PTSA Newsletter 2009-10
President’s Letter
Hard to believe that last
month at this time, we were
still seeing melting snow.
We went from winter to summer. But after living here for
the last decade, I know that Susan Verner
in the weather world here the only constant is change. No doubt we will have
a few days of rain and temperatures in
the 40’s before summer officially arrives.
It is also hard to believe our kids have
begun the fourth and final marking period. Hopefully everyone had a restful
spring break and is ready to hit the
ground running for spring.
Before spring break, we had one of
the favorite events of the school year:
I n t e rn a t io n a l Ni g h t . T h e P T SA
thanks Eva Winer and her committee,
and staff member Carmen Nakassis,
and parent Karina Sanchez, who has
agreed to chair next year.
A special thanks to our international
families and to the students who performed and put on a great show.
Also in March, we had another informative presentation by Molly Jackman
of the PEP program on Raising “I Can”
Kids. We look forward to having Molly
back next year for more parenting tips.
Looking forward, we hope you will join
us this Tuesday night for our second-tolast PTSA meeting of the year. If you
made a promise to yourself to attend at
least one PTSA meeting this year, time
is running out.
— Susan Verner
Vol. 11, No. 7, April 2010
Principal’s Message
I hope you and your family had a chance to enjoy
yourselves over the break
and acquire some welldeserved rest and rejuve- Jennifer Baker
nation.
As fourth quarter commences, we
look forward to a strong finish for the
year with many fun and exciting events
to help everyone bring the year to a
close.
Our eighth grade students will be participating in our annual Career Day on
April 16. Thank you to all of the presenters and the planning committee!
This is an important day for the eighth
grade students as they begin to think
about life beyond their school years.
Your efforts to help our students
broaden their thinking are much appreciated.
(Continued on page 3)
—————————————————
PTSA Meeting
Tuesday, April 13, 7 p.m.
Media Center
Report from Principal Jennifer Baker
Discussion about 2010-11
Spring Fundraiser
Wednesday, April 28
California Pizza Kitchen
Montgomery Mall
Bring a flyer and Tilden will receive 20
percent of the proceeds.
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PTSA Briefs
PTSA Officers 2009-10
President:
Susan Verner
[email protected]
Vice Presidents:
Lela Purtskhvanidze
[email protected]
Melissa Keller
[email protected]
Treasurer:
Cate Hammaker
[email protected]
Secretary:
Leslie Eure
[email protected]
MCCPTA Delegates:
Dave Dennison
[email protected]
Missy Maloney
[email protected]
Newsletter Editors:
Cynthia Suen
[email protected]
Jonathan Salant
[email protected]
301-984-5942
301-648-3240
301-881-2837
301-770-3048
301-881-0527
301-987-0070
301-230-2707
301-530-4690
301-770-3813
Student Government Association
The SGA is getting ready for a full
schedule. The student member of the
board elections are quickly approaching. The officers are running and organizing this official election. This is a
great opportunity for the entire student
body to engage in a true election.
Our last school dance is Friday, April
16, from 7-9 p.m. We can always use
chaperones, if interested, please contact
Ms. Tucker .
As the semester winds down, we will
be holding the annual Drive for Supplies
Donations of school supplies can be
brought to room A133.
As always, SGA is a wonderful way to
get involved, help your school and community, plan events and meet new people. All students are encouraged and
welcome to join.
—Amy Tucker and Michelle Cassels
SGA Advisors
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PTSA Meeting. The next PTSA meeting is
scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, at 7 p.m.
in the Media Center.
Come hear what’s going on at Tilden between now and the end of the year; hear
from Principal Baker; participate in approving this year’s Wish List requests, and find
out how you can help next year’s PTSA.
Officers Wanted. The nominating committee is still looking for volunteers to fill the
two vice president positions for next school
year. If you are interested, please contact
a committee member. The slate is to be
presented April 13.
The members are Leslie Eure,
[email protected]; Melissa Keller, [email protected]; and Joe Piff,
[email protected].
The vice presidents solicit people to fill
open committee chair positions, attend
summer meetings, and preside over
meetings in the absence of the president.
All board members are expected to attend the monthly meetings.
Staff Appreciation. We have an immediate need for a Staff Appreciation co-chair.
Duties include organizing snacks for
monthly staff meetings and organizing a
few staff events during the school year.
Interested? Please contact Susan Verner
at [email protected].
Huge Thanks. The PTSA thanks Eva
Winer and her committee, and staff member Carmen Nakassis, for putting on a
fabulous International Night Mar. 12.
A special thanks to our international
families who so generously shared their
culture and cuisine. This generosity is the
heart and soul of this event.
