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| Food Drive Update |
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An ENORMOUS thank you to all who contributed food or money to the Hurricane Ike Relief Drive! Forestwood collected 751 cans of foodand $125.05! |
You Can Still Join PTA!
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It's NEVER
Too Late
To Join PTA!
Forestwood Middle School PTA is still enrolling members for the 2008-09 school year. Joining the PTA at FMS helps us provide programs and services for ALL of our students, parents, and teachers. You can join through a donation of $40 (which includes two memberships), or dues of $10.00 for a single membership. The donation allows the PTA to plan programs without the need for a fundraiser. The goal of FMS's PTA is to have as many members as we have students. We are many members short of that goal this year, so please consider joining if you have not already! Enrollment forms are available in the front office, can be downloaded from the FMS website or by contacting Cheryl Jackson at 972-539-6166 or jackson.cd@verizon.net
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From the Principal's desk . . .
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 During the first six weeks of the school year we have seen some very significant successes. Students and teachers alike have been pouring their hearts out to make each day count.
Our primary foci, the students, have accomplished a great deal during the first part of the school year. The first six-week grade reports revealed 74% of the school on the Honor Roll and attendance rate to date is an outstanding indication that our students are making the effort to take advantage of what we have to offer. During the week of October 13th we went into the Teaming period for each grade level and recognized students who achieved "A" Honor Roll status, "A/B" Honor Roll status, and those who were selected by their team of teachers for a special recognition in our "Falcon Fiesta" program sponsored by the generosity of the PTA. Selection of students for Falcon Fiesta is based on academic achievement reflective of a consistent and diligent work ethic, growth and/or improvement, participation in class, consistent completion of work, citizenship that reflects the student's efforts to put forth the best effort and follow the school's rules, and participation in extracurricular activities.
In addition, our athletic teams have experienced both success and heartbreak on the field of competition, however throughout each contest they have made us proud as they remained competitive and played with heart and determination. If we are able to teach our athletes competitiveness, commitment, and team spirit, we have been able to make them winners regardless of the score.
Band, orchestra and choir have performed or are preparing their fall concerts as we write. In addition they are preparing contest music, for which goals are set and the ground laid for our students to achieve great results. Extracurricular organizations have been extremely active. Student Council has begun projects within the school, conducted one dance and scheduled more throughout the year, and chosen additional members. National Junior Honor Society is conducting a routine recycling program and will soon launch additional service projects. The Cheerleaders have made us proud by setting a positive example with their exuberance at football games and pep rallies. All of these organizations continue to represent the school well at public events.
The entire school community is proud to be making a significant contribution to L.I.S.D.'s district-wide service project aimed at supporting hurricane Ike victims. Our Student Council is spear-heading this canned food drive with the goal of making a record contribution to this important endeavor.
Finally, a visit to the school will reveal a new set of security doors at the entrance of the school. This is one more step in our effort to ensure the safety of your children. These doors are set up to require all persons entering our school to go into the main office; from that point visitors will be directed based on their stated purpose. Every effort has been made to streamline our procedures. We ask your support and compliance as we work to safeguard our charges. One simple reminder; identification is required to visit with or sign out students.
Since the first day of school, our dedicated staff has been here to support, challenge, cajole, and otherwise encourage your children. Day-in and day-out they work to mold our students into the future of our world. It is the daily commitment of each of these talented people that makes the school function smoothly every day. Together we will continue the traditions of excellence, success and growth that are at the core of the Forestwood Middle School mission.
David Tickner
Principal
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From the PTA President . . . |
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Forestwood Parents, Students and Staff:
We would like to thank all of the teachers and staff of Forestwood for 100% participation in Forestwood PTA! It's never too late to join PTA. One of our goals is to have one member for every child at Forestwood. We are currently short of that goal and ask parents to consider becoming a member.
Your support of PTA with your membership, donations of snacks for events like dances and Falcon Fiesta and participation in events like book fair help make it possible for us to bring great programs to and sponsor other events at Forestwood. The school and PTA also heavily depend upon your volunteer time. Take a peek at our volunteer form on the website and see if there is something you would like to do.
