Vol. 05-06, No. 2, October/November Burris Laboratory School Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306 Telephone 765-285-1131 Fax 765-285-8620 We’re on the Web! www.bsu.edu/burris Teacher In-Service Days In this newsletter . . . Teacher In-Service Days ........... 1 Parent Teacher Conferences ..... 1 Fall Break ................................... 1 Thanksgiving Break ................... 1 After School Tutoring ................. 1 Blood Drive ................................. 1 Funds Donated ........................... 2 Constitution Day ......................... 2 Driver Education ........................ 2 PowerSchool ............................... 2 4th & 5th Grade News ............... 3 Chess/Reading Clubs ................. 3 Middle School Trips ................... 4 Notes from the Nurse .................. 4 Telephone Assistance Program . 4 Opportunities to Help Burris ..... 5 Burris PTSO News ...................... 5 Cafeteria News ........................... 6 Spaghetti Supper ........................ 6 Counseling Center .................. 7-8 String Notes ................................. 9 National French Week ................ 9 Spirit Items Available ............... 10 Athletic Dates ............................ 10 Basketball Schedules ............... 11 October 6: All students dismissed at noon. No PM kindergarten. Enclosures: Lunch Menus,Telephone Assistance Program Info and Sign-up Form, Reading Club Permission Form, Chess Club Permission Form Fresh Ideas for Education Sign-up Form After school tutoring for Burris middle and high school students is available again this year. November 16: All students will be dismissed at noon. No AM kindergarten. PM kindergarten wil meet from 8:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.. Parent Teacher Conferences All elementary students will be dismissed at 11:00 a.m. on October 14 and October 21. Parent/Teacher conferences will be held in the afternoons. There will be no kindergarten on either of these days. All middle school students will be dismissed at noon on October 26 and 27. Parent/ Teacher conferences will be held in the afternoons. Fall Break Please remember that Burris observes Fall Break along with Ball State University. There will be no classes on October 24 and 25. The office will be open. Thanksgiving Break There will be no school on November 23, 24 and 25. The main office will be open on November 23 but closed on November 24 and 25. After School Tutoring High school mathematics tutoring is Monday through Thursday in Room 223 with Mrs. Katie Debbink. Middle school tutoring for all subjects is in Room 235 with Ms. Buchanan and Mrs. Funk. Blood Drive on November 2 The official Burris calendar is located on the web at www.dynacal.com/Burris October/November, 2005 The High School Student Council will be sponsoring their annual blood drive on November 2 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in the Burris auditorium. Parents and students over 17 are encouraged to participate especially with the national need for blood during this intense Hurricane season. Owl Hoots - Page 1 Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund High School Student Council sponsored a Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund for Burris K-12. From Kindergartners to Middle School classes to High School clubs and classes, Burris raised an awesome total of $2620 to donate by the end of September to The Red Cross. It was amazing to see the leadership within the students of Burris, staff and faculty pull together and create great fundraising techniques for this cause. Constitution Day Congress declared September 17 United States Constitution Day in celebration of the original ratification, September 17, 1787. Congress’ purpose for a designated day is to foster in the American people a deeper reverence for and a better understanding of the U.S. Constitution. The Burris High School/Middle School Social Studies department created classroom lessons on Friday September 16 to engage students in meaningful discussions and analysis of the U.S. Constitution and how it impacts their lives today. U.S. History students created a “We the People” banner, highlighting their individual feelings regarding Constitutional issues such as privacy rights; freedoms of speech, press, assembly and religion; cruel and unusual punishment; and voting rights in the United States. Driver Education Offered in February Burris will be offering a Driver Education class in February, 2006. The dates for the class will be February 6 through March 3. Class information concerning dates of class, driving dates, and hopefully answers to other concerns on contained in a booklet available from Mr. Dawsont. You should complete the application as soon as possible and return, along with a check for $350.00 made payable to Burris Driver Education to: Ray Dawson, Muncie Burris Driver Education, 2201 W. University, Muncie, IN 47306. It is very important that you reply quickly. Only the first 21 paid applicants will be guaranteed positions in each class. More information concerning permits will follow when application has been received. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact Mr. Dawson at 285-8607 or at home 282-0908. POWERSCHOOL Middle and High School Parents: Are you in the majority? Seventy-five percent of parents of middle and high school students are checking their student’s progress in PowerSchool? If you have not already checked out PowerSchool, here is what you need to know. PowerSchool is our student information system and allows our middle and high school parents to request daily, weekly, or monthly emails giving grade and attendance reports or to view this information using a web browser at any time. Students may only view their information. An envelope containing usernames and passwords was mailed to all parents during the second week of school. If you have misplaced yours, you may stop in the main office and request that this information be provided again. Knowledge is October/November, 2005 PowerSchool! Owl Hoots - Page 2 News from Fourth and Fifth Grade A tremendous thank-you to all who contributed to make the annual Burris Olympics such a success! Mr. Shondell and Mr. Carr work to set up all the events and then keep things rolling that day. Parents managing the field events make those games possible. High school and middle school gym/health/ enrichment classes also provide lots of help. All of the contributions from families insure that the children have plenty to eat that day as we all enjoy a mid-morning snack and then a wonderful lunch. A special thank-you to Mrs. Manning and the many parents who prepared/served lunch. This is a special day for the students and would not be possible without the wonderful help all of you provide! Field Trips: · Thursday, October 6th: All four classes travel to Mounds State Park for the morning. This is a ½ day at Burris and will return to school in time for noon dismissal. They will not have eaten lunch yet! · Thursday, October 27th: History Train –Fourth Grade visits this exhibit in the morning · Friday, October 29th: History Train – Fifth Grade visits the exhibit Little Hoosier Elections: On Friday, September 16th, all 4th and 5th grade students voted to elect officers for 2005 -2006 Burris Little Hoosiers. Congratulations to all who campaigned: Jack Alexander, Hannah Brinkman, Jase Crehan, Kelcie Watkins, Nick Ahlbrand, Austin Herschell, Brooke Latta, Alesia Struewing, Isaiah Anderson, Paisley Burton, Katrina Hoak, Rachael Royer, Travis Warner, and Shelby Miller. Results: Jack Alexander–President, Austin Herschell–Vice President, Alesia Struewing-Secretary, Isaiah Anderson-Treasurer, Travis Warner-Group Leader, and Shelby Miller-Pianist Burris Little Hoosiers is a chapter of the Indiana Junior Historical Society. Each student’s $6 annual membership dues should be in by now. After School Reading Club for Elementary Elementary Chess Club The library is hosting a Reading Club for elementary students who like to silently read and take “Reading Counts” test on the books they have read. This takes place in the library from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. A permission form and more information is included in the mailing. Does your child LOVE to play chess. If so, you may want to sign them up for the Burris Elementary Chess Club. It meets in the Burris Library on Tuesdays from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.. A permission form is included in this mailing. October/November, 2005 Owl Hoots - Page 3 Middle School Trips Planned! Middle School students will be going to Hartford City for Civil War Student Discovery Day on Friday, October 7, 2005. Students should bring a sack lunch and bottled water. On Thursday, November 17, middle school students will be going to the Indiana Repertory Theatre in Indianapolis to see a stage production of “A Christmas Carol”, by Charles Dickens. Students should bring money for lunch at the Castleton Mall Food Court. Notes from the Nurse The nurse will begin vision testing in October for students in Kindergarten, grade 3 and grade 8. This is just a screening test. If your student needs further testing by a vision specialist, you will be notified by mail. Meningococcal Disease in School Age Children Meningitis is an infection of the fluid surrounding a person’s spinal cord or brain. It can be caused by a virus or it can be due to a bacterial infection. Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment or long term effects. Bacterial meningitis can be very severe or even deadly. It may result in brain damage, hearing loss or leaning disabilities as well as death. Early treatment of bacterial meningitis with antibiotics is essential for recovery from this disease. Symptoms of both types of meningitis include high fever, headache and stiff neck in anyone over the age of two years. These symptoms may occur very suddenly or may develop over 1 to 2 days. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking at bright lights, confusion or sleepiness. As the disease progresses, patients may have seizures. Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions such as coughing or kissing. Individuals who have direct contact with a person who has meningitis may be at risk of contracting the disease. There is now a vaccine used to prevent Meningococcal disease that is licensed for use in ages 11-55. Please contact your health care provider for specific instructions regarding your child. For further information about meningococcal disease visit the websites of the following organizations: The Indiana State Department of Health The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Indiana Department of Education Student Services, School Health The Academy of Pediatrics The Academy of Family Physicians Telephone Assistance Program Lifeline and Link-up are federal programs that assist eligible consumers with local telephone service (not long-distance). Consumers qualify if their annual household income is at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and/or enrolled in one or more of the following assistance programs: National School FREE Lunch Program, Medicaid, SSI, Food Stamps, LIHEAP, TANF, or Federal Public Housing Assisntance (Section 8). Full information and an application is included in this mailing. October/November, 2005 Owl Hoots - Page 4 Marsh has a new program “Fresh IDEAS for Education” and Burris has just signed up. If you have a Fresh Ideas card and shop at Marsh, please look for the full information included in this mailing. Just another way to help your school! Donation Received Burris Laboratory School received a check donation on hehalf of Target and the Take Charge of Education program. Target donates up to 1% of purchases made by you when you use your RED card and have designated Burris as your school choice. Thanks to you, the check received in September was in the amount of $753.72. This check will be used to aid students with scholarships for travel based learning. If you have a RED card and have not yet designated Burris, you can do so by visiting Target.com/tcoe on web. You can also stop by the kiosk in your Target store or call 1-800-316-6142. Other Opportunities to Help Your School We are still participating in these other ways to earn items or cash for the school. Please remember to support Burris when shop at Meijer or buy these products. Burris PTSO News If you would like to be on the PTSO e-mail list, please send your e-mail address to burrisptso@sbcglobal.net Most of our communication is done via e-mail and we welcome everyone to sign up for e-mail updates. Upcoming Events October 10: Bowling Party from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Cardinal Lanes (BSU Student Center) October 10: PTSO Meeting (at Bowling Party) November 12: Harvest Festival 6 to 8 p.m. November 29: Skating Party at Gibson’s 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. $3 admission, $2 skate rental Harvest Festival is COMING! Saturday, November 12 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. October/November, 2005 Owl Hoots - Page 5 Cafeteria News BIG Water, water everywhere! The Burris cafeteria was flooded at the start of the school year. A BIG thanks to all teachers, staff, parents and students for making it easy to serve meals to you in a temporary location at Elliot Dining Service. You are all Super Heroes. Burris cafeteria location is now open to serve you. Come and check out our new menu items. Watch for information about our specials in October, November, and December. Choices, Choices . . . What are you goint to wear today? Where are you going? What are you going to have to eat? USDA has come out with new nutritional guidelines to help you select the best foods to meet your nutritional needs. 