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Paradise Valley Unified School District No. 69
VISTA VERDE MIDDLE SCHOOL
NEWSLETTER
September 2009
Elaine Jacobs, Principal
Gary Callahan, Assistant Principal
A Message from the Principal……………………..
As the first quarter ends, I want to be certain all parents are very familiar with the many ways we have available at Vista Verde to communicate with you and your students, as well as the different kinds of academic assistance we provide. Do you know that we have an excellent website at http://cmweb.pvschools.net/vvmsweb? Here you can find comprehensive information on the school itself: the yearly calendar, lunch menus, bell schedules, ordering t-shirts, and more. In addition, each staff member has an individual website, which provides varied information on classroom norms, grading, and assignments. There’s no password needed. You can also e-mail any staff member directly from the website.
You can access your student’s grades on-line at: https://vvmspogb.pvschools.net. For this you will need a password; however, your son or daughter has the same password you do. If for some reason you need additional help, please feel free to stop by or call the school, and we will assist you. A helpful weekly activity is for parent and child to sit together and review progress. As much as parents would like to believe that their middle school-aged children are becoming better able to act independently (and many of them are), the truth is that they still need your input, supervision and guidance.
What happens if my child is not being successful? If your son or daughter is having trouble in a particular class, e-mail or call the teacher first. The classroom teacher will be able to give you input that will help you have a better picture of what is happening. You can also contact our counselors, Dawn Flint (dflint@pvschools.net) and Sharon Meddles (smeddles@pvschools.net). Dawn is at Vista Verde full time, and Sharon is here only Monday and Tuesday. If your issue is something that occurred in a class and you haven’t contacted the teacher first, the counselors will direct you to do so. If, however, your issue is much broader, the counselors are a great resource. In addition, we have a full-time social worker, Bridget Boursiquot (bwashington@pvschools.net).
Strongly consider our FREE after school tutoring. Because we are a Title I school, EVERY student is eligible for after school tutoring in math and/or reading. Our program runs from Monday through Thursday, and students may attend one or more days. The tutoring is delivered by outside vendors, who have been approved by the state. If you are interested, contact Linda Crawford(lcrawford@pvschools.net) or Karen McMahon (kmcmahon@pvschools.net). This FREE tutoring is worth more than $1000 per student!
Our first semester Parent/Teacher conferences will take place at the end of October. Here is the schedule: October 26 (3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) and October 27 (3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.). If you are new to middle school, then our conference format may be new to you. We hold our conferences in our gym. Parents sign up on a first-come, first-served basis as they arrive. This means there can be some waiting involved. The conferences are meant to be short-~~5 minutes each. If you need more time, you will want to schedule a longer conference with one or more teachers at another time.
Finally, soon we will begin some additional programs to help with math – before school, after school, and on Saturdays. Stay tuned for information.
Elaine Jacobs
Principal
A Message From The Assistant Principal
And they’re off! … Can you believe the first quarter is already half over? We’ve had a smooth opening this year despite larger classes and a smaller budget. Our teachers and students are working hard to get off to a good start.
Just a reminder that students are more likely to be successful when they attend school everyday and on time. A letter will be sent home to parents of students who accumulate an excessive number of absences. VVMS is part of the CUTS program in which students may be issued a citation from our school resource officer after 5 unexcused or 18 total absences.
Watch that dress code!!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns at 602-449-5300.
Mr. Callahan
NJHS Elects New Officers
The members of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) have elected officers for this school year.
Sai Shah is president, and presides over meetings. Matt Bear, as vice president, presides over meetings when the president is absent. Paige Vanden Heuvel was elected secretary. She keeps meeting minutes, calls roll and attends to chapter correspondence. Trevor Smith, the new treasurer, tracks and reports on chapter finances. Brandon Valdivia was elected parliamentarian. It is his job to assure that NJHS conforms to policies and meeting procedures. Darya Shahgheibi, as the chapter historian, will take photos to document NJHS programs and projects. Congratulations to these six new officers. They meet monthly as an executive committee during lunch to set the agenda for membership meetings. Meeting dates and other information about NJHS can be found on the VVMS homepage.
Patriot Team
The month of September was an exciting period for the Patriot Team. The students have become comfortable at Vista Verde, and we are progressing nicely. One of the highlights this month occurred in Science. As a part of our scientific inquiry unit, we made ice cream!
