Discovery News
800 E 40th Street, Vancouver WA, 98663
Hello Discovery Parents and Families,
HAPPY NEW YEAR! There is something very rejuvenating about celebrating the start of a new
year. While December is a nice time to reflect, January is when we start to take action on those goals
we have set for ourselves in the coming year. I hope you have had some nice time with your family
over the break, and I am SURE everyone is ready to get back to the regular routine…..well almost everyone. 
Allow me to share a few of the goals we are working on at Discovery Middle School. Developing a positive school culture and ensuring high levels of learning for every student are my two goals for
Discovery. Easier said than done I know. Everything we are trying to do aligns to one of these two
goals. Implementing common core standards and IPADS this year, continuing to work on our instructional quality with a new teacher evaluation system, refining our implementation of the Middle Years
Programme, and developing a Positive Behavior Intervention System are all components of supporting
your students to prepare for college, career, and life beyond middle school. Each component brings its
benefits and challenges, but the most important component is what the student brings to the table each
and every day. Will they come to school prepared to work hard and do their best? Will they treat their
peers and their teachers with respect, kindness and compassion? Will they persevere in the face of
adversity? Will they do it even when they don’t feel like it? Students are why we do what we do. Please
encourage them to work hard and do their best as a student at our school.
Believe it or not, for 8th grade students, January is the beginning of the forecasting process for
high school. Please note the high school information nights in the newsletter, as the first one is January
12th. I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to get to know what the high schools have to
offer as you look ahead to life after middle school. The rest of you can wait a little longer before thinking
about next year, but 8th graders it is time to find out more about the next phase in your educational life!
The Learner Profile focus for the month of January is PRINCIPLED. This can be a tough one for
all of us. Someone who is principled acts with integrity and honesty. They have a strong sense of fairness, justice, and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups, and communities. Principled people
take responsibility for their actions and the consequences that accompany them. Think what kind of
school we would have if all of our students were truly PRINCIPLED! Think what kind of society we
would have if everyone was truly principled.
Let’s all agree to act with integrity and honesty, and teach our kids to do the same. Let’s all
agree to have respect for the dignity of others, and teach our kids to do the same. What a great goal to
work on for the new year!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE!,
Mark Cain
In
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Counselors:
Megan Bledsoe—Students A-L
Diana Herman—Students M-Z
College Bound Scholarship
The Scholarship is an early commitment of state financial aid to eligible students who sign up in middle school
and fulfill the Pledge. It is a program that encourages students, who might not consider college because of the
cost, to dream big and continue their education beyond high school. 7 th and 8th grade students who meet the
family income requirements and sign a pledge by June of their 8th grade year are eligible. Contact your students’
counselor for more information and an application. Visit the College Bound Website at www.hecb.wa.gov/
collegebound.
MAGNET PROGRAMS AND OPEN HOUSE DATES
Attention 8th Grade Families!
Magnet program open houses and application deadlines are coming up! You should have received something in
the mail in early January that tells you about the high school magnet options available to your student. Your student will also be learning about these programs in class. Some upcoming dates at a glance:
January 12th—Online applications open up on vansd.org
January 12h— 6:30 IB Open House at Columbia River
January 13th—6:30 VSAA Open House at VSAA
February 9th—IB and VSAA application deadline
February 10th or 19th—iTech Open House at the JPC
February 12th or 26th—Vancouver Flex Academy at Lewis and Clark
February 17th—6:30 Medical and International Studies Open House at Fort Vancouver
February 18th—6:30 ACES Open House at Bay
February 25th—6:30 SMTM Open House at Skyview
March 6th application deadline for all other magnet programs
Contact your students school counselor if you would like to learn more.
Are You Signed-up for Parent @ccess?
Parent @ccess is a tool available to parents/
guardians of students in the Vancouver School
District. If you have not signed up yet for this
wonderful resource, call today at 313-3306. Even
if you already have signed up at your student’s elementary school, please do so again!
Go to the Discovery web page disco.vansd.org;
click on the Parent @ccess link and you will be
taken to the Parent @ccess log in page.
