The first eighth

vol 2 – Issue 4 September 22, 2011

ITBS and PSAT

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is an aptitude Assessment that we run each year. Each year our 3^rd through 10^th grades students participate in this battery of tests allowing us to track yearly development. In order to foster best results, we encourage students to get plenty of sleep, eat regular and substantive meals, and exercise. We will run a special schedule all week to accommodate the test schedule without increasing the school hours.

9th and 10^th grade students who would like to write the PSAT may do so. They can sign up at the office and pay the testing fee of $25. We will transport students to and from WWVA, but they will need to bring along a sack lunch. They will leave TCJA at 6:30am and return by 1:00pm on the day of the testing. There is limited enrollment.

Tumbling begins Monday

With our gym floor somewhat completed, we will begin tumbling on Monday of this coming week (September 26) during zero hour (7:40-8:20am). Students in grades 5 through 10 are welcome to come to the try-outs. A $25 fee will cover the first month. Thereafter, tumbling costs $20 per month.

Please note that to maintain standing on the team, students need to have near perfect attendance. If for any reason, students cut practice, they may be allowed to finish out the month they are in but then asked to no longer participate on the team.

Elementary and Middle School Intramurals

Elementary and MS (grades 1-6) intramural soccer will begin on Monday, September 26. Each day, Monday through Thursday will feature a game. There are three teams. By Sunday, the schedule and teams will be posted on the Athletics page of the website (tcja.org).

Wilderness Ventures Canoeing / Kayaking Trip

When all was said and done, only one student braved the hike on our last Wilderness Ventures outing, leaving us with the question, “Is Wilderness Ventures something that we wish to continue doing?” Our leader does not wish to push these forays into God’s second book, unless it is something that meets a felt need amongst the students, so we are looking for a pre-trip commitment sign up for our water trip. The cost for the trip is $30 and there is a limit of 15 participants. Once it is full, it will be closed.

Please note, that there will be no refunds except in cases of dire exigency.

September

23-25 Pathfinder Camporee

29 Volleyball and Flag Football @ Lake City (3:30pm)

October 3

3-7 ITBS (Test Week)

8 ABC Food and Book Sale (7:00-9:00pm)

10-13 ASB School-Spirit Week

11 PSAT (in Walla Walla)

14 Teacher In-service at Mivoden – NO SCHOOL

14-16 Wilderness Ventures Canoeing / Kayaking Trip

17-21 Red Ribbon Week

25 End of the First Quarter

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Let’s Move Day / Yardsale…

Small World Learning Center is promoting Let’s Move Day with a special 1K run. In conjunction with the 1k walk/run, which students and/or parents are welcome to go through as often as they wish, Small World is also hosting a yard sale that morning. All proceeds go towards the purchase of a dishwasher for SWLC.

The run and the sale are form 8:00 through noon.

Biology Trip - Tomatoes

Every Friday until frost, the HS biology class has fresh picked tomatoes for you. Bag them up, take them home and donate what you would like to the class Rosario trip.

Tomatoes are compliments of Macs Garden Center.

Mission Trip - Fundraiser

This is the last week to pick up some of our Sycamore firewood in exchange for a donation towards the mission trip. The same rules as those for the tomatoes fundraiser apply. We have no set price. Give as you are blessed; take as you need.

Mr. O’s Pick…

Andy Willett – your PE teacher tells me that you cooperate all the time, participate in every activity, and are just a joy to have in class. Come to my office Monday to pick up your TCJA citizenship muffin.

7-10 After-School Sports… Games begin

This coming week, games begin in earnest for after-school soccer, volleyball and football. Watch the website (Athletics tab) for updates.

Mr. O’s Puzzler

Last Week’s Answer – Rush Hour Traffic by Gordon Henschel… a ferry boat, seine boats, gill netters and a pod of Orcas in the Gordon Group of islands.

This Week’s Puzzle – People used to get their last names from places they lived, jobs etc. Where did Coopers get their name?

vol 2 – Issue 2 September 9, 2011

September 9, 2011

ASB Student Elections…
Yesterday morning at the close of the Assembly program we elected our student government leaders. The ASB meets Tuesday and Friday mornings in the 9/10 room during zero hour, to plan and coordinate student activities. The student elected officers for 2011-2012 are:
President: Lexi Scotson
Spiritual Vice-President: Catherine Harwood
Social Vice-President: Madison Waldo
Participation in student government is open to all 7^th through 10^th graders. If participating, regular attendance is expected.

Biology Trip - Fundraiser
The Freshmen and Sophomore classes from Tri City Junior Academy would like to ask your support for their biology field trip in the coming spring. They will be picking and bringing to TCJA ripe garden fresh tomatoes for you on each Friday until frost. They have red, yellow, pink, green, and multicolored ones in a variety of shapes and sizes. Many of them are heirloom varieties but there are traditional varieties as well. So whether you need some for sandwiches, salsas, or a big canning job they have what you need. They have no scale so they are being offered on a donation basis.

Mission Trip - Fundraiser
You may have noticed that our playground sycamore has been removed and made into firewood, compliments of Carl Kostoff. We are inviting those who would like the firewood to swing by and pick some up in exchange for a donation towards the mission trip. The same rules as those for the tomatoes fundraiser apply. We have no set price. Give as you are blessed; take as you need.

