Martin Luther King Jr Middle School

8th Grade Dance

Cindy — Tue, 28 May 2013 21:44:43 +0000

The 8th Grade Dance will be held Wednesday, June 12 in the King Gym. If your child has not receive an invitation, please have your student request one from Ms. Greeley in the Main office.

Permission Forms

8th Grade Dance permission slips are required for ticket distribution. Please send your 8th grader to school with a signed permission slip and $10 payment** by Wednesday, June 12th. Tickets will be sold during 8th grade lunch periods, NOT at the door, so please take care of this important detail before the night of the event. Permission forms were included in the envelopes, but if you need a new one, you may download it here:

English permission form

Spanish permission form

Tickets

As many 8th graders will be heading to Six Flags on June 10th, we will be selling tickets to the dance on June 5th, 6th, 7th, 11th, and 12th. Please note this change from the previous announcement.

** We are hoping for 100% 8th grader attendance at the Dance this year!! There are free and reduced-price tickets available for those who request them. All you need to do is have your child turn in a signed permission slip to Ms. Sanders and she will supply your child with a ticket. For more information, please contact Mercedes Sanders at mercedessanders@berkeley.net or have your child speak with her.

Volunteer

We still need plenty of VOLUNTEERS to help make this an amazing and memorable event for our kids. We know it’s the end of the year and there is so very much to do, but the 8th Grade Dance is fast upon us and we simply cannot throw a great party without your help. We really and truly need volunteers for the following jobs:

Ticket Sales

Contact Julie Weitz at mjbtweitz@yahoo.com to sign up.

We really need:

1 volunteer to help on Thursday, June 6th from 11:30 am–1:30 pm

3 volunteers to help on Tuesday, June 11th from 11:30 am–1:30pm

3 volunteers to help Wednesday, June 12th from 10:45 am–12:15 pm

Decorating the Gym on Dance Day

Contact Bita Azizi at Bita_Berkeley@yahoo.com to sign up.

We need

4 or more volunteers to help decorate the King Gym on Wednesday, June 12 between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. We will be decorating all day and would welcome your helping hands for any amount of time you can spare.

Chaperone

Since the 8th grade kids don’t want their parents at their dance, King tradition is that 6th and 7th grade parents perform the task. Then, when 8th grade comes for these younger students, the next generation of parents takes it on. This is a great opportunity to see how your child will be celebrating in a year or two!

Contact Dana Welsh at danajwelsh@gmail.com to sign up.

We really, really need:

3 volunteers for 6:30–8:30 pm shift in the Gym at the dance on Wednesday, June 12

5 volunteers for 8:15–10:30 pm shift in the Gym at the dance on Wednesday, June 12

Clean Up

Contact Elizabeth Bremner at ebremner@gmail.com

We need:

4 volunteers for 10:00–11:15 pm shift after the dance on Wednesday, June 12

Donate Food Items

Contact Dana Welsh at danajwelsh@gmail.com or Elizabeth Bremner at ebremner@gmail.com. We need parents of any grade student to donate the following:

Dessert items, finger foods only (please, no knives, forks, or spoons needed to consume or serve). Suggestions: cookies, brownies, cupcakes, rice krispie treats
Cut Vegetables (on a tray or in a bowl, already prepped and ready to go)

Many, many thanks to those who are already pitching in to make this event special for our outgoing 8th grade class, and to those who will sign up for the above volunteer shifts. We could not be throwing this amazing party without each of you!

Elizabeth Bremner, Dance Chair

Berkeley Dine Out

Cindy — Mon, 27 May 2013 20:43:20 +0000

Support cooking and gardening in Berkeley Public Schools by dining out at selected restaurants Thursday, May 30.

Common Core

Cindy — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:33:06 +0000

New academic standards will be adopted at King beginning school year 2013–14.

Spring Staff Lunch

Cindy — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:27:58 +0000

Many thanks to all the parents who stepped up to set up, serve, clean up, cook, and bake to show our support for King teachers and staff! It would not have happened without YOU!

King PTA will thank teachers and staff for a job well done this year with their annual Spring Staff Appreciation Lunch on Wednesday, May 29.

Staff Appreciation meals provide an opportunity for staff to take a break from their classrooms and gather together to share a meal and community AND for parents to show their appreciation to staff for all they do to make King the wonderful school it is.

This lunch will be a Pan-Asian menu featuring sushi from local wonder Kyoto. PTA will purchase sushi platters, with parents providing beverages, side dishes, and desserts. Contributions can be delivered to the Staff Lounge in the morning or brought to the event.

