February 2016 - Academy Publishing, Inc.

Administrative Staff
Principal’s Letter
Principal
Mr. Dean Ledford
Assistant Principal
Mrs. Michelle Bell
Assistant Principal
Ms. Lori Westberry
PTSA President
Ms. Rita Casanova
SAC Chair
Mr. Bill Winton
Region Chief
Mr. Anthony Anderson
School Board Member
The Honorable Mr. Jason Fischer
Office: (904) 292-0555
FAX: (904) 260-5414
School Hours: 9:30 A.M. – 4:15 P.M.
Mandarin Middle School Website
http://dcps.duvalschools.org/mandarin
Dear Parents,
Time is flying by and we are now in the second half of the school year. By now
you should have received your student’s second report card and hopefully your student
is progressing well and is on track for promotion. I want to thank all of you for helping to
support your students and their teachers as we all work to prepare our students for success.
Our school recently completed the Mid-Year Assessments. These assessments were
given to all students in classes that will have an end of the year state assessment. Information from the assessments is used
to help teachers determine which benchmarks have been mastered and which benchmarks still need to be addressed.
The Mid-year assessments also gives our teachers the ability to see how the benchmarks are assessed so that they can
ensure they are preparing their students for success on the FSA in April. As you know, the state standards have changed and
our curriculum materials and assessments have been modified to meet the new challenges of these rigorous state standards.
We would like to encourage all of our families to familiarize themselves with the new standards. You can find a great deal of
information about the standards by going to the Florida Department of Education website at www.fsaassessments.org and
following the links to a variety of resources.
Speaking of FSA, we have begun to offer assistance for students who need extra help preparing for the FSA as well
as general classwork. We have begun providing tutoring for students every Monday and Thursday from 4:30 P.M. to 6:00
P.M. in all core subjects. The locations are as follows: Math – Room 214, ELA – Room 507, Science – Room 514, Social
Studies – Room 210/206. Students can receive assistance with their classwork as well as remediation on specific standards
that will be assessed on the FSA. The activity bus is available for students participating in after school tutoring. Please see Mr.
Powell for an activity bus schedule.
Finally, our entire school will be participating in the state writing assessment in late February into early March. Students
in 6th and 7th grade will take a paper/pencil test where students will be asked to read several articles and then address a
prompt that will require them to cite evidence from the articles. Our 8th grade students will also take a writing assessment, but
their essays will be typed on a computer. 8th grade students will also be given articles and a prompt, but everything will be
submitted on the computer. We encourage all of our students to improve their typing skills so that they can focus on writing
and not have to worry about typing. There are several typing programs that are free for students through a variety of websites.
Some of our students use www.nitrotype.com to help improve their typing skills. We are looking forward to a great second
semester and hope we can count on you for your continued support.
Thank you for all that you do!
Dean Ledford
Principal
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Volum
9
I ss
ue 3
F eb r
uary 2016
“Hawk Tales”
February 2016
Published Five Times Per Year
Duval County School Board
1701 Prudential Drive
6th Floor | Room 642
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Issue #3
2
Policies and Procedures
Moving?
If you and your child(ren) have moved we need proof of your new address.
Even if you are attending Mandarin Middle on special assignment we need to have
your correct address. We do NOT accept P.O. Boxes. Please refer to the lists below
as to what documentation you will need to turn in. You will need 1 item from list A and
1 item from list B or C. *If you have a private lease agreement it must be notarized
and you will need 2 addition items from list B and 2 additional items from list C.
•
List A: Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) or TECO bill, mortgage
agreement (or closing statement), lease agreement (from a company, *or
private individual), driver’s license or state ID
•
List B: automobile insurance, credit card statement, bank account statement,
US Postal Service confirmation of address change
•
List C: current bank account statement (may block out account number),
payroll statement, current non-cellular phone bill, vehicle registration
Lunch Information
There are two ways to put money in your child’s lunch account so they don’t
have to carry cash on them. 1.) Log into www.mylunchmoney.com and submit your
student’s ID# (this can be found on the student’s ID card) along with our school id
number #259. 2.) The Chartwell cafeteria accepts cash, money orders, or checks
made payable to MMS Cafeteria. Lunch is available for $2.20, Breakfast $1.25. They
also have a la carte items for $.40 to $2.50 each. For more information call 260-5410.
