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PTO MESSAGE
Welcome to Year 3! Frances Harper Junior High parents certainly rose to the challenge of building a new school
community in the first two years. We have had two successful fundraising campaigns and parents have volunteered
their time and energy whenever the call for help went out. There have been field trips, concerts, drama productions,
radio broadcasts, a fabulous spaghetti dinner, two “Days on the Green,” and two classes of ninth graders were
“graduated” off to high school. A school spirit drive has begun, and the students even have a real husky mascot now!
Another sure sign that Harper is defining its unique place in the community is the mural that will be installed at the
school entrance in the near future. This mural is a community effort and it celebrates the life and poetry of Frances
Ellen Watkins Harper, the school’s namesake. We have grown a lot in the first two years.
But as any adolescent can tell you, growth sometimes causes growing pains. Harper is now the largest junior high
school in Davis, and that presents new challenges. There are more students, more teachers, more classrooms, and that
translates to more classroom needs. Over the next few weeks, the PTO Fundraising Committee will be considering a
long list of funding requests from school staff. A preliminary look at this list shows requests for items that the PTO
already purchased last year, such as dictionaries and copies of literature for the English classes. More copies of these
are needed for the additional students. It’s a good thing that these additional students also bring additional parents into
the Harper community, and that can translate to more ideas, more energy, more learning, and more fun!
I encourage all parents and teachers to consider attending one or more PTO meetings this year. For our October
meeting, we’ll keep the business portion very brief and invite several teachers to give presentations on their programs.
The 7:00 p.m. meeting will be held in the multi-purpose room and we’ll have refreshments. In addition to our
meetings, we are also working on plans for parent education events, and hope to create some opportunities for
socializing with other parents and families as well.
Thank you to all of the families who became members of the PTO this year, and also to those who turned in the
volunteer forms. Please be aware that sometimes our calls for specific volunteer help may not always be a personal
phone call. We all have busy lives, and sometimes we have to resort to mass media, such as this newsletter, the PTO
website, and the PTO listserver to get the word out about our needs. These are the best tools we have for
communication, so please – read the newsletter, subscribe to the listserver
(http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/fhpto), and check the website for updates (http://www2.dcn.org/orgs/harperpto).
If you have any questions or ideas regarding Harper PTO, you may contact me at harperpto@aol.com, or leave a
message for me at 750-7943.
Jane Schafer-Kramer
Harper PTO Co-President for 2006-07
* * * * *
The Principal’s Corner
Only the few, the proud and the brave get to be Huskies! That includes of course everyone who
attends Harper Junior High. At this point in the school year, just four weeks along so far, every
staff member at Harper believes all our students are at the top of their class. Both students and
staff are excited, undefeated, anticipating and ready for huge academic success. And of course,
we are all looking forward to tons of fun this school year as well. I am pleased to report that, from
the staff perspective, we have had an excellent start and I am hoping that your children have
given you that same report at home.
We have a large batch of new teachers, 12 in all, that are on fire and love working with your
students. Each month I will be highlighting several of the new staff so that parents feel more
familiar with the new faces we have educating your children at Harper. Look further on in this
newsletter for short biographies of these new teachers.
Welcome to the 2006-07 school year At Frances Harper Junior High School! This promises
to be the best year yet and we encourage all parents to be involved with our various student
activities, with the PTO and through other groups that help support our school.
Some special announcements:
The Davis Schools Foundation has included a flyer in this newsletter regarding their contributions
to the Davis Schools and their hope that more parents will help to fund the Foundation’s activities.
The Foundation is asking parents to consider “A Dollar A Day” in support of the Davis schools.
$365 dollars is a sizable amount of money, but it is still less than a Starbucks a day. Last year
the Foundation was able to make a significant contribution to our school library for much needed
books and research materials. The parents of Davis have been tremendously generous in their
support of our school and activities, and we are grateful. Thank you!
The Davis School Arts Foundation is also seeking members to support the Visual and Performing
Arts in our schools. Please see the attached flyer.
* * * *
PARENTCONNECT WELCOMES YOU BACK!
The ParentConnect website is now online
ParentConnect displays student information for the current grade-level and school year. Parents who have
User ID and passwords from last year can use them to log on this year.
New to ParentConnect? Here's the steps to register for an account.
Visit http://parentconnect.djusd.k12.ca.us/ and click on Register
One account per family - can include all secondary students – except at DaVinci, King and DSIS
Registration info is processed within 10 working days
After day 10: Go to your eldest child’s school to receive your User ID and Password information – Photo
ID is required
Log on at http://parentconnect.djusd.k12.ca.us/ and use your user ID and password!
