PTSA Newsletter 2010-11
President’s Letter
The first marking period flew
by and before we know it,
Thanksgiving will be here.
This is a great time to consider helping those less fortuSusan Verner
nate. I have been contacted
by A Wider Circle, which is a local organization whose mission is to end poverty.
Through donations, A Wider Circle provides food, clothing and furnishings to
families transitioning out of poverty.
If you are able, please consider donating to A Wider Circle this holiday season.
A list of items needed is available at
http://www.awidercircle.org.
Looking back, we had a well-attended
and very informative PTSA meeting last
month on the subject of high school credit
courses in middle school. Thanks to Denise Greene of the MCPS Office of
School Performance for coming out to
provide parents with much-needed information on this subject, and thanks to our
own Jennifer Baker for sharing her insights as well.
The bottom line is that high school credits
earned in middle school, if the student
takes the final exam, will appear on the
student’s high school transcript when applying to college. If you have any questions about how this applies to your student, I encourage you to get in touch with
your child’s guidance counselor.
At this month’s meeting, Tuesday, Nov.
9, at 7 p.m. in the Media Center, the program will be a presentation by Andrew
Ship on Facebook (Continued on page 3)
Vol. 12, No. 3, Nov. 2010
Principal’s Message
As we move forward into
the second quarter of
school and the approaching holiday season I am
reminded on a daily basis Jennifer Baker
of the generosity and benevolence of
our students, staff and parents in the
Tilden Community.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ―Since
you get more joy out of giving joy to
others, you should put a good deal of
thought into the happiness that you are
able to give.‖ It is clear from the high
participation in charitable giving that
goes on at Tilden that our community
gives joy and happiness to others.
Our Student Government Association
(SGA) participates in many fundraisers
and charitable drives each year. In our
first quarter they have already raised
funds for breast cancer research and
launched a food drive that has collected
a large quantity of items which will be
donated to a local food bank.
Our clothing drive is also proving to
be a success. All clothing items will be
donated to Mid-Atlantic Clothing Recycling. Stay tuned for more upcoming
SGA events throughout the year to help
out others.
(Continued on page 3)
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PTSA Meeting
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 7 pm
Media Center
Facebook and Middle Schoolers
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PTSA Briefs
PTSA Officers 2010-11
President:
Susan Verner
[email protected]
Vice Presidents:
Suzanne Mozayeni
[email protected]
Barbara Ferry
[email protected]
Treasurer:
Cate Hammaker
[email protected]
Secretary:
Debbie Kobernick
[email protected]
MCCPTA Delegates:
Dave Dennison
[email protected]
Laura Bonetta
[email protected]
Newsletter Editors:
Cynthia Suen
[email protected]
Jonathan Salant
[email protected]
301-984-5942
301-984-4025
240-274-2088
301-770-3048
301-770-0044
301-987-0070
301-946-6883
Thank You. Thanks to PTSA Directory
Chair Lisa Cirillo and Directory Advertising
Chair Dee Lichtenstein for producing our
2010-11 student directory.
The directories were sent home with
each student before Halloween. If you didn’t receive one, want to buy another copy,
or want to report a mistake, please contact
Lisa Cirillo at [email protected].
Book Fair. The Scholastic Book Fair is
scheduled for Dec. 7-9 in the Media Center. Have some time to volunteer? Contact Book Fair Chair Suzanne Fanaroff at
[email protected].
301-530-4690
301-770-3813
Newsletter Deadlines. All copy is due to
the editors for that month’s issue by Dec.
10, Jan. 7, Feb. 4, Mar. 4, Apr. 7, and May
6. There is no newsletter in June.
Student Service Learning (SSL) Notes
Give a Little Time…Make a Big Difference
November 2010
SSL: Develops Personal Sense of Self Worth
Check the SSL information on the report card. Contact the SSL coordinator, Ms.
Stasko, with any discrepancies. Keep copies of all SSL documentation.
SSL activities help middle school students achieve curricular objectives in Grade 6
Science, Grade 7 English, and Grade 8 Social Studies.
High school students enrolled in the National, State, and Local Government course
have the opportunity to learn about advocacy in semesters 1 and 2. SSL hours are
earned for full participation in the SSL activities and successful completion of the
course.
Students may earn SSL hours with school clubs that focus on service. Often times
the service activities involve indirect action. In indirect action, a need is addressed but
students do not meet the recipients of their service face-to-face. Examples of indirect
service activities include collections of food, clothing, and/or hygiene items, fundraising, and blood drives.
Plan now to be involved in SSL activities over winter break. Look for opportunities
on the SSL Web site, www.mcpsssl.org, or listen for opportunities promoted at school.
—Jane Stasko
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Principal’s Message
(Continued from page 1)
Additionally, for the third year in a row,
our staff is feeding 175 homeless men at
the Rockville Men’s Shelter once per
month. Over twenty dedicated staff members cook and deliver the food each
month during the school year. In the past
three years, we have delivered almost
2,000 meals.
Finally, we have our Tilden Families in
Need fund, which goes directly to students at Tilden. The fund pays for field
trips, provides food and clothing gift certificates, helps with the holidays and
much more.
It is not too late for parents to participate in our current drives or the Tilden
Families in Need fund. The clothing drive
ends Nov. 12, the food drive ends Nov.
24 and the school fund to help families is
ongoing throughout the year.
If you would like to donate, please send
in a check made out to Tilden Middle
School and write, ―Tilden Families in
Need Fund,‖ in the memo portion of the
check. No donation is too small and all
funds go directly to Tilden students.
