From the Principal’s Desk

Happy New School Year! On Tuesday, September 3, we opened our doors to 751 students. We have 232 sixth grade students, 269 seventh graders, and 250 eighth graders. We anticipate a successful school year for all of our students with the support of Parcells parents. New Staff Members: Please join me in welcoming the following new Parcells Panthers: Rachel Butler – Spanish Leslie Dollie – Life Skills Nadia Harris - Choir Shelleyann Keelean – English 8 Melissa Kifer—English 6 Laura Rasmussen – Strings Jacquelyne Sage-Phillips – SRC Amber Tourtillott – Art Eric Vanstone – Math 6 Christa Warner – Spanish Steven Wolf – Assistant Principal Back-to-School Night for parents will be Thursday, September 12, beginning at 7:00 pm. Reporting Student Absences Our student attendance absence phone line is available twenty-four hours a day at 313-432-4601. Absences should be called in before 8:00 am on the day of the absence. For early dismissals, students must bring a note to the office before school to receive an early dismissal pass. Homework Help Beginning Monday, September 16, “Homework Help” will be available to all Parcells students in the library. A Parcells teacher will be available three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday) from 3:20-4:20. Only students seeking homework help or a quiet place to study will be eligible to remain in the library. Homework Help will not be available during student vacations or days preceding Holidays/Vacations. Dr. Armstrong

GROSSE POINTE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

Parcells Newsletter

Each and Every Child, Each and Every Day

Important Dates in September

Sept. 12-New Parent Orientation

(Parents new to GPPS Schools)

@ 6 PM

Sept. 12—Back to School Night

@ 7 PM

Sept. 13-6th Grade Welcome Party

@3:30 pm

Sept. 16-Late Start Monday @ 9:05

AM

Sept. 17–Sept. 27 NWEA Testing

Sept. 23-Late Start Monday @ 9:05

AM

Sept. 25-8th Gr. Washington DC

parent meeting @ 6 PM in the

auditorium

Sept. 27-Student Photo Make Up

Day-beginning at 3:20 PM after

school.

Sept. 27-Raise the Roof Event

@ 7 PM Brownell Auditorium

Sept. 30-Late Start Monday @ 9:05

AM

**Please check the Parcells website calendar for updates and further event information. www.gpschools.org/parcells

September 2013 http://gpschools.schoolwires.net/gpparcells

From the Assistant Principal’s Desk-Mr. Wolf Hello Panther parents! I want to introduce myself in our first newsletter as the new Assistant Principal of

Parcells Middle School. I am very excited to be joining both Grosse Pointe Public Schools and Parcells Middle School. I am thrilled to be a part of this community as I know how strongly you value the meaningful relation-ships between our parents, students and faculty.

First, allow me to provide you with some brief background information. I am a Michigan native who has spent the last seven and a half years as a teacher and assistant principal in Raleigh, North Carolina. Before I left the state, I graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelors of Science in Education. I also ran track for the Chippewas, earning All-American honors my senior year in the high jump. When I began my teach-ing career in N.C. I taught high school AP Environmental Science and coached the varsity track team. I soon enrolled at North Carolina State University where I graduated with a Masters in School Administration. I spent the next two years as an administrator of both an International Bachelorette and a STEM high school. My wife and I then made the difficult decision this Spring to move back to Michigan. We wanted to be back near our family as we decided to start a family of our own. I’m now excited to announce that we are expecting twins this November!

My first month here in Grosse Pointe Public Schools has been exciting. I am inspired to work in a district that takes great pride in offering a world-class educational experience that meets the needs of each and every student. In the first month of school I have been familiarizing myself with our staff and students to cognize where I can make the greatest impact on student achievement and teacher growth. I plan on helping Parcells grow through my instructional leadership and positive behavioral support for our students. Parcells is a fantastic school and I only hope to help strengthen the outstanding programs we currently have. Go Panthers!

PTO Corner To those families that are returning to Parcells for the 2013-2014 school year, welcome back! And to those that are new to us, welcome aboard! The new school year is already beginning to take form. We have our next PTO Board meeting scheduled for Monday, September 16, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the school library. We still have some vacancies on the Board, if you’re interested in serving. Even if you’re not available to serve as a Board member, please stop by to visit anyway. The first PTO sponsored event, the Sixth Grade Welcome Party, is scheduled for Friday, September 13, 2013. It’s a great way for your child to re-kindle friendships with some of their elementary school acquaintances and to meet some new middle school friends. They also get a chance to share in a number of activities – all at a nominal cost. It’s an excellent opportunity to immerse themselves in Parcells Middle School. If any of us on the PTO Board can be of any assistance, please feel free to give us a call or send us an email. Our contact information is available on the school’s website. We’re all looking forward to a fun-filled, productive year.

