PTSA Newsletter 2010-11
Vol. 12, No. 8, Apr. 2011
President’s Letter
Principal’s Message
We can’t really judge the
seasons by the calendar
lately, but rest assured it will
look and feel like spring soon.
Then, after a late spring Susan Verner
break, the end of this school
year will be upon us.
This is the time when we start to look to
next year, and who will be representing
the parent community as PTSA leaders.
For me, participating in Tilden PTSA
has been rewarding and engaging. That
chapter will come to a close for me when
my daughter graduates in June.
I am hopeful that other parents will step
up and volunteer for vacant board positions. If you appreciate having an active
PTSA that provides a service to the
school community, please consider volunteering.
Our nominating committee is working to
fill the slate of officers to present to at the
May PTSA meeting. Please contact Barbara Ferry at [email protected] or Suzanne
Mozayeni at [email protected] for
more information.
Speaking of service to the school community, the PTSA thanks Karina Sanchez
and her committee and staff member Carmen Nakassis for putting on another fabulous International Night on March 11.
A special thanks to our international
families who so generously share 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.
(Continued on page 2)
It is difficult to believe that
by the time you receive this
letter there will only be 42
school days left for the year.
As we enter our fourth Jennifer Baker
quarter we look forward to a
strong finish with many exciting events to
help everyone bring the year to a positive close.
Our eighth-grade students will be participating in our annual Career Day on
Friday, April 15. Thank you to all of the
presenters and the planning committee.
This is an important day for the eighthgrade students as they begin to think
about life beyond their school years.
Your efforts help our students broaden
their thinking are much appreciated.
Business or other suitable attire is expected for the event.
The evening of April 15 is also our
spring dance event for all grade levels.
The dance will run from 7-9 pm. Please
be on time to pick up your child.
The dance will send our children off for
spring break, which runs from April 1625. School resumes Tuesday, April 26.
The spring music and art festival will be
held from 7-9 pm May 11 and 12. The
(Continued on page 5)
PTSA Meeting
Tuesday, April 12, 7 pm
Media Center
Principal’s Report
Wish List for 2011-12
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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
Upcoming Meeting. The next PTSA
meeting is scheduled for 7 pm Tuesday,
301-984-4025 April 12, in the Media Center.
Come hear what’s going at Tilden be240-274-2088
tween now and the end of the year; hear
the Principal’s Report from Principal
301-770-3048 Baker; and participate in approving this
year’s Wish List item requests. Also, find
out how you can help next year’s PTSA.
301-770-0044
301-987-0070
301-946-6883
301-530-4690
301-770-3813
Thanks. The PTSA thanks Karina Sanchez and her committee and staff member
Carmen Nakassis, for putting on another
fabulous International Night on March 11.
A special thanks to our international families who so generously share 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.
FACS Classes Expanding Horizons as School Year Draws to an End
The sixth-grade FACS classes are getting ready to expand their horizons as we enter
into the last quarter of the year. We are very excited about discovering new recipes to
incorporate into the baking unit. Fruit fondue is first on the list before the baking begins. The students cannot wait to melt down and sweeten the chocolate, prepare the
fruit and best of all enjoy their creations. FACS is a wonderful elective which fosters
independence, group cohesiveness, nutrition education and team building skills, all
students are encouraged to sign up.
The seventh-grade classes are working into more difficult and home-cooked meals
as we move into the final quarter. We will start off with our pasta lab. Choices range
from spaghetti with meat balls, lasagna and fettuccini alfredo to Thai noodles. All our
labs offer vegetarian options as well. I am very excited to see and smell the pasta
creations. The financial literacy lessons are part of the curriculum as well.
The eighth graders have a full plate ahead of them. We will soon be exploring many
dishes from different cultures. This is a wonderful way for students to try the many
foods from all over the world. New recipes and meal planning is the focus of this unit.
The students have been learning and are quite intrigued by the many, many facets of
the financial literacy unit. We have gone into depth on the dos and don’ts on check
writing, debit cards and credit cards. It is wonderful to see the interest from the students as we get further into this unit.
--Amy Domingos
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President’s Letter
(from page 1)
This has become an annual tradition at
Tilden and is a wonderful event to highlight and recognize our international
population.
At our PTSA meeting in March, we had
a discussion about the film, ―Race to Nowhere.‖ The Tilden PTSA co-sponsored
the showing of the film on March 3 at
Walter Johnson. While the film raises
issues about education that lead to differing points of view and experiences, I
was pleased that the Tilden community
could have an open discussion concerning those issues, and I thank staff members Jennifer Baker, Monifa McKnight
and Julia Williams for participating in that
discussion. We all want what’s best for
our kids, and sometimes it takes a a dialogue between home and school to accomplish that goal.
Looking ahead, 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
School Supplies Drive Is Final Charity Effort by Student Government
The Student Government Association has been very busy lately gearing up and getting trained for the annual Student Member of the Board elections. This election is an
official position in which all middle and high school students are given the opportunity
to share their voice and vote.
Our last all school dance is Friday, April 15, from 7-9 pm. Tickets will be on sale at
the dance for $5. Snacks and sodas will be available to purchase.
Thanks to the entire Tilden Community for raising over $2,000 to benefit Pennies for
Patients (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). Way to come together to help such a
great cause. We also collected over $400 for Operation Japan. The students, staff
and parents are so supportive when helping those in need.
Our last charity for the year is the Drive for Supplies. We will be collecting school
supplies for Montgomery County students in need so that they can start off the next
school year ready and prepared. We will be collecting binders, paper, notebooks, pencils, pens, backpacks and other supplies. All donations can be brought to Mrs. Domingos’ room, A133.
