Fall 2013, Volume XXVIII, No. 1Published by Peterson Middle School PTSA • Santa Clara Unified Council • Sixth District •

California PTASusan E. Harris, Principal • Leslie Kloes, PTSA President • Margit Look Henry, Editor

http://pms-scusd-ca.schoolloop.com/everychild.onevoice.

Principal’s CornerDear Family and Friends of Peterson Middle

School,GRATITUDE. Finally, we are getting settled after a somewhat chaotic start to our school year! I'd like to officially RECOGNIZE and THANK the administrative support from Wilcox and Santa Clara High Schools (Mrs. Bonnie Billings, Mr. Mike LaFleur, Mr. Gregory Shelby, and Mr. Tony Lam) who helped to re-build our school's master schedule after much of it was "lost" in our SIS program. I'd also like to thank Mrs. Virginia Rios (SCHS registrar) for printing out all of our student schedules, Mrs. Sonia Martin (retired counselor) who worked at Peterson for five weeks, assisting with the master schedule and working with the many student schedule changes at the beginning of this school year. I'd also like to thank 6th grade teacher, Mr. Aaron Schomberg, for his time and efforts in re-shuffling the 6th grade math schedules. Thank you to Mrs. Dolores Clifford (retired registrar) who helped open the school year, with student and parent registration packets, who also translated for our families who speak Spanish, and welcomed new Pirates to our school. In addition, a special thanks to Buchser Middle School counselors, Mrs. Brenda Goldstein and Mrs. Tracy Wong, who helped with our 6th grade student schedules and homeroom teachers. Honestly, it was crazy…but I learned a lot myself as a school principal. I'd also like to thank the staff who took time to take part in the interviewing process for our new vice principal and counselors (Mrs. Morales, Ms. Piscionere, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Syth, Mr. Griffin). My husband, Mr. Harris, was patient with me during this stressful time, and understanding with all of my hours on weekends and late nights to "get 'er done”, so thank you to him too. Most people don't know how much work is involved in creating and maintaining a master schedule, and when changes occur, and with our school being short-staffed, it was very overwhelming at times. But because of our hard-working and dedicated staff, the support from our district and retired employees, it didn't look that way "on the outside." And for that…I am full of gratitude.

Now, onto our students…and the great things that are beginning to take shape at Peterson! First off, this is one of the best groups of students at all grade levels that I've seen over the past six years at Peterson. All students, and I mean ALL, have been so respectful, polite, and focused on their purpose here at school. It has been especially pleasant in getting to know them (and watch them grow) as they become acclimated in their new roles as students at Peterson. These past few weeks, many afterschool clubs and sports have been in full swing, and a large number

Get in the Loop!

The School Loop "Gradebook" program is a wonderful new part of School Loop! If you haven't registered on School Loop, go to Peterson's website and do it today! It's easy!Check your child's grades daily, or have emails sent regularly so that you know what's going on with your child.

After School Clubs, Homework Support, and More!

This year we are excited to offer a variety of extracurricular programs for our students. See the last section for more information, and feel free to check with your child’s counselor for any questions or concerns about your child’s progress. This information is also on our school website!

Mrs. Harris

of students are taking part in extracurricular activities at our school. With the opening of the school year, students have been "assessed" in their writing skills (Writing PBA days in September), math skills (class tests and NWEA assessment), and for our 6th graders, their reading comprehension skills (NWEA assessment). NWEA stands for Northwest Evaluation Association, and is an online assessment that is able to analyze critical thinking abilities. This is important as we continue the shift in our statewide assessment (phasing out STAR and CST scores––this will be our last year administering STAR) to the new, Smarter Balanced test. The Smarter Balanced test will assess students in the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and NWEA testing is aligned with CCSS. The data that is generated from these assessments will help us prepare Peterson students as we go through this systematic change. This year’s Parent Workshop on Digital Safety and Safe Routes to School with Mr. Masur, Sunnyvale's Officer Todd Fekete, and Alice Kawaguchi is coming up! We look forward to seeing you on October 3rd at 6:30pm for a great presentation on how to support technology in the home, what to do if students are bullied or harassed with electronic devices, and overall digital safety. Parents will be provided with various scenarios of how the misuse of technology can impact a child’s social and emotional well-being. This workshop will follow the student assembly on digital safety. We will also meet Alice Kawaguchi and learn how we can better promote more students walking and biking to school, and promoting student safety when coming to and leaving our campus.

Thank you to our PTSA and parent volunteers who are helping with our educational programs, school wide events, in addition to promoting fundraising for new technology. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This new technology will absolutely give our students and staff the opportunity to excel in school! We also appreciate your helpful support with our school events (Registration, Pirate Camp, Picture Day, Magazine Drive, 6th Grade Socials, 7th/8th Grade Dance, and Health Screening needs)! I am truly grateful to be working with such an incredible group of people!

If you haven’t had the chance to become a member of Peterson’s PTSA, please do so at your earliest convenience (envelopes are available in the front office). Peterson and our PTSA have a great partnership and working relationship, always in the best interest of our students. It has been a pleasure in getting to know many of you! And welcome back to our returning families! I will continue to do my best in solving problems, and supporting the very wonderful students, staff, and educational community that exists here at Peterson Middle School. Please be sure to regularly check our website, and read all of the wonderful things going on at our school. And always, feel free to contact me if you have any thoughts or concerns.

Yours truly, Mrs. Harris

408-423-2801

Email sharris@scusd.net

Website: http://pms-scusd-ca.schoolloop.com/principalmessage

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Educational Classes and After School Farm Club Suspended

A Message From Charlie Key, General Manager:

This past month, all of us at the farm have evaluated how the farm has been operating for the past six years, and have seen the need to make some adjustments to solidify our farm’s future. While I’ve been volunteering at our farm for over three years, I have been in the General Manager’s role as a volunteer for just a few weeks. As with any changes, things usually are a bit messy at first, then time and effort sort things out.

We’ve made some very positive accomplishments this past year. Our vegetable and fruit production has never been better. From seeding in the greenhouse to harvesting to marketing, we have exceeded what we’ve ever done in the past. For this I give credit to our strong team of employees and volunteers who have worked well together in a coordinated manner. Our internship program has received kudos from both San Jose State and Santa Clara Universities. Some of our interns have continued to work alongside our farm crew well after fulfilling their program requirements. We are currently working with seventeen local corporations that regularly send out groups of volunteers. These folks have been major contributors in helping us weed, plant, and harvest. We have a successful compost program, using expired plants and vegetables from our plots and converting the waste into material that enriches our soil-truly a “full circle” arrangement. Our soil has responded by producing a record crop of vegetables. And our orchard, one of the first things planted when the farm began, has finally matured, with trees coming into peak bearing years.

