Alfred B. Nobel Middle School Nobel Math Science Technology Magnet Center

Alfred B. Nobel Middle School Nobel Math Science Technology Magnet Center 9950 Tampa Avenue, Northridge, CA 91324 (818) 349-4200 Robert Coburn, Principal NN O O B B E E L L N N E E W W S S

VOLUME 13: NUMBER 2 Visit us on the web at www. lausd.k12.ca.us/Nobel_MS October 2, 2006

Principal's message -The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative Nobel is off to a wonderful start for school year, 2006- impact upon the individual’s work or academic performance, 2007. Our enrollment has remained at 2365 students. We are or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or proud that so many parents want their children to come to educational environment. Nobel Middle School. -Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual Our Superintendent, Mr. Roy Romer, has listed improved is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual student achievement and increased student attendance among regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities his quality indicators for all schools. Nobel has a proud history available at or through the educational institution. of outstanding accomplishments in both of these areas. Nine For further assistance (with student concerns), contact Deanne out of the last eleven years, Nobel has had the top attendance Neiman, Director, Educational Equity Compliance, at (213) of any middle school in LAUSD. Nobel’s API of 839 is the 229-5900. highest of any middle school in LAUSD. Of equal importance is parent involvement; therefore, we continue to encourage your active participation in all school meetings (please see the SCHOOL STARTS AT 7:56! calendar for dates and times of meetings). PLEASE DROP OFF STUDENTS ON TIME. The state has emphasized the need for textbooks for To see the 2006-2007 Nobel Bell Schedules and other students. Nobel has issued appropriate textbooks to all information please visit us on line! students. We encourage students to respect and take care of their textbooks. As you may know, textbooks are very Library Update expensive to replace. We appreciate your help and assistance The library hs opened for busines. Sixth grade students in monitoring your son/daughter’s textbooks. are coming with their social studies classes for orientation. At I wish to thank all of our parents who have joined Nobel’s this time they will receive temorary library cards. Returning PTSA for the 2006-2007 school year. You are terrific! students will use last year's ID cards until the new ones arrive. I hope that you attended Back-to-School Night. I am sure New 7th and 8th graders need to come to the library on their the evening was both enjoyable and informative. own to fill out an application for a temporary card. Robert Coburn...... Principal The library hours and policies remain the same. The library opens at 7:30a.m. Nutrition time is for the Library Club School Leadership Council members. Lunch students need to show their ID cards or temporary library card. After school we are open most days Meets once a month in the library at 3:00PM or for 30 minutes. Exceptions are professional development and 6:00PM All PARENTS ARE WELCOME ! faculty meeting Tuesdays when the library is not open after Items for the Agenda may be submitted in the Main school at all. Thursdays the library is available until 3:00p.m. Office in Ms. Newell’s Mail Box Mrs. McCauley, the school LMT, is alwayss on the look out for adult volunteers. If you have spare time and don't know Emergency Procedures what to do with it, give her a call at 349-4200 x251. There is In response to the recent events on the east coast, Nobel no amount of time too small to volunteer! administration would like to reassure everyone that there are Shirley McCauley……………………………..Librarian emergency procedures in place so that every person is prepared in case of an emergency. Fire and earthquake drills PSAT Offered at Nobel are held on a regular basis. The fire drills will continue to be On Tuesday, October 17, 2006, the Preliminary Scholastic held on a monthly basis to make sure students and staff are Aptitude Test will be offered at Nobel. Although this test is aware of evacuation procedures. There is a crisis team and a designed for eleventh grade students, we offer it at our school safe school committee that is part of the Nobel safe school to help our students discover the kinds of academic work they plan. In the event of an emergency and the students who are will need to study and know by the time they are juniors in evacuated need to be picked up, parents are urged to do the high school. Although our middle school students will not following; have learned much of the material that will be on the test,  All students will be on the PE field in Homeroom order. students will get an idea of what remains to be learned in  Parents are to go to the South-east corner (Vanalden & middle and high school. Lassen) of the school to request their student (Request The test is given each year and we hope that your child will Gate) take it regularly through the eleventh grade. By doing so, he  Parents then are to go to the North-east corner (Vanalden or she should see growth evident in an improved score each & Merridy) of the school to be reunited with their student year and realize that he or she is now considered to be on the (Reunion Gate) way to college.  