Alice Deal Middle School Think globally - Listen compassionately - Act inclusively |
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The Weekly Bulletin
Our school mission:
Alice Deal Middle School inspires excellence, curiosity, and compassion through intellectual and social engagement.
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Principal's Message...
A school community is made of so many constituent communities - parents, students, teachers, administrators, neighbors, feeder schools - that we purposely spend time each year exploring what binds us together. Often, we see the separation more clearly than the unity. Murch students at Deal might know a fellow student as a Janney or Eaton grad, or a cross-country team member might feel different from a football team member. Similarly, teachers and administrators can sometimes seem like members of different teams, while conversely their shared efforts are critical to Deal's success.
This weekend many of us are reeling from the horrific news out of Connecticut, an incomprehensible tragedy that hasn't yet been fully understood. I know that over the last two days, I have struggled with this changed reality from my position in my different communities. As a grandparent of four, two who are 5 and 8, I tried but couldn't imagine my life without them. As a father, I don't know what I would do to console a son with such a loss. As a teacher, what could I say to those who lost their friends that wouldn't leave them more confused and hurt? As a principal, the still-revealing courage and humanity of the teachers in that building inspires awe.
One thing I know to be true is that we, all our different communities, will find a way to continue. From Friday on, I kept my grandchildren within arms reach as we went about our lives. Students and Deal staff will filter back in to our building tomorrow morning, trying their best to keep moving forward. The pattern of classes, lockers, lunch, and activities will start working its magic. Teachers and parents will talk to other teachers and parents, trying to make sense of the senseless. Time will pass and the sadness will recede.
The knowledge of what happened on Friday will become, inexorably, part of the collective memory of our shared time at Deal. As the Deal community, we share the pain as well as the time healing. What I believe will come out of this is that we have the chance to learn about ourselves and those we love, and be given the chance to go forward.
I wish a restful and rejuvenating break for all of us.
Principal Albright
NB. This will be the last weekly bulletin until the New Year. That doesn't mean that we won't be around. Deal will be open during the winter break with regular office hours. There will always be someone to give you a hand if you find yourself in need during the long holiday. Take care.
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Stay Informed!
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Week of
December 17, 2012
Bell Schedule
Monday - Bell I
Tuesday - Bell I
Wednesday - Bell I
Thursday Bell - Viking Time
Friday - Bell III
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Find out about Deal with...
Deal Tours
Please join us for a tour. All tours start at 9:30 and meet outside the Welcome Center.
January 15
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Upcoming Dates
December 18
8th Gr. "We the People" Mock Trial
December 19
8th Gr. "We the People" Mock Trial
6th Grade Stargazing, 6 - 7 pm
December 20
Faculty Meeting, 3:30 pm
December 21
Winter Holiday Assembly
December 24 - January 4
Winter Break
January 7
School Resumes
January 8
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm
January 9
Math Dept. Meeting, 3:30 pm
January 11
LSAT, 7:30 am
January 12
Open House 9 - 12
January 14
Team La Paz SAAM Field Trip
6th Grade Science Trip
January 15
Deal Tour
6th Grade Science Trip
January 16
EAP - London
Track Championships
January 17
Dept. Chairs, 3:30 pm
School Wide Spelling Bee
6th Grade Science Trip
January 18
8th Gr. "We the People" Mock Trial
6th Grade Science Trip
January 19
Saturday Detention, 9am - 12 noon
January 21
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
No school for students or staff
January 23
Literature to Film Festival
January 24
Faculty Meeting, 3:30 pm
SW Geography Bee
January 25
Students Dismissed at 12:15 pm
Detention, 12:15 - 3:15 pm Records Day
Last Day of 2nd Advisory
January 28
Team Mecca - SAAm Field Trip
January 29
Team Leaders
January 31
Embassy Adoption Prgrm. - Sydney
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Lunch Applications
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Complete Lunch Form online at
Mealsapp.dcps.dc.gov
All families regardless of eligibility must complete a lunch form. This is important and helps determine some funding for the school.
