Panther Tracks
October 2014
The newsletter for Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School
Volume 2014-2015 Issue 1
Inside
From the JLS PTA President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Principal’s Column
Adolescent Counseling Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Yearbook Ads on Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Dear JLS Families:
Latte Cart Food Needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
JLS Students Set New Reading Record . . . . . . . . . 4
JLS Students Celebrate Their Right to Read . . . . . 4
360 JLS Families Adopted New Books . . . . . . . . . . 5
JLS Student Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Fall Musical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
JLS Science Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
It is with great joy that I welcome all of you to the 2014-15
school year! It is hard to believe but this issue of Panther
Tracks will be arriving in your homes just as an exciting and
fun-filled first quarter comes to an end. This past quarter has
been chock full of transition activities, getting to know one another and establishing routines. At this point we have all settled in and, thanks to a united eﬀort of
parents, staﬀ and students, JLS is a thriving community!
Panther Tracks Music Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
All You Need to Know About the School Dance. . . 9
JLS Back to School Dinner/Social . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Common Core–ner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Parent Visitation Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Counselors’ Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Unity Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Mix It Up Lunch! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Tune Into KJLS! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Gearing up for School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Partners in Education (PiE) and JLS . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Fall After School Sports Meet Schedule . . . . . . . . 16
JLS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-19
Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School
480 East Meadow Drive
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Website: www.jls.pausd.org
Phone:
650-856-5188
Principal:
Sharon Ofek
Assistant Principals:
Eston Melton &
Hillary Miller
PTA President:
Barbara Best
VP Communications:
Junco Minami
Editor:
Evan Lurie
Layout:
Susie Idzik
Distribution:
Heike Enders
All of us at JLS are excited about continuing to partner with you as all of our
students navigate middle school, grow and blossom: academically, socially, emotionally and physically. Your active involvement and support, coupled with our
best professional eﬀorts, will surely make for a successful year!
There are some new faces hard at work at JLS this year. If you have not already
met them, please join me in welcoming:
Margaret Billin – Band, 6th & 8th grades
Jenny Chin – Special Education
Kim Cowell – Special Education
Elizabeth Darby – Communications Wheel & Public Speaking
Erin Harrigan – ELD Teacher
Stephanie Ling – Math, 8th grade
Shasta Lockwood – ELD Teacher
Dianne Luu – Language Arts/History, 6th grade
Christina MacMillan – Math/Science, 6th grade
Saki Matayoshi – Japanese
Hillary Miller – Assistant Principal
Jenifer Nevels – Language Arts/History, 6th grade
Arianne Piedrahita – Math/Science, 6th grade
Charlene Ronne – History, 7th grade
Hart Walsh – English, 7th grade
Sirina Warfel – ERMHS Therapist
At JLS, we are continuing to highlight the Developmental Assets model for building positive character traits in our students. Many agencies in Palo Alto, including the City of Palo Alto, have also committed to emphasizing these assets. At JLS
we have been underscoring five assets which we believe we can cultivate. These
assets dovetail nicely with our existing work on connectedness, building resilience and providing an engaging learning experience. The assets are:
• Other Adult Relationships – receives support from three or more non-parent
adults
• Caring School Climate – school provides a caring, encouraging environment
• High Expectations – both parents and teachers encourage child to do well
ConƟnued on page 2
Jane Lathrop Stanford (JLS) is a diverse learning community. We seek to provide a safe, creative, and inclusive
learning environment. We respect and embrace the uniqueness of every individual. We strive for academic
excellence, individual responsibility, and lifelong learning. Through compassion, connection, courtesy,
complimenting, and community, we support the intellectual, social, physical, and emotional growth of our
children.
The mention of any business, service, or organization in this newsletter does not imply an endorsement by
JLS Middle School, JLS PTA, or PAUSD.
• Reading for Pleasure – read for pleasure three
or more hours per week
• Cultural Competence – has knowledge of and
comfort with people of diﬀerent cultural/racial/
ethnic backgrounds
All of the staﬀ at JLS is committed to continuous
improvement and maintaining an open mindset.
This year we will continue to emphasize and prioritize providing a balanced education that allows
our students to engage in and develop a love of
learning, explore who they are and participate in
a community of flourishing adolescents. We strive
to provide a developmentally appropriate learning community for your child that is nurturing,
challenging and safe. Through teamwork, open
communication and dedication to continuous improvement, our school will continue to be successful in producing happy children every day.
“Back To School” season. We hope your
family was able to enjoy the efforts of the JLS
administration and PTA volunteers during one or
more of the following events:
● The timely information in the Back To School
packet;
● The efficiency of Jump Start Day;
● The excitement of the First Day Coffee event;
● The fun and educational Panther Camp (for
you 6th grade families);
● The thrill of getting a free book during the
Library Reading Parties;
● The warm welcome of the entire community
coming together for the Back To School Pizza
Social. (A HUGE THANK YOU to all of the parent
volunteers who helped out at these events. We hope you
had fun because your help was essential to these event
running smoothly!)
