Incline Village Schools

North Tahoe Aquatics hosted a tri-meet with the Silver Stars of Incline and the Truckee Tahoe Swim Team on Sunday at the Incline Village Recreation Center.

In fewer than two hours, spectators were treated to an awesome spectacle of 100 swimmers in 37 races, some of which featured multiple heats.

The energy in the recreation center was super-charged, with a new heat of eight swimmers starting every couple of minutes. Parent-volunteers herded competitors to the right lanes, timers shuffled kids out of the water and runners ran the results to the ribbons desk, where an army of parents diligently logged results. Clipboard-carrying coaches barked directions, parents kept track of towels and kids cheered for their teammates.

Most kids competed in three individual events (freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke) and two relays, one medley and one freestyle. Competitors ranged from 5 to 15 years of age. For most it was their first meet.

Reactions ranged from nervous crying to unbridled glee as new racers were born. For some swimmers, the triumph was simply reaching the other end of the pool, while others logged times worthy for entry in USS “A” meets.

The relays were the most impressive events. The 6-and-under 100 freestyle relay was a sweet display of sputtering determination and potential, while the 11-15 200 Medley relay showcased the competitors' accomplishments as they skillfully glided through the water.

Truckee sent nearly 40 recreational swimmers, but North Tahoe dominated meet attendance, with more than half of the 100 competitors. In the 7- and 8-year-old freestyle relay, NTA fielded four teams of four, which is an amazing feat considering the lack of a community pool.

“We're kind of like the Jamaican bobsled team,” joked one of the North Tahoe parents. “We don't even have a pool!”

In actuality, the team rents the Granlibakken pool for a few hours each day, but it is outdoors and it is a fraction the size of a regulation pool.

“This is the first North Tahoe meet of this kind in over 30 years,” said NTA coach Dick Banfield. “Back in the 70s the homeowners' associations had swim teams, and we would compete against each other in the summer, but this level of competition is unprecedented.”

While this meet marked the end of the 2009 NTA season, both the TTST and SSIV swim year-round. Truckee has a well-established USS competitive team with a waiting list.

Incline is building its team with new coach Matt Gonzales, and is accepting new swimmers this fall. North Tahoe will begin its third season in spring with sign-ups happening in March.

Fun. Friends. Fantastic Good Times! - Every Wednesday after school from 2:30-3:30 in the IMS Forum.

It's WyldLife!  It's fun, sometimes crazy, and always a great place to be!

Beginning Oct. 21, every Wednesday after school there's Wyldlife Club, a good time with great friends, crazy games, stupid videos, stimulating messages and more.  The best part of WyldLife is our awesome leaders - Tony Conragan (775) 830-0566 and Trish Morris (775) 303-3806.  They're really interested in you, regardless of where you're at.  Hanging out with them can be really sweet! 

WyldLife.  Drop in.  Check it out!

We have two fun events coming up that we need to start organizing for.

Halloween Dance (October 23rd – not to be confused with the IVGID dance this Friday):

• Chairs -  Ken and Jeanette Martinez lake_too_high@hotmail.com

Dance Decorations:  Joy Strotz  <jstrotz@charter.net>

• We need additional people (about 8), including some dads, ladders, staple guns, duct tape and hammers.
• We will need to start decorating the forum immediately after school is released, perhaps we can start after the lunch period on Friday, October 23rd.

Dance Chaperones

• Susan and Blake Goldenberg  <villagetoys@yahoo.com>
• Dianne and Eric Severance  sevgroup@nvbell.net
• Ken and Jeanette Martinez lake_too_high@hotmail.com
• Suzy Homola
• Need Two – Three additional couples.

Dance Tear Down:  Need about 8 people in order for this to go smoothly. 

Refreshments:  Stacy Hanna  <Hannah@tahoedevelopment.com> and Amy Smith  <amy-jp@nvbell.net> will head up and communicate their needs.

