February 8, 1999
Volume 7, No. 3
Report cards were sent home with students last Friday, February 5. Due to problems integrating our information into the District's grade reporting system, you will note that in several subjects there are two teachers listed for a class. We were unable to find a way around this problem. If you need clarification, ask your student which teachers they had last semester, and which they have this semester.
Parent-teacher conferences will be held on Thursday, February 11, in the evening on a drop-in basis and on Friday, February 12, from 8 AM to 3 PM by appointment and from 3 to 4 PM on a drop-in basis. A timer will be used during the drop-in times so that the conferences can move smoothly. Most of the part-time teachers will be available for only half the day on Friday, February 12, 1999.
Sign up, on the posted lists in the cafeteria, before or after school on February 8, 9, and 10, 7:45-8:35 AM and 2:45-3:15 PM.
The Summit Board has approved a recommendation from the Accountability, Assessment and Accreditation Committee to provide a staff development day for Summit teachers. In order to minimize disruption to families, it will be held on Monday, April 26. The “Summit Day” break is scheduled for Friday, April 23. This means that students will have a four day weekend April 23, 24, 25, and 26. We hope that this advanced notification will assist our families with planning.
With 70 gifts in hand, Tools for Learning has just topped $20,000, half way to the goal of $40,000. "I've been talking to several contributing parents," said Jeff Bradley, fundraising chairman, "and they are so grateful that their children do not have to sell things at Summit."
Are you glad your kids aren't out selling over-priced merchandise? We need to hear from a lot more parents to reach our goal--money that will be used to augment teacher salaries, keep class sizes small, provide books and technology, and fund extra-curricular activities.
If you haven't sent your pledge card in, please consider a gift to this year's Tools for Learning drive. Your child is already benefiting from the generosity of others, and your payments can be spread over the rest of the year. If you need a pledge card, call Jeff Bradley at 303-499-4275.
Elections for three positions on the seven-member Summit Board of Directors will be held in April for two-year terms beginning on June 1, 1999. Successful candidates will be expected to attend Board meetings as nonvoting participants in April and May. The Board has broad responsibility for governing the school. It meets approximately every two weeks, with occasional periods of more intense activity.
If you have an interest in the success of Summit and would like to be involved in the real decisions necessary to run your child's school, consider running for the Board of Directors. Serving on the Board is an opportunity to make a genuine contribution to the development of our children.
Candidates should be dedicated to Summit's educational philosophy and be willing to devote the time necessary to serve on the Board. The Board often benefits from the talents of members with expertise in budget, computer programming, scheduling, law, personnel, grant writing, and negotiation.
The ballot for the election will be prepared in March by a nominating committee. Candidates can be placed on the ballot by selection of the nominating committee or by submission of a petition signed by 10 percent of all Summit families, faculty, and staff. Candidates will prepare written responses to four questions and participate in one or two candidate forums at the school. If you are interested in serving on the Board, please contact Chris Howard, 303-673-0978, by the first of March.
Students in Summit American History classes are participating in this year's National History Day program, "Science, Technology, Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change." Projects are due Friday, February 26 and Summit History Day is Monday, March 1. Judges from the community will meet with students to evaluate their projects throughout the day. Five entries in each of the seven categories will go on to compete at BVSD History Day on Wednesday, March 31 and possibly to state and national competitions. Volunteers are needed to help students locate research material in the library and on the Internet during afternoon study hall and on classroom library days. There will also be an assisted research day at Norlin Library on the CU campus on Saturday, February 13. Please call Joan Harig or Cathy Burchett to volunteer for any of these times.
Middle school girls who attend the Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) conference this year will find themselves exploring math, science and technology careers at the new Integrated Teaching and Learning Lab (ITLL) at the Engineering Center on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. This change of location for the sixth annual conference promises to make the event even more interesting than usual.
