HARPER HERALD
November-December 2005


JOIN THE PTO
Membership to the Harper PTO is open all year long. If you haven't yet
joined, membership forms can be found in the school office or at the PTO
website http://www2.dcn.org/orgs/harperpto. Forms and membership fees
can be turned into the school office or mailed to Harper PTO, c/o Harper
Junior High, 4000 East Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95616. Fees are $10.00 per
member.

Harper PTO is a vibrant organization working toward supporting the
school and your student through 1) fundraising activities for items
that the school district is not able to fund, 2) organizing volunteers
for school activities 3) supporting communication through the PTO newsletter,
website and listserv, between the school and parent 4) parent education
and 5) support for student activities among others. Join us in a cause
that really matters - our kids!
* * * *
MANDARIN CHINESE LANGUAGE CLASSES
This fall the Davis Senior High began offering a Mandarin Chinese I class for the first
time. This is a pilot class and the number of Chinese classes offered may well expand in
subsequent years depending on the demand from families. Originally the school district
offered interested Harper Jr. High students the ability to attend the Davis High School
class, however timing and logistics made it impractical and the pilot was limited only to
High School students. In parallel with other foreign language classes, we hope that
Mandarin Chinese classes will be available on site for interested 7th, 8th and 9th graders.

We would like to assess the level of interest among 7th-9th grade
students. If your child is likely to choose Chinese as a foreign
language to study in the 2006-07 academic year, please send an email to
vera_liou @ sbcglobal.net

This information will be shared with the school district officials and
board members so that they can better judge the level of student
interest.
* * * *
STUDENT OF THE MONTH

At the close of each month, all of the Harper teachers are invited to select one of their students
who has displayed outstanding academic performance, has greatly improved, or has shown
exemplary citizenship to receive the Student of the Month award. Those students are then invited
on the first Wednesday of the following month to a light snack break during fifth period, where
they receive their award certificate, a nomination form where the teacher lists the reasons for their
recognition, and then are given the opportunity to go to lunch a few minutes early that day as a
reward for their contributions to our school.

Congratulations to September’s Students of the Month

R. Domier C. Hu
B. Hassid S. Perry
J. Nye J. West
C. Calhoun M. Duyar
S. Hall Z. Shpak
H. Raymond M. Ibanez
S. Krysthafouych H. Kerr
A. Rinaldi N. Gmoser-Daskalakis
D. Jiminez J. Mireles
H. Shaik K. Stark
J. Stanton K. Nazimova
P. Utts-Smith I. Pinciotti
J. Williams
* * * *
HARPER HELPS FELLOW STUDENTS!
Students and staff at Harper Junior High gathered and filled 55 backpacks
loaded with school supplies, books and personal items that middle school
students might need. They were then sent to Jackson, Mississippi where over
800 students have enrolled as evacuees from New Orleans. Harper’s efforts
were planned and organized by two Harper science teachers, Ingrid Salim and
John O’Brien.

The Harper supplies were gathered through Advisory classes. Advisory class is
similar to “homerooms” that have been popular in the past, but with much
broader goals, including character education and community service. The
Katrina backpack collection was a perfect fit. Besides pens, pencils, notebooks,
calculators and other items donated by students and parents, the students also
included handwritten notes of concern and encouragement, many hoping to have
a pen pal in the future.

Thank you to the Harper school community that showed their caring and concern
for the students displaced by Katrina.
* * * *
GARDENERS AND RECYCLERS….HARPER NEEDS YOU
Do you have a passion for gardening? How about recycling? Did you know that our
school district has a garden and recycling program? There is substantial saving to the
district when schools recycle. The best part is that the savings generated from each school
site is routed back to that school for use in their garden programs. Harper’s Home
Economics department would love to have an herb garden and our site has lots of
property for raised beds. There is a lot of potential for Harper Junior High. If you would
be interested in joining a committee to investigate all the wonderful possibilities please e-
mail the PTO at harperpto@aol.com
* * * *
Winter Orchestra Concert
The combined junior high orchestras from all three campuses (Emerson, Holmes and Harper) will
perform their winter concert on Wednesday, December 14, at 7 pm at the Instructional and
Performing Arts Building at Davis High School. The concert will feature performances by the
Intermediate and Advanced Combined JH Orchestras during the first half, and the Davis HS
orchestras will perform during the second half.
* * * *
Rent-a-Band for the Holidays
Planning a holiday party for your home or business? Make it truly special with a live musical
performance by Davis Senior High School band students. Quartets, trios and duets are
available for events scheduled from November 28 through December 18. Donating an
ensemble performance makes a wonderful gift for a nursing home or non-profit organization.
Proceeds support the Davis Senior High School program. Contact Nora Brazil at
(530) 792-0942 or norakb@aol.com.
* * * *
THANK YOU FROM MS. SHANER’S CLASSROOM
Thank you to parent Janine Mourguet, who donated 25 books of different titles to supplement the
in-class free reading library. It is a generous contribution that will benefit many students this year
and for years to come. It is truly appreciated.
* * * *
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

