January 30, 2008

Quote of the week:

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

                                                                       - Martin Luther King, Jr.

 District News:

• There will be a CEPSI (Committee for Educational Progress and School Issues) meeting each Tuesday evening in February at 7:00 p.m. at the Board office.  All parents, community members and staff are invited.

Winton Woods High School News:

• For the fifth year in a row, the hot sounds of jazz will heat up the Winton Woods High School auditorium as the high school’s Jazz Band is joined in concert by the Pavilion Music Company Big Band on Wednesday, January 30 at 7:00 p.m.  This free concert will include a set by the high school musicians, a set by the Big Band, and a finale performance that combines both groups.
  
  “This is a great opportunity for our musicians to not only hear a professional group but to get the chance to play with them,” said Band Director Dani Ashbrook. “It’s also fun for students to see Brian Schultz, a Social Studies teacher here at Winton Woods High School, playing his trombone with the Big Band.”
  
  The Pavilion Music Company Big Band is a dedicated group of 19 musicians who perform contemporary big band jazz in the Greater Cincinnati area. The band formed in 1975 and won the 2003 Cincinnati Enquirer "Cammy" music award for best jazz group.
  
  This concert is free and open to the public.  

• Winton Woods High School will host an evening information session for eighth grade parents at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 31 in the school library. "This is an opportunity for parents to learn about Winton Woods High School and what it has to offer students," said Principal Anita J. Williams. 
  
  "It is important for parents and guardians to be informed about the educational experiences that await their students at Winton Woods High School," Williams added. "Representatives will present an overview of the schedule, levels and expectations of courses available, and scheduling information." Members of the Winton Woods High School Ambassadors will also be on hand to assist parent and answer questions about their own experiences at the high school.
  
  Scheduling Night for incoming ninth grade students will be held on Tuesday, February 12 from 5:00 – 8:25 p.m.  The purpose of this evening event is to assist students and parents in selecting appropriate high school courses. Ninth-grade advisors will work with parents and students as they schedule courses for the 2008-2009 school year.

• Congratulations to junior Vicky Avila Perez who was chosen as the Mount St. Joseph's Student Achiever for the month of January.  Vicky was nominated by counselor Tracy Lemon because of her hard work, helpfulness and community involvement.  

• The Kentucky State University Choir will present a fundraising concert on February 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Winton Woods High School. This evening of classical music and some contemporary numbers is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Greenhills-Forest Park.  Proceeds will go to a scholarship fund for students planning to attend Kentucky State University. 
  
  Tickets for the concert are $10 and may be purchased through Winton Woods High School KEY Club.  KEY Club will receive 50% of each ticket price for tickets its members sell.  KEY Club proceeds will go to the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society’s “Pennies for Patients” fundraiser at the high school.  KEY Club will be selling tickets during lunch on Friday, February 1.     

• Girls basketball tournament tickets are available in the athletic office.  The girls play Tuesday, February 5 against McAuley High School at Lakota East at 7:30 p.m.  Pre-sale tickets are $5.00 each, and $7.00 at the gate.  Winton Woods will receive a portion of every pre-sale ticket sold. 100% of the money for tickets sold at the gate will go to the state.

• Congratulations to Winton Woods High School basketball coach David Lumpkin who marked his 300^th coaching victory on Saturday, January 19 when his girls’ basketball team defeated Wadsworth High school with a 60-47 win. After achieving career win 300 at the Classic in the Country tournament in Berlin, Ohio, Lumpkin then recorded his 301^st victory on Sunday, when the Warriors defeated Reynoldsburg High School, 48-40.
  
  Since taking over the program five years ago, Lumpkin has posted a 75-11 record as girls’ head basketball coach. During that time, the Warriors have earned four FAVC Buckeye Division championships and two District championships.
  
  Before taking over the girls’ program, Lumpkin served as the Winton Woods boys’ head coach and led the Warriors to a 158-47 record. This included seven League championships, one District championship, one Regional championship and the State Runner Up.  Lumpkin’s overall record at Winton Woods High School currently stands at 233-58. He recorded 68 wins at Taft High School as the boys’ coach before coming to Winton Woods.

• Four of Carol Becci-Youngs art students have had their work accepted into the Scholastics Art Competition in a contest that featured over 1000 drawing entries.  “Karen Budke and Dani Dearth received Honorable Mention for their drawings,” said Becci-Youngs.  “Nick Mannira's drawing was chosen for an annex show, the ‘Crossroads Hospice’ exhibit, that will held in March.  Aaron Nightingale's drawing received a gold award (the top of the show) and will compete in New York City after the regional show.”

• Winton Woods High School will hold open auditions on the evening of February 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for the Von Trapp children for the school’s production of Sound of Music. The auditions will be held in the choir room (room 111 off of the main lobby).  The performance dates for the musical are April 18 and 19, 2008.