Parents quickly learn that JLS teachers and staff
welcome parent involvement at school events; the
end of elementary school is not the end of parents
playing a vital role in the education of their
Sincerely, Sharon Ofek, Principal
students. As your student experiences increasing
independence, getting involved with PTA events
is a great way to stay connected to your student
From the JLS PTA President
while experiencing camaraderie and support from
The JLS PTA “FAQ” (and...welcome!)
fellow parents.
Barbara Best, JLS 2014-2015 PTA President
Following is a list of ways to stay informed and
([email protected])
connected. We hope to see you at an event soon!
WHAT should you know about the JLS PTA, and ● Subscribe to both JLS News and JLS Online: jls.
HOW does it benefit your family?
pausd.org and click on “For Parents” tab
● Browse and register your interest in upcoming

The JLS PTA is a part of the National Parent
PTA events: http://tinyurl.com/kz7qe4j
Teachers Association (PTA), a registered 501(c)
● Join your parent network: http://jlswp.
(3) non-profit organization.
paloaltopta.org/index.php/parent-networks/
YES, your donations to us are tax-deductible!
● Visit JLS on Parent Visitation Days: Nov 6, Jan

The JLS PTA is managed by an Executive Board
9, Apr 28
comprised of JLS parent volunteers.
● Read this newsletter! Future publications in
The Exec Board makes decisions in the best
December, March, and May
interests of the JLS community.
● Read the JLS Parent Handbook: jls.pausd.org,

Membership in the JLS PTA is not required to
“For Parents” tab, “Info” section
attend, or volunteer at, PTA events.
Thanks from the JLS PTA Executive Board for
We welcome your participation in any form!
2014-2015:
HOWEVER, we hope you will join the JLS PTA
Barbara Best, President
for a $15 fee, to be a part of an organization deAnnie Bedichek, Vice President
voted to the educational success of children and
Barbara Stroud, 1st VP Programs
Dror Sneh, 2nd VP Membership
the promotion of parent involvement in schools.
Junco Minami, 3rd VP Communications
To join, go to http://jlswp.paloaltopta.org/inPaul Sakuma/Liz Dong, 4th VP Community Service
dex.php/membership/
Heike Enders, Treasurer
I am proud to work at such a magical place for
young minds and am excited about another year!

The volunteers that make up the JLS PTA
organization have had a wonderful and busy
Page 2
Lili Nova-Roessig, Secretary
Erica Brand, Auditor
Jane Dick, Parliamentarian
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
Know the Friends
by Pamela Garfield, LCSW, Site Director of Gunn High School
Last year I had a great opportunity to lead a discussion of parents in the Sophomore Parent Network.
Many parents in the group were worried about substance abuse and were wondering how to ask
their children about drugs. ‘How do we communicate when they are growing so independent?’ ‘How
do we remain in the know?’ Ahhh the joys of raising a teenager...
Psychologists call this adolescent stage “Separation Individuation”. This is the phenomenon of your
kid growing more independent and needing to learn life lessons on her own, yet still needs you as a
base when she gets in over her head. One minute she is responsible, the next minute she is impulsive,
immature and clingy. What is a parent to do? How can one keep up?
The reality is even if you are
the best parent in the world, it’s
unlikely that your teenage son or
daughter will tell you everything.
This is especially true if there is a
topic that is shameful or embarrassing. It’s part of normal development.
So if your independent teenager
gets into trouble, how can you
know? If a teen withdrawals, a
parent can feel stuck.
During the Parent Network meeting, a wise parent said “Get to know your child’s friends”. If your
child is going through something they feel ashamed to talk to you about, the friends are more likely
to tell you about it if they feel comfortable with you.
The Palo Alto community has shifted in the last five years. Students are being trained in QPR - Question, Persuade, Refer - in their Living Skills classes (http://www.qprinstitute.com/) As a result, youth
have learned to speak up about someone in trouble. Many have already had positive experiences
talking to an adult about getting help for a friend. The community has learned to come together and
help others. However, it can still be diﬃcult for a struggling teen to talk to their parents about their
diﬃculties.
As the new school year starts and your child is making new friends, take notice and interest in them.
Notice whom your child’s friends are because they may have shifted from last year. Be approachable
and available to your child’s friends because they may well be your most valuable resource.
8th Grade Parents – Yearbook Ads on Sale until Nov 1sᵗ!
Would you like to do something special for your graduate this year? You can buy an ad in this year’s
yearbook to celebrate his/her achievements over the last three years. You can include special photos,
poems, and messages to your graduate. You can sign up and view sample ads, and pricing at our
yearbook company’s site: http://www.jostens.com/apps/shop/customer.asp?CID=159472
Prices range from $50 to $200 for ads. The DEADLINE for placing an ad is November 1st, 2014. If
you have any questions, you can contact Tracy Devers (Yearbook Advisor) at [email protected].
October 2014
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 3
Latte Cart Food Needed
JLS Students Set New Reading
Record
Thursday, November 6
This summer JLS students
read over 7,800 books,
topping last summer by
almost 2,000 books. Awesome! We have created a
powerful Culture of Reading at JLS.