The student’s MMS ID card is required when going through the lunch lines.
No Deliveries or Drop Offs
Parents, please help your child develop good organizational skills by checking
that they leave home with completed homework, PE uniform, lunch and books. We
cannot guarantee delivery if you drop them off. We do not interrupt instructional time
by calling into classrooms for any deliveries or telephone calls. We do not accept
delivery of items such as gifts, balloons, flowers, etc. for students at anytime.
Lockers
Each student will be assigned lockers for their books and P.E. clothes for a fee;
however, the lockers remain the property of the school. Book bags will not be allowed
in the classrooms or in the P.E. areas. Book bags will be kept in their upstairs locker
upon arriving to school. In accepting the lockers, the student understands that the
administration may search the lockers. FURTHER, THE SCHOOL ASSUMES NO
LIABILITY FOR BOOKS OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL PLACED IN THE LOCKERS.
Medicine
Students are not allowed to carry any form of medication on their
person. Student medication is kept with Mrs. Thompson in the Student
Services office (Room 211). Written permission given by the parent/
guardian is required for staff members to administer medications.
Permission forms are located in the front office.
Advertise in Hawk Tales! This is a wonderful
way for your company to get community
recognition and exposure.
This advertising provides newsletters free of
charge for the school. It’s a win-win situation...
it’s inexpensive and you help support your
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Check-Out Policy
If a student needs to be checked out of school early, the parent/guardian must come into the main office
to request student for check-out then sign the appropriate sign-out clipboard. Students are not allowed to
wait in the main office for their parent/guardian to pick them up. Only those people listed on the student’s
emergency card are allowed to pick up the requested student. It is important to keep this card updated
at all times throughout the school year. Also, students cannot be checked out during testing times. Parents,
please be aware of your child’s team schedule. Students cannot be checked out after 3:45 P.M. on regular
dismissal days and after 2:30 P.M. on early dismissal days.
Car Riders
Morning drop off: The front parking lot and side circle drive, NOT the back parking lot. The back parking
lot is strictly for buses and faculty parking.
Early Access
Students must have a pass to enter the building for meetings or other activities prior to 9:15am. Students cannot
use the main entrance on Hood Road. Students will need to enter through the circle drive area located on Hornets Nest
Road and show their pass. This is a reminder that students are NOT ALLOWED on campus prior to 9:15am.
Afternoon Pick-Up
The front parking lot and side circle drive, NOT the back parking lot. The back parking lot is strictly for
buses and faculty parking.
Check-In Policy
Students arriving to school late or returning to school after an absence must bring a signed
note from their parent or guardian and submit it to Mrs. Thompson in Student Services (Room 211).
Prohibited On Campus
Permanent markers and “white-out” (correction fluid) are prohibited on campus.
If students bring a cell phone, pager, or other electronic devices to school, it must be turned off and outof-sight. If any electronic device is found on the student, it will be confiscated. The device will be released
only to the parent between 8:00AM – 4:00PM.
Unsupervised activities are prohibited at MMS. Please leave all ball equipment, skateboards, skates,
etc. at home. Students CANNOT be on campus prior to 9:15AM or after 4:15PM and 3:00PM on early dismissal
days. These rules are for the safety of your child.
TELEPHONE USE AND MESSAGES:
We do not have personnel to deliver telephone messages.
1. Use of school telephone is provided in STUDENT ILLNESS EMERGENCY cases only. Students may secure
permission and use of the phone in the administrator’s offices. The administrator will determine the emergency.
Emergencies include but are not limited to: death, hospitalization, unexpected doctor’s appointments, or things
of similar nature. All calls will be limited to two minutes for illness and getting picked up. Students are NOT
permitted to use teacher telephones or personal cell phones to contact parent/guardian.
2. We will not be able to deliver messages to students, except in cases of EMERGENCY.
3. The nature of the emergency MUST be specified to a school official in order for the message to be delivered.
4. Arrangements for routine matters such as rides to and from school, car and house key delivery and
pick-up, meeting places, etc. should be made before students arrive at school.