Please be aware that only the people whose names appear The test is limited to the first 160 8th graders who signed up on the emergency card will be allowed to pick up a beginning in September. The test will begin promptly at student 8:00AM in the multipurpose room. Students will receive their Please, in the event of an emergency, remain calm and orderly. test results during the spring semester. The staff at Nobel review and drill these procedures on a regular basis and put safety of our students first. If you have any questions, please contact Al Marsh, Assistant Principal, at Dates for general Standardized Testing 349-4200. 2006-2007 School Year March 6-7 CA Writing Test Sexual Harassment Policy The California Education Code Section 212.4 defines March 27-31 SABE sexual harassment as any verbal, visual, or physical conduct of April 23 Aprenda a sexual nature made by someone from or in the work or May 9-20 CAT/6 educational setting, under the following conditions: -Submission to the conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or a condition of an individual’s employment, academic status, or progress. Homework Incentive Program -Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by an individual is Nobel's first Homework Incentive Program Drawing will used as the basis of employment or academic decision be in October. Students receive a ticket from each class for affecting the individual. which they do all homework during a grading period. Also, if they return all tear-offs to homeroom they may receive a ticket as Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Arlington National making a total of seven possible. Each student must then put Cemetery, Smithsonian, National Archives, Mount Vernon… his/her name on half of the ticket and turn in that half to the Give your child the chance of a lifetime to discover first hand the attendance office by nutrition of the day of the drawing. If sites and history of one of the world's most fascinating cities. This educational, safe, and fun filled trip is one you won't want your child anyone wishes to donate prizes for this program, please to miss! For an informational/registration envelope, see Mr. Helm in contact Becky Huffman, Assistant Principal, at 818-349-4200. room 7. If you have any questions, please call Mr. Helm at Nobel at 349-4200. Thank you. Upcoming Fun Activities The Donut Hang Contest will be held on the outdoor stage at lunch. A donut dipped in chocolate is hung from a string. Community Discount Cards Students must eat the hanging donut without the use of their Attention parents: Nobel Middle School will be selling hands. One person from each homeroom will be chosen to Community Discount Cards again for $10 each throughout participate in this event. Pictures will be taken for the October. They can be purchased for a wide range of cities, and yearbook. a list will be sent home with the students along with an order The mummy wrap contest will be held on the outdoor lawn form. Remember that all proceeds will go to Nobel Student during lunch. Participants will wrap up their partner like a Body General Funds in order to help pay for school equipment mummy using toilet paper. Two students from each and activities. For more information, call Mr. Helm at Nobel. homeroom will get to compete. Below is an example of the cards: The Halloween Dance will be during lunch in the MPR and there will be a costume parade at lunch October 31. Anyone in costume may join the parade and walk across the outdoor stage. Those with the best costumes will win candy. Watch for the dates to be announced!

RED RIBBON WEEK October 23-27, 2006 Commit to and sign a pledge to live a drug-free life. (Activities and prizes to be announced) Attendance Office updates Magnet News Hello parents, and welcome to the 06-07 school year. We October is a busy month here at Nobel. I would like to hope it is enjoyable and successful for all. draw attention to a few of the planned events. On September As usual, traffic congestion on Merridy and Lassen streets 27, we had our Magazine assembly. Sales and collection is a serious problem. Remember that oth streets are no parking will continue through the first two weeks of October. Please zones in the mornings and afternoons on the school side of the support our school by purchasing and renewing your streets. If you leave your vehicle, you may be cited. Tampa magazines through our fundraiser. Avenue is always a no parking, no drop-off zone. Blocking th traffic thereCalendar is very dangerousof Events as cars travel 45-55 mph and Next, on October 27 , seventh and eighth grade LIB --- Library PCR --- Principal's Conference Room “Medalists” will be honored at a ceremony designed to may not be able to stop in time to avoid a stopped car. Parents may not enter theOctober service road in the mornings or immediately recognize their achievements. 2 Unassigned Day...... No School st after school; that is for buses and staff only. Parents may not Finally, on October 31 we have our Halloween Costume 3 Curriculumuse ourCouncil parking...... lots in the morning for LIBdrop 3:10 off. ParentsPM may Parade. 5 SI/SSC,enter Title the I & service ELAC road Vote only...... after 3:15p.m., when3:00 PMbusses have Looking ahead, our next Magnet Parent Advisory 10 ID Pictureleft Make to pick up up day children...... from the PEMPR field. 8-11:00 Please AMpark in legal meeting will be on November 8th, at 7:00 p.m. in the library. 