Weekly Spotlight on Tippecanoe Middle School

WEEKLY SPOTLIGHT ON TIPPECANOE MIDDLE SCHOOL

RACHEL’S CHALLENGE Our word of the Week:: Optimism – a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future. Weekly goal: Get to know the staff this week. Today ask them about their favorite subject in school. FIVE IDEAS OF RACHEL’S CHALLENGE 1. Look for the best in others 2. Dream Big 3. Choose Positive Influences 4. Speak with kindness 5. Start your own CHAIN REACTION

The Friends of Rachel Club (FOR Club) has been busy these last few weeks working on making a positive impact on every student here at the MS. Their latest project was to place a positive comment in everyone’s locker so they would start the day off on a good note.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: I am sending this post-Thanksgiving wish with a sincere hope that you were able to create new memories with family and friends. This is such an important time of year when the hustle and bustle of the holiday season brings on so many distractions that students lose focus academically as they prepare for the much anticipated Winter Break. Please encourage your child to continue to work hard and stay focused. The end of the semester is just right around the corner. As we ponder what the “perfect” holiday gift will be this year, please keep in mind this piece of advice from Brian Tracy: “If you raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any goal or task they decide upon, you will have succeeded as a parent and you will have given your children the greatest of all blessings.”

Show your Tipp City Pride! We are having a Spirit wear fundraiser with items to be delivered before Christmas. If you would like to place an order, please bring the completed form and check or exact cash to the office. All forms and money are due by next Monday, Dec. 8th. Everything from t-shirts to hoodies can be purchased. They make a great Christmas gift for any Red Devil Fan .

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION Bring Box Tops and Labels For Education to the office now through Dec. 12. Mark them by grade level (6th, 7th and 8th). The grade that brings in the most will receive an ice-cream sundae sponsored by Randall House, after lunch on Dec. 19th.

POWER OF THE PEN TEAMS BENEFIT FROM THE OPTIMIST CLUB’S GENEROSITY

The Tipp Middle School Power of the Pen team would like to thank the Tipp City Optimists Club for their generous donation to help offset the costs of tournaments for the team. Pictured are the president of the Optimist Club, Christine White, Bridget Hughes, 7th grade coach, and Amy Armentrout, 8th grade coach. Tournaments typically cost the team over a thousand dollars, which has been raised in the past through fundraising. The Power of the Pen team is very appreciative for the Optimists' generosity.

POWER OF THE PEN ENTERPRISES – The POWER OF THE PEN teams are working hard to raise money to help cover some of their costs for contests. Here are just a couple of ways that you can help: Please consider eating at Chipotle in Troy between 6-9 next Monday, December 8th, and Power of the Pen will receive 50% of the proceeds. Either show a paper or digital copy of the attachment when ordering. IS YOUR DOG ON THE “NICE” LIST FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR? IF SO, BUY THEM (OR ANY OTHER DOG YOU KNOW) A BAG OF 40 HOMEMADE DOG TREATS FOR $5 A BAG (half of the profit goes BACK to Pets & People)

Pets & People focuses on the desire of adults with Developmental Disabilities to shine as hard workers who are proud of the products they make and the independence they earn from a paycheck.

CONGRATULATIONS COACH BYRON KIMMEL!!!! Congratulations to Byron Kimmel and his state championship Cross Country team for being recognized by the Ohio General Assembly for the first team state championship in or school’s history.

