JUNE 2015 WEST VALLEY JUNIOR HIGH 7505 ZIER ROAD YAKIMA, WA (509)

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1 JUNE 2015 PANTHER POINTS EDITOR JEAN NICHOLS PRINCIPAL JIM FANNIN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CRYSTAL MCDONALD ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SARAH FLICKINGER WEST VALLEY JUNIOR HIGH 7505 ZIER ROAD YAKIMA, WA (509) IMPORTANT DATES: Summer is Here! Thank you for a fantastic school year! We would like to welcome the incoming class of 2021; and equally, we would like to welcome back the class of We are in full-swing preparing for the upcoming school year, and have included key information to start next school year off on the right foot. In this issue of Panther Points, you will find information about student orientation in August. You will also find athletic information for fall sports, school supply lists, band news, summer reading information, and our dress code. We hope this information helps you plan your schedule, focus your back to school shopping, and prepare you for the upcoming year. Thank you for your support and continued efforts to make West Valley Junior High a great place to go to school! Sincerely, Jim Fannin Crystal McDonald Sarah Flickinger Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal 6/22 Board Meeting 7/13 Board Meeting 7/27 Board Meeting 8/19-20 Orientation Day 8/25 School starts 8/27 Football Starts 8/31 All other sports INSIDE THIS ISSUE: BAND NEWS 2 LIBRARY 3 FLORIDA TRIP 4 DRESS CODE 5 SUPPLY LISTS 6-7 WIND FARM TRIP 8 ORIENTATION 9 FALL SPORTS IN- FO FIREWORKS INFO 12

2 Panther Band WVJH BAND NEWS: 2014/2015 WVJH Band Awards 8th Grade Band Superior Rating at the YVMEA Middle School Band Festival 8th Grade Band Top scoring band at the YVMEA Middle School Band Festival 7th Grade Band Superior Rating at the YVMEA Middle School Band Festival Farewell and Thank You I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has made these last three years of my life in West Valley such an unforgettable experience. From the staff at WVSD, to the parents and community, and to the students, I cannot imagine a better place to have started my career. You have all helped me grow so much, and I am so thankful! I hope that our paths will cross again. Sincerely, 8th Grade Marching Band 3rd Place JH band at the Keyes Fibre Youth Parade Color Guard 1st Place JH Drill Team at the Keyes Fibre Youth Parade 7th Grade Band/Color Guard 1st Place Band at the Zillah Community Days Parade Mr. Rees is Coming Back to West Valley! Mr. Rich Rees will be the new band teacher next year at WVJH. He is an amazing teacher and an incredible person who brings a wealth of very successful teaching and administrative experience to the West Valley School District. I am so excited to see where he can take this band program! Please welcome Mr. Rees back to West Valley with open arms!

3 West Valley School District Summer Reading! Due to the success of the West Valley School District Summer Reading program last summer, the program has been expanded for Summer The library at Wide Hollow Elementary will be available for all elementary students on Monday evenings. In addition, the West Valley Middle School Library will be open to middle level students on Monday mornings and the Junior High library will be open to middle, junior high, and high school students on Monday evenings. Please be aware if you are a middle school or junior high student, you must be accompanied by a parent if you visit the junior high library on Monday evenings. Wide Hollow Elementary Library Monday evenings, 6:00 pm 8:00 pm June 15 through August 17, 2015 West Valley Middle School Library Monday mornings, 9:00 am 11:00 am June 15 through August 17, 2015 West Valley Junior High School Library Monday evenings, 6:00 pm 8:00 pm June 15 through August 17, 2015 Educational research shows that students who have learning experiences in the summer are less likely to fall behind their peers in educational growth. Please support your student this summer to READ, READ, READ!!!

