1/12--1/13 Parent Teacher Conferences. 1/13 Half Day 12:05 Release. 1/18 Martin Luther King Day No School. 1/27, 2/3 & 2/10 TCT-2:10 Release

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1 PAGE 1 MADISON MEADOWS MIDDLE SCHOOL 225 W. OCOTILLO RD., PHOENIX, AZ JANUARY 13TH, 2016 Dear Meadows Families, As I watch the political candidates campaign and debate and follow the football play-off picture on the road to the Super Bowl, I continue to be amazed at how ugly people can be to each other when they disagree. This is particularly true on social media. I worry about the impact the increasing rudeness some people display will have on our students. How do parents and teachers encourage positive, respectful behavior in young people particularly when there is disagreement when we all witness the personal attacks which occur on social media on a daily basis? I have been a Kansas City Chiefs fan my whole life and even though I watch the Cardinals and want them to do well, I still consider myself a Chiefs fan. I read articles about them on ESPN, nfl.com, and other sites. I will even make comments supporting my team. However, I have stopped reading the back and forth of other football fans. It is incredible how quickly those with differing opinions turn on each other and turn differing opinions into personal attacks. The same is true for those who support different political parties or even different candidates. The name-calling, allegations against candidates and their families, innuendo, and even lies seem to know no bounds. Is anything considered inappropriate or off-limits these days? I wish candidates could stick to the issues which concern voters (I m still not certain where any of them stand on appropriately funding public education, but that s a whole different Medogram!) Personal attacks and inappropriate commentary make for funny sketches on Saturday Night Live, but I m not certain what else they provide. Most of our students have a great deal of access to social media sites and spend more time on them than many parents and teachers would probably prefer. How do the responsible adults in their lives ensure that their communication is appropriate with peers and adults? I still believe that parents have the most power. Children learn what they live. I appreciate the parents and families at Meadows who demonstrate respectful communication no matter the topic nor the emotion involved. They say that we teach others how to treat us, but we also teach our children how to treat others. Sports can be a great activity for kids and adults, whether we participate or simply watch and cheer. There are many great stories about athletes young and old doing the right thing and showing integrity and sportsmanship instead of simply attempting to win at all costs. When it comes to politics, it is important for our children to understand and follow the political process particularly as they get older in order to make informed decisions when they vote, and I hope they will vote! I also hope parents will continue to monitor their children s use of social media and have conversations about the positive and not-so-positive things kids are exposed to there. A parent s opinion and a parent s example remain more impactful to a child than any vitriol spewed by strangers on social media. UPCOMING EVENTS: 1/12--1/13 Parent Teacher Conferences 1/13 Half Day 12:05 Release 1/18 Martin Luther King Day No School 1/27, 2/3 & 2/10 TCT-2:10 Release 2/15 Presidents Day No School With Ram Pride, Susan Doyle, Principal

2 PAGE 2 Madison Meadows National Junior Honor Society is Accepting Member Candidate Forms 7th grade students who wish to become NJHS members are encouraged to apply by completing the student activity information form located in the office. The deadline for submitting the NJHS student activity information form is Friday, February 12th at 12:00pm (noon). The student activity information form must be completely filled out, signed by the student and parents, and personally returned to Ms. Poginy in room D33. Candidate information forms must also be accompanied by copies of the student s report card showing first semester grades. All grades from the beginning of 7th grade count in calculating the grade point average. Requirements for membership to NJHS are as follows: 1. A cumulative grade point average, at grade level or above, of Each class is weighted differently. Core classes carry a heavier weight than elective classes. 2. Good citizenship, character and leadership qualities are also required. One of the steps in admitting new members is to survey the Meadows staff to determine the candidate s suitability. 3. The final step for membership is approval by the NJHS Faculty Council. Membership approval is by a simple majority vote. A unanimous vote is not required. 4. All member candidates will receive a letter advising them of their admission or their denial of membership by February 26, The expectations for NJHS members are as follows: 1. After admission, members are expected to attend NJHS meetings faithfully. Most meetings will be held during the school lunch periods, however, there may be additional meetings necessary before or after school hours. 2. NJHS is a service organization. We expect our members to be doers, not merely joiners. Therefore, members are also required to perform at least 12 hours of community service work per semester (in addition to other community service requirements) and to submit that information in writing to the NJHS Advisor. The group will organize several service projects throughout the school year to help meet this requirement. 3. Annual dues are $ This money will be paid to the NJHS Treasurer within two weeks of being admitted to membership. If a student faces financial hardship, dues can be waived after consultation with the NJHS Advisor. If you have any questions or require additional information regarding NJHS, please contact the NJHS Advisor, Ms. Poginy at or rpoginy@madisoned.org. DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH, AT NOON. CANDIDATE FORMS ARE TO BE GIVEN DIRECTLY TO MS. POGINY IN ROOM D33 BY

