February 24, 2000
Volume 9, No. 4
By now all Summit parents should have received the Tools for Learning literature in the mail. Tools for Learning is the only fund-raiser that Summit does during the year. Your generosity is what makes this campaign work and keeps our kids from having to sell overpriced merchandise or magazines. Your donations help us attract and retain our top-flight faculty and provide the materials that allow them to offer the best middle school education in the state. Summit's fabulous music program, for example, operates almost entirely out of Tools for Learning donations.
Please take the time to respond generously. Your prompt response is appreciated. Direct any questions to Janet Christensen, 303-499-5786. Please don't call the Summit office; we want to keep the school's focus on education. Tools for Learning is run entirely by parents, and its success is your success.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the CSAP tests will be given to all Summit students on March 7-9. Please do not plan vacations or medical appointments on those days.
Summit's Board relies heavily on our Hiring Committee in making hiring decisions. The Hiring Committee reviews resumes and applications, conducts candidate interviews, closely observes teaching demonstrations, and makes hiring recommendations to the Board. If you are interested in participating on this committee, please call Barbry Hogue at 303-665-3798.
The BVSD Board voted unanimously on Thursday, February 24, to relocate Summit to the Majestic Heights site in South Boulder for the 2000-2001 academic year.
The original staff recommendation suggested that the two portables that currently sit at the north end of the building be used to house another BVSD program. However, based on a the facts and figures our Summit Board provided to school board members, as well as fruitful conversations between Summit and BVSD board members, BVSD staff ultimately recommended that Summit be offered the main building plus one of the portables. It seems unlikely that any other program could efficiently use just the two classrooms in the second portable -- and we do have extensive experience making portable classrooms work!
The BVSD has not yet addressed Summit's request for an enrollment cap increase of 50 students for the next school year. This increase would bring our total number of students to 300, would allow more students to be admitted from the long waitlist, and would help ease scheduling constraints. The Summit Board will continue to pursue the goal of increased enrollment, as well as that of making Majestic Heights a long term site that can be improved to better accommodate our program needs, particularly those of Music and PE.
The Summit board considers this unanimous vote an excellent first step towards a more permanent site solution for our school. The fact that it took place in a positive atmosphere of cooperation bodes well for next year's charter contract renewal negotiations.
The Summit community meeting on Monday, February 21 was attended by nearly 200 people. Jim Cederberg presented the issues and logistics involved in the potential move to the Majestic Heights building and the Summit Board took questions from the audience. There was strong support for an increase in the enrollment cap and for continued cooperation with the Peak to Peak Charter School. Concerns were voiced that the Summit music program not be compromised by a move. Frustration was expressed concerning students who have remained on the wait list and want to be at Summit. The board has put in tremendous energy and time in this process, communicating our positions and needs to our community, the community at large, and the BVSD Board.
Summit Board meetings will be held on Monday, February 28, and March 6, 13, and 20 at 7 PM in the faculty workroom.
Elections for four positions on the seven-member Summit Board of Directors will be held in April for two-year terms that begin on June 1, 2000. 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. Board meetings are held approximately every two weeks, with occasional periods of more intense activity.
Each candidate should be dedicated to Summit's educational philosophy and be willing to devote the time necessary to serve on the Board. The Board benefits from the talents of members with expertise in many areas, including budget, computer programming, scheduling, law, personnel, grant writing, and negotiation.
Candidates should announce by early March and elections will be held in early April. 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 a candidate forum held at school, tentatively during the week before Spring Break.
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, please consider running for the Board of Directors. Serving on the Board is work, but it is also a tremendous opportunity to genuinely make a difference for all Summit students and Summit's bright future. Call any current Board member for more information (see below). If you are interested in serving on the Board or would like to nominate someone, please contact Eric Lindemann by March 3.
Jim Cederberg 494-5647, Marti Gorman 494-4488, Barbry Hogue 665-3798, Chris Howard 673-0978, Eric Lindemann 786-7619, Hunter McDaniel 530-1840, Scott Smith 499-1816
Melody Johnson is chairing the Summit 8th grade graduation party committee. She is looking for volunteers to help plan this party. Please call her at 303-494-7406, if you want to help or if you know of a good, reasonably priced DJ.
Bonnie Slaten, a graduate student and Summit parent, would like to do informational interviews with parents who are employed at IBM. If interested, please call Bonnie at work at 303-202-4312 or home at 303-438-1816 or contact her through her work e-mail at: bkslaten@usgs.gov.
Peak to Peak Charter School is now accepting applications for Elementary Principal and Elementary Teachers. Go to http://www.users.uswest.net/~kdrummond1/Peak2PeakIndex.htm to view job descriptions, instructions, the application, and background information. If you are interested, please submit your application as soon as possible, as interviews will begin in mid-March.
Also, they anticipate advertising for specialist teachers and office staff by early April. Watch this web site for additional information on these positions.
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/univ_school/summit/
Tom Seigal, the superintendent of BVSD, has requested that the following voice mail information for Board of Education members be placed in parent newsletters. These phone numbers are to be used instead of home phone numbers.