The Homework Blues!

Now that school has really started and the excitement of a new school year is
coming to an end, it may be time to talk about homework with your student and
with your family. Among school professionals and researchers, there are many
differing views of what homework content should be, how much homework
should be assigned, and even whether or not there should be homework!
Regardless of what the experts say, homework is a solidly established norm in
the Davis schools and probably one reason for the high achievement of our
students.

The Davis school board homework policy indicates that, on average, 20 minutes
per class 4 days per week is a good target. That equates to 8 hours per week. If
your teen spends less time than 8 hours a week studying, it just may not be
enough. Most experts do agree that if homework is assigned, two hours per
school night is about the right amount of homework for an average junior/senior
high school student. Remember that “junior high” is the beginning of high school.
Most students at Harper are taking high school level coursework and homework
expectations are definitely higher than they were in elementary school.

Does 8 hours sound like a lot? Think about the other ways teens spend their
time. Some spend twice that amount of time just watching TV or playing video
games. Although there may be nothing specifically due tomorrow, once a teen
gets to the secondary level, there is always something he or she can do to stay
on top of assignments or study for upcoming quizzes and tests.

Some weeks, 8 hours isn’t going to be enough. If it is test time or your teen has
a project or paper due, the right amount of time that week could be as much as
15 hours or more.

Teachers are aware that homework invades family time, vacations and other
after school activities. The goal is not to make life more complicated or difficult
for students and families, but to provide the very best education for every
student. Homework contributes to high achievement, however, if you feel the
homework is too much, talk with your student’s teachers and find out if there is
some way to help. Most teachers will work with families and can make some
accommodations when needed.


New Teachers at Frances Harper JHS
(This month we are highlighting five new staff members. Others will be highlighted in future
editions)

William Zinn, our new Chorus Director, has taught music in the Sacramento
area for 25 years before coming to Davis. He first taught elementary school
music in the Sac. City Unified School District and then in 1993 he was invited to
join the music staff at Sacramento High School/Visual and Performing Arts
Centre where he directed the choir, orchestra, and guitar classes. He also
directed the spring musical every year. In 2003 Mr. Zinn came to Davis where he
has taught Chorus at Holmes Jr. High, and at DHS taught several choirs, and
team-taught band with Mr. Lange. Mr. Zinn graduated from Beloit College in
Wisconsin. He sang with Sacramento Opera for 19 seasons (1986-2005) and is
now singing with the Sacramento Master Singers. Mr. Zinn and his family live in
Citrus Heights, where his wife is a 1st grade teacher and his daughter is attending
American River College. The Zinns became grandparents for the first time last
December.

Leigh Whitmire is Harper’s new Physical Education teacher. She is a third
generation Davis native. All the members of her family are Davis High School
graduates. She has been teaching Physical Education for 12 years, 10 of which
have been in Davis. She has also coached the Varsity Volleyball team at Davis
High School for 8 years and just finished her first season as the Harper 7th grade
volleyball coach. Along with teaching and coaching responsibilities, Leigh
Whitmire is mom to Makena, 8 and Jake 6. They keep her busy when not at
school, watching them participate in their numerous sporting activities.

Heather Ulrey has lived in Davis for most of her life. She attended Pioneer
elementary school, Holmes Jr. High, and Davis High School. During high school,
Ms. Ulrey played many sports including tennis, skiing, and track. In college, Ms.
Ulrey studied history and played tennis for the Banana Slugs at UC Santa Cruz.
Ms. Ulrey has returned to teach in Davis because she thinks it’s a great place to
live and believes it is a community that cares about its young adults. She is
especially excited to be working at Harper and at the junior high level. She
teaches 8th grade US History.