BUS PASS REQUEST ARE FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES. FOR THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS ALL BUS PASS REQUESTS REQUIRE A 48 HOUR NOTICE AND ARE DEPENDENT UPON SEAT AVAILABILITY. A WRITTEN REQUEST MUST BE TURNED INTO THE BUILDING OFFICE OF THE SCHOOL THE STUDENT ATTENDS. TIPP CITY SCHOOLS DOES NOT HONOR REQUEST FOR "PLAYDATE" TRANSPORTATION. WE REQUEST NOTES OR EMAILS FROM BOTH PARENTS OF THE STUDENTS IF ONE STUDENT IS GOING TO ANOTHER STUDENT’S HOUSE. EXAMPLES OF CONSIDERED REQUEST: 1) DAYCARE/BABY SITTER 2) TO WORK ON A SCHOOL PROJECT 3) PARENT OUT OF TOWN

THE REQUEST MUST INCLUDE: DATE STUDENT NAME REASON FOR REQUEST NAME & ADDRESS OF WHERE THE STUDENT IS COMING FROM OR GOING TO PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE PHONE NUMBER TO REACH PARENT CTC TRIP RE-SCHEDULED: Due to the Snow Day this past Monday, we have had to re-schedule the 8th grade CTC trip. Monday’s 8th grade CTC visit is rescheduled for December 9th. Tuesday’s visit is rescheduled for December 10th. GRADE CHECKS INTERIM GRADES ARE AVAILABLE TODAY. A great way for parents and students to stay on top of grades is through the Parent Internet Viewer. (PIV) With a simple username and password, you have instant access to grades. You also have access to a variety of reports e-mailed to you daily, weekly, or bi-weekly, basis. Current grade report, low grade alert (set at any % you would like), daily attendance, unexcused absence notification, and posted assignments all can be established by a few quick clicks of the mouse. If you do not have the usernames and passwords, please contact the main office.

ONE CALL NOW AND EMAIL ALERTS These are great ways to get information quickly from both the building and the district. You can sign up for these services by visiting the district’s website at www.tippcityschools.com.

VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENTS NOW AT TMS With the help of our new assistant principal, Ms. Brashear, we are video recording our announcements each day. Different students are chosen each day to read the announcements that teachers can show each day. Since we are still in the early stages of this, we are still working on getting this to run smoothly. If you are interested in seeing these, you should be able to use the following link to connect to them. Please let us know if it does not work. https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwKAyyaaJ9StTXhYeWFoVlAyU28&usp=sharing

SCHOOL FEES / PAY-TO-PARTICPATE FEES REMINDER all students fees may be paid in the front office. Our office hours are 7:15 am – 3:00 pm. Payment plans can be set up or you may use a credit card by going to the Tipp City Schools website and using the www.payforit.net. Please contact the main office at 667-8454 if you have any questions. As our clubs begin to meet, student fees must be paid before students are permitted to participate in these activities.

ATHLETIC UPDATE Boys’ basketball opens their season by travelling to take on the Versailles Tigers on Saturday, December 6 with tip off at 10:00 am. Girls will host the Tigers here at TMS with a 10:00 am tip- off.

Wrestlers open their season on Saturday, December 6th by travelling to Valley View.

IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN THE WRESTLING TEAM. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED YOU MUST HAVE A COMPLETED PHYSICAL AND AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL FORM ON FILE. PLEASE LET MS. BRASHEAR KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THE TEAM IS OPEN TO ALL 7TH AND 8TH GRADE BOYS AND GIRLS WHO HAVE MET THE OHSAA AND DISTRICT ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

Any student that plans to try out for a school sponsored sport must have a Sports Physical and Emergency Medical Form on file before the tryout date. These forms can be found on the school website. All school fees must be paid or addressed with a payment plan prior to participating. Participation fees must be paid prior to the first contest.

ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY: Students must be passing FIVE (5) classes with a minimum of a 1.5 GPA in order to be eligible to participate in school sponsored athletics. This determination is based on quarter grades. NEW THIS YEAR FROM OHSAA: Once a student completes their 6th grade year, they are only eligible for MS sports for 4 consecutive semesters. What this means is that students who are retained in the middle school in 7th grade, they can only compete one more year at 7th grade. Once they moved to 8th, they would not be permitted to compete again until they reach the high school.

