Year-End Teacher & Tami Gift

Norma Candia (Enzo’s mom) has offered to help us collect some $$$ for a gift for Brent Hester, Priscilla and Nani. She is also thinking it would be great to collect a little extra $$$ for Tami Oki – our yearbook chair – to thank her for the enormous amount of work she has put into working with the students on their handmade yearbooks.

If you would like to participate in a year-end teacher gift for our fabulous 5th grade teachers and/or a gift for Tami, then send your contribution in to school with your student in an envelope marked “Yearbook”. (A great way to collect for the teacher gift, and keep it a secret!)

Cash is fine, but you can also send a check, made out to Norma Candia. Send your gift in quick, since we’re coming to the end of the year very quick!

June Activities/Field Trip List

Get out your calendar, because here's the run-down of 5th Grade activities through the end of the year:

Wednesday, June 9: 5th Grade Play -- 2:30-3:00pm (for all grades of JSIS students -- parents are also invited) and 7:00-7:30pm for families

Tuesday, June 15: Science walking field trip to Lake Union (afternoon).

Wednesday, June 16: Lunch BBQ (parents are invited, if you're free) and Field Day at Gas Works (Field Day activities are 1:00-3:00pm)

Thursday, June 17: Field trip to Bainbridge Island Suquamish Reservation. All day. ARRIVE EARLY to school -- 8:45am. They're catching the 9:30am ferry!

Tuesday, June 22: Morning awards assembly. 5th Grade Graduation, 12:45-2:30pm. Potluck picnic/party following the ceremony at Gas Works Park, 3:00-10:00pm.

Also:

If your child participated in the Green Team/Mediators -- they are going to Golden Gardens on Thursday, June 10.

If your child participated in Safety Patrol (and had the required attendance) -- they are going to Wild Waves on Friday, June 11.

Wow, lots of fun stuff!

Volunteers Needed for Play Rehearsals

Ms. Nani needs volunteers to help with rehearsals for the upcoming 5th Grade Play!

The kids can rehearse just about any time during the day after 10am. So if you would like to help, just show up any time that works for you. The teachers will send you to the cafeteria with a group of 5th graders to rehearse their part on the stage. Plan on about an hour.

The play will be performed for JSIS students during the day and in the evening for families. Both performances take place on Wednesday, June 9.

This is a request from Amy Young, the Staff Appreciation Week chair (amypaulsonyoung@gmail.com).

The big news is that they hope we will contribute to a lunch this Friday, 4/30 –

Please sign up to help bring lunch for the JSIS staff on Friday 4/30. Or help with set-up/clean up.

Click here to sign up to bring food or volunteer www.SignUpGenius.com/go/45staff password is - JSIS.

Further instructions and dietary preferences are also specified in the website. Food drop off starts at 9:15am in the morning until 11 am, and items should be dropped off in the staff room.

"Science Fair Night" This Thursday April 22, 7-8pm

The 5th graders will have their science projects on display is the JSIS Library this Thursday, April 22 from 7-8 pm. This is the first JSIS science fair ever--come and take a look! Everyone is welcome.

5th Grade Play Needs Volunteers!

Would you like to help with the 5th grade play? The kids are ready to start rehearsals they are looking for parent volunteers to help with casting and direction! Please contact Ms. Nani if you are able to help.

International Education Meeting Wednesday evening at Hamilton

A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION:
International Education at Hamilton
Wed, April 21st
Hamilton library, 6:30-8:30pm

Join us for an overview of international education at Hamilton, to hear about the expansion of global perspective work, and to discuss global citizenship service projects and identify ways that we can support international education for all students at Hamilton.
6:30pm Snacks and networking
7:00pm Presentations from Christopher Carter, Hamilton Principal and
Karen Kodama, SPS International Ed Program Administrator
7:30-8:30pm Small group work sessions: projects and partnerships to support global perspective.
Hamilton International Middle School (at Lincoln)
4400 Interlake Avenue North
Seattle WA 98103
www .hamiltoninternational.org

Like to Garden?

Nani would like to have a parent volunteer to help direct kids in our gardening efforts. It’s just a one-hour time commitment – any time during the day that suits you! Please contact Ms. Nani to sign up.

