April 7, 1997
Volume 3, No. 6
The annual Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado, directed by Summit parent Sven Steinmo, will include several panel discussion on issues in education:
The complete program is available on the Web at http://www.colorado.edu/cwa.
The following schedule will be in effect for the next two weeks for the Test of Cognitive Skills (TCS) and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). We encourage you to have your son or daughter well fed and to school on time especially during this testing period. Any student who arrives after 8:00 AM will be asked to come to the office and will not be allowed to enter his or her testing room.
Students who are late or absent will take make-up tests at a later date. If you know that your student will be absent during these testing dates, or if you have any questions regarding the testing, please contact Corky Strong, 447-5529. All tests begin at 8 AM.
Students will be excused from their regular first-, second-, and sometimes third-period classes on these days. However, please encourage your student to consult with his or her teachers since students will be responsible for all work they miss during this time period. Please use the Homework Hotline.
All Summit students are invited for an evening of fun at the East Boulder Recreation Center, 5660 Sioux Drive, on Saturday, April 12, 8-11:30 PM. We will have pizza and soft drinks, movies, dancing, swimming, games, basketball, the climbing wall, and more! The cost is $7. Anyone needing a scholarship for this event should request one from Lisa Singletary in the Summit office. Parents or teachers who chaperone get in free.
Students should bring a bathing suit, towel, $7 admission, and money for extra snacks. Do not bring electronic items or any valuables.
To help us determine how many chaperones we need for Fun Night, students will be asked during lunch hour on Wednesday, April 9, if they plan to attend. This does not obligate them to attend, but knowing approximate numbers will help us a great deal.
No students can be admitted without a Summit permission slip. You will find one attached to this newsletter, in the Summit office, and at the Rec Center on Saturday night. If you drop off someone else's students, make sure they have a permission slip signed by one of their parents. This event is for Summit students only; sorry, no siblings, friends, or pets. Once signed in, students can leave Fun Night only accompanied by a parent or a designated adult.
We need a ratio of chaperones to students of 1:10. To volunteer for chaperoning, please call Linda Koivuniemi, 546-0050, or Jeff Bradley, 499-4275. You will have a lot of fun. Do not worry that chaperoning will cause death by embarrassment for your child; we haven't lost one yet!
The climbing wall costs $6 extra and must be reserved in advance by getting money to Moira Woolsey, 554-1849, by lunch time on Wednesday, April 9. The Rec Center requires that climbers have a special permission form signed by parents in addition to the Summit permission slip. Only the first 24 students who sign up can climb the wall. If we do not get enough people to climb the wall, that activity will be canceled and the fees refunded. Anyone needing a scholarship for the climbing wall should see Lisa Singletary in the Summit office.
Parents should expect students to bring home their third-quarter report cards April 14-16. If you have any questions regarding report cards, please contact Corky Strong, 447-5529. We are still missing 44 signed grade envelopes from the second quarter. Corky will be calling homes.
Two teams of Summit students participated in the competition for the Community Innovation Award sponsored by Bayer Corporation, the National Science Foundation, the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, and Discover magazine. Dr. Sikora was the mentor for both teams. A proposal on lake regeneration was submitted by Kate and Laura Farrell, Antti Koivuniemi, and Katrina Mohr. A proposal on micro-windmills, which made it to the semifinals, was submitted by Matt Angiono, Trevor Davis, Cody Hayes, and Taryn Sposato.
A panel of judges will select 10 teams, from the 30 semifinalists across the nation, to become finalists. Each finalist team will receive a $250 grant to further develop its entry and a four-day trip to the Christopher Columbus Academy at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World.
The State Science and Engineering Fair will be held on April 10-12 in Fort Collins. Exhibits will be on display April 11 (9 AM - 5 PM) and, with students present, April 12 (9 AM - 12 N), in the Lory Student Center main ballroom at Colorado State University. Tom Cech will speak on "The Origins of Life and Medical Possibilities" on April 11, 9 AM. Ben Gilman and Antti Koivuniemi are among the students representing Boulder Valley in the Junior Division.
Erin Sweeney was one of 11 students representing Boulder Valley at the Colorado Spelling Bee on March 29. She made it to the final round in the State competition for the second time in her career. Good work, Erin.
The Summit Odyssey of the Mind team placed first in the "Classics . . . Can You Dig It?" problem at the Boulder Valley Regional OM Tournament on March 15. Additionally, the team was awarded an "Outstanding OMer" award for "exceptional dedication and/or commitment, exceptional teamwork, a good, polished performance, and exceptional costumes and artifacts." The team of Lindsay Fox, Eric Gonzales, Wendy Harig, Cara Harmon, Dale Swirhun, and Sara Vink will compete in the Colorado tournament at the University of Denver on April 26. The first place team at State will advance to the World tournament at the University of Maryland in June.
This team, coached by Karen Fox and Connie Harmon, has been working on their problem solution since November. Thanks to all the faculty and staff members for their support at the dress rehearsal and a special thanks to Ms. Dozeman who served as an OM judge and to Mr. Koch for his presentation on archeology.
