Gaining the Competitive Advantage

OCTOBER 2017

Gaining the Competitive Advantage Booker Middle School Family,

As a school community, we have spent time developing and refining ways to impact our students, working

collaboratively to improve Collective Efficacy, find ways to make Learning Visible, and determine how we can best

build pride as members of the Booker Middle learning environment. Our goal is to ensure that every child receives a

high quality education. Many of you have heard me articulate that we are in the business of preparing students for

college whether they choose to attend or not.

So, how can we gain the competitive advantage that we need to ensure that we are giving our students a

quality education every day, in every classroom? The key is becoming the best in all that we do. Doing it with a

spirit of excellence!! One of my mentors recently shared with me that the secret to being number one…is being

number one. She further elaborated that the real key to being the best….is being the best. She then impressed upon

me the importance of being motivated to learn more, do more and be more than what I believe I’m capable of.

Finally, she looked me right in the face and declared good enough is not good enough to succeed at high levels. Her

words of wisdom helped me to further realize that in order for Booker Middle to gain the competitive advantage; the

3c’s must always be at work within us. We must be Confident, Competent and Courageous. I’ve come to

understand that in every aspect of our life it takes sacrifice. If we are going to finish first, we have to pay the price.

We can win if we don’t quit!!!

Now, I have to be honest, I’m competitive in nature, and, I am of the belief that we all must have a small

degree of competitiveness in us if we are going to improve as an individual. Even when you have reached specific

goals in life, you have to keep growing. You’re in a growth race against the you that you were yesterday!

As members of our learning community, the finish line is always moving, so we constantly have to improve

our product; our students and our service. You too must improve, Dr. Myles Munroe said it best when he stated,

“All change will cost something, even if it’s just the loss of the familiar. We must be willing to let go of what isn’t

working for us in order to pursue what is best for us. Are you willing to let go of the past and become proactive

about the future? If so, you are ready to become a world changer”.

True champions know that if we are going to be the best that we can be, change is inevitable. They have an “in it, to

win it” mindset and believe that success is found in doing their best, by learning and improving. With the right

mindset, we can motivate our students by helping them to gain a competitive edge.

DON’T MISS!!

DANCE/HAUNTED HOUSE Friday October 27th

6:30 PM @ BMS

STAY INFORMED! Website: www. sarasotacountyschools.net/schools/bookermiddle

VPA Website: www.BookerMiddleSchoolVPA.weebly.com

VPA Facebook: Booker Middle School Arts

VPA Instagram: @BookerMiddleVPA

VPA Twitter: @bookermiddlevpa

TORNADO WATCH OCTOBER 2017

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School-Wide Monthly Focus on Reading/Writing Skills

Determine the Author’s Purpose and POV

One of the most important reading skills is being able to

determine WHY an author writes a particular text. An

author may write to ENTERTAIN, INFORM,

PERSUADE, or DESCRIBE. Good readers will decipher

why and author wrote and will determine the VIEWPOINT

that the author has about the subject.

Exercise For Parents and Students Read with your student, read the same book, or ask your

student about what they are reading.

Use the following questions to direct your student’s thinking: 1. “What is (author’s name) reason for writing (title of

text)? How do you know?”

2. “Would (author’s name) be more likely to believe (one

view of the text) or (opposing view)?”

3. “Does the author present both sides? If so, what is the

evidence of that? If not, what information is missing?

4. “Was the author successful in persuading you of his/her

position?”

News articles are great for reading with students in order to

discuss author’s purpose and point of view.

Have fun reading with your child!

Limited reading abilities…. The ability to read is one of the keys to academic

success. Many students with a disability do not read on grade level. They may still be learning basic decoding and word-identification skills or comprehension strategies to help them understand the words, phrases, and sentences they read. Some written materials present additional challenges because they are not well organized. A student with a disability may have difficulty detecting the main ideas or what is important to remember in the text they are reading. They may get lost in the details and confused by the way the ideas are presented in a text or reference book…….

