July/August, 2012 Volume 10, Issue 1

Simonsen Wire WWire

(573) 659-3125 – Main Office (573) 659-3131 – Attendance (573) 659-7362 – Fax

Simonsen 9th Grade Center 501 East Miller Street Jefferson City, Missouri 65101

BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE:

From the Simonsen Administrative Team

 Registration Dates for 20122013 school year

Welcome to Simonsen! Many and diverse learning experiences are in place for our students this year. Our goal is to challenge your children intellectually, grow them socially, and guide them toward independent thinking and problem solving. As we strive to promote healthy development in all aspects of each student's life we also strive to develop a student body of good character; students who make good choices and decisions resulting in successful and healthy outcomes. We encourage

 Open House Scheduled  Important Phone Numbers  Upcoming Events/Dates

students to demonstrate the best of themselves every moment of everyday and to make positive contributions to the groups and organizations to which they belong. We strive to instill within our student body a sense of “Pride Through Excellence”. As our Freshman students begin their high school career, a sense of new responsibility, leadership, and expectations are created. Our students are held accountable for their work habits, work completion, ability to meet

deadlines, and observance of school procedures and policies. Simonsen staff members are committed to deliver a sense of confidence, self-esteem, respect, and responsibility for all students as they strive to reach their highest potential. The contents of this letter will help you set the course with your child for a year of learning, fun, and success. Finally, allow me to encourage all students and parents to get involved in high school activities. Take advantage of the opportunities Jefferson City High School has to offer.

Tammy R. Ridgeway, EDD, Assoc. Principal Kevin J. Kiley, Assistant Principal Julie Bryan, Assistant Principal

Simonsen Registration July 31 and August 1 Individual Highlights: Open House

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Cell Phone Policy 2 Transition Camp

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Fall Athletics

3

Bell Schedules

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New Staff

5

Advisory

5

Calendar

6

Registration for the 2012/2013 school year will be held in the Simonsen Cafeteria on Tuesday, July 31 from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Registration will also be held on Wednesday, August 1 from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. A checklist will be available upon entering the cafeteria where parents and students will proceed through stations until registration is completed. Wagner Photography will be here to take pictures for the yearbook and student ID’s. Student planners, student ID cards, and lanyards will be issued. Parents will have the opportunity to pay meal fees, purchase student activity passes, order JCHS yearbooks for the 2012-2013 school year, pay PTO membership dues and place orders for Simonsen hoodies and t-shirts (a PTO fundraiser).

SCHOOL SUPPLIES It’s that time of year -- Everybody is thinking about school supplies and wanting to take advantage of the many sales around town. We try to make it easy for you to obtain our list: 

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Look for a copy of the school supply list in the registration packet being mailed to all students. Copies are also available at Simonsen’s registration on July 31 and August 1. Visit our website at www.jcps.k12.mo.us. It is listed and available to be printed.

Page 2 of 6 SIMONSEN MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Simonsen 9th Grade Center is to assist our students in developing a set of skills that will serve them well in a changing world and to inspire a continuous desire to learn.

SIM0NSEN IS A FRAGRANCE FREE SCHOOL BUILDING

Please Respect Others With Sensitivities

Dr. riDgeway’s

RULES 2 LIVE BY (1) Don’t Lie (2) Don’t Cheat (3) Don’t Steal (4) Don’t Fight (5) Respect Others

And everybody have a JAY day!

Simonsen Wire Simonsen Open House Mark your calendars: Tuesday, August 14 the Simonsen Open House will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Simonsen Auditorium. Students and parents will have an opportunity to meet the administrative team, counseling staff, teachers, and PTO board members . Please be advised that parking at Simonsen is at a premium. Our parking lots fill up very quickly. We have received permission from the City of Jefferson to use the parking lot at the corner of Jackson Street and East McCarty for that evening only. The steep hills surrounding Simonsen are another obstacle. It may be best to make arrangements to have someone drop you off if you are unable to navigate the hills. See you soon!!!

