research Competition.

PMEA Chorus Fest

This Tuesday, 14 Patton students will be representing our school District in the 2015 PMEA District Chorus Fest.  We will be hosting 17 other schools at Unionville High School for a full day Fest culminating with an evening concert at 7pm for all family and guests. Congratulations to Richard Childs, Madelyn Bowling, Erin Pysher , Emily Lewis, Brie Wilkey, Bailey Denmark, Anna Ehlers, Janet McCann, Dennis Nicholson, Parik  Radhakrishnan, Zack Cannon, Kenneth Kim, Thomas McClure, Linyun Wang!

After School Pickup

Attention Parents! If you are picking up students following after-school school sports, please do so in the back parking lot by the cafeteria. If you are picking up students in the front parking lot following other after-school activities, please do not park your car in the lane  (or "chute") that runs directly in front of the school. This is where the Activity Bus picks up students and this lane must be clear. Thank you!

7th Grader Published!

Congratulation to 7th grader Kenny Sammut whose article "Silver 3 Cents First Introduced in 1851" was published in the Jan. 27th edition of Numismatic News:  Coin News, the leading coin news resource for coin collecting enthusiasts around the world.  Kenny submitted the article after completing it for a non-fiction writing assignment. Way to go Kenny!

YMCA Sports at Patton!

Patton Middle School and the YMCA are joining together to offer an after school flag football and basketball program here at Patton - just for Patton Middle School students! The program will run Tuesdays and Thursdays after school from April 7 until May 14. To register, call the Kennett YMCA at 610-444-9622 or visit the Kennett YMCA website. The cost is just $60 for the six week program. You may also  click here for an informational flyer.

Patton Students at WCA

Ms. Morgan, Ms. Garvin, and Mrs. Hamilton’s students had a community field trip to Westtown Children's Academy (WCA) at the Longwood location. WCA was collecting used shoes for a local family. The family is adopting a little boy from China. His name is Owen and he has Spina Bifida. The company they are working with has offered to cover $5,000 of their adoption expenses if they can donate 10,000 pairs of shoes. All three locations of Westtown Children’s Academy collected over 2,000 pairs of shoes. The Kennett Square location collected 1,168 pairs of shoes.

The students assisted the Westtown Children’s Academy and the local family by sorting, counting, and bagging the shoes on Tuesday, March 3, 2015. It was great that the field trip was able to support our community and our students at the same time. 

After working the students had lunch at Fox’s Pizza Den in Kennett Square. The students practiced functional skills and social skills with their peers throughout the day in various settings. The students’ pizza was paid for by the Patton School Store profits. The students work so hard manning the store every Friday afternoon.

Jamie Wyeth Trip

Unfortunately due to last week's snow storm the trip to meet Jamie Wyeth was postponed. Don't worry Mrs. Ferron and Mrs. Schultz are working on making other arrangements. We will contact all the students involved as soon as new plans have been confirmed.

Walk For Water

At Charles F Patton Middle School, 8th Graders who study Geography learn about the critical value of water, as not only an important natural resource, but as vital to country development.  Many students read "A Long Walk to Water", by Linda Sue Park, and felt compelled to do something.  As a number of students said, "It is not OK that kids around the world don't have clean water." There was a palpable sense of urgency and commitment to raise awareness within our community about the global water crisis, and to raise money to fund the building of a well.

Through a partnership with H2O for Life, the 8th graders at Patton Middle School are truly engaged global citizens. They reviewed available projects, and elected to support the building of a well at the Agama Primary School in Uganda.  The major fundraiser will be a Walk for Water, to be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015, here at Patton.  Students will walk 5 kilometers, the average distance children in Uganda walk to get water, and will carry gallon jugs of water to raise awareness and show support.  We have set an audacious goal of $2500, especially given that it is our first year, but we are energized by the challenge and opportunity that lies before us!  Please go to www.h2oforlifeschools.org to join our team and start your fundraising today!

