Gator Gazette

Dear Parents,

It is hard to believe our last six weeks for the 2012-2013 is upon us. We have several events to look forward to the remainder of the school year. There will be a play, concerts, soccer games, and other activities for your children to enjoy. Please view the marquee, website, and newsletter for the updates. We have completed one week of STAAR testing and hopefully we were successful. Beginning Tuesday, April 23, we will experience another four days of testing. We will conclude state testing with the Algebra and Geometry EOC in May. Thank you for your continued support with the required testing. Please reassure your child that they are ready to succeed and encourage them to give their very best effort on testing day. We appreciate your support. As summer nears, we may need to be reminded of the FISD dress code. No torn or ragged jeans or shorts are allowed. Ladies need to make sure their skirts and shorts are long enough and their top needs to be a minimum of two inches on the shoulder. No spaghetti straps are allowed.

This is the time of year when our weather is unpredictable. When the threat of inclement weather exists, FISD has procedures in place schools are to follow. When we get the word from the emergency preparedness officials that we are in a tornado warning and the sirens activate, we move into tornado safety mode. Parents who are arriving to pick up their student are invited to come in for shelter. For safety reasons, students are to stay in a secure location and will not be allowed to leave campus until the threat of inclement weather has subsided. Sometimes there is still a window when parents can check their students out, but by the time we are in full "duck and cover," it is important for all staff to be focused on the students and keeping things as safe and as normal as possible for them in the circumstances.

Griffin is a wonderful place to learn thanks to our outstanding students, supportive and involved parents, and our dedicated staff who is committed to student success. I am looking forward to continued excitement, effort, and academic growth during our last week’s together before summer vacation begins.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Holcomb

Principal

Principal’s Corner

Frisco ISD

Nurses Notes/Administration

2

6th Grade News 3

7th Grade News 4

8th Grade News 5

Electives 6-9

Library/Athletics/. 10-11

PTA 12-17

Inside this issue:

Special points of

interest:

April 19 End of 6 weeks

April 23 STAAR Math

6th & 7th grade

April 24 STAAR Reading

6th & 7th Grade

April 25 STAAR Social

Studies 8th Grade

April 25 Report Cards

April 26 STAAR Make

up Day

April 29 Students out

for teacher Work Day

April 30 Last Day to

purchase Yearbook

May 2 Volunteer Appre-

ciation Breakfast

May 6 Geometry End of

Course Exam

May 7 Algebra End of

Course Exam

May 15 Progress Re-

ports

May 24 Bad weather

Make up Day

May 27 Memorial Day

Nurses Notes

Page 2 Gator Gazette Page 2

THE DREADED “E”WORD AND HOW TO MAKE IT FUN When it comes to exercise, many of us think of it as a form of punishment. There are probably a lot of other things we would rather do than spend time at the gym, but in order for American’s to win the battle of the bulge we need to change our mindset. Think in terms of “activity” rather than “exercise.” Aim for at least 30 minutes (for adults) and 60 minutes (for children) of activity on most days of the week. Have fun and play – even grown ups need to go out for recess, too! Here are some suggestions from www.mayoclinic.com:

• Be creative! Take your child on an adventure hike or a fun run around the block. • Play games – Tag, Hide and go Seek. • Unleash you inner animal - run like a gorilla, walk like a spider, hop like a bunny, and stretch

like a cat! • Plan active family vacations – such as hiking, skiing, snorkeling, swimming, or camping. Take

it a step further by bringing along a ball or Frisbee. • Help make chores less tedious by turning them into contests: who can pull up the most

weeds, collect the most trash, etc. • Batting cages, bowling, and fast food play areas all count as activity. • Have fun exploring your local community – bike trails, family oriented health clubs, ice-skating

or roller-skating rinks, etc.

SNACK TIPS: • Keep fruits, vegetables, & yogurt on hand for quick, easy, & healthy choices. • Choose higher fiber and/or higher water-content foods. For example for 100 calories you can

have either ¼ cup of raisins or nearly 2 cups of grapes – the grapes will fill you up faster and longer!

• High protein foods can help decrease hunger and help you feel full longer. Choose reduced-fat cheese, yogurt, or tuna rather than potato chips.

• Avoid the temptation to over-indulge by buying individual sized snacks or pre-portion your snacks ahead of time.

