Crusader Times

Hello Crusaders and Parents,

In the short time I have been here, I have come to appreciate the excellence that is Bonita Vista Middle School. But as Interim, I know that your main interest is getting a quality, permanent Principal in place. I can certainly appreciate that. The length of time that it takes to do this is due to the high number of quality candidates that applied to be considered, and thereafter a series of in-depth interviews to determine that absolute finest of the applicants. So, the end is in sight, and your new Principal will be announced at the December 11th Board meeting.

I have tried to uphold the pride and tradition of Bonita Vista Middle. My daughter attended there, so I do not take this charge lightly. There are so many excellent qualities here that I have enjoyed and been a part of. All you Crusaders, take care, and fulfill your life goals!

Scott Tanner

Interim Principal

On Wednesday, November 15th our Knowledge Bowl Team had a meet were they competed against HTM, NCM, and MOM. We want to congratulate our Knowledge Bowl Team for defeating all three schools! We would also like to thank all of the parents in attendance supporting our Crusaders at our Knowledge Bowl Meet.

The Crusader Girls’ choir and the Advanced Choir will be participating in ABCTY – “A Bonita Christmas to You”, on Dec. 5, at Eastlake Church and the District Holiday Sing, on Dec. 7, at Bonita Valley Church. Please see images below.

Please see Ms. Kennedy or Mr. Tapia for Holiday Sing Tickets. See the image below for ABCTY tickets.

Our Moderate Program took to the field to day to challenge our sister program at National City Middle School to a kickball tournament. The weather was perfect, and between meeting new friends, sharing laughs, and chowing down on BBQ’d hot dogs, everyone had a good time. Opportunities to practice social skills in this type of environment are a perfect way to bring classroom learning into the real-world and promote the positive school culture within the classroom to our friends across the district.

With the holidays upon us, our Moderate Program took to the mall in search of good deals. While competing in a scavenger hunt at Target, students used real-life math skills to find the best deals, calculate totals, and work on navigating through a store to find useful and needed items. Competition was fierce among students, but using quick thinking, and critical math skills, Zachary Porter and Francisco Estrada were able to emerge winners each earning a Target gift card. Good Job guys!

On October 25th, a few staff members from Bostania Academy, along with representative from the San Diego County Office of Education, came to our school to visit our Dual Language (DLI) classes. Bostonia Academy is looking to expand their elementary school’s DLI program into the middle school level. They wanted the opportunity to see what a DLI program looks like at the middle school. They visited several of our classrooms and even got a chance to speak to our 8th grade DLI students. Bostonia Academy left very excited and impressed by our DLI program. Thank you to our BVM DLI Teachers and students for their dedication to our program!

Congratulations to Sophia Parra, Danae Martinez, and Brio Hurd for winning the Reflections Art Contest. Brio is the winner of the Reflections Art Contest in music. Sophia and Danae are the winners in Visuals Art. All pieces will go on to the Council Level. Prizes and certificates were awarded during advisory on November 15th. Congratulations Crusaders!

On Thursday, October 26, 2017, BVM held our annual Halloween Dance. This year mariachi haunted our hallway leading up to our dance DJ’ed by our VAPA teacher Mr. Tapia. Thank you to all those who came out, and helped make our dance a success!

On Tuesday, October 31st, BVM staff displayed their Halloween spirit alongside their students.

On October 27th, the Dual Language Program hosted a Dia de los Muertos lunch celebration for the entire school. There were fun performances by our BVM Band and Mariachi. We also had a school wide ofrenda (altar) competition for a chance to win a gift card to places like Starbucks, iTunes, Target, Jamba Juice and In-n-Out. In addition, we had an exciting game of Heads Up with students against teachers to try and guess several Halloween words. It was truly an amazing experience for students and staff. A big thank you to our BVM Band, Mariachi, DLI parents, students and teachers! This event would not have been possible without all of your support!

