Welcome Back!

From the Principal

I LOVE the opening of school!  The excitement and energy that the kids bring is contagious and even after 19 years of opening school it is just as fun for me now as the first year!  I hope you have had a wonderful summer, made memories with your children, and are ready to join us at school!

Our goals this year (& every year) are about improvement.  We want our students to be successful, and we will continue to work to improve our instructional program to support student success. This quest for student achievement is true of all schools in our State.  At Madrona our holistic philosophy causes us to seek improvements in not only our academic mission, but also in all areas in which we support the growth and learning of children. We definitely want our children to meet academic standards, but we also want to encourage and nurture their personal potential in their social/emotional/character development.  Our vision is to be a school where we are mindful of “the whole child.” 

Our Leadership Team of teachers has been working to refine and evolve our vision of holistic education and we will be having conversations throughout the year about this vision.  We want to be sure that you are included in that conversation, so look for a survey and perhaps some meeting opportunities during the year this year where you can provide input.  Ultimately, as a school of choice in our district, we want to ensure that we are growing and evolving to meet the needs of our students.  I’m excited about this work!

Our other goals for this year include our “Umbrella Goal” which is about teaching thinking skills and embedding metacognition (thinking about your thinking) strategies throughout all content areas.   Our literacy goal will continue to focus on improving our reading and writing instruction through the workshop approach.  We will continue our parent information evening opportunities in literacy and math this year. We had great feedback about those events and we hope you will join us!  Finally, our goal in the area of learning environment is to continue our work with character education and in developing a culture of respect and personal responsibility in our school community. We will continue our Tribes program, we hope to offer a book study for parents and staff and we will of course be encouraging our families’ participation in focusing on each monthly attribute of character.  Our attribute for the month of September is RESPECT.  We will be focusing on respect of self, of others and of the environment.

I warmly welcome each of you back to school and I look forward to seeing you here throughout the year in support of your student and all students at Madrona!

Happy New Year!!

– Lynda

MIT Co-Chair’s Corner

Welcome back to school!  Realizing that parents’ brains are just as eager to soak up new stuff as their kids’ are, we are going to bombard you with valuable information now, and continue to do so until the end of the year.

First, let me introduce myself – I am the new parent co-Chair of the Madrona Integrated Team (MIT), and will be sharing the chair with teachers Barb Jensen and Steve Escandon.  My husband and I have a daughter in the Summit Center, and I have been serving on the MIT Board as Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer for the past 3 years.  It will be hard to fit into Sarah DeMun’s shoes, but I’m going to try.  Kim Magaña is the new Volunteer Program Manager, and she’ll introduce herself to you later in this issue of Bear Facts.

Madrona provides a terrific opportunity for our kids to get the best that public school education can offer.  I am a huge fan of public schools, as I feel they best mirror our society. But I also want to make sure our kids to get the most out of the experience, and that can be accomplished by families and friends who are involved in all aspects of school.  Madrona allows us to do that, by warmly welcoming the contribution and commitment of volunteers in all aspects of school life.

One of the most significant ways families support their kids is by supplementing the dollars spent by the school district.  Lack of adequate funding from the Federal and State governments means that, without our direct contribution, many of the activities we enjoyed as children would be denied our kids.  MIT acts as the bank for the money that you pay to support those activities.

MIT also has a goal of raising (and spending) $56,000 this year, on educational materials, the school library, the music program, the tech lab, scholarships and social activities.  We do this by selling gift wrap, maintaining a scrip program (see a separate piece about this below), and through our direct donation fundraiser, All for Kids.  MIT is a registered 501c3 not-for-profit organization, so donations are deductible and eligible for employer matching.

 Names, phone number and email addresses for this year’s MIT Board members are in this newsletter, and will be posted on the Bear Facts website as well.

MIT business meetings are tentatively scheduled for the 2nd or 3rd Tuesday of every month, with a couple of exceptions.  The first meeting is one of those exceptions:  it will be held on Thursday, September 13th at 7 PM in the the library (updated Sept. 12).  Come early to enjoy snacks and peruse the items for sale through the Innisbrook gift wrap fundraiser.  I look forward to seeing you there.

- Linda Hood

What the heck is MIT, anyway?

We all know how important it is to our kids and Madrona to enjoy the high level of parent participation and volunteering that we have.  Madrona was founded with the expectation that teachers and parent volunteers would work together to provide a terrific learning environment for our children.

Many schools in the Edmonds school district try to incorporate volunteers in the classroom, but it is really on a hit-or-miss basis.  Partly this is because a culture of volunteering is not at those schools.  Teachers are unable to predict when parents will be in the classroom, nobody exists to schedule regular volunteer time, and the teachers are often expected to train each new volunteer who comes along. This adds up to more work for the teachers, instead of less.

