Lindale Middle School News Lynx Back-To-School Issue Volume I Issue I August/September 2009 From the Principal’s Desk, By George Lindley • Inside this issue: Principals Message 1 Visitors Sign In, School Hours, Taking Medication, 2 AVID, 3 Bus Routes, Reminders, School Supplies 4 Mathematics 5 Guidance/Counseling 6 Agenda Books, Book Fair, Food Service 7 Locks and Lockers, Locks, Home School Connection 8 Student Attire Math, Parents of Walkers and Car Riders Backpacks Bus Rules Cell Phones, Thanks, Emergency Cards, Portraits Alpha Homeroom ZAP, Merchants Support 9 10 11 12 13 14 Inserts Back Cover School Hours Start 8:00 am End 2:40 pm More information on page 2 Last week, while shopping with my family, I had the experience to talk to several individuals who were school shopping. Two teens were buying their supplies with their parents. They were carefully choosing their folders, composition books and pencils. I could see the excitement in their eyes as they loaded the shopping cart. When I asked them if they were excited about school starting – they both shouted an enthusiastic “yes”. At another store, a very helpful salesperson and I began talking. She shared that she was excited about school starting too since she was going to be a teacher at Hilltop Elementary. I guess it doesn’t matter what your age – the start of a new year brings a level of excitement. However, I am reminded of the Hallmark commercial showing the little girl with butterflies floating around her. Even with the encouragement from her mom as she boarded the bus she still wasn’t sure about starting a new school year. Of course, a card titled “You Rock” and signed “Love, Mom” made the butterflies go away. Making the butterflies go away and keeping the excitement level of a new school year is not simple. As I begin my fifth year with the Lindale Middle School community, I still am excited and get butterflies on the first day of school. The teachers and staff have worked diligently with me to prepare another remarkable year for your child. As we all work together, now is a good time to prepare yourself and your children for the school year by discussing your expectations with them. Set goals and encourage them to work hard, complete homework assignments, and listen to their teachers and other adults in school. Challenge them to improve and achieve at levels that they perhaps haven’t done in the past. Then during the year, help them to meet those goals. It bears repeating that Lindale Middle School is first and foremost an educational institution dedicated to the instruction of our students. Middle level children often see school as an opportunity to meet and hang out with friends or catch up on the latest gossip. While we do provide opportunities for social interaction and development, our first priority is preparing students to compete for jobs in a global economy. I know that our children are just beginning their teen years, but I also know that the foundations that begin here will continue through the rest of their lives. Please consider joining the PTA and becoming an active participant in the decision making processes of our school. Be actively involved in your child’s life throughout middle school. Our first parent night of the school year will be Tuesday, September 15th which is “Back to School Night.” This will be an opportunity for you to meet and greet your child’s teacher and see what their school day looks like. Students will report to their Alpha Homeroom. Please read and review with your child where he/she is to report upon entering School on the first day. (page 14 in this newsletter) PAGE 2 V OL U M E I I S S U E I The first day of school for our 6th grade students will be Monday, August 24th. A special day of orientation is dedicated just for them. Our 7th and 8th grade students will begin school on Tuesday, August 25th when all students are expected to report. Students should line up outside of their respective entrance at 7:45 am. The doors will open at 7:50, and students are expected to be in their homerooms by 8:00 am sharp. In this newsletter you will find additional information on our school opening. Please look for information on bus transportation, school supplies, other important dates and much more. On behalf of the entire Lindale Middle School faculty and staff, I welcome you and your children back to school. Visitors Sign In All visitors to Lindale Middle School must report directly to the main office to sign in and to get a visitors pass before going to any area of the school building or grounds. Picture ID must be shown. Parents/Guardians must also show picture ID when signing their child out for an early dismissal. School Hours No student should arrive before 7:40 am. Students wait outside the building (except during inclement weather) until the bell rings at 7:50 a.m. Students enter the building promptly and go to their lockers. The warning bell rings at 7:55 a.m. to alert students to proceed to their first block class. All students are expected to be in class by the time the bell rings at 8:00 a.m. Each student has a scheduled twenty-five (25) minute lunch period in the cafeteria. Students may buy or bring their lunch. School ends at 