Hello Freshparents:
I’ve been meeting many of you out and about and when you realize who I am you say, “Oh, you’re the one who sends ALL those emails.” Previously I told you that I would send “periodic” emails but this has become a weekly event so forgive me if you think I’m over doing it. If the response I received to the Homecoming Primer is any indication, I’d say that my emails are hitting the spot for a lot of you … especially those of you with boys! So, at the risk of visiting with you too soon on the heels of the last email, here’s the latest installment of news.
Homecoming Spirit Week
PTSA General Meeting
Homecoming Ticket Sales
Photo Retakes
Yearbook
Link Crew Tailgate
PE Waiver
Winter Sports Packet
Winter Sports Kickoff Event
Student Behavior in Factoria
Homecoming Spirit Week
Your student may be interested in dressing up for Spirit Week leading up to Homecoming on Friday.
Monday: Pajama Jam
Tuesday: Neon Day
Wednesday: Color War – Freshman color is PINK
Thursday: Animal Print Day
Friday: Red and Gold Day
PTSA General Meeting
The first PTSA General Meeting of the year convenes on Monday, October 20, 2008 at 7:00 pm in the Newport High School Library (second floor, above the main office). All are welcome; snacks are provided! This important meeting will determine some fundamental rules for our organization for the current year. Some discussion items: Approve the PTSA budget for the school year and adopt the Standing Rules (the Executive Committee will propose changes in (1) how excess Senior Party money is handled and (2) the structure of standing committee and ad hoc committees). We will hear from members of Link Crew about life at Newport and these students will be available to take your questions.
Homecoming Ticket Sales
Students may purchase tickets to the Homecoming Dance after school on Tuesday, October 21 and Wednesday, October 22, OR during both lunches and after school on Thursday, October 23. No tickets will be sold on Friday or at the door. I strongly advise you to encourage your student to purchase tickets on Tuesday or Wednesday to avoid the crush on Thursday. All tickets are $13. Guest passes must be turned in by 3:15 on Wednesday, October 22. No late forms will be accepted, and the office will not fax or receive faxes of these forms. The student must then present the pass received in the office to the Ticket Sale table. The guest must present a valid ticket and a school ID card at the door. Please help your student understand this process. http://schools.bsd405.org/nhs/homepage/activities2/index.htm
Photo Retakes
If they haven’t done so already, please send your student to the main office to pick up pictures taken at Check In Day in August or at picture makeup day. If you don’t like these pictures, your student has another chance to going to picture retake day on October 22.
Yearbook
Yearbook needs “student life” photos, particularly Then and Now (such as a photo of your student and some preschool buddies – Then – and the same students in the same pose this year – Now), Hobbies and Talents, and Community Service. Yearbook staff will receive photos until October 23. Contact Yearbook Advisor and English teacher, Kimberly Discoll, if you want to submit photos.
Link Crew Tailgate
Link Crew is hosting a tailgate party prior to Friday’s Homecoming game. The party starts at 5:00 pm on October 24 and goes until just before the game starts. Freshmen pay $3 and it’s $4 for everyone else. The menu includes hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, salad, and drinks. Students may purchase tickets during lunch this week.
PE Waiver
One time during your student’s high school career s/he may receive a PE credit for participating in a team sport. Go to the Newport sports website http://schools.bsd405.org/nhs/homepage/sports/P.E.%20Waiver%20and%20Form.pdf for all the details.
Winter Sports Packet
Winter sports packets are available outside of the ASB secretary’s office on the main floor. Students who have not participated in a fall sport should pick up a gray packet. Students who are currently in a sport should get a yellow “repeat” packet. Return the packet by November 7, 2008.
Winter Sports Kickoff Event
All athletes, parents, and coaches are invited to attend the Winter Sports Kickoff Event on Tuesday, November 25, at 7:00 pm in the Newport main gym. The guest speaker will be Anna Mickelson Cummins, Olympic gold medalist and Newport alumna. Students don’t have to be a winter sport athlete to attend this event. Everyone is welcome.