• Lois Bedient  lois@the bedients.com  831-6648

Take Dad to School Day (November 5th):  Chair - Shahin Lampe  shahintahoe@charter.net

• A Co-Chair to work with Shahin would be terrific.
• Food Contributions:  8 – 10 food volunteers
• Greeters: 3 volunteers
• Set Up Volunteers: 3 – 4 volunteers
• Clean Up Volunteers: 3 – 4 volunteers

Volunteers that have indicated their willingness to help for events — Let us now what you’d like to do to help out: 

• Michelle Colarchik  772-1003  mctahoe@nvbell.net
• Vicki Cruz     765-1030   vickicruz100@sbcglobal.net
• Patty Franklin   831-3816  ptkmfrank@aol.com
• Patricia Sunseri  530 362-0892   psuneri@gmail.com
• Jodi Clouthier     831-2667    jjkjnv@sbcglobal.net
• Joan Davis   415 948-8061   joandavisaartstudios@gmail.com
• Stacey Herhusky   741-8144    Sfherhusky@inclinelaw.com
• Linda Tokunaga   832-3022    lmtokun@nvbell.net

All Other Volunteers:  Contact myself, Ken & Jeanette or Shahin and let us know how you would like to help!

Thank you in advance!
Dianne Severance

Middle School Can Be Very Rewarding

Because we believe that recognizing positive behavior at IMS is important, this month I'd like to review some of the policies and regulations regarding the Rewards Program at Incline Middle School. This program acknowledges excellence in six different categories and rewards students with free time and possibly a field trip at the end of the year.

Students may earn up to five points in the first quarter and up to six in the second and third quarters. If they have earned at least five points for the quarter, then they are eligible for an extra lunch/recess period. Students who have earned at least fifteen points by the end of the third quarter and have continued to perform at a high level for the fourth quarter may attend an end of year field trip. The final quarter determination is made by classroom teachers and administration based on behavior, attendance and class participation, work and grades.

The categories and point criteria are as follows:

• Citizenship - All A's or A-‘s in citizenship
• Honor Roll - GPA of 3.5 or above
• GPA Improvement - increase in GPA of at least .5 from one quarter to the next. Also any student with a 3.5 or better GPA.
• Attendance - 2 or fewer tardies for the quarter and no unexcused absences
• Community/School Service - At least 5 hours of community or school service (outside of regular school hours) for the quarter. The Community/School Verification Chart in the planner must be completed and turned in to the office by the required dates at the end of each quarter or no credit will be given.
• Behavior - No assignments to lunch detention, Saturday School, work crew, or suspensions

Each of the above categories may earn up to one point per quarter and tallies are kept by the school registrar, Ms. Hub. Students with questions may refer to page 18 in their planners or check with either Ms. Hub or me. Please encourage your child to participate in this program. It's rewarding to have your good behavior acknowledged.

The 2010 IMS yearbook is now on sale online. Go to http://shop.jostens.com and follow the links to Incline Middle School.

The cost this year is $28.

8th grade baby pictures are due by 12/18 and may be submitted in jpg form to mmanngilbert@washoe.k12.nv.us or in hard copy form. Hard copies will not be returned.

Attached, please find the IMS Jr. Boosters Newsletter for October.

Dates to Remember:

• September 28th:  IB Night at the Chateau @ 6:30PM.
• September 29th: SHARE parent review at IMS Forum 6 – 8 PM.
• October 1st:  Mini Field Day.  Parent Volunteers be at IMS by 1:00.  All parents are welcome to observe, be at IMS at 1:20 PM.
• October 5th – 9th:  October Break
• October 29th:  End of the Grading Period

Memberships: 

Jr. Booster isn’t a fundraising organization and as a result, our membership dues are the only vehicle for raising funds for our activities, such as Take Dad to School, Halloween Dance and the 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony.  If you haven’t submitted your Jr.. Boosters membership dues for the 2009-2010 school year, please do so.  Membership forms are available at the office and you can leave a filled out form with check in the Jr. Booster’s box at the office. Please support our group.  If you’re not sure whether or not you have supported IMS for this school year, please send me an email (SevGroup@nvbell.net).

• Halloween Dance: October 23rd  IMS Forum.  6:30 – 8:30 PM

Kevin and Jeanette Martinez are chairing the event.  Joy Strotz is assisting with forum decorations.  Stacy Hanna and Amy Smith will head up refreshments.

Volunteers needed for:

* Decorations

* Tear Down

* Chaperones

Thank you!
Dianne Severance

School Zone is a weekly column written by the Washoe County School District trustees and administrators about key issues and noteworthy news for parents, teachers and students.

