mcgary january 2013 newsletter
TRANSCRIPT
January 2013
Evansvi l le Vanderburgh School Corporat ion
McGary Middle School Newsletter
McGary School Contacts
Tammy Dexter, Principal
Dale Naylor, Asst. Principal
Shannon Strieter, Professional
Development Specialist
Mark Simon, Counselor
Theresa Schneider, Social Worker
Dianna Augustine, Principal’s
Secretary/Treasurer
Valerie Deutsch, Secretary
Sheree Edwardson, Nurse
Terri Goldman, Cafeteria Manager
Julie Mullen, Community and
Family Outreach Coordinator
www.evscschools.com
www.evscschools.com/mcgary
Home of the Pioneers!
Principal’s Corner
Dear McGary Parents, Families, and Friends,
Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holidays and that you and your
student are ready to embrace another semester of learning at McGary.
As of this week, we have less than 30 days until we take the first part of the
ISTEP+ test (the applied skills section), so we are ready to jump in and work hard!
Starting this week, all of our students have access to the Achieve 3000 program
which will help with English and language arts skills. Students will utilize the
program in their classes, but can log on at home as well. This program is designed
to increase reading comprehension scores and build skills to improve overall reading
levels. Additionally, we are piloting another program, SuccessMaker, which also
works on reading skills. Forty of our sixth graders will be working on this program
during the day; we will track their success to determine if we will purchase this
program for the rest of the school. Finally, we will also have Study Island available
to all students beginning next week. This program helps with science, social
studies, math and English. Students will be given access codes, and they can
work on this program at home as well. We are excited to offer these extra
resources to our students and hope they take advantage of the programs.
After school programming began the first week back. If your student has
not participated in our after school programs, I encourage you to take a look at
the offerings! Research shows that students who are involved in after school
programming have better overall attendance and increased grades!
Thank you for working with us to increase achievement at McGary. We are
always interested in ways to improve. Please let me know if you have suggestions,
comments or concerns.
Best Regards,
Tammy Dexter
Evansville Male Initiative
Congratulations to the members of The Evansville Male Initiative at McGary
Middle School. The purpose of this organization is to fight for ownership of loyalty,
respect, pride, and responsibility. The 2012-2013 officers include: President - Isiah
Baker; Vice President - Brandon Duncan; Chief of Communications - Blake Chism;
and Sergeant of Arms - Luis Rodriguez. Their sponsor is Mr. Tim Ferguson.
Attendance Procedure
If your child is ill, going out of
town, or will be late to school,
please call the school office at
476-3035 by 9 a.m.
JANUARY 2013 MCGARY MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
News From Your Social Worker
Strengthening Families Program Sign-Ups Now Being
Accepted
McGary Middle School and Youth First invite you and your family to participate in the Strengthening Families
program. This is a great program for great families like yours. The program is open to families with children ages
10-14 and begins on Tuesday, February 5th and ends on Tuesday, April 9th from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is a very
rewarding program that over 90% of parents who have participated would recommend to other parents!!! A dinner
is included for everyone in attendance, as well as a program, childcare, homework club and weekly prizes. If you are
interested in participating, or have questions, contact Theresa Schneider, Youth First Social Worker at 476-3035 or
FREE Children’s Vitamins
IGA Hometown Pharmacies are proud to announce their FREE Children’s Vitamin Program. Children’s
health and nutrition are as important as ever these days, so IGA would like to help the parents of youths ages
2 to 12 with an offer for FREE vitamins for them. EACH month, any child between the ages of 2 and 12 can
receive a FREE 30 count bottle of chewable multivitamins. All you have to do is go to any IGA Hometown
Pharmacy, sign your child up, and receive the vitamins at NO COST to you. After signing up for the program
you can either call, stop in, go through the drive thru window, or if you already have existing prescriptions
delivered from IGA, they will send the vitamins along as well. Buehler’s IGA has 6 convenient locations to
serve you, the closest in the McGary school district being located at 1550 Vann Avenue. If you have any
questions, please contact Buehler’s IGA Pharmacy at 469-7435.
St. Mary’s Medical Center Presents Fee Family Fun at cMoe
St. Mary’s in partnership with the Koch family Children’s Museum of Evansville (cMoe), is offering Free Family
Fun Night at the museum for children and families. The public is admitted FREE to explore the museum on six
occasion during 2013. In addition to access to the exhibits in the museum, information regarding “Building
Healthy Kids” will be offered and a new theme will be introduced at each of the six sessions to educate and
encourage healthy lifestyles for children. The dates and themes are: February 7 - Children’s Dental Health;
April 4 - Stress Awareness; June 6 - Safety ( i.e. bicycle safety, sun safety, seat belts); August 1 - Children’s Eye
Health; October 3rd - Children’s Environmental Health; December 5 - Germs! Disease Prevention (hand washing
awareness & Vitamin D). The Free Family Nights will occur on these dates from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the last
admittance being at 7:30 p.m. All children must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or over. Mark your calendars
now and plan to attend!!
