December
December 22-January 5, 2018	Winter Break
January 8	School Resumes
January 11	Parent Tour	White Hill Library

 

Thanks to more than 200 respondents in our survey about the Weekend Wildcat Wrap, I have a clear picture about how the majority of our families would prefer to receive this weekly newsletter.  Almost 84% of you said you would prefer to receive the Wrap in the body of an email as opposed to opening a Google document attachment.  That’s how the newsletter will be distributed going forward.     

 

At this time almost 70% of our students have ordered their 2018 yearbook but time is slipping away.  There are just 8 DAYS LEFT TO ORDER!  Yearbooks are on sale through Dec 21st only. They cannot be ordered after 12/21. Please plan ahead so that your child can be part of the fun on Yearbook Signing Day during the last week of school in June.  Order your child's book today for the special price of $38.00 using this online link: http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A00597768

 

Students look forward to this keepsake and the yearbook distribution day.  We don't want your child to miss out! The yearbook is entirely student-designed by 7th & 8th graders in the Yearbook & Graphic Arts elective class. The goal is to feature photographs of all White Hill students (6th, 7th, and 8th), and to capture images of the fun events on our campus throughout the year. Yearbooks are hard-cover, all full color photographs, and include an autograph section. Yearbooks also make a great gift for your White Hill student.

Partial scholarships and a limited number of full scholarships are available for families in need.  For financial assistance information, please contact the WH office.  Prefer to order by check?  There is a $4 processing fee for check purchases which brings to cost to $42.00. Save this fee and order online! If writing a check, use the attached order form and return to the WH office.  Forms are also available in the main office.  Any questions please contact Yearbook teacher- Emma Beauchamp at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Recently we have had a number of requests for students to leave a few minutes early to get a head start to attend sport practices, and other outside activities.  As a reminder, and in order to protect the integrity of instructional time, we are unable to approve these requests.  Thank you for understanding our desire to get the most out of the instructional day.   

  

We have had a practice of loaning Chromebooks to students who forget their device at home or who may have allowed their Chromebook to lose its battery charge.  This practice will be discontinued after the New Year.  Beginning January 8, 2018 we will no longer loan Chromebooks to students unless the device is broken and is in need of repair.  Our loaner policy is not sustainable due to misuse and abuse, non-return of loaners, broken and unrepairable loaners, and the fact that loaning the devices is enabling many students to be irresponsible.  Our job is to teach responsibility, and to this end, we are making students and parents aware of this change in practice.      

 

Very expensive articles of clothing are picked up on campus every day and placed in our Lost and Found.  Students are encouraged to get their belongings from the Lost and Found near the office.  However, most of the items remain unclaimed.  We are running out of space to house the shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, etc., for much longer.  With the cold and rainy weather coming it’s our hope that these items will be picked up.  Otherwise, they will eventually be ruined.  Please note that on Thursday, December 21 we will be taking these items to the Goodwill.  

 

Advisory 501 will be conducting a Food Drive from now until Wednesday, Dec.20th.

LESS THAN ONE  WEEK TO DONATE FOOD FOR ST. RITA’S FOOD PANTRY AND VERY LITTLE FOOD HAS BEEN DONATED!! Food collected will be distributed to community members in need. Please bring your donations to the office or to room 501 (Ms. Ruzzier’s Art Room) and see the list below for suggested donations. PLEASE be as generous as possible! Thank You!!

 

•-hot and cold cereals

•-boxed mac and cheese

•-pasta sauce/pasta

•-nuts/trail mix in small packages

•-taco shells

•-canned veggies

•-canned or jarred fruit and applesauce

•-canned beans

•-refried beans

•-chili (with meat and vegetarian)

•-canned tuna and canned chicken breast

•-peanut butter and jam/fruit spreads-crackers and other snacks

-canned soups (preferably ready-to-serve)

-baking mixes (e.g., Bisquick, cake and brownie mixes, quick breads, etc.)

-baking supplies (e.g., flour, sugar, chocolate chips etc.)

-tea and coffee

-condiments (e.g., ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, etc.)

-other non-perishable heat and serve meals

-toilet paper, soap, shampoo, tissues, toothpaste, dental floss

 

 

C4C joined up with Mrs. Skinner’s maker class to create inspirational t-shirts and holiday buttons.  They were a huge hit and the kids made over $300 selling the handcrafted items at the C4C fundraiser for the their Adopt A Family. Not only did this project showcase the tremendous talent of the makers, it also made possible a joyous holiday for a needy family. Great job kids! You definitely inspire us!! Interested in donating a gift to the family? Contact Annelise Bauer.

 

 

•DEC 23: C4C Holiday Fundraiser -10am-12pm at United Market - 110 Red Hill Ave, San Anselmo

Join us and purchase yummy treats, special hand crafted items and other fun holiday gifts for your family and friends. This fundraiser will help support C4C in its growth as well as raise money to purchase raincoats for the homeless in Marin. Come out on the 23rd, get your holiday dinner shopping done, help the homeless and support C4C and it’s kids all at the same time! Sign up to donate baked goods/crafts HERE!

 

•ON-GOING: Fire Response Effort - Holiday Drive

We are honored to be the sponsor of two wonderful families who lost their homes in the recent North Bay fires. We are doing a holiday drive to make their holidays warmer. Interested in donating? Sign up to donate funds and gifts online.

 

Every Action Matters When Making Change for Good! Join the movement. 

Children for Change -- www.children4change.org

 

JERSEYS: Cross Country and Volleyball 

We are still missing several jersey's Please turn in your clean jerseys to the office!  Attach your name so you get credit for turning it in.  There is a charge of $35 for unreturned jersey's.

 

Model UN with the YMCA

This Club will start Wednesday, January 10th and run until May 9th.  See below for details.  Kids get to try the club all dates in January before a financial commitment is due at the beginning of February.  A parent information meeting will be held at the YMCA 1500 Los Gamos Drive in San Rafael on Jan 22nd from 7:30-8:30. 

 

MODEL UNITED NATIONS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

California YMCA Youth & Government has offered the Model United Nations (MUN) program to middle school students throughout the state since 2001. Middle school students (delegates) participate in the program with their peers. They are given the opportunity to discuss international issues, discover other cultures, develop life-enhancing skills, and make new friends. The program culminates when delegates from around the state meet at the annual Model United Nations Summit in Los Angeles, California. While there, they will not only learn more about the program area in which they are participating - Economic and Social Council, Non-Governmental Organizations, International Court of Justice - but they will receive training in areas such as public speaking, decision-making, cultural competency, and evidence-based persuasion.

Once at the Summit, delegates take on the roles of their country’s UN representatives, committee chairs, and presiding officers. They get to put their research and newfound knowledge to work as they perform their roles and explore how the United Nations is run. In this unique experience, middle schoolers deal with international issues that affect our world.

Meetings are on Wednesdays from January 10 to May 9 at lunchtime.

MUN Training: March 23-25, Camp Roberts

MUN Summit: April 26-29, Los Angeles

Fees: $1,025

Financial assistance is available! Please contact Brandon Drake, Youth & Teen Director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 415 446 2178 for more information.

 

 

 

-- 

Rick van Adelsberg

Principal

White Hill Middle School