Friday, January 29, 2016

Lurgio News for January 29, 2016


LURGIO NEWS
January 29, 2016

Dear Parents,

Are you looking for clarification about Bedford High School course recommendations? Are you concerned about your child’s academic progress? Do you have questions about a social situation your child is facing at school? We are here for you!

Of course, we know many of you don’t have new questions so soon after first quarter conferences. If you need more information before deciding whether you want to meet with you child’s teacher, please click here to check their grades. For eighth grade parents, please also click here to check teacher recommendations for your child’s ninth grade courses. If you don’t feel the need to meet now, we’re always available throughout the year should any questions arise in the future.

Second quarter parent-teacher conferences will be held on Tuesday, February 2 from 3:30PM to 6:30PM and Wednesday, February 3 from 4:30PM to 7:30PM. Individual teachers will be scheduling specific conference times through an online system, and registration for conferences is now open. Please click here if you would like to register for a conference.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact your student’s homeroom teacher.

Sincerely,

Ed

Important Dates

Jan. 29 (Friday)
School Dance - 7PM to 10PM
Feb. 2 (Tuesday
Parent-Teacher Conferences (3:30PM-6:30PM)
Feb. 2 (Tuesday)
District Budget Session I - Deliberative (BHS Theater)
Feb. 3 (Wednesday)
Parent-Teacher Conferences (4:30PM-7:30PM)
Feb. 4 (Thursday)
BHS 8th Grade Course Selection Information Night (BHS Theater 6:00 pm)

8th Grade BHS Course Selection Info Night
Please join the Bedford High School Leadership Team for "Course Selection Night" next Thursday the 4th at 6pm in the BHS Theater. Learn about the course request process that takes place through PowerSchool and gain valuable information about the curriculum and expectations that will impact your students next year.

RAL Cub of the Week
Each week, teachers nominate students for the Cub of the Week Award. Nominated students are those who have shown exceptional kindness, tolerance, and respect during the week. Each Friday, the Lurgio administration and guidance staff will review all nominees and will select the the “Cub of the Week.” The Cub will be announced in the Lurgio News.

This week’s Cub of the Week is Emma Roberts. Emma’s teachers describe her as always kind and compassionate to all of the students in the pod. Daily, Emma goes out of our her way to make all students feel welcome and included in all activities. Congratulations Emma!

You Be The Chemist Challenge RESCHEDULED!
The YBTC Qualifying Test has been rescheduled from Tuesday, February 2nd to Monday, February 15th at 2:30 in the Media Center.  Please make note of this date change and inform your child of the change.  If you have any questions or still want to register your child, e-mail Mrs. Rockwell at rockwella@bedfordnhk12.net.  In the meantime, your child should continue to study from the study materials listed at ChemEd.

Deliberative Session on February 2
All voters in Bedford are urged to ​come to the Bedford School District Deliberative Session on Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m.at the Bedford High School Theater. This is when the community either affirms or revises the School Board’s proposed budget for 2016-17 (The budget is presented in the School District Warrant.). The proposed budget is $68.3M, a 3.9% increase over this year. The increase is primarily because of personnel, health insurance benefits, and significant building maintenance. ​Voting on the warrant is on Tuesday, March 8 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m​ at the Bedford High School gymnasium​. If the proposed budget is voted down, the default budget would be $2.3M lower.  Additional information can be found here.

Book Buzz
Dawson 7 East likes The Beast of Noor:

I'm reading this book by Janet Lee Carey and it's about werewolves and is so cool to read.  Miles fights a werewolf.  Tons of action.  It's all in the woods in medieval times with all this fighting.  I love it.

Cam from 7 South is buzzing about Things Not Seen by Andrew Clemens:

This book is about when Bobby wakes up invisible and is keeping this a secret after totally surprising his parents.  Cops actually come to his house because he's missing so so school thinks something is up.  He meets Alicia.  She's blind.  Bobby wonders if he should tell her he's blind and he does.  I like how Bobby has this giant secret and is invisible.  The whole book is about how he tries to get visible again.  Read this book!

