The Meadowdale High School “Connection” was released Monday with the following announcements and notable dates, along with a note from Principal Kevin Allen:

“The energy and excitement of the start of the school year and homecoming week have begun to wane and the routines of the school year have set in. The freshmen have become acclimated and are officially part of the Maverick family with a class name, Schweinefleisch.

“As all of the startup activities and excitement begin to subside, please continue to track your student’s progress as this is the time of year many students begin to slip. Often the start of the year is establishing a strong foundation in classes and this is about the time the material can become more challenging for students and many of them begin to struggle with the concepts and workload.

“We have started an after school support program, funded by the Hazel Miller Foundation, that will assist students after school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. This will take place in the library until 4:15 each day. An English teacher and math teacher will be available until 3:15 to help students and the library will remain open until 4:15. If you see your student beginning to struggle or simply needing a structured place to do homework, please direct them to the Hazel Miller Afterschool Tutoring Time.

“Increased workload and more difficult concepts are challenging for many students. Seniors have the added diversion of graduation looming in June which can be a distractor from staying focused on the requirements they still have to meet. As many of you may know in Washington State students must complete a Senior Project in order to graduate. At Meadowdale High School, Senior Projects are service oriented and must include 25 hours in the field with a community service organization. Your student’s English 12 teacher and our senior project coordinator will be helping to keep the students on the right track; however, your senior will definitely need your help and support as they turn in their Project Proposals by Nov. 9th.

“Students and parents can access all of the Senior Project information and timelines at the following link: www.edmonds.wednet.edu/mdhs/seniorproject.  As always, we are here to support you and your student. Whether you have a freshman just learning the ropes, a senior beginning to focus on life beyond high school, or a student in the middle if you have a concern or a need for support for your student please contact us so we can partner with you to see them though.”

Warm Regards, Kevin Allen

High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE) and End-of-Course Exams (EOC)

There will be an administration of the Algebra, Geometry, and Biology Retake Exams on January 29th, 30th, and 31st during the school day for a number of MHS students. Those students will be notified in early January so they can: 1) prepare for the exam (it will most likely be on content covered in previous math and/or science classes, not in the one they’re currently enrolled in), and 2) make sure they attend school that day. If students miss this date, the next opportunity will be in June.

Test Dates:

The OSPI website has complete testing requirement information. Please find more information at https://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/EndofCourse.aspx. If you have any questions about your student’s testing requirements, please contact your student’s counselor. Contact information for the counseling office can be found on the Meadowdale HS website at https://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/mdhs.

Empty Bowls

Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger and was created by The Imagine Render Group. The basic premise is simple: Potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity.

At Meadowdale, we buy premade fired ceramic bowls. We invite staff, students, and community members to come in to paint them after school. The painting days this year are Nov. 5th and 7th from 2-5 PM. We ask for a $15 donation–$10 of which goes directly to the food bank. The other $5 covers the cost of the bowl and glaze. If staff members don’t want to paint their own bowl, but would like to participate, we encourage you to find a student who could paint a bowl for you (or contact Amanda Wood or myself and we will help connect you up with a student). Please pay your $15 fee in the office and bring the receipt with you on the painting day.

We have: 74 bowls, 12 plates, 8 mugs.

Please designate when you pay what you would like—first come, first served.

The dinner this year is on December 6th from 5-7 PM.

We also need donations of soup and bread. Please contact me if you are able to help out with the food.

Thanks, D’Arcie Beytebiere

News from the Career Center

Rotary Junior Student of the Month

Congratulations to Angela Nguyen, October’s Junior Student of the Month. She will be honored at an Edmonds Rotary luncheon.

Field Trip to University of Washington Health Sciences – POSTPONED

The field trip to the University of Washington Health Sciences has been postponed due to Homecoming 2012. The new date is February 21st. Sign-ups are in the Career Center. Currently we have a waiting list, but it never hurts to sign up anyway.

Professionals in our Community coming to speak at Meadowdale High

The Career Center is scheduling professionals from our community to share with MHS students about their career – how they arrived at finding their career, education/training they received, what they do on their job.

Volunteer Opportunities Abound this Time of Year – There are several opportunities coming up:

 Sound Salmon Solutions ~ Join us at a volunteer event! October 20th 10 am-2 pm

Qwuloolt Estuary Restoration – Help us plant trees for Chinook salmon!

Nov. 17th 10 am-2 pm Qwuloolt Estuary Restoration-South Slope Help us plant native species amidst fabulous scenery!

To register visit our EVENTS page on our website www.SoundSalmonSolutions.org

 Mountains to Sound Greenway~ www.mtsgreenway.org Registration is required.

Love the outdoors? Here are a number of places and locations to volunteer.

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012 Trail Construction Project at Gallagher Hill Open Space; Learn more and sign up »;

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012 Tree Planting along Sammamish River Trail; Learn more and sign up »;

Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012 Tree Planting at Luther Burbank Park; Learn more and sign up »;

Saturday, December 01, 2012 Tree Planting at Three Forks Natural Area; Learn more and sign up »;

 United Way of Snohomish County ~ Youth United – Registration is required.

There are a number of great opportunities to reach out and touch someone during the month of Nov.. Register to participate at: uwsc.org/youthunited.php

Holiday Food Bank Box Prep, Thursday, Nov. 15, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Everett, WA

 The Woodland Park Zoo, Applications open on December 15th, close on January 31, 2013. More information will be in next month’s newsletter.

