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Walker Wolves,
Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the school this fall. We have accomplished so much
and it is such a pleasure to be a part of such a supportive school community!
The biggest news is that the Renaissance Festival was a huge success! It was incredible to see the school
put on such a great event! Students were so involved in the fun and learning and parents showed up to
help make everything run smoothly throughout the day. A big thank you to everyone who was involved. It
truly was a fabulous event. It was also amazing to see the generous hearts our students and families have as
they participated in two food drives, the angel tree, and many other ways to give. It is a pleasure to see our
children learning how to help each other and give back to the community!
In the New Year, we have a lot of exciting things on the agenda. Our PTSA general meeting will be
February 5th at 6pm in the cafeteria, followed by an excellent program on preparing your students for spring
testing.
Our school improvement project for the 2014-2015 year is to beautify the area outside the gym by
developing a patio area for students to use and enjoy. The first step in this process is to raise money to
purchase pavers for the area. Please let us know if you have a great paver company that would like to be a
Walker PTSA business partner. Look for more information on the fundraising and the project this spring.
We hope to offer you the opportunity to leave a legacy at Walker so you can
always be a part of the school.
Thank you again for a wonderful 1st semester. Welcome back and see you in
2015!
Sincerely,
Anna Ryan
PTSA President
NEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT...
Walker Middle Magnet
IB World School
Anthony Jones / Pr incipal
Valerie Newton / Asst.
Principal—Curriculum
Dr. David Pizarro /
Asst. Principal—
Administration
Anna Ryan / PTSA President
A Publication of the Walker Middle Magnet IB World School PTSA
International Intelligence
keeps parents, community
leaders and business
partners updated on the
amazing Walker Wolves’
accomplishments, events,
interesting happenings,
and PTSA news.
It is published
Fall/Winter/Spring/Final
Submissions for the
newsletter should be
emailed to
Lydia Spriggs / Editor
A Hillsborough County School Volume 18, Issue 2 January 2015
8282 North Mobley Road
Odessa, FL 33556
Office: (813) 631-4726
Attendance: (813) 631-4489
http://walker.mysdhc.org
As an IB World School, you are part of a global community
of schools committed to developing knowledgeable,
caring young people who will be ready to negotiate
their futures successfully and make contributions resulting
in a more harmonious and peaceful world.
IMPORTANT INFO
PTSA Website:
walker.my-ptsa.org
PTSA Email:
Walker Twitter:
Twitter@WalkerMiddleSch
Anna Ryan Email:
2
PRINCIPAL NEWS...
International Intelligence - A Publication of the Walker Middle Magnet School of International Studies PTSA
2014-2015 Walker
PTSA Board
President Anna Ryan
Faculty Representative
Cassie Schroeder
1st VP Membership
Mary Kenny
2nd VP Programs
MJ Kramer
Student Involvement
Nicole Byrnes
Awards PJ Rosen
Awards Kim Bermudez
County Council
MJ Kramer
Dad's Club Frank Reyes
Outreach Coordinator
Andrea Duffey
Reflections
Adair Wingfield
8th Grade Dance
Adair Wingfield
Andrea Duffey
3rd VP Ways & Means
JamIe Albero
Apparel/Uniform Recycling
Trisha Ashburn
Birthday Sign
Dena Fields
Business Partners
Kim Bermudez
Sharon Daniely
Box Tops Janine Sennott
4th VP Volunteers
Dorothy Walsh
Hospitality
Lisa Pistorino
Debbie Dillon
Newsletter Lydia Spr iggs
Website Coordinator
Lucero McCormick
Concessions
Victoria Rennesund
Recording Secretary
Silvia Harrison
Correspondence Secretary
Lorena Ludovici
Treasurer Malini Kaimal
A Hillsborough County School Volume 18, Issue 2 January 2015
Happy New Year Team Walker,
I trust everyone had a blessed and restful break. Spring 2015 is going to be a great second half to our Year
of Inquiry. The main event of the second semester is our upcoming Florida Standards and EOC assessments
beginning in March with the new writing assessment. Students will be asked to read passages and write a
claim based on evidence from the text provided. This skill has been worked on in virtually every subject at
Walker this year. In some subjects, "evidence from the text" work has been done for several years leading
up to this March.