2:40 p.m. When the bell rings all students will be dismissed to their lockers. Immediately after using their lockers, bus riders must report to their buses and walkers must leave the campus. Students are not permitted to be in the school building or on school grounds after dismissal unless they are under the direct supervision of a school staff member. Students who miss the bus or who have problems with transportation must report to the main office. News from the Healthroom Lindale Middle School is welcoming new staff members for our Healthroom. They are Deborah Gray, School Nurse and Robin Schmidt, Health Assistant. OPENING OF SCHOOL FOR THE 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR We will be having a staggered school opening on opening day of school this year. The first day of school for Grade 6 students will be Monday, August 24, 2009 and the first day for all students will be Tuesday, August 25, 2009. Be sure to mark September 15th on your calendar for Back-To- School Night at 6:00 pm. Students taking any type of medication at school must have an authorization form on file in the health room. All medications must be properly marked and administered in the health room by the nursing staff. Please note that for the safety of every student, medication of any kind, including headache pills, cough drops, cold remedies, etc. MUST be administered under the supervision of the health room staff. Violation of this policy could have serious consequences. PAGE 3 AVID AVID Students Prepare for Another Great Year Like all teachers, I love school supplies, so I shop for them often. Looking at the weekly ads got me thinking about how important it is for our students to start out the year prepared and with a plan in mind. Before coming back to school, discuss with your student how and where they want to organize their study materials. One very successful way to organize their papers from all classes is to store older papers at home: you could have a file cabinet, milk crate, or a set of folders. Just have one folder for each course. Then clean out of your binder all papers, quizzes, and notes after each unit. Store these in order in your folders at home, so when you need to study or review older material for benchmarks or final exams, you still have all the papers. Plus your binder won’t be overflowing all the time! V OLUME I ISS UE I Last year, AVID students had the opportunity to tour several area colleges, and the 6th graders went on a team building and leadership field trip. These opportunities are fun for the students and help them remember what all their hard work is leading toward – college. All AVID parents; we send out periodic emails with information about school events and upcoming tests. If you are not receiving these emails, please send me your email address. Just send an email to eadonegan@aacps.org and tell me your name and your student’s name and grade, so I can add you to our list. Parents of 6th grade AVID students, be on the lookout for information about an informational event to kick off the year. Supplies all AVID students should have with them in their binder: • 1 large 3-ring binder (2-3 inches) • Several dividers –About 20--for the binder (students will create a section for each of their courses and divide each section according to their teachers’ directions.) • A sturdy supply/pencil pouch • 2 blue or black pens (plus more to refill when needed) • 2 sharpened pencils (plus more to refill when needed) Large supply of lined paper An important part of the AVID program is the AVID tutorial. To get the most from these tutorials, we really need volunteer tutors during the school day. Our schedule is VERY flexible. This would be the perfect volunteer opportunity for college students, retirees, at -home parents, or people with jobs near Lindale. There are several training sessions offered this fall. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Lindale’s AVID coordinator, Liz Donegan, at eadonegan@aacps.org or 410-691-4344. Parents: At the end of each school year, we have bags and bags of lost and misplaced articles of clothing, lunch bags, etc. that are unclaimed. Every effort is made to return lost items that are labeled. Last school year none of the lost or unclaimed articles had names on or in them. It may be a good idea for the 2009-2010 school year to put names on articles of clothing, such as coats, sweaters, jackets, etc. in order for them to be returned/claimed by the owner. PAGE 4 V OL U M E I I S S U E I School Supplies Bus routes and times will be posted: AACPS WEB Site Copy: Bus route descriptions will be posted on the AACPS website after Monday, August 17, 2009– through September 4, 2009. Maryland Gazette Newspaper and Capital Newspaper no longer publish the bus schedules. Reminders: First Day for 6th grade Students - Monday, August 24, 2009. All Students Tuesday, August 25, 2009 Cost for Agenda Book - $5.00 Cost for Lock - $5.00 Cost for Gym Uniform - $20.00 · 1 zippered 3 ring binder (2” thick or larger). 