Panther Tracks! It Is Hard to Believe but This Issue Will Be Arriving in Your Homes Just in Time for the End Panther Camp
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October/November 2011 The newsletter for Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School Volume 2011-2012 Issue 1 Inside Principal’s Column Principal’s Column . .1 Dear JLS Community, PTA President’s Column . .2 Welcome to JLS and to the first issue of JLS Panther Camp Thanks! . .3 Panther Tracks! It is hard to believe but this issue will be arriving in your homes just in time for the end Panther Camp . .3 of an exciting and fun-filled first quarter. This past PantherPartners In Education and JLS . .4 Tracksquarter has been filled with transitions, getting to Thank You Parents!. .5 know one another, and establishing routines. At this BTS Pizza Dinner Thank You . .5 point we have all settled in and thanks to a united effort of parents, staff, and students, life at JLS is Fundraiser for the Library and amazing! Music Departments . .5 All of us at JLS are excited about continuing to The 2012 Many Faces of JLS . .5 partner with you as all of our students navigate middle school, grow and JLS Science Fair 2012 . .6 thrive; academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Your active involvement and support, coupled with our best professional efforts, will Bee Season is Coming. .6 surely make for a successful year! New Teachers . .7 This year you will find some new faces hard at work at JLS. Please join JLS Student Directory. .7 me in welcoming: JLS PTA Family Service Date . .7 Grant Althouse Administrative TOSA November Staff Appreciation . .7 Gerri Bibat English, 8th grade Eileen Chang Industrial Technology Ads for Yearbook . .7 Chris Mahle Drama Teacher Adolescent Counseling Services. .8 Melody Owens SAI Teacher Project Safety Net . .9 Stephanie Sheridan School Psychologist Counselors’ Corner. .10 Hillary Thompson Video Production Check Out the Library . .11 Irada Yuzbash ELD Teacher Music Notes . .12 Given that Panther Tracks is a quarterly publication, I will do my best Social Studies. .12 to make the contents of my column informative about what is happening at JLS, big or small. Over the course of the past two years, the staff at JLS has Languages Department . .13 engaged in a number of staff development activities focused on multiple Tdap Letter (6th graders). .14 aspects of teaching children. We have been lucky to benefit from work- Tdap Carta (6to grado). .15 shops and presentations by experts such as Denise Pope, Jim Lobdell, Ken Calendar . .16 Ginsburg, Jennifer Abrams, Geoff Cohen, and Clay Roberts. While each of these people has a different expertise, all of their knowledge can be woven together to create a solid understanding of what needs to happen for kids to realize their full potential academically and holistically. We are continu- ously working on refining our approach to working with kids so they grow Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School 480 East Meadow Drive into knowledgeable, thriving adults. Palo Alto, CA 94306 The JLS areas of focus, known at the JLS ABC’s, drive our work in the www.jls.pausd.org areas of Academics, Belonging, and Creating Wellness. Our work includes Main Office: 856-5188 the adoption of Search Institute’s 41 developmental assets model for build- Principal: Sharon Ofek ing positive character traits in our students. This year JLS is emphasizing Assistant Principals: Ryan Fletcher and five assets on which we feel we can have a positive impact. These five Pier Angeli LaPlace assets dovetail nicely with the work we have been doing in the areas of con- PTA Co-Presidents: Nancy Smith and nectedness and building student resilience. The assets are: Ivan Hom • Other Adult Relationships – receives support from three or more non- Send submissions to: parent adults. [email protected]. • Caring School Climate – school provides a caring, encouraging Next deadline: January 6, 2012 VP Communications: Faith Brigel environment. Editor: Smita Kolhatkar • High Expectations – both parents and teachers encourage the child to Layout: Joni Okamoto do well. Distribution: Heike Enders Continued on page 2 Continued from page 1 improvement, our school will continue to be successful in producing happy, thriving children. • Reading for Pleasure – read for pleasure three or more hours per week. I am proud to work at JLS!, Sharon Ofek, Principal • Cultural Competence – has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ ethnic backgrounds. PTA Presidents’ Column In addition to incorporating developmental assets, the JLS staff collaborated throughout the last school As we settle into our new school year, the JLS PTA year to review and revise our homework guidelines. would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and We started with conversations around the purpose and returning JLS families. We’ll