Student Behavior in Factoria
Some parent volunteers have recently visited restaurants in Factoria to ask for donated food for our Ski Swap next month. They have received some feedback they want to share with parents. The managers of a few restaurants – Red Robin, Goldberg's, Romio's specifically but there are probably others – have commented that many students who come in on Wednesday afternoons treat their servers poorly and often leave without tipping. There are even reports of students dining and dashing. This is, as you can imagine, affecting their generosity when it comes to giving us food for the Ski Swap and we have enough trouble prying donations out of local businesses as it is. This is really happening so we can’t all assume that “it’s not my kid.” Take the time to talk with your student. Kids who eat lunch in Factoria on Wednesdays should respect restaurant staff and property, pay for what they eat, and tip appropriately. We’re hopeful that, with parent support, our community restaurants will see improved behavior in the coming months.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Homecoming Primer -- October 12, 2008
Hello Freshparents:
Two years ago, when my oldest was a freshman, he told me that he wanted to take a girl to homecoming. The mother of that girl also has a freshman this year and we moms reminisced recently about how clueless we were back then. With the help of the other class liaisons, I would like to present to you this primer on the Newport homecoming experience. Basically, this is all the information I wish I had two years ago.
Homecoming Week: October 20 to 25
During the Week
Much like the Spirit Week that led up to the Disco Dance, each day of Homecoming Week has a particular theme. These are fun themes announced in advance to the student body via morning announcements and posters in the hallway. It's not necessary to dress up, but most students and many teachers do get into the act. Keep in mind that the normal dress code still applies. Competitions and activities occur at lunchtime in the cafeteria.
Thursday, October 23
On Thursday night of homecoming week, students from each grade decorate an assigned area in the school according to the theme assigned to that class. This year the freshman theme is DINOSAURS and they will decorate the main office in a Jurassic Park scheme. Jake Nonis, the freshman class advisor, will supervise this activity. In the days leading up to this event, you may hear a lot about “hall decs” and your student may ask you to "lend" items which may or may not survive the day. Without the funds that other classes have, freshmen rely on donations from parents. On Thursday night, the students get quite warm, so parents may stop by with a case of water or some snacks. The freshman area is more chaotic than the others as this is their first time "managing" a project of this magnitude. Resist the urge to manage it for them!!
Friday, October 24
On Friday morning, the halls are judged by a team of teachers, and the winners announced at the Homecoming Assembly Friday afternoon. The Homecoming Assembly is the most spirited, goofy, fun assembly of the year. Please do not be alarmed when your student reports that many senior boys showed up in Cheer or Drill uniforms for this assembly.
Friday night is the Homecoming football game at 7:00 p.m. on the football field. A surprising number of recent grads do attend.
Saturday, October 25
The Homecoming Dance is a school-sponsored activity on Saturday evening from 9:00 pm to midnight. At this event, many freshmen will dress up according to their interpretation of the dinosaur theme.Cave men and women are also allowed as the theme is based on time periods.
The Ask:
This is traditionally considered a "date" dance, although it's perfectly acceptable to attend alone or with a group of friends. The vast majority of kids attend in a group of couples. At Homecoming, the boys generally ask the girls but almost none of them do it by picking up the phone or texting to ask for a date. The first phase consists of floating trial balloons – either the boys communicate through their friends that they are interested in asking a particular girl or the girls communicate through their friends that they are interested in a particular boy asking them. These are all back-room maneuvers that are exhausting and stressful but that result in a boy asking a girl whom he’s fairly certain will say yes. Then the boys plan a more or less elaborate method to ask the girl – a scavenger hunt, anonymous gifts left on the doorstep, balloons floating in the pool at swim team practice, the question appearing on the Factoria Cinema sign. The girls respond in kind to give their answer. Your student may invite a high-school age student from another school. I will forward the guest invitation form in another email.
Activities:
Some groups plan optional activities on Friday night or Saturday during the day. They carve pumpkins, go bowling, take a hike, bake a dessert for after the dance. This does not have to be an expensive outing, it can be as simple and casual as throwing a Frisbee or football in a park.
Pictures:
After the kids get dressed according to the theme, they often gather at one home with all their associated parents for pictures and a little parent socializing. All the parents will be there. It is perfectly OK for you to be there. If your child says otherwise, he's wrong.
Transportation:
It's great when they form groups of SIX so that the group can fit neatly into a mini-van or SUV. Parent drivers are the norm for freshman students.