6th graders are to use a zipper binder · 5 – 6 colored tab subject dividers to separate each class. · Lined index cards · blue or black pens · 4 dozen pencils (send in 2 sharpened pencils at a time to school) · pack of project-sized poster board · zippered pencil case · 4 dry erase markers · 6 inch ruler (both inches and centimeters) · 8 colored pencils (keep rest at home) · pencil tip erasers · pack of graph paper · 500 sheets of loose leaf paper (send in only part of the paper at a time) · 4 composition books (math and language arts classes will need 2, one for each semester )(7th and 8 graders’ composition books for math are to have graph paper for pages) · 2 boxes of Kleenex · pack of 3 x 3 post it notes For home: pencil sharpener (Boston is a good brand), 4 function calculator, except it is strongly suggested that students in algebra and geometry have access to a TI-84 plus calculator. (TI-83 plus is ok, too.) DO NOT PURCHASE: School Hours - 8:00 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. • Gel pens Doors Open for Students - 7:50 a.m. • Permanent Markers • Sharpies • Spiral notebooks • Fancy pens Breakfast Time - 7:45 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Be sure your child’s immunizations are up-to-date. The following items will be available at school at the beginning of the school year: • Locks-MUST BE PURCHASED FROM THE SCHOOL-$5.00 • School Assignment Book, “The Agenda”-$5.00 • Physical Education Uniform-$20.00 PAGE 5 V OLU ME I ISS UE I Mathematics 7 Mrs. A. Barnes Mrs. M. Clark Mrs. G. Stephens Course Description: Students enrolled in Mathematics 7 have successfully completed the Mathematics 6 course or the Algebraic Foundations course. Upon the successful completion of Mathematics 7, students will enroll in Pre-Algebra 8. Mathematics 7 is a year-long course that meets every day. Students enrolled in Mathematics 7 will take an active approach to learning both concrete and abstract concepts involved in developing a clear understanding of mathematics. Instructional philosophy: The mission of the mathematics program in Anne Arundel County Public Schools is to provide every child with the opportunity to learn rigorous mathematics. We create and maintain the highest quality instructional program to ensure every student reaches a high level of academic achievement as determined by state and national standards. We are committed to a comprehensive system of support to ensure this outcome. Required Materials: 3 ring binder (2” thick or larger) Composition book Small pencil sharpener with a shavings catcher 6” ruler 2 boxes of Kleenex, to be turned into first block teacher Dry erase markers Pencils (at least 4 dozen, 4 to be turned into math teacher) Zipper pencil case Graph paper 25 sheets, quad ruled, to be turned into math teacher Notebook paper (at least 750 sheets, most kept at home, 50 in binder) Comment about materials: In order to ensure success for your child, it is important that he/she is prepared from day one. When a student comes to class without supplies (i.e. pencils, paper, ruler) class instruction time is lost and continuity is broken. Please take the initiative to purchase adequate materials V OLU ME I ISS UE I for the entire year in August, when supplies are plentiful and on sale. Help your child to learn to organize his/her materials both at home, in their locker, and in their binder. If a child wishes to bring in all of his/her supplies to school at once, perhaps a zip lock bag with the excess could be kept at home or in the child’s locker. We strongly recommend that all of your child’s materials are identified with a permanent marker (i.e. backpacks, binders, lunchboxes, pencil case, rulers, gym clothes etc.). We will collect 4 pencils from each student at the beginning of the year so when a child does forget a pencil, we can quickly lend one for the class period. Also, if your child prefers to use a mechanical pencil, we recommend that you buy an ample amount of lead refills and more than one pencil. Trust us, it won’t be wasted. Topics of Study: Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Patterns and Algebraic Thinking Decimal Operations Data and Statistics Geometry Fraction Operations Integers Equations and Inequalities Ratio and Proportion Surface Area and Volume Probability Square Roots More Geometry and Pythagorean Theorem Data Analysis Coordinate Graphing and Slope Percent Circular geometry and Measurement More Probability V OLU ME I ISS UE I V OLU ME I ISS UE I Assessment and Grading Plan: Guidance/ Counseling 15% Homework Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday. Homework assignments should be written down in the agenda daily. 