Amidst all these successes, we also face some challenges. We are rebuilding our Board of Directors. Some folks who have been with our farm from the beginning have decided to move on. We have some excellent Board candidates in the wings, however. We expect to have our new Board installed and working over the next month or so.

The other challenge we’re dealing with is funding. The sale of our fruits and vegetables simply cannot cover our entire budget; in a textbook model for a nonprofit organization of our size, it is never expected to do that. To fill that gap, we rely on grants and contributions. This past year, we realized less than a third of what we projected to complete our budget in grants and contributions. That has been crippling. We have had to make big cuts in our education program. Our staff has been reduced and those remaining are working on reduced wages. To make up for this shortage, and to maintain our farm’s productivity, our staff has chosen to work long hours without pay. Due to the lack of volunteers, we have had to cut back our farm stand hours. We’ve taken a serious look at any other fixed costs that we can eliminate or streamline, and implemented those changes. The survival of our farm is at stake.

I think that we’ll come through this as a stronger and more efficient organization. Our prospective board members have committed to a strong fundraising effort for the coming year. We have the best farm team, committed to making our farm succeed and prosper.

How can you help? First of all, we ask for your patience. Second, if you’re able to assist us with any size contribution,

it would be greatly appreciated. You can donate on our web site or directly at the farm. While large contributions from corporations have helped us with major projects in the past, smaller contributions from individuals are truly what keep the vegetables growing at Full Circle.

Our farm has been around for almost seven years. We want to continue to be an asset to our community and provide the food and esthetic oasis many of you have told us we are. With your help and the strong team we have, we’ll continue in that role. If you haven’t been by the farm recently, or if I haven’t had the chance to meet you, I’m at the farm each weekday from 9-4. I welcome the chance to introduce myself and talk with you about our farm. We are also open both weekend days, so if you’d like to just come out and walk around, please feel welcome.

Thank you again for all of your support.Charlie KeyGeneral Manager, Full Circle Farm

2013 STAR Testing Preliminary Results

Based upon our preliminary STAR testing results, Peterson continued to do very well this past spring!! Peterson's [preliminary] API Score is 885, which is an increase of 7 growth points, even though our student data stayed relatively the same (slight decrease in both English-Language Arts and Math scores). According to our data, last year's 6th grade students showed the biggest academic growth in both English-Language Arts and Mathematics by 5% (which is a lot!). Peterson's Hispanic students showed academic growth in English-Language Arts by 3%, which is awesome! Peterson's 8th Grade History-Social Science scores had a second year of 5% improvement, and 8th Grade Science improved 1%, which is impressive! This shows that students are proficient or advanced at many of the content standards that are covered in the STAR tests. Congrats to both our students and staff for a job well done! WAY TO GO Peterson!

School Site Council WelcomesLillian and Eva Kwiatkowski,

Michael and Joe Pilawski

Thank you to those parents who turned in a ballot for the SSC election at Back to School Night. Representing 6th grade parents and students will be Mrs. Kwiatkowski and Joe Pilawski! We are sad to announce that 8th grade SSC representatives Mrs. Rose Mausling and Courtney Mausling are moving to a new state, but are grateful that alternates Eva Kwiatkowski and Michael Pilawksi are ready to come on board! We look forward in working with you in the development of our Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), and planning how to best meet the needs of our students!

News from Our Vice Principal

What an amazing community we have! We have a wonderful group of students and parents, a caring and competent staff, and a beautiful campus to come to everyday. As I get to know the students and parents at Peterson a little better, the more impressed with our community I become.

The more I meet with the students, and listen to their concerns, the more I sense that they are trying to find the meaning of life. It seems so simple, yet it is not when we are stuck in the middle––Middle School, that is. Not only are good grades, a good night’s sleep, regular exercise and a healthy diet important, but also important are: growing up with positive experiences and a having sense of purpose. Combined, all of this helps us maintain balance.

With that in mind, here are ten quick things anybody can do to remain positive and start the day on the right foot. This is how we build an asset in a young person’s life. It is so easy. Try it out!

1. Smile2. Smile and make eye contact3. Smile, make eye contact and stand tall4. Greet people politely: Say Hi, Hello, Good to see you,

Good morning…5. Introduce yourself: “My name is ____,” What’s yours?”

Shake hands firmly.6. Ask: “How’s it going?” “What’s new?”7. Listen. Listen, and keep listening.8. Be nice. Give someone a compliment.9. Ask a question––start with how or why. Example: How

is your day? Why are you thinking that?10. Positively reward someone for doing the right thing.

Example: “Hey, nice job on your math test. Let me buy you an ice cream.”

Remember: Our experiences, values, relationships, opportunities and competencies make a difference and help build family and community.

Sincerely,Mr. Masur408-423-2802

Counseling Corner

Hello, Peterson families! I'm really excited for the opportunity to work with your students this year. Middle school is my favorite age group and it's a real honor to be working in this community. If I told you that I knew I wanted to be a COUNSELOR since I was in 3rd grade, would you believe me!? It's true. When I was in 3rd grade, I was on the Conflict

Resolution Team at my

From the Editor:As you can see from everything that is going on at Peterson from within these pages, it’s going to be a great year! We hope you enjoy the beautiful graphics in our Student Clubs Guide this year. Thank you to Ms. Branch and her art students for making these pages so appealing. Stay tuned, students, for more opportunities to contribute!Margit Look Henry

Ms. Clark

Mr. Masur

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You will need your students User Name and Birthdate to view your student’s results.

For more information about this program, please join the Peterson counselors for an 8th Grade Parent Education Night at Peterson on Thursday, November 21st. Education studies show that the sooner a student has a career direction, the more successful they will be in high school.

Heidi RunolfsonSB70 Grant CoordinatorSanta Clara Unified School District408-423-2103

A Word from Our ASB President

Right now, leadership is bustling with activities. One year-long project we have been working on is Safe Routes to School. Safe Routes is an organization devoted to getting students to ride, roll, or walk to school. Leadership students have just presented to classes about helmet safety and the importance of protecting your brain. On October 9th, it is International Walk or Ride to School Day. Please encourage

your family to walk or roll to school on the 9th.

We held our first 7th/8th grade dance on September 27th, selling over 150 tickets. The decorations were sports motivated, but sports attire was not mandatory. Another project is Anti Bully Week, which took place from October 1st to the 4th. Bullying is a problem nationwide, so we are trying to stop it at our school. One other week leadership is working on promoting is Red Ribbon Week, which will be from October 21st to 25th. Red Ribbon Week is a national week that promotes a drug free lifestyle.

