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George Knights, Newhart Middle School's Principal
Principal's
Message
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Here To Join Our List Serve
September, 2007
Dear Newhart Families,
I was telling my wife, Julie, just yesterday that I feel as if I have
not only been preparing to be a principal for the last 9 years but to
be specifically the principal of Newhart Middle School. Every day as I
prepare to go to school, my heart leaps at the idea that I am right where
I should be! It is truly an honor and a privilege to be working with a
top notch staff, quality students, and families that are passionately
committed to what is best for their kids.
There is no hiding the fact that we have our work cut out for us this
year. Construction...construction...construction will frame our experience,
but I'm happy to say that the work crews, I am told, are ahead of schedule
and working diligently to give our 8th graders at least a portion of the
year in the new building. Newness abounds around Newhart this year and
there is more to come. Already we have a new lunch area with huge shade
structures and shade trees with plenty of seating and the former condition
of rolling asphalt has been replaced with a level, more inviting area.
We have redesigned the front office to provide a warmer more efficient
atmosphere for staff, students and the community. We have 6 new staff
members in the front office and we are seriously committed to ensuring
that you are treated with nothing less than a warm welcome and direct
attention to your needs as you interact in our office. Please let us know
what you think.
Our recently announced interim superintendent, A. Woodrow Carter, said
in his "Back to School Message", "Newness alone, however,
does not produce transformation." I couldn't agree more. It is particularly
true that new buildings and new concrete does not guarantee a renewed
spirit around campus. The incredibly good news is that Newhart's STAR
test scores, which increased again this year, demonstrate that we are
an high performing school with a curriculum and quality instruction that
is second to none in the State. The teachers and I believe that we can
excel even higher. This leads me to say that I am so overwhelmingly proud
of our teaching staff, our support staff, our PTA and our student leadership
(PAL and ASB) who have big plans this year to raise the energy, spirit
and ownership of an already highly performing school that will exceed
high expectation and launch Newhart to the next level of transformation.
More on those plans in further communications...moreover, "the proof
is in the pudding," and it is my fundemental responsibility and mission
to ensure that results will flow!
I look forward to serving you!
George Knights
Principal
Newhart Middle School
_______________________________________________________________________________
May, 2007
Dear Parents,
CONTINUING TRAFFIC CONCERNS
I am writing to you today to again ask for your help with an
on-going issue that we face in our surrounding neighborhoods. We continue
to get reports of unsafe behavior by students (and by some parents) up
on Pacific Hills Drive during both arrival and dismissal times. Some parents
are dropping off their kids as they are stopped amidst traffic coming
down the hill in the morning. Those students then cross the street in
an area where there is no crosswalk, many times darting out in front of
cars that are not expecting pedestrians to be crossing. A similar situation
is true of the afternoon, when students cross the street at the non-crosswalk
areas to reach their parents cars waiting on the other side of the street.
There is a very simple solution to this problem. I am asking once again
that if you drop off or pick up your children on Pacific Hills, that you
instruct them to walk down to the bottom of the hill and cross at the
La Paz intersection, where there are crosswalks and crossing guards. If
you stop to let your child out of the car on your way down the hill, you
should be pulled all the way over to the curb, and they should get out
on the sidewalk side of the car. Then they can walk the rest of the way
on the sidewalk down to the crosswalk and cross safely. The same is true
for the afternoon pick up time. Please make arrangements with your child
about which side of the street you will be waiting on, and have them cross
to that side at the bottom of the hill in the crosswalk. Also, please
remember you can always come into our parking lot or drop off in designated
areas on Veterans Way on the stretch between La Paz and the Community
center. Those are quick and easy ways to safely drop off/pick up your
kids. I urge you to take that extra bit of time each day to keep all of
our kids safe! Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.
PENNIES FOR PATIENTS
Pennies for Patients is a PTA sponsored campaign put on by the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that our students will be participating
in from 4/16-5/4/07. The Baby Panther and Mentor program had their end
of the year party on Tuesday, April 17. During their meeting, students
were busy working on posters to promote Pennies for Patients. Students
also worked on skits and songs that relate to the program. These songs,
skits, and posters will be used throughout our weeks promoting the program.