Janusz Okolowicz 303-245-5813, Julie Phillips 303-245-5814, Bill De La Cruz 303-245-5815, Stan Garnett 303-245-5816, Angelika Schroeder 303-245-5817, Jean Bonelli 303-245-5818, Teresa Steele 303-245-5819
The Summit Jazz Bands and Drumming up a Storm will give their Spring concert on March 14 at 7:00 PM in the auditorium. Students performing in the concert should arrive at 6:00 PM. Selections will include "Jammin' with Charlie," John Williams' "Trilogy," Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues," and Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va."
On March 21, the Summit Vocal and Orchestra concert will be held at 7:00 PM in the auditorium. Silver Rain, Starlight (a.k.a. Summit Choir), Summit Orchestra and Select Strings will perform their Spring Concert (on the first day of spring!).
Parents of cast and crew members: watch for rehearsal schedules to come home by February 11. Scripts are available to purchase for $8 from Mr. Burkhart. Rehearsals begin on March 6. All male roles will rehearse "To Life" and the "Matchmaker" scene will be rehearsed and staged.
The production will require many helping hands - we still need more students to be on crew. We also need parents to help with costuming, props (old books, clothes that pass for 19th century Russian clothing, farm equipment, 19th century sewing machine, prayer shawls, etc.) and sets.
We are able to borrow set pieces from Broomfield High School's production, but help with reconstruction and adaptation is required. Carpenters (or people with Habitat for Humanity experience) are invited to help!
The Expanding Your Horizons program for middle school girls will not be held in the spring this year, but will move to a late autumn date. The website has up-to-date information: http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/aauw
It has come to our attention that some middle school students are using the Internet at home in ways that may be unsafe. We have heard students talking about the chat rooms they use and other ways of interacting with people on the Internet. Although this is a home issue, we wanted to bring it to your attention since you might not be aware of everything your student does on-line.
Chat rooms are live, interactive places where students meet other people. The danger of using this Internet feature is that students may give personal information which might not be used in appropriate ways. Even giving the name of the school the child attends and a team they are on is enough for someone to identify a student. In addition, the conversation in chat rooms may be adult conversation and sometimes the folks participating in chats are collecting information for marketing and advertising.
We suggest that parents follow good-sense guidelines when allowing their students to use the Internet:
At school we have guidelines for using the Internet. Students are not permitted to use chat rooms or give any personal information whatsoever. In addition, we often look for things on the Internet by starting at one of the "kid-friendly" web sites. You can find a list of these sites on Boulder Valley's web page, http://www.bvsd.k12.co.us, under "Student Center," Web Links 6-8.
If you would like more information on safe home use of the Internet, check any of these sites below:
There are also software tools that you can use for tracking and/or limiting your student's activities on-line. The school district does not recommend any particular product, but if you have clever computer-using students, know that they can break through these filters, so they are definitely not a substitute for supervision. More information on filters and blocking can be found at Error! Bookmark not defined.
We hope you will find this little bit of information helpful as you explore the on-line world with your student.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) invites students to participate in its Earth Day Poster Contest. This year's theme is "Energy From the Sun Lights Up the New Millennium."
NREL is the nation's premier lab for researching and developing renewable energy from the sun, wind and plant life. The artwork should focus on solar energy, which can be harnessed to generate electricity, heat water, and warm and light our buildings. Posters can use any medium and must be created or mounted on poster board (maximum size is 30"x40").
All the posters will be featured as part of the Earth Day celebration in Currigan Hall in Denver on April 14, 15, and 16, 2000. The first place winner in each category (K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 grades) will receive a $50 US savings bond.
Contest registration forms must be completed by March 1, and all posters must be received at NREL by March 30, 2000. For more details and registration forms, contact Ms. Molenaar.
Students age 14-17 are eligible to apply for a position on either the City of Boulder Open Space Service Corps for a five week commitment as a member of a trail crew, or the Boulder County Youth Corps for a similar eight week program working in various locations in Boulder County.
Applications for both programs are available in Ms. Bartley's office. The deadline for applications for the City of Boulder Open Space Service Corps is March 31, 2000. The deadline for applications for the Boulder County Youth Corps is April 7, 2000.
Rocky Ridge Music Center provides music instruction and practice for students ages 10 to 14 through its Junior Student Seminars, in Estes Park, Colorado. There are two seminars: July 19-30 and August 2-13. Students can attend one or both sessions.
The seminars include one hour of private instruction weekly, two hours of daily practice in the student's major instrument, daily theory and eurythmics class, daily orchestra rehearsal and a final concert, daily choir rehearsal and daily classes in the piano and wind and brass instruments.
To benefit the most from the Center, the student should have a rudimentary understanding of his/her major instrument. In addition to music instruction, these overnight seminars include recreational activities. Cost of the program is $900, which includes an application fee of $100. Applications should be postmarked by May 1st. A $25 fee is added after May 1. Call the Rocky Ridge Music Center at 1-402-486-4363 (Lincoln, Nebraska), send an e-mail to: Error! Bookmark not defined., or visit the website at: www.rockyridge.org.
The Parent Professional Partnership is a BVSD program for Special Needs Students. Upcoming forums include:
Information is available from Kathy McBride at 303-447-5176 or 303-499-4781.
The next deadline for Summit News is February 21. Articles may be sent to LDParkhill@aol, or left in the box in the staff workroom.