BVM staff coming together to give thanks and take some time for themselves in good company for our Annual Thanksgiving Potluck.

Ted DeGarzia was a famous artist who was born in Arizona. He is famous for the portrayal of Navajo children. His artwork is based on impressionism. He uses bright colors and simple faces to give a child like innocence. BVM art students paint and watercolors and his style.

Health and Emergency Contact Cards

Parents and guardians, please take time to review your phone numbers and emergency contacts on the parent portal and make sure to update emergency contacts on the student emergency card. It is also very important that you keep the nurse informed of any new medical issues or change in any health conditions for your child.

New health information cards and emergency contact cards can be obtained in the health office. If you need to update your information, please send your student to pick up the new cards at the health office or feel free to drop by in person to pick them up. In an emergency, it is critical that we have updated and accurate information in our records.

Thank you for your support,

Christine Stoddard, BSN, RN, PHN

Tel: 619-397-2206

Crusaders,

Finals season is closely upon us. That means that by the time you leave for winter vacation, current 7th graders will have finished one FULL first semester completed with an opportunity to have fulfilled 6 credits.

Current 8th graders will have finished their 3rd semester and should have close to 18 credits. In order to meet the Sweetwater Union High School District Promotion requirements , 8th grade students must fulfill, by the end of their 4th semester, a minimum total of 21 credits.

This time of year it is so important that you do not procrastinate to do your class work and turn in your assignments before the class deadline, as there are only a few weeks left until the end of the semester which ends on Friday, December 15th, 2017.

Please also, take advantage of Saturday school for English/math that will be held on December 2nd and 9th which are the last two Saturday Scholars available this school year. Your report card will be mailed home during the winter break.

Here are a few suggestions on how to prepare for your Finals/End of Course Exams (EOC’s).

Study tips for finals to help you achieve your best grade:

*Start Early - study ahead of time to decrease stress and avoid cramming in nights before. Instead make a note of the date of your exams, and start studying at least a week early

* Get Organized -organize your week by creating lists. Lists are a great way to prioritize what needs to get done, and to remind yourself of important deadlines and what to study for and what to prioritize.

* Get Assignments Out of the Way - so you can spend your time actually studying. Check with individual teachers as some may not be accepting late or missing assignments and you may be spending precious time on something you cannot turn in.

* Note Taking - taking notes is a great way to study because by thinking about what you write, you are actually reviewing the material at hand. You can take and use the notes you took during your classes or while you read from the textbook/iPad. Your notes should communicate the same concepts, but in your own words to ensure you have an understanding of the material.

Have a great and successful end of semester!

Sincerely,

BVM Counseling Team

Ever wonder how someone makes an app, programs a video game, or designs a website? Its done by writing computer code! Coding is part of a broader field called computer science and it is responsible for making the technology we use every day work. Sound complicated? Anyone one can do it! It is an exciting field of study with a lot of potential. There are currently 604,689 open computing jobs in the U.S., however only 38, 174 computer science graduates entered the work force. The Bureau of Labor predicts that by 2022 there will be over 1 million computing job openings in every industry (code.org). But more importantly it teaches you valuable skills that can be used in any field. Steve Jobs said, “I think everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.” December 4th-10th is Computer Science week, so visit code.org for more information and activities to get you coding today and building apps tomorrow!

11/27 - Museum of Tolerance Field Trip

12/02 - Saturday School and Saturday Scholars - VEX Robotics Competition

12/06 - Advanced Band Recording Workshop

12/09 - Saturday School and Saturday Scholars - Knott's Berry Farm Trip

12/13 - English Language Advisory Committee Meeting - Parent Teacher Student Association Meeting

12/14 - School Site Council Meeting

12/18 - 01/09 - No School - Winter Break

Email: Martha-Irene.Garza@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: http://bvm.sweetwaterschools.org/
Location: 650 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910, United States
Phone: (619) 397-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonitavistamiddleschool