JACKSON HEIGHTS PTSA NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 2014, ISSUE 1

The President’s Message

Kate Morfa Miller

Welcome back to school! This is our very first digital edition of the Jackson Heights Paw Prints! How exciting is that? 2014-2015 sees us joining the digital age and reducing our carbon footprint. With this new medium, we are able to reach the majority of the parents at our school and we are also readily accessible. One of our goals as a PTSA is to be available for questions and to keep everyone informed of volunteer opportunities available to you.

We know how busy everyone has been getting back into the routine and your Jackson Heights PTSA has been busy as well. Over the summer your PTSA organized a very successful Back to School teacher lunch and a Schedule Pick Up/Supply Sale Day that for the very first time took credit and debit cards! Of course, we cannot do any of this without you, our volunteers. PTSA is instrumental in keeping Jackson Heights running smoothly so please become a registered Dividend by clicking this link today.

https://www3.scps.k12.fl.us/secure/CommInv_Vol/Vols2003/vollogin.cfm Speaking of Dividends, it was wonderful to see so many of you at our Dividend Breakfast on the 18th. Everyone that came out enjoyed fresh brewed coffee and delicious donuts from The Donut King. We also enjoyed a personalized tour of the school and the construction area given by Mrs. Mansur-Blythe. Our next big family fun night program will involve the Harlem Wizards and will be in February of 2015. We will need many hands to make it tons of fun for the kids so if you are interested in any aspect of planning for what is sure to be a great event, please contact me at [email protected] or 407.234.4719.

Thank so you much and I look forward to hearing from many of you .

JHMS PTSA NEWSLETTER

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REFLECTIONS Red Ribbon Week

Is October 23rd - 31st.

This year's theme is :

"Love Yourself. Be Drug Free."

Wednesday, October 29th is wear red day. Please wear a red shirt to support being drug free.

On that day during lunch, we will have a special treat for all as you pledge to be drug free. We will be sponsoring a poster contest in which prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Stay tuned for further details. Want to win an iPad and $1,000 for our school?

Enter the Red Ribbon Photo Contest.

and it's It's easy, it's fun free.

Go to www.redribbon.org

details.

for all the Hi Bobcats! It is that time of year again where we start thinking about the Reflections art contest. This year the theme is, “The World Would Be a Better Place If … ” We encourage all students to reflect on the theme, create and original work and be recognized! The categories are, dance choreography, photography, film production, visual arts, musical composition and literature. We also are entering our second year of having a Special Artists category. Entry forms will be in the front office this week.

Please bring your submissions to the main office by Tuesday, November 11th. We will then have local artists and professionals judge the entries. Official rules can be downloaded from the Florida PTA website: http://www.floridapta.org/ (Reflections is under the At School tab) Contact your committee chair, Caryn Dahm, [email protected] if you have any questions. Thanks and get busy creating !

JHMS PTSA NEWSLETTER

Become a Reading Mentor!

The Jackson Heights Middle School administration is continuing a Seminole County Dividend  volunteer program in their ongoing efforts to improve students’ reading comprehension by reading books aloud to them.

Bobcat Bistro

We are looking for volunteers who can come in one or more times a week for 30-minute segments in the morning before school (8:30 9:00am).

As consistency is important for the success of the program, you will be assigned to a specific student with whom you will follow through to the end of the school year in May.

This is a wonderful volunteer opportunity in several ways: 1.

2.

1.

2.

3.

There is no advance preparation or “homework” required Materials will be provided and can be stored at school (No need to bring anything with you except your smile.) There are no “teaching” or presentation skills needed, just gentle words of encouragement Our school reading coach is available for questions and ongoing support throughout the year What a way to start your day – by helping someone become more successful in life!

As with any other learned skill, reading proficiency requires practice, practice and more practice.

That’s the valuable opportunity you would be providing. Students also benefit from the fact that they feel important enough that someone shows up, just for them, every week. Self-confidence is a terrific springboard for learning and accomplishment.

