Panther Tracks -...

Panther TracksOctober/November 2011 The newsletter for Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle SchoolVolume 2011-2012 Issue 1

Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School480 East Meadow DrivePalo Alto, CA 94306www.jls.pausd.orgMain Office: 856-5188

Principal: Sharon OfekAssistant Principals: Ryan Fletcher and Pier Angeli LaPlacePTA Co-Presidents: Nancy Smith and Ivan Hom

Send submissions to: [email protected] deadline: January 6, 2012VP Communications: Faith BrigelEditor: Smita KolhatkarLayout: Joni OkamotoDistribution: Heike Enders

Principal’s ColumnDear JLS Community,

Welcome to JLS and to the first issue of Panther Tracks! It is hard to believe but this issue will be arriving in your homes just in time for the end of an exciting and fun-filled first quarter. This past quarter has been filled with transitions, getting to know one another, and establishing routines. At this point we have all settled in and thanks to a united effort of parents, staff, and students, life at JLS is amazing!

All of us at JLS are excited about continuing to partner with you as all of our students navigate middle school, grow and thrive; academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Your active involvement and support, coupled with our best professional efforts, will surely make for a successful year! This year you will find some new faces hard at work at JLS. Please join me in welcoming:

Grant Althouse Administrative TOSAGerri Bibat English, 8th gradeEileen Chang Industrial TechnologyChris Mahle Drama TeacherMelody Owens SAI TeacherStephanie Sheridan School PsychologistHillary Thompson Video ProductionIrada Yuzbash ELD Teacher

Given that Panther Tracks is a quarterly publication, I will do my best to make the contents of my column informative about what is happening at JLS, big or small. Over the course of the past two years, the staff at JLS has engaged in a number of staff development activities focused on multiple aspects of teaching children. We have been lucky to benefit from work-shops and presentations by experts such as Denise Pope, Jim Lobdell, Ken Ginsburg, Jennifer Abrams, Geoff Cohen, and Clay Roberts. While each of these people has a different expertise, all of their knowledge can be woven together to create a solid understanding of what needs to happen for kids to realize their full potential academically and holistically. We are continu-ously working on refining our approach to working with kids so they grow into knowledgeable, thriving adults. The JLS areas of focus, known at the JLS ABC’s, drive our work in the areas of Academics, Belonging, and Creating Wellness. Our work includes the adoption of Search Institute’s 41 developmental assets model for build-ing positive character traits in our students. This year JLS is emphasizing five assets on which we feel we can have a positive impact. These five assets dovetail nicely with the work we have been doing in the areas of con-nectedness and building student resilience. The assets are:

Other Adult Relationships – receives support from three or more non-parent adults.Caring School Climate – school provides a caring, encouraging environment.High Expectations – both parents and teachers encourage the child to do well.

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InsidePrincipal’s Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1PTA President’s Column . . . . . . . . . .2JLS Panther Camp Thanks! . . . . . . . .3Panther Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Partners In Education and JLS . . . . .4Thank You Parents!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5BTS Pizza Dinner Thank You . . . . . .5Fundraiser for the Library and Music Departments . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5The 2012 Many Faces of JLS . . . . . . .5JLS Science Fair 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Bee Season is Coming. . . . . . . . . . . . .6New Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7JLS Student Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . .7JLS PTA Family Service Date . . . . . .7November Staff Appreciation . . . . . .7Ads for Yearbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Adolescent Counseling Services. . . .8Project Safety Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Counselors’ Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Check Out the Library . . . . . . . . . . .11Music Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Social Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Languages Department . . . . . . . . . .13Tdap Letter (6th graders) . . . . . . . . .14Tdap Carta (6to grado). . . . . . . . . . .15Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

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JLS Panther Tracks October/November 2011

Reading for Pleasure – read for pleasure three or more hours per week.Cultural Competence – has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ ethnic backgrounds.

In addition to incorporating developmental assets, the JLS staff collaborated throughout the last school year to review and revise our homework guidelines. We started with conversations around the purpose and meaningfulness of homework. We evaluated example assignments, conducted our own investigations, and reviewed research. Our conversations were very spir-ited! Ultimately, we came to agreement on our overall approach to homework and some more clearly defined roles and responsibilities for students, teachers, and parents. The new homework guidelines can be found in the student binder reminder (bottom of p. 12) as well as the parent handbook (p. 21) that was mailed to your home this past August. It is our intent to monitor our implementation of these guidelines and re-evaluate them throughout the year. This past summer, the JLS and El Carmelo com-munities tragically lost the Howard-Dias family in a car accident. The loss of Robert, Ana-Maria, and Samantha in the JLS community has been enormous. Whether it was chaperoning a dance, hosting a lunch time club, advocating for PiE, or telling a friend how much they mattered, all of them were incredibly active and engaged in making JLS a better place for kids. Upon conclusion of the family memorial service this past summer, family member Cindy Howard highlighted the importance of living every day fully and making sure the actions we take have an impact. Then she assigned everyone some homework.

There is someone in your life who you need to thank. Today, find that person and share your gratitude.There is someone in your life who is new to the community, or is alone, or is in need of help. This week: reach out to that person.There is a need in your community that you are uniquely suited to address. This month: do what you can to tackle that need.

I found her message powerful and hope that each of you consider completing Cindy’s assignments. Whatever you do, it will make a difference to someone. As your principal, I strive to provide a developmen-tally appropriate learning community for your child that is nurturing, challenging, and safe. Through teamwork, open communication, and dedication to continuous

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improvement, our school will continue to be successful in producing happy, thriving children.

I am proud to work at JLS!,Sharon Ofek, Principal

PTA Presidents’ Column As we settle into our new school year, the JLS PTA would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning JLS families. We’ll jump right in and invite you to join our PTA, if you have not already done so, and encourage you as part of our community to stay informed and involved with your student’s experience at JLS. Never fear, joining the PTA does not require you to organize an event or even to volunteer on campus, though we love to see new faces and welcome your help throughout the year. Joining the PTA does give you a voice and a vote at our meetings, a window into the great programs we run and the support we offer our teachers and students, as well as a membership into the nation’s largest and most consistent voice for adequate school funding and advocacy for children. To join, pick up a PTA membership form in the office, or go to the member-ship section of our PTA website at http://pta.palo-alto.ca.us/jls/?q=membership for an online flyer. Thank you! What’s new at JLS this year? We and our kids are, and we are both here to learn! For many of us incoming 6th grade families, this is our first experience with middle school life, and we are surprised at some of the changes in our kids that affect our families. Children are search-ing for independence in ways that may seem baffling to us. Why would a kid want to ride a scooter in the rain to school rather than getting a ride? Yet asserting inde-pendence at this time is natural - our children learn from these experiences, and from there, often take on new responsibilities. As parents we still want to be the guiding hand that keeps our kids on the right path, rather than stepping back and taking a supportive role. This is a dif-ficult step but one that we must adjust to. This is where the learning enters in - and our Developmental Asset of the month - ‘Positive Family Communication’. Open communication between parents and kids is critical in order for parents to be comfortable in a supportive role. In addition, open communication requires level heads, so we as parents need to stay calm despite the rising sound level. In their own ways, our kids are checking in with us to see if we really want to communicate. Therefore, let’s keep our sound level down and keep the conversation going. We all benefit when we learn to do a bit more listening! Enjoy the fall weather while it lasts - get outside with your kids and play, take a hike, or go for a bike ride! And, as always, feel free to contact us with questions or suggestions.