It’s Latte time! On the first Thursday of every
month, the PTA hosts the LATTE CART at JLS,
where coﬀee and morning treats are served to
our great JLS staﬀ as a thank you for all they do.
On these Latte Cart mornings, we ask our parent
community for contributions of breakfast items.
Our monthly Latte Cart date is THURSDAY,
NOVEMBER 6.
Please bring your breakfast items to the Staﬀ
Lounge that morning between 7:15 and 9:00 am.
Non-perishable items may be brought ahead of
time to the main oﬃce on Wednesday, November
5. You can sign up here. www.tinyurl.com/jlslatte.
Here is a list of suggested items:
• quiche and other egg dishes (heated; store
bought is fine)
• breakfast sausages
• bagels and cream cheese
• fresh whole fruit, e.g. bananas, mini-tangerines, berries
• fruit salads
• homemade scones
• homemade muﬃns
• homemade breads, e.g. banana,
zucchini, pumpkin
• homemade coﬀee cakes
• granola, homemade or store
bought
• hot oatmeal
• yogurt, all sizes, all kinds
• other breakfast items, be creative!
Thank you so much. Questions? Contact our
Latte Cart coordinators, Ivan Hom [email protected], Patty Sakuma [email protected] or Paul
Sakuma [email protected]
Page 4
The 7th grade read the most with 2,844 books,
the 6th grade with 2,624 books, and the 8th with
2,317 books. Excellent!
New students and those students reading 4 or
more books (67% of JLS students) were invited
to celebrate their choice to read during the summer. We
held 3 parties where
students
celebrated
one another
and chose
a free book
to continue
their reading
journeys. All
books were
paid for from
the proceeds
of the Scholastic and Books Inc. Book Fairs held
last year.
We could not have oﬀered the celebrations without the fabulous support of the PTA sorting
books, taking them to the cafetorium, displaying all of them and then helping students make
their choices and bringing them back for the next
party. They also supplied all the drinks and fruit
bars. Thank you so much PTA helpers!
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
JLS Students Celebrate Their
Right to Read
JLS Student Directory
JLS students celebrated their freedom to read
without censorship the last week in September.
Each year libraries, publishers, journalists, teachers, book sellers and readers of all types support
the freedom to seek and express ideas in a free
and open society. JLS surprised a lot of students
by highlighting books that have been challenged
somewhere in the US. Many were books that
they had read as little kids. They learned that
while some people might object to some of the
ideas in a book, those opinions should not keep
others from expressing their ideas. To learn more
go to www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek
The online directory is live and you can access it by
visiting https://jls.tangledir.com.
The information is your most current data on Infinite Campus. If you are not in the directory that
is because you checked the box ‘Do not include in
the directory’ when you completed your Infinite
Campus data page during PAUSD’s Annual Update process. If you would like to be included in the
online JLS directory for this school year, email your
request to [email protected]. If your information is incomplete or incorrect, please contact
Infinite Campus at the same email address. During
your Annual Data Update (ADU), make sure not to
check ‘Do not… directory’ if you would like to be
in next year’s directory.
Follow these steps to activate your account:
1.
360 JLS Families Adopted
New Books
2.
This year 360 generous JLS families continued
their support of their students by adopting at
least one new book for the JLS library! Thank
you all!!!
With curriculum changes and such avid readers,
our library is able to keep pace with the demand
of our students and teachers for new books and
multiple copies of the most popular books. We
check out almost 3,000 books a month and always have multiple carts on core topics being
used every day in the library for research. We
couldn’t have those resources available without
your kind support.
We welcome parent volunteers to stop by the library to help us re-shelve books. Come any time,
for as long as you like - and if you’re lucky, you
student’s class could come in for a lesson while
you are there! The library is open every day from
8:00am - 3:00pm (except Wednesdays when it
closes at 2:00pm).
Thank you!!
October 2014
3.
Click ‘Click HERE to register or recover your password’
which will take you to https://jls.tangledir.com/Account/
Register.aspx
Enter your email address (this is the one you used for
your ADU). Once you click ‘Next’ you will receive an
email from JLS Directory Admin titled “Password Recover” including a link to set your password. (Note: This is a
new service so all families will go through this process in
order to access the online directory.)
You will be able to log in by clicking the ‘Login’ link at the
upper right corner of the Welcome page
Now you can:
•
•
•
•
Search students by their first name and/or last name and/
or grade, or by parent’s first name and/or last name and/
or email address. You can even input a part of their first
name/last name/email address and still be able to look up
student information
Edit/Add your family information by clicking ‘My Household’
See Connections students marked with a “C” in the
‘Room’ column. Also, search students in the ‘Teacher’
column under ‘Connections’
Don’t forget to click ‘update’ after you make any edits!
The printed JLS Directory will be coming to you
shortly so please look out for announcements
through the JLS eNews. The directories are provided to all families courtesy of the JLS PTA. Many
thanks to Roger Petersen for working tirelessly to
finalize the details and to ensure that the most upto-date information is included in the directory.