A couple fundraisers that we want to mention are the Jamba Juice and Box Tops. We are happy to be partnered with Jamba Juice and be able to sell them to our students every Tuesdays after school. We earn 20% of all proceeds which go towards school activities. Another major fundraiser that is all year long is the Box Tops; we are currently taking donations of box tops which can be found on most boxes. The student store is also open, led by our treasurer, Mayank Killedar. We are finishing up with our magazine drive, which was extended to the 27th of September.We also are grateful to be working to collect items for the Humane Society. The official drive is September 24th–27th, but we will accept items as late as October 4th. Please help support an animal in need.

The ASB Officers and Leadership committee are working hard to support the students. We hope to build a stronger community within our school and make a true difference.

Thank you,Brandon Washington, ASB President

Vice President, Lindsey LaughlinTreasurer, Mayank KilledarSecretary, Rachel RatnamMember at large, Stephanie CheeLeadership Teacher, Ms.McCole

elementary school. That was many, MANY years ago but I loved helping people so much that I made it my career!

I've been working in the field of education since 2000 and I've worked at middle and high schools, a large non-profit organization and in the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Working on a school campus with students and families is where important work happens and I'm proud to do this work at Peterson. It's already been an exciting few weeks and I look forward to rest of the year. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I look forward to meeting you all very soon!

Ms. Clark: 6th Graders – A-L, and all 7th Graders, call 408-423-2811 or email kclark@scusd.net

Greetings! We are off to a great start this year and look forward to meeting and working with all of your students. Our office is

open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15pm, Monday through Friday, and we welcome the opportunity meet with parents, guardians and students at any time to answer questions or to provide guidance. Our focus this year is to strengthen our communication with students, parents and teachers and to be proactive in an effort to identify potential areas of concern before they become more serious problems. We are currently working on getting all of the Peterson intervention programs up

and running so that those students who might benefit will have the opportunity to participate in them early on in the school year. Please do not hesitate to call us or to contact us via email at any time. We look forward to meeting you and working together so that your student has the most positive school experience possible.

Ms. Kirk: 6th Graders ––M-Z, all 8th Graders, call 408-423-2803 or email kkirk@scusd.net

SCUSD College and Career Planning8th Grade Parents:

Welcome to your students final year of middle school! Eighth grade is a time when students are preparing for high school and beginning to look at their future.To assist them with career exploration, Peterson Middle School Staff will have your student register for our online career exploration tool Kuder Navigator. Students will have lifetime access to their account. Over the next month, your student will take Interest and Skill Assessments. The results of these assessments are meant to help students look at various career clusters that align with their skills, interests and goals for high school and beyond.It is encouraged that you register for a “Parent Account” so you can view and discuss your student’s assessment results. Did you know that 78% of students say that one or both parents are primarily responsible for helping plan for a career? Go to www.scusd.kuder.comClick on New Users Register Here in the upper right cornerOn New User page, select Parent of a student under the age of 18 and Continue.Fill out your personal information and agree to the Terms and Conditions.Once in the system, select Studio Portfolio.

Ms. Kirk

BrandonWashington

Ice Cream Social Celebrates Start of School

It was raining Skittles, M&Ms and marshmallows at Peterson's 1st annual Ice Cream Social where families enjoyed sundaes to celebrate the beginning of a new school year!

Peterson's PTSA was happy to host over 300 people and served free sundaes to everyone who brought in their PTSA membership forms. Congratulations to Jean Clothier the winner of the free iPod 4 touch!

Thank you to the intrepid work of Renate Harrison, VP of Membership, we received recognition on the California PTA website for this great event. You can check it out on their Facebook post for September 23rd: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaPTA We want to thank SCUSD Superintendent, Stanley Rose, for attending as well as our wonderful school administrators for showing their support. We appreciate all the Peterson alumni who helped set up, collect memberships, and welcome guests at the door, and all the parent volunteers who scooped and cleaned, and scooped some more. A very special thank you to our teachers for sprinkling on the toppings and giving our students a chance to greet them outside of the classroom. Finally, we are also grateful to all the members of our community who attended this event and joined the PTSA!

Amy Edwards, and Kate AndersonIce Cream Social Chairs

Scholastic Book Fair a Success!

This Fall's Book Fair held during Back-to-School Week made over $4,000.00. We had wonderful help from our Leadership students in Mrs. McCole's class. With some of the profit, your PTSA bought over $1,300.00 worth of books for the teachers and library, plus generous parents and students bought an additional 67 books for the teachers from their Classroom Wish Lists! A big thank you to the parents that volunteered their time to come help at lunch and after school, plus the evening of Back-to-School Night. We will be back in the spring for Open House. Hope we see you there!

Amy KentBook Fair Coordinator

PTSA Membership: Every Child, One Voice

Joining PTSA demonstrates to your child, the teachers and the school the importance you place on education. Already 534 people at Peterson have already signed on.

Some of you might be thinking you do not need to be so involved anymore now that your student is in middle school; quite the opposite is true. Less hands-on help in the classroom is required but during these critical years when children reach out and discover new horizons, it is even more important to have a strong insight into the framework of the institution and community that you are sending them to every day.

Join today! Membership envelopes are in the office and dues are $7 per member per year. Thank you.

Renate Harrison Membership Chair

President’s Message

Dear Peterson Families,Welcome back to school! I would like to acknowledge ALL of the parent (and student)

volunteers who helped out on campus during the last two weeks of August. If you came in to stuff registration packets, help with residency verification, work at Pirate Camp, distribute student schedules or just serve as an extra set of hands where needed…THANK YOU! Whether you volunteer one hour a week or one hour all year long, collectively your efforts have made and continue to make a difference for our students, school and community.

Last month the California State PTA adopted a new mission statement: The mission of the California State PTA is to positively impact the lives of all children and families. It’s short and sweet but I think it accurately reflects the work that we do here at Peterson.

In addition, our own Peterson Middle School PTSA adopted four goals that will drive our efforts this year:1. Provide Parent Education & Community Building

Opportunities for All Peterson Families2. Increase Diversity of PTSA Membership & Volunteers3. Improve Communication by Expanding Use of Web-Based

Communication & Volunteer Management Tools4. Provide Financial Resources to Support Student Access to

Current Technology in the Classrooms, Computer Labs and Library

Please read on to learn how we are making progress in these areas. Better yet, join PTSA, sign up to volunteer, make a direct donation to support technology, attend a parent education event and help us realize our goals!

With my warmest wishes for a successful and fun school year,Leslie KloesPeterson PTSA President

A Hearty Thank You, Mateys!

Our many volunteers have come forward to help out this first month of school! Since the Peterson Office opened at the beginning of August, we have had over 150 pirate parents, alumni, and students help with many events and activities. Thank you, amazing volunteers! You help make Peterson the great place it is!