1. Grades 1-5 need to choose a potato or a bread item. Grades 6-12 may choose any two between potato and bread. 2. Try hard cooked eggs as entree choices. 3. We offer all kinds of fresh fruit and canned fruit. Cafeteria Reminder The contract between Burris Laboratory School and Ball State University Dining Services prohibits anyone from bringing food from commercial vendors such as Wendy’s or McDonald’s into the cafeteria between 7:30 and 1:30. Only items purchased in the cafeteria or brought from home may be eaten in the cafeteria. We ask for your cooperation in this matter. Spaghetti Supper A Spaghetti Supper, sponsored by the band, is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 5:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on Riverside Avenue. Tickets are $3.50 for students and $5.00 for adults. This WILL be an enjoyable and TASTY event! Support the BAND! October/November, 2005 Owl Hoots - Page 6 Counseling Center Announcements Mrs. Julie Maugherman I am pleased and excited to introduce to you the Counseling Center interns for the 2005-2006 school year. Each counselor will intern at Burris 20 hours per week throughout this year as she finishes her masters degree and completes requirements for school counselor licensure. In addition to the three new counselors, Miss Beth Engel returns for a second year as the Counseling Center graduate assistant. Nicolette Benedict is currently a second year Master’s student in School Counseling, slated to graduate in May 2006. She attended Purdue University for two years before completing her B.A. in psychology and minor in pre-professional literature at Ball State in 2003. Her previous experience is with younger children, and for the second year she is a lead preschool teacher at Ball State’s Child Study Center. Nicolette is interested in implementing programs that foster volunteering and citizenship. Outside of school, she loves to read, relax, and cook. She also enjoys watching football, and spending time with her husband Zachary, her cat Honey, and her fish Otis. Ashley Fisher is a second year Master’s student in BSU’s Counseling Psychology program. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Wake Forest University and was a member of the volleyball team for four years. At Ball State, Ashley also works as a graduate assistant in the office of Student Organizations and Activities. Ashley is a Burris alumnus and is excited about returning to the school for her internship. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors, watching sports and traveling with her friends and family. Katie Preston is completing her final year in the Master’s Counseling program, school track. She received her B.A. in Social Work from Anderson University in 1996. Before beginning her master’s degree, Katie worked as a case manager for a women’s homeless shelter and as a Hospice social worker for St. John’s hospital in Anderson. Katie is also a graduate assistant at the Indiana Academy in the counseling department. She enjoys working with students of all ages. Outside of school, Katie likes to spend time with her wonderful husband and 2 adorable boys (ages 7 and 9). Please feel free to stop by room 112 and welcome this year’s Counseling Center staff. Other Counseling Center Announcements Midwest Academic Talent Search (MATS) – Participation in MATS is just the first step in accessing many opportunities for young gifted and talented students, including weekend, summer programs and distance learning courses through the Center for Talent Development (CTD). These programs are appropriate for 3rd through 9th graders. There have been some changes to the program formerly known as Midwest Talent Search, including a name change to more accurately describe their services and the merging of services for young students and older students. Opportunities for above-grade level testing (ACT or SAT) for gifted and talented students are available through the Midwest Academic Talent Search. For more information about the upcoming 2006 Midwest Talent Search, visit their website at www.ctd.northwestern.edu. Please call or email Mrs. Maugherman if you have any questions about the program. . . . . .continued on next page October/November, 2005 Owl Hoots - Page 7 Counseling Center Announcements (continued) ***In early October, invitations to participate