With best regards, Ivan Hom, [email protected]

Nancy Smith, [email protected], JLS PTA

Jane Lathrop Stanford (JLS) is a diverse learning community.We seek to provide a safe, creative, and inclusive learning envi-ronment. We respect and embrace the uniqueness of every individual. We strive for academic excellence, individual responsibility, and lifelong learning.Through compassion, connection, courtesy, complimenting, and community, we support the intellectual, social, physical, and emotional growth of our children.The mention of any business, service, or organization in this newsletter does not imply an endorsement by JLS Middle School, JLS PTA, or PAUSD.

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October/November 2011 JLS Panther Tracks

Panther Camp Hopefully, your 6th graders had a smooth transition to JLS. Panther Camp, which is a special orientation pro-gram at JLS, was a fabulous way for our 6th graders to start middle school. Instead of jumping right into aca-demics, for three days during the first week of school, our students were able to meet other students and teach-ers, navigate the campus, learn the JLS way, and get to know 8th grade counselors. This program was organized by the JLS staff led by Pier Angeli La Place, Alex Salzmann, Katie Schramm, Leonel Argumedo. They were very creative in making it fun for the kids. When asked what they liked best about Panther Camp, most kids chose the team building activi-ties like the egg drop. The second most popular was Binder Reminder Jeopardy that went over all the rules that are covered in their binder minders like how long your shorts need to be and the attendance policy. This game was taught to the kids in a Jeopardy format and the kids got to push a button! Panther Camp could not have happened with-out parent volunteers filling over 50 slots each day of the event. Thank you to all of you who volunteered, especially those of you who took the time to help in more than one position: Susan Fineberg, Yongshu Wen, Jennifer Mutz, Nancy Smith, Eleanor Lin, Arnie Stamler, Asmita Runge, Diane Jakubowski, Len Filppu, Linda Lee, Sachi Itagaki, Laura Mifflin, Jennifer Chu, Catherine Wytmar, Cecile Eltherington, Ellen Springer, Gail Foelsch, Julia Byun, Katharine Saunders, Natalia Kachenko, Annelise Mora, Bill Howell, Birsen Gokcek, Bonnie Sanders, Christina Ng, Flora Wong, Jane Dick, Jane Smith, John Dorst, Karen Cannon, Kristin Black, Lei Lin, Marianna Tessel, Nicole Pisco, Rebecca Garewal, Sarah Patanroi, Sunita Verma, Vered de Leeuw, Yuce Beser, Amy Guo, Annette Baek, Audrey Finot, Cania Chung, Chaoping Zhou, Charlotte Glasser, Chris Asing, Christine Leffler, Danielle Laursen, Diana Nemet, Dipti Joshi, Elaine Lin, Elizabeth Doi-Ludwig, Grace Lee, Heather Williamson, Pam and John Markevitch, Julie Sternfield, Kirk Laursen, Laura Schneider, Linda Horio-Yu, Lisa Barkin, Lisa Xie, Lynn Grant, Maria Zajac, Megan Fogarty, Mimi Truong, Nam Truong, Nicki Chun, Olivia Viveros, Rachel Krantz, Rania Bratberg, Sharon Chen, Soma Mandal, Sonya Bradski, Ted Glasser, Yukki Ng, Yvonne Baur, Dawn Saunders, Jackie Cook, Lisa Berardi, Sherry Heller, and Theivanai Palaniappan

Thank you!Stephanie Youngquist

Panther Camp Parent Volunteer Coordinator

JLS Panther Camp Thanks!Pier Angeli La Place, Assistant Principal

Dear JLS Parent Community and PTA, Our Panther Camp 6th Grade Orientation and Transition Program was a great success again this year. Over the three days of Panther Camp, our new 6th grad-ers learned their way around our campus, made new friends from many places and reconnected with friends from elementary. They became familiar with the faces and places important to our JLS community, learned about middle school structures and expectations, were introduced to the JLS Way, including our character edu-cation, building assets, focus on reducing student stress and developing student resilience. In addition, students participated in team building, technology and environmental activities, and had some fun along the way. By the end of the first week of school our 6th graders were excited to be bona fide Panthers! The success of Panther Camp is due, in large part, to the many parent volunteers who, each year, give their time and efforts in support of our students. It would not be possible to list all of the parents who worked during the program, and beforehand, organizing and coordinat-ing efforts for Panther Camp. A large team of parents participated in Panther Camp setting up and supervising activities, helping with clean up, taking photos and creat-ing a slideshow of highlights, providing food for the 8th grade counselor training, and much more. Our thanks go to all of you who have made such a difference in the 6th graders’ transition, helping them to make connections and to feel more acclimated to middle school. The parents who participated were able to make their own connections, learn more about JLS, and contribute to the success of our orientation program. We’d like to give a special thank you to Stephanie Youngquist, the PTA volunteer coordinator for Panther Camp, for her tire-less organization. Another special thanks goes to Butch Garcia for his dedication; he comes back each year to anchor our Panther Camp photography. We want to acknowledge and thank the 8th grade student counselors who were remarkable. Their positive leadership as guides, role models, and “counselors” to the 6th graders is vital to Panther Camp. Our 8th graders stepped into leadership and service, important assets for their growth as well. The JLS principal, Sharon Ofek, the administrative team, teachers, guidance counselors, and entire staff are committed to supporting the academic, social, and emo-tional well-being of our students, a goal we know we share with you, our parent community. We are grateful for all that you do to help make JLS a wonderful learning environment. A Panther Camp Parent Survey was posted on the JLS website and was sent out via PTA communications. We appreciate and welcome your feedback on Panther Camp as we work toward improvements for future years.

With Thanks,The Panther Camp Coordination Team

Pier Angeli La Place, Alex Salzmann, Leonel Argumedo, and Katie Schramm


I already donated to the PTA. Why should I donate to PiE?

PiE & the PTA work in tandem to provide two differ-ent types of funding for district schools.

PiE is the only fundraising organization allowed to pay for “staff” during school hours. At JLS, this includes student counselors, elective teachers, and teacher coaches.The PTA pays for “stuff.” This includes classroom materials & technology, support for Panther Camp and Science Fair, school newsletter, parent education, community-building events, etc.Please donate to PiE & join the JLS PTA!

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JLS will receive $236,461.00 this academic year from PiE (Partners in Education) thanks to your families’ gen-erous donation from last year (2010-2011)! Please donate again this year, or consider donating for the first time. Why? PiE is the non-profit educational foundation dedi-cated exclusively to raising funds for all PAUSD (Palo Alto Unified School District) schools, including JLS. It is the only fundraising organization permitted by the Palo Alto Board of Education to pay for salaries during the school day. PiE allows JLS to pay for much needed resources that benefit ALL JLS students including:

Student Guidance: Staff and programs for academic guidance, social and emotional development, student connectedness and grade-level transitions (i.e. your student’s counselor who will be with your child all three years). Elective Enrichment: Teachers and classroom support in courses such as music, creative writing, arts, computer education, industrial tech, broadcast journalism, and biotech.Teacher Coaches: Staff to help foster better reading and writing; mentors who assist teachers in applying technology to curriculum.

