Niguel Hills Middle School – Shark Bytes
2-28-13
7TH AND 8TH GRADE DANCE THIS FRIDAY
This Friday, March 1, Niguel Hills will hold its Sweetheart Dance. The hours of the dance will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased Thursday and Friday during lunch on the stage. To purchase a ticket, you must have a signed permission slip (available in the office and on school loop) and $5.00. No parent notes will be accepted.
To attend, you must be a 7th or 8th grade student at Niguel Hills and be at school on Friday, the 1st of March. Students with four or more demerits this quarter or ten total are not eligible to attend the dance. You must bring your school ID card to get into the dance.
All school rules apply. See the permission slip for more details. Parents must pick up their children by 8:30 p.m. Students not picked up at that time may lose their privilege of attending the next dance.
7TH GRADE STAR WRITING TEST AND 8TH GRADE READING TEST
On Tuesday, March 5 we will be on an alternate bell schedule with a testing block in the morning. School hours are the same with the regular start at 8:45 a.m. and dismissal at 3:25 p.m. During this time, 7th grade students will be taking the state mandated STAR Writing Test, the 8th grade students will be taking a district-wide reading assessment which will determine placement in the 9th grade reading. The 6th grade students will be participating in Advisement activities. The schedule for the day is:
Niguel Hills Middle School
STAR Writing Test Bell Schedule
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
**Testing Period will be in 1st period classes**
0 Period 7:35 – 8:40 65 Minutes
1st Period Roll Call 8:45 – 8:55 10 Minutes
Testing 8:55 – 10:10 75 Minutes
Break 10:10 – 10:20 10 Minutes
1st Period 10:25 – 11:05 40 Minutes
2nd Period 11:10 – 11:50 40 Minutes
6th Grade Lunch 11:50 – 12:25 35 Minutes
3rd Period (7/8) 11:55 – 12:35 40 Minutes
3rd Period (6) 12:30 – 1:10 40 Minutes
7th/8th Grade Lunch 12:35 – 1:10 35 Minutes
4th Period 1:15 – 1:55 40 Minutes
5th Period 2:00 – 2:40 40 Minutes
6th Period 2:45 – 3:25 40 Minutes
Please stress the importance of these tests, which will help us to evaluate our academic programs and may determine your child’s placement for middle school and high school classes next year. It is very important that all students be at school on time and ready for this important assessment. Students should remember to:
· Have a good night’s sleep the night before the test
· Eat a nutritious breakfast
· Be on time to school
Information on STAR Testing is available through the California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov/
DRAMA IMPROV NIGHT
NHMS Drama presents “Improv Night” Thursday March 14 at 6-7 p.m. in the performance room. Improv is a form of theater with audience participation. The actors onstage take input from the audience for story and characters and perform from instinct. It is fresh and new – off the top of the actors’ heads without rehearsal. The results are fun and hilarious performances that make for a great evening. Don’t miss it! Join us for a pizza dinner at 5:30. Pizza and show price is $10.00 (pre-purchase only). Not hungry? Show only tickets are $5.00. Presale tickets available in room 101. See you there! Questions? Contact Ms. Erlinger at aderlinger@capousd.org.
DATE CHANGE – NEXT STUDENT PTSA MEETING THURSDAY, MARCH 28TH
Please mark your calendars! The next Student PTSA General Meeting has been changed from Thursday, March 21st to Thursday, March 28th from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the Blue Commons. Come hear the latest update on our adopted sea lion, Dr. Wilcox, and sign up to participate in our new committees, “Project Respect” and “Relay for Life”.
It is never too late to join! Membership forms are available in the front office and on the PTSA website, nhmsptsa.org. Scholarships are available upon request.
NHMS PTSA 2013-2014 OFFICER SLATE
The Niguel Hills Middle School PTSA Nominating Committee has posted the following slate of officers for the 2013-2014 school year. Election of the officers will take place at the PTSA meeting on March 14, 2013.
- President: Tina Ognall
- Executive Vice President: Open
- Secretary: Shelly Jaksch
- Treasurer: Kim Bortnick
- Auditor: Carolyn Kappes
- Historian: Melina Pellini
The Executive Vice President position is still open. All interested candidates please contact the NHMS PTSA Nominating Committee Chair, Karen LaBella, at karenlabella@att.net, or fill out an Interest Form available in the school front office.
INCOMING PARENT NIGHT AT DANA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL – MARCH 18TH
DHHS will be hosting their Parent Night for incoming 9th graders on Monday, March 18, 2013 at 6pm. This informational meeting will be held at the high school and our 8th grade students are invited to attend with their parents.