Classroom volunteer coordinators at Madrona take the responsibility of scheduling, training, and basically supervising the parent volunteers the many parents who are willing to donate their time.  The volunteer coordinators also oversee the collection of information in the classrooms, make sure that paperwork is completed for field trips and any other special activities, and do basic bookkeeping for the classrooms.

Madrona Integrated Team

Business Meetings

2007--08 School Year

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings will be held in the library at 7:00 PM

• September 13st (Thur) (Annual Meeting in the library (updated Sept. 12))
• October 16th (Tues)
• November 13th (Tues)
• December 18th (Tues)
• January 15th (Tues)
• February 12th (Tues)
• March 18th (Tues)
• April 15th (Tues)
• May 13th (Tues)
• June 10th (Tues) *subject to N. Brossoit Availability

MIT’s Annual Meeting

MIT will meet on Thursday September 13th at 7:00pm in the the library (updated Sept. 12). Your MIT representatives will be introduced and the board will be ratified. Lynda Fischer will introduce the teaching staff. There will refreshments, ID badge pictures, and our Volunteer Fair before it, plan on attending.

More on MIT

Madrona also has the benefit of having the Volunteer Program Manager, which is a paid position in charge of overseeing all the volunteer activities happening at the school. This position, currently ably filled by Kim Magana, has to have a finger on the pulse of not only all the classrooms, but all the other activities in the school, and is an important liaison to the school’s administration as well.

When the school was established, it was decided not to join the PTA. This was partly due to a desire by the founding teachers, administrators and parents, to have more influence over the activities at the school, and also to be able to raise money to supplement the funds provided by the school district. MIT, the Madrona Integrated Team, was the name eventually chosen for the parent teacher student association.

MIT is a Washington State not-for-profit corporation, recognized under federal tax code 501c3. It is a non-profit so that we can solicit grant money and charitable donations. People who give money to MIT can write their donations off, and they can request matching donations from their employers. Matching funds make up a significant portion of All For Kids income.

We have 3 big fundraising activities at Madrona School. There is the scrip program, which generates around $16,000 annually. We have all experienced gift wrap, which is the big Fall fundraiser projected to bring in another $16,000. And there is All For Kids, the matchable charitable donation arm of our fundraising activities, which is 100% deductible. All these activities raise around $56,000 per year. Your checks, made out to MIT, are put into a big pot and distributed to those areas where we found the most support to be needed. About 1/3 of the money raised every year goes directly into classrooms, in the form of special learning materials or supplies that teachers cannot buy with the supply money collected from parents. This is allocated equally, based on the number of Full Time Equivalent teachers in every classroom.

Twenty percent of what MIT collects goes to pay the Volunteer Program Manager, without whom volunteer activities at Madrona would fall apart. The balance is spent on the Library, the Tech Lab, music programs, subsidizing the after-school enrichment programs, and cultural and fun events.

Money that is collected for specific purposes in the classrooms is also banked by MIT. This has the advantage of making money available to teachers and classrooms when they need it, independent of when all the needed money is collected. Teachers aren’t allowed to handle cash, and classroom volunteers often don’t want the added responsibility of managing large amounts of money for the class.

So really, MIT exists to make school life for teachers and parents easier. Every parent-involved activity that happens at Madrona is an MIT activity because it is funded by MIT. But the answer to the question “What the heck is MIT anyway?” is, “Whatever we make of it”. Thank you to all the teachers, parents, administrators, kids and staff who make Madrona strong. Your work for and in the school means so much to so many.
– Linda Hood

Volunteering at Madrona

Volunteers - The lifeblood of MIT

When you walk through the halls at Madrona, you probably see the same faces nearly every day, manning tables, running copiers, carrying papers from classroom to classroom, and creating art displays. Although you might think they are paid staff, many of those faces belong to parent volunteers, who just happen to spend nearly as much time at the school as some staff members. In one way, this is great: those volunteers can be relied on to know the best way to get a lot done at the school.

But another, more negative, view is this: someday, those volunteers’ kids are going to graduate from Madrona, and they will move on to the next school with its volunteering needs. Then what?

Unless we have a continuous inflow of new volunteers who can learn from the veterans, Madrona’s programs and our kids will not have the manpower support they need in order to succeed. So if you are already donating some of your valuable time to school, THANK YOU, and please consider recruiting some other parents for just one little project. They may discover how much fun it is, and get hooked!

