DON JUAN AVILA
MIDDLE SCHOOL
DJAMS NEWS
Principal: Josh Wellikson
April 25, 2013
CST (STAR) TESTING May 6th, 7th, 8th
These days will be minimum days. Students will be released at 1:00 PM on Monday, May 6th, Tuesday, May 7th, and Wednesday, May 8th. Food Service will serve a modified lunch menu at break on Star testing minimum days.
Dear Don Juan Avila Middle School Parents:
Your child will be participating in the California’s Standardized Testing and Reporting “STAR” program on May 6th, 7th, and 8th. Don Juan Avila Middle School is one of the many schools participating in this statewide program. The STAR program is designed to provide students, parents, teachers, and the community with information about student achievement.
The tests your child will be taking are called either the California Standards Test (CST) or the California Modified Assessment (CMA). All students in the second through eleventh grade attending public school in California will be taking these tests.
To maximize his or her opportunity to perform well on the test, it is important that students do their best to increase the accuracy of the results. You are a vital part of the testing process and can help by:
- making sure your child has plenty of rest the night before testing;
- providing a healthy breakfast;
- helping your child see the test as an opportunity to show what he or she has learned and encouraging your child to do his or her best;
- scheduling appointments outside of the testing window;
- making sure your child is here and on time.
Parents will receive detailed reports of their child’s results, which will be sent to your home over the summer with an explanation of the results. Group results by grade level for each school, district, county, and the state will be posted as a link on the Capistrano Unified School District’s Web page (www.capousd.org).
Please feel free to contact the school at (949) 362-0348 with any questions you may have regarding the standardized testing that will be administered to your child.
I am confident that all of our students will once again show all that they know and do an excellent job on these tests.
RELEASED STAR QUESTIONS
Check it out! The California Department of Education has rolled out the new STAR Released Questions Website. It is an excellent resource for teachers and parents to identify the types of things their students need to be able to do to get to the next level of proficiency. It has sample questions for each grade level and for each proficiency level. The website is: http://www.starsamplequestions.org
CHOIR SPRING CONCERT
The DJAMS Choir Spring Concert, “AMERICAN POP FORVER!”, is Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 PM in the DJAMS MPR. Admission is free. Don’t miss this fun musical revue, celebrating American pop culture, and featuring music from the 1950’s through the 1990’s. Hope to see you there!
PARENT PORTAL-
We are encouraging all parents who have not yet done so to register for a Parent Portal account as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the options available through this system. In the 2013-2014 school year, CUSD will institute a paperless report card system. Sign into the website: http://abi.capousd.org
You will need your child’s Permanent I.D. #
Home Telephone # on file
Verification code (it can be found on the bottom of your child’s report card).
UPCOMING ELAC MEETING
DJAMS will be hosting our next ELAC Meeting on Wednesday, May 22 in Room 605 from 5:30-6 PM. Our agenda items will focus on ways in which to best serve our English Language Learner population (students whose primary home language is other than English). If interested, please contact Peter Neeve- DJAMS ELD Advisor “
BRONCO PRIDE DEADLINE
Bronco Pride students need to return their completed applications along with their 3rd quarter report cards by next Monday, April 29th to Mr. Backal in room 706.
HELP YOUR SCHOOL DONATIONS
DJAMS teachers are in need of 1200 dry erase black or color markers. Each DJAMS student will need a marker for a classroom activity. We are asking our parents to help us out by donating Expo Dry Erase markers to the school by May 31. Thank you parents who have donated so far. We still have a long way to go. There is a drop off box in the front office.
PAL SUPPORTS “NEVER EVER GIVE UP” – APRIL 29 – MAY 3
PAL will be teaming up with representatives of NEGU, a group which supports pediatric cancer with the phrase “Never Ever Give Up.” Members of the team as well as other DJAMS students will be outside of school from 7:30-7:50 a.m. and 8:15-8:40 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the week of April 29th-May 3rd. They will be collecting small toys of any variety that will be placed in “Joy Jars” for cancer patients. All donations will be given to local children’s hospitals and are intended to brighten a child’s day just a bit more as they continue their own fights against cancer. Please consider donating a new or gently used small toy in honor of this service project.
ASB HELPS LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER – WE NEED YOUR DONATIONS
ASB is collecting donations for the furry friends at the Mission Viejo Animal Shelter. We need your help and you can win a $25 gift card to Pet Smart for your pet.
It’s Simple! Bring in any item from the donation list below by May 3 and put it in the box in the library. With your donation, bring a photo of you & your pet (write your name & your pets name on the back) and put it in the envelope in the library. This is important if you want to win the $25 gift card.
Suggested Donations: Soft dog toys, Kitten/cat toys, Kong toys, Doggie bags (disposable waste bags), old Newspapers, Paper Towels, Ziploc bags, AA, AAA and D Batteries, Dish Soap
TEACHER AND STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCH IS COMING!
We need your help to make this a spectacular event. Our Annual PTSA Teacher and Staff Appreciation Lunch for our incredible DJAMS family is coming up on FRIDAY, MAY 10th. This is a great way to show them how much we appreciate all they do for our students. Please click on the link below and follow the steps to sign up to donate gift cards, bring food for the lunch or help set-up/serve/clean up. Anything you can do will be welcomed!!!
There are 2 ways to volunteer:
We’re using VolunteerSpot (the leading online signup and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming activity.
Please sign up for DJAMS Teacher Appreciation Lunch – here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:
1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/GYFjbM
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots – VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!
Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.
