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Parents and Guardians of BASIS Peoria Students,
Welcome to the March 12, 2012, edition of the BASIS Peoria school newsletter. We will publish these updates as often as necessary to share with you important information concerning student achievement and awards, academic programs, extracurricular activities and faculty. We welcome your feedback on how we can improve our newsletters to help better serve your needs and those of our students.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Houser Head of School |
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Parent Survey
Parents now have an opportunity to send the Head of School anonymous positive as well as critical feedback on the performance of our teachers. Only the Head of School will be able to see any of the feedback. No one will know the origin of the feedback. Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts and feelings.
To take the survey, click on the link below.
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Newsletters Now Available on Web Site
We have now archived past issues of school newsletters to current and interested parents and about the Annual Teacher Fund on our BASIS Peoria web site www.basispeoria.org. Now you can catch up on those newsletters you missed reading!
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Tri-M Music Society
On Friday, March 9, the following BASIS Peoria students were inducted into the school's new chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society under the leadership of Music teacher Sid Adams. The students also gave individual recitals to an enthusiastic audience.
Audrey Allen
Miguel Caro
Coleman Ellis
Annie Martin
Caleb Price
Sara Trimble
Tajinder Virdee
Matthew Wan
The Tri-M Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle/junior high and high school students. It is designed to recognize students for their academic and musical achievements, reward them for their accomplishments and service activities, and to inspire
other students to excel at music and leadership. Through more than 5,500 chartered chapters, Tri-M has helped thousands of young people provide years of service through music in schools throughout the world. Tri-M is a program of the National Association for Music
Education.
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Student Spotlight
Karate instructor Jessie Smith shines the student spotlight this week on the entire element group 5Na whose students were the winners of the donation drive for a local family. Congratulations for demonstrating your spirtit of community service! A big congratulations to Seoyoon Kim (6Ne) and Brandan Mance (7F) for their wonderful performance in the AMEA Elementary/Junior High All-State Band festival this past weekend. It was such a wonderful experience for them!
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National Student Leadership Conference
Raga Kilaru (9Se) has enrolled in the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) on Medicine & Health Care. Congratulations Raga!
The NSLC is an education organization dedicated to preparing high school students for leadership roles. At the NSLC, Raga will have an opportunity to meet with and learn from prominent national and world leaders, engage in collaborative and exciting hands-on simulations, explore a future career, and experience life on a college campus
If you would like to learn more about the National Student Leadership Conference and this summer's programs, please visit http://www.nslcleaders.org. On our Educators page, you can find more information about:
Our Academic Philosophy
How to Nominate Students
Request Information
Educator Scholarships
If you have any further questions regarding the Medicine & Health Care program or any of the NSLC programs, please email the NSLC office at educator.info@nslcleaders.org.
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Teacher Spotlight
The teacher spotlight shines on Art teacher Susan Walker today. Ms. Walker teaches Art to half of the 5th grade classes and acts as a member of the administrative staff assisting Mr. Keltner with students with special needs. She will accompany the 5th grade students on their field trips in May.
When she was living in Japan in 2008, Ms. Walker took a trip to Australia over the winter holiday with her British boyfriend. "He surprised me on my birthday by proposing to me in a vineyard in the Yarra Valley outside of Melbourne. It was simultaneously the best birthday and vacation I ever experienced!"
Ms. Walker observes that "BASIS students are doing amazing work! They continue to astound me."
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Science Fair
The BASIS Peoria Science Fair will be held at school on Wednesday, March 14, from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. No experiments, demonstrations or explosions will be permitted during the Science Fair.
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Traffic SafetyPlease help us protect your children by driving safely on school property and as you enter and exit the school's property. Watch your speed! Do not make U-turns! We don't want you or your loved ones to be in our next traffic photo.
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Education in the Media
If you didn't catch the CBS 60 Minutes segment Sunday on the Khan Academy, you can see it by clicking on the following link Khan Academy.
An article by Thomas Friedman from the Sunday New York Times relating high school PISA exam scores with a country's natural resources can be seen in the following link Pass the Books. Hold the Oil.
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The Creative Block
The Creative Block, BASIS Peoria's Art and Literary Magazine, will be hosting a book sale on Friday, March 30, from 2:30-6:00 p.m. Hardcover books will sell for $5 and paperback books for $3. You may donate books to the school starting Wednesday, March 28. For more information, please contact Bryan Meyerowitz at bryan.meyerowitz@basispeoria.org.
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Adopt-A-Pilot
The Adopt-A-Pilot program from Southwest Airlines starts this week for fifth grade students in Mr. Loney's Lower School Science classes. This program will occur every Monday in March (except during spring break) and will include instruction from a genuine Southwest Airlines pilot. We are fortunate to have Sharon Preszler (parent) act as our instructor for this aerospace inspired series. Mrs. Preszler is a former Air Force F-16 pilot. The students will have the opportunity to set career goals, learn some aerospace fundamentals, and complete a flight plan. Mrs. Preszler will be instructing all six element groups each Monday.