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Library News
The library will be closed on Thursday due to the faculty meeting, and Friday due to the winter break.
Library Media Center Hours
Before School 8 - 8:40 am
After School 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Students must have parental permission to stay after school
The Alice Deal Library welcomes students for reading and homework after school! Students must have a permission form on file in the library to use the space after school. Students may pick up a form in the library, or may download it from the library website (Library Pass).
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PTA Sponsors
The following are the Deal PTA 2012-2013 business sponsors.
The Broad Branch Market
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Taylor Agostino Group
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Radifera Design Group
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W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtor
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Pete's New Haven Style Apizza
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Second Wind CrossFit
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edCount, LLC
Math Medics
(More information at AliceDeal.org)
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Community Information
(Items in this section are not sponsored by Deal)
Citywide Chess Tournament (12/22)
On Saturday December 22, 2012 from 9:30 am-4:00 pm, John Eaton Elementary School (3301 Lowell Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20008) will host a FREE US Chess Federation (USCF) rated Scholastic Tournament for K-8th grade players. There will also be unrated sections for beginners. Players should register early as space is limited to 50 players. To pre-register, players should send their name, grade, school, section they wish to play in and USCF ID to:dave@ilad.net. You will find additional tournament details on the attached flyer (Ward 3 Chess Tournament Dec. 22, 2012). Please feel free to contact Vaughn Bennett at (202) 557-9516 or
Vaughn_bennett@yahoo.com for more information. This event is sponsored by John Eaton Elementary School, John Eaton Afterschool Program and the National Chess Academy.
Holiday Drop and
Shop Fun Day
Drop your child off for:
· Fitness Activities (aerobic, conditioning, endurance)
· Skill Drills
· Basketball
· Volleyball
· Dodge ball
While you finish your shopping!
Chose one or both days:
December 15, 2012 9am - 2pm or December 22, 2012 9am - 2pm. We invite youth ages 7-13 to attend this day of fun, competition and prizes!
Call: 202.906.0532 for info.
Register online at
holidaydropandshop
$30 per child per day
Wilson HS Gym
3950 Chesapeake St.
Don't forget to pack a lunch!
Snacks will be provided.
Futsal Clinics
Register now for Futsal clinics on Saturday and Sunday afternoons starting in January at the Bethesda Sport and Health Club. The program is directed by Allison Diaz, previously a 4-year varsity player at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, and a former Division I soccer player at Canisius College. The sessions are divided into boys and girls. Sundays groups from 1-2 and 2-3 are for 10-13 year olds. There are three five-week sessions planned, and the cost of each is $150. To register, go to: www.tennistar.com or call 301-530-5472, or e-mail the director at Allison.diaz18@yahoo.com.
Writing Contest for Students in Grades 4-10
It's time for the 21st Annual Letters About Literature Writing Contest for students in grades 4-10. The contest challenges young readers to write a personal letter to an author explaining how that author's work somehow changed the reader's view of the world. Letters About Literature is sponsored by the Library of Congress' Center for the Book. Prizes are awarded on both the state and national level at grades 4-6 and 7-8.
Visit lettersaboutliterature.org
for details. Submissions must be mailed and be postmarked by January 11, 2013. State winners will be notified in April, 2013; national winners will be notified in May, 2013.
Information of interest to the Deal community may be emailed for consideration to roslyn.baxter@dc.gov.
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Student and parent information...
New: Congratulations to Winter Concert participants
The Deal auditorium was the setting for a beautiful Winter Concert this past Thursday. A big crowd came to hear "A Time of Harmony," presented by Deal's band, choir, and orchestra ensembles. Our music teachers, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Pavy, and Mr. Washington, arranged a wonderful event, replete with guest musicians. The music was superb, and the right tonic for a cold evening. Congratulations and thanks to all the musicians, instrumental and vocal, for a great night!