Your donation is tax deductible. Many companies will match it. Ask your company, or a PiE rep, if they match. Examples include Adobe Systems, Cisco, Google, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Microsoft, and Yahoo.

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Last year more than 4,000 parents and community members donated to PiE. As a result, PiE gave a record $3.4 million to our schools. This year’s fundraising goal is $3.9 million – why? Public financing can no longer provide the high quality education we expect in our Palo Alto Unified schools. The only way to keep PAUSD programs at their current level (and avoid program cuts like in so many other California school districts), is through PiE funding. PiE works closely with PAUSD to set our PiE fundraising goals, and define target areas at each school like JLS. Strong support-ers of Palo Alto’s public schools understand that a public education is free, but a great education is not.

To raise the critical funds we need to support all our schools including JLS, this year we are asking every family to give $800 for each child enrolled in school.

This suggested donation is neither a minimum nor a maximum. We’re simply asking you to consider a dona-tion that’s significant and meaningful for your family. Every JLS family should give what is right for them. Believe it or not, our neighboring school districts have higher “asks” than Palo Alto:

Los Altos: $1,200 per childMenlo Park: $1,500 per childMountain View: $1,000 per childLas Lomitas: $2,000 per child

Remember, every JLS child benefits from PiE fund-ing. As such, we are hoping to reach 100% participation from the parents at JLS.

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Partners In Education (PiE) and JLS

How to donate?Use the PiE envelope that’s possibly buried in that mountain of back-to-school papers on your kitchen counter. Mail it or drop it in the handy box in the JLS office (where you can also find more envelopes). Donate online. www.papie.org. Credit cards or PayPal are accepted.

Questions? Ask JLS PiE Chairs:Jennifer Mutz, [email protected] (parent of 6th grader)Lisa Steinback, [email protected] (parent of 7th grader)

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What PiE gave to JLS this year:

$236,461


Fundraiser for the Library and Music DepartmentsBooks, Inc. And Kirk’s Steakburger, Wednesday, November 30th, 5-8 p.m.

Please join us at Town & Country Village in Palo Alto on Wednesday, November 30, for a special fund-raising evening for the JLS Library and the Music Department. Both Books, Inc. and Kirk’s Steakburger restaurant

will be donating a percentage of their proceeds back to our school! In addition, the JLS Choirs and Bands will be performing at various times throughout the evening. Come to Books, Inc. between 5 and 8 p.m. (and get some holiday shopping done!) and Books, Inc. will donate 20% of all sales during that time back to JLS. You can make an evening out of it by having dinner at Kirk’s before or after your shopping and Kirk’s will donate 15% of your bill to JLS. Thank you in advance for supporting the library and music departments.

Thank You! We are very grateful to the many parents who are will-ing to give their time and energy to volunteer at JLS. If you are someone who has already helped out at one of our back to school events or activities, please know that we appreci-ate your generous donation of time very much. You help make our school a more enriching place for our staff to teach and our students to learn. In this space, we also want to acknowledge those who have taken it upon themselves to organize events or activities. Thank you all for your commitment to our school!

Jean Goyal, Elizabeth Loinaz—BTS Packet StuffingLouise Valente—JLS Jump Start DayStephanie Youngquist—Panther CampJeeyoung Kim—August Staff LunchJeeyoung Kim—First Day CoffeeShilpa Singhal, Katie Crist—BTS Pizza SocialRuth Gordon, Diane Jakubowski—Parent Ed/41 Developmental Assets WorkshopLynne Drake—8th Grade Honor Roll Celebration Alison Ven Egeren, Kari Sreenivasan— JLS Walk and Roll to School DayGini Ali—Latte Cart BrunchesSonya Bradski—Volunteer Coordination for Hearing/Vision/Scoliosis TestingCharlene Temple—Volunteer Coordination for Dance Chaperones

Thank You to Volunteers and Students It was a wonderful start to the year with our first fam-ily social, the Back to School Pizza Dinner on Sept. 14th. We had a good turnout, and it was great to see new and old faces after a long summer break. The kids and fami-lies connected and had a wonderful time socializing in a very casual environment. Thanks to all the families who attended and made this evening successful. This special event would not have been possible with-out a lot of help from our parent and student volunteers. Thank you to all the parents who took time out from their busy schedules and helped toss the salad and serve the pizza. Great teamwork there! Leadership students did a great job as well, from check-in, to serving the ice cream and cleaning up. Thank you Diana Rodriguez, Diana Molina, Kia Green, Kristen Lee, Michael Werer, Sydney Yu, Anita Silver, Emily Cao, Ellaine Chou, Rahul Sharma, Albert Seo, Alby Leng, Andy Lau, Pieter Digumarthi-Dykstra, Geoffrey Burrows and Apolline Arnaud. Special thanks also to our Leadership teacher, Mrs. Carleton, for coordinating with us and organizing the kids’ volunteer shifts. We hope you enjoyed the evening, I surely did. GO PANTHERS! Please feel free to give any input for next year.Shilpa Singhal, Nancy Smith and Katie Crist, BTS Dinner team

[email protected]

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• The 2012 Many Faces of JLS Needs You! We need you! Many Faces of JLS Potluck, Wednesday, January 18, 2012 5:30-7:30 p.m. Don’t miss this community-building event that also delights your palate. With the diverse cultures repre-sented by our JLS families, we are going to have a fun evening, sampling delicious cuisines from all corners of the world and socializing with other JLS parents/stu-dents. We hope you will even make a few new friends. We need your contribution to make this a successful event. You can be the organizer of a country table, bring dishes of your own native cuisine, or help with setup/cleanup/purchasing. Please sign up using the online form: http://tinyurl.com/4xqeq76. Blank forms are also available in the office. If you have any questions about the event, please contact one of our co-chairs, Cynthia Tham at [email protected]. We are looking forward to celebrating this wonder-fully diverse community with you!!

Many Faces of JLS co-chairs,Dulce Ponceleon, Shanti Srinivasan, and Cynthia Tham

2011 Many Faces International Potluck, by Olga Gary


JLS Science Fair 2012January 25th and 26th Come be a part of this great tradition at JLS, spon-sored by JLS PTA, JLS Science Department, the JLS Administration, and Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Outreach Foundation. The JLS Science Fair is a unique way for students to develop their interest in science as well as to learn and apply scientific methodologies. There were over 480 participants in the 2011 JLS Science Fair, and we hope to match or exceed that enthusiasm this year at our 2-day fun and non-competitive event on Wednesday, January 25th and Thursday, January 26th, 2012. We hope that interested students will apply their creativity and curiosity about the world around them by posing a question in a scientific way, answering it by formulating a hypothesis, designing an experiment, col-lecting and analyzing the data, and finally, arriving at a conclusion. JLS Science teachers work with their students in the classroom to guide their Science projects, which will be presented on poster boards at the science fair. Participants will be given feedback on their posters, but there is no formal judging of the entries. Everyone is a winner by just participating and completing this cycle of scientific experimentation and formulation. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation and will be entered in a raffle for fantastic prizes! Teachers may rec-ommend some projects for the regional Synopsys Science Fair on March 7th, 2012. For more information or to register, go the JLS website http://jlssciencefair.pausd.org/. Register by December 15th to be included in an early registrant drawing. The deadline to register is January 20th. We will be holding Science Fair Student Workshops on November 16th and December 7th in the library from 1:45 – 2:45 p.m. We need of adult volunteers for judging, registra-tion, greeters, refreshments, and community outreach. Without your help, the fair cannot happen. Please contact us if you are interested in helping out.

