George Read Middle School

The Golden Knights

DECEMBER 2007 NEWSLETTER


Text Box: George Read Middle School 314 E. Basin Road New Castle, DE 19720 Phone: (302) 323-2760 Principal: Paul Walmsley Main Office Staff Mr. P. Walmsley, Principal Mrs. T. Bowers, Secretary 6th Grade Office Staff, 323-2765 Mr. D. Timm, Assistant Principal South Staff Center Mrs. C. Connor, Secretary Mrs. K. Carlson, Guidance 7th Grade Office Staff, 323-2770 Mr. S. DiGennaro, Student Advisor North Staff Center Mrs. D. Duman, Secretary Ms. K. Marschall, Guidance 8th Grade Office Staff, 323-2760 Mrs. J. Alexander, Assistant Principal South Staff Center Mr. N. Fortuna, Guidance Other George Read Numbers Mrs. J. Linus, School Nurse 323-2766 Mr. R. Wilk, Librarian, 323-2778 Ms. P. Cipriano, E.D. 323-2765 Mrs. D. Maddox, E.D. 323-2765 Ms. T. Tilghman, Psychologist 323-2765 Mrs. E. Williamson, Cafeteria, 323-2776 Text Box: The Season of Joy There is always something very special about this time of year. There is a spirit in the air. Regardless of one’s religious affiliation and regardless of the commercialism in your streets and stores, a spirit of joy and sharing always seems to prevail during the holiday season. Our children bring us a special joy during this season, as we share meals with friends and relatives, share gifts with our loved ones, and share time together as a family. As the year draws to an end, nearly all of us in most occupations are fortunate enough to receive some extra time off. The best thing to spend on your children is time. The gifts we give our children provide momentary pleasures that fade in the distance and are insignificant compared to the time and love we give each and every day throughout the year. That is the foundation we build in shaping the kind of adults our children will become. Children bring us their special gifts and we can build their confidence and self-esteem during those crucial formative years if we as adults °Remember people, not things, matter most. °Love and accept our children from the day they are born. °Respect our children’s individual differences and appreciate their unique gifts, talents and capabilities. When we think good thoughts about our children, we should tell them. We need to make time to spend with our children. Cherish the moments of the season of joy with your children, family and friends.

Winter Weather Information

With winter quickly approaching, please prepare now for the possibility of emergency school closings. When the decision to close schools is made, the website is updated and radio stations get called first. Television stations are called last, and callers cannot always get through. Do not rely on TV for reliable, up-to-date school closing information.

There’s a link to the school closing website at www.colonial.k12.de.us. The website also has a place for you to sign up for free email notices. This is handy for your workplace in case of early dismissals. The radio stations the district calls are below:

WILM-1450 AM

WDEL-1150AM

WJBR-99.5 FM

WSTW-93.7 FM

Please use the above information before calling the school.

If you watch any of the Philadelphia TV stations, remember that Pennsylvania also has a COLONIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.

Other websites that will give you this information:

www.wstw.com

www.wjbr.com

Please be reminded that even meteorologists have great difficulty in predicting the weather accurately, and that the conditions in Colonial are often different from that in neighboring school districts. Even within Colonial, we have city, suburban and rural areas: with varying degrees of weather conditions. Therefore, the final decision on whether a student attends school on bad weather days rests with each parent.

Information from the School Nurse

Parents make sure your child has returned his/hers green emergency card to school , this is important if we need to reach you for any emergencies.

Make sure your child eats breakfast either at home or in school. Breakfast is the first and most important meal of the day.

If your child receives any new immunizations, please send in a copy, so I can update their health record.

Parents: the most effective way to prevent infections is to practice proper hygiene, such as washing hands well and caring for wounds properly .

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me: J. Linus RN, MSN, NCSN @ 323-2766

December Dates to Remember

12/11/2008 Board of Educations Meeting 7 p.m. George Read Middle School

12/24/2007, 12/25/2007, 12/26/2007, 12/27/2007, 12/28/2007 and 12/31/2007 Winter Holiday—Schools and Offices Closed

January Dates to Remember

1/01/2008, 1/02/2008, 1/03/2008, 1/04/2008 Winter Holiday—Schools and Offices Closed

1/08/2008 Board of Educations Meeting 7 p.m. George Read Middle School

1/09/2008 School Choice Applications Due

1/11/2008 End of Second Marking Period

1/18/2008 Report Cards Mailed to Homes

1/21/2008 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday—Schools and Offices Closed