in MATS will be sent home to qualifying 7th and 8th grade students. Students may qualify for the program in many different ways, including by parent nomination. If you would like to nominate your 7th or 8th grade student to participate or would like further information, please contact me in the Counseling Center. I have information packets to share. Please note that the deadline to register to participate in the MATS program is October 30, 2005. PSAT - The practice SAT (PSAT) will be administered on Wednesday, October 12, 2005, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Ball State Student Center Ballroom. All juniors are required to take this test, and sophomores have the option to sign up as well. There is no test fee to students as this is a state-funded program intended to assist all Indiana high school students to prepare for taking the SAT later in their academic careers. There are informational packets regarding the PSAT in the Counseling Center—each student taking the PSAT should pick these up and share with his or her parents. These packets include the 2005 PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin and a practice test. PLAN - The practice ACT (PLAN) will be administered to all sophomores on Tuesday, November 8, 2005, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the BSU Student Center Ballroom. Unlike the PSAT, the fee for this test is no longer subsidized by a state-funded program, but Burris will be covering the cost of this test for students tested. All sophomores are automatically signed up for this test. An announcement will be made at school to let students know when they should come to the Counseling Center to pick up PLAN informational materials. Included with these materials is a Planning Guide for Students and Parents; students are encouraged to share these materials with their parents. With both the PSAT and PLAN, students will receive practice test scores, their answers, the correct answers, and their original test books about six weeks after taking the tests. Through the individual practice test results, students will know where they excel and where they may need to focus more energy. These are extremely valuable tools when preparing for college entrance exams. Channel 61 - Parents are encouraged to catch either News In a Flash or the Bulletin Board on Channel 61 at least one time a week as Counseling Center announcements change weekly. Hard copies of the weekly announcements are also posted outside of Room 112, for those students and parents unable to watch Channel 61. Weekly and long term announcements are also posted on the Counseling Center webpage at www.bsu.edu/burris/guidanceoffice/ guidanceoffice/. Please contact Mrs. Julie Maugherman at 285-2341 or at jmaugher@bsu.edu with any questions or concerns. October/November, 2005 Owl Hoots - Page 8 String Notes On Practicing: The key to success is DAILY PRACTICE. There is no substitute. The fine motor skills that are necessary to achieve proficiency develop in the same way as gross motor skills. Like weight training, muscles respond in a desired effect through repetition of movement on a regular basis. Practicing only once or twice a week for long periods have little to no effect. All string students have daily homework as soon as they receive their instruments, from practicing holding the instrument in the 1st grade to practicing difficult orchestra passages in high school. How long should a student practice per day? Like other subjects, students learn at different rates and encounter problems that are unique to each student. These differences can be due to the level of motivation of the student, previous musical exposure/ experiences, etc. These differences also dictate how long a student must practice to complete their lessons. Listed below is a very rough guideline as to how long the average student should practice daily according to grade level: 1st grade- 5-10 minutes daily 2nd grade- 10-15 minutes daily 3rd grade- 20-30 minutes daily 4th-12th grade- 30-60 minutes daily Can one practice too much? Unlikely, but for the highly motivated student, practice no longer than two continuous hours. Take a one hour break to let muscles recover for every two hour practice sessions. Need a little help? Mr. Huxhold is available after school on a first come first serve basis. Elementary help is offered from 2:15-2:45, middle and high school from 3:00-3:30. Please make an appointment for after school help. Need alot of help? Formal private lessons are available from local private teachers. Contact Mr. Huxhold for teacher recommendations. National French Week November 2-7 Parents and students! Don’t forget to celebrate French week! You can check out a French movie from the library, read an easy French book, brush up on your French or just enjoy making crepes on Sunday morning. For additional ideas don’t hesitate to contact Madame Mounayar at ommounayar@bsu.edu. Basic Crepe Recipe Makes 12 to 14 crepes. 