Charter Chatter

A weekly newsletter written to parents of the TLC

Nov. 18, 2016                                                                                                                                      Vol.16

A message to our TLC staff,

Thank you for all that you do for our students and for each other. I am very proud to be the director of such a great group of professional people.  I know our students value all that you do for them.

We are outstanding in the work that we do, and we will always strive to be even better.  Enjoy your time off, relax and enjoy time with your families.

Come back ready for the hectic three week run to winter break! Thanks to each of the Primary, and Discovery teachers who completed parent conferences.  Thanks to high school staff for getting ready for finals….it is very hard to believe we are closing in on the end of the first semester.

By the way, Michele said she already has about 100 applications for next year and that does not include many of our Discovery students. Very exciting! 

AND pre-school I completely full with a waiting list. It is an incredible program and I am so pleased we opened it.

Virginia

Pre-sales for the Daddy Daughter Dance are now closed. If you would like to attend, you may pay $30 per pair ($5 each additional daughter) at the door! Saturday December 3rd, 6pm-8-pm. We will have Corsages for $10 if you pre-order with Coach KV (kvigil@tracylc.net) by Friday November 25th. Look forward to seeing you on the dance floor!

Crab Feed

SAVE THE DATE:  February 4, 2017 11^TH Annual Tracy Learning Center Crab Feed

What an awesome event for our school! Crab, pasta, salad, bread, dessert, raffles, dancing and so much more.

We are looking for volunteers to assist with our Raffle Committee. If you are creative WE NEED YOU!

Please contact Donna Baker at (209) 321-9157 or email donna@donnabaker.com.

As chairperson of this event it’s always important to recognize ROCK STARS!! Tiffany Alexander who runs our raffle committee has already been working hard since August on our amazing donations. We already, have our donation for Disneyland tickets!

 Thanksgiving Week Nov. 21-25  school holidays

T K

We are so thankful to have such a wonderful class of students and families that support our classroom. The students this week learned the history of Thanksgiving and enjoyed a traditional American Thanksgiving feast. Thank you to everyone who made this event such a huge success. We had a wonderful week meeting with everyone during parent/teacher conferences and celebrating our ‘thankfuls’ on Friday. We send our sincere gratitude to you all and wish you a safe and happy holiday week. See you all back on Monday, November 28th!

Primary Charter

What a great way to end our Trimester.  We truly enjoyed our discussions with all of our families.  Our students are really maturing and we are happy with all of the growth.  Enjoy your time off and we would like to wish you all safe travels and happy family time!

Students enjoyed an amazing feast on Friday and celebrated being thankful for everything they have…especially family and friends!  Thank you so much to the parents that donated to our feast to make it so special.  The students decorated place mats, learned about the first thanksgiving, and shared their amazing turkeys!  What an awesome job they did! Thank you for taking the time to meet with your students’ teachers for parent/teacher conferences.  It is so important to us to be able to share your students’ success.

Phase 1 students worked so hard this trimester.  We are proud of them for their progress in math, their creative writing, reaching their AR goals, and being active listeners and participants.  We are also proud of all those students that made Gold, got their name in the excellence box, and earned SWOs this trimester.  Keep up the great work!  Make sure to check your students’ folder for classroom information and upcoming events. We hope you have a safe and restful break!

MUSIC NOTES

Save the date!    Primary Music Winter Program 

Thursday, December 15, at 6:30 pm, in the TLC gym

All K-4 students will be performing holiday songs with Mrs. Watson.

The students and I are looking forward to this exciting evening performance!!

More information to follow, as the event nears.

For now, please mark your calendars!

Musically,

Mrs. Watson

Primary Music Director

^{Discovery Charter}

The DCS Staff would like to dedicate our portion of the Charter Chatter to our Tracy Learning Center families.  

Thank you for choosing to send your child(ren) to Tracy Learning Center.  It is a wonderful place to learn.  Not only are test scores high, and student achievement excellent – it is a safe place where staff and students come together and bond as a family.  Here, your child will learn o be responsible, independent, and confident.  We aspire to develop curiosity about life and concepts, while helping them understand the life-long lessons of fairness and integrity.

As a staff, we agree we are fortunate to teach the best students ever!!! Students in our rooms listen, they are curious, they ask amazing questions, they try hard, and they walk in ready to work.  At recess, they talk to us about their activities, and allow us to become part of their lives.  They come from homes who support us, and who care about our school community.  We cannot thank you enough for allowing us to teach your child(ren) and for your tremendous support.

Have a safe and restful week off.  We will be ready to go when students return!

BREAK:

• We have the week of November 21^st off – be safe, and enjoy your time ☺
• We return on November 28th

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES:

Thank you for attending student/parent/teacher conferences.  If you were unable to attend, your child’s report card was given to them or mailed home.  Please contact your child’s teacher with any questions.