In addition to the generous spirit of our
school community, another thing that
makes Tilden a great place to learn is our
partnership with parents. Your support is
so critical to student success.
I say this all the time, but it really does
take a village to educate our children. We
had great parent participation on Parent
Visitation Day in October and it was wonderful to hear the many compliments from
parents about our fabulous teachers.
Nov. 11 and 12 are half-days for students. On Wednesday, Nov. 11, students
will receive their first quarter report cards
in homeroom, then parents with appointments will meet teachers. If you did not
make an appointment, you cannot come
in as we are fully booked.
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However, if you need to speak to a
teacher, please contact him or her by
email to set up an appointment. Email is
a great way to communicate.
The zoo trip on Friday, Nov. 5, was a
huge success for our sixth- and seventhgrade students. The weather cooperated
beautifully and it was great that so many
students could participate in this fun and
educational trip.
The first school dance on Friday, Nov.
5, was also fantastic. The kids were able
to express themselves in a different way
suitable to their level of high energy both
on the dance floor and in our parentsponsored game room.
I would like to thank the SGA for its organization and all of the parents who participated in the event. It is a lot of work to
hold a successful dance and provide a
fun and safe event for our students.
Mahatma Gandhi said, ―You must be
the change you want to see in the world.‖
Our children are just beginning to learn
who they are and what they want to do in
the future. Middle school is a time of exploration as they slowly mature.
I truly appreciate all that our Tilden
community does each day to help our
children change, grow and believe in their
potential. I look forward to our continued
work together.
—Jennifer Baker
President’s Letter
(Continued from page 1)
in Middle School and Other Internet Issues. Andrew, a Tilden parent, is an expert on the topic and this is sure to be a
very informative evening.
The more we know about what our kids
are doing, on the Internet and otherwise,
the more we can do to ensure their safety.
All the best to you and your family over
the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
—Susan Verner
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PTSA Calendar of Events 2010-11
Tue., Nov. 9, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting – Middle Schoolers and Facebook
Dec. 7-9: Scholastic Book Fair
Thu., Dec. 16, 6:30 pm: Holiday Reception Before Winter Concert at WJ
Tue., Jan. 11, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting – Parenting Program
Thu., Jan. 20, 7 pm: PTSA Cluster Meeting at Tilden
Tue., Feb. 8, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting Parenting Program
Fri., Feb. 25, 7 pm: PTSA-Sponsored Charity Basketball Game
Tue., Mar. 8, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting – Business Meeting, appoint nominating committee
Fri., Mar. 11, 7 pm: International Night
Fri, Apr. 15: Career Day (tentative)
Tue., Apr. 12, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting – Business Meeting, approve wish list
Tue., May 10, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting – Program: Transition to Walter Johnson HS
Tilden Middle School Drama Proudly Presents
Unwrapped
By Charlie Lovett
Dec. 10-11, 7 pm
Tickets on sale soon
$5 in advance/$7 at the door
What happens when the world’s worst movie producer, David O. Dimwit,
decides to travel to Vansyltrania to produce his next horrible horror
movie? A string of mysterious murders plagues the set and baffles the
aptly named Chief Inspector Idiot. With the help of some local talent (like
a familiar green-faced monster and a hunch-backed laboratory assistant),
director Otto von Strongman and his cast manage to triumph over murder, a werewolf and an unwrapped mummy to wrap up the film and solve
the mystery. This hilarious send-up of 1930s Hollywood is populated with
zany characters, from tourist director Ivan Hoo (whose every conversation sounds like an Abbott & Costello routine) to gossip columnist Hedda
Gobbler to screen hero North Dakota Smith. You’ll be laughing all the way
to Opening Night.
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Thanks to Our Direct Appeal Donors
The PTSA would like to thank the following families for their generous donations to the
Direct Appeal this year. Through Oct. 24, we have raised over $14,600 in direct appeal donations and membership dues.
Timberwolves
$250-$499
Grymes
Kobernick
Liden
Lindsay
Profit
Verner
Friends of Tilden
$100-$249
Angell
Bing
Bonetta-Misteli
Burgett
Chen
Cirillo
Dettelback
Doring
Dunn
Fan
Ferguson
Flomerfelt
Flyer
Guber
Hammaker
Haner
Hedge
Hiraoka
Hsueh
Jacobson
Katsura
Kazemzadeh
Kinzer
Kuritzky
Maguire
Mayhew
Miller
Morris-Flores
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Nardella
O’Donnell
Orsak
Piff
Roth
Rubinovitz
Runci
Selya
Ship
Spak
Stein
Tilkin
Williamson
Tilden Supporters
Up to $99
Alderson
Armstrong
Bader
Baker
Bassin
Batwinis
Beede
Bosse
Calhoun
Campbell
Corsetty
Cotter
Degala
Ellett
Elsberg
England
Fanaroff
Ferry
Fredman
Gendelman
Gleeson
Green
Harper
Harrison-Peters
He
Hickey
Hochberg
Horikawa
Kaeser
Kane
Kang
Kato
Kinsella
Landgren
Lange
Lichtenstein
McKay
Meredith
Metzman
Morris
New
Nugent
Phillips
Pierpaoli
Pozezynski
Reid
Resnick
Rocha
Sabet
Salant
Sanchez
Schelp
Schmader
Shahmirzadi
Shatkay
Skinner
Solomon
Steinberg
Strauss
Vasilyev
Wang
Whitehouse
Wyderko