TILDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
11211 OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND
301-230-5930 (OFFICE) • 301-230-5991 (FAX)
PTSA NEWSLETTER 2011-2012
Vol. 13, No. 2, October 2011
President’s Letter
Principal’s Message
Hopefully, your middle-school
student has settled into the new
school year at Tilden. It’s hard to
believe that we are already past
the half-way point of the first
marking period!
As fall slowly takes over with its
hues of red and orange, the days get
shorter and the bright jackets and
scarves provide warmth on chilly
mornings. Summer is but a distant
memory. At school, we are in the full swing of
things, especially with regard to academics, as the
first marking period hovers around the corner. Sports
are in full force and this year is no exception.
Students are spending many hours rehearsing for the
cabaret, the music booming from the instruments
down the hall is sounding very good, and the art
projects are looking remarkable.
Our first PTSA meeting this year is Tuesday night,
October 11 at 7:00 in the Media Center. Our
program is time with our new Principal, Ms. Irina
LaGrange. I hope you will take some time with Ms.
LaGrange to discuss your concerns and issues that are
academic or personal growth in nature that the school
should be addressing, or addressing differently. The
program will be preceded by our business meeting
where we will vote on our 2011-12 budget (over
$25,000!) and hear the reports of the principal,
officers and committee chairs. I have held a couple of
meetings with officers and committee chairs and Ms.
LaGrange, and lots of ideas are surfacing. We hope
you will plan to attend and contribute to our PTSA.
I’d like to thank all of our PTSA volunteers, many
of whom are performing their tasks in the background
at this time in the school year, and acknowledge some
of our PTSA volunteers for their efforts this month.
Last Monday, the Tilden staff were treated to snacks
at their monthly staff meeting by the PTSA.
(Continued on page 4)
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Not surprising at all, this is the time of year that
our 8th grade students are starting to have discussions
both at home and school about their transition to high
school. During the next few weeks, students will
have an opportunity to attend information sessions at
both Walter Johnson High School and various county
wide magnet programs. More detailed information is
available on our website. . Our 6th and 7th graders are
looking forward to the field trip to the National Zoo,
as they have an opportunity to experience the
curriculum first hand. Additionally, the entire student
body will have a chance to share some laughs and
show off their dancing moves or simply spend some
quality time with friends at our first school dance on
Friday, November 4, 2011. Parents, if you think you
can dance, we welcome your company!
(Continued on page 3)
Page 1
TILDEN SPIRIT WEAR
Order forms for this year’s
Tilden Spirit Wear are
coming home in backpacks,
are attached to this email,
and are on the web at
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/
schools/tildenms/ptsa/.
This year we have short- and longsleeve Ts, plus zippered and pullover
sweatshirts, all featuring the blue-andgold Timberwolves logo. Prices range
from $10 - $31. Deadline for order
forms is October 26 – a new date! Drop
off the completed forms in the Spirit
Wear box in the Main Office. Contact
Leona Hiraoka at [email protected]
with any questions. Order form is at the
end of the newsletter.
ATTENTION PARENTS OF
8TH GRADERS
Parent meetings at the respective
high schools for county-wide
application programs…
http://www.montgomeryschools
md.org/departments/enrichedinn
ovative/events/high.aspx
Link to application, test prep
booklet, etc….
http://www.montgomeryschools
md.org/curriculum/specialprogra
ms/high/applications.aspx
Application deadline is 11/7/11.
Link to information about Walter
Johnson’s APEX program…
http://www.montgomeryschools
md.org/schools/wjhs/depts/apex/
The APEX parent information
meeting for parents/guardians of
8th graders will be held on
October 11th at 7:00 pm in the
WJ cafeteria. The application
window for APEX is 10/11 –
11/1.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Page 2
Principal’s Message Continued
(continued from page 1)
The teachers and I would like to thank all the parents
who attended our Back-to-School Night on
September 15th. We had a full house, and even
though the time was limited, I enjoyed talking to you
and learning more about our students as you had the
opportunity to meet our incredible teachers and
discover the framework of the curriculum. When
working together, we are able to meet our children’s
needs both emotionally and academically, thus
ensuring a great school year for every child. As
always, please remember that my door is open and
I’m only a phone call or email away.
FACS-Family and Consumer Sciences
The year has started off wonderfully in FACS. The
students have been working hard coming up with new
and interesting recipes. The sixth grade students have
enjoyed making home-made fruit smoothies as their
introductory lab, fun desserts, vegetable fried rice and
the forever favorite MONKEY BREAD!!!! As the
quarter continues we will focus on healthy eating and
ingredient substitutions. I look forward to a great
semester!