Kim Patchett is a part-time resource specialist, new to Harper this year. She
comes to us with a Master’s degree of Education in Reading, and will be working
extensively with our Reading classes. She has a diverse background of teaching
experiences, including 6 years in regular elementary and as a Reading Specialist
for the primary grades. She’s also worked as a private tutor specializing in
helping struggling students improve their reading skills.

Brad Ballinger joins Harper from the math department at UC Davis, where he
recently earned his Ph.D. Dr. Ballinger, who grew up in Sacramento, takes great
pride in being a product of public schools. He wants to ensure that a high-quality
education is available for everyone, and he came to Harper in order to learn how
to make that happen. In his free time, Dr. Ballinger likes to apply mathematical
reasoning to frigid inclined surfaces with his snowboard.

The Harper JHS staff and students welcome our new teachers and are
pleased to have each of them as part of our team.
* * * *
FROM THE VICE PRINCIPAL
Did you know…….
About Tardies
Students receiving three unexcused tardies in a quarter (in any combination of classes) will
receive one hour of detention. Any further tardies during the quarter result in an additional hour
of detention. If you are excusing your child for a tardy to their first class, please send them with a
note or contact Vi Nickerson at 757-5330, extension 104.
Detention is 3:30 – 4:30 Monday through Thursday.

Biking Reminders
* Please LOCK your bikes using your own lock – unlocked bikes have been taken from the bike racks
* Remember to wear and buckle your helmet
* When riding in neighborhoods or on the greenbelt, please be a positive representative of Harper Junior
High School
* Ride in a single line on the right hand side of the road or path
* Be aware of other people on the roads and ride slowly and safely (please don’t swerve side to side)

Student Handbook
Thank you for returning your Planner Review Sheets to your advisory teachers! Each family should have
gone over the Student Handbook section of the red planner with their student(s). The review sheet should
have been turned into your child’s Advisory teacher. These sheets help us know your family understands
the opportunities and rules at Harper Junior High School.

* * * *
Counseling News

It’s hard to believe that we have finished our 1st quarter. Quarter 1 ends Friday, October
28th, and the report cards should be mailed by the end of the following week. The
counselor has been meeting with any students who have received F’s on their progress
reports to discuss their progress and possible strategies (i.e. homework club) for raising
their grades. Many schedule changes have been made to place students in more
appropriate levels for math or language or to level off class numbers. We do not
anticipate that we will be making any more class changes for Semester 1.

As many of you are aware, we have been operating without a 2nd counselor this year.
Sylvia Vargas has been hired on a temporary basis and we are very excited to welcome
her as part of the team! The counselors will be visiting the English classes so that all of
the students will have an opportunity to meet them.

You will be receiving a letter in January concerning programming for the 06-07 school
year. Following are our proposed program planning dates at Harper for the 06-07 school
year.
February 6-10 The Harper Counselors will be visiting the 7th & 8th grade classes
to distribute and explain 06-07 course selection materials.

February 9 – Evening meeting for parents of current 7th grade students to discuss
the course selection materials for 8th grade.

February 15 – Evening meeting for parents of current 8th grade students to
discuss the course selection materials for 9th grade.

TBA – The Davis High School and DaVinci High counselors will visit Harper to
distribute and explain programming materials/procedures for 10th grade. There
will also be evening informational meetings for parents before the program
planners are due.

February 17 – Students turn in completed 8th and 9th grade 06-07 program
planners.

As this will be our last newsletter until January, the Counseling Staff wishes all of you a
safe and happy holiday season!!!
* * * *
MAGAZINE SALES A HUGH SUCCESS!
Dear Harper Families,

Our 2005-2006 Magazine Sale has concluded and it was a fantastic success! Harper came in first
place among the Davis junior high schools, raising about $15,000 for the Associated Student
Body (ASB) budget. This money will be used for lunchtime activities, student recognition,
teacher appreciation, leadership conferences, and big things like our end-of-year festival, Day on
the Green. As a new school, it is so helpful to have the finances to be able to really impact the
student population.

