January 25, 2002
Volume 13, No. 2
by Jim Cederberg and Hunter McDaniel
After seven years on the Summit Board of Directors, we are retiring at the end of our terms on June 1. It seems like half a lifetime ago that we began working together on this amazing project. We have put heart and soul into Summit for these many years, through countless battles and successes. Our involvement has been profoundly rewarding and satisfying, because we know in our hearts that Summit has made a difference in the lives of many children, and will influence their lives for many years to come. Our own children are long past Summit, and it is time for us to move on and others to move in.
Our tenure on the Board has lasted Summit's entire lifetime. Now Summit has a life of its own. It transcends us and the many wonderful people with whom it has been our privilege to share this adventure. Summit stands on firm ground for the future. Summit has a home, a wonderful staff, a great program and curriculum, accomplished alumni, an outstanding reputation, and a strong stream of incoming students.
Like any living thing, Summit will continue to develop, change and evolve. Opportunities and challenges lie ahead. The educational establishment will never embrace Summit or what it stands for. Summit's mission will always be vital to this community and our society. Our children must always be nurtured and encouraged to use their talents and realize their full potential, and we must make sure this happens.
For Summit to continue to thrive, it must have excellent leadership. Fortunately, we have an outstanding nucleus of continuing board members in Barbry Hogue, Debbie Feyh, John Jacus and Tom Mahowald. But Summit, ultimately, is no more and no less than the Summit parent community makes it. Summit needs new leaders to emerge and shape its future. Summit's leaders must constantly renew and expand Summit's vision, hire and assure fair compensation of teachers and administrators, evaluate and motivate our staff, oversee the operations of the school, make curriculum decisions, and of course, protect and defend Summit from the educational establishment.
The qualifications for serving on Summit's Board of Directors are simply stated: commitment to providing excellent education for public school students, integrity, your own common sense and good judgment, your own talents and abilities, willingness to work with others, and dedication to do your share of the work. We guarantee only one thing in return for your service: other than raising your own family, you will be extremely fortunate to have a more rewarding experience than being an integral part of this wonderful school.
Please consider stepping up and becoming a member of the Summit Board. Elections by vote of the Summit community will be in early March. Candidates should announce by February 15. If you are interested in serving, please call Hunter at 303-924-6505 or 303-530-1840.
Summit seeks to encourage hard work and to reward scholarship, though we do not encourage student perfectionism! Honor roll students achieve at least a 3.5 grade point average in all of their classes and elective class grades no lower than C or "pass." Honor roll students are recognized each semester.
Mark your calendar and join us for the annual Summit community meeting. This year's meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 13, in the Summit multipurpose room, beginning at 7 pm. We will mail more specific meeting information soon, but come hear about this year's open enrollment season, plans for meeting the terms of our new charter contract, and generating ideas for facilities improvements. We hope to see you there! -- the Summit Board
It's the time of year when Summit surveys its staff, parents, students, and alumni regarding the school's many programs and features. We look closely at our community's responses in connection with future scheduling and general self-assessment, among many other tasks. The job of tabulating survey results is conducted by Summit's AAA Committee, but we can use your help! If you have a few hours to donate to this cause in February, you can certainly help make the work go faster. Please contact John Jacus or Barbry Hogue (we're in the directory, both phone and email, or leave a note for us at school) to indicate your availability to help. We will also provide future newsletter notice of scheduled survey work sessions. Hope to see you at one of them!
A parent presented concerns and suggestions about bullying prevention awareness at Summit. Summit staff are investigating existing prevention programs to determine what aspects of each would best apply for Summit. Coach A gave an update and overview of current facilities usage and issues, to help the Board in assessing facilities needs. The PVC has requested a small allocation of funds to cover hospitality needs, rather than making frequent requests of food and refreshments donations from parents.
The staff development day, held today, was productive. There was a mix of whole-staff sessions, facilitated by Summit parent Lucy Buckley, and departmental meetings. Teachers have been hired for the tutoring labs: Terri Wells for English, and Annie Davids for math. Several former Summit students and parents came by on January 18 for Dr. Sikora's farewell open house. Shelly Hendrick has started in her finance office position, replacing Tony Striffler. The second round of classroom observations will begin soon. Each teacher is observed by the principal and one board member. Administrator evaluation interviews will also begin soon.
Board members, as the Nominating Committee, suggested several potential board election candidates and will call each of them to determine which ones might be recruited to run for a seat on the Board. Creation of next year's master schedule will be done using Summit's own program and also by using BVSD's SASI scheduling module, for comparison of scheduling methods. Preparation of monthly financial spreadsheets for the Board is progressing. Plans are in place for the January 26 board/staff retreat.
To date, Tools for Learning contributions total nearly $38,000. Reminders to families that haven't yet donated will be sent out soon. The student, parent, staff, and alumni satisfaction surveys are ready for distribution. Open enrollment has officially closed, and Linda Parkhill and Barbry Hogue will work with BVSD to verify Summit's priority applications and enrollment numbers. Parent volunteers are being recruited for a new technology planning group, to assess current needs and to pursue technology-related grant funding opportunities.
