Welcome to the 6th Grade ASK Academy Page
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Mrs. Ayres
Gifted FC
Resource
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My name is Kim Ayres and I teach the Gifted Fundamental Connections and Resource classes in 6th grade. This is my 5th year at ASK and my 17th year teaching. I have two children: my son graduated from ASK in 2024 and my daughter attend middle school here. I love gardening, reading and am never far from a cup of coffee!
Scholars worked really hard on STARS testing. I am looking forward to the growth they show in Reading and Math. Hope everybody has a great Spring Break and will all come back ready to roll.
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Mr. Brown
Earth Science
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Hello! This is Mr. Brown. I teach 6th Grade Earth and Space Science. I am a Father of two children, two step children, and 4 grandchildren. I have been in education for 24 years: as a teacher, coach, and administrator. I love to spend time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, and hiking.
6th grade science will be working on concepts focused around weathering, erosion, and weather systems.
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Mrs. Griffin
Intro to BioMed
Green Architecture
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I have a Bachelor's in Microbiology from Eastern New Mexico University and I began my teaching career in Colorado where I taught 6-8 grade and all subjects (except history) in my 4 years there. I moved back to New Mexico and started at The ASK Academy in 2020 where I have taught science and biomed classes. 6th graders are my favorite grade level and I'm happy to be working with them again this year.
I am married with a son, 3 cats, and a dog. When I'm not teaching, I love reading or spending time outside with my family.
As you know, March is a project month for us in Green Architecture. Scholars are currently designing their dream home floor plans. By the end of the month, they should have these homes fully laid out, with furniture drawn into each room. These floorplans will be hung in the hallway and classroom for the remainder of the school year and will be on display during our Green Architecture Showcase on May 8. After the showcase, scholars should take these plans home.
Additionally, we have been struggling in 6th grade with responsible and safe behavior. Currently, many of the projects I had planned for our Green Architecture are on hold until I witness more safe and kind behaviors. Examples of unsafe behaviors in class include pretending to punch or choke other scholars or pretending to stab/cut others with scissors. While these behaviors continue, I can not do our other projects, which include the use of dangerous materials such as box cutters, hammers, and saws.
Please have a discussion with your scholar about appropriate behavior in the classroom. I am hopeful that we can earn some projects back before the end of the year.
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Mrs. Miller
Computers & Technology
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Hello my name is Deanne Miller. This is my sixth year at The ASK Academy. I'm excited to teach your scholar computer applications and computer science this school year.
In March, scholars will learn how to use functions, conditionals, mouse and keyboard input, velocity, and collision detection to prepare them to create a game by the end of the semester. As the fourth quarter begins, help your scholar diligently turn work in on time. If work is late, please make sure they email to get it graded. I hope you and your families enjoy Spring Break.
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Mrs. Moberly
ELA
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I went to the University of New Mexico to receive my K-8 Elementary Education Degree. This is my 5th year of teaching. I have taught middle school science & social studies & elementary school. I have also taught English in a few Eastern European countries. My husband and I have four children (14, 12, 10 & 8 years old) and we have been married for 15 years. One of our children has Down Syndrome and two of our children have ADHD. I am very passionate about advocating for children who have a disability and/or diagnosis and helping children learn in a way that is meaningful to them. I believe every child can learn and they deserve a champion who believes in them! I love all things Disney, colorful pens and chips and salsa! I look forward to exploring captivating stories, engaging in meaningful discussions and sharing my love for literature. My goal is to inspire a lifelong love for reading and learning in your children. I hope they come home eager to tell you about the exciting things we do in class. Let's make this a fantastic year filled with the joy of books!
Hello from Language Arts! Welcome to March! This month we are beginning our novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio! Your scholar must have their own physical copy of this novel. I am excited to read this novel with the scholars because it touches on many meaningful subjects: navigating friendship, feeling different, standing up for what is right, giving respect and acceptance to all, and acts of kindness. We will be reading this novel for 3-4 weeks and will use this novel to write a persuasive essay!
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Mr. Strong
Social Studies
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Before joining ASK Academy in 2020, I spent 18 fulfilling years as a high school social studies instructor at Cibola High School. I always encouraged my students to take reasonable chances, so the encouragement I offered them led me to embrace a new one myself at ASK. I hold endorsements in Social Studies, Psychology, and Language Arts and have taught a variety of courses, including World History, Psychology, AP Psychology, U.S. History, AP U.S. History, Sociology, and even Rock and Roll History. I’ve also worked with the Upward Bound program at the University of New Mexico. At ASK Academy, I served as the project manager for 8th Grade U.S. History during the 2020-2021 school year and took on both 8th Grade U.S. History and 6th Grade World History the following year. For the past two years, I have had the pleasure of guiding scholars through 6th Grade World History, and I am thrilled to do so again this year. Feel free to reach out to me anytime during the school year or even after at [email protected] with any questions or concerns. I look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead! For the month of March scholars are learning about Sun Tzu's Art of War and learning about the differences in philosophies among Ancient Greece and Ancient China.
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Mr. Tharinger
Math
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My name is Alex Tharinger and I will be the project manager for the 6th grade math classes this school year. This is my 12th year teaching middle school and my 7th year at the ASK Academy. I grew up here in Rio Rancho in a family full of educators. My wife is a Kindergarten teacher at Joe Harris Elementary; we have two sons, Cooper and Clarkson that attend JHE. I love sports and spending time with my family. My mornings are often powered by Red Bull. I'm very excited to work this year with all the new 6th graders.
During the month of March scholars are working on a geometry unit focused on three-dimensional solids. They will be calculating surface area and volume of prisms and pyramids.
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Important Reminder About Support Hours
Dear Family,
Thank you for your continued support of our 6th-grade scholars. We want to take a moment to remind you that students can only attend support hours at the scheduled time of their appointment.
This policy helps us ensure that each student receives the attention and resources they need during their designated time. We encourage you to assist your child in keeping track of these appointments, as attending at the correct time is essential for their success.
Scholars are expected to schedule appointments during support hours in FC on Wednesdays.
If you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
Best regards,
6th Grade Team