This huge achievement would not have been possible without you. On behalf of the Leadership
class of Harper, I deeply thank all of you for supporting our school activities. We can now do
some really exciting things that will make our school fun for more students. We appreciate all the
support you provide Harper Jr. High. Thanks again, and Go Huskies!!

Mr. Thomsen, Student Activities Director
* * * *
SCHOOL CLIMATE COMMITTEE
The school climate committee meets the third Wednesday of each month at
5:45pm in the MPR. This committee has been established to "assist the
Principal in proposing, developing and implementing school wide
programming and procedures that promote the District's core value of
respect among all and a better understanding and respect of differences
among the students and staff. Such respect and understanding includes,
but is not limited to differences because of race, ethnicity, religion,
age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, cultural background,
physical appearance, socio-economic status, and academic achievement."

The committee is currently planning to host family nights each quarter.
The topics have not been confirmed. If you are interested in being a
part of this group, meetings are open to all parents. Questions about
the School Climate Committee may be addressed to Vice Principal Heidi
Perry at hperry@djusd.k12.ca.us

* * * *
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
CLUBS
Sign Language Club – meets every Wednesday at lunchtime in Room J-55.
Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) – Sponsored by Mr. Thomsen and Mr. O’Brien, Room G-44 at
lunch every Wednesday
French Club - meets at lunch Wednesdays in room H53 with Ms. Nuccitelli.
German Club - meets every Friday, from 7:30 to 8:15 to explore German language and
culture. So far we’ve enjoyed a German breakfast with a German graduate student, have
studied where German came from, and have learned how verbs work. Over the next
month we’ll be learning vocabulary related to school and studying some of Germany’s
20th century history. Everyone is welcome. The club meets in Ms. Salim’s room, G-49.
Honor Society
The Harper Honor Society is currently open to 8th or 9th grade students with a GPA of 3.5
or higher from last spring semester. After this fall semester, it will also be open to 7th
graders with that GPA. The purpose of this club is both to honor students with their
achievement, as well as to engage them in service to the community. If you would like to
join and check if you qualify see Ms. Salim in room G-49
Homework Club is up and running!
Please join the Homework Club teachers On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in G-
49. Homework Club runs from 3:30 – 4:30 on these days. Get help with all subjects and get your
homework done before you get home! We would love to see you.

We have some limited funds to provide snacks for those who attend Homework Club,
and would be very grateful for any food donations for this group. Welcome items include
bags of fruit, eggs (we’ll hard boil them), jerkey, juice packs, whole-wheat crackers. Any
healthy carbohydrate or protein-based food would be welcome. Items can be dropped off
in the office with a label and they will be delivered to us. Please note that this is an
ongoing need for the school years.

ACTIVITIES
Winter Dance -December 2, Sponsored by the English Classics Class. 7:30pm – 10:00pm
Here are the rules for attending
* You have to be at school on the day of the dance.
* You need to have a current student ID card
* Adhere to the dress code
* Clear all unexcused absences before the day of the dance
* Serve all outstanding detentions before the day of the dance
* If arriving ½ hour after dance begins, must be accompanied to the door by parent
* Can not leave during dance early unless parent comes to the door for pick-up
* Your parent/guardian needs to pick you up promptly at 10:00pm
* These dances are for Harper students only, all school rules apply
* You are not to be on the school campus unless attending the dance
* Running, pushing, horseplay and inappropriate dancing (“moshing” & “freaking”,
etc.) will result in time-out or call to parents to be sent home. Students may also
be excluded from future dances for bad behavior.

STEAC Food Drive – December in Advisories. Harper will be “adopting” about 13 families this
year to whom they will donate food and gifts. More details coming from Advisory Class

* * * *
FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
A “billion thanks” to the parents that filled our classroom requests. The Foreign
Language Department is grateful for the Heavy Duty Hole Punch. It makes it so much
easier for the students to be organized.

We are still looking for magazines and catalogues. Spanish 2 is currently doing a
project that requires pictures of latest fashions and later in the year pictures of furniture
and appliances. Also, in the future, Spanish 1 is going to need pictures of houses, rooms
in the house, and family.