4 Florida Science Trip-Educational Travel at its Finest! How Jacques Cousteau or Steve Irwin is your child, or even you? Do they have a little Indiana Jones in their blood? Well, then they are ready for an adventure of a lifetime! June 19-23, 2016, Mrs. Yergen, a science teacher at the junior high, will be offering another fabulous travel and learn opportunity! Students currently in grades 5-8 are eligible to enroll. This also includes home-schooled students or students in private or other local schools. The group will travel to the Florida Keys where participants will kayak the mangrove forests, visit one of the largest sea turtle hospitals in the world, snorkel on beautiful coral reefs in the Atlantic Ocean, visit Everglades National Park and search for alligators, and even swim with dolphins! This and many more activities will abound on this incredible adventure, and YOU can be a part of the action! There will be a student/parent meeting about the trip to Florida Thursday, June 4 at 6:30PM in room 123 at the Junior High. The meeting will cover trip basics, opportunities to apply for scholarships, opportunity to earn ½ of a high school elective science credit for your participation in the program, program activities, travel, and fundraising. You can lock in the 2015 price for the 2016 trip by registering early and also get an discount on the registration fee if you are registered by June the 16 th!!! You will have almost a year to earn you money if you sign up now! Can t make the meeting??? Sign up at and use trip ID The initial deposit is only $49 if registration is made by June 16 (This is an extended deadline). You can arrange to make payments throughout the year if you choose! This will be the last dolphin/sea turtle trip for at least 2 years, so if your heart is set on dolphins and sea turtles, come join the next adventure. Information packets will be given to students. For more information contact Mrs. Yergen at the junior High WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF THE AD- VENTURE! Don t let your child miss this chance of a lifetime! Earlybird registration provides several benefits: Registration fee is reduced from $99 to only $49. The cost of the trip is will be locked in at 2015 not 2016 prices. If your adjusted gross income is $85,000 a year or less, you automatically qualify for financial assistance (this generally ranges from $40-$400). You can set up a payment plan. You/your child will have 9 months to earn the money for the trip. To receive the Earlybird discounts you must sign up by JUNE 16th. To learn more about the trip, go to and watch the video and find information for both parents and students.

5 Dress for Success! We are preparing students for success, and dress code is a key component of the process. The purpose of this dress code is to allow students to express their individuality, while keeping the focus of students, teachers, and administrators on academics. Security, safety, and a focus on academics continue to be the driving forces behind this policy. Any item deemed as disruptive to the education process can be in violation of this policy. Shirts must have visible sleeves, and cover stomach, cleavage, chest, and back at all times. At no time should undergarments, of any kind, be exposed. Clothing may NOT contain any sexual, gang, alcohol, drug, or tobacco references. Clothing may NOT contain inappropriate or offensive language. Examples of unacceptable clothing articles include but are not limited to: Swimsuit Sleeveless Shirts Sagging Pants Off-the-shoulder blouses Halter Tops Tank Tops Spaghetti Straps Muscle Shirts (no sleeves) See-through blouses exposing undergarment or other unacceptable clothing. Blouses with holes that expose other unacceptable attire. Pants, sweat pants, shorts, dresses, and skirts must be neat, clean, and modest. Dresses, skirts, and shorts must be at least 2 inches from the knee in length. Leggings or tights may be worn under dresses, shorts, skirts, or long tops of the appropriate length (covering the buttocks). Examples of how pants, dresses, shorts, and skirts may not be worn include but are not limited to: May NOT be worn sagging May NOT show any portion of underwear, at any time May NOT contain tears or holes above the knee May NOT have any message written on the butt area May NOT wear leggings or tights by themselves (Ok with skirt of appropriate length) May NOT wear pajamas or pajamas pants *Heads must be free of hats/head gear/hoodies within the school buildings during school hours (7:00am to 4:00pm). *Footwear must have a hard sole, and be laced up at all times. Miscellaneous articles that may NOT be worn include but are not limited to: Bandanas Rosaries Sunglasses Any hair or eyebrow trimming deemed gang related Rubberband Bracelets Decorative eyeglasses or contact lenses Dangling chains of any kind Studded/spiked accessories Body piercing Jewelry deemed Glove in the building

6 West Valley Junior High School Supply Lists As you prepare for the school year, please use the following supply lists. We have created a basic supply list and an advanced supply list. The basic supply list is the minimum requirement for all students. The advanced supply list is for those students enrolled in our Advanced programs at West Valley Junior High. Basic Supply List for School Year West Valley Junior High *Individual teachers may require additional supplies, so please make sure to read all course syllabi at the beginning of the year. Here are the school supplies you will need: One large 2-3 binder (zippered or Velcro recommended) College ruled notebook paper (buy at least three packs for the year) Two sets of 5 subject dividers (one set may be divider folders w/ pockets) Two sewn composition notebooks (NO spirals or taped notebooks, please - they fall apart. 1 package 3 x 5 index cards blue or black pens (many) (just bring a few and leave the rest at home for later in the year) several red, fine-tip correcting pens/pencils a box of #2 lead pencils- NOT MECHANICAL -(just bring a few and leave the rest at home for later in the year) 4 highlighters (any colors) 2-3 black, very fine tipped markers for maps small bottle of school glue or some glue sticks (small supply at school, the rest at home) several hand-held pink or white pearl erasers (pencil end erasers may also be useful) white-out tape water-based markers (8+ colors) tiny hand-held pencil sharpener 1 box of colored pencils pencil pouch One Scientific Calculator (TI-30XIIS or equivalent) One box of tissues for student use to give to your first period teacher

7 *Advanced Student Supplies List West Valley Junior High Here are the school supplies you will need if you are in the advanced program: One large 2-3 binder (zippered or Velcro recommended) college ruled notebook paper (buy at least three packs for the year) Two sets of 5 subject dividers (one set may be divider folders w/ pockets) Five sewn composition notebooks (Two for Language Arts & Two for Social Studies, and one for Science) any colors (NO spirals or taped notebooks, please - they fall apart!) Advanced 7th Science students will need 1 bottle of rubber cement glue and one 1 view binder (leave at home until needed in class for Science Project) 2 packages 3 x 5 index cards (leave at home until needed in class) USB flash drive (at least one GB) fastened to a colorful lanyard or key chain (leave at home until needed in class) blue or black pens (many) (just bring a few and leave the rest at home for later in the year) 2-3 colored ink pens (e.g.: green, violet, pink) red, fine-tip correcting pens/pencils #2 lead pencils NOT MECHANICAL (just bring a few and leave the rest at home for later in the year) 2-3 highlighters (any colors) (bring one, leave the rest at home for later in the year) black, very fine tipped markers for maps (Pigma Micron 01 archival ink 0.25 mm) is perfect several red, fine-tip correcting pens/pencils water-based markers (8+ colors) colored pencils (8+ colors) small bottle of school glue & some glue sticks (small supply at school, the rest at home) several pink or white pearl eraser (pencil end erasers may also be useful) white-out tape 2 tape rolls with dispenser (small) (one will be used for your Science notebook) tiny hand-held pencil sharpener pencil pouch or box to hold materials basic function calculator (for science) One eight pack of AAA batteries (for Algebra and Geometry students which requires the use of a graphing calculator) 12 English/metric ruler compass with a stable hinge that won t slip! (like an engineering compass) protractor (smaller is better) 1 box of tissues for student use to give to your first period teacher For HOME: a dictionary & thesaurus in book form (American Heritage paperbacks are great)

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9 WVJH Student Orientation is Coming! West Valley Junior High will be conducting student orientation on Wednesday, August 19 h for 7 th graders and Thursday, August 20st for 8 th graders. This orientation will be for all 7 th and 8 th grade students attending West Valley Junior High. These orientations will be an Open House format, so parent(s)/guardian(s) and their student can attend at the time that works best for them. Orientation hours will run from 1pm-3pm. During the orientation, students will receive their lockers, class schedules, purchase PE uniforms, pre-order yearbooks, and acquire paperwork for fall athletics. Students will also have the opportunity to meet students, catch up with old friends and introduce themselves to some of the wonderful faculty at WVJH. We hope all students are able to attend and get their year started off on the right foot! If you have any questions regarding orientation, please call the main line at Summer Board Meetings 6/22/15 Board Meeting 7-9pm 7/13/15 Board Meeting 7-9pm 7/27/15 Board Meeting 7-9pm