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 5
Fall Musical
Lewis Carroll’s famous inquisitive heroine comes to life in Disney’s Alice
In Wonderland JR., a delightful adaptation of the classic Disney film. Join
JLS Drama and the Stage Production class in November for a lively production full of wild sets, tricked out costumes, and the wild visuals that
have come to define a JLS Drama Production.
Disney’s Alice In Wonderland JR. is a fast-paced stage adaptation of the timeless film, featuring updated
dialogue and new arrangements of such classic Disney songs as “I’m Late,” “The Un-birthday Song”
and “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.”
Stay tuned to upcoming JLS Online eNewsletters for information on how to purchase tickets.
Showtimes are Thursday, November 20th and Friday, November 21st at 7pm in the JLS Cafetorium.
JLS Science Fair
Wednesday and Thursday, October 22nd and 23rd
The JLS Science Fair is just around the corner. We expect over 400 JLS students to be showcasing their
Home Science Experiments.
The fair will be held over two nights, October 22nd and October 23rd. The 6th grade students will
participate in a 6:30-8:00pm session Wednesday or Thursday. 7th grade students will participate on
Wednesday 8:00-9:30pm session and the 8th grade students on Thursday 8:00 – 9:30pm.
To register, go the JLS Science Fair website at http://jlssciencefair.pausd.org/index.php. The last day
to register and be guaranteed a spot with classmates is October 18th.
This event couldn’t happen without parent volunteers. Please sign up on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.
pt/jvp9Fk. If you can’t volunteer, but will be at the fair even for a few minutes, please talk to the students about their projects. They so appreciate having parents take an interest in their work.
Please contact us if you have any questions or need more information.
Stephanie Youngquist or Maria Derrick
Science Fair Co-Chairs
[email protected] or [email protected]
Page 6
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
Panther Tracks Music Notes
Band
The JLS bands are oﬀ to a great start in 2014! The first concert of the school year is October 15 at 7PM
and will include performances by the 7th Grade Advanced Band, the 8th Grade Symphonic Band,
and the Gunn High School Wind Ensemble.
Choir
Exciting things are happening in choir! This year at JLS there are seven class periods of choir! In addition, A Cappella club meets at lunch on Tuesdays, and A Cappella choir rehearses after school on
Thursdays.
Orchestra
The Advanced Orchestras have been learning about the Mozart Requiem and how Mozart masterfully reflects the words through his music. They’ve also been working on other creepy music for their
Halloween Assembly as well as getting down with some Bluegrass! The 6th grade orchestras are continuing to build technique and are learning about Holst and his piece ‘The Planets’.
Upcoming Performances
Oct 15
Oct 31
Nov 12
Dec 3
Dec 10
Feb 4
Feb 5
Feb 11
Feb19
Mar 4
Mar 25-28
May 2
May 13
May 20
May 27
Jun 4
7th and 8th Grade Band Concert with Gunn
Halloween Assembly (AB, Orchestra, Girls choir)
Fall Choir Concert (all choir members)
Orchestra Concert (all orchestra members)
Band Concert (all band members)
Mixed and Girls Choir in the Gunn Staﬀ Musical
Symphonic Band and Orchestra Elementary School Tours
Advanced Band and Choir Elementary School Tours
JLS Music Benefit Concert (to raise funds for SoCal Music Tour)
Middle School Choir Festival
SoCal Music Tour (Sym. Band, Mixed/Girls Choir, Orch)
May Fete Parade (Advanced and Symphonic Band)
Orchestra Concert (all orchestra members)
Band Concert (all band members)
Choir Concert (all choir members)
Promotion (Advanced Band)
6th Grade Honor Groups:
Membership in the 6th Grade Honor Band, Orchestra & Choir is available to 6th graders who participate in their school music ensemble. Students are chosen through audition or teacher recommendation. Talk to your music teacher for an audition time or let them know you are interested.
The goal of the honor music program is to provide 6th grade music students with an additional opportunity to perform in an ensemble that challenges and extends student’s musical experience outside of the school day. The music performed will be more diﬃcult than the music performed during
the regular music class, so it’s important that students have time to practice the extra music. A final
concert will be held in May at Spangenberg Auditorium on the Gunn Campus.
October 2014
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 7
Food for Thought: 3 Quick and Easy Tips for a Less-Stress Morning
by Heidi Trilling [email protected]
Welcome back to school and the Panther Tracks Food for Thought column!
Are you rushing to get yourselves and your middle schoolers out the door every morning? You’re not
alone.
Most of us feel rushed and over-scheduled - including our kids. According to the annual Stress in
America survey, sponsored by the American Psychological Association, 31% of pre-teens and teens feel
overwhelmed, and 25% said they skipped meals due to stress.
So, what can we do about this?
Here are three super quick and easy remedies specifically for frazzled mornings when tensions are
running high and time is running low.
1. Breathe Deeply.
This technique will take you and
your middle schoolers approximately
thirty seconds. Take three deep breaths
like this: Close your eyes. Inhale through
your nose to a count of four (keep your
mouth closed.) Then exhale through your
mouth to a count of seven. Deep breathing
can increase blood flow, release toxins from
your body and reduce feelings of anxiety.