MIT always has a need for parent and staff and student volunteers for uncounted activities during the year. As a matter of fact, we try to make it even easier to participate, by scheduling MIT meetings in the evening, so that parents who work outside the home can both attend and hold leadership positions. If you haven’t attended an MIT meeting recently, please consider coming to the next general meeting, on Thursday, September 13th. We have great snacks and lively conversation, and really get a lot done for the school and our kids.
– Linda Hood

Community Volunteers Needed

Madrona currently offers a Reading Buddies program for eligible Primary Students. Students in grades 1 thru 3 are matched up with an adult Community Volunteer for oral reading practice once per week for 30 minutes during school hours. The primary student reads aloud to the adult volunteer, getting help, practice and positive feedback in return.

The students benefit with increased fluency levels and establishing a friendship with an additional adult who cares about their reading progress.

All of our volunteers from last year expressed interest in returning again this year. They looked forward to their weekly meetings and to establishing a friendship with their young buddies.

Are you part of a local organization that would like to volunteer at our school on a weekly basis? Do you have friends or additional family members that might be interested in helping out in this program? Please contact Shana Lipscomb at 425-776-9454 for more information. Fall Reading Buddies will begin sometime in October and will run on a Trimester Basis. Thank you for your help!
– Shana Lipscomb

Volunteer Fair & MIT Business Meeting

Everyone is welcome to join MIT for its Volunteer Fair & first business meeting of the year on September 13th beginning at 6pm in the Madrona the library (updated Sept. 12).  All students, teachers, staff members & parents are MIT members and there is no membership fee.

• Enjoy a dessert buffet while you learn more about the activities & events MIT is planning for this school year.
• The Rep from Innisbrook will be there with a display of items MIT will be offering during our Fall Fundraiser(kicking off September 14th).
• Meet Madrona teachers & staff as well as your MIT Representatives!
• Get Volunteer I.D. badges     - Stay for MIT’s first business meeting of the year beginning at 7pm.

– Kim Magana

Volunteer Program Manager

Madrona has a new Volunteer Program Manager for the 2007-08 school year. Kim Magaña will be replacing our awesome outgoing VPM Shana Lipscomb.  If you have any general questions about Madrona or about volunteering contact Kim at 425-431-2911 or kimmagana@msn.com. Her office is in the library.

Our Fundraising Partners

Albertson’s Community Partners

Since 2003, Madrona has received a quarterly check from Albertson’s Community Partners Program, generated by people who shop at Albertson’s and use their Preferred Savings cards.  If you shop at Albertson’s, sign up at the scrip table or register online at   www.albertsons.com/cp.

Campbell’s Labels for Education

Campbell’s Soup Company has a label clipping program which has purchased hundreds of dollars’ worth of sports equipment for Madrona School over the past few years.  In the case of Campbell’s labels, look for the Campbell’s Kid near a UPC code, and cut off this part of the label, with the full UPC code intact.  Please note that the front labels for Campbell’s without the UPC doesn’t work.  The UPC is the only part that is needed.  Our first deadline is in October so bring those in to the containers in the family room or by the office.  Look for UPC codes on Pepperidge Farm products as well.  Thank you! - Tracy Langlie

General Mills’ Boxtops for Education

Labels that look like this are on most products sold by General Mills.  Each of these pieces of paper, usually found on the top of a box (hence the name) is worth ten cents to Madrona School.  While each label isn’t worth much, since 2002 we’ve collected over $3000 to support the school. General Mills, Betty Crocker, Ziploc and Kleenex are participating household brands.

Target’s Take Charge of Education

Through the Take Charge of Education program, Target will donate an amount equal to 1% of Target Visa and Target Guest Card purchases made at Target and target.com, and 1/2% of Target Visa purchases made elsewhere, to the eligible K-12 school of your choice, subject to Take Charge of Education program rules. For some schools, that’s over $10,000 a year.  http://target.com/tcoe  provides more information about the program

Boxtops4Education.com

This program was created to give money back to participating schools.  While collecting labels is good, making online purchases is better!  For all those who do major purchases for work, home, or gifts, using the Boxtops4Education portal returns between 2 and 5% of the money you spend to the school.  There are hundreds of retailers participating, including magazine subscription services, Dell Corporation, Office Depot, Barnes & Noble, and Oriental Trading.  The trick with this program is that you must always use the Boxtops4Education portal in order to get credit for the school.  This takes a little education, but is well worth it.  Tip:  you can use your scrip to pay for merchandise you buy online – MIT gets a double bonus from both the scrip purchase and the Boxtops 4 Education reward!  To sign up, go to:  www.boxtops4education.com .

WaMoola for Schools®

With the WaMoola for Schools® Program, you can support your favorite school every time you make a purchase with your Washington Mutual Visa® Check Card.  Enroll and earn points with every purchase where Visa® debit cards are accepted – use it for groceries, movies, travel and everyday stuff.  At the end of every year, Washington Mutual donates cash based on the points you’ve earned for the school of your choice.  You pay nothing to enroll and there are no limits to the points Madrona can earn. http://www.wamoolaforschools.com/how_it_works.aspx

Office Depot

Buying school or office supplies? Give the cashier at Office Depot Madrona School’s ID 70106275.  Or go through the Boxtops4Education.com portal described above to get to the Office Depot web page, and check the “Want to give 5% to your school” box on the order confirmation page. Select Madrona Elementary School in Edmonds (ZIP 98020), and your purchases will be credited to Madrona’s bonus program.