Attire:
Newport's Homecoming is meant to be for everyone, so it is not formal or semi-formal. It's more of a costume ball. Students really do dress for the theme. Mixed-grade couples usually dress in the theme of the older student's class. Again, the usual dress code still applies.
Finances:
While the student and his/her date can work out any arrangement they like, there are some conventions about who buys what. Traditionally, the boys buy/arrange dinner and the dance tickets. The girls pay for pictures and dessert. No corsages/boutonnières for Homecoming.
Dinner:
Dinner before the dance can be at the home of a friend whose mom is a wonderful cook. It is relaxing, fun, cheap! Their choice of restaurant is somewhat limited by the goofy clothes they'll be wearing, so it's unlikely they'll want to go to Canlis – more like Cucina! Cucina!
Dessert:
This tradition has evolved over the years. The kids usually gather at one person's home after the dance (yes, it's after midnight now) to eat dessert and visit. So parents, plan on staying up late.
After Dessert:
Why, they go home, of course!
Final Word:
While I have written out these procedures in an orderly fashion, they generally don’t happen like this for freshmen. The larger the group, the more difficult it is to reach a consensus. This is where I went wrong two years ago. Every time I asked my son who was in the group or where they were going to dinner, his story changed. My mistake was to keep asking him – I should have gone straight to the other parents. It is acceptable to call the parents of the other students involved to find out what they know about the plans. In fact, it’s not only acceptable, it’s advisable! Two years ago I didn’t find out “for sure” what was happening until the morning of the dance when another mother called me. It was a relief to finally get some facts! This year I plan to give my daughter until October 22 to give me the facts. If there aren’t any or there aren’t enough, I will start calling the other parents. You have my permission to do the same!
Although our students will claim that “everyone goes to Homecoming,” the fact is that only about 1/3 of the student body attends. All of the components of Homecoming listed above are not requirements – you may view them as a la cart items. Contrary to the beliefs of many of our children, parents still have the final say!
Two years ago, when my oldest was a freshman, he told me that he wanted to take a girl to homecoming. The mother of that girl also has a freshman this year and we moms reminisced recently about how clueless we were back then. With the help of the other class liaisons, I would like to present to you this primer on the Newport homecoming experience. Basically, this is all the information I wish I had two years ago.
Homecoming Week: October 20 to 25
During the Week
Much like the Spirit Week that led up to the Disco Dance, each day of Homecoming Week has a particular theme. These are fun themes announced in advance to the student body via morning announcements and posters in the hallway. It's not necessary to dress up, but most students and many teachers do get into the act. Keep in mind that the normal dress code still applies. Competitions and activities occur at lunchtime in the cafeteria.
Thursday, October 23
On Thursday night of homecoming week, students from each grade decorate an assigned area in the school according to the theme assigned to that class. This year the freshman theme is DINOSAURS and they will decorate the main office in a Jurassic Park scheme. Jake Nonis, the freshman class advisor, will supervise this activity. In the days leading up to this event, you may hear a lot about “hall decs” and your student may ask you to "lend" items which may or may not survive the day. Without the funds that other classes have, freshmen rely on donations from parents. On Thursday night, the students get quite warm, so parents may stop by with a case of water or some snacks. The freshman area is more chaotic than the others as this is their first time "managing" a project of this magnitude. Resist the urge to manage it for them!!
Friday, October 24
On Friday morning, the halls are judged by a team of teachers, and the winners announced at the Homecoming Assembly Friday afternoon. The Homecoming Assembly is the most spirited, goofy, fun assembly of the year. Please do not be alarmed when your student reports that many senior boys showed up in Cheer or Drill uniforms for this assembly.
Friday night is the Homecoming football game at 7:00 p.m. on the football field. A surprising number of recent grads do attend.
Saturday, October 25
The Homecoming Dance is a school-sponsored activity on Saturday evening from 9:00 pm to midnight. At this event, many freshmen will dress up according to their interpretation of the dinosaur theme.Cave men and women are also allowed as the theme is based on time periods.
