BOBCAT BANTER NEWSLETTER As we begin this new semester at Mitchell Elementary School, we look forward to our continued partnership working together. I know the second half of this school year will be as successful as the first! This time of year is School Survey Season! Your child should have brought you a blue envelope containing the School Climate and Perception Survey. Please take a moment and complete that survey. The administrative and leadership teams read every word of the compiled information and consider your suggestions and comments as we plan to move Mitchell forward. Your thoughts do matter as we continue to improve our teaching and learning at Mitchell. I am now participating in a professional development process using a unique set of tools to change my focus as a principal from school management tasks to instructional leadership ? activities directly connected to improving teaching and learning. Mrs. Maribel Alvarez serves as my SAM (School Administration Manager) ensuring that my daily schedule includes more time with MITCHELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL teachers and students. I also have a team of staff members who have been identified as First Responders who should be the first to try to deal with management issues. If you feel you need to meet with me for any reason, call Mrs. Alvarez, 872-5216, and she will schedule an appointment or direct you to the staff member who is handling your area of concern. Several reminders as we begin the new semester: Please help us to protect the instructional time at school for our students . Be sure your child comes to school on time each day, ready with everything they need. Please do not pick up your child prior to dismissal. Each time we call for a student, we interrupt instruction, and take precious time away from teacher/students contact. Keeping our students safe is a major focus . Please follow our drop-off and pick-up procedures on Gomez Avenue. If you do, you can be sure that your child is supervised. If you are dropping your child off on Cleveland or Platt, you are creating a very dangerous situation for your child. Please listen to the school-assigned adult on the corners. They (continued on page 2) A PUBLICATION OF THE MITCHELL ELEMENTARY PTA VOLUME 77, ISSUE 3 FEBRUARY 2016 THE PRINCIPAL'S POST PRINCIPAL Deborah Anderson ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Kevin Moon GUIDANCE Monica Mirasola ABOUT MITCHELL 205 Bungalow Park Tampa, FL 33609 813.872.5216 SCHOOL WEBSITE mitchell.mysdhc.org PTA PRESIDENT Deb Sledge BANTER EDITOR Christiana Thompson ADMINISTRATION VISION Inspiring lifelong learning and service for every student MISSION To develop the desire, knowledge and skills enabling students to reach their highest potential in the 21st century and beyond
Transcript
BOBCAT BANTERNEWSLETTER
As we begin this new semester at Mitchell Elementary School, we look forward to our continued partnership working together. I know the second half of this school year will be as successful as the first!
This time of year is School Survey Season! Your child should have brought you a blue envelope containing the School Climate and Perception Survey. Please take a moment and complete that survey. The administrative and leadership teams read every word of the compiled information and consider your suggestions and comments as we plan to move Mitchell forward. Your thoughts do matter as we continue to improve our teaching and learning at Mitchell.
I am now participating in a professional development process using a unique set of tools to change my focus as a principal from school management tasks to instructional leadership ? activities directly connected to improving teaching and learning. Mrs. Maribel Alvarez serves as my SAM (School Administration Manager) ensuring that my daily schedule includes more time with
MITCHELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
teachers and students. I also have a team of staff members who have been identified as First Responders who should be the first to try to deal with management issues. If you feel you need to meet with me for any reason, call Mrs. Alvarez, 872-5216, and she
will schedule an appointment or direct you to the staff member who is handling your area of concern.
Several reminders as we begin the new semester:
Please help us to protect the instructional time at school for our students. Be sure your child comes to school on time each day, ready with everything they need. Please do not pick up your child prior to dismissal. Each time we call for a student, we interrupt instruction, and take precious time away from teacher/students contact.