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Important Dates
We will be holding 2 Academic
January 5
School Resumes
January 12
One Hour Early Release
Award Breakfasts to recognize the efforts
of Discovery students who attained a 3.0
GPA or better for the first trimester. Any
student achieving the 3.0 GPA will be given a
breakfast invitation to take home. We will
be serving rolls and juice and would like to
invite parents, grandparents and friends to
join us in this celebration.
January 15
Please note the following days for the individual grades:
January 16
6 Grade Honor Roll
Breakfast— 7:45am
7/8 Grade Honor Roll
Breakfast—7:45am
January 16
Geography Bee 12:30pm
Gallery
January 19
MLK Day—No School
January 26
One Hour Early Release
January 27
Progress Reports—2nd Tri
January 28
Snow Make-Up Day—
Semester Break
th
6 grade – Thursday, January 15
7:45 AM – 8:30 AM
7th/8th grade – Friday, January 16
7:45 AM – 8:30 AM
February 9 & 23 One Hour Early Release
The Celebration will be held in the Commons.
Heidi Bjurstrom
It’s the start of a new year and if you haven’t had an opportunity to
visit the Family Resource Center please stop in and introduce yourself,
I’d love to meet you.
There are several supports in our community to help families over the winter months. I also
have LOTS of resources for free and fun activities for families to participate in together over
the break. Please come see me if you are interested. Also, please stay tuned for all the
new activities and events that will be starting in 2015, including Family Health Nights, student volunteer groups, and much, much more!
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Attendance Office
Reminders
It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian/custodian to provide an excuse to the school for a
student's absence within THREE (3) school days of the student's return to school.
The phone number for the Discovery Attendance Office is 313-3320 or 313-1450 (available 24
hours-leave message).
District policy states that if your student is gone more than five days, we MUST have a note from
the doctor, unless it is a pre-arranged absence. If your student has an appointment during school
time, please write a note & have him/her drop it off at the attendance office first thing in the
morning.
Please note - if your student is 10 minutes late for a class or for any absences, you will still be
getting a call from the automated attendance program.
The Vancouver School District requires positive identification when picking up your child.
If you have any questions, please feel free to
contact the Attendance Office at 313-3320.
Boundary Exceptions
Renew Annually
If your student is presently attending Discovery on an InDistrict Boundary Exception and you wish him /her to
remain here for the 2015-2016 school year, you will
need to fill out the Boundary Exception form and return
it to our office as soon as possible.
Those going on to High School can fill out Boundary Exceptions beginning January 12, 2015 at the Discovery
Office. The forms will be documented as to date and
time received. The form needs to be returned to the
current middle school by February 18, 2015.
Out of District Boundary Exceptions will not be accepted
until May 1.
Discovery Volunteers
Discovery staff would like to thank all of the volunteers that have given their time to Discovery
this year. Everything from helping with PE locks,
Fundraising, Art, Socials and more. We wouldn’t have had the enormous success without volunteers. We would also like to thank Anna Vernon
who is our PTSA President this year and the rest
of the board; Kristi Ellinger, Yolanda Garcia,
Robin Espinoza, Jennifer Smith, Kate Hopkins,
Julie Miller, Megan Kelly.
All of the volunteers from First United Methodist
Church and Trinity Lutheran Church.
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PATRON TOUR
Visit Vancouver iTech Preparatory
On Friday, Jan. 23, Vancouver Public Schools Superintendent Steve Webb will host a free patron
tour for the community. The tour will provide an in
-depth look at the dynamic learning opportunities
at Vancouver iTech Preparatory, a sixth- through
12th-grade school focused on science, technology,
engineering and math, or STEM.
The tour offers a chance to see how iTech Prep
combines STEM and the liberal arts by integrating
art and design principles into students’ research
and learning. Visitors also will discover the technology-rich environment in which iTech Prep’s
project-, problem- and practice-based learning
takes place. Finally, they’ll hear how partnerships
with businesses and opportunities to earn college
credit enhance iTech Prep students’ preparedness
for higher education and employment.
Tour-goers will visit both the middle school campus, located at the Jim Parsley Education, Family
and Community Center, and the high school campus, located at Washington State University Vancouver. Transportation will be provided between
campuses.
