Charter Chatter
A weekly newsletter written to parents of the TLC
Sept. 7, 2018 Vol 5
| Virginia Stewart |
I am very proud to introduce more of our TLC Staff.
Hello! My name is Alejandra Garcia and I am the Grant Line campus office receptionist and have been with the TK/Pre-k program since the start in 2015. From taking payments to calling home I help transitional kindergarten and preschool run smoothly. My latest endeavors are coordinating the cruise raffle and enrolling our newest students in preschool. If you call or come by the Grant Line Campus, I am here to answer any of your questions!
Angie Keys
Hello, my name is Angie and I am currently the secretary of Millennium High School. I am currently enjoying my fifth year at Tracy Learning Center. I am bilingual in Spanish and enjoy helping both parents and students.
My name is Michele Beringer and I am the Director of Admissions and Records. I am working on my 17th year at the Tracy Learning Center and I am proud to say I was a part of the amazing growth from 150 students to the current enrollment of almost 1,300 students. I started as a learning guide in the workroom, then to office manager, and to my current role in admissions. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration which is helpful as I am responsible for the state and federal reports that need to be submitted each year. I also manage the student information system, Aeries, which is how all parents can update information and grades 5-12 can monitor their student’s grades. Our infamous waiting lists are also under my care, they grow on a daily basis. Please feel free to contact me at mberinger@tracylc.net if you have any questions regarding Aeries or our waiting lists for admission. At this time, I am located at Millennium High School on North Corral Hollow Road until the renovations at the East Beverly Site are complete.
Important Info:
Tracy Learning Center Preschool & PCS Cruise Fundraiser
All proceeds will go towards our preschool expansion and ongoing debt.
Each raffle ticket is sold for $100.00. The student who sells the most raffle tickets will receive a free Chromebook.
The grand prize is a 5 night cruise for 4 on Princess Cruise Lines. The winner will be announced on September 17, 2018 on Tracy Learning Center Preschool’s Facebook Live.
All raffle ticket stubs (the part where they write their name) should be turned in with money on September 14th, 2018.
Checks can be made payable to Tracy Learning Center
Additional tickets may be requested by emailing Alejandra Garcia (agarcia@tracylc.net)
Cruise destinations: (Dates Vary)
5 Days Cabo San Lucas Getaway
Port: Los Angeles
5 Days West Coast Getaway with San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico
Port: San Francisco
New Board Member Position Opening
If you are interested in interviewing for a position as a member of the TLC Board of directors, please submit a resume and a letter of interest to the front office at the Beverly site. The Board is seeking one member for its nine-member board. The terms for this position are unlimited. The Board meets once a month on the second Monday of the month.
Reminders:
Hearing Van
We will have our yearly Hearing Van Visit on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. All Kinder, 1st, 2nd, 5th, 8th and 10th Graders will have their hearing tested.
Upcoming Picture Days
All re-takes are on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018
Next Parents Club Meeting
Monday, Sept. 17, 2018 at 6:30pm in P2
Lunch Menu – Week Sept. 10 – 14
Mon. – Pizza
Tues. – Chicken Corn Dog
Wed- Beef or Vegi Lasagna
Thurs – Chicken Patti Sandwich
Fri-Beef Hot Dog
PCS
TK
This week, we studied the weather. We participated in a weather-themed relay and graphed weather-related images! We also drew pictures of the weather each day in our very own weather mini-book. We used our whole bodies in response to weather movement cards: we drifted slowly like snowflakes, whirled like tornadoes and made our bodies electric like lightening! We also participated in a game of Lightning Strike, and watched a video about lightning and thunder.
Kinder
All about our homework tic-tac-toe….
What is the homework tic-tac-toe sheet that I see in my student’s folder? At the beginning of each month we will send home a homework tic-tac-toe sheet. The purpose of this is to provide parents with ideas of fun, hands on ways to help their student practice their weekly sight words and/or spelling words. Homework is completely optional; however, if your student does complete work send it to school in their red folder on Friday. Students earn classroom nickels for their bank for completed work. Save the monthly tic-tac-toe sheet for the entire month and try different activities each week. Don’t forget to include twenty minutes of reading into your daily routine!
Phase 1
What is AR? You might hear your child talk about this and not know what it means. Accelerated Reader (AR) is a reading program that they will use in Phase One and Phase Two. Each student is assessed and then assigned a reading level. Once they receive a reading level they are free to read books in that level. Not all books are AR so make sure they are! Download the app Book Scanner and it will let you know the book level and quiz number. After your child has read their book 3 times (1 time for chapter books) they will then come to school and take a quiz on one of their classroom iPads or Chrome Books. The students receive points based on how well they do on the quiz. Each student is given a goal and has six weeks to reach that goal in order to go to their classroom AR party. There are currently two weeks left in our first AR goal period. Keep on reading Phase One!
Phase One has started a new unit in Social Studies on Native Americans. For the next four weeks we will focus on a different region of Native Americans. Ask your child what they have already learned about Native Americans so far.
Phae 2
Phase 2 students are continuing our study of maps and geography. We also had our first student store last week! We have found that our students always need practice with counting money. This is an easy skill to practice at home…give them some coins and let them count! We also work on adding up the items we’d like to purchase and subtracting from our total amount. These are very important skills that come in very handy, and not just at student store! You can also discuss how you can make the same amount of money using different combinations of coins and how to make change.
P6 enjoyed their first trip to the library and P7 will go next week. Please make sure your child has their library card! P8 will go to the library on September 27th.