35% Class Work Students will have regular assignments to complete and turn in. These will include focuses, class assignments, and exit tickets. Assessments PAGE 6 (Quizzes/Tests 30%, Unit Assessments 20%) 50% There will be some kind of assessment at least once every 5-8 days. Unit assessments will have a raw score which will be converted to a scale score which will range from 40 to 100 points. Quizzes and Tests will have a raw score which will be converted to a percent. Make-Up Work: Late Work: Office Hours: Thank you for your kind attention, Mrs. Barnes Mrs. Clark Mrs. Stephens Math Homework#1 Student Name_________________________________ Lindale’s guidance staff would like to welcome our new students and welcome back our returning students. Lindale’s Guidance Office supports ALL students so they can achieve to their fullest potential. The guidance office helps students develop competencies in three areas: 1. Educational-selecting appropriate courses, developing study skills and establishing effective work habits 2. Career/Occupational—planning and preparing for a career that accesses their aptitudes, attitudes, and interests 3. Personal/Social—developing interpersonal and social skills to effectively communicate and resolve conflicts and build positive self-concepts. The guidance department offers a comprehensive program which includes: individual/group counseling, classroom guidance, school wide initiatives, consultation with teachers, parents, and community agencies, community partnerships and staff development. Appointments can be made to see a guidance counselor before and after school by filling out an appointment slip in the guidance office. If an emergency occurs during the day and student wishes to confer with a counselor, he/she may do so at the discretion of the teacher. If you have any questions about our guidance program or wish to contact a counselor throughout the year, please refer to the contact information below: Who’s Who in the Guidance Office: Ms. Mewshaw—guidance secretary (smewshaw@aacps.org) Ms. Kayser—6th grade counselor (rkayser@aacps.org) Ms. Rizzuto—7th grade counselor (lrizzuto@aacps.org) Mr. Johnson—8th grade counselor (agjohnson@aacps.org) Ms. Fincher—6th, 7th, 8th grade counselor (afincher@aacps.org) V OL U M E I I S S U E I PAGE 7 Agenda Books SEE YOU AT THE BOOK FAIR Agenda books are required for every student. These “planners” are essential for teaching personal responsibility and organization. The agenda is the link between the home and the school. Students record assignments on a daily basis. Parents and teachers may use the book as a means of communication. Your child will receive the agenda book on the first day of school. Checks are to be made payable to Lindale Middle School and returned to Lynx Pride teacher by Friday, September 4, 2009. The cost is $5.00. September 29, 2009 – October 9, 2009 Thank you for your support. Proceeds from the Book Fair are used for the Media Center and reading promotion programs in the school. Mark your calendar now!! The Scholastic Book Fair comes to our school Media Center on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 through Friday, October 9, 2009. The Book Fair will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 2:30 pm, and students will visit the Book Fair during their Language Arts classes. We will also be open for Family Night from 5:30 to 8:00 PM during the Fall Reading Round up on October 4, 2009. If you can volunteer for a few hours during the Book Fair, please call Mrs. Mundt in the Media Center (410-691-4344). Thank You. Food Service Breakfast and Lunch Prices • Paid Breakfast: $1.25 • Breakfast Reduced: $.30 • Paid Lunch: $2.25 • Lunch Reduced: $.40 • Milk $.50 Applications for the reduced breakfast and lunch programs will be placed in the Welcome Packets that are given to all students on the first day of school. As noted in the school hours section of this newsletter, students are given 25 minutes for lunch. During lunch, students report to the cafeteria where they may either buy lunch or eat a lunch brought from home. Substitutes Wanted Breakfast Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 7:45 - 8:00 a.m. Students purchasing breakfast should report directly to the cafeteria as early as possible after 7:45. Students must finish breakfast and report to first period class prior to 8:00 a.m. It is recommended that only students that need to eat breakfast at school do so. Prompt arrival to first period class is mandatory and is an important beginning for a good school day. We have been asked to advertise that the Division of Food and Nutrition Services is in need of substitutes who are able to work either on a schedule or just a few hours a day. The Division promises convenient hours in the preparation of food, service of meals, performance of kitchen tasks and more. Call 410-222-5900 to apply. Page 8 Locks and Lockers Students are responsible to maintain lockers properly. Lockers must be free of student markings or graffiti and kept free of stale food or other odor causing materials. Anne Arundel County School Policy permits school administrators to search the locker of any student suspected of possessing an item that is forbidden on school property. As a safety precaution and to avoid problems, students are required to use their assigned locker only. Students are not permitted to share lockers with friends or to use an unassigned locker. Students may go to their lockers only 3 times during the day. When students arrive at school they are allowed to go to their lockers and put away their coats and get their books and supplies for their morning classes (time #1). Students have an opportunity to go to their lockers before lunch to get their lunch and their afternoon books. (time #2) ONLY STUDENTS WHO HAVE LUNCH BOXES OR LUNCH SUPPLIES TO PUT AWAY MAY GO TO THEIR LOCKERS AFTER LUNCH. At the end of the day students may go to their lockers