The Ask:
This is traditionally considered a "date" dance, although it's perfectly acceptable to attend alone or with a group of friends. The vast majority of kids attend in a group of couples. At Homecoming, the boys generally ask the girls but almost none of them do it by picking up the phone or texting to ask for a date. The first phase consists of floating trial balloons – either the boys communicate through their friends that they are interested in asking a particular girl or the girls communicate through their friends that they are interested in a particular boy asking them. These are all back-room maneuvers that are exhausting and stressful but that result in a boy asking a girl whom he’s fairly certain will say yes. Then the boys plan a more or less elaborate method to ask the girl – a scavenger hunt, anonymous gifts left on the doorstep, balloons floating in the pool at swim team practice, the question appearing on the Factoria Cinema sign. The girls respond in kind to give their answer. Your student may invite a high-school age student from another school. I will forward the guest invitation form in another email.
Activities:
Some groups plan optional activities on Friday night or Saturday during the day. They carve pumpkins, go bowling, take a hike, bake a dessert for after the dance. This does not have to be an expensive outing, it can be as simple and casual as throwing a Frisbee or football in a park.
Pictures:
After the kids get dressed according to the theme, they often gather at one home with all their associated parents for pictures and a little parent socializing. All the parents will be there. It is perfectly OK for you to be there. If your child says otherwise, he's wrong.
Transportation:
It's great when they form groups of SIX so that the group can fit neatly into a mini-van or SUV. Parent drivers are the norm for freshman students.
Attire:
Newport's Homecoming is meant to be for everyone, so it is not formal or semi-formal. It's more of a costume ball. Students really do dress for the theme. Mixed-grade couples usually dress in the theme of the older student's class. Again, the usual dress code still applies.
Finances:
While the student and his/her date can work out any arrangement they like, there are some conventions about who buys what. Traditionally, the boys buy/arrange dinner and the dance tickets. The girls pay for pictures and dessert. No corsages/boutonnières for Homecoming.
Dinner:
Dinner before the dance can be at the home of a friend whose mom is a wonderful cook. It is relaxing, fun, cheap! Their choice of restaurant is somewhat limited by the goofy clothes they'll be wearing, so it's unlikely they'll want to go to Canlis – more like Cucina! Cucina!
Dessert:
This tradition has evolved over the years. The kids usually gather at one person's home after the dance (yes, it's after midnight now) to eat dessert and visit. So parents, plan on staying up late.
After Dessert:
Why, they go home, of course!
Final Word:
While I have written out these procedures in an orderly fashion, they generally don’t happen like this for freshmen. The larger the group, the more difficult it is to reach a consensus. This is where I went wrong two years ago. Every time I asked my son who was in the group or where they were going to dinner, his story changed. My mistake was to keep asking him – I should have gone straight to the other parents. It is acceptable to call the parents of the other students involved to find out what they know about the plans. In fact, it’s not only acceptable, it’s advisable! Two years ago I didn’t find out “for sure” what was happening until the morning of the dance when another mother called me. It was a relief to finally get some facts! This year I plan to give my daughter until October 22 to give me the facts. If there aren’t any or there aren’t enough, I will start calling the other parents. You have my permission to do the same!
Although our students will claim that “everyone goes to Homecoming,” the fact is that only about 1/3 of the student body attends. All of the components of Homecoming listed above are not requirements – you may view them as a la cart items. Contrary to the beliefs of many of our children, parents still have the final say!
Class of 2012 News Update -- October 8, 2008
Hello Freshparents:
It’s time for another news installment ….
Band Contest
Freshmen Sweats
Town Hall Meeting
Super Wednesday
PTSA Meeting
Picture Retakes
Homecoming Week
Bellevue Parks Levy
Ski Swap
Super Wednesday Schedule
October 8-10: Band Contest
Recently our marching band entered a contest sponsored by KIRO Radio. We arranged the required tune "Catch My Disease" by Ben Lee, and recorded it for submission into this contest. If we win the contest, Seattle Seahawk's Blue Thunder Drumline will come to Newport and play for our Homecoming game! We really want to win.
