Does the building at Moore accommodate four grade levels well?

Our building is actually well-suited to accommodate students in four grade levels.

There are six separate hallways of classrooms, four with academic classrooms (two for each House, with  5^th & 6^th graders on one wing and 7^th and 8^th graders on another wing per House) and two with, mainly, Related Arts classrooms ( i.e. PE, Art, Music). The JT Moore library is located on either side of the two Houses of the school and the auditiorum/cafeteria and gym separate the related arts areas.

5^th and 6^th grade students have a team of 2 teachers, on average, for their academic subjects. Generally, one teacher teaches math and reading/language arts during two uninterrupted blocks of time, or periods. Another teacher on the team teaches social studies and another teacher on the team teaches science every day. In addition, students have different teachers for their Related Arts classes.

The 5^th and 6^th grade schedule is very flexible and allows teachers to take more time for particular lessons and projects, as needed. Students are assigned a Home Room Teacher for the year - one of the members of the teaching team.

7^th and 8^th grade students have a different teacher for each of their 5 academic subjects (Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies and Spanish or Reading plus one or more Related Arts electives (per year)  in a 7-period schedule. Classes last 55 minutes.

What are the Related Arts options, and what is “The Wheel”?

“The Wheel” is a descriptive term meant to illustrate Options and Rotations #3 (below) in regards to Related Arts subjects.

5^th and 6^th grade students may choose from the following 3 options:

1. Band: Band is a one year commitment.  Students will not have any General Music classes but may have some PE, Technology, Chinese, and Art classes.
   
2. Strings: Strings is  one year commitment.   Students will not have any General Music classes but may have some PE, Technology, Chinese, and Art classes.
   
3. The Wheel: PE, Art, , Technology (Grades 5 & 6 only) and Chinese are offered in a rotation throughout the year.  Each 9-weeks, each student takes PE and also one or two other wheel classes.
   

Do 5^th and 6^th grades eat lunch with 7^th and 8^th graders?

Each grade (5 and 6) eats lunch, as a grade, together, but at different times. 7th and 8th grade eat lunch together with their House.  Students may sit wherever they choose. 

Do 5^th and 6^th graders change classes at the same time as 7^th and 8^th graders?

Their schedules are different and teachers stagger class change, restroom, and locker breaks to ensure smooth and safe transitions.

How do I arrange to speak with my child’s teacher?

All teachers are available by email from the “Faculty” section of the website, or call the school at 615-298-8095 and follow the directives to reach a teacher’s voicemail. 

How does Moore keep parents informed of school news?

There are many ways.

The first day of school, a folder containing lots of information is sent home with the students.

The JT Moore website is updated weekly with upcoming events, volunteer requests, extra-curricular opportunities, and news.

We have an email list (Listserv) for parents who sign-up for it. The calendar of events is usually emailed every week on the Listserv, as are announcements, news, and reminders.

The PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) publishes a newsletter that is sent home with report cards every 9 weeks.

The sign in front of the school is updated regularly with information of interest.

Flyers with a variety of information are sent home with students in backpacks throughout the year. 

Each teacher has a website and can be accessed from the JTM website under the faculty section. 

How do I sign-up for the Listserv?

The link to sign up for Listserv is on the news page of the JTM website.  Go to home page, click on Calendar & News, the click List Serve. 
You may have Listserv messages sent to as many as 4 of your email addresses.

Is there an active parent support organization?

Yes. Moores’ PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) provides volunteer and financial support to the school that greatly enhances the experience for the students and the teachers. Many parents volunteer in the school regularly to provide tutoring, staff support, and leadership for after-school activities.

The PTO supports fund-raisers and other activities which provide funds for educational and administrative materials and equipment. Contact one of the PTO elected officers (see the “PTO” Section on the website for their names and numbers), for more information about volunteering at Moore.

What sports are offered at Moore?

7^th and 8^th grade teams compete against other TSSAA (Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association) middle schools in football, girls soccer, boys soccer, girls volleyball, wrestling, girls basketball, boys basketball, girls track and boys track.

Moore has a  history of excellence in all its sports programs.  

Try-outs for all sports are announced and posted in advance. Everyone is welcome to try-out, but space is limited on each team.

After-school clubs like lacrosse, tennis, and karate are led by parents for these grades, as well.

Moore also sponsors 7^th and 8^th grade cheerleading.

Our combined 5^th and 6th grade boys play football and basketball through WNSL (West Nashville Sports League) on teams consisting mainly of students from Moore. (See "Activities" tab, 5th & 6th Grade Sports for more info).  The same is true for girls for basketball.  The JTM WNSL teams practice in the JTM gym when scheduling allows (after JTM 7th/8th grade practices/games or on days the JTM team is playing away games). 

5^th and 6^th grade students may also participate in sports, like tennis, soccer, lacrosse, karate, and track through after-school clubs led by parents.  Parents are encouraged to offer their talents to assist in after school sports activities. 

Cheerleading is offered as an after-school activity currently led by a former JT Moore parent, who is also a JT Moore graduate herself.  The 5th/6th grade cheerleaders cheer for the 5th/6th grade boys football team mentioned above. 

How do I sign my child up for a club?

Watch for information in the First Day folder, go to the “Clubs” section on the website, check for Listserv messages, or just show up for a club’s scheduled time. There you will find contact information for the individual club sponsors and you can contact them directly. For questions about clubs, contact the Clubs Coordinator on the PTO Board.  Most clubs are free of charge; those with fees can be waived for students needing scholarships.  The PTO budget has monies specifically for this purpose and encourages all students to participate in CLUBS!

Is a copy of Moore’s Accelerated Reader List available for parents to use?

A copy is available in the library at Moore and at the Green Hills branch of the public library at the main and children’s section information desks.  JTM Librarian/Information Specialist Mrs. Frenchie Fortenberry, is an excellent resource for students.   For more information on the Accelerated Reader Program, go to the home page and use the drop down under Faculty and then Library and then Accelerated Reader Program.