Julie Nors - Keller Middle School PTA

A KMS PTA Publication
From Your PTA President
In This Issue
Glow Party
2
PTA Parent Program
3
Band Notes
November 2014
4-6
Winter Band Concert
6
Outreach Winner
7
Mentor Program
7
Attendance Matters
8
Yearbook Photos
9
App Knowledge
9
KISD Bond Proposal
10
Coach’s Corner
11
Upcoming Events
12
KMS PTA
www.kellermiddlepta.com
[email protected]
W
elcome to November! How did
we get here so quickly?
Thank you to the KMS community for
taking the time to vote in the November
election. The Keller ISD Bond Proposal
passed with the voters. It will be
exciting to see the results in action, very soon! Click here
for a video thank you note from the Keller Independent
School District.
I hope to see you at our meeting on Thursday, 11/20, at
6:30 pm. Even though I can pretend that my own middle
schooler won't be dating anytime soon, the truth is that
high school is right around the corner and typical
development includes the first "official" relationship. Join
me in learning how to help our children to have healthy
relationships so that they can grow into secure adults. We
have a dynamic speaker and I am certain you will leave
with new insight.
Red Ribbon Week is over for this year, but the
conversations need to continue with our kids. They don't
know what to say; they don't know how to say "NO" and
still be cool. This article offers some good excuses to have
your middle schooler practice for times they need to say
no, and need to save face. It's a valuable conversation, and
truly may save your child's life.
Julie Nors
2
Student Social Event - Save the Date!
Get Your
GLOW
on
SAVE THE DATE
Student Social Event
Friday ● February 20th
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Parents - Be on the lookout for volunteer opportunities!
3
Parent Program - Teen Dating Violence
O
ur next PTA General Body Meeting will be
held on November 20th at 6:30pm in the
library and will be followed by a teen
dating violence presentation by Hope’s Closet.
Does your teen know what a healthy
relationship looks like? Did you know that
patterns of domestic violence can begin with the
first dating relationship? Please join us to learn about how you can teach your student to
recognize the signs of dating violence, and what can be done to prevent it.
Did You Know?

Nearly 1 in 3 teens have been the victim of sexual/physical abuse or threats of physical
abuse by a boyfriend/girlfriend.

Nearly 1 in 3 teens have been victimized by the use of technology from a
boyfriend/girlfriend.

1 in 5 teens who have been in a serious relationship report being hit, slapped, or
pushed by a partner.

60% of teens know someone who has been victims of sexual/physical abuse or threats
of physical abuse by a boyfriend/girlfriend.

Rates of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use are more than twice as high in girls who
report physical/sexual dating abuse than in girls who report no abuse.

50% of youth reporting both dating violence and rape also report attempting suicide.

Violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifications by putting the
victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, and
adult re-victimization.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to educate yourself and your teen about dating
violence.
For questions regarding the program, please contact 3rd Vice President of Programs, Amy
Carlson.
4
KMS All-District Honor Band Members
O
n October 18th, the Keller Middle School band participated in the All-District
auditions. Twenty-four students made the District Honor Band – this is DOUBLE the
number from last year! Congratulations to the following students:

Flute - Aileen Cho (First Chair)

Oboe - Hope McDermett (Second Chair)

Clarinet - Kaila Brown (Second Chair), Alex Choi, Aleah Salazar, Rose Ackley and Sarah
Palmgren; Emily Hester (Alternate)

Bass Clarinet - Farah Mavrakis (Alternate)

Alto Saxophone - Madison Lane (First Chair), Amanda Bernardi (Third Chair)

Tenor Saxophone - Juliana Madrid (Second Chair), Danny Kim (Alternate)

Baritone Saxophone - Chris Roberts (First Chair)

Trumpet - John Houghteling, Kevin Szpak and Kailey Summons

French Horn - Joshua Thomas

Trombone - Ethan Lusky (Third Chair) and Sarah Stutsman

Euphonium - Antonio Lowe

Percussion - Connor Heathcoat, Tim Turnley, and Jared Thomas (Alternate)
These students performed as part of the All-District Middle School Honor Band on
Thursday, October 23rd. Congratulations on your success!
5
Keller Middle School Sends Record Number of Students to the All-Region Honor Band
O
n Saturday, November 8th, members of the Keller Middle School band participated in
the All-Region Honor Band auditions at Trinity Springs Middle School. Over 700
middle school students from the North Texas area participated in this contest. Twentyseven members of the Keller Middle School band placed in the All-Region Honor and
Symphonic bands - this is more than DOUBLE the amount from last year, and a new record
for the program. The band directors are so proud of the hard work put in by the students,
and are excited to announce those students who placed:

Flute - Aileen Cho (Honors Band)

Oboe - Hope McDermett (Honors Band)

Clarinet - Alex Choi, Aleah Salazar, Kaila Brown and Rose Ackley (Honors Band); Emily
Hester (Alternate)