If you are interested in volunteering during the school year, please stop by the office for a Volunteer Packet. As required by the district, most, if not all, volunteer opportunities require you to have paperwork on file, including a negative TB test and a copy of your driver's license. We have some great activities coming up: Red Ribbon Week, Career Day, Reflections judging, and the Turkey Trot! Come on out and be a part of the Peterson Community!

Barbara FritschenPTSA Volunteer Coordinator barbfritschen@yahoo.com

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PTSA News

Staying Informed at Peterson

There are THREE primary means of electronic communication. Make sure that you are signed up for all of them as each has a slightly different purpose!

School Loop: This is the official district-wide means of communication. Once you are registered, you can access your

student’s grades and attendance, communicate directly with your child’s

teachers and receive important information via periodic emails from the principal. You can even opt in to receiving a daily email that lists assignments due and academic progress to date! To register for School Loop, go to the Peterson Middle School homepage http://pms-scusd-ca.schoolloop.com and scroll down to the bottom and click on Login at the bottom of the page. You will need your student’s permanent ID number in order to create an account.

Just Between Friends (JBF): JBF is the Peterson PTSA’s primary means of communication with parents, whether or not they are PTSA members. You will receive notices of events and opportunities to volunteer. Our request for volunteers notices will take you directly to a link where you can sign up for a shift AND receive reminder emails! Go to www.justbetweenfriends.com and enter the invitation code 8822tok to create/update your household information. PTSA will NOT share your information and you may control your privacy settings. Your account will not be activated until you respond to the email validation request. Please check your spam filters to allow messages from www.justbetweenfriends.com.

Peterson Parents Yahoo Group: This is a neighborhood-based email group not officially affiliated with any particular organization. However, it provides a forum for asking school-related questions and posting information of interest to fellow Peterson families. To subscribe, send an email to mailto:Peterson_parents-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and identify yourself as a Peterson parent.

More Ways to Support Peterson Middle School!

Sign up or renew your participation in the following programs that contribute a percentage of your purchases to Peterson Middle School every time you shop!

With eScrip, merchants contribute a percentage of your purchases to Peterson. There are no receipts to collect, no vouchers or certificates to buy!

Register your Safeway Club Card to earn contributions from Safeway/Vons and register your credit cards to earn from other merchants! Earn when you shop online too at hundreds of the biggest online retailers including Amazon, Apple, Home Depot, Macy’s and more! Just start your shopping from www.shopping.escrip.com

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“Believe, Dream, Inspire”With Reflections

The PTA Reflections Program is a chance to express yourself in: Musical Composition, Dance Choreography, Film Production,Literature, Visual Arts and Photography.

Reflections helps everyday kids come out and show their stuff. I’ve entered in past years and have enjoyed my experience with this program, so I encourage everyone to give it a try. Show the world your thoughts through one of the above categories and have fun! All entries will be due October 16th.

Check Peterson’s website at http://tinyurl.com/Peterson-PTSA-Reflections for rules, instructions and entry form. You can also view a gallery of last year’s national award-winning entries at http://www.capta.org/sections/programs/reflections.cfm. Brooke Soares, Senior Class President at Wilcox HS, former Peterson ASB Treasurer

Great Idea for a Reflections Theme?

The winner for the 2015–16 school year will be selected in January 2014 and will receive $100 from National PTA and recognition at the 118th Annual PTA Convention. The Entry Form submission due date is November 1st, 2013 via postal mail to: California State PTAAttn: Reflections Theme Search2327 L StreetSacramento, CA 95816

For theme search student entry form and a list of past themes visit: www.capta.org/sections/programs/reflections.cfm

Direct Donation Drive: WOW!

Peterson parents are amazing. We are only in the first quarter of the school year and we are at $17,104. We have surpassed our $15,000 Direct Donation goal. Let’s keep going! If you are able, please send your donation to the office or your child’s teacher. If you are in the office, check out our Peterson Pirate Treasure Chest! Please remember to contact me if your company will match your funds. Tracy Warman-Griestracy1g@gmail.com

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New to eScrip? Follow these simple steps to register:• Go to www.eScrip.com and sign up• Group Name: Peterson Middle School, Group ID: 6628503• Register your grocery store card (like your Safeway card) (TIP: If

you don’t know your Safeway card number, call Safeway at 877-723-3929 and they will retrieve it.)

• Register other credit cards (like Visa, MasterCard, AMEX)

Already signed up for eScrip? Please make sure your account is up-to-date and you are supporting Peterson! You can support up to three organizations. Add Peterson as follows:• Go to www.eScrip.com and sign in to your account (you may

need to click “My eScrip” in the footer)• Click on Schools or Nonprofits• Search for Peterson Middle School and add to your account

Jamba Juice––Sip to Support: The Jamba Juice program has changed! The old “PTA School Appreciation Cards” are no longer valid. If your family

loves Jamba Juice, be sure to participate in the new Sip to Support program. • Go to: http://www.jambajuice.com/more-jamba/fundraising• Select “Sign up for your card” and register• You’ll then receive a debit card in the mail that you’ll load with

dollars to spend at Jamba Juice. Marqeta will also give you FREE bonus dollars to spend!

• Use your card every time you buy a yummy smoothie and 10% of your purchase will be donated to Peterson Middle School PTSA!

Target Red Card: If you have a Target Red Card, be sure to designate Peterson Middle School and Target will donate 1% for Target purchases and 0.5% for other purchases. •Go to www.target.com. At the bottom right corner you will find “Red Card” and underneath click “Card benefits”.•Scroll down to “Take charge of Education”. Click “Enroll” and then you

have several options. Look up Peterson Middle School (ID 35742).

To date, Target has donated $ 4,564.99 to Peterson from 41 registered supporters. We hope to INCREASE participation this year!

Office Depot 5% Back to Schools Program: Peterson will earn credits equal to 5% of your qualifying school or office supply purchases. The school can use these credits for FREE supplies!

• Give our school ID# every time you shop at an Office Depot store or online.

• Peterson’s School ID: 70015626

Thank you for your support!Toni AllenPeterson PTSA eScrip Coordinator

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Student Feature: Zentangles!

A zentangle is an abstract drawing created using repetitive patterns. Drawing a Zentangle is easy, entertaining, relaxing, and a great way to express yourself creatively. Anyone can create beautiful images like these!Mr. Funcheon6th Grade Teacher

Lindsey Ma

Sonal Suralikal

Sanjana Yerramaneni

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Grade Level Teams Sixth Grade

The year is off to an exciting start, with 6th graders having their first pool social! Thank you to all our parent volunteers who helped make this event run so smoothly! Students were able to enjoyed cookies, friends, and some great weather!We also have our first field trip right around the corner, where the entire group will be going to the NEW Exploratorium on Friday November 1st! We are in need of parent volunteers, so if you are able be sure to stop by our officand pick up a volunteer packet as soon as possible!