This program is designed for young people to make a difference by collecting
spare change over this three-week period to raise money to fight blood
cancers.
Not only will our Newhart students be helping save and improve the lives
of other children, they will be helping students like our very own Newhart
"Honored Hero," Drew Houston. Drew also made an appearance at
the Baby Panther/Mentor Party, so students could meet him and relate to
our fundraiser on a more personal level. Drew’s bio was also included
in the April PTA Newsletter.
Students have many opportunities to participate in the Pennies for Patients
program, even if they aren’t mentors or baby panthers. Newhart is
holding a competition for the most money raised through first period classes.
We also have two boxes in the front office for a competition between the
guys and gals! Parents, staff, and students are all joining in! On Friday,
April 27, students purchased pieces of duct tape for a dollar and got
to stick their principal to the wall in our first annual “Stuck
for a Buck” event. As of this writing, we have raised $ 2709.00!!
WOW! Great job to all who have participated! If you have any questions,
or want to help in any way, please contact our Chairperson for Pennies
for Patients, Debbie Bryant at 582-9420.
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
Here are some important dates for the month of May:
Wednesday, May 2 and Thursday, May 3 Musical Theater Production –
“Into the Woods”
Friday, March 4 Spring Festival
Monday, May 7 – Friday, May 11 Teacher Appreciation Week
Monday, May 7 STAR TESTING – MINIMUM DAYS
Tuesday, May 8
Thursday, May 10
Thursday, May 10 PTA Meeting
Tuesday, May 15 7th Grade Medieval Cultures Day
Thursday, May 17 OPEN HOUSE – MINIMUM DAY
Friday, March 30 Talent ShowTill next time…
Tim Reece
Principal’s Message – April, 2007
Dear Parents,
Schools in California have the good fortune this year of receiving a one-time
block grant of about $56.00 per student. For Newhart, this works out to
be just a bit more than $100,000.00, which is great news! This money comes
at a perfect time for us, as many of our computers are several years old
and out of date. The Newhart school site council, which consists of teachers,
students, parents and other school staff, recently approved our Single
School Plan, which includes our goals for the school and our strategies
for achieving those goals. The Single School Plan was written to address
all curricular areas, as well as school culture. It was written by the
school leadership team with input from our different departments, as well
as from our school site council. This plan dictates our expenditures of
the block grant money, and each purchase must be approved by the school
site council.
We will be using the bulk of our grant money for a number of technology
related items, and have just approved our first purchase of 57 desktop
computers, 25 laptop computers, and 25 access points to enhance wireless
technology throughout the campus. Some other possible future purchases
could include projectors and other support technology, classroom supplies
and instructional materials, various professional development opportunities
for teachers, and money for interventions and special projects related
to Newhart’s goals. The purchase of new technology is especially
beneficial in two areas: it helps teachers and kids utilize the tools
technology provides to enhance their educational experience; and gives
teachers the tools they need to communicate efficiently with parents and
students through e-mail and programs like Schoolloop. Again, we are so
pleased to have this opportunity for school enhancements, and very glad
to report that it will benefit your kids.
On another note, it is not too late to sign up for our new Travelers Book
Club! Several teachers have started a new tradition here by getting parents
and students together to READ! Students should choose whether they would
like to read The Uglies, by Scott Westerfield, or Inkheart, by Cornelia
Funke. Then, pick up a form from Ms. Wendehost in room P19, fill it out
and turn in the form to your English teacher. Our meeting is on Thursday,
April 19th, from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Students
and parents will discuss the books, and our P.T.A. has graciously offered
to provide refreshments and raffle prizes. We hope to see you there!
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES FOR APRIL:
Friday, April 6 – Friday, April 12 Spring Break (Student Recess)
Monday, April 16 – Monday, April 30 PTA’s Pennies for Patients
Campaign
Thursday, April 19 Traveler’s Book Club
Friday, April 20 – Sunday, April 22 Monterrey Bay Science Field
Trip
Friday, April 27 Spring Festival
Saturday, May 5 Beautification Day
Monday, May 7, Tuesday, May 8, and Thursday, May 10 STAR Testing
Till next time…
Tim Reece
Principal’s Message – March, 2007
Dear Parents,
RITA WYNNE – TEACHER OF THE YEAR!!
