Overdue Books

Parents/Guardians,

 

At this point, all library items are OVERDUE. Your child will receive daily reminders if he/she has an overdue book. Please ask about this at home and help to locate any missing item.  Lost or missing books are considered obligations, and report cards will not be mailed home if an obligation is due to the school. The replacement cost is printed on each overdue notice. Checks may be made payable to Bates Middle School. Thanks for your support.

 

This was an extremely successful year in the library. Our book circulation (books out/books in) increased by 56% over last year!!! Thank you for helping us to create a culture where carrying books is "cool." 

 

Becki Hutchison

Library Media Specialist

Bates Middle Shool

Coming up at Bates

2 weeks and counting!  Here is what's in store...

Fri, June 3rd - Tasting of the Local Greens
   9:30-11:00   Prep - need 4 more volunteers
   11:00-12:00 7th Grade Lunch - need 5 servers
   12:00-1:00   6th Grade Lunch - need 6 servers
      (note:  8th graders had a Tasting in December, so are not included this time)

Fri, June 3rd - Green School Awards Ceremonies @ Sandy Point State Park (9am-3pm)

Mon, June 6th, 5:30-6:30pm, Annapolis Education Commission Meeting @ City Council Chambers

Mon, June 6th, 7pm, PVA Spring Concert - Band, Strings, and Chorus @ Maryland Hall

Tues, June 7th, 7pm, Spring Dance Festival (PVA & Liberal Arts) @ Maryland Hall

Wed, June 8th, 7pm, First Annual All Bates Talent Show @ Maryland Hall

Thurs, June 9th, 6-7:30pm, PVA Art Reception @ Maryland Hall

Fri, June 10th, 6:30-8:30pm, 8th Grade Social @ Bates

Please remember that 2-hour early dismissal starts on June 9th and the last day for students is June 14th.

AHS Reverses Course re: full rollout of Heterogeneous Grouping

Bates Family - please see the email below from the Annapolis Education Commission regarding today's announcement by Mr. Lilley to address parent's concerns over full rollout of Heterogeneous Grouping by tabling the plan for SY11-12.  If this issue got you fired up either way, please consider attending Monday's AEC meeting.  They are all open to the public and citizens concerned about education in Annapolis are encouraged to attend.

Dear Supporters of Public Education in Annapolis,

    As you may know, the past several weeks have seen an outpouring of controversy concerning Annapolis High School's proposed "Heterogeneous Grouping," a plan that would have placed 9th Grade students from all levels next year into the same Honors classes.  In part due to the many voices who expressed their concern over the lack of parental involvement in the the decision, the school today announced that it will NOT implement this policy for this fall.  Please read AHS Principal Don Lilley's letter announcing the decision:

http://www.annapolishighschool.org/ourpages/auto/2011/5/31/51035863/Parent%20Letter%205-31-11.pdf

    Thanks to everyone who weighed-in -- either pro or con -- on this issue.  Although sometimes clunky, the system does respond to parental inputs and concerns.

    Those who wished to comment on Heterogeneous Grouping at the Board of Education tomorrow (Wed 6/1) may conclude that their testimony is no longer needed.

     Please let me take this opportunity to invite all concerned citizens to our next Annapolis Education Commission meeting, Monday 6/6, 5:30 pm, in the City Council Chambers at Annapolis City Hall, 160 Duke of Gloucester Street. Mr. Chris Truffer, Assistant Superintendent for the Annapolis Cluster of Schools, will attend. Our agenda includes: 

     (1) Review of Lessons Learned from "Heterogeneous Grouping" issue.
     (2) Update on Capital Budget & Proposed future renovations for Annapolis Cluster
     (3) Strategic Vision for Anne Arundel County Public Schools over the next decade.  Superintendent Dr. Kevin Maxwell has asked for parental inputs on the following statement; please submit inputs for discussion no later than Monday afternoon: “Imagine it is 2017. You have been away from Anne Arundel County for six years. You have just arrived back in the county and find its schools changed in every possible way – all for the better. Anne Arundel County Public Schools is now everything you ever dreamed it could be. What do you see?”
     (4) Election for next year's officers - nominations currently being accepted for next year's Chair, Vice-chair, and Secretary - forward nominations to Ms. Terena Rouse (rousedr@aol.com)

      Draft minutes from our May meeting are pasted below. Please note that we are NOT planning to meet during the summer months; next meeting will be in the autumn.

