Toys for Tots Collection Box: December 3-14, a collection box will be stored in the BH Front Office.

Please consider bringing new, unwrapped toys to donate that would be appropriate for children ages 9-12. This

collection box will be available during the upcoming Hour of Code and WITS Cocoa House events as well.

(See flier below)

Hour of Code Family Night: The Hour of Code Family Night will be held in the BH Library on

Wednesday, December 5 from 5:30-6:30 (See flier below).

WITS Cocoa House: Friday, December 7, BH Classrooms (contact ELA teacher for exact times/location)

Winter Stringfest: Orchestra students grades 4-8 will perform Saturday, December 8, PTHS Gym, 3:00 PM

Band Concert (Jazz Band, 6th Grade Band, 7th/8th Grade Wind Ensemble: Join us Tuesday,

December 18 at BH Commons Stage, 7:00pm.

Winter Break: No School December 24, 2018- January 4, 2019.

What’s Happening at Blue Heron

B L U E H E R O N N E W S L E T T E R N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 8

WITS: At the end of November students started to work with published authors from Seattle with our annual Writers In The Schools (WITS) program. This program would not be possible without the funding and continued support of the PTEF. See more about the WITS programming at BH below. WITS: At the end of November students started to work with published authors from Seattle with our annual Writers In The Schools (WITS) program. This program would not be possible without the funding and continued support of the PTEF. See more about the WITS programming at BH below. WITS: At the end of November students started to work with published authors from Seattle with our annual Writers In The Schools (WITS) program. This program would not be possible without the funding and continued support of the PTEF. See more about the WITS programming at BH below. WITS: At the end of November students started to work with published authors from Seattle with our annual Writers In The Schools (WITS) program. This program would not be possible without the funding and continued support of the PTEF. See more about the WITS programming at BH below. WITS: At the end of November students started to work with published authors from Seattle with our annual Writers In The Schools (WITS) program. This program would not be possible without the funding and continued support of the PTEF. See more about the WITS programming at BH below. WITS: At the end of November students started to work with published authors from Seattle with our annual Writers In The Schools (WITS) program. This program would not be possible without the funding and continued support of the PTEF. See more about the WITS programming at BH below. WITS: At the end of November students started to work with published authors from Seattle

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

STEM Inspiration through Living Computer Museum PTEF funded field trip!

This November sixth and seventh grade students from Math/Lit Lab classes traveled to Seattle to the Living Computer Museum. Students learned about the history of Pac Man and designed their own Pac Man game during a Scratch coding lab at the Museum. What did you learn? "Girls didn't play video games very much until Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man the hardest of all!" After the lab, students traveled to Bellevue to tour Valve Corporation, a software company specializing in video game design. What did you learn? "Lots of jobs - artists, writers, Foley artists (sound effects), IT, coders, and more." "No bosses--everyone works on a team! "Smallest team usually about 20, largest team right now is VR with 60 people." Students will help host the Hour of Code event at Blue Heron December 5 from 5:30-6:30 pm.

Staff vs. Students Basketball Games

The Blue Heron Spirit Week toward the end of October was a great success. Starting in November, students could cash in on a participation prize option of playing a Students vs. Staff basketball game. BH students and staff members have been joining in on the five-minute, short court games. We have even had a few “guest” participants, including: Dr. Polm, a WITS writer (Jeanine), and Principal Campbell’s son (Dylan). Thank you to all who have volunteered to make this such a popular reward! Look for Staff vs. Student Volleyball to be added in December.

Staff vs. Students Basketball Games

The Blue Heron Spirit Week toward the end of October was a great success. Starting in

November, students could cash in on a participation prize option of playing a

Students vs. Staff basketball game. BH students and staff members have been

joining in on the five-minute, short court games. We have even had a few “guest” participants, including: Dr. Polm, a WITS

writer, and Principal Campbell’s son, Dylan. Thank you to all who have volunteered to

make this such a popular reward!