Dress and Appearance Guidelines Students shall come to school looking clean and neat, wearing clothing and exhibiting grooming that will not be a health and/or safety hazard to the student or others. Further, the District prohibits any dress or grooming that, in the administration’s judgment, may reasonably be expected to interfere with normal school operations. Acceptable:  Slacks (including jeans)  Dresses (conservative neckline, must be as long as the middle finger of your hand, front to back, with arms at side)  Shorts (must be as long as the middle finger of your hand, front to back, with arms at side).  Skirts (must be as long as the middle finger of your hand, front to back, with arms at side).  Tops/Shirts must have conservative neckline.  All shirts and sweatshirts, long and oversized, must be tucked in.  No chains (with the exception of short wallet

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chains). Unacceptable: Short shorts, spandex shorts, or tights. Bare midriffs; strapless tops; low cut, revealing tops; narrow strap tops or dresses. Bare or stocking feet, house shoes, shoes with cleats of any kind. Mesh shirts, tank tops, cut-off shorts. Ornamental chains hooked to clothing. Shirts advertising alcoholic beverages or tobacco products or containing distasteful printing or design. Other examples include: Skulls or skeletons, depictions of violence, morbidity, death, blood, daggers, and distasteful writings or pictures on shirts or sweaters. Hats, caps, head coverings, bandanas, headbands or hoods may not be worn in the building. Studded bracelets, belts, or necklaces. Removable teeth bridges, removable teeth grills.

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Sunglasses may not be worn in the building. Sagging or oversized pants are not allowed; pants must fit properly. Pajamas/boxer shorts/loungewear. Long coats, trench coats, dusters, blankets must be left in locker. See-through clothing, visible undergarments are not allowed. Skate shoes (internal skates that drop down) are prohibited. Hair rakes or hair rollers in hair are inappropriate. Gang-related apparel, dressing right or left, or bandanas are not allowed.

The School District reserves the right to establish or modify rules during the year regarding new fashions in dress including the banning of certain articles of clothing adopted as gang-related icons or identifications. Any student not in compliance will be subject to disciplinary action.

Cell Phone /Electronic Usage Use of electronic equipment, including, but not limited to, cellular phones, music/video devices, and video games/systems is discouraged. If a student elects to bring these items to school, the electronic item cannot be in use while at school. Students who bring electronic items to school do so at their own risk and are responsible to secure the item from theft or loss. If a student brings a device, and it is in use during the school day (7:55 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.) the student is subject to discipline consequences.

CONTACTING

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Simonsen Wire

Fall Athletic Season Begins August 6 Jefferson City High School Fall sports and activities (grades 9-12) begin on August 6. Please note:  You must have a current physical (dated after February 1, 2011).  You must pay a $10 insurance fee on/or before August 8.  Times may change due to weather.  You must attend all sessions. The following is a list of the Fall sports/activities and their head coaches:  BOYS SOCCER: Eddie Horn  GIRLS TENNIS: John Blosser

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CHEERLEADING: Adrienne Pike DANCE: Meredith Johnson MARCHING BAND: Brett Myers CROSS COUNTRY: Brett Phillips SHOW CHOIR: Beth Dampf FOOTBALL: Ted LePage SOFTBALL: Lisa Dey GIRLS GOLF: Randy Bickel  VOLLEYBALL: Chris Meyer

All sports information and required forms (including schedules, physical forms, calendars, directions to sites, tournament brackets, etc.) can be found at jeffersoncitysports.org. You may also sign-up for e-mail alerts to keep you updated on schedule changes and/or cancellations.

Be Ready for Your First Day of High School The first day of school is always a pretty big event; but this year, it’s even bigger. You are about to start high school. This is a perfectly valid reason to feel nervous. But you can help yourself feel less nervous and more confident by preparing yourself the best you can. It’s really not hard. Check out our list of tips: 1.

2.

Buy the right supplies. By now, you know about pens, pencils, folders, and notebooks but some of the teachers require other supplies for their classes. Pick up the supply list at registration on July 31 and August 1. A student planner is very important in high school and one will be given to you on the first day of school. Check out your schedule. Check the schedule given to you at registration. If there are errors, it’s best to clear them up ASAP. Learn about any course

requirements you may need to meet. Contact the Guidance Office (659-3130) with questions. 3.

Visit the school. The best way to prevent getting lost is to check out the school beforehand. Be sure to come to the Simonsen Open House on Tuesday, August 14 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

4.

Talk to people. If you can, talk to students who have been here, like brothers and sisters. There’s sure to be plenty of advice. Meet some of the teachers and staff at the Open House. Even knowing one person beforehand will help you feel at ease.

5. Be at your best. This means getting a good night’s sleep and eating a nutritious breakfast. You need to be on top of your game and you can’t do that if you have no energy. Help yourself to a good start – today and every day!