The tour will begin and end at the Bates Center for
Educational Leadership, 2921 Falk Rd. The tour
starts at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 1 p.m. After
visiting iTech Prep, guests have the option of enjoying a student musical performance and a delicious lunch prepared by culinary arts students.
Lunch is available for $4 per person.
Everyone is welcome, but space is limited. Visit
www.vansd.org/PatronTours or contact Sue Knable
at 360-313-4720
to sign up.
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Read Around the World
January 2015
Read Around the World has become an annual school tradition at
Discovery. Our fifth annual reading program officially began December 8th, and it will run until April 17th, the Friday
after students return from spring break. All Wildcats
are challenged to develop their international mindedness by reading seven different books—fiction or nonfiction—written by non-American authors or set in any
country outside the United States.
Students who read seven books or more for Read
Around the World will earn a prize. They will also receive public recognition and certificates of completion
at an all-school assembly. All students who read four
books or more for Read Around the World will be invited to attend a special, internationally-focused assembly.
Past speakers have included local volunteers to India
and Rwanda as well as the daughter of a Polish woman
who helped people survive the Holocaust.
Students received an introduction to the program in
their HuLa classes. Participants also received passports
so they can keep track of their reading.
If you have any questions, call Angela VahsholtzAndersen, Discovery’s teacher-librarian, at 313-3315.
GEOGRAPHY BEE
The Geography Bee will be
held on Wednesday, January
16th at 12:30pm in the Gallery. Students will be competing in several
rounds of intense questions that have to do
with all areas of the globe. The winner will
then complete a test to qualify for State
competition which is held in the Spring. In
the event that the winner can’t make it,
the runner-up will take their place.
NEWS FROM THE NURSE
Marcia Schneider
Kids who learn about the risks of drugs
from their parents are significantly less
likely to use drugs, yet 20 percent report not getting that benefit.
Conversation starters:
What do your friends think or say about
drugs?
Talk about how songs and media show
drugs or alcohol.
What are the benefit to not doing drugs?
And just listen ..Your kids want to talk.
How can my child take medicine at
school?
All medicines, even over the counter remedies like
Tylenol or Motrin, require authorization from
both a parent/guardian and a physician—call or
come by our office to get a medication form. Medicine is kept only in the health office. Medications
must be in their original labeled containers. Most
everyday medicines are given at lunchtime. If you
have any questions concerning medications at
school please contact Marcia Schneider at 313-3308
or
you
can
email
her
at
[email protected].
Discovery Middle School has participated in Hoops for Heart for 12 years.
Hoops will be starting the first week of February
The Hoops for Heart activity is introduced to the entire school through their health, PE and Tech classes.
The PE and health staff promote it as a great community service project in that the kids are able to help the
many people affected by heart disease. The push to our kids is to compete in the school wide bump competition. Any student who brings in a $5.00 minimum donation is entered into the bump competition. Though
they only need to bring the $5.00 donation many of them go above and beyond. We normally have about
150 – 200 kids competing in the school-wide bump competition (some kids that donate choose not to compete). The kids are broken into groups by grade and gender and then we end up with a boy and girl winner
from each grade. We then let the boys and girls compete to get our boy and girl champion for that year. We
also have staff members participating in a staff bump competition that the kids really enjoy.
Thanks again for recognizing Discovery Middle School and their efforts to help heart disease through The
American Heart Association. Sherrie Robb
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Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Bowling Sign-ups
Boys Basketball will start their practices on Monday, January 12th after school. All interested hoopsters should be signed up and ready to start. If you have not cleared for
winter sports please check with the business office. If you played a previous sport you
only need to fill out the “Repeat Clearance Form” which is in the office.
If you are a 7th or 8th grade female and are interested in bowling, sign-ups are now open.
Practice begins on February 10th, however you should get your clearance papers turned
in as soon as possible. It is imperative all clearance requirements are met to be considered. Partial packets will not be accepted. If fees are an issue, please talk with your
administrator. Fees will not eliminate a request.
Please check with Jamie Davis in the Business Office if
you have any questions.
REMINDER:
Students attending after school
athletic events must go home
first, then return at 4:30pm!