Each year around this time, the teachers at all schools in Capistrano Unified choose a “Teacher of the Year” from amongst their staff colleagues. This year’s Newhart Teacher of the Year is Math teacher Rita Wynne! Rita is a fabulous choice for many reasons. She is kind, conscientious, and patient with all her students. She is a team player and a huge support and resource to all her math department members. She is always willing to share strategies, ideas and techniques with them. Not only does Rita meet her students (and some others) during lunch to offer them help, she has been in charge of the Math Counts team for a number of years. She works weekly with these very talented students to prepare them for a rigorous competition that awaits them each year in February. While preparing for that competition, she organizes and conducts a competition with a teacher team during a school assembly prior to February. Rita is always approachable, and always has time to lend an ear or help a friend if need be. She has been teaching at Newhart for 6 years, and before that, she was the resident substitute, so she is a very devoted and spirited Panther! She is, without a doubt, a class act who is very well loved by her students and the staff alike. Congratulations, Rita! You are very deserving of the honor of Teacher of the Year!
TESTING SEASON IS UPON US
This month, we begin “testing season” in the Capistrano Unified School District. I always like to remind parents and students about the upcoming exams in this issue of the newsletter. As always, you can help your students do well on “high stakes” standardized tests in a number of ways. Please make sure they stay focused on school and on top of their studies. Ask them about their homework and what they are doing in school, and give them a hand if it is necessary and appropriate. You can also make sure that they get plenty of rest each night, and a that they have a good breakfast in the morning…a healthy body helps with a healthy mind. Below is a list of the tests coming up in the near future:
March 6 (Tuesday) – The California Standards Writing Assessment
This is an “on-demand” writing test given to 4th and 7th graders across the state. Students are given a prompt with specific instructions, and asked to write an essay addressing that prompt. It is actually a part of the Star Test, and the results are reported to you as a part of the language arts section of the California standards portion of the test. The ability to clearly and concisely express oneself in writing is a valuable tool our students will use throughout their lives and careers. Our 7th grade English staff has been working hard to prepare their students for this exam, and they have enlisted the help of the entire faculty in doing so. This test will take place in an extended version (approximately 90 minutes) of your child’s 4th period class. On that day, all 6th and 8th grade students take a practice version of the 7th grade exam. This helps the 6th graders prepare for the following year, and keeps the 8th graders in practice for the written portion of the California High School exit exam, which is similar in format.
March 19, 20, and 22 (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) – The CORE Test
This second test, given the last week in March, is specific to our District, and is called the “Core” Test (Capistrano Objectives for Reaching Excellence). The Core Test is given to all 6th, 7th and 8th graders twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. It is used by teachers and administrators to monitor student growth in reading, math, and language usage over the course of the year. It is also used as a placement tool for English, math, science, social science and reading courses. This test will be given over the course of three days in your child’s math and English classes. There is an additional English test that will be given on either Monday or Wednesday of that week, as well. We will have an adjusted schedule on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and we will notify students and parents of the details of that schedule as we get closer to the date.
The week of May 7-11 (Monday – Friday) – The STAR Test
The final test I would like to mention is the Star Test, which will occur the week of May 7-11 this year. This is probably the most high stakes test for public schools, as these scores are reported yearly in the form of the Academic Performance Index (API). This test covers math, language arts, reading, and spelling, social science, and science (social science and science are for 8th graders only). Sometime during that week we will have three minimum days that will be scheduled for testing within 1st period classes. We are still working out the details of that testing schedule, and will publish more detailed information as soon as the schedule is finalized.
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES FOR MARCH:
Wednesday, February 28 and Thursday, March 1 Drama Production –
“Our Town”
Tuesday, March 6 STAR Writing Test
Thursday, March 8 PTA Meeting (evening – 6:30 p.m.)
Saturday, March 17 CVHS 8th Grade Expo
Monday, March 19 Spring CORE Test
Tuesday, March 20
Thursday, March 22
Friday, March 30 Talent Show
Till next time…
Tim Reece
Principal’s Message – February,
2007
Dear Parents,
FOCUS ON WRITING
One of our major school objectives this year is to improve the writing
ability of all our students. Our English department has been working in
conjunction with the other academic departments all year long to promote
writing across the curriculum. The English department has also been working
to establish common prompts, rubrics, and assessment practices to promote
a consistent expectation for student learning in the area of writing.
