Mandarino Minutes for 3-27-17

Dear Parents/Guardians,


Tennis-

A parent information night is this Wednesday, March 29th at 5:30pm in the Upton cafeteria.  The club itself will start the week after Spring break.  It is open to 6th-8th grade girls and boys.  For any questions please email Joe Stants :  jmstants@aep.com

Leaving Early Once Again-
Thanks so much for the letters and phone calls to Mrs. Conway indicating your son/daughter's attendance for this week.  We have to account for every student everyday, so knowing in advance of absences helps us out tremendously.  

Ren Baldwin Technology  Festival-

Please click here for useful information for the Ren Baldwin Technology Festival:  Tech Blog

Builders Club-

About 50 students joined Builders Club this year.  We have had a variety of different projects including making cards for wounded soldiers, a food drive for the Emergency Shelter, making fleece blankets for Hospice, two Teacher Help meetings, a “Random Acts of Kindness” meeting, and a visit to connect with residents at Caretel.  We have also tried a different approach to leadership by having committee meetings and inviting all students to attend to help plan project meetings and make leadership decisions.  Yet to come we are planning another Teacher Help meeting, Beach Clean up, and spring landscaping around the school.  

Great Concerts Last Week-

What a wonderful week of concerts we had last week!  Our performing arts students all performed well, and received great feedback from the professional musicians!

Quote of the week-

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. "- Henry David Thoreau

Have a great Spring break,
Mr. Mandarino

Mandarino Minutes for 3-20-17

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to track season-

Our boys track season begins today with practice beginning right after school, and tomorrow (Tuesday, March 21st) will be the start of girls track.  If you have any questions please email Mr. Sonevil or Mr. Maier for boys track, and Ms. VanderMeulen or Mr. Haydon for girls track.

Festival and Concerts this week-

Good luck to our performing arts department as they perform for their festival competitions this week!  We also have 3 evening concerts this week and all will take place at the SJHS auditorium beginning at 7:00 P.M. They are as follows:

Tuesday, March 21st- Orchestra

Wednesday, March 22nd- Choir

Thursday, March 23rd- Band

Chess Club and Programming Club-

A special thanks goes to Mrs. Walsworth who is sponsoring an after-school chess club on Thursdays until 4:00 P.M. and Mr. Holleman who is working with a high school senior with a programming club on Thursdays from 3:10-4:10 P.M.  These clubs offer our students yet more opportunities! 

Leaving Early???-

If you know that you are leaving early for Spring break, could you please let our office know by calling our attendance number or bringing a note into school to the attention of Mrs. Conway. Having the information ahead of time is really helpful! 

End of the Marking period and next week-

The end of the 3rd marking period is next Tuesday, March 28th. Once again we will not be printing a hard copy of the report card. We also have a half-day next week Friday, March 31st.  

Late Start this Wednesday-

We do have a late start this Wednesday, March 22nd.  We do not have a late start next week on March 29th.

Quote of the week-

Happy first day of Spring!

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love."- Sitting Bull

Have a great week,

Mr. Mandarino

Mandarino Minutes for 3-13-17

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Variety Show A Hit-
Congratulations to all the stars from the show Friday evening!  It was really a fun and entertaining show that was put on!  The performers worked hard, prepared well, and came through.  A huge thanks goes out to Joanne Schrock for her directing.

Congratulations Lauren K.-

Lauren Konopacki competed in the Junior Individual Exhibit category of the National History Day Regional Competition at Western Michigan University on March 4th, 2017. The topic this year was “Taking a Stand in History”. Her exhibit was on the Greensboro sit-ins during the civil rights movement at the F.W. Woolworth’s Lunch Counter. Lauren qualified for the state competition for by being chosen as one of the top three in her category. She will be competing next at the state competition in Bay City, MI on Saturday, April 29th, 2017 at Bay City Central High School.

Science Olympiad is victorious again-

Our middle school Science Olympiad team won the regional competition for the 8th straight year!  The team will now compete in the state competition!  Congratulations to the entire team as each person medaled in at least one category.  The team consisted of:

8th graders

George Weber

Aleena Shadler

Hannah Blazinia

Grant Banasik

Owen Faulkner

Macy Grau

Susan Lin

Andrew Christy

7th graders

Joe Paine

Andrew Kelleher

Kat Paloyan

Nathaniel Sparkman

6th graders

Andrew Barazotto

Greydon Dean

Chaperones needed for the 7th/8th grade dance this Friday-
We still need 4-5 more chaperones for this Friday's dance.  The dance will be from 6:00-8:00 P.M. We ask our chaperones to arrive around 5:45 P.M.  If you are able to help please email Mrs. Hubble at:  jhubble@sjschools.org

A.E.R.-
Our annual education report (A.E.R.) for the district and our building are now available on the SJPS website and on each school's main page of the website.  We also have a hard copy that could be looked at in the office.