• Take time to enjoy your food and remember it takes 20 minutes for your brain to recognize that you’re full.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Shellye Gressett, RN

Griffin Family,

The Griffin Administration would like to take a quick moment to remind you about the limita-tions on outside food. In accordance with Child Nutrition Regulations parents may bring in outside food for their children only. Though it is certainly kind and thoughtful, parents may not bring in any fast food, desserts, etc. for children other than their own. Thank you for

helping us adhere to the guidelines.

6th Grade News

Science

This year has flown by so quickly! We’re nearing the end of our Physics unit and we’re about to jump into Earth Science and Space for the last unit of the year. Students have enjoyed doing a lot of hands-on labs in our Physics unit regarding forces, friction, gravity, and some simple machines. In our next unit the students will be learning about plate tectonics, the rock cycle, and space. Some students are running out of glue! We use glue almost daily in Science and would ap-preciate it if everyone checked to make sure they have enough glue to finish out the school year!

ILA

As teachers, we continually reflect upon the past year and want you to know that we are so proud of your children! My, how they have grown! We have watched them develop both as writers and readers. The more they read and delve more deeply into texts, the better they become as writers. Congratulations, they are beginning to master their craft! In sixth-grade ILA we have continued to work on perfecting our grammar skills. At this point, your child should be able to label each component of the sentences we are discussing. After the STAAR test, we will be starting Simple Step 5, modifiers (adjectives and adverbs). Some students struggle with this step, please encourage your child to practice identifying modifiers on a regular basis. On level students will be reading the novel Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. This is a story of betrayal, survival, and friendship dur-ing World War II in Europe. Close family friends struggle with equality of religion during the time of the Holocaust. In Pre-AP we will continue to reflect upon changes in our own lives and making self-to-text connections while we read the novel Holes by Louis Sachar. Holes is a riveting modern-day hero story with every essential component you would expect; villains, mythi-cal creatures, and a reluctant hero. Be sure to ask your child what they love about the main character Stanley Yelnats and why they love him! In addition, Pre-AP students will be starting to work on literature circles. They will have a choice of a variety of novels provided by the school. During our literature circles, students will focus on the literary analysis of characters. Although we will provide a copy of our class novel for your child, please consider purchasing Number the Stars or your child’s cho-sen literature circle novel. We have found that it helps students’ comprehension of novels to be able to highlight and annotate. Hav-ing their own copy allows them to do this more easily. As we progress throughout the year, we will continue to work on basic skills and thoughtful thinking. One of our focuses will be to help mold our students into creative and divergent thinkers. We do this by asking a variety of open ended questions and encourag-ing them to share their thought process. In addition to higher level thinking, we are coaching our students to learn to make good use of their time. Please help us at home by giving your child activities to complete in a certain amount of time. We have found that time management is one of the biggest challenges students face as they transition from elementary school to middle school; working on this will help our students in multiple areas. Reminder: STAAR dates are April 23rd (math) and April 24th (reading). Please avoid scheduling appointments on either of these two dates. Students will need to order or bring a sack lunch to school on these days. Additionally, you can help your child by making sure they get a good night’s rest during this week and an energy packed breakfast each morning. Please remind them to turn OFF any electronic devices they have and leave them in their locker on these days (devices are not permitted in the testing rooms). There is no need to help your child “study”, simply encourage them to do their best and keep a positive attitude!

Social Studies

The students in 6th grade Social Studies have been learning about the diversity and uniformity in Africa. The connection

between colonialism and diversity was made when student realized that many European countries colonized in Africa for

valuable resources such as gold and diamonds. Students also made a historical connection linking the Civil Rights

movement in the United States with Apartheid in South Africa. Students analyzed primary source materials and wrote a

one page document based essay which highlighted the importance of archeology in Africa.

Page 3 Gator Gazette

Math

This next six weeks in going to start off with a bang as 6th Grade will be completing their Math STAAR on April 23

rd. Fol-

lowing the STAAR test, students will revisit and expand on their knowledge of addition/subtraction of decimals and frac-tions as well as decimal/fraction conversions. Additionally, students will gain a conceptual understanding of part/whole fractions using an analog clock and finding the time equivalent for a simple fraction. With this being the last marking period of the year, we will also be preparing 6

th graders for 7

th grade Math by introducing the concepts of addition, sub-

traction, multiplication, and division of positive and negative integers! The 6th Grade Math Department has enjoyed

working with all of your kids and look forward to a successful completion to 2012-2013 school year!

