Index

Bulldog Gazette

November 6 , 2009 Issue 6 Volume 4

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From the Principal

There have been three calendar changes about which parents should be aware:

30 November- changed from a full day of school to a two-hour delay

18 December- changed from a full day of school to early dismissal

12 February- changed from a full day of school to early dismissal

The revised calendar for West Point Schools can be found at this link on our web site

These changes have been made to accommodate Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)- directed training on updated curriculum standards and Using Data to Differentiate Instruction (UDDI). The UDDI training modules will provide our teachers with up-to-date, research-based best practices in collecting classroom-level, real-time student performance data in order to adjust lesson pacing, delivery, and content depth. This data will also assist teachers in appropriately differentiating learning tasks to meet the individual needs of each student. We are very excited to learn more about UDDI and put it to good use in all classrooms.

The two-hour delay on 30 November will provide families an opportunity to practice our most common type of weather delay. Bus riders need to add two hours to their normal pick-up time. The first bell will ring at 9:45, two hours later than usual.

Early dismissal times are as follows:
Elementary school- 11:15 dismissal

Middle school- 10:30 dismissal

Teacher teams met with many parents during the two days of parent-teacher conferences this week. Parents who were unable to meet this week are encouraged to set up a conference by calling the office if they wish to do so. We are always willing to meet with parents at any point during the school year.

This week’s test of the One Call Now notification system revealed a problem with the middle school phone number database. Our technicians are working on the issue, and we plan to put out a second test message to middle school families only on Thursday, 12 November, at 3:00 p.m.

Sincerely,

David Rudy

Front Office Notes

Attention parents that use Road Runner for their internet and email. We have been having technical issues with emails being returned as undeliverable. After speaking with a representative from Time Warner Cable the issue may be a result of Road Runner filters blocking emails sent from the school's server. If the primary email address provided by you to the school is a Road Runner account we strongly suggest you provide us with an alternate address to send communications to. Please contact the school at 938-2923 with this information.

Please return to the school the document (click to open) that was sent home with report cards requesting updated emergency contact information and direction/permission pertaining to your child/children during a minor or major event.

For information on School Closings/Delays or Early Dismissals

Tune into the local cable channel Channel 23

Radio 100.7 FM Or call 938-7000

From the Cafeteria

Dear Parents,

If you wish to join your child for the Thanksgiving Day Feast on Thursday, November 19th, you will need to make a reservation in advance. Reservations must be received by Friday, Nov. 13th. You may call the food service office at 938-3737 or send in a note with your child stating how many dinners you will need.

Thank you,

Cafeteria Director

Counselor’s Corner

After the Conferences

After you have had your conference with your child’s teachers, now what? No doubt, a great deal of information was shared and suggestions were made. Be sure to discuss the conference with your child. Tell him/her the positive comments and the compliments paid to him/her by the teachers. Point out what the teachers said about your child’s strengths, about his/her work, attitudes, and the way he/she acts and behave towards others. Also, be sure to discuss the areas of concern the teachers noted. Talk to your child about what improvements he/she can make. Start right away on any action the teachers and you decided would help your child. Most important, be sure your child knows that the teachers and you are working together for the benefit of his or her education.

The counselor can be reached at 938-2923

Fifth Grade Facts

This second quarter has been very exciting so far. All four core subjects have been incredibly fun. In mathematics, we are learning how to multiply decimals by decimals and decimals by whole numbers. It has been really interesting learning these daily skills. In science we just took a test on the parts of a cell. The 5th grade students also got to look at the real parts of a cell through an optical microscope. We additionally learned the parts of all common microscopes including the optical, scanning, and electron microscopes. Now in Social Studies, we are exploring the lives of Native American cultures, through tribes such as the Anasazi, Tlingit, and the Mississippians or the “Mound Builders.” All E.L.A. classes are learning about concrete, abstract, singular, and plural nouns. Even though the second quarter has just started, all 5th grade students are enjoying it.

