March LifeSkill is Perseverance

March 1, 2010

Dear Miller Creek Parent(s) and Families,

March is upon us and the school year seems to be moving at a rapid pace. Trimester B ends on March 12th and there is change in the air at Miller Creek! We are continuing our “Go Green” efforts and exploring ways to more effectively provide all students with successful learning time.

I’m pleased to announce that beginning March 15th we will be offering a new student lunch service. Children’s Choice, already in place at Mary E. Silveira and Vallecito, has been selected to provide lunches on a daily basis. As they mention in their mission statement, Children’s Choice wants to lay the groundwork for a nutritionally responsible lifestyle by providing (children) wholesome foods to fuel their bodies and strives to educate and empower them to make healthy choices.

We are excited to offer the change for a number of reasons, some of them green! First, the food is outstanding, varied, organic, and locally managed. Second, we hope to now serve students in less than ten minutes (lunches are purchased on-line, in advance, thus eliminating cash purchasing) and have daily choices with regard to hot or cold entrees. Third, all waste is biodegradable and/or compost ready. We will also have a number of new items to offer at brunch. Creek Café Brunch will remain a “cash only” service.

Here is a brief look at the Children’s Choice philosophy…

Children's Choice empowers kids and parents. With 12 choices a day, our menu runs the gamut from healthy "kid favorites," to sophisticated culinary creations. Every day, we offer a broad menu in order to delight diverse palates, dietary restrictions and preferences. When children and parents are able to select an entrée together, kids learn the importance of their food choices and that nutrition matters.

At lunchtime, kids are encouraged to make their own choices on snacks, fruits and vegetables. We strive to offer seasonally available local and organic produce. By allowing kids to choose from a huge basket of fresh-cut fruits, vegetables and snacks, the importance of fresh, natural food is reinforced. And through providing kids opportunities to see and taste new foods (such as yellow watermelon, edamame and tangelos), we expand their food horizons. For a picky eater, there is nothing as inspiring as a friend relishing in a juicy kiwi. So the next time your child eyes that furry green fruit, at lunch or at the market with Dad, he or she just might be a convert!

You will be receiving detailed instructions (PDF or hard copy postcard) March 1st about how to sign-up (create a Children’s Choice account on-line) and order your child’s lunches. (Following the simple prompts at www.ChoiceLunch.com will allow you to create an account and order lunches. Please note our school code is “Miller”) The Miller Creek Home and School Club will continue to offer a brunch service on a daily basis and may have a few cash-only “a la carte” items at lunch. Please feel free to stop in the Miller Creek Office if you have questions or need assistance with on-line ordering/account creation.

The second change we are exploring involves re-structuring our weekly SSR or “sustained silent reading” time. Currently, students and staff have 60 minutes (15 minutes on M, T, Th, F) a week to participate in silent reading. Our plan involves creating a new schedule for Tuesdays and Thursdays that would give students a 30-minute opportunity period before lunch. This time would be structured to allow small group intervention or re-teaching, test make-up, science lab re-work, silent reading in the library, homework support, computer lab time, just to start. Our hope is that by restructuring the available time, we might better serve students and staff. Please note that the change in schedule will not affect the start or end time of school, or the weekly instructional minutes of our seven period day. We will keep you posted as this idea evolves toward implementation.

Congratulations to all of our middle school drama students who traveled to the California Educational Theater Association’s “Middle Stage Drama Fest” in February. According to Mr. Ptak, our students were at the top of their form. Bravo to Haley Godbold, Sierra Lewandoski, Jessica Silveira, Meredith Esposto, Hanna Taylor, Katie Jimenez-Gray, Katrina Strack, Alyssa Ceccanti-Harris, Sam O’Byrne, Gabby Gaston, Giulio Chiappolini, Jane Reagan, Kelly Gehlen, Carimei Smith, Lindsay Nance, Tessa JAgger-Wells!

As mentioned in the start of this newsletter, Trimester B is coming to a close and report cards will be mailed the week of 22nd. Please use the update to set goals with your child and celebrate learning!

Trimester C will be fast and furious so I encourage you to check-in with our school website to remain informed and up-to-date. Elective sign-ups for 6th and 7th graders, STAR testing, 8th grade trips, track and field, and 8th grade graduation are just around the corner.

Regards,

Greg Johnson, Principal

Congratulations to our February Students of the Month…

6th Grade: Sasha Lovas, Zarhary Bibeault, Alyssa Talbott, Val Tsibulya, Paris Backston, Dahlya Habashi, Aspen Adams, Savanna Christy, Micah Press, Ciaran Murphy

7th Grade: Kiki Cameron, Jimmy Nguyen, Ankoor Patel, Grace Donahoe, Tim Baker, Ani Pirinjian

8th Grade: Sylvia Van Royen, Delaney Tight, Hayden Stapleton, Walter Roggencamp, Emma Shapiro, Spenser Rey, Yannick Alphonso-Gibbs, Michael Rosner-Hyman, Carol Morales, Ethan Wolgamott

SAVE THE DATE Reminders!

• Dixie District Calendar 2009/2010 [pdf]
• March 10 | New to Dixie District Parent Orientation 11:00 am
• March 12 | End of Trimester B
• March 15 | Miller Ceeek Site Council Mtg. 3:30 pm @ A-1
• March 19 | 7th/8th Grade Dance, After School
• March 23 | Dixie District Board Meeting @ Miller Creek 7:00 pm
• March 24 | Miller Creek Art Show Opens
• March 26 | Miller Creek Trivia Night

Library Fundraiser...

The Miller Creek Library would like to request your help in purchasing 15 copies of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, one of next year's Millie Award nominees. You can read all about it and contribute through DonorsChoose.org. Any amount will be appreciated and will be combined with other donations to make the amount needed to purchase the books.

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Can Do! Update
Donate at anytime, it’s easy – go to www.dixiechildrensfund.org to pay online or drop a donation at the school office. Every donation makes a difference!! CanDo! donations help support vital counseling services, schoolwide technology, extra-curricular activities and after-school sports at Miller Creek! Our 2009/2010 participation rate is currently at 49%! Please donate today!

Miller Creek Middle School is a community that encourages all its members-students, staff, and parents- to be lifelong learners who embrace a healthy lifestyle, demonstrate compassion and empathy for others, and act with integrity and honesty. It is the goal of this community to provide the tools and resources necessary to foster creative, independent thinkers who will become proud stewards of our world.

Location and Community
Miller Creek Middle School is located just outside the city limits of San Rafael, California. It serves the communities of Lucas Valley, Marinwood, and Terra Linda. One of four schools in the Dixie School District, it was originally constructed in 1964. Nestled within the beautiful hills of Marin County, we have Miller Creek running behind the campus, oaks and bay trees surrounding the campus, and the historic Dixie School House at our entrance. We have over 34 classrooms, a gym, performing arts stage, band room, orchestra room, choir room, two computer centers, the world-famous Creek Cafe, and a state-of-the-art library/media center. Our school receives active and generous support from our parent community, the Dixie Children's Fund (DCF), and the Miller Creek Home and School Club.