Go to Settings: change password and set up parent preferences.
* * * * *
WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?
Besides the daily hot lunch provided by the school district, did you know there is also a secondary schools
A La Carte menu?
bean and cheese burrito 1.25 taconada 1.25
baked chips 1.00 beef jerky 1.00
canned fruit drinks 1.00 gatorade 1.00
fruit juice slushy 1.50 water 1.25
pizza 3.25 cheeze its .75
corn nuts .75 fish crackers .75
cookies 1.25 chex mix .75
fruit snacks .75
Menu subject to change. All items conform to the new state nutritional standards.
* * * * *
LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
French
Greetings from French Class! The students are off to a great start this year. French 1 and 1A
students have studied greetings and introductions and are moving on to numbers and expressing
like and dislikes. They all created a simple conversation the first week and did a wonderful job.
Students in French 1B are reviewing what they learned last year and adding new words to their
vocabulary. French 2 students are likewise reviewing and conversing with one another. Best
wishes to all for a happy, productive year!
Foreign Language Fair
On Saturday, Nov. 18, Davis High foreign language students will host a Foreign Language Fair.
Details will be given to Harper students at a later date.
* * * * *
LIBRARY NEWS
The newest member of the library staff is Pedro Medina. He is taking over the after school program for us.
Please give him a big Harper howdy when you see him.
By now all students should have most of the textbooks that they will be using for the first semester.
Students are responsible for keeping track of the books issued to them and for keeping them in good shape.
It is school district policy that students must pay the replacement cost for any lost or damaged materials.
You can help your student by stressing the importance of taking good care of materials by covering all
textbooks and emphasizing that trading books, sharing locker combinations, and leaving books where
others can pick them up may result in charges for missing or damaged items. All textbooks should be
covered, preferably with heavy paper, with the student’s name written legibly on the front. It is also a good
idea to write the title of the book and the barcode number in the student planner so that if books are
swapped, they can be returned to the rightful owners.
Students at Harper use computers for many of their classes. Getting work home and back to school,
however, can be a challenge. Our wireless laptops do not have floppy drives. Students cannot access email
at school since sites like hotmail are blocked by the county filter. The solution? Flash drives. They are
also called jump drives or thumb drives. They come in various sizes from 32 MB to 2GB. Do not spend
the extra money to get the larger sizes. Everything your students need to carry between school and home
can fit on a 32 or 64 MB drive. I found some over the summer on sale for $2.99! Make sure the students
write their names in permanent pen on the flash drive or attach some kind of ID as we collected a lot of
flash drives that were left behind last year that nobody claimed.
This year students will need to have their ID cards to check out materials from the library. If your students
still have their temporary cards, it would be a good idea to tape the temporary one into their planners. That
way they always have a card with them. Xeroxes of the permanent card would also work. Using the ID
cards makes our checkout system more reliable.
* * * * *
VOLUNTEER FOR THE ARTS
The Davis School Arts Foundation is looking for motivated, art-loving individuals to join its all-volunteer board in its mission
to support and celebrate arts education in the Davis public schools. No fundraising experience is necessary, but a love of arts
education is mandatory. Meetings are the first Tuesday of every month, from 7-9 p.m.
Can’t commit to a board position? Join “Friends of the DSAF” and help man some of our fundraising functions like the Young
at Art Festival, Davisfest, or Harmony In Our Lives Concert.
Want to stay in the background? Volunteer to supply concessions for our fundraisers, solicit donations, or help get out a
mailing.
For more information visit our web site: www.dcn.davis.ca.us/go/dsaf or contact Colleen Connolly 753-1138.
* * * * *
Art Department News
AN “ARTFELT” THANKS FROM SUSAN LEWIS
A big thank-you to all donators to the Harper Art Program. So many of you have gone above and beyond the limits of
generosity to share wonderful art materials as well as donations that will cover the cost of materials for more than one student
in the art program.
Classes are off to a great start. Creativity abounds. And because of the abundance of support for the program, students are able
to enjoy a wide variety of art projects.
Art 1 students are creating textural landscapes with egg shells and sand.
Drawing & Painting students are designing with gold and silver scratchboard.
Ceramics 8 students are taking up the challenge to make ceramic whistles that work, while Ceramics 9 students are competing
to make the tallest pinch pot vase.
That leaves Art 7 students about to experiment with and then eat edible color wheels, while Arts and Crafts students carve
rubber stamps for washable tattoos.
Lots of art is happening at Harper! Thanks again for your wonderful support and for your creative kids!
