Letter from Sylvia Theissen, PTA President

October was another busy month for the PTA. Reflection entries were submitted, Scholastic Book Fair was held, a Lunch N Learn was hosted, Red Ribbon Week was celebrated, PTA assisted with the distribution of cookie dough, Faculty and Staff were honored with an appreciation lunch, and October birthdays were celebrated. A BIG Thank You to all the event coordinators and volunteers. Your efforts make Tejeda Middle School the best place to be. The month of November brings the Fall Dance. PTA teams up with Tejedas Student Council in this effort. This event is so much fun for the kids, but also fun for the adult volunteers. There are all sorts of ways to volunteer for this one. Contact Jaylyn Welch (jaylyn.welch@sbcglobal.net) for more information. The month of November also brings Thanksgiving. I am thankful to be a part of such a wonderful school and community. Tejeda Middle School is a great place to be because of the great parents, students, and staff that are willing to give of their time and talent. Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving, Sylvia Theissen Tejeda Middle School PTA President

General PTA Meetings and Proposed Programs for School Year

2nd Tuesday of the Month, 6:30pm (Months designated in Bylaws) December 11 Life Member Recognition and Holiday Concert February 12Reflection April 9UIL Recognition

Dont Forget!
Fall Dance November 9 See pg 3 for details

PRINCIPAL SHELTONS NOTES

Dear Parents: We have completed our first nine weeks of school and the students are in a routine. They are some of the most respectful children I know. We appreciate the opportunity to work beside you. Let me take this opportunity to share a few things with you. The school fundraiser was very successful. I do not have a final figure as of yet, but as I understand, we did very well. This will give me the opportunity to provide additional training for teachers, provide additional planning time and to provide for the students. Thank you for the contributions that each of you have made. We had our Lunch and Learn PTA meeting this month and it was very well attended. We talked about AIM, we discussed what it meant to be a Leader in Me School, and we took the time to have questions. We are currently in the middle of Red Ribbon Week and we are having the book fair. Thank you for your support of both of these events. The students seem to be enjoying the theme for each day and we have had great participation. We will conclude the week with a guest speaker; I look forward to the impact that he will most certainly have. Our fundraising company is providing a speaker that will come on October 30 to talk to the students about bullying. By the time you receive this publication we will have heard both speakers. It is my hope that with each step we take, we will continue to build the culture of our great school. As we begin our year, we are enjoying the concerts of the season. All of the groups have done a great job. Volleyball and football have been a joy to follow. It is a privilege to watch your children grow as athletes and musicians. Our first school dance will be November 9, 2012. The most important thing to know is that all students are welcome and it is a casual dance. The sixth grade will be separate from the seventh and eighth grade dance. Here are the details below: Date: Friday, November 9th Times: 6th Grade: 3:30pm - 5:30pm 7th and 8th Grade: 6pm-8pm Ticket Sales: Monday, November 5th - Friday, November 9th at all lunches. Prices: $5 Tickets, $7 Meal Deal (Hamburger or Hot Dog, Drink, Snack) $7 at the door Friday Night Theme: Girls ask Boys (Not required, just for fun if they want!) Decorations: Glow in the Dark Please let this serve as a reminder that STAAR is definitely alive and well. We are trying very hard to continue to increase the rigor and help our students reach the highest achievement that they can. The standards for the test we took last year will not be in our hands until January. With this in mind, we will continue to work with every child, every day. One request that I need to pass on to you is in regard to parking. I respectfully request that you refrain from parking on the curb in front of the school when you pick up your child during the day. Please do your best to park in a parking spot. We cant take the risk of blocking an emergency vehicle. I appreciate your help in this endeavor. Always for kids, Brenda Shelton, Principal

Fall Dance
Times: 6th Grade; 3:30-5:30
7th and 8th Grade: 6:00-8:00

Ticket Sales: Monday November 5th-Friday,

November 9th at all lunches $5 Tickets, $7 Meal Deal which includes (Hamburger or Hot Dog, Drink, Snack) Ticket Price will be $7 at the door Friday Night.

Theme: Girls ask Boys (Not required, just for

fun if they want!)

Decorations: Glow in the Dark

Volunteers are welcomed and the following areas are where we are in need of them: Volunteer Opportunities: Ticket Sales: Week of 11/5-11/9 at lunches 10:30am1:00pm (3 People per day) Dance Set-up / Decorations: 1pm -3:15pm, Friday 11/9 (10 People) During the Dances: (2 Shifts, 3:30-5:45 and 5:45-8:00) -Ticket Sales: (4 people per shift) -Grill: (2 Dads per shift) -Supervision: (6 People per shift) -Coat Check: (2 People per shift) -Concessions: (6 People per shift) Please contact Jaylyn Welch at jaylyn.welch@sbcglobal.net for volunteer opportunities or questions.