12 REPORTareas. CARDS GO HOME...... Have a great month. 12 School Leadership Please do Council not double...... park or stop trafficLIB 6:00to drop PM off or wait Ted Pearce…………………………………….Magnet Coordinator 16 PSAT Meetingfor students...... Jaywalking is illegal and dangerous.MPR Everyday 17 1:33 Dismissalmany kids /Prof. are atDev risk...... of being struck byLIB a vehicle 1:35 PM when they 19 SI Schooldodge Site throughCouncil heavy ...... traffic to cross MerridyLIB 3:00 Street. PM I have 24 1:33 Dismissalalready witnessed/Prof. Dev several...... near misses. ItLIB is better1:35 PM to drop off Planners th By this time, every student should have received a Nobel 27 Medalistkids Ceremony a block or...... two away so that theyMPR can Period use crosswalks.2 (7 ) We 27 Medalist Ceremony...... MPR Period 4 (8th) Student Planner. These planners have been purchased with will have no extra crosswalks, traffic signal changes, or 28-11/13 Magazinecrossing Drive guards. Fundraiser We rely on parents and students to be patient, school funds and are being used by the students to develop safe, follow traffic laws and plan ahead when transporting organizational skills. Students who lose their planners will students. Try to get here a little earlier in the morning and a have to replace them at a cost of $10. little later in theNovember afternoon. Parents, last year we had a significant tardy problem: 2 Title I, ELACstudents meeting………………….LIB arriving to school late for homeroom. 2:30 PM School begins 8 Magnet atParent 7:50 a.m.Meeting each...... morning. I will often beLIB on 7:00 Merridy PM street in Counselor's Corner 9 School Leadershipthe mornings Council trying...... to hustle students toLIB class 3:00 and PM reminding We want to welcome all of our students back and hope that 10 No Classesparents Veterans they need Day to get kids to school earlier. Try to have this year will be a successful one for each of you! Getting 14 1:33 Dismissalyour children /Prof. hereDev…………………....LIB by 7:45 a.m. so they have 1:35 plenty PM of time to 15 PTSA…………………………………..…Parentget to lockers before school. We are issuing Center paper Per4 pick up organized at the beginning of the year is one way to start. to students who are tardy to homeroom. It significantly Getting organized means to; 16 School Site Council...... LIB 3:00 PM 17 Yearbookreduced Club Photos………………………………………. our tardies to homeroom last spring. Students will do 1. Set goals and plan ways to reach them. 27 Magnet Tours………………………………………..Alltheir paper pick up duty during nutrition or Day lunch. Notes 2. Make schedules for finishing assignments and other 23 No Classesdescribing...... typical morning difficultiesThanksgiving getting to school on projects on time. 254 No Classestime willHoliday not be accepted. 3. Have time for fun, friends, and favorite activities. 298 1:33 Dismissal Attendance /Prof. Dev policy:...... From the district’sLIB 1:35 attendance PM Organization is important. It will help you to become a procedures bulletin #1292, adapted from CA state law: better student. Instead of cramming for tests or writing papers Students much be in their seat when the tardy bell begins to ring. The at the last minute, you'll be able to take the time to do your only excuses for being tardy or absent are a medical or dental best.------It also reduces stress when you learn to pace yourself. ----Tear Off------appointment, illness, quarantine, or attendance of a funeral -----of an You won't feel rushed all the time. immediate family member. Other justifiable reasons must be Thank You requested by the parent in writing in advance, and must be approved Nobel Middle School Limit-SettingNobel byMath the school Science principal. Technology Family emergencies, Magnet cars that Center twill not start, . When expectations are clearly explained,late carpools, taught, flatand tires, reinforced, faulty alarm it’s clocks, easier etc. for are not excusable children to make choices about their behavior.tardies… Parental expectations keep children Washington DC safe and healthy until they achieve independence and the ability to take care of themselves. Parents and students, Mr. Helm again will beI taking have students, received the October 2006 Nobel News. family and friends to Washington D.C. DOfor Nobel's annual field trip. DON’T This will be theUse 17th a neutral trip! The tone trip will be from June 23 through June Yell 28. The priceUse this______yearconsequences will be $1,558.00. We will be leaving on a Make empty______threats Saturday nightProvide "red-eye" encouragement flight.Student's This will giveName us a full five day trip at Call your child namesParent/Guardian Signature D.C. Price includeBe consistents airfare, all meals, hotel, tourCORRECTION: bus, and transfers. SpringChange Break rules when is 4/2/07-4/6/07 you feel like it This is a veryKnow educational where trip your where child we is willNot be returning seeing the this following tear-off could significantlyAllow hurt your a student's child to homeroom go places grade. you have no information about and more: CapitolKnow Building, who your Ford child Theater, is Awith signed all the notemonuments stating receiptsuch of this newsletterAllow may your be used child in toplace go ofto thisa friend’s tear-off. house if you have not checked The homeroom teacherAlso… will keep this tear-off. Open House has been changedwith to: the adultsApril in charge12, 2007