Alice Deal Middle School

Think globally - Listen compassionately - Act inclusively  

 

The Weekly Bulletin 

deal modernized
 
Our school mission:
Alice Deal Middle School inspires excellence, curiosity, and compassion through intellectual and social engagement.
deal front        Ecology Field Trip

Principal's Message... 

Thank you to all the Deal parents and families that filled the school this week - my Parent Coffee was well-attended (next one October 22), our 8th grade parents night was busy and informative, and the Family Movie Night was, indeed, Epic. I hope this beautiful weekend was set aside for as much rest as possible.

There are, as usual, some critical items in this week's bulletin, and I urge you to check them out carefully. First up is the notice about the change in lunch policy. This change, requiring families to have sufficient funds in their children's lunch accounts or have a free-and-reduced form (FARMS) on file, has been a long time coming. Deal may be the last school to require this. Last year we held off on the policy change to give the system a chance to bill families for unpaid lunches. All balances were billed by DCPS in a process that, by the end of the year, didn't really recoup the costs. This year, DCPS pushed the start date back to this week to get families the time to get their forms in or to fill their accounts. Please make sure your students have their accounts filled or the FARMS forms in - the lunch line will not be serving students without one of these. Staff from DCPS will be here on the October 1st to help in the transition.

Another change for the positive is the advent of online sign-up for Parent-Teacher Conference Day - October 21. We are announcing the web link below but will not open it until October 7. This will allow us to reach out to families that we feel we really need to bring in to talk about student progress. Some families do not have access to the Internet, and we need to give them an opportunity to claim some slots. When the conference sign-up is open, you will be able to access a form, select your time from available 5-minute slots on that Monday, and be assured that you are accounted for. This process will reduce the need to send home prospective schedules, sort out who can come in when, and then let everyone know when their slot has been identified. Non-team teachers will, as usual, be available for drop-ins throughout the day. This is the first time we have done the online sign-up, so bear with us if there are any last-minute challenges. Patience is always appreciated!

There are some big announcements in this bulletin about student activities. Note that we are about to open our 2nd advisory run of Period 8 classes - the list of courses is included below. The courses are again limited to 7th and 8th graders for this advisory; 6th graders will be able to access courses beginning in 3rd advisory. We are also planning on developing some new courses for 2nd semester. We have been very excited about how the courses have been developing; please feel free to send me any feedback you have (good or bad) as we are trying to build something new.

Almost finally(!), our Viking Time list will be seen by your students for the first time this week. Students will be filling out their requests in their homerooms; the Viking Times will take place once a month and are organized by grade-level. This is a very popular activity at Deal. The list of activities is in the bulletin on the left side column; it differs from clubs as it takes place during the activity period on Thursdays and all students and faculty participate.

Finally! At Deal we ask a lot of our students and our teachers. While we are trying to make sure that your students get what they need, we are also trying to make a successful building that allows the staff a semblance of a home-life balance. A number of new initiatives (online parent-teacher conference signups, unified deficiencies, and Period 8) are aimed at reducing paperwork or providing rewarding but voluntary activities for teachers; this is one way to focus on the balance. Last Wednesday we had 18 teachers, social workers, and counselors sharing with 8th grade families critical information before the year gets too complicated - History Day, math, writing, Science Fair, high school applications. We appreciate Beli Acharya, Dan Assael, Peter Boccardi, Colleen Couron-Smith, Diran Cowell, Talin Darkjian, Julelah Fuller, Michael Haller, Darcy Hampton, Patrick Healy, Ben Jakubowski, Elyse Lerum, Diane McFarland, Cynthia Mostoller, Rob Otterstatter, Jessica Reynolds, Yvette Simpson-Wayne, and Amy Trenkle for working hard long after the day was done to make 8th grade parent night the success that it was.

Take care.

James Albright
Principal
PTA

Building Community

 

The next PTA Meeting is Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria. 