More about Fundraising & Other Info

Innisbrook Fall Fundraiser

The Madrona Integrated Team's Fall Fundraiser is scheduled to kick-off on Monday, September 17th.  Fundraiser Catalogs and Packets will go home with students on Friday, September 14th.  Students will attend an all-school assembly on Monday, September 17th to learn more about the fundraiser and answer any questions. 
 
Madrona hopes to make $20,000 from this fundraiser.  These funds make up a significant portion of MIT's budget which covers such worthy items as Before and After School Enrichment Classes, Musical Equipment, Technology Equipment, Books for our Library,  Supplies for our Classrooms, Assemblies and Guest Lecturers for our Students, Art Funding, Scholarship Money and more.
 
MIT has chosen to again use Innisbrook Wraps for its Fall Fundraiser.  You can check out their website for a preview of items at www.innisbrook.com.  Our school code is 101658.  Plan to attend the first MIT meeting of the year on the evening of Thursday, September 13th.  The Representative from Innisbrook will be there with a display of items and to answer any questions you might have.
 Mark your calendars:  Order forms will be due no later than Tuesday, October 2nd. Thank you for supporting Madrona and MIT!  Remember, Madrona earns 50% profit on all sales!!  We hope to reach our Fall Fundraiser goal with your help!
– Shana Lipscomb

More Ways to Raise Funds

Attention Albertson’s Shoppers

If you shop at Albertsons, please register your Community Partner Card at www.albertsons.com.  Each quarter, Albertson’s sends us a check for a percentage of the profits from the cards.  Remember to also buy Scrip gift cards to shop with and earn even more for the school!

Attention Safeway Shoppers

If you shop at Safeway, please register your Safeway card with www.eScrip.com to earn even more money for our school. Our group ID# is 8564372 (you will need this when your register your card).   Each month, eScrip will deposit a percentage of sales for everyone who has registered.  Buy Scrip gift cards at Madrona and earn even more profit for our school!
– Linda Park

WAMU School Savings

School banking is provided by Washington Mutual with free savings accounts for students.  Parent Gwen Anderson runs our Madrona program.  School banking is every Wednesday 8:50 – 9:20 AM, in the cafeteria, beginning September 19th.  Enrollment kits for all the kindergarten and new students will be available the first week of school.  Any questions, contact Gwen Anderson at gwenmand@hotmail.com, or 425-741-6542.  Thank you!
– Gwen Anderson

All for Kids

“All for Kids” fundraiser works year round to bring music, art, tech and needed academic supplies & support to the classroom.  100% of your contribution goes to these programs & all your donations are fully deductible from your income taxes.  We also have the opportunity to double your contribution.  Many employers will match you dollar for dollar through their corporate giving campaigns.  With your matching gifts last year we were able to make a real difference.  Don’t forget to include Madrona in your donations for this year!  Send your donations into the office marked “All For Kids” or mail them to “All For Kids”, Madrona School K-8, 9300 236th Street SW, Edmonds, WA, 98020. 

For more information about “All for Kids” or to see if your company matches donations, contact Lisa Hollek  lisahollek@comcast.net. 
– Lisa Hollek

Madrona’s Do Not Release Information Form

During the year the Madrona Integrated Team (MIT), the Madrona administration, and individual classrooms would like to, on occasion, use photographs, media broadcast presentations, or the names of students either in printed materials or on some of the Madrona based websites. If you DO NOT want your child’s picture, name, or your name to appear in a Madrona School publication, please turn in this form (also found in your first day packet) as soon as possible. If you do not return this form to the main office, Madrona will assume we have your permission to use your child’s picture, name, or your name any Madrona’s publications.

These publications are distributed to Madrona families only. Internet publications will be password protected or edited so as to limit identification. The publications / websites are: The Madrona Phone Directory, The Madrona Bear Facts Newsletter, MIT’s All for Kids Fundraiser Brochure, The Madrona Yearbook, MIT Bear Facts Website, Classroom Websites, Classroom Rosters.
– Sarah DeMun

About Our Parking Lot & Other Important Issues

Madrona’s Parking Lot

The first days of school mean huge traffic jams in our parking lot. Be patient and courteous, especially since there will be new parents that haven’t experienced our parking lot yet! Plan on arriving a little early to avoid being tardy.

There are always two crossing guards to help parents and children cross safely in the morning and afternoon. Parents as well as children must ALWAYS cross at the crosswalks!