WHAT TO DO WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE: ATHLETICS AND MUSIC This time of year we always run into conflicts between school- sponsored ball games and concerts. Which one do I go to? Will I miss out or punished for choosing one over the other? These are questions that we hear every year. In the Athletic Code of Conduct it lays out the guidelines that will be followed when these things happen. In most cases, a student may choose ether the concert or the Tipp sport event without penalty but should check the code of conduct for specifics. In these cases coaches and teachers will respect either choice but as music is a graded course, they will have to complete a make-up assignment to complete the concert requirement if students choose the sporting event. Please understand that there is a great deal of planning that goes into scheduling these events. Our music department tries to find dates, many months in advance, that allow for the use of the CPA without conflicting with other activities. This is especially challenging around the holidays! We usually know these dates before the end of the current school year. Our athletic league schedules all of our league games so we do not have any control over which days they choose. When a game and a concert conflict, we contact the other school to see about changing the date. If there are other open dates in both schedules then we move the game. If there are no other open dates then we will do things like move the start time up and allow 7th grade students to leave right after their game with their parents so they can get to their concerts. We do everything in our power to avoid these conflicts but sometimes we just can’t.

TMS CLUBS STUDENT COUNCIL TMS Student Council will be collecting donations for Project Believe. Collection time is limited so please make donations before Friday, December 12th. For more information on Project Believe go to www.facebook.com/projectbelieve or contact Tammie Rafferty at [email protected] or www.project-believe.net or 937-266- 3074. All donations must be new and meet hospital safety regulations. No items with glass, metal, string, sharp points/edges or erasers. The items they are collecting this year include: Slippers Winter hats Handmade scarves Gloves Small/medium stuffed animals Puzzles Board Games Socks Underwear Pajamas Fleece blankets Winter hats Crayons Journals Calendars Playing cards Lego sets Matchbox cars Art supplies Coloring/activity book OUTDOOR CLUB The Outdoor Club’s trip to RiverScape MetroPark for ice-skating on December 18th has been moved to January 15th. Permission slips are available from Mrs. Murray or Mrs. Stucke. Click the link for information about RiverScape: http://www.metroparks.org/Parks/RiverScape/Home.aspx

CALENDAR OF EVENTS MONDAY – DECEMBER 8 TUESDAY – DECEMBER 9  BB vs. Northridge 5:30  GB @ Northridge 5:30  CTC Trip WEDNESDAY – DECEMBER 10  CTC Trip  Intramurals 2:30  Power of the Pen Practice - 7th grade - 2:30 – 3:45  Power of the Pen Practice – 8th grade – 2:30 - 4:00  Yearbook 2:30 Media Lab  Owl-some Reading Club 2:35 – 3:15 Rm. 204  Yearbook Group Pictures THURSDAY – DECEMEBR 11  FOR Club Mtg. 2:45-4:00  BB vs. Urbana 5:00  8th Grade GB @ Urbana 5:00  7th Grade GB @ Mad River 5:00  WR @ Tipp High School 6:30  Holiday Band Concert 7:30 THS

FRIDAY – DECEMBER 12 SATURDAY – DECEMBER 13  WR 34th Annual Red Devil Wrestling Classic 9:00

PLANNING AHEAD?

Mon. Dec. 15 BB @ Graham 5:30 GBB vs. Graham 5:30 Tue. Dec. 16 Choir Concert 6:30 THS Wed. Dec. 17 Senior Citizen Breakfast 9:00-10:30 LT Ball Thur. Dec. 18 BB @ Indian Lake 5:30 GBB vs. Indian Lake 5:30 7th Grade Algebra / 8th Grade Math / 8th Grade Language Arts Exam Fri. Dec. 19 Last Day before Winter Break 8th Grade Social Studies Exam Tue. Dec. 30 GB @ Ft. Loramie 5:30 Annual Senior Citizens Holiday Breakfast

Wednesday, December 17, 2014 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Please join us at: LT Ball Intermediate School 575 N. Hyatt St

RSVP: 667-8444 By Friday, December 12th

Hosted by Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, City of Tipp City, & Tipp City Chamber of Commerce

Entertainment by Tipp City Students