NEWSLETTER
Fall 2016–Volume 55, issue 2
UPCOMING EVENTS
November:
11/1 - PTO Fundraiser:
Topper’s Pizza
11/2 – Wrestling: Balboa @
DATA, 7;30pm
11/4 – Xcountry: Championship
@ Arroyo Verde, 3p
11/6 – Wrestling: Championship @ Nordhoff, 2p
11/8 – ELAC Meeting @
ATLAS, 7p
11/9 – PTO Meeting:
Library @ 6p
11/11 – Veterans Day,
No School
11/15 – Wind Ensemble
Concert @ Ventura High
School, 6:30pm
11/16 – Breakfast Awards
11/16 – Group Pictures
11/23-25 – Thanksgiving
Holiday, No School
December:
12/6 - PTO Fundraiser:
California Pizza Kitchen
12/10 – Attendance Academy
12/12-27 – Cheers for Children
12/14 – Breakfast Awards
12/14 – PTO Meeting,
Library @ 6p
12/14 – Strings Concert @
Ventura High School, 7:30pm
12/19-1/2 – Winter Break,
No School
January:
1/6-20 – School of Choice
Applications Accepted
1/10 – ELAC Meeting @
ATLAS, 6p
1/11 – PTO Meeting,
Library @ 6p
1/12 – Intermediate Band
Concert @ Ventura High
School, 7:30pm
1/16 – MLK Day, No School
1/17 – Beginning Band Concert
@ Balboa Gym, 6:30pm
1/18 – Breakfast Awards
1/20 - 6th Grade Extravaganza
1/21 – Attendance Academy
1/24 – Jazz Band Concert @
Ventura High School, 7:30pm
1/27 – End of Semester
247 South Hill Road
Ventura, CA. 93003
(805) 289-1800
NOTES FROM THE BALBOA ADMINISTRATION TEAM
Now that school is rolling along, there are several news items we would like to share with you:
Clean, Safe, Respectful Learning
All three grades of Balboa’s students and Balboa’s staff are very familiar with the concept of
“Clean, Safe, and Respectful Learning.” We want to reinforce this concept to parents. We have
stressed with our students the basic premise for rules and procedures at Balboa is all things done by
students and staff must be to support and encourage a clean school, a safe school, and a respectful
learning environment. Anything that compromises these conditions has no place in our school. Ask
your child to explain what Clean, Safe, Respectful Learning means to them.
Bullying vs. Conflict
In normal conflict, children self-monitor their behavior. They read cues to know if lines are
crossed and then modify their behavior in response. Empathetic children will usually realize they
have hurt someone and will want to stop their negative behavior. On the other hand, children who
lack empathy and whose behavior goes beyond normal conflict responses might think, “This is fun!
I have more power. Let’s see if I can break this kid!”
Bullying isn’t about resolving conflict. It does not occur between evenly matched opponents.
Bullying is about control. Students who bully perceive their target is weaker in some way, and
usually find satisfaction in harming their targets.
VUSD Board Policy 5131.2 states that, “the district will not tolerate bullying or any behavior that
infringes on the safety or well-being of students, staff, or any other persons within the district’s
jurisdiction, whether directed at an individual or group. This includes, but is not limited to,
bullying or harassment based on race, color, creed, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender
identity, gender expression, language, perceived or actual sexual orientation, physical or mental
disability, political or religious ideology, physical appearance, economic status, or association with
a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. This policy applies
to all acts while on school grounds, at a school sponsored-activity, while traveling to and from
school, on a school bus, or during any activity related to school attendance.”
8th Grade Celebration Activities
The grades and citizenship marks 8th grade students earn for Quarter 3 of the 2016-2017 school year
are very important. Students who receive an F grade or a U mark in citizenship during Quarter 3
will be mandated to participate in a program called “MAP” which stands for “Making Academic
Progress” during Quarter 4. All 8th graders who earn an F or a U will be required to attend a fifteen
minute tutoring program with Balboa teachers, at the start of lunch, to assist them in getting
organized and providing a jump on any homework or projects assigned in class. Students will still
have at least fifteen minutes to get their lunch after this required tutoring time. All 8 th grade students
who do not raise their F grades to passing and their citizenship marks to at least needs improvement
instead of unsatisfactory, may not be allowed to participate in the 8th grade Dance, the 8th grade
Activity or the 8th grade Celebration. Grade checks will occur on set dates during Quarter 4 that
correspond with the earning of the above-stated activities. Balboa wants all 8th graders to complete
their middle school years with success, which means passing grades and good citizenship. If an 8 th
grader receives one F at the end of the 8th grade year, the student may still be able to participate in
the Celebration if, during Quarters 1 through 3, the student received a 2.0/C average.