We will also need parents to set up, serve, and cleanup.

Please let Hospitality Co-Chair Cindy Fulton know how you can help by emailing her at cindy.fulton@ucpress.edu or calling 510-642-6734. What you can contribute will be posted here (by first name only). Check back here to see where we are and where we can still use help.

Beverages (sparkling water or lemonade)

Suggestions: Sparkling water, lemonade, iced tea.

Sparkling water—Laurie
Drinks—Anonymous
Ice tea—Angela
Sparkling lemonade—Lea
Sparkling water—Catherine
Perrier, orange juice—Margaret
Limonata or iced tea—Julie

Please label your dishes. They will be in the Staff
Lounge after the event for pick up.

Side Dishes

Suggestions: Asian noodle dishes (such as soba or udon), green or cucumber salads, vegetables, gyoza/potstickers, rice

Sesame peanut noodle salad—Christine
Asian cucumber salad—Cindy
Asian side dish—Annie
Kale/cabbage/carrot salad with rice vinegar and sesame oil—Sarah
Green salad—Jennifer
Cucumber salad—Ouahiba

Desserts

Suggestions: cookies, brownies, cupcakes, fruit platters (items pre-cut appreciated)

Asian fruit salad—Laura
Brownies—Deborah
Dessert—Margy
Blondies—Patricia
Green tea cookies—Cindy
Brownies—Robin
Snickerdoodles—Sandy
Brownies—Ouahiba
Fortune cookies—Debra

Pickup from Kyoto (on Solano)

Michael

Set Up (10:00–11:00)

Tanja
Cindy
Michael
Suzanne

Serving (11:00–1:00)

Tanja
Cindy
Michael
Eleni
Indigo

Clean Up (1:30–2:30)

Tanja
Eleni
Mary
Indigo

Bike to School Day

Cindy — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:27:47 +0000

Bike to School Day is scheduled for Friday, May 17 at King!

Bike alone, in a team, or with a train. Come for resources to see how families at King can bike more!

What: Bike to School Day for King Middle School

When: Friday, May 17, 7:00–8:40 am

Where: Rose & Grant Streets

Goal: To have at least 100 bikes at King!

Bike Teams

Bike Teams forming for competition ending with Assembly May 31^st

The King MS “Company” is here – join it when your your team of 5 is set up (all your team members must be affiliated with King). To join the company) http://teambikechallenge.com/companies/show/1270

First team: http://teambikechallenge.com/groups/show/1268

Prizes for best participating teams will be given out at a May 31^st School Assembly with Rock the Bike to culminate Bike to Month activities at King!

Ssign up for team at the event or in advance at http://teambikechallenge.com/welcome

Bike Trains

For bike trains, a group of kids and/or adults start at a designate time for a single location and may pick up others at “stops” along the way as planned. If you can lead a train, it would be great to have teams leave at designated time and ride together from:

San Pablo Park
James Kenney Park
Location of your choosing!

Email Amber Evans, 7^th grade parent, no later than May 13 at amber@thetrollfamily.com if interested in leading or Joel as below after the 13th.

PE Credit

Pick-up a temporary tattoo or sticker at the event booth and show your PE teacher the next class day for possible PE credit. Some teachers have signed up to give extra credit, others need to be lobbied—kids showing up at PE and telling the story of how you got to school on you own power is the best lobbying we can think off!

The Main Event

Bike to School Day at King is being celebrated bright and early with a completely free even including

FREE Bike smoothies (and possible warm refreshments for early arrivals)
FREE Cliff Bar treats—first come first serve to everyone at King walking, biking, scootering, bussing, and carpooling to school
Scrapper bike—spoke art!
Possible guest appearance by the King Band (past performances have included the National Anthem)
Bike trains from San Pablo Park and James Kenney Park or other location (you can lead from any where grab some friends or neighbors)
Cross Country team will likely be running from Cedar Rose Park for a Zero period arrival (second run for first period yet to be determined)
Sign-up for Bike Mobile’s http://bike-mobile.org/ bike repairs—future event to be determined by demand
Bike count—Can we get the highest bike count King has ever seen? Goal of 100 has never been met!
FREEbBike maps and assistance mapping personalized bike routes—both to King and to BHS (yes, it is coming soon!)

To help at the event (7–10 volunteers needed) or to help organize specific Bike Teams/ Bike Routes (particularly after May 13), contact 6^th grade parent Joel Gerwein at joelgerwein@gmail.com.
UPCOMING EVENT: May 31^st Rock the Bike Assembly Wrapping up Bike to Month Events

STAR Testing

Cindy — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:58:00 +0000

California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program tests will take place May 6–13, 2013.