TEJEDA MS ID# 116933

Tejeda PTA Membership

Hello again! We want ALL families to Get Connected to Tejeda PTA this year. Did you know that joining PTA does NOT require you to volunteer for countless hours? Being a member of PTA simply means you are supporting your school and your child - connecting families and schools is what we're all about. Plus, you are eligible for lots of great discounts from places like Six Flags, La Quinta, Dell (and more) after you activate your card! You can join PTA on the form on page 6 of this newsletter or contact Cindy Zagrzecki. Join PTA today and GET CONNECTED! Thanks, Cindy Zagrzecki 2012-2013 Membership Chair CindyZ@marykay.com

Its that time of year again! Everyone is back in school, and our PTA membership drive is in full swing! Lets show our support and JOIN PTA!

TEJEDA PTA MEMBERSHIP FORM

If you would like to become a member and no longer have your welcome packet information, please fill out this form and return it with your membership fee in an envelope marked PTA MEMBERSHIP to your childs teacher. Thank you! Name:_________________________________________ Address:_______________________________________ Phone No:_______________________ Email:_____________________________ Childs Name:____________________ Advisory Teacher/Grade_______________ Joining as: _____Parent _____Teacher/staff ____Relative ____Community member Membership: $6.50 per member $4.25 per life member Please make checks to : Tejeda Middle School PTA

WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) is an innovative program of the National Center for Fathering focusing on the prevention of violence in our nations schools by using the positive influence of fathers and father-figures for a two-fold purpose: 1) to provide an unobtrusive presence in the schools, and 2) to be a positive and active role-model for students at their school. WATCH D.O.G.S. was founded by Jim Moore, a concerned father who chose to take action in response to a 1998 middle-school shooting in Jonesboro, AR. WATCH D.O.G.S. serves to inspire and equip men to be the involved fathers, grandfathers and father-figures their students need. For more information, visit the WATCH D.O.G.S. website at www.fathers.com/watchdogs.

WOLF CREDO
RESPECT THE ELDERS TEACH THE YOUNG COOPERATE WITH THE PACK PLAY WHEN YOU CAN HUNT WHEN YOU MUST REST IN BETWEEN SHARE YOUR AFFECTIONS VOICE YOUR FEELINGS LEAVE YOUR MARK

Presidents Volunteer Service Award

The Presidents Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) is issued by the Presidents Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States. It is given to recognize the best in American spirit, and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service and civic participation. The Award is given to individuals that have demonstrated outstanding volunteer service and civic participation over the course of a 12-month period. For Tejeda students, the PVSA time period is April 15, 2012 to April 14, 2013. All hours will need to be turned in by April 15 th in order to allow enough time to review and certify service hours and to order awards.

HOW TO LOG YOUR HOURS

Please log your service hours on the Tejeda Middle School 2012-2013 PVSA Log (which can be found on our facebook page), http://www.facebook.com/tejedapta or on Scribd. IMPORTANT For any project that accrues more than 20 hours of service, please have the supervisor of the project issue a signed letter/certificate and attach to your log. The PVSA collection time for your service hours is April 15, 2012 April 14, 2013. Any service done during this time period can be logged. The PVSA log must be turned into the front office by April 15, 2013. The student and parent must sign the log to certify that the hours are accurate.

There are three levels of awards BRONZE you have at least 50 service hours SILVER you have 75-99 service hours GOLD you have 100 or more service hours. The award includes a certificate and a letter from the President. Students who receive a Presidents Volunteer Service Award will be recognized at the end of May. If you have any questions, please contact Sylvia Theissen, Tejeda Middle School PTA President at Sylvia.theissen@gmail.com.