     Thanks to everyone for your active involvement in public school issues in Annapolis - working together we can raise the bar for public education in our capital city!

Very best wishes,
Jeff Macris
Annapolis Education Commission
jrmacris@hotmail.com
cell 410-693-6913




=================
DRAFT MINUTES


Annapolis Education Commission
Minutes May 2, 2011

The A.E.C. meeting was held was held in the city council chambers on Monday, May 2, 2011 at 5:30 to 7:00. Jeff Macris chaired the meeting.

In attendance: Elizabeth King, Mike Busch, Speaker of the House, Enid Collison-Lee, Jeff Macris, Solon Webb, Chip Seymour, Diane Bragdon, Terena Rouse, Steve Conyer, Sue Myers, Chris Stelzig, Rani Jenkins, Monique Jackson, Karen Walkinshaw, Nuria Williams, Chris Trumbauer, Kevin Jackson, Janice Haynes-Williams(representing the Mayor). 

Everyone introduced themselves.
Discussion on school renovations and the upcoming budget hearings. One of our goals as a committee is ensuring our Annapolis cluster schools get the renovations they need.  Now they are finishing Germantown, renovating Green Street. Phoenix Center will move into the old Germantown.
Jeff asked? How do we do this?
We discussed the feasibility study and how schools are prioritized. At last years budget hearing, Severna Park became #1 on the list because they attended budget hearings to testify and showed great unity by including their CAC, PTA, etc.
2 tier approach
-we have to have a unified approach and show that we are more deserving.
-we need to encourage full funding for the capital budget for all Annapolis schools.
-urge them to continue to follow the MGT study.
Budget deliberations started today.
What percentage are we of the total budget?-50%

Hearings:
May 11, 2011-County Chambers at 7:00 and May 9, 2011 , Old Mill H.S./ at 7:00.
Maybe have representatives from each school wear their school colors.
The only thing they can add back in is education funding, which they have to take from something else.
This was the 1st year they have had a collaborative meeting with finance people between the county and the Bd. of Ed.
The school system has been under budget for several years.
Jeff will send out a follow-up email to principals and he will attend the hearing on the 9th.

Proposed improvements to Bates Middle School thanks to a grant made possible by Mike Busch : 
-replace lockers, most which are broken.
-scoreboards-old one doesn't work.
-new sound and lighting system.
-restrooms-not ADA, so they are under code.
- TV capability

There is also $5,000 in grant money which St. Margaret's Church donated.
Greg Acholonu, Annapolis native to form chess club. This has already started at Bates with hopes to grow and expand next year.
Mayor Cohen arrived. He talked about the budget process, how can we be successful, and how can we hold on to what we have, because things are tough.
He agreed with the steps we had established earlier and added to bring out the kids with stories since everyone was competing for the same dollars.
The new Phoenix Center will  have kids out of county that can now be served in the county. They have cut back every where but the schools.
You could also use ARC. to speak.

Question? Why not make a law to make the council go by the MGT study?
-you do want some flexibility as things occur since the studies are 3 -4 years old.

Nominations: Jeff -chairperson
Lisa -vice chair

submitted
by EC Lee/Sec.

Tasting of the Local Greens - Volunteers Needed

Hi All -

I am excited that we have found the money to do a final Tasting of the Rainbow event on June 3rd during lunch.  We piloted this idea in December for the 8th graders, so we will focus on the 6th and 7th Graders for this tasting.

As we send the kids off for the summer, the Wellness Team has chosen "Local Farmer's Markets" as the theme.  The tasting will be roasted Kale Chips and Strawberries.  Both have been procured locally and we will have support from FreshFarmMarkets.org.