I want to remind everyone that there are two great programs this week for 7th and 8th grade students: 180 Degrees Sexual Abstinence Program had a parent preview on Monday night for 8th grade parents (student program 10/23-10/24) and Aim for Success on Thursday night (Oct 23 at 7:00pm) for 7th grade parents (student program 10/27). There will be PTA Meeting on Thursday at 6:45pm, immediately prior to the Aim for Success preview. These previews are available to all parents but we really hope to see many 7th and 8th grade parents so you will have an opportunity to hear valuable information about presentations your children will see later in the week. (Permission slips for 180 Degrees were sent home on Monday and Aim for Success will come home on Thursday. They are also available on our web page.)
Don't forget - we are Community Partners with Kroger and Tom Thumb. Please take a moment if you have not already done so and link your Kroger Plus Card or Tom Thumb Reward Card to Forestwood PTA so that we might share in their profits. There is a form for Kroger on the PTA page of the FMS website which must be taken in the first time you link it with your card. The number assigned to PTA from Tom Thumb is #7187. I would like to thank the Kroger at FM 3040 and Morriss for providing cases of individually wrapped packs of saltine crackers for use in the nurse's office. We really appreciate their support of our school.
Julie Rael
PTA President
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Reflections |
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 . . .
Reflections entries !!!
WOW! What a great response we
have had for this year's Reflections program. Thank you to all the students who
have obviously worked very hard on their entries.
If you have an entry you are
still working on, the ABSOLUTE LAST day for you to turn them into the school
office will be Friday morning, October 24th; after this date the campus level for
entries will be closed.
If you have any questions
regarding this year's program please contact Kelly Spirit, Forestwood's PTA
Reflections Chair at kellyspirit@verizon.net.
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Environmental Awareness
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Texas PTA Environmental Awareness Program 2008-2009
The Texas PTA wishes to extend an open invitation to all students to join them in the 2008-2009 Environmental Awareness Program. This program is open to all students in grades Pre-K through 12 with the intent of developing high-level thinking skills in relation to environmental education through the TEKS.
The theme for this years' Environmental Awareness Program is
"I've got ENERGY!"
Further details and entry information will be posted in future newsletters. The deadline for entry in this program/contest is not until February 2009, so you have plenty of time to use you 'Creative Energy to make an Entry!'
Entry Categories include: Print Advertising, Photography, News Article, and Public Service Announcements.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions,
Congratulations to last year's Texas PTA Environmental Awareness Program Winners now attending Forestwood Middle School:
Katherine Choi - Print Advertising: Award of Excellence
Ethan Dailey - News Article: Award of Merit
Photography: Honorable Mention Award
Jared Dailey - News Article: Award of Excellence
Photography: Honorable Mention Award
Shannon Spirit - New Article: Award of Merit
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Cruisin' at the Wood
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 The first dance was held on September 12th. The theme was Caribbean Cruise - lots of fun times and memories created! 
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Attention 8th Grade Parents!
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We are currently offering space in the Yearbook for 8th grade messages. It is a place for you to send a special message to your 8th grader. SPACE IS LIMITED!!! The publisher's deadline is November 21st. Click here to download the order form. You can fill it out and drop it in the front office - the spaces are first come, first served so get your order in as soon as possible! All 8th grade messages are kept secret so that you can surprise your student when the Yearbook is delivered. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Daniella Fontana
Yearbook Adviser
fontanada@lisd.net
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PTA Life Membership
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The Texas Life Membership Award
is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon an individual by the Texas PTA for outstanding contribution to the well-being of children and youth. The Forestwood PTA Life Membership Committee will meet soon to select the individual(s) to honor this year. Your input is valuable. If you would like to recommend a parent or staff member for this honor, please send an email to committee chair, Jackson.cd@verizon.net or drop a note in the school office marked PTA.
The following individuals have received the PTA Life Honor from Forestwood PTA:
Sandy Atkinson, Janet Bass, Ken Boren, Connie Carlson, Marsha Crawford, Karrie Day, Carolyn Ditsworth, Tami Fitzpatrick, Mary Gentry, Gary Gibson, Linda Gibson, Dave Girardi, Debra Haburay, Ann Handren, Jill Hennessey, Bette Herbst, Rosemarie Lawson, Joann Manke, Karen McGinnes, Lori McKinney, Marlene McNemar, Cindy Means, Brooke Munro, Marty Ross, Ollie Smith, David Tickner, Lou Todd, Tracy Vulpitta, Stacy Watson, Leigh Williams and Lyn Zeller. Jan Picardi was awarded the Extended Service Award.
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Falcon Fiesta
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Our first Falcon Fiesta was held on Friday, October 17th and a great time was had by all. It was amazing how much food could be consumed in only 20 minutes! There will be four more this school year; the next Fiesta is scheduled for Friday, December 5th.