DR. TIFFANY MOSLEY
Judy Cagle
caglej1@duvalschools.org
Mandarin Middle School
3
Counselor’s Corner
Attention 8th grade Parents and Guardians,
In preparation for High School, Mandarin Middle School recently hosted an 8th grade parent night. The program
included information about 9th grade schedules, Bright Future Scholarships, community service hours, and other
High School programs and requirements. Representatives and Counselors from Mandarin High School, Peterson
Academy, Wolfson High School, Englewood High School and other High Schools throughout the district were
represented. Available academic programs include Mandarin High School’s Medical program and AICE programs,
Englewood’s Early College and Manufacturing programs, as well as Wolfson’s IB program. Information for CHOICE
schools, magnet process, program applications, or portfolio directions is available through the guidance office. To
secure a personalized packet of information with your child’s transcript, please RSVP with your name and the name
of your child at 292-0555 Ext. 179.
Eighth Grade Parent Night was January 26. Did you miss it? No worries – Sign up for the blog updates with your
email at http://thecounseloroffice.blogspot.com/ Get Ready for High School.
High School: Here We Come! - blogspot.com
thecounseloroffice.blogspot.com
This blog will help middle school students get ready for high school. We will explore programs, websites, and
interest inventories.
A limited number of high school informational packets will be available in the guidance office.
Does your child need help with study and organizational skills? Small groups will be meeting during lunch time
on Tuesday and Wednesday B days.
Students may contact Ms. Wilhelm to participate. Parents may call for more information at extension 179.
Scheduling for high school starts Feb 8 and 9. 8th grade students will meet with high school counselors at MMS
to plan their schedules.
Important Note to Parents:
If your family is moving and you know you will be withdrawing from Mandarin Middle School, please notify the
guidance office. There are three ways you can do this.
•
First, you can call guidance and leave a message with the student’s name and your contact information so that
we can call you to verify the withdrawal. In addition to that, we will need to know the school that the student will
be attending. This information will help us to quickly forward records to the appropriate school.
•
Second, you can write a letter and include all of the same information as listed in the method above.
•
Finally, you can come to the school and withdraw the student in person.
Parents and guardians, please notify the guidance office if you are moving and plan to withdraw your
child. Telling a teacher is not enough. The guidance department must be notified so that records can be
updated and forwarded to the student’s new school. Thank you in advance for your help.
News from PTSA
HARLEM WIZARDS Come to Mandarin Middle on Friday February 12th- Sales start NOW
MMS PTSA will be hosting a basketball game against the Harlem Wizards at Mandarin Middle School on
Friday, February 12th. Advance purchase tickets will be $12 for general admission and $15 at the door. Reserved
seating will be offered for $20 which will guarantee seating in the 1st two rows. Courtside Plus tickets will be available
for $35. Courtside Plus tickets will include a meet & greet with 2 Wizards and a free giveaway, along with reserved
seating. This event is sure to sell out as it is the first time the Harlem Wizards have visited the Mandarin Area. The
event will start at 7:00 PM and doors open at 6:00 PM. Please visit http://www.harlemwizards.com/schedule-tickets/
and click on the February calendar. Choose Mandarin Middle on February 12th.
All proceeds will go to purchase a new electronic marquee for the school. Thank you for your support!
Challenge Day
Challenge Day Ambassadors
Congratulations to the following students who were chosen to act as
program ambassadors during Challenge Days at Mandarin Middle.
•
Cameron Williams
•
Elizabeth Sorna
•
Raquel Passos
•
Isabella Thomas
•
Makayla Brown
•
Karen Ramalhu
•
Daloune Leger
•
Brianna Arsenault
•
Caleb Carpenter
•
Alexis Ryan
•
Peyton Wolf
Challenge Day is back at Mandarin Middle February 2nd, 3rd,
and 4th. Participating students, parents, teachers, and volunteers
attend one 6-hour session on February 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. The times
are from 9:00A.M.-4:30P.M. The program is designed to ensure that
every student voice is heard. It inspires compassion and encourages
acceptance. Please visit www.challengeday.org for more information
about the program. Thank you to all volunteers for being a part of this
meaningful and amazing experience.