The ITLL is designed as a hands-on laboratory for engineering students and features state-of-the-art technology and many permanent, interactive exhibits. The goal of EYH is to encourage middle school girls to continue to study math, science and technology by interacting with women whose careers embrace these studies. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who attend the conference will have the opportunity to attend two small interactive sessions with women whose careers depend on math, science and technology. Students will also explore a career fair and technology hall featuring many computer demonstrations.
Parents, teachers and counselors will attend a separate program with workshops focusing on many issues facing middle school girls. This year's conference will be held Saturday, March 6, from 10 AM to 2:15 PM at the Engineering Center. The conference fee of $7 for students and $10 for adults includes lunch and handouts. Some scholarships are available. A registration brochure is available in the Summit office or on the Internet at: bcn.boulder.co.us/community/aauw/aauwb_eyh99.html
You may also call Susan at 303-530-4890 for more information. The registration deadline is February 27 or whenever the registration limit is reached, so please register early this year.
Ms. Hanckel is looking for an extra TV and VCR to use for French video projects.
The 1999 Summit Science Fair finals will be held on Wednesday, February 17, in the Summit/Southern Hills library. Students will set up their projects on Wednesday morning before school, after which the library will be open for public viewing of the projects until 11:30 AM.
In the afternoon, students will present their projects to the judges. Winners will be announced on Thursday, February 18, during a special awards ceremony at 2:45 in the auditorium. Family and friends are invited to attend the ceremony.
The winners of the Summit Science Fair will compete in the 1999 Regional Science Fair, held on March 5 and 6 at Centaurus High School in Lafayette.
If you are the parent of an adolescent, if you will be the parent of an adolescent, if you know someone struggling with the issues of parenting an adolescent…please join us Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00 PM at the George Reynolds Branch Library (Table Mesa Drive and Stanford Avenue) for a discussion of the best selling book, Reviving Ophelia, by Dr. Mary Pipher. This talk will be led by David W. MacDonald, M.A. Counseling, Applied Psychology.
Why are more American adolescent girls prey to depression, eating disorders, addictions and suicide attempts than ever before? Dr. Pipher suggests that we are living in a "look obsessed, media saturated, girl poisoning culture." She deals with the painfully honest day to day realities of the world adolescent girls live in and sounds an alarm to parents, schools, churches, families and friends of teen age girls. Dr. Natalie Porter of the American Psychological Association states that the concerns of Reviving Ophelia are concerns we must respond to if we care about our daughters, our nieces and our students. This book is focused on the dangers of being young and female in the 1990’s and how parents and support persons can find new tools and strategies to help. Reviving Ophelia is not just for the parents of girls: parents of boys will also benefit greatly from this talk.
If you have not returned your Summit Middle School Parent Satisfaction Survey, please take a few minutes to fill it out and return it to the Summit office as soon as possible.
The Summit Board of Directors will meet at 7:00 PM on Monday, February 22. The February 7 meeting was rescheduled to February 8.
High school registration will occur in February. Please check the following list for a description of the registration process at each high school.
Fairview High School - The Fairview counselors will meet with Summit 8th graders to distribute course descriptions and registration packets on Monday, February 22. Students and their parents may attend an academic planning night, “Fairview Evening of Transition,” on February 24 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. The Fairview counselors will return again to Summit to meet with 8th graders and collect completed registration materials on March 1.
Boulder High School (please note changes to registration dates) - Students will attend a field trip to Boulder High School with Ms. Bartley on Wednesday, February 24, from 1:30 to 3:00 PM. At this time they will pick up registration materials. The following night, February 25, there will be an academic planning session for students and their parents from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at Boulder High School. On Wednesday, March 3 at 2:00 PM, counselors from Boulder High will come to Summit to meet with students and pick up their registration materials.
Broomfield High School - All students who are planning to attend Broomfield High should attend the “Eighth Grade Academic Planning Night” which will be held on Wednesday, February 10. After attending this session, students and their parents should contact the school to make an appointment with a counselor to complete the registration process.
