Middle School Update

Volume 7 Number 23

March 17 , 2008

Next Update will be March 31

CALENDAR:  

ELECTIVE FORMS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 AND 7 were included in the Monday Envelope on March 10th and were due back by March 14th. Students who turned in elective forms on time are given priority over those who turn them in late or change their minds.

CONFERENCES THIS SEMESTER:  Please note that due to the government mandated school closing in May we have changed the Student-Led Conference Week to May 5-9.  You will receive an appointment slip in April so that you can plan your time.

ID CARDS:  All students should now have ID cards. Many lost them over the summer or in the last two weeks and have received new ones.  Students are expected to have them every day and will be charged if they need a replacement card from this point on.  Please support us in our suggestion to students to keep the ID card in a secure zippered pocket in a backpack or bag that they bring to school every day.  Students who arrive in busses will also be asked to show cards on a random basis.

STUDENTS WHO LIVE NEARBY AND WALK HOME and need to cross Las Palmeras should do so at the corner near the bus gate adjacent to Gate 2 so that there is a policeman to help with the traffic.  Students should NOT cross the street directly in front of gate 2. Cars entering the car pick area must pull forward as far as possible to allow other cars in behind them, even if it means driving past the waiting student.  There is a great deal of traffic at Gate 2 at 3:30 and we need everyone’s cooperation to make it safe. Students should NOT cross the street to meet parents or drivers. Students who do not obey pickup rules will lose their gate 2 privileges.

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES - After-school Activities got underway this past Monday, and our courts, fields and pool are filled with enthusiastic children. Students have until Monday, March 24 to make any changes to their Activity schedule. After that date, they must commit to their choices; more than two unexcused absences will result in the student being removed from an activity.

A reminder to parents that any students who have signed up for Swim Academy must make a payment of S/400 to the business office (by the car drive-through area).

IS YOUR CHILD BEING STALKED???  Anyone, young or old, who uses a computer can be the victim of cyber crime.  This includes harassment, unsolicited obscene words and pictures,
attacks on your credit and identity, and invitations from predators.  Parents need to be
informed so that they can help their children to be safe with internet use.  Please join
us Wednesday, April 9th at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Theatre for a presentation by Jorge
Aguinaga who has been involved in educating kids and adults about this topic through an
initiative by Microsoft.

From the counselor’s corner:

This semester, our main goal is to empower students to take a stand and speak up about
bullying.  For this reason, sixth and seventh graders will be working during CAS on a
special rotation called Bullying. In sixth grade Mr. Duffield and Ms. Remy work on
different activities that include games, watching a short documentary, and having an open
discussion about bullying.  At the end, students will be asked to think of a word of hope
and wisdom that they can pass on to other students and print their hand on Ms. Remy’s
wall.

Seventh graders will be working with Ms. Salazar and Ms. Remy on a writer’s  workshop
around this topic as well.  Students will watch the movie “Odd Girl Out”.  This movie
offers a closer look at the terrible treatment a young girl receives from her friends. 
The main character, Vanessa (Alexa Vega, also seen in Spy Kids), is a shy student whose
best friends are a group of “cool” girls who rule the school.  The story begins when the
group thinks that Vanessa has betrayed her so called best friend, who is also the leader
of the group.  At that point everything begins to go wrong.  Seventh graders are asked to
analyze the film, talk about bullying, as well as discuss the role of the aggressor and
the victim.  Finally, they will be asked to think about possible solutions or steps they
could take to help the victim and take a stand. The message is strong, we need to work
together to make a difference.