PTA Links
NEISD Council of PTAs
http://www.necouncilpta.com/

State PTA
http://www.txpta.org/

National PTA
http://www.pta.org/

Texas PTA Newsletter

The Fall 2012 edition of The Voice is available online. Get your copy from the Texas PTA website: http://www.txpta.org/about-texas-pta/voice/

Big News: Tejeda PTA is on Facebook

The Tejeda Middle School PTA Facebook Page went live January 2012. Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/TejedaPTA . The page is used to announce events, volunteer opportunities, thank our volunteers, and to advertise the many things Tejeda PTA does. We are distributing forms and documents via the page as well. What we do not plan to use the page for is as a discussion board. Any discussion type business should continue to be done via phone and/or email. So, click the "LIKE" button at the top of the page to receive updates and information about the best place to be, Tejeda Middle School! Please visit the page often and suggest it to your friends!
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STAAR Questions?
Having a lot of questions about the new STAAR tests, you will find many resources, as well as a comprehensive question and answer document, at the Texas Education Agency website.
Link: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/

Please visit the NEISD's STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) website for a basic overview of STAAR which specifies who will be taking this new statewide test in the coming school years. http://www.neisd.net/staar/index.html The website will be updated as more information from TEA becomes available.

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New Phone Number for Tejeda

NEISD technicians installed a new phone system at Tejeda in February 2012. Our new phone number is 210-356-5600. Please update all of your data devices regarding the phone number change here at Tejeda. A new listing of all available contact numbers will be published as soon as they become available.

MONEY MATTERS As of November 1, 2004, North East ISD has established the following policy for accepting checks and collecting bad checks: For a check to be an acceptable form of payment, it must include your current and accurate name, address, telephone number, drivers license number and state. In the event your check is returned for non-payment, the face value may be recovered electronically along with a state allowed recovery fee. In the event your check is returned for non-payment, checks will no longer be an acceptable form of payment for the remainder of the school year.

- Irene Cantu, Bookkeeper

A Reminder From Attendance

Please send a note with your student when he/she is absent. A student has 2 days to turn in a Parent or Dr.s. note to receive credit for that absence.

Thank you!
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Message from the Main Office

by Marsha Stiles

The Tejeda main office would like to share a few procedural tips for making your visits to our campus a pleasant experience. When the need arises, and your presence is required at Tejeda, you will need to do the following: 1. No matter the reason for the visit, you are required to stop at the main office first to sign in. 2. If you are only there to drop something off for your child, or to pick up a sick child from the clinic, you must sign in at the main office counter and take the yellow laminated pass found in the pocket of the sign in binder. 3. If you need to go anywhere else in the building, you will need to be signed in through the Raptor system. Your driver's license is required for this procedure. Once the license has been scanned during your first visit, you will only need to tell us your name for any subsequent visits. However, you will always need to show your DL to sign your student out at the clinic and/ or the attendance window. 4. It is extremely important that during the morning hours of 7:308:30 a.m. you understand that the front parking lot is closed for buses only. The same applies to the afternoon pick up from 2:503:45 p.m. If you arrive to pick up a student at 2:45 p.m. and park in the front parking lot, please do not park anywhere in the circle drive. The middle section of the parking lot is the recommended place to park. Parking in any other space may result in your vehicle being blocked in by the school buses. Please also be aware that if this happens, we are not allowed to ask the buses to move. 5. We will soon have a new Raptor system set up near the student drop off/ pick up area in the event you enter the building from the back parking lot during the early morning times. Those badges will be printed from the ISS room/C142.

COOPERATE WITH THE PACK

Have you noticed the icon on the bottom left side of the Tejeda web page? Cooperate with the Pack is another way to report bullying issues at Tejeda. In addition to the Bully Box, located outside the library, students can now click on the link, type in their issue or concern and press send. The emails will be checked 3 times throughout the school day. Urgent issues or concerns should be reported to proper authorities immediately or to campus administrators.

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Counselors Corner

by Shawnda Christopher

Top Ten Study Secrets of Great Students

1. Set goals for a successful school year. 2. Plan your time carefully. Use a calendar (or a Tejeda agenda book). 3. Study every day. 4. Take notes in class and participate in class discussions. 5. Review your notes shortly after class (AIM is a great time for reviewing). 6. Make sure you have the supplies you need. 7. Check the details. Review assignments and tests before turning

them in to the teacher.

8. Get ready the night before school. 9. If youre working in a group, be willing to do a little more than

your share. 10. Turn these positive actions into habits by repeating them for 21 days.

TAB News

by Kimberly Skok

Weve got some exciting things going on with TAB (T-Wolves Against Bullies) this year! As you know Tejeda is a fabulous place with a lot of wonderful things happening every day and we want to focus on that. In order to do so, TAB has initiated two ways to brag about the good things the students are seeing and doing everyday and we are doing this with PAWSitive Leaders and on our Twitter page. Every teacher on campus has blue paws available in his/her room. Students are encouraged to take a paw when they see a random act of kindness and write about it on the paw. The paws are then turned in and hung along the hallway. Our hope is to have the paws start at the main office hallway and travel around to the gym and back to the main office. Some are these random acts are then posted to our Twitter page. Be sure to follow us @PAWSitiveLeaders.

