DON JUAN AVILA MIDDLE SCHOOL
February 4, 2010
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SPOTLIGHT TEACHER OF THE MONTH–JUANITA RIDDLE
Thank you to Juanita Riddle and her science department for hosting our Astronomy Night. Your willingness to take the time out of your busy schedule to create and host a special night for our students and their families is truly appreciated. Mrs. Riddle coordinated with her department members, other schools, parents, and students to provide a variety of telescopes. Literally hundreds of students and their family members had the opportunity to gaze at the stars on Thursday, January 28, 2010. Those who attended were able to see the Orion Nebula, the planet Mars, and craters on the moon. DJAMS is proud of Mrs. Riddle and her department for going above and beyond to educate our students.
DJAMS’ TEACHER OF THE YEAR–MRS. VOLLEBREGT
We are proud to announce that our teacher of the year for 2010 is Mrs. Kirschel Vollebregt. Mrs. Vollebregt works tirelessly day in and out to provide a safe, fun and positive learning environment for our students. She wears many hats on our campus. On top of being an outstanding eighth grade English teacher, she is a G.A.T.E. instructor, our activities director, a member of the leadership team, and a teaching assistant principal. Our campus would not be the same without her dedication. She greets our students and parents every morning at the crosswalk. She heads our magazine fundraiser, coordinates our daily announcements, and advises our student council. In addition, she guides students in the planning and hosting of dances and lunchtime activities. This is all in addition to her most important role, classroom teacher. Mrs. Vollebregt is a calm and caring professional. Her innate ability to bring out the best in her students and continually increase their learning is remarkable. She is an asset to the English department, our entire campus, and the community. Congratulations to DJAMS’ Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Kirschel Vollebregt!
NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5
There will be no school on Friday, February 5. Teachers will be busy wrapping up the end of the first semester.
TALENT SHOW
DJAMS’ Talent Show participants will be busy rehearsing the next couple weeks for their Decade performances! Please mark your calendars for Thursday, February 18, 6:00-7:00 p.m., in the MPR. Tickets are $5 at the door. Pre-sale tickets are $3 and will be sold at lunch on February 16, 17 and 18.
2010 CUSD HONOR CHOIR CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to our 2010 CUSD Honor Choir students: Janessa Erickson, Jordan Hans, Taylor Mikkelson, Kerrigan Sloan, & Ashley Walker. We’re proud of you!
2010 CUSD HONOR ORCHESTRA CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to the following DJAMS orchestra students who made the 2010 CUSD Honor Orchestras: 8th graders Justin Fowler, Jasmine Lee, Taiki Shirai; 7th grader Danny Kim and 6th graders Christie Lee, Alice Lee, Jacob Pace and Jake Rork. The CUSD Honor Orchestra Concert is scheduled for March 15, 2010, 7 p.m. at Saddleback Church.
Congratulations to Jordan Skolnik for making the 2010 CUSD 6th grade Honor Band. Jordan will be performing with CUSD Honor Band on March 8, 2010 at Saddleback Church
VALENTINE’S DAY VALEGRAMS TO BE SOLD
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, ASB students will be selling Valegrams to students at lunchtime in the Quad, Monday through Wednesday, February 8-10. Students must know their Valentine’s homeroom and bring 50 cents per gram. Thanks!
NEXT RECYCLE WEDNESDAY IS FEBRUARY 10
Please keep your plastic and aluminum donations coming in! February 10 is our next recycle day. DJAMS appreciates your help!
UPCOMING AAA/GATE MEETINGS
All GATE parents in CUSD are reminded to attend the upcoming meetings on February 24 and May 5 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Board Room. DJAMS needs one representative to attend each District GATE meeting. This may be a parent and it does not have to be the same representative each time. Interested? Email Tracy Alexander at tlalexander@capousd.org
YMCA NEWS
It is a tradition at the YMCA here at Don Juan Middle School to make cards for people in the hospital during the winter holidays and on Valentine’s Day. In January we donated gently used shoes to Sports Chalet for the people of Haiti. Now we are adding to the Haiti donations and to our card making habit by making cards for the volunteers in Haiti as well as the patients in the hospital. If anyone would like to join in the efforts you can bring your cards to P7 on the elementary school side. We will ensure that the cards get sent to the right people.