Staff vs. Students Basketball Games

The Blue Heron Spirit Week toward the end of October was a great success. Starting in

November, students could cash in on a participation prize option of playing a

Students vs. Staff basketball game. BH students and staff members have been

joining in on the five-minute, short court games. We have even had a few “guest”

WITS (Writers In The Schools) Program:

The 6th grade students will read and write poems with Samar Abulhassan. These writers will explore their own vivid memories, taking risks with language, trusting their own unique experience and creative process. Each day students will share their poems aloud in an encouraging and safe environment. The 7th grade students get the opportunity to work with Jeanine Walker, the former director of WITS. Jeanine is working with students on the personal narrative with a creative twist. 8th graders get the opportunity to work with Peter Mountford. Peter is teaching our 8th graders about the art of storytelling through the short story. The concluding Cocoa House Cumulative Event will take place during the school day in each of grade levels classrooms Friday, December 7. If you're interested in attending, be sure to contact your son or daughter's ELA teacher to verify the time and place or ask your son or daughter their class period and then check in as visitor at the front office to attend!

WITS (Writers In The Schools) Program:

The 6th grade students will read and write poems with Samar Abulhassan. These writers will explore their own vivid memories, taking risks with language, trusting their own unique experience and creative process. Each day students will share their poems aloud in an

encouraging and safe environment.

The 7th grade students get the opportunity to work with Jeanine Walker, the former director of WITS. Jeanine is working with students on the personal narrative with a creative twist.

Yearbook staff is looking to showcase your images! We are looking for a variety of images: outside school activities such as dance, soccer, baseball, hobbies, vacations, artwork, photography, sports photos, friends, and more! An easy way to contribute is to use your smartphone. Simply, download the Walsworth Yearbook Snap App from your play store. Search for Blue Heron Middle School. Enter the code “BlueHeron18”. Upload away! Be sure to label the picture, so we can identify the people and grade level of the individuals in the images submitted. You can also email images to: mschroeder@ptschools.org.

Yearbook staff is looking to showcase your images! We are looking for a variety of images:

ASB Student News:

Greetings to all our supporters from 2018

Orchestra NEXT EVENT>>>>

Winter Stringfest 2018 Where: Port Townsend HS Gym When: 3pm Saturday Dec 8th 2018 Cost: FREE Who: EVERYONE

We want to thank you for all your support this past year. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to support our wonderful students in their musical journey. Your help and support has directly changed the lives of numerous students in our program for the better and we thank you for all of your help. You are invited to come out to our 5th

Annual Winter Stringfest community concert. Join us for a relaxed afternoon concert where we will feature ALL of our orchestra students ranging from grades 4-12. All are welcome to come out and enjoy this casual afternoon performance which will last from 3 – 4pm in the PTHS Gym.

We have big plans for 2019 and look forward to what our students will accomplish. The Music Boosters works together with our music teachers and school district to help our orchestra program become of the best programs in the state of Washington.

The Port Townsend Music Boosters is a 501c3 organization

Po Box 1482 Port Townsend, WA 98368 or online donation @ www.ptmusicboosters.org All donations are tax deductible EIN#911489523

High School Orchestra Disneyland 2018 performance

PORT TOWNSEND MUSIC BOOSTERS

Orchestra Winter Newsletter 2018

YEA Music! is an after school program providing music instruction to Salish Coast Students in grades 4 & 5. We have begun our first 6 week pilot program with fiddle instructor Bobbi Nikles and choir teacher Larry Pepper. Their first performance will be on Saturday Dec. 8th PTHS Gym as part of Winter Stringfest 2018. This is a free program supported by the Music Boosters, Port Townsend School District and outside contributions. We have 30 students we have been teaching with plans for a spring session in 2019 and expansion of the program next school year. Special thanks to Principal Lisa Condran, Asst. Principal Shelby MacMeekin, Port Townsend Elks, Skillmation and Kiwanis of Port Townsend for making this program a reality. Port Townsend High School Orchestra to attend State Competition

The Port Townsend High School Orchestra students will first travel to Bremerton High School for a concert on Thursday March 14th in the newly remodeled Bremerton High School Performing Arts Center which seats 1200 people. This will be a joint concert featuring the orchestras of Bremerton High School, Central Kitsap High School and Port Townsend High School. The students will stay overnight and then travel to Seattle the next morning for a day of activities before leaving for Western Washington University. They will attend an evening concert at the WWU School of Music and get to meet other orchestra students from around the state. On Sat March 16th, they will participate in the judged festival. Friends, family and supporters are welcome to attend the event to cheer on our students. Admission is free.

Our new Pilot Program is off and running for 2018!!!

