By Jessica Cabeen

Ellis Middle School Principal

As the excitement of the holidays fades away, it’s time to turn our attention to the end of the first semester. Here at Ellis, as of last week, over 500 students are passing all their courses and are on track to do so for the end of the quarter.

The girls basketball and wrestling seasons have ended, and boys swimming and basketball are now in full swing.  For many students, the middle school years are full of excitement, energy, and lots of changes. Some of those changes start next month as we begin getting ready to register for the 2019-20 school year.

Starting in early February, students in grades 6-8 will hear about course offerings they can choose from for next year.

Current eighth graders will have the chance to hear from high school staff regarding course planning for their high school years and then spend time with their current teachers making recommendations for conferences, which will be held Feb.  26 and 28 (signups coming soon).

Students in sixth grade will have a chance to meet with myself and their new grade level counselor Mrs. Oelfke on Feb. 1 to hear about Ellis and the opportunities that will be waiting for them once they leave IJ Holton in June. They will have the opportunity to discuss their options with parents and teachers and have a final look at their choices at conferences in mid-February.

Finally, our seventh graders will have similar opportunities during advisory and content classes to make recommendations for eighth grade and review with parents at the Feb. 26 and 28  conferences.

So, as you can see, we have a lot of excitement coming up in 2019. Please watch Parent Portal, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and upcoming dates of importance.

It is such an honor to work with you and watch our middle school students continue to grow and thrive at Ellis. Thank you for continuing to #ExpectTheBest!