Josh from 7 West is reading Divergent by Veronica Roth:

I'm reading this book for SSR because lots of people have read it so I wanted to read it too.  I liked the whole Hunger Games series so this is good for SSR.  Beatrice has to think through her problems and that's the best part of this book.  Fitting into the 5 factions is how their community is run and Beatrice, unlike anyone else, fits into all five.  This is a huge problem.  I've seen two of the movies too.  I'll find more books like this when I'm finished.

Lion’s Den
Please check out the latest issue of the student-produced newspaper [LINK].

Ross A. Lurgio’s Annual Grandparents & Senior Citizen Visitation Day
sponsored by the PTG
Ross A. Lurgio’s Annual Grandparents & Senior Citizen Visitation Day is planned for Thursday, February 11th at 9:30 a.m. Guests will be treated to a dress rehearsal of the play Wonderland followed by tours of the school and a lite luncheon sponsored by the Bedford PTG will take place in the library. Pre-registration for this popular event is required, so please send in the attached registration form  or contact Judy Emmert at judy.emmert@comcast.net with your information no later than February 5th.  All seniors are welcome at this fun annual event!  A special note this year for our guests:  Please plan on arriving at or after 9 a.m. for the safety of our students.  Prior to that, traffic congestion during student drop off can be a little hectic.  Thank you!


Media Center Resources
Lurgio’s Library Media Generalist, Mrs. Snow, invites you to visit the Digital Resources and Databases website and explore the variety of resources available to the Lurgio Middle School Community 24/7. Username and password for these resources is “lurgio”.

These databases are the kind of quality resources that the Library Media Center strives to provide the students of Lurgio Middle School as Mrs. Snow works to support the RAL curriculum, promotes information literacy and digital citizenship, and spreads the love of reading.

Guidance Corner
Youth Counselor, Donna LaRue, MA, LADC, LCMHC posts a weekly, helpful parenting newsletter article, as well as other relevant material on her website. Check out Ms. LaRue’s webpage for more information about drug abuse prevention as well as past asset newsletters by clicking here.

Responsibility

In this week’s article “Responsibility” the students are encouraged to take personal responsibility while parents keep these 4 Keys in mind:  

  1. Let Your Child Do It    

  2. Expect It To Take Time  

  3. Ask, Don’t Demand  

  4. Give Consequences

Click here for a look at this week’s Search Institute Asset Newsletter.

Social Media Apps
Guidance Intern Sarah Demers will be posting information about social media apps that may be popular with students. These informational pages can be found in the Lurgio News; you can also find a backlog of them on the Guidance webpage. Here is a link to this week’s app of interest. What's that App: Brighten

PTG Corner
PTG Barnes & Noble Bookfair * Save the date *
Beat the cold weather and join the PTG January 29th and January 30th at the Barnes & Noble at 1741 South Willow Street, Manchester for a warm and delightful family outing complete with incredible artwork by Bedford Students K-12, musical performances, and story time all while you shop for books, movies, toys, or even while you grab a treat! Be sure to mention BEDFORD PTG at the time of any of your purchases to help earn money for our schools!
To shop online: Visit bn.com/bookfairs January 27th – February 3rd and enter Bookfair ID#11706355 at checkout.

Stand By Me - May 20, 2016
Stand By Me - Save the date - Fundraiser
On Tuesday, February 9th, there will be no school for students in the Bedford School District.  Do you want to find something fun to do with your kids on their day off?  We know a great place to go!  Sky Zone in Manchester, NH has recently opened and they have agreed to donate to our wonderful organization.  For every patron who visits the Sky Zone during the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 9, the Sky Zone will give 25% of the proceeds to Stand By Me. You must state that you are there in support of our organization.  Please visit their website for more information. www.skyzone.com/manchester

"Jump on in" and join us to support Stand By Me!