Science Research Competition

Congratulations go out to the following students who represented Patton Middle School at the Chester County Science Research competition on Tuesday, March 3, 2015: Hunter Courtney, Evan Wang, Callaway Nutter, Peter Cona, Christian Nitz, Julia McDonnell, Taylor Lindsay, Madison McGovern, Katelyn McGovern, Emma McGovern, William Knipe, Kriti Gupta, Matthew Farr, Julie Griswold and Viraj Joshi.

Patton MATHCOUNTS Competitors

Congratulations go out to the following students who represented Patton Middle School at the Chester County 6th Grade Math Counts competition on Saturday, March 7, 2015: Addison Liu, Lily Yang, Lilly Cole, Kaeli Kaymak-Loveless, Naman Razdan, Daniel Sage, Soumil Zachariah, Spencer Guest and Manav Gundecha. Addison Liu had the 3rd highest score and finished up in 4th place overall and Naman Razdan had the eighth highest score and finished in ninth place overall.  Great job by all!

Annie Community Preview Day

Boy and girl scouts galore, many came to enjoy the wonderful community preview day that the cast and crew of Annie put on Saturday, February 28th. The event accomplished exactly what was hoped, succeeded in making many parents and children happy and satisfied--and eager to come back for the show. There was a sneak-peak of the show with the showing of a few scenes which was the first time the cast performed for a live audience. Afterwards, the children rotated from the Friendships Necklaces with Annie, Grace and Ms. Hannigan to the Stage Crew station to the Snack with the Servants station--just to name a few.

It was clear how much the children enjoyed playing Musical Chairs with Mr.Warbucks, Lily and Rooster and getting served like royalty from the servants. The participants really got a feel for the world of Annie and the characters. They got to meet devious Lily, kind-hearted Grace and sweet Annie. They hung out with the orphans and Ms. Hannigan, herself. They watched as Rooster stole a bucket from the orphans and a policeman ran to arrest him--and one boy even tackled Rooster to the ground. It was a day full of laughter, excitement and enthusiasm for everyone. 

“It’s was so exciting to see so many people from the community at the event! The cast and crew worked hard to give everyone a little taste of our show.The little ones looked so involved in scrubbing the floors with the orphans and making necklaces with Annie! It is so spectacular to know that the community is just as thrilled to see the show as we are to put it on!” said Emily Lewis who brilliantly portrays Ms. Hannigan. 

The day didn’t just center on interacting with the cast. There was a Costume and Makeup station, an Acting/Improv station, a Choreography station and a Stage Crew and Sound/Lighting Station. The children got a behind-the-scenes look at Annie--how quick the crew has to set up the stage, how the spotlight works and even took turns pulling the curtain. 

“I had a great time working with the kids and teaching them what being on crew is all about. I think it was a really nice experience, for both the cast and crew of Annie Jr, and for the kids who came to the preview.” said one of the stage managers, Divyan Jain.

“All of the kids were so interested in what we had to say about theatre. I hope they’re even half as excited as I am for the show!” said Noa, Patton’s amazing Annie. 

Come see the production of Annie Jr. from our talented cast and crew on March 5th and 6th at 7:00 PM and March 7th at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Tickets are only five dollars and can either be purchased at www.showtix4u.com or a limited number at the door. It’s a show you won’t soon forget!

Story by Fumi Noda

Pictures by Anna Ehlers

DAR Essay Contest Winner

Congratulations to Julie Griswold who was recently named the 6th grade Pennsylvania state winner of the DAR American History Essay Contest! Julie and her parents have been invited to attend the annual Pennsylvania Luncheon in Washington, DC in June! We are very proud of Julie!

Creative Writing Podcasts

The Family History and Culture "video podcasts" gave the 8th grade Creative Writing students an opportunity to write informational texts with a sense of context. We tend to think of informational texts as traditional "how-to" essays or encyclopedia texts. But we took information about our families or cultures and wrote, revised, and dug deeper. In the end, I am most proud of several components: how specific the writing became, the fact that students self-selected their topics, and how engaged they were with their families while doing the work.

I can't tell you how many of our kids stopped me after classes to share little snippets of their time with mom, dad, grandmom, and grandpop--which never made it into these videos. The process of seeing these videos develop was truly special for me. Recently, I became involved with the American Immigration Council--as a contributing educator and writer--and continue to learn how influential sharing our family histories and stories can be. Much research has demonstrated that sharing our family histories and culture provides young people a sense resilience and stability.