Math

The 7th graders will be busy working collaboratively to help each other review for the

STAAR test. The Math STAAR test is April 23rd

. Your student will have practice prob-lems to review and also some tips for success.

After the STAAR test, all 7th grade students will participate in the IAAT Algebra Readi-

ness Test. This test is only an indicator of algebra readiness and will therefore not be counted as a part of their marking period grade. The results can help guide us, and your student, towards placement in the best math class next year. At the end of May, our current pre-ap students will participate in the Algebra CBE (credit by exam).

Once all of our testing is behind us, we will continue with new units to help them move forward in their math understanding. On-Level students will work on a deeper level with rational numbers (integers, fractions and decimals), while our pre-ap students will work on 8

th grade TEKS such as surface area, dimensional changes and Pythagorean Theo-

rem.

Texas History

We recently concluded our unit covering the US Civil War and have shifted our focus to

those areas that Texas is well known for including the Cattle Drives.

Upon concluding this unit, we will shift our focus to the 20th century and touch on an-

other Texas stereotype – the discovery of Oil! We are specifically addressing the myths

and legends of Texas and how it is often portrayed – all cattle and oilfields, against the

reality of what Texas really is: a large, diverse state with many economic, social and

political opportunities and challenges.

7th Grade News

Science

We can’t believe how fast time is flying this year and we are now reaching the home

stretch! 7th grade Science students just finished up our unit on Ecology. The students

learned all about the different biomes of the world and about the interactions among

organisms. We are currently learning about Earth’s systems. The students will be

doing labs over watersheds and Weather & Erosion. Our upcoming units over catas-

trophic events and space will be packed with exciting labs.

Go Gator Science!!!!

Page 4 Gator Gazette

ILA

In ILA, students engaged in activities requiring them to perform using pantomime. They considered how choices in language affect oral interpretation of poetry and prose, and they used their presentation skills to present a monologue. As students practiced and presented their monologues, they learned that a performer makes choices about how to act before an audience. They also gained experience in speaking effectively in public.

Students are currently working on comparing the elements of prose and poetry. They are analyzing a variety of poems for their use of poetic devices, such as metaphor, simile, and symbol. Our main focus is on narrative poetry. By studying these poems, students will be prepared to create their own narrative poems that recount a fictional or true event about choice.

The 7th grade Reading STAAR Test is coming up quickly on Wednesday, April 24. Students are working hard in

preparation for this special day.

8th Grade News

History

In this unit, An Expanding Nation, the content focus is threefold: analyzing westward expansion and its effect on the political, economic, and social development of the na-tion, analyzing how political, economic and social factors led to the growth of section-alism and the Civil War, and identifying the impact of science and technology on the development of the U.S. This era with its expansion into the West and the economic transformation that changed the ways Americans worked, where they lived, while si-multaneously creating new opportunities and new social problems, requires students to grasp the interrelationships among the expansion and industrialization period of our nation’s history.

Math

STAAR testing is over and we have started our final unit, Algebra! Our goal is to build a solid foundation in order to prepare students for their ninth grade year. Students will learn about solving linear equations with one and two variables. Building upon equa-tions, students will make connections between tables, equations, and graphs. Before we conclude this unit, we will also discover y = mx +b (slope).

PAP Algebra

We are on the last leg of our Algebra race. The Algebra EOC will be May 7th. The Al-

gebra students have been applying what they have learned about quadratic functions to real-world situations. For instance, roller coasters or the arch on a basketball shot. The next unit in Algebra is about exponential growth and decay. We will end the year in Algebra with our backyard project!

ILA

Pre-AP is analyzing how we communicate as a society through various media channels and exploring how one person

can make a difference when encountering social change. We read several Holocaust-related texts in order to learn

about the various ways individuals have made an impact on society throughout history through the present day. Cur-

rently, students are preparing to create Public Service Announcements to create awareness of an issue of their choos-

ing using technology.