Seventh Grade

7th grade is in full swing this fall! We are looking forward to a fantastic year of new experiences in learning. We will host a field

trip to the San Jose Tech Museum to watch an IMAX presentation about the earliest galaxies and celestial wonders in early December. We also have been working collaboratively as we transition to Common Core Standards. Please be sure to check out all of the extra-curricular activities and clubs available to your students, many of which are hosted by our team members.

English

In 6th Grade Reading classes, students are finishing NWEA testing for the beginning of the school year. This assessment gives teachers another means to differentiate comprehension strategies in their classes for students at different levels. NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) is also aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which helps prepare our students for future assessments facilitated by the state of California, known as Smarter Balanced (SBAC). Many of our 6th grade students have begun reading the memoir, The Circuit, and working on narrative writing assignments in our Language Arts classes. English teachers recently attended a district-wide training, which included bringing content areas (history, science, etc.) into the English curriculum and vice versa. In our classrooms, Peterson teachers are working on transitioning to the Common Core Standards that will be formally rolled out in the 2014–2015 school year. Our 7th and 8th grade English teachers are working with their Science colleagues in collaboration of CCSS in reading and writing, funded by the IMSS grant. Focus areas this year will be on Nutrition for our 7th graders, and Chemical Reactions and/or Energy for our 8th graders. The goal this year is to enhance collaborative discussion between students in their understanding of scientific content, develop higher levels of critical thinking in their learning, and then using the information to develop quality writing in both content areas. We are looking forward to a year full of collaboration and great student work in our classrooms.Ms. McCole6th Grade/Leadership Teacher

Mathematics

Math Contest Coming in February 2014: Every year Peterson participates in an annual Math Contest, administered by the California Math League. Over one million students from the United States and Canada participate every year! Questions asked on the test require critical thinking and mathematical understanding. They do NOT require math skills beyond a student’s grade level, but do require a student to apply knowledge to worthwhile and interesting problems.YOU can practice for this contest now! Visit http://www.themathleague.com/ for more information about the league and how to take practice tests online http://mathcontestsonline.com/ or order books containing problems from previous years’ tests. http://www.themathleague.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=71

Ms. Tito6th Grade Teacher

Physical Education

Peterson's Physical Education department is looking forward to another year filled with hard work, good sportsmanship, building character, being respectful, lots of sweat, and much more! From our fitness days to various units like swimming, badminton, soccer, and dance, Pirate students will be challenged to achieve personal excellence. Students will be expected to encourage others and demonstrate what it takes to be a good teammate. Students will understand that winning and losing are both equally important, in that we can learn something from both outcomes. When all is said and done, if we can be kind, be honest, and work hard, then life will be good. =)

Also, the PE department will be hosting the 2nd annual Turkey Trot on Tuesday, November 26, during the last hour of the school day. We will be asking for donations for two things: equipment for the PE department and for a charity to be determined.

Mr. GillmorePE Teacher

Science

Basic/EL Science: Ms. Karve’s and Ms. Robbins’ students are reviewing graphing, note-taking strategies, labeling

scientific diagrams, citing resources and so much more. Students have enjoyed visiting the farm on Thursdays where they studied sunflowers and observed the Fibonacci sequence in the seed pattern. They compared soils, planted seedbeds and chopped up freshly picked vegetables to make salsa.

6th Grade Science: Henderson Science kids

Department News

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made their first Nature Area visit of the year, studying duckweed from the Deep Pond in the nature area as a way to work through science process skills such as observing, labeling, data tables and lab write-ups. Ms. Teng’s students are reinforcing the scientific method by conducting the Rotor Motor Lab.

7th Grade Science: Mrs. Fohner’s students conducted bacterial surveys of the school. Ask your student for the results. Mr. Asekomeh’s students investigated Mung beans. Fun learning was had by all. All 7th grade science students including Ms. Curtin’s students will be collaborating on a nutrition unit for National Nutrition Week in October.

8th Grade Science: Ms. Gundogan’s and Ms. Robbins’ students are studying properties and states of matter. Students are reinforcing graphing skills and note-taking strategies. Recent labs have included investigating molecular motion by observing food coloring when dropped into water or milk. Next we get to study sublimation with dry ice!

Mrs. RobbinsScience Teacher

The Environment Speaks

And it’s not too happy. This year Peterson students have been invited to join the First Flush event. Neighborhood streets lined with trash in the gutters will be sparkly clean after the first major rain of the season. Where does all that trash go?

The answer is down the drain, along water pathways, and into the ocean. To view what the students have seen, go to our school website. Scroll down the News/Announcements column to the First Flush link. View what students in Santa Monica did once their teacher lit a fire to their imaginations. Encourage your student to participate in this and other environmental activities this year. After all, the environment is speaking and it isn’t too happy.Ms. Lawlor and Mrs. Fohner6th Grade Teacher and Science Teacher

Social Studies

Mark your calendars, the Peterson Social Studies department has a year full of exciting events planned.

The Geography Bee will be calling all budding geographers and map enthusiasts to participate in Peterson Middle School’s fourth annual Geography Bee. Entry forms will be passed out in social studies classes in November and the competition will take place when we return to school in January. Brush off your atlases and log on to Google Earth to get ready for the Geo Bee!

Spring will bring our wonderful Social Studies Fair. The Fair has been a very successful contest over the past nineteen years at Peterson, as well as in our district. Although this event focuses on history, students find themselves drawing on all of their academic disciplines in order to participate. Projects from last year included such diverse subjects as the Great Wall of China, Indian War Elephants, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. This year the fair will take place in May, the week of Open House.

The Washington DC trip will be over spring break in April 2014. There’s still time to register for seventh and eighth grade students and parents to register for this special opportunity that only takes place every two years. We'll be visiting Mt. Vernon and enjoy a lunch cruise up the Potomac River. We will also tour Arlington National Cemetery, the Smithsonian Museums, and Gettysburg National Battlefield with an evening ghost tour as well many other important historical sites. We already have more than twenty students who registered for the trip during early registration last spring. Contact Mr. Penning if you’d like additional information. Join the fun, join the adventure. Remember, you haven't partied, until you've partied with Penning.

So join in with the Social Studies Department. It’s going to be a great year.