All regular Summit Board meetings are public meetings and we welcome guests from the community at any time. The next Summit Board meetings will be held on February 5, February 18, March 6, and March 18. Meetings are held in Summit's library and begin at 6:30 pm unless otherwise noted.
We are seeking a small group of technology-savvy parents and Summit supporters who can assist with the development of a technology plan for Summit. The technology plan will be used to support applications for Colorado Department of Education funding, technology equipment discounts, and a variety of grant opportunities. We believe there are CDE staff members who could meet with our Summit team to provide support and a possible template for the plan.
We are also putting together an on-site tech support team. This is more of a nuts-and-bolts support and planning group for current technology needs at Summit (hardware and software, etc.). This support can be provided either during the school day or after school hours.
These are excellent volunteer opportunities for those who have both the time and technology skills to offer! If you are interested in helping with a strategic technology plan and/or being part of the tech support team, please contact Debbie Feyh at (303) 543-8646 or feyh@indra.com.
World History classes thank Ms. August, mother of 6th grader Ben Horowitz, for filming our fabulous Greek gods, goddesses, and architecture in January! She was a wonderful film director. We also express thanks to our magnificent World History students and their parents for their Greek costumes, monologues, and buildings that represented the culmination of our study of Greece. The Doric, Ionic and Corinthian world lives!
To provide additional support for student learning, Summit teachers provide after school tutoring time for extra help, study sessions, make-up work, and questions about assignments. For a schedule of tutoring help, please see below:
Social Studies, 3:10-4:10, Monday, Rooms 2 & 9
Science, 3:10-4:10, Monday, Rooms 14 & 15
English, 3:10-4:10, Wednesday, Rooms 3 & 5
Math
Foreign Languages
Applied Technology, lunch Monday and Wednesday, Room 4
Summit prides itself on our creative and challenging academic program. Summit also prides itself on the support we provide to students so that they can be successful with our program. Just as we are always seeking ways to further strengthen our academics, so too are we are always looking for ways to provide additional support to our students and families.
Teachers for math and English labs have now been hired. These labs are designed to offer more one-on-one academic support during the school day. Each lab will be offered one day per week, throughout the day (English on Tuesdays and math on Wednesdays). The purpose of these labs is to provide another element of support for students to help assure their academic success at Summit, and are in addition to the regular after-school tutoring sessions (see schedule above).
Referred students will be using the labs primarily during their study hall time, but core teachers in math and English may also refer students to the labs during their class periods for additional help with assignments. Teacher referral to the labs will have first priority. On a space-available basis, students can sign themselves up for English or math lab time. Attendance in the labs will be limited to six students per period.
The Summit Science Fair is fast approaching! On January 31, students who have been hard at work conducting research and experiments will have the opportunity to present their science projects at the Summit Science Fair.
All participating students will bring their science projects to school the morning of Wednesday, January 30. During the day, students will have the opportunity to practice their presentations. Judging will take place on Thursday, January 31 at the Army National Reserve building on Table Mesa Drive, from 8:15 am to 3 pm. The public is invited to view the projects on Thursday evening from 6 to 8 pm. Projects will be on display for student viewing all day Friday, February 1. Participating students should plan to pick up their projects to take home between 3 and 4 pm on February 1.
Thanks to all the parents and community members who have volunteered to help with this year's Science Fair. We now have enough judges, but if you want to participate in the activities of Wednesday and Thursday and have not yet been contacted, please call Carol Hermann at (303) 664-9576 and leave her a message to offer your help.
8:15 am - 3 pm: Summit Science Fair, Armory Building
6 - 8 pm: Public viewing of science projects
8:15 am - 3 pm: Students view projects during science classes
3 - 4 pm: Students pick up projects to take home
Thank you to the families who have responded so far to our Tools for Learning solicitation. To date, we have raised nearly $38,000 in support of Summit's program! We're well on the way but haven't yet reached our dollar goal and participation goals, so watch soon for TFL reminders if you haven't yet donated! Please contact Tom Mahowald, TFL chair, at 303-543-8903 or by e-mail at <t.mahowald@summitmiddleschool.org>, or Barbry Hogue at 303-665-3798 with any questions or comments about Tools for Learning.
Cody Long, a Summit 8th grader, recently participated in a three-state area competition hosted by the Colorado Avalanche pro hockey team. In winning the fastest ice skater competition, he was invited to skate in a skills contest, a charitable event with the Colorado Avalanche in December at the Pepsi Center. For the second year in a row, he won the title of fastest youth skater. His time was within a second of the fastest Avalanche player!
Do you know of a source for flags, banners, or pennants representing all the middle schools in BVSD? We would like to decorate our multipurpose room with these items plus Summit's own banner. If you have suggestions for finding other schools' banners, please give Debbie Feyh a call at (303) 543-8646.
If you would like to honor someone with a book donation, please contact me at Summit. My hours are Tuesday and Friday, 8:10 to 3:10, and Wednesday, 9:10 to 3:10. I can help you pick a book from the library's wish list, will provide a special book plate for the book, and will notify the honoree. You can also support the library by buying Boulder Bookstore gift certificates.
There is a $60 participation fee per sport or a maximum of $150 per student / $200 per family each year for interscholastic sports.
