October 8, 2002
Volume 14, No. 4
Don't forget, Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on October 9 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on October 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (PLEASE NOTE: no school for students on October 10 and October 11). All conferences are on a drop-in basis. Please see the last page of this newsletter for all teacher, time, and location details.
Eighth grade parents, are you already thinking about where your child will go to high school next year? If so, mark your calendar for Thursday, November 21, at 7 p.m., as Summit will host an 8th grade parent informational session to address "How to Enroll Your Child in High School."
At this meeting, you will learn about open enrollment procedures, get a schedule of all the local high school information nights, and be introduced to the process for registering your child for appropriate high school classes. Literature describing programs at several Boulder Valley School District high schools will be available. This year, the BVSD open enrollment period begins on December 2, 2002 and ends on January 24, 2003. Join Kendra Bartley, Summit's counselor, on November 21 to have your questions answered.
Fall has arrived and the changing seasons remind us that inclement weather can result in school closures. Under most conditions, school officials have a responsibility to keep school in session. When the weather is bad but school is open, parents must make a family decision regarding attendance or late arrival for their children. A personal contact by the parent or a written note to school officials will excuse a student's late arrival or absence under these circumstances.
When the weather is severe enough to close schools, it is very important that working parents have pre-arranged care for their children. BVSD notifies TV and radio stations prior to 6:30 a.m. or as soon as the decision has been made to close during the day. Cancellation announcements are made on the following radio and TV stations: KCNC-TV Channel 4, KMGH-TV Channel 7, Channel 8, KUSA-TV Channel 9, KBNO 1280 AM, KHOW 630 AM, KOA 850 AM, KTLK 760 AM, ALICE 105.9 FM, FOX 103.5 FM, KBCO 97.3 FM, KBPI 106.7 FM, KGNU 88.5 FM, KISS 95.7 FM, KJMN 92.5 FM, KOSI 101.1 FM. Closures are also posted on the BVSD web site under "Cancellations" at <www.bvsd.k12.co.us>.
Monthly Scheduled Tours -- Parents and students interested in the Summit Middle School program are invited to tour the school with a Summit administrator. At the end of the tour, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers. All tours begin at 8:45 a.m. and are by appointment. Please call the Summit office to schedule a tour, at 303-499-9511.
Student/Parent Information Nights -- Student/Parent Information Nights are an excellent opportunity to meet Summit staff and Board members and to learn more about the Summit program. The mission, philosophy, and curriculum of the Summit program are discussed, textbooks and work samples are displayed, and presentations made by core subject and elective teachers. All prospective students and their families are encouraged to attend one of these evening programs, offered twice during the year.
Student Visitation Days -- Students who have been notified of acceptance at Summit are eligible to attend a student visitation day. This program is designed for students who feel they need to visit the school to make a final decision before open enrollment to Summit. On the day they visit, students shadow a "Student Ambassador" (current 6th grader) for a half day. Dates and sign-up procedures for student visitation days will be sent with letters of acceptance, which are mailed in late January.
Your 2002-2003 yearbook committee is up and running. We need photos from Summit sporting events, lunchtime mingling, locker trauma, Summit teachers being silly or serious -- we need them all! Please leave marked photos in the box on a table located outside the Summit office. These will not be returned. Call Joan Jacus at 303-499-3013 with questions.
The Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools is accepting nominations for its Impact Awards Program. This annual program honors five exemplary people who make a difference for students in the Boulder Valley School District. Only individuals-such as teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, office personnel, service employees, or volunteers are eligible for the award. Each winner receives $2,000 ($1,500 to benefit students and $500 as a personal award).
BVSD staff, students, and parents are encouraged to nominate someone who has made a difference at the school. Nominations are due November 8 and winners will be recognized at a reception on March 6. For more information, please contact Christina Suarez, Program Officer for the Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools, at 303-447-5132.
Summit's library has an ongoing wish list of books we would like to purchase to expand and improve our collection. Parents are encouraged to buy books for the school library as a way of acknowledging a special person or event. For example, parents may purchase a book from the wish list in honor of their child's birthday, to pay tribute to a teacher, in appreciation of a parent, or in memory of a friend or family member.
A book may be purchased in one of two ways: directly and give it to the library, or you can write a check to Summit for the amount of the book and let Summit purchase the book on your behalf. Summit will send notification to the person in whose honor you have purchased the book. You will also receive a letter of acknowledgment. Finally, we will place a bookplate on the inside cover of the book to indicate who purchased the book and in whose honor it was donated.
The wish list is available in the school library. Please speak to Mrs. Woods, Summit's librarian, if you are interested in purchasing a book from the list. You can find her in our library on Tuesdays, 8:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.; Wednesdays, 9:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.; and Fridays, 8:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Thank you for your support.