OR
Please email Karen Fields directly at 5fields@cox.net with what you will be donating (gift cards, raffle items, main dishes, salads, drinks, or dessert).
Thank you in advance!!!!
Karen Fields Teacher Appreciation Lunch Chair 5fields@cox.net
Jen Mazzagatte Volunteer Coordinator jenmazz@cox.net
PTSA NEWS
PLEASE WELCOME OUR INCOMING 2013-14 PTSA EXECUTIVE BOARD
Thank you to the following newly elected 2013-14 Executive PTSA Board Members;
Tiffany Chahine President
Vicki Higginson Executive Vice President
Alicia Riding Recording Secretary
Flora Perera Treasurer
Kathy Nyberg Auditor
Karen Fields Historian
We look forward to another successful year at DJAMS! Thank you for your support.
6TH ANNUAL TASTE OF ALISO NIGUEL – APRIL 27, 2013 FROM 6-9PM RREEF SUMMIT OFFICE COMPLEX
You are invited to attend this community event benefiting Aliso Niguel High School Athletics, Arts, Programs, Clubs, and school. Come and enjoy live music performed by Aliso Niguel High School Teachers – Don Pedro and the Rifftide featuring Borny. Sample some wonderful food from local venues and come get to know people in your community. Situated on the parking lot of 101 Enterprise, the site overlooks the Lowe’s shopping center, and offers great views of the city lights. For sponsorship or restaurant participation please contact Sandy Zimmer at sandy@tasteofalisoniguel.com or cell 714-875-0778. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.tasteofalisoniguel.com and are $35 each.
Info on Taste of Aliso Niguel:
Do you know what PFAN stands for? Parents FOR Aliso Niguel! It was founded in 2007 by a group of parents who felt that candy sales, car washes and wrapping paper sales wasn’t enough to assist Aliso Niguel clubs, sports, arts, programs, and teachers; the non-profit 501(c)3 was formed to provide a central source of funding to maintain, improve and keep programs going at our high school by utilizing monies raised from a large community fundraiser.
The Taste for Aliso Niguel was created from a template from a similar program in North Orange County. Brought to ANHS, the successful fundraiser was run by these north OC high school organizers to get us on our feet and running. After three VERY successful “Tastes”, the parents in 2009 took on the responsibility of running the organization and continuing The Taste of Aliso Niguel.
Here we are getting ready for our 6th Taste of Aliso Niguel on April 27th from 6-9pm and do we have great things happening!
· A GREAT band by Aliso Niguel High School Teachers, Don Pedro and the Rifftides featuring Borny
· Hanger 24 micro-brewery sponsoring our beer, and Flo Wines, partially sponsoring our wines.
· Local restaurants have committed and sponsorships are coming in
This is a great community effort for a night of fun, music, food and wine –where parents can leave the kids at home and enjoy themselves in an “adult” atmosphere – together – as a family of Aliso Niguel High School supporters!
SUMMER TECHNOLOGY CLASSES AT NIGUEL HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL
It is never too early to start thinking about the summer. CUSD has approved Summer Technology classes at Niguel Hills Middle School. Each class will cost only $99, and will meet Monday – Thursday from 9:00 am to 12:00 in room P20. Recommended grade level for these class is 3rd grade and higher.
We are offering a Keyboarding and MS Office Class that will meet the week of June 24th or July 8th.
We are also offering a Video Production – iMovie class that will meet the week of July 15th. Finally, there will be a Video Production – Final Cut Pro class for the hard-core kids the week of July 22nd.
Feel free to email Mike Schreiman at meschreiman@gmail.com to get a flyer with more information and registration instructions.
JUICE IT UP ON FRIDAYS
Every Friday after school (by the office) Juice it Up will be selling smoothies for $3.00. A dollar of the proceeds comes back to DJAMS. Enjoy a smoothie on Fridays.
NO CELL PHONES DURING SCHOOL HOURS
Parents, please do not text your child during school hours. School policy is that students cannot use their cell phones while on campus. Please call the school office to leave a message for your child. Students who are caught using their cell phones will have them taken away until the end of the day with a warning. Thank you for supporting our school policies so we do not disturb the instructional day.
LUNCHES AND MISSING ASSIGNMENTS
Students should check the attendance window for lunches and/or missing assignments. It is the student’s responsibility to come to the office to look for forgotten items. As a courtesy the school sends call slips to students to pick up lunches during 3rd period but there is no guarantee a reminder will always reach the student.
USED MUSIC INSTRUMENTS
Help me continue to help our schools by contributing to my “LET THE BEAT GO ON” project. I am collecting your old instruments and donating them to the CUSD music programs to help them meet the goal of providing free instruments for any student who wants to play a wind or string instrument. This will allow our music programs to grow and stay strong. I will pick up your old instruments from your home and donate them to the CUSD school of your choice. Please contact Julia Moss at jdmoss@cox.net.
CHECK OUT YOUR DJAMS PTSA ON FACEBOOK
That’s right, we have launched our facebook page and will be loading it with all kinds of DJAMS information and events. Stay connected with your school and PTSA via facebook!
Please follow the link and “LIKE” and “SHARE” us today
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/DJAMS-PTSA/489455637779561?fref=ts
INK RECYCLING PROGRAM
We are now collecting ink cartridges to help purchase school supplies throughout the year for our Broncos! Local businesses and neighbors are a great resource for extra cartridges. The collection box is in the front office thru June and right outside the office all summer long! Please continue to bring your cartridges this summer so we can start next year off with new supplies.