After three deep breaths you will feel more
centered and less harried. Try it and see.
Pop quiz: Cinnamon spice, an orange, and an oven
mitt. Can you guess which of them reduces stress?
2. Sniﬀ some cinnamon or a freshly cut orange.
Photo: H. Trilling
A quick sniﬀ of cinnamon - right from the
spice jar - can lower feelings of anxiety and frustration. Similarly, the scent of orange has been
documented to lower stress levels, lower blood pressure, and promote a feeling of well-being. (Mint
and lavender work wonders, too.)
3. Squeeze an oven mitt or dish towel in each hand, tightly, and hold for a count of 3, then release.
This will take you approximately four seconds. Repeat two more times. Contracting and then relaxing the muscles of your hands, arms and shoulders relieves muscle tensions and joint stiﬀness,
stimulates circulation and melts away stress.
So, when the morning rush gets crazy, remember: you can take a few seconds to restore calm, create a
less-stress morning and get everyone to school on time. Help is right there in your kitchen.
Online resources: Need more stress-reduction info for your middle schoolers? These websites can help:
http://www.pamf.org/teen/life/stress/7stresstips.html
http://www.teenshealth.org
http://www.stressfreekids.com
Answer to the photo pop quiz:
All of them do! Read the tips above for details.
Questions? Comments? Your suggestions for the next column are welcome: [email protected]
Heidi Trilling is a certified nutrition consultant, Health & Wellness rep for the PTA, and mom of an 8th
grader at JLS.
Page 8
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
All You Need to Know About the School Dances and More!
Q. When and where are the school dances held?
A. JLS will host three dances on the Fridays of: October 17th, February 20th, and April 17th. The dances
will be held in the Cafetorium.
For students who want to attend but don’t want to be on the dance floor the entire time, the breezeway is made available (and secure) for students to take a break, play some games, and just hang out
together. There is something for everyone at the dance!
Q. When and where can I buy tickets?
A. Lunchtime Monday through Friday, and after school Thursday and Friday during the week of the
dance at the Student Store. Tickets cannot be purchased at the dance. Students must present their
tickets and student ID at the door. Tickets are $5 each.
Q. What time does the dance start and end?
A. Dances are from 7:00pm to 9:30pm but ends at 10:00pm for 8th graders only. Doors open at 6:50pm.
Q. What if I arrive late or need to leave early?
A. Doors close at 7:30pm. Late entries are only allowed with prior approval. Inform a staﬀ member if
you need to leave early. A parent/guardian must meet the student at the door. There is no re-entry.
Q. Are there any snacks or drinks at the dance?
A. Chips, crackers, candy, water and soda are sold for a charge.
Q. Anything else I need to be aware of?
A. The same school dress code is enforced at the dance. There is a “no cell phone” policy. Leave your
cell phone at home. Otherwise, it needs to be checked in at the coat check. Any student who needs to
make a phone call may do so with a school phone or a chaperon’s cell phone.
Now that you have all the information to get ready for the dance, come and enjoy the music and experience our new DJ, SOS Entertainment, on October 15th during lunch. The theme for the first dance
will be Carnival! A huge round of applause to Ms. Buddle and the Leadership Class for planning,
decorating and running the dance!!
School staﬀ and parents work together to provide adult supervision at the dance. An adequate number of parent chaperons is essential for the students to have fun in a safe environment. Please consider
chaperoning at the dance. Email Mary Catherine Williams at [email protected] to volunteer.
Thank you!
JLS Back to School Dinner/Social
Over 800 students, siblings and parents turned out for the PTA Back to School Dinner/Social, brought
to you by the JLS PTA! It was a beautiful night for everyone to enjoy pizza, salad, good conversation
and time to re-connect with friends or make new ones. Many of our JLS teachers and staﬀ attended to
welcome back both parents and students. Some events are oﬀered by the PTA for pure fun and this
was one of them; the entire community enjoyed a good time on campus.
As always, the phenomenal volunteers deserve a big hand and a big thank you! The PTA depends on
volunteer support to achieve success (you don’t have to be a PTA member to help out, by the way).
No job is too small and to everyone who oﬀered their time, ideas and talents, THANK YOU – you
know who you are and WE know who you are!
We hope to see everyone at future events, including the big food event in the spring: The Many Faces
of JLS Potluck!
Special thanks to the planning committee: Barbara Stroud, Paul Sakuma, and Barbara Best.
October 2014
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 9
Counselors’ Corner
The Common Core–ner
From Arvind Arya, Class of 2015 counselor
JLS Writing Handbook
By Ann Lorey, [email protected]
JLS Common Core TOSA (Teacher on Special
Assignment)
Have you seen it? JLS has a new, student–friendly
writing handbook thanks to the collaborative
work of an interdisciplinary team of core teachers. The current version was based on the original JLS Writing Handbook that was created two
years ago by a team of ELA teachers.
The purpose of the handbook is to provide students with a resource tool to support their writing — both inside and outside of the classroom.