We need volunteers to pull this off!  Please contact Peri Lane (peri@theabelgroup.com) if you can help with:


Prep from 9:30-11 (5-6 people needed)
Serving from 11-1 (8-10 people needed)


Best,


Lisa

AHS Meeting Recap - not good

Dear Bates Community -

We need your help again to let the school administration in our Annapolis Cluster know that we parents have a voice.

The meeting at AHS last night re: the wholesale move to Heterogeneous Grouping was very disappointing.  We were asked to submit questions ahead of time, yet the 17 questions we submitted were never answered.  The only thing I believed coming out of that meeting is that there are some teachers and faculty there who are very sold on the idea.  Other than that, NOTHING they presented made me feel any better about the fact that they made these plans completely without parent involvement and that they seem willing to experiment on an entire class of 9th graders without sufficient evidence.  And while they said it was not a "done deal", they were sure going about it like it was.

What I think we need to advocate for is that the idea be TESTED next year in a rigorous way, not implemented across the whole freshman class in 3 of the 4 curriculum areas.

Here's what you can do:
1. Patch.com and the Capital both covered the story.  Go to the stories online and comment.  Click here for Patch and here for the Capital article.  Let's make them the most commented stories!
2.  Contact Dr. Maxwell and the BOE to let them know how you feel.  Click here for Contact Info
3.  Contact your Principal Don Lilley (dlilley@aacps.org) and Asst. Superintendent Chris Truffer (ctruffer@aacps.org)

Best,

Lisa

CAR RIDER ALERT!

“Because of the logistics involved in the set up and redeployment of field day material, both parking lots, including the car loop, will be closed tomorrow. Parents of car-riders will need to drop off and/or pick up their children on Chase Street. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation.”

Respectfully,

Mike

Michael Dunn

Assistant Principal -- Wiley H. Bates Middle School

701 Chase Avenue

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Office 410-263-0270

Fax 410-263-0295

This Week (and next) at Bates

Hi, all -

As we continue the "sprint to the finish", here is a list of the activities for the rest of this week and next:

*  Wed, 5/25:  Meeting at AHS re: Heterogeneous Grouping, AHS Media Center
*  Thurs, 5/26 @ 8:30am:  Coffee with the Principal, Bates Media Center
*  Thurs, 5/26:  Simulated Congressional Hearings for 8th Graders
*  Friday, 5/27:  Field Day (volunteers needed for handing out refreshments for 7th & 8th grades)
    - 8th Grade  8:15am-10:15am   
    - 7th Grade  10:30am-12:15pm
    - 6th Grade  1pm-2:45pm
*  Friday 5/27:  Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Agora Outdoor Classroom
   =>  Note this is the last week of Tues/Thurs PVA Plus sessions

*  Friday 6/3:  Tasting of the Local Greens during 6th & 7th grade lunch
*  Friday 6/3:  Green School "induction" ceremony @ Sandy Point State Park

BATES ANNUAL UNIFORM SALE!!!

POLO SHIRTS ARE NOW $5.00

SWEATSHIRTS ARE NOW $7.00

PAYMENT METHODS INCLUDE CASH,CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS.

ALL CHECKS SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO: BATES MIDDLE SCHOOL

Parents can send in money with their child with a note indicating the uniform shirt size or stop by  before school (7:30am-8:00am) or after school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00pm-4:00pm

Reminder! Important Meeting Wed. for future AHS parents

Please put this on your calendar to attend this Wednesday, and please forward this to any one who might not be on this distribution, such as private school or out-of-area transfer friends.   

For any parent who intends on sending their children to AHS, please try to attend this meeting next Wednesday.  The Principal has just indicated some major changes to the 9-10th grade curriculum that I think most parents will be opposed to, specifically randomly assigning all students in the same Honors English, Biology, and History level classes regardless of ability or achievement.

Please join us for an

Informational Session

on the Middle Years Program

When:  Wednesday, May 25th from 6:00-7:00 pm

Where:  Annapolis High School, Media Center

Another email will be distributed prior to the session.  We wanted to ensure that all interested parties received date and location as quickly as possible. 

Thanks so much for your support and involvement.