During the past few months, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees has made it a priority to become a "peak performing governance team." In any given organization or institution such as the WCSD, board members must adopt core elements that align success with every operational aspects of its organization in order to meet its mission. In our case, that means becoming a "world-class school district."

There are five core elements that are essential to becoming a high-performing governance team. The first one is to be united in service to children. My fellow trustees and I are committed to serve the best interest of all children. During the past two years, WCSD staff has assessed the needs of our student population and as a result, provided us with information on the rapidly growing demographics within our school district. This information assisted the trustees in developing a strategic plan where we stipulate rigorous academic standards for every child. The latter being another core element in setting indicators of success that guide the direction of the entire school district.

The third element is to have a clear understanding of our role as board members versus that of the CEO. The CEO for the school district is the superintendent. The seven trustees, along with Superintendent Heath Morrison, understand that in order to make change or reform, we must delineate our roles while maintaining a leadership team approach. We, as trustees, operate based on policy. It is superintendent Morrison who handles the management of the entire operation. Many who serve on community boards know the difficulty of separating these roles. How often do we see board members who want to cross over into the management/operational side? When that happens, it can devastate an organization or stop its progress. Thus, the relationship between board members and CEO must be a relationship based on trust, loyalty and respect, another key element in becoming a peak performing governance team.

The final element is to establish strong and durable linkages with the community. I hope you agree that during the past six months, the WCSD board members been proactive in seeking community input. This will continue. We want regular and meaningful dialog so that we can reach new heights as an educational institution.

As a school board, we continue to learn and grow. We are determined to be a peak performing board that focuses on making sure the correct policies and procedures are in place to achieve our mission. After all, every decision we take, every policy we implement is taken to ensure our students receive the very best education possible.

Estela Gutierrez is vice president of the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees.

An Internet campaign aimed at encouraging students and parents throughout Nevada to build and prepare for college starting in elementary school was launched last week through a new Web site, GoToCollege.com.

The Web site will serve as the "Go To" link for information about available resources that students can use to help them plan, prepare and pay for college, including information about federal money available for higher education through grants or loans. The site also will includes specific information about Nevada colleges and universities and other scholarships, grants, work study opportunities and loans that might be available to students if they complete the necessary paperwork.

The Web site will assist parents with children as young as elementary school age appropriately plan for their children to attend college with methods like a savings plan.

"Nevada has ranked 49th or 50th for many years for percentage of low-income students participating in college," Natalie Mazzullo, community education specialist with the Nevada System of Higher Education, said in a statement. "We want to help encourage students to consider college and give them the information and resources they need to show them it is possible to continue their education."

The Go To College campaign was created with a grant from the federal College Access Challenge Grant Program and is under the direction of the Nevada P-16 Advisory Council.

This effort is designed to foster partnerships among federal, state and local government and philanthropic entities to increase the number of underrepresented students in postsecondary education.

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education also is involved in the campaign as it administers Nevada's CACG grant on behalf of the P-16 Council and provides project planning, technical assistance and program evaluation.

Additional Facts

On the Web:  www.GoToCollege.com, a new Web site that promotes preparation and provide information on resources available for higher education.

The Washoe County Health District will begin vaccinating high-risk groups for the H1N1 (swine) flu on Thursday, Judy Davis, the district’s spokeswoman, said today.

Those groups are:

* Health care and emergency medical services personnel who still haven’t been vaccinated.

* Pregnant women, who are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated.

* Caregivers or other people who are in contact with children younger than 6 months of age. Those infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications but can’t be vaccinated. Vaccinating those around them could protect then from the virus.

* People ages 6 months through 24 years of age. Children from 6 months through 18 years of age are in close contact at school and at day care facilities, which increases the likelihood of spreading the disease. Many cases of H1N1 influenza have occurred in young adults 19-24 years of age because they often live, work and study in close proximity, and they frequently are a mobile population.

* People who are 24-64 years of age with underlying health problems, such as diabetes, asthma, a weakened immune system, heart and lung disease, are more susceptible to serious complications from H1N1.

Davis said the inoculations will be given based on the honor system, but people will be asked to sign a brief form citing what condition they have that puts them in the high-risk category.

There is no charge for the H1N1 inoculations from public health agencies because the vaccination program for the novel flu strain is funded by the federal government.