In addition, the handbook will be used to support
implementation of the Common Core College
and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing, the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice and the Next Generation Science
Standards for Science and Engineering Practices.
Coming Soon! A digital version of the handbook
will be made available to students, parents, and
teachers via the JLS Schoology website.
Parent Visitation Days
Thursday, November 6 is a Parent Visitation Day
at JLS. Parents are welcome to visit classrooms
and see all aspects of the school. Please follow
these guidelines:
• First come to the oﬃce to sign in, get a nametag, map, bell schedule and teaching schedule.
• Please do not let your visit interrupt the teaching and learning process.
• Please do not talk to the teacher, students, or
other parents in the classroom (unless the teacher
invites you to do so).
• When you have finished your visit, please return to the oﬃce to sign out.
Future Parent Visitation Days: January 9 and
April 28.
Page 10
Hi my name is Arvind Arya. I am the 8th grade
counselor at JLS and am excited and thrilled to
have this opportunity to work with you and your
student. Just so you know a little bit more about
me, I am starting my 15th year working as a guidance counselor. I am from southern California and
went to high school in Carlsbad and graduated
from U.C. Riverside with my B.A. in Sociology.
I attended Azusa Pacific University and earned
my M.A. in education along with a credential in
school counseling.
My first experience counseling was at La Cañada
High School in La Cañada, California. La Cañada
is a little community that is just outside of Pasadena. I had a wonderful experience counseling
with all grades during my tenure there. In the
summer of 2006, I got married and relocated to
the Bay Area. I worked at Milpitas High School
for a year, but decided it was time for a change. I
love working in Middle School! It is very diﬀerent from High School, but I feel that children are
much more open to learning so many new things
in life. I enjoy their energy and enthusiasm. JLS
is a great school and I am proud to work here. I
am starting my 8th year working at JLS. What is
nice about the JLS counseling program is that the
counselors “ loop” with their grade, which means
the counselors keep their class for the three years,
until they finish the 8th grade. This is a great way
of getting to know the kids and making relationships with them!
I have two little children. My daughter Pria is seven and attends Hoover Elementary and my son
Aarav is four. In my spare time I like to watch
soccer and basketball. I’m a huge fan of European
Football! I support Arsenal FC and the LA Lakers! I also enjoy traveling to new places and am
known as the “King of the Grill” in my home as I
enjoy grilling on weekends.
I have a passion about working with students to
help them overcome any obstacles that they may
face. This can be academic, personal/ social or
just about anything. Setting goals and working
towards them is an important life-long skill for all
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
Counselors’ Corner
From Sonia Gomez, Class of 2017 Counselor
Hello! My name is Sonia Gomez and I am the 6th
grade counselor. I am very excited to begin my
second year at JLS. Let me share with you a bit
about myself.
I grew up in Half Moon Bay and relocated to San
Jose to attend San Jose State University, where I
earned a B.A. in Social Science. I continued my
studies at SJSU to earn an M.A. in Counseling
Education and a Pupil Personnel Services credential (PPS) in school counseling. I have two wonderful daughters ages three years and 17 months
and a wonderful husband. In my spare time I
enjoy playing soccer, reading and spending time
in Half Moon Bay with my extended family.
I have been a counselor for 13 years working
with various age groups. Most of my counseling experience has been in San Jose schools. My
passion for working with students has led me to
be a middle school, high school and community
college counselor. Before coming to JLS, I worked
at Fred Finch Youth Center in collaboration with
San Mateo County Mental Health Services as a
therapeutic behavioral coach for clients ages 4-21.
I feel blessed to have been able to see the “bigger
picture” of students’ needs through my work at
diﬀerent school settings and providing behavioral intervention services at home and school.
My passion for counseling grows as I meet new
students and help them overcome any obstacles
that may get in their way of achieving their
academic or personal goals and reaching their
full potential. I believe middle school is a great
opportunity for students to build their character,
values and learn skills that they can apply in their
daily endeavors.
Contact me at [email protected] or (650) 8565174 if you have any questions.
Arvind Arya, continued
our kids. Seeing kids grow into responsible, motivated students is very rewarding to me. Middle
school kids are a lot of fun!
October 2014
From Linda Howard, Class of 2016 Counselor
Welcome back to another school year. My name
is Linda Howard and once again I will be working as a guidance counselor at JLS. Last year I
had the opportunity to introduce the 6th graders
to the wonderful world of middle school. This
year I am happy to continue guiding the same
group of older, more experienced 7th graders. At
JLS we have a “looping” system where the guidance counselors stay with the same students all
three years. This aﬀords the counselors a chance
to get to know our students and families.
This is my 18th year at JLS. For the first five years
I worked in the 6th grade as a resource specialist.
Before coming to Palo Alto I taught and worked
as a guidance counselor in Texas for 13 years.
I hold credentials in multi-subject area, special
education and Pupil Personnel Services (school
counseling). I hold a master’s degree in Education in school counseling.
When children contact the counselor about a
problem, they are taking the first step toward
advocating for themselves. Encourage your child
to contact me if they have a concern or question.