Keeping our students safe is a major focus. Please follow our drop-off and pick-up procedures on Gomez Avenue. If you do, you can be sure that your child is supervised. If you are dropping your child off on Cleveland or Platt, you are creating a very dangerous situation for your child. Please listen to the school-assigned adult on the corners. They (continued on page 2)
A PUBLICATION OF THE MITCHELL ELEMENTARY PTA
VOLUME 77, ISSUE 3 FEBRUARY 2016
THE PRINCIPAL'S POST
PRINCIPALDeborah Anderson
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALKevin Moon
GUIDANCEMonica Mirasola
ABOUT MITCHELL
205 Bungalow Park Tampa, FL 33609 813.872.5216
SCHOOL WEBSITE
mitchell.mysdhc.org
PTA PRESIDENT
Deb Sledge
BANTER EDITOR
Christiana Thompson
ADMINISTRATION
VISION
Inspiring lifelong learning and service for every student
MISSION
To develop the desire, knowledge and skills enabling students to reach their highest potential in the 21st century and beyond
are there for your child?s safety and you need to follow our school procedures.
Congratulations to the 2015-2016 Excellence in Education Representatives at Mitchell.
- Teacher of the Year: Rachel Roche - Ida S. Baker Distinguished
Educator: Sharon Perez - Instructional Support Employee of
the Year: Maribel Alvarez
To Be The Best, Give Your Best!
Sincerely,
Debbie Anderson
Proud Principal
Happy New Year! I am excited to kick off 2016 and get the second half of the year started off. I hope everyone had a happy holiday season! We have a busy few months ahead and I know everyone is ready for it. As we begin this second half of the school year, we want to enforce independence for our students here at Mitchell. The first half of the year is setting up routines and structures along with getting used to and following school and classroom procedures. As we work to build independence among our students, we encourage you to let your children embrace the structures and routines we have established the first half of the year.
Here are some things to consider:
- Students are ready to take the lead on entering the campus each morning (give them that last hug and kiss at the gate, they can take it from there).
- Hold them accountable for lost items such as jackets/coats, instruments, lunch boxes, etc. That goes for homework and assignments that get left behind or lost as well. Returning students to school after hours to retrieve these items does not help with teaching them independence. We will
not let them return to their classrooms to do so.
- Allow students to utilize the problem-solving skills (both academically and socially) that we work with them daily to solve their own individual situations prior to you as a parent intervening on their behalf.
Testing Updates
As we move into the second half of the year, we move into testing season. Our school-wide testing in grades 1-5 begins in February and continues through May. Students do not test consecutively, so please check the testing flyer included in this edition of the Banter to identify dates and assessments that will impact your child. Students in grades 1-3 will take the SAT-10; students in grades 3-5 will take FSA ELA and Mathematics; 4th and 5th grade will take the writing portion of the FSA; and students in 5th grade will take the FCAT/SSA science assessment. Select students in our ELL program will take the English Language Learning assessment as well. All students in grades 1-5 will be assessed in Art, Music and Physical Education in May. (continued on page 3)
It is time for a mid-year closet clean out! Please drop off your gently used uniforms on Tuesday, February 9th during morning car line drop off. Then on Wednesday, February 10th and Thursday, February 11th please come and take whatever uniforms you need. The uniform swap will be located inside the Gomez gate next to the playground.
WINTER UNIFORM
EX CHA NGE
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
February 5 Fair Day - NO SCHOOL
February 12 Talent Show - K-3rd Grade, 6:00pm, Cafeteria
February 18 Cyber Safety 101, 6:30pm, Cafeteria *Adults only*
February 20 Bobcat Bash
February 25 Heritage Night, 5:30-7:30pm
February 25-26 RIF Distribution
March 4 Movie Night **Movie TBA**
March 8 PTA General Meeting & Bobcat Chorus, 6:30pm
March 14-18 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
March 25 Non-Student Day - NO SCHOOL
April 2 Mitchell Golf Tournament, Westchase Golf & Country Club
Sync your calender at http://www.mitchellelementarypta.org/events/
STEM Fair and Tropicana Speech
Congratulations to the following students who were selected to represent Mitchell at this year?s district competition on February 9th at the Tampa Convention Center:
Project Student(s) Teacher
What Type of Lamp Grows a Tomato Plant and Pepper Plant the Fastest - LED Light or Traditional Light?