Also, thanks to the students who performed and put on a great show. The gym
was standing room only.
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Principal’s Message
(Continued from page 1)
There is a lot going on over the next
couple of months. One of our favorite
events, the Mile of Champions, will be
held on May 14. Don’t miss the opportunity to come see our swiftest Tilden runners.
Our sixth grade students are excited
about Outdoor Education at Summit Lake
from May 17 to May 19 for session one
and May 19 to May 21 for session two.
This is always a great bonding experience and a whole lot of fun. We are
pleased that we will be traveling when
the weather will likely be fabulous. This
will allow them to have a true outdoor experience and fully explore the Summit
Lake facility.
We will host our annual eighth grade
promotion ceremony on Friday, June 11.
The event will include a recognition ceremony for the students and their families,
then pizza and a dance for the soon-tobe ninth grade students. Students will
receive more information through their
English and ESOL classes very soon.
The planning committee has been working very hard to assure a very exciting
and memorable evening for everyone involved.
Look for other events this spring like
our musical, Oklahoma, which is sure to
wow audiences. Our music and choral
students will also have the chance to
shine in the upcoming spring performances this May. Finally, on June 15, our
eighth grade will travel to Smokey Glen
Park for a picnic, games and dancing
with a DJ.
As the year winds to a close we are
also thinking about summer school opportunities for our students who may
want to extend their school year or gain
an extra edge on their upcoming classes
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This year our summer school will once
again be held at North Bethesda Middle
School. We will be offering classes in:
Lights, Camera, Literacy!, Focus on Algebra, and reading support.
More information will be coming out
very soon. Please contact Ms. Angela
Hammie-Bonner if you have any questions.
Newspaper columnist Doug Larson
once said, “Spring is when you feel like
whistling even with a shoe full of slush.”
As we break out of our long and cold
winter I hope that everyone is able to
shake off the slush and enjoy the upcoming warm weather and full beauty of
spring.
—Jennifer Baker
From the Health Room
Allergy season is upon us as evidenced by numerous visits to the health
room by students with itchy, watery
eyes.
Please remind your child to wash their
hands and face whenever coming in
from the outside, especially on high pollen count days. It is also helpful to have
your child shower before bed so they
don't sleep on the pollen from their hair.
Students with severe allergies that require eye drops during the school day
can receive them if we have the proper
paper work filled out by the doctor and
parent. The form (525-13), can be
f o u n d o n t h e MCP S we b sit e .
If you have any specific questions or
concerns please feel free to call me. Try
Tilden Middle School first, 301-2305987, and then my cell phone, 301-9228124
—Elizabeth (Betsy) Trotta,
School Community Health Nurse
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Mark Your Calendars
Apr. 13 — PTSA Meeting
Apr. 14 — Third Quarter report cards distributed.
Apr. 16 — Eighth Grade Career Day; SGA
-sponsored school dance.
Apr. 28 — PTSA Restaurant Night at California Pizza Kitchen.
May 10-14 — Scholastic Book Fair
May 11 — PTSA Program: Transition to
Walter Johnson High School
June 11 — Eighth Grade promotion
ceremony and celebration.
Scholastic Book Fair May 10-14
Once again, the media center will be
transformed into our own bookstore in May
for the Scholastic Book Fair. The students
will visit the fair with their English classes,
and parents are free to visit the fair at any
time during the school day.
The fair will also be open during the May
PTSA meeting so you can shop then too.
Questions? Contact Committee Chair
Cheryl Lopez at [email protected].
School Dance Chaperones Needed
The last school dance of the year is
scheduled for 7-9 p.m. on Friday, April
16. Want to see what goes on? Volunteer
to chaperone! If interested, contact Amy
Tucker at [email protected].
Tickets will be sold during all three lunch
periods through Friday. The cost is $4 in
advance and $5 at the door.
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Family and Consumer Sciences
We are off to a great start to the fourth
quarter.
The sixth and seventh grade students
now will be getting into the baking
unit. Each week , the cooking groups
will be choosing, creating and tasting
some wonderful new recipes.
As we move into the quarter, the seventh grade students will be getting into
more individual budgeting skills. The
eight graders are excited about choosing
and preparing more advanced recipes. Soon we will be exploring foods
from other countries as the groups research, inform and prepare these tasty
dishes.
Budgeting and financial skill building
will continue as well as we come to the
end of the quarter. FACS is a great way
to try new food, work with others, enhance independent and team building
skills.
—-Amy Tucker, FACS Teacher
Dinner and a Donation
Please join us for dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen at Montgomery
Mall, Wednesday, April 28, for the
PTSA's spring restaurant fundraiser.