Three parents have volunteered to help with the planning and execution of this year's graduation ceremony. However, this ready-made team needs a leader! A few more team members would also be welcome. We envision a magnificent, memorable event; help make it happen. Contact Linda Cowan, 543-7433.
Thanks to Melody Johnson for arranging the acquisition of two new computers from IBM. One was the result of her successful grant proposal. The other was the result of IBM matching funds donated by IBM families Bartley, Johnson, and McDaniel.
Summit thespians took to the stage on March 21 and scored hits with the audiences in their production of Peter Pan. They did this against all odds — such as no stage available for practices until four days before the show, no keys to the storage areas, no existing props, and several unfilled character roles in the last two weeks of practice. Some brave Summit students stepped forward in the final days to take roles and tackle the tasks of a stage crew. Their efforts were rewarded in the afternoon production with tumultuous cheers from Summit students. An evening performance was well received by parents and siblings. Thanks to the Summit Student Council for hosting intermission in the evening performance.
Congratulations to Director Ms. Hutton, Tricia Rubi in the title role, the Summit thespians, and the student and parent volunteers on the fine performances. The students all agreed there should be a play next year, perhaps in the fall.
In an effort to be neighborly, we request that you do not park along the unpaved service road north of the Summit buildings. Parents and visitors may park behind the gymnasium, along Knox Drive, or in the Southern Hills parking lot. Thank you.
Students or parents who would like regular progress reports regarding the Basic programming class can send e-mail to Mr. Mueller, rmueller@indra.com. General questions or comments are also welcome.
Anyone interested in receiving Summit Board of Directors meeting agendas by e-mail, please send your e-mail address to Chris_Howard@together.cudenver.edu. The agendas are posted regularly outside the Summit administrative office.
Please remember to return your ballots for the Summit Board elections by April 11.
The Summit Homework Hotline grows more successful every month. Mr. Burkhart, Mr. Mueller, and Mr. Shoub have all requested extensions, bringing our total number of lines to 15. Thanks to all of our dedicated teachers for taking the time to regularly record assignments, test dates, project due dates, and for providing general information to parents about what students are doing in their classrooms. Also, thanks to the Daily Camera for making this service available.
Remember, students are expected to write down all assignments in class. Although the Hotline serves as an efficient means for students who are ill or out on field trips to keep up with assignments, please discourage your student from using the Hotline as a substitute for carefully recording all assignments given in class.
Any questions or suggestions regarding the Hotline from teachers, parents, or students may be directed to Marti Gorman, 494-4488.
The last play of the season at the Denver Center Theater Company will be "Fables." This play was commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts. We have reserved tickets for the performance on Wednesday, May 21, at 6:30 PM. Any student or parent who would like to attend, please contact Corky Strong to reserve your seat. The price for all seats is $12. Checks should be made payable to Summit Middle School.
The national cast of the Broadway musical "Beauty and the Beast" will be in Denver during the months of July and August. Corky saw the original cast in Los Angeles and thought it was one of the best musicals she had ever seen. There are a number of wonderful special effects used on stage. Corky is willing to reserve tickets for those interested. Contact her at 447-5529.
The Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools is having a fundraiser on Saturday, April 19, 6:30 PM to 12 M, featuring dining, dancing, music, and silent auction. Tickets are $75. Call 447-5132 for information.
Parents of incoming Fairview freshmen are invited to visit the school on Monday, April 28, at 9:30 AM or 7:30 PM for a meeting with Principal Dennis Dee and a tour. Meet in the front lobby.
Fairview needs volunteers to help the first few weeks of school with registration, vision and hearing screening, mailing of the monthly newsletter, and typing the student directory. Contact Jane Fox, 786-9266.
The second annual IB trivia contest will be held at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on Saturday, April 26, beginning at 7 PM. Each table of eight will compete in rounds of trivia and other events in an unusual evening of cerebral entertainment. Individuals and teams are welcome. Tax-deductible contributions of $25 benefit the IB program at Fairview High School. Donations of prizes and auction items are welcome. For reservations and complete information, call 530-4555, 786-7865, or 258-0289.
The Boulder Chamber of Commerce and the Daily Camera are sponsoring a nonpartisan program for citizens of Boulder County interested in running for public office. The series of three classes will be held on April 16, April 30, and May 14. Call 442-1044 for information or to register.
An information and registration meeting for the Mesa Swim Team for the summer season will be held on Thursday, April 17, 7 PM, at Mesa Elementary (no relation). Call 499-1740 or 666-8767 for information.
Kids Kars Ltd. offers transportation services for children in the Boulder-Louisville area. Call 666-6300 for information or to schedule regular or occasional rides.
The City of Boulder Adventure Program is offering nine different week-long outdoor recreation courses throughout the summer for students 12-15 years old. For information, call 441-4401.
A summer volleyball camp sponsored by Metro State College will be held at the Auraria Events Center in Denver, August 4-8, 9 AM - 12 N. Registration is $85. Call 556-3832 for information.