Dear White Hill Families,
 
Thanks to all of you that were able to make it to Back To School Night this past week.  We had a tremendous turnout and I hope our teachers were able to give you a good sense of what your kids will experience this school year.  Things will ramp up from here on out so please help your children attend to their school work and meet the expected deadlines in each class.  And, most importantly, please reach out to your children’s teacher/s before things fall completely apart at home or otherwise.  If you have concerns or need help, ask for it early on so we can address it and move forward.  Most of our major issues come from things that get put off until it may be too late and the kids feel as if they can’t make a difference no matter how hard they try.

6th Grade Parent Reps for School Site Council

We still have openings for 6th parent representatives for our school site council.  Please contact Kristin Pederson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested.  Thank you!

Yes Theatre! – Chateau La Roach

Please plan to join our fantastic theatre program for the production of Chateau La Roach, a slapstick performance that will be a wonderful time for our kids and the audience alike.  See the attached documents for information on cast registration and KidTech registration.  Sign up Today – Registration closes soon!

Volleyball for Boys

If you have a BOY who wants to play volleyball, we will have an afterschool club for that! Please have your son sign up for the club during Club Sign Up Day on Friday, September 13, in the White Hill Gym, during both lunches!!

White Hill School Site Council Meeting – Tuesday, September 10th – 3:45-5:15 – White Hill Library – Please Join Us!

Agenda

• Introduction/welcome
• Open time
• Approval of minutes from last meeting
• Distribute copies of By-Laws and review purpose of the Site Council
• Appointment of new representatives (if applicable) and/or discussion of election procedures (if applicable)
• Elect officers
• Appoint representative to RVSD Round Table meetings
• Review parent and student survey results
• Brief overview of Site Plan work to be completed by the Site Council
• Updates
• Principal
• Assistant Principal
• Teachers
  
  

Parent Club Meeting Dates!

Please join us for our parent club meetings this year.  We want your input and need your help!  We have lots to do and would love to capture the energy of our entire parent community.

October 17th  7-8 pm  White HIll Library

Agenda
2013-2014 Draft Budget Review/Fundraising Plans/Volunteer Needs

January 29th  7-8 pm  White Hill Library – Agenda TBD

Spring Date – TBD

White Hill Sports and Activities are all sponsored by the YES Foundation! Go YES!

White Hill Girls Volleyball Is Here! - We have some fantastic parents and Drake High School students who have stepped up to coach our 2013 volleyball season!  Starting next week, on Monday, September 9 we’ll have an instructional-intramural league open to all girls to learn skills and positions and play round robins.  At the end of September, the coaches will hold assessments for those interested and select a smaller travel team of about 10 to 12 girls per grade that will continue practicing through early November and travel to weekly games against other Marin County schools. If your daughter is interested in playing volleyball for White Hill, please fill out the attached permission slip and have her bring it on the first day of practice. Please remember that permission slips are MANDATORY to play sports at White Hill.
 
Questions or comments, please contact Amy Forrest, White Hill YES Activities Coordinator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 485-9255.

Practice Schedule
 
Monday         
4-5:30        6th grade                                           
6-7:30        7th grade        
 
Tuesday         
3:15-5        8th grade        
 
Wednesday   
2:30-4        8th grade        
4-5:30        6th grade        
 
Thursday        
6-7:30       7th grade      

Clubs, Clubs, Clubs!

Calling all White Hill Students: check out White Hill Clubs next Friday, September 13 in the White Hill Gym at lunch!! Club mentors will answer questions about clubs and also have signup sheets for you. Most clubs, such as the Myth Club and Cartooning/Comics Club, will be held during lunchtimes, but we’ll have some afternoon clubs: the Guitar Club will be on Wednesdays after school, while the Mountain Biking Club and Hiking Club will be on Thursdays after school. Descriptions of the clubs will be posted at the White Hill Office next week, and next week’s Wildcat Wrap will have all of the details.
 
Questions or comments, please contact Amy Forrest, White Hill YES Activities Coordinator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 485-9255.

Allergic Kids at White Hill – Important Information!

Please be mindful of the fact that we have several highly allergic kids at White Hill – kids that have life threatening allergies to food items (fish, nuts, etc.) and bee stings.  Please remind your kids of this fact and encourage them to clean up after themselves, throw away their trash, and help keep our campus, and our kids, safe.   The teachers who have our most highly allergic kids have reached out to their families when appropriate but we’d like to ask that everyone in our school community do their part to keep these kids safe.  Thank you.

White Hill 2013-2014 YES Assembly Schedule

We have lined up three terrific speakers for our assemblies this year at White Hill. 

Our 6th-grade assembly with be will Bobby McMullen of RideBlindRacing. Bobby is a legally blind mountain bike racer who provides kids with an inspiring message about beating the odds and persevering no matter what the circumstances. 

Our 7th-grade assembly just took place this past week and was provided by David Roach and his wife, Marlena. Please ask your kids about this special assembly and, for a first-hand look at their presentation, see www.davidroche.com/LASS.

Our 8th-grade assembly this year will be equally amazing with the return of Melba Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine, those brave nine students who helped integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. This presentation is aligned directly to our 8th graders studies in History class.  

Thank you to everyone who is able to support the YES Foundation.  Without your support these assemblies would not take place.

Staff Appreciation

We our hosting our next Staff Appreciation event on Friday, September 19th.  It made a big difference last year, the staff loved all the wonderful food and have felt very appreciated.  So, we're going to do it again!
 
Parents - please bring in your extra garden bounty as we are planning a “Harvest Market” for our much-appreciated staff to take home and enjoy.  We need your fruit, vegetables (those extra zucchinis), and any herbs and flowers you may have growing and would like to share.   If you are not a gardener and would like to contribute -one option is the Fairfax Farmers Market, Wednesday evening from 4-8pm. You can pick up dinner there too!
 
Please sign up at www.timetosignup.com/whitehill/signupsheet/19044 (no password or login needed) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
You can also call Robin at 456-0276 to let her know what you would like to bring in, or if you can help with set-up after 1:30pm.  The fruits and vegetables may be delivered to the front office on September 18th all day and on September 19th before 11am.  
 
It is most helpful if you bring your items in non-returnable containers.  
 
Thank you!
Robin Goebel, White Hill Parent Club Staff Appreciation Coordinator

White Hill Late Work Policy – Please Read Carefully!

The White Hill Late Work Policy is intended to support students staying on top of their work and meeting expected deadlines for assignments.  The goal is to help students become responsible for their school work and successfully participate in the learning culture of their classroom.  When students consistently turn their work in on time, they will learn more, feel better about their classroom experience and develop the confidence and executive functioning skills necessary to be successful in the future.
 
Generally:
1.      All assignments (including long-term assignments) are due on the due date.
2.      Late assignments turned in within a week will result in a reduction in grade (percentage reduction determined by departments and/or grade level teams.)
3.      After one week, if the missing assignment is not turned in, the student will earn a “0” for the assignment and the assignment will not be able to be turned in at a later date.
 
Absences:
In the case of student absence, work will be accepted for full credit up to the number of days the student was absent.
 
*Special circumstances may allow for this policy to be adjusted with teacher/administrative approval.
**Students with an IEP may also have this policy amended per teacher recommendation.

Important!  Messages for Kids Should be for Emergencies Only

Please refrain from calling in messages to kids during the school day that pertain to play dates, who is going on what bus, change in soccer practice times, etc. unless it is absolutely essential that your child has this information and you were not able to get it to them before they left for school.  We could hire a full time person to simply run messages around campus all day and we’d still not get to everyone!  Please do your very best to give your kids the information they need for the day before they go to school.  We completely understand that things come up and we are happy to help but it should be a last resort.   Thank you for your understanding.

Greenbrae Mini Maker Faire - Saturday, September 14, 2013 from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. - Bon Air Center, Greenbrae, CA

Greenbrae Mini Maker Faire will be Marin’s largest ‘Do-It-Yourself’ festival, showcasing local makers with activities, show-and-tell, and exhibits on arts, crafts, science, robotics, music, technology, sustainability, education, food, and creativity.  White Hill Engineering classes will have four tables teaching people how to make Blinky Bugs, EV3 Robots, and explaining 3D printing.  Come Make with us!  makerfairegreenbrae.com

News from Our Nurse – Laurel Yrun

Dear Parents, welcome to a new school year.
 
During the year I will be screening all students in 8th grade for vision and hearing as mandated by state law. I will notify parents if their child needs further evaluation by a health care provider. I also screen students by staff or parent request, students in special education and new students.
 
Please notify us if your child needs any medication(s) during the school day. An authorization to administer medication form must be completed and signed by both the parent and health care provider for ALL medications, including over the counter medicines. Please do not send medication to school with your child without this authorization. Students with asthma may carry their inhalers if the authorization to self administer portion on the form is completed and signed. All medication(s) must be in the original container and must be clearly labeled with the student’s name.

If your child takes medication(s) on a daily basis for a medical condition, we advise parents to complete the 72 hour medication authorization form and send a 3 day supply of the medication(s) to the school office. The medication(s) must be in the original prescription container and must be clearly labeled with the student’s name.
 
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
 
Laurel Yrun, RN, School Nurse
Voicemail: 451-4078
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aeries Student/Parent Portal Log-In Information

I am sorry to hear that some of you are experiencing Aeries Student and Parent Portal Log in issues and are not able to get online to see your child’s profile.  We are working with Aeries now to address them and will be in touch asap with any information we can provide. This is a new problem this year but we are determined to figure it out.  If you are able to get on the site but now can’t find the link b/c the website has been modernized, please go to www.rossvalleyschools.org and then to Our Schools – White Hill Middle School – lower left panel on the side.  You’ll find the Parent Portal icon there.

PE Uniforms Information – T&B has received the new order of PE clothing.

Stop by to pick up your order.  If you’d like, call them today at 453-2433 to reserve clothing for your son/daughter and you can pick it up this weekend or sometime next week.

Stay cool this weekend and keep your eye on those Badgers.  41 – 7 over Tennessee Tech!
 
Go Wildcats!
 
David
 
David Finnane
Principal
White Hill Middle School
101 Glen Drive
Fairfax, CA  94930
415.454.8390 Phone
415.454.3980 Fax