Peyma Oskoui ([email protected]) andStephanie Youngquist ([email protected])

Science Fair Co-Chairs

Bee Season is coming and hundreds of JLS students will get the bug JLS is holding the National Geographic Geography Bee and the Scripps National Spelling Bee, beginning in November. All 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are encouraged to participate. Mr. Mel Froli, will serve as the mellifluous Master of Ceremonies, bringing his renowned humor and calm to the proceedings! One JLS student went all the way from winning the JLS Geography Bee Championship, to the state, then the national championship in Washington, D.C.

Misnomer, kaleidoscope, and promontory are just a few of the spelling words tackled by almost 200 JLS stu-dents last year during the Scripps National Spelling Bee Preliminary Competition. Both of the Bees have preliminary competitions where all grade levels are encouraged to participate, the Geo Bee on November 16th and the Spelling Bee on December 14th. The Championship Rounds for both the Geo Bee and the Spelling Bee will be televised live on KJLS. Parents who are interested in volunteering as proc-tors for any or all of the competitions should contact Judy Lukensmeyer at [email protected], or Shauna Rockson at [email protected]. We’d appreci-ate the help. Thank you! We hope everyone will beeee involved!


JLS PTA Family Service Date The JLS PTA is planning a Family Service Day for March 2012 in collaboration with Youth Community

Service (YCS). Watch your JLS eNews for how you and your JLS student can par-ticipate. We are looking for student input and parents with connections to nonprofits near JLS who would like to help coordinate

groups of 10-20 students and parents. If you are interested in helping, please contact Megan Fogarty ([email protected]), Nancy Smith ([email protected]), or Christy Weinstein ([email protected]).

November Staff Appreciation Luncheon—Help Needed! The first JLS Staff Appreciation Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Bring your delicious dishes and desserts to show your appreciation to our dedicated JLS teachers and staff for all of their hard work. Questions? Want to help? Please contact the following JLS Staff Appreciation Luncheon coordinators for further information: Huiying Song, Su-Ying Liang, or Betty Yang. Sign-up at: http://goo.gl/lHo9Q.

Ads for Yearbooks for 8th Grade ParentsDear Parents of graduating 8th graders, Would you like to say congratulations to your child this June at graduation? There is an opportunity to do this in our 2012 yearbook! You can upload pictures and a special message or poem to your student! The ads will appear in the yearbook in full color. View layouts and prices on our yearbook publisher’s website:http://www.jostens.com/yearbooks/ybk_cp_ads.html You can submit digital pictures and pay for your ad online. The deadline for posting these ads will be October 30, 2011. If you have any additional questions, please Tracy Devers, at [email protected].

November Staff Appreciation

New Teachers

Mr. Mahle, Drama Mr. Mahle comes to JLS after five years of teaching Drama, Digital Photography, English, Film and Oral Interpretation at Saratoga and Wilcox High Schools. Before that, he worked for various children’s theatres as an actor, director, designer, and teacher. In his spare time, Mr. Mahle likes to indulge his passion for filmmaking by helping with local independent productions in the Bay Area. He’s acted, assistant directed, and provided special makeup effects for film companies such as Civilized Beast and Almaden Films. He also enjoys yoga, small pets, and the original Star Wars trilogy.

Irada Yuzbash, ELD My name is Irada Yuzbash. I am a new ELD teacher at JLS middle school. I was born in the former Soviet Union and lived all my life near the beautiful Caspian Sea. Maybe that’s why when I came to the USA and after changing my address a few times, I decided to settle down in a small coastal town of Pacifica, CA. I wanted to become a teacher of English ever since I’ve heard ABBA’s and Beatles’ songs in high school and fell in love with the sound of English Language. I was not discouraged from pursuing my passion even after I had finally translated their songs into my native language. I went to college in Moscow to become an English teacher. Later, when I came to the United States, I went to college again to get my teaching credential. I have been working with English Language Learners all my adult life and think it is the most rewarding career. In my spare time I like to read, cook, spend time with my family and our puppy Chip, and take long walks along the beach.

Grant Althouse, Administrative TOSA I joined the J.L. Stanford community this year as the Administrative Teacher on Special Assignment and English Language Learner Program Coordinator. I received my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at the University of California, Davis in 2003 and a Masters in Education Administration from Santa Clara University in 2011. Prior to joining JLS I taught fifth grade for eight years at Addison Elementary school and worked on the district’s Equity=Excellence Professional Development training team. Aside from working with students and teachers at JLS, I enjoy playing with my one-year-old son, Rhys, spending life with my wife, Alyssa (a second grade teacher in Palo Alto), listening to and playing music, and hiking in the mountains. I am thrilled to join the experi-enced group of professionals and wonderful community of learners at JLS!

JLS Student Directory The printed JLS Student Directory will be avail-able by October 28. If you haven’t already requested a copy to be sent home with your student, please feel free to stop by the school office to pick up a copy. The directories are provided by the PTA one per JLS household free of charge. For questions, please email [email protected].


Is it Sadness or Depression? - How to Tell the Difference.by Roni Gillenson, LMFT Program Director ACS On Campus Counseling Program

How do we tell the difference between “ within the range of normal” sadness and depression? First, we need to start with the developmentally appropriate range of feeling for a teenager. To quote the medical encyclopedia, for normal teenagers we can expect “sensitivity and con-cern over body issues, excruciating comparisons between oneself and peers, acts of rebellion, conflict with parents, risk-taking behavior, increased risk for depression due to pressures and conflicts that may arise within families or in friendships. If adolescents appear to be isolated from peers, disinterested in school, or deteriorating in performance in school, work, or sports, psychological evaluation may be necessary.” That was quite a mouthful, but, as you can see, there is quite a broad range of normal for teenagers. The issues come about in the gray areas. Someone who is exhibiting extreme behaviors is easy to identify. It is when we are unsure that it becomes more difficult. The major signs of depression are fatigue, heaviness, listlessness; loss of appetite; difficulty concentrating and completing tasks; feelings of shame, worthlessness, inadequacy and incom-petence; lack of sleep; loss of interest in life; withdrawal from friends and family; engaging in self-destructive behavior; expressing desire to harm oneself. Another factor is separating out sadness and depres-sion. Sadness (or grief) is a natural response to loss and the symptoms may seem the same as depression. The major difference with depression is that the person feels that there is something wrong with themselves, “no one likes me, there is something wrong with me.” That usu-ally doesn’t happen with simple grief. Let me tell you about a teenager I am seeing in my private practice. She came in with most of the above symptoms – not eating, not sleeping, feeling as though no one liked her. In fact, she scored high on a depression scale I gave her. What became important for me over time is that she kept coming back each time to the fact that she was lonely. That was her predominant symptom. She said she was not suicidal. She made good use of ther-apy. At first she was quiet and said very little. However, as we continued to meet, she opened up more about her loneliness. I learned, though, that she overemphasized some things. Her perception is that she had no friends, but in conversation, she would name several people that she spoke to. But she said they were not really friends.

