March 8, 1999
Volume 7, No. 5
It will soon be time to vote for three new members of the Summit Board of Directors. With this issue of Summit News you will find brief answers by candidates to the questions posed by the Nominating Committee. The candidates will meet to answer your questions on Wednesday, March 17 at 7PM in one of Summit's portable classrooms. Please join us at this forum to listen to the candidates and decide for whom to vote. Ballots will be mailed on Monday, March 15, to the Summit community. Each family has one vote per child attending Summit; each staff member has one vote. Ballots will be due back in the Summit office by Friday, April 2.
It is also time to update Summit's Rules of Governance (bylaws) for the first time since our original proposal was submitted in May 1995. We need an affirmative vote from 2/3 of the school community in order to make these minor changes. Included with the ballot will be a copy of the bylaws with the proposed changes highlighted. Any comments or questions may be directed to any Board member or brought up during the discussion of the bylaws at the Summit Board of Directors meeting on Monday, March 29. The Summit Board is recommending these changes. Please remember to vote on these bylaws revisions by April 2 at the same time you vote for the Board candidates.
Summit yearbooks can be purchased for $15 per copy from Tracy Stutsman at lunch or from Ms. Brakhage. Make checks payable to Summit Middle School.
Tools for Learning has passed the $30,000 mark, but there are over 100 families who have yet to send in their pledge cards. "The success or failure of this year's drive rests with those parents," reports fundraising chairman Jeff Bradley. "We don't ask for a specific amount, but we do hope that parents help out to the extent that they can. Gifts so far have ranged from $25 to $2,500, with an average donation of just over $270. All gifts are important."
Several parents who work for IBM, US West, or Lucent have applied for matching funds from those companies, which at least doubles the value of the gift to Summit. Supporters of Summit, Inc. now has a brokerage account, and can accept gifts of stock.
Jeff reports that the second wave of appeal letters has gone out. He expressed hope that the remaining parents will push Tools for Learning over its goal of $40,000. "To anyone pondering whether Summit is worthy of support," he concludes, "I pose the following question: How much is the best middle school education in the state worth to you?"
Student Council is sponsoring a free lock-in on Saturday, March 13, from 8:30 to 11:30 PM at the East Boulder Recreation Center. We will have a live band, a D.J., free pizza and soda. You won’t want to miss this party. Bring your Summit I.D. and permission slip if you haven’t already turned one in.
Summit's Annual Report was completed and turned in to the Superintendent's office on March 1, as per our contract with the district. Many thanks to members of the faculty, administrative staff, AAA (Accountability) Committee, and Board for their hard work in preparing this document. Excerpts from the Annual Report will appear in future newsletters. Anyone wishing to obtain a complete copy of the report may request it from the Summit office.
The Summit Board of Directors will meet at 7:00 PM on Monday, March 8 and Monday, March 29. Meetings are held in the staff work room and parents are welcome to attend, as always.
Summit did extremely well at the district science fair on Saturday March 6. Of the 10 district middle school level projects going to the state fair, five projects are from Summit.
The following projects will be going to the Colorado State Science and Engineering Fair which will be held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins on April 8-10.
In the Mathematics and Computer Science category: “A French Monk's Riddle” by Eric Hansford
In the Physical Science category: “Honey, I Love You” by Joan Meiners; “Sound Propagation” by James Norton
In the Zoology category: “Spiders Create the Silk” by Hildur Boylston
In the Team category: “To Break a Bridge” by Steve Wilson and James Swirhun
Additionally, Summit students won many of the special awards:
American Welding Society, Colorado Section: “Time Tabling using Genetic Algorithms” by Anna Lindemann
Geneva Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: One of two first place winners - “Spiders Create the Silk” by Hildur Boylston; one of two second place winners - “Angle of Repose” by Tim Burchett
McDonald's Challenge 2000 Awards: In the Mathematics and Computer Science category - “A French Monk”s Riddle” by Eric Hansford; in the Team category - “To Break a Bridge” by Steve Wilson and James Swirhun; in the Health and Behavior Science category - “Are You Left Brained or Right Brained, that is the Question” by Sri Bangaru
NCAR Atmospheric Science Award: “Tree Rings” by Eirik Ogilvie-Wigley
NIST Best Use of Measurement Science Awards: “Time Tabling using Genetic Algorithms” by Anna Lindemann, “Sound Propagation” by James Norton
Roche Colorado Outstanding Zoology Award: “Spiders Create the Silk” by Hildur Boylston
Congratulations to each of our fine scientists.
The Summit MathCounts team placed third among eight schools in the MathCounts Chapter competition on February 26. Jenny Rood placed fourth and Nathan Parkhill placed ninth in the chapter as individuals.
The Summit team members were Jenny Rood, Nathan Parkhill, Chuck Bogenberger, and Eric Hansford. Alternates were Annie Oesterle, James Norton, Eirik Ogilvie-Wigley, and Marek Sotola. The team coach was Ms. Frohbieter. Congratulations to our "mathletes."
Please note the change in the e-mail address of Summit Board member Chris Howard. Her new address is
<chris.s.howard@worldnet.att.net> Anyone wishing to receive Summit Board meeting agendas by e-mail, please send your e-mail address with this request to Chris.
The Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills will be given to all Summit students April 12-15. Please do not plan vacations or medical appointments for those days.
Incoming 1999-2000 6th graders will need a full series of DPT and polio immunizations and one MMR immunization. Incoming 7th and 8th graders will need DPT, polio, two MMR's, and a full series of Hepatitis B. Exemption forms are available in the office for those who require them. All students planning to participate in sports next year will need a new athletic-participation statement from a physician.
The Boston area “Pilgrims and Patriots” tour is fast approaching, and so is the deadline for signing up. This promises to be a fun (even though it’s educational) trip, scheduled for June 25 - 29.
Offered by EF Explore America, and sponsored by Nancy Laidlaw, a teacher and Summit parent, the tour includes such highlights as a walking tour of Boston, a visit to the John Hancock Observatory, an optional theater excursion, guided sightseeing of Boston and Cambridge, free time at Faneuil Hall, an optional excursion to Lexington and Concord, a visit to the Museum of Science and the New England Aquarium, the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, a tour of Plymouth Harbor and a visit to Plymouth Plantation (including boarding the Mayflower II) and a walking tour of Salem.
Your program fee includes round-trip airfare out of DIA, hotel accommodations with private bathrooms, breakfasts and dinners in carefully selected restaurants, full-time services of an EF Explore America Tour Director throughout your stay, comprehensive sightseeing tours led by a licensed local guide, and visits to special attractions as per the above itinerary. Contact Nancy Laidlaw for more details, 303-665-6784 at home; 303-776-3254 at work.