10 WEST VALLEY JUNIOR HIGH FALL SPORTS Welcome to West Valley Junior High Fall Sports! We are excited that you are interested in joining one of our sports teams. This paper contains some general information that will answer most of the questions you may have. SPORTS OFFERED (for both 7 th and 8 th grade): Boys Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Fastpitch, Girls Volleyball, and Boys/Girls Cross Country. WHERE DO I GO FOR THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE? Football go to locker room, get dressed, and head to your field. 8 th grade goes to upper football field and 7 th grade goes to lower football field. 7 th and 8 th grade will have access to locker rooms after practice. Volleyball: 7 th grade gets dressed at junior high, takes all belongings to the Middle School where they will practice until 5:00. Parents pick you up at the front of the middle school. 8 th grade gets dressed at the junior high and practices at the junior high until 5:00. 8 th grade will have access to locker room after practice. Fastpitch: 7 th and 8 th grade gets dressed at the junior high locker room, takes all school belongings with them, then walks to the fastpitch fields directly across from the Middle School. Athletes can be picked up at the Middle School at 5:00. Boys Soccer: 7 th and 8 th grade gets dressed at the junior high locker room, takes all school belongings with then, then walks to the soccer field directly across from the Middle School. Athletes can be picked up at the Middle School at 5:00. Cross Country: 7 th and 8 th grade gets dressed at the junior high locker room and then meets their coach right outside the gym. HOW OFTEN DO THEY PRACTICE? Every day unless otherwise directed by coaches. WHAT TIME AND WHERE ARE GAMES? All games begin at 4:00. In an 8-game schedule, we will play 4 games here at either the Middle School or Junior High and we ll also bus the athletes to 4 away games. We go as far as Prosser and Cle Elum and everything in between. Students are required to ride the bus to the away game, but it is OK to drive your own child home after an away game (if you sign the proper paper that the coach will provide at that game site). WHAT IS THE COST TO PLAY? Each sport has a $30 district-mandated pay to play fee per sport. Athletes are also required to have an ASB card ($25). WHAT ABOUT GAME UNIFORMS? We will provide the entire uniform for all sports. Some sports may allow certain accessories to be used (volleyball knee pads, soccer shin guards, etc). WHAT DO I WEAR TO PRACTICE? Unless otherwise directed by your coach, wear something that would be appropriate for a PE class, like shorts and a t-shirt and athletic shoes. Cleats and other specialized shoes are not necessarily required but definitely help the athlete with good traction on the playing field. DO YOU MAKE CUTS? Unfortunately, in some sports we have way too many athletes turning out and so cuts need to be made. Coaches will explain early in the practice whether or not cuts will be made ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL: 8 th Football 7 th Football 7/8 th Fastpitch 7/8 th Boys Soccer Ryan Delozier, Joe Beardemphl, Robert Harris, Dave McDow, th Volleyball 7 th Volleyball 7/8 th Cross Country Athletic Director Jill O Brien, Midge Yergen, Tim Swanson, Klayton Wyckoff,

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12 FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL *Parents* Remember, Fireworks are illegal in the City of Yakima and most of Yakima County. The Yakima Fire Department and West Valley Fire Department would like to remind all parents and children that the discharge of an Fireworks is illegal in the City of Yakima and most of Yakima County. Yakima County Code Chapter 8.46 and Yakima Municipal Code both read:...it is unlawful for any person to store, offer for sale, expose for sale, use, possess, fire of discharge any fireworks. A violation of the Fireworks Ban is a misdemeanor crime which may result in a fine up to $1,000 and 90 days in jail..keeping Yakima Safe through fire prevention Contact Yakima Fire Department at or West Valley Fire Department at for any questions or concerns.