Scholar Bowl
The following students are the members of the 2015-16
Scholar Bowl for Mandarin Middle School.
7th Grade Members
8th Grade Members
1. Joseph Ferguson
1. Michael Adams
2. Allison Fisher
2. Kathryn Bush
3. Samuel Gilbert
3. Jackson Durant
4. Cullen Joyce
4. Sean Farrell
5. Ruby Noland
5. Cole Heeg
6. Carter Richards
6. Jackson Loehle
7. Dylan Tan
7. Jordan Mills
8. Alanna Yates
8. Reese Schad
Scholar Bowl season started on January 29th. Mandarin Middle’s
team won its (southern) division again last year and finished runner up in the
playoffs, so they placed second in the county out of about 27 middle schools.
Sixteen students will compete for the school this year, eight 7th
graders and eight 8th graders. Mr. Charles Lyles is the team’s academic
coach, and Ms. Blum is helping the team as assistant coach. The team is
looking forward to another successful year of intellectual competition. Go
Academic Hawks!
$100 OFF
FOR MANDARIN
STUDENTS
Math, Reading
Study Skills, Homework Help
Writing, FSA Prep
Science, History
Skills, Confidence, Motivation
1:1 SAT/ACT Prep
4
Achieve 3000 Contest Winners
Seventh grade students on the Toma Hawk Team were school winners of a national reading contest sponsored by Achieve 3000
called Read to Succeed. They will be celebrating their reading success with a pizza party. Congratulations, Toma Hawk Class!
The Mandarin Middle
School Gaming Club
The club meets every Friday starting at 8:00 A.M. in
Room 56. Students interested in joining should see Mr. Kelley
for more information.
Literacy Week at Mandarin Middle
Mandarin Middle celebrated literacy week by involving students in several reading related activities. Students participated in
a Book Swap. They brought in gently used books in exchange for a “new to you” book. In addition they played Word Boggle in the
school cafeteria, they wore “favorite quote” hats, and they dressed up as their literary heroes. All in all students had a great time
celebrating the week with a variety of literacy activities.
Student Council Service Projects
During the month of December, Student Council members created a patchwork blanket for their Blankets for Warmth service
project. The blanket was delivered to children in need.
Mrs. Riner, Student Council sponsor, says the council has been collecting Box Tops for Education. Members prepared
the box tops for mailing at their January meeting. The funds from this project are used to purchase educational equipment and
resources for our school. Special thanks and appreciation go out to the Council members for their contributions to our community
and our school.
Driftwood Field Trip Makes
Learning FUN
News from Band
Congratulations to the following students for being
selected based upon their successful audition into the
2015-2016 All District Honor Band:
•
Ansley Spaulding- 8th grade- Flute- 8th Chair
•
Cassie Bailey- 8th grade- French Horn- 6th Chair
•
Christopher Sayles- 8th grade- Trumpet- 6th Chair
•
Cole Heeg- 8th grade- Trombone- 6th Chair
These students will be participated with other
students from throughout Duval and Nassau Counties
at the All-District Honor Band Rehearsals and Concert in
late January.
We are also proud of the other 36 students that we
had audition for this prestigious ensemble.
Climbing trees, mucking through the mud, looking for plankton with
a microscope, searching for wild horses, finding sharks’ teeth, dissecting
squid, launching rockets, touching sea creatures, holding reptiles, and
running on the beach… Do these sound like typical activities in a school
day to you? For many students on the Xtreme and Excel Hawks, this
is exactly what school was like for three days in October at Driftwood, a
science education center located on St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. Students,
teachers and chaperones had an unforgettable learning and bonding experience
as we slept in cabins, ate in the buffet style cafeteria, and explored the natural world
together. Did you know that the continental shelf on the East Coast is why the waves are smaller than on the west coast? Or that
plankton are the building blocks of the oceanic food chain? Driftwood Education Center invites you and your Xtreme/Excel Hawk
to discover their coastal classrooms while learning and having fun from a different perspective. Our charter bus will be journeying
to Driftwood once again on October 17-19, 2016. Mark your calendars now for an experience of a lifetime!
Washington D.C. 8th Grade Field Trip
There is a currently a waiting list for 8th grade students who are interested in attending the Washington D.C. field trip.