On-Level explored the Holocaust while analyzing the effects of a dramatic representation of a story versus a narrative

using Anne Frank’s experiences as the foundation. By exploring the drama-related elements and techniques, students

were able to consider the effects genre has on interpretation and meaning. Students are currently honing in on their

writers’ skills as they analyze and practice skills necessary to physically write a short story.

Page 5 Gator Gazette

Science

8th grade science has just wrapped up Chemistry and the students really seemed to

enjoy learning how table salt is actually made up of two poisonous elements on the

periodic table! We are focusing on preparing for the science STAAR test on April

24th over all of middle school science. The students are amazed at how much sci-

ence they have learned here at Griffin as we look over all 3 years of material. We

will be starting on a unit getting them ready for high school Biology in May. Thank

you again for sharing your students with us this school year.

Beginning Band:

The Griffin Beginner Band went to the Sandy Lake Band Competition on April 12th.and performed for parents and

judges at 10:00am. They received all 1st division, Superior ratings from all of the judges and they won the trophy

for “Best Beginner Band of the Day!!” Congrats to all of the students it was a fabulous day!

Solo Contest is on April 20th at Cobb Middle School. Ask your student to play their solo for you J All students will

perform by themselves with piano accompaniment.

The Spring Concert rehearsal will be May 30th from 4:00 – 5:15 pm at GMS.

The Spring Concert and Awards Presentation is on May 31st at Wakeland High School and it will begin at 6:30 pm.

Griffin Percussion

All of the Griffin percussion had a wonderful concert on April 4th at Wakeland High School! Great job everyone!!!! It

was amazing to watch you perform!

Griffin Gator Jazz Band

The Griffin Gator Jazz Band performed at the Frisco Jazz Fest and at the Collin County Jazz Fest and received all 1st division

ratings!!!

Outstanding Soloist were named and they are:

Graham McAbee – Drum solo

Luke Burt – Bari Sax solo

Mitchell Taylor – Flute solo

Evan Branco – Alto Sax solo

Trey Compton – Tenor Sax solo

Carson power - - Trumpet solo

At the Sandy Lake Jazz Fest on April 12th they received all 1st division Superior ratings from all of the judges and was named

the “Most Outstanding Jazz Band of the Day!!” We are so proud of the Jazz Band and all that you have achieved this year!

Concert Band and Symphonic Band:

The Concert Band performed at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Competition and received and Superior rating on

stage and an Excellent rating in Sight Reading.

The Symphonic Band performed at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Competition and received an Excellent rating

on stage and Superior rating in Sight Reading.

Mrs. Parr, Mrs. Seneca and Mr. Moore are so proud of their hard work and achievements!

Solo Contest is on April 20th at Cobb Middle School. Ask your student to play their solo for you J All students will

perform by themselves with piano accompaniment.

The Spring Concert mandatory rehearsal will be May 25th from 4:00 – 5:15 pm.

The Spring Concert and Awards Presentation is on May 31st at Wakeland High School and it will begin at 6:30 pm.

Page 6

BAND

Save the Date: Tarleton Band Camp June 9th-12th Thank You parent’s for volunteering your time to help in so many ways! You are all so appreciated!

www.gmsband.squarespace.com/

Page 7

The Griffin Choirs are hard at work on the final prepa-rations for the Saturday, April 20 Solo and Ensemble performances at Stafford Middle School. Students will sing for judges who will assess their mastery of enun-ciation, pitch memory and breath support. The next scheduled event is the “Pride of Texas” Music Festival which takes place at “Amazing Jakes” in Plano and the final event of the year is our Spring Concert and Choir Banquet on Tuesday, May 28. See you there!

CHOIR

Orchestra Notes!

A BIG CONGRATS to the Symphonic Orchestra who

received “Sweepstakes” straight 1’s at U.I.L. Con-

cert and Sight-reading Festival! They worked so

hard to receive this honor. Be sure to “HIGH 5” the

following Symphonic Orchestra members: Tom Do-

err, Alexia Gonzalez, Prajwal Gowda, Megan Her-

bert, Maddie Herrling, Heidi Kerr, Gina Kwak, Maia

Mistry, Taylor Painter, Katelyn Paul, Maddie Pratt,

Lauren Prentice, Ellen Pu.

Beginning and Concert Orchestras are looking for-

ward to the Sandy Lake Music Festival on Monday,

May 6th.