Strategies students can use to help them be successful: -highlight important points of the text or phrases that will help you remember them

-make a list of important vocabulary and make sure you know what they mean

- read the summary or objectives first - read review questions first, then look for the answers -take notes as you read (or after) as a review----reading and writing things down is a way of helping you remember - use sticky notes or an erasable highlighter to mark key points in the textbook

Tracy Clark, student last name alpha A-Me

Cheryl Thomas, student last name alpha Mi-Z

Bullying Prevention Month

October is Bullying Prevention Awareness

Month. Booker Middle School has planned a number of activities to encourage students to be

accepting of each other and to be united against bullying. Some of the activities include a spotlight on the topic during morning news, lessons in

Language Arts classes that focus on actions to

stand up against bullies and creative writing

around campus related to bullying prevention. On Oct. 25th, Unity Day, students

will attend school-wide assemblies wearing tie-dye t-shirts made during their Science class. Our VPA will be performing and our SRO George

Gipson will be speaking during the Unity Day assembly, reminding us all of the importance of

accepting each other.

Volleyball team is doing great! They won both

their games and are 2-0. Ms. Myreli said, “They play really well against very strong serves. Very proud of them.” Next home game is Wed Oct 11th

against Sarasota Middle.

Basketball tryouts will be early November.


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Congratulations

Students of the

Month!!

Marcus Allen

Shane Amira

Charlotte Blake Richard Carino

Williams Carter Salvador Castaneda

Miracle Deveaux Saidy Flores

Aaliyaa Genat

Cora Gerdes Shayla Glover

Arique Heemal Lupita Herandez-Casale

Rita Lawlor Thalia Matos

Joana Medina-Gama

Hong Nguyen Jerry Olaince

Darryl Oliver Isabella Pizarro

Daissy Portales Riley Putnal

Dylan Ramon

Skylan Riggs Karrie Sanderson

Sebastian Santos

Amanda Sauceda

Annabelle Troung Amani Washington

Max Werbelow

Randy Wilson Kyle Worth


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Born and bred in Hong Kong, the multifaceted Stanley wears different hats as an

illustrator, designer, concept artist, creative director and co-founder of Imaginary Friends

Studios — a world acclaimed digital art studio that produces high quality artworks for the

likes of Capcom, DC Comics, Marvel Comics and other giants in the entertainment and

gaming industry.

Formally trained in graphic design and advertising, Stanley's art is imbued with a strong

sense of aesthetics and visual fluidity. It is a blend of eastern and western art styles. Better

known by his handle Artgerm, Stanley's art continues to infect and inspire new generations

of artists and his ever-growing fan base around the world. To this date, Stanley's online art

gallery on deviantART has been viewed for more than 50 million times and have close to a

million followers on social media.

Sadie Smith’s Artist Pick: Stanley “Artgerm” Lau

“I like the way he turns old cartoons into realistic art.”

Digital Illustrator - Graphic Designer - Concept Artist- Teacher

Source: artgerm.com

continued, “I like experimenting with skin tones.

There is a lot of room for you to be creative. You

can really do anything!”

Another subject Sadie enjoys is Civics. “I

love learning about laws, because I feel like it will

help me a lot. It’s very practical.” In her free

time, she likes to curl up with a good book. One

of her favorite authors is James Patterson. “I love

his books and his graphic novels,” she said,

adding, “I love the style.”

Sadie’s ambitions point toward Booker

High School’s 2D art program. One day she

would like to be a professional artist, a lawyer, a

biologist, or some combination thereof. For

students looking to join the VPA programs she

offered, “You should definitely join; you will

learn a lot. It might be hard at first, but you have

to keep trying.”

Thanks Sadie! We can’t wait to see the art

you share with us in your last year at BMS!

2D/3D art teacher Ms. Ward says, “Sadie

Smith is an ideal art student. She is motivated and

attentive in the production of her work. Her skills

in colored pencil exceed those of the average high

school and college student, and I see her having a

successful art career regardless of what she decides

to become. I enjoy having her in my class and she

inspires not only me, but her peers.” High praise

indeed! When you meet Sadie, you would never

imagine from her respectful and humble demeanor,

the art powerhouse that lies in front of you.