Participation fee for intramurals is $20 per sport.
If you hear something funny or heartwarming at Summit, send it along to: <tomwhiteoc@msn.com>.
OK - we're back on line this week. See if you can guess which illustrious staff member can make the legitimate claim that in the course of his (yes, this is a hint!) relatively short lifetime, has had these 3 incredible things happen to him.
1) He met Cher in Barney's, New York City.
2) His mom participated in a yodeling contest (and German dancing exhibition) at a World's Fair -- sometime in the 60's in New York.
3) He literally knocked down President Jimmy Carter while in the student union (Dobb's University Center) at Emory University.
My advice to you is -- don't get too close to this person (whoever it is) while walking in the hallway. If he can knock a President down he won't have second thoughts about taking out a middle schooler. Send your guess to tomwhiteoc@msn.com and if you are the first and maybe second one to guess correctly you will win a free trip to the school store!
Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
There are two kinds of pedestrians -- the quick and the dead.
The Davidson Institute for Talent Development is offering prodigious young people across the country the opportunity to apply for a Davidson Fellows Award scholarship by the March 29, 2002 deadline. Those named Davidson Fellow Laureates will receive $50,000 scholarships and those named Davidson Fellows will receive $10,000 scholarships.
The Davidson Fellows Award program encourages, recognizes, and rewards the extraordinary achievements of young people. To be named a Fellow, students under the age of 18 must demonstrate significant achievement in one of five categories: science, technology, mathematics, humanities (music, literature and philosophy), or "out of the box" (a combination of 2 or more of the categories).
Each Davidson Fellow will be honored at a reception in Washington, DC, during September 2002. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents and be under the age of 18 as of October 1, 2002. There is no minimum age for eligibility.
For more information on the Davidson Fellows Award, or to download a 2002 application, visit the Davidson Fellows section of <http://www.davidson-institute.org>.
Restore harmony to your household with this class designed for parents of teens. You will learn to parent with empathy and logical consequence; your teen will learn to accept responsibility for his/her own actions. Discover asset-Based approaches and restorative justice tools to guide your teen toward productive, happy and responsible adulthood. Where: Boulder High. When: Tuesdays, Feb 12 - Mar 19, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Cost: $99 (individual or couple) plus $15 materials.
The Bolder Boulder is getting ready for the 2002 race and they need your help! They are looking for a T-shirt design for the Middle School Challenge. Students from all over Colorado will be competing in this contest. See Ms. Blakemore to find out more about the contest requirements.
All programs begin at 9:30 a.m. See below for specific building and room. There is FREE PARKING ONLY in lots 169, 308, 378, 396, and 436. There is also parking available for a nominal fee in the Euclid parking structure.
January 26: SHOCKING FACTS ABOUT ELECTRICITY, presented by Professor John Taylor, in room Duane Physics G1B30.
February 23: LIQUID CRYSTALS, presented by Professors Noel Clark, Dave Walba and Joe Maclennan, in Room Duane Physics G1B30.
I currently have two full-size German violins and two full-size Romanian violas for sale. These instruments are made by skilled craftspeople and have incredible tone and appearance. I am offering these instruments first to parents (or prospective parents) of Summit's orchestra students at greatly reduced prices. Please contact Tony Striffler directly at 720-422-6764 if you are interested.
Joan Jacus, at 303-499-3013, and Diane Chicoine, at 303-581-0754, have plenty of King Soopers grocery certificates available for those of you that are still eating. And for your shopping pleasure we now have Wild Oats certificates available. Do you shop at Albertson's? Pick up your Albertson's membership card at the Summit office. What an easy way to help support our kids.
Summit teachers are getting dishpan hands and are on the lookout for a dishwashing machine, in GOOD working order, to be installed in the staff lunchroom. If you have such an item to donate, our teachers (and their hands!) would be most appreciative.
The main branch of the Boulder Public Library, at 1000 Canyon, will offer a homework center beginning February 1. Students from CU will work as tutors in English, math, and science. There is no charge for this service. The hours of the center will be from 4 to 6 pm each day. If you are interested in attending, please call the library at 303-441-3099.
Youth Works is a state-licensed after school, experiential service learning, prevocational and educational supervised youths ages 10 to 14 who are interested in contributing to the well being of our community while exploring potential careers for the future. Participants are picked up after school to perform service learning projects or prevocational activities for three hours. Afterward, participants are returned to their school or local library to be picked up by responsible guardians. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 2 to 7 pm. For more information call Ryan Fischer, Executive Director, at (720) 276-0303.
Articles may be sent to tomwhiteoc@msn.com>, or placed in the Summit News folder in the Summit office.
To save on both paper and the cost of postage, we send out by e-mail as many copies of the Summit News as possible. If you prefer to receive future issues of Summit News by e-mail, please send a message to Tom Mahowald at <t.mahowald@summitmiddleschool.org>.
To see back issues of Summit News as well as a wide variety of information about Summit and links to other charter schools and education information, refer to Summit's website via the handy, new, improved, easier website address: <http://www.summitmiddleschool.org>
Never take life too seriously.
Nobody gets out alive anyway.