Mrs. MartinSocial Studies Department Chair

Electives:

ArtArt 1: Art started off nicely this semester as Mrs.Branch welcomed in new students to her fifth and six period classes. Students began their semester creating special reference books that explore the elements that make up works of art. Students will spend the semester creating art works that exhibit their skill and understanding of the elements of art, reflecting on how they have used them. Students will then explore color theory through the creation of a color wheel and painting. Some students’ paintings will be selected to appear at the Triton Museum of Art later in the year Clay Arts: We’ve added another class for students who want to dive deeper into art beyond the introductory course. Last year's Clay Arts was a big hit, and student projects were showcased all year at school and in the community.The Clay Arts will expand upon the elements and content learned in Art 1, but will focus on implementation of those concepts in a 3-d form! This new class is full of students who excitedly started their first project

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at the beginning of September, a natural environment slab tile. Students learned how to roll slabs of clay and are constructing natural environments such as underwater coral reefs using additive and subtractive methods of construction. Clay Arts students will see their pieces fired in our new kiln, and will be able to glaze their projects and display them for Peterson and local community.

Projects that Clay Arts students will create this semester include fantasy door entrances that practice the slab-building technique and other hand-building projects that teach students coiling and pinch pot hand-building methods. Make sure to watch for your young artist’s work coming home in the coming months.

Students are currently glazing natural scene tiles, and building a natural scene structure that stands. Emily BranchArt TeacherElectives Dept. Chair8th Grade Team Leader

Japanese

Japanese 1 started this year by welcoming bright and enthusiastic students, who now are eagerly learning the language and its culture in room A2. On the first day, they played a game “Quiz Bowl” to get to know more about Japan. They were asked questions such as: how many large islands does Japan consist of? What percentage of the land is covered by mountains? In Japan, which month do public schools start? Is Japan larger or smaller than California? Approximately how many millions of people live in Japan? Is it true that Japanese is the 9th most spoken language in the world? There were twenty questions in total, and the winner who was able to answer them all correctly received a prize.

Students in Japanese 1 are busy practicing greetings and learning two sets of the Japanese alphabet, one of which is called, “Katakana” and is used to write foreign names (see the Katakana letters our students formed with their bodies). All the students now can spell their names using Katakana. The other alphabet is Hiragana. We’ve been singing a Hiragana alphabet song almost everyday. Ask them to sing it for you. There are 46 letters in each set and the students have been introduced to 25 of them already (Ex. “sushi”). We make flash cards and they are ready to spell some simple Japanese words. Soon they’ll be able to write a few sentences describing themselves. We are going to work on our first project, “My Classroom,” for which each of the students makes a poster and practices for an oral presentation to the class.

Stop by our classroom door (A-2) where some of our students’ projects are displayed.

Sensai UshimaruJapanese Teacher

Tech Literacy

Tech Literacy is a SCUSD graduation requirement; by fulfilling this requirement at middle school the students will have more elective options open to them in high school. Students in Tech Literacy have already learned some useful computer skills five weeks into the semester. They started by becoming familiar with School Loop, the interface for getting assignments, saving work to their digital locker and turning in projects electronically via the assignment drop box. “F12, Ctrl + s, Alt + Tab, Alt + F4” are just some of the keyboard shortcuts students have learned in class thus far. In week five students from 1st and 2nd period helped set up headsets and webcams to be used during class. With their headsets on, our Student Detectives are using their problem solving, listening and paying attention to little detail skills to solve the mystery of a boy who has gone missing. ‘The Missing Game’ was created by Web Wise Kids to provide an introduction to Internet safety for middle school students.

Ms. ChapmanTech Literacy/ PE Teacher

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MeetTom Funcheon

6th Grade Teacher

Birth Month: AprilWhere you were born? New YorkHow many years have you worked at Peterson? This is my first!What do you like best about Peterson? The students and the fabulous 6th grade team! Favorite Color: YellowFavorite Subject in School: ReadingFavorite Book Genre: Science

FictionFavorite Food? ChineseWho makes it best? Edna Ray, Willow GlenWhere did you attend college? Cal Poly SLO and SJSUYour favorite place and why: London, for all the history and architecture Your favorite school memory: Mrs. Halperin’s English classAnything else you’d like to share? I love tennis, music, movies and traveling.

MeetLeslie Heidig

7th Grade English Teacher

Birth Month: FebruaryWhere you were born? San Jose, CAHow many years have you worked at Peterson? Fifteen yearsWhat do you like best about Peterson? The wonderful people!Favorite Color: BlueFavorite Subject in School:

English and P.EFavorite Book Genre: All kindsFavorite Food? BurritosWho makes it best? El GrullenseWhere did you attend college? University of Pennsylvania, UC Davis and Mt. HolyokeYour favorite place and why: Mexico––amazing pyramids to climb and fantastic food to eat! Your favorite school memory: Drama––doing the March of DImes Walk-a-Thon (18 miles) with my English teacher. Pets? Two elderly cats

MeetLisabeth Delbecq

Registrar

Birth Month: JanuaryWhere you were born? Ravenna, OhioHow many years have you worked at Peterson? 0.16666667What do you like best about Peterson? Everything! Favorite Color: RedFavorite Subject in School: ScienceFavorite Book Genre: Realistic Fiction

Favorite Food? Popcorn Who makes it best? Me!Where did you attend college? Kent State UniversityYour favorite place and why: Lake Tahoe because I like the snow and it is so beautiful. Your favorite school memory: Biology class in 9th grade. I had a great teacher, Mr. Lambert, who was from West Virginia. Pets? I am a cat person. I have a cat named Max and a son named Max!Anything else you’d like to share? My daughter Mireille and my son, Jean-Luc both went to Peterson.

MeetTami Azevedo

Attendance Clerk

Birth Month: DecemberWhere you were born? Santa ClaraHow many years have you worked at Peterson? I’ve been here two months. I was at Westwood Elementary before Peterson for thirteen years. What do you like best about Peterson? The students are so polite and outgoing. Everyone seems involved with the school.

Favorite Color: PurpleFavorite Subject in School: CookingFavorite Food? Seafood (shrimp)Who makes it best? Boiling CrabWhere did you attend college? De AnzaYour favorite place and why: Disneyland! It’s the happiest place on Earth! I love Mickey!Your favorite school memory: I went to my first 7th grade dance here at Peterson. I was so nervous and didn’t want to go. My mom threatened to ground me if I didn’t go. I had the best time and am glad she made me go. Pets? I have four cats: Latte, Mocha, Coffee and SaviorAnything else to share? I look forward to many more years here at Peterson and getting to know all the students.

Peterson Staff Profiles

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Book Clubs

Love to read? Come and join other students with the same interest as you! All book club meetings are announced over the morning announcements each week, as they sometimes change. Last year, we had thirteen Book Clubs: Snooks 3.0, Magic Spartans, Fantasy Sleuths, Chick Lit, Supernatural, Club Mythology, Unfortunate Events, Book vs. Film,

Anything Goes, Fantasy, Horror/Scary, and Graphic Novels. Book club meetings take place during SSR time or after school. Listen to the morning announcements for this year’s book club groups. (Information is also updated monthly on the Library Webpage.)