          Week of 
September 30, 2013ringing
 
 Bell Schedule

Monday - Bell I 
Tuesday -Bell I
Wednesday - Bell I 
Thursday - Bell I  
Friday - Bell I 

Upcoming Dates  


October 3
New-to-Deal, 3:30
Grade Level Chairs, 3:30
Paced Interim Assessments (through October 11)

October 4
LSAT, 7:30 am

October 5
Saturday Detention 9 - noon

October 8
Picture Day
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm

October 14
Columbus Day
No school for staff and students

October 16
Buddy Day

October 17
8th Grade Trip to Mount Vernon
Faculty Meeting, 3:30 pm

October 18
Professional Development Day
No school for students 

October 21
Parent-Teacher Conferences
No school for students

October 22
Principal's Coffee 9-10
6th Grade Humanities Field Trip
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm

October 23
6th Grade Humanities Field Trip
Literature-to-Film Festival

October 24
Grade Level Chairs, 3:30 pm
6th Grade Humanities Field Trip
High School Night

October 25
Visiting Deal 9 - 10 am

October 29
Mix it Up Day

October 30
Buddy Day

November 1
Last Day of First Advisory
Reno Day #1
Students Dismissed at 12:15
Detention 12:15 to 3 pm

November 2
Politics and Prose Fundraiser

November 3
Politics and Prose Fundraiser

November 4
1st Advisory 6th Grade Birthday Party

November 5
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm

November 6
Lafayette Buddy Day

November 7
New to Deal, 3:30 pm

November 11
Veterans' Day
No school for staff and students

November 12
Canned Food Drive Begins

November 13
Eaton Buddy Day
Family Math Night, 6:30 pm

November 14
GeoPlunge Tournament

November 15
LSAT, 7:30 am
Report Cards Issued

November 16
Saturday Detention 9 - noon

November 19
Open House 9 - 1 pm
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm

November 20
Bancroft Buddy Day

November 21
Faculty Meeting, 3:30 pm

November 26
Principal's Coffee, 9 - 10

November 27
Thanksgiving Assembly

November 28 - 29
Thanksgiving Break 
No school for students and teachers 

Media Center News
    Center Hours
 

 

Before School 8:00 - 8:40 am

 After School  3:30 - 4:30 pm

 
Students must have parental permission to stay after school

  

The Alice Deal Media Center 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). 
Bus Information '13-'14
If your child travels on the 4 bus routes that WMATA makes available for Deal students, here are some important phone numbers for you.

If the D31 or D32 bus is late, misses a pick-up, or never shows up, please call the Western District Superintendent, Ms. Jacqueline Smith, at 202-962-5860 as soon as possible. Her email is [email protected]. Students who are passed should try to get the bus identification number. If your child rides the D33 or D34, the Northern Division contact is Ms. Priscilla Alston. She can be reached directly at 202-309-0783. Her email is [email protected].

As always, please send an email about bus problems or concerns to j[email protected].

Here is a link to the bus route schedule.
 

 

Immunization News 

 

Thanks to the parents who have been sending in immunization information. Please continue to send in  documentation every time your student receives new immunizations. It is important to have all students immunized to prevent the spread of childhood diseases.

 

All 6th graders 11 years or older must have the following:

Tdap (tetanus, diptheria and pertussis)

Meningococcal (meningitis)  

HPV (human papilloma virus)

 

For the HPV vacine, three doses are required for females or you may complete an opt out form.

 

All immunization forms must be stamped, signed and dated before the Immunization Registry will accept them.

 

If there are any questions, please call Nurse Dickens at (202) 939-2009.

PTA Sponsors
The following are the Deal PTA 2013-2014 business sponsors.

The Broad Branch Market

*
Taylor Agostino Group

*
Radifera Design Group

*
W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtor

*
Pete's New Haven Style Apizza

*
Second Wind CrossFit

*
edCount, LLC 


Discount Vacation Rentals for Deal Families


 Capitol Language Services  

*

Acacia Bistro 

  

Important Changes Made to DCPS Attendance Protocol

 

1) 10 unexcused absences means "chronically truant."

 

2) 15 unexcused absences is a court referral 

 

3) Students must be at school 80% of the entire school day in order to be considered "present".   

 

Reminder

The only excusable reasons for a student's late arrival and/or absence from school are:

  • Illness or medical  
  • Medical or dental appointment 
  • Death in the student's immediate family
  • Judicial proceedings 
  • Religious holiday
  • Failure of DC to provide transportation  

In order to be acknowledged as "excused" the student must provide a note to the attendance counselor (written or electronically) from the parent and/or guardian with one of the reasons listed above.  