September 16, 2013

October 21, 2013

November 18, 2013

DECEMBER/JANUARY* January 6, 2014

*This is a combined meeting for December AND January. There is no December PTO meeting.

FEBRUARY 10, 2014 (2nd Monday due to mid winter break)

March 17, 2014

April 14, 2014 (2nd Monday due to Spring Break)

MAY 22, 2014 (Honors Night Program)

JUNE 9, 2014 (if needed)

*There is NO PTO MEETING on May 19th. The PTO meets in May on Honors Night-May 22nd

Art News

Everything in life is created. The books we read, the furniture we sit on, and the car we drive. These things needed to be created by creative people. We need creative people to take us into the future and show us things that our generation has yet to achieve. The greatest inventors from around the world studied a various amount of subjects and the one thing that they all have in common is that they were creative enough to work through their problems and solve them. Although not all students will go on to become inventors or artists, they will be able to understand their world better, connect with themselves, and make a mark in this life. Visual art also communicates our diversity. Everyone is different, and it is our differences are what make us interesting. Famous art works are not necessarily better than others; however, they stand out from the others because they were different. I will inspire my students to express their individuality and put it to good use, motivating them to show the world something that we have never seen before. -Miss Tourtillott P.S. Hope you join Art Club! Keep a lookout for flyers with a starting date.

English News

The English Department would like to welcome two new teachers to Parcells. Melissa Kifer will be teaching 6th grade Narrative and Informational this year, and Shelleyann Keelean will teach 8th grade English and Honors English. You will also see some familiar faces in the classrooms: Dan Bens – 7th grade English and Honors English Erika Fell – 7th grade English, 8th grade English and Honors English Sean Kifer – 6th grade Informational, Broadcast Journalism, Journalism Pat Liverance – 6th grade Informational and Honors Narrative & Informational Brian McDonald – 6th grade Essentials, Academic Assistance Nan Sabella – 6th grade Essentials and 6th grade Narrative Crissy Therriault – 7th grade English

Math News

Parcells math teachers are looking forward to a fun and exciting year of learning. We have a couple of chang-es in our department this year. Welcome to Eric Vanston who will teach one 6th grade class and finishes his day at North High School. Jennifer DeFauw is now with us all day teaching one 6th grade class and several 7th grade classes. Our returning staff include Debra Duffey and Joe Ciaravino teaching 8th grade, Doris Krier and Holli McNally teaching 7th grade, and Chris Geerer and Linda McKinney teaching 6th grade.

Data from the Science Department:

Parcells students have moved quickly from their summer break into science mode. We are moving forward quickly with new initiatives that include more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) labs, data and graphing analysis, critical reading skills and authentic assessments. More to come on these initiatives as the year progresses! There are some new faces to the Parcells science department this year. We are very lucky to have Mrs. Gul-yas full time as our 7th grade honors and regular life science teacher, Ms. Kefgen to 8th and 6th grade science and a familiar face with a new name Mrs. Maison ( the former Ms. Verheye) teaching 7th grade life science. The Parcells Science Department looks forward to working with your student for the upcoming school year.

Social Studies News Welcome new 6

th graders and returning 7

th and 8

th graders. Please remember textbooks may be accessed

online by going to the Social Studies Department website on the Parcells webpage. The passwords are listed there along with other helpful websites. We are looking forward to and exciting year!

Student Council Dear Students, Student Council Applications must be turned in to Mr. McDonald or Miss Sobotka by Friday, September 13th. All interested students (including 6th graders) are welcome to participate! We're going to have fun, and we're going to make a difference. See Miss Sobotka or Mr. McDonald for a last-minute app!