Alto Saxophone - Madison Lane and Amanda Bernardi (Honors Band); Sam Adams
and Julian Buzbee (Symphonic Band)

Tenor Saxophone - Juliana Madrid (Symphonic Band)

Baritone Saxophone - Chris Roberts (Honors Band)

Trumpet - Kevin Szpak (Honors Band); Kailey Summons and John Houghteling
(Symphonic Band); Joseph Onizuka (Alternate)

French Horn - Joshua Thomas (Symphonic Band)

Tenor Trombone - Ethan Lusky and Sarah Stutsman (Honors Band)

Euphonium - Antonio Lowe (Honors Band); Ben Adams (Symphonic Band)

Percussion - Garrett Christgau, Jamison Peters and Jingun Kim (Honors Band); Will
Baltazar (Symphonic Band); Jared Thomas (Alternate)
The All-Region Clinic and Concert will be held on Saturday, December 13th.
Congratulations to all those who participated in the contest!
6
KMS All-District Honor Band Members
Pictured: (Front Row) Kailey Summons, Madison Lane, Amanda Bernardi, Aileen Cho, and Joshua Thomas.
(Second Row) Aleah Salazar, Sarah Palmgren, Rose Ackley, Juliana Madrid, and Hope McDermett.
(Third Row) Mr. Ryan Gaughan, Kevin Szpak, John Houghteling, Sarah Stutsman, Kaila Brown, Chris Roberts, Ethan
Lusky, Alex Choi, Mr. Jed Maus, and Ms. Melissa Hatheway.
Winter Band Concert
C
ome on out and ring in the holidays as the
Keller Middle School band along with the
Bear Creek Intermediate School band come
together to perform the sounds of the season
at their Winter Concert on Tuesday, December
9th at 6:30pm in the Keller High School
auditorium.
7
KISD Community Outreach Project Winner
S
tudents across the district were invited to
participate in the annual R.O.C.K. project by
submitting works of art that exemplify our KISD
motto “Reaching Out with Character and
Kindness”. The goal is to encourage kids to stand
up for KINDNESS.
Congratulations are in order for 8th grade
student Lucy Tarin for having been selected as
this year’s KMS winner! Lucy’s artwork (see
right) will be photographed, framed and hung in
the KISD administration building. Submissions
from over 85 other students are on display at the
Albertson’s grocery store located on Golden
Triangle.
The installation will be up for the entire month of November so be sure to check it out!
Mentoring Program
A
ttention Volunteers!! KMS needs YOU to mentor a
child at our school! The Keller Middle School
Mentoring Program is designed to bring committed
individuals together with children in need of positive role
models.
We are in need of parent/community volunteers that
would like to spend approximately 45 minutes a week
with a student at KMS in the role as a mentor.
The mentor’s greatest aim is to provide the student with a
safe and supportive social space where he/she can explore ideas, interests and aspirations.
What we are looking for in a mentor is consistency and reliability, good listening skills, patience,
sensitivity and perceptiveness, a sense of humor and good judgment.
If you are that person, contact Becky Blaine at 817-744-2911 or email at
[email protected].
We will provide you with the information and any help you might need to be a wonderful
mentor for a student that just needs that extra ‘someone’ in his or her life!
8
Student Attendance Award
K
MS is thrilled to have been named
middle school attendance
champion for the first six-weeks of
the school year!
The attendance competition between
campuses, which is sponsored by KISD
child nutrition service provider Sodexo,
kicked off last January and a new
attendance champion will be
announced after each six-week grading
period. Winners will get to proudly display the Attendance Champion banner on their
campus and students at the winning campuses will receive free ice cream during lunches
and campus staff will be provided with lunch one day courtesy of Sodexo.
Attendance is one of the most important factors in student academic success and
communication between our parents and staff is important. According to state law and
board policy, a student is required to be in attendance at least 90% of the dates classes
are offered. Students who exceed the 10% threshold for absences will be referred to the
campus attendance committee for review and they are subject to possible consequences.
What should you do if your child is absent?
1. Call the attendance office at 817-744-2940
2. Send in a note or email to [email protected] within 5 days of the absence.
If you received an email and/or phone call regarding an absence that you feel is an error,
please be sure to check Home Access Center. You will be able to see what period your
student was marked absent and send an email directly to that teacher for clarification. If
an error was made, the teacher will let the attendance clerk know that it needs to be
changed.
For information on recognized versus non-recognized absences, please visit the KMS
attendance webpage.
Thanks again for your help in making KMS a true stand-out amongst other campuses!
9
Yearbooks & Photo Submissions
I
f you have already purchased a KMS yearbook for your student, thank you! Your
student will enjoy all the memories from this school year as well as be able to get their
friends to sign their yearbook at our annual yearbook signing party in May.
If you haven’t purchased a yearbook, don’t miss out on the lowest price of the year. The
current price is only $35 and the price will increase in December. Order your copy today at
www.jostensyearbooks.com or pick up an order form in the KMS office.
Also...we still need your yearbook photo
submissions! Do you have some great pictures