Students who are interested in adding their names to the wait list should contact Ms. Fees at feesv@duvalschools.org.
Support Our Sponsors
Support MMS
5
Lowe’s Home Improvement Improves Our School
Congratulations are in order! Mandarin Middle School’s ESE (Exception Student Education) wing has been
selected to receive a 2015 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant worth $3,505.00. The money from the grant will be
used to renovate our Life Skills Lab with all new appliances: stove, microwave, refrigerator, washer, and dryer. We
will also be able to purchase needed supplies like utensils, bowls, mixers, etc. The Lab is used by ESE students
to learn valuable life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and how to do laundry. A special thanks to Lowe’s whose
commitment to improving the communities they serve has made this possible. The teachers and students are
excited and can’t wait to show off their new lab and the skills they learn. Go Hawks! Let’s get cooking!
Drama Group News
AUDITIONS for “Circus Olympus” will be held on Monday February 1st at 4:20 in the school Auditorium. Be
ready to do a “cold” read from the script. ALL are invited to audition!!!!! The performances will be in April. Contact Mr.
DeBorde for more information.
An ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING for the Mandarin Middle School Drama Group will be held Tuesday,
February 2, in Room 127 from 4:20-5:30 P. M. All students are welcome. The more the merrier! See Mr. DeBorde
for more information.
Restorative Justice at Mandarin Middle
The Restorative Justice (RJ) Program at Mandarin Middle is in full swing. Twenty-four 7th and 8th grade
students have been trained to hear cases referred to the Teams. There are three teams of students that act as Peer
Mediators sometimes referred to as Peer Jurors. The goal of Restorative Justice is to repair harm that has happened
between students and/or their teachers.
Our first field trip is scheduled for March 11th to visit Judge Flower at the Courthouse. We are preparing now
for the field trip by watching videos on the court system and crafting questions for the Judge.
In addition, the RJ Team will be selling spirit buttons for $1.00 during all four lunches on Wednesdays. The
buttons commemorate the year our students will graduate. There will only be 100 buttons for each of the classes, so
make sure you don’t miss out. Buy your button early!!
MMS SAT Dates 2015-2016
Attention college-bound students, both middle and high school: Take
your SAT at Mandarin Middle School. Registration closes approximately one
month prior to the Saturday administration dates:
•
March 5
•
May 7
•
June 4
For more information contact Mrs. Hager at hagerk1@duvalschools.org.
News from the Arts
Abigail Pavlicek won second place in photography for a photograph
she submitted to Scholastic Art Awards! Congratulations, Abigail!
6
Mandarin Middle School Sports
Sports Schedules
For the latest updates on sports schedules, visit
the following website: Please use www.Planeths.com
to see all schedules.
Soccer
MMS Lady Hawks Soccer
Team 2015-16 Roster
Player Name
1. Isabel Scott
2. Lindsay Albritton
3. Danielle Darling
4. Selma Gjoka
5. Abigail Oldham
6. Abigail Pavlicek
7. Alissa Katsaras
8. Zeljka Pepic
9. Lauren Wessling
10. Mckenzie Sterdivant
11. Sydney Bagrow
12. Natalie Brown
13. Bella Updegraff
14. Akiari Lopez
15. Alexis Gentry
16. Abril Gomez
17. Miranda Lamb
18. Catelee Castro
19. Taylor Jerris
20. Chloe Pickard
MGR. #1 Chelsea Caudill
Mandarin Middle Boys
Soccer
Coach – Tim Stegink
Assistant Coach – Ross
Shmunes
Manager – Viktoria Kim
Manager – Dearia Nowlin
Manager – Karen Ramalho
Manager – Alexis Ryan
#1. Erik Pruett
#2. Brett Buckingham
#3. Austin Erdman
#4. Siamak Karim
#5. Kristoffer Peitz
#6. Michael Adams
#7. Jonathan Castro
#8. Dionis Xhaferi
#9. Joseph Baez
#10. Adel Iriskic
#11. Brandon Erdman
#12. Jose Morquecho
#13. Chris Lila
#14. David Szczesniak
#15. Ayden Sciandra
#16. Christopher Douglas