Remember that there are two lanes moving at the same line as you circle the lot. The outside lane is for those parents that want to drop-off their children at the curb in front of the school (don’t EVER park at the curb and leave your car – this lane should be moving continuously). Always pull forward as soon as you can while in this lane. The inner lane is for those parents that are looking for parking spaces or are trying to leave.

At the end of the day when you line up in the outside lane, try to be courteous & leave a few spaces available for those who need to park. You can always move forward as they fill up. Click here to read more and to see a diagram.

Riding the Bus

Because our parking lot is so congested each morning and afternoon, we encourage you to have your child take the bus to school. Madrona is considered a ‘choice school’ and therefore doesn’t have buses that come from your neighborhood directly to the school. Your child can catch a bus going to Madrona from your neighborhood school. For more information contact the Transportation department at 425-431-7230. Or click here for more information.

Important Office Info You Need to Know

Madrona’s Main Number: 425-431-7979  Report absences or to speak with the office staff. Kelly Carlson is the secretary at the Front Desk and Sherie Wahl is our Office Manager.

Early Dismissals 

If your child needs to leave Madrona before 3:40pm please go to the Office first and sign them out; then have Kelly call the classroom to release your child.

Tardiness  

If your child gets to Madrona after the 9:10 am bell, have them go to the Office to get a Tardy Slip from Kelly before they enter their classroom

Parent ID’s  

Any adult that is visiting or working at Madrona needs to wear an ID badge. Badge pictures will be taken at the Volunteer Fair on September 21st.  Please make sure to get an ID badge. 

Wednesday Mail

Mail will be distributed on Wednesdays to all of the classrooms and middle school mailboxes. This year MIT is hoping to scan onto its website all of the non-school mailings. It is our goal to reduce the amount of mail by having only Madrona and school district mailings going home on Wednesdays. All non-school mail will be available in the Family Room for those people who would like a copy.

Madrona Behavior Policies and Expectations

The Parent-School Connection

Each August a group of Madrona parents & staff get together to review our behavior policies & expectations which are sent out to families during the first week of school.  This work began in the summer of 2002, when the team met to develop a behavior management plan which would promote a caring, respectful, & safe learning environment for every student at Madrona.  Each August since, this plan has been reviewed & revised as a living document.  The yearly review ensures that behavior expectations exist at Madrona which support the original intent of the plan, connect us to the character education work we’ve been immersed in for the past five years, & determine if any policies or practices are in need of revision.

While this pamphlet is thorough, we’re not always able to provide additional explanation about specific policies and/or changes we’ve made.  I’d like to highlight areas that: 1) most frequently create confusion for students and/or parents, 2) involve issues we’ve noticed are on the rise in recent years, and 3) discuss any areas our review committee focused on this year.

Commonly confused issues:  Bullying & harassment

The Madrona Behavioral Expectations booklet states that: “All students are asked to immediately report instances of threat, intimidation, harassment, bullying or physical violence.  All such reports shall be responded to as appropriate by Madrona staff.  Parents of children involved in such behaviors will be notified.  Parents of students who are physically hurt during a conflict will be notified.”

Reporting bullying or harassment situations to staff immediately is very important.  When this happens, Madrona staff members are able take action & stop the bullying or harassing behavior immediately.  The most common barrier to this is an absence of information from students or other witnesses.  If your son or daughter can identify a Madrona staff member & report bullying issues immediately to them, it allows the staff member to investigate & take action ensuring a safer environment for your child.  If a student doesn’t report, shares the information at home but not at school, or doesn’t share until days later, it becomes more difficult for our staff to gather the facts & take appropriate action.  A helpful plan for your child is to have he or she identify a Madrona staff member to report to, if they feel they are bullied or harassed. 

It’s also helpful to talk to children about what bullying is & is not.  All Madrona students spend time in their centers & classrooms during the school year discussing bullying behavior & how to respond to bullies.  Our school counselor, Sharyn Entrop, also visits centers & classrooms throughout the year to talk about the importance of reporting & confronting bullying or harassment behavior.  If your child isn’t sure that what he or she is experiencing is bullying, they can always talk to their teacher, our school counselor, or other Madrona staff members.  Like academics, a child’s social & emotional learning is developmental. As adults it’s helpful for us to remember that learning how to interact with others in a social environment can be challenging & students need guidance, just as they do when learning new academic concepts.  If we can guide a child’s understanding of social interactions, knowing that they will continue to grow in their ability to act on cues and other children’s actions, we allow them to develop resiliency and the confidence to call out bullying behavior when it arises.

Electronics policy

Please take a few moments to read through our electronics policy at Madrona.  There are often questions about the use of cell phones and i-pods/portable listening devices at school.  If your family is familiar with this policy it makes deciding what to bring to school and what to leave at home easier. 

