MKL Media CenterNews
This page will provide new and upcoming events and projects that Margaret K. Lewis staff and parents are preparing.
New Items of Note
March 3, 2008
March 15, 2008 - Mark Your Calendars! That’s the date of MKL’s annual SPRING FESTIVAL! It will be at from 11 am – 2 pm at the school. We need ‘silent auction’ items to assist in our efforts to raise money for our new adaptive playground! Also, any person or business that could give a monetary donation, we readily accept! If you have items for the silent auction, please have turned in by MARCH 10 so Boosters can get all them set-up and logged in for Saturday!
PARENTS: Please be prepared to leave a message when calling the school – unless it is an EMERGENCY. We have been told by the Superintendent that no calls should be transferred during school time, except in an emergency situation. We have also been short handed, and have had different staff manning the phones in the front office, so this person may not know your voice, so please leave your name and number for the teacher to return your call during their planning time or after 2:00 pm.
Please be reminded that our web page has all teachers names AND their email addresses here at school. You are encouraged to email your child’s teacher when possible.
TENTATIVE DATES for 2007-08 Summer School: (MUST BE Board Approved)
June 23 – July 23 Monday – Wednesday 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. More info to come as
we receive it.
MARCH 11 - Spring Classroom Pictures - We will also be taking the pictures for Seniors in their Drapes (Girls) and Tux (Boys) shots! A reminder flyer will go home.
Family Reading Night – March 6 – Are you ready for “Cajun” Easter Bunny stories?? Hmmmm well if you are the least bit curious, you MUST come by and listen…Flyers to follow shortly! And I have it on good authority that the EASTER BUNNY is making an appearance!
February 20, 2008
March 1st from 8:30am until 2pm (Saturday) Loco's Restaurant on 23rd Street
parking lot a CAR WASH sponsored by Gulf Coast Community College Student Support
Services Society to HELP raise funds for Margaret K. Lewis School Spring
Festival/Prom/New Playround!
PARENTS: Need volunteers to have fun, wash cars, hold signs and have a terrific
day of Volunteerism!
Contact Kim Striplin, MKL Booster's Membership Chairman
Phone Number 215-6955.
Make a Difference..........Volunteer!
February 4, 2008
Reading with your child is one of the best ways to increase literacy... and it’s a great time to build memories and bonds with your kids! Stop by and visit the library before or after school to check out books and Big Mack switches for a shared reading experience at home. See your MKL librarian (Ms. Cathy Felty) for more details.
Five MKL students with visual impairments recently received free new glasses from Dr. Nicole Patterson of the Florida Low Vision Initiative. We are grateful to the project for sharing their expertise and resources!
Don’t forget the workshops on February 12 & March 13, 2008. Food and refreshments will be served from 5:30 until 6pm. The workshop will be from 6-7 pm. ESE term of the month: Positive Strategy Support – is a process for designing individualized behavioral intervention plans based on understanding relationships between a student’s behavior and aspects of his or her environment (i.e., acquired through a functional behavioral assessment). Plans include: modifications to the environment, teaching skills to replace problem behaviors, effective skills to replace management of consequences, and promotion of positive life-style changes. Any questions or concerns regarding parent services or for students with disabilities, please contact Judy Turcotte, 747-5699 or email: turcoja@bay.k12.fl.us.
Remember……when you see a school bus STOPPED and their lights are flashing and the STOP is OUT, you MUST stop for them to load and unload students! If you pick-up your child from MKL in the afternoons, and its ‘bus calling’ time – you will notice all the buses lined up have their lights flashing and the stop sign out – DO NOT pass this bus- You must go the opposite way of the signs to get out of the school area. Please abide by this safety regulation whenever you see the stop sign out, whether it’s in front of MKL or on the streets.