#17. Sean McNamee
#18. Aaron Pruett
#19. Caleb Krug
#20. Jackson Durant
Basketball
Mandarin Middle Girls
Basketball
Z’aria Smith
Alexis Erb
Taijshiah Baldwin
Ellie Jackson
Genesis Carracter
Tyrielle Cox
Sara Maldosevic
Ellise Edwards
Gianna Pierre-Louis
Alexandra Cleveland
Aiyana Harper
Managers:
Brennise Farrington
Michelle Kilgore
Janiya Matthews
Taira Williams
Mandarin Middle Boys
Basketball
#3 Kenyon Bryant
#10 LJ Griffin
#11 Jaylen Jackson
#2 Ty Jackson
#51 Andre Morehead
#14 Netting
#13 Alex Schwenke
#1 Aiden Sullivan
#30 Michael Sullivan
#4 Joshua Swann
#15 Kylon Washington
#12 Khalid Yassin
Managers
Tiana Goodloe
Tayler Kielman
Jenna Russ
Boys’ Soccer Team on the Doorstep of School History
The Boys’ Soccer team is preparing to make a run at school history. There has never been three consecutive division championships
for Boys’ Soccer at Mandarin Middle. This year could be the year. The team has a few returning players, Jonathan Castro, Michael Adams,
Adel Iriskic, Sean McNamee, and Dionis Xhaferi. Although these players were not around for the first of the two division championships,
the work ethic from students like Alex Paddadis, Jack McNamee, Daniel Deng, and Jerred Chase have been passed down to them. The
past two years have shown that the Mandarin Middle soccer team is tough to beat with an overall record of 23 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie. The
team has scored 107 goals in two years and conceded only 26 goals. Although this team doesn’t have a lot of size, it does have some of
the highest skilled players Coach Stegink has seen in the last two years. Adel, Krug, and Baez lead a strong group of strikers, followed by
an even stronger midfield with Castro, Lila, Peitz, Brandon Erdman, Austin Erdman, Dionis, and Jose. The defense will be tough to score
against with Adams leading the way, followed closely behind by Erik Pruett, Aaron Pruett, Durant, Sciandra, Siamak, and Buckingham.
The two goalies, C.J. Douglas and Sean, will be tough to beat. Please come out and support your Boys’ Soccer team and be a part of
Mandarin Middle school history! Their first game of the season was a home game, January 12th against Landmark, and an old rivalry was
renewed. The team continues to play one tough game after another in their quest to become division champs.
Hoops for Heart
We Jump, We Shoot,We Save!
Mandarin Middle is hosting its first Hoops for Heart Basketball Tournament this February through the American Heart
Association. It is a community service program that helps teach students the importance of developing heart healthy habits, that
being physically active can be fun, and that raising funds to support cardiovascular research and education helps save lives in
their community and across the country. The goal of this program is to increase students’ knowledge of how their hearts work and
the best way to take care of them, to honor those in the community who have been affected by heart disease and stroke, and to
help raise funds in support of the American Heart Association’s efforts to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and
stroke. Through this program Mandarin Middle Students will become Heart Heroes.
The students will have an opportunity to become a Heart Hero at three different levels. The first level is for students who want
to develop a basketball team consisting of five players within his/her PE or Health class at a cost of $10 per player and play in the
basketball tournament. The second level of participation is for students who wish to purchase their “super pup” lanyard, in order to
attend the championship games at a cost of $5.00. There will be a championship game for each grade level (A-Day vs. B-Day). The
third level of participation is to register online and collect donations through friends and family (this is NOT a door to door fundraiser).
Students may register at: www.heart.org/hoops under our school to collect online donations. The deadline for donations is Feb. 17th.