VVMS Physical Education 2009-2010
Things to ask your child:
What are you eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
What type of snacks do you consume?
How much exercise do you participate in daily/weekly?
How did you do during the Physical Education Fitness Testing in August? Did you receive Presidential or National status on any of the tests?
How did you do on the written test on September 16th? It was worth 25 points.
When is your next written test in Table tennis/weights/basketball? October 6th
Get ready for an upcoming VVMS PE Spring Parent Night where staff, parents, and the community can see how well they do on the same tests. The tests on the Presidential Physical Fitness test include: mile, situps, pushups/arm hang/pullups, shuttle run, and sit and reach.
In the next two months, your child will be measuring his/her height and weight. Students will then calibrate their body fat percentage and their BMI (Body Mass Index). Look on our websites for what is appropriate for your each age group.
Thanks for being a part of your child's education and being concerned about their health!!
Mrs. Gilligan, Mr. Newell, Mrs. Norris
VVMS PE Teachers
Math Matters
Vista Verde Math students are off to a great start this year. Our students have shown that they have the strength and magnificence of a Jaguar…way to go!! Your math teachers would like to thank the students of VVMS for all of their hard work. We are proud of you!
During first quarter all of the students did a Statistics Unit. This year we had students conduct basic surveys and then, display their results in various charts and graphs. Many of them told us that the results they received were not what was expected. Our hopes were for our students to have fun exploring the use of statistics relating to simple questions.
Currently, our classes are working with integers. In past years, students have had difficulties with integers; so our school is following a three-step process to help with addition and subtraction understanding. Students should use a number line and follow these steps:
Integer Rules:
1. Each time the student starts a problem, he/she should start at zero and face the positive numbers.
2. Walk forward for positive numbers. Walk backward for negative numbers.
3. When there is a subtraction sign, do a 180° turn and follow rule number two.
Remember, the more students practice something, the better they get at it.
“The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.” ~ S. Gudder
Social Corner:
Our team of counselors, social worker, and parent liaison are working hard on assisting students and families with all their needs. We have several programs running throughout the school year to support and teach children conflict resolution, self-awareness, self-esteem and to effective problem solving with difficulties in the school home and social environments. Please feel free to contact any one of us with questions or concerns.
Dawn Flint dflint@pvschools.net 602-449-5314 (Counselor)
Sharon Meddles smeddles@pvschools.net 602-449-5311 (Counselor)
Bridget Boursiquot brwashington@pvschools.net 602-449-5317 (Social Worker)
Maria Sarmiento msarmiento@pvschools.net 602-449-5300 (Parent Liaison)
What is United Parent Council?
United Parent Council is a district-wide parent group that has looked out for the interests of students in the Paradise Valley Unified School District for over 25 years. It provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, information on current issues in the district and happenings in the field of education; and seeks to give parents influential voices in the decision-making processes affecting their children. With monthly meetings, school reps, a website and e-bulletins, UPC helps you become an informed parent. If you have any questions, please contact the Vista Verde UPC representatives Tami Taylor (taylorzona@cox.net) or Denise Saporito (dsaporito@cox.net) or visit www.pvupc.org. Upcoming Meeting Schedule:
Learn About the Role of School Councils at our Sites
Dr. Lil Baribault and Dr. Patrick Sweeney will speak about School Councils. The following topics will be discussed:
What stakeholders are represented on the school councils?
How is the School Council selected?
When does the School Council meet?
What topics are discussed at School Council Meeting?
What guidelines are School Councils asked to follow?
The Long Range Plan and the responsibility of the School Council
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
8:45 a.m. Meet & Greet
9:00 a.m. Superintendent’s Remarks
9:30 a.m. Business Meeting
10:15 a.m. Program
A Whole New Mind By Daniel Pink – Book Study
Come be a part of the book study and panel discussion for the book A Whole New Mind.
This book is on all of the administrators’ and principals desks in the district.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
8:45 a.m. Meet & Greet
9:00 a.m. Superintendent’s Remarks
9:30 a.m. Business Meeting
10:15 a.m. Program
The Attendance Line is
602-449-5301.
Make sure you call in your student by 9:30 a.m.
If you encounter any problems, call
602-449-5300.
_________________________________
QUESTIONS: E-MAIL ELAINE JACOBS AT:
ejacobs@pvschools.net