Barthelemy’s class would like to say THANKS! to everyone who purchased items from their annual bazaar! The class went to CiCi’s Pizza to celebrate the success of the event. The class has been studying feelings in the Weville Literacy Curriculum. Ms. Barthelemy is very pleased with her students’ creative writing progress and they are now using the Word Wall to create writings. In January, in addition to the regular Word Wall words, they also wrote about winter and it was decided that they were ready for some warmer weather. Next week, the students will use words from a Mardi Gras and Valentine word wall.
Mark Your Calendars! March 15 - That’s the date of MKL’s annual SPRING FESTIVAL! This year it will be at the MKL School, from 11 am – 2 pm. We need ‘silent auction’ items to assist in our efforts to raise money for our new adaptive playground! Also, any person or business that could give a monetary donation, we readily accept! Look for more information to come soon.
January 14, 2008
Don’t forget to send in your Box Tops for Education – we redeem these for cash for the school! You can get them on many food products, tissues, baby wipes - - just look for the label! SOUP LABELS are also being collected. Send any from CAMPBELL’S – MKL will receive points to redeem for some GREAT gifts for the students!
MKL’s second Family Reading Night was FABULOUS! We had a great time and had a SPECIAL guest – SANTA CLAUS! Santa came with books and candy for all the kids attending! Thank you again to Boosters and Donna Harden for all the set-up – along with the staff members who assisted, and of course our guest readers! If you didn’t get to come, you missed one fun night! We hope to have more in the near future – watch your flyers from the students AND the Eagle’s Nest newsletter.
Great news! Our Media Center has just received about 100 new books back from processing at the District Media Center. Many of the titles support the literacy programs for the school. Plus many new fiction titles and some picture books for older readers as suggested by Dr Karen Erickson. Come check them out.
The 123 Magic Workshop will be a 3-part series starting January 22, 2008. Janie Branstetter, Certified Behavior Analyst will be presenting the workshop and it will be held at the Nelson Building on Balboa Avenue. This workshop will offer parents techniques on behavior management, self esteem, and relationship building for children ages 2-12. The following dates for the workshops will be on February 12 and March 13, 2008. Food and refreshments will be served from 5:30 until 6pm. The workshop will be from 6-7:00pm. Hope to see you there!
Surfside Middle School will be hosting mentoring sessions for National Board Candidates beginning on Saturday, January 12, 2008 from 8:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m. Contact pattosj@bay.k12.fl.us or mcdonsl@bay.k12.fl.us for further information.
Congratulations goes out to Ms Arnold’s class- -Their Christmas card was ‘adopted’ by the doctors and staff at Northwest Florida Surgery Center to send out to all their clients/friends & families! Come by the office to get a look at the winning card! We are so proud of Ms. Arnold’s class! Great Job!
December 14, 2007
Instructional Media Services is offering a MovieMaker and Photo Story 3 class to all staff. It is a one-day class to be held on the following Saturdays: January 19, February 9, and March 1 from 8:30 - 11:30/11:45 at the District Media computer lab. Please contact Steve Cook at 747-5871 for additional information.
Great news! Ms. Felty has just received about 100 new books back from processing at the District Media Center. Many of the titles support the literacy programs for the school. Plus, many new fiction titles and some picture books for older readers as suggested by Dr Karen Erickson.
December 7, 2007
The M.K.L. Senior Grad Nite Committee is again selling RADA Cutlery. We had such a positive result last year and many of you have asked for it again. All orders are prepaid and can be made until December 11, 2007. This will ensure a delivery by Dec. 21st. Please see/call Vicki Wilson or Shea Saulmon for a look at the current catalog.
Trying to think of an unusual gift this year? How about buying a book for the MKL library? Rather than giving Grandpa another pair of socks or your Aunt Selma that big box of chocolates that she really doesn't need…. consider selecting a book for the MKL library. A card will be sent to your gift recipient detailing the title of the book you selected on their behalf, plus a name plate will be placed inside the book recognizing your donation to the library. It's a wonderful way to show how much you care ... both for your family and friends and for the students that will benefit from your generosity. Contact Cathy Felty at the MKL Library for details.