New: Indoor Track Team
Our Indoor Track team ran in two meets in six days, competing on the 7th & 12th of December! Their superior training paid off as the Deal Tracksters consistently came across the finish line in first place. Among the outstanding athletes for our Vikings were Jordan Dean, Alahna Sabbakhan, Jarrah May, and Erik Latimer in the sprints and Mayim Lehrich, Sarah Closser, Jordan Allen, and Johnathon Barnes in the distance races. Jada Matthews also had a strong showing in the Shot Put. The coaches are very excited about our prospects in the championships,which will be held on January 16, 2013. GO VIKINGS!
New: New Viking Time - Museum Mania!
Calling all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders---Do you love A Night in the Museum? In Museum Mania we will bring the museums to life, right here at Deal Middle School! Curators and educators from museums across the city will be coming to share with you their collection secrets and to have you interact with their awesome museum trivia, info and fun! Interested students should see Ms. Trenkle or Ms. Neal
New: Student Council Door Decorating Contest
This week we are having our Door Decorating Contest. Our theme for this year is Winter Wonderland! Rubrics were sent out to teachers' DC emails. Homerooms have until Thursday to decorate. Judges will come around starting Friday morning. Pizza Party Winners will be announced during the Winter Assembly!
New: International Cooking Club
The International Cooking Club will begin again after Winter Break. Group A will meet on Monday, January 7, 2013. Please continue to check the bulletin and listen to morning announcements for January dates. Furthermore, 5 slots have opened up and the wait list has been cleared. If you are interested in having your child join the International Cooking Club for the second half of the year, please contact Ms. Kinzer at Harlan.Kinzer@dc.gov. Slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
New: Garden Club will resume in early Spring
Thank you to all the students who helped plant, tend, and eventually winterize our school garden. We will take a break for the winter months and begin to meet weekly in late February to start seedlings for spring gardening. See you then!
New: Scholastic Book Clubs
Sometimes the right book is all it takes to nurture a child's love of reading. That's why I'm pleased that our school will be participating in Scholastic Book Clubs this school year. Starting in January, Scholastic Book Club fliers will be available through Ms. Kinzer each month. These fliers contain just-right, affordable books and Storia™ eBooks for every age and reading level. In addition, orders can now be placed online. Ordering online is fast and easy! In order to order online, follow the steps below:
1) Register at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
2) Use LWMM6 as the Class Activation Code
3) Choose from thousands of print titles, value packs, and Storia eBooks.
4) SubmitT the order to Ms. Kinzer
5) Earn free books for you and our school, too!
For more information, contact Ms. Kinzer at Harlan.Kinzer@dc.gov
Spelling Bee
The Deal Spelling Bee is coming! The all-school bee will be held on Thursday, January 17 for those who have won their homeroom bees. All of the excitement will take place after our return from Winter Break. Anyone interested in getting a list to study from may stop by Mr. Gueltig's room, E104 any day after school this week.
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This Week at Deal... Monday: After School Outdoor Basketball Club The After School Outdoor Basketball Club will meet Monday, Dec. 17 at 3:30 behind the school on the court next to the "Cottage." Dress for cold weather. In case of rain, we will meet with Mr. Namian in Room W205. Monday: Student Council Please remind your homeroom representatives to come to room E205 for our Student Council meetings every Monday from 3:30 to 4:30! Tuesday: 8th Grade TAGS 8th Grade TAGS meeting will be on Tuesday December 18 from 3:30-4:30 pm in W304. The meeting will be with our GeoMentors! Be sure to attend! Tuesday & Wednesday: 8th Gr. Humanities Class 8th graders will be holding a Congressional Mock Hearing in their Humanities classes. The goal is for students to demonstrate their knowledge of the Constitution to the class and to the judges. This is their assessment of their Constitution unit. Students have worked hard this past week to research and write their essays. At the end of each day, the top team from each of the six units will be announced. In January, the top team from Unit 1 from each of the 8th grade teams (3 total) will compete at the school wide level. The winner from the school wide contest in January will move on to the citywide competition at Georgetown Law in February. Students will be judged by a panel of judges: administration, volunteers from local history agencies, and the Center for Civic Education. Wednesday: Winter Solstice Star-Gazing
Please come join the 6th grade science department for a Winter Solstice Star-Gazing event on the Deal field on Wednesday, December 19th from 6-7 pm. We will be using iPads and telescopes to explore the night skies, following our unit on the solar system. Please bring a telescope if you have one and dress warmly. If you are an expert or know an expert on astronomy who would be interested in contributing to the event, please contact Ms. Purcell at keelan.purcell@dc.gov. Also, if you know that you cannot make the event but have a telescope that you wouldn't mind letting us borrow for the night, please let Ms. Purcell know. Students must be accompanied by a parent.