JANUARY 2013 MCGARY MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Your McGary Cheer and Dance Connection
2012-2013 Dance Team Members
6th Grade
Ma’Kyre Angevine-Dow
Keona Brown
Bianca Collins
Meraiah Johnson
Haley Miller
7th Grade
Ma’Nya Adams
Alysha Hooks
Shataya Hostzclaw
I’Marianna Northington
Coach: Ms. Repuelo
8th Grade
Kaira Bauer
Nykia Collins
Meredith Hodges-Scarborough
2012-2013 McGary Cheer Team
Micayla Momon
Avyona Phillips
Ma’Naya Adams
I’Marianna Northington
Shataya Hostzclaw
I’Naya Brock
Diamond Turner
Coach: Ms. Henderson
Destiny Lerche
Alysha Hooks
Shayna Murray
Can You Help?
McGary Middle School is collecting toothbrushes for the Area Council PTA Clothing Bank. We have set a goal of
250 toothbrushes to be collected. The drive will continue through January 31st. If we meet or exceed our goal, we
will have a school-wide free dress day!!!
We have also begun to collect plastic lids that will be recycled and turned into benches and picnic tables for our
school. ANY plastic lid is accepted (i.e. butter dishes, detergent, soft drink, deodorant, etc.) Please send us all of
your plastic lids and help us beautify our school!!!
JANUARY 2013 MCGARY MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Classroom Helpers Needed
We are currently looking for a volunteer to help out in one of our classrooms 1-2 days a week from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
If this fits into your schedule and sounds like something you would be willing to do, please call Julie Mullen at
476-3035.
Did You Know??
Have you heard talk of the Community Health Center at Glenwood Leadership Academy (GLA)? You’re not the
only one. The USI Community Health Center opened on 1/9/2012 and provides primary health care services by a
family nurse practitioner. Their mission is to provide comprehensive health services to students, school staff,
the neighborhood and to the community that they serve. They accept Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance
plans, and offer a sliding fee when applicable for uninsured patients. Some of the services that are offered are
preventative care, immunizations, acute care services, physicals, health screenings, chronic disease management,
and well child care. They also provide women’s and men’s health care services. Appointments are preferred;
however, they do accept walk-ins when the schedule allows. On January 9, 2013, a new location will be added at
Cedar Hall Elementary School. The hours of operation are: Glenwood Community Health Center- Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed for lunch daily
from noon to 1 p.m. Cedar Hall Community Health Center-Wednesdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (starting on January
9th) closed for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. For questions and/or more information call (812) 435-0977.
Super Citizen of the Month
Congratulations to our Super Citizen of the month for the months of November and December. The November
Super Citizen of the Month was De’Ante Booker. De’Ante is an 8th grade student at McGary. He is an exceptional
student and involved in many extracurricular activities.
Courtney Skinner was our December Super Citizen. Courtney is also an 8th grader at McGary. She is also a
great student who is involved in Orchestra and will be a part of the Spring play here at McGary.
Congratulations to both of our Super Citizens!! Keep up the good work; we are proud of you!!
And the Winner is…..
Congratulations to Mr. Morrison’s homeroom who made a last minute push ahead and collected over 8,500
pennies for our Penny Wars. They will be treated to an ice cream party for their efforts. All the proceeds of the
Penny Wars will benefit the Tri-State Food Bank and aid them in their efforts to feed families during the holiday
season. McGary Middle School raised over $300 for this worthwhile charity!!
Health Tip of the Month
Researchers at Tufts University in Boston have come up with a way to calculate the antioxidant properties
of fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are believed to protect against heart disease and slow the aging process.
Seven “super” foods have been named for their health benefits, and consumers are urged not only to eat the
recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables a day but to choose these nutrient rich sources as well.
They are prunes, blackberries, blueberries, raisins, kale, strawberries, and spinach.
JANUARY 2013 MCGARY MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Theatre Arts News
Students from Ms. Gilbert’s Theatre Arts classes were involved in a series of architectural project discussions
during their recent field trip. The first stop was to the EVSC main offices on Walnut Street. Their “tour guide”
was Mr. Pat Tuley who is the Chief Facilities Officer of the EVSC. Mr. Tuley discussed the renovation of the
warehouse building. The conversion was instigated when the need was identified and justified by the school board
and the corporation. Our gracious guide then explained to the students how the project developed from architect’s
drawings to specifications, then bids, and finally work with contractors. He also described the “punch list” which
could change parts of the project when problems were discovered and how the cost estimate and work time esti-
mate changed because of these. He next described the move-in process.. Students toured the facility and when
asked what their favorite part was, one replied,“ I thought (it) would be boring, but there were orange and green
colored walls”. Another noted, “I was surprised at the cost of the building.” Students then traveled to CMOE for an
Artitude art lesson which included watching a video about the renovation and transformation of Central Library
into CMOE. The students were given a diagram of CMOE and asked to locate features within the museum from
this diagram and also created a 3D CMOE building. After a visit through historic downtown Evansville, the
students were taken to Garvin Park for a insiders look at the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center’s Fantasy of
Lights. The students learned that it takes over 3,500 hours by volunteers to put up and take down the displays
each year. They were then shown the newest addition to the light display which is a hummingbird and a flower,
donated by a family in memory of their daughter. What a fun-filled, exciting, and educational day!!!