Do you love the Aerospace Industry? Check out this video about Apprenticeship opportunities in Aerospace:

https://www.ajactraining.org/become-an-apprentice.asp If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Kathy Dittmar Career Center 425.431.6408 DittmarK@edmonds.wednet.edu

Parent Resource Group

• Who we are: We are a nonprofit group organized to provide volunteer, academic and financial assistance to students and staff of MHS. If you are a parent or guardian of a MHS student, we consider you a member. There are no fees. You are welcome to come to meetings to help with decision making and planning, or you can simply help out when the need is expressed. For more information go to the MHS website and click “Parents”.

• “Pass the Hat” continues: Donations may be mailed to Meadowdale High School at 6002 168th Street SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037 or dropped off at the office. Checks should be made out to Parent Resource Group. PRG is a 501(c)(3) and your contribution is tax deductible, Tax ID 91-1927950. Let us know if you’ve requested matching funds from your company. Your contribution makes a difference to our students and staff!

• Next meeting is Nov. 26, 6:30pm in the Library: Our theme is “Chocolate goodies” so bring something yummy to share as well as your own drink. We hope you will join us!

• Volunteer forms: If you plan to volunteer during the school year, please be sure to fill out the necessary paperwork. You can download the forms here: https://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/Page/4442 and turn it in to the office. Forms need to be current/completed prior to volunteering. If you are an ESD Staff member you do not need to fill out the WSP part of the form but you DO need to fill out the MHS Volunteer form.

• A HUGE THANK YOU goes to the Over, Wilson and Conley families whose donations made it possible to purchase the German 3 textbooks. We are very grateful to them for their generosity!

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:

• Website Liaisons – We are looking for a parent from each of the classes of 2013, 2014 and 2016 to serve as a Web Liaison. This person would help the Webmaster answer questions that may arise from parents or students of your class and would be a point of contact to connect families. This requires very little time. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0448A4A628A13-mhsparent.

• Emergency Supply Coordinator needed – We are looking for someone who can continue efforts that were made last year in making our classrooms safe in the event of an extended lockdown due to disaster. . A lot of items have already been donated. Information will be provided regarding what you will need to do. Sign up at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0448A4A628A13-emergency.

• Food Drive Volunteers needed – Volunteers are needed to supervise students for 2 hours in the evenings while collecting donations at the QFC on Hwy 99 between December 3-19. We are in the preliminary stages with more information coming as we get closer. If you are interested in participating, please sign up here and you will be contacted in mid-late Nov.. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0448A4A628A13-mhsfood.

When we meet:

• Meeting dates for 2012-2013: 11/26, 12/17, 1/28, 2/25, 3/25, 4/22, 5/20, 6/10

PRG Officers:

• President – Debi Waters

• Secretary – Chrystal Lanning

• Treasurer – Kim Hayes

The PRG coffers are growing thanks to a healthy dose of donations this year. We would like to be able to provide the staff with academic and volunteer assistance if needed. The process is very simple.

Click on the link here: https://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/Page/6975 and include all necessary information. There are two forms, one is for Financial needs and the other Volunteer needs. Click “Done” and the form will go directly to me. It will be reviewed by the Board and once a decision is reach, we will let you know our answer. We hope that we are able to meet many of your needs this year!

Music Boosters

Fall Jazz Night—All Jazz Bands, Impressions, Thursday, Nov. 8, 7:00 pm, Meadowdale High School Black Box Theater

Louise Rose Workshop—Impressions, Friday, Nov. 9, 9:00 am – 11:30 am, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Meadowdale High School Black Box Theater

Edmonds Vocal Jazz Symposium—Impressions, Saturday, Nov. 10, 9:00 am -5:00 pm, Meadowdale High School Black Box Theater

Inglemoor Jazz Festival—Jazz Band 1, Saturday, Nov. 17, Inglemoor High School

Upcoming Fund Raisers:

Deer Run Greenery and Gold Canyon Candles—Music students will be selling these fantastic holiday items/gifts through Nov. 16th.

For more information, about music department events, fundraising efforts, and how to get involved with our Music Boosters go to www.meadowdalemusic.org, follow us on twitter @meadowdalemusic, or subscribe to us at www.facebook.com/meadowdalemusic.

Shop for a Cause

Are you gearing up for the Holiday Season? Would you like Cashback for making a purchase? Would you like to help support MHS? Then Shop.com is for you! Check out these great videos on how you can do all three:

Shop.com Hot Deals; Shop.com Mobile Barcode Scanner;

Shop.com Holiday Peace of Mind; Shop.com eGifts; Shop.com ShopBuddy

Visit SHOP.COM/MEADOWDALEMAVERICKS

Yearbooks

We have extended the deadline to pre-order yearbooks until December 4. Students will be only be guaranteed a yearbook if they pre-order their book by purchasing one no later than Dec 4. Cost: $68, checks made payable

to Edmonds School District.  The last day to pre-order yearbooks will be Dec 4. After Dec 4, the next chance to purchase yearbooks will be on yearbook distribution day in June, although please note that only a very small number of books are available for sale at the end of the year. Cost: $88, on a first come first serve basis.

‘Hazel Time’ is here

We are happy to announce free after-school tutoring for the remainder of the school year. There will be a math and English teacher at every session, in addition to National Honor Society students and community volunteers. The library will be open from the end of school until 4:15. Teachers will be there from 2:20-3:20. Please consult the

calendar for specific dates. Shaded dates are dates with tutors. Hazel Miller After-School Tutoring Sessions – check with the school for available dates. This tutoring is made possible through a generous grant from the Hazel Miller Foundation.

Periodical Identification Statement: The Connection is published monthly except July & August by Meadowdale

High School of the Edmonds School District #15, 20420 68th Avenue W, Lynnwood, WA 98036.