Friday: Winter Assembly
We will be on a Bell III schedule for our annual Winter Assembly - this year, with a round-the-world theme. Students will be escorted to the gymnasium by their 7th period teacher.
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8th grade announcements
Requesting Recommendations for Private Schools
1. Who to ask?: Start by thinking of which teachers can attest to your strengths and positive attributes. Some schools require specific subject teachers to write the recommendation so be aware of this before you ask.
2. Prepare: Gather the recommendation forms and fill out all pertinent information. Prepare an addressed and stamped envelope for each school which you are requesting a recommendation for. All recommendations will be placed in the mail by the individual teacher or by your counselor.
3. Ask: Take the recommendation form with the envelope to the person who you need the request from. Ask the person if they would be willing to write your recommendation. Tell them when it needs to be completed and mailed in. Ms. White has recommendation request slips available to help with this process.
4. Grow: Use the experience of asking for a letter of recommendation to help you grow your communication skills which will come in handy when advocating for yourself in high school.
For all transcript requests for private schools, please also provide an addressed and stamped envelope for the mailing of these items as well.
Specialized High School Open House Updates
Phelps ACE - December 21, January 18, and February 22
Individual Graduation Portfolio (IGP)
The IGP provides students with a road map to the future and a record of the past. Staying on course empowers students to reach the destination-graduation- with all the courses, skills, and experiences needed to make informed decisions about education and career. Grade level milestones and guideways lead students through the program. Learning opportunities available through the IGP include Career/College Major Exploration, High School Course Planning, Goal Setting/Journaling, Interest/Skill Inventories.
Please encourage your student to explore options for their future at home using the following steps:
1. Go to www.dcps.bridges.com
2. Login with DCPS+studentID and the password the student has created (If it's the students first time logging in, the password is simply DCPS)
3. Click on Choices Explorer
4. Click on the Your Portfolio Tab
5. Click Your Plans and get started on the path
Should there be any questions regarding the Choices explorer, please contact your grade-level counselor.
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Attendance at Deal
Students, this is a reminder that on-time arrival and regular attendance help you to achieve more in school and life. As the school year moves forward, we must all strive for being on-time everyday. Good habits today foster good futures tomorrow. Congratulations to the following 6th, 7th and 8th grade homerooms for on-time arrival of 95% or above! All other homerooms start fresh on Monday with a new attitude and commitment to improve.
6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade
Garza Assael Hovancsek
Jackson Diaz Mostoller
Law Parish Mungai
McDowell Rhoads Simpson
Pough Wang
Purcell
Ruiz
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Staff information ...
New: Faculty Meeting - Thursday
We have a busy faculty meeting on Thursday - there is a school-wide professional development on autism spectrum disorders. See you there!
New: Friday PD: Differentiating Classroom Materials
Ms. Zanelli will lead a session at 8:10 Friday morning in room C222.
New: Ethics training completion this week
All staff should have completed the DC ethics training by now. If so, please complete the process by going into Peoplesoft and agreeing to the DC Ethics Pledge.
o Log into Employee Self Service (https://ess.dc.gov/)
o Click "Self Service"
o Click "Personal Information"
o Click "DC Ethics Training"
o Click "DC Ethics Training" link on the bottom of the page
Please check with Ms. Baxter if you need further assistance.