Warmest Regards,
Irina LaGrange
PTSA OFFICERS 2011-2012
President:
Joe Piff • 240-292-4083
[email protected]
Vice Presidents:
Laura Bonetta • 301-946-6883
[email protected]
Karen Post • 301-881-3099
[email protected]
Treasurer:
Suzanne Mozayeni • 301-984-4025
[email protected]
Secretary:
Debbie Kobernick • 301-770-0044
[email protected]
The seventh graders have been quite involved and
creative with the dessert lab, combination fried rice
lab, Quick Quesadillas and much, much more! Soon
we will be starting personal finance and budgeting.
Watch out Wall Street! The eighth grade classes
have been busy with yeast breads, quick breads,
home-made pizza, and fruit fondue. As we dive
deeper into the semester the students will be choosing
more complex yet creative recipes. Personal finance
and budgeting is progressed as we begin the banking
unit. FACS is a wonderful way to meet friends, learn
independence, finance and over all have fun!
MCCPTA Delegates:
Lisa Spiwak • 301-984-8144
[email protected]
Kristen Zeller-Miller
[email protected]
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Amy Domingos
FACS Teacher
Page 3
President’s Message Continued
(continued from page 1)
Many thanks to committee chair Sarah Early for
organizing and delivering great snacks each month at
these meetings. Cheryl Morris is actively seeking
Student Service Learning (SSL) opportunities for our
children and announcing those opportunities on the
Tilden List Serv (are you a member?). Our
Restaurant Night chair Becky Hutton is planning
future socializing opportunities at local restaurants
that return a percentage of the total tab to the PTSA.
Our List Serv Coordinator, Valentina di Francesco,
is actively registering new members and monitoring
the messages being sent to ensure they comply with
the usage rules. Shari Campbell is pursuing the
retail incentive programs offered by local merchants.
I know I am leaving out someone who has contributed
significant time to our PTSA and I apologize for any
omissions.
Be sure to check out the new Tilden Spirit Wear on
sale until October 26! Thanks to Leona Hiraoka for
spearheading this effort. Order forms are available on
the Tilden website and in this issue.
And, many thanks to Gabrielle Roth and Jennifer
Rabin, our membership chairs, for running a very
successful Fall Membership Campaign and Direct
Appeal. If you haven’t joined the PTSA yet and/or
donated to the Direct Appeal, it is not too late!
Simply fill out the membership form in this
newsletter and return it to school with your check.
How are we doing with the Direct Appeal? To date,
we have raised over $5,700 in donations, and we have
collected over $5,000 in membership dues. We thank
each and every donor/member (a list of donors
appears in this issue), but we have collected less
under the Direct Appeal Program than at this point
last year. If you can find room in your household
budget to donate, we need your help!
As an option, I will mention that I receive lots of
offers for programs for fund raising, a few of which I
find interesting or promising. Watch this space for
appeals for chairs for new events.
Finally, please keep your children healthy and
learning!
Joe Piff
The 2011-12 Tilden Directory is almost ready to go to
the printer and should be distributed before the end of
October. Thanks to Tiffini Lucas for putting the
directory together and to Laura Bonetta for securing
advertising to defray the printing costs!
Join the PTSA Listserv!
Be sure to receive important emails from the school, the PTSA, and the parent community by joining the
PTSA listserv. Here’s how to join the listserv:
1. Send a blank message to: [email protected]
2. Send a message to Valentina di Francesco, E-Group Moderator; identify yourself (name) and
your connection to Tilden so that your subscription may be validated.
3. Register at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tilden to be able to post messages. When you go to
that page, you will be prompted to create an ID and Password
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Page 4
SGA
Student Government
Association
Our first canned food drive begins on
October 17th and runs through
November 4th. Canned and dry foods
can be brought to Mrs. Domingos’
room A133. All items benefit local
families in need.
Our student involvement in SGA has
really increased this year. We are in
the thick of the student officer
elections. Students vote for a sixth
grade representative, seventh grade
representative, vice president and
president. The first round of
elections took place on Friday
October 7th. Good luck to all our
candidates! Stay tuned for
announcements for the final round.
SGA is a fantastic way to get
involved with the school. ALL
students are welcome and
encouraged to participate.
Thank you,
Amy Domingos
Michelle Cassels
SGA sponsors
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Page 5
First School Dance
Sponsored by the SGA
Friday, November 4th from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
PTSA supports this effort by selling pizza and offering
non-dance activities in the cafeteria. Parents are needed
for both the dance and the cafeteria. If you'd like to
chaperone the dance, please contact Mrs. Amy Domingos
at [email protected].