Food Pantry Note
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT:  The Food Pantry at Bedford Presbyterian Church is a newly established resource for those in our community who are facing hunger or food insecurity.  The Food Pantry is a 501(c)3 organization that is a well-coordinated effort between 5 area churches, local organizations including the Bedford Lion's Club, the Boy Scouts, and individuals and families in Bedford. The Food Pantry is located at  Bedford Presbyterian Church, 4 Church Road, Bedford, and is available to all Bedford residents.  The Food Pantry will open Saturday, January 16th, and will be open on the 1st and 3rd Saturday, and the following Monday, of each month. Hours are Saturdays, 9:00 - 11:00 am, Mondays, 5:30 - 7:00PM.

If you, or someone you know in Bedford is struggling with food insecurity please call Bedford Presbyterian Church, 472-5841.

Friday, January 22, 2016

Lurgio News for January 22, 2016


LURGIO NEWS
January 22, 2016

Important Dates

Jan. 22 (Friday)
QTR. 2 Ends
Jan. 29 (Friday)
School Dance - 7PM to 10PM
Feb. 2 (Tuesday
Parent-Teacher Conferences (3:30PM-6:30PM)
Feb. 2 (Tuesday)
District Budget Session I - Deliberative (BHS Theater)
Feb. 3 (Wednesday)
Parent-Teacher Conferences (4:30PM-7:30PM)

RAL Cub of the Week
Each week, teachers nominate students for the Cub of the Week Award. Nominated students are those who have shown exceptional kindness, tolerance, and respect during the week. Each Friday, the Lurgio administration and guidance staff will review all nominees and will select the the “Cub of the Week.” The Cub will be announced in the Lurgio News.

This week’s Cub of the Week is Joshua Erickson. Josh is an avid volunteer for charitable organizations and his selfless acts in the classroom exhibit the kind of behavior the Lurgio Community wants to see out of its students!

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Are you looking for clarification about Bedford High School course recommendations? Are you concerned about your child’s academic progress? Do you have questions about a social situation your child is facing at school? We are here for you!

Of course, we know many of you don’t have new questions so soon after first quarter conferences. If you don’t feel the need to meet in February, we’re always available throughout the year should any questions arise in the future.

Second quarter parent-teacher conferences will be held on Tuesday, February 2 from 3:30PM to 6:30PM and Wednesday, February 3 from 4:30PM to 7:30PM. Individual teachers will be scheduling specific conference times through an online system, and registration for conferences will open on Friday, January 29.  We will share more details as the end the of the month approaches.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact your student’s homeroom teacher.

Book Buzz
Today’s Book Buzz comes from an anonymous, happy Books for Breakfast participant:

Chris Rylander's book The Fourth Stall is very funny because it is about a business that students have set up in the fourth stall of an abandoned bathroom in a school.  Mac is the lead character who is able to help kids solve their school problems.  Kids meet him and negotiate prices for their problems to be solved in the fourth stall.  It's hilarious.  There are twists and turns and it's totally fun to read.  It's a series so I want to read the second book.  Mac and his best friend and business partner Vince are great.

Lurgio Receives a James Patterson Grant
Popular author James Patterson in conjunction with the Scholastic Reading Club has established a grant of $1.5 million dollars to support school libraries nationwide.  Over 28,000 applications were submitted for portions of the grant.  Reading Specialist Kate Schoedinger submitted a grant last year, and we recently were informed that RAL has been awarded $2500. We’re excited to use this grant to purchase literacy materials for our library!

You Be The Chemist Challenge
Lurgio students have the opportunity to participate in the "You Be the Chemist" (YBTC) Challenge, organized by the Chemical Educational Foundation. The YBTC Challenge is a fun and interactive academic competition that engages grade 5–8 students in learning about important chemistry concepts, scientific discoveries, and laboratory safety.

To qualify for the state competition, students will take a 25-question, multiple-choice qualifying exam on Tuesday, February 2 at 2:35 in the Media Center.  The top students from Lurgio will advance to the state competition on March 5 in Nashua.  The top student from the state will win an expenses-paid trip to the National Challenge in Philadelphia in June.

If your child is interested in participating, please e-mail Mrs. Rockwell at rockwella@bedfordnhk12.net by January 22 to register.  To prepare for the exam, CEF recommends students explore all of the study materials at ChemEd, as well as other outside chemistry resources.