7th & 8th Grade Volunteers Needed

From Stacey Hooper, 8th Grade Coordinator:

I have heard the requests for help from the teachers at Bates for the 8th grade Dance Social, which is being held on Friday June 10th from 6:30-8:30pm. It is a dressy affair in celebration of their promotion to HS, so we'd also like to have someone taking pictures.

This is what we need volunteers to do:
1. Need 8th grade parents to help decorate starting at 1pm-3pm.
2. During the dance we need about 7th grade parents to chaperone and help with the food table and clean up from 6:30-about 9 (clean-up).
3. Parent Photographer who can upload pictures on Picasa for the 8th graders.

My contact info in snjhoops@msn.com or 410-991-1051.

Please contact Stacey if you can help!

Pictures from the All Bates Band Concert

Some scenes from Wednesday night's All Bates Spring Band and Jazz Band Concert.



If you'd like to view and/or download from picasa, click here.

PS: I'm sorry we weren't able to attend the Chorus & Strings, but if anyone has digital pictures they can post to Picasa, I'd be happy to share the link!

All Bates Spring Band Concert

Some scenes from Wednesday night's All Bates Spring Band and Jazz Band Concert.



If you'd like to view and/or download from picasa, click here.

PS: I'm sorry we weren't able to attend the Chorus & Strings, but if anyone has digital pictures they can post to Picasa, I'd be happy to share the link!

PVA Art Showcase June 9th - need volunteers

Hello,

 

Mrs. Orzech and Mr. Hylan have been working diligently to find an appropriate place to showcase our Visual Artists.  Studio of the Arts recently halved the size of their gallery space and we have doubled the size of their program- this would have resulted in a similar style show to our current on at Annapolis- some not all.

 

However, with hard work and effort and the gracious help of our true partners Maryland Hall- The Visual Arts Program is happy to announce the PVA Arts Showcase from 6- 7:30 on June 9th at Maryland Hall and Bates Annex- we will have-

 

Reception area- Gym Downstairs of MD Hall

 

Mrs. Orzech's Current 6th Grade exhibiting their Paint West Annapolis on the second floor

 

Student Chairs and Mr. Hylan's work in the Balcony as well as the film festival reel running three times (not enough room for everyone to see at once- we will have different show times by grade level)

 

Other work displayed in the gym and in the annex.

 

Every student should be represented with a two-dimensional art piece

 

Also, we will need your help we are looking for volunteers- please contact Leo Hylan (LHYLAN@aacps.org) directly.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Your PVA Visual Arts Staff

Important for future AHS parents!

For any parent who intends on sending their children to AHS, please try to attend this meeting next Wednesday.  The Principal has just indicated some major changes to the 9-10th grade curriculum that I think most parents will be opposed to, specifically randomly assigning all students in the same Honors English, Biology, and History level classes regardless of ability or achievement.

Please join us for an

Informational Session

on the Middle Years Program

When:  Wednesday, May 25th from 6:00-7:00 pm

Where:  Annapolis High School, Media Center

Another email will be distributed prior to the session.  We wanted to ensure that all interested parties received date and location as quickly as possible. 

Thanks so much for your support and involvement.

May/June School Newsletter posted

Ms. Kinard has let me know that the latest edition of Bates' school newsletter is now available.  Please click here to view:  May/June Newsletter

Shoe Boxes needed for Science Labs

6th grade science is need of shoe boxes for an upcoming extended lab. All teachers will be accepting them through the end of this week.

Thank you!!

 

Catie

Catherine E. Thorson, MS.Ed

Science Department Chair

Bates Middle School

701 Chase Street

Annapolis, MD 21401

410-263-0270

cthorson@aacps.org

Look at these awesome kids!

OK, you all are in trouble now... I may have discovered the ability to post pictures via our blog/website. These are most of the 110 kids that participated in the 2nd Annual Bates Arts in Motion 5K. The teachers were pivitol in inspiring the kids to come out early to run on a Saturday morning. The class competition was fierce ... I even hear their were some back room deals and kid-stealing - all in good fun and for a great cause! The judges finally declared a tie between Team Clautice and Team Gottschall. Both classes will be receiving a pizza party tentatively scheduled for May 20th.