On the rise:  Technology and media use-  With many new forms of technology ending up in the hands of children each school year we are beginning to see familiar problems in new forms.  Text messaging is one technology that has increased a great deal in the past couple of years.  Text messaging itself is not a problem unless it takes place during school hours or when the content of text messages take a disrespectful tone.  We had a number of discipline issues last year where individual students sent inappropriate, disrespectful, or harassing text messages to other students. This behavior can be considered a form of bullying or harassment.  A lack of face to face contact with others seemingly provides some people permission to say disrespectful things towards others without having to immediately respond to that victim.  It is more common for students to use text messaging in a respectful way, but we have seen more issues coming into the office in this area.

Other forms of media/technology on the increase are “Myspace.com” accounts or other personalized accounts.  Students sometimes use these accounts unmonitored by adults & inappropriate or disrespectful posting can become information viewed by large numbers of students.  These postings do lasting damage to relationships & trust in our community.  Please take the time to check in with your child about his or her conversations with other children through the use of technology.  This is a great opportunity for guidance and teachable moments. 

Areas of focus this year  An expectation for action -  Besides an increased awareness of technology & media issues, this year’s team of parents & staff want to emphasize the need for community action & support of others in need.  In a developmentally appropriate way, the team hopes that students witnessing acts of disrespect will take action by telling an adult or reporting the event.  This way support can be provided & disrespect can be addressed. 

We hope that when Madrona’s Behavior Policies pamphlet arrives, you will take the time to discuss these expectations with your child before signing & returning the inserted contract.  These expectations help students, staff & families to collaborate, supporting the healthy social & emotional development of students in a safe environment.  If you have any questions please contact Craig Baldwin @7981 or Lynda Fischer @7982 in the Madrona office.
- Craig Baldwin

Kayla Places First in all Events!

This summer I went to watch a swim meet that Kayla Wheeler participated in.  I have been working with her swimming since she was in Kindergarten. Kayla Wheeler swam in the 2007 National Junior Disability Championships which was held in Spokane.

Swimmers from all over the nation participated in this event.  Kayla placed first in all of her events, (25 yard freestyle, 25 yard breaststroke, and the 50 meter freestyle).  Kayla swims once or twice a week to continue with her competitive swimming.
– Lib Rust

Attribute of Character for September Respect

“That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong.”
- William J. H. Boetcker

New Bear Facts Web!

There are a lot of new features in the just rebuilt Madrona Bear Facts Web site (http://madronabearfacts.com), but the main focus of being your reliable source of information about Madrona has not changed. The site has been rebuilt from the ground up using strict Web standards, which should make the content quicker to access and available to you no matter what browser you use. Some of the structure has changed, so if you bookmarked a page from the old site it may not work with the new. Please contact me if you have suggestions or concerns about the Web site. The Web site will be updated constantly with fresh information. Keep checking back through out the year. One of the new features is a Frequently Asked Questions page, which will grow and change as we get inquiries. That means we need you to participate - as every parent should at Madrona! You also have easy access to the Madrona School Handbook with its online version on the site. I'll once again call your attention to the online Calendar. It's a great way to check on Madrona events and meetings. You can contact any MIT Board Member if you have an event to add to the online Calendar.
- Allan Townsend, MIT Communications Director

Madrona Internet Safety Event

"National statistics show that 35 million children from kindergarten to grade 12 have Internet access. One in seven youth ages 10 to 17 received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet." -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo

Madrona’s technology committee will be hosting an Internet safety assembly and parent evening early this fall. In preparation for this event, the technology committee would like to form a short term focus group to discuss current issues and plan for the parent evening (Thursday, November 29th @ 6:30) and school assembly (Monday, December 3rd @ 9:30).  The first Internet Safety Focus Group meeting will take place on Tuesday October 2nd @ 7 pm in the tech lab. The Parent iSafe program will guide our agenda and follow-up discussion. We invite all interest parents to join us!  Parents interested in learning more about Internet safety & responsibility can visit Madrona’s tech technology page and checkout out Internet Safety links: http://staff.edmonds.wednet.edu/madrona/tech/teacherweblinks.htm#internetsafety

Tuesday Oct. 2nd @ 7:00pm: Internet Safety Focus Committee (questions may be directed to Monica Edwards, edwardsmo@edmonds.wednet.edu) Thursday, Nov.  29th @ 6:30: Internet Safety parent evening with guest Snohomish County Detective Lee Malkow Monday, Dec. 3rd @ 9:30: Madrona school assembly *note: grade levels attending are yet to be determined

“As Internet use in the United States continues to rise, so does the concern over Internet safety. Internet crimes, including cyberstalking, cyberbullying, child pornography, Internet fraud, and identity theft are problems that Internet users now face.” -National Criminal Justice Reference System
- Monica Edwards                         

Center News

What your teachers did this summer!

