* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PTA News

Transcription

1 McConnell Minute Principal, Mrs. Paula Everett-Truppi 11/16/09 PTA News A huge thank you goes out to everyone who participated in selling magazines this year. Due to your hard work, we raised approximately $12,000 for our school. Great job! The Fundraiser Reward Day "Jumpy Party" will be this Tuesday, November 17. We would like to congratulate our school winners for the Reflections contest: Autumn B., Cori C., Ashley H., Nicole O. and Autumn S. Good luck to these students at the County level of the competition! Parents' Night Out McConnell's Relay for Life Team will host a Parents' Night Out on December 4 from 6pm to 10pm. Students aged 5-10 are welcome to join our middle schoolers for a night of holiday crafts, movies, pizza and more. The cost is $20 for one child and $10 for each additional child. Please see the attached permission form for more information Girls Basketball Team We would like to congratulate the following girls for making the McConnell Tigers' Basketball Team: Kathryn B., Meagan F., Jenna G., Kristin H., Robin H., Abby L., Alesha M., Sydni M., and Holli S.

2 Congratulations also go out to the Lady Tigers' managers: Emily B. and Madison N. Archer Youth Association Meeting DATE: 12/16/09 TIME: 7:00 PM LOCATION: ARCHER HIGH SCHOOL THEATER The Archer Youth Association would like to invite you to meet the current board members of the Archer Youth Association. We will discuss the status of Harbins Active Park, basketball, baseball and football. We will open the floor for any questions from the public. If you would like to submit a question prior to this meeting, please them to president@playaaasports.com Saddle Club Our first meeting was terrific! We learned about horse types, colors and how to read a horse's mood. Although the weather was cold and wet, the turnout was wonderful. It is not too late to join, see Mrs. Wilkinson's Homework Now page for details. We are having our next meeting Tuesday, December 1. The dues for December are $35. The check should be made to Rancho Alegre and brought to the meeting. We will be working with the horses, so please dress accordingly. T-shirts will be ordered tomorrow, so if you would like one, please send the money and order form to Mrs. Wilkinson in room on Grayson Hall first thing in the morning. Order forms can be found on Mrs. Wilkinson's Homework Now site.

3 Chorus Information Reminder: The deadline to order Chorus Club shirts is Tuesday, November 17. Please have all order forms turned in to Mrs. Johnson or Ms. Yates by that day. Mark Your Calendar! The Chorus Club Concert will be on Thursday, December 10 at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria. Make plans now to attend! Noteworthy Band News On Saturday, Nov. 14, seven band students represented McConnell at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Band Project at Berkmar High School. These students had the awesome opportunity to work with the principal players of the ASO in a master class setting and prepare for an afternoon performance. We're very proud of these students: Zach B., Devin G., Darcie S., Ryan T., David B., Joshua T. and Natalie M. Upcoming Concert: On Thursday night, Nov. 19, the 7th and 8th grade bands will be performing their fall concert in the MMS gym starting at 6:30 p.m. We hope to see you there! From the McConnell Orchestra Please join us for our 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra Concert Monday, November 23 at 6:30pm. 7th and 8th grade students should arrive in uniform at 6:00pm with music, instruments and folding stands. We hope to see all of you there!

4 8th Students and Parents: eshare Leave your lasting mark on the McConnell Yearbook! Would you like an opportunity to contribute a quote for potential use in the yearbook? Whether it is a phrase that means a lot in your life or something you are known for saying, simply submit the quote, along with a photo, by going to eshare at Enter the school code of Share your insight!! College Fair For Students with Disabilities, Parents and Educators Saturday, December 5, :00 3:00 pm Gwinnett County Public Schools Instructional Support Center Visit with representatives from College Admissions and Disability Services Departments from various colleges across the state of Georgia. Learn more about specific topics by attending informational sessions beginning at 1:00 PM. Topics will include: financial options for college, accommodations at the post-secondary level and preparing for college throughout the high school years. Representatives from the Military Services sector will also be available. GSMST Open Enrollment By November 13, 2009, registration information for Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST) for the freshman class will be available on the GCPS web site ( and on the school web site ( Applications must be submitted no later than January 22, 2010 for consideration. GSMST is a charter school and therefore enrollment is open to all current Gwinnett County 8th grade students who complete the 8th grade requirements and who reside in the Gwinnett County Public Schools attendance zone. The rigorous course work at GSMST may not meet the

