2012_11_08 - Minnetonka Public Schools

MMW Calendar
November
9 The Actor’s Nightmare performance at
7:00pm in MMW Cafeteria
14 8 th Grade to The Secret Garden, MHS
16 Drama class to the Cowles Center
Fiesta Del Otono
5:30pm at MHS
22-23 Thanksgiving Break
27 High School Musical Auditions 6 th grade
4:00pm in MMW Cafeteria
28 High School Musical Auditions 7 th grade
4:00pm in MMW Cafeteria
29 High School Musical Auditions 8 th grade
4:00pm in MMW Cafeteria
30 Call Backs – tentative
December
3 High School Musical Cast List Posted
4 7 th /8 th Grade Orchestra Concert
7:00pm in MMW Cafeteria
6 7 th Grade Band Concert
6:45pm in MMW Cafeteria
8 th Grade Band Concert
8:00pm in MMW Cafeteria
Principal’s Perspective
November is the official month of gratitude with Thanksgiving coming up in a few weeks and one successful quarter
of school under our belt. Thank you, all, for your amazing support! We are sincerely grateful that you are a part of
our MMW community.
President’s Volunteer Service Award
A specific “thank you” to the thirteen MMW students will be recognized at the annual President’s Volunteer Service
Award program at MHS on November 8. We want to acknowledge their exemplary efforts and demonstrated
commitment to making the world a better place. We are proud of the work they have done in our community.

Bronze
Silver
Gold
� Grace Justinak, a sixth grader and a multi-year recipient, volunteered 52 hours at Gale Woods Farm, at
her church and at Feed My Starving Children.
� Megan Zumsteg, 8th grade, volunteered 52 hours at Summer of Science Camp, the Minnetonka Library
and helped organize food for the ICA Foodshelf World Record attempt.
� David Durenberger, 6th grade, volunteered 79 hours with Boy Scouts, at school and with the ICAN Hoop
program where he enjoyed helping kids with disabilities learn to succeed in basketball.
� Tori Polingo, a seventh grader and a multi-year recipient, volunteered 78 hours as an alter server at
church, a special needs buddy for ICAN hoop and with the Girl Scouts.
� Sophia Rogney, 7th grade volunteered 77 hours serving food to homeless people and with her
church. She also knitted scarfs and baked cookies to give away to people in need.
� Jake Hagen, a seventh grader and a multi-year recipient, volunteered 124 hours with Miracle League
baseball and the ICAN Hoop program.
� Dylan Kiefer, an eighth grader and a multi-year recipient, served 159 hours at church, as a team leader
with Kids Against Hunger, repairing bikes and he took a mission trip.
� Parthiv Krishna, 6th grade, volunteered 116 hours sharing his musical talents with the community and
doing projects with A Better Society. He helped organize a school supply drive for two schools in India
where he volunteered for 10 days this summer working with schoolchildren.
� Joseph LaMere, an eighth grader and a multi-year recipient, volunteered 176 hours, with his church as a
teacher assistant and at summer camp. He's also a member of the MMW Community Service Club.
� Lauren Otolski, an eighth grader and a multi-year recipient, served 169 hours doing projects with A Better
Society and teaching younger kids at Gale Woods Farm.
� Mia Rogneby, an eighth grader and a multi-year recipient, volunteered 115 hours. She collected
Christmas presents for abused children, helped refugee families settle in the Twin Cities and went on a Pay
it Forward Service Trip.
� Ethan Tran, 6th grade, served 103 hours collecting, repairing and giving away recycled bikes with Project
LifeCycle and A Better Society.
� Rebecca Tran, an eighth grader and a multi-year recipient, served 197 hours. She does childcare at her
church, helped at camps at Gale Woods Farm and fixes bikes for Project Life-Cycle with A Better Society
If you are interested in learning more about this program, please visit the following link:
http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/recognition/Pages/ServiceAwards.aspx
Community Service Day
We are also very proud of our students’ work on Community Service Day. On October 26 our entire school
participated for the majority of the school day, and our students, staff and parent volunteers did an outstanding
job. While there are many “points of pride” we emphasize at MMW, supporting the District’s vision of “ensuring all
students envision and pursue their highest aspirations while serving the greater good” is at the heart of Community
Service Day.
Here is a listing of the day’s events:
� 40 students packaged food at Feed My Starving Children in Eagan.
� 57 students packaged food at Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen and then cleaned up the park at
Lake Ann.
� 63 students went to Minnewashta or Excelsior to work with elementary students.
� 21 students cleaned Camp Tanadoona and then did projects for Bundles of Love.
� 52 students created pillows for residents at the VOA Elder Homestead and Lake Minnetonka Shores.
� 127 students visited with residents at VOA Elder Homestead, Lake Minnetonka Shores, Golden Living Center,
South Shore, Open Circle Day Care, or Sojourn Day Services.
� 46 students did projects at the Lowry Nature Center.
� 31 students went to ARC Value Village in Richfield and helped sort and organize donations.
� 27 students went to ARC Value Village in Brooklyn Center and helped sort and organize donations.