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Truck Farm Visits BASIS Peoria
Biology teacher Kristine Low hosted Truck Farm Phoenix last week and Natalie Mossis, daughter of BASIS Peoria employee Diana Hayes. The event made its presence in the local media with an article and photos Truck Farm Phoenix.
Below are Art teacher Susan Walker, Program Aide, and Truck Farm Operator Natalie Morris standing around the truck farm at school last Wednesday.
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Yearbook
We are ordering a limited number of yearbooks. In order to ensure that you will receive one, please pre-order your copy immediately. On March 15 the price goes up from $31 to $40.
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Wrestling Club
Math teacher Steven Villafuerte has organized a Wreslting Club that meets every Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. for one to two hours. The purpose of the club is to develop wrestling fundamentals. We already have eight students interested and are looking for more. Interested students may sign up by contacting Mr. Villafuerte, Mr. Bethel or the Front Office team.
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Silk Road Date Change
The date of Silk Road, a multicultural event, has been changed to Saturday, April 14, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
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Spring Musical Arts Night
See the Quick Link attached herein for early information about the school's Spring Musical Arts Festival to be held at Dysart High School on Friday evening, April 27. More information will be published in future newsletters as it becomes available.
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Spirit Week
Leadership will be hosting a Spirit Week from March 12-16.
Monday, March 12: Nerd Day (wear "nerdy" clothes: pocket protectors, big glasses, etc.)
Tuesday, March 13: Multi-Cultural Day (wear clothes that represent your culture)
Wednesday, March 14: Blast from the Past Day (wear clothes from another historical period)
Thursday, March 15: Fandom Day (show that you're a fan of a film, book, or band)
Friday, March 16: Crazy hat or hair day (wear your craziest hat or hairstyle)
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Lost and Found
The lost and found areas in the Multipurpose Room, Office 1, and the Front Office are bursting to overflow with articles of clothing, lunch boxes, academic materials including CJs, and miscellaneous valuables. Please encourage your children to visit these areas this week because during Spring Break, we will donate all remaining items to charity.
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New BASIS Phoenix School
Following is a link to an Arizona Republic article Charters Thriving about the impact of chart schools, including BASIS Phoenix, on schools in the Paradise Valley School District.
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BASIS Teams Sweep 2012 Arizona Middle School Science Bowl
On Saturday, February 25, BASIS students took home the first, second, and third place titles at the 2012 Arizona Middle School Science Bowl. The competition consisted of 26 teams competing in a seven division Round Robin tournament with a fast paced question and answer format. The top eight teams moved on to a double elimination tournament.
BASIS Scottsdale Team 1 took home the first place trophy and will travel to Washington, DC to represent Arizona at the National Science Bowl at the end of April. BASIS Oro Valley team A placed second, BASIS Scottsdale Team 2 took home the third place trophy, and BASIS Tucson placed fourth.
1st Place - BASIS Scottsdale Team 1
Grady Day (Captain)
Nithin Kannan
Brian Glucksman
Abijith Krishnan
Aaron Kim
2nd Place - BASIS Oro Valley Team A
Anna Zeng (Captain)
Daniel DeFilippis
Isaak Kylat
Jeremiah Pate
Jennifer Xiao
3rd Place - BASIS Scottsdale Team 2
Yash Pershad (Captain)
Ved Narayan
Hannah Vange
Nathan Johns
Krishna Murugan
4th Place - BASIS Tucson Team
Calder Miller (Captain)
Joanna Jandali
Margaret Zheng
James Wyeth
Jayasangeetha Thanikachalam
"This is a great success and it is one that would not be possible without the hard work of our students and our science teachers who are educating our kids at such a high level," says Narangrel Altangerel, BASIS Oro Valley physics teacher and the team's coach. David Romero, coach of the BASIS Scottsdale Science Bowl teams agrees. "Our students have worked incredibly hard to prepare for this competition. We are proud of all of the students who competed and look forward to traveling to the nation's capital for the national competition in April."
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3 BASIS Students Named Presidential Scholars
Three BASIS students earned recognition as 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars, one of the highest honors for graduating high school seniors. Erika Kollitz of BASIS Scottsdale and Lauren Sleator and Jesse Gilmer of BASIS Tucson were among the 141 students across the country selected to receive this distinguished award.
The students will travel to Washington D.C. in June for the National Recognition Weekend where they will receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House. During this expense-paid trip, students will also have the opportunity to meet with government officials, educators, authors, musicians, and scientists, visit monuments and museums, and attend recitals, receptions, and ceremonies, according to the Commission on Presidential Scholars.
Students are selected for the U.S. Presidential Scholar award on the basis of broad academic achievement. Over 3,000 candidates are selected for consideration based on the results of their SAT or ACT scores. Out of these candidates, approximately 20 females and 20 males are selected in each state. These students submit candidacy materials for review, including essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports and transcripts which are reviewed by a committee of qualified individuals experienced in secondary and post-secondary education, according to the Commission. The committee selects up to 141 U.S. Presidential Scholars to recognize their immense value and potential.
Congratulations to Erika Kollitz, Lauren Sleator and Jesse Gilmer.
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14 BASIS Students Advance to Grammar Bowl Semi-Finals
Eight BASIS Chandler students and six BASIS Oro Valley students will compete in the Grammar Bowl Semi-Finals at the Senate and Legislative Chambers on Saturday, March 24, 2012.
