October 3, 2005 Boulder Valley’s First Charter School Volume 20, Number 3
The School Calendar October November th • Tuesday, 4 Vision/Hearing Screening - 8:30 a.m. • Friday, 11th NO SCHOOL - Veteran's Day th • Monday, 10 No lunch service – send sack lunch Monday, 21st - Friday, 25th NO SCHOOL - th • • Tuesday 18 Parent Teacher Conferences 1:30- Thanksgiving Holiday 6:30 p.m. * Monday 28th School Resumes th • • Wednesday, 19 Picture Retakes 8:00-10:00 a.m. th • Wednesday, 19 Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:30-6:30 p.m. * st • Friday, 21 NO SCHOOL - Summit Charter Day nd • Saturday 22 – Parent Work Party 9:00am- 3:00pm • Wednesday, 26th End of 1st Quarter December January th • Wednesday, 21st - Tuesday 3rd Jan. NO SCHOOL • Wednesday, 4 School Resumes th - Winter Holiday Break • Friday 13 NO SCHOOL Professional Development Day th • Monday 16 NO SCHOOL Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday th • Thursday 19 End of First Semester rd • Monday 23 – No lunch service – send sack lunch
* Conference Note: Summit students will be in class 8:10-12:20 p.m. on these days (no lunch service.)
Principal’s Column David. Finell
Summit Parents: I again encourage parents to use Tantra as the primary pick-up and drop-off area for the school. We expect this In order to improve the safety of our small parking lot, work to be done in October. As always, please follow all BVSD will be making some changes in the configuration safety rules so no one is injured during drop-off and pick- of parking, pick-up and drop-off areas. Once the work is up times. completed, students will only be allowed to be dropped off and picked up along the expanded student drop off A diagram is available at the front office. and pick up line along the sidewalk.
Page 2 – Summit News – October 3, 2005
From the Dean’s Office --Renee Reaven
Athletics, Student Council and Academic Progress By the way, we still don’t have a flag football coach. If Reports you are interested, let me know.
The IM Girls Basketball team had a good deal of fun at On October 7th and 8th twenty newly elected Student their culminating tournament at Eldorado K-8. Under the Council representatives will have their annual retreat in enthusiastic and skillful coaching of volunteer Coach Kris Estes Park. They will have two days filled with team Moe, Signe and Shannon Burke’s Mom, the team building, leadership training, Constitution writing, the earned an 8-3-1 record (wins, losses, ties). Hearty formation of committees and elections for the executive congratulations go to Shannon Burke, Natalie Fearnley, council. Chaperones for the trip are Renee and her Karen Richardson, Luisa Jaeger, Ariel Eckstein, Erin husband Noah Reaven, Allie and Alex Paul’s parents Kirton, Alexia Ingerson, Betty Yi, Mary Edman, Allie Paul and faculty member Neal Zettas. Last year’s Student and Lara Van Meter, who played at the tournament. At Council set the bar high for community service projects the end of the tournament the girls presented Coach and school wide events such as dances and an all- Moe and Dean Reaven with flowers and expressed their school movie fest. This year’s Student Council also heartfelt thanks! Way to go, Summiteers! appears to be an energetic group with many ideas! Again, keep posted! IM Boys Basketball is up and running with a whopping 23 6th and 7th grade boys participating. Practices are Progress reports just came out. Summit has a rigorous every day except Tuesdays from 3:15-4:15. Stop by and and challenging curriculum and we set the bar high for watch Coach Zettas’ practices; you will see that the boys our students. If your child is struggling at Summit he/she could not have a more passionate and proficient coach! will have a meeting with Dean Reaven to work out an Their culminating tournament is from 4:00 - 6:00 on academic improvement plan. You will see the plan, as October 7th at a place to-be-announced. They will take a your child will bring it home to be signed, and of course BVSD bus to and from the tournament. Keep posted! your support and encouragement is critical to its success. Our school counselor, Kendra Bartley, the IM Coed Flag Football starts October 12 and ends principal, Mr. Finell and I work closely with you and your October 28th. Practices are every day except Tuesdays child’s teachers to insure that every student at Summit from 3:15-4:15. If your child is interested in playing, takes advantage of the program and support services we please have him/her sign up on the sign up sheet on the offer. It takes a village….! bulletin board outside of Dean Reaven’s office. The fall season and flag football, it doesn’t get better than that!
