PIEDMONT MIDDLE SCHOOL
Weekly Bulletin for April 20, 2009
PMS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Film Club will resume on Wednesday, May 13. If You have questions, please see Mrs. Smith. Mathletes – Our next Mathletes meeting is on Tuesday, April 21. Shakespeare Performance Club – April rehearsal dates are Thursday 23,30 and Friday 24. Be ready to begin at 7:00am sharp. Arrive to sign in a few minutes ahead of time so that we can start warming up at 7:00. Coat Drive – April 20th – 24th PMS will be having a coat drive. Please donate your old sweatshirts, coats and ski jackets. Everyone who brings in a coat will be entered in a raffle to win a chance to go to an ice cream party!!! So do your spring cleaning and bring in your coats.
APR
30 Days at a Glance
6th Grade Walk-A-Thon PMS Coat Drive STAR Testing Collaboration Day (Dismissal is 12:15pm) 30-5/1 STAR Makeups MAY 1 Magazine Sales Dance (6th: 4:30pm-6:00pm) (7/8: 7:00pm-9:00pm) 7 Diversity Day 11 Scoliosis Screening 7th Grade Girls/8th Grade Boys 15 Progress Reports Mailed Submissions for the Weekly Bulletin should be sent to Ruth Sowell at rsowell@piedmont.k12.ca.us by Wednesday @ 4:00pm. 23 20-24 22-24 24
PIEDMONT SCHOOLS TOBACCO-FREE – All parents and students, as well as community members, are reminded that Piedmont Unified School District has been declared by board policy to be tobacco-free. This means that the use and sale of tobacco products is prohibited anywhere, anytime on District property, including District vehicles and at school sponsored activities to include sporting events, and other student performances. Signage is in place to remind everyone that the schools are designated as tobacco-free. We appreciate the cooperation of students, staff, parents, and community members in this regard. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call David Roth, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, at 594.2893. STAR Testing Schedule – Wednesday, April 22, Thursday, April 23, and Friday, April 24 are STAR testing dates. On Friday, April 24, all students will be dismissed after testing at 12:15pm (Collaboration Day). Please make sure that your student gets a good night’s rest, eats a healthy breakfast and brings a healthy lunch or has money to buy lunch during testing days. Also, please schedule doctor/dentist appointments on days other than the above listed dates. STAR make up dates are April 30 and May 1. Hearing Screening - On April 6th Hearing Conservation Associates will conduct a hearing screening for 8th graders and referred students. Please call 594-2751 if you have any questions. PMS Library OPAC Now Online. To access the PMS Library Catalog from home, just go to the Library Page (www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/pms/Library.html) and click on Mandarin Oasis. Summer School Registration for grades K – 8 is underway. When making your summer plans, be sure to consider the APCP Summer Enrichment Program. Go to www.apcpsummerenrichment.org to learn more. Summer school registration has begun for the PUSD / APCP secondary summer school program for all students in grades 9 – 12. There are three programs available: enrichment, academic, and independent study. Please go to www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/phs/ for all the information needed to register. Registrations will be taken on a first come first served basis so register early.
PARENT CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
The PMS Parent Club Annual Meeting will be held on Friday, May 8th in the District Boardroom at 8:30am. We will be voting on the 2009-10 PMS Parent Board — all parents are welcome. We hope to see you there. PMS Appreciating Diversity Day – Thursday, May 7 – International Food FairStudents will be able to enjoy international foods at lunch on Appreciating Diversity Day. Parent volunteers are needed to donate food and to help at the Fair. Room Parents will be asking for your help with this event. Watch for an announcement from your Room Parent asking you to sign up to volunteer food and/or time.