Finally, students learned that narrative, as Thomas Newkirk writes, "is the deep structure of all good sustained writing." When we struggle with textbooks it is typically because writers dispose of the narrative form. Yet, through this practical experience, we learned how narrative and anecdote can serve as "a frame for comprehension" for informative texts.

Check out these podcasts on the Creative Writing playlist on YouTube.

Heritage Day 2015

The Patton Counseling Department is proud to announce our third annual Heritage Day on March, 20 2015.  This program is presented to the 6th grade class by the 7th and 8th grade students who are willing to volunteer their time. The students are being asked to create a display to showcase their heritage to the 6th graders. We are looking for 7th and 8th grade students to share their heritage with our 6th grade students.  If you are interested in participating in Heritage Day by creating a display to showcase your cultural background, and or joining our fashion show please come to the guidance office to sign-up.  Check out all of the Heritage Day details right here!

Art & Writing Award

Congratulations to 7th grader Michael Walter-Dillon, who earned a Silver Key in the Philadelphia Regional Competition of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Michael's poem, "Just Like You," was one of 29 poems selected by a panel of writers, literary professionals and teachers to receive a Silver Key. Two-hundred twenty-five poems were submitted by students in grades 7-12 from schools in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. "Blind judging" was used, so the judges selected award winners without knowing the age, grade, or school of the writer.Art &

Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up

Parents please find this brief blurb a reminder of the procedures for dropping off and/or picking up your child from the middle school at the opening and close of the school day. In the morning, please enter either by way of the access road to drop off by the cafeteria, or by way of the high school main entrance going down by the high school and up the road to the middle school, or by entering at the middle school main entrance off route 82, going down and back up the single lane road immediately in front of the school. In the afternoon, please pick up at the cafeteria by way of the northern most route 82 entrance and exit via the access road. The route 82 entrances are closed off a the middle school approximately 2:00pm due to buses lining up for dismissal.

Please do not drop off in the morning at the front of the high school, do not use the connecting road between the schools, or drop off on the route 82 side of the middle school. This area is for buses only in the morning. 

Thank you for your continued cooperation during these two hectic times of the day!

Annie, Jr. Sunday at 2 PM

With the cancellation of Thursday's performance of "Annie, Jr.", a show has been added on Sunday, March 8 at 2 PM. Show tickets are only $5 and can be purchased in advance online at www.showtix4u.com (search Patton) or click on the link on the Annie Tickets link on the Patton homepage. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. If you have tickets for the March 5 show, you may attend the Sunday show and present your tickets.

Meet Jamie Wyeth!

The Patton Middle School Art Department has had a special relationship with the Brandywine River Museum of Art for over 20 years. Every student at Patton visits the museum and learns about the Wyeth family and their work in 8th grade art classes. As a result of this special relationship Mr. Jamie Wyeth and the River Museum have invited our students to meet the artist personally and tour the museum to view the Jamie Wyeth Retrospective Art Show! Patton Middle School Students who are interested in meeting Mr. Wyeth should visit the contest website and download the Jamie Wyeth Trip Document for details. This contest is open to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students.

Day at the Opera

Fifteen extra tickets have become available from the 8th grade Creative Writing trip to the Philadelphia Opera Company's performance of Verdi's Don Carlo. Since we have the seats and the buses, we are opening this opportunity up to any students currently enrolled at Patton Middle School. Tickets will be accounted for in the order the permission slips were received. Please download the form and return it to Mr. Kelley (Rm. 213) by Monday, February 23rd.

Advertise With Annie!