Frank Tejeda MS @tejedams

Greatest Middle School in the USA!

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"Share the Warmth"

by Melissa Ling, Special Projects

Special Projects Co-Chairs Kendra Barnes and Melissa Ling have been working together with our NEISD sister school, El Dorado Elementary. With the cold weather approaching, there are some students in need of (gently worn or new) winter coats and/or tennis shoes. Along with this we will have a T-Wolf tree for other wish list items. After the Thanksgiving holiday please look for an e-blast entitled "Share the Warmth", it will give you information on how you can sign up to help a student in need.

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T-Wolves Against Bullies (T.A.B.)

by Kristen Guerra

Tejeda Clubs

Tejeda had their first ever Mix-it-Up Lunch on Friday, October 5, 2012! A mix-it-up lunch is where students are asked to sit at a new table out of their comfort zone. It is a simple way to encourage students to meet new people during lunch. Twolves Against Bullies (TAB) initiated this lunch as an effort to teach tolerance and to diminish bullying. To celebrate, the students were also asked to wear mixmatched clothes. Teachers at the campus also participated in this event. Christian, a seventh grader, said I met three kids Ive never talked to before! I found out that we had similar interests. It was fun! TAB will host a Mix-It-Up Lunch during the first Friday of every month!

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More from T-Wolves Against Bullies (T.A.B.)

by Marilu Ramey

The T-Wolves Against Bullies Club recently sponsored a collection drive for items to take to the Children's Hospital. We collected items such as coloring books, crayons, books, pencils, stickers, and other trinkets. TAB members also took time to make get well cards for the children at the hospital. TAB delivered items on October 27th (Make a Difference Day) along with cards that the students made. Thank you too all TAB members and supporters who made donations .

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G.R.E.E.N. CLUB
GREEN CLUB is selling Smencils (smelly pencils) and Smens (smelly pens) again this year! We will also soon be selling special holiday Smencils and Smens. They are sold every Thursday before and after school. You can also buy them before or after school in B 107, B 130, or A 115. Smencils are $1 and Smens are $2. They are made from 100% recycled newspapers. They are rolled from sheets of newspaper instead of wood.You can even see the layers of newspaper when you sharpen the pencils. Not only do they smell great, but theyre good for the environment too! Being responsible for the environment is an important part of doing business in today's world. In manufacturing Smencils, recycled newspapers, environmentally friendly fragrances, corn-based biodegradable plastic tubes, and biodegradable erasers are utilized. As we like to say: Saving trees one pencil or pen at a time. 100% of the profit from the Smencils/ Smens is used to keep Tejedas campus beautiful!

Did you know that if everyone in the US recycled just 10% of their newspapers, we would save about 25 million trees each year?
-Susan Thorpe

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2012-2013 UIL Practice Schedule

Number Sense Mondays 7:35-8:10 in room A115, Ms. Kissinger & Mrs. Bodet 6th Grade Math Mondays 3:30-4:15 in room A214, Mr. Garza 7th & 8th Grade Math Mondays 3:30-4:15 in A016, Mrs. Crocker Maps, Charts, & Graphs Tuesdays 7:35-8:10 in room A218, Mr. James Spelling Tuesdays 3:30-4:15 in B127, Mrs. E. Castellanos Calculator - Wednesdays 3:30-4:15 in room B128, Mrs. Bodet Science Thursdays -7:35-8:10 in room B135, Mrs. J. Castellanos Dictionary Skills Thursdays 3:30-4:15 in room A010, Mrs. Jacobs Social Studies Fridays 7:35-8:10 in room A212, Mrs. Guenther

Important UIL Academic Meet Date

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, October 27th - MESAC Meet @ Tejeda December 1st - UIL Practice Meet @ Garner February 2nd - UIL Practice Meet @ Tejeda March 23rd - UIL District Championship Meet @ Bush

- Lynn Bodet, sbodet@neisd.net UIL Coordinator

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Tejeda Red Cross Club

by Sandra Guenther

The Tejeda Red Cross Club is pleased to announce our fund raiser for November - TURKEY LEGS! We have asked teachers to volunteer to decorate their legs in any way they like. The club members will be taking pictures of the teachers legs, covering their faces, and displaying the photos in the cafeteria. Students are asked to vote for their favorite TURKEY LEGS while donating a dollar. Each student can make 2 votes. We have over 25 teachers volunteering so we are excited that the kids will really participate. Parents please let your student bring a dollar or two to donate. All money donated goes directly to the American Red Cross. Our fundraiser will run from November 1-15. Happy Turkey Legs!