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE (brought to you by Millennium Athletics):

• Saturday, December 3^rd
• 6:00 – 8:00
• Pre-K through 12

Our weeks are amazing……                        

Girls 6^th grade Basketball Game against George Kelly.

PLEASE REVIEW YOUR CHILD’S AGENDA.  THEIR AGENDA HOLDS DATES, HOMEWORK, PROJECTS, and other valuable information.

If you have questions, concerns, or if you want to discuss your child, please contact their teacher:

Mrs. Beckner: sbeckner@tracylc.net (math and academic pentathlon)

Mrs. Hawkins: shawkins@tracylc.net (language arts (dance and movement with Coach C))

Coach Lopez: blopez@tracylc.net (PE)

Coach P: mpenirian@tracylc.net (PE)

Ms. Pelaez: lpelaez@tracylc.net (science, science Olympiad, (Spanish with Mr. Gomar))

Ms. Rodieck: lrodieck@tracylc.net (language arts, genius hour)

Ms. T: ttakeuchi@tracylc.net (math, leadership)

Coach Williams: dwilliams@tracylc.net (PE)

Ms. Zaca: szaca@tracylc.net (social studies, newspaper)

DHSP

Discover High School Prep

Charter Chatter:

If you attended parent conferences you should already have your child’s report card. If you were unable to attend, the student report cards should be arriving in the mail over the break.

Each homeroom in DHSP had a fun and informative class on basic manners this week taught by Mrs. Stewart. What a great opportunity for our students.

Academic Pentathlon:

AP class has been studying all things World War II. This week they recreated a sculpture by Herbert Ferber titled Jackson Pollock . They had a really good time working in clay:

Math:

Geometry will be Unit 3 testing this week. Assessment is on parallel lines and transversals. Been an exciting unit full of two column proofs and a whole lot of theorems.

Algebra 1 is working hard on Equations and isolating variables.

Intro to Algebra just unit tested and had an 83% average. The new unit is all about rounding and applying that to real world problems.

Language Arts:

This week, students have been working hard to study their vocabulary in preparation for this Friday’s vocabulary quiz. Students have also been learning and practicing new diagramming concepts. As the concepts grow more and more complex, students are gaining a much deeper understanding into the technical side of the English language.

Social Studies:

It’s the return of the Wax Museum… Mrs. Wallace is super excited about this year’s Wax Museum. Students have already begun to research who they want to portray this year. Be on the lookout for the information/direction packet to be going home after the Thanksgiving break.

SWO:

Trimester Two SWO will be introduced in the Language Arts classes soon.

Community service hours for Trimester Two have already begun. Make certain to get your forms signed and turned into Mrs. Dominguez as soon as you reach 10 hours. Remember Community Service counts towards 1/2 of your SWO grade each Trimester

Leadership:

This week leadership students hung “Thankful for You Leaves” for each DHSP Student. Students had to find their leaf for a +50 and a reminder that they are appreciated. The students had a fantastic time looking for their leaves.

Washington D.C. 2017!!!

It’s not too late to sign up for the DC trip. Students will visit the Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum. What an opportunity to see our nations capital with classmates. It’s exciting to see how many students have already signed up for this great opportunity. Please contact Mrs. Wallace at dwallace@tracylc.net for assistance.

If you do not want your student to have his/her photo published please notify Mrs. Wallace at dwallace@tracylc.net

Please feel free to contact any of your student’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns.

Math: Mrs. Dominguez ddominguez@tracylc.net

Math: Mrs. Ulricksen rulricksen@tracylc.net

Language Arts: Ms. Langston alangston@tracylc.net

Language Arts: Mrs. Cerezo acerezo@tracylc.net

Science: Mrs. Ramirez aramirez@tracylc.net

Social Studies, DHSP Learning Director: Mrs. Wallace dwallace@tracylc.net

Enjoy your break!

Charter Chatter November 16, 2016

San Francisco State University and FIDM Field Trip

Students attended the field trip Tuesday. They were able to tour both schools in San Francisco.

MHS Financial Aid Information Night!

The MHS Financial Aid Information Night was held on Thursday, November 17th. We would like to thank everyone who attended the event.  Important topics covered in the presentation were types of financial aid available for college and application deadlines. If you were not able to attend you can view the presentation and handouts on the MHS counseling website.

Attention Juniors

There is a free practice SAT test at the Tracy Library on Saturday, November 19th from 8:30-1:00.  You may register online, over the phone or in person.  Note that this is not the PSAT.