The 2002-2003 Summit directory is due to be completed this week and will be coming home with students who returned their order forms earlier this school year. Thanks to Loretta Melhado, who has been hard at work compiling this year's directory, and Board member Barbry Hogue, who has been providing guidance and editing support.
Additional copies of the director are available for $2 each in the Summit office. This booklet is a valuable Summit resource and an excellent way to keep our families connected to each other and to our school. Keep it handy! If you have questions, please contact the office, 303-499-9511, or Loretta at 303-494-2527.
Please reserve Friday, December 13, for the first Summit musical performance of the year, the Winter Concert. The program will include all choirs, jazz bands, and orchestras and will be held at Platt Middle School on Baseline Road starting at 6:30 p.m. All music students are expected to attend, and the entire school community is encouraged to support this fun event.
Interested in having your child visit Costa Rica in 2003? Students can experience the cloud forest, take a boat ride to watch for dolphins, go river rafting, and explore an active volcano. There is an informational meeting for parents on Thursday, October 17, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 7 at Summit.
Art gallery critiques are due from students on October 16 and 17. Please visit schoolnotes.com for a listing of local exhibits. Also, I am collecting cigar boxes for a sculpture project! If you have any to spare, please send them to school.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research invites students, teachers and families to visit Super Science Saturday on October 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free to all, the event combines science with Halloween fun at NCAR's Mesa Lab, located at 1850 Table Mesa Drive. For more information, call 303-487-1185.
A collaboration between CSU and DU, called "Bridges to the Future: American History and Values in Light of Sept. 11th," continues this month with:
All events in this series are free and open to the public. For more information, call 303-871-2357 or go to http://www.bridgestothefuture.us/.
Fall semester Board meetings will be held on October 17 and 28; November 14 and 25; and December 12. Meetings are held in our library starting at 6:30 pm and are open to all. We welcome your participation. A "Parent Concerns" agenda item is always early in the meeting for you to share with the Board any comments you would like to mention.
We have moved to electronic distribution of Summit News. If you would like the newsletter sent to a different or additional electronic address, please send a message to t.mahowald[at]summitmiddleschool.org. If you do not have access to email, copies of the newsletter may be obtained in the office.
To see the current or back issues of Summit News, information about Summit, links to other charter schools, and related education information, refer to Summit's web site via: http://www.summitmiddleschool.org.
Our next issue of Summit News will be distributed the week of October 21. If you have news, notes, or announcements you would like to share, please forward them via email to pat.hyde[at]attbi by Thursday, October 17. Thank you.
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and weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
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As soon as a mist ache is maid
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And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
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My checker tolled me sew.
"What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to a human soul." -- Joseph Addison
| Teacher | Library | Multi- Purpose Room |
Hours Available Wednesday, Oct. 9 |
Hours Available Thursday, Oct. 10 |
| Doug Ackerson | X | 4:00 - 5:15 & 6:00 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:00 | |
| Kirk Adams | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 8:00 - 12:00 | |
| Tony Alcantara | X | 4:00 - 5:15 & 6:00 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 11:45 & 12:30 - 4:00 | |
| Amanda Avallone | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 8:00 - 10:45 | |
| Kendra Bartley | X | 4:00 - 5:15 & 6:00 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 11:45 & 12:30 - 4:00 | |
| Sondra Barton | X | 6:00 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:00 | |
| Wendy Blakemore | X | 4:00 - 5:15 & 6:00 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 11:45 & 12:30 - 4:00 | |
| Talya Dornbush | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 8:00 - 11:45 & 12:30 - 4:00 | |
| Wendy Feinstein | X | 1:00 - 4:00 | ||
| Ingrid Fotino | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 1:00 - 4:00 | |
| Greta Frohbieter | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:00 - 4:00 | |
| Cheryle Kapsak | X | 4:00 - 5:15 & 6:00 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 11:45 & 12:30 - 4:00 | |
| Chris Kilgore | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 8:00 - 12:00 | |
| Valerie Koch | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 8:00 - 12:00 | |
| Cynthia Kolanowski | X | 4:00 - 5:15 & 6:00 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 11:45 & 12:30 - 4:00 | |
| Sam Havens | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 | |
| Andrew Hein | X | 4:00 - 6:00 | 8:00 - 10:00 | |
| David Liebowitz | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 | |
| Haydee Phelps | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 | |
| Diana Stough | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 | |
| Peter Teasdale | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 | |
| Kyle Walpole | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 | |
| Heather Walters | X | 8:00 - 12:00 | ||
| Stephanie Weber | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 | |
| Neal Zettas | X | 4:00 - 6:00 & 6:45 - 8:00 | 8:00 - 12:30 & 1:15 - 4:00 |