 

If you have any questions, please contact the Welcome Center and ask to speak to the Attendance Counselor, Ms. Johnson. 

Viking Time

All students will be selecting their monthly Viking time activities in their homerooms next week. The first Viking Time will be on October 17. Here is our preliminary list of activities, divided by grade levels. 

 

6th Grade Viking Time Activities

Anime All the Way

Bananagrams and Uno

Board Games

Book/Print Making

Capitol Jazz Project

Capture the Flag

Card Games

Creative Writing

Doodle Club

Farkle

Frisbee

Hula Hoop

Improv Club

Independent Readers Jewelry Designing

Karaoke

Kickball

Lanyard Making

Math Games and Puzzles

Museum Mania
Music Exploration

Origami

Paper Quilling

Ping Pong

Quelf

Space Time

The Sports Rap

Thank You Club

Walking Club (permission slip needed)

Yoga

 

7th Grade Viking Time Activities

Animal Rights

Badminton

Basketball

Board Games

Buddy Beads

Capitol Jazz Project
Card Games

Character Illustrations

Chess Club

Creative Writing

Film Club

Four Square

Frisbee

Garage Band

Graphic Novel Club

Gimp

Harry Potter Fanatics

Holiday Cards

Let's Chat

Line Dancing

Meditation

Monopoly

Museum Mania
Origami

Outdoor Adventure Club

Scrabble

Space Exploration

Sports Talk Circle

STEM Club for Girl

Sudoku

Winning Arguments (Debate)

Woodcraft Painting

Zumba

 

8th Grade Viking Time Activities

Apples to Apples

Board Games

Capitol Jazz Project
Charades

Chinese Calligraphy

Creative Writing

Knitting, Spinning, and Weaving

Gadget Zone

Garage Band

Independent Readers

Doodling

Lawn Games

Movie Critic

Museum Mania
Nail Salon

The Philosophical Life

Planning for Life

Scrabble

Scrapbooking

Soccer

SpaceChem

Spanish Films

Speakin' Up, Out, and Beyond

Step Team

The Sports Rap

Theatre Games

Travel Club

Who Done It?

Zumba

 

New Lunch Policy - Important
All students must have a positive balance in their account starting October 1st in order to purchase/receive a lunch.

Students currently receive a lunch meal regardless of their meal account balance. Starting October 1st, students that do not qualify for free/reduced meals (by filling out a Free And Reduced Meal application) must have a positive balance in their student meal account in order to purchase lunch. If there is not a positive balance in the student's account, they will not be able to purchase lunch. Please fill out and submit a Free And Reduced Meal application as soon as possible if you believe you qualify by following this link:
 
As a reminder, students can pay for meals in any of the following ways:
1. By paying with a credit/debit cards at mylunchmoney.com, an online prepayment service
2. By inserting cash into the MyPAL Kiosk, located in the cafeteria
3. By sending a check or money order made payable to the D.C. Treasurer to the following address:      

DCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services?
1200 First St, NE, 11th Floor?
Washington, DC 20002
 
*The student ID# MUST be included.
International Baccalaureate 

 

Thursdays at Deal use a modified schedule to allow for additional whole-school activities. One day a month our focus is on a specific IB activity, planned by teacher "IB Masters." 
To start off the year there were two IB activities in September, on the 19th and 26th.

Sixth graders learned about the IB Learner Profile so they could create posters of each attribute. Seventh graders watched videos and read information about the civil rights movement and brainstormed to identify causes they would march for today. Eighth graders discussed ways to "bring peace" to our community.Eighth graders also developed a list of five things their homeroom would like to complete in our community.Walking through the halls, teachers and students were observed actively engaged in the activities. Teachers shared that their students were excited about the activity and wanted to continue working on them the next day.The second day this month continued the discussions; this time the eighth-graders watched a video about the students at Loyola High in Los Angeles. to continue their work on peace in the community.
IB WORLD  

IB Learner Profile of the Month: Balanced 

 

We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives - intellectual, physical, and emotional - to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.   

 

IB Learner Profile Students of the Month for September 

Congratulations to the hardworking students who are featured on Student of the Month Bulletin Board outside of the Welcome Center! The IB Learner Profile represented this month is Risk-Taker. These students "...approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs."
 