Girls Volleyball Schedule September 12 - Parent Meeting 5:30 Room 130 BTSN is at 7:00 September 20- Shirt Party 5:30-6:30 Rooms 130 & 132 Pizza & Pop ~Bring Markers~ September 23- Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Warren Woods at Home 8th grade match follows September 25- Volleyball Match 4:30 vs. Kennedy at Home 8th grade match follows September 30-Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Peirce at Home 8th grade match follows October 2-Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Jefferson Away 8th grade match follows October 7-Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Brownell Away 8th grade match follows October 9-Volleyball Match 4:30 vs. South Lake Home 8th grade match follows October 14-Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Kennedy Away 8

th grade match follows

October 16-Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Pierce Away 8th grade match follows October 21-Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Jefferson Home 8th grade match follows October 23- Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Brownell Home 8th grade match follows October 25-Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. South Lake Away 8th grade match follows October 28- Volleyball Match 4:00 vs. Warren Woods Away 8th grade match follows

Update on the GPPSS Technology Bond The technology plan for our Grosse Pointe Public School System continues to develop. Board, community and teacher technology groups met over the summer to update and revise the plan. The board of education chose not to place bond language on the November ballot, but to first have the administration issue an RFQ for an architectural technology design. RFQ responses are

due September 20th and the administration will review these and submit a recommendation to the Board of Edu-cation in November. If plans proceed as anticipated, the board will vote on whether to place this on a February 25th ballot by December. While our meetings are open to the public, summer vacations have kept many from attending the subcommittee meetings or watching the televised board meetings where we discuss progress. We are not telling you how to vote, but are encouraging you to read the information posted on our website so you can make an informed decision. Please visit www.gpschools.org, under District Site Links, click “Technology Bond.”

There you will find the administration’s proposed budget, the RFQ, PowerPoints shared with the board and other working documents. Please note that these will change as the proposal continues to develop. Once we have final numbers we will use every communication tool at our disposal to share them with you. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call 313-432-3010. We would appreciate it if you share this with your friends and neighbors. Thank you for your active participation in our schools and for taking the time to learn about this proposal for the technological infrastructure to support 21st century learning, 1:1 learning devices, safety and security upgrades, and improvements in our business efficiency. Dr. Thomas Harwood Superintendent of Schools

The Grosse Pointe Public School System is grateful for its many community partnerships. To ensure we remain good neighbors with our partners in the Grosse Pointe Library System, we would like to take this opportunity to remind patrons of rules that will help us all utilize this community resource to its fullest potential. Just as in school, there are guidelines for behavior and supervision at our local libraries. The library has a doc-ument entitled “Guidelines on Behavior” that will be enforced. It is available for review at the Youth Desk, but here are a few highlights we would appreciate your help in maintaining: Visiting the GP Public Library

We encourage all patrons to work together in order to ensure a safe, positive learning environment. Loitering outside the library, or excessive entrance and exit, is disruptive to this environment which is de-

signed to support study, reading and other quiet activities. Please remember the Woods branch parking lot off Mack Avenue is locked during drop-off (7:30-8:30 a.m.)

and pick-up time (2:45-3:30 p.m.) for the safety of our children. Our libraries, particularly the Woods branch, are busiest from 3:15-5:30 p.m., so it may be helpful for other

patrons to visit at non peak hours. Children under the age of 9 cannot be left unattended. Guardians or caregivers must be age 13 or above

themselves to watch younger students in the library. The library staff is not responsible for supervision of your children. Childcare is available for a fee through the GPPSS Kids Club and details can be found at www.gpschools.org or by calling 313-432-3067.

Computer Use

Students need a valid library card or knowledge of their card number to use computers. Livetutor.com is available free of charge from 3-10 p.m. every day of the week. Computer use is limited to 30 minutes to ensure equitable access. Only one student is allowed to sit at a computer. No food or drinks are allowed at the computer. Students may bring their own earphones to use with computers; the library does not provide these. Printing is available from youth computers for a small fee (10¢ per black and white page, $1 for color).

Working Together

An expired library card or excessive fees may prevent patrons from using the computers or borrowing ma-terials.

Any patron, including students, with a pattern of disruptive behavior will be banned from the library. To keep track of library usage in those busy times, student patrons will be asked to sign in for programming

or quiet study using their library card. Please remember, this is our community library. Working together, parents, students, community members, and library and school personnel will maintain a positive library environment and experience for all.

G.P. Public Library Woods Branch STEP Calendar September 2013

GOT HOMEWORK? NEED EXAM STUDY GUIDES? SEEKING CAREER HELP?

www.gp.lib.mi.us – FREE with your Grosse Pointe Public Library Card

Student Center K-12 Live Tutor Daily 3-10 p.m.

English ~ Math ~ Science ~ Social Studies

College Center for Entrance Exams ~ Graduate School Exams ~ Other Tests

Adult and Career Center with Standardized Tests ~ State Tests ~ Career Help

24/7 Skills Resources Center