Go Griffin Orchestra!

ORCHESTRA

Page 8

Page 9

Griffin Middle School Theatre

THEATRE SHOWCASE

WHO: The talented

Theatre I,

Theatre II,

Theatre III

and

Technical Theatre

students of

Griffin Middle School!

WHAT: The GMS theatre classes and will “showcase” what they have learned and

created this year in one amazing night of theatre! This Showcase will include original short

plays, films and scenes presented by the GMS Theatre students. In addition, a select group

of students will also present songs and dance numbers from Hairspray and West Side Story.

.

WHEN: The performance will take place on Wednesday, May 8 at 7:00pm.

.

WHERE: The performance will take place on the GMS Stage.

The performance is free!

Come out to support GMS theatre students and enjoy this entertaining evening! .

News from the

Library

Upcoming Dates to Remember: Guys Read Club: May 22 at 3:40 in the Library (last meeting of the year) Lone Star Book Club: May 22 during lunches in the Library (last meeting of the year) National Library Week April 14-20 Deadline for Auditions for Student Story Tellers for the Lone Star Story Telling Festival.

May 5 – You can get more information at http://

lonestarstories.org/?q=student_tellers.

Book Fair at Barnes and Noble Stonebriar: May 19 – you will be able to order all of your ILA summer reading! Did you know? The library held a March Madness of its own the last couple of weeks. After some nail-biting close games, Hunger Games won the tournament. We had 100% participation in the tournament, and over 200 kids guessed the correct winner and were rewarded with their own Scratch-and-Sniff bookmark. Don’t forget to check out our blog: www.gatorsread.blogspot.com!

Athletics Page 10

2013-2014 Parent and Athlete Information meeting

Requirements and policies for athletics will be discussed and paperwork needed will be passed out.

Yearly physicals (dated after May 1st) are required by the first day of school.

Email Coach North if you have questions or are not able to attend.

Check Girls Website throughout summer for announcements and schedules.

GMS Girls Athletic Meeting Tuesday, May 21st

5:00-6:00 pm Main Gym

<Parents and Athletes need to attend>

*All incoming 7th grade girls and any NEW 8th grade girls interested in trying out for

an athletic sport for the 2013-2014 school year need to attend the meeting. (Volleyball, Basketball, Track, CC and/or Soccer)

Volleyball and Basketball are the ONLY two sports offered during the athletic period. If you wish to run track, CC or tryout for Soccer and not play Volleyball or Basketball

then you will not be in the athletic period.

*if you were in 7th grade girls athletics @ GMS for the 2012-2013 school

year you do not need to attend the meeting.

REMINDER: PHYSICALS MUST BE REDONE EVERY YEAR (7TH AND 8TH GRADE

ATHLETES).

Page 12

April 2013 Issue by Cindy Vaille

https://www.facebook.com/griffingatorpta

Please join us in congratulating our new officers for next year:

President: Lynn Clasen

1st VP Membership - Hope Roddy

2nd VP Ways and Means - Julie Reiter

3rd VP Programs - Kim Hecht

Treasurer - Jana Akin

Secretary - Kim McGuire

Along with the presentation of the PTA Lifetime Achievement Awards, the above offi-

cers were elected at the last meeting and will serve on the board for the 2013-2014 school

year. We would like to invite everyone to attend our next general meeting on April 30th at

5:30pm in the Griffin Cafeteria. Please don’t forget to contact Suzy Kula at gatorptavol-

unteers@gmail.com if you’d like to be placed on a volunteer email list for notification of

upcoming events and signups concerning the PTA & school needs. You can also “like”

us on our FB site to be kept up to date on the latest happenings.

Gator Gazette - Griffin Gator PTA

PTA Lifetime Achievement Award

The PTA Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor from the nation’s largest

child advocacy organization. It is given to those who honor their commitment to children

by their daily actions and volunteer service.

At our last general meeting, the GMS PTA recognized Aimee Hendrix and Joy Kerr for

this special award. Congratulation ladies, we are pleased to honor you for your out-

standing commitment and actions on behalf of our Griffin Gators! Thank you both for your

time, dedication, and love that you give to our school, our children, and our community.

We are truly grateful! If you missed Hope Roddy presenting these awards, below is a little

more info on our recipients.