Team Rio - James (Trip) Corrigan and Kaitlyn Hunter 
Team Sydney - Caleb Davy and Pheobe Long-Sires 
Team London - Alec Walter and Refal Bahabri 
Team Santiago - Frank Sheffield and Naomi Schuster 

Team Babylon - Abraham (Avi) Faber and Jennifer Guardado 
Team Dubai - Joseph Lezama and Jazlyn Berry 
Team Alexandria - Navin Ranjit Slater and Anna Gorlick 
Team Mumbai - Ryan Carnota and Eleanor Hart

Team Geneva - Jacob Weitzner and Claire Medina 
Team Toronto - Ernesto Fritts and Calia Christie 
Team Kiev - Archie Roach and Audrey Hansen 


Team Timbuktu - Nicolas Ortiz and Jemaa El Bahraouy  

 

Student & parent information

 

New: Scary Story Competition

Mr. Helsabeck will be sponsoring his 2nd annual scary story contest in honor of Halloween and all things creepy, crawly, and downright bloodcurdling. Submission will be accepted in Mr. Helsabeck's box until October 25th. Four winners will be chosen, with the first place essay being announced on Halloween day. All three runner ups and the first place story will be published online and receive prizes. Email Mr. Helsabeck if you have any questions! Muhahahaha!
([email protected])

 

New:  Pictures for the Yearbook

Do you have pictures from a school event? Mr. Klauber is in need of photographs for the yearbook.  He is requesting any and all pictures of Deal events!  Please send them to [email protected].

 

New: Parent-Teacher Conference Day Appointments Go Online!

The first round of parent-teacher conferences will take place on Monday, October 21st from 12:00 - 7:00 pm. Conferences with team teachers are by appointment only; this year appointment sign-up will take place online.  

 

Beginning on Monday, October 7th, please visit http://ptcfast.com/schools/Alice_Deal_Middle_School to sign up for appointments with your child's team teachers. All non-team teachers (World Language, PE, Art, Music, Resource, etc.) will be available for drop-in conferences. A detailed description of the online sign-up process is posted on Edline and Deal's website. Note: you will need an email account to use the online process. If you will be unable to create appointments online, please contact your child's team to set up an appointment. 

 

New: Announcing Second Advisory Period 8 Course Offerings

Deal will host another round of extra-curricular blended-learning courses (Period 8) this coming advisory. Period 8 classes meet in-person once a week. In addition, students spend 1-2 hours outside of class each week engaged in online coursework and activities. The following courses will be open to 7th and 8th grade Vikings this coming advisory: (6th graders will be able to enroll in 3rd advisory Period 8 courses)

 

Forensic Science - Ms. Giron - Mondays

Journalism - Mr. Klauber - Mondays

Storytelling Through Video Games - Mr. Eckel - Tuesdays

Mapmaking -  Mr. Martini - Tuesdays

Nature Around the World - Ms. D'Antonio - Wednesdays

Traveling Our Nation's Past - Ms. Trenkle - Wednesdays

 

Interested in enrolling in a Period 8 course?  Check out more detailed course descriptions as well as participation requirements posted on Edline and Deal's website.  A link to online enrollment will be announced in next week's bulletin.

 

New:  8th Grade Parents!

Our Humanities field trip to Mount Vernon is around the corner on October 17th. Please have your child return the permission slip and $25 to his/her Humanities teacher no later than October 7th. Thank you in advance to those who have already done so!

 

New:  Spelling Bee Club

Spelling Bee Club will not meet this week. Please stop by Mr. Gueltig's room to pick up the 2014 Spelling Bee Word List immediately after school on Tuesday.

 

New: Scholastic Reading Clubs

Books and ebooks are available online for students at a discounted rate. You simply go online, register and order by mid-October. Ms. Kinzer will then process your order and have books delivered to your child at school.