Reminder! Budget Hearings tomorrow night!

Please try to attend!  Speak if you are willing, have your kids speak if they are willing, but regardless come and show your support for speakers from the Annapolis Cluster and Bates.

Last week's email...
OK, folks - next week we head into the final lap of the Anne Arundel County budgeting race.  You have heard me wax poetic before, so I won't belabor the points, but now is the last chance to rally to benefit our schools.  I would ask you to advocate for 2 things in writing to your elected officials or in person:

1. Maintain spending at current "per student" levels so as to maintain teacher ratios and important programs such as the magnets
2. Fund the Capital budget per the Board of Education's recommendation and in the same order as the independent MGT study

There are 2 budget hearings next week - Monday, May 9th and Wednesday, May 11.  I would urge you to come to the May 11th meeting at the Arundel Center.  It is closer for us in Annapolis and it doesn't conflict with the PTA meeting.  That is the one that I plan to attend and speak.  If you have a Bates shirt such as the 5K shirt, please wear it.  If not, wear a solid brightly colored shirt so that when someone speaks on behalf of the Annapolis Area schools you can stand and be seen!

Below is the information provided by Jeff Macris, Chair of the Annapolis Education Commission.  Please let me know if you have any questions or ideas - lisa@teampline.org or 443-994-7203.

Supporters of Public Education in Annapolis,

    Next week the County Council will take testimony on the upcoming county budget and will subsequently make decisions that will impact WHETHER OR NOT OUR ANNAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL GET RENOVATED, AND IF SO, WHEN.  Can you assist by speaking at one of two upcoming budget hearings, and/or writing a letter or fax to our County Council members?

    1. UPCOMING BUDGET HEARINGS - CAN YOU TESTIFY MAY 9 OR 11?  Pasted below you'll find background information on proposed renovations for our Annapolis cluster of schools.  In short, if the County Executive's proposed budget is passed later this month by the County Council, it appears as if funds will be available to finish the renovations at Germantown Elementary, and also to renovate and transform the Old Germantown Elementary into a new location for the Phoenix Center.  There's also an expectation that Annapolis Elementary (Green Street) will get funding in the coming year to commence renovations.  That's the good news.  The not-so-good news is that we have three elementary schools in the cluster -- Rolling Knolls, Mills-Parole, and West Annapolis -- that were slated in FY2012 to get Feasibility Studies/Design work; this is a mandatory first step in getting a school renovated.  The County Executive's draft budget, however, included only 1/3 of the monies requested by the Superintendent for these efforts; this would pay for only the FEASIBILITY STUDY, and not the design work. This effectively would delay by another year the start of renovation work at these three schools, and would delay even further the other high-need renovation work on our other cluster schools: Hillsmere Elementary, Bates Middle, Annapolis Middle, Annapolis High, Tyler Heights Elementary, J. Albert Adams Academy.

   In your testimony we need to ask for "full funding for the Superintendent's education capital budget, and to restore the funds that the County Executive cut from that draft budget, to include both feasibility studies AND DESIGN WORK for Annapolis' public school buildings in the order called for in the MGT Study."  (More specific information and talking points can be found in the background material below).  Testimony is limited to 2 minutes. You may arrive 30 minutes early to sign up.  If you intend to lobby for one particular school, we'd ask that you also include the verbiage earlier in this paragraph, so that our Annapolis advocates may speak as a unified voice.  Please let me know if you intend to speak. 

   The two budget hearings will take place at:

       MON 5/9   7 pm  Old Mill High School, 600 Patriot Lane Millersville, MD 21108
       WED 5/11 7 pm  County Council Chambers, Arundel Center, 44 Calvert St., Annapolis, MD 21404


2. WE ALSO NEED LETTERS AND FAXES TO OUR COUNTY COUNCILMEN NOW!  Please, send hard copy letters and faxes send to this address:

Honorable Members of the County Council
P.O. Box 2700
44 Calvert Street
Annapolis MD 21404
County Council Voice: (410) 222-1401
Fax: 410-222-1755
 (One copy will suffice – the County Council office will duplicate and distribute as required.)
County Councilman Chris Trumbauer is our Annapolis representative  (District 6 - Annapolis area) ctrumbauer@aacounty.org

Need Committee Members for Major Fundraiser

Dear Members of the Bates family ...and that includes new and old!