Orchestra (Strings) and Band (Woodwinds, Brass) in 6th Grade

6th Grade Music
This just in from the Hamilton orchestra boosters:
The award winning Hamilton Orchestra program is offering a class for Beginning Orchestra students next year and still has openings! Take this opportunity to give your child a chance to learn something that can last a lifetime. Each orchestra student will choose to play the violin, viola, cello, or bass, learn how to read music, and perform throughout the year. No experience required! If needed, Hamilton has instruments for your child to use for the year. Please contact Naomi Mandojana, HIMS orchestra director, for more information. nmmandojana@seattleschools.org.

Editor’s Note:
The same is true for band – students can sign up for beginning band and choose from a wide range of woodwind and brass instruments – also no experience required. Kids choose their instrument during the first weeks of class next year.

One thing to keep in mind about music classes at Hamilton – if your child plans to continue with Spanish immersion classes and they also want to take a music class, they will need to give up Physical Education (PE). To give up PE, your child will need a “PE Waiver” – meaning they need to be signed up for some kind of coached sport or activity (a wide range of things qualify – not just soccer and baseball!)

For more information about music at Hamilton please go to www.fomahi.org (Friends of Music at Hamilton International website).

6th Grade Math

Math Pathways and Placement Info for 5th and 8th Grade Students Supported by the Microsoft Math Partnership, SPS has developed the Seattle Math Pathway. This pathway focuses on preparing all our students for new high school graduation requirements, state exams in Algebra and Geometry, as well as college and careers. Families of 5th-grade students will receive a letter by May 15, recommending math course placement for 6th grade. Last year, there was a 6th-grade placement test; a test will not be used this year. The recommendation will be based on multiple data points, including current math placement, most recent WASL scores and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) data. Families of 8th-grade students will receive a letter by April 20, with the student's recommended mathematics course for 9th grade. This recommendation will be based on the student's current math course, grade in that course, most recent WASL scores, and MAP data. The data above will also be used to make recommendations for students who could benefit from either additional support or a more accelerated math pathway. Click here to learn more.

Science Fair Display Boards & More Sci Mentoring

Display boards are coming home today. Each student receives a board. Partnered projects receive one board per team. Please note, we did not purchase extra boards so if the first one is misplaced, the student is responsible for providing a replacement.

We talked in class about how to set up a science project display, and the students have actual projects from a recent science fair as examples. For reference, the back of the display board has a schema. You will also find that information here:
http://jsisweb.com/sites/default/files/webfiles/science-fair/display.pdf.

We encourage the students to type their information and include pictures, charts, graphs and tables to support of their experiment. If your student does not have access to a computer, please let Ms. Nani know and we will make arrangements for a volunteer to partner with your student to do this.

We will continue to mentor through next week, and I am excited that many kids are taking advantage of it. Please remind your students to bring their data to school next week to help focus our mentoring sessions.

Thanks,
Arlene Murray

Science Fair Wrap-Up

A science mentor (NOAA fisheries biologist) and I talked with your kids on Tuesday (4/6). We were able to speak one to one with some students. We are using the attached worksheet. Please encourage your students to bring their data to school this week and next so we're able to maximize our classroom time.

It's time for your students to:

1. Wrap up the investigation part of their Science Fair projects
2. Turn their attention towards analyzing the data they've gathered, and
3. Think about how to communicate what they have done.

We will provide mentoring again this Thur, and Tues & Thur of next week. Here is what we will work on:

Some students have questions that are still so broad it will be difficult to prove a hypothesis. They will need to narrow down their questions and hypotheses into something workable that honors the data they've gathered so far.
Some students have a lot of data and are having a hard time figuring out what to do with it. They will need to think through how the data can be put together in a meaningful way to support their hypotheses and conclusions.
Other students don't have enough data. In having them walk through their projects, they may find details and observations they hadn't noted down. Pictures may help tell the story.

What to expect on April 22nd
Judging will occur during the school day. This is a non-scored, non-competitive science fair. One judge will talk with each student or team for 15 minutes and draw from them how well he/she/they have understood and applied the scientific method and what they've learned from the process. Attached is a judge's form so you understand the high-level criteria the judges will be listening for.