5 needs of all students. As this is a school of choice, it is highly recommended that parents and students review the GSMST curriculum and learn more about the school's offerings before making a decision to register. Author Visit This Wednesday, November 18, author Priscilla Cummings will be coming to our media center to speak with the 7th grade students. Mrs. Cummings has several books published; for more info about her you can check out her web page at: We will be pre-selling two of her books here in the media center, Red Kayak and A Face First. They cost $7.00 each. If you would like to purchase a copy and have the author sign it, please bring your order sheet and your money (check made out to MMS or $7 cash, we don't have change) to the media center. The media staff is very excited to be bringing in yet another accomplished author for our students this year. School Science Fair McConnell's Science Fair will be held this Friday, 11/20 and Monday, 11/23. Science Fair exhibits will be open for parents to view on Tuesday, 11/24. Good luck to all our participants! Scoliosis Screening Corrected Contact to Volunteer McConnell PTA's Health and Safety Committee is looking for volunteers to help with their annual Scoliosis screening. This simple screening may help us be the first to notice changes in a child's spine, and it is a valuable service to our children. The screening will take place Wednesday, Jan. 13, at our school. There will be a short training session at 9am with the

6 screening immediately following. Lunch will be provided to our volunteers as a token of our appreciation. Please contact Joan Prichard at prichardga@yahoo.com if you are able to help us with this important screening. Thanks for your continued support. Joan Prichard, MMS PTA Yearbook Information Attention Parents: Important Yearbook Announcement Order Now December 1 Yearbook: $40 Yearbook with Engraved Nameplate: $45 Please Note: The yearbooks will be distributed in May, but you must order by Dec. 1 to ensure your child will have one reserved. ORDER FORMS You may download an order form on our school website, or come by the front office. THREE WAYS TO ORDER Submit Order to MMS. Send in order form and payment to Ms. Carr in the front office. Make checks payable to Herff Jones Yearbooks. Order on-line. Hyperlink reference not valid.onnell is order # 939. Call toll free , Mon-Fri, 9 am until 6 pm. McConnell is order #939.

7 Dates to Remember: Wednesday, 11/18 Author Visit (Media Center all day) Thursday, 11/19 7th & 8th Grade Band Concert (6:30pm in Gym #1) Friday, 11/20 Midterm Reports Issued Friday, 11/20-Monday, 11/23 School Science Fair (Open to Parents Tuesday, 11/24) Monday, 11/23 7th & 8th Grade Orchestra Concert (6:30pm in Gym #1) Wednesday, 11/25-Friday, 11/27 Thanksgiving Break Thursday, 12/3 1st Basketball Game vs. Jones MS Archer) Friday, 12/4 Parents' Night Out (6-10pm) Thursday, 12/10 Chorus Concert (6:30pm in the Cafeteria) Wednesday, 12/16 Red & White Game (Faculty vs. Students 4:30pm) Friday, 12/18 End of Second 9 Weeks 12/21/09-1/3/10 Winter Break Monday, 1/4 Student Holiday/Teacher Workday New Testing Dates Grades 6, 7 and 8 CRCT April 19-23, 2009 Monday-Friday (Students were originally scheduled to take the CRCT April 13-19)

8 Staying Healthy! We are reinforcing with staff members and students the importance of hand washing, coughing or sneezing into their arm and staying home if ill, especially if running a fever. Please remember any staff member or student who runs a fever must stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours (without the aid of a fever reducer). The Parent Portal is Coming! There is still time to sign up! Remember the Parent Portal goes "live" in January. For more information and to view the application form, please visit our website: Here you will find the directions and information regarding the Parent Portal. Registration must be in person, with a valid id. Check Out Student check outs are not permitted after 3:30pm. In order to be counted as present for the day, students must check in before 12:35pm. Students who check out before 12:35pm and do not return to school will be counted absent. Bus Change Request- Permanent or Emergency For student safety, behavior management on the buses and to avoid overcrowding, McConnell Middle School will not allow students to ride a different bus or to get off at a different bus stop unless there is a permanent bus change or an unexpected family emergency (i.e. serious illness or death in the family, accident, etc). For an emergency temporary or a permanent bus change, please contact the child's community office with a written note or phone call the morning of the request. Be sure to include a phone number where a parent or guardian can be reached to discuss the request.

9 Early Arrival to School J. P. McConnell does offer morning study hall for those who arrive early to school. Students may be dropped off no earlier than 8:00 am. All students must report to the cafeteria. If scheduled to attend Help Day or another function, they will be dismissed from the cafeteria. Please do not drop off anyone prior to 8:00 am as we do not have staff members available to monitor students. We put the safety and security of your child first! McConnell Website Gwinnett County Public Schools is now hosting our web site! When you type in our web address: you will be directed to the county web page for J.P. McConnell Middle School. At the top of the page you will see a link that will take you to our school web page. School Office and Staff Hours Our front office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Staff hours are 8:15 am to 4:15 pm. Help Day Help Day is every Wednesday morning from 8:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. HOMEWORKNOW Ever wondered what your student had for homework? Visit our website, and click on the link to Homeworknow.com to see the assignments for your child's classroom.

10 Please thank our current School Business Partners with your patronage: Publix-Grayson Village, Summit Chase Country Club, Vulcan Materials- Grayson and Texas Roadhouse-Snellville. Thank you partners!