 

To order: 

1. Register at scholastic.com/readingclub

2. Enter the Class Activation Code LWMM6

3. Choose from thousands of print titles, value packs, and Storia eBooks

4. Submit the order online by the due date listed on the website

 

If you have any additional questions, please contact Ms. Kinzer at [email protected]

 

New: Swim Club

Do you want your child to learn how to be a better swimmer? Swim Club will begin on October 8. Students will report to Ms. Rhoads' room (E201) every Tuesday by 3:20. Students will return to Deal by 5:15. If a child wishes to leave from Wilson Pool to go home, Ms. Rhoads must have written permission from the guardian. Space is very limited. Please pick up a permission slip from Ms. Rhoads in E201 on Monday, September 30. The first fifteen people to return them will be allowed to participate in the fall swim club session. Note: The swim club is not the same as the Deal Swim Team, organized by  Mr. Helsabeck and Ms. McCarron. 

 

New: Politics and Prose Book Store Fundraiser

Support the Alice Deal Middle School Library on November 2nd and 3rd by shopping at the Politics and Prose book store. The Deal PTA will receive 20% of the sales from Deal supporters and this money will directly fund the library's collection. Visit Politics and Prose on either day of the sale. Identify yourself at check-out as a Deal supporter, present the coupon found in the check-out area, and our library and Deal students will benefit. The store is located at 5015 Connecticut Avenue and is open Saturday from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Start your holiday shopping early and help out our wonderful school!

  

New: Peer Mediation - a Peacemaking Opportunity

Do you know a student who might be interested in being trained to be a peer mediator at Deal this year? If so, ask them to pick up a training application from the bookcase outside the counselors offices and return it to Ms. McFarland (C116) as soon as possible - the deadline is Thursday, October 10. We are looking for boys and girls from all three grades - but especially 6th and 7th. The application needs signatures from a teacher or counselor and a parent or guardian.

 

This is a great opportunity for students to contribute to the school community by helping others resolve problems that cause conflicts in relationships with peers and adults. If students have already been trained, they also need to apply and attend all or part of the mediation training. Special training for mediating disputes at the middle school level will be provided. Information about training dates is included with the application. Ms. McFarland and Ms. Blakeway will coordinate the program. Adults (school staff and parents) who would like to help with the mediation program this year should contact Ms. McFarland at (202) 939-2014.

 

This is the training schedule:

Fri., October 18 - 8:45 - 3:15 pm (no school) 

Mon., October 21 - 8:45 - 3:15 pm (no school) 

Wed., October 23 - 3:15 - 6:30 pm (after school)

Thur., October 24 - 3:15 - 6:30 pm (after school)  

 

 Johns Hopkins CTY 2013 Global Talent Search

Application/registration forms are available in the counselors office for all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who qualify to participate in the Johns Hopkins University Talent Search Program. To qualify, students must have scored "Advanced" in either Reading or Math on last year's DC CAS. Please pick up an application from your grade level counselor if you would like to participate in the 2013-14 Global Talent Search.

 

 Cross Country

The first cross country meet will be on Tuesday, October 1st. Parents, ask your runner for a copy of the schedule that was handed out at practice. Additional copies may be retrieved from any of the coaches. We would love to see as many parents as possible at the meet to cheer on our runners!


Deal Directory
The new Deal Directory is almost ready! Please review your family entry in the draft directory posted on Edline (after the initial log in) to make sure that your information is correct. Email corrections to: [email protected] by October 4th.
 

Vocal Music Department

The three Deal vocal music groups have hit the ground running! This promises to be an amazing year of music! Rehearsals continue this week. It is NOT too late to sign up!! 

 

All School Choir (Watkins) in Auditorium 

7:45 - 8:35 am - Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday

 

The BIG DEAL Madrigal Chorale (McElhaney) in Auditorium 

7:45 - 8:35 am - Monday. and Wednesday

 

DEAL With It A Capella Singers (McElhaney) in Auditorium 

3:30 - 4:30 pm - Tuesday and Friday


Student Librarians Wanted

If you would like to volunteer as a Student Librarian (shelving books and helping students find books), see Ms. Redekopp this week. You can choose the day that best fits your schedule!

 

The New Shakespeare Club is Here!  

Please join Ms. Smith on the second Tuesday of every month to learn about Shakespeare, his plays, his life, and the contribution he made to our language and world. You don't want to miss this club as we read about "The Bard," watch movies of his famous plays, and create some of our own works modelling his dynamic style. For more information, please see Ms. Smith in room E306. Our next meeting will be held this Tuesday, September 24th, from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. Ms. Smith is excited to explore the fascinating life of this important person - won't you join her?