On the evening of April 22nd, from 6:00-8:00pm, we will hold a Family Celebration. Families are invited to school to view all the projects and talk to the budding scientists behind the projects.

I know how hard your students have been working. The kids have definitely invested time in their experiments and it shows. Please continue to support them in the way you have in the run up to the science fair. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,
Arlene Murray

Hamilton Orchestra Auditions

This message is for you if your student plans to play in one of Hamilton’s orchestras next year (string instruments) – if he or she has played before. Hamilton has both advanced and beginning classes – but “auditions” are not required for the beginning classes.

“Auditions” are a chance for your student to play for the teacher so that he or she will be placed into the right class.

Orchestra auditions will take place from April 26 through 30.

Auditions will also be held for band classes (all instruments except strings) – but the date for that has not been set

Below is the message directly from Kathy Tanaka, the Co-President of “Friends of Music at Hamilton International” (FOMAHI – the band/orchestra parent organization):

Hamilton International Middle School will be holding auditions for incoming orchestra students. Auditions will be held in the orchestra room (C-104), April 26th-30th from 3:00-4:30 p.m. Students who have experience playing a string instrument are encouraged to contact Hamilton Orchestra and Choir Director Naomi Mandojana at nmmandojana@seattleschools.org or 252-5885 to schedule an audition.

Please note that there are no auditions for students who wish to sign-up for Choir or Beginning Orchestra (which is appropriate for students with no prior training or experience playing a string instrument).

For more information about instrumental music and choir at Hamilton, please visit our web site at www.fomahi.org

JSIS to Hamilton Enrollment

Last Friday, Sam got his letter from the school district saying he is enrolled at Hamilton! But – if your child’s letter does not say Hamilton, and he or she wants to continue with language immersion at Hamilton – you can apply for a seat at Hamilton. JSIS students are guaranteed placement at Hamilton, but if your letter does not say Hamilton you must “apply”.

Open enrollment (the “application” period) is March 1 through March 31. “School choice” forms are available online at www.seattleschools.org, or call 252-0760 (enrollment services) or 252-7750 (bilingual family center).

For more information about the enrollment/”application” process see www.keepourkidstogether.org. That site has general information but nothing specific about Hamilton/JSIS.

Remember – your child is guaranteed a seat at Hamilton – but only if you apply!

Due Dates for Architecture and Science Fair Projects

There are two projects going on in 5th grade that require some parent/guardian participation. These are the Architecture Project and the Science Fair Project.

Architecture Project:
The Architecture Project is due Friday, March 5. The kids are working either alone or in groups to build a scaled model of a building (Empire State Building, Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, etc). The models are typically built at home, and parents can help -- but not too much! If your child is working with other kids in a group, it is good to contact them and work together.

Science Fair Project:
Last week, the kids submitted their ideas for the upcoming Science Fair (ask your child if he/she submitted an idea, or needs to submit one late). Again, kids may be working alone or in groups. This project will also require some work outside class and parent/guardian participation and coordination with the families of other kids in your group. Science Fair projects are due April 20. The projects will be set up in the 3rd floor hallway on April 20, and kids will "present" their project on April 22.

You Got Into Hamilton! (Just One Thing to Do)

The school board voted a couple of weeks ago to allow ALL John Stanford 5th graders to attend Hamilton next year -- no matter where you live in the city. Yay!!

But -- if you live outside the Hamilton attendance area, you will need to APPLY to go to Hamilton during "open enrollment", which is basically the month of March.

If you live outside the Hamilton attendance area, you will receive a letter in the mail with an assignment to the middle school in your neighborhood. The letter will include information about how to apply during the open enrollment period to change your assignment to another school. Once you apply to Hamilton (put it as your FIRST choice), then your kid is assured a seat at Hamilton. But you MUST APPLY. So be on the lookout for the letter in the mail.

Spectrum -- and Appeal by Feb 24

"Advanced learning" notifications came in the mail the other day. If your child got into Spectrum -- congratulations! If he or she didn't, and you want to appeal that decision, you will need to file the appeal before February 24. Ms. Nani may be able to help you with the appeal (and she is a fan of wine -- hint, hint).

