TILDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
11211 OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND
301-230-5930 (OFFICE) • 301-230-5991 (FAX)
PTSA NEWSLETTER 2011-2012
Vol. 13, No. 8, May 2012
President’s Letter
Principal’s Message
This is the last issue of the Tilden
PTSA Newsletter for the 20112012 school year, and the last one
for me as Tilden PTSA President.
I’d like to say a few words of
thanks to those who have performed a tremendous
service to the PTSA this year, and made my term in
office more enjoyable and productive.
With all the activities that are
taking place at Tilden, it is hard to
believe that it is already May. Teachers
are working hard to get ready for final
projects and exams, while still keeping
the students focused and engaged. The
warm weather, however, and the smell of the approaching
summer is distracting everyone as it reminds us that the
end of the school year is just around the corner.
My thanks go to my fellow board members, Laura
Bonetta, Karen Post, Debbie Kobernick, Suzanne
Mozayeni, Lisa Spiwak, and Kristen Zeller-Miller. It
has been a pleasure to serve on the board with each of
them this year, and I thank them for giving their
valuable time to the Tilden PTSA. I especially
depended on Laura and Karen to assist me in finding
volunteers for various functions throughout the year –
they probably feared opening emails from me by the
middle of the year!
Maintaining an effective communication system is
always difficult and even more so in our highly
diverse community. One method we use for this
purpose is this newsletter. My thanks to our
newsletter editors, Dana Hirsch and Lisa Miller, who
have done an excellent job of requesting input,
assembling and publishing this professional-looking
monthly newsletter.
We are finding that it is getting more and more
difficult to find volunteers to lead and participate in
the various events of this PTSA. So, I especially
thank all of the volunteers who accepted a particular
responsibility and pursued it with vigor!
I would like to express a special heartfelt thank
you to our amazing PTSA parents for all that they have
done over the past few weeks. They held an incredible
lunch in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week. In
addition to the lovely lunch spread, parents made baked
goods and there was an abundance of beautiful spring
flowers and a fun raffle. They also hosted the annual
Transition to Walter Johnson Panel for parents and
students. We were surprised by the turnout as we had a
difficult time fitting everyone in the Media Center.
Students ranging from 9th through 12th grade were able to
answer questions and discuss their experiences at Walter
Johnson HS. Currently the PTSA parents are in the
process of planning the final details for the Scholastic
Book Fair, which will be held in the Media Center, from
May 31-June 5th. I hope that you will be able to stop by
and support us. Finally, I would like to thank all the
dedicated committee members who will be graduating this
year. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with you
this year. I will always be grateful to you for your support
and commitment to our students. Tilden would not be the
same without you!
(Continued on page 3)
(Continued on page 2)
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
Page 1
President’s Letter Continued
(continued from page 1)
There are so many committees and committee chairs
to thank that I just cannot begin to mention all of you,
but I refer readers to the Tilden PTSA website for a
list. I ask parents who have served on one or more of
our committees to be sure to thank your chair for
putting in the time to organize your efforts and
providing this valuable service to the Tilden
community. Then, my humble thanks to all of you
can be multiplied many times!
Did you all notice that we have a new Principal at
Tilden this year? I’m sure you did. Ms. LaGrange
has proven to be a marvelous addition to our Tilden
community. She is a strong supporter of our PTSA
and a real pleasure to work with. I encourage you to
get to know her and, even though there may be
around 700 family units in our community, I have
learned that she will welcome the opportunity to get
to know each of you. Thank you Ms. LaGrange for
accepting the challenge and opportunity of leading
Tilden Middle School!
After a long day of teaching, Ms. Karen Martinez
attended each PTSA meeting this year, serving as the
PTSA’s Staff Liaison. She is a valuable PTSA
member who contributes her own comments, and
feedback from other teachers, that help us to make the
PTSA more valuable to the school. Additionally, she
steps up and helps us use the installed technology
available in the Media Center – one of those things
that makes our meeting time together more effective.
Thank you!
Ms. Lisa Goldman, the Tilden Administrative
Secretary, is a consistent source of information and
support. She has fielded several questions from me
throughout the year, and sent me a few of her own, to
ensure that the PTSA has a strong role in the day-today activities of the school. She has even begun
scheduling next year PTSA events! Thank you for all
you do for the school and the PTSA.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
Finally, thanks go out to all of those parents who
faithfully attended our monthly PTSA meetings. We
each develop friendships at our community
elementary schools, and all of a sudden we have to
get to know and work with parents from two other
schools! The desire to make the total educational
experience for our children at each level of the school
system brings us all together as a team. The
discussions concerning the value of PTSAs to middle
schools in general, and Tilden in particular, and how
they differ from elementary school PTAs, will be a
great benefit as we move forward with Ms. LaGrange
to find the best fit for Tilden PTSA in the education
and enrichment of our children while they are at
Tilden. The business of the PTSA cannot always be
the most exciting part of your day, but I think all of
those who attended our meetings found that we
strived to make a difference at Tilden while holding
meeting length to a minimum.
Even though this is our last newsletter of the school
year, school still has several weeks to go. The Tilden
administrative staff are excellent listeners. We had
some events scheduled in conflict with events at other
cluster schools, and Tilden changed the schedule to
deconflict, at the request of some parents. So, even
though the end of year schedule is published
elsewhere in this newsletter, please go to the Tilden
web site and check out the calendar as few days
before the scheduled event to ensure nothing has
changed.
I hope you have made exciting, family-enriching
summer plans and enjoy your non-school time
together. My youngest child will be entering WJ in
August, so I will no longer be around Tilden, at least
in an official capacity. I thank you for entrusting the
leadership of your PTSA to me and I wish everyone,
students, parents, teachers, and administrators, the
best as you experience our excellent, and ever
improving, educational system.
Sincerely, Joe Piff
Page 2
Principal’s Letter Continued
(continued from page 1)
One of my favorite events this year has been the Mile of
Champions. This remarkable annual event celebrates the
pride we share in our school community and the
importance of healthy living. As our 6th through 8th grade
boys and girls competed for the best times in their mile
runs, it was inspirational to see the entire student body, all
the staff members, and so many parents cheer every single
one of our runners on. The race was not about winning,
but rather the importance of taking part in our school
tradition and doing one’s best. Students had created
beautiful posters and they sang along to the music. The
cheers were the loudest when numerous members of our
brave staff ran a lap to show the children that age is simply
a number when it comes to exercising and taking care of
our bodies.
I am also extremely proud of one of our teachers,
Ms. Sullivan, who was presented an Outstanding Educator
Award at The MCCPTA Special Education SubCommittee’s Twenty-fourth Annual Special Education
Recognition Ceremony on Monday, May 14th, 2012 at
Rockville High School. Those of us who work with
Megan know how incredibly committed, kind, patient and
dedicated she is to every single one of our students. We
are so fortunate to have her as part of our Tilden family.
Hopefully, you were able to join us at our fabulous art
show and spring concerts and enjoyed our talented
musicians’ recitals. Ms. Curtis’ art students displayed
various forms of art, ranging from creative ceiling tiles to
ceramic sculptures. The drawings and paintings celebrated
the various mediums the students have been studying over
the year. As always, the Band and the Guitar Ensembles,
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
as well as the Chorus and the Orchestra put on outstanding
performances for a packed gym of proud family members
and friends. Both of our directors, Mr. Shaw and Mr.
Patrie have worked relentlessly during, before and after
school with our students to help take them to a whole new
level as musicians. The hard work paid off, and I am
confident that the students will do very well at Hershey
Park. Our upcoming Drama Club’s production of Stephen
Sondheim’s Into the Woods opens in three weeks. Please
join us for one of the performances, which will be held on
Friday June 1st at 7:00 pm and Saturday June 2nd at 2:00
pm and again at 7:00 pm.
In order to celebrate our students’ successes this
year, we will be recognizing them at the grade-level Town
Hall Meetings on June 1st and at our Awards Ceremony on
June 12th, which is a half day. We will also have our
Promotion Ceremony, followed by the 8th grade dance on
June 8th. If you are looking to volunteer at any of those
events please contact the PTSA.
It has been an honor to serve you this year. I have
thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with the parents and staff
and getting to know our amazing students. I have learned
so much. For those of you who are moving on to Walter
Johnson HS, I wish you all the best from the bottom of my
heart. To my returning students and families, I wish you a
restful and safe summer. Thank you for great first year.
Warmest Regards,
Irina LaGrange
Principal
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PTSA Approves Teacher and Staff Wish List Items
Each year we ask staff and teachers to submit requests for purchases using PTSA funds that will enhance
their ability to educate our children. Suzanne Mozayeni, PTSA Treasurer, assembled the list of requests,
and we discussed them and narrowed them down to an affordable amount at the May meeting. The
requestor, program, item, and approved cost are listed below:
1. Ellen Kraft – Special Ed / Read 7/8: Books that go with Book Adventure, $181
2. Megan Sullivan – Aspergers Program: Nintendo Wii ($149) and educational games ($60), $209
3. Tim Patrie – Music Department: Purchase new, or repair and tune school-owned instruments,
$2,000
4. Tory Shaw – Drama: Purchase three new wireless microphones, $1,500
5. Claudia Fraser – Reading/ Literacy: Books for various reading levels, $350
6. Claudia Fraser – Reading/ Literacy: The Comprehension Toolkit Pack by Heinemann Publishing,
$416
7. Amy Domingos – FACS: Kitchen supplies (dish soap, flour, sugar, cooking spray, paper plates,
paper cups, cleaning products, frying pans, loaf pans), $50
Total authorized: $4,706
Tilden Foundation
The Tilden Foundation Committee, chaired by Barbara Ferry, has submitted
incorporation papers to the State of Maryland and has completed the IRS form to apply
for nonprofit status. Next year, we will be focusing on getting the word out on what the
Foundation’s plans are vis-à-vis the “new” Tilden, to be relocated back to the old site on
Tilden Lane after (hopefully) a complete renovation. Although we are still many years
from relocating, the design process will start soon. As we identify items that we
consider mandatory for the education of our children, but are not included in the design
of the school building, the foundation has an opportunity to fund modifications to the
plans if we are sufficiently early in the process! Our fundraising activities will focus
on the surrounding communities as well as parents of children who will benefit by
attending the school with the funded improvements. For more information, please
contact the Foundation Board members: Karen Martinez, Barbara Ferry, Carolyn
Hurwitz, Andrew Hoenig, Andrew Weiss, and Lawrence Bassin.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
Page 4
Student Service Learning (SSL) Notes
March 2012
(A graduation cap icon signifies SSL Approval at www.mcpsssl.org
Planned Tilden Events
Upcoming items for the remainder of the school year are:
May 17
Restaurant Night – California Pizza Kitchen (flyer
required – see PTSA web site)
May 31 – Jun 5
PTSA Scholastic Book Fair
Jun 1 -2
Spring Musical
Jun 8
Eighth Grade Celebration and Dance
Jun 11
Eighth Grade Field Trip – Six Flags, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Jun 12
Awards Ceremony – Gym – 8:30 – 10:00 AM
Jun 12
Last Day of School for 2011-2012
Please check the Tilden Middle School website calendar a
few days before each event to confirm this information.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
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Algebra HSA will be May 23rd. Please bring your graphing calculators, if
possible.
Need help for HSA?
Resource #1
Step 1: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/hsa/
Step 2: Click “Start Practicing”
Step 3: Follow the instructions and begin your test!