Sebastian Yuskaitis Kara Osowski
Plant Growth - Tap vs. Reclaimed Water Will Boulware Kara Osowski
Marvelous Markers Madeline Sarduy Gayle Lambert
Lotion In Motion Isabella Troxel Melissa Carl
Super Sand Bags Kai Nelson Gayle Lambert
Wi-Fi Walls Parker DeMarcay Gayle Lambert
Electromagnetism - Turn Up the Force! Rocco Cutri & Jacqueline Cutri Laura Hobby
Growth of a Lima Bean Plant - Grounds for your Garden
Sloan Holloman & Jolie Denman Gayle Lambert
Plants In Techno Color Jackson Miller & Kenneth Cooper Sarah Sussman
Hungry for Electricity Parker Gilbert & Noah Fisher Gayle Lambert
Mitchell will also compete in the district 4H Tropicana Speech competition on January 28th. We will be represented by
our school winners in 4th and 5th grade. Good luck to both Maddie Miller (Tiny House, Big Possibilities) and Jude Parry
(Rock n Roll Becoming Endangered). We are very proud of you all and know that you will represent our school well at each event!
I hope to see you at many of the events coming up over the next few months. We are looking forward to a great second half of the year. The end of the year will be here before we know it.
Happy New Year to 2016! We are off to a superb start for our 3rd nine weeks, the Florida Winter has arrived, Gasparilla Season is upon us and our Mitchell students are doing great! How do I know? I have been checking out the brag board. Have you seen it on the door across from the office on the main floor? Come check it out and see the fun and amazing things our Bobcat teachers are doing in the classroom. I am also chatting with the teachers and the students. Stop and ask them how it is going, does your classroom need anything or can I come in and read to the class. Our teachers love to share the joy of their class.
The Mitchell PTA is very excited about all that is going on over the next nine weeks: Open House/Kindergarten round up, the Talent Show for K-3rd,
Heritage Night, our 2nd RIF day, Movie Night, a few more Spirit Nights and Days and the upcoming Mitchell Golf Tournament at a new location: Westchase Golf & Country Club! How can you get involved? Continue to follow the weekly Blast and the dates in this Bobcat Banter, attend the next PTA General Membership meeting on Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30pm, or stop and ask any PTA member. We want you to be a part of it all.
The PTA is bringing to our parents an educational event on Thursday, February 18th at 6:30pm in our Cafeteria: Cyber Safety 101 - What you need to know to protect your family online. This is an ADULT ONLY event due to content discussed by the speaker. Troy Suarez, PhD, our speaker, is the Supervisor of Instructional
Technology K12 for Hillsborough County Public Schools. Many of our students are on devices daily whether at school or home. As parents, we need to be on top of our game to protect their safety and our families. Please come listen to this excellent speaker so you are aware of the internet environment. This event will be an eye opener.
Lastly, do not forget to attend the Mitchell Foundation?s upcoming Bobcat Bash 2016 on Saturday, February 20th. A beautiful evening for adults that will benefit our students!
Happiness is being a Mitchell Bobcat!
Deb Sledge
President, 2015-2016
Mitchell Elementary PTA
MESSAGE FROM PTA PRESIDENT, DEB SLEDGE
Having a happy family and raising responsible, well-adjusted children is easier than it may sometime seem. Although all families are different, there are common threads that bind strong families together. At times, we will be asking questions related to these threads and introducing ideas that may help you build stronger family relations.
Question: Research tells us that children want many things from their parents. But what do they want (and need) most from us?
1.More opportunities to play sports and participate in extra-curricular activities
2.Help with homework 3.More expensive vacations and fun
opportunities 4.Parents who are less stressed and
tired 5.More money in their allowances
Answer: (4) Research tells us that the
more stress and fatigue experienced by parents; the greater the likelihood there is for family conflict and adjustment problems in children. Children relish time with their parents, but this time should be positive, free of stress and enjoyable for all family members. One way to reduce tension and stress in your family is to hold weekly meetings to discuss what you did, what worked well, what didn?t work and what the plans are for the next week. Everyone shares what they are doing and what they want to get accomplished; whether that is cooking a new food for dinner, getting the car repaired, finishing their homework on time or having a play date with a friend. Some families even use a family calendar to document all their activities to avoid overlap and problems that create unwanted stress and frustration.