From Lib Rust (1/2 Day Kindergarten & PE): 

My summer was full of bicycling, hiking and swimming.  I began the summer with a bicycle trip in Germany, followed by hiking in Chamonix France.  (The picture is showing the beautiful mountains in Chamonix.)  In mid July, I participated in an 11 mile relay swim across Lake Tahoe.  In August, I bicycled for seven days, (430 miles) in Idaho.

From Steve Escandon (former Batcave): 

My family and I had a wonderful summer filled with trips to Guadalajara, Mexico and Whistler, Canada. I also kept busy painting houses with Mr. Stee from the Tri-Center. Lastly, I have enjoyed getting to know my new teaching partner Penny Nichols and look forward to a wonderful year with our students who will be choosing a new center name when school begins.

From Jeanice Johnson (Ohana): 

This summer was a busy one!  My husband & I went to Europe and ate baguettes under the Eiffel Tower, admired magnificent pieces of art in London, and munched on cheese while enjoying picturesque views of the flower and bicycle lined canals in Amsterdam…and on & on….!

From Deborah Buduan (former MoB):  

Wow!  There have been a lot of changes in room 18/19 over the summer, not the least of which being the name.  After much searching and thought, we settled on a name that was derived from our Northwest culture. The center formerly known as Mo-B is now officially the Paw-Sal-Cha’l center.  Paw-Sal-Cha’l means one-two-three in the Salish/Upper Chehalis language.  In addition to the new name, our center has a new teaching team.  Deborah Buduan, who has been part time in the center for the last three years, is now teaching full time.  Johanna Kalmus will be partnering with Deborah.  Johanna comes to us from Sherwood Elementary where she taught 6th grade last year. Johanna and Deborah have been very busy this summer, working hard to plan a fun and exciting year for everyone.  They’ve also done a little bit of re-arranging...okay...a lot of re-arranging.  There have been some exciting changes to the classroom!  It may take a little bit of getting used to for our returning second and third years, but we think everyone will love the new look.  We hope everyone is ready for a great year!

Staff Star

Paula Donahue joined Madrona as a learning support teacher 14 years ago!  She has been a teacher for 28 total years and continues to love the “aha” moments for students.  Paula’s favorite thing about Madrona is being part of such a “dedicated and talented team.”  When not working with students at school, Paula enjoys her family, sports (watching and playing) reading and travel.  We know we would not be the same without Paula’s many talents at work for students at Madrona!

From the Music Room - #22

Ms. Jensen is excited to help students get "movin' and groovin" in the Music Room! There will be singing and instrument playing and dancing and lots of fun!  A new show for the primary students! And the Intermediate Choir will begin rehearsing on Tuesday, Sept. 18th in the Choir Room at 8 am.  MS Choir is growing again and we have MANY performing opportunities waiting for us.   "Sing"-cerely, 
-Ms. Jensen

A Note From The Nurse

Vision and hearing screening for grades K-3, 5, and 7 will be on September 18th.
– Jennifer May, RN, BSN

Middle School Information

Camp Hamilton

All of middle school will be going to camp September 26th thru 28th.  Parent chaperones are needed. There is no cost to the chaperones but they must have their current year’s Volunteer Paperwork filled out (can be found in the Family Room) and turned into the main office, or to Volunteer Program Manager Kim Magana in the library. Turn in your child’s permission slip and camp fee as soon as possible this month.

Middle School Lock Box

Middle school’s lock box is located in the gym just outside of the Health and Fitness room / Ms. Ullerich’s office. All permission slips, forms, money and fees should be put in this box. A parent volunteer will check the box once or twice a week to make deposits and to pick up forms for teachers. Please remind your middle schooler to use this box for any middle school transactions.

Agendas

Each middle school student must purchase an Agenda to use during the school year. They can be purchased at the student store during middle school lunch. The cost is $10.

Middle School Supply List 

GENERAL SUPPLIES: To be brought to class daily!