We need your help with a very exciting and fun project to raise substantial funds in the fall.  At this time we are looking for members to help up build, promote and sell our first annual Kickball tournament, yes you read right a kickball tournament.  Based on a preliminary cost estimate and models of success from other tournaments, we believe we could net over $10,000 to the school in one weekend.

Kickball - the game we all played in grade school - is the fastest growing adult sport in the country and we want to produce Anne Arundel County's first tournament in Crofton MD at Bell Branch Park during Labor Day weekend.

To pull this off, we need a solid group to be the Core committee.  We already have 3 folks committed, but we are looking for about ten individuals total.   Some of the duties/talents we will need are:

• Sponsorships
• Publicity
• Concessions logistics
• Logo development / tee shirt sales, 
• Event day operations
• Budget management and 
• Volunteer recruitment to work on the day of the event. 

Please don’t let the fancy titles scare you away, functions are a lot easier then they sound. This will be an ongoing summer project and it will be a lot of fun.

So let me hear from you.   

Sincerely, 

Steve Conyer

cacconyer@aol.com

443-994-5438

Presidents Note:  Steve presented this to me last week and the PTA General Mtg last night.  While at first I thought he was crazy, I am sold that with less work than we have put toward other events we could raise a substantial amount of money for the school.  We have the benefit of Steve's expertise working in Recs & Parks and with the Crofton Athletic League.  With his leadership and expertise, I think we could build this into an awesome event without too much drama!  Please contact Steve or me if you think you can help with this new fundraising event.

Bates Basketball Game Today

If anyone is interested in cheering on Bates vs. the "cross town rival" AMS, the second and last game is today at 1pm at Bates.  Parents are welcome to cheer the team on!

Budget Hearings Next Week

OK, folks - next week we head into the final lap of the Anne Arundel County budgeting race.  You have heard me wax poetic before, so I won't belabor the points, but now is the last chance to rally to benefit our schools.  I would ask you to advocate for 2 things in writing to your elected officials or in person:

1. Maintain spending at current "per student" levels so as to maintain teacher ratios and important programs such as the magnets
2. Fund the Capital budget per the Board of Education's recommendation and in the same order as the independent MGT study

There are 2 budget hearings next week - Monday, May 9th and Wednesday, May 11.  I would urge you to come to the May 11th meeting at the Arundel Center.  It is closer for us in Annapolis and it doesn't conflict with the PTA meeting.  That is the one that I plan to attend and speak.  If you have a Bates shirt such as the 5K shirt, please wear it.  If not, wear a solid brightly colored shirt so that when someone speaks on behalf of the Annapolis Area schools you can stand and be seen!

Below is the information provided by Jeff Macris, Chair of the Annapolis Education Commission.  Please let me know if you have any questions or ideas - lisa@teampline.org or 443-994-7203.

Supporters of Public Education in Annapolis,

    Next week the County Council will take testimony on the upcoming county budget and will subsequently make decisions that will impact WHETHER OR NOT OUR ANNAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL GET RENOVATED, AND IF SO, WHEN.  Can you assist by speaking at one of two upcoming budget hearings, and/or writing a letter or fax to our County Council members? 