Sadie is an 8th grade 2D/3D and Graphic

Design student, who has always been interested in

art, even in her elementary days at Alta Vista. She

really feels; however, that Booker Middle’s VPA

program has taken her to the next level. “I’ve

learned different techniques here. Before Booker I

didn’t know much about graphic design and art. I

just knew I liked it,” she explained. While Sadie

enjoys many different techniques and medium, she

tends to gravitate toward colored pencils and

markers. Her favorite subject? Portraits. She


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Legend Purple & Gold BMS General Green Law Academy

Blue Cambridge Red Sports & Athletics

Yellow Clubs White Academics

Gold Gifted & Talented Purple VPA & Arts

VPA and Arts

FALL BAND CONCERT Tuesday October 10th

7:00 PM @BMS

FALL ORCHESTRA

CONCERT Thursday October 12th

7:00 PM @BMS

DRAGONFLY CAFÉ Thursday October 19th

6:30 PM @ BMS Rm 130

“AND THEN HE LOOKED

AT ME” REVIVAL PERF. Feat. The Adv. Drama Students

Friday October 20th 7:00PM BMS Black Box

Theater (Rm 407)

FALL CHORUS CONCERT Tuesday October 24th

7:30 PM @ BMS

SPORTS AND

ATHLETICS

BMS GENERAL

CULVER’S FAMILY NIGHT

Tuesday October 17th 5:00-9:00 PM @ Culver’s

PARENT UNIVERSITY Thursday October 19th

5:30-6:30 PM @ BMS

PARENT INVOLVEMENT Tuesday October 24th

5:00-6:00 PM @ BMS

SAC MEETING Tuesday October 24th

6:00-7:30 PM @ BMS

DANCE/HAUNTED

HOUSE Friday October 27th

6:30 PM @ BMS

VOLLEYBALL

Wednesday October 11th (Home) Wednesday October 18th (Pineview)

TOURNAMENT Wednesday October 25th (VHS)

All @ 6:00 PM


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Dragonfly Café Banned Book Week Reading

Snaps all around for a fantastic Dragonfly Café at Barnes & Noble on Sept 24th in celebration of Banned Book Week. Not

only did Ms. Fox’s students do (as always) a fantastic job with their wonderful poems, but also a portion of purchases went to

support the Dragonfly Café. As a special surprise, Dr. Frost treated all participants and audience to a free book! Thanks Dr. Frost, and let’s get reading everyone!!!

Hispanic Heritage Month Poster Project Ms. Burbridge’s graphic design students celebrated Hispanic

Heritage Month by creating some fabulous posters. Great job,

everyone! Here are a couple examples of two students’

exceptional work: Dallas Williams and Arique Heemal.

VPA

Interact Club Inductions We would like to congratulate our Interact inductees! It was an amazing

event on September 20th. These students truly represent Booker Middle

School with excellence! Thank you Dr. Frost and Mrs. Parker for your

support. And a special thanks to Mayor Shelli Freeland, Keith Dubose, City

Commissioners, and Rotary Club members.

The officers for the 2017-2018 school year are:

Rowing How cool is it to have the World Rowing Championship

right here in Sarasota? Even cooler was the opportunity many of our students were given to experience the event first-hand. A special shout out to Jayla Wilson, whose

Lithuania team poster was chosen by the Embracing Our Differences committee to be featured.

President – Christina Brush Vice President – Leah Dubose Secretary – Abigail Holdway

2nd Secretary – Yeoshua Wilson Treasurer – Anthony Lobo

2nd Treasurer – Tatum Tellbuescher


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Chess Club Announcement

If you are looking for a club and want to sharpen your competitive edge, you are in

luck. The BMS Chess Club has the kind of challenge you are looking for. What is

involved? A “meeting of the minds” that is aggressive, but safe, fascinating, and quite

fun.