We now have a 7" portable DVD player available in the library to check out for student or classroom use- - compliments of the MKL Boosters and Ms Jacquie Bruce and Family. Thank you for your generosity!!
Not sure if everyone got to see 60 minutes last Sunday, but they showed the affects of a certain medication on Brain Injured Adults and the results were riveting. Below is the link to watch the video online. I hope everyone gets the chance to see it. Click here for the link.
November 9, 2007
A Great
Idea!!! When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please
include the following:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001
Bring a smile to their face instantly!
Fruitcake being sold to benefit our local Panama City Civitan Club. If you do not know about the organization- they are dedicated to helping the underprivileged in our area- with our main focus being the handicapped. They have many awesome projects that they do each year, and have helped many families. If you are interested in Fruitcake- they are Claxton Fruitcakes- 1lb each- and are being sold for $3. Email or call the MKL Academy and place your order!
November 5, 2007
MKL’s first Family Reading Night was a full success! We had a great time - guest readers, door prizes, skits, poems, most students came in their “PJ’s” and enjoyed cookies, milk, and juice along with all the great stores! Thank you for MKL Boosters for setting this up. Another reading night is planned for December 13, 6-7 pm. More information to come soon, so if you missed the first, please make a point to come to the December date, you will have a great time.
FEDERAL IMPACT CARDS: The green card sent home last week with your student. If you: Live On Bas OR are in the military OR work on Base (Civil Service or Contractor) OR live in one of the Low Rental Housing listed on the card, please fill it out and send the card back in to the school office as soon as you can.
Don’t forget to send in your box tops for education – we redeem these for cash for the school! You can get them on many food products, tissues, baby wipes - - just look for the label!
October 22, 2007
The "Eagle
of the Month" assemblies will begin at 9:30 am in the gym on the following
dates:
Friday, October 26, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Friday, January 25, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
October 16, 2007
CLASSROOM AUCTION NIGHT! - This will be an auction for each class that presents an item up for bid. ALL the proceeds of each class will go to that class! FREE Pizza and Salad will be provided to those that attend. This will be like our Fall Festival – so please come join us for a great time! A head count slip will be sent home shortly, so we can make sure we have food for all to enjoy during this FUN NIGHT! Mark your calendars - - NOVEMBER 15, 2007.
MKL is recycling used up ink jet cartridges, toners and old cell phones. We are hoping to raise funds for our new playground! Please, if you have any of the items mentioned, send them in with DONNA HARDEN’s name on the bag. THANKS!
Don’t forget to send in your box tops for education – we redeem these for cash for the school! You can get them on sooooo many food products – look for the label! And send them in to MKL.
September 13, 2007
MKL's Open house is tonight, September 13, 2007. The open house will start at 5:30pm and end at 7:30pm. All parents are invited to attend!
School Pictures are scheduled for September 21, 2007. Be sure you show up ready to shine!
The
Half-Cent Sales Tax Informational Flyer will be available for parents in the
front office.
It will be addressed on the ballot for a vote on November 6, 2007 so be prepared
and read up on information concerning this issue.
Please send your child to school EVERYDAY! Your child may receive the “Shining Star” award for great Attendance. Good Luck!
From
Barbara Hardy, Principal of MKL:
Welcome to the 2007-08 School year!
Just to reassure you, the MKL Staff is committed to the School’s Mission of
providing an instructional program that will empower your son/daughter to
achieve an independent, purposeful and fulfilling life.
As the Principal of MKL, I would like to express my desire to promote a warm,
friendly atmosphere to increase parent involvement that is meaningful and
appropriate.
There will be an interest survey sent home with students very soon. Please
consider your interest and return this form to the school as quickly as
possible. This survey will be for parent and family members who wish to
participate on committees here at the school.
Thanks for all you do for our school!