� 21 students went to ARC Value Village in New Hope and helped sort and organize donations.
� 23 students did projects at Edenwood Center in Eden Prairie.
� 34 students did projects at Minnewashta Regional Park.
� 51 students did projects at Homestead/Moon Dance Apple Orchard.
� 22 students helped organize the ICA Foodshelf.
� 182 students raked yards.
� 52 students started a long-term project to help provide food to people in need in our community.
� 44 students did projects for the Animal Humane Society.
� 8 students baked cookies and created cards for a local nursing home.
� 49 students painted the backdrop for the new video production room and other projects on campus.
� 17 students created a “Tips for Middle School” video to help fifth grade students in the Mandarin immersion
program.
� 35 students created positive messaging for Rachel’s Challenge.
� 29 students created ribbons for a diabetes awareness campaign.
Students now have several hours they could log for next year’s President’s Volunteer Service Award! More
importantly, Community Service Day is a strong opportunity for MMW to show our appreciation to the greater
community and to inspire all of us to make the world a better place through our words and actions.
May the Thanksgiving season treat you and your family well!
Yearbooks on Sale Now!
Go to Jostens.com to order a 2013 MMW Yearbook. The yearbooks are only sold online.
Looking for Students Groups to join the Tonka Trash into Treasure Drive, April 20, 2013!
Tonka Green is looking for student groups of all ages to be a part of this community wide drive. Groups
will partner with a local organization on their choice to collect common household items that can be
reused or recycled. The purpose is to 1) to encourage spring cleaning, 2) help local organizations reach
their goals and 3) teach students that we do not have to live in a disposable world. The drive of
nonhazardous items will be held on Saturday, April 20 at MHS. If you have a club, team, class or group of
students who would like to participate, more information (link) and the sign-up (link) is available
here. Or, contact Heidi Kluzak, (952) 473-9330. Sign-up deadline is December 15, 2012!
New MMW PTA Web Site
Everything having to do with the PTA, and volunteering, can be found on our web site
https://sites.google.com/site/ptammw/
This link can also be found via the District Web Site.
What do we have there?
Volunteer sign up
Contact information
Calendar of upcoming events
Links to specific sign-up sheets
Any directions and details you might need
Have an idea or comment on the web site? Please let us know! This is an exciting work in progress, and
your comments can help make it better.

Want to sign up for General School Volunteering / Friendly
Presence www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090E4DABA62FAA8-mmwfriendly/8034
On behalf of the MMW Board, thank you!
Michelle Seets (mseets@yahoo.com) and Vicki Vandlik (victoria.vandlik@me.com)
MMW Co-Presidents
MME PTA November 12 th Meeting - All schools/parents with kids of all ages welcome! MME Media Center
– doors will be open at the Media Center. Cost is FREE!
6:30pm – A school board member will be presenting an overview of how great our schools are now,
where we stand in the national picture, and what we need to do to compete at the national level and
continue to be one of the top requested and highly ranked school districts. Parent input is encouraged.
7:00pm – Paul Bernabei of Top 20 Training – Parents Live Above the Line: How our thinking governs our
experience. Do you ever feel like you’re talking “At’ your child and it either bounces off like a Teflon pan
or invokes a sarcastic response back? Maybe it’s not your communication skills, maybe it’s your
thinking! Become aware of your thinking “Above” and “Below” the line as Paul explains how your
thinking can impact your communication, therefore, your relationships with your children.
Tonka Cares
Connecting Over Mealtime
When we sit down to eat together, we connect with our children. It is a regular opportunity to communicate values
and teach lessons. Most importantly, our children feel loved and connected as part of a family. Start simple, but start!
The CHALLENGE: During the months of November, December and January try 5 meals a
week – any day, any meal. Eat out, but do it as a family.
Recent studies show that children who share at least three meals with their families each week do
better in school, experience less stress and depression, have better social skills, are healthier,
and are less likely to smoke, use drugs or alcohol, or engage in sexual activity.
Painless Fundraising for MMW
The Advisories of Mrs. Buehler and Mr. Olsen won with the highest number of Boxtops for Education labels turned
in! We will accept Campbell’s soup labels (Labels for Education) and Milk Jug Tops Labeled ”Milk Moola", "Kemps
Nickels for Schools" and "Land O'Lakes 5₵ for schools". It would be great if you could send these to school with
your student to turn into their Advisory teacher.