*Answers will be provided after you answer each question.
Resource #2
Step 1:
http://www.mdk12.org/assessments/high_school/index_d.html
Step2: Scroll down to ALGEBRA/ DATA ANALYSIS
Step 3: Click on a topic and the year and begin!
*Answers will be provided after you finish each section.
Miim Kwak - Math Content Specialist
Tilden MS 301-230-5930
Science Department – Great Program for Girls
in Grades 5 - 8
NASA G.I.R.L.S. is a virtual mentoring program that pairs
Women@NASA mentors with middle school girls. Their desire is to
reach young girls around the country that have not had the
opportunity to be involved with NASA projects through a one-on-one
mentorship that will encourage them to explore and pursue STEM
careers.
They are looking forward to an awesome inaugural class this summer!
For more information or to register, go to
http://women.nasa.gov/nasa-g-i-r-l-s/
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
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Election of 2012-2013 Officers
At the May 2012 monthly PTSA meeting, the following parents were elected to officer positions for
the 2012-2013 school year:
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First Vice President: Lisa Strauss
Second Vice President: Gabrielle Roth
Secretary: Jennifer Rabin
Treasurer: Suzanne Mozayeni
Unfortunately, we are still missing three officers for the upcoming year: President and two
MCCPTA Delegates. Please consider serving your PTSA and contact current President, Joe Piff
([email protected], 240-292-4083) if you are interested in any of these positions.
Tilden PTSA Bylaws
Once every three years the PTSA Bylaws must be reviewed, revised, and submitted to
Maryland PTA for approval. Thanks to Ms. Emanuela Lacana, Bylaws Committee chair, we
have a new version of the Tilden PTSA bylaws that have been approved by the membership
and submitted for State-level approval. Hopefully, we will have a new set of approved bylaws
by this summer.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
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…A Coconut Wireless Message…
Our Book Fair is Coming!
Thursday, 31 May – Tuesday, 05 June
7:30am-4:00pm
Tilden M.S. Media Center/Library
Special Event opening hours for the Tilden Spring Concert:
……Friday 6-9pm……Saturday 1-4pm & 6-9pm……
Volunteers welcome! Any shift, any time!
Contact: Adrienne Davis-Leal
(301) 933-9257
[email protected]
Buy books for summer reading and raise funds for Tilden M.S. and your PTSA.
The Book Fair is open to students, staff, and families.
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
Page 8
Transition to WJ
Melissa Keller assembled an excellent panel of WJ administrators, students and parents to
present information and answer questions on the transition of Tilden Eighth Grade students
to Ninth Grade students at Walter Johnson High School. The panel members were:
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WJ 9th Grade Administrator: Nicole Morgan
WJ Counselor: Lisa Sorensen
Senior Student: Bea Owens
Junior Student: Kelsey Hickey
Sophomore Student: Keenan Eure
Freshman Student: Ben Resnick
Parents: Tammi Wolfson, Leslie Eure, Melissa Keller
The night before, Ms. LaGrange made an automated telephone call to the homes of Tilden
students. The result was a huge crowd that filled the Media Center for the presentation.
Thank you to Melissa Keller for taking the lead on this important annual event, to the
panelists, and to all the parents and students in attendance.
th
8 Grade Celebration!
Friday, June 8, 2012 at 5:30pm
The celebration will begin with the Promotion Ceremony at 5:30 pm in the Tilden
Gymnasium. The 8th Grade students and their families are invited to attend the
program. The students will be congratulated by their teachers and the principal.
Following the ceremony, there will be some time for personal picture taking while
the gym is transformed and the 8th grade students only check in to attend their pizza
party and final school dance at Tilden! The students must be picked up by 9:00 pm,
after the dance. Please be sure to look for the permission slip that was sent home
the second week of May. If you have any questions please contact
Jeannie Geier at [email protected] or Marisa Irvine at
[email protected]
Tilden PTSA Newsletter May 2012
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