April 9, 2007
Summer school will be in two sessions this year. One session will be in June, Monday thru Wednesday, and the second session will be in July, again, Monday thru Wednesday. The two sessions is district wide.
The new
dates/time for summer school is:
Mon – Tues – Wed:
June 11, 12, and 13 July 9, 10, and 111
June 18, 19, and 20 July 16, 17, and 18
June 25, 26, and 27 July 23, 24, and 25
We will send notes home in the next week or so that will explain the process of changes these dates will have on your child’s IEP. Because this will be a change, you must sign that you are aware of this change. You have two options, 1) you will be asked to indicate if your child will attend summer school and 2) whether or not you wish to physically come to the school (IEP meeting) to officially change the dates. (You can give your permission for the school to proceed with the meeting without you having to come in.)
Remember there will be a parent workshop on April 10, 2007 at Millville Elementary School from 6-7pm. The topic will be “101 Summer Activities” and will be a fun hands-on experience for you and your child. Food and Refreshments will be served from 5:30-6pm. Hope to see you there!!
March 1, 2007
Car Wash - The MKL Senior Class will have a Car Wash on: Saturday, March 10, 2007 from 9:00am to 1:00pm at Golden Corral on 23rd Street.
Superintendent Community Forum - Mr. McCalister gives all citizens an opportunity to talk to the Superintendent about expectations of public education, ask questions, and supply feedback about successes, concerns and issues. The setting is informal and is open to anyone who wishes to talk. It will be held on Monday, March 12, 2007, from 6:00 – 7:30 P.M. at Jinks Middle School. The address is 600 W. 11th Street, Panama City, Florida.
Parent Corner Webpage - The Parent Corner page is up and running! If you have any suggestions, please feel free to contact them. This has been a work in progress so any help is greatly appreciated!
ESE Parent Note - The next workshop will be at Millville Elementary School on April 10, 2007. The topic will be “101 Summer Activities” and is an exciting hands–on workshop for all learning styles. Fun parent/student activities will be available in science, creative arts, music, math, cooking, reading, and social studies. The first 50 families will receive a take home kit of materials. The workshop will be from 6-7pm.
Tetanus Shots - The state requires all incoming 7th Grade students to have an up-to-date tetanus booster. The new Tdap vaccine is the preferred immunization to meet this requirement. Tdap is available at the Bay County Health Department at no charge or at your private physician’s office. After your child has been immunized, please return a completed immunization form to school. Students entering 7th grade who have not met this requirement will not be allowed to attend school in 2007-2008.
Benefit Run - The Senior Class at Margaret K. Lewis School will host its 2nd Annual Margaret K. Lewis Eagle Benefit Run on Saturday, March 24, 2007. This 5K Family Fitness Run/Walk and 1/4 mile Wheelchair/Buddy Walk is a fund raising event for the Senior Grad Night trip. The event is being held at the Panama City Hall across from the Marina Civic Center. The 5K will begin at 8:00 a.m. and the Buddy Walk at 9:00 a.m. Race Day Registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. Anyone who wishes to donate for this event may contact the following: Vicki Wilson, Margaret K. Lewis School, 872-4775 or 271-3342 or Andrea, 271-5896.
January 18, 2007
There are
many Language games to try.
Ask your child’s Librarian about books or Web sites that have some to try.
January 8, 2007
CiCi's Pizza Rebate Night - Margaret K. Lewis School will have a CiCi's Pizza Rebate Night on Thursday, March 1, 2007 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Students, Families and Staff are invited to have dinner at CiCi's anytime between 4:00 and 8:00. MKL will receive a 15 % rebate for any paid receipt. The money earned will go toward purchasing books for the Literacy Lab. We hope to see you all there!
January 1, 2007
Free Vehicle Inspections - Tom P. Technical Center and Haney Technical High School’s Automotive Service Technology Program will provide on-going Free Vehicle Safety Inspections. The school will repair minor deficiencies found in automobiles of citizens 50 years and older, single mothers, and citizens with handicaps. Please call 747-5500, ext. 3403 for an appointment.