We at Newhart cannot over-emphasize the importance of teaching our students
to “write on demand”, as they will face many tests in their
future educational careers that require them to given thoughtful, organized,
written answers on the spot.
One measure of student progress in this area is the STAR writing test,
which is coming up next month on March 6th. This test is part of the state’s
STAR Testing Program and student scores are factored into the Academic
Performance Index (API) for the school. On that day, our seventh grade
students will take the official state test, while our sixth and eighth
grade students will take writing assessments designed by our teachers.
The sixth grade assessment is designed to prepare sixth graders for the
exam they will take in the seventh grade, and the eighth grade assessment
is designed to prepare eighth graders for the writing portion of the high
school exit exam. In preparation for this day, we have scheduled a “mock”
writing test for all Newhart students on Tuesday, February 6th, which
will provide practice in the testing environment they will experience
on the official writing test day, as well as during the week of the STAR
exam in May. The bell schedule for periods 1-6 will be a little different
on 2/6/07 and 3/6/07, and will be posted on Schoolloop.
8TH GRADERS LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR LAST SEMESTER
As we move through the second semester of the 2006-2007 school year, we
have many exciting things in store for our 8th graders. Students will
meet with the academic advisors from their high schools during the month
of March. The purpose will be to learn about classes and course offerings
for high school, as well as options for athletics and the extra curricular
programs offered.
In late May and early June, we also have the 8th grade dance, the 8th
grade Career Day, the 8th grade awards and the 8th grade picnic at Wild
Rivers. All of these activities are designed to provide a fun and culminating
experience for your kids. Please remind your child that attendance at
these events is contingent on good behavior. If students misbehave or
violate school rules, they may lose the privilege of attending any one
or all of the above listed activities. You can help us by continuing to
stress “Panther Pride” at home and by urging your kids to
show “Respect, Readiness, and Responsibility” in everything
they do. To help support our 8th graders with their behavior, 8th grade
students who do not receive any teacher detentions or office referrals
during the months of February and March will be rewarded with a special
surprise party in the beginning of April. We appreciate your help in keeping
Newhart kids on the path to success for the remainder of the year.
NEW HVAC UNITS THANKS TO CUSD’s MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT
Recently, the Capistrano Unified School District Maintenance and Operations
Department has been working very hard at Newhart to install several brand
new Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units in some of
our portable classrooms. These new units provide a more efficient intake
of fresh air from the outside, allowing for better ventilation in the
rooms. As of this writing, twelve units have already been installed, with
plans for 3 more to be installed in the next few weeks. The district plans
to eventually replace twenty-three older units in our portable classrooms
with the newer units. Thank you to CUSD and the M & O Department for
helping bring Newhart up to date!
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
Thursday, February 8 PTA Meeting
Friday, February 9 Valentines Dance
Friday, February 16 President’s Holiday
Monday, February 19 President’s Holiday
Till next time…
Tim Reece
Principal’s Message – December,
2006
Dear Parents,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for helping us
achieve one of our goals this year. At the beginning of the year the Newhart
staff set a goal to improve our communication systems between school and
home. A huge part of this effort has been the use of our School Loop program.
What has been truly wonderful about this program is not only the vehicle
it provides for teachers to deliver curriculum, grades, and messages,
but the number of parents who have eagerly used it all year long! If you
are not aware of what School Loop is and can do, it is basically a web-based
program that allows teachers to post their assignments, due dates and
grades for students and parents to reference. You receive a code and a
password that is specific to your child, and you can check their information
as often as you like! If you do not have internet access at home, you
can access the website from work or a computer at a public library, etc.
One of the nicest features is that if you are signed up, you get a daily
e-mail reminding you to check your child’s home page every evening!
The grade portion of the School Loop program is new this year, and while
it has been an adjustment for us switching from Webgrade, we are getting
more proficient at using all the tools every day. We appreciate your patience
earlier this year as we worked through the newness and some of the bugs.