Events for Prospective Students (2005-2006)
Monthly Scheduled Tours shadow a “Student Ambassador” (current 6th grader) for a half-day. Dates and sign-up procedures for Student Parents and students interested in the Summit Middle Visitation Days will be sent with letters of acceptance, School program are invited to tour the school with a which are mailed in late January or early February. Summit administrator. At the end of the tour, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers. All tours begin Student/Parent Information Nights at 8:30 a.m. Tours are by appointment only. Please call the Summit office to schedule a time (303-499-9511). Student/Parent Information Nights are an excellent opportunity to meet Summit staff and board members and School tours will be held on the following dates: to learn more about the Summit program. The mission, October 25, November 3 and 17, December 1, 7 and 14, philosophy, and curriculum of the Summit program will be January 11 and 18. discussed, textbooks and work samples will be displayed, and presentations will be made by core subject and Student Visitation Days elective teachers. All prospective students and their families are encouraged to attend one of these evening Students who have been notified of acceptance at Summit programs, which are offered twice during the year. are eligible to attend a Student Visitation Day. This Student/Parent Information Nights will be held on program is designed for students who feel they need to Thursday, December 8 and on Thursday, January 12 visit the school in order to make a final decision about from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. enrolling at Summit. On the day they visit, students will Page 3 – Summit News – October 3, 2005
FYI
Pupil Count Days staff. We recognize there are a lot of demands and The official October Pupil Count period is going on needs for funds and you may consider donating to statewide now through Oct. 7, 2005. Please ensure your various organizations. We ask that you please plan for child is in attendance at school unless s/he is ill, or has our single fundraising activity for Summit. These funds an extenuating circumstance approved by the office. directly support our children's education and the Attendance determines membership in the school, which continued academic excellence of Summit. dictates our funding, received for the year from the state. There are two goals for this year's campaign. The first is Parent/Teacher Conferences 100% participation (a donation from each and every one Parent/Teacher Conferences are from 1:30 – 6:30 P.M. of Summit's families). Foundations and others consider on the following days: levels of support when awarding grants. Every donation, Tuesday, Oct. 18 last name A - L regardless of amount, counts toward this participation Wednesday, Oct. 19 last name M - Z goal. Our second goal is to raise $100,000 in Students will have a shortened school day on these contributions (an average of $350 per Summit family). days, from 8:10-12:20. On Tuesday the class schedule We understand that students come to Summit from a will be periods 1, 3, 5, and a shortened 7th, and on wide variety of economic situations; some families Wednesday periods 2, 4, 6, and a shortened 7th will cannot make a donation of this size. We think it is best to meet. Lunch will NOT be offered for students, so send a ask families to give what they can, realizing that some substantial snack with your child for Nutrition Break will give above this average and some will give below. If those days. we all do the best we can, Tools for Learning will reach its goals. Don’t forget corporate matching programs if Rocky Mountain Talent Search your employer will match your donation! The Rocky Mountain Talent Search enables capable and motivated middle school students to take a challenging If you have any questions about this year's campaign, SAT or ACT college entrance test not usually please contact Michelle Meyer, Tools for Learning administered until high school. Students who have Chairperson - 303-588-3474. participated have reported increased comfort and potential future score gains by receiving early experience with these types of tests. To qualify to Summit Board Supports Referendum 3A participate, a student must have received a standardized BVSD put referendum 3A on the November election test score in a major subject area of 90% or higher, or ballot. 3A will provide the school district with additional received a score of "Advanced" on one or more of the funds to offset non-reimbursed transportation costs. This CSAP tests during the last two years. will free up $4.2M in the general budget, which BVSD plans to use for computer replacement and other needs. The program offers information, forms, and assistance to help you select and register for the tests. Students are If this referendum passes Summit will receive its pro-rata sent interpretive information to help them understand share per student. Given Summit's current budget their scores. High-test scores entitle students to constraints (caused in part by this year's low state per- participate in various academically oriented summer pupil funding increase of 1.1%) this additional funding programs, and students receive a booklet describing would provide some needed relief. The Summit Board these educational opportunities. therefore recommends a vote in favor of Referendum 3A. Ms. Bartley, Summit counselor, will be visiting 7th and 8th grade science classes during October to discuss the If you'd like to know more about Referendum 3A go to: Talent Search and to pass out application forms. Parents www.impact3a.org of 6th graders were given forms at our new parent education night, "Helping Your Child Succeed at Driver Wanted Summit.” Additional forms are available by calling Ms. A