If you have questions or want to get involved, you can also contact Terry Patton or Robin Phipps at foodfair09@gmail.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED- APPRECIATING DIVERSITY DAY INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR THURSDAY MAY 7 - Food donations needed!! Please contact your Room Parent if you can donate food. (Note that this year, due to new regulations, all food must be prepared in a commercial kitchen.) - Volunteers are needed to SET UP, SERVE, and CLEAN UP. Please contact your Room Parent if you can help at any time during the day. - Portable shade canopies will be needed during the event. If you have questions or want to get involved, you can contact Terry Patton or Robin Phipps at foodfair09@gmail.com. This is the last year we will be coordinating the food fair, so volunteers will be needed to organize future fairs. Easter = See’s Candy! Please remember to use See’s Candy Scrip when buying your Easter candy. See’s donates 23% to our schools. That is more than any other merchant that participates in our Scrip program. See’s certificates are available for $15.00 each and can be used at See’s Candy locations like Emeryville, Alameda or Walnut Creek. You can also use the certificates at http://www.sees.com and have your chocolate deliver to your home or to someone special. Scrip is available for purchase anytime just email vickicdiaz@yahoo.com or call 594-9322. Scrip will also be for sale at our next Parents Club meeting on April 10th in the District Board Room. The Scrip program raises about $100,000 per year for our Piedmont Schools. This would not be possible without your support – thank you! Scrip Inventory Manager Needed - Would you like to REALLY HELP Piedmont schools fundraising, but you prefer to work behind-the-scenes and on your own schedule? The scrip committee needs a new inventory manager. This job requires a quick-learner who is careful, methodical and consistent, and who is available to fill scrip orders quickly and cheerfully, even under pressure. She/he will interface with local businesses and an online scrip vendor, will attend monthly Scrip Committee meetings (over breakfast or lunch) and work closely with the treasurer, administrator and scrip school reps. She keeps up the excel spread sheet that tracks every piece of scrip bought and sold. The Scrip program cannot go on without a very able person in this position. A 2-year commitment is desirable. Please contact Nancy DeRoche, 654-7533, nancy@galleryderoche.com . Attention 8th Graders - Due to popular demand, the 8th Grade Rep’s have decided to change the Boat Dance Theme. The attire will now be semi-formal and our colors of purple and white will be the décor. Need another Piedmont Student Directory? Due to an error in printing, we have extras and are selling them to parent club members for $ 5. Get them for the car or office, for your children to have their own copies. Visit the Piedmont Educational Foundation Office located at the rear of the Community Center building in Piedmont Park, next to the preschool. The office is open most business hours, phone 653-1816. The profits help support special programs in the schools. The 2008-2009 edition has lots of information.....get another hot pink version while they last. The mission of Piedmont Educational Foundation (PEF) is to promote academic excellence, champion innovation and provide sustained financial support to the Piedmont schools. PEF, a community-based K-12 district-wide school support organization, provides financial support through its grants programs and annual distributions from the Endowment Fund. PEF is committed to preserving and enhancing the long-term quality of the Piedmont schools. Please renew your investment in our children and our schools through a contribution to PEF. For additional information, please visit the website at www.PiedmontEdFoundation.org. Average Daily Attendance -Did you know that for every day that your child misses school the District loses $33 in State funding? To help relieve the financial burden to the Schools, you can choose to reimburse them this amount. Simply send a check to Business Services Office, Piedmont Unified School District, 760 Magnolia Avenue,
Piedmont CA 94611, made payable PUSD, indicating it is an ADA reimbursement. Thank you for your support.
Date MON– 4/20
Lunch Entrée(s) Food For Thought
Volunteers Amanda Doctor, Dana Low, Katherine O’Connor, Julie Reichle Angela Lopez, Debbie Lee, Barbara Dukas, Terry Burge Karen Ellis, Martha Linhares, Matt/Margaret Heafey, Julie Gardner Jane Anderson, Betsy Barnes, Jeanette Kerley, Karen Hartog Debra Newman, Tina Stott Perkocha, Dana/Jeff Simon, Cynthia Lee
TUES – 4/21 WED – 4/22
Food For Thought Food For Thought Chicken Taquito - $3.00 Cheese Quesadilla - $3.00 Cybelle’s Pizza - $2.50
THU – 4/23 FRI –4/24
*** Menu subject to change without notice *** *Daily Brunch items may include Biscuit, Bagel, Muffin, Pretzel and “Special” on Friday*
RECREATION DEPARTMENT SPORTS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Monday, April 20 Wednesday, April 21 Thursday, April 22 PMS Track and Field Practice PMS Track & Field Practice PMS Track & Field Practice-Time Trials Witter Field Witter Field Witter Field 5:00pm - 6:30pm 5:00pm – 6:30pm 5:00pm – 6:30pm
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Use of promotional materials or advertisements exhibited does not imply Piedmont Unified School District endorsement of any identified products or services.)