We need every parent, student, co-worker, community member (virtually anyone who owns an email account and who is willing log in) to go to http://www.mynorthwest.com/ and vote. This is the KIRO website. The show that will be hosting the contest is called “Too Beautiful to Live” or TBTL. It is on from 7:00 to10:00 pm weeknights. The voting started Tuesday and continues through noon on October 10. You will be able to access the voting mechanism from their show page (just scroll down on the MyNorthwest.com homepage, on the right side there’s a picture of Luke and it links to the showpage) and from the “Events and Contests” page.
October 13: Freshmen Sweats
Freshmen sweats have arrived and will be ready for pick-up on October 13 between 2:30 and 3:30. Students have the opportunity to attend tutorial first, if necessary, and then pick up their purchases in Mechanical Room #3191.
October 14: Town Hall Meeting
Bellevue School Board and Bellevue PTSA Council invite you to a conversation with our representatives.
Rep. Ross Hunter (D-48)
Senator Rodney Tom (D-48)
Rep. Fred Jarrett (D-41)
“Let’s do something about state education funding” (A Proposal for the Basic Education Finance Joint Task Force)
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008, 7pm
Sammamish High School Performing Arts Center
Washington State’s education funding system is broken. Increasing costs and declining funds to public schools continue to create chronic under funding which affects every student in Bellevue and forces the district to use levy dollars to fund basic education programs.
2008-2009 could begin the change. For more than a year, the WA Joint Task Force on Basic Education Finance has been studying the education funding problems facing our state. Its report and suggestions to the legislature are due in December 2008. Finally, there will be a serious and open discussion in Olympia about what our kids need and how we can help them get it. The Task Force has been working on two monumental issues important to BSD and the State:
redefining basic public education to include all that our children need for success
developing an appropriate funding mechanism for our schools
This presentation will discuss a serious proposal to address these issues; and how we can help.
After the presentation, questions will be answered from the Board and the audience. For event information or to submit questions in advance, contact Bellevue PTSA Council President Janet Suppes janetpta@gmail.com or Legislative Chair Connie Gerlitz dgerlitz2@comcast.net.
For more info on the BEFJTF, visit http://www.leg.wa.gov/Joint/Committees/BEF/
The Washington Learns report can be found at http://www.washingtonlearns.wa.gov/
Learn more about the WA education funding crisis at http://www.fundingwaschools.org
October 15: Super Wednesday
Super Wednesday is a day filled with activity that varies by class. Sophomores take the PLAN assessment, Juniors take the PSAT, and Seniors participate in a college essay writing seminar. The Freshmen will be in the gym from 7:30 to 11:10 doing various activities. To accommodate these activities, there is a modified schedule for the entire week. This schedule appears at the bottom of this email.
October 20: PTSA Meeting
Plan to attend the PTSA general meeting at 7:00 pm in the library. Members will approve the budget and hear committee reports. The scheduled guests are Link Crew members who will describe what they do to acclimate freshmen to the high school experience. You may pick up your school directory of you didn’t get it at the Open House last month.
October 22: Picture Retakes
If you or your student were unhappy with the photos taken in August at Check In Day, your student should plan to go to school on October 22 with the picture packet and do retakes.
October 20-25: Homecoming Week
Homecoming Week is a lot like Spirit Week that preceded the Disco Dance. Each day has a theme, the students get to decorate the school, there is an assembly and varsity football game on Friday, and the Homecoming dance on Saturday. I will send an email soon that is devoted to the details surrounding this week.
November 4: Bellevue Parks Levy
Community Activists John Stokes and Karen Roper made a presentation to PTSA Board Members urging Bellevue residents to vote YES on the Bellevue Parks Levy (Proposition 1) that will be the last item on the November 4 ballot. This replaces a 20-year-old levy to maintain and improve the Bellevue Parks and Open Space System. For more information go to: www.BellevueParksYES.org.
November 8-9: Ski Swap
The Newport Snowsports Ski Swap is quickly approaching and we have many open time slots for you and your friends/family members to sign up and help us during the Ski Swap.
The event occurs Saturday and Sunday, November 8 and 9, at Newport HS. We have time slots from Friday afternoon through Monday available!!
- Friday afternoon/evening is Swap Set Up
- Saturday and Sunday is the actual Swap event
- Sunday afternoon/evening is the Swap Take Down
- Monday reconciliation (not open to public)
This is a great way to meet other parents and friends, have your teenager earn community service credit for BSD/Knights Valor and more!