to get their coats and any books needed for homework. (time #3) Purchasing Locks Locks for lockers must be purchased at school. The school has obtained locks at a reasonable price and will sell them to students at cost: $5.00 Payment should be made by personal check (payable to Lindale Middle School) or cash on the first day of school. As a benefit to students, the serial numbers of student’s locks will be recorded and maintained on file by the administration so that lost locks can be more easily returned to their owners. Also, a master key, kept in the possession of the building engineer and administrators will be used to unlock a lock if a student forgets the combination. The lock will not have to be cut off and can be used again by the student instead of forcing the parent into buying “yet another” lock. Please be aware that students are not permitted to have any lock in school that is not his/her personal lock. Students must not pick up, take, or have in their possession any lock other than their own. Making the Home School Connection The Home-School Connection Handbooks will be two separate publications: The Parent Handbook and The Student Handbook. The Parent Handbook will include information on a variety of issues such as parent involvement, school security, instruction, grading and attendance policies, heath/welfare of students, and No Child Left Behind. The Student Handbook will include the Code of Student Conduct and will address issues such as rights and responsibilities, attire, conduct, prohibited behaviors, consequences for infractions, and school resources. Making the Home-School Connection Handbooks are a valuable tool for parents and students. Please become familiar with the programs, services, policies, and regulations of our school system. Debts and Obligations Please remember that if your child still owes money for school materials that were lost or damaged last year, the obligation must be cleared before school begins. PAGE 9 VOLUME I ISSUE I Student Attire Parents Please Help!! In the past school year we had some deal of difficulty with the attire of some of our students. Some young ladies came to school looking as if they were spending a day at the beach or appearing in a music video. Some young men came to school with their boxers showing because their pants are so low. We understand that young teens are influenced by current fashion and the role models of pop stars. However, this is a school, not a beach or music video. We want school to be concerned with academics and the way some young students are dressing is clearly taking away from this purpose as well as being in violation of the School Board Policy 902.04 concerning Student Attire and Personal Appearance. Lindale Middle is committed to requiring student compliance to Board of Education policy and maintaining high standards of dress for our students. Specifically, problems are: 1. Shorts, skirts and dresses should: PROVIDE ADEQUATE COVERAGE so that students can sit down and carry out normal activities without exposing themselves. 2. Crop top shirts that expose stomachs— Ask your daughter to raise her arms up over her head. If her stomach shows, the shirt is too short and not approved for school. Ask her to sit and bend over as she would while writing and look from the back. Is there a gap showing bare skin between where the shirt ends and the pants begin? If so, it is not appropriate for school. When these shirts are paired with low-rise pants it is even more of a problem. 3. Spaghetti strap tops, tube tops, strapless shirt and one shoulder or off the shoulder shirts—these are too revealing often caus- 4. Lace on the side of shorts and pants which are too revealing are not acceptable for school. 5. Plastic flip-flop shoes are dangerous on the stairs and do not protect the feet. We request they not be worn to school. 6. No heavy metal chains, studded bracelets and necklaces and dog collars. 7. Clothing cannot show profanity, obscenity, violence, or symbols of hate. It cannot promote alcohol, tobacco, or drugs and cannot promote gang colors, or gang related signs. Examples of inappropriate dress: -Baseball caps -Tank tops -Midriffs -Tobacco or alcohol brand T-shirts - Pajama bottoms When a student comes to school dressed inappropriately we will have them: • Change into gym clothes if they have them • Lend them a clean gym shirt and shorts. Please wash them and return to us. • Lend them a belt. • Or you will be contacted and asked to bring appropriate school clothing and have your child change. If a student continues to wear inappropriate clothing it will be considered insubordination and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken which could include suspension from school. Please work with us to monitor the attire of all student so we can focus on academics. PAGE 10 Graphing Calculators for Math The graphing calculator is a useful tool which every regular math student at Lindale Middle School should have experience in using. Generally, students in the eighth grade math classes use the classroom set of calculators. In the Algebra I class, the calculator is an intrinsic part of the curriculum. These students should have access to the calculator