ASB Movie Night
ASB’s first event will be a movie night on Saturday, September 17 at 7:45 pm. The title of the movie will be announced in next week’s Dirt. We will be showing the movie in Mr. Saxby’s classroom. ASB will move the tables out of the room to accommodate seating, and we encourage you to bring your own comfortable chair to sit in (bean bags, etc.)! The event will run until around 9:30pm.

7-10 After-School Sports Schedules
The schedules are online for all three of the Sports teams (Soccer, Flag Football, Volleyball). Check by clicking on the Athletics tab.

September
11 Band / Choir Pool Party (3:00-6:00)
12-16 Grades 5-6 Outdoor School
16-18 Wilderness Ventures Backpack Trip
17 ASB Movie Night

October
3 School Pictures
3-7 ITBS Testing
6-8 Fall Classic (Soccer, Volleyball)
8 ABC Sale & Fundraiser Supper
10-13 ASB Spirit Week
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Mr. O’s Pick…
Parris Williams has been going the extra mile helping out in intramurals and cleaning the classroom on top of her regular job. Thanx for the extra effort and for the great attitude. Come in Monday for your muffin.

Wilderness Ventures… Reminder
We still have room for a few people who might want to take in the annual backpacking trip. They leave Friday morning and will spend through Sunday midday in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Again, there is a $25 fee to participate in this event, which covers all food and travel (except if we stop at Miner’s or some other venue on the return home).

Muffin Mondays
Mondays are still Muffin days. They sell for 75¢ each. Any other day, they are $1.
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Soccer Practice
Sunday morning… 9:00 for an hour and a half. Students who are interested in playing at the Walla Walla U tournament should be at practice as we will need to cut 6 to 8 positions.

First Week

vol 2 – Issue 1 September 1, 2011

Welcome to the New Year…

We are on track for an exciting school year, with our biggest classes ever in first grade (16), kindergarten (18) and pre-kindergarten (18). If all goes according to plan, we could be looking at splitting grades in our primary program as early as next year, a very positive step in our plan to grow to be a full-service (twelve grade - plus K and PK) school.

This is just a reminder that school dismisses on Fridays and on shortened days at 1:00pm. Check the calendar if you are not certain when shortened days occur.

If you are new to the school and you find that the rest of us are doing things out of habit, however we are not providing enough information, please ask. I apologize in advance. We try to repeat the steps each year, however sometimes, we learn to operate by routine and we need to be reminded so that everyone can stay up to speed.

School Improvements

We had hoped to be completed laying our new gym floor prior to the school year starting, however we are well behind schedule on this project. Currently we have hit the twenty-foot mark, which means that we still have eighty feet to go. We anticipate being In the gym by mid-September and will keep you updated on that process. Meanwhile, hopefully the fall weather holds for us.

The old soccer field is also undergoing some face lifting. TCJA alumnus, Loren Watts has been rotor-tilling and grading the field so that we could put in a track and a football field.

Unfortunately, the great tree that was in the corner had to be removed for the rest of the project to be done correctly, but we hope to turn that gift from the eighth grade class of 89 into benches on the field. Again, watch for information and updates.

Home & School Polo Exchange

This year our Home & School association has put together a polo shirt exchange. In the North hall they have put up a rack. If parents or students see something they like, feel free to take it. If you want to donate gently used polos, fold and place them on the shelves for laundering. Thank-you.

Hot Lunch Feedback

Please advise us early as to pros and cons of the hot lunch program. We are running the program differently than we have the past several years, and we are prepared to make changes if what we are doing isn’t working. Also, students need to order by 9:00 so that food handlers can prepare accordingly.

September

5 Labor Day – No School

11 Band / Choir Pool Party (3:00-6:00)

12-16 Grades 5-6 Outdoor School

16-18 Wilderness Ventures Backpack Trip

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Mr. O’s Pick…

This week I want to especially recognize two young men who spent many hours helping out at the school over the summer. Abe Baik and Bradley Birney – thanx for your dedication to TCJA. Come in Monday for your complimentary muffins.

Wilderness Ventures

This past weekend 17 people spent from Friday evening through Sunday morning in God’s great gift to man – nature. We camped at Rimrock Lake and had a restive weekend, kayaking on and playing in the water, hiking Round Mountain, and looking at stars. The next WV event is the annual backpacking trip. There is a $25 fee to participate in this event, and we are limited to 10 people plus the leaders. The first ten 7^th through 10^th graders to sign up and pay the dues will have those spots. They will be packing about 10 miles into the Goat Rocks area.

After School Sports – 7-10

We have three after school sports programs in place. All of them practice from 3:30 to 5:00. Girls have volleyball Mondays through Thursdays. Boys (and interested girls) have flag football on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Boys also have soccer on Mondays and Wednesdays. There is some outside cost for participating in any of these three programs. Contact the office if you will need more information

Music Trip Calendar and Event Change

You might note in the calendar that the band and choir are scheduled to have a campout on the weekend of September 9^th and 10^th. Unfortunately the venue that they were planning to use is no longer available to us for that weekend. Instead, these groups will be having a pool party at the Irvine’s house. There will be food and games, and added to the water, it sounds like a recipe for a good time.

Muffin Mondays

By popular student demand, we will continue to make muffins (Costco variety) available to the students on Mondays, for pretty close to cost (75¢ each). Last year, students began to come in every day, but that does create a disruption to our routines. We don’t want anyone going hungry (when they don’t have lunches, etc.) so we will work with you on those days, however, on any day except Mondays (or Tuesdays following holiday Mondays), muffins will be $1.00.