* * * * *
CHORAL NEWS
The Combined Choruses of Harper and Holmes Jr. Highs will rehearse at the Davis High School
Instructional Performing Arts Building on Saturday October 7th and 14th from 10:00 a.m. to Noon
in preparation for the Harmony in Our Lives Concert which will be held on Sunday, October 29th
and the Central Valley Choral Festival on Friday, November 3rd. Performance times are yet to be
announced for these events, both of which will also be held at the DHS IPAB.
* * * * *
HUSKY SPORTS
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
7th grade – As of this writing their record is one and one. There is a lot of talent on this team and
they are looking forward to an exciting season
8th grade - The Lady Huskies have been playing some great matches. Megan Schaap is one of
the best servers. The team has had some great rallies against Lee but came up short. We almost
had them. The Lee scores were: 24-26, 13-25.
BOYS & GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Alex Wright has been the coach for the Huskies since the school opened 3 years ago. Not only have past
teams found great success but he has instilled a life long love of running for many of our students. His goal
for the Huskies is to develop a healthy competitive spirit, always try their best, and gauge their own
improvement. The team is off to a great start again this year. The girls posted a first place team win with
individual first, second and third place scores by Anna Maria G, Lindsay S and Emma P respectively. The
boys took a team second with help from Alec Z in third and Blair K in fifth. GO HUSKIES!
* * * * *
9TH Grade SPORTS
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Harper P.E. teacher Julie Crawford coaches the Freshman Girls Volleyball team. She reports that
both Freshman and JV volleyball are off to a great winning start. Harper 9th graders on the
Freshman team include Erika A, Gloria C, Megan F and Heidi M. The team just won the Pioneer
Tournament. They had awesome wins against Pioneer, Woodland, and Capitol Christian. Harper
P.E. teacher Brett Kelley coaches the Junior Varsity team which includes Harper 9th Grader, Jolie
L. Come support Harper classmates and Davis High School Volleyball at our HOME games.
Games begin at DHS at 5pm. Ask a player or coach for the HOME games schedule. Students
bring your ID cards. Good luck teams! Have a great season!
SKI TEAM
Think snow!!! The Davis High School Ski Team is about to begin. We are looking for
intermediate level skiers who would like to learn to ski race. Our team was number 1 in 2005 and
number 2 in 2006 in California and Nevada. Join us! Come to our organizational meeting on
October 5, 2006 at DHS, Room M-1 at 7:00 p.m. to learn more about how your son or
daughter can join the Davis High School Ski Team.
For more information Call Patsy Inouye, co-manager of the DHS Ski Team at 758-6608
* * * * *
GRATITUDE TO LOCAL BUSINESSES
Throughout the year, local businesses are approached time and time again with requests
for donations towards many worthy causes. With this in mind, it is remarkable to witness
the continued support for individual schools that many small and large businesses deliver
each school year.
During the last year, Frances Harper Junior High was no exception. Merchants donated
cash and raffle prizes for the Parent-Teacher Organization’s “Frances Fund” direct
donation drive and the Spirit Fund drive, as well as food and beverage items for many
school functions, including Back to School Night, “For the Love of Music” Recital,
Career Day, Teacher Appreciation Days, and the 9th Grade Promotion Celebration, to
name a few. The parents and teachers of the Harper PTO extend gratitude and
appreciation to the generous folks of the following companies:
Albertson’s, Avid Reader, Baker’s Square Restaurant & Pies, Baskin Robbins on Covell, Cable
Car Wash, Café at the Docs, Candy House of Davis, Cenario’s Pizza, Chris’ Chem Dry,
Chamonix Coffee Company, Crystal Cream and Butter Company, Davis Athletic Club, Davis
Fencing Academy, Davis Food-Coop, Davis Wheelworks, Doug Arnold (Coldwell Banker), e-Scrip
partners Safeway and Macy's, Fleet Feet, Genentech, Ikeda’s Produce Market, Jamba Juice,
Ken’s Bike and Ski, Konditorei Austrian Cafe, Lamppost Pizza, Lily’s Fashion Lounge, Long’s
Drug Store (Oaktree Plaza), Mocha Joe’s, MT Nails, Nugget Markets, PG&E, Pamela Trokanski
Dance Studio, Papa Murphy's Take and Bake Pizza, Peet’s Coffee, Round Table Pizza, Safeway
Stores in Davis, Screamin' Squeegee, Star-Crossed Properties, Steve's Pizza, Subway on Covell,
Susie’s Treats, Tandem Properties, Taqueria Guadalajara, Thai Recipes, Video City, Watermelon
Music, and Washington Mutual Bank.
The Harper PTO is proud to be part of the community that includes these fine businesses.