Sow a Seed Foundation – Boys to Men Youth Development Conference

Sow A Seed Community Foundation welcomes our esteemed Keynote, Mr. Keena Turner, to the 2016 Boys-to-Men Youth Development Conference. The purpose of Boys-to-Men is to allow successful men, many who have overcome obstacles on their way to success, to address issues of concern for young men in a safe, gender specific environment. This year’s theme, “Hope and Achieve: Against the Odds” is designed enhance the resiliency of our young men by giving the insight on how to enhance their personal strengths and maximize opportunities for personal growth. The conference format includes a keynote and guest speakers, several workshops, catered lunch from Texas Roadhouse, souvenirs, and edutainment. Sample workshop topics include: overcoming life challenges, issues of masculinity, healthy relationships, self-image, leadership, goal attainment, and more. Registration will close on December 2nd!

 Community Service Opportunities

Moose Thanksgiving Luncheon Sunday, November 20 10:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Moose Lodge (35 East 6th Street, Tracy) Volunteers: 2 dish washers and 6 servers are needed – black and white server attire Contact: Alex Zamora 209-815-6408 or azamora@pacbell.net  MUST contact Alex Zamora for scheduling

      Charter Chatter

A weekly newsletter written to parents of the TLC

Nov. 10, 2016                                                                                                                                        Vol.15

Transition time is in the air.  The school has a feeling if change as students wrap up the Trimester and we move into the ‘holiday season’.  While we all prepare for some well-deserved time off,  we encourage all our students to ‘finish strong’.   Our staff prooud of all our students and their efforts.  Keep it up TLC!!  And thank you for being such amazing students.

Crab Feed

SAVE THE DATE:  February 4, 2017 11^TH Annual Tracy Learning Center Crab Feed

What an awesome event for our school! Crab, pasta, salad, bread, dessert, raffles, dancing and so much more.

We are looking for volunteers to assist with our Raffle Committee. If you are creative WE NEED YOU!

Please contact Donna Baker at (209) 321-9157 or email donna@donnabaker.com.

As chairperson of this event it’s always important to recognize ROCK STARS!! Tiffany Alexander who runs our raffle committee has already been working hard since August on our amazing donations. We already, have our donation for Disneyland tickets!

Next School Holiday – Friday, Nov. 11, 2016 Veteran’s Day

 Thanksgiving Week Nov. 21-25 are school holidays

T K

This week in TK students learned about the election! They learned about the President, the White House, and Air Force One and also words like vote, election, and ballot. Students got to vote on different things leading up to Election Day and had fun discussing their varying perspectives as we read the story ‘Duck! Rabbit!’.  TK students understand that everyone can have their own opinion about something and if others have different opinions from their own, that is still ok! On Election Day we read the story ‘Duck for President’. We had our very own polling station and voting booth for students to cast their vote to see who was the better leader, Duck or Farmer. It was a close race, but Duck won by a nose. We had so much fun exploring democracy in TK!

Primary Charter

PCS conferences are next week.  Please be on time and notify your child’s teacher if you are unable to attend.  

December 3rd  is the first annual TLC Father Daughter Dance!  Please remember that RSVPs are due on Friday the 18th.   

This week in Initial Phase, we have been busy voting!  We voted for our favorite animal, color, food, weather, and if Farmer Brown or Duck should be president.  The results are in!  Here are our winners:
Animal: Giraffe
Color: Blue
Weather: Snow
Food: Donuts
President: Duck
Students learned the following words as well; ballot, majority, privacy, and what it means to register to vote.  We look forward to meeting with all parents to discuss the progress we’ve seen so far. 

 

 

What a busy week in Phase 1!  Assessing and testing is done and we are looking forward to parent/teacher conferences next week.  Phase 1 students learned a lot about the elections this year.  They got a chance to write about what they would do if they were president.  They voted and we tallied the winner in each class.  They know the most important thing to remember is to VOTE! The vocabulary challenge was exciting!  The students did a great job!  Congratulations to the winners!  Next week will also be a busy week. The students are looking forward to our feast on Friday.  Thank you to all the parents that are helping to make this happen.  Have a safe and restful 3 day weekend. 

 

Phase 2 classes are hard at work on their final mission projects.  Some groups are making models and drawing layouts, while others are creating slide shows or tri-fold presentations.  We are looking forward to seeing their hard work next week! 

If your child has books due at the public library, please remember to return them!  We have also started new AR goals and reading levels.  AR goals will be due on Friday, December 16th.  That date will be here before we know it!

MUSIC NOTES

Save the date!    Primary Music Winter Program 

Thursday, December 15, at 6:30 pm, in the TLC gym

All K-4 students will be performing holiday songs with Mrs. Watson.

The students and I are looking forward to this exciting evening performance!!

More information to follow, as the event nears.

For now, please mark your calendars!

Musically,

Mrs. Watson

Primary Music Director

^{Discovery Charter}

SPELLING BEE: Our Spelling Bee was held on Tuesday, November 8^th.  Students continued for several rounds, before winners for each grade level were awarded.

Our 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade winners are pictured below.