The company has been wonderfully receptive to our suggestions for improvement.
The program also allows for attachments and study “discussion groups”,
as well as e-mail communication and message posting. Many of our teachers
post school-wide news events on School Loop to keep the community informed.
While we do still have our voicemail system, many teachers use School
Loop as their primary communication system. As a parent (and a child),
you now have the ability to view each night’s homework assignments
from home. Because the information comes straight from the teacher, there
is no question about the accuracy. If you are having any trouble with
this program, or have not heard of it before, please call the school at
855-0162 so that we can help. Once again, thanks for your participation
in your child’s education. We hope what we’re doing here has
made things easier.December is always a busy month at Newhart. See below
for what is going on…
Important dates for December:
Monday, December 4 5th Annual Math Counts Competition
Tuesday, December 5 Orchestra Concert
Wednesday, December 6 Late Start Day
Intermediate/Advanced Band Concerts
Thursday, December 7 Wind Ensemble Disneyland Trip
Orchestra Concerts
Friday, December 8 Geography Bee
7th/8th Grade Winter Dance
Monday, December 11 Choral Solo Concerts
Tuesday, December 12 Winter Choir/Vocal Ensemble Concerts
Wednesday, December 13 Late Start Day
7th/8th Grade Choir Performance
Thursday, December 14 Student of the Month
Monday, December 18 – Monday, January 1 Winter Recess
Tuesday, January 2 School Resumes
Until next time…
Tim Reece
Principal’s Message – November,
2006
Dear Parents,
It’s hard to believe it is already November, and that we have been
in school for two months. We just finished CORE testing, and students
and teachers are well into the middle school curriculum by this time.
Our first grading period is coming to an end as I write this, so you should
be seeing that report card in the mail sometime soon. Thanks to all of
you who attended Back to School Night on September 28. It is always a
pleasure to see so many parents in attendance! It is truly wonderful to
work in a community where people care so much about the how their kids
are doing in school. Thank you for supporting them. It’s what makes
Newhart students great!
To follow up on my newsletter from last time, we have two more new faces
in the office to introduce to you:
Lori Roxstrum is our new afternoon receptionist at the front desk. Please
say “hi” to her next time you come by the school.
Kerby Ward is our new academic advisor. He replaced Penny Ellis (who retired
last month), and he’ll be dealing with the first half of the alphabet,
letters A – K.
Please remind your kids that as they are coming to and from school, they
should remember to conduct themselves in a manner that will make all Newhart
Panthers proud. We have received reports of students jaywalking or not
using the crosswalk at the instruction of the crossing guards. These are
safety issues, and the school policies must be followed. We have also
had a few reports of students misbehaving in the shopping centers after
school on minimum days or before school on late start Wednesdays. As the
principal of Newhart and the parent of three kids, I strongly suggest
that you not allow your kids to “hang out” unsupervised before
or after school at these centers. If they are going to the shopping centers
to be picked up after school, please remind them to be polite and courteous
while they are waiting for their rides. Ask them to behave as if they
were in school or at your own home.
For parents, if you are dropping off or picking up your child off campus,
please remember to treat our nearby neighborhoods with courtesy as well.
Please do not double park or park in front of someone’s driveway.
Remind your kids to cross at designated crosswalks and stay off of people’s
lawns. Most of all, drive slowly and cautiously any time you are near
the school and around children. Thank you for your help on this one!Important
dates for November:Wednesday,
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:
i November 1 Late Start Day
Thursday, November 9 Student/Teacher Holiday – no school
Friday, November 10 Veterans Day Holiday – no school
Thursday, November 16 PTA Meeting (9:00 a.m.)
Thursday, November 16 Student of the Month
Wednesday, November 22 – Friday, November 24 Thanksgiving Holiday
(Please remember that we have school on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving
week this year – this is a change from the last two years, when
we have had the whole week off.)