Freshmen Transition Camp A one day transition camp will be held on Tuesday, August 21st. The purpose of the camp is to help all freshmen get to know our staff, become acquainted with fellow students and have some fun as they begin their high school experience. Students will be involved in team building activities with their advisory. Students will have various speakers address common questions and concerns of starting the high school experience. Our goal is to begin the high school experience on a positive note; build a trusting relationship with their peers, advisory teacher and provide guidance on navigating through Simonsen and then on to Jefferson City High School. Students will need to wear tennis shoes and shorts on Tuesday, August 21st. We will be outside part of the day doing various activities. We appreciate your support as we work to meet the needs of all our students.

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Simonsen Wire Safety a Priority at Simonsen

Bell Schedules MONDAY-WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY

Block

Start

End

Warning Bell 1ST BLOCK 2ND BLOCK 3RD BLOCK Lunches 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4TH BLOCK

7:50 7:55 9:35 11:15

7:55 9:30 11:10 1:15

11:10 11:43 12:16 12:49 1:20

11:34 12:07 12:40 1:15 2:55

TUESDAY – THURSDAY

Block

Start

End

Collaboration Warning Bell 1ST BLOCK 2ND BLOCK 3RD BLOCK Lunches 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Advisory 4TH BLOCK

7:30 8:10 8:15 9:35 10:55

8:10 8:15 9:30 10:50 12:55

10:50 11:23 11:56 12:29 1:00 1:40

11:14 11:47 12:20 12:55 1:35 2:55

LATE START

Block

Start

End

Warning Bell 1ST BLOCK 2ND BLOCK 3RD BLOCK Lunches 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4TH BLOCK

9:50 9:55 10:55 11:55

9:55 10:50 11:50 1:55

11:50 12:23 12:56 1:29 2:00

12:14 12:47 1:20 1:55 2:55

As your School Resource Officer, my primary concern is the safety of all our children. Please help everyone by following the school procedures for the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up of your children. First of all, unless you are dropping off or picking up a handicapped student, please DO NOT stop along the blue curb in front of the school office on East Miller Street. We have handicap buses that need that space reserved and we have several handicapped students who depend on the availability of the reserved area. Secondly, please do not stop in the lane of traffic on any of the streets to load or unload students. The best way to drop off your student closest to the school is to drive west on East Miller Street. In front of the school,

you may pull to the curb in the “School Loading Zone” areas. PLEASE pull all the way to the curb keeping in mind there is still a lane of westbound traffic that needs to keep moving. Again, remember to stay away from the blue curb/handicapped area. The next best way is to drive east on East Miller Street, turn right into the school parking lot at the top of the hill across from the school, and drive around the outside edge of the lot. Once you have completed that circle, then drop off or pick up your student while still on the parking lot and turn right back onto East Miller Street. If there is such a long line to prevent you from driving onto the lot at that moment, please do not stop and hold up the eastbound traffic. It just takes a few seconds to drive around the block to wait your turn.

stuff to unload, pull into a parking space on that parking lot so the rest of the traffic may continue moving smoothly. In addition, there are always other options for loading and unloading by using the streets on the sides of Simonsen 9th Grade Center. Jackson Street runs between the school and the track. East McCarty Street is the street behind the school. From either of those streets your student will only have to take a few extra steps to reach the front doors of the building.

There will occasionally be unusual circumstances that need my attention. Please contact the school office or call me at 659-3285. My top priority is to keep all of us, especially your children, safe every day. Lee Holmes School Resource Officer Jefferson City Police Dept. If your student has lots of Jefferson City Public Schools

CONTACTING TEACHERS Please feel free to contact your student’s teachers by calling 659-3125. Sometimes it is easier to e-mail the teachers since most do not have a phone in their classroom and cannot take calls while they are teaching. The e-mail format for all JCPS staff has changed and is now: [email protected] Contacting teachers is an important component in your student’s success.

Welcome to the Library The Simonsen library is open daily from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Students are welcome to come to the library to work on assignments, use the computers, and read. Computers are available for students to use within district guidelines and students are encouraged to have their own USB memory stick on which to save their work. Passes are required before and during school hours.

Before school, passes are available in the cafeteria. Students may check out up to 3 items at a time with a Simonsen photo ID. Items check out for 3 weeks. The Simonsen Library has a 5cent overdue charge per day for items returned late. Our online catalog can be accessed at http://www2.you seemore.com/JCPS/default.a sp. Select Simonsen (under

High Schools) or link to it through the Simonsen Library website at http://www.jcps.k12.mo.us/ed ucation/staff/staff.php?sectio nid=572. Students are able to get a PIN allowing them to log onto their library account to see what they have checked out, renew items, and place holds on items. HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON IN THE LIBRARY!!!

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Simonsen Wire

Student Attendance

incidents and experiences that are out of our control for which students must be late or absent. However, we are asking for your support when it comes to your child’s school attendance.