Aimee Hendrix and Joy Kerr

Aimee Hendrix

For the last six years, Aimee has served on two boards (Pink PTA & GMS PTA) in a variety of positions. She has been a VP of Member-ship on the GMS PTA board in the past and is currently in her second year as acting Secre-tary for the Griffin Gator PTA. Some of her pre-vious leadership roles for Pink include Web-master, Spirit Store Chair, and Room Parent. In addition to volunteering through the PTA, Aimee has also chosen to dedicate her time to the seniors at her church. All of the seniors have the pleasure of starting their mornings at 6:00 am with Aimee teaching them gospel doc-trine. Aimee & her husband Adam are the proud parents of Nic (a 6th grader at Griffin) and Mat-thew (a 9th grader at Wakeland).

When asked about Aimee, these are some of the things you will hear: Aimee is very giv-ing of her time and very quick to serve others. She is a great example of showing genuine love for others! She loves to have fun and is not one to walk away from a good prank! She is an asset to each organization she joins!

Joy Kerr Over the last two years, Joy has served as the chairperson for Gatoriffic Teachers. Joy's responsibility is to organize events that will rec-ognize our teachers throughout the year. With a very limited budget, Joy has used her crea-tivity and shopping savvy to put on the most fantastic luncheons and teacher appreciation events for the Griffin staff. In addition to volunteering through PTA, Joy is very passionate about leading a group of moms that meet on a weekly basis to pray for their children and the staff at Griffin. She cur-rently serves on the state board, and she is the group leader for the Griffin Middle School Moms in Prayer and a College Moms in Prayer group. Joy and her husband Mark are the proud parents of Heidi (age 13, an 8th grader at Grif-fin) and two grown children, Lindsey & Jim. When asked about Joy, others will say: Joy is the most humble, kind and giving person. She has a true servant's heart - never search-ing for credit when lending a hand. She always has a smile on her face and a positive can do attitude!

Griffin Parents,

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 6-10th this year. The PTA does a gift card drive so that each teacher and

staff member will receive a gift card… approximately 70 cards are needed.

If you would like to express your gratitude for the gift of education that teachers provide our children,

please pick up a gift card as you are stopping by one of your favorite local restaurants or businesses.

A few ideas might include cards for coffee shops, discount stores, grocery vendors, car washes, fast

food places, or bakeries.

The dollar amount of each card should be limited to $10 per card donated. Please drop them off at the

front office, and do not make the donation teacher specific as we will be draw-

ing their names for the cards collected.

Thank you for sharing what you have been blessed with!

Joy Kerr, Gatoriffic Teachers

Note from

Joy…

Following Up on the Footsteps of the Footwear…

Where did all those shoes go?

Griffin 8th grader with her pair of shoes to donate

Griffin Gators collected over 1,200 pairs of shoes

this year that all ended up in Guatemala. So, let’s

start planning to top that impressive number next

year! Our Gators are always up for a challenge!

Tagged GMS shoes given to this Guatemalan girl

Continue to save your shoes, and we can collect more

next year. If you are spring cleaning, you can bring them

up to Griffin anytime and put them in the Shoe Bank do-

nation box by the front office. Any shoes collected be-

tween now and the next school year will go towards next

year’s shoe collection count.

Thank you Griffin Gators for helping put shoes on other children's feet! The PTA also thanks Heather Money for her dedicated part in organizing this annual shoe drive.

Our spring book fair will focus on an in-store "Divergent" themed event on May

19th. The fair sales will be open at Barnes & Noble (including online with our ID

#11058765) from May 18th-24th. We will be using a pre-order form for all summer ILA Pre-AP & GT class required

reading lists (grades 6th-12th). Pre-orders forms will be due back to the school by May 6th. A blank copy has been

included in our newsletter for your convenience. No pre-payment is required. GMS receives a portion of all sales, and

you may use any discount/incentives you currently have at time of purchase, just please state to the cashier that you are

there for Griffin's book fair! Please contact Julie Reiter @ gatorptabookfair@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Thanks for supporting our Griffin Library!