Christine Granger and Jane Schafer-Kramer
Co-Presidents, Frances Harper Jr. High PTO
* * * * *
HOSPITALITY CREW CREATES A DELICIOUS LUNCH
Thank you to all those who so generously donated their time and delicious dishes to make
the Staff Luncheon an overwhelming success. The staff was enthusiastically appreciative.
Harper has the greatest parent support. Special thanks go out to Carla Almeida, Judy
Beachler, Wendy Benner, Janet Berry, Susan Blaine, Mary Chapman, Lucy Della Rosa, Dawn
Furie, Jane Schafer-Kramer, Joyce Hamaguchi, Patti Kino, Anne Lee, Theresa Lucas, Lisa
Nelson, Valerie Park, Marilyn Stark, Cindy True, Karen Ward, Dion Wiedenhoefer, Michelle
Woods, Karen Yount, and Ellen Yule. We couldn’t have done it without all these wonderful
ladies.
Leslie Brumer, PTO Hospitality
* * * * *
Support our school…and the community!
We are looking for donations of items to be used for student incentives. If you own, work, or have contacts
with local businesses, we would appreciate their donations. We are looking for gift certificates, discount
coupons, and student items such as pencils, pens, etc. Some businesses have donated clothing and sports
equipment. We are also hoping for funding for small and big ticket items. These include purchasing Harper
logo items, painting a mural on the outside of our gym and purchasing enclosed grade level bulletin boards
for grade level announcements. We advertise our donors on the PTO website and in our newsletter, and
encourage families to frequent these businesses. If you would like to donate, please contact Heidi Perry at
hperry@djusd.k12.ca.us or at 757-5330, extension 106.
* * * * *
School Climate Committee
Are you interested in the climate of our school? Do you have ideas to increase school connections on
campus? The Harper School Climate Committee held its first meeting on September 26th at lunch. Future
dates for meetings will be posted on the website, in the daily bulletin and in the kiosk in the breezeway.
Contact Heidi Perry, vice principal, if you have questions.
* * * * *
BAND BOOSTERS
An Ice Cream Social was a great way to begin the new school year…Orientation day for the incoming 7th
grade band students on August 24th ended with an Ice Cream Social for all band students. Mr. Quick was
very pleased to see so many of the incoming 7th graders attend the band orientation and to have several
members of the advanced band in attendance to share insightful comments about their own 7th grade
transition experiences. We were pleased to see an outstanding crowd of 85 students, friends and families
turn out for this fun event. We thank Woodstock Pizza for generously donating free-pizza coupons as
prizes for the fastest team to pass a hula hoop down their human chain. We also congratulate Anna G.,
Dana G. and Sarah F. for finishing first, second and third in the balloon stomp game - our version of
Survival! We extend a BIG thank you to our student set-up crew (and their supportive parents in
attendance as well) - all are members of the Advanced Band: Sarah F., Avalon H., Matthew H., Larry C.,
Sophie R., Kathleen J., Madeline H., Steven B., & Alex B, and Tyler F.
We have a new website at http://groups.dcn.org/harperband/. Band students and parents can download
practice log sheets, concert report forms, and follow links to schedules for local concerts. Be sure to sign
up for the band listserv through the website – the email inbox is your most reliable source for important
band announcements.
We need the dough, so let’s go get some! Tuesday, October 3rd is Papa Murphy’s Pizza night. Mention
‘Harper Bands’ when you place your order and Papa Murphy’s will donate a whopping 25 percent of
your purchase to the Harper Band Boosters. Thank you for supporting the terrific band program at Harper
Jr. High!
Next Harper Band Boosters Meeting, Tuesday, October 23rd, 7:00 p.m. in the Harper Music Room
Hope to see you there!
Joyce Hamaguchi, President (757-6336) harperbandboosters@gmail.com
* * * * *
YEARBOOK NEWS
STATUS REPORT:
The yearbook class is busting at the seams with 33 members! During the first twelve days of
school, we completed a rough draft of our “ladder,” the publishing term for a page-by-page plan of
stories and photos. We are starting to incorporate theme elements and decide on specific stories,
types and numbers of photos. We’ve begun work on revising last year’s survey questions as well.
We’ve written nearly 400 receipts and sold to roughly 55% of our student population. We’re also
doing assignments to make sure our future journalists understand free speech, libel, invasion of
privacy, copyright law, etc. We anxiously await delivery of Indesign and other software which will
provide students with real world skills in layout, typography, and photo management. In the mean
time, we’re learning basic photography. Along with our two old trusty ones, we now have four
reliable cameras. We’re off to a great start!
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
We have a theme! Photos needed!