Her perception of being lonely was important to listen to, because that is how she was operating, based on her perception. Therapy has helped her see things more realistically – that she actually has friends, but that she may have been misperceiving. She did not need to take anti-depressants as therapy was helping her to improve. Sometimes medication is necessary, but I always try to see if therapy will help alleviate the pain they feel first. Sadness is a part of life, just as is grief over a loss. But when it becomes depression, it is time to take action. If you find that your teen is having difficulty with sadness or depression, do not hesitate to have them con-tact an ACS counselor. Adolescent Counseling Services has therapists on your teen’s campus who are available to help. We also have access to outside resources to help parents to get through this difficult time. Adolescent Counseling Services is a community non-profit, which provides vital counseling services on seven secondary campuses at no charge to students and their families. To learn more about our services please visit the ACS website at www.acs-teens.org or call Chris Chiochios, Site Director at JLS (650) 856-5164. ACS relies on the generosity of com-munity members to continue offering individual, family, and group counseling to over 1,500 individuals annually. ACS provides critical interventions and mental health services, building a better future for tomorrow. If you are interested in helping to support our efforts, do not hesitate to call to make a donation. It goes a long way in helping teenagers find their way!

Breakfast with ACS! Join us for breakfast and learn more

about ACS programs, trends in child and teen mental and emotional health, and hear from our licensed clinical staff about how you can better communicate and interact with any teen in your life. These events are free, but space is lim-

ited. Please RSVP to [email protected] with your name, address, phone number, and the date you would like to attend.□ Wednesday, December 7, 2011 | 8:00-9:30 a.m. |

ACS Corporate Office, 1717 Embarcadero Road, Suite 4000, Palo Alto, CA 94303

□ Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | 8:00-9:30 a.m. | ACS Corporate Office, 1717 Embarcadero Road, Suite 4000, Palo Alto, CA 94303


A conversation starts. Your child is upset. You’re tired. Pretty soon, the conversation heats into an argu-ment. It ends with a door slam and silence. Arguments. We’ve all had them with our children. Sometimes, particularly with our teen children, it may feel like most conversations end with slammed doors. Though it can be challenging to develop the skills, being available for frequent, in depth conversations is an important role we play in our children’s lives – from the time they learn to talk, all the way into adulthood. What we have to do is create an atmosphere of communication – an open door. The trick with open door communication is that we often don’t realize we create invisible closed doors around us. We get preoccupied and don’t pay enough attention. We’re exhausted and nod off as our child is in mid-sentence. We jump to conclusions before our child says things. We assume the worst. We criticize our kids for what they tell us, so they close the door the next time out of fear or resentment. Sometimes there is no communication to begin with, and it’s hard to get your child to say what’s going on in her or his life. Having an open door means having an open mind, an open attitude. It means listening to understand, not to advocate our position. It means being available when our children need us - AND when they don’t. It means taking good care of ourselves so that when our children want to talk, we have open ears and an open heart. Young people who experience positive family com-munication experience higher self-esteem, decreased substance use, less anxiety and depression, and greater school engagement. However, in Palo Alto, only 64% of

5th grade students, 52% of 7th grade students, and 32% of 9th-12th grade students reported in the Developmental Assets 2010 survey that they have positive communica-tion with their parents and are willing to seek advice from them. To help promote this valuable asset, October is Positive Family Communication month in Palo Alto. Establishing positive communication when children are young may help keep the channel open in adoles-cence. But no matter how old your children are, it’s never too late to start! The following questions can help your family. Encourage your child to answer these questions honestly:

Ask caring questions such as: How did band practice go? How was the math test? Was the assembly fun?Ask your child’s advice or opinion about an important matter. If there is a problem at work and you come home upset, let your child know that you are not angry with her or him.

The communication skills that young people develop in their families help set the pattern of how they’ll com-municate for the rest their lives. Teaching your children to communicate effectively with friends, teachers, co-workers, parents, peers, and others is a lasting legacy that you can give to your children. For positive family communication to occur, all fam-ily members must be comfortable sharing their needs, wishes and concerns in an honest and trusting environ-ment without fear of rejection. This article was adapted from of Project Cornerstone’s Asset-a-Month and Search Institute newsletter.

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Developmental Asset of the Month – OctoberPositive Family Communication


ment request form. These forms are located on Mrs. Scherer’s desk in the Guidance office. When children contact the counselor about a prob-lem, they are taking the first steps toward advocating for themselves. Encourage your child to contact the counselor if they have a concern or question. Self-advocacy is the first step toward maturing into an individual who feels empowered when they find solutions to a problem. One of the most important skills a person can learn is how to communicate with others in a positive and constructive manner. One of my missions as a school counselor is to guide students as they develop their abili-ties in interpersonal relationships, to make wise decisions and to problem solve. If you have questions, contact me at 856-5175 or email me at [email protected].

Ryan Ealy, 6th Grade Counselor I’d like to welcome all the new families to JLS. Let me share a little about myself. This is my 5th year working at JLS and the 3rd year I have worked with 6th graders. I will move up with them through 7th and 8th grade. By remaining with the students for three years, the coun-selors are able to know the students well, form solid connections, and are better able to support the students. I went to school at the University of Northern Iowa, where I received a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts. I majored in Communications with an emphasis in public speaking, and minored in Youth Administration. After college I worked at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network as a financial planner. After a year, I decided this was not the career for me. I returned to Northern Iowa where I received a Master’s degree in School Counseling. I currently hold an Iowa Counseling License and Pupil Personnel Services Credential. On April 18, 2009, I became a father. My son, Hayden Michael Ealy, was born at Stanford Hospital. Being a father is the one of the greatest experiences in the world. Being a parent has provided me with a different perspec-tive on life. I not only have my view as a counselor but as a parent as well. This experience has helped me to grow as a person and has made me a better counselor. I believe that middle school can be a difficult time for our youth. The changes from elementary to middle school can be very challenging. This is a time of transition and personal growth. Students are attempting to find their place in middle school and learn the skills needed in life to be successful. Traditionally, students try to break away from the family and place a greater emphasis on their peer relationships. The counselor serves a variety of functions that sup-plement a student’s academic career. Much of my work with students focuses on emotional and social needs, academic awareness, developmental needs, and personal growth. If you have any questions or concerns, I can be reached at 650-856-5174 or [email protected]. Please also check out the Guidance Department website which is linked to the JLS school website, under departments. Thanks for your time and have a great year!