Griffin Middle School Summer Reading Pre-Order Form For your convenience the Griffin PTA has arranged for Barnes & Noble at Stonebriar Centre to take reservations for Griffin students’ required Summer Reading. If you would like to reserve your books, you must turn in this form by Monday, May 6th. Your reservations will be available for pick up starting Saturday, May 18th through Friday, May 24th at the Barnes & Noble Stonebriar loca-tion. Please do not attach money/check to this order form as payment will be accepted in store when

you come to pick up your books. A percentage of the sale will be donated back to Griffin.

STUDENT: _______________________________ GRADE: _________

6th Grade Pre-AP My Life in Dog Years By: Gary Paulsen

QTY: ______

6th Grade G&T Stargirl

By: Jerry Spinelli QTY: ______

7th Grade Pre-AP Drums, Girls, and Dan-

gerous Pie QTY: ______

7th Grade G&T 7th grade GT students may choose any one of twenty titles on the 2013

Lone Star Reading List. Write your choice below.

8th Grade Pre-AP Messenger

By: Lois Lowry QTY: ______

8th Grade G&T The Hobbit

By: J.R.R. Tolkien QTY: ______

9th Grade To Kill a Mockingbird

By: Harper Lee QTY: ______

10th Grade Cry, the Beloved Country

By: Alan Patton QTY: ______

11th Grade

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass QTY: ______

Walden QTY: ______

12th Grade How to Read Literature Like a Professor

QTY: ______ Metamorphosis QTY: ______

Do you have any books that you would like put on hold just for fun? Write the titles and the format below and we’ll do our best to get it for you! __________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

A percentage of all proceeds will be donated to Griffin Middle School.

Barnes & Noble Members will receive 10% off their purchase. All purchases made during the stated time frame (Books, Nooks, DVDs, CDs, etc) will benefit

Griffin just tell the cashier you are with the school. Any orders that are turned in late cannot be guaranteed available.

After Friday, May 24th, all books will be taken off hold and put on sale for the general public. Don’t miss Griffin’s Barnes & Noble Bookfair on Sunday, May 19th! Details for the Divergent

party are attached!

SAGE stands for “Special and Gifted Education,” but our scope is to benefit all

students associated with Frisco ISD. We endeavor to promote a close alliance

between parents and educators of diverse learners in hopes of helping ALL chil-

dren.

Our GMS SAGE campus chair is Missy Snyder. You may sign up to receive the SAGE newslet-

ter at sagenewsflash@gmail.com .

Upcoming SAGE Events for May:

14th - Family Support Network at Texas A & M University Tuesday Talks at 10:30am-1pm; Tuesday

Talks is a monthly series of presentations on the second Tuesday of each month on various topics re-

lated to disability…occur online via live stream (or in person in Bryan, TX) (map), register online @

http://fsn.tamu.edu/tuesdaytalks.htm

16th – SibShop from 6pm-7:30pm at the Early Childhood School 10330 Red Cedar Drive, Frisco (map);

Description: Siblings (7 & up) of children with special needs are invited to come and have fun and learn

about the challenges of others while making new friends with a common bond.

21st - Autism Parent Networking and Support Group Meeting at 11:30am – 1:00pm at the Corner Bak-

ery 941 N. Central Expwy, Plano (by Collin Creek Mall) (map); please verify meeting on the website

listed below. The NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION OF NORTH TEXAS (NAA-NT) P. O. Box 261209,

Plano, TX 75026-1209 http://naa-nt.org/ 214.925.2722

27th - Pump It Up Sensory Jump Night from 6:30pm – 8:00pm at Pump It Up Frisco (7164 Technology

Drive, Suite 200, Frisco 75034, see map); Private Sensory Jump Nights are on the fourth Monday of

every month from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. The cost is $7 per kid and siblings and therapists are welcome.

There is limited attendance, advance registration is recommended. PLEASE double check the dates and

times of this event on the Pump It Up website as it has been known to change dates and times.

http://www.pumpitupparty.com/tx/frisco/party-packages/-p4q14q8973.htm

30th – Summer Resources for Students with Special Needs from 6pm-7:30pm at the Early Childhood

School 10330 Red Cedar Drive, Frisco (map); RSVP to Colleen Kugler kuglerc@friscoisd.org or 469-

633-6919. Childcare is available with RSVP.

Frisco SAGE is a committee of the Frisco Council of PTA's. We endeavor to provide education and support to families of diverse learners.

http://www.friscopta.org/home/sage

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