The free shots are available at the Washoe County Health District, at 1001 E. Ninth St., Building B. The vaccinations are on a walk-in basis.

Because the health district has been inundated with questions about the H1N1 flu, it has set up a toll-free number for the public to call and get answers through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment at 1-866-767-5038.

October 2009

Dear GT Parents,

I am a fellow GT Parent with a 3rd grader at Whitehead Elementary in Reno. I have been on a steep learning curve since my daughter was identified as I am sure many of you have been. I have attended a lot of events put on by GT Parent Connection and the GT Advisory Council in an effort to educate myself about the GATE program and how to best help the students.

One of the things I now know is that many schools depend heavily on their PTA/PTOs to help fund more than just the basic educational equipment, materials, and programs. The GATE Department has no such dedicated organization to look to for help. Because of this, I have offered to help with GATE fundraising efforts. I would like to form a parent fundraising committee to help the GATE Department brainstorm and implement some fundraising ideas.

GATE will keep getting better with our help

The GATE program has grown tremendously in the last 5 years. There are many more options and many more participating students. Unfortunately, the funding has stayed the same. We are looking to raise money to continue to improve the program through additional classroom materials.

One parent from each GATE location will make a difference

It would be great if we could get volunteers from each SWAS (school within a school) class, each elementary pull-out location, each ALM location, and even some high school parents, so all options are represented. We anticipate a meeting or two this fall to brainstorm, and then a few more throughout the school year. The meetings will be friendly and give all participants a better understanding of the GT program and its funding.

Support from the local GT groups is already in place

We will have support behind our ideas from the many members of GT Parent Connection and the District's GT Advisory Council. Once we come up with a plan or program, we can ask for their support and they will respond!

Please join me on October 22, at 10:30 am at Borders

Please join me for a cup of coffee in the cafe to get our ideas started. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at andrea.hughsbaird@gmail.com.

Warmly,

Andrea Hughs-Baird

S.W.A.S. 3rd grade parent
GT Parent Connection Treasurer
GTAC Vice Chairman

GT PARENT CONNECTION

4790 Caughlin Parkway #406 Reno, NV 89519
(775) 835-1054 phone       (775) 201-0002 fax
www.gtparentconnection.org

The GT Parent Connection e-newsletter is maintained by volunteer parents to disperse timely information to parents and educators of Gifted and Talented students in Washoe County.  If you would like to become a member of the GT Parent Connection, please visit our website:  www.gtparentconnection.org

It’s that time of year again for CYMBAL’s $10,000 Hold’em Tournament!

This is CYMBAL’s primary fundraising event and we hope that everyone that participated in the past tournament will join us again this year. I am attaching the flyer for this year’s event and hope that you will join us and pass along the word to other players. Seats have already starting filling so register now.
 
Where:  Grand Lodge Casino at Hyatt Lake Tahoe
When:  October 24th and 25th, 2009

• Sign ins:  Friday October 23rd  6:00pm—8:00pm and Saturday October 24th 8:30am
• Grand Lodge Casino at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
• Tournament Rounds begin Saturday 10/24 10:00am—Final Round Sunday 10/25

Cost:  $100 for a chance to win $10,000
How:  Call casino services at 775-886-6630

We want to say a special thank you to the Hyatt Lake Tahoe for sponsoring and promoting the Maestros for Music Hold’em Tournament.

As you know CYMBAL has been asked to step in and help fund the 5th grade band as well as the Rock Choir class for the High School. Although the music position at the High School has been cut to a half time position, CYMBAL with your support is able to help grow the participation level by funding these classes.

We have already committed to help with these classes as well as the repair of many instruments and purchase of music for all three schools. Because of the instruments that CYMBAL has purchased in the past, in addition to school instruments, every child in the 5th grade has the opportunity to play an instrument this year.

Some of you have already witnessed the result of CYMBAL support with the new Drum Core that Terry Pittman has put together at the High School. Terry brought up one of the leading Drum Core instructors from So.California (with the financial support of CYMBAL), to offer a 2 day clinic to the students. They were able to play at the last home football game after a very short practice time. This is part of CYMBAL’s commitment to the outreach program to keep our students excited about music in our schools.

Thank you again for your support, please pass the word and I hope to see you at the tournament.

Blane Johnson
CYMBAL, President