Self-advocacy empowers students to become
their own problem solvers.
Children are being exposed to more information
and are being required to expand their knowledge at a much faster rate than in past generations. One of the most important skills a person
can learn is how to communicate with others in
a positive and constructive manner. My passion
and interest lie in working with individuals or
small groups of students helping them to develop their abilities in interpersonal relationships
and in making wise decisions.
Please feel free to contact me if you have questions. Contact me at 856-5175 or e-mail me at
[email protected] if you have questions.
All the best this year and I am looking forward to
working with you.
If you have any questions or concerns, I can be
reached at 650-856-5129 [email protected].
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 11
Unity Day
Tune Into KJLS!
On October 23rd, JLS will participate in the second annual PAUSD Unity Day. Unity Day is a
day dedicated to anti-bullying as part of National
Bullying Prevention Month. Unity Day is a call to
action for students to Unite Against Bullying and
to make a diﬀerence at their school.
Do you want to know the latest about what’s going on at JLS? Did you know that you can watch
the daily KJLS broadcast LIVE?
JLS students will be encouraged to participate
in lunchtime activities to unite in our eﬀorts to
promote kindness and caring, demonstrate a
respect for diversity and foster an atmosphere of
inclusion.
Our activities at lunch will include the signing of
the JLS Unity Day Banner, the activity called “JLS
Unity Link”, and a showing of a video during
WIP on bullying prevention that includes discussion questions in classrooms.
Orange is the color that represents Unity Day.
Everyone is encouraged to wear orange to demonstrate a united stand for kindness, respect and
inclusion.
Last year was a huge success and we are hoping
for another great Unity Day!
Tune in every day (except Wednesday) at 9:10am
for 10 minutes of JLS Morning Announcements.
KJLS is produced by the students of Jaime Buddle’s elective class “Broadcast Media”.
Tune into cable Comcast channel 30
or
streaming LIVE:
http://midpenmedia.org/local-tv/watch-now/
Select channel 30.
Not only will you learn what’s happening at JLS,
you’ll see the variety of skills students learn in
this class: journalism; pre-production including
planning, logos, jingles, public service and special reports; and a variety of production jobs in
both the studio and control room.
See the results of this collaborative, project-based
and technology-oriented real world learning
experience!
Thanks for watching KJLS.
Mix It Up at Lunch! Tuesday, October 28
We are happy to announce that JLS will be participating in the annual Mix It Up at Lunch Day on
Tuesday, October 28th. The Mix It Up at Lunch is designed to connect students with those outside
of their social circle by participating in fun activities. We will have music, prizes, and cool icebreaker
activities.
Recent studies have shown that this annual event improves intergroup relations.
• 97% said students’ interactions were positive during Mix It Up at Lunch Day.
• 95% said Mix It Up at Lunch Day prompted students to interact with people outside their normal
social circles.
• 92% said Mix It Up at Lunch Day increased awareness about social boundaries and divisions
within school.
• 83% said the event helped students make new friends.
• 78% said as a result of the Lunch students seem more comfortable interacting with diﬀerent kinds
of people.
Source: Mix It Up Survey conducted by Quality Education Data, 2008
Page 12
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
the JLS website and follow the links for “Getting
to JLS” then “Bicycling and Walking to JLS” to
access the map and safety tips.
Gearing up for School
By Maria Abilock
The new school year is rolling along with Traffic Safety! At a recent bicycle count in midSeptember, 590 bicycles were parked in the three
JLS bike cages. That means about 54% of the
student population regularly bikes to school! This
is an astonishing number
compared to nation-wide
results and caught the eye
of the League of American
Bicyclists who came out to
witness the morning bicycle
commute and learn about
Palo Alto’s Safe Routes to
School program last spring.
It is so easy to commute by
bike to JLS because we have
bicycle education events,
lots of bike parking, great bike lanes/paths leading to JLS, students with great bike skills, and a
committed Safe Routes to School program. Read
on to learn more about the bicycle-friendly atmosphere at JLS.
At Jump Start Day in August, hundreds of students showed up to register their bikes with the
Palo Alto Police Department, learn to do a safety
check of their bicycles and
inflate their tires, plan
their routes to school with
Palo Alto’s Safe Routes to
School coordinators, and
learn to correctly adjust and
wear their helmets. Thank
you to all the parent and
community volunteers who
helped make this a successful event!
If you haven’t seen the NEW Safe Routes to
School Walk and Roll map for JLS, please visit
October 2014
http://jls.pausd.org/default/index.cfm/getting-to-jls/
bicycling-and-walking-to-jls/
There is also a direct link in the “News” section
of the home page. In September, all 6th grade students attended a bike safety
assembly to learn how to
“Drive that Bike”, sponsored
by Safe Routes to School and
JLS. Check with your student
to find out what s/he learned
about adjusting/wearing a
helmet, following the rules
of the road (stopping at stop
signs, signaling turns, and
correct lane position), and
how to trigger a green light at
an intersection with a traﬃc
light. Each year, 6th graders
participate in this engaging bike safety instruction, so parents of 7th and 8th graders, your students should already know and be practicing safe
bicycling.