Submitted by 5th Graders

Sixth Grade Snippets

Using a rubric and review notes, science students created and presented a “Plant Job” project to demonstrate their understanding of a plant’s structures, processes, and responses that allow the plant to survive and reproduce. For E.L.A. students should proofread all work prior to submission, as this is a very important life skill. Students in math class are studying decimals and fractions, and may keep their textbooks in a safe place at home until the end of the school year. In reading class, students are exploring aspects of classical music while reading about Mozart. In social studies the students will analyze the role of the Nile River in the development of ancient Egypt’s economy

Seventh Grade Happenings

Students in the seventh grade English/Language Arts classes are critiquing and writing poetry. The seventh grade math students are finishing their chapter six fraction studies and preparing to start chapter seven with a focus on proportions. The seventh grade science classes have been busy with several interesting and exciting labs demonstrating friction and Newton’s Laws of Motion. Seventh grade social studies students are on a quest. They are working, with a partner, on a web quest to discover facts about an assigned country in the Middle East. They are going to tell the story of their country in a written paper and then share this with the class by creating a power point about the story. Spanish 1 is working on the “Album de Recuerdos” Project. They selected five pictures for which they will write Spanish captions: an introduction and the depicted like or dislike.

Eighth Grade Tid Bits

The eighth grade math students will be writing and solving two step algebraic equations. Eighth grade Gold One has been reading and analyzing Call of the Wild. As an extension of the novel work, students will be writing a piece of historical fiction based on the Klondike Gold Rush utilizing Big 6 research skills and 6+1 traits of writing.

All Drama students are busy preparing for the Veterans’ Day Assembly. With the theme of “America’s First Soldiers” upperclassmen will perform historically based skits on Revolutionary Soldiers. Fifth and sixth grade drama students will portray the Minutemen. Science classes have been learning all about atoms. We will be delving more into the topic of matter and physical/chemical changes. American History students are learning about how the American colonists gained their independence.

Information Center News

The circulation statistics for the end of October - 366 books were checked out.

Eye on Technology

GAGGLE TO BE USED IN THE EVENT OF H1N1 SCHOOL CLOSURE

As part of our emergency plan to continue the educational process during a school closure, every teacher has created a Homework Drop Box in Gaggle. All students (every student has an account) will be able to access, and submit their assignments using these drop boxes. Students simply log on to Gaggle, go to the JUMP TO menu, and arrow down to Homework Drop Boxes. They double click on the class name and then double click on the assignment folder. Once the folder opens they can read the assignment, click on the submit button, and type in their assignment or attach a file.

Username in Gaggle is firstname.lastname@am.gaggle.net

Passwords were distributed at the beginning of the year and should be in the student agendas.

If you experience a problem with the password, please email the Gaggle Administrator at: ga@am.gaggle.net

Please check out our home page. A link to information about our emergency plan is located above the calendar

“DoDEA and West Point Middle School Pandemic Planning and Information Page”.

Educational Technologist

School Improvement

In the spirit of continuous school improvement, the faculty met to consider revisions to the mission statement and reviewed the AdvancED standards which are summarized as follows:

Vision and Purpose –commits to a purpose and direction that is shared by all shareholders.
Governance and Leadership – A system is successful in meeting this standard when it has leaders who are advocates for the system's vision and improvement efforts. The leaders provide direction.
Teaching and Learning - a curriculum based on clear and measurable expectations for student learning that provides opportunities for all students to acquire requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Documenting and Using Results - uses a comprehensive assessment system based on clearly-defined performance measures.
Resources and Support Systems – sufficient human, material, and fiscal resources to implement a curriculum that: enables students to achieve expectations for student learning, meets special needs, and complies with applicable regulations.
Stakeholder Communications and Relationships - it has the understanding, commitment, and support of stakeholders.
Commitment to Continuous Improvement – it implements a collaborative and ongoing process for improvement that aligns the functions of the system with the expectations for student learning.

Nurse's News

Parents, please be on the lookout for head lice. Head lice are parasitic insects that live in the hair and scalp of humans. They are spread easily from person to person by direct contact. Lice do not jump or fly. Anyone can be infested, regardless of personal hygiene. Head lice live on human beings (not pets) and can spread quickly by sharing combs, brushes, and towels that have been infested. Head lice are also spread from child to child on clothing, upholstered furniture, headrest, and car seats.

Lice eggs are called nits. They are white, translucent, and the pinpoint eggs are laid near the base of hair shafts. Nits are glued tightly to the side of hair shafts and unlike dandruff, cannot be knocked off easily. Adult lice are grayish in color and the size of a very small ant. A child with lice will usually complain of itching in the scalp. The back of the neck and above the ears is the favorite areas for lice.