 

World Language Trips 

France - Spring Break 2014  

To register an 8th grader (taking French) for the cultural and immersion trip to France, please go  to www.eftours.com and enroll with tour number: 1344248K. You can also click on the following link in your browser: EF Tours France trip 

Questions/Comments? Feel free to contact M. Mbayu at [email protected] or M. Ngwa at [email protected] 

 

Costa Rica - Spring Break 2014 

If you are the parent of an 8th grade Spanish student and are interested in traveling with Alice Deal to Costa Rica over Spring Break, visit eftours.com and type in tour #1365514 in the box provided. You can register and find information about the itinerary, destinations, and accommodations. If you know you are interested in having your student participate on this tour, please register as soon as possible to avoid an increase in price. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Henderson at [email protected].

 

China - Spring Break 2014 

If you are the parent of an 8th grade student learning Chinese and are interested in traveling with Alice Deal to China over spring break, please visit eftours.com and register with tour #1362243VB. There, you can find information about the itinerary, destinations, and accommodations. If you are interested in having your student participate on this tour, please register as soon as possible to avoid an increase in price. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Yanming Zhi at [email protected].

 

New: World Language Trip Scholarships

Families interested in pursuing scholarships for this year's world language trips: there will be additional scholarships, 50 percent scholarships are limited to families of limited economic means, and the process for providing scholarships will be outlined soon in the bulletin. Stay tuned! 

 

Target's 2013 Give with Target campaign

We need your help! Target's 2013 Give With Target Campaign is providing schools with an easy opportunity to raise money. All it requires is a Facebook account and a minute of your time. We have the potential to raise up to $10,000 for Alice Deal MS.  

 

To participate: Visit the Give With Target Facebook page and vote for Deal Middle School once per week through September 21st. Once Deal receives 25 votes, Target will donate $1 per vote to the school, with a maximum donation of $10,000. Go to your Facebook Account, search for the Give With Target  application, search for DEAL MIDDLE SCHOOL, and vote!Please vote once per week - each vote raises $$ for Deal!

 Paced
Interim Assessments Schedule
 

PIA #1 Testing Schedule

Date

Morning Session

Afternoon Session

Thurs., October 3

ELA - London

ELA - Rio

Friday, October 4

ELA - Sydney

ELA - Santiago

Monday, October 7

Math - Morning  

All - Bell T

No testing

Tuesday, October 8

ELA - Alexandria

ELA - Mumbai

Wedn., October 9

ELA - Dubai

ELA - Babylon

Thurs., October 10

ELA - Geneva

ELA - Toronto

Friday, October 11

ELA - Kiev

Make-ups  


 

 

Daily Schedule October 3 - 11 (not Oct. 7) 

Student waiting areas in the morning:

6th grade: Gymnasium

7th/8th grades: Gallery

ONLY students eating breakfast go to cafeteria  

Testing Set-up

8:00

All testing support staff to cafeteria to begin set-up

Morning Bell

8:45

All students to homerooms.

Morning Session

8:50 -

Morning Session team to cafeteria with Homeroom teacher

2nd period

9:50 - 10:44

Students who have completed testing will go to their 2nd period classes. Team teachers who have 2nd period classes will be dismissed to those classes.

Lunches

10:48 - 1:26

Regular lunch periods. Cafeteria must be cleared of students by 1:00pm.

6th period

1:30 - 2:20

Afternoon Session students to homerooms; all other students to regular 6th period classes

Afternoon Session

1:35 -

Afternoon Session team to cafeteria with homeroom teacher

7th period

2:24 - 3:15

Students who have completed testing will go to their 7th period classes. Team teachers who have 7th period classes will be dismissed to those classes.

Dismissal

3:15

 


Parents please read the DCPS parent letter about PIA:  2013-2014 DCPS Parent Letter

This Week at Deal...

 

Monday: Food Frenzy!

There will be a brief informational session for students interested in joining Cooking Club on Monday at 3:30 pm in CG03. All interested students must fill out an application to attend. Applications are due Tuesday, October 1st and since spots are limited they will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

If you have any additional questions, please contact Ms. Kinzer at [email protected]

 

Monday: Student Council 
Student Council will be meeting every Monday after school.  We are gearing up for a great year, starting with Spirit Week soon.  Students who have any concerns or questions for Student Council should talk to their homeroom representatives.  