To sign up please register via the website: http://skiswap.info and click on the Volunteer tab in the left margin!
Also Volunteer Training (optional) for any new volunteers is being offered on Thursday, 10/23, from 7pm-8:30 pm at the NHS Library.
It’s time for another news installment ….
Band Contest
Freshmen Sweats
Town Hall Meeting
Super Wednesday
PTSA Meeting
Picture Retakes
Homecoming Week
Bellevue Parks Levy
Ski Swap
Super Wednesday Schedule
October 8-10: Band Contest
Recently our marching band entered a contest sponsored by KIRO Radio. We arranged the required tune "Catch My Disease" by Ben Lee, and recorded it for submission into this contest. If we win the contest, Seattle Seahawk's Blue Thunder Drumline will come to Newport and play for our Homecoming game! We really want to win.
We need every parent, student, co-worker, community member (virtually anyone who owns an email account and who is willing log in) to go to http://www.mynorthwest.com/ and vote. This is the KIRO website. The show that will be hosting the contest is called “Too Beautiful to Live” or TBTL. It is on from 7:00 to10:00 pm weeknights. The voting started Tuesday and continues through noon on October 10. You will be able to access the voting mechanism from their show page (just scroll down on the MyNorthwest.com homepage, on the right side there’s a picture of Luke and it links to the showpage) and from the “Events and Contests” page.
October 13: Freshmen Sweats
Freshmen sweats have arrived and will be ready for pick-up on October 13 between 2:30 and 3:30. Students have the opportunity to attend tutorial first, if necessary, and then pick up their purchases in Mechanical Room #3191.
October 14: Town Hall Meeting
Bellevue School Board and Bellevue PTSA Council invite you to a conversation with our representatives.
Rep. Ross Hunter (D-48)
Senator Rodney Tom (D-48)
Rep. Fred Jarrett (D-41)
“Let’s do something about state education funding” (A Proposal for the Basic Education Finance Joint Task Force)
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008, 7pm
Sammamish High School Performing Arts Center
Washington State’s education funding system is broken. Increasing costs and declining funds to public schools continue to create chronic under funding which affects every student in Bellevue and forces the district to use levy dollars to fund basic education programs.
2008-2009 could begin the change. For more than a year, the WA Joint Task Force on Basic Education Finance has been studying the education funding problems facing our state. Its report and suggestions to the legislature are due in December 2008. Finally, there will be a serious and open discussion in Olympia about what our kids need and how we can help them get it. The Task Force has been working on two monumental issues important to BSD and the State:
redefining basic public education to include all that our children need for success
developing an appropriate funding mechanism for our schools
This presentation will discuss a serious proposal to address these issues; and how we can help.
After the presentation, questions will be answered from the Board and the audience. For event information or to submit questions in advance, contact Bellevue PTSA Council President Janet Suppes janetpta@gmail.com or Legislative Chair Connie Gerlitz dgerlitz2@comcast.net.
For more info on the BEFJTF, visit http://www.leg.wa.gov/Joint/Committees/BEF/
The Washington Learns report can be found at http://www.washingtonlearns.wa.gov/
Learn more about the WA education funding crisis at http://www.fundingwaschools.org
October 15: Super Wednesday
Super Wednesday is a day filled with activity that varies by class. Sophomores take the PLAN assessment, Juniors take the PSAT, and Seniors participate in a college essay writing seminar. The Freshmen will be in the gym from 7:30 to 11:10 doing various activities. To accommodate these activities, there is a modified schedule for the entire week. This schedule appears at the bottom of this email.
October 20: PTSA Meeting
Plan to attend the PTSA general meeting at 7:00 pm in the library. Members will approve the budget and hear committee reports. The scheduled guests are Link Crew members who will describe what they do to acclimate freshmen to the high school experience. You may pick up your school directory of you didn’t get it at the Open House last month.
October 22: Picture Retakes
If you or your student were unhappy with the photos taken in August at Check In Day, your student should plan to go to school on October 22 with the picture packet and do retakes.
October 20-25: Homecoming Week
Homecoming Week is a lot like Spirit Week that preceded the Disco Dance. Each day has a theme, the students get to decorate the school, there is an assembly and varsity football game on Friday, and the Homecoming dance on Saturday. I will send an email soon that is devoted to the details surrounding this week.