Track begins next week for 7th & 8th graders-
Track will begin next Monday, March 20th for boys track and next Tuesday, March 21st for girls track.  A physical must be on file in the office to begin.  Our coaches for the boys are Mr. Eric Sonnevil and Mr. Matt Maier, and our girls coaches are Ms. Joanie VanderMeulen and Mr. Joe Haydon.

Concerts this week and next-
This Wednesday night (March 15th) is a 7th & 8th grade band and orchestra only pre-festival concert at the SJHS auditorium beginning at 7:00 P.M..  Next week our choirs, bands, and orchestras will have their festivals where they are critiqued by professional musicians.  The concerts next week are 6th-12th grade orchestra on Tuesday, March 21st, 6th-12th grade choirs on Wednesday, March 22nd, and 7th-12th grade bands on Thursday, March 23rd.

Late Start this Wednesday-

We have a late start this Wednesday, March 15th and next Wednesday, March 22nd.  We do not have a late start on Wednesday, March 29th.

Hometown Heros-

Many of our 6th grade girls basketball were featured yesterday in the Herald Palladium.  The girls went 20-2 and captured the Berrien County Tournament.  

Quote of the week-

"Character is Power." - Booker T. Washington

Have a great week,

Mr. Mandarino

Mandarino Minutes for 3-6-17

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Variety Show at 6:30 P.M. this Friday-
The Upton Variety Show begins at 6:30 P.M. this Friday in the Upton Auditorium.  An incorrect time of 7:00 P.M. was posted in my blog last week and in the district calendar.  The Upton Variety show under the direction of Mrs. Joanne Schrock has always been a great show and we look forward to another great performance.

Programming Club-
The Programming Club will begin this Thursday after school from 3:10-4:10 P.M. in room 225.  This club is open to any student 6th-8th grade.  This club is a part of a senior service project.

The Club will be programming in Python

Does not matter if you do or don't know any programming.

If you have questions: you can email Erik Mattfolk (12909@stjoebears.com)

Or Mr. Holleman

Sign up link:  Sign-up for Programming Club

Science Olympiad-
Good luck to our Science Olympiad team which will compete tomorrow at Lake Michigan College. Ms. Kietzerow, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Francis, and many mentors have helped guide and prepare the kids. We are hoping to keep the 8 year streak alive! :)

Welcome Back Ms. Gray-Roll-
The students and staff want to welcome back Ms. Gray-Roll!  It was a tough day for her.  We know little Piper will be happy to see Mom after school today. :)

Leaving Early?-
If your family is leaving early for Spring break, please let our office know the dates as soon in advance as you can.   Thanks in advance with your help on this!  Mrs. Conway will be happy to record this.  

Girls Golf-
This Wednesday, March 8th Silver Beach Pizza will donate 10% of all the proceeds to the St. Joseph Girls Golf program.  Dinner is available starting at 4:00 P.M.  This includes dine-in and carryout.  

Late Starts-
We have late starts this Wednesday, March 8th, next Wednesday, March 15th, and also one on Wednesday, March 22nd.  We do not have one on Wednesday, March 29th.

Honors' Breakfast Quotes-  
Thanks for coming to the breakfast/s last week!  It was great to see so many parents and students.  Having standing room only is a great problem to have!  Many of have asked for a copy of the Honors Breakfast quotes and here they are:

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”. - Henry Ford

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” - Abigail Adams

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou 

“When I was a boy fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. “- Mark Twain

Board of Education Meeting tonight-

Tonight at Central office is a Board of Education meeting beginning at 6:00 P.M.

Photo Contest Deadline-

The deadline for the SJPS Photo contest for the district calendar is fast approaching.  All entries must be received by 10:00 P.M. on Friday, March 17th.  Here is the link for more information:

http://www.stjosephpublicschoolsfoundation.org/SJPS-Photo-Contest.html

Have a great week,

Mr. Mandarino