 

Monday: The After School Outdoor Basketball Club

The After School Outdoor Basketball Club will meet on at 3:30 pm behind the school on the court next to the "cottage." In the event of rain, we will meet with Mr. Namian in Room E204.

 

Monday: Yoga Club

Yoga club will meet this Monday from 3:30 - 4:30 pm in E101. Bring a yoga mat or towel, and wear comfortable clothes. All levels welcome!

 

Monday: Illustrator's Club

Illustrator's club will meet Monday from 3:30 - 4:30 pm in room C224.

 

Monday: Board Games

Monopoly, Yahtzee, Trouble, Scrabble, Cranium, Hit or Miss, Connect Four, Scattergories, Othello, Checkers, Uno, Taboo, Chess, Twister and more! If you would like to spend an afternoon enjoying a game that you've played a thousand times or challenging yourself to learn a new one, please come to W106 (Ms. D. Jackson's classroom) from 3:30 - 4:30 pm on Mondays.

 

Monday - Friday: Volleyball

Ladies, please submit forms to Coach Spann. Practice will continue daily until the season begins.  

 

Tuesday: DIY (Do It Yourself) Club Interest Meeting

The DIY club will have its first meeting on Tuesday in room E105 from 3:30 - 4:30 pm with Ms. Dziato and Ms. Ellsberry-Carter. Bring ideas of projects you would like to do this year so we can generate a list of potential projects. All crafters and do-it-yourselfers are welcome to join! The DIY club will meet every Tuesday and do a variety of crafts to create usable items.

 

Tuesday: Debate

The first DC Urban Debate League Tournament will be held at Sidwell Friends on Saturday, October 26th from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

 

The three topics will be:

 

School: Assigning mandatory homework is not in the best interest of middle school students.

National: College athletes should receive a share of their school's athletic revenue as income.

International: The US should prohibit the import of all goods derived from the Amazon rainforest.

 

Some debate students began researching these topics last week. Come out this Tuesday from 3:30 - 4:30 pm in room W206 as we will be beginning our first practice/mock debates of the year.  New students are welcome.  Students who have already attended are expected to turn in their signed parent permission forms at this week's meeting.

 

Tuesday: Deal Gay-Straight Alliance 

The GSA will be gathering at its regular time, Tuesday at 3:30 pm in room W305 for cookies and conversation. Students of all sexualities are welcomed and encouraged to join!

 

Wednesday: Team Santiago Study Hall

Ms. Brittingham, Mr. Martini, Ms. Nakamura, Ms. Carter, and Ms. Jackson will be available to provide academic support to all Team Santiago students every Wednesday from 3:30 - 4:30 pm in Room C130. Please feel free to come for help or a quiet place to work.

 

Thursday: Speech

Do you have a desire to act on stage, tell TALL tales, talk about current events, or simply have your voice heard?  Arrive on Thursday at 3:30 pm in room W206 to find out more. Remember, learning how to make a presentation without your knees shaking or and making a speech is a great skill to have in your back pocket and will last a lifetime.  This will be the first year that Deal is providing this opportunity to all students. Who knows, if you play your cards right there may just be a competitive opportunity to strut your stuff!

 

If you have questions, please contact Mr. Stroud (Room w206) and/or Ms. Brittingham (w100). We look forward to seeing you.

 

Staff information ...  

Viking Time Activities
Students will select their Viking Time activity during homeroom from October 1 until October 8. Our first Viking Time is scheduled for Thursday, October 17.

Tuesday: Deadline for GBLT online training.

Wednesday: 6th grade teachers meeting 
All 6th grade teachers (team and non-core) will meet at 8:10 am in room C104.
 

Thursday: New to Deal

New to Deal teachers meet at 3:30 pm.

 

Thursday: Grade-Level Chairs Meeting

Grade-level chairs meet at 3:30 pm in C130 

 

Friday: Deal Professional Development 

Friday, October 4 the PD session will be Close Reading 2D in Room E100. (Note: the Close Reading PD sessions are mandatory - unlike typical Friday PD sessions - as we are trying to standardize our understanding and our practice of this critical instructional approach.) 