Thank you for your continued support.
Sra. Valdez-Perez,
Spanish teacher & FL Dept. Chair
* * * *
HUSKY SPORTS
CROSS COUNTRY
The Harper Huskies 7th & 8th grade boys & girls Cross Country ran in four league meets, each
with four schools competing. The girls had two third place finishes and two second place
finishes; the boys finished second in all four meets. In the League Championships at Emerson on
October 12, the boys finished 4th out of 8 schools; the girls finished 5th. On the 1.4 mile
Championship course, sub-9-minute runners for the boy’s team included Andrew V., Grayson H.,
Alec Z., Wade A., Trevor A., and Cody C.. Sub-10-minute runners for the girl’s team included
Emma P., Lauren H., Megan B., and Malori B.. Everyone on the team did a great job and
improved their personal bests during the season. Thanks Coach Wright!
VOLLEYBALL
The 7th grade girls have completed their volleyball season with two wins, one over Emerson and
one over Holmes. Coach Leigh Whitmire reports that the girls have advanced their skills and had
a lot of fun. For those interested in playing volleyball next year, have your DJUSD physical form
ready when school starts. Volleyball begins the first week of school. The roster for 7th grade girls
volleyball included: Angela, Brittany, Ashley, Sam, Celine, Megan, Ashtyn, Sahana, Jill, Kelly, and
Cassie. Thanks Coach Whitmire!
BASKETBALL
The 7th grade basketball season is mid-October through early December, followed by the 8th
grade season ending early February. The boy's coach is Dino Clark. At this writing the girl's
basketball coach is not known. Look for the basketball season reports in the next issue!


If you have sports news or scores please send to
Susie Evans, Herald Sports Reporter at
susie0501@aol.com
* * * *
FRANCES FUND
GREAT PRIZES TO BE AWARDED
The 2005 Frances Fund P.T.O. letter and response envelope must be
returned by November 10, 2005 in order to be entered into the drawing for
many great prizes! Donations after November 10th are also welcome but will
not be eligible for the drawing. Any amount you can give will be greatly
appreciated and will benefit every Harper student this year! Remember, your
donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $5000 from Coldwell
Banker, Doug Arnold Real Estate, Inc. This year’s major fundraiser will
benefit the English, Math, and Social Studies Departments as well as the
library. We will also be able to purchase important communications
equipment. We look forward to your generous response!
* * * *
Site Council
At its first meeting in September, the Harper Site Council reviewed STAR testing data
from inaugural year 2004-05 and discussed this year’s budget to implement the School Plan for
Student Achievement approved by the Council at the end of last year. STAR testing results
showed Harper performed in the high-achieving range for all schools, but lower than the other
two junior highs in Davis. Since all new schools generally perform less than average their first
year, these lower scores may have no real significance. The Site Council budget allocated to
Harper by the District this year totals around $26,000, which is approximately $10,000 less than
last year. However, school expenses will be greater: newly enacted state legislation now
includes the library in our school improvement budget and the number of students and staff has
increased over last year. In short, finding the money to meet needs and goals for the year will be
tight unless we are able to supplement through grants and other fundraising efforts.

At its meeting in October, the Site Council reviewed school performance data in terms of
specific ethnic and other groupings and discussed how the new inclusion of the library in the
school improvement plan will affect the Council’s planning and decision-making for the year.

Current members of the Harper Site Council include Principal David Inns; teacher
representatives Yves Bouyssounouse, Cliff Dimond, Brett Kelley, and Ingrid Salim; staff
representative Sue Meyer; and parent representatives Nikki Baumrind, Gail Cooluris (chair),
Glenn Gmoser and Karen Roughton (vice-chair). Student representatives will be elected at the
November meeting.

Council meetings for the remainder of the year are scheduled for the third Thursday of
each month. They are on November 17, December 15, January 19, February 16, March 16, April
20 and May 18, from 7:30 to 9:00 am in Room G49. The last meeting will be on June 1. All
interested parents and students are welcome to attend.
* * * *
RUN IN THE DAVIS TURKEY TROT
AND EARN MONEY FOR HARPER
A Change of Pace, organizers of the Davis Turkey Trot Runs, has promoted health and
fitness through their events for more than 20 years. This year, they have created an
Extra Credit Program that will assist each school to earn an A+ in fundraising without the
need to study.