Contact: Ms. Piscionere at 408-423-2840 or email npiscionere@scusd.net

Chess Club

Ahoy Pirates, Check Matey! Interested in playing or learning the exciting strategic game of chess? No need to sign up, just stop by and join a game. We meet every Thursday after school (except on early out days) in the library. It is a fun, friendly club open to everyone, students and staff, beginners and advanced players. It’s a place to practice your skills and compete with friends or archenemies. For any questions contact the club advisor, Mrs. Robbins!

Days of the Week: Thursdays, from 2:40–3:40pm (meet in Rm. D-6)Contact: Mrs. Robbins at 408-423-2940 or email @srobbins@scusd.net

Community Service Club

Get Involved and Help the Peterson Community! There’s nothing better than giving back to your community! This year’s focus will be the beautifying our campus. You will have the opportunity to work with students and staff around our campus planting flowers, painting, or cultivating last year’s butterfly sanctuary/milkweed project. Due to the nature of the work

involved, we need students who are willing to devote a 75% attendance.

Students came to their first meeting on September 19th; they were brimming with enthusiasm and great ideas! According to interest surveys among the members, we are ready to tackle beautifying our campus, mentoring other students, and serving

the hungry in our community. Lots of other projects are in discussion as well from starting a "take one, leave one" library to raising cash for new bike racks. If you have time on Thursday afternoons and a heart for service, come check us out.

Days of the Week: Thursday afternoons (meet in Rm. F-7)Contact: Mrs. Gonzalez in Rm. F-1, or call 408-423-2858or email sgonzalez@scusd.net Mrs. Hulsey in Rm. F-7 or call 408-423-2843or email rhulsey@scusd.net

Gains Club: Girls Achieving in Non-Traditional Subjects

GAINS is a program for girls in grades 6–12th grades in Santa Clara Unified School District. Six times a year we have phenomenal speakers! Pizza and water are provided for lunch. Sixth grade students must arrange with their teachers to miss 5th period. Attendance is required at scheduled events. If students cannot attend an event, they must inform Mrs. Fohner so

that the absence will be excused and students will not be dropped from GAINS activities.Featured events for 2013–2014 include a dessert night and introduction on October 3rd, lunch with Peterson Staff in January, Success Camp on the Tuesday/Wednesday of February Break, the Expanding Your Horizons Science Conference for Girls at Canada College, and Year End Celebration.

Days of the Week: 7th/8th Grade lunch on early-out Thursdays, 12:10–12:45 (meet in the library)Contact: Mrs. Fohner (7/8th Grade) 408-423-2941 or email nfohner@scusd.netMs. Lawlor (6th Grade) 408-423-2952 or email mlawlor@scusd.net

Homework Center

Beginning in October! This club is designed to help students with their academic needs and success in the classroom. Targeted students will be invited first to attend and if there is room, for other interested students. Each “center” is grade-level specific and meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week. You may contact your child’s counselor for more information.

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After School Clubs

Caroline Kloes

YueTong Tsen

Maya Freeman

Beatrix Henry

Aaron Wang

Days of the Week: Tuesdays and Thursdays each week.Contact School Counselors: Ms. Clark (6th Grade A-L, 7th Graders) at 408-423-2811or email kclark@scusd.net Ms. Kirk (6th Grade M-Z, 8th Graders) at 408-423-2803or email @ kkirk@scusd.net

Instructional Swim Club/Stroke Clinic

Ready to walk the plank but don't know how to swim? The Peterson’s Instructional Swim Club will provide you with the opportunity to work on basic to advanced swim skills to help you become a better swimmer. The club is open to all Peterson students and to faculty as well. Individuals will be tested and placed into beginner,

intermediate or advanced group levels. Each level will meet on separate days of the week to ensure appropriate drill/skill work. The Instructional Swimg Club will begin September 24th. Come and hone your swim skills! As an Age Group Xterra Off-Road triathlete World Champion, Ms. Yee will share her xtensive knowledge of swimming technique to all! See you at the pool!

Time/Days of the Week: 2:45-3:45pm - Mondays (Beginners) and Tuesdays (Intermediate/Advanced) Contact: Ms. Yee at 423-2848 or email myee@scusd.net **Information about Santa Clara Swim Club can be directed to Ms. Emily Nicholson at 408-246-5050, ext. 014, or email enicholson@snataclaraswimclub.org

Japan Club

This club will started September 30th. Students will host Japanese students in March of this school year, and will travel to Japan in April during Spring Break. The club includes cultural activities, Japanese language lessons, a chance to host an exchange student from Japan, and the trip of a lifetime to Japan. If you missed our introductory meeting, you can contact a club advisor.

Days of the Week: Mondays from 2:45 to 3:45 (meet in Rm. D-4)Contact: Mr. Asekomeh in Rm. D-4, call 408-423-2938 or email dasekomeh@scusd.net Mrs. Johnson in Rm. B-9, call 408-423-2927or email ljohnson@scusd.netMrs. Ushimaru in Rm. A-2, call 408-423-2822or email hushimaru@scusd.net

Mathcounts! / Math Oympiad Afterschool Program

With Mr. Kumar students are taught how to solve challenging math problems and think critically. Over 70 students applied for the club, but there is a class size limit so a math test was administered in September and the top 35 students will qualify for the program. Students will partake in a Math Competition at San Jose State University in the early part of 2014. Days of the Week: Wednesdays (meet in Rm. A-2)Contact: Mr. Pankaj Kumar, email pankaj.kumar@gmail.com

Nature Area Guides

Seventh and Eighth grade students are eligible to apply to be a Nature Area Guide. The Guides are the experts on the field trips when students visit our Nature Area from the local elementary schools. We practice field trips and learn about the Nature Area. The Guides have an Annual Ice Cream Social on the Sunday after school begins in the fall. An application is required for

admission to the Nature Guides Program. Please see Mrs. Fohner if you are interested in Room D-1.

Days of the Week: Wednesdays at lunch in the Nature AreaContact: Mrs. Fohner, call 408-423-2941 or email nfohner@scusd.net

PIRATES FFC (Fantasy Football Club)

Do you have what it takes to put together a winning football team? The Fantasy Football Club gives you the perfect chance to find out! Fantasy football puts you in charge of your own virtual NFL team. During a live online draft, students select from the best of the best in the NFL and the team you create competes on a weekly basis against other club members' teams. Your players’

on-field performance is what drives your fantasy points and overall success. For example, if your chosen quarterback throws a bomb pass for a touchdown, you get a certain amount of points determined by your league manager. So, choose your players wisely and maybe you'll be this year's Pirates FFC Club winner! To join the FFC see Coach Gillmore in PE. We are asking for donations from our club members and our supporters, of which 100% will go towards prizes for our winners. Since club members will be using Yahoo! Fantasy Football online from home and/or at school, you will also need to turn in a

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Elizabeth Ranch

Julianna Hakopian

Katie Leong

Anonymous

permission slip that includes the SCUSD's Technology Agreement form. Good luck and let the games begin!