Bethel Temple Beautification Day
McGary Middle School was treated to a beautification/clean up day courtesy of our community partnership with
Bethel Temple Church. Members of Bethel and teachers, staff, and students of McGary gathered at school on
Saturday November 6th for a day of hard work and fellowship. The school grounds were cleaned and beautified.
The results are AMAZING. If you have yet to see it, please stop by and look at the improvements.
Thanks, Bethel Temple!! We are grateful for you!!
Nominate the Outstanding Educator of the Year
The University of Evansville and the Evansville Courier and Press will once again be sponsoring the
Outstanding Educator of the year Awards. This program was established to acknowledge the dedication and
contributions make by our county’s educators. One person will be selected in each of the following categories:
Elementary Teacher of the Year, Middle School teacher of the Year, and High School Teacher of the Year. For
more information and to submit the nomination online, go to www.courierpress.com/educators.
JANUARY 2013 MCGARY MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Fabulous Family Nights and Community Partnership
As we enter a new year, the Family Engagement team at McGary would like to take this opportunity to thank
you for attending our Family Night events in 2012 and look forward to bringing you more fun and educational
nights in 2013. November’s Family Night was “Operation Family Fitness.” We had many community partners on
hand with important information on many different health and wellness issues. We also had lots of exercise
equipment set up for use and everyone had a great time. The night was capped off with a healthy snack of trail
mix. December’s Family Night was Cookies, Cocoa, and a Concert. The orchestra, band, and choir performed, and
we had Christmas cookies and Cocoa as a snack.
We also had the privilege of hosting the annual Horizon Homes Christmas Breakfast with the help of a Make a
Difference grant from Youth Resources. 13 residents from Horizon Homes Retirement Community were our guests
and were treated to a Christmas concert/sing along with the choir. Afterwards, they were served a home-cooked
breakfast. We played several games of bingo with prizes given to the winners. The smiles were abundant when
the bearded guy in red (Santa) arrived. Our guests were sent home with boxed lunches, a stocking of healthy
snacks, and gifts galore. We want to thank Youth Resources and Horizon Homes for making this special day
possible.
It has been our honor to serve you in 2012, and we look forward to more Family Events in 2013. Also, we
encourage you to take advantage of the Strengthening Families Program being offered by Mrs. Schneider that
begins in February.
Mrs. Mullen and Mrs. Ennis
News From the Cafeteria
Did you know EzSchoolPay.com is an easy, convenient and secure online option available to parents of any
student attending an EVSC school. Use EzSchoolPay.com to check your child’s meal account balance, to see if your
child ate regular or ala carte items, and sign up for lunch account low balance email reminders. All of these
services are free of charge. To deposit money on your child’s account using a Visa of MasterCard, there is a $2.50
charge per transaction added to your credit card. Using the site is easy. Please follow these steps to use this
service: Go to www.ezschoolpay.com and follow the prompts for “Parents Sign Up Now” to fill out the necessary
information. You will need your child’s 7 digit student ID number and the school zip code to set up an account. If
you do not have this information, please call the school cafeteria manager or the EVSC Food & Nutrition office at
435-8262. You will receive a confirmation e-mail. Follow the directions in the e-mail, and you will be logged in and
ready to manage your child’s school meal payments. If you have any questions or experience any problems setting
up your account, please contact McGary Cafeteria Manager Terri Goldman @ 476-3035.
JANUARY 2013 MCGARY MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Varsity
De’Ante Booker
Marcus Copeland
Darnell McIntosh
Elijah Parchman
Isaiah Baker
Quenton Taylor
Tylan Parrish
Brandon Duncan
Gammon Jackson
Remington Pate
Jordan Marshall
Luis Rodriguez
Tyrik Mimms
Davey Hughes
Junior Varsity
LaShawn Williams
Jacob McLaughlin
Jeremiah Thomas
Roman Harrison
Robin Duncan
Tywan Daniels
Montez Copeland
Brandt Hout
Eli Watt
Isaih Fingers
Deshawndrick Lockridge
2012-2013 Pioneer Basketball
Coaches: Mr. Lannan and Mr. Browning
Schedule
Thursday January 24-Glenwood- Home
Tuesday January 29-Cedar Hall-Home
Thursday January 31-Lincoln-Away
Tuesday February 5-Lodge-Away
Thursday February 7-Plaza Park-Away
Tuesday February 12-Washington-Home
Thursday February 14-Thompkins-Away
Tuesday February 19-Perry Heights-Home
City Tournament
February 21,25,27 and 28-Locations TBA