As a new club, the “War and Piece” Club, placed high in both individual and team

standings in the county tournament the past two years. With great pride our team

managed to hold their own among the best players in the entire school district. This

year should be no exception -- for Tornadoes know how to bring the storm!

Just Your TYPE of Poetry Downtown Last month Ms. Fox’s Creative Writing students set up shop

downtown. Visitors to two local shops were treated to our

students writing impromptu original poems on typewriters. It was

a treat!

Donuts for Dads

Social Studies and Science Dept. Update The BMS Social Studies and Science departments are excited to announce that all

8th Grade students will visit Patriot Plaza and Twin Lakes Park in Nov. The

students will get to participate in a unique field experience. First, at Patriot Plaza,

students will engage in a real world experience centered around concepts of good

citizenship and active membership in society. The students will spend the second

half of their day at Twin Lakes Park reviewing science benchmarks regarding the

cycles of matter in a real world setting with the UF/IFAS Extension. Permission

slips and more information will be coming home to you soon!

Pick up a permission slip today from the office. The meetings will be each Thursday after school, and will run

from 2:30 to 4:00. Mr. Hicks, the team sponsor, hosts the meetings in room 704. New and returning team members

are welcome. First-time players are needed and encouraged to attend.

Remember -- that’s Thursday at 2:30 in room 703. See you there!

VPA

Our annual Take Your Dad to School event had a great turnout. Over 100

fathers came out for the event. Entertainment was provided by our VPA

band and chorus students. Dads and students enjoyed coffee, juice, and

donuts. Our activity for the dads was a game called “Are You Smarter

Than a Middle Schooler”.


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My Teachers In a Band!?!? REPRINT Not that it’s a competition, but…. Our ELA teacher is cooler than

your ELA teacher!! Kidding… But really. Our very own Mr. Wood

plays guitar in a band called All Hail the Queen. It’s a female-fronted

band fusing hard alternative rock, post-hardcore, metal, and pop-

punk with some killer bagpipe solos. Yeah, you read that right, their

lady lead singer also plays the bagpipes! For more info you can

check them out on Facebook!

This article has been reprinted due to errors in the first run of our Sept edition

We apologize for the misprint!!

2 Chorus Students Advance Congratulations to Lilly Mae Stewart and Laura Swartzendruber

for qualifying to go on the next round for All-State Chorus

auditions! They successfully passed the written and sight-singing

exams, and have qualified to go on to the vocal quality audition

for middle school mixed chorus.

Law Academy Update

Rise Above Perf. Arts: Into the Woods We are so proud to see our BMS staff and students

performing in the community. Our talented students, alumni,

and even our chorus teacher Ms. Chapman, mounted a

production of Into the Woods through Rise Above Performing

Arts in September. Congratulations on a wonderful show.

We are so proud of you1

Mrs. Daniels' 6th Grade Law Academy students recently

learned about the three branches of American government:

executive, legislative, and judicial.

Students learned what each branch is responsible for doing,

and how they work.

Arts


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After School Re-Wards Program Speakers Our students are having amazing

experiences with the Re-Wards program.

Coach Ward has been bringing in

UNBELIEVABLE speakers, and the

students are learning so much. Some of

the speakers this month have included…

Career and College Readiness Update

GTE Financial presented their “Financial Passport” workshop to BMS

students. These students were provided with a brief introduction to

financial terminology and were then handed passports. The passports

contained information about their new identities for the interactive

exercise. Our students then had to shop for housing, transportation,

Open House In September, BMS had the unbelievable pleasure of having

our parents on campus for an open house. It was wonderful

to see familiar faces and to meet some new ones. The Kona

Ice Truck was also on hand for a frosty treat after the parents

were finished meeting all of their students’ teachers!

clothing, food, entertainment and other expenses within their budget while also providing them with

unexpected variables such as inheritance or repair bills. Our students were able to navigate the

workshop and make excellent choices to successfully have money left over at the end of their simulated

month. Thank GTE Financial for the wonderful experience

BMS


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Blaze Pizza Night All of our families who came and “got their pizza on” at Blaze

Family Night had a wonderful time. How great to get to support

our fantastic school by simply enjoying a delicious meal!? Thank

you to Blaze for their support. The next family night will be held

at Culvers on October 17th.