Due to the ongoing health concerns that face our kids today, specifically Obesity
and Type II Diabetes, large health-related events such as the Davis Turkey Trot
serve as a platform to both address and educate kids, parents and the general
public about the importance of exercise through physical activity. This year, the
Davis Turkey Trot, the largest and most recognized running event in the region,
will not only provide information on these important issues, it will serve as a
simple fundraising program for all Yolo County K-12 Schools. The Extra Credit
Program enables each school the chance to earn money by having a participant
list their school on the entry form.

Ask your friends, neighbors and family to run or walk in the Turkey Trot and list
HARPER JR. HIGH on the entry form. The more entries we have, the more
money we earn.

CHECK ON YOUR SCHOOL STATUS
Visit the Turkey Trot website at changeofpace.com to see how many extra credit
points your school currently owns. Updates will be posted beginning Nov.1
* * * *
News from the Harper Band Boosters

Whoopee! Thanks to the hard work of secretary Claire LeFlore and treasurer
Joyce Hamaguchi, Harper Band Boosters are incorporated and have been given official
status as a tax-exempt organization. Now we can get down to business....you can make
tax –deductible donations to support the Harper Band program (tax ID number 37-
1506123). We gladly accept all donations, big and small.
At the September Booster Meeting we heard from our band directors that the
Harper Band Program is very healthy with a total of 110 students in the 7th grade and
8th/9th Advanced Band. Students and directors are getting to know each other and
working on the pieces for the Winter Concert. Along with the Winter and Spring
concerts, the bands are looking for some other performance opportunities like the Harper
Open House in spring. Other spring plans would include an adjudicated performance at
the Golden Empire Music Festival.
Thank you to all who donated funds for the Bands last school year. They were
used to purchase sheet music which you may enjoy at the Winter Concert and bongo
drums for the percussion section. This year, the directors would like to add a baritone
saxophone into the school instrument selection. Big instruments like this are important to
the sound of the band but they are extremely difficult to transport to school on a daily
basis. Together with instrument purchases, more sheet music for the Harper Bands is one
of our ongoing goals. With these two goals in mind, Band Boosters will have a major
fundraiser in the beginning of next year. We will continue to raise funds from the
concession sales at concerts and Nugget scrip sales. In May, the bands will also have the
opportunity to perform and raise funds by running the Carousel in Central Park.
To accomplish these goals, WE NEED YOU! We are currently looking for
interested parents/grandparents to volunteer as:
* Publicity person to write news clips for Harper Herald and Davis
Enterprise
* Fundraising coordinator
* Coordinator for Carousel in Central Park
* Concert setup/cleanup coordinator
* Manager for listserv
* Manager for website
* Field trip coordinator
Contact Shirley Gee (756-2651, sjgee@ucdavis.edu) or Marja Koivunen (757-1559,
mkoivunen@antibodiesinc.com) if you need more information. Thanks to Vinita Domier
and Marjorie Britton for heading up the concert concessions committee.
Special thanks to those that have already contributed: the Blaine family, and
M. Smith whose generous donations have provided for the purchase of new sheet music
and Bongo drums and stand. We also gratefully acknowledge the following families for
their contributions: Brown, Harder, Prien, Schafer-Kramer, Stephens, Teaford, and two
anonymous donors. In addition we want to thank the 26 families who have donated
through Nugget Scrip card grocery purchases and all of you who have purchased goodies
and bracelets at our concerts.

Calendar:
Band Booster Meeting, November 29, 7 p.m. Harper Music Room
Harper Winter concert, December 5, 7-8:30, Instructional Performing Arts Building

For up to date announcements and information:
listserv: http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/fhjhbb AND
website: http://www2.dcn.org/orgs/harperband

* * * * *
YEARBOOK NEWS:

ON SALE NOW!
Purchase your yearbook now before prices go up. As advertised since August, personalization is
not available after Nov.1. The price will increase from $35 to $37 after Thanksgiving break. 80%
of the students bought a yearbook last year before we sold out. Order now to guarantee your
copy. Pick up a form in the office and return it via mail, the front office, or Mr. McKim in room G-
48. Receipt will be delivered to student during class 4th period after a few days time.