(all activities begin at 8:00 am unless otherwise stated)
 
MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

Deal Madrigal
Chorale 7:45am
 

All School Chorus
7:45 am
  

 Deal Madrigal
Chorale
7:45 am

 

All School Chorus
7:45 am  
  
 Peer Mediators Meeting 8:00  
RM C116
 String Chamber Ensemble
7:45 am 
Percussion Ensemble 
7:45 am
String Chamber
Ensemble 
7:45 am
 Percussion Ensemble
7:45 am
 Symphonic Band
7:45 am
Jazz Band
7:45 am
Symphonic Band
7:45 am
Jazz Band
7:45 am 
 6th Grade Concert Band
7:45 am
  6th Grade Concert Band
7:45 am
 All School Chorus
7:45 am
    
(all activities begin at 3:30 pm unless otherwise stated)
MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday
Yoga club
to 4:30 pm
RM E101
Football practice to 6 pm
Football practice pm
Football game 
at Cardozo vs Kramer
6:30  pm
Cheerleading practice to 5 pm
Gym 
Computer Programing
RM E206
GSA club
RM N116
W305
Team Babylon tutoring 
RM W207
TAGS DC
to 4:30 
RM C130
Volleyball practice to 4:30 pm
Literary Magazine club
RM CG07
History club
W304
Fencing club
RM E106
Cross Country practice to 4:30 
The Big Deal
Acappella Choir
Board Games
to 4:30
RM W106
Debate Team
RM W206
Competitive Swim Team interest meeting RM N116
French tutoring
to 4:30
RM N111
6th/7th grade Boys' Soccer Team practice
Outdoor Basketball club
Outside Court
Volleyball practice 
Gym 
Cross Country practice to 4:30
Model Un 
RM W304

Ultimate Frisbee meeting
RM C205
Jiu Jitsu
Outside Gym
Vinyl club
RM C203
Art from the Heart
RM C205

Scrabble club
RM CG07

Team Mumbai tutoring to 4:30 
Team Santiago study hall to 4:30
RM C130
Team London
study hall
RM E104

Volleyball practice 
Gym
After School String workshop
Volleyball practice
Gym
Volleyball practice Gym

Team Rio study hall to 4:30 pm
Sixth Grade Soccer club
E103
New to Deal Transition Workshop Field Hockey
practice 

Cross Country practice to 4:30
The Big Deal Acappella ChoirModel UN Conference 
Speech club
W206

Football practice to 6 pm
Digital Recording Club

Alexandria Library
RM E205
 Chinese tutoring

Knitting club
W103
String Club Music Workshop

Chess club to 4:30
Cafe
Spelling Bee club to 4:30
RM E104
(not meeting this week)
6th/7th Boys' Soccer Team practice


Girl Up
RM E305
Deal's Science Olympiad Team
RM W200
Swim Team meeting
RM N116


Artist Journaling
RM C217
 Chinese tutoring
Anime Drawing club
Library


African Drumming Club
CG21
DIY club
interest meeting
E105



Student Council meeting



Cheerleading practice gym



Volleyball club to 5:00 pm 




Music Workshop



Sixth Grade Soccer Club meeting
RM E103




 Chinese tutoring




Cooking club interest meeting 
RM CG03




Illustrator's club
C224




    

Community Information
(Items in this section are not sponsored by Deal)

 

Free Lacrosse Clinics

Free lacrosse clinics will be held on Sundays from 2:30 to 5:30 pm.  To sign up go to www.winnerslacrosse.org 

 

Learn About LearnZillion 
Looking for a way to support your child's learning at home? On September 26th at 08:00 pm, LearnZillion and DCPS will co-host a live web event discussing how parents can support their students using LearnZillion lessons. Tune in live at 8:00 pm at
www.YouTube.com/LearnZillion. Questions? Contact Natalie Foglia ([email protected]) in the Office of Family and Public Engagement.

 

 
"Young Voices" 

Calling all poets, lyricists, and spoken word artists ages 6-20!

The Woodrow Wilson High School poetry club is sponsoring "Youth Voices: A 100 Thousand Voices for Change" in front of Wilson High School on September 28th, 2013 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. This is an open mic event where you can speak or just come and listen. For more information go to: www.wilson.libguides.com/poetry.