Congrats to BMS 2018 Teacher of the Year! Please join me in congratulating Allison Cohen, who has been

named Booker Middle’s 2018 Teacher of the Year!

Allison is an extraordinary teacher who maintains a high level of

academic achievement for all students. She also works diligently

and conscientiously to create an engaging learning

environment. Allison, we are proud of your accomplishments and

know that you will represent us well!

DIVA Inductions

This month 63 young ladies were inducted into the DIVAS

program. Each of the DIVAS took an oath to adhere to the

highest standards of behavior, with a desire to create a culture of

leaders. There is a lot planned for these girls, so expectations are

high.

Science Class Happenings Ms. Thomas’ 6th Grade Earth Space Science classes conducted an

experiment using the tools in this photo that served to reinforce the

scientific disciplines of identifying variables, writing a formal hypothesis,

data collection, and analyzing data to draw conclusions. The students

also had valuable practice in measuring liquids and correctly using a

stopwatch. And YES they got to eat the M & M s after... It was an

excellent, fun way to put the scientific method into action! Academics


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Parent University: We know your child’s education and development is important to you

and that you would like to encourage them in any way you can. Our monthly Parent University will give you some tools and strategies to best

support their Booker Middle School education. (dates in “Calendars” section) Parent Involvement: Our parents are the lifeblood of our school’s support network. Each month our parents and faculty meet to discuss the activities associated with

our school’s fundraising efforts. (see dates in the “Calendars” section) SAC (School Advisory Council): A formal monthly meeting where parents and community members meet

with our principal and other administrators to collaborate on school issues. (see dates in the “Calendars” section) VPA Booster Club: Our Visual and Performing Arts Magnet students participate in a

number of events and activities both on and away from our campus. Our VPA Booster is designed to help our parents get involved and support performances, activities, and field trips.

Donate: Donations come in many forms and we appreciate all of them. Email

Savannah Holds ([email protected]) for information on BMS Arts Giving. For information regarding donations to our other programs email Debra Alvis-Greenwald

([email protected]).

Volunteer: BMS can always use a helping hand. If you would like to donate your time to our wonderful school, come to the front office of our school and sign

up through PALS or contact Debra Alvis-Greenwald. Attend: There are so many events for our students and it means the world to our

students when the attendance and support goes beyond their friends and family. Attend an arts event, a sports event, or just come out to a Family Night with one of our business partners (see dates in the “Calendars”

section).

215 N Cattlemen Rd (941) 355-8400

(941) 685-2881

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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Making a plan for later in the year? Check out all our school’s calendars to make sure you know what is going on!


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Come visit our

generous community

partners on their

scheduled night and a portion of the profits

from that evening is donated to our

school! Flyers with

details and coupons will be distributed at

school. Invite your

friends!

5:00PM-9:00PM 5:00PM-9:00PM 5:00PM-9:00PM

Blaze Pizza Night

215 N Cattlemen Rd

Freddy’s Night

6224 N Lockwood Ridge

Newk’s Night

5405 University Pkwy

5:00PM-8:00PM 5:00PM-9:00PM 5:00PM-9:00PM

Culver’s Night


Tijuana Flat’s Night


Blaze Pizza Night

215 N Cattlemen Rd

5:00PM-9:00PM 5:00PM-9:00PM 5:00PM-8:00PM

Freddy’s Night

6224 N Lockwood Ridge

Newk’s Night


Culver’s Night



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For more information on Booker Middle School Visual and Performing Arts events or

admissions contact VPA coordinator Savannah Holds at [email protected]

Gaining the Competitive Advantage

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Transcript of Gaining the Competitive Advantage