In celebration of National Walk to School Day,
JLS and all other PAUSD schools will be encouraging walking, biking, carpooling and riding
the bus/shuttle to school on
Wednesday, October 8 with
support from Safe Routes
to School. If you’d like to
help greet students during
the morning commute to
JLS, please contact Dharti at
[email protected] .
Safe Routes to School is a
partnership between the City
of Palo Alto, PAUSD, and the
Palo Alto PTA to minimize cycling/pedestrian risks for students and encourage more
bicycling/walking and alternative commutes to school.
To learn more, visit http://cityofpaloalto.org/saferoutes .
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 13
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION (PiE) and JLS
JLS will receive a record $343,914.00 this academic year from PiE (Partners in Education) thanks to
your family’s generous donation from last year (2013-2014)!!!
Many thanks to the families who have already donated this year! If you have not yet donated,
please consider giving. Why?
PiE is the non-profit educational foundation dedicated exclusively to raising funds for all PAUSD
(Palo Alto Unified School District) schools, including JLS. It is the only fundraising organization
authorized by the Palo Alto Board of Education to pay for salaries during the school day. PiE enables
JLS to pay for resources that benefit ALL JLS students including:
Compelling Electives: PiE dollars reduce class sizes in all electives and help make possible JLS electives like music, creative writing, art, drama, computer education, industrial tech, broadcast journalism, video production, biotech and the new Money Matters and Marine Biology classes.
Student Guidance and Support: Staﬀ and programs for academic guidance, Panther Camp for all
incoming students, social and emotional development, student connectedness and grade-level transitions (i.e. your student’s counselor remains the same all three years!)
Classroom Support: PiE gifts support the universal, systematic practice for teaching writing throughout the curriculum at JLS. PiE also pays for technology-related staﬃng, including the school’s technology mentor for teachers and the technology lead, which is increasingly crucial in this era of Common Core.
Your tax-deductible donation may also be matched by many companies. Ask your company, or a PiE
rep.
How to donate?
Use the PiE envelope that’s possibly buried in that mountain of backto-school papers on your kitchen counter. Mail it or drop it in the
handy box in the JLS oﬃce (where you can also find more envelopes).
Donate online! www.papie.org Credit cards or PayPal accepted.
Questions? Ask JLS Parents & Volunteer PiE Chairs:
Annelise Mora [email protected]
Jennifer Mutz [email protected]
Mudita Jain [email protected]
Pam Markevitch [email protected]
Suman Gupta [email protected]
Page 14
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
October 2014
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 15
Tierra Linda
Gunn
Page 16
JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
Available at the JLS
Student Store
JLS T-Shirts and
Sweatshirts
GO PANTHERS!
October 2014
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 17
JLS Student Store Order Form
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Page 18
48-66
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47-96
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JLS Panther Tracks
October 2014
Mel Frioli: [email protected]
Paul Sakuma: [email protected]
October 2014
JLS Panther Tracks
Page 19
Palo Alto Council of Parent Teacher Association
Non-Profit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 18
Palo Alto, CA
Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School
480 East Meadow Drive
Palo Alto, CA 94306
www.jls.pausd.org
Main Office: 650-856-5188
Fax: 650-856-3248
Change Service Requested
Calendar
October
15
W
JLS/Gunn Band Concert, 7 p.m., JLS
Cafetorium
16
Th
8th grade Hearing Screening
17
F
JLS Dance, 7-9:30 p.m.
20
M
Site Council meeting, 3:30 p.m.
22-23 W-Th Science Fair
23
Th
Unity Day
24
F
“Second Cup of Coffee with Max”, 9 a.m.
28
Tu
National Mix It Up At Lunch Day
31
F
End of 6th grade Wheel 2
November
3
M
5
W
6
Th
6
Th
6
Th
11
Tu
12
W
6th grade Wheel 3 begins
7th grade Cell Model projects, 6 p.m.
Parent Visitation Day
PTA-sponsored Latte Guy for Staff
PTA Executive Board meeting, 8:30 a.m.
Veterans Day, NO SCHOOL
Choir Concert, 7 p.m.
17-21 M-F
17
M
20-21 Th-F
20
Th
20
Th
21
F
26-28 W-F
December
3
W
4
Th
4
Th
10
W
11
Th
12
F
15
M
19
F
Not In Our Schools (NIOS) Week
Site Council meeting, 3:30 p.m.
PiE Donation Days
Panther Tracks deadline for article submission
“Alice in Wonderland” drama performance, 7 p.m.
“Alice in Wonderland” drama performance, 7 p.m.
Thanksgiving Holiday, NO SCHOOL
Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m.
PTA-sponsored Latte Guy for Staff
PTA Executive Board meeting, 8:30 a.m.
Band Concerts, 7 & 8:15 p.m.
End of 6th grade Wheel 3
6th grade Wheel 4 begins
Site Council meeting, 3:30 p.m.
End of First Semester
District-wide Minimum Day
12:25 p.m. dismissal
December 22 – January 2
Winter Break