Monica Mirasola
Guidance Counselor
LET'S GET HAPPY! - A NOTE FROM MRS. MIRASOLA
Winter/Spring After School Enrichments will start again on Monday, February 15th. Sign-ups will open on Wednesday, February 3rd. Visit www.mitchellelementarypta.org /after-school-enrichment for all the details.
EAT - Tampa favorite Rita Carlino?s Catering will be serving delicious Florida-inspired cuisine.
DRINK - Thanks to our generous donors, we will be sipping on Cigar City Brews, fabulous wine & spirits -- all included with your ticket price.
AND BE MERRY - Tampa?s own Bob Frierson will set the stage for a great night of music and dancing. Our highly anticipated live auction will be hosted by Mitchell favorites Ron O?Neal and Ron Salzman.
COME AS YOU ARE - The party will showcase an Old Florida feel, but come as you are -- no costumes needed. Dressy Casual attire.
GIVING BACK IS ALWAYS IN STYLE - Come ready to bid! Don?t miss over $50,000 worth of fantastic silent and live auction items! This year?s silent auction will take place using a mobile bidding device! Log on and read up by clicking on ?How to Bid? at www.qtego.net/qlink/bobcatbash
DARE TO DREAM BIG - Your generosity will help fund current needs & long range plans for Mitchell. The Mitchell Foundation?s 1-5 year plan is available online at www.mitchellelementaryfoundation.org/ planning
ART IN THE COMMUNITY
Michael Radcliff, 4th grade artist, represented Mitchell Elementary in the annual K-8 Young at Art exhibit at the Tampa Museum of Art. Michael?s work, Totems, is on display throughout the month of January in the downstairs exhibit hall. I am so proud of Michael and his hard work in the classroom. Congratulations, Michael, on a job well done and keep creating!
Totems was inspired by Hundertwasser?s whimsical art. You can see the creative design Michael came up with on his own. I am so proud of his creativity and dedication to the arts.
Katie White
Buy Tickets & Sponsorships NowFebruary 20, 2016
Chester H. Ferguson Law Center7:00-10:00pm
Sponsor Reception from 6:00-7:00pmwww.qtego.net/qlink/bobcatbash
The Hillsborough County Public Schools Vision: Preparing Students for Life
www.sdhc.k12.fl.us
Superintendent of SchoolsJeff Eakins
County School BoardSusan L. Valdes, ChairDoretha W. Edgecomb, Vice-ChairApril GriffinSally HarrisCarol W. KurdellMelissa SnivelyCindy Stuart
YOUR CHECK LIST FOR STA YING CONNECTED
Join me in congratulating Christopher Atkinson in 5th grade. Chris is always problem solving in the art room. Using his creative mind to produce some of the most unique works of art I have seen as a teacher. I definitely see an art future in this student?s life, possibly as an architect or in digital design. I asked Chris to share some thoughts about art and this is what he said:
Q: What is your favorite medium to use when creating art? (Paper, Sculpture, Paint, Clay)
A: I would prefer using paper, in origami and in other arts such as drawing and sketching, because it allows me to be creative while keeping my art simple. I like simple colors and patterns when creating art.
Q: Who is your favorite artist & why?
A: Choosing a favorite artist is definitely trouble for me because I am inspired by all of them. If I had to choose one of them, I would choose Akiyoshi Kitaoka, illusionist and
computer artist. He has created many computer-created works of art that are amazingly simple, but with lots of pattern and illusion, which I have to say I enjoy.
Q: What inspires you?
A: Over the years of my artistic life, I have encountered many experiences, items, and creations that inspire me. The only problem is that I am too easily inspired. I am inspired and amazed by the simple sound of my heartbeat. My ability to see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. And even the simple science of ?Newton?s Cradle? all inspire me. The only thing that inspires me is everything. And I think that that is a good thing.
Q: If you could be an artist as an adult, what would you do and why?
A: Well, if I am ever fortunate enough to become a professional artist, I would travel the world. I would visit the greatest canyons, the tallest mountains, and all of the other wonders of the world because these things will inspire me the most, and since I am so easily inspired, this would lead me to create wondrous works of art that I would?ve never known possible.