Counselors’ CornerArvind Arya, 8th Grade Counselor Hi! My name is Arvind Arya. I am the 8th grade counselor at JLS. I am excited and thrilled to have this opportunity to work with you and your student. Just so you know a little bit more about me, I am starting my 13th year working as a guidance counselor. I hail from southern California, went to high school in Carlsbad and graduated from U.C. Riverside with my BA in Sociology. I attended Azusa Pacific University, and earned my MA in education along with a credential in school counseling. My first experience counseling was at La Cañada High School, in La Cañada, California. La Cañada is a lit-tle community, similar to Palo Alto, which is just outside of Pasadena. I had a wonderful experience counseling with all grade levels during my tenure there. In the sum-mer of 2006, I got married and relocated to the Bay Area. I worked at Milpitas High School for a year, but decided it was time for a change from the high school level. I love working in middle school! It is very different from high school, but I feel that students are much more moldable and open to learning so many new things in life. I enjoy their youthful enthusiasm. JLS is a great school and I am proud to work here. I have two little children. My daughter, Pria, is 4 years old and my son, Aarav, is 1. In my spare time (when I have some), I like to watch soccer, and basketball. I’m a huge fan of European and English Football (soccer)! I support Arsenal FC and the Lakers! I also enjoy travel-ing to new places and outdoor grilling. At home, I am known as the “King of the Grill.” I have a passion about working with students to help them overcome any obstacles that they may face. This can be academic, personal/ social, or just about anything. Setting goals and working towards them is an impor-tant life-long skill for all our kids. Seeing kids grow into responsible, motivated students is very rewarding to me. If you have any questions or concerns, I can be reached at 650-856-5129. My email is [email protected]. All the best this year and I am looking forward to work-ing with you.

Linda Howard, 7th Grade Counselor Welcome back to another school year. My name is Linda Howard and once again I have the opportunity to be a part of seventh grade as the guidance counselor. I will continue with this class through eighth grade. Remaining with the same class throughout the three years enables the counselors to gain knowledge and establish a connection with their students. This is my 16th year at JLS. During my first five years at JLS, I taught in the sixth grade as a resource special-ist. Before coming to Palo Alto, I taught and worked as a guidance counselor in Texas for 13 years. I have cre-dentials in multiple-subject, special education, and Pupil Personnel Services (school counseling). In addition, I have a Master’s degree in Education in school counseling. How does a student contact the counselor? If a stu-dent wishes to discuss a problem or ask a question of the counselor, they can drop by my office and we can arrange for a time to meet. Students can also fill out an appoint-


Counselors’ CornerImportant Upcoming Event On February 22, 2012, the seventh and eighth grade classes will have the opportunity to watch a live theatri-cal performance called, “Nightmare on Puberty Street.” As a parent of a budding adolescent, you may not think puberty is a laughing matter or something “to sing” about. This performance covers a variety of topics having to do with growing up. The show presents the information with humor and appealing performances with both song and dance. The following is an excerpt from A Parent’s Guide:

“Nightmare on Puberty Street” is an age-appropriate performance about four young people on their journey through adolescence. They learn to cope with the changes affecting their bodies and minds. The frank and sometimes funny program shows students how to cope with many of the issues of puberty, including how to handle pressure to be sexually active, how to build self-esteem, how to avoid drugs and alcohol and where to find help if faced with feelings of depression or thoughts of suicide.

Parental Notification Versions of A Parent’s Guide: Nightmare on Puberty Street are available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. These guides are available for download at:http://net.kp.org/etp/ncal/parents_teachers/nightmare.html You can also Google, “Nightmare on Puberty Street parent’s guide,” to find general information. Around the first week in February, a permission form will be sent home with your child. Please return the form if you do NOT want your child to view the performance. If you have further questions about the play, please e-mail your child’s counselor.

7th grade – Mrs. Howard – [email protected] grade – Mr. Arya – [email protected]

Check Out the LibraryAdopt-a-Book Thank you to all the parents who donated to the JLS Library’s Adopt-A-Book program. Because of your gen-erosity, the library will be able to add additional books to support the many research projects throughout the year. We are also able to buy additional copies of very popular books that keep our JLS students reading. If you would still like to make a contribution, you can do so at any time.

JLS Summer Readers Broke All Records In September, we had two parties to celebrate JLS summer readers. JLS students read over 7800 books last summer. That is a record—over 1000 books more than last year. The eighth graders won for most books read, beating out the sixth graders by about 45 books. This is the first time in eleven years that the eighth grade won. They are an amazing class of readers. This is also their third year to win. Last year they beat out the then sixth graders by 25 books and they won handily when they were sixth graders.

The sixth graders had a fun party to celebrate and everyone got a book of their choice and some loud music and snacks. The seventh and eighth graders had a huge loud party two days later. Thank you to all the parents who helped with our celebrations. We couldn’t do it without you! Reading for pleasure engages the whole brain and creates life-long learners. It has been shown to be one of the best ways to just reduce stress and take a mini-vacation. KEEP TAKING THOSE MINI-BREAKS AND READING, JLS!!!!

JLS Library Volunteers Rock The JLS library has some awesome volunteers who help shelve all the books our students are checking out, repair books, and help organize all our reading and research projects. JLS checks out more books than any other middle or high school in Palo Alto and we couldn’t keep up with the flow without your help. Thank you. If you are interested in helping, stop by the library and talk with Mrs. Wong or Ms. Davis. We welcome your par-ticipation.

Mix It Up LunchBy Ryan Ealy, 6th Grade Counselor

On Tuesday, October 18, 2011, the Guidance Department and BeTcHa Committee (a counselor-led stu-dent activity group) hosted the 5th annual Mix It Up Lunch in the Cafetorium during the students’ scheduled lunch-time (12:25 to 1:00). Mix It Up lunch is a nation-wide project support-ing student efforts to identify, question, and cross social boundaries within their schools and communities. At JLS, we want our students to “mix it up” and leave their com-fort zones. We want them to hang out and interact with students they normally wouldn’t hang out with and learn the importance of building new relationships, diversity, and accepting differences. Research shows that Mix It Up programming really works. According to Mix It Up at Lunch Day organizers who responded to a 2008 survey conducted by Quality Education Data, the Mix It Up program produces powerful results:

97% of respondents said students’ interactions were positive during Mix It Up at Lunch Day.95% of respondents said Mix It Up at Lunch Day promoted students to interact with people outside their normal social circles.92% of respondents said Mix It Up at Lunch Day increased awareness about social boundaries and divisions within school.83% of respondents said the event helped students make new friends.79% of respondents said as a result of the day students have heightened sensitivity towards tolerance and social justice issues.78% of the respondents said as a result of the day students seem more comfortable interacting with different kinds of people.

Source: Mix It Up Survey by Quality Education Data, 2008.

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Music Notes Welcome from the JLS Music Teachers. We have an exciting year planned for all our music students. Thank you to all the families who contributed to the “Adopt An Instrument” fund. It was a huge success and greatly supports our program. Our focus at the beginning of the school year will be on creating good habits (embouchures, hand positions, bow posi-tions, proper breathing, and posture), learning how to rehearse in large groups, and respecting each other’s individual skills. Before we launch into concerts, it is important to renew our basic skills, as these are the crucial building blocks to becoming accomplished musicians. Our performance dates are listed below. Please mark them on your calendar. JLS Advanced Band and Symphonic Band will have their first performance of the year in a combined concert with the Gunn Wind Ensemble on Wednesday, November 2nd at 7:00 p.m. Jazz is “happening” at JLS! Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble have gotten off to a swinging start. Students were selected by audition in early September. Both groups sound great and will perform along with all of the other JLS Bands at the Winter Concert in January. If you need any assistance, please contact your music teacher or Nancy Coffey, Music Coordinator, at the District Music Office at 329-3944 or email [email protected]. We thank you again for your continued support of the music program.