Want a GREAT way to advertise your business & help Patton’s Theatre too? Place an Advertisement in this year’s Playbill!! Show dates are March 5th, 6th & 7th with a sell-out attendance expected at all 4 performances! It's $100 for a Full Page (4.5” w x 7.5” h), $50 for a Half Page (4.5” w x 3.75” h) and $25 for a Quarter Page (2.25” w x 3.75” h) The maximum file size is 10MB. Submit JPG, GIF, PNG or PDF files. All ads are black & white. Price & sizes as indicated above. E-mail your ad copy to Ads4Annie@gmail.com. Mail checks to: JoAnna Stump, Patton Middle School, 760 Unionville Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348. Make check payable to “Patton Middle School” & include “Drama Activities Account” as subject. For questions, contact Julie Tuinstra at the e-mail above. Deadline is Monday, Feb. 15th. Thanks for your support of Patton’s Theatre!

Moonlight Madness Basketball

There will be 3 vs 3 basketball games, music and  lots of fun at the Second Annual Moonlight Madness 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament on Saturday, February 21st from 5 pm-10:30 pm at the UHS Gym. The event is open to Grades 6 through 12 plus and there will be an adult league, too. The fee is just $10 per player. Registration deadline is February 13th.  In addition to basketball games, there will be a Free Throw shooting contest and a Three Point shooting contest. Download a registration form and waiver as well as complete details and tournament rules and enter today!

PIcture Day 2

Patton’s second semester Picture Day is next Friday, February 27. Students have received forms to complete and need to bring with them on the 27th if they are having their picture taken. Only those students with a completed form will have pictures taken. PLEASE NOTE: The picture form has the date as April 21 - THIS IS NOT THE CORRECT DATE. Pictures are February 27, 2015. The 8th grade class picture will also be taken on Friday. A copy of this picture will be provided to all members of the class compliments of our PTO. No forms/money are necessary. Thank you PTO!

MATHCOUNTS Competition

Please congratulate the following students who participated in the Chester County MATHCOUNTS competition on Saturday. Victor Li, Daniel Hu, Divyan Jain, Dylan Metro-Gault, Alex Rizaldi, Jane Bai, Anna Iacocca, Hunter Courtney, Lina Zhu and Nick Hall.  We took a team place of 4th and overall, Victor Li came in 8th place with 3 other students finishing up in the top 27 scores.

Science Competition Winners!

Congratulations go out to the following students who will be representing Patton Middle School in the Chester County Science Research competition in March: Julia McDonnell, Madison McGovern, Christian Nitz, Taylor Lindsay, Katelyn McGovern, Hunter Courtney, Evan Wang, Will Knipe, the team of Viraj Joshi and Alex Cona, Matthew Farr, Julie Griswold, Emma McGovern and the team of Calli Nutter and Kriti Gupta. Congratulations everyone!

Attention 8th Graders!

All 8th grade families, please take a moment to review the 9th grade course selection process and important dates. The process begins on January 26, as Mrs. Thacher meets with 8th grade students to explain the course selection process and answer questions. Students will be given a Unionville High School Course Selection Guide to take home and share with parents. You can review the entire course selection guide right here.

7th Grade Event Rescheduled

Attention 7th graders! The event planned for this Friday has now been rescheduled for Friday, February 6. The 7th grade party will be held from 7 to 9 PM and tickets will be on sale at lunch.

6th Grade Mixer - NEW DATE

The 6th grade After School Mixer has been rescheduled until next Friday, February 6! A DJ from Moore Music in Downingtown will play the music and run contests such as musical chairs, limbo, hula contest, and a candy walk. The small cafeteria will have a cupcake decorating table and the gym will be open for 5 on 5 basketball, shooting contests, knock out, and 3 point contests.  Hope you will join us for the fun. Tickets will be on sale next week at lunch and at Hawk Time in Ms. Yarosh's room which is Room 140, across from the Music Keyboarding Lab.

Box Tops Update!

It's a new year and here are the new Box Tops totals! In 6th grade, Mrs. Armstrong, 395 ; Mr. Grawe, 411; and Mrs. Stem's advisory continues in the top spot with 561. For 7th grade, Mrs. French, 323; Mr. O'Rourke, 583; and just a little bit ahead of Mr. O'Rourke's advisory is Mrs. Zielinski's advisory with 615. In 8th grade, Mrs. Quinn, 240; Mrs. Kropp, 346; and in the lead is Mr. Kelley's advisory with 437. No lead is too large...one advisory submitted more than 300 Box Tops in one submission. Remember to submit your Box Tops in the main office. Please remember that Box Tops for the year 2015 and going forward only will be counted. Box Tops for years earlier than 2015 cannot be submitted. The person who counts the Box Tops thanks you in advance!