Contact: Mr. Gillmore, call 408-423-2838 or email dgillmore@scusd.net

Science Club

The Science Club is an opportunity to explore science and engineering in a fun, hands-on, sort of way. There are no right and wrong answers, just a chance to explore and complete against fellow students. Your mission is to solve a problem better than any other team! After an initial explanation of the project, your team is turned

loose with the materials, to try different things. A contest at the end of the project allows your team to show off its solution, and to see who did best.

Projects last a few weeks. Past projects include a boat, bridge, catapult, electromagnet, telegraph, rockets, windmill, car, and more! FSEA (www.fsea.org) is a source for some of the projects.

Days of the Week: Fridays, 2:45-3:30pm (meet in Rm. D-4, Mr. Asekomeh’s)Host: Mr. Ross La Fetra Contact: Mr. Asekomeh, call 423-2938 or email dasekomeh@scusd.net

SPORTS: Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Tennis, and Track & Field

Schedules for after school SPORTS are subject to change! Once your child is involved in a sport, a more detailed practice and game schedule with exact dates and times will follow. Each sport will have a fundraiser! We serve over 400 kids per year. Many great things come out of participating in our programs that make a positive difference and last a lifetime. Peterson Sports are known for their integrity and championships! Thanks for your support!

See chart for season dates.Contact: Coach Rich Narcisso, Athletic Director, at 408-423-2846 or email rnarcisso@scusd.net

Sports Season Dates

Volleyball

Tryouts start August 26thFirst Game September 10thSeason Ends October 1st

Girls’ Basketball

Tryouts Start October 2ndFirst Game October 22nd

Season Ends December 3rd

Boys’ Basketball

Tryouts Start December 4thFirst Game January 14th

Season Ends February 25th

Soccer

Tryouts Start February 26thFirst Game March 11thSeason Ends April 2nd

Intramural Hoops

Practice Starts March 3rdGames Start March 11thSeason Ends April 2nd

Tennis

Tryouts Start March 10thFirst Match April 22nd

Season Ends May 22nd

Track & Field

Practice Starts April 28thFirst Meet SCHS May 14th

Second Meet Wilcox May 21st

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Florence Thomas

Beatrix Henry

Starting Arts: Theater Production of The Wiz

Handouts were given to students in August at our orientation assembly and the enrolled students are taking a Drama class that will culminate in the MUSICAL THEATRICAL PRODUCTION OF The Wiz!!! Classes started September 9, and will meet on Mondays and Thursdays from 2:50-4:30pm. Performances will be on December 19 and 20th at 7pm at the Santa Clara High School Performing Arts Center. Days of the Week: Mondays and Thursdays from 2:50–4:30pmContact: Call Starting Arts office at 408-492-9022or visit website at www.startingarts.com. Flyers are also located in the front office.

Woods Club The club is open to woods and non-woods students. Students must pass a general safety test prior to doing any wood work, or a specialized safety test for certain power tools if need be. The number one goal of the club is to have fun and make something cool. The number two goal is to be safe. Club projects are limited by time, budget and experience.

This year’s Woods Club may be partnering with our Community Service Learning Club, making wood parts for the Peterson Nature Center. Listen to the morning announcements for the first, MANDATORY meeting to go over safety and get the handouts.

Days of the Week: Thursday afternoons from 2:40–3:40pm (meet in Rm. E-1) Contact: Mr. Jolliff in Rm. E-1, call 408-423-2876or email jjolliff@scusd.net

World Savvy/ World Affairs Challenge Team:4th Year!

The World Affairs Challenge is an annual day-long event that promotes awareness of global issues and current events in today’s youth. Though the challenge is a one-day affair, preparing for it is by far the more crucial aspect. A group of junior advisors/mentors from Wilcox High School are hoping to support a team of Peterson students in an after school WAC (World Affairs

Challenge) Program. The WAC

program is designed for students to do the following:• learn to organize and cooperate in teams that are largely

student-led • develop critical thinking skills innovating solutions to large-

scale problems • gain a broader understanding of the world, especially

communities and cultures profoundly different from our own • strengthen public speaking • become more aware of international issues

This year’s World Affairs Challenge Theme is: Population and Progress. Once we assemble our teams (consisting of 5–12 middle school students per team), the research phase will begin in November/December. Competition takes place in April, after the Spring Break, at San Francisco State University. For more information, come to the office and obtain a flyer. We are looking for parent volunteers to help organize and guide the multitude of student groups!

Days of the Week: CHECK FLYER IN OFFICEContact: Ms. McKenzie in Rm. A-8, call 408-423-2923or email amckenzie@scusd.net

Yearbook Club

Do you love to organize pictures and create theme pages? Yearbook Club is excited for the opportunity to document the highlights of another awesome year at Peterson. Students will be creating spreads, taking photos and writing copy so that events can be remembered and cherished. Make sure to get an application from Room E-6 if you would like to be a part of the Yearbook team.

Days of the Week: Tuesdays after school (meet in Rm. E-6).Contact: Ms. Teng in Rm. E-6, call 408-423-2949or email tteng@scusd.net

Jennifer Atayde

Olivia

Beatrix Henry

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Olivia Wallace

Tentative 2013–2014 Calendar EventsOctober 7 Girls Basketball Season Begins

October 18 End of First Quarter

October 18–21 Catalina Island Trip

October 21–25 Red Ribbon Week

October 25 Report Cards Mailed Home

November 3 Daylight Savings Time Ends

November 7 Early Out Thursday

November 11 Veterans Day––No School

November 13 Nightmare on Puberty Street (7th Grade)

November 21 8th Grade Night––4-Year Planning

November 27–29 Thanksgiving Holiday––No School

December 2 Canned Food Drive

December 5 Early Out Thursday (1:35pm dismissal)

December 6 7th/8th Grade Dance (6–9pm)

December 19 Winter Concert (7–8:15pm)

Peterson Middle School1380 Rosalia Ave.Sunnyvale, CA 94087-3763

Change Service Requested

Leadership Events

Box Tops: Bring in stubs all year! Class competitions have begun!

Jamba Juice Sales: Tuesdays all year

International Walk or Ride to School: October 9th

Red Ribbon Week: October 21st–25th

Lunch Time Table Talk: Calling for parents to share career experience, Thursday, October 24th.

Welcome to Our Future Class of 2017

Wilcox Open HouseNovember 6th6:30–8:30pm

Adrian C. WilcoxMission City Performing Arts Center3250 Monroe St. Santa Clara