Walker students are in a good place when it comes to the new assessments. Families should also be confi-
dent in their child's preparation. First, Hillsborough county teachers have been piloting the new standards
for years. Other districts didn't start as soon as we did. Walker also was part of a grant which allowed us to
pilot change protocols that helped prepare teachers for the new way of work. Secondly, there is high align-
ment between IB pedagogy and the new standards. Many of the assessments coming up are new for every-
one. Trepidation is to be expected with anything new and important however the preparation at Walker for
these assessments has been in the works over several years. Your students are in good hands.
If you have any questions about the new assessments, please do not hesitate to contact me.
As always, thank you for choosing Walker (as a HUGE number of applicants have for this year's lottery . . .
thanks for helping to spread the word).
Mr. Jones
Walker411.com: This site is for Walker students by Walker students with infor-mation about all things Wolves Nation to include webinars about school services, pre-views of coming events, student made academic tutorials, and much more. This site will be used by HR teachers to broadcast announcements in the morning. Parents can also access this site via our main web and Edsby pages to get the Walker 411for themselves.
Edsby Calendar: We will be updating the school wide Edsby calendar each week to chronicle key events that impact the whole school. The updates will also include the primary school contact for each event which can be seen by clicking on the event in the Edsby calendar. We trust this will help your student report to you on major things happening at Walker.
“Help Make Walker Better” link on school website: Visit if you have any ideas to improve our communication or anything in general at Walker or please email Mr. Jones directly at [email protected].
WALKER INFORMATION
2014-2015 WALKER YEARBOOK
Get your order in today.
Order forms are available
on Edsby and in the
Walker front office.
3
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
REFLECTIONS WINNER
2014-2015
Honorable Mention
in Photography
Tristan Goodrich
TOP TEAM SCORE FOR ALL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MIDDLE
SCHOOL SPORTS
School Vision:
Empowering students to
take what they have
learned and use it to make
the world a better place.
School Mission:
Equipping internationally
minded students
through rigorous,
service based learning
in an atmosphere of
creativity, inquiry and fun.
School Motto:
Rigor...Service...Play!
International Intelligence - A Publication of the Walker Middle Magnet School of International Studies PTSA
A Hillsborough County School Volume 18, Issue 2 January 2015
Top Team Score is your home for all Hillsborough County Middle School sports standings,
schedules, and more!
Sports We Cover:
Boys & Girls Basketball
Boys & Girls Track
Boys & Girls Soccer
Boys Flag Football
Girls Volleyball Click logo above to go to website!
MIDDLE
SCHOOL
ALL STATE
BAND
Does your Walker Student need to be challenge and learn friendly competition?
Does your child need new challenges to conquer? Do they enjoy strategy and math games?
Do they just need to learn to be competitors? Then it’s time for the world of Tivitz.
Tivitz is fast paced board game between two players that incorporates logic, strategy, and math skills to
win. There are similarities with chess and checkers. Tivitz will strengthen your child thinking process and math regardless of skill level and teach them friendly
competition. Tivitz has been around many years and is played all
across the US and online. And what’s even more exciting, Tivitz has now set up a way for your child to play and earn college savings and scholarships through tournaments. Walker even
has a couple of players who have earned college scholarship money through their success at the end
of the year county wide tournament. Walker Tivitz Group (6th-8th Grade)
meets almost or every Tuesday at Whole Foods ( or TBD)
3:30-5:00 pm Learn and Play! No experience necessary
For information on how the game is played or to play it online please visit http://www.tivitz.com/
Come join us or for more details, please contact one of the people below::
[email protected] [email protected]
TIVITZ
Four Walker students made the Middle School All State Band, This is the biggest accomplishment in middle school band! Walker had the only middle school winners in the whole district and we had 4!