Art Contest!

Attention Students! You have a unique opportunity to have your artwork published as illustrations in a book to be published by a friend of the district. The book being written by Randall Stutman, Ph. D. will focus on parenting, featuring illustrations from UCFSD students as well as the student-age children and grandchildren of UCFSD staff members. 50 pieces will be chosen and will receive a $100 honorarium, credit in the book and a copy of the book. Visit the Art Contest website for details on how to enter. The deadline is February 16, 2015. Enter today!

Adopt-a-Bed 2015

Here is an exciting opportunity for the UCFSD students and their families to have fresh produce in their own kitchens while helping others in the community!! The Family and Consumer Science program at CFPMS now boasts 30 raised beds! 22 are in front of the school with the addition 8 large ones in the newly constructed high tunnels off the middle school access road. All of this, including the greenhouse and pergola are a result of donations and grant monies and have happened with no cost to the taxpayer.  The beds have been planted and the cultivation and harvesting will start in the coming months. So how can you help?  With such a large effort we are in need of at least three families a week to water, weed, harvest, and deliver the produce to the Kennett Food Cupboard. With your help we can keep our program growing through the summer months. It will help those in need, as well as helping us to move our program forward without losing critical time when the start of the new school year comes. Not only are you helping others but by helping our program you are entitled to take what you can use for your home kitchen.  It is a win-win proposition for all. Work with your families while helping those who are less fortunate!! For more information please contact Betsy Ballard or Kimberly Hisler at bballard@ucfsd.net or khisler@ucfsd.net 

Homework Requests

Parents or guardians may call the office at 610-347-2000 before 9:00 AM to request homework if a student has been absent for two or more consecutive days. We ask that you speak directly with a member of the office staff when making this type of request. Please do not leave requests for class and/or homework assignments on staff members’ voice mail systems or staff members' e-mail. School personnel will retrieve needed books and materials from lockers. Parents are asked to collect all materials in the office to insure that all assignments reach the student. The materials will be available on the counter located in the main office from 2:30 to 3:00 the day the request is received. Thank you!

DAR Essay Contest Winner!

6th grade student Julie Griswold was chosen as the winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution Chester County essay contest. Julie will be recognized in a ceremony with a certificate, a medal and a cash award on February 9th.  Her essay has also been sent on to the state for consideration.

K9 Unit Visits Patton

Ms. Garvin and Mrs. Nanis’ English students recently did research on Heroic Dogs and created PowerPoint presentations about special animals. To follow this activity, the New Castle County Police K9 Unit came to visit these students at Patton Middle School to discuss the use of K9 dogs serving in police and military units. The students even got to meet one of these heroic dogs in person!

Middle Sports Photos Project

The "Art in the Middle" Committee is working on a Sports Photography Project or the hallways to the gymnasiums.  We want to dedicate the walls to our athletes and their coaches by collecting photos of all 13 teams.  We will be enlarging the photos to 5' by 4'...... yes, larger than life and filtering the photos so that the identity of the individuals become muted and the focus of the photos is of the sport and not of any particular student. We are asking all Photography Enthusiasts Parents of our Athletes to take photos when at practice or a game. Parameters of the photos:

• Need more than 5 players in the photo, not necessarily the whole team
• Would be nice to include the coach, but not required
• No direct shots of individuals looking straight into the camera
• Want the photo to capture the essence of the sport and team spirit 

All photos can be sent to Julianne Ruocco at jruocco118@gmail.com

National Assessment

We are pleased to communicate out that Charles F. Patton Middle School has been selected to represent schools across the nation by being a participant school in the NAEP testing for this school year. Fifty of our 8th grade students have been randomly selected by the organization to take a test in either Mathematics, Science or Reading. The parents of the students selected will be receiving letters home explaining the details. Testing will be on Wednesday 18 February 2015.

First administered in 1969, NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subject areas. The test is administered by the National Center for Educational Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from state assessments because it provides a common measure of student achievement across the country. The NAEP results are released as The Nation’s Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and the public.