Volunteer programs have tremendous benefits for both the students and the volunteers. If you would like to help a child develop a skill that will help him or her succeed in life or you have further questions about the program, please call our volunteer coordinator,

Connie O’Hanlon at (407) 492-3212

.

Please feel free to pass along this information to a neighbor, friend or relative who may be a retiree. We look forward to hearing from you!

Best Regards, Connie O’Hanlon JHMS Reading Mentors Volunteer Coordinator SCPS Dividend of the Year 2006 Region 3, Florida Volunteer of the Year 2007

Reading for fun at JHMS

Have your students visited the Bobcat Bistro yet? We’ve started our 7th year at the Bistro, a program designed to encourage students to read for fun in a social atmosphere. It’s FREE on Wednesday mornings from 8:30-bell in the cafeteria. Bring your own book/e-reader or select from a large selection of books, magazines & word games. Some of our regular titles include

Sports Illustrated, Girls’ Life/Boys Life, J-14

(teen stars), Car mags,

ESPN, & American Girl

. We also have

Marvel

comic books, Manga books, mysteries, sci-fi, adventure, and non-fiction books (Ripley’s Believe it or Not!) to read at varying reading levels. This is a great opportunity for struggling readers to discover materials and titles that encourage them to read more often! Students may borrow paperback and hardback books at no charge. It’s a great way to socialize with friends before school starts. Students who come to sit and read are served hot cocoa, homemade pumpkin-chocolate-chip muffins and bananas. Please encourage your student to come join us on Wednesday mornings. If it is possible, consider bringing bus riders in early on Wednesdays. (Due to the nature of sipping hot drinks, cocoa is only served until 9:00 a.m.) Bobcat Bistro is free to our students because of the generous financial support of the Oviedo Woman’s Club, “12 Women Who Care” (a local philanthropic group), the JHMS PTSA and the enthusiastic support from our principal, Mrs. Mansur-Blythe, who is always ready to encourage students to read. Thanks, guys! You’re the best.  Connie O’Hanlon

JHMS PTSA NEWSLETTER

*MARK YOUR CALENDARS*

FEBRUARY 19, 2015 7:00 PM Oviedo High School Gymnasium

PTSA is hosting a fantastic family event.

The Harlem Wizards vs JHMS Faculty/Staff Basketball Game

JHMS PTSA NEWSLETTER

You, as a parent, are your child’s first teacher. As their first teacher and

most important role model

, here are some tips for encouraging reading and building literacy at home: 1.

Set aside time

each day to read together. (Middle schoolers are not too old to be read to.) 2.

Leave books

and other reading materials, like magazine or newspaper articles,

in their rooms to enjoy alone

. Attach a note like, “I thought you would enjoy this article.” 3.

Purchase magazine

subscriptions for your student in a subject matter they enjoy. (They love getting their own mail and magazines are great for engaging readers.) 4.

Talk about books

they are reading -- read the inside jacket or information on the back of the book. Ask them to predict what the story will be about, and ask whether they have read similar stories and how they might compare. When they finish, ask about their thoughts on the book and whether they would recommend it to others. 5.

6.

Discuss how events in a book

or story are similar to events that have happened in your life. Play “Stump the Parent” -- Read a passage together and

have them ask you questions from the text

to check on your comprehension of the material. Let them see you going back into the text for answers. 7.

Require a set time period of daily reading

, and/or homework completion before the TV or game console comes on. 8.

Purchase or check out books that are in your child’s area of interest

. For example, there are fiction books about “gamers” and “Manga” style comic books that are growing in popularity because of their high-action content. If they like it, they are more likely to read it! 9.

Read aloud to each other

. It’s OK if you feel uncomfortable reading aloud as an adult – many people do. Let your student see that you struggle, too. You’ll both improve, and they will notice that practice equals improvement. 10.

Look up words in the dictionary

online or in a book. Let your kids know that you have to look up words, too!

~ Happy Reading! ~