Until next time…
Tim Reece
Principal’s Message – October 2006
Dear Parents:Welcome back to the new school year!! We have had a wonderful
start, with the opening of school going very smoothly. Our enrollment
is at 1811 students, which is down about 43 students from our original
projection. The new sixth graders have become familiar with their teachers
and classes, and they seem to be transitioning to the middle school very
well. The entire school went through our EBS (Effective Behavioral Systems)
training on Thursday, September 7, and we are off to a spirited Panther
beginning. As I write this, we are in the middle of our magazine sale
and rapidly approaching Back To School Night. The majority of you and
your kids are using Schoolloop to view assignments and grades and communicate
with teachers. I would like begin this year by introducing a few of our
new teachers and other staff members to you…
NEWHART NEWBIES
There are several new faces at Newhart this year. Our new teachers are:
Kirk Bundy – Computers, 6th – 8th grade Eric Gosselin –
Science, 8th grade
Marina Ogranovich – Math, 7th and 8th grade Michelle Wendehost –
English and Social Science, 6th grade
We have several teachers who were married recently and have changed names:
Wendy Cameron is now Wendy Berube Megan Hill is now Megan Workman
Amy Pearce is now Amy Gordon Lauren Robinson is now Lauren Yemma
We also have two new people subbing for teachers on maternity leave:
Dru Gerhard is here for Nancy Wood in the area of P.E.
Gayla Jensen is here for Quirine Besseling in the area of Special Education.
In the area of administration:
Eric Gruenewald was promoted to principal of Del Obispo Elementary. He
has been replaced full time by Jennifer Smalley, and Jennifer Smalley’s
half-time position has been filled by Josh Wellikson, who splits his weeks
between Newhart and Don Juan Avila Middle School. Josh was formerly a
science and math teacher at Vista Del Mar, and was also a Secondary Teaching
Assistant Principal there. Dave Schlesinger is still with us as well.
Two of our teachers, Doug Wade (P.E.) and Robert Gerbosi (math/science)
have stepped up to the plate by taking positions as Secondary Teaching
Assistant Principals. They will be working in the office and helping out
with administrative duties as needed.
In the office we have had quite a few changes:
Welcome to Janine Neypes, who has replaced Tani Lima in the attendance
office. Rita Pyle, our afternoon receptionist, has moved over to the guidance
office to replace Patti Miller, who is now working in the Activities Office
at Capo Valley High School. We are in the process of filling her position
at the front desk. Also, long time Newhart Academic Advisor Penny Ellis
announced her retirement this past month. Her last day was September 22,
and we will be filling her position as this newsletter comes out. Finally,
we welcome Karen Hamara, who is our newest campus supervisor!
SUMMER IMPROVEMENTS
A lot of work has been going on around Newhart for the past four or five
months. Thanks to all the district maintenance personnel and parents who
have participated in making this happen. The following is a list of what
has been accomplished on campus, as well as some improvements slated for
the future months:
COMPLETED –
- Enhancement of the front entrance area with a new planter box, new sidewalk,
and new signs
- Replacement of older water fountains
- Replacement of outdated red ceramic tile on most exterior walls
- Improvement of grass area near the lunch area on the 6th grade side
with a new planter box
- Replacement of carpet in the library and two adjacent classrooms, as
well as three other portables
- Professional cleaning of all draperies in the MPR
- Replacement of stained or damaged ceiling tiles throughout the campus
- Replacement of relocatable P-6 (now renumbered P19 with a newer relocatable)
- Replacement of relocatable restroom on the 7th/8th grade side
- Replacement of the wooden shade structure on the 6th grade side with
canvas shade structure
- Upgrades to classroom teaching stations in the “B” building
- Replacement of door hardware in the “B” building
- Repair of inside walls and replacement of carpet in relocatables P1-P4
on the 6th grade side…these four portables are scheduled to be replaced
with newer portables by January, 2007
- Upgrade and/or remodeling of all student bathrooms on campus
- Painting of all relocatables not scheduled for replacement in Phase
II of the two-story modular project
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES –
Monday, October 2 Fall Recess – No School
Tuesday, October 3– Monday, October 9 CORE Testing
Tuesday, October 17 – Friday, October 20 PTA Book Fair
Thursday, October 19 P.E. Cookie Dough Sale Begins
Saturday, October 21 Mission Viejo Walk Against Drugs
Friday, October 27 Fall Festival Dance
Thanks again to all the students and parents for a wonderful opening of
the new school year.
Until next time…
Tim Reece
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Copyright © 2007
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