Website: www.venturausd.org/balboa/home.aspx
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“Like” Balboa
PTO on Facebook
to keep up-to-date
on the happenings
at Balboa!
FROM THE PTO
If you haven't yet joined the PTO, it's not too late! Just leave an envelope with your name,
your child's name, and your email address in the office. Membership is only $5!
Please join us at any of our monthly PTO meetings - the second Wednesday of each month
(except June), at 6:00pm in the library. Hope to see you there and have a great Fall!
FROM THE
CAFETERIA
Parents can check
their student’s
account online using
Parent Connect
www.venturausd.org
to make sure their
account is not
negative.
Students MUST show
their ID cards in the
cafeteria!
“Like” the Balboa
Yearbook page on
Facebook, follow us
on Instagram
@balboayearbook
and “subscribe” to
the BMS Channel
on YouTube.
“Follow
@balboa_basketball
on Instagram and/or
“Like” Balboa
Basketball on
Facebook (look for
the logo) for updates
and photos
throughout the
season…
BALBOA YEARBOOK
The yearbook staff has gotten off to another great start! They have designated jobs and are taking pictures
and video on a daily basis. Along with the seventy-two page, full color yearbook, we will be putting out a Fall
and Spring newspaper, a DVD yearbook and a weekly newscast. (You can access the newscasts from the
Balboa homepage - http://www.balboamiddleschool.org). We also film a monthly Video Newscast that airs on
our very own YouTube channel, The BMS Channel (please subscribe!).
Balboa's yearbook is already on sale in the office, before school, at lunch or after school, or online at
http://Jostensyearbooks.com. We suggest that you buy the book soon as the price will be going up throughout
the year. The profits from yearbook sales support the yearbook class and the computer lab in room 50. A
major part of our yearbook is the students’ portrait pictures. Please make sure your child is paying attention
to the bulletin in November as their pictures will be posted in room 50 for them to verify their name, grade,
and picture. With a student body of over 1100 students, it is extremely helpful for students to come in to
make sure we have it right! You can also go to www.replayit.com to post pictures of Balboa Sports
throughout the year and 8th Grade Baby Pictures (starting in January).
BALBOA BASKETBALL
Balboa Basketball Banner Ad Fundraiser
Balboa Basketball is selling 3’x 5’ banner ad
space for one full year for $200 if we need to
create, or $150 if you already have one. The
banners will be put up on the tennis court fence
on the corner of Woodland and Brookshire.
Your banner be viewed by the daily Balboa and
Mound traffic, as well as be seen by the usual
neighborhood traffic along with the many
community members who come to Balboa for
sports, like VYBA and football, and other events
held at Balboa.
Your business will be also be mentioned in
our annual basketball program, on our website,
in the PTO newsletters (3 each year), and in the
Balboa student newspapers (2 each year).
Participating in this win-win fundraiser will
greatly help our basketball program which is
completely on its own in regards to funding.
Email [email protected] for info.
Balboa Basketball would like to thank the following
businesses for sponsoring our teams!
Play it Again Sports
Sixth Grade
Extravaganza!
January 20th
1:45 to 3:45
$7.00
Presented by the ASB 7th and
Victoria Pub and Grill
Leslie Carpenter-Henley *
Allstate Insurance Agent
Presto Pasta
John Davidson, MD
Alltime Painting
Two Trees Café
Meineke Car Care
Center
Chilcutt Landscape
Dr Chronis
Santino’s Pizza
Parlor
Kona Ice
Brian C. Israel Attorney at Law
Gemini Janitorial
As the 2016-17 season gets under way, we
are looking forward to having a very competitive boys and girls team here at Balboa.
Special thanks go out to all of the students
who tried out for the team! For all 6th & 7th
graders, there will be open practicing starting
after the season in the spring.
Keep working on your game!
FREE-THROW-ATHON
We’ll be
hosting our
annual FreeThrow-Athon
the week
after Thanksgiving. Find a
player and
pledge your
support!
8th Grade students
Want to show your love for Balboa Middle School? You can purchase Spirit Wear anytime throughout
the school year. Contact Kris Edwards at [email protected] or [email protected]. Thanks!
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EASY WAYS TO SUPPORT BALBOA PTO
Check out these simple and easy ways to raise money for our school all year long!
It is still not too late
to join the
“Battle of the Books”
Club!
Meetings are held Tuesdays at
lunch in the library (see schedule
below).
Visit ralphs.com to sign up for a
rewards card. Link your rewards
card to Balboa School by clicking
on Community Rewards. Balboa
PTO can earn up to 4% of your
purchases.
Visit smile.amazon.com and
select Balboa Middle School
PTO as the charitable organization before you begin shopping. Amazon will donate
0.5% of your purchases.
Clip and save box tops to support Balboa PTO. Visit boxtops4educations.com to earn
more for school. Drop off
your box tops in the Balboa
Office.
Visit redrobin.com/betterschools
to link your royalty card to Balboa
Middle School or text your email
address to 98666 to sign up for
Red Robin Royalty. Red Robin will
donate 1% of your check.
Visit www.escrip.com to
register your grocery cards,
loyalty store cards, credit
cards and debit cards. Balboa
PTO will earn up to 6% every
time you swipe or shop online.
Visit escrip.rewardsnetwork
.com to register your credit
card and earn up to 5% each
time you dine out at participating restaurants. Visit the website for a complete list of restaurants including: Victoria Pub,
Black Angus, and Wendy’s.
In order to participate on
“Battle Day” – participants
must meet the following criteria:

Read at least eight books on
the Battle list and pass the
AR quizzes.

Attend at least five lunchtime
book talks (you may also
volunteer to present or plan
one of the book talks!)

Complete and submit all
permission forms for the allday event.
2016-2017 Book List
Firegirl - Abbott, Tony
Booked - Alexander, Kwame
Sophie Quire and the Last
Storyguard - Auxier, Jonathan
Hold Fast - Balliet, Blue
El Deafo - Bell, Cece
The Boys in the Boat (Youth
Version) -Brown, Daniel James
Out of My Mind - Draper, Sharon
City of Ember - DuPrau, Jeanne
House of the Scorpion
- Farmer, Nancy
Out of the Dust - Hesse, Karen
BALBOA COUNSELING TEAM
Mrs. Fowler, Mrs. Ferdolage, and Mrs. Bradvica
Balboa’s three full-time counselors have a new room on campus in Room 22, called The Counseling Center.
We are open for students before school, at break and lunch, and after school. Counselors consult with students, teachers, parents, administrators and outside agencies to best support student success. This year we
have classroom lessons planned for all three grade levels in the social/emotional, academic, and college and
career readiness domains. In addition, we continue to provide ongoing groups for those students who would
benefit from some additional support with self-confidence, peer pressure, and other life challenges.
NEW THIS YEAR: If you would like to receive updates and information on links to parenting articles,
elective registration in the spring, and high school options for our 8 th graders, please text the message
@balboami to this number: (805) 394-4211.
The Secret Hum of a Daisy
- Holczer, Tracy
Kira-Kira - Kadohata, Cynthia
Upside Down in the Middle of
Nowhere - Lamana, Julie T.
Keeper of the Lost Cities
- Messenger, Shannon
Touching Spirit Bear
- Mikaelsen, Ben
The Teacher's Funeral
- Peck, Richard
Echo - Ryan, Pam Munoz
Okay for Now - Schmidt, Gary
Lincoln's Grave Robbers
- Sheinkin, Steve
Get in the know!
Follow BMS Counselors on
REMIND for updates and
information.
Text @balboami
to 81010 or to
(805) 394-4211.
Welcome to the Salad Bar Farm!
In the corner of Balboa’s field, students are using
about 1/5th-acre to grow lettuce, carrots, basil,
tomatoes, peas and cilantro. All of
the freshly harvested produce will
be used in our own cafeteria, as
well at other local VUSD schools.
Students are planting, harvesting,
and transporting the produce, as
well as helping to collect the
compost from the cafeteria. Come
watch us get our hands dirty!
The Riverman - Starmer, Aaron
Friday, February 24th
Final Battle Day!
Cheers for Children
November 30 to
December 18
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Peter Pan
May 12th
ATTENDANCE
ACADEMY
Parents, your students can
practice typing skills by
clicking on “Students” at
the Ventura Unified School
District website:
www.venturausd.org or
at www.typingtraining.com.
Students, your login is
lowercase v, no space,
and student 9 digit
identification number, the
password should be the
same password used at
school.
Example:
Identification:
v123456789
(lowercase v & student
identification number)
Password: _______
(Same as Balboa Password)
$35 from 10/22 to 3/31
$40 from 3/31 to 6/15
Or… you may purchase
your yearbook and
DVD online at:
Jostensyearbooks.com
This is my first year working at a school and Balboa is a great place to start! Before
working at Balboa, I previously had worked for Disney Consumer Products, The
Hershey Company, and Ventura Water. I was lucky enough to be able to stay home for
a few years to take care of my two kids, currently in high school at Buena and Foothill. I
am also a Girl Scout leader, enjoy movies, plays and books. I really love my new job
here in the front office! I get to help students keep track of the money they are earning
with magazine sales, dances and events. I also assist with yearbook sales, magazine sales,
Parent Connect, and try to answer any question students and parents might have!
LISA URWICK
As we reach the end
of each quarter, please
remember to re-stock your
child’s school supplies
(paper, pencils, pens, etc.) to
help facilitate their
success in the classroom.
Hello everyone! I am the new 8th grade US History and Language Arts teacher and I am
so excited to be here at Balboa. Before teaching here, I also taught at Cabrillo and
Blanche Reynolds Elementary, but Balboa kids are my absolute favorite (of course!). I am
a Ventura native, born and raised, and a graduate of Ventura High School (Go Cougars!).
I was lucky enough to go to UCSB and CSUCI colleges while learning to become a
teacher. In my free time, I love to run marathons, go to the beach, paddleboard and
attempt to cook (not well, but I’m getting better!). I’m looking forward to an amazing
first year here and can’t wait for the many more to come.
SUPPORT
SECRETARY
December 10th
January 21st
March 18th
May 13th
US HISTORY &
LANGUAGE ARTS
TEACHER
Balboa’s
Drama Department
presents
APRIL LECROY
Balboa Newsletter
Fall - 2016
BALBOA HUMANE SOCIETY CLUB
Balboa Humane Society Club is excited to start another year of educational presentations, fundraising
and sharing our love of animals. Our club meets every other Monday during lunch, and is fortunate
enough to have monthly presentations from Ms. Reily, Humane Educator. She brings a different guest
animal each month to teach about its habitat, food and environmental needs.
Here are some of the ideas we will pursue to raise funds:
Dog treats ($1) and cat toy ($1) sales in the Great Court once a month at lunch.
Photo contest of the most adorable pet.
 We hope to have an after school movie one Friday each semester, selling snacks and water.
 Blanket and towel drive…send your used blankets and towels to Room 10 any time during the year.
All proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Ventura County (Ojai)


Mrs. Treutelaar and Mrs. Grostick
SAY HELLO TO “EXPLORER” — THANK YOU STUDENTS!
We would like to welcome a special new member of our Balboa
staff - our golf cart “Explorer”! When interviewed for this newsletter, Explorer said it was looking forward to helping transport
sports equipment out to the fields and being a de-facto ambulance
for hurt students if needed. It’s favorite color is red, favorite movie
is “Cars”, favorite song is “Low Rider”, favorite smell is freshly cut
grass and favorite saying is “Don’t Tread on Me!” Please be sure
to say, “Hi Explorer!” whenever you see it cruising by at Balboa!
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