You need to mail the appeal or take it to the district office -- 2445 3rd Ave. N. Appeals cannot be filed by email.

Remember -- "Spectrum" is ONLY Language Arts (English) and Social Studies classes at Hamilton. Entrance to honors math class (working at the 7th grade level in 6th grade) is done completely separate from the "advanced learning" application and testing. When I get more information about how kids get into honors math, I'll let you know.

Hamilton Tour Dates -- March

If you missed the tours in February, Hamilton is holding two tours in March for 5th grade students and their families:

Thursday, March 11, 8:30-10:30am
Thursday, March 11, 1:00-2:30pm

The tours are held at Hamilton at Lincoln, 4400 Interlake Ave. N.

5th grade Yearbook

Yearbook message from Tami Oki -- J-5 bookbinding expert -----

JSIS 2010 5th Grade Year Book/Memory Book

The 5th grade usually has a year book or memory book. When my son Akira was in 5th grade (2006), I volunteered to coordinate that effort as I was really interested in bookbinding. I decided that it was possible to teach the kids to make a hardbound book. Carol Nakagawa did a wonderful book design and over 4 months I taught the 5th grade to make a hardback book, about 5.5” wide x 8.5” tall. Carol and I and Heidi Favour have signed up to do it again this year, and we’re hoping that other parents will be interested in helping the kids do this.

Each student has 2 pages in the yearbook. On one page, the student will write something about his/her time at JSIS in English and the other page will be in either Japanese or Spanish. There will be a portrait on one page and a candid shot on the other.

There will be a section of the book for color photos. If you have a particular photo of your student that you’d like to use, we can do that. Otherwise, we have a lot of photos taken at school over the past 6 year from which we can choose. Let me know if you’d like to peruse them.

I will introduce the yearbook idea to the students in class, and they will have some class time to work on their entries for the yearbook. For the Spanish class Isabel D’Ambrosia:

1. Will be making sure that the kids have written and typed up the essays.
2. Making sure that the Spanish language entry has been seen by Japanese/Spanish language editor.
3. Making sure that the student has made a file for their entry and putting it on a flashdrive for Heidi Favour.

While this is going on, I’ll be teaching the kids bookbinding. It isn’t difficult, but it is a bit slow, as we need to wait for the glue to dry between steps. And there are 53 5th graders.

1. Sewing – This is where the kids sew the 6 “signatures” (3 pieces of paper folded in half) to each other to make the “text block.” (30 minutes) 2. Glue spine and end papers (10 minutes) 3. Trim text block (I’ll take them home and do it on my paper guillotine.) 4. Glue headbands (10 minutes) 5. Case in (make the cover, and glue the textblock into it. (20 minutes)

We will be making one blank journal for practice and then we’ll make the yearbook.

Schedule

I plan on being at school from 8:15am – 9:15 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from February 1 on. Please contact me at via e-mail to schedule your student. Students who are not able to come in before school will have an opportunity to work on the project during class time. I may be able to schedule some time after school if it is necessary.

Feb 1 - Start the writing process – in class Feb 2 ~ March 31 – Start teaching the students bookbinding on the blank book Mar 5 - Turn in text and photos to yearbook designers Apr 5 - Start binding the yearbook Jun 3 – finish

Volunteer opportunities

1. We need a parent in the Japanese class who will make sure all students have submitted entries in 2 languages.
2. We invite all the teachers who have taught the class of 2010 to write an entry. I’d like a parent from each class to keep track of the entries for the Japanese, Spanish, music, PE and other teachers.
3. I would love to have parents who are interested in helping or learning about bookbinding to come in and help. I am trying to do most of this before school, but I can be flexible. It isn’t difficult work, and mostly consists of helping keep kids focused on the task, untangling thread, etc.

Please contact me at via e-mail if you are interested.

Science Fair

Dear Parents,

Ms. Nani and I talked to the 5th graders about their science fair projects today. Now that we're decidedly back from break we want to make sure students are actively working on their projects, which at this stage means coming up with a project idea. The How to Get Started Worksheet is a useful tool. Spend some time with your student going over this worksheet to spark and organize ideas. Their ideas don't have to be fully formed hypothesis, but at this point, they should be narrowing down their interests and coming up with questions they would like to investigate. We will arrange for class volunteers to help the students develop their questions into a workable project.

Your students came home with docs intended for you: (1) A Letter to Parents and General Guidelines and (2) Parent Tips and Science Resources. Please make sure you review them so you know how best to support your students' work. Links to these docs can also be found on the web site at http://jsisweb.com/science-fair.

If at any point you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask us.

Thank you,

Arlene Murray
on behalf of the Science Fair Advisory Committee

Get All Our Kids to Hamilton in the New Assignment Plan

I got email from Tami Oki yesterday (the J-5 PTSA Room Rep) about the challenge of getting all of our current 5th graders into Hamilton next year under the new assignment plan. Tami reports that there are 10 students in Japanese 5th and 10 students in Spanish 5th who do not live in the newly drawn Hamilton “attendance area”.

Those outside the Hamilton attendance area could be assigned to a different middle school and miss out on continuing with language immersion. That’s about 37% of the 5th grade class. If 37% of our 5th graders are not able to attend Hamilton, that impacts the viability of the entire language immersion program at Hamilton.

There is still time to fix the new assignment plan and make sure all JSIS 5th graders can continue at Hamilton. But we need to let Sherry Carr know we want it fixed. Sherry is our district’s school board director. Her email is sherry.carr@seattleschools.org. You can also leave a phone message for her at 252-0040.

OR – be a superhero and join Tami at Sherry’s community meeting – tomorrow morning, Saturday, January 16, 8:00am at the Greenwood Neighborhood Service Center – 8515 Greenwood Ave. N.

Middle School Tour Dates

Tour dates for Hamilton, and other middle schools:

Hamilton International Middle School
Open House (Evening Event) — Tue, Feb 2nd , 6:30-8:30 PM

Hamilton School Tours (Daytime Events)

1. Tue, Feb 2nd, 8:30 – 10:30 AM
2. Tue, Feb 2nd, 1:00-2:30 PM
3. Thu, Mar 11th, 8:30-10:30 AM
4. Thu, Mar 11th, 1-2:30 PM

More information at Hamilton's website.

Other middle schools:

Eckstein Middle School

Tours for prospective students and their parents/guardians will be on Thursdays, February 4, 11 and 25, 2010 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Eckstein will also have an evening presentation for parents/guardians only on Tuesday, February 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the auditorium.


Whitman Middle School
There will be an open house at Whitman Middle School on February 11 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.

In addition to the open house we will have three daytime school visits. These will be held February 4, 9 and 11 ONLY. They will be from 8:30 am - 10 am.


McClure Middle School

McClure will host an Open House for prospective families for the 2010/2011 school year. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19. School Tours will be Thursday, March 4, 11, and 16. More information here.

Washington Middle School

Washington Middle School’s evening Open House for incoming families will be held on Thursday, Jan 21, from 6:30 PM-7:15 PM with a formal presentation starting promptly at 7:15 PM and ending at 8:30 PM. No reservations required.
Daytime School Tours:

Wednesday, March 10
Wednesday, March 17
Wednesday, March 24

All daytime tours are from 8:15 AM – 10:15 AM, please be on time. No reservations required.

Hamilton Tour Dates

This just in from our own Christie R. (Julia & Carolyn's mom), who just happens to be PTSA President at Hamilton this year!

Hamilton will host a morning school tour and an evening open house on Feb 2nd for incoming 6th graders. I will send more detailed information as the date gets closer.

1. Tuesday, Feb 2nd, School Tour, 8:30-10:30 AM

2. Tuesday, Feb 2nd, Open House, 6:30-8:30 PM

5th grade students are excused from class on the morning of 2/2 so that they can attend the tour if they choose to do so (accompanied by a parent/guardian).

In addition to the events on February 2nd, Hamilton counselors will be visiting each of the Hamilton "feeder" elementary schools in March to connect with entering 6th grade students. ("Feeder" schools for Hamilton are: JSIS, West Woodland, Laurelhurst, BF Day and Lowell).

Transition to middle school is under the new assignment plan this year. Let me know if you have questions or comments.

Christie Rodgers
PTSA President
Hamilton Int'l Middle School
548-9588 h, 841-9588 c