All parents should consider sending jpg files to kmckim@djusd.k12.ca.us or sending them on disc
or thumbdrive for possible inclusion in the yearbook. Of particular interest are vacation and
leisure-time photos, high-quality action shots of Harper athletes, and any photo that somehow
communicates our theme and subtheme: Third time’s a charm! If at first you don’t succeed, try,
try, try again. Look for puns, plays on words, and typographical treatments of the number three.
We are celebrating Harper’s 3rd year!
SALES:
You can pick up a form to buy a yearbook in the front office or send your student to pick one up
from Mr. McKim in room G-48. Cost is $35, with additional charges for personalization. Checks
can be made out to Harper JHS Yearbook.
YEARBOOK CLUB FOR 7TH GRADERS (8th and 9th too!)
Listen for a 3rd period announcement regarding a 7th grade club (8th and 9th graders not in
yearbook class can also join!). This club is likely to form in late September. More details to come!
* * * * *
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
We are so lucky to be a part of such a well-supported science department and by “we,” we mean
students and parents too! Our cabinets are filling with fun and fascinating supplies and devices
thanks to past, present, and hopefully future donations and efforts. Our prep room impresses
visitors from all disciplines and grade levels. Thanks especially to the Burt family for recently
donating wonderful labels for our cabinets. Now we need some metal slides to house the labels!
Anyone? If you wish to help improve the program, don’t hesitate to contact us. Some areas that
may need some funding include general office supplies, some physics lab needs - spring scales
to be exact, establishment of a consumables fund (to help fund our yearly needs for eggs,
chicken wings, vinegar, baking soda, aquarium plants, pork rinds, etc.).
We’ve also had some unforeseen changes in our department. We are happy to find Mrs.
Watterson staying on one more year to teach 9th grade Biology and seventh grade Health before
she retires. We are also enjoying Mrs. Rundle as she fulfills a seventh grade science, long-term
substitute position for at least five weeks. And who hasn’t heard about the AgScience class being
offered during seventh period by the energetic and dynamic Ms. Schulte? Welcome to all three of
these outstanding educators!
Biology: Students have completed an introductory unit on measurement and safety and are now
heading into the fascinating world of biochemistry. Contact cdimond@djusd.k12.ca.us or
pwatterson@djusd.k12.ca.us with any inquiries or concerns.
Science 8: We started with a review of safety, metrics and measurement and are now headed full
throttle into exploring forces and motion. Look forward to timing yourself running, using a spring
scale and discovering how friction works! Email either Mr. McKim at kmckim@djusd.k12.ca.us or
Mr. O’Brien at jobrien@djusd.k12.ca.us with questions, comments, donations, or if you want our
websites that supply assignment updates.
Science 7: Mr. O’Brien’s classes started off the year learning how to make scientific
observations. We discovered how to collect and communicate qualitative and quantitative data
and are practicing those skills by measuring a group of mealworms. Soon we will jump into our
study of the cell including its structure and function. If you have questions feel free to contact Mr.
O’Brien at jobrien@djusd.k12.ca.us. For questions concerning Mrs. Rundle’s Science 7 classes,
contact her at mrundle@djusd.k12.ca.us.
GATE 7 Science: contact cdimond@djusd.k12.ca.us
GATE 8 Science: contact isalim@djusd.k12.ca.us
Earth/Physical Sceince: contact isalim@djusd.k12.ca.us
AgSci: contact aschulte@djusd.k12.ca.us
Health: contact pwatterson@djusd.k12.ca.us
* * * * *
DRAMA DEPARTMENT
THANKS
The drama department would like to extend a hundred thousand thank yous to the Davis Comic
Opera Company for the donation of sets, props, tools, hardware, and thousdands of dollars of
other items. DCOC has, sadly, closed its doors after many years in Davis and they donated their
goods to the school. THANK YOU
OUR FIRST PLAY OF THE YEAR
The fall play will be "The Importance of Being Earnest" and will be presented on November 3rd
and 4th at 7pm. Mark your calendars for this fun evening of entertainment. All seats are $5.00
available at the door.
* * * * *
A GARDEN FOR HARPER
Plans are being developed and funding sought for the soon to be HARPER GARDEN! We have
laid out a plan for a huge garden to include trees, crops, flowers, an outdoor classroom... We will
be looking for folks who know how to set up irrigations systems. If this is one of your talents,
please e-mail Chris Granger at cgranger@dcn.org . Stay tuned for more news.
* * * * *
The Harper PTO Frances Fund
The Harper Junior High Frances Fund - the major fundraiser of the year - will be coming your way in
October! Last year the Frances Fund was a huge success with over $20,000 in contributions raised,
including a $5,000 matching grant from Coldwell Banker, Doug Arnold Real Estate, Inc.