Summit family would like to donate a wooden picnic Bartley at Summit. For further information, you may also table to the school but they have no way to transport it. call the Rocky Mountain Talent Search at 303-871-2983. If you have a truck and can help us, please call John and Lynn Gibert at (303) 554-0171. Tools for Learning - Campaign Kick-off On October 14, we will be mailing each family a pledge Bouldering packet for our annual Tools for Learning campaign. This My daughter has enjoyed taking climbing & bouldering is Summit's primary fund raising campaign for the year. lessons, but the classes offered are during the week Funds raised through the TFL campaign are allocated in (competing with precious homework time!) response to operations budget supplement needs (i.e., At my request, The Spot Bouldering Gym has put teacher salaries) and requests from Summit faculty and together a class just for 11 - 14 year olds that will meet Page 4 – Summit News – October 3, 2005 after school on Fridays. The class will be from 4 - 5:30, and will begin on Sept. 30. This class will go for six Please join us for these two informative and engaging sessions and costs $100; if your child just wants to events! Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact: Betsy attend just a few classes, the cost is $16.66 per class. If Fox: 303.441.3981 or [email protected] Visit our your child is interested in participating or if you have any website at www.parentengagementnetwork.com questions, feel free to call me (Karen Brents @ 303-581- 7773) or Ashley Woods at The Spot, 303-379-8806. The Spot is located at 3240 Prairie Ave., Boulder (just off of Spanish Club Drive for School Supplies Walnut, east of 30th Street). A liability waiver must Spanish Club is having a school supply drive to provide be signed before your child can participate in this class. many needed goods to a school in Yunguilla, Ecuador. -Karen Brents. This is the village where many Summit students and staff did a service project last summer. The village has only 53 families and one small school that goes up to 7th Parent Engagement Network grade. The teachers frequently do not come and their Three Events for BVSD Parents: books and general supplies are extremely limited. 1. Annual PEN Orientation Training Parents are the Please send any new or leftover school supplies such as Power – Parent Engagement and Prevention pencils, paper, markers, erasers, folders, binders, Wednesday October 26th 8:30 – 11:00a.m. Boulder sharpeners, etc. to school with your child before Oct. 13. County Recycling Center They can be left in boxes in your 1st period class. 2. Craig Soderberg, MA CDC Compass House Speaker, Donations of money are welcome as well. We will Tuesday, November 8th, 8:30 - 11:00 a.m., BVSD Ed purchase additional supplies to augment the ones Center 6500 Arapahoe “Communication IS donated. Thank you so much from all of us at Spanish Prevention” Club and from the citizens of Yunguilla! 3. Barry Ebert, National Parenting Expert and Entertainer Wednesday November 16th 7:00-9:00p.m. Monarch High School Auditorium. “Celebrating Powerful Parenting Strategies for All Ages”
National Junior Honor Society --Cheryle Kapsak
NJHS News... We will be helping UNICEF with Trick or Treat for UNICEF Thanks to all the compassionate Summit students and later in October. families who contributed to our hurricane Katrina relief fund. We raised an astonishing $4,506.35! Our period 7 We have begun a knitting club at Summit! NJHS vice cake contest was a smashing success, and our bake sale president Chytanya Kompala is project coordinator, and was terrific too. Mrs. Kapsak's period 7 pixies won the we had 56 students attend both sessions so far! It is pretty Costco cake. (Never underestimate the power of the amazing to see. We meet in room 2 at lunch on pixies!) NJHS extends special thanks to Graham Morgan's Wednesdays to knit scarves for the poor. We seem to be mom for baking the heavily frosted chocolate cake for our quite heavily populated by boys in the knitting club, and raffle. It was quite a cake! Two pixies bought the winning we love it! Thanks to Mrs. Burman who donates her time ticket by combining fifty cents each. We sold out, so thank to help teach us each Wednesday. Thanks also to Ms. you to all who baked for us and also to all who bought our Kolanowski, Ms. Avallone, Dr. Fotino, Ms. Hendricks, Mrs. goodies. Kyle and Connor Rowinski's mom Lori, arranged Kantha and all the other adults who help teach and guide for her financial planning division of American Express to our knitters. Thanks to Eddie and Timmy Schermerhorn's match our earnings, and so we celebrate all the way mom Wendy, for donating yarn and cookies last week. We around that our efforts could be made even better with do need yarn, so if you can donate any, please send it to Mrs. Rowinski's help. Thanks also go to Amelia Parlier, room 2. and her mom Julie who took all of our heavy plastic containers jammed with money to the Boulder Valley We will holding our annual Thanksgiving food drive in Credit Union. There, the generous Credit Union November. We will also be adopting kids at Children's employees recounted all of our funds and did not charge Hospital using the hospital wish list for our December gift us anything to issue a cashiers check to the American drive. More later. Thank you Summit, for supporting the Red Cross Katrina fund! This whole project was just one scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service good deed after another. We are grateful for our amazing attributes of our NJHS members. We are trying to make Summit community. Eric Davids, NJHS president, was the world a better place one kind act at a time. project coordinator and we certainly acknowledge his outstanding leadership in running this emergency project.