Auditions will be held on a first-come, first-served basis for the following child roles:

                        Gretl (female, approx. age 6) - little girl with "cute factor"

                        Marta (female, approx. age 7)

Brigitta (female, approx. age 9)

                        Kurt (male, approx. age 10) - sings falsetto

                        Louisa (female, approx. age 13) - rebellious attitude

Those auditioning should come prepared to sing either a short song of two minutes maximum in duration that will show off your voice or stop by the Winton Woods High School main office (open 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.) and pick up a copy of the 16-measure segment of "Doe, a deer, a female deer."

            We prefer that the auditions be sung without accompaniment so that the        production staff can hear each child's ability to maintain key center without             accompaniment assistance.

Winton Woods Middle School News:

• Congratulations to Intervention Specialist Dusty Embury who has been awarded one of ten competitive Graduate Student and Faculty Mentoring Grants from the University of Cincinnati. The grant was presented by the Office of the Dean and the Research & Development Professional Practice Board at UC.  The purpose of the Mentoring Grant Program is to support CECH faculty and graduate students in conducting collaborative research projects.  As a result, Embury will have the opportunity to present her findings at the 2008 Spring Research Conference on April 12 at the Cincinnati Convention Center with other doctoral students and faculty from the University of Cincinnati.

·         Winton Woods Middle School will once again be participating in Olive Garden's “Pasta for Pennies, Pennies for Patients” to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Of Southern Ohio.  The fundraiser will run from February 11-22.  “This is our sixth year of participation, said Media Specialist Joyce Shaffer, who coordinates the program.  “Each year we have raised over $1000 dollars for this great cause.” The home room that has the greatest donation total will win an Olive Garden Luncheon.

·         In honor of Black History Month, the Winton Woods Middle School Student Council is again sponsoring a door decorating contest.  Each homeroom will decorate their door to showcase an African-American of excellence.  However, the students have a different challenge this year—they have to find a quote that emphasizes the character of that person and why he or she is a focal point for Black History.

·         Middle School students will get a chance to spread love and cheer to their classmates with a Student Council sponsored candy gram.  Cost is $.60 for one candy gram, or two for a $1.00.  The sale begins on February 5 during lunch and ends on February 13.

Winton Woods Intermediate News:

§         Congratulations to the “High IQs,” winners of the 2008 Environmental High IQ Bowl on Saturday, January 26. The High IQs are sixth graders Yannie Irby, Isaac Busken, Rachel Jenkins, and Jasmine Colvin.  The Environmental High IQ Bowl was developed to provide an informative yet fun activity that provides up-to-date, comprehensive environmental information to students, teachers, and the general public. During the competition, students will be tested on their knowledge of a variety of environmental issues.

After a full day of competition at the High IQ Bowl, two teams qualified to compete for the coveted “traveling trophy”—the IQ Warriors and the High IQs.  After a neck and neck battle throughout the first two rounds of the championship game, the High IQs increased their lead in the final “rapid fire” round where questions were fired at the teams with each question having a specific time period to be answered.  The results: High IQs – 50 points and IQ Warriors – 31 points.

Thank you to student Bowl advisors Don Schutte and Janet Smith from WW Intermediate School and Cris Cornelssen from WW Elementary School.  Thanks also to Wright Gwyn, Forest Park Environmental Awareness Manager, for bringing the information to our students.  The Environmental High IQ Bowl was sponsored by Forest Park Environmental Awareness and cablecasted by Waycross Community Media. Over 30 students tried out for the four teams that competed, and all competitors worked very hard in preparing for the event.

§         Congratulations to Winton Woods Intermediate School’s Warriors of the Week for January 22-25: Jarion Evans, Luissiani Entrambasaguas, Hannah Moore, Camille Heard, Tyjae Capael, Mahlea Cohen, Tiffany Timberton, Jericka Pugh, Tania McIntosh, Gabrielle Williams.

§         Parent conferences will be held Thursday, January 31 and Friday, February 1.  Students will not have school on Friday, February 1.

§         An Honor Roll assembly for students will be held on Thursday, February 7 from 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.  Parent volunteers are needed for this event. Please call the school office at 619-2450.

§         Valentine's Day Party will be held on Thursday, February 14 at 2:00 p.m.  Parent volunteers are needed.  Please send treat for the students. 

§         The first Winton Woods Intermediate School yearbook is now on sale.  Celebrate this inaugural year by preserving all of your child's memories with the 2007-2008 school yearbook.  The yearbook will have 48 pages—16 in color—and will be filled with pictures of the great kids at WW Intermediate.  Pre-order now to guarantee your copy. The cost is only $18 for a year full of memorable moments.  Checks are payable to:  Winton Woods Intermediate School.  Additional order forms are available in the school office.

§         All fifth grade parents are invited to attend an informational meeting about the upcoming fifth grade trip to Camp Campbell Gard.  The meeting will be Thursday, February 7 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the WWIS cafeteria.  Come and get your questions answered and see what a great adventure this is going to be for the students.

Winton Woods Elementary News:

•  Parent-Teacher conferences are Thursday, January 31 from 5:00 - 8:25 p.m. and Friday, February 1 from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.  There will be no school for students on Friday, February 1.  Please use the Parent-Teacher conference forms sent home with your child to schedule a conference with your child's teacher. 
  