• Student agenda (purchase from student store)
• Notebook paper, pencil and pen
• Notebook or other organization system (accordion file)
• Set of colored pencils
• SCIENCE: 1/2 inch (no larger) 3-ring-binder with a hard cover
• SOCIAL STUDIES: Notebook-size atlas
• LANGUAGE ARTS: Spiral notebook (70-100 page size) or composition notebook / Highlighters
• MATH: 1-inch 3-ring binder / For Integrated Math students - graphing calculator
• HEALTH/FITNESS: Spiral notebook / Appropriate running shoes
• TECHNOLOGY: USB jump drive (256 MB) / Corded headphones / For Media Class - blank mini DVD’s for recording video)
• CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN: $10.00 shop fee
• TEXTILES: $5.00 supply fee

Middle School Weekly Email

Each Sunday an email containing homework assignments, upcoming events, and other middle school information is available. To be added to this email list, contact middle school parent Sarah DeMun at sdemun@comcast.net. Please include your full name, your child’s, and your child’s advisory. 
– Sarah DeMun

ASB Elections

Madrona ASB elections will happen by the end of September.  Any student wishing to stand for an ASB officer position must have only 3 or 4 on their final report card of the past year.  Those students interested may attend a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 11, time yet to be determined. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Stephenson. Welcome back, Madrona students!! 
- BJ Stephenson

Africa America Exchange Club News

This year the AAX will be meeting twice a month after school.  There will be a meeting Thursday, Sept. 6 during school lunch in the Tech room for any grade 5-8 student interested in reaching out to another part of the world.  Middle school students are especially encouraged to participate as our pen pals are aged 14 or older.  Dates and & times for regular monthly meetings will be determined at that meeting by the students attending.  So...if you are interested in having a pen pal from Burundi, Africa and participating in supporting our partner school, Kibenga Wisdom School, please be ready to attend this meeting. Refreshments will be provided.  Bring a friend! 
- BJ Stephenson    

The Bear Market

Madrona’s own “classified ads!” If you’ve got something to sell, or a service to provide, post it here! Send ads for “The Bear Market” by the end of each month to: nancy.karis@verizon.net.

Guest writer

Attention students! Be our “guest writer” & share one of your poems,

short stories or commentaries.Send to: nancy.karis@verizon.net)

Bear Facts Website

If you have Madrona-related activities or notices that you would like mentioned on the web site, please e-mail the information to:  Allan Townsend at astowns@yahoo.com The MIT sponsored web site is:  www.madronabearfacts.com.

Bear Facts Info

Many thanks to all those who contributed to this newsletter!  Please keep the Bear Facts in mind this school year & send in news, items of interest, dates, recipes, your kids’ creative writings, photos, etc. via email to Nancy Karis at nancy.karis@verizon.net.  Our cut off date for each new issue is around the end of the previous month.  And If you’d like to be added to my monthly email reminders, please let me know at the above email address.

Madrona Cooks!

Take advantage of all the wonderful late summer fruit with this recipe

Cobbler Mix together & place in buttered 9x13 pan: - 6 pts of fruit (blueberries, blackberries, peaches, etc. or a combo is nice too) - 1 1/4 c. sugar - 1/2 t. cinnamon

In separate bowl, mix together: - 2 c. flour - 1 T. baking powder - 1/2 c. sugar

Cut in: - 5 oz cold butter

Add: - 1 egg mixed beaten with 1/3 c. milk or half & half - 1 t. vanilla

Knead lightly, add more flour if necessary to form smooth, not sticky dough. Break off small handfuls, lightly flatten, cover fruit with dough (like "cobblestones!").

Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 for 40 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream. – Nancy Karis

If you have a recipe that everyone asks for, we want it too! Submit recipes to: nancy.karis@verizon.net

Save The Date!

Sept 4     First day of 2007-08 school year!
Sept 6     1st AAX meeting (lunchtime in Tech Rm)
Sept 11     ASB Election meeting
Sept 13     First Annual Volunteer Fair & MIT meeting
(beginning at 6 pm in the library (updated Sept. 12))
Sept 17     Innisbrook Gift Wrap Fundraiser starts
Sept 18     Vision & Hearing Screening
Sept 19     WAMU school banking begins
Sept 21     Non-Student Day
Sept 23     First day of Autumn
Sept 26-28 Middle School Camp Hamilton
Oct 12     Non-Student Day
Oct 16     MIT Meeting – 7PM
Oct 31     Halloween

Scrip News

Welcome new and returning parents to Madrona. Thank you to everyone who once again made our scrip program a huge success. We raised $14,000.00 for Madrona!

For those of you who are wondering what scrip is, it is a term that means “substitute money”. We buy gift cards at a discount and sell them for full face value. You receive 100% return on your investment and the school receives between 2 and 20% from the merchants. We carry everything from:

• Grocery stores (Albertsons, QFC/Fred Meyer, Safeway, and Top Foods.
• Restaurants/entertainment (Azteca, Red Robin, Starbucks, Taco Time, Subway, Regal Cinemas, and Lowes Cineplex.
• Retail Stores (Old Navy, Macy’s, Penney’s, Barnes & Noble, JoAnn Fabrics)

This is just a small selection of what we have to offer. Most gift cards available at grocery stores can be bought through Madrona.

The gift cards are sold every morning outside the office from 8:50 to 9:20. You can also order on-line at the Bear Facts website. Stop by the scrip table and place your order! We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about the program