Page 5 – Summit News – October 3, 2005
School Closure Information Whenever necessary to close schools, the district immediately contacts the following radio and television Fall is here and the changing seasons remind us that stations: inclement weather can result in school being closed for one or more days. We all need to plan ahead and be KWGN – TV Channel 2 KRCN 1060 AM ready in case that happens. KCNC-TV Channel 4 ALICE 105.9 FM KMGH-TV Channel 7 FOX 103.5 FM Under all but the most extreme conditions, school officials Channel 8 KBCO 97.3 FM have a responsibility to keep school in session. When the KUSA-TV Channel 9 KBPI 106.7 FM weather is bad, but school is open, parents must make a KDVR-TV Fox 31 News KGNU 88.5 FM family decision regarding attendance or late arrival for KCEC-TV Channel 50 KISS 95.7 FM their children. A personal contact by the parent or a KBNO 1280AM written note to school officials will excuse a student’s late KOOL 105.1 FM arrival. KHOW 630 AM KOSI 101.1 FM Occasionally, the weather is severe enough that it is KOA 850 AM necessary to close schools in all or part of the district. KTCL 93.3 FM When this occurs, it is extremely important that working parents have pre-arranged child care available to them; Notices will also be posted on the Boulder Valley School arrangements with a friend or a neighbor; provisions at a District Web page at www.bvsd.org and click on “School child care center; child care leave from work (if available); Cancellations”. arrangements with a neighborhood teenager who also would be out of school, etc. It is very important parents Notification is given prior to 6:30am or as soon as the make these arrangements now since the weather is decision is made to close during the day. Typically the unpredictable and often we are hit with storms early in the media release information only if the school is closed. In school year. most cases, no announcement will mean schools are open.
Summit News
Summit News is the official newsletter of Summit Middle School, 4655 Hanover Ave., Boulder, CO 80305. Mr. David Finell, Principal. Ms. Amanda Avallone, Assistant Principal. Ms. Renee Reaven, Dean of School. Telephone: 303-499-9511. Attendance: 303-447-5529. Fax: 303-499-0215. Summit News is mailed to the parents of enrolled students. Others are added to the mailing list upon request. Summit News is available on Summit's website at www.summitmiddleschool.org. Candice Reasbeck, Editor, [email protected]. Some activities and events announced in Summit News are not sponsored or endorsed by Summit Middle School or the Boulder Valley School District.
MISSION OF SUMMIT MIDDLE SCHOOL . To provide a rigorous, academic curriculum that promotes high levels of student effort and academic achievement . To foster high self-esteem through stimulating intellectual challenge and meaningful academic accomplishment . To inspire in students a lifelong love of learning and a desire for self-development . To create a community of peers who value scholarship, academic achievement, and creativity . To serve as an excellent preparation for students intending to study in the International Baccalaureate program and other college-preparatory high school programs
ENROLLMENT IN SUMMIT Summit Middle School is a tuition-free, public charter school in the Boulder Valley School District, serving grades 6, 7 and 8 through mixed-age classes where students are grouped by ability, interest, motivation, developmental level, and mastery of previous material. Classes are taught by teachers who are specialists in their subject areas. Prospective students register through the District's open- enrollment procedure at the beginning of the calendar year. Summit fills openings from its waiting list through September.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS – 2005-2006 ACADEMIC YEAR Barb Kostanick, Chair, 303-442-7115, barb.kostanick[at]summitmiddleschool.org Betsy Phelan, Vice-Chair, 303-443-0832, e.phelan[at]summitmiddleschool.org David Kopel, Secretary, 303-279-6536, d.kopel[at]summitmiddleschool.org Rainer Kunz, Treasurer, 303-448-9333, r.kunz [at]summitmiddleschool.org Paul Atcheson, 303-581-9013, paul.atcheson[at]summitmiddleschool.org Becky Morley, 303-440-7811, becky.morley[at]summitmiddleschool.org Michelle Meyer, 303-666-0627, michelle.meyer[at]summitmiddleschool.org David Finell, Principal, 303-499-9511, summitprincipal[at]summitmiddleschool.org (ex officio)