Lion’s Den
Please check out the latest issue of the student-produced newspaper [LINK].

Ross A. Lurgio’s Annual Grandparents & Senior Citizen Visitation Day
sponsored by the PTG
Ross A. Lurgio’s Annual Grandparents & Senior Citizen Visitation Day is planned for Thursday, February 11th at 9:30 a.m. Guests will be treated to a dress rehearsal of the play Wonderland followed by tours of the school and a lite luncheon sponsored by the Bedford PTG will take place in the library. Pre-registration for this popular event is required, so please send in the attached registration form  or contact Judy Emmert at judy.emmert@comcast.net with your information no later than February 5th.  All seniors are welcome at this fun annual event!  A special note this year for our guests:  Please plan on arriving at or after 9 a.m. for the safety of our students.  Prior to that, traffic congestion during student drop off can be a little hectic.  Thank you!


Media Center Resources
Lurgio’s Library Media Generalist, Mrs. Snow, invites you to visit the Digital Resources and Databases website and explore the variety of resources available to the Lurgio Middle School Community 24/7. Username and password for these resources is “lurgio”.

These databases are the kind of quality resources that the Library Media Center strives to provide the students of Lurgio Middle School as Mrs. Snow works to support the RAL curriculum, promotes information literacy and digital citizenship, and spreads the love of reading.

Guidance Corner
Youth Counselor, Donna LaRue, MA, LADC, LCMHC posts a weekly, helpful parenting newsletter article, as well as other relevant material on her website. Check out Ms. LaRue’s webpage for more information about drug abuse prevention as well as past asset newsletters by clicking here.

Honesty:
This asset is measured by asking middle school students "Do you tell the truth even when it is not easy?"  In our last survey (2014), the results indicate that 70% of Bedford middle school students responded affirmatively.  Click here to read this week's article about the asset "Honesty".  

Social Media Apps
Guidance Intern Sarah Demers will be posting information about social media apps that may be popular with students. These informational pages can be found in the Lurgio News; you can also find a backlog of them on the Guidance webpage. Here is a link to this week’s app of interest. What's that App: Brighten

PTG Corner
PTG Barnes & Noble Bookfair * Save the date *
Beat the cold weather and join the PTG January 29th and January 30th at the Barnes & Noble at 1741 South Willow Street, Manchester for a warm and delightful family outing complete with incredible artwork by Bedford Students K-12, musical performances, and story time all while you shop for books, movies, toys, or even while you grab a treat! Be sure to mention BEDFORD PTG at the time of any of your purchases to help earn money for our schools!
To shop online: Visit bn.com/bookfairs January 27th – February 3rd and enter Bookfair ID#11706355 at checkout.

Stand By Me - May 20, 2016
Stand By Me - Save the date - Fundraiser
On Tuesday, February 9th, there will be no school for students in the Bedford School District.  Do you want to find something fun to do with your kids on their day off?  We know a great place to go!  Sky Zone in Manchester, NH has recently opened and they have agreed to donate to our wonderful organization.  For every patron who visits the Sky Zone during the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 9, the Sky Zone will give 25% of the proceeds to Stand By Me. You must state that you are there in support of our organization.  Please visit their website for more information. www.skyzone.com/manchester

"Jump on in" and join us to support Stand By Me!

Food Pantry Note
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT:  The Food Pantry at Bedford Presbyterian Church is a newly established resource for those in our community who are facing hunger or food insecurity.  The Food Pantry is a 501(c)3 organization that is a well-coordinated effort between 5 area churches, local organizations including the Bedford Lion's Club, the Boy Scouts, and individuals and families in Bedford. The Food Pantry is located at  Bedford Presbyterian Church, 4 Church Road, Bedford, and is available to all Bedford residents.  The Food Pantry will open Saturday, January 16th, and will be open on the 1st and 3rd Saturday, and the following Monday, of each month. Hours are Saturdays, 9:00 - 11:00 am, Mondays, 5:30 - 7:00PM.

If you, or someone you know in Bedford is struggling with food insecurity please call Bedford Presbyterian Church, 472-5841.