Last year the fund provided twelve complete novel sets for the English Department, books for the library,
the Teacher’s Curriculum Institute’s (TCI) social studies program, projection screens and wireless
microphones, and much more! We are currently in the process of compiling wish lists from various
departments and will be selecting one or more projects or items to be funded. These will be announced in
the letter you will be receiving at the end of October requesting your contribution. Through your
generosity, we expect the Frances Fund to be another huge success. Let’s go Harper Husky families!
Debbie Austin
PTO Vice President
* * * * *
COUNSELING NEWS
Counseling Team
7th grade Counselor: Cara Leppington
(cleppington@djusd.k12.ca.us, ext. 260)
8th grade Counselor: Natalie Trigilio
(ntrigilio@djusd.k12.ca.us, ext. 111)
9th grade Counselors: Natalie Trigilio (A-K)
Cara Leppington (L-Z)
Counseling Support: Jerry Hulbert
Counseling Secretary: Vi Nickerson
New Counselor
Hi, I’m Cara Leppington and I have been welcomed with open arms by the Harper family.
Prior to coming to Harper, I was a counselor at Emerson Junior High School. I’ve worked as
a Community Educator speaking to students about issues such as bullying, and as the
Director of a summer camp for kids in Lake Tahoe for several years. I’ve also been involved
in organizations that worked toward ending violence against women, on a local and national
level. I’ve been able to incorporate all of my experience into my counseling. It’s been
fantastic. I’m excited to be here. Go Huskies!!
Counseling info
The Counselors have been spending a lot of their time working on student schedules and
meeting with parents and students. The last 2 weeks of September, they go in to all of
the English classes so that all of the students will have an opportunity to meet them.
Counselor appointments are available to students and/or parents/guardians during school
hours. Counselors are available to meet regarding course scheduling, academic advising and
personal/emotional concerns. Students can drop by the Counseling Office before or after
school and during break or lunch to schedule an appointment.
Progress reports will be mailed on September 30th. You will notice that some of your child’s
classes show grades and other classes do not. Any student in danger of failing (currently
receiving a “D” or “F”) will be receiving a grade for his/her class. Teachers are not required
to post grades on the progress report for students who are passing their classes and often
do not yet know what the grade will be. Students who are passing all of their classes may
not receive a progress report. If you have any questions about your child’s academic
progress, you can contact their teachers by phone or email, or contact the counselor.
It’s going to be another great year at Harper!
* * * * *
RECYCLING SAVES US MONEY
This year Harper Jr High is joining Emerson, Holmes and all 9 Davis elementary schools in trying to
reduce the amount of waste during lunch by diverting recyclable aluminum, plastic and cardboard.
The RISE (Recycling is Simply Elementary) program, started 6 years ago by Pioneer Elementary teacher
Dorothy Peterson, has effectively reduced the waste stream at the elementary schools by 50%. Not only
does recycling save energy, natural resources and landfill space, it also saves the Davis School District
about $30,000 a year.
Davis Waste Removal charges the District based on the frequency of trash dumpster pick-ups (recycling
bins are provided free of charge). Diverting a portion of solid wastes into recycling and composting directly
reduces the number of waste dumpsters the schools fill each day.
Nearly every beverage comes in a container that can be recycled. Water bottles, soda cans, juice, sports
drink bottles and lots of other things can be recycled. Cardboard trays that are used for hot lunch take up a
huge amount of space in the trash cans and if recycled will significantly decrease the number of trash
dumpster pick-ups.
Elementary school students have the system down great. There is very little waste at those sites. Junior
High school students can be distracted easily and need a little more reminding. Volunteers are needed at
lunch time to help remind the 7-9th graders what they need to do. It’s easy (training is available), flexible
days (come when you can) and can be fun (especially if you bring a friend). Plus you will get a whole
different perspective on what goes on at the Jr. High.
Contact:
Heidi Perry at HPerry@djusd.k12.ca.us
Sue Peri at speri@davisrise.org
* * * * *
JOIN THE PTO ANYTIME !
Membership to the Harper PTO is open all year long. If you haven't yet joined, membership forms can be
found in the school office or at the PTO website http://www2.dcn.org/orgs/harperpto . Forms and
membership fees can be turned into the school office or mailed to Harper PTO, c/o Harper
Junior High, 4000 East Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95618. Fees are $10.00 per member.
Harper PTO is a vibrant organization working toward supporting the school and your student through
1) fundraising activities for items that the school district is not able to fund, 2) organizing volunteers
for school activities, 3) supporting communication through the PTO newsletter, website and listserver,
between the school and parent, 4) parent education, and 5) support for student activities, among others.