November 4: Bellevue Parks Levy
Community Activists John Stokes and Karen Roper made a presentation to PTSA Board Members urging Bellevue residents to vote YES on the Bellevue Parks Levy (Proposition 1) that will be the last item on the November 4 ballot. This replaces a 20-year-old levy to maintain and improve the Bellevue Parks and Open Space System. For more information go to: www.BellevueParksYES.org.
November 8-9: Ski Swap
The Newport Snowsports Ski Swap is quickly approaching and we have many open time slots for you and your friends/family members to sign up and help us during the Ski Swap.
The event occurs Saturday and Sunday, November 8 and 9, at Newport HS. We have time slots from Friday afternoon through Monday available!!
- Friday afternoon/evening is Swap Set Up
- Saturday and Sunday is the actual Swap event
- Sunday afternoon/evening is the Swap Take Down
- Monday reconciliation (not open to public)
This is a great way to meet other parents and friends, have your teenager earn community service credit for BSD/Knights Valor and more!
To sign up please register via the website: http://skiswap.info and click on the Volunteer tab in the left margin!
Also Volunteer Training (optional) for any new volunteers is being offered on Thursday, 10/23, from 7pm-8:30 pm at the NHS Library.
More Fall News -- September 30, 2008
Hello Freshparents:
Last week our students experienced their first Spirit Week and school assembly and many attended their first all-school dance. They’re settling into their schedules, doing homework, and hopefully feeling less anxious about being in high school. Here’s the latest edition of fall news.
Bellevue School Board Town Hall Meeting
Student Grades
Extended Tutorial
Clubs
Sports
Food for Thought
Bellevue School Board Town Hall Meeting
The Bellevue School Board is hosting a Town Hall to learn about the proposals being made by the Basic Education Funding Task Force. The bi-partisan group has been working on what they hope to be a major piece of legislation to address education funding in this state. Come learn about what they are recommending. This could be seen as a continuation of the discussion that was begun at the School Board meeting during the teacher strike. Many parents were awakened to the issues and want to learn what they can do to resolve the issues of how schools are funded, how teacher pay is determined, and what is meant by basic education.
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Sammamish High School
Who: Representatives from the Basic Education Funding Task Force
Host: Bellevue School Board
Student Grades
You may now access your student’s attendance record and grades by going to https://grades.bsd405.org/piv. I recommend that you go to the Newport website, click on Grades and then on Instructions to learn how to view grades. You need your student’s ID number and password to get started. If you are new to the Bellevue School District or lost your password from middle school, your student may request this information at Newport or you may go into the office to get it but you must have a photo ID. You may not get this information over the phone.
Attendance is updated hourly but grades are not. Teachers are not required to update grades more than a few times during the semester although some do frequent updates.
Extended Tutorial
Teachers hold tutorial on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm. Some students need additional time and attention or just a quiet place to do homework so they might consider extended tutorial. Extended tutorial convenes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 pm to 5:15 pm. A Math and English teacher are available at these sessions to assist students.
Clubs
Students can find enrichment outside of the classroom by participating in one of the many clubs that exist at Newport. Some clubs that have already announced their first meeting are Math Club, Astronomy Club, Snowriders Club, Key Club, Knightpagers Book Club, and Ecology Club. I highly recommend that you subscribe to the Daily Bulletin published by the front office. Just email Janet Suppes at suppesj@bsd405.org and ask her to add your name to the distribution list. This email publishes all the announcements made each morning to the students so you’ll hear the news the same day they do.
Senior Fundraiser
Those of you who attended Open House may have picked up a half-page flyer with the headline “Gradnight 2009.” This flyer lists some fundraisers for the senior class, including a poinsettia sale in November. The “order by” date is wrong on the flyer – instead of November 17, it should read ORDER BY NOVEMBER 7. Each plant is $15. You may order poinsettias or participate in any of the senior class fundraisers by visiting: http://www.nhsgradknight2009.myevent.com/. Seniors are raising money for the special events planned for them in June and they would appreciate your support. As the year goes on, you’ll hear more about fundraisers for the junior class. Please be generous in your support as our time will come to ask the younger classes to support the Class of 2012!