If you'd like to help with set up, pizza sales, or
chaperoning in the cafeteria, please contact Jodi Rose at
[email protected]
or
Linda
Brown
at
[email protected]. Help will be needed between
6:30 and 9:30 pm (you can tell us how long
you can stay).
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Page 6
TILDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Direct Appeal & Membership Campaign
WHAT IS DIRECT APPEAL (DA)?
DIRECT APPEAL REPLACES THE SALE OF PRODUCTS THAT ONLY RETURN A SMALL
PROFIT TO THE SCHOOL. The Direct Appeal program asks that each family make a donation to the
PTSA instead of having several fundraisers during the year. In a Direct Appeal Campaign, 100% of your
donation will benefit Tilden. And, 100% of your donation is tax deductible.
How can you help? Make a donation - ANY amount donated will be greatly appreciated. Many
corporations offer “matching fund” programs. Ask at your office — and double your donation!
Why? • 100% of your Direct Appeal contribution will benefit your children. • You and your child
will NOT be asked by the PTSA to sell anything. And, independent school fundraising is being
phased out at Tilden • 100% of your Direct Appeal contribution will be tax deductible. Money
raised through Direct Appeal helps ALL STUDENTS.
WHY JOIN THE PTSA IF I HAVE ALREADY MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO DIRECT APPEAL?
The PTSA sponsors the Direct Appeal campaign, but Membership & Donation are not ―one-in-the-same.‖
The PTSA is a national organization that requires participating schools, parents, teachers, and/or students
to join or become ―members.‖ PTSA is an Advocacy organization — empowering parents & communities
to make a difference in our children’s lives.
What are membership dues? At Tilden, the cost to become a member is $25.00 for an individual or
$35.00 for a family membership (2 adults).
What’s the difference between joining the PTSA and making a contribution to the Direct Appeal
Campaign? Joining the PTSA means that you have voting privileges during the membership year on
important budget and program issues. Direct Appeal, on the other hand, is a campaign to raise funds for
various school improvements, educational programs, etc., in lieu of fundraising activities.
Are there other benefits for joining the PTSA? Yes. PTSA membership entitles you to a number of
resources accessible at www.PTA.org, including an on-line subscription to Our Children magazine, The
PTA Parent online newsletter, and discounts & promotional items.
Can I write one check for both my PTSA membership and the Direct Appeal Campaign? Yes. For
example, if you decide to join the PTSA as an individual member ($25.00) and make a donation to Direct
Appeal ($100.00), you can write one check for $125.00.
How does the PTSA spend the money I donate through Direct Appeal or with my PTSA
membership donation? Donations are used to help fund these programs and more: Student Directory •
International Night • School Beautification• Cultural Arts Programs • Newsletter • Eighth Grade
Celebration • Geography Bee • Career Day • Staff Appreciation • After School Activities • Parent
Programs •Family Movie Night •Staff Instructional Fund• Teacher Wish List Items • WJ Prom Breakfast
• Webster Fund For Teacher Support
MAKING A DA CONTRIBUTION AND JOINING THE PTSA - HERE’S HOW
Mail or drop off completed form on the back to
Tilden MS PTSA, 11211 Old Georgetown Road, Rockville, MD 20852.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Page 7
TILDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Direct Appeal & Membership Campaign 2011-2012
(Please print!)
Student Name________________________________________________ Grade__________
Student Name________________________________________________ Grade__________
Student Name________________________________________________ Grade__________
Parent/Guardian Name (#1) ____________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name (#2)_____________________________________________________
Phone# 1 _________________________ (H/W/C) Phone #2 _____________________ (H/W/C)
Street Address________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip _______________________________________________________________
First Member E-mail___________________________________________________________
Second Member E-mail ________________________________________________________
We would like to recognize your support by thanking you in one or more of the following ways:
Newsletter, PTSA Bulletin Board, TMS Website, etc.
Please indicate only if you WOULD NOT like to be recognized.
_____ No, I would prefer not to be recognized as a contributor to the Direct Appeal Campaign.
ITEM
$ AMOUNT ENCLOSED
Direct Appeal Campaign Contribution
Tilden Supporters - up to $99 Timberwolves - $250 - $499
Friends of Tilden - $100 - $249 Wolf Pack - $500 or more
PTSA Membership ($25.00)
Member Name #1 _____________________________________
PTSA Membership – 2nd membership ($10.00)
Member Name #2______________________________________
Direct
Appeal
$ _________
PTSA #1
$ __________
PTSA #2
$ __________
TOTAL
$ __________
EXTRA DIRECTORY ($5 EACH) $ __________________
Mail or drop off completed form to
Tilden MS PTSA, 11211 Old Georgetown Road, Rockville, MD 20852.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Page 8
Tilden PTSA Newsletter October 2011
Page 9