Head lice are usually treatable with over- the- counter or prescription anti-lice shampoos. Directions for use are included with lice shampoo kits and need to be followed closely. After the shampoo treatment, the dead nits will remain on the hair, and need to be removed either manually or with fine-toothed comb. Manual removal of with a comb or fingernails is tedious, but necessary for the child to be allowed to return to school. Clothing, bedding, and stuffed animals must also be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. Items that cannot be washed, can be dry cleaned or place in sealed plastic bags for three weeks.

It is a good idea to periodically check your schoolchildren for head lice. Head lice continue to be one of the most prevalent communicable childhood conditions, and outbreaks are possible wherever children gather together closely. Please keep the nurse informed if your child has head lice.

NJHS

The National Junior Honor Society has extended the school supply donation drive for an additional week. While out shopping this weekend, please pick up a set of pencils, package of paper, a notebook, or pocket folders and send them in to the school for this worthwhile project. Your donation will directly support the rebuilding effort of schools in Iraq and Afghanistan, thereby supporting the efforts of our troops.

Another important project underway is a bake sale to be held near the parade field before next Saturday morning's parade (11/14/09). The bake sale is sponsored by the West Point Women's Club and will be staffed by NJHS. This project is to benefit wounded warriors and deployed soldiers, with proceeds funding efforts such as: Holiday Share program at USMA, Backpacks for Wounded Warriors at USMA and Walter Reed, and Holiday Care Packages/Gift Cards for USMA's deployed personnel. Please stop by and offer a donation for some tasty treats!

Invitation letters were distributed this week to seventh graders regarding membership in NJHS. An informational meeting will be held during seminar next week, and applications for membership will be provided at this time. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the WPMS NJHS sponsor.

By, NJHS - Secretary

Yearbook

The 2009-2010 yearbook staff is pleased to announce the price

plan for this year's yearbook. Due to the popularity of last year's hard

cover, we will again offer this design. You can save up to $8 by

buying your yearbook early. This year's schedule is:

Until October 31st $25

Until December 18th $29

2010 $33

Take advantage of our Fall offers and save! Please make the

checks to: West Point Schools SAF

Please return the completed order form to the main office at either

school.

This year you have the option to purchase your book using your

credit card online at www.jostensyearbook.com

Buy Now! [=

Environment Club

The Environment Club is having an Open House for new members on Tuesday, November 10th where the proposed projects and new ideas will be discussed.

Homework Club

Homework Club begins for the year! The Homework Club provides students an opportunity to work on assignments in a calm environment under a teacher’s supervision. The club will meet twice a week, Monday and Thursday in the library. Transportation must be provided. Students may attend the entire session or part of the time. They may also come one or two days a week. Please encourage your student to attend!

Spanish Club

The Spanish Club is enjoying popcorn while watching “Zorro.”

Newspaper Club

The Newspaper Club continues work on the first edition.

Cross Country

The 2009 West Point Middle School Cross Country teams ended their season with the Cornwall invitational bringing home six medals. Many thanks to all the parents who supplied fruit for the meets and for a fabulous dinner after the award ceremony on 2 November.

Music Notes

Bonus Days for Beginning and Intermediate Band

Students in beginning band may stay after school on Monday from 2:15-2:45 for Beginning Band Bonus Day. This is a great time to get a little extra help and learn new music!
Students in intermediate band may say after school on Tuesday from 2:15-2:45 for Intermediate Band Bonus Day. This is a great time to get a little extra help and learn new music!

First Performance for Chorus and Advanced Band

Next Tuesday, November 10, students from both chorus and advanced band will be performing in the Veteran’s Day Assembly. The performance will begin at 1:00 pm in the Middle School auditorium. These students are expected to wear khaki or black slacks with a red, white, and/or blue shirt. Please no jeans or sneakers. Family members are welcome to attend!

Wanted: Coaches for P.E.P. Pals

P.E.P. Pals stands for Physical Education Practice Pals. This club is for children who need extra time developing physical fitness and motor skills. It will include children who are 7 years old and older. Some of the children may qualify to participate in the Special Olympic competition held at West Point in May. This is a unique opportunity for students in grades four through eight to coach fellow students with physical fitness and movement difficulties and help them to enjoy physical activity. Please click on/open the application to apply for a coaching position.

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