YMCA IS LOCATED RIGHT ON CAMPUS!
TAB: The Teen Advisor Board is comprised of teens in the YMCA program who want to design a better YMCA that will continue to be the place where teens want to go. The TAB team helps plan events, daily activities, and service learning projects. The TAB team also gives input on monthly snack, supplies, games, and electronic purchases. This is a great opportunity for your student to learn and practice leadership skills.
CLUBS: Besides offering quality programming before and after school, we also offer great clubs in the afternoons to get your teens involved. The YMCA Teen Club offers these clubs two to three times a week! We plan on adding new clubs like Service Learning and Sports Clubs! Clubs for March are Nutrition Club and Game Tournament Club!
To schedule a tour, contact Caprice Kavanaugh at (949) 360-9517 or ckavanaugh@ymcaoc.org.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR STRUCTURED CARE DURING SPRING BREAK?
The YMCA is the perfect place for your student! During the weeks of Spring and Summer Break, the YMCA Teen Club will be open on campus from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. There will be planned fun activities, themed days and field trips! For more information please call Caprice Kavanaugh at 949-360-9517 or email at ckavanaugh@ymcaoc.org.
SUMMER AT THE YMCA!
For our summer program, we will now be opening up TWO YMCA Teen Club locations. We are looking to open at both Aliso Viejo Middle School and Don Juan Avila Middle School. At both locations, we have a fantastic summer planned with a full calendar of fun activities and fieldtrips! Our field trips include Knott’s Berry Farm, Saddleback Lanes, and many more fun trips! Teens will also get to participate in Special Interest Clubs and learn from some great presenters weekly!
Register before May 13th and receive an early enrollment incentive! To schedule a tour contact Caprice Kavanaugh at (949) 360-9517 or ckavanaugh@ymcaoc.org.
Caprice Kavanaugh
Teen Club Director
LAGUNA NIGUEL FAMILY YMCA
29831 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(Ph) 949-360-9517
(E) ckavanaugh@ymcaoc.org (W) ymcaoc.org
The Y: We’re for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
UPCOMING DATES
Friday, March 1 7th/8th Grade Dance – 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Monday, March 18 DHHS Incoming 9th Grade Parent Night – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 21 Student PTSA Meeting 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Thursday, May 16 Student PTSA Meeting 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Previously Announced
STUDENT PTSA “MEALS FOR SEALS” UPDATE
Thank you so much to all who have supported the Student PTSA “Meals for Seals” Project! We were able to raise enough money to adopt a sea lion through the Pacific Marine Mammal Sponsorship program. Our sponsored sea lion is Dr. Wilcox, a little pup rescued on January 8, 2013. Dr. Wilcox weighed only 30 pounds when arriving at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center and was extremely malnourished and dehydrated. She had a stingray barb embedded under her left eye that needed to be carefully removed and the resulting wound area cleaned.
Our donation is helping provide food and medical treatment for Dr. Wilcox while she continues under the care of the center. You may visit the Pacific Marine Mammal Center and see Dr. Wilcox every day of the week from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. When she has completed her rehabilitation, and is at a healthy weight for a pup her age, she will be ready to be returned back into the wild. We will keep you updated on her progress. For more information and to view a picture of Dr. Wilcox, please visit the PTSA website, nhmsptsa.org.
JOIN US FOR A FUN DAY AT THE 42nd ANNUAL DANA POINT FESTIVAL OF WHALES!
Sand Sculpting Fun – form a team and win great prizes – including whale watching excursion passes, dinners, lunches, paddling and sailing lessons – all things fun!
Whale of a Sand Sculpting Competition
Sunday, March 3, 2013 from 8 AM to 2:30 PM on Baby Beach Presented by OC Parks, this is a great event for teams from every grade level!
The contest is a day of fun, sun and creativity for all participants. No experience is necessary and the event is open to all ages and grade levels. A complete explanation of materials and tools allowed is included on page 2 of the registration form. On-line registration is available and recommended (10 plots available) or register in person on the day of the event at the OC Parks tent on the sand at Baby Beach-(5 plots available).
Choose one of five categories: Castles, Whales and Ocean Creatures, Pirates and Ships, Woodies and Surfboards, or Patriotic Emblems. Contestants start at 8 am, judging begins at 2:30 with awards to follow. Bring your own buckets and tools, dyes and stabilizers not allowed – all natural. Sand provided free! Bring a team and join the fun!
For more information visit http://festivalofwhales.com/events/sand-sculpting-fun You may download an application from this link. Thank you!
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.
Tim Reece
Principal
Niguel Hills Middle School