    1. UPCOMING BUDGET HEARINGS - CAN YOU TESTIFY MAY 9 OR 11?  Pasted below you'll find background information on proposed renovations for our Annapolis cluster of schools.  In short, if the County Executive's proposed budget is passed later this month by the County Council, it appears as if funds will be available to finish the renovations at Germantown Elementary, and also to renovate and transform the Old Germantown Elementary into a new location for the Phoenix Center.  There's also an expectation that Annapolis Elementary (Green Street) will get funding in the coming year to commence renovations.  That's the good news.  The not-so-good news is that we have three elementary schools in the cluster -- Rolling Knolls, Mills-Parole, and West Annapolis -- that were slated in FY2012 to get Feasibility Studies/Design work; this is a mandatory first step in getting a school renovated.  The County Executive's draft budget, however, included only 1/3 of the monies requested by the Superintendent for these efforts; this would pay for only the FEASIBILITY STUDY, and not the design work. This effectively would delay by another year the start of renovation work at these three schools, and would delay even further the other high-need renovation work on our other cluster schools: Hillsmere Elementary, Bates Middle, Annapolis Middle, Annapolis High, Tyler Heights Elementary, J. Albert Adams Academy.

   In your testimony we need to ask for "full funding for the Superintendent's education capital budget, and to restore the funds that the County Executive cut from that draft budget, to include both feasibility studies AND DESIGN WORK for Annapolis' public school buildings in the order called for in the MGT Study."  (More specific information and talking points can be found in the background material below).  Testimony is limited to 2 minutes. You may arrive 30 minutes early to sign up.  If you intend to lobby for one particular school, we'd ask that you also include the verbiage earlier in this paragraph, so that our Annapolis advocates may speak as a unified voice.  Please let me know if you intend to speak. 

   The two budget hearings will take place at: 

       MON 5/9   7 pm  Old Mill High School, 600 Patriot Lane Millersville, MD 21108
       WED 5/11 7 pm  County Council Chambers, Arundel Center, 44 Calvert St., Annapolis, MD 21404


2. WE ALSO NEED LETTERS AND FAXES TO OUR COUNTY COUNCILMEN NOW!  Please, send hard copy letters and faxes send to this address:

Honorable Members of the County Council
P.O. Box 2700
44 Calvert Street
Annapolis MD 21404
County Council Voice: (410) 222-1401
Fax: 410-222-1755
 (One copy will suffice – the County Council office will duplicate and distribute as required.)
County Councilman Chris Trumbauer is our Annapolis representative  (District 6 - Annapolis area) ctrumbauer@aacounty.org

Next Week at Bates

Next week is a busy one at Bates.  First a quick thank you to Yvette Davis and her team of volunteers who provided yummy desserts and fruit all this week for Teacher Appreciation Week!

Monday, May 9: 

• 6-6:30pm Volunteer Appreciation Reception
• 6:30-8pm PTA Meeting
• 7pm County Budget Hearings @ Old Mill

Wednesday, May 11

• 7pm County Budget Hearing @ Arundel Center

Thursday, May 12

• Lunch with your student - Quarterly Arts Showcase
• 4:30-6:30pm - MultiCultural Fair w/Free Food and Music & Craft Activities for the whole family

National Junior Honor Society Induction

From Mr. Burns and Mr. McCann:

Please join us in congratulating the following 8th Graders on their induction into the National Junior Honor Society.  These students were  selected based upon careful consideration of their scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character: 

• Tucker Bullen
• Abigail Covington
• Becca Dom
• Sabrina Hooper
• Hannah Miller
• Lexi Pline
• Jacqueline Stomski
• Jessica Wooster 

The Induction Ceremony will take place Wednesday May 11th in the Bates Cafeteria at 7pm with a brief reception to follow. Please arrive by 6:45 PM.

Volunteers Needed! MultiCultural Fair Thurs May 12

Please mark your calendars for the Annual Multi-Cultural Fair on Thursday May 12th.  This is a very fun family event with FREE FOOD from local restaurants and FREE arts activities during the after-school portion.  To print the flyer, click on Multi-Cultural Fair Flyer.

There are two parts to this event - during the school day and the community event after school from 4:30-6:30pm.

The teachers do most of the work on this event, but to pull it off they will definitely need volunteer help!  Below is the sign up for the volunteers needed.  Please contact Ms. Klos if you can help:  PKLOS@aacps.org

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Multicultural Fair!