For important information, please read this letter from the BUSD Superintendent regarding STAR testing:

STAR 2013 Letter to Parents, English

STAR 2013 Letter to Parents, Spanish

Zaki Kabob Benefit

Cindy — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:57:46 +0000

Thank you to Zaki Kabob House for hosting their generous fundraiser last week for King PTA!

Read about their wonderful food, including possibly the area’s best rotisserie chicken, here.

For King to receive the credit, you must print out and turn in this flyer at the time of the purchase.

Blanket Drive

Cindy — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:28:01 +0000

King’s Blanket Drive benefits the organization Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency, BOSS. Linens are always in short supply at shelters and the opening of the new Ursula Sherman Village has intensified the need. BOSS needs twin size sheets and twin or full size blankets as well as pillows/pillowcases and towels. New or clean/gently used items are all acceptable.

The Blanket Drive will run through the end of March and we will collect in Advisory. As always, we’ll reward the Advisory class(es) collecting the most with a pizza party.

Please participate in the Blanket Drive. It’s a wonderful opportunity for our students and families to make a positive difference in the community.

Run-a-Thon

Cindy — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 20:06:30 +0000

PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED TUESDAY!!

We believe the most important aspect of physical education is the impact it has on the well-being of students and on their future physical, emotional, and social development.

One of the primary goals of King’s Physical Education program is to teach the importance of pursuing a healthy lifestyle — good nutrition, exercise, and fitness. Thank you for helping us celebrate your child’s HEALTH and WELLNESS by participating in King’s Run-a-Thon.

— Your 2013 Run-a-Thon Committee

When

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 during students’ regular PE classes

Why

Our goal to raise $35,000 supports school programs such as Technology, Writer Coaches, Afterschool Activities and Sports, Drama, Field Trips, the Edible Schoolyard, classroom supplies, and more. If every class raises $1,000, we will meet our goal!

How

Students gather pledges from sponsors who donate for every lap run OR a flat amount. One lap = approximately 1/4 mile — most students average 5 to 6 laps.

Download your sponsor pledge form here.

Schedule

Tuesday, April 23—Final day for students to turn in WHITE copy of pledge forms.

Wednesday, April 24—Students challenge themselves to run as many laps as possible during PE.

Thursday, May 2—Final day for students to turn in YELLOW copy of pledge forms along with donations collected from their sponsors. 6th graders turn in pledges during First Period. 7th & 8th graders turn in pledges during Advisory.

Prizes!!!

ELIGIBILITY

Anyone can win! Eligibility for one of the great prizes is easy as 1-2-3!

1. Turn in your WHITE pledge form by Tuesday, April 23.

2. Complete the minimum PE laps on Wednesday, April 24.

3. Collect and turn in pledges with YELLOW copy by Thursday, May 2.

3 TOP PRIZES PER GRADE!!!

ALL STUDENTS who satisfy the three requirements above will be entered in a Raffle Drawing to win one of these great prizes:

iPod Touch
iPod Nano
Beats Solo

Additional Raffle Prizes will include Target Gift Cards and Goioia Gift Certificates!

PRIZES MOST LAPS RUN

Top 10 Boys & Top 10 Girls in each grade who meet eligibility will be entered in a Raffle Drawing to win a $50.00 Target Gift Card. One boy and one girl in each grade will win!

NOTE: One prize per student. In the event a student’s name is drawn in more than one category, the prize will be awarded to the next eligible student.

Sponsor a student with an electronic PayPal donation:

Payment by check should be made to “King PTA.”

Pajama Day

Cindy — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:42:29 +0000

Friday, March 8th is Pajama Day! Students should come in their favorite pajamas, nightgown,s or bathrobes. Don’t forget the slippers and the teddy bears. We will count students dressing up by Advisory for a chance to win a pizza party at the end of the year.

Pajama Day is also the official Kickoff of our Blanket Drive to benefit the organization Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency, BOSS. Linens are always in short supply at shelters and the opening of the new Ursula Sherman Village has intensified the need. BOSS needs twin size sheets and twin or full size blankets as well as pillows/pillowcases and towels. New or clean/gently used items are all acceptable. The Blanket Drive will run through the end of March and we will collect in Advisory. As always, we’ll reward the Advisory class(es) collecting the most with a pizza party.

Please participate in the Blanket Drive. It’s a wonderful opportunity for our students and families to make a positive difference in the community.