The Port Townsend High School Orchestra has been accepted along with 20 other schools in Washington to participate in the 2019 WWU State Orchestra Festival. This event is sponsored by the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and the Western Washington University School of Music.

YEA MUSIC! Salish Coast Elementary

Kids get a healthy snack thanks to Arran Stark YEA Music! students have been getting a much needed healthy snack each day before their music classes courtesy of Jefferson Healthcare’s Chef Arran Stark. Arran stepped up to the plate and has been preparing and delivering snacks to students every day of the program. We are ever so grateful for his help in providing his time and energy to our kids.

Blue Heron Orchestra Rock A Thon

Why should I donate to the PT Music Boosters? The PT Music Boosters directly supports the music programs in Port Townsend schools from elementary to High school and makes a direct impact in young people’s lives

Orchestra Students in grades 6-8 held a Rock A Thon on Oct 11th after school to raise funds

Q: A:

SPONSORS

Admiral Ship Supply II Inc.

Gina Johnston/Realtor - Windermere Real Estate

H2O Graphics

Cellar Door

Dog Townsend

Skidmore's Fine Beeswax Products

Centrum

Hilltop Tavern

Silverwater Cafe

Finnriver Farm & Cidery

Clarity Enterprises Inc. Port Townsend

Marine Refrigeration Solutions

Kiwanis Club PT

Tailspin Tommy’s

SUPPORTERS

Renee Baribault, LMP

Abraxas Crow Metal Works

Al Bowman Edward Jones

Port Townsend Elks Lodge

Discovery Physical Therapy

FRIENDS

Port Townsend Paddlesports

Strait Floors, Inc

The Orchestra thanks you for helping us in 2017 / 2018

The Port Townsend Music Boosters is a 501c3

organization

Po Box 1482 Port Townsend, WA 98368

or online donation @ www.ptmusicboosters.org

All donations are tax deductible EIN#911489523

The Blue Heron Orchestra students held a Rock-A-Thon fundraiser where they “rocked” in rocking chairs from 3-7 pm. They had a great time playing games and socializing with their friends while raising money to help for instrument repair, new music, instruction and future trips. Thanks to the awesome parents who donated their time to make this event a success and SPECIAL thanks to all the community members who gave to the cause!!!! We can’t make this program work without your generosity.

nowis

Finding An Agent That’s Right For You

One on One & small group instruction in order to take our students to the ‘NEXT LEVEL’

Port Townsend High School Academy of Music launches!

As our orchestra continues to grow and mature, we continuously look for ways to develop our students’ individual skills so that they can contribute to the overall success of our program. One way to do that this year has been to create our own ‘Academy of Music’ at PTHS. We are about halfway through our first 10 week academy session where High School Students have been working with instructors and coaches to develop their playing skills and individual musicianship. We have been able to put together a great team of instructors and we look forward to developing this program further. Matt McBride-Daline: Chamber ensemble coach and string consultant, Professor McBride graduated from PTHS and went directly to the Juilliard School of Music. We have been very fortunate to receive his expertise while he is back in PT on sabbatical from his full time position as Associate Professor of Strings at Bowling Green University. Maryann Tapiro: Cello coach, Maryann taught cello and played professionally in Seattle before moving to Port Townsend. She is now starting her own cello studio where she teaches children and adults and has also joined the PT Community Orchestra as cello section leader. Mike McLeron: Double-Bass coach, Mike taught music several years in Portland public schools before retiring to Port Townsend. He works with our bass section and plays in the PT Community Orchestra. Jane Stuessy: Violin coach, Jane has been a great addition this year helping our violin section. She is a classically trained violinist who played several years with the Flagstaff Symphony before moving to PT. Kristin Smith: Violin/Viola, Kristin has taught and played in Port Townsend for several years leading many programs in the area. She is currently starting a chamber ensemble program at Blue Heron and will be working with the HS orchestra violins and violas as well this year. Amelia Breithaupt: Viola mentor, Ameila graduated from the PTHS Orchestra program in 2017 and attends UW Tacoma as well as playing in the Port Townsend Community Orchestra. We are happy to have her helping our students on setting goals and individual practice techniques at PTHS and Blue Heron MS.

To contact the High School Academy of Music or the High School Orchestra, email or call:

Daniel Ferland Port Townsend HS Music Director

dferland@ptschools.org 360-379-4520