PPN - Looking for a way to stay connected with other middle school parents? The Piedmont Parents Network (PPN) runs discussion groups for middle school parents and it's never too late to join. Groups for single parents are also available. PPN groups meet in the evening, generally once a month during the school year. Groups discuss issues and concerns as well as hosting speakers on pertinent topics. PPN is a great way to stay connected during middle school, whether you are new to Piedmont or new to the middle school. Groups are organized by grade. It's never too late to join. For questions or more information on how to join, please contact Jamie Miller at jamiedc@aol.com. Come to the Annual Softball Carwash Fundraiser on Sunday, April 26th from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Valero Gas Station at 340 Highland Avenue. We’ll have a crew of eager athletes ready to make your car’s exterior sparkling clean! The cost is $15 per SUV and $10 per car. All proceeds go to the PHS Softball team and will pay for equipment upgrades. The team will also be selling baked goods so you can enjoy a treat while you wait! We hope to see you on the 26th – go Highlanders! Camp Augusta – A Few Spots Left! - A staple in the Piedmont community for over 75 years, Camp Augusta is more popular than ever. For the first time in five summers, a handful of spots have opened up due to changing family plans. Returning resident campers get session choice priority in future summers, so this is also a great chance to begin a Camp Augusta family tradition. In addition to the children-only resident camp, Camp Augusts also hosts several family camps. Labor Day Camp has space left for four families, so if you don’t already have plans, consider a unique family getaway to Piedmont’s Camp Augusta. Memorial Day is
sold out, but the waiting list is not too long. What can you do at Camp Augusta? Explore your artistic side with perhaps some paper marbling, balloon animals, tie dye, candle making, stained glass, woodworking, or a dozen plus other endeavors! Looking to boost your confidence from up high? Camp Augusta has two one-of-a-kind in the nation ropes-course elements, as well as a zip line, Giant Swing, and several others. Many more adventure activities, music, theater, field games, nature, outdoor skills, and a waterfront await. Over 100 choices in all in the clinic times alone! Session 2 for Boys June 28th – July 11th Session 3 for Boys July 12th – July 25th Session 4 for Girls July 26th – August 8th (2 to 5 slots per week are open) Family Camps ~ Labor Day ~ June 5 - 7 (short family camp like Gold Rush, but without the theme) See the Camp Augusta website for the latest in open slots – www.campaugusta.org. Pixar/Disney “UP” Special Advanced Screening May 2nd. Attached is an invitation to the Pixar/Disney "UP" Special Advanced Screening to be held May 2nd . This event benefits the Piedmont Ed Foundation. To buy tickets for this exciting event, go to www.piedmontedfoundation.org/up Tickets are selling out fast so buy today to avoid disappointment. May 8th A's Night Fundraiser for Piedmont Baseball and Softball - All local families are encouraged to join the Piedmont Baseball and Softball Foundation for our annual fundraiser with the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum. The date is Friday, May 8th and the game is at 7:05 pm against the Toronto Blue Jays. The cost is $35.00 per person and includes a pre-game tail gate BBQ and a field level seat for the game. This is a great event for players, parents, neighbors, and community members who are interested in supporting Baseball and Softball for our local boys and girls. Last year we had almost 1,000 participants! Each baseball and softball team has an A’s night coordinator who is in charge of selling tickets and collecting checks. Teams that sell 30+ tickets will be entered into a drawing for an A’s Sky Box for a future game. Please contact your coordinator to purchase tickets and if you are a community member who would like to join us please visit www.piedmontbaseball.org for additional ticket information. The deadline for ticket purchase is Thursday April 23rd. Questions? Call or email your team’s A’s Night Coordinator or if all else fails, email Peter Ormond, PBF A’s Nite Coordinator: MHPBROKER@AOL.COM A TRI-SCHOOL PARENT EDUCATION EVENING with Jamie Woolf - Leading Your Kids through Tough Times: Turning Challenges into Opportunities for Growth, Tuesday, May 12, 7:30-9:00 p.m. Beach School Auditorium The focus of this presentation and discussion will be on how to help your children develop better skills for dealing with adversity – not by shielding them from it, but by helping them through their emotions and worries. Particular attention will be paid to how to address kids’ anxieties about the current economic and environmental crises, but discussion is open to concerns from the audience. We will focus on the best way to keep children informed without creating needless anxiety, and on the advantages of involving kids in contributing to something larger than themselves – for example, by teaching lessons that foster financial literacy or by finding ways, as a family, to make “green” changes around the home. By giving kids tools for facing adversity, we can foster resilience, responsibility and self confidence. Jamie Woolf is a leadership consultant and author of Mom-in-Chief: How Wisdom From the Workplace Can Save Your Family From Chaos. She founded The Parent Leader to help mothers and fathers to gain the self-awareness and leadership skills to transform their daily parenting challenges into desired results. To learn more, visit http://www.mominchief.com Tasty refreshments provided; and we will be giving away several copies of Jamie’s book (all attendees will be entered in a drawing). For more information about the event, contact Margaret Ovenden at movenden@sbcglobal.net