You may contact Amy Brown if you would like to place a donation and/or have questions at baumgartna@duvalschools.org
The money raised will go to the American Heart Association to help in three ways: it will increase students’ knowledge of
how their hearts work and the best way to take care of them, it will honor those in the community who have been affected by heart
disease and stroke, and it will help raise funds in support of the American Heart Association’s efforts to build healthier lives, free of
cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
NFL PLAY 60
Mandarin Middle School 6th grade students participated in the NFL Play 60 Challenge through their PE classes this year. What
the challenge entailed was for the students to be physically active for 60 minutes a day, seven days a week for four weeks. Each PE
student received a Playbook to log their activities (both in school and out of school). Each week the students turned in their Playbook
to their PE teacher to track their activities and minutes, and they were entered into a weekly drawing. We had over 30 who religiously
participated in the challenge and won different awards for their efforts. As the weeks progressed the prizes increased in value, with
the final week awarding various sports equipment of the student’s choice. The biggest and final award was being able to attend
the Jacksonville Jaguar vs. Indianapolis Colts
on Dec. 13th. These students arrived early for
the game, first to enjoy the Fan Zone (including
bounce houses, obstacle courses, 40 yard dash,
throwing games, etc.). After their enjoyment of
the NFL experience, they were escorted onto
the field prior to the game to be recognized for
their efforts in the Play 60 challenge, the National
Anthem, and fly-over. In addition, the students
received a t-shirt, lunch provided by the Jaguar
Foundation, hats, sunglasses, eye black and
other items. It was a great experience for the
students. They saw a fantastic game with the
Jaguars scoring over 50 points and setting a
record! Thank you to those students who made
the NFL Play 60 experience a success and hope
you continue to choose a healthy life style and be
physically active.
7
Congratulations to Mandarin Middle School’s
Employee of the Year
For the past twelve years, Donna Loudermilk has worked as a Media Center Assistant
at Mandarin Middle School. This year we enthusiastically applaud her as our 2015/2016
Employee of the Year.
When Donna began working in the Media Center at Mandarin Middle School, she was one
of two assistants working with a full time Media Specialist. As the district implemented personnel
cuts, both the other assistant and the Media Specialist positions were eliminated. Alone, Donna
has managed to continue to provide much needed Media services to over 1,400 students and
more than eighty-five faculty members.
Donna’s job description over the past years would fill pages. The list of her responsibilities is long and varied. She has kept
track of equipment, made copies, laminated posters, checked out books to students, monitored them when they used computers,
trained teachers on technology, rescued us when we ran into difficulties, and made the coffee among other things. She has done all
of this and more with a cheerful and caring attitude. It is not unusual to visit the media center to find Donna giving a neck massage
to a coworker while simultaneously answering questions and directing traffic.
Donna is, in a way, the heart of MMS. She supports every person in our school: teachers, students, administrators, and staff
members. People are touched by her care when they enter her realm, whether it is to get coffee, materials from the media center,
copies, equipment, or a cheerful chat. Each day she demonstrates the meaning of service for others. Teachers appreciate the
support that she provides to help us serve our students with a sense of urgency. Students appreciate her assistance with checking
out books, printing documents, locating materials, and answering questions.
Today, Ms. Loudermilk is as busy as ever in her new role as our school’s guidance assistant. Her service to our
school is invaluable!
Our Mandarin Middle School CTE/TV Production Program
Takes Top Honors in the WJXT, Postively Jax Contest
The WJXT, Channel 4 Positively Jax storyboard contest is a phenomenal community project that originated three years
ago. Since then, Mandarin Middle’s CTE/TV Production program has won top honors every year including this one. TV Production
student Lilleth Colado has been named this year’s student producer. Lilleth and her teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Prescott, will now team
up with the Channel 4 production crew to bring her storyboard to life in the coming weeks. Her PSA entitled “Sticky Situations” will
air throughout the viewing area in early spring. Lilleth says her storyboard is about how certain names can lead people to think
certain things about themselves. She added that kids are sensitive in middle school when hit with the
wrong comment or phrase. Also, bad labels can get you in a ‘sticky situation’ when you are trying to find
out who you really are in middle school. Mrs. Prescott speaks highly of the program when she states, “This
is an amazing culminating project for our PSA and storyboard unit. This is a real life career project judged
by professionals in the TV and Film industry. What could be more valuable than that kind of feedback?
Additionally, this contest deals with situations that affect middle school students on a daily basis. Our
continued participation has leant itself to dissecting more in-depth topics year after year.”
Please join us in congratulating Lilleth who has added yet another great piece to her art portfolio for
an upcoming interview to attend Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in the fall!
A few spots are left!
We need you!
Advertise in the Hawk Tales!