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Student Council News

by Beth Norman

Student Council is off to a great start this school year! The following are some of the highlights of our activities: Members have been working at the school store, busily selling concessions for the football and volleyball games. We're restocking the store to be ready for basketball season, and the sponsors look forward to working with even more students during that season. Other members help out each morning by serving in the very important role of hall monitor in various locations inside the building. Early in October, Grayson Schwarz attended Cibolo Green's Fall Festival as the TWolf and excited the elementary students there. Later in the month, other members helped at Bulverde Creeks Fall Festival. Back at Tejeda, the Spirit Committee members are hard at work making posters to put up around the school before games to excite the students. Several Student Council members assisted with Red Ribbon week and advertised for the book fair the week of October 22-26 by dressing up as the T-Wolf at the student drop off in the back of the school. It was fun to see what the T-Wolf was going to wear each day! Student members prepared an enjoyable sweet treat for teachers at the end of October. The student-led Dance Committee is working on organizing, with the help of PTA volunteers, the first dance of the school year on November 9th. The theme is Glow in the Dark: Girls Ask Guys (Sadie Hawkins), and promises to be a great time! If these activities sound like fun, it's not too late to join Student Council! Your son or daughter can see Mrs. Hicks, Mr. James, Mr. McBurnett, or Mrs. Norman for a membership packet; we'd love them to be a part of Student Council this year!

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Dont forget to visit the Tejeda PTA page on Facebook!

Recent posts included information about the Scholastic Book Fair and great pictures from Red Ribbon Week! Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/TejedaPTA .

Sport Schedule

Basketball Schedule can be found at: http://www.neisd.net/tejeda/athletics/athletic_schedules/BBSchedule2012.pdf

Volleyball Schedule can be found at: http://www.neisd.net/tejeda/athletics/athletic_schedules/volleyball7th.pdf http://www.neisd.net/tejeda/athletics/athletic_schedules/volleyball8th.pdf

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Dietitians Diary November 2012

Katie Mahoney, M.S., R.D., L.D. Nutrition Education / Wellness Coordinator School Nutrition Services

Think Your Drink If youre trying to lose weight, one of the quickest and easiest changes you can make is to make healthier beverage choices. Not only will you save calories (and added pounds) by giving up soft drinks, you may even save some money as well! Soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sports waters are growing in popularity, but do you really know what youre drinking? I want to encourage you to think your drink, by simply thinking about what youre drinking, how it can impact your health, and whether there are healthier drink options available. Many people are not aware of the sugar content of their favorite non-diet drinks. For example, a 12 ounce serving of sweet tea has 130 calories and 32 grams of sugar. Non-diet cola drinks have, on average, 140 calories and 33 grams of sugar. The average 12 ounce sports drink contains 120 calories and 22 grams of sugar. It is okay to enjoy these drinks in small amounts every now and then, but they should not be consumed daily. The healthiest options are always water or moderate amounts of nutrient-rich low-fat or fat-free milk. ounces per day. Even 100% fruit juice adds calories to your diet, so make sure that you limit it to 8

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November 2012
Sun Mon Tue Wed 1
Fall Dance Nov 9 Tickets on sale Nov 5!
Silver Star Ceremony 730am Young Historians Poinsettia Sale continues Vball vs Eisenhower Bball parent mtg 630p

Thu 2

Fri 3

Sat

Report Card day

Mix it Up Lunch NJHS parent mtg 630p

Orchestra Regional Auditions Choir Regional Auditions Vball tournament

5
School Dance Tickets go on sale Magnet School mtg @ Bradley 630p

7
School Play 630p

8
School Play 630p

9
Veterans Day celebration 930a Last day to buy dance tickets

10
Orchestra Regional Auditions Band Regional Auditions Choir sings @ Rampage game

Fall Dance

11

12
McTeacher Night 430-730p

13

14

15
Boys Basketball vs Kreuger

16
Progress Reports
Thanksgiving Staff lunch

17

Veterans Day

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19 Student and Staff Holiday

20 Student and Staff Holiday

21 Student and Staff Holiday

22 Student and Staff Holiday

23 Student and Staff Holiday

24

25

26
PTA Newsletter submission deadline

27

28
Poinsettia Pickup

29
Dancers perform @ all 3 lunches Boys Basketball vs Nimitz

30
Student Bdays NESA Dance Show 730p

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