Nancy Coffey, Music Coordinator, [email protected] Miller, Band Director

Angelina Fitzhugh, Band/Choir Director Janet Lynch Gillespie, Orchestra Director

Social Studies Off to a Great Start! This fall, students in JLS Social Studies classes have participated in a wide array of learning experiences from research to field trips to simula-tions. Many classes begin the year with a guiding question or theme that will influence instruction throughout the entire year. In sixth grade, students have begun the year investigating the question “What defines a cul-ture?” Students researched their own cultures through projects including Links to the Past or a Heritage Project. Currently, students are embark-ing on their study of archeology including the study of artifacts both personal and ancient. Students are discovering what these artifacts tell us about various cultures. Beginning in November, classes will begin their study of homi-nids and pre-Agricultural revolution societies. In seventh grade, students are studying the foundations of Islam and the origins of the Islamic Empire. Classes are learning about the Islamic achievements of flight, mathematics, architecture, art, and coins. On October 11th, stu-dents on Team Shakespeare went to the Islamic Science Rediscovered exhibit at the Tech Museum. Students are using this information as well as their own research to prepare for Middle East Night, Nov. 9th 5:00 PM- 6:00 PM in P80. Here, the students will be “selling” products that could be found at a Middle East Bazaar (Marketplace). Team Galileo will be visiting the exhibition at the Tech Museum in November. In eighth grade, students have completed their review of American colonial life through “role-playing.” Students have taken on identities of colonists and have written letters or journals about their experiences in the American colo-nies. Students are currently traveling the “Road to Revolution” and are discussing the British Acts that caused the American colonists to revolt including the Townshend, Tea, and Stamp Acts.

Date Event [email protected] JLS/Gunn Band Concert 7:00 @JLSDec. 14 Orchestra Concert 7:00 @ JLSDec. 7 Choir Concert 7:00 @ JLSJan. 11 Band Concert 7:00 & 8:15 @ JLSFeb. 9 Tour to elementary schools

(Symphonic Band/Orchestra)Feb. 24 Tour to elementary schools

(Advanced Band/Choir)Feb. 23 Orchestra Concert 7:00 @ JLSMarch 7 JLS/Jordan/Terman Combined

Choir Concert7:00 @ JLS

Apr 13/14 CMEA Band Festival at Gunn (Symphonic Band)

Time TBA

May 9 Honor Band/Choir/Orchestra Festival

7:00 @ Gunn

May 11/12 CMEA Choir Festival Time TBAMay 23 Choir Concert 7:00 @ JLSMay 29 Orchestra Concert 7:00 @ JLSMay 30 Band Concert 7:00 & 8:15 @ JLS


Languages Department We are thrilled that so many students at JLS take a language, and in our classes, we hope they see the relevance of their language studies. It is also our job as teachers to help students realize that they are ambassa-dors of the United States when they travel abroad. Our classes at JLS try to prepare the students for the realities of meeting people from around the world and being sensitive to their culture, as we also try to learn their languages. It is this global village that we live in that we are trying to help our students navigate, so they become culturally more aware and sensitive.

Japanese ClassBy Nakajima Sensei Japanese 1A students completed learning 46 Japanese Hiragana alphabet and are going to learn Katakana, while 1B students are learning how to type Japanese on the computer. Here are some upcoming events in Japanese class. We are going to host 16 Japanese students from our sister city Tsuchiura in March, 2012. If anyone is inter-ested in hosting, let [email protected] know. There will be a few spots for non Japanese Language students to host. In class, we have many exciting activities that we do. We will be making kites. Our friendship kites are designed by the Superintendent of Tsuchiura City. We use newspaper, bamboo sticks and scotch tape. We also plan to visit the Asian Art Museum and Japan Center. Before the holidays, students will make sushi during class. Almost every Friday, we fold Origami and learn to create different things out of one sheet of paper. As you can see, learning Japanese is so much more than just language!

Correspondance InternationaleBy Madame Kandell If you pass room 450 on any given day, you might be lucky enough to hear French 1A and 1B students sing-ing in French. It’s a daily activity in French class – from grammar songs to contemporary music – and it keeps class lively. Aside from the regular things that all the lan-guage students at JLS learn, this year the French students are participating in two letter exchanges. We recently wrote our introductory letters—in French of course—to our new pen pals at a school in France that is about 2 hours north east of Paris. I have never seen students determined to write as accurately as they were when writing these letters. There was great excitement in the room as they figured out what they wanted to say and they were pleasantly surprised that they could say what they wanted to say in French! Now we eagerly await the French students’ responses so we can learn about them, their city, their language and their culture through their letters. A second exchange we are just beginning is with a Peace Corps Volunteer stationed in Senegal. She has a blog that we have started reading in class, and we are

getting a taste of what it is like to live in French-speaking West Africa. We hear about the highs and the lows, the adventure and the daily grind of life in a small village in Senegal. Our Peace Corps Volunteer is trying to set up a correspondence, in French of course, between students in the school in her village and our JLS students. We are worlds apart, but I think we’re going to find out how much we all have in common!

Forget the Computer for a WhileBy Senorita Devers

My 8th grade students donned “bufandas” (scarves), ”gorritas” (berets), and “paraguas” (umbrellas) in order to learn new vocabulary this past September in Spanish. We had not done this as a group before, and it was a new and glamorous way to practice the many new words we were learning this quarter revolving around weather and clothing. I was surprised to see how much they embraced the activity, and had fun strutting down the pretend runway in my classroom. It is wonderful to see the expressions and excitement that using realia in the classroom brings, and I truly believe my students will remember these words in the future, as we used this hands-on method of learning to bring the curriculum to life. In early November we will be celebrating the Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) in the 7th and 8th grade Spanish classes. This is one of our favorite holidays as we get out the brightly painted wooden altar and decorate it with candles, paper maché skulls, and crepe paper marigolds. Last year many students chose to try making Pan de Muerto or Bread of the Dead at home, which is a Mexican sweetbread typically made at this time of year. If you do not know much about this holiday, it is celebrated throughout Mexico on November 1st and 2nd. The people remember their loved ones who have passed away. It is not to be celebrated in a somber manner, but is a colorful celebration with music, food, and laughter.


August 29, 2011

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Currently enrolled 6th grade students will be required to show proof of having received the Tdap booster shot on or after their 7th birthday before they will be allowed entrance into the 7th grade.

Due to a NEW IMMUNIZATION LAW (Assembly Bill 354), as of July 1st, 2011, your student will be required to show proof of a Tdap BOOSTER SHOT* (Pertussis/whooping cough vaccine) BEFORE starting 7th grade.

If your child has not received the Tdap booster, we highly recommend you contact your health care provider or clinic to receive the vaccination as soon as possible (please see below). Please mail, email, fax or bring proof of immunization to the Central Attendance Office by May 1st, 2012. Fax: 650-321-4525 Email: [email protected].

If your child has already received a Tdap booster on or after their 7th birthday, please mail, email, fax or bring documentation to the Central Attendance Office by May 1st, 2012.