Erika Hawk Grade 4, Sahejroop Sethi 5^th, and Komal Khehra 6^th.  “Sahej” was our first place winner and will represent Tracy Learning Center at the County Spelling Bee on Monday, December 5^th; if she wins that round, she will be invited back for the final round on Wednesday, December 7th.

Our 7^th and 8^th grade winners are pictured below.

Hannah Reyes Grade 8 and Kyle Carlos Grade 7.  Kyle was our first place winner (7 – 8) and will represent Tracy Learning Center at the County Spelling Bee on Wednesday, December 7^th.

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE (brought to you by Millennium Athletics):

• Saturday, December 3^rd
• 6:00 – 8:00
• Pre-K through 12

 Get Pretty for the Daddy Daughter Dance…..HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY ELIZABETH SOLOMON, a Millennium graduate and current cosmetology student.  $20.00 for hair and make-up (50% donated to Tracy Learning Center).  Your child has a flyer, sign up soon!!! If you have questions please contact Susan Hawkins shawkins@tracylc.net OR Tiffany Takeuchi ttakeuchi@tracylc.net.

Our weeks are amazing……

Students work together to learn mean, median, and mode.  They created and flew paper airplanes, measured the

distance their plane flew, discussed why they flew (farther or less), and then found the mean, median, and mode of the class planes.

Our “Student Lunch Community” enjoy food, talk, laugh, and spend time with one another…..

Every-other-Friday, community members share their occupations with our 5/6 students.  We have had a variety of presentations to include community service officers, a veterinarian, the Mayor of Tracy, and business associates.  The presentations teach our students what type of jobs are out there, and what it takes to get into various occupations.  If you are interested in presenting, please contact Ms. Pelaez at lpelaez@tracylc.nert or Mrs. Hawkins at shawkins@tracylc.net.

UNITY WAS FANTASTIC ON MONDAY.  It was filled with energy, information, and a community of students ready to start their week.

Malayan’s took FIRST PLACE….for the first time this year…..they were VERY EXCITED!!!

Malayan Tigers took 1st         Sumatran Tigers took 4th           Siberian Tigers took 2nd          Bengal Tigers took 3rd

EXPLORATION TIME: Exploration is held 3 days per week for one hour each day.  Students are able to join one class, every 6 weeks.  Academic Pentathlon and Band are year-round classes.  Ask your child which Exploration class they attend – ask them what they do, how they like the class, and why they enjoy their class.

Academic Pentathlon (year round): students have been meeting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to learn about World War II.  They study words, history, art, the science behind the war, and much more.  Please ask your child what they are working on (if they are in that class).

Band (year round): students meet 4 days per week to learn the appreciation of music, and the foundations of what they will need for their future as band students at Discovery High School Prep, Millennium, and beyond.  5/6 will play in the winter concert and play at Great America.

Leadership: Students in leadership are responsible for decorating the gym for academic events, school events (such as the 6^th grade breakfast, Pre-K graduation, Spelling Bee, etc). They are given jobs to include photography for our year book, tutoring for grades K – 4, teacher aides for grades K – 8, the green committee (recycle and other programs), and daily unity.  Students learn to work together, to work with adults, to take responsibility for their positions, and to communicate effectively with staff, peers, and our community.

Spanish: This year, students are learning the basics of Spanish.  They work with their teacher, Mr. Gomar, to learn to count, ask questions, and state information.  Walking into Mr. Gomar’s class is enchanting.  Students have pictures and materials to show the information while saying the information in Spanish.

Dance:  Students are learning the importance of stretching and hydrating.  They are listening to a variety of music and learning about rhythm and genre.  Students work together with Coach C to create new dances or to learn current dances.  Dances include swing dancing (WWII) through slides, and current dances.  At the end of exploration, students will perform their dance at unity.

Movement:  Students are watching videos about exercise, yoga, dance, and more.  They are learning that movement is positive and necessary for good health.  In class, students help one another and find laughter through their learning.  Many students ask to stay in movement for the entire year…..but, they need to move on to embrace the full exploration experience.

Genius Hour:  In genius hour, students are able to take something they know about or want to learn about, research the information, and create a presentation to show others how to do it OR to teach others about their topic.  This exploration allow students to use technology, interview peers/staff, learn something new OR master something known, create presentation boards, and present to a group of peers/adults.

Newspaper: Students have press passes, computers, and writing tablets.  They act as writers, editors, photographers, and graphic artists to create a newspaper.  Students interview teachers, staff members, and peers.  They then collaborate to put their work together in a newspaper format.  The latest edition can be found on: http://discoverytigers2016.weebly.com/

PLEASE REVIEW YOUR CHILD’S AGENDA.  THEIR AGENDA HOLDS DATES, HOMEWORK, PROJECTS, and other valuable information.