Sports
Freshman girls interested in the Newport Gymnastics team should attend an informational meeting after school on October 10 at 3:30 pm on the Commons.
The Girls’ Cross Country team came in second at the Nike Pre-National Meet on Saturday, September 27 in Portland OR and the Boys’ team came in fourth.
Food for Thought
Julie Rooney, the Liaison for the Class of 2011, sent me this article and I wanted to share it with you. Craig Smith gives some “free advice” on making the most of the high school experience.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/craigsmith/2008196706_smitty23.html
Coming Up Next
Homecoming Primer – everything you need to know about Homecoming Spirit Week and the Homecoming Dance.
Last week our students experienced their first Spirit Week and school assembly and many attended their first all-school dance. They’re settling into their schedules, doing homework, and hopefully feeling less anxious about being in high school. Here’s the latest edition of fall news.
Bellevue School Board Town Hall Meeting
Student Grades
Extended Tutorial
Clubs
Sports
Food for Thought
Bellevue School Board Town Hall Meeting
The Bellevue School Board is hosting a Town Hall to learn about the proposals being made by the Basic Education Funding Task Force. The bi-partisan group has been working on what they hope to be a major piece of legislation to address education funding in this state. Come learn about what they are recommending. This could be seen as a continuation of the discussion that was begun at the School Board meeting during the teacher strike. Many parents were awakened to the issues and want to learn what they can do to resolve the issues of how schools are funded, how teacher pay is determined, and what is meant by basic education.
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Sammamish High School
Who: Representatives from the Basic Education Funding Task Force
Host: Bellevue School Board
Student Grades
You may now access your student’s attendance record and grades by going to https://grades.bsd405.org/piv. I recommend that you go to the Newport website, click on Grades and then on Instructions to learn how to view grades. You need your student’s ID number and password to get started. If you are new to the Bellevue School District or lost your password from middle school, your student may request this information at Newport or you may go into the office to get it but you must have a photo ID. You may not get this information over the phone.
Attendance is updated hourly but grades are not. Teachers are not required to update grades more than a few times during the semester although some do frequent updates.
Extended Tutorial
Teachers hold tutorial on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm. Some students need additional time and attention or just a quiet place to do homework so they might consider extended tutorial. Extended tutorial convenes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 pm to 5:15 pm. A Math and English teacher are available at these sessions to assist students.
Clubs
Students can find enrichment outside of the classroom by participating in one of the many clubs that exist at Newport. Some clubs that have already announced their first meeting are Math Club, Astronomy Club, Snowriders Club, Key Club, Knightpagers Book Club, and Ecology Club. I highly recommend that you subscribe to the Daily Bulletin published by the front office. Just email Janet Suppes at suppesj@bsd405.org and ask her to add your name to the distribution list. This email publishes all the announcements made each morning to the students so you’ll hear the news the same day they do.
Senior Fundraiser
Those of you who attended Open House may have picked up a half-page flyer with the headline “Gradnight 2009.” This flyer lists some fundraisers for the senior class, including a poinsettia sale in November. The “order by” date is wrong on the flyer – instead of November 17, it should read ORDER BY NOVEMBER 7. Each plant is $15. You may order poinsettias or participate in any of the senior class fundraisers by visiting: http://www.nhsgradknight2009.myevent.com/. Seniors are raising money for the special events planned for them in June and they would appreciate your support. As the year goes on, you’ll hear more about fundraisers for the junior class. Please be generous in your support as our time will come to ask the younger classes to support the Class of 2012!
Sports
Freshman girls interested in the Newport Gymnastics team should attend an informational meeting after school on October 10 at 3:30 pm on the Commons.
The Girls’ Cross Country team came in second at the Nike Pre-National Meet on Saturday, September 27 in Portland OR and the Boys’ team came in fourth.
Food for Thought
Julie Rooney, the Liaison for the Class of 2011, sent me this article and I wanted to share it with you. Craig Smith gives some “free advice” on making the most of the high school experience.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/craigsmith/2008196706_smitty23.html
Coming Up Next
Homecoming Primer – everything you need to know about Homecoming Spirit Week and the Homecoming Dance.
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