PHOTOGRAPHS WANTED!
Provide photos or jpg files for possible publication in the yearbook. We need photos of everything
Harper: athletes in action, summer vacation photos, drama productions, art shows, academic
presentations, fundraising activities, silly faces, etc. Send to Mr.McKim via the office or send with
your student to Mr. McKim’s room: G-48.
* * * * *
CLASSROOM WISH LISTS
Many classroom supplies are needed but not funded by the school district budget.
Teachers have requested donations of the following items for their classrooms. You may
drop-off donations at the school office at any time. Thank you for your generosity!

Kleenex – lots of it! Bottles of hand sanitizer
Paper towels Hand soap

Math Department
Pencils – regular and colored Colored markers
Index cards – 3 x 5 – white or colored Graph paper Scientific calculators
Computer Lab
Blank CD’s
Foreign Language Department
Baby wipes or hand wipes Old Magazines for cutting French-English dictionaries
Art Department
Used CD’s Nylon stockings Yarn, Ribbon, Embroidery Floss Wood scraps
Coat hangers Eggshells Magazines Stuffed animals in good shape
Advisory Classes
Decks of Playing Cards
Board Games such as Outburst, Pictionary, Apples to Apples, etc.
English Department
Books for classroom library -(used or new, paperback or hardcover,) classics, fantasy,
anything age appropriate
Home Economics
Small kitchen appliances, new or gently used: waffle irons, blenders, and pasta machines.
Science Department
Closeable baggies, various sizes Razor blades Aluminum foil
Softsoap pump dispensers Softsoap gallon refills Salt: coarse, medium, fine
Latex gloves, various sizes (mostly medium and large)
Bigger Ticket Items for Science
10 ml Graduated Cylinders with large diameter openings for 7th grade density labs. We
need 10 of them. Diameter big enough to fit a quarter.
Onion root tip prepared slides for Biology. Set of 20
20 Newton Spring Scales for 8th grade physics labs. Set of 10.
Microscope with greater than 400x power for Biology. Need just 1.
5 doorstops for installation on doors common to prep room. Ask for description.
Available at local hardware stores for less than $10 each
Clear vinyl tubing (¾” inside diameter) to direct faucet spray down into lab sinks. This
reduces counter mess and floor mess. Price unknown, need approx. 50 feet.
Nylon strapping to hold goggle sterilizing/storage cabinets on carts. Total of two needed.
Available at Costco for approx. $20
4 utility carts (gray plastic) for preparation and transportation of science materials.
Available from Boreal and Science Kit for approx. $190
40 Sterlite containers 6-quart size (to match currently used containers) for storing and
shelving science equipment, also for setting up group lab kits.
Akrobins available from the Container Store. More info available upon request. These are
stackable plastic organizing bins that allow you to grab small items individually, or pick
up the entire bin for lab use. They stack into our prep room cabinets as well as inside our
drawers. Depending on size, they vary from $0.99 to $5.99. For $300 worth, we believe
our organization needs will be met.
Magazine Subscriptions: Science News, Current Science 40 copies for use with all
classes as time allows, also as emergency substitute plans.
Speakers for science CPU’s: these would help with any multi-media presentations that
students create. The CPU’s are stored within cabinets to avoid lab spills on them. This
renders their speakers useless. If we had a few speakers to place on the counter near the
monitor and keyboard, we could get the most from our student efforts and enjoy any on-
line multi-media resources as well.
Goggle Needs:
Optimal: one goggle sterilizer/storage cabinet per room, installed on convenient wall.
Requires purchase of 4 more. Available from Boreal and Science Kit for approx. $580.
An additional 100 goggles needed. $4.50 each.
Suboptimal: 3 goggle sterilizer/storage cabinets. Requires purchase of 1 more.
Availability: see optimal option above.
No additional goggles needed. Requires one more cart to be used.
Current: 2 goggle sterilizer/storage cabinets on rolling carts.
* * * * *
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
9th GRADE BIOLOGY: Mr. Dimond & Mrs. Watterson
Yosemite… Here we come! The 9th grade Harper Biology classes are visiting one of the world’s
most beautiful classrooms. The Yosemite Institute is an outstanding program that allows on-site
application of our school studies. Through last years planning and diligent parent effort, we made
two reservations during the week of Oct 31st through Nov. 4th. Mr. Dimond’s two classes will be
leaving Monday, Oct. 31st and returning Wed. Nov. 2nd. Mrs. Watterson’s class will complete the
week by leaving Wednesday Nov. 2nd and returning Friday, Nov. 4th. The outdoor studies, hiking
and campfires are sure to make many lasting memories.