As always, the YMCA incorporates science with our art, sports, clubs and other daily activities. This month we have been focusing our scientific minds on being able to make rockets. Thanks to Costco, we now have enough film canisters to fly just under 20 small rockets into the air. We will inspect and discuss the design of each and how that effects the height and air time of each rocket.
Elizabeth Matt
Assistant Director
Don Juan Avila Middle School YMCA
949-360-9517
26278 Wood Canyon
Aliso Viejo CA
P7 (Elementary side)
IS YOUR TEEN AT RISK? WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW
Capistrano Unified School District and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department invite you to attend an important presentation:
Parents of middle and high school students, learn about issues our teens face today from a panel of experts from the OC Sheriff’s Department and other agencies working to keep our teens safe.
Topics include:
• Drug Trends in the Community
• Internet Safety/Cyber Bullying/Technology Today
• Driving Concerns (driver & passenger safety)
• Violence Prevention/Bullying & Social Conflict
Thursday, February 4th
6:30pm
Resource/Exhibit Area opens at 6pm
Get info, talk to the experts firsthand, interactive exhibits
*CHILDCARE PROVIDED (preschool age and up)
Where:
Mission Lutheran Church
24360 Yosemite Rd
Laguna Niguel, 92677
Reserve your seat: hpremac@cox.net
www.isyourteenatrisk.org
This program is free to the community!
PREVIOUS NEWS
CUSD OPEN ENROLLMENT 2010/2011
Open Enrollment English and Spanish applications for the 2010/2011 school year are available on the CUSD website. For those families not having access to computers, copies will be available at school sites. Applications for the 2010/2011 school year are to be submitted to the school requested on Monday, February 1 through Friday, February 26, 2010, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Parent notification will begin Friday, April 9, 2010. For further questions, please call the Open Enrollment Customer Service Line at 234-9335.
PTSA DOMINO’S PIZZA FUNDRAISER NIGHT – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Save the date for Domino’s Pizza Night on February 23. Flyers will be available in the office or you can write “Don Juan Avila Middle School” on a piece of paper and give it to the cashier or delivery person.
DJAMS HISTORY DAY IS COMING!
Students in AAA/GATE 7th and 8th grade history/social science classes will turn in their projects on February 9. Students in Dr. Wallace’s class who are creating websites or documentaries will have a different due date, but will also participate in the DJAMS site competition. Projects will be on display in the MPR until February 10. Judging will take place that week, and those projects of highest merit will be sent to the Orange County competition on March 13.
County Competition Judges: The Orange County Department of Education seeks parent volunteers to judge projects. This year’s training session takes place on March 3 from 4:30 to 7 pm. Interested? Contact Cindy Salisbury at csalisbury@ocde.us.
WEIGHT TRAINING CLASS
Mr. Binley is still looking for interested weight training students to join his class. Classes are held from 3:40 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays in the Fitness Center. 7th and 8th graders interested in beginning weight training may join the class at any time and the fee will be prorated. For further questions or to sign up please contact Mr. Binley.
HOMEWORK CLUB
Does your child need a quiet place to study and receive homework assistance? If so, please have your child attend DJAMS’ Homework Club. Students may attend on a drop-in basis 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. with the following teachers:
Mondays, Mr. Backal, Room 706
Tuesdays, Mr. Waterman, Room 806
Wednesdays, Ms. Nicol, Room 602
Fridays, Mrs. Arsala, Room 902
There is no Homework Club on late-start Thursdays.
DATES TO REMEMBER
February 4 End of First Semester
February 4 Is Your Teen At Risk Presentation, 6:30 p.m., Mission Lutheran Church
February 5 Student Holiday – Semester Wrap Up Day
February 6 ASB Restaurant Night at Cosmo’s, 4-9 p.m.
February 10 Recycle Wednesday
February 12 Lincoln Day Holiday
February 15 Washington Day Holiday
February 18 “Decades” Talent Show, 6:00 p.m., MPR
February 20 GATE Fee Based OLSAT Test at NHMS
February 23 PTSA Domino’s Pizza Fundraiser Night
February 24 AAA/GATE Meeting, CUSD Board Room, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
March 2 STAR Writing Test – Block Schedule
March 8 CUSD Honor Band Concert at Saddleback Church
March 15 CUSD Honor Orchestra Concert at Saddleback Church, 7:00 p.m.
April 5-9 Spring Recess