If you have questions, concerns, or if you want to discuss your child, please contact their teacher:

Mrs. Beckner: sbeckner@tracylc.net (math and academic pentathlon)

Mrs. Hawkins: shawkins@tracylc.net (language arts (dance and movement with Coach C))

Coach Lopez: blopez@tracylc.net (PE)

Coach P: mpenirian@tracylc.net (PE)

Ms. Pelaez: lpelaez@tracylc.net (science, science Olympiad, (Spanish with Mr. Gomar))

Ms. Rodieck: lrodieck@tracylc.net (language arts, genius hour)

Ms. T: ttakeuchi@tracylc.net (math, leadership)

Coach Williams: dwilliams@tracylc.net (PE)

Ms. Zaca: szaca@tracylc.net (social studies, newspaper)

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES will be held the week of November 14^th…..

• T and Mrs. Hawkins will be conferencing on Monday
• Pelaez and Ms. Zaca will be conferencing on Tuesday
• Beckner and Ms. Rodieck will be conferencing on Wednesday
  • Students should have shared their conference letter with date/time/place

BREAK:

• We have the week of November 21^st off – be safe, and enjoy your time J
• We return on November 28^th

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD:

• Practice EVERY Tuesday and Thursday

DHSP

Parent teacher conferences will be the week of November 14^th.

7^th grade conferences will be on Wednesday, November 16^th in D8 and D10

8^th grade conferences will be on Thursday, November 17^th in D8 and D10

A note went home on last week.

Looking forward to seeing you at conferences!

Just in time for Thanksgiving, the members of DHSP’s California Junior Scholarship Federation (CJSF) pulled off yet another very successful charity mission. This time the students came together to raise money for the McHenry House Tracy Family Shelter. Utilizing a creative coin drive idea and a bit of friendly den competition, the students collected a little more than $680, in just one week!!! This surpassed everyone’s expectations and we couldn’t be more proud of all the 7th and 8th grade students who contributed. A well deserved thank you also goes out to the teachers and coaches who encouraged and cheered them on. This money will be used to provide Thanksgiving dinners to those served by Tracy’s McHenry House, with any potential extra going toward their December holiday dinners. We can’t wait to see what they do for our community next!

This week, students have been focusing more intently on improving their writing through vocabulary, sentence diagramming activities, and grammar lessons. Two classes were able to come together to teach each other (and a math teacher!) a little bit about sentence diagramming and had a lot of fun expanding their knowledge on the subject.

Leadership:

Leadership is wrapping up a busy trimester with one last treat. Next week will be hanging “Thankful for You Leaves” for each DHSP Student. Students will have to find their leaf for a +50 and a reminder that they are appreciated. See photo for an example of this sweet gesture from our DHSP Leadership class.

Spelling Bee

Congratulations to our Spelling Bee winners:

Hannah Reyes 8th grade and Kyle Carlos 7th grade were winners for their grade level.  Kyle Carlos was the first place winner from the two grades who will represent Discovery High School Prep in the County Spelling Bee in December.

Science: We’ve had an exciting and busy week in science. A few students were selected to attend an evening over dinner and dessert, speaking with STEM (science, engineering, technology and math) professionals about their ‘real world’ careers.

In class we discovered that when we add sugar to plain water it’s density increases. Needless to say students were thrilled that their lab consisted of playing with sugar to create different levels if density.

Social Studies: Lots of political discussions in the Social Studies classes this week.

Washington D.C. 2017!!!

It’s not too late to sign up for the DC trip. Students will visit the Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum. What an opportunity to see our nations capital with classmates. It’s exciting to see how many students have already signed up for this great opportunity. Please contact Mrs. Wallace at dwallace@tracylc.net for assistance.

If you do not want your student to have his/her photo published please notify Mrs. Wallace at dwallace@tracylc.net

Please feel free to contact any of your student’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns.

Math: Mrs. Dominguez ddominguez@tracylc.net

Math: Mrs. Ulricksen rulricksen@tracylc.net

Language Arts: Ms. Langston alangston@tracylc.net

Language Arts: Mrs. Cerezo acerezo@tracylc.net

Science: Mrs. Ramirez aramirez@tracylc.net

Social Studies, DHSP Learning Director: Mrs. Wallace dwallace@tracylc.net

Enjoy your weekend.

Charter Chatter

A weekly newsletter written to parents of the TLC

Nov. 4, 2016                                                                                                                                        Vol.14

Parent conferences will be scheduled soon for students in Primary and Discovery.  It is good to attend these conferences to learn firsthand from the teacher the student’s strengths and areas for improvement, but also to learn how best to help your student at home.

Students in these grades need to be sure they have good habits for studying and getting written work done.  The number one reason students do poorly in high school is missing assignments which drastically reduces their grades.  This habit must be overcome before high school.

Parent conferences are also a time to celebrate successes and to acknowledge the work your child has done.  It is wonderful to hear good things about your student and then share that with the family at dinner.  Public praise is a good thing.