New: Unblock Websites for Your Classes
Teachers can now unblock specific websites from the DCPS filter. For instance, if you want students to watch a video on laptops, this is the way to do it. To unblock a website, send a message with the URL (not just youtube.com, for instance, but the specific video) to dcps.filter@dc.gov.
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Before and After School Activities
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Monday AM
Young Men's Choir - 7:45 am - Rm CG04
Chinese tutoring 8 - 8:30am - Rm N111
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Cadavid 8:10 am - RM C314
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - Rm C212
Monday PM
Girl Up Rm E305
Newspaper club Rm N116
Student Council meeting Rm E205
Viking Quarterly Rm W103
African Drumming club- Canceled this week
Girls on Track - Rm E103
After
school Outdoor Hoop club - Rm W205
Ultimate Frisbee club - Rm C130 6
6th grade Concert Band, 7th & 8th Symphonic Band and Jazz band meeting - Auditorium
Tennis club - Rm E300
Photography Club - Rm E104 French club to 4:30 - CG07
Afterschool Basketball club - W205
Vikings Soccer to 5 pm
GeoPlunge - C130
Board Games to 4:30 - W106
Indoor Track practice to 5 pm
Deal Relief Council - E104
Boys' Basketball practice
Girls' Basketball practice
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Tuesday Am
8th String Ensemble - Auditorium
Jazz Band 7:45 am - Rm CG20
Concert Choir 7:45 am - Rm CG04
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - RM C212
Tuesday PM
Fantasy Football club - Rm C212
Reader's Theater - Rm E205
Cheerleading practice to 5pm
Ultimate Frisbee club - Rm C130
Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Ms. McFarland's office
Bocce club - Front lawn
Music workshop
Girls' Running - RM E304
Girls on Track - Rm E103
Mural/Public Art club
Swimming club to 5:15 pm
Midsummer
Boys' Basketball practice
Girls' Basketball practice
Indoor track practice to 5 pm
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Wednesday AM
6th Grade Concert Band - 7:45 am
Advanced Concert Band - 7:45 am
Young Men's Choir - 7:45 am
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - RM C212
Wednesday PM
Spartan Barracks
Deal Student Librarian
- Library
Team Mumbai Rm N113
Fencing
club to 5:00 pm - Rm W207
Alexandria Library Rm E200
Roman Holiday - Rm E204
After School Sports Rap - Rm W104
Team Santiago study hall - Rm C130
Debate Team - Rm W100
Type Faster Now to 4:15 - Rm 204
New Student Transitions workshop 7th & 8th
Ms. White's Office
Roman Holiday - E204
Deal Scientists club - Rm E101
C-Span - Rm W304
Team Alexandria - Rm E200
Santiago study Hall - C130
Parlons Français Club, to 4:30 - C308
Literature-to-Film Festival to 5 pm - Library
Discovery Club - E101
Salva Las Focas/Save the Seals club - C314
Boys' Basketball practice
Girls' Basketball practice
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Thursday AM
Chinese tutoring 8 - 8:30 am - Rm N111
Spanish tutoring 8:10 am - RM C314
String Chamber Ensemble - 7:45 am
Jazz Band - 7:45 am
Concert Choir - 7:45 am
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - RM C212
French Tutoring Mr Ngwa 8:10 am
Thursday PM
Cheerleading practice to 5 pm
MWIT club - Rm E206
Team London Rm E104
Mathletes Rm E106
M.I.T. to 4:30 - RM E206
Swimming club to 5:15 pm
TAGS 6th and 7th graders - C130
GEMS meeting
Spanish Club
Midsummer
Boys' Basketball practice
Girls' Basketball practice
Writing club RM W305
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Friday AM
7th & 8th Grade Peer Mediators meeting at 8 am - Rm C116
6th Grade Concert Band - 7:45 am
Advanced Concert Band - 7:45 am
Friday PM
M
Boys Basketball practice
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