Science Research Competition

The MS Science Research Competition is scheduled for Tuesday, January 27th. All students who are submitting a project must inform their Science Teacher by January 20th and projects need to be in school prior to the 27th. Projects will only be judged on the 27th.  Students will set up their project during the day, and they are not to stay after-school for the judging process.

We are also looking for judges. Any parent or older sibling with a background in science who would be interested in judging, please contact Mrs. Knauer at mknauer@ucfsd.net

Judging will begin immediately after school on the 27th.

Super Starbots!

Congratulations to the Super Starbots, who participated in the Oxford FLL regional competition on Saturday, January 3, 2015. The team captured two first place awards for their excellent performance. The team won 1st place for the Core Values award, and 1st place for the Robot Performance award given to the team with the highest single robot mission. They scored 365 points! They have qualified to advance to the Champion's Tournament scheduled for February 14, 2015 at Delaware State University. The team spent twice a week since September in preparing for the tournament. Many of their days off of school and winter break were invested in preparations, and their efforts lead them to their success. Please congratulate the team when you see them for their accomplishments in STEM education. The team is excited to add the trophies to the Patton FLL case! The Patton Super Starbots are: Kyle Ketterer, Soumil Zachariah, Nathan Sugimoto, Ayrton Gilbert, Brady Sherman as well as UES Starbot, Katie Ketterer. The team will be volunteering this upcoming weekend at the Patton FLL tournament, and we hope that you can spread the word this week to encourage all students to check out the Patton FLL tournament.

More Lego League Success!

A team of Patton 7th graders Adarsh Gadagkar, Darshak Gadagkar, and Arnav Patel and an 8th girl, Anaiya Patel, from Garnet Valley Middle School recently competed in First Lego League Qualifiers held in December at Conrad School of the Sciences in Wilmington Delaware. They were one of the top 4 teams to advance to the Regionals to be held at Delaware State University in Dover Delaware on February 14th. Please wish "The Pain in the Necks" good luck at the next tournament.

UHS/Patton Robotics Team

UCFSD's FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Team, Flaming Phoenix, made it to the finals in it's December competition and brought home numerous awards. The team is comprised of five students from Unionville High School (Christy Ammon, Kaelyn Gaza, Austin Hwa, CJ McClure, and KC Simmons) and two students from Patton Middle School (Thomas McClure and Justin Warner). 

FTC competitions differ from other robotics competitions because you are teamed up with other schools to compete as an alliance. UCFSD's alliance, with schools from Philadelphia and Fort Washington, finished second overall and took home the Finalist Alliance Trophy. The teams are also judged individually in competing for awards in engineering, design, programming and community outreach. UCFSD's Flaming Phoenix team was the first place winner for the PTC Design Award. The intent of this award is to expand the competition challenge, inspiring teams to incorporate industrial design into their robots. These elements can be shown in the simplicity of the design as it applies to the tasks, the look and feel of the robot, and how the design allows us to think of robots in new ways. The Design aspects must serve a function - but they should also differentiate the robot in a unique fashion - not an easy task with a limited set of parts and game challenge. Here is what the judges had to say: "This team designed a robot that functions well on the field and looks good in the pit. While some teams use their 3D printer to make decorative parts, these engineers have taken it to another level. The perfection of their design has risen from the ashes of their previous attempts." The team worked very hard on their design and programming, meeting multiple times per week and even on weekends and holiday breaks. They have two more competitions this month and hope to make a second trip in a row to the State Championship in February.

UCFSD's team also took third place in the Motivate Award, which recognizes outstanding team spirit and community outreach that raises awareness about robotics and STEM programs. Team Flaming Phoenix invites you to learn more about the FIRST robotics competitions by stopping by the FIRST LEGO League Competition at Patton Middle School this Saturday, January 10th anytime between 11am and 3:30pm. You can watch robotics competitions for kids in grades 4 to 8 and also stop by the demo area to drive the larger robots and learn about FTC for kids in grades 7 through 12. If your child is interested in being on a robotics team in the fall, this is an event you won't want to miss!