So, please attend a conference and share the good news.

Crab Feed

SAVE THE DATE:  February 4, 2017 11^TH Annual Tracy Learning Center Crab Feed

What an awesome event for our school! Crab, pasta, salad, bread, dessert, raffles, dancing and so much more.

We are looking for volunteers to assist with our Raffle Committee. If you are creative WE NEED YOU!

Please contact Donna Baker at (209) 321-9157 or email donna@donnabaker.com.

As chairperson of this event it’s always important to recognize ROCK STARS!! Tiffany Alexander who runs our raffle committee has already been working hard since August on our amazing donations. We already, have our donation for Disneyland tickets!

Next School Holiday – Friday, Nov. 11, 2016 Veteran’s Day

 Thanksgiving Week Nov. 21-25 are school holidays

T K

It was so much fun to ‘meet’ Mr. Mark and ask him questions! Thank you Coaches for making it possible!!!

Primary Charter

MUSIC NOTES

Save the date!    Primary Music Winter Program 

Thursday, December 15, at 6:30 pm, in the TLC gym

All K-4 students will be performing holiday songs with Mrs. Watson.

The students and I are looking forward to this exciting evening performance!!

More information to follow, as the event nears.

For now, please mark your calendars!

Musically,

Mrs. Watson

Primary Music Director

Initial Phase

In Initial Phase this week we have been assessing student growth.  Student growth can be measured in so many ways. We use many different forms of assessment throughout the year and always think of the student as a whole.
We also keep in mind student growth happens at different rates.  Our leveled grouping really helps with meeting students where they are to maximize their growth potential.  As we enter into Parent/Teacher conferences we want you to know that the level of group isn’t as important as the growth within the group.  We work hard to challenge our students without frustrating them.  When a student’s needs are met, in an environment such as ours, the academic growth is very apparent.  🙂

Also this week, we have been voting. We voted for our favorite animal, weather, and color. Students learned what a ballot is, the word majority, and they even had to register to vote! Check out our fun!

Phase 1

This week in Social Studies Phase 1 students learned all about the branches of government and what each of their important jobs is.  We also learned about what a bill is and how it turns into a law or gets vetoed. Next week they will learn more about the election process and will even get a chance to vote.  We will see next week if they picked the winner!  It was great seeing so many students participating in spirit wear and wearing their camouflage in support of our veterans this month. In Writer’s Workshop students are getting creative with their story writing.  The characters are really coming to life.  We can’t wait to read the finished product.  AR goals ended this week.  We are proud of how many students reached their goals.  Great Job!!! Please make sure to check your folder regarding parent/teacher conference times and other important activities and events planned for this month.  Don’t forget Sunday is daylight savings….set your clock back 1 hour!

Phase Two

Wow!  Phase two students had a great time exploring Mission San Juan Bautista!  They were able to see how a mission was designed and all the components needed inside and outside of the mission.  This will help students as they create their 22^nd mission or their research project.  Thank you to all of the chaperones for helping this be an amazing experience for our students!

It’s that time of the year again!  Daylight savings is on Sunday, November 6^th.  Remember to set your clocks back one hour.

Please remember there is not school on Friday, November 11^th, in honor of Veteran’s Day.

Parent-teacher conferences start on Monday, November 14^th, through Friday, November 18^th.  We are looking forward to meeting with you!

Fall Break is Monday, November 21^st, through Friday, November 25^th.  School resumes on Monday, November 28^th.

Our TLC Spelling Bee is on Tuesday, November 8^th, at 9:00 AM.  Parents are invited to attend.  We would like parents to come to the gym by 8:50 and will start promptly at 9:00. Please remember, from Phase 2, only the 4^th graders that signed up will participate.

Have a wonderful weekend!

^{Discovery Charter}

SPELLING BEE:

• Tuesday, November 8^th. 9:00 AM in the gym
  • PARENTS who want to attend, and have participating children (4^th through 8^th) Please arrive by 8:50
    • Ending time will vary (approximately 11:00 AM)

DAY OFF:

• Friday, November 11^th is Veterans Day – students will have the day off (no school)

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES will be held the week of November 14^th…..

• T and Mrs. Hawkins will be conferencing on Monday
• Pelaez and Ms. Zaca will be conferencing on Tuesday
• Beckner and Ms. Rodieck will be conferencing on Wednesday
  • Students should have shared their conference letter with date/time/place

BREAK:

• We have the week of November 21^st off – be safe, and enjoy your time J
• We return on November 28th

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE (brought to you by Millennium Athletics):

• Saturday, December 3^rd
• 6:00 – 8:00
• Pre-K through 12
  • Flyers were sent home

PRIMARY’S HALLOWEEN PARADE was superb.  We had a great time meeting the students, looking at their costumes, and passing out candy.