Please give your server the flyer sent
out on the listserv and Tilden PTSA
will receive 20 percent of the proceeds
to help fund programs.
Thanks so much for your support.
We hope to see you there April 28.
—-Becky Hutton
Restaurant Fundraiser Committee
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Student Service Learning (SSL) Notes
Give a Little Time…Make a Big Difference
Students plan ahead
High school students enrolled in the National, State, and Local Government course
have the opportunity to earn seven SSL hours during Semester A, and 8 SSL hours
during Semester B for their full participation in the SSL aspects, and successful completion of the course.
All SSL organizations and opportunities must be preapproved. Organizations
tagged, “Approved SSL MCPS,” on the website www.mcpsssl.org and organizations
tagged, “MCPS SSL Approved,” can be great sources for meaningful SSL involvement.
Check your report card and be sure the hours that are recorded there are the same
as your records indicate. If there is a discrepancy discuss it immediately with the
school SSL coordinator, Ms. Stasko, in room A 138. The report card record is official.
There is no need to wait and turn in verification of hours at the end of the second semester. You may turn them in now. The deadline to turn in hours performed during the
second semester is Friday, June 4.
Providing direct service to individuals in assisted-living facilities and nursing homes is
the only exception to serving with nonprofit organizations. Be sure to get an MCPS
Form 560-50, Request for SSL Preapproval, signed in advance, with organizations that
are not tagged.
—Jane Stasko
Recognizing Physical Education’s Students of the Month
Congratulations are in order for the following students. They received the honor of
being selected “Physical Education Students of the Month.” Through hard work and
positive contributions to our program, they raise the level of our classes and assure a
successful outcome. Our sincere gratitude goes out to all those Tilden students who
go the extra mile to help us every day. Congratulations and thanks go to:
Itai Benzherano, Noam Boasson, Emma Broun, Yeon Cho, Kwame Dappa, Sammi
Ehrlich, Elijah Girr-Scott, Mackenzie Hessler, Julia Hirsch, Samantha Holden, Ben
Jeffe, Alan Kaplan, Arsen Kliouev, Barbara Maia, Danielle Moss, Ronald Robinson,
Max Seo, Myles Smith, Katie Spak, Tommy Stauffer, Peter Stubin, Destiny Wimbush.
PE’s Big Event. Tilden’s Physical Education Department will once again be hosting
our annual “Mile of Champions.” Our best runners will be competing in the mile run on
May 14. Each grade level will compete in running four laps on the track. The entire
staff, student body, as well as many parents, and members of Walter Johnson’s track
team will be on hand to cheer our students. It’s a grand event with music and fun for
all. If your child is selected to compete, you will receive an invitation to come and
watch the race. Ask your son or daughter about it. It’s coming up soon.
—Charlene Jehle
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The man who does not read good books is no better than
the man who can't.
~ Mark Twain
Building Background
With Easy Nonfiction
When you want to learn how to do
something new, do you go to a 500page manual or a textbook? Probably not! You seek out easy to understand books with lots of pictures.
Reading easy books to develop background knowledge or understand
key concepts shouldn’t be embarrassing for English language learners,
struggling, or gifted students either.
Reading easy nonfiction exposes students to key concepts and vocabulary and builds the confidence
needed to access more difficult textbooks.
SPRING MAP-R
Your child will be taking the spring administration of the Measures of Academic Progress – Reading (MAP-R)
assessment in early May and will bring
home his/her results. Average norms
for this time of year are RITs of 217 for
sixth grade, 220 for seventh grade, and
223 for eighth grade.
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Easy Nonfiction Books
 A Drop of Blood by Paul Showers,
HarperCollins, 2004
 Energy Makes Things Happen by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Collins, 2002
 Forces and Movement by Claire Llewellyn, Cherrytree Books, 2005
 The Greek Gazette by Fergus Fleming, Usborne, 1997
 . . . If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine, Scholastic, 1993
 Less Than Zero by Stuart J. Murphy,
HarperCollins, 2003
 The Magic School Bus Explores the
Senses by Joanna Cole, Scholastic,
1999
 On Beyond a Million by David M.
Schwartz, Dragonfly Books, 1999
 What is a Biome? by Bobbie Kalman,
Crabtree Publishing, 2009
 What Is the World Made Of? All
About Solids, Liquids, and Gases by
Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, Collins,
1998
 Who Eats What?: Food Chains and
Food Webs by Patricia Lauber, Scholastic, 2002
Tilden Middle School PTSA
Tilden Middle School PTSA
April 28th 2010
California Pizza Kitchen
Montgomery Mall
301.469.5090
April 28th 2010
California Pizza Kitchen
Montgomery Mall
301.469.5090