from the football games, volleyball games, pep
rallies, or cross country meets? You can submit
your photos to the yearbook staff by going to this link:
https://images.jostens.com/401854294. This site will be available from 10/1/2014 until
1/31/2015 for you to submit pictures of any KMS event that you capture. Parents and
students are encouraged to upload pictures for use in our 2014-2015 yearbook. Please
upload as soon as possible after the event for the best chance of seeing your pictures in
the yearbook. For questions, please contact Rebecca Hickman.
7 Danger Apps That Parents Need To Know About
Yik Yak? Snap Chat? KIK Messenger? Do any of these
apps sound familiar to you? While you may not
recognize some (or all) of them, it’s quite likely that your
kids know about them or even have them installed on
their phone right now.
A recent article published by Kristin Peaks, Senior Digital
and Social Media Specialist for Cook Children’s, shares information about seven smart
phone apps that, in her opinion, are dangerous to your kids.
Peaks suggests that parents monitor their kids phones carefully, looking though all of their
apps, texts and pictures. While this might seem overwhelming, it’s important for parents
to keep up with their kids online habits. Check their phones often and don’t be afraid to
have real life conversations with them, discuss the dangers of the Apps and make sure they
understand the need to keep personal information private.
10
Keller ISD Voters Pass $169.5 Million Bond
K
eller ISD voters have passed the $169.5 million
bond package by a vote of 57 percent for and 43
percent against, with 52 out of 52 precincts
reporting.
Bond projects include a 23rd elementary campus, a
5th-8th grade campus and an Early Learning Campus,
all in the southwest portion of the District; converting
South Keller Intermediate into a Career and Technical
Education Center and converting Indian Springs Middle
School into a 5th-8th grade campus; addressing facility needs at Keller High School; providing
classroom additions at Keller High, Hillwood Middle, Parkwood Hill Intermediate and Bear Creek
Intermediate; improving technology infrastructure; and providing secure entry vestibules at the
remaining six campuses that are without one.
In addition to the building projects, the bond package will address the inconsistent feeder
patterns throughout the District and balanced projected enrollment numbers among the four
high schools. Keller ISD residents will not see a tax rate increase.
“On behalf of the Keller ISD Board of Trustees I would like to thank our community for its
support, and the Citizens Bond Advisory Committee (CBAC) for putting together such a well
thought-out plan,” said KISD Board President Jim Stitt. “We appreciate everyone’s hard work and
look forward to seeing the projects become a reality.”
Currently, Keller ISD is the only district its size in the area without a CTE Center. With the rollout
of House Bill 5 pathways in the District’s iGraduate Plan, approximately 75 percent of all Keller
ISD high school students are enrolled in CTE courses. Many high school juniors and seniors will
benefit from the centrally-located CTE center, and will be provided transportation to and from
classes throughout the day.
More than 36,700 voters within the District’s boundaries cast their vote on this bond election.
“I’m proud to be part of a school district in which voters turned out, in what is believed to be,
record numbers. All we ever asked was that the true wishes of our community be heard by those
who live here,” said Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid. “I’m grateful to everyone who said, ‘Let’s
keep Keller ISD exceptional.’ We’re ready to hit the ground running on these projects, all of
which will enhance educational opportunities for our students.”
Projects will begin in the summer of 2015 and the work will be completed over a three-year
period. Feeder pattern changes are set to be implemented in the fall of 2016.
11
From the Locker Room...
C
ongratulations to the girl’s volleyball “A”
teams for their impressive finishes in the
district tournament! The 7th grade girls brought
home a 2nd place trophy while the 8th grade girls
finished in 3rd place.
The “B” team ladies also brought home some
hardware in the Mansfield Coble tournament with our 8th grade girls finishing in 1st place
and the 7th grade girls winning the consolation bracket.
Thank you to all of the players and coaches for their hard work this season and for our
parents for supporting the players!
8th Grade
A Team
7th Grade
b Team
12
Upcoming Events
Winter Choir Concert
November 18 @ 7:00pm
Keller High School
PTA Executive Board Meeting
November 20 @ 5:15pm
PTA General Body Meeting & Parent Program
November 20 @ 6:30pm - Library
Early Release
November 21 @ 12:45pm
End of Second Grading Period
November 21
Thanksgiving Break
November 24 - 28
Winter Break
December 22 - January 3
Faculty returns January 2
PTA Executive Board Meeting
February 19 @ 9:00am
PTA General Body Meeting & Parent Program
February 19 @ 6:30pm
Brown Bag Luncheon with Dr. Reid
Student Party - “Get Your Glow On”
Brown Bag Luncheon with Dr. Reid
February 20 @ 12:00pm
Florence Elementary
February 20 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm
March 26 @ 12:00pm
Trinity Springs Middle School
13
Happy Thanksgiving
from your
KMS PTA
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest
appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
John F. Kennedy