both in their classrooms, and at home. The Algebra I students are encouraged to purchase a calculator to use at home. If they do not wish to purchase a calculator this year, there will be an option to rent a school calculator for about $15.00 for the school year. The ONLY calculator which the Algebra I students are advised to purchase the TI-83+ or TI-84, but no higher. Parents of Walkers and Car Riders Policies are in place at Lindale Middle School to help insure the safety of the students and to permit a continual flow of traffic in the lower parking lot. The School Crossing Guards along with teachers will be on duty to help this process work smoothly. • In the morning when dropping off your child at the walkers entrance, please pull forward to the second set of doors when cars are behind you. This allows more students to exit their cars safely and closer to the school building. • Please follow the length of the glass hallway before turning to exit the parking lot. This insures that the intersection will stay clear during inclement weather and that more students can exit their cars. This also allows more parents to be able to leave the parking lot sooner. Parents are asked, when the calculator is purchased, to immediately record the serial number off the back of the calculator. There is also an internal serial number that may be reached by hitting the “second” (usually yellow) key, then the ”Mem” key. After that During inclement weather days such as freezing push 1 which says “About”. Students will be shown how temperatures, rain, or snow, teachers and/or staff to do this on the first day of class. members will be on hand to allow the students to enter the glass hallway and wait for the bell to The Geometry students will be using a different calcuring. They will then proceed to their lockers. lator that will be provided for them by the Board of Education. Most of these students already own a TI- NO CARS ARE ALLOWED IN THE BUS LANES IN FRONT OF SCHOOL. 83+ This calculator will be used next year in Algebra II. Please do not allow your child to bring his own graphing calculator to school. The teacher will provide one any time it is needed in a classroom. These calculators are very expensive, and sometimes have been lost or stolen at school. This causes unnecessary grief for everyone. Also, students load games on the calculator. Then they become a distraction not only in math class, but also through the school day. If you have any questions about the graphing calculator, you may contact your child’s math teacher, or the Math Department Chairperson. Backpacks Students are required to keep their backpacks in their lockers during the school day. No rolling backpacks. They will not fit in lockers. PAGE 11 V OLU ME I ISS UE I V OLU ME I ISS UE I Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know about Bus Rules with the welfare of other students is prohibited. Students must understand that riding the school bus is a privilege, not a right, and that fighting or More than two thirds of Anne Arundel County other unsafe actions may cause immediate suspenPublic Schools’ 71,000 students are transsion of the bus privilege. As per section 700.02 ported by school buses, which annually travel “Student Conduct on School Buses” Anne Arundel over 8 million miles. Safety is always the issue County Board of Education Policy (March 7, 1990), as the administrators work with youngsters in student misconduct will be dealt with by the school order to ensure that they know, understand and administrator and include the following steps: obey the rules of the bus. As per section 1st Violation – Appropriate action by the ad700.02 “Student Conduct on School Buses” ministrator including a parent conference. Anne Arundel County Board of Education Policy (March 7, 1990), the following rules apply for 2nd Violation – Loss of bus privileges for up all students riding the bus: to 5 days. • Follow the instructions of the bus driver. • Behave as you would in the classroom. • Be respectful of all people • Use language appropriate for the school setting. • Be respectful of all property. • Keep the bus neat and clean. • Remember that eating and drinking are prohibited. • Treat the bus driver with respect. • Remember that the bus driver is authorized to assign seats. • Stay in your seat while the bus is moving. • Remember that school rules apply to the school bus-tobacco, drugs, and alcohol are prohibited. The administration of Lindale Middle School believes that the bus is the first classroom of the school day and that students are expected to behave in an orderly and appropriate manner. Any behavior or activity that jeopardizes the safe operation of the school bus or interferes 3rd Violation – Loss of bus privileges for 6 to 10 days. 4th Violation – Removal from all bus transportation for the remainder of the school year. Students may not ride a different bus or use a bus stop other than the one to which they are assigned without prior permission from the school administrator. The bus routes developed for the various communities, by the central office staff, will be online at www.aacps.org after August 14,2009. An Exceptional Transportation Request is required for any