March 22, 2001
Volume 11, No. 5
A short regular Board meeting was held in the Summit library. There was discussion of a new template, drafted by teachers, for contract renewal offer letters. The teachers ask that more background information and an explanation of the salary offer be included in each letter. There was also some discussion of a new set of teacher evaluation criteria and how they can best be used to give feedback to teachers about job performance.
Janet Christensen gave an update on donations to Tools For Learning so far this year. We are only about half-way to our fundraising goal, and just 65 families have donated to date. She also presented for Board review a reminder letter to be sent to families that have not yet contributed.
Summit is working on a new photocopier rental contract and service agreement. Tricia Olson, who is Summit's master scheduler, will discuss scheduling at tomorrow's faculty meeting. The faculty will also revisit the idea of having a dedicated study hall time at the end of the school day.
There will be a Summit Community Meeting on Wednesday, April 18, at Summit. This will be the annual community meeting specified by Summit's contract and governing bylaws.
The selection of electives to be offered next year was approved. An electives selection form and course descriptions will be sent home with students before Spring Break. The Board will ask BVSD to admit 4 more 6th graders and 3 more 7th graders to ensure full enrollment for next year.
The next regular meetings of the Summit Board will be on Monday, April 2, and Monday, April 16, beginning at 7 PM in the Summit library. Stop by and see what your Summit Board is up to!
The Board accepts with regret the resignation from Summit's faculty of Ms. Alex Londos, effective March 31, 2001. The Board and the entire Summit community wish Ms. Londos the very best in her future endeavors.
The 8th grade graduation party planning committee meets again on Thursday, March 22, at 8:15 AM at Summit. We have received several suggestions of possible locations for this party to honor Summit's Class of 2001. However, we would still appreciate any ideas about appropriate party locations that you might have.
We need to find a reasonably priced (even better, FREE!) site that would provide enough space for a buffet dinner, seating for dinner and conversation, and a DJ and dance floor. This could be the foyer of an office building, a meeting room, a special events location, warehouse space, etc.
If you have access to such a location, or can be a contact with someone who does, please call Janet Christensen at 303-499-5786 or Barbry Hogue at 303-665-3798. Thanks in advance for your help in providing a memorable graduation evening for this year's 8th graders.
How would YOU like to be involved in selecting your child's teachers? At Summit, you can do just that by volunteering for the Hiring Committee! This very important committee is made up of parents and representative staff members. The committee recruits candidates, reviews resumes and applications, observes teaching demonstrations, conducts candidate interviews, and makes hiring recommendations to the Summit Board.
With our enrollment increase next year, we know we will be hiring new teachers for core class areas and possibly also for elective class offerings. Our teachers are the heart and soul of Summit, and we carefully consider the selection of each and every one.
The Hiring Committee will have its first planning meeting shortly after Spring Break, so now is the time to volunteer. If you are interested in this important volunteer committee opportunity, please call Barbry Hogue at 303-665-3798.
Several parents have stepped forward to express interest in becoming Summit Board members. Please take a few moments to get to know our candidates by reading their responses to questions in the attached document.
Each Summit family will be receiving an election ballot in the mail this week. Summit families and staff elect Board members to two-year terms. Ballots need to be returned by April 6th. Board terms begin on June 1, and newly elected members are expected to attend Board meetings starting in April.
Contact Scott Smith (phone 303-499-1816; e-mail scott@massively-parallel.net) if you have any questions or if you have not received an election ballot.
It's time to spring into action for the spring musical. Summit Middle School's production of Bye Bye Birdie will be performed at Boulder High School on Saturday, May 12, and Friday, May 18. Students are working hard in rehearsals, but we need to support them with:
There will be a parent volunteer meeting at 3:10 PM on Thursday, March 22, in Room 112 (Ms Hanckel's room). Thank you for your support!
Once again our surprising staff has stumped the school. No one guessed that:
The staff member who used to be a machinist and rebuilt his/her Volkswagen engine on his/her kitchen table?
Was none other than Ms. McMurtrey, our diverse school librarian. So, if you have any car questions, you know where to go.
This week's question is:
Which staff member, as a member of an orchestra, played at the Lincoln Center in New York City and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.? This person also played in the MahlerFest VIII at Mackey in Boulder. The instrument played in all cases was the trombone.
Please note that the instrument was always played "in cases", that is the amazing thing. Few musicians are even allowed on stage with their instrument in a case. I know of none who have played it in the case.
Humor aside, Email your guess to tomwhiteoc@earthlink.net and win your treat at the school store!
Congratulations to sixth grader Bobby Niebauer for representing Summit on the "Plummit" (Platt/Summit) Destination Imagination DInamic Improv team.
The team placed first in the DIanamic Improv category at the Destination Imagination tournament held at Fairview High School on Saturday, March 17.
Bobby paired with his cohorts of creativity from Platt Middle School. They worked many months researching specific famous innovators, cultural performers, and important world landmarks. The day of the tournament they walked into the "studio" and selected one innovator, one cultural performer, and one landmark. They had 30 minutes to put together a six-minute improvisation using their selections and a surprise turn of events, which they received two minutes before their performance. The "Plummit" team is to be admired for their fantastic teamwork and outstanding spontaneity. The judges were wowed and honored them with First Place! They now move on to the state competition, which takes place on April 28 at Denver University.