Flu Season - The flu season is here. Please continue to use good hand washing at work, home and in the community. Keep those germs washed away! Have your flu kit prepared. Let’s all stay healthy this winter.
November 16, 2006
Job Opening - There are two job openings currently available at MKL. An ESE Teacher and a Speech/Language Pathologist.
October 10, 2006
There will be polls occasionally on our site on issues that affect parents, students and teachers of Margaret K. Lewis school. The link for the poll is on the right of each page. Let us know what you think!
October 9, 2006
MKL Boosters Update - There is a request by the MKL Boosters, so head to that page for more information on how you can help.
September 26, 2006
Parent Portal - This new resource provided by Bay County Schools allows you to do a variety of things: view your child's grades, attendance, enrolled classes, discipline records, and contact information. Follow the link for more info!
Parent Volunteers - We've had a great reception to the request for more parent volunteers. Some parents are copying papers for teachers, laminating, and even acting as substitute teachers. If you are interested, please don't hesitate to call us at 872-4775 for more information.
Report Available - A copy of the NCLB School Public Accountability Report (SPAR) for MKL is on file in the MKL Media Center for parental review. Additionally, individual copies of this report will be available to parents upon request.
Attendance Policy - Student success in school is directly related to regular attendance. By Florida law, all children between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend school regularly. It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that students attend school. Under the law, parents may be prosecuted for failure to meet that responsibility. A child with 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days is considered to be a habitual truant child.
Open House - Don't forget that MKL Open House is this Thursday, September 28, 2006!
October FTE - October FTE will be coming up on October 9 through 13, 2006. Please make sure that your child is in school for that week.
September 24, 2006
Bay District Schools' Safety Web - This new site contains information that will be useful to parents, students, and staff. Information to help you prepare for severe weather, the pandemic flu and how to avoid it. Are there sexual predators living near you? Visit the site and find out. How to use a fire extinguisher and much more. If you have suggestions for the site, they are welcome as well.
August 31, 2006
Eagle News Newsletter - The first edition of our Eagles News Newsletter will be sent home each third Thursday of the month. We hope you find this informative. Hopefully this will help you better plan for participation as appropriate.
New Faces - Everyone has certainly pulled together to make the 2006-07 opening of school very successfully. We hired four new teachers this year. They are Joseph Myhill, Cynthia Boyd, Andy Weckherlin, and William Rogers. The staff has really rolled out the welcome mat and made these folks feel right at home. Each new teacher has a mentor/buddy teacher. And our five National Board Certified teachers are available to provide additional assistance on request.
School Wide Theme - Our theme of the new school year is one of Celebration. You will see us especially celebrating the success of our students. Teachers have already been sending happy notes regarding student achievement. Barbara Hardy, the principal, will be calling parents throughout the year to share good news!
Staff Training - Staff development/training for all our staff will be a primary focus this year. We will be implementing a series of "sustained staff development" opportunities for teachers and paraprofessionals through out the year. We will also be offering opportunities for parents to receive specific training and information via small focus groups. You will receive a survey next month regarding topics of interest and a flexible time schedule.
Open Door - Please know that the principal, Barbara Hardy, is always open to talking with parents. You can, of course, call me ahead of time but feel free to drop in whenever you can. She also can be reached by email (click here). We look forward to "Celebrating" this year with you, your student and our wonderful staff.
August 20, 2006
Media Center - Margaret K. Lewis School now has a fully functional media center, which features books and computers to assist the students in the educational pursuits.
Parent Center - There are upcoming plans for a Parent Center to be added in the future.
Daily Living Room - The Daily Living Room has been renovated.
Parent Volunteers - Parent volunteers are being sought (Contact Barbara Churchwell for more information - 872-4775).
MKL Camp - MKL's Annual Camp, that is normally held in the spring, had been pushed to this fall. Camp this year will be September 8-10, 2006.