--Amy Domingos, Michelle Cassels
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Calendar of Events
Tue., Apr. 12, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting – Principal’s Report, Approve Wish List
Fri., Apr. 15: Career Day; All-School Dance
Mon., Apr. 18: Spring Break Begins
Tue., Apr. 26: School Resumes
Tue., May 10, 7 pm: PTSA Meeting – Program: Transition to Walter Johnson HS
Wed., May 11, 7 pm: Music Department Spring Concert (Bands)
Thu., May 12, 7 pm: Spring Concert (Orchestra, Guitar Ensembles, Chorus)
Fri., May 13: Tilden Mile of Champions
Sun., May 15: Tilden Chorus and Cast of ―Les Mis‖ Perform with Washington Vocal
Artists at Potomac United Methodist Church
Fri., June 10, 5:30 pm: Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony and Celebration
Student Service Learning (SSL) Notes
Give a Little Time…Make a Big Difference
SSL: Develops Critical Thinking Skills
High school students enrolled in the National, State, and Local Government
course have the opportunity to earn seven SSL hours during Semester A, and
eight 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. Choose from organizations tagged, ―Approved SSL MCPS,‖ on the website www.mcpsssl.org
OR get MCPS Form 560-50, Request for SSL Preapproval, in advance of any
service.
Keep copies of all SSL forms. The official SSL hours are reflected on quarterly
report cards. Check out the SSL record and discuss any discrepancy immediately with the school-based SSL coordinator, Ms. Stasko in room A 138.
Service performed during the second semester can be turned in any time during
the semester. The latest date to turn in documentation of second semester
service is the Friday before exams begin (June 3). Senior hours are due before that date.
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 as ―Approved SSL MCPS.‖
—Jane Stasko
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Principal’s Message
(Continued from page 1)
students and their teachers love to show
off how much they have grown during the
course of the year.
One of our favorite events, the Mile of
Champions, will be held on May 13. Don’t
miss the opportunity to come see our swiftest Tilden runners.
The spring musical, Les Miserables, will
be held on June 3 and 4. It is sure to be a
terrific show. Please join us.
We will host our annual eighth-grade
promotion ceremony on Friday, June 10.
The event will include a recognition ceremony for the students and their families,
followed by pizza and a dance for the
soon-to-be-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 an exciting and memorable
evening for everyone involved.
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
Chaperones Needed
Friday, April 15, is the last all-school
dance of the year. Want to see for
yourself what goes on at a school
dance? Volunteer to chaperone. If
you are interested, contact Amy
Domingos at
[email protected].
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From the Health Room
Inhalants are common household substances that are sniffed or ―huffed‖ to
give the user an immediate high.
Their easy accessibility, low cost, and
ease of concealment make inhalants
one of the most commonly abused substances among adolescents.
Inhalants are defined as ―liquids,
sprays, and gases that people sniff or
inhale to get high or to make them feel
good.‖ Inhalants include
amyl nitrite, ―poppers,‖ locker room odorizers, or ―rush;’’ correction fluid, degreaser, or cleaning fluid; gasoline or
lighter fluid; glue, shoe polish, or toluene; halothane, ether, or other anesthetics; lacquer thinner or other paint solvents; lighter gases, such as butane or
propane; nitrous oxide or whippets; and
spray paints.
Other aerosol sprays include products
such as aerosol air fresheners, aerosol
hair spray, and aerosol cleaners such as
dusting sprays and furniture polish.
Potential harmful effects include memory loss, slurred speech, nausea and
vomiting, muscle weakness and cramping, abdominal pain, loss of coordination, irregular heart beat and suffocation.
Organs at risk for permanent damage
lungs, brain, liver, heart and kidneys.
For some unlucky children, just a single session has caused permanent organ damage or death.
It is not necessary for parents to clear
out cabinets, closets and garages to
keep young people safe from inhalant
use. Rather, they should be aware of the
problem, learn the facts and communicate with children in a way that guides
them toward healthy life choices.
You can get more information at http://
inhalants.drugabuse.gov
—Elizabeth (Betsy) Trotta, RN
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The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read,
read and write, write, write.
—Ernest Gaines
Spell Checker Accuracy?
Have you ever wondered about the
effectiveness of various spell checking
devices? The table below shows the
percentage of words corrected when
267 commonly misspelled words were
entered into computer based and
portable spell checkers (James, 2006).
As you can tell, spelling does matter.
Device
Percentage of
Words Corrected
MS Office 2007
67
Write: Outloud Solo
72
Kurzweil 3000 v10
55
Franklin Speller & Thesaurus
Franklin Literacy Word Bank
64
Franklin Collins Dictionary &
Thesaurus
54
71
April is National Poetry Month
Check out a variety of poetry books
and read them over spring break.
Write poems of your own using Poetry
Magnets or words cut out of magazines.
Reread classic poems.
6Not much time? Write haiku.
Encouraging Writing
Does your child hate writing? If homework is the only writing he/she does,
then it’s no wonder. Try these ideas:
1. Design your own note cards with
rubber stamping or marbled paper and
then use these to write notes.
2. Create found poems. Grab a magazine, advertisement, newspaper, or
book and jot down any odd, funny, or
beautiful words or phrases. Rearrange
the words, add some of your own, and
you’ve got a poem.
3. Use a thesaurus to replace the words
in common phrases or even road signs
(Speed Limit = Velocity Threshold).
4. Reread a favorite picture book and
rewrite a page or two, changing the
characters, settings, and actions.
5. Rewrite your family history as a
shared story. One person writes the
first sentence on a sheet of paper and
then passes it around the table with
each family member adding a sentence.
6. Set aside a very brief period of time
when your only communication with
one another is in writing. This can be
for deciding on what to have for dinner
or planning an activity for the weekend. This strategy is effective when
you are upset with your child.