  Also, parents of fourth grade students who are interested in attending our special Fourth Grade Team 4-III Open House & Meet the Teacher Night are invited to attend on Thursday, January 31 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Parents will have the opportunity to meet their child's new teacher(s)—Mrs. Gardner, Mrs. Mehta, Mrs. Snellgrove or Mr. Bailey. This event will take place in rooms 101, 104, 105 and 111.
• The January Dad's Club bowling event filled up seven lanes with teams of "dads and kids" at the bowling alley.  On Saturday, February 16 we’ll be going skating from noon to 2 p.m.  Look for a flyer to come home soon with your WWES student about this event.  

• The WWES Student of the Month Luncheon for January is Thursday, February 7 from 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. in the school library.  Each month, a student from each homeroom is nominated who is the picture of what being a Winton Woods Warrior is all about.  Students nominated must meet various academic and conduct-based criteria.  Parents are welcome to join their child at this event.  Nominees are also highlighted in our school's monthly newsletter. 

• February 7 is Chinese New Year, and Winton Woods Elementary is celebrating!  Given the presence of our school’s Chinese language and culture classes and the district's theme of "Cultivating a World-class Education," WWES students will be enjoying room parties on February 7 to commemorate this event. 
  
  This is the third of three annually-scheduled room parties put on by our much-appreciated room parents with the Winton Woods Community PTA.   Room party dates for our school were selected by a PTA sub-committee of parents in September.  If you're interested in helping out on February 7, please contact the WWC PTA at their WWIS office at 619 - 2450.  WWES mom Jan Mavridoglou is the Room Parent Coordinator for our school.
  
  
• All third and fourth grade parents are invited to a special Open House and Meet the Teacher Night to meet Mrs. Lovro, the new substitute Chinese teacher, on Thursday, January 31 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the WWES library.

• WWES will be observing African-American History Awareness month during February.  During Hispanic Heritage Awareness Month in September, we highlighted and taught a different Spanish word every morning on the announcements.   In a similar fashion, during African-American History Awareness Month, we’ll take some time studying and appreciating the unique and vital contributions of African-Americans to our culture, country and world.  Each day in February we’ll spend time on the announcements going over African-American firsts.  For example, Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice (1967 - 1991). 

• Mark your calendar now for “A Day in the Life…,” WWES’s Multicultural Celebration on Thursday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the school gymnasium.  This program will feature students from each grade-level team and our fourth grade select chorus as they present songs, games, dances, stories and fashions from six different continents.

Winton Woods Primary News:

• The Primary Schools honored the Winton Woods Board of Education on Monday, January 28 at the monthly School Board meeting.  The students thanked Board members through song.  Mr. Webb's class did a school "rap" to recognize the Board members’ efforts. The other second grade classes at Primary South made “thank you” signs that they held up at the end of the rap.  Primary North music teacher Agnes Smith directed the Primary North students in an appreciation song to the tune of "Old McDonald," singing and thanking each Board member by name.  In addition to the Primary principals' presentation, the Primary students' artwork was displayed.

• The Primary Schools want to thank all of our School Board—President John Pennycuff, Vice President Jack Lee, and Board members Tim Cleary, Cindy Emmert and Priscilla Franklin—for their sincere dedication to our district.  If you were unable to attend this month’s Board meeting, you may view the Winton Woods Board of Education meeting and Primary Presentation on Waycross Media Channel 23 on January 31 at 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.)  For future schedules, check the Waycross website at: http://www.waycross.tv/schedules.

• Primary students attended the second grading period awards ceremony this week.  Students received certificates to recognize their latest achievements.  Congratulations to all of them for their great success!  Primary South gave out Airheads candy to all students displaying good character.  Any student without an office referral earned the treats during lunch.  Thank you to the parents who attended the awards ceremony to show support of your child's success this grading period.

• The Primary schools are looking forward to Parent/Teacher Conferences on Thursday, January 31 from 5:00 p.m. - 8:25 p.m. and Friday, February 1 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:20 p.m.  We are happy to share progress with our parents.  Remember there is no school for the students K-6 on Friday, February 1, due to parent conferences.

• Students at Primary South will enjoy an assembly entitled “Aesop’s Fables” by Bright Start Theatre on February 8 at 2:15 p.m.
  
  
• Valentine’s Day classroom parties at the Primary Schools will take place on February 15 and will begin at 2:00 p.m.

• Letters and artwork for the district’s “Hearts For Our Heroes” service project will be collected by Thursday, January 31 and will be placed in care packages for our troops around the world.  Please send all your cards to Karen Emmons at Primary North.  A special thank-you to all the WWCS students who have sent valentines to our soldiers. 

Winton Woods Community PTA News:

• Everyone is invited to attend the WWC PTA meeting on Monday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the WWIS library.  Come and find out more information about the levy. Also PTA will be forming its nominating committee this month for Board positions for next year. Please consider joining our team!