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The Connection The Weekly Newsletter of IACS-MS
From the Principal
January 22, 2010
Dear IACS Middle School Families:
The second quarter of the year will end next Wednesday, January 27th. Your child will receive his/her assessment at the end of the day on February 12th. If you need to touch base with any of your child’s teachers in the meantime, please use phone or email to communicate or to arrange a meeting. Teacher cannot have impromptu conferences during extra help time, as they need to be working with the students.
Beginning on March 1, 6th and 8th grade students will be presenting their jury portfolios. This is an important time for students to explain and defend their learning and make the case for their promotion to the next grade level. These jury panels would not happen without parent and community volunteers. If you, or anyone you know, would like to participate in panels, please contact Tina Lindberg. If you are new to this process, you will receive more information about how juries work. Attached to this Connection is the rubric that we use to assess student performance.
Finally, I am asking families again to please follow the law regarding idling in the parking lot. When cars are left idling for long periods of time, our students and staff have to breathe the air. This is both unhealthy and unpleasant. Thank you for your consideration.
Kathleen Seward
News and Happenings
Re-enrollment Forms: Re-enrollment forms for the upcoming school year have been mailed home. This form needs to be filled out for all current students that plan to return to IACS next year. Current students are automatically guaranteed a spot for the following year but you MUST fill out the form to retain your child's slot. Please be sure to complete and return the enclosed form by February 5th. All slots not retained will be made available to new students for our lottery on March 10th. Please contact Kathleen Feeney at 978-649-0432 x2229 if you have any questions . Forms are also available on our website under the admissions tab.
Board Meeting is Feb 8th: The next Board Meeting will be at IACS on Monday, February 8th at 6:30pm
BASIC RIGHTS In Special Education WORKSHOP The Basic Rights workshop provides families with an introduction to their rights and responsibilities under:
This workshop is designed to help parents learn to be effective partners with their child’s school to decide their child’s eligibility for special education, and to plan, make decisions and monitor their child’s progress in school.
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 Location: Innovation Academy Charter School Second Floor Conference Room Time: 6:30-8:30 pm Contact: Aimee Voleti 978-649-0432 x2222
A presenter from the Federation for Children with Special Needs will conduct this workshop. Federation workshops are free to parents and open to the public. You are welcome to attend any workshop in or outside of your immediate community.
Come join us! (see attached flyer)
The Federation for Children with Special Needs, supported in part by grant #H328M040001 from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs and the Massachusetts Department of Education.
The 8th Grade Spanish Play is Coming! Mark your calendars! "Carlos y la Fabrica de Cholcoate" (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) is coming to the IACS stage on Tuesday, April 13 at 9:15am and 12:30pm and Wednesday, April 14 at 6:00pm. Tickets will be $5 and will be available the first week of February! All 8th grade Spanish students will be in the musical!
Please consider placing an advertisement or a message to a cast or crew member in the play’s program book! See the attachment for details!
We NEED adult volunteers to make this production run smoothly! If you think you might be able to lend a hand in any area, please email laura.conte@comcast.net. Right now, our greatest need is for an adult who can take charge of costumes. This volunteer does not need to be someone who can sew, just someone who can give some time to ordering, organizing, labeling and preparing costumes, with the help of other volunteers.
Please feel free to email with questions: rhawthorne@innovationcharter.org.
Update on 8th Grade Health Education Classes: The first couple of weeks of Sexual Health have focused on setting a positive climate in the classroom, values clarification and decision making. Ask your 8th grade student what the classroom norms are. Here’s a hint...RRCN. A key factor in making healthy decisions is knowing yourself—by becoming more self-aware. Class lessons focus on discovering personal values and discussing how knowing those values can help when making decisions. Students were challenged to answer how one’s own values can reduce the risk of unhealthy behavior. The next few weeks will focus on healthy relationships, sexual reproduction and sexually transmitted infections. The final classes will explain the benefits of abstinence, postponing sexual behavior, and setting limits on sexual behavior. Results of national surveys indicate that parents continue to be the greatest influence on their child’s sexual decision making. I encourage you to take advantage of this time to begin or to continue discussions regarding sex and sexuality. This year, as in all other years, it is clear to me that teens really do want guidance on these issues. The discussions in class have been remarkably open and honest. Gayle Nutile-Pimm School Nurse/RN
WANTED: TAX PREPARER. The IACA (school community association) is looking for a professional tax preparer to work with them on tax issues. This does not require attendance at monthly meetings--just an occasional consultation and an annual tax preparation. This year's taxes have already been prepared so the first preparation would be next year. The fiscal year runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31. This is a great opportunity for a parent or other community member to fill their yearly volunteer hours. Contact Gwen Sandilands at gsandilands@comcast.net if you are interested.
Yearbooks Order Your Middle School Yearbook TODAY! Yearbooks are on sale for $30.00. Just drop off a check to Tina with “yearbook” in the memo line, homebase and the name of the student who is purchasing it. If you need to pay cash, please make sure the cash is in an envelope with yearbook written on it and the student’s name and homebase.