All immunization records must be signed or stamped by a licensed health care provider or clinic.

Students entering 7th grade WILL NOT BE ALLOWED SCHOOL ENTRANCE unless they meet this requirement.

Tdap vaccinations are available at your health care provider and local clinics including: Alternating Wednesdays

8:30 - 5:00

MayView Community Health Center 270 Grant Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306 650-327-8717

Alternating Wednesdays

8:15 - 11:30 & 1:00 - 3:00

MayView Community Health Center 100 Moffett Blvd. #101 Mountain View, CA 94043 650- 965-3323

Call for times, dates and locations

Mobile Health Van Redwood City 650-573-2786

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

1:00 - 5:00

Ravenswood Family Health Center ages 3-18 1798-A Bay Rd. East Palo Alto, CA 650-330-7400

Monday-Friday

8:30 - 11:00 & 1:00 - 3:00

Sequoia Teen Wellness Center ages 12-21 200 James Avenue Redwood City, CA 94062 650-366-2927

If your child does not have health insurance, free/low cost insurance is available through Medi-Cal 800-541-5555, Healthy Families/Healthy Kids 1-800-880-5305, and Kaiser Child Health Plan 800-464-4000.

Your child’s health is very important to us. If you have any questions please call me at 650-329-3766.

Sincerely,

Linda Lenoir, R.N. MSN District Nurse

* “Tdap”= Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine.

PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 25 Churchill Avenue • Palo Alto, California 94306

DISTRICT NURSE LINDA LENOIR, R.N. MSN Phone: 650-329-3766 Fax: 650-321-4525 [email protected]

29 de Agosto, 2011

Estimados Padres y Apoderados,

A los estudiantes del 6º grado se les pedirá prueba de que hayan recibido el refuerzo de la vacuna Tdap en su 7º cumpleaños o después para que puedan entrar al 7º grado.

Debido a una NUEVA LEY DE VACUNAS (Decreto 354), a partir del 1º de julio, 2011, a su estudiante se le pedirá que muestre pruebas de un REFUERZO DE LA VACUNA Tdap* (Pertussis/tos ferina) ANTES de comenzar el 7º grado.

Si su hijo(a) no ha recibido el refuerzo Tdap, le recomendamos que se comunique con su proveedor de salud o clínica para recibir la vacuna lo más pronto posible (por favor ver abajo). Por favor envíen su prueba de la vacuna por correo, por correo electrónico, por fax o tráiganla en persona a la Oficina de Registros (Central Attendance) el 1º de mayo del 2012 o antes. Número de fax: 650-321-4525. Correo electrónico: [email protected].

Si su hijo ya ha recibido el refuerzo Tdap en su 7º cumpleaños o después, por favor envíe la documentación por correo, por correo electrónico, por fax o tráiganla en persona a la Oficina de Registros (Central Attendance) el 1º de mayo del 2012 o antes.

Todos los registros de vacunas deben ser firmados o sellados por un proveedor de salud autorizado.

A los estudiantes que entran al 7º grado NO SE LES PERMITIRA ENTRAR A LA ESCUELA a menos de que hayan cumplido con este requisito.

Las vacunas Tdap están disponibles donde su proveedor de salud y en las clínicas locales incluyendo: Miércoles alternos

8:30 - 5:00

MayView Community Health Center 270 Grant Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306 650-327-8717

Miércoles alternos

8:15 - 11:30 & 1:00 - 3:00

MayView Community Health Center 100 Moffett Blvd. #101 Mountain View, CA 94043 650- 965-3323

Llamen para preguntar horarios, fechas y locaciones

Clínica Móvil de la Salud Redwood City 650-573-2786

Lunes, miércoles y viernes

1:00 – 5:00

Ravenswood Family Health Center edades 3-18 1798-A Bay Rd. East Palo Alto, CA 650-330-7400

Lunes-Viernes

8:30 - 11:00 & 1:00 - 3:30

Sequoia Teen Wellness Center edades 12-21 200 James Avenue Redwood City, CA 94062 650-366-2927

Si su hijo no tiene seguro médico, hay seguro médico disponible gratis/a bajo costo a través de Medi-Cal 800-541-5555, Healthy Families/Healthy Kids 1-800-880-5305, y el Plan de Salud Kaiser Child 800-464-4000.

La salud de su hijo es muy importante para nosotros. Si tienen alguna pregunta por favor llámenme al 650-329-3766.

Atentamente,

Linda Lenoir, R.N. MSN Enfermera del Distrito

* “Tdap”= Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine.

PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 25 Churchill Avenue • Palo Alto, California 94306

DISTRICT NURSE LINDA LENOIR, R.N. MSN Phone: 650-329-3766 Fax: 650-321-4525 or 650-833-4265 [email protected]

7 W JLS Choir Concert, 7 pm12 M Site Council meeting, 3:30 pm14 W JLS Orchestra Concert, 7pm16 F District-wide Minimum Day, 12:25 pm

dismissalDec. 19-Jan. 2 Winter Break, NO SCHOOL

January5 Th PTA Executive Board meeting, 8:15 am6 F Panther Tracks deadline9 M Parent Visitation Day Site Council meeting, 3:30 pm10-11 Tu-W Scoliosis Screening11 W JLS Band Concert, 7 pm16 M MLK, Jr. Day, NO SCHOOL18 W Many Faces of JLS, 5:30 pm 19 Th End of First Semester 6th grade Wheel 3 ends Drama performance, 7 pm20 F Local Holiday, NO SCHOOL23 M 6th grade Wheel 4 begins24 Tu 6th grade & small group pictures25-26 W-Th Science Fair

Palo Alto Council of Parent Teacher AssociationJane Lathrop Stanford Middle School 480 East Meadow Drive Palo Alto, CA 94306www.jls.pausd.org Main Office: 650-856-5188 Fax: 650-856-3248Change Service Requested

Non-Profit OrgU.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 18Palo Alto, CA

To do (details inside):

Go to “burgers and books” fundraiser on Nov

30th (p. 5)

Volunteer for “Faces of JLS” potluck (p. 5)

Help with Bees and Science Fair (p. 6)

Bring food to teacher luncheon (p. 7)

Create 8th grade yearbook ad (p. 7)

Breakfast with ACS (p. 8)

Note music events (p. 12)

Help the library (p. 11)

It’s not too late to donate to PiE! (p. 4)

Verify Tdap for 6th graders (p. 12, 14)

CalendarOctober26 W 7th grade Cell Models display28 F “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” drama

performance, 7 pm29 Sa “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” drama

performance, 2 pm & 7 pm

November2 W JLS/Gunn Band Concert, 7 pm3 Th PTA Executive Board meeting, 8:15 am11 F Veterans’ Day, NO SCHOOL14 M Site Council meeting, 3:30 pm16 W PTA General Meeting, 8:15 am17 Th Parent Visitation Day18 F 6th grade Wheel 2 ends21 M 6th grade Wheel 3 begins23-25 W-F Thanksgiving Holiday, NO SCHOOL29-30 Tu-W Vision Screening30 W “Book Shop Night” at Books, Inc., 5-8 pm

December1 Th PTA Executive Board meeting, 8:15 am2 F JLS Dance, 7-9:30 pm

Panther Tracks -...

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