Pick Up 1 3:30-4:30 PTA will cover	Set Up Food cafeteria 4:30-5:00	Serve Food 5-6	Food Cleanup 6-6:30	Craft Tables 4:30-5:30	Craft Tables 5:30-6:30
1.	1.	1.	1.	1.	1.
2.	2.	2.	2.	2.	2.
3.	3.	3.	3.	3.	3.
4.	4.	4.	4.	4.	4.
5.	5.	5.	5.	5.	5.
6.	6.	6.	6.	6.	6.
7.	7.	7.	7.	7.	7.
	8.	8.	8.	8.	8.

                                                                                                     CRAFT TABLES

A.    World Flag Face Painting or beaded bracelet

B.   Mexican Cut Paper

C.  Japanese Origami

D.   French Impressionist Q-tip painting

E.   Islamic Tile decoration

F.   African percussion instruments

G.   Native American Spirit Shields

Baysox Read and Hit a Home Run Program Notice

From Ms. Gonski, Language Arts Dept Chair:

This winter/spring language arts students were encouraged to participate in the Baysox Read and Hit a Homerun program by reading 4 books between mid-January and April 1. If the student reads the 4 books, they are eligible to receive a free ticket to the AA County night at the Baysox on Friday, May 13. This is Ghostbusters night, with fireworks after the game.

The teachers reported that most students worked to meet this goal and many of them reported an interest in receiving the free ticket. Those tickets will be handed out on Monday to students who signed up on their teacher's Baysox Read and Hit a Homerun chart and reported that they planned to attend the Baysox game that evening. Several teachers are also planning to attend that evening.

In order to obtain reduced-price tickets for other family members, you can go online to the following website to request tickets.  https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/team.asp?SponsorID=3282   This is the web-site that our students and their family can use to purchase the discounted tickets online. Please advise parents to use Special Offer Code READING2 (All Caps, No Spaces)

 

Please see the flyer in the newsletter also for more information.

Bates Arts in Motion 5K / Fun Run Recap

A big thank you to everyone who came out Saturday morning for the 2nd Annual Bates 5K!   We had a huge crowd of students, teachers, parents, and community members come out in numbers double last year, not to mention Maryland Assembly Speaker Mike Busch and Mayor Josh Cohen.  The teachers and administration did a great job of supporting the event and really getting the students to participate in a big way.  We were just shy of the 300 runner target, but we were very happy with the number of students who got up early on a fairly brisk morning to participate in this wellness event - no small feat for middle school students!

If your child ran, please make sure to remind them that they can and should wear their Race Shirt to school on Monday (regular uniform policy still exists for pants/shorts/skirts, and tucked in with belt).  This will be a great way to build on the success for next year.

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped on registration, setting up the start/finish line, water stations, food stations, and route monitors.  It was a big event and we couldn't have pulled it off without you. 

Super big thanks also to the 5K committee who lined up a ton of sponsors, had great shirts made, advertised, marked out every twist and turn, secured excellent prizes for the winners and put a lot of hours to ensure a great event:  Lynn Sullivan, Jim Lathom, Tim Whisted, Melissa Robertson, Mitchell McGuinness, Amy Hitt, and Deidre Ralph.

For those interested, here is a list of the category winners and their times:

6^th Grade Male – Jaen Carrodin at 22:20

6^th Grade Female – Avery Cunningham at 20:47

7^th Grade Male – Jacob Wooster at 24:31

7^th Grade Female – Nicole Burch at 24:10

8^th Grade Male – Griffin Good at 22:01

8^th Grade Female – Maya Johnston at 23:51

Elementary Male – Alden Sullivan at 21:27

Elementary Female – Molly Johnston at 27:42

HS Male – Austin Woody at 23:29

HS Female – Lisa Dammeyer at 38:06

19-29  Male – George Bragdon at 21:35

19-29 Female – Jenny Ashurst at 20:25

30-39 Male – Steve Golub at 22:49

30-39 Female – Rene Bowerman at 27:53

40-49 Male – Roger Kizer Ball at 20:34

40-49 Female – Kelly Price at 25:23

50-59 Male – James Anderson at 17:40

50-59 Female – Barbara Anderson at 26:55

60 plus Male – Chuck Walsh