IACA is a non-profit organization that exists to support the Innovation Academy Charter School:
Box Tops for Education Update: Our collection box is located in the cafeteria on the windowsill. BE SURE TO INCLUDE your HOMEBASE with your submission so we can properly credit your team! We ONLY accept Box Tops for Education (no Campbell’s labels for Education, Betty Crocker Points, Kernal Points or Hood Milk Caps, sorry). We’re in the FINAL STRETCH of our “Homebase for the Holidays” contest. We’ve collected nearly $125 in Box Tops this season – thanks! Here are the current standings:
I’ll do a final tally from the submissions through next Friday, January 29th and announce a winner. Finally, there are constantly sweepstakes available that could earn our school 1,000-100,000 bonus box tops – that would save us ALL from LOTS OF CLIPPING! Register at www.BTFE.com to support IACS to see the sweepstakes available for daily entry.
Time to start clipping BoxTop$ for the IACS Olympics: Dear IACS Families, It’s almost time for the Winter Olympics to begin in Vancouver. It’s also time to start clipping BoxTop$ for the IACS Olympics. Let’s see whose homebase can accumulate the most medals. Below you will find our new Olympic Collection sheets. If you clip and glue or tape 10 BoxTop$ on the collection sheet, your classroom earns a bronze medal, 20 BoxTop$ will earn a silver and 30 BoxTop$ a gold. Start clipping and saving. You may drop off your collection sheets during the month of February in the cafeteria BoxTop box. All collection sheets MUST be turned in by Friday, February 26 to qualify for a medal. We will start posting the results on Friday, February 12 on a tally chart in the Cafeteria. Let the games begin. Your Box Tops Coordinator! Kate Conran 978-244-1244
It's a Family Affair! Here at Innovation Academy, we know grandparents (or aunts and uncles, and other extended family members for that matter) are very interested in the lives of their grandchildren and we'd love to help keep them informed! Please provide us with the names and addresses of family members and friends and we'll send them our newsletter and include them on our mailing list for future newsletters. You can send this contact information directly to Walter Landberg, Executive Director via email (wlandberg@innovationcharter.org) or regular mail at 72 Tyng Road, Tyngsborough, MA 01879. Or, if you want to give him a call, his number is 978-649-0432, ext. 2217. Whatever way works best for you! Thanks for helping us to share the great work of Innovation Academy!
Seeking World War II Veteran Speakers IACS history department is on the search for World War II veterans who are willing to share their war experiences with high school juniors as they will be studying the war this winter. If you have any relatives, friends or local organizations that might assist us please contact either Shannon Arel (sarel@innovationcharter.org) or Katia Arida at (karida@innovationcharter.org).
High School Service Culture Committee:
Recycle for $$ for IACS! Ways to recycle:Ink/Toner Cartridges, Cell Phones/Laptops and Paper: Dear IACS Parents & Students: Recycle Ink & Toner Cartridges The IACS Green Team has teamed with Cartridge World, Bedford, MA to turn your recycled ink and toner cartridges into cash for our school! There will be Cartridge World recycle bins at the Middle School and High School entrances. Please place your ink/toner cartridges (any size) in these bins. Does your workplace have a recycling program?? If not, ask them to donate their used ink/toner cartridges to the program….we would love to get local businesses involved! Recycle Cell Phones & Laptops You can also recycle used cell phones and laptops. You can put your used cell phones in the green recycle bins in the Middle School and High School entrances. If you have a laptop you would like to recycle, you can drop it off with Tina at the middle school front office. Recycling Paper Send in your used newspapers & used paper (no cardboard or phonebooks please) and place them in the huge yellow and green Abitibi Paper Recycling Dumpster located in the back corner of the High School parking lot. Remember, everything you recycle….cartridges, cell phones, lap-tops or paper, means dollars for our school! For more information or if you need assistance in getting your recycling to the school, email Annie Accettullo, candystp@yahoo.com or Kellie Burtch, kburtch@innovationcharter.org
IACS Gear is here!! Show you are a part of our IACS community by dressing in our cozy new IACS gear! Now available:
Sweatshirts: Sweatpants:
____ XS Child ____ XS Adult ____ XS Child ____ XS Adult ____ S Child ____ S Adult ____ S Child ____ S Adult ____ M Child ____ M Adult ____ M Child ____ M Adult ____ L Child ____ L Adult ____ L Child ____ L Adult ____ XL Child ____ XL Adult ____ XL Child ____ XL Adult
Long Sleeve Shirt: ____ XS Child ____ XS Adult ____ S Child ____ S Adult Hats: $12.00 ____ M Child ____ M Adult ____ L Child ____ L Adult ____ XL Child ____ XL Adult
Special Sizes may also be available. Note desired size here: ____________________
Please indicate how many of each you would like on the appropriate line above.
I have attached a check for the total amount of my order which is: $_________
Child’s name:___________________________Homebase/Advisory:___________________ Please contact Sara Ogden at 978-649-0432 x 2230 or sogden@innovationcharter.org for expected delivery date. |
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The Connection, January 22posted Jan 22, 2010 12:21 PM by Unknown user |