Monarch High School - Monarch will be hosting an “Academic Planning Night” for 8th graders on Tuesday, February 23, at 7 PM. The Monarch counselor, Mike Riley, will visit Summit to register students on Friday, February 26, during first period. Important note: Students who wish to attend Monarch and who currently attend Summit are requested to submit an open enrollment application even if they live in the attendance area. This will save a spot for them, and get them into the data base and on the mailing list.
Centaurus High School - On Tuesday, February 16, Centaurus will host a “Freshman Academic Planning Night” at 7 PM. After this presentation, students should call the Centaurus High School counseling department to make an appointment to register.
New Vista High School - Students planning to attend New Vista should attend a student/parent information meeting and obtain an application form directly from New Vista.
Instead of a formal concert, the bands and orchestra will perform some of their best selections for this year's recording on the February 18 concert date. Audience is welcome -- but understand that your coughs and comments will be recorded for all to hear.
Summit choir and Silver Rain will record and perform later in the Spring. We are seeking school, service club, or rest home venues for run-out performances. Contact Mr. Burkhart with prospects.
We're still looking for doors, carpenters, carriage wheels and welders, and fancy ball dresses. Thank you to those who have responded - we're counting on you. Please continue to leave messages for Mr. Burkhart and Ms. Hanckel.
Remember - mark your calendars for April 30 and May 1, 7 PM. We will also perform one dress rehearsal for the school on April 30.
The Summer Enrichment Program at the University of Northern Colorado will have two sessions, July 4-17 and July 18-31. Students who are selected for the program are enrolled in four 70-minute classes which encourage them to explore new topics and expand their interests. Recreational and social programs and time for relaxing and reflecting are also part of the program.
Nominations to the Summer Enrichment Program may be initiated by teachers, parents, or others who have knowledge of a student’s abilities. The deadline for receipt of applications is June 1. Please call Kendra Bartley, Summit Counselor, for more information, 303-499-9511.
Girl Scout Troop 1462 had a great first semester. They enjoyed a swim party, a Halloween camp out, and a holiday party, earned badges in “Fashion” and “Girl Scouting in the USA,” and served the community collecting food for “9 Shares, Colorado Cares,” acquiring books and toys for “Share-A-Gift,” and making toiletry bags for the Denver Rescue Mission.
Plans for the second semester include: a CU Women’s Basketball game with dads, a mother/daughter tea, selling cookies, badges on “Girl Scouting Around the World” and “Looking our Best,” a camp out, volunteering for the March of Dimes’ Walk America, and being promoted to Cadette Scouting.
The Summit sixth graders who are members of the troop are Lara Brown, Melissa Crocker, Miranda Daigle, Erika Daley, Erin Grady, Elise Hogue, and Halley Theodore.
On Tuesday, February 2, Max Carey, Becca Dole, George London, Evan O'Loughlin, and Heather Perry attended the Science Explorers workshops presented by Science Discovery at the University of Colorado. Together with their science teacher, Mery Molenaar, the team participated in activity-based workshops on past, present, and future climate. They built a greenhouse, studied tree rings, and discovered the factors that affect Colorado's complex climate. The team received take-home materials to replicate the activities at home and at school. Costs for the workshops were covered by BVSD.
Open Space Communications is sponsoring “Beyond Giftedness VI,” a conference for parents and educators who live and work with gifted children. The conference will be held on Friday, February 26, 1999, 8 AM - 4:30 PM, at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. Registration includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and materials. Contact Dorothy Knopper, 303-444-7020, or www.openspacecomm.com, for more information.
Bolder Girls is a newspaper that is written by girls and published in the Boulder Planet. Girls have the opportunity to work with professional journalist and newspaper staff to learn about all aspects of newspaper production, including writing, photography, layout and design, and advertising sales. Participants are asked to submit two stories and/or photographs for the final publication. Bolder Girls is open to girls ages 9 - 14 and will meet Thursdays, February 18 - May 6 from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at the YWCA. Call to pre-register, 303-443-0419.