Every-other-Friday, community members share their occupations with our 5/6 students.  We have had a variety of presentations to include community service officers, a veterinarian, the Mayor of Tracy, and business associates.  The presentations teach our students what type of jobs are out there, and what it takes to get into various occupations.  If you are interested in presenting, please contact Ms. Pelaez at lpelaez@tracylc.nert or Mrs. Hawkins at shawkins@tracylc.net.

On Friday, the 28^th, Mr. Linarez shared his knowledge of surveying with our students. Students were very interested in learning about his trade and how he might use math and language arts in his position.  Hands flew up excitedly, and students asked questions.  Mr. Linarez was able to respond to each question. He was amazing.

Spelling Bee:  If your child is in the Spelling Bee, please ask them to study at home.  The Spelling Bee will be held at Tracy Learning Center on November 8^th (ALL PARENTS OF PARTICIPANTS ARE INVITED – PLEASE BE IN THE GYM BY 8:45 AM ON 11/8) – the winner of the 4, 5, 6 division and the winner of the 7, 8, 9 division will move onto the County Spelling Bee.  If you would like more details, please contact…………..

Ms. Rodieck lrodieck@tracylc.net or Mrs. Hawkins shawkins@tracylc.net

Haunted High was held on Friday, October 28^th.  The evening was spectacular.  The line for the Haunted House was super long, at all times.  Food filled hungry stomachs, and our TLC community spent time talking, laughing, and relaxing.

STUDENTS HAD A BLAST…..

UNITY WAS FANTASTIC ON MONDAY.  It was filled with energy, information, and a community of students ready to start their week.

EXPLORATION TIME: Exploration is held 3 days per week for one hour each day.  Students are able to join one class, every 6 weeks.  Academic Pentathlon and Band are year-round classes.  Ask your child which Exploration class they attend – ask them what they do, how they like the class, and why they enjoy their class.

Academic Pentathlon (year round): students have been meeting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to learn about World War II.  They study words, history, art, the science behind the war, and much more.  Please ask your child what they are working on (if they are in that class).

Band (year round): students meet 4 days per week to learn the appreciation of music, and the foundations of what they will need for their future as band students at Discovery High School Prep, Millennium, and beyond.  5/6 will play in the winter concert and play at Great America.

Leadership: Students in leadership are responsible for decorating the gym for academic events, school events (such as the 6^th grade breakfast, Pre-K graduation, Spelling Bee, etc). They are given jobs to include photography for our year book, tutoring for grades K – 4, teacher aides for grades K – 8, the green committee (recycle and other programs), and daily unity.  Students learn to work together, to work with adults, to take responsibility for their positions, and to communicate effectively with staff, peers, and our community.

Spanish: This year, students are learning the basics of Spanish.  They work with their teacher, Mr. Gomar, to learn to count, ask questions, and state information.  Walking into Mr. Gomar’s class is enchanting.  Students have pictures and materials to show the information while saying the information in Spanish.

Dance:  Students are learning the importance of stretching and hydrating.  They are listening to a variety of music and learning about rhythm and genre.  Students work together with Coach C to create new dances or to learn current dances.  Dances include swing dancing (WWII) through slides, and current dances.  At the end of exploration, students will perform their dance at unity.

Movement:  Students are watching videos about exercise, yoga, dance, and more.  They are learning that movement is positive and necessary for good health.  In class, students help one another and find laughter through their learning.  Many students ask to stay in movement for the entire year…..but, they need to move on to embrace the full exploration experience.

Genius Hour:  In genius hour, students are able to take something they know about or want to learn about, research the information, and create a presentation to show others how to do it OR to teach others about their topic.  This exploration allow students to use technology, interview peers/staff, learn something new OR master something known, create presentation boards, and present to a group of peers/adults.

Newspaper: Students have press passes, computers, and writing tablets.  They act as writers, editors, photographers, and graphic artists to create a newspaper.  Students interview teachers, staff members, and peers.  They then collaborate to put their work together in a newspaper format.  The latest edition can be found on: http://discoverytigers2016.weebly.com/

PLEASE REVIEW YOUR CHILD’S AGENDA.  THEIR AGENDA HOLDS DATES, HOMEWORK, PROJECTS, and other valuable information.

If you have questions, concerns, or if you want to discuss your child, please contact their teacher:

Mrs. Beckner: sbeckner@tracylc.net (math and academic pentathlon)

Mrs. Hawkins: shawkins@tracylc.net (language arts (dance and movement with Coach C))

Coach Lopez: blopez@tracylc.net (PE)

Coach P: mpenirian@tracylc.net (PE)

Ms. Pelaez: lpelaez@tracylc.net (science, science Olympiad, (Spanish with Mr. Gomar))

Ms. Rodieck: lrodieck@tracylc.net (language arts, genius hour)

Ms. T: ttakeuchi@tracylc.net (math, leadership)

Coach Williams: dwilliams@tracylc.net (PE)

Ms. Zaca: szaca@tracylc.net (social studies, newspaper)

DHSP

Parent teacher conferences will be the week of November 14^th.