This is a wonderful way
for your company
to get community recognition
and exposure,
and at the same time
help support your local schools!
Judy Cagle
caglej1@duvalschools.org
Mandarin Middle School
Mandarin Middle School
Teacher Honored
Ms. Lori Levin, 8th Grade Physical Science and 7th
Grade Science Teacher at Mandarin Middle School received
the Gladys Roddenberry Graduate Fellowships for Teaching
Excellence Scholarship. Gilchrist Berg established the
Gladys Roddenberry Graduate Fellowships for Teaching
Excellence in the late 1990’s, to honor his outstanding sixth
grade teacher, Gladys Roddenberry. Mrs. Roddenberry was
one of several teachers who made a lasting impression on
the young Gilchrist Berg while he was a student at Ortega
Elementary School. Each year, Roddenberry Fellowships are
awarded to talented educators from Duval Schools who have
been teaching between three and ten years, and who wish to
pursue a master’s degree in education.
Lori Levin holds many roles at Mandarin Middle as the
Science Department Chair, Science Fair Coordinator, mentor,
National Junior Honor Society Sponsor, and AVID Site Team
Representative for Science. Lori began pursuing a Master’s
of Education in School Leadership last year and is aiming to
complete her degree this summer from the University of North
Florida. Lori believes that the completion of her graduate
degree will help her accomplish her purpose of teaching,
reinforcing her efforts to work on student instruction, serving
her community, and achieving a leadership position within the
school at some point in the future. Lori states that Lincoln’s
quote “I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and
I mean to keep on doing so until the end…” serves as the
foundation of her teaching philosophy. Congratulations on this
outstanding accomplishment, Ms. Levin!
Mandarin Middle School
Student Is District Science
Fair Winner
Sixth grade student, Taylor Boyd, won first place in the
district Science Fair. Her project focused on the following
topic: The Effect of Temperature on the Viscosity of Honey.
Congratulations, Taylor!
After School Tutoring at
Mandarin Middle School
Just in case you missed it—After School Tutoring is now in
full swing. The following is a list of teachers and their locations.
•
Reading/ELA Cagle Room 507
•
Math Hudgens Room 214
•
Science Kanavy Room 514
•
Social Studies Viola/Hager Rooms 210/206
Tutoring will be held on Monday and Thursday
afternoons from 4:30 until 6:00 P.M.
Best of all—it is free of charge! Students, take
advantage of this opportunity to improve your academics. We
look forward to seeing you there!
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Jacksonville, FL
Permit #25
Mandarin Middle School
5100 Hood Rd.
Jacksonville, FL 32257
Resident or Parents of:
School Calendar
February 2016
February 1
February 2
February 3
February 4
February 6
February 8
February 10
February 11
February 12
February 15
February 16
February 17
February 19
February 22
February 23
February 24
February 25
February 29
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Saturday
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Monday
Media center and 200 hallway- Scholar Bowl Match 4:30-7:30pm
Challenge Day
Challenge Day
Challenge Day
Band Camp 9am-2pm
Scholar Bowl @ Twin Lakes
Early Dismissal
Jazz Band MPA 12-9pm
PTSA Harlem Wizard Night 7pm
Presidents Day - No School
Honor Roll Lunch
American Heart Assoc. Basketball Tournament
AVID PLC Media Center 8-3pm
Scholar Bowl @ Arlington
Band Performance Assessment 12-9pm
Early Dismissal
In-School Soccer Game
Scholar Bowl @ Dupont
March 2016
March 5
March 9
March 11
March 18
March 21
March 22
March 23
March 24
March 25
March 28
March 30
Saturday
Wednesday
Friday
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Wednesday
SAT
Early Dismissal
Restorative Justice Field Trip
Spring Holiday
Spring Holiday
Spring Holiday
Spring Holiday
Spring Holiday
Spring Holiday
Spring Holiday
Early Dismissal
April 2016
April 5
April 8
April 11
April 13
April 27
April 29
Tuesday
Friday
Monday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Friday
Band Concert 5-9pm
Teacher Planning Day
FSA Begins
Early Dismissal
Early Dismissal
School Closed
Academy Publishing School Newsletter Program ™ 800-644-3541
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