4 eggs 1 cup flour ½ cup milk ½ cup water ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoon melted butter Measure all ingredients in to blender jar; blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides. Blend for 15 seconds more. Cover and let sit for an hour. For a sweeter crepe: Add 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla For a chocolate crepe: Add 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce (syrup) to sweet crepe recipe You may fill the crepes with fruits, nuts, chocolate spread, jam, etc. Bon Appetit! October/November, 2005 Owl Hoots - Page 9 Burris Spirit Items Available in Athletic Office All t-shirts in adult and youth sizes tie-dyed t’s, gold and white gray t’s, Burris bookbags, backpacks black sweatshirts, Burris soccer jerseys gold dress button shirts, men gold dress shirt, v front, ladies seat cushions license plates Adidas long socks hats $9.00 $9.00 $9.00 $23.00 $5.00 $22.00 $22.00 $2.00 $3.00 $4.00 $10.00 Just in . . . royal blue hooded sweatshirt with matching pant - $25.00 throw pillows - $5.00 yellow mens and womens dress shirts - $23.00 Important Athletic Dates For October/November October 4,5 October 8 October 11-13-15 October 10-12-15 October 11 October 15 October 15 October 24-25 October 24 October 19 October 18 October 20-22 October 21-22 October 22 October 29 November 7 November 5 November 16 October/November, 2005 Boys Tennis Regional Boys Tennis Semi-state Girls Soccer Sectional Boys Soccer Sectional Cross Country Sectional Cross Country Regional Boys Tennis Team State Finals Fall Break, No School First Practice for Girls Basketball Girls Soccer Regional Boys Soccer Regional Volleyball Sectional Boys Singles and Doubles State Finals Boys and Girls Soccer Semi-state, Boys and Girls CC Semi-state Cross Country State, Boys And Girls Soccer Finals, Volleyball Reg. First Practice for Boys Basketball Volleyball State Finals Fall Athletic Awards Ceremonies Owl Hoots - Page 10 VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL 11/29 EASTBROOK 12/2 YORKTOWN 12/3 UNION 12/9 DALEVILLE 12/17 NORTHEASTERN 1/6 EASTERN HANCOCK 1/7 TRI HIGH 1/13 RANDOLPH SOUTHRN 1/14 SHENANDOAH 1/20 COWAN 1/21 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 1/25 J.V. AT R. SOUTHERN 1/27 MONROE CENTRAL 1/28 WAPAHANI 2/3 FT. WAYNE CANT. 2/4 FRANKTON 2/8 ADAMS CENTRAL 2/11 MUNCIE SOUTH 2/14 MADISON GRANT 2/16 WES DEL 2/23 BLUE RIVER HOME HOME AWAY HOME AWAY HOME AWAY AWAY AWAY HOME AWAY AWAY HOME HOME HOME HOME AWAY HOME HOME AWAY AWAY 2/28 3/3,4 3/11 3/18 3/25 ALEX ALEX ALEX TBA CONSECO SECTIONAL SECTIONAL REGIONAL SEMI-STATE STATE FINALS GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL 11/18 WES DEL HOME 11/22 EASTBROOK HOME 12/3 MONROE CENTRAL AWAY 12/7 NORTHEASTERN HOME 12/8 UNION AWAY 12/10 DALEVILLE HOME 12/14 CENTERVILLE HOME 12/15 BLUE RIVER AWAY 1/10 MUNCIE SOUTH HOME 1/12 FRANKTON HOME 1/13 VAR. AT R. SOUTHERN AWAY 1/18 HAGERSTOWN AWAY 1/19 WAPAHANI HOME 1/21 LAPEL HOME 1/24 MADISON GRANT HOME 1/25 J.V. AT R.SOUTHERN AWAY 1/26 COWAN AWAY 1/28 BURRIS INVITATIONAL HOME HOWE, UNION, TRI HIGH 1/31 YORKTOWN AWAY 2/2 MUNCIE CENTRAL AWAY 2/6 SECTIONAL 2/10,11SECTIONAL 2/18 REGIONAL 2/25 SEMI-STATE 3/4 STATE FINALS October/November, 2005 6:00 6:30 6:30 6:30 6:30 6:30 6:30 6:30, GIRLS AND BOYS 6:30 6:30 6:30 6:00, GIRLS AND BOYS 6:30 6:30 6:30 6:30 6:00 6:30 6:00 6:00 6:00 6:00 6:00 11:00 6:00 6:00 1:00 6:00 6:00 6:00 6:00 6:30 6:00 6:00 1:00 P.M. 6:00 6:00 6:00 8:30 6:00 6:00 MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL 11/17 SELMA AWAY 5:30 12/1 DALEVILLE HOME 6:00 12/5 FRANKTON AWAY 6:00 12/6 BLUE RIVER HOME 6:00 12/8 ALEXANDRIA HOME 6:00 12/10 CONNERSVILLE TRNY 10:00 12/13 UNION HOME 6:00 1/9 WES DEL AWAY 5:30 1/16 COWAN AWAY 6:30 1/17 RANDOLPH S. HOME 6:00 1/24 WILSON AWAY 4:15 MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL 11/21 SELMA AWAY 5:30 12/6 UNION AWAY 6:00 12/7 RANDOLPH S. AWAY 6:00 12/12 WES DEL HOME 6:00 12/15 SHENANDOAH HOME 5:30 1/9 FRANKTON HOME 5:30 1/12 DALEVILLE AWAY 6:00 1/18 BLUE RIVER HOME 6:00 1/26 WILSON HOME 5:30 1/31 NORTHSIDE HOME 5:30 Owl Hoots - Page 11