7^th grade conferences will be on Wednesday, November 16^th in D8 and D10

8^th grade conferences will be on Thursday, November 17^th in D8 and D10

A note went home on Friday.

Looking forward to seeing you at conferences!

Top Den Earners for the Week

Malayan:

Ashleigh Garcia 320 points

Marshall Conner 295 points

Julie Kleim 265 points

Aldric Alvis 250 points

Adrian Gomez-Sanchez 250 points

Hailee Kappeler 250 points

Bengal:

Sydney Skaggs 335

Shekab Waziri 270 points

Janida Williams 255 points

Gabriella Virgin 245 points

Shyanne Viniskey 235 points

Sumatran:

Hannah Reyes 440 points

Alaina Pelican 305 points

Ashneel Reddy 305 points

Anahi Rodriguez 235 points

Gabriel Ramirez Quinones 230 points

Siberian:

Grace Bhatia 370 points

Emma Brown 335 points

James Camacho 230 points

Sydney Hatch 225 points

Colton Dingman 215 points

Paige Faaborg 215 points

English:

English 78 is continuing to master verbals and diagramming sentences.  They are getting better at PSAT prep and have finished an entire preparation book for PSAT.  These can be reviewed at home.  The students have the answers and the questions for each week. In addition to studying the PSAT, the vocabulary we have for each week has been a wonderful way for students to improve in writing, reading, and PSAT.

In Mrs. Cerezo’s classes: As we are nearing the end of our first trimester, students have worked long and hard to master reading comprehension and the necessary skills to become a successful writer. This week students submitted one of their first writing projects — a review of this trimester– and I am very impressed by their efforts!

In Ms. Langston’s classes: Our first trimester is winding down as students learned more about peer editing and communicating effectively through writing. Students reflected on their progress so far this year and identified areas where they could improve. Students also prepared for their trimester finals, which will take place on Thursday and Friday this week.

Social Studies:

Students learned about the Day of the Dead and did a project on the Branches of Government. Fun week.

Washington D.C. 2017!!!

It’s not too late to sign up for the DC trip. Students will visit the Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum. What an opportunity to see our nations capital with classmates. It’s exciting to see how many students have already signed up for this great opportunity. Please contact Mrs. Wallace at dwallace@tracylc.net for assistance.

If you do not want your student to have his/her photo published please notify Mrs. Wallace at dwallace@tracylc.net

Please feel free to contact any of your student’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns.

Math: Mrs. Dominguez ddominguez@tracylc.net

Math: Mrs. King   lking@tracylc.net

Language Arts: Ms. Langston alangston@tracylc.net

Language Arts: Mrs. Cerezo acerezo@tracylc.net

Science: Mrs. Ramirez aramirez@tracylc.net

Social Studies, DHSP Learning Director: Mrs. Wallace dwallace@tracylc.net

Enjoy your weekend.

Charter Chatter November 4, 2016

MHS Financial Aid Information Night! Thursday, November 17th at 6pm in room M-1 is MHS’ Financial Aid Information Night. Important topics will be covered such as the types of financial aid available for college and application deadlines will be discussed. Reminder postcards will be mailed soon.

College Early Start

The application and registration process to apply for Spring 2017 Delta College classes has begun. Students who are required or interested in enrolling in classes for the Spring must begin the application process immediately. Please remember that for students to be approved to enroll in college classes while in high school, students must successfully meet deadlines, follow instructions for applying, and have a good current academic record of 3.0 or better.  For more information, parents can visit the Counseling page of the www.tracylc.net and click on College Early Start link. College Early Start forms are due Thursday, November 10^th.

Students seeking tuition reimbursement from Fall semester classes should be turning in their reimbursement request form with proof of grade and payment for Delta College classes attended

San Francisco State University and FIDM Field Trip – This Field Trip is now full!!

The bus and the waitlist for this field trip are full.  The bus list will be posted by November 10^th, 2016 in the counseling office.

 Community Service Opportunities

Snack Club Program at TK Site Mon-Friday 3:30pm-4:30pm at the Tracy Learning Center TK Site 238 West Grant Line Rd high school students to help with snack club program Contact: Mrs. Tyler styler@tracylc.net

Portuguese Hall Steak and Oyster Dinner – Saturday, November 12 6pm-10pm at the Portuguese Hall 400 W 9th St, Tracy 15-20 volunteers needed to serve and clean up Please wear MHS spirit wear and jeans. Please sign up with Ms. A in the counseling office.

Thanksgiving Family Tradition – Saturday November 12 10am-4pm at Astoria Gardens volunteers needed to set up, serve and clean up Contact: Cindy cstaser@astoriaseniorliving.com