DCS
Discovery 5/6
Recently, I have had questions by 5th grade parents asking what our different class names mean and how we group students. We believe it is important that all of Discovery students leave us not only having strong academic skills, but with grit and a personal sense of lifelong learning. Our curriculum and pacing in all courses is implemented so that every students will feel constantly challenged and pushed, however, they should not feel overly frustrated. Their successes are earned through hard work and will be praised and celebrated.
We do group our student by Math ability because we offer multiple levels of math to fit each child’s needs. We understand not all kids in Math are of the same ability in Language Arts, however, our Language Arts teachers do an excellent job differentiating instruction within their groups to reach students. Incoming students already seem overwhelmed by the changes in middle school, so moving as one cohort from class to class offers a needed sense of comfort and routine to our kids. Keep in mind that our students see 7 teachers a day and transition to 9 different courses. We also have reduced our class sizes this year in each level so each teacher can help students on a more personal level.
Discovery Class Names:
Varsity: We focus on filling in any and all student knowledge gaps so that our students in this level can build a strong foundational skill set.
Scholastic: This is our grade level group, which is more advanced than what other middle schools are offering students of the same age. Students in this course will be guided through a steady paced course in Introduction to Algebra.
Honors: This is our advanced level group that takes a full course of Algebra 1. This is a mandatory two year course because of the complexity and fast pace.
7th/8th
General:
-Please make sure you have completed the Emergency Form for your students, if you have not turn them in as soon as possible
-Homecoming is just a few weeks away!
CJSF:
Next week, from September 10-17th, the students of the California Junior Scholarship Federation (CJSF) will kick off their first community service donation drive for the Tracy Animal Shelter! Flyers with more information and donation ideas will go home Friday. The Tracy Animal Shelter has opened their doors for many of our students to be able to come and do community service with them. This is just one more way our students and school can show their support for one of our local organizations in need. The 7/8 and 5/6 homerooms with the most donations will be awarded a special treat, proved by CJSF!
Language Arts:
This week in Language Arts students have continued their study of Art Genres, as well as continued to read The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano. Students are enjoying how seamlessly Pentathlon is incorporated into our curriculum!
Social Studies:
This week the students are rating President Kennedy’s foreign policy issues during the 1960s. Students read about each major foreign policy event/action, then gave his role/decision a letter grade (A-F) and explained why.
MHS
MHS Counseling News
Fieldtrip to 14th Annual Construction Trades Fair & Amazon Fulfillment Center
26 students from 12th and 11th grade students will be taking a fieldtrip to the 14th Annual Construction Trades Fair in Stockton and Amazon Fulfillment Center in Tracy. The fieldtrip will take place on Friday September 14, 2018. Permission slips and payment must be returned promptly to the Millennium High School Counseling Office to ensure a seat on the bus.
Spaces are still available for fieldtrip- Please pick up a permission slip in the MHS Counseling Office Room A-2. Please call or email the Millennium High School Counseling Office for further information: (209) 627-8299 or email: mhscounseling@tracylc.net
Class of 2019 Senior Information Packets
Class of 2019 senior information packets were mailed home this week. Students and parents, mark your calendars with information regarding important dates, deadlines, and things to do to prepare for the rest of the school year.
PSAT Testing –Sign up today!
The PSAT will be held on Wednesday, October 10th, 2018 7:30am-11:30am. Sign-ups for the PSAT have begun. The test fee is $18.00 and is due when you sign up for the test in the Millennium High School Counseling Office (Room A-2). For questions, please call the Millennium High School Counseling Office at (209) 627-8299 or email: mhscounseling@tracylc.net
Tutors Needed (Paid Positions are Available)
Millennium High School is looking for potential tutors in all academic areas. Tutors are needed for after school tutoring and paid tutoring positions are also available. If interested, please contact the Millennium High School Counseling Office at (209) 627-8299 or email: mhscounseling@tracylc.net
Do you need a Job? Tutors Needed for Fall and Spring Semesters
T & J Educational Tutoring is looking for tutors for Math, English, Science, Reading, and History. This tutoring job pays $11.00 per hour. Applicants must be a Junior or Senior and must pass an assessment to be eligible for employment. Working hours are available from Monday – Thursday 3:30pm-7:00pm. Please contact Terry or Jackie Thomas for more information at T & J Educational Tutoring 320 W 11th Street, (209) 914-5800.
Great Community Service Opportunity
Kids in a Box (Fundraiser & Campout at St. Bernard’s Church) Friday September 21st, 2018 4:00pm. Help raise funds for McHenry House Tracy Family Shelter. Register now to participate, please call (209) 835-2328/www.mchenryhousetracy.org
Great Community Service Opportunity
Tracy Rampage Youth Football is looking for volunteers to help this football season. Students can help with the Snack Bar, and Set-up/Clean-up. First home game begins September 9th, spaces are limited so sign up today. Sign up at http://signupschedule.com/rampagestudents / email questions to: info@tracyrampage.com
Great Community Service Opportunity
Harvest Party at Southwinds Church. Sunday October 21, 2018 at 2:00pm-6:00pm. Volunteers needed to help set-up and clean from 1:00pm-6:30pm. Duties also include running carnival game booths and inflatables. Volunteers will be provided with food and water. Southwinds Church 13400 W. Middle Road Tracy CA 95304. To sign-up please visit the Millennium High School- Counseling Office. For further information, please call the Millennium High School Counseling Office at (209) 627-8299 or email: mhscounseling@tracylc.net