changes to the regular bus assignment. These required forms are available from your administrator and must be submitted five days in advance. Approval will be given only for reasons listed on the form: sitter request, sitter change, vacation, medical request and other (specific parent request). Visiting a friend is not an acceptable reason. Youngsters eligible for transportation, however, should always know their bus number(s) for both the morning and afternoon. Parents who have any questions or concerns should contact Mr. Greene, Assistant Principal (410-691-4344) who will work with you to expedite and accommodate your requests. PAGE 12 V OLU ME I ISS UE I V OLUME I ISS UE I Cell Phone and Pagers Emergency Cards Students may not have any electronic device such as cell phones or pagers turned on or in sight during the regular school day to receive or communicate messages. If students violate this policy, the device will be confiscated. Parents may be requested to pick up cell phones. If these items are stolen, Lindale Middle School assumes no responsibility. Parents are to fill out an emergency card during the first week of school and return it to the Lynx Pride teacher. Please be certain to include the written information about where parents are employed, the work telephone number, wherever we can reach you should an emergency arise. Also, please give at least one additional person to contact in case of an emergency: Name of person, phone number, and their relationship to your student. PLEASE NOTE; WE ARE UNABLE TO CONTACT AN INDIVIDUAL IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY IF THEY ARE NOT SPECIFIED ON THE EMERGENCY CARD. Please read and comply with the Connect-Ed Communication letter in the Newsletter ASAP. Electronic and Audio Devices Ipods, MP3 players, CD players, radios, walkmans, game boys and laser pens are not permitted in school for any reason. Students are not to bring these items to school. If faculty or staff personnel discover any to these items, the item will be confiscated and given to an administration. Administration will hold the item until arrangements are made with the parents for it’s return. If these items are stolen, Lindale Middle School assumes no responsibility. CAC There is to be a local CAC (Citizens’ Advisory Committee) in each school. The membership of each CAC will be representatives of the entire community. The CAC functions in an advisory capacity to the school on educational issues. Examples of issues with which a CAC should concern itself are budgeting, curriculum, facilities, student activities, transportation, maintenance, safety, grading, discipline and specific issues of community concern. We are very interested in establishing an active and working CAC. If you are interested in the CAC, please contact Mr. Lindley for additional information. 410-691-4344. Portraits Student picture day is scheduled for: Thursday September 24, 2009. Make up date is October 29. Students will be given a payment envelope one week prior to picture day. If your child does not receive one, additional copies will be available in the school office. In the interest of safety, check or money order is preferred. All students will be photographed for the yearbook and school records. Only those students with payment and a completed order form on picture day will receive a portrait package. Our school has contracted Lifetouch as the official yearbook photographer. A variety of portrait packages and several background choices will be offered. Lifetouch can provide additional information to you directly by calling 1-800-445-1189 or 410-644-7700 or by emailing them at Answers@Lifetouch.com PAGE 13 Federal Impact Aid Survey Forms On Wednesday, September 30, 2009 your child will bring home a Federal Impact Aid Survey form. Please assist us by filling out the information requested on the form. Elementary Schools– return it to your child’s school (add your school name). Secondary Schools-return it to Anne Arundel County Public Schools in the selfaddressed, stamped envelope provided. This is a multiple child form and will hold up to three children’s names. Should you have more than three children, please utilize a second form that you can either obtain from the school or download from the AACPS website (www.aacps.org) under Students, Forms. The Federal Impact Aid Survey form for 20092010 will be available to download on September 30, 2009. We will also be using our Connect-Ed Automated Telephone Notification System to remind you about the significance of completing and returning this survey. The school system receives approximately $3 million in funding from the Federal government in support of our children after the forms are processed. Thank you in advance for your support and assistance. Should you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Ms. Donna Barker at 410-222-5200 V OLU ME I ISS UE I V OLU ME I ISS UE I PTA President - Steve Wyatt Vic President - Melissa Bledsoe 2nd Vice President - Dawn Tipton Secretary - Tammy Turpin Treasurer - Melanie Edwards Join the PTA • Ensure a strong home/school/community partnership. • Promote and improve academic success of students • Support excellent educational instruction. • Assist in increasing and improving resources to strengthen school programs and student learning. • Provide us with a communication tool to keep you informed on upcoming events, fundraisers, informational meetings, etc. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT • Joining the PTA gives you a voice and a vote in what it does throughout the school year. • PTA members are more informed parents even if you can’t attend meetings or volunteer time. • A portion of the proceeds from membership dues will help to reduce the number of fundraisers throughout the year. PAGE 14 V OLU ME I ISS UE I V OLU ME I ISS UE I Where to Report on the First Day Alpha Homeroom Assignments 6th Grade Teacher Room 7th Grade Alpha Teacher Room Alpha Hambrick B206 Aaa-Blz Wright B209 Bm - Cob Hewitt Clark B109 B111 Aaa-Baz Bbb-Car Slomer B213 Cod-Czz Williams B117 Cas-Dec Lee B214 Daa-Fzz Stephens B121 Ded-For Magner B218 Gaa-Ham Edwards B129 Fos-Goa Kinnamon B221 Han-Hzz Clagg B133 Gob-Hen Bartle B226 Iaa-Klz Mauro B125 Heo-Klz Solloway B227 Kma-Lzz Spangenthal B114 Kma-Lim McGrath B228 Maa-Mar Chute B113 Lin-McD Hunt B224 Mas-Mzz Barnes B108 McE-Mor Eddy B220 Naa-Piz Vacant B107 Mos-Ree Gallagher B215 Pja-Rzz Filler C157 Ref-Sma Covington B212 Saa-Sim Warner C165 Smb-Vzz Cohen B208 Sin-Tom Donegan C168 Waa-Zzz Turner B207 Ton-Zzz 8th Grade Teacher Room Alpha Aning Johnson C204 C205 Aaa-Bod Boc-Cla M. Brown C206 Clb-Flo Trautwein C207 Flp-Gon Davis C215 Goo-Haw Krupa C225 Hax-Joz Cochran C231 Jpa-Lzz Lake C233 Maa-McZ Malenfant C235 Mda-Nzz W. Brown C236 Oaa-Rag Coggeshall C230 Rah-Sch Allen C226 Sci-Ste Mantegna C223 Stf-Tip Song C217 Tiq-Wal Klos C216 Wam-Zzz V OLU ME I ISS UE I V OLU ME I ISS UE I Zeros Aren’t Permitted If your child calls and says he/she has been zapped – don’t panic – they have not been electrocuted. Instead, they have been sent to the Guidance Office by their teacher to inform you that they are missing 3 or more assignments in a class. ZAP – Zeros Aren’t Permitted – is a way for teachers to communicate with parents. If your child does not complete their assignments, the teacher gives them a ZAP form and your child is sent to the office to call you. During the telephone call, your child will identify the assignments that are missing and when they plan to complete them. The expectation is that these missing assignments will be completed either at home or during Office Hours. Every teacher has Office Hours on Wednesdays or Thursdays after school. Your child might be asked or required to stay for Office Hours. Full, partial, or no credit might be given for these late assignments. So if you receive a phone call and your child says he/she is being ZAPPED - don’t be alarmed – just listen. Sometimes there are tears and frequently there are excuses. The staff at Lindale believes every assignment is important and must be completed. By working together we can be sure this happens. PAGE 15 Area Merchants Support Schools Thank you to everyone who enrolled in area merchants cash back programs. They are Giant, Target, Office Depot, Safeway, Payless Shoes, Pep Boys, Budget Car Rental, and others who are members of a cash-back program called eScrip. Look for the eScrip logo where you shop and enter Lindale Middle School as a recipient. Please enroll in these programs. It does not cost you a cent to do so. Please remember to enroll in the Giant Bonus and Food Lion Shoppers card program. You can register on-line www.foodlion.com or www.giantfood.com or go to one of the stores and register. Office Depot is providing essential tools and supplies that students need to be successful in the classroom, plus programs and services that benefit our school. Lindale Middle can get credits for FREE SUPPLIES, ask them to credit Lindale Middle School for your purchased supplies. Thank you for your continual support to Lindale Middle School. NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS U.S. POSTAGE 415 Andover Road Linthicum, Maryland 21090 PAID LINTHICUM, MARYLAND PERMIT NO. 210 4 Mailing Address Line 1 Mailing Address Line 2 The Anne Arundel County School System does not discriminate on the basis of race color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or familial status in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs. Should you have questions about this policy, please do not hesitate to contact Synthia Shilling, Staff Attorney, at 410-222-5305 August 24 - 6th Graders only August 25- All Students in School September 7 - School Closed, Labor Day. September 14- PTA Fundraiser Begins September 15 - Back-To –School Night 6:00pm September 25 - School Yearbook Pictures/ Make-up day October 29 September 25 - Interims to be sent home September 28 - Yom Kippur. All Schools and Central Offices closed October 16- Reminder: School and Central Offices Closed On the First Day of School Students will report to their Alpha Homeroom. Please read and review with your child (page 13 of newsletter) where he/she is to report upon entering School on the first day. Attention Bus Riders: The Maryland Gazette and the Capital no longer publish the bus schedules. Please see aacps.org website. The posting will be August 17 through September 4, 2009.