3 PAGE 3 SPRING BREAK CAMP registration is open! Camp will be held from Monday, March 14th through Friday, March 18th at Rose Lane Elementary School (1155 E. Rose Lane), and from 7 am to 6 pm. We have special activities planned for all age groups: Tuesday, the 15th - Preschool through 1st Grade - McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Wednesday, the 16th - 2nd and 3rd Grades - Glow in the Dark Putt Putt at Glow Putt Thursday, the 17th - 4th through 8th Grades - Spring Training Game (Rockies vs. Angels) Friday, the 18th - All Grades Spirit Assembly (Comic Con) Registration will close and tuition will be due on Friday, March 4th - please register now to ensure Kristen Butler Accounting Coordinator Madison School District Community Education (602) (602) fax Extraordinary Learning for All *Priority Registration for Summer Camp and School Year programs (INVEST, MAC and ECP) will begin on Friday, March 11th at 10 am.

4 PAGE 4 SNACK SHACK VOLUNTEERS NEEDED This is a fun way to help your child get in community service hours, spend time together, have fun & help your school. Many different shifts are available. You can sign up at: january Funds from the month of January will go towards NJHS.

5 PAGE 5 Art Masterpiece needs your help Guides are presently needed for 5th and 6th grade Social Studies classes. Six presentations total from February to April. No art background is necessary as training and all materials are provided including previous presentations. Parents of 5th and 6th graders are encouraged to volunteer but if there are any 7th or 8th grade parents who are interested please let me know. Also, if you know of any grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors, etc who may be interested in volunteering please let me know. Jessica Ritter--Meadows Art Masterpiece Coordinator jesritter@hotmail.com or Jessica Ritter

6 PAGE 6 NEWS FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE -- Nurse Sharon IMMUNIZATIONS: Please remember to send in a copy of ANY shots your child receives so we can update the health record. Meningitis and Tdap are due in the 6th grade. In order to be in school- your child needs these shots. Please call me with any questions. COLDS/FLU: If your child has diarrhea, vomiting or a temperature, they may not attend school for 24 hours. Please keep your child home if they are sick. If you child has Strep. Throat- they may return to school 24 hours after starting an antibiotic as long as there is no fever. Extra rest, increasing fluids and eating right are 3 simple ways to help ward off illnesses. FLU shots are recommended for all

7 PAGE 7 IB Corner of the World January 8, 2016 Dear Parent(s): Welcome to 2016! Our IB Profile trait of the month for January is Open-minded: We understand and appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. We are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience. Meadows IB students work towards developing the Learner Profile trait of being open-minded as they learn about various cultures and views, bringing an appreciation of new views to both their academic study and involvement in their community. They work towards developing a philosophy of internationally mindedness. What is the Learner Profile? These are attributes valued by all IB World Schools. They help students become responsible members of our ever growing global society. At Meadows, we encourage our students to acquire these attributes inside and outside of the classroom. In facts, teachers encourage students to reflect on the IB Learner Profile by completing the student reflection of the IB learner Profile once each semester. Please take the time to review this survey with your child.

8 PAGE 8 Here are the learner profile attributes of the month: August Knowledgeable January Open-minded September Inquirer February Caring October Principled March Risk-Taker November Communicator April Thinkers December Balanced May Reflective Next month in the Med-o-gram, stay-tuned for information regarding the 8 th grade IB MYP Community Project! In closing, for parents of 8 th grade students, you are invited to attend our IB MYP Community Project Information Night scheduled for January 21 st from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in the media center at Meadows to learn more about the 8 th grade IB MYP Community Project. Judy Stropky IB Coordinator

9 PAGE 9 Free Money for Meadows Fry s: Help Meadows earn cash with every shopping trip to Fry s. For every $50,000 in V.I.P purchases, Fry s Food Stores donates $500. Enroll EACH YEAR for the Fry s Community Rewards Program. Meadows Code: Target: Enroll for free and Target will donate up to 1% of your REDcard purchases. Target Credit Card & Debit Card account holders can sign up for the Take Charge of Education program by calling or by visiting Target.com/tcoe or an in-store kiosk. more info Fresh & Easy escrip: Register your Friends card with Meadows and we can earn up to 5% of your purchases! Visit to assign your card to Meadows. Learn more here. E-Labels for Education, Boxtops & Coke Rewards products & earn money for Meadows Purchase your favorite Labels for Education Points from this program help assist the Art Programs at Meadows. Cut UPS Codes/Labels for certain products & turn into the office. You can also do e-labels by signing up your grocery cards and every time you purchase a product with an e-label for education Meadows will get credit electronically. Box Tops for Education Cut out the Box Tops and send them in to your student s academic lab. The school gets 10 cents for each one! Classes and teachers win prizes for collecting the most! Coke REWARDS Coke products have a 14 digit number that when entered gives MEADOWS points to purchase recess & athletic equipment Turn in the Coke product (including Powerade) tops, or numbers off the cartons to the office or Ms. Poginy. Free Money for Meadows

10 PAGE 10 Stay Connected with Meadows! Sign up for eblasts, to receive reminders and important school information via . Join our mailing list at or Abby Loza