Many thanks also to Teresa Niebauer for volunteering to coach the team. The boys have been together for the last four years. Best of luck to them at state!!
Eight Summit students will be showing their artwork in the art exhibition "Earth's Glory" at NCAR Galleries 1 and 2 from April 1 to April 27. The closing reception is from 3:30 to 5 PM on April 27. Participating students are: Carrie Davis, Ruth Jacobs, Elaine Atcheson, Linden Majack, Lara Brown, Katia Heinzman, Lindsay Bailey, Tanya Goldhaber.
Summit eighth grader Devin Bartley scored so well on the National Geographic Society written test that he has earned the right to represent Summit at the State Geography Bee in April. The event will be held at Denver University and we will let you know when and where in the next issue. Congratulations, Devin!
Prospective students and families interested in Summit are invited to join a Summit tour at 8:10 AM on April 10 or May 8. Tours last approximately 45 minutes. At the end of each tour, there is time for questions and answers.
Also, if you know of families that are interested in finding out more about Summit, have them call the office at 303-499-9511 to receive a brochure and other Summit information.
Be part of the Summit contingent in this year's Memorial Day Bolder Boulder 10k run (or walk). We want to have a big turnout to represent our school for the Middle School Challenge! See Ms. Blakemore to find out the 3 big reasons why you should participate in this incredible event. Pick up your entry form on the table outside the school office and start jogging!
The Integrated Teaching & Learning Program at CU is offering a great summer program to help curious 11- to 13-year-olds find out how things work.
Session I: A class just for girls! WHEN: June 18-22, M-F, 9-12 (Friday until 1pm) WHO: 11-13 year-old girls (must have completed 5th grade) COST: $85
Session II: For boys and girls! WHEN: July 30-Aug 3, M-F, 9-12 (Friday until 1pm) WHO: 11-13 year olds (must have completed 5th grade) COST: $85
For information, please contact: ITL Outreach Coordinator Janet Yowell: E-mail: janet.yowell@colorado.edu Phone: 303-492-5230 or 492-7222 Web Site: http://itll.colorado.edu
The North Boulder Recreation Center hosts Friday Night Live, an open house for youth 9 to 14 years old, from 7 to 10:30 PM on Fridays. For more information, call the Rec Center at 303-413-7260 or go to www.fnl-nites.com.
Concordia Language Villages provide summer camp sessions in 12 world languages for students between the ages of 7 and 18, along with credit sessions both at the villages and abroad for high school and college students. Through the village experience, the program's mission is to prepare young people for responsible citizenship in the global community.
Languages offered range from Norwegian to Japanese and Chinese, to French, Spanish, and German - and even English for students from abroad!
Wendy Blakemore, one of our own wonderful Spanish teachers, has taught at the Spanish village for two summers and each of her two children has attended
CLV for several summers. She would be pleased to chat with anyone who thinks they might enjoy this world language camp experience. Contact her at school or at home (303- 530-7173).
Order your copy of the Summit Yearbook today. Bring a check for $20 to the school office. Orders must be in by May 1 to guarantee this price.
To all your woes from head to toes,
for hair berets or feeding pets,
the answer is.... Grocery Certificates!
And once again, to make it even easier to discover how wonderful grocery certificates really are, we will be selling King Soopers grocery certificates in the Summit parking lot from 2:50 to 3:10 PM Thursday afternoons. So, bring your money and look for the parent volunteers with the signs. They know the answer to your question: "Grocery Certificates!"
As always, you can also stop by the Summit office to purchase your grocery certificates. If you can't make it to the office, call Joan Jacus at 303-499-3013. Joan will make arrangements to get grocery certificates to you. Thanks for supporting Summit with this ongoing fundraiser.
This is a new section of the newsletter where we highlight a humorous quote that was heard around the school recently. We're still waiting for something funny to happen, but we are patient. Students and staff, please send humorous and printable material that you've heard around the school to: tomwhiteoc@earthlink.net.
If you are not receiving your newsletter via e-mail and wish to, or if you would like the newsletter sent to a different or an additional electronic address, simply send a message to <marthagorman@att.net>. Electronic distribution is fast, easy and saves postage and trees. What a deal!
Upcoming deadlines for submissions to Summit News are April 2 and April 16. Articles may be sent to Tom White-O'Connor at tomwhiteoc@earthlink.net or left in Tom's file folder in the Summit office.
Check out the interesting website created by Summit librarian, Juilane McMurtrey. It is full of useful information and research resources on a wide variety of topics. The website address is: www.bvsd.k12.co.us/schools/summitlibrary/SMSLhome.htm
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/univ_school/summit/
You really shouldn't say, "I love you" unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. ... People forget.
Call 303-938-9090
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English Department Wed. 3:10 - 4:00, Rms. 107 & 108
Foreign Language Department
Music Department Mon. and Wed. 3:10 - 4:00
Math Department
Science Department Mondays 3:10 - 4:00
Social Studies Department