8th GRADE SCIENCE: Mr. O’Brien & Mr. McKim
Both teachers are following the same curriculum and timeline! We’ve completed labs, quizzes
and tests. Workbook and packet assignments should go home and back to school regularly. Both
teachers require organization whether in notebook format (O’Brien) or binder/folder/in-class file
format (McKim). In mid-October, we learned about the forces of fluids (buoyancy, density, etc.).
After the first quarter ends, we’ll be turning our attention to the explosive favorite: chemistry! This
can be a challenge for our disorganized students. Keep up with the reading and workbook
assignments. Avoid those missing assignments.

More Teachers Per Student?
Mr.McKim welcomes three UCD interns to help with his 8th grade science courses: Ms. Beley will
help M, W, F during 7th and 8th periods. Ms. Gibson helps with 1st and 2nd periods on Mondays
and Mr. Elder-Rosen will help with periods and days TBA. They will be helping with routine
questions, lab preparation, record keeping, and grading of lab write-ups: a terrific help!
* * * * *
Message from the PTO Co-Presidents
PARENT SUPPORT A+
We are well into the school year, and the schools’ parent support system has kicked into
overdrive. It’s become apparent that Harper students have amazing parents! The
dedication and initiative that we have seen so far is impressive. For example: the PTO
Fundraising committee has been working since early summer to prepare for this year’s
Frances Fund drive; watch your mailbox for the letter launching this campaign. The
Membership and Volunteer Coordinators have organized the information from the
numerous forms that parents patiently filled out at registration, and work on the Student
Directory is almost complete. The Harper Helpers are at school nearly every day taking
on tasks in order to help the school staff stay focused on our students. Band and
Orchestra Boosters are meeting and working on ways to help our music department
achieve its goals. This newsletter would not be possible if not for the diligence of its
production committee. Many parents have sought out and found ways to help out in
individual classrooms, and the response to the teachers’ “wish list” requests has been
very heartening. The School Climate Committee has sponsored its first Family Night,
with more planned throughout the year. I’m certain that there are parents helping out the
school in ways that are under the radar – we would like to recognize them anyway!

We can’t say “Thanks” too often – so we’d like to extend our gratitude to all who have
contributed in big, medium, and small ways to our school community. The PTO will
continue to work throughout the year to give parents opportunities to connect and become
a part of this community that is such a huge part of our children’s’ lives. Stay tuned!
* * * * *
LEARN ENGLISH (Community Based English Tutoring Program- CBET)
FREE English classes for adults who wish to improve their language skills.
Classes at Valley Oak will take place on Monday and Wednesday.
Address: 1400 E 8th Street. Time: 6:30-8:30pm.
Classes at Patwin Elementary will take place on Tuesday and Thursday.
Address: 2222 Shasta Drive. Time: 6:30-8:30pm.
Registration is always open. Children in grades K and up receive tutoring in the areas of reading,
writing and math. Preschool activities for children ages three to five, and childcare is also
available for the little ones.
For more information call Mary Khan at 757-5300 ext 138, or Lucia at 757-5480 ext.165.
VENGAN A APRENDER INGLES
LAS CLASES DE INGLES PARA ADULTOS SON GRATIS.
En la escuela Valley Oak, los lunes y miércoles. Dirección: 1400 E 8th Street.
Hora: 6:30-8:30pm.
En la escuela de Patwin, los martes y jueves. Dirección: 2222 Shasta Drive.
Hora: 6:30-8:30pm.
Puede registrarse y empezar en cualquier momento; venga a la escuela que usted
escoja y allí lo atenderemos. Los niños recibirán ayuda con las tareas en las areas de
matemáticas, lectura y escritura. Tenemos actividades para los niños de prescolary
cuidado para los niños pequeños también estará disponible.
Para mayor información por favor llame a Mary Khan al 757-5300 ext. 138, o a Lucia al
757-5480 ext. 165.