jump right in and invite meaningfulness of homework. We evaluated example you to join our PTA, if you have not already done so, assignments, conducted our own investigations, and and encourage you as part of our community to stay reviewed research. Our conversations were very spir- informed and involved with your student’s experience ited! Ultimately, we came to agreement on our overall at JLS. Never fear, joining the PTA does not require you approach to homework and some more clearly defined to organize an event or even to volunteer on campus, roles and responsibilities for students, teachers, and though we love to see new faces and welcome your help parents. The new homework guidelines can be found throughout the year. Joining the PTA does give you a in the student binder reminder (bottom of p. 12) as well voice and a vote at our meetings, a window into the great as the parent handbook (p. 21) that was mailed to your programs we run and the support we offer our teachers home this past August. It is our intent to monitor our and students, as well as a membership into the nation’s implementation of these guidelines and re-evaluate them largest and most consistent voice for adequate school throughout the year. funding and advocacy for children. To join, pick up a This past summer, the JLS and El Carmelo com- PTA membership form in the office, or go to the member- munities tragically lost the Howard-Dias family in a car ship section of our PTA website at http://pta.palo-alto. accident. The loss of Robert, Ana-Maria, and Samantha ca.us/jls/?q=membership for an online flyer. Thank you! in the JLS community has been enormous. Whether it What’s new at JLS this year? We and our kids are, was chaperoning a dance, hosting a lunch time club, and we are both here to learn! For many of us incoming advocating for PiE, or telling a friend how much they 6th grade families, this is our first experience with middle mattered, all of them were incredibly active and engaged school life, and we are surprised at some of the changes in making JLS a better place for kids. Upon conclusion in our kids that affect our families. Children are search- of the family memorial service this past summer, family ing for independence in ways that may seem baffling to member Cindy Howard highlighted the importance of us. Why would a kid want to ride a scooter in the rain living every day fully and making sure the actions we to school rather than getting a ride? Yet asserting inde- take have an impact. Then she assigned everyone some pendence at this time is natural - our children learn from homework. these experiences, and from there, often take on new 1. There is someone in your life who you need to thank. responsibilities. As parents we still want to be the guiding Today, find that person and share your gratitude. hand that keeps our kids on the right path, rather than stepping back and taking a supportive role. This is a dif- 2. There is someone in your life who is new to the ficult step but one that we must adjust to. community, or is alone, or is in need of help. This week: reach out to that person. This is where the learning enters in - and our Developmental Asset of the month - ‘Positive Family 3. There is a need in your community that you are Communication’. Open communication between parents uniquely suited to address. This month: do what you and kids is critical in order for parents to be comfortable can to tackle that need. in a supportive role. In addition, open communication I found her message powerful and hope that each of requires level heads, so we as parents need to stay calm you consider completing Cindy’s assignments. Whatever despite the rising sound level. In their own ways, our you do, it will make a difference to someone. kids are checking in with us to see if we really want to As your principal, I strive to provide a developmen- communicate. Therefore, let’s keep our sound level down tally appropriate learning community for your child that and keep the conversation going. We all benefit when we is nurturing, challenging, and safe. Through teamwork, learn to do a bit more listening! open communication, and dedication to continuous Enjoy the fall weather while it lasts - get outside with your kids and play, take a hike, or go for a bike ride! And, as always, feel free to contact us with questions or Jane Lathrop Stanford (JLS) is a diverse learning community. suggestions. We seek to provide a safe, creative, and inclusive learning envi- With best regards, ronment. We respect and embrace the uniqueness of every individual. We strive for academic excellence, individual Ivan Hom, [email protected] responsibility, and lifelong learning. Nancy Smith, [email protected] Through compassion, connection, courtesy, complimenting, and Co-Presidents, JLS PTA community, we support the intellectual, social, physical, and emotional growth of our children.