CONGRATULATIONS
TO THESE
LEADERS OF THE PACK
Xavier Castro
Jennifer Lawson
Olivia Ratliff
Joe Tremper
4
International Intelligence - A Publication of the Walker Middle Magnet School of International Studies PTSA
A Hillsborough County School Volume 18, Issue 2 January 2015
UPCOMING EVENTW
12/19 Winter Break Begins
1/ 5 Students Return to
School
1/16 End of 2nd Grading
Period
1/19 Martin Luther King
Holiday/Non-Student
Day
1/20 Non-Student Day
2/ 5 Florida State Fair
Day/Non-Student
Day – W. Hills. Cty.
3/ 9 Spring Break Begins
3/16 Students Return to
School
3/27 End of 3rd Grading
Period
4/ 5 Non-Student Day
5/25 Memorial Day
Holiday/Schools
Closed
6/ 5 Last Day of School
http://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/
First I would like to introduce myself, my name is Frank Reyes and I am the chairperson for Dad’s Club of Walker Middle School PTSA. I have been fortunate enough to either already know many of you or have met you at our first two events this school year. My purpose is to create events that will allow Walker Student Dads to become even more active with their kids at Walker. These events will include fun outings, service, and education based outings. So far we have had a BBQ including dodge ball and volunteer days at Metropolitan Ministries for the holidays. In addition to this we are also hopeful to put together a school wide golf tournament this spring. Our event at GlowGolf in January was a “glowing” success . We would invite anyone who is interested in planning and putting together future events or if you have suggestions on events to please contact me. Please sign up for updates and future information by either sending me an email or follow our twitter account. Sincerely, Frank Reyes Email - [email protected] Twitter - @walkerdadsclub
DAD’S DOMAIN
Rosalie R 12-12
Renee F 12-18
Lexie S 12-30
Ciara G 1- 1
Olivia E 1- 7
Adrian G 1- 8
Natalia A. 1-16
Sophie S 1-25
Katherine G 1-31
Luca L 2- 4
Tyler S. 2- 4
Sam M. 2- 6
FOLLOW DAD’S CLUB
ON TWITTER
@walkerdadsclub
THE BEST WAY TO SPREAD
HOLIDAY CHEER IS TO PLAY
MUSIC FOR ALL TO HEAR!
A few of our orchestra
students spread some
holiday cheer to
Westchase with music!
A special thank you to
Burger 21 for providing
the venue and shakes
for our musicians!
Way to go Wolves!
5
International Intelligence - A Publication of the Walker Middle Magnet School of International Studies PTSA
A Hillsborough County School Volume 18, Issue 2 January 2015
PTSA’s Mission:
To support and speak on behalf
of Children and youth in the
schools, in the community, and
before governmental bodies and
other organizations that make
decisions affecting children;
To assist parents in developing
the skills they need to raise and
protect their children;
To encourage parent and public
involvement in the public
PTSA’s Purpose:
To promote the welfare of
children and youth in home,
school, community, and place of
worship.
To raise the standards of home
life.
To secure adequate laws for the
care and protection of children
and youth.
To bring into closer relation the
home and the school, that par-
ents and teachers may cooperate
intelligently in the education of
children and youth.
To develop between educators
and the general public such
united efforts as will secure for
all children and youth the high-
est advantages in physical,
mental, social and spiritual
education.
The School District of Hillsborough County does not discriminate nor tolerate
harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability or marital status in its educational programs, services or activities, or in its hiring or employment practices; and it will take immediate action to eliminate such harassment, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. Any student(s) or employee(s) found to have engaged in acts of harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability or marital status will be promptly disciplined. Such discipline may include, if circumstances warrant, suspension or expulsion for students, or suspension or termination for employees.
All school personnel, students, and parents are expected to work together to prevent harassment. Should you believe you or another individual has been subjected to harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability or marital status, you should report the harassment to your school or to:
Mark West, General Manager of Employee Relations Division of Human Resources 901 East Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 272-4227
Show your Wolf Pride by clicking on the pictures
below to order your spirit shirts!
KEEP YOUR EYES ON
EDSBY
6
THE GREAT TESTING DEBATE
International Intelligence - A Publication of the Walker Middle Magnet School of International Studies PTSA
A Hillsborough County School Volume 18, Issue 2 January 2015
Tests today are not like the tests