Falcon Fiesta is a PTA sponsored student recognition and reward program during which selected students have an opportunity to attend a short reception in their honor.
Every six week grading period a group of ten students from each grade level is chosen by their teachers to be served soda, snacks and deserts. The selection criteria are based upon positive attitude toward school work, consistent effort, excellent behavior, hard work, and attention is given to those who may have shown significant improvement. This is a reward every student has an opportunity to attain and should work toward. Go for it Falcons and make it hard for the teachers to choose!
If you would like to help by donating snacks for one or more of the Fiestas, and are not already on the Falcon Fiesta Volunteer list, please contact Melanie McCoy, (972) 355-9092 or JoMelKel@aol.com.
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Computer Homework Haven
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To help Forestwood students get their computer projects completed and printed, Computer Homework Haven was initiated Wednesday, September 17. Room 301 will be open every day from 8:00 - 8:35 and 4:00 - 4:30 for all students. Students can come in, work at the computers, print out the assignment. Just like Homework Haven, students can turn the project into the teacher on duty and it will be put it in the assigning teacher's box. There is a coupon teachers can give a student, similar to the Homework Haven coupon, to remind them of this opportunity. Students are not required to come to Computer Homework Haven. A student who needs to print during class will not be sent to the computer lab. They will need to print before or after school.
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Textbook Error Reporting |
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 New from the Texas Education Agency concerning Textbook Error Reporting: the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has created a program that will allow the public to report errors discovered in textbooks and other adopted instructional materials used in Texas classrooms. This program, begun on September 29, 2008, will also provide the public with access to a list of all of the errors discovered.
Students, teachers, parents, and others concerned about the accuracy and quality of textbooks are encouraged to use the email address textbookerrors@tea.state.tx.us to report any errors in fact, misspellings, or other inaccuracies. The TEA will review all reported errors, and list those that are confirmed in the Inventory of Known Textbook Errors posted on the TEA website. For each confirmed error, the TEA will notify both the publisher and each district using the materials, as well as release an announcement via the recently established Textbook Errors mailing list. The TEA will also follow up to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to correct the errors.
The purpose of this program is to ensure that Texans who rely on textbooks to educate and to be educated have the benefit of error-free instructional materials. Posting the known errors to the website will support those who use textbooks by providing relevant and timely information about the reliability of those materials.
To learn more about this program, report an error, or sign up for the Textbook Errors mailing list, please visit http://www.tea.state.tx.us/textbooks/textbookerrors.html.
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Lewisville SEPTSA
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The Greater Lewisville Special Education PTSA will hold its November Meeting, What Every Parent Needs to Know About Transition Planning on Thursday November 13th. Please note our NEW LOCATION - Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church, 6101 Morriss Road in Flower Mound (by Marcus High School). Go to the lower level, Room 115. Our Regular PTSA Meeting will be at 6:00 along with social time and refreshments, followed by the program from 6:30 to 8:30. Childcare is now available to Members by Reservation ONLY. Childcare is sponsored in part by Therapy 2000.
Details and a link to RSVP as well as a link to reserve Child Care can be found at www.lisdseptsa.txpta.org or by calling 469-293-6343.
SEPTSA and Borders Bookstore will co-host a Story-time on Saturday November 1st starting at
10:30a.m. at the Vista Ridge Borders location, 2403 Stemmons Fwy. in Lewisville. Come hear
Thanksgiving stories and visit with a therapy dog! Story-time is for all ages and everyone is welcome regardless of ability to sit or listen quietly. Fun for all!
A Brown Bag Lunch will be held from noon to 1 pm on Friday November 21st in the small conference room of the Student Services Building at 400 W. Main St. in Lewisville. The topic will be The Hanen Program for children age 3-5 years with an identified language disorder, presented by Lisa Bell. Bring your own lunch. No child care will be available.
The annual Lewisville Independent School District Special Education Transition Open House will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2008, from 6:00P.M. until 8:00P.M. at the student services building at 400 W. Main Street in Lewisville. State and local agencies, local community colleges, and other support services will be represented.
Parents and any other interested parties are invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Carol Ann Matthews at 469-948-2057 or Terri Mounsey at 469-948-2056.
Denise Young, Publicity & Communications Coordinator
LISD Special Education PTSA
www.lisdseptsa.txpta.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lisd-septsa
972-691-9597
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