It is essential for success that students come to school on time and come prepared. Students need to attend school each day in order to be successful in high school, both academically and socially.

We work together as a team to help ensure that your student has an excellent attendance record. If your child must be absent, please be sure to contact the Attendance Secretary, Suzette Ryder, at 659-3131. There is a 24 hour message line at this extension for your convenience.

Your student is now earning high school credits in a block scheduling system. If a student misses one day of class, he or she is actually missing two class periods worth of instruction time. We all know there are

I.D.’s During registration, Wagner Photography will take your picture for your photo ID and the yearbook. Your ID will be given to you along with a Simonsen lanyard at registration. Your I.D. is required for use in the cafeteria to purchase breakfast and lunch; in the Simonsen Library to check out books; and is needed for admission into various school functions and activities, including football games, dances, and most other events/activities. A minimal fee will be charged for a replacement card and lanyard.

QUESTIONS??? WHO TO CALL Whenever you have questions, please feel free to call!!! The following helpful staff will be glad to answer any of your questions or seek the answers for you. Go ahead -- cut it out and tape to the fridge.

SIMONSEN PHONE NUMBERS Dr. Tammy Ridgeway, Associate Principal Kevin J. Kiley, Assistant Principal Julie Bryan, Assistant Principal Main Office (Janet Johnson) Attendance Office (Suzette Ryder) (with 24-Hour Message Line) Counseling Office (Kenna Pridgin) Counselors: Carrie Phillips Jaime Marshall Tim Ritter

WELCOME NEW STAFF Please join us in welcoming the following new Staff to Simonsen 9th Grade Center:   

Bethany Belt – English Darcy Cearley – English Kelly McDaniel, Special Services

(A-J last names) (K-Z last names) (A-Z last names)

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659-3125 659-3125 659-3125 659-3125 659-3131

659-3130 659-3284 659-3129 659-3128

Brittany Meador, English Tammy Newman, FACS Karen Pullen, Science Dania Ramirez, Spanish Michelle Schmalstig, ISS Facilitator Dawn Sees, Art Megan Stockman, Special Services Patty Thorne, Health/Study Skills Kelsey Vogler, Math

Many positive things happen throughout our school district each and every day. Often those wonderful things are overlooked. Every month (or almost every month) in the Simonsen Wire we want to relay our story of how Simonsen is working hard “Inspiring Possibilities . . . Defining Success”.

ADVISORY Simonsen is beginning an “Advisory” program for the 2012-2013 school year. All teachers will have an Advisory that will consist of approximately 16 students. Advisory will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 25 minutes. Team building activities, literacy skills, grade checks, and Character Plus will be just a few of the items covered during Advisory. We want each of our students to feel they have an adult advocate in the building. We are excited for the opportunity to grow with your student.

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Simonsen Wire Upcoming Important Events

SIMONSEN 9TH GRADE CENTER 501 East Miller Street Jefferson City, Missouri 65101 PHONE: (573) 659-3125 ATTENDANCE: (573) 659-3131 FAX: (573) 659-7362

Visit our Website! www.jcps.k12.mo.us

JULY 31  Simonsen Registration, Simonsen Cafeteria – 8:00 to 11:00 am and 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm AUGUST 1  Simonsen Registration, Simonsen Cafeteria – 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm AUGUST 14  Simonsen Open House, Simonsen Auditorium – 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm AUGUST 16  First Day of School  School picture retakes  Back-to-School Assembly AUGUST 17  STUCO Back-to-School Dance, Simonsen Gym – 8:00 to 10:00 pm AUGUST 21  Freshman Transition Camp SEPTEMBER 3  Labor Day Holiday (no school) SEPTEMBER 14  Mid-Term – Term 1

SIMONSEN 9TH GRADE CENTER 501 East Miller Street Jefferson City, MO 65101

SEPTEMBER 19  2-Hour Late Start SEPTEMBER 20  Parent/Teacher Conferences, Simonsen – 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm OCTOBER 2  Powder Puff Game – 6:00 pm  Bonfire, JCHS – 8:15 pm OCTOBER 4  Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally, Downtown JC – 6:30 pm OCTOBER 5  Homecoming Football Game, Adkin’s Stadium – 7:00 pm OCTOBER 6  Homecoming Dance, JCHS Fieldhouse – 8:00 to 11:00 pm OCTOBER 8  Staff Development – (no school) OCTOBER 17  Term 1 Ends  2-Hour Late Start OCTOBER 25  Wagner Photography Retakes