1/23/2008, 1/24/2008 and 1/25/2008 Parent conferences—Abbreviated Days for Grades K-8

Build Respect, Stop Bullying Program

Build Respect, Stop Bullying is a researched-based computer program that the entire 7 th grade has been using. The individualized, three session program is designed to help students act with respect toward themselves and others at all times. This program encourages students to think about the effect of their actions, and helps them identify positive ways to respect themselves and others. Students receive feedback on how to handle situations in which they’re still tempted to act disrespectfully. Feedback also discusses the many benefits of being someone who acts respectfully, as well as the drawbacks of being someone who doesn’t. The effects of bullying are damaging to all students-whether they are directly or indirectly involved. Our goal for implementing this program at George Read Middle School is to increase respect among all students, reduce bullying behaviors and to create a positive school environment that promotes learning. If you have any questions about this program please contact Ms. Marschall.


January Dates to Remember

INFORMATION CHANGES

If you change any information or if you would like to add contacts for your child, please inform Mrs. C. Connor at 323-2765.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP TIMES

Students are dismissed at 2:18 p.m. Parents who pick up their students should park in the front of the building, filling up the parking slots first. We ask that you please wait for your child/children in front of the school. Parents should not park on the bus court or on side streets. Early dismissal should take place before 2 p.m. unless it is an emergency. Parents requesting early dismissal for a student must provide I.D. before the student will be called to the office.

EARLY DISMSSALS AND PARKING

Students should not arrive to school before 7:15 a.m. The weather is getting colder and there is not a place for them to wait execpt outside of the building. The school dismissal time is 2:18 p.m. Students who are being picked up should be picked up no later than 2:30 p.m.

COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES

Communications devices such as, but not limited to cellular phones and pagers, ordinarily have no place in the school environment. The unauthorized possession of such communication devices in a student’s locker, purse, book bag or similar container is considered to be possession of the device by that student. Communications devices will be confiscated and the parent/legal guardian will have to pick the device up from the school.

PHONES

We do not offer a public phone for student use. Students are permitted to use the main office phone before 8 a.m. and again after 2 p.m. for emergencies only. If you need to speak to your child during school hours a message will be given to the student after 2 p.m. Thank you for understanding.

DRESS CODE

Dress and grooming that interferes with the educational process by drawing excessive attention will not be permitted. The following expectations are to be followed:

Mesh shirts, through which you can easily see, tank top shirts, tube tops, bare backs or midriffs, and short shorts are not appropriate.

Headwear, (hats, scarves, bandanas, caps, etc. ) and sunglasses must not be warn in school.

Decals, slogans or sayings on clothing that contain reference to illegal or immoral behaviors or any type of profanity and/or racial slurs are not to be worn.

Appropriate safe shoes are to be worn at all times for appropriate school activities. Slippers are not permitted.

Shorts, skirts and dresses are to be of fingertip length and shirts are to have at least one-inch wide straps. Cleavage should be covered.

Pants are to be worn around the waist.

If there are any religious practices that involve student dress, we ask that you submit documentation to the school’s principal, as soon as possible, for his/her approval.

Students should not wear jackets, outside vests, pajamas, or slippers during the school day.

ABSENT NOTES

If your child has been absent you can send a note with the child on the day he/she returns. Include the child’s first and last name, grade, reason for absence, homeroom number and date (s) of absence. Notes can be submitted to the homeroom teacher or dropped off at the South Staff Center (6th), North Staff Center (7th) or Main Office (8th). If the child is out 3 or more days, a doctors note is required.

LATENESS TO SCHOOL AND CLASS

Upon entering the building, students who are late need to report to the South Staff Center to obtain a late pass. Excessive lateness will subject the student to disciplinary action. Any student arriving after 7:45 A.M. should report to the South Staff Center with a note from home explaining the lateness. Students should recognize that a written explanation from home does not automatically cause the tardiness to be excused. Such reasons as car trouble, personal business, heavy traffic, home obligations, etc., while understandable, are not acceptable excuses and will be listed as unexcused.

Unexcused lateness to class or school will result in disciplinary action. After four unexcused tardies in a marking period, the parent will be contacted and the student will meet with the guidance counselor. If the student receives a fifth unexcused tardy in the marking period, they will receive a detention. The student will be assigned to ISS if they receive six or more unexcused tardies in a marking period.