Join us in a cause that really matters - our kids!
Future meetings:
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 @ 7 PM, MPR
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 @ 7 PM, school library
Tuesday, December 12, 2006 @ 7 PM, school library
Tuesday, January 9, 2007 @ 7 PM, school library
Tuesday, February 13, 2007 @ 7 PM, school library
Tuesday, March 6, 2007 @ 7 PM, MPR
Tuesday, April 3, 2007 @ 7 PM, school library
Tuesday, May 8, 2007 @ 7 PM, school library
Tuesday, June 5, 2007 @ 7 PM, school library
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New Staff Highlights!
Julie Crawford is a new PE teacher here at Harper JHS. She is also the Freshman girls
Volleyball coach at DHS. Julie was born and raised just a few miles from Davis in Shingle
Springs. There she attended Ponderosa HS and participated in Leadership, Peer Counseling,
and played volleyball and basketball. She also played competitive club volleyball year-round, and
traveled all over the US playing in tournaments. Unfortunately, a leg injury her senior year ended
her volleyball career. Julie graduated Cum Laude from Cal State Long Beach. At Long Beach
state, she majored in Kinesiology and received her single subject teaching credential in Physical
Education. Julie brings to Harper a strong PE background since both of her parents teach PE!
After she graduated from college, she moved back up north to Folsom, which is where
she currently lives. She says that she is so happy to have her first teaching job be here at
Harper. Her fellow teachers in the PE department are very helpful, supportive, and nurturing and
she looks forward to many successful years here!
John Dodd is new to Harper in the English department, and has immediately been
selected as the Department Chair. John spent 10 years at Emerson JHS and after a leave of
absence last year, decided to join the Harper staff. John majored in English at UC Santa Barbara
where he graduated with honors and was a member of the Scholars Program. Currently, he is a
Fellow of the Area 3 Writing Project at UCD. John has a wife of 25 years and two children, and
although allergic to cats and dogs, he has both and enjoys kids and his furry companions
immensely. He has ridden his bicycle from Vancouver, Washington to Fresno, California and
enjoys running, gardening and eating. He is a past teacher of the year at Fairfield High and at
Emerson.
Trisha Butler was in Italy when she interviewed for her position at Harper, and she was so
impressive over the phone that the Harper staff knew she was a perfect fit for the mathematics
department. Trisha was born in northwestern Pennsylvania and received her Bachelors and
Masters degrees in mathematics at the University of Pittsburgh. She was married this past May,
and that is why she was in Italy!. Upon returning from the honeymoon, she and her husband
moved to Davis where he is now employed at UCD. Trisha and her husband love the outdoors
and outdoor sports including canoeing, downhill skiing, hiking, camping, biking, and they even
tried skydiving once! No children yet but they have 2 dogs. Trisha plays the piano and, believe it
or not, loves to sing karaoke. She says she is not good, but just loves that spotlight!
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EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION: EMAIL GUIDELINES
As a district we are committed to efficient communication between home and school because we know that
it is essential to student success. The ease of using email has made communication easier but now we are
all managing an increasing number of messages every day. In the case of teachers, the time spent in
responding to this email load impacts the teachers’ time to plan effective instruction and give prompt
feedback to students about their work. Similar impact is felt throughout the community.
To assist in the positive use of email, we offer these guidelines to staff, parents, and students:
? Email is best for: Objective exchanges of information
Brief messages and inquires
Communicating important information to many at one time
? Email messages can sometimes be misinterpreted. Whenever there is a chance that someone may
be upset, a phone call or conference is best.
? Try to send the first email about an issue only to those directly involved rather than copying it to
many others, a practice that increases everyone’s message load.
? Shorter is better. You will receive the best and most focused answer when the message is as
succinct as possible.
? Because of the speed of email, we all begin to expect equally speedy responses. Please allow up
to two (2) working days for a response.
? It is not always possible for teachers who are dealing with as many as 160 students per day to
respond immediately, or to give daily reports about student behavior and progress. Before
contacting a teacher for information that the student should have, please encourage your student to
find the answers to questions by checking regular school sources such as fellow students, bulletins
or websites, as well as asking the classroom teacher. This benefits parents, students and staff.
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Harper Tech student creates her first commercial illustration design.