BASIS Chandler
Grammar Bowl Semi-Finals
Daphne Guo
Ishitha Jagadish
Siva Kailas
Samdeet Khan
Kasyap Kondury
Lena Meyer
Farhan Rahman
Akshata Rudrapatna
BASIS Chandler
Grammar Bowl Semi-Finals
Jake Harris
Allie McGuffin
Brianna McGuffin
Saydee Nymeyer
Zach Tronstadt
Anna Zeng
The students advanced to the Semi-Finals stage after earning a score of 90% on the Arizona EGUMPP Grammar Module in the Preliminary Competition and scoring among the top 90 students in the Regional competition which consisted of a 50-minute online multiple choice test.
The Semi-Finals will consist of a writing test and a multiple choice test and the 24 highest scoring participants will advance to the Grammar Bowl Finals at the Grand Canyon University on Saturday, April 14.
"We are so proud to send eight BASIS Chandler students to the Grammar Bowl Semi-Finals in the school's first year of operation. These students have worked incredibly hard to prepare for the competition and we wish them the best of luck on March 24," says BASIS Chandler English teacher team advisor Cyndi O'Brien. Congratulations to the 14 BASIS students who will advance to the Grammar Bowl Semi-Finals.
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BASIS Oro Valley Teams Sweep Regional History Day Competition
For the second year in a row the BASIS Oro Valley National History Day teams swept the top spots at the Southern Arizona Regional History Day competition on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Five BASIS Oro Valley teams will advance to the State competition at Grand Canyon University on April 28 where they will compete for the opportunity to advance to the National Competition in Washington DC.
"In addition to keeping up with the demands of their regular homework load, these students have worked diligently to complete their History Day projects. We are proud of their accomplishments and their efforts," says Teresa Shorbe, BASIS Oro Valley History Teacher and the National History Day advisor.
National History Day is a year-long program that engages students in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. "Students produce dramatic performances, imaginative exhibits, multimedia documentaries, interactive websites, and historical papers based on research related to an annual theme," according to the National History Day Arizona website.
Congratulations to the competitors!
Senior Historical Research Paper
Violence Begets Violence: The Bus Boycotts
Samantha Koenig, 10th Grade
Senior Individual Documentary
Pablo Picasso & Cubism
Soraya Simi, 9th Grade
Senior Group Website
One Leg at a Time: Steps Toward Women's Independence
Joyce Cao (10th) and Nancy Li (10th)
Senior Group Documentary
The Berlin Wall: The Ground Up to the Rubble Down
Zachary Tronstad (9th), Brian Carroll (9th), and Sophie Sandweiss (9th)
Senior Group Documentary
The Final Cut: Revolution, Reaction, Reform of Music (1960-1970)
Andrew Wilford (10th), Anthony DeFilippis (10th), and Albert Zhang (10th)
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EveryMile
EveryMile is a Phoenix based non-profit that promotes and advocates fitness, nutrition and wellness. EveryMile is very active in the community and in schools. We have a variety of different platforms in which we get our message out, and one of them is through the EveryMile Challenge. This is a free event that is designed to bring youth and families together for a day of fun filled activities.
EveryMile has partnered with Liberty High School to host our upcoming EveryMile Challenge to be held on March 31. There are a lot of events going on that day: a fun run, softball and basketball tournaments, golf activity, tennis...too many to name. The finale of the day will be a basketball game between Liberty Staff and NFL Players, live streamed on IBN Sports.
Attached herein as a Quick Link are a press release and a flyer for the event. Visit www.everymile.com for more info on the organization.
Direct any questions to Danna Pratte at danna@nutritionalbrandsinc.com.
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Boosters
We encourage you to visit the BASIS Peoria Boosters web site http://basispeoriaboosters.org for information about fundraising events that benefit BASIS Peoria School and social events for BASIS Peoria parents and guardians.
April Lunch Orders
You may now order April lunches on the Boosters' web site
Booster Elections for 2012-2013
In order to accommodate and leave open the opportunity for new parents to BASIS to join in on the leadership team of the Boosters organization, the deadline to apply/complete a Booster Membership has been extended to March 15th, which also coincides with the closing date of nomination applications.
To be placed on the ballot, a nominee must be a booster member. Membership must be placed and paid for by no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 15. The nomination forms are available via the attachment to this notice, in addition to the Boosters webpage.
To nominate an individual for a board position, please email Ken Feldman at kfeldman@cox.net no later than 5 p.m. March 15, 2012.
Please feel free to contact Ken with any questions regarding the election or nomination process.
Donations Needed Hooray for BASISwood!
The Boosters are planning a special night on Saturday, May 5, for parents, guardians, and friends of BASIS Peoria. Hooray for BASISwood will be filled with tributes to old movies, gaming, some interactive entertainment, and a silent auction. It is anticipated to be the Boosters' biggest fundraising event of the year. The Boosters are donating all funds raised through this event to the Annual Teacher Fund.Donations are needed for this event. Please see the Quick Link attached herein for information about how to make donations to this event.
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