Free Sports Physicals
Available to Vancouver Public School students, grades 6-12 who do not have health
insurance or a primary care provider.
RESERVE A SPOT WITH YOUR BUSINESS OFFICE—Limited Space
Sports Physical Staff will facilitate a referral to a primary care provider sponsored by Vancouver Public
Schools and Family Medicine of Southwest Washington
2:30 – 5:00 pm
January 21st February 18th
March 18th April 15th
Fort Vancouver High School
** You must sign up in the Business Office of your school**
A student who is not accompanied by parent or guardian must bring a signed permission slip
Please tell your Business Clerk if you will need a translator
Por favor, informe a su Secretaria de negocios si se necesita un traductor
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END OF DAY STUDENT PICK UP REMINDER: Parents, in order to keep traffic flow going as smooth as we can at the end of
the school day , please review the enclosed map. If you are going to pick up your child at the end of the day, remember these important
reminders: -Parking to wait for your child is only allowed on the curb closest to the school (park to the right, moving traffic to the left as
you cross in front of the school) -NO PARKING on the curb nearest the parking lot (to your left as you pull in)
Please do not block the cross walk in front of the school -Please pull forward as soon as the car in front of you has done so (this will allow
other cars to get into the line behind you without blocking the intersection at the parking lot entrance) We appreciate your attention to these
reminders to ensure the safety of our students as we dismiss at the end of the day.
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Be Prepared For School Closures!
In the event of bad weather or some other emergency, it may be necessary to close
schools. Depending on the situation, schools could be closed for one day or several days.
Schools could open two hours later than usual or close earlier than scheduled.
To find out if schools are closed:
 Check “Emergency School Closures” on the district website: www.vansd.org.
 Call the School Closure Information Line at 313-1401or the automated line at 313-1234.
 Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see our school closure post:
www.facebook.com/VancouverPublicSchools and https://twitter.com/VancouverSD.
 Check the Flash Alert website: www.flashalert.net (select Portland/Vancouver area, then Clark
County Schools, then Vancouver School District).
 Sign up for free Flash Alert text and/or e-mail messages. You must renew this service each year.
Both websites listed above will take you to the Emergency Messages page for Vancouver School
District. Find “Emergency Alerts,” click “Subscribe” and follow directions.
If schools are closed, the main school phone numbers will allow you to connect to the
School Closure Information Line.
Listen to your local radio and television stations. Most radio stations and these television stations beginning at 6:00 a.m. carry emergency school information: KGW - Channel 8, KOIN - Channel 6, KATU Channel 2, KPTV - Channel 12. Cable Channel 28 carries news of Vancouver Public Schools.
Making the decision to close or delay schools
The superintendent of Vancouver Public Schools closely monitors weather conditions when making a decision to
close or delay school. Transportation crews begin driving in different areas of the school district at 3 a.m. when bad
weather threatens.
With advice from the transportation crew and a meteorologist, Dr. Webb will make a decision regarding the operation
of our 35 schools. If possible, this decision will be made by 5 a.m. If it is decided to close schools or delay opening
them, that information will be immediately posted on the district website and sent to news stations in the area. This
information will be posted only if there is a school closure or delay to report.
If it is decided to continue with a regular school day, then no information will be reported, and parents and staff will
know that schools are operating on regular schedules.
The decision to close schools or delay opening them is not taken lightly. The priority is always the safety of students
and staff.
Snow/ice routes may be used for some school bus routes. Families that would be impacted by altered routes will
receive letters with detailed bus stop information. Snow/ice route information also will be sent to the schools affected and posted on school websites.
Schools in Washington State must, by law, provide 180 days of instruction each year. These days have been designated as make-up days in case scheduled school days are canceled: January 28, June 17, 18, 19, 2015. If school
must be closed more than six days additional make-up days may be added.
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Guiding Good Choices is a program that helps to establish or strengthen family values and expectations around substance use prevention. Guiding Good Choices:
 Strengthens family bonds
 Increases children’s involvement in the family
 Provides strategies to promote healthy behaviors in your children
 Reduces risk for behavior problems
 Improves parent-child relationships during the “tween years”
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