Yurika M, a current Harper ninth grader, put her creative talents to work by producing an illustration that is
now incorporated into AutoDesk Corporation’s middle school computer aided design (CAD) software
curriculum appropriately named DesignKids. Autodesk has generously gifted an entire lab of the
Designkids curriculum for the Industrial Technology program. The gift was facilitated by Klein
Educational systems owned by Chuck Klein, father of three Harper students. This professional level
software allows students to do sophisticated computer models, renderings and even animations. The
illustration depicts a boy and girl holding a square frame above their heads. For each of eleven curriculum
exercises in the Designkids software, a different image is placed into the square to serve as an introduction
to the unit. Industrial Technology teacher Mr. Donnelly made sure that the company would recognize
Yurika and compensate her for her great efforts. When asked if she preferred getting some free software, a
gift certificate or cash, Yurika took about a tenth of a second to say “I’ll take the cash”! We hope that this
will be the first in a long list of creative works that Yurika develops. Congratulations to our Harper
commercial artist!!
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JOIN THE FUN IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
One of the greatest gifts we can give our kids is our time. The Industrial Technology program at Harper
invites you to share that gift by volunteering to participate in our classes. Industrial technology at Harper
utilizes two incredible labs. The first is a state of the art tech lab with computer stations where kids learn
about technologies that include sixteen different tech areas such as robotics, aerospace, video production,
graphic design, and electronics. We also have a more traditional shop with a variety of woodworking tools
and equipment.
You don’t need any prior content knowledge, just a desire to be there for the kids. Let them show you what
they have learned, or join one of their work teams to solve problems together. Research shows that the
extent to which students experience positive interactions with adults has a significant positive impact on the
students’ sense of well-being, and in turn the over all school site environment. You can come for any
period of time; one or a few classes, for as few or as many days that work in your schedule.
Come and see how learning can really be fun! You will discover how rewarding it can be to hear a student
say “Wow I did that!”
If you are interested, please contact Mr. Donnelly by e-mail bdonnelly@djusd.k12.ca.us
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Santa’s elves file grievance report targeting a volunteer work group at Harper.
The school district recently received a serious letter of complaint from the North Pole with charges from the
Santa Elves union that volunteer workers at Harper have raised the performance bar for speed and quality of production
to a level they feel is difficult or impossible to match. The complaint is in reference to a volunteer project held at
Harper this summer to construct 80 permanent office and bathroom passes for the school.
The colorful wooden passes include a large scale red fire hydrant as a symbol for the rest room pass and a bright green
wooden dog bone as a symbol for the hall pass.
Commenting on the complaint letter from the elves, vice Principal Heidi Perry stated that while she regrets
the elves displeasure, she believes that the volunteers were not trying to set some unrealistic standard. “The elves have
to realize that this group at Harper were simply being driven by a strong desire to make Harper a better place and were
in no way attempting to make the elves or any recognized work group look bad. In the end these passes are working
great!” Principal David Inns urged for reconciliation emphasizing that the most important thing all workers, whether
Harper volunteers or the North Pole elves, must stress is relationships, relationships, relationships above all else.
Despite legal advice to the contrary, Harper administrators felt thay did not want to keep the names of the
volunteers confidential. While this case has not been resolved, Principal Inns felt it is incumbent upon the school to
recognize the workers for all their great effort.
As both the Principal and Vice Principal were actively involved in the building of these passes they were in a
great potion to identify the participants. These included teachers Linda Winters, Hillary Howell and her two children
Robbie and Hannah, and Brian Donnelly the Industrial Tech (shop) teacher who orchestrated the project. Donnelly was
quoted as saying, “I know the shop manager in the elves workshop and I’m really confused as to why he would
complain about our job performance. Maybe the warmer weather conditions allowed us to be more efficient. We
certainly weren’t trying to “show them up.”
Also cited in the complaint letter were Father and son team Shelby and Brandon Rogers, school board
member Sheila Allen, her daughter Rita and several of Rita’s Harper classmates. Even though they were still on
summer vacation a great group of Harper students helped pull off this project. They included Wyatt T, Tyler F, Scott P,
Dorothy M, Ryan R, Matt F, Alex B, Sam T, and Kevin C.
None of these volunteers wants to be on bad terms with the elves and hope the issue will blow over.
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STUDENT ACTIVITIES
CLUBS
Lots of Clubs will be starting up – check the Daily bulletin for days and times! Here is an example.
Club International – All the foreign language clubs from last year are coming together to form this club.
It’s purpose is to share many cultures, ethnic foods, world music and to just have fun!
ACTIVITIES
Lunchtime Rally on October 11
7th grade Class President Elections - 2nd week of October!
Magazine Sale will wrap up the 2nd week of October
Hispanic/Latino Month through Oct. 15!
Halloween Dance - October 27
Sponsored by Harper Leadership! 7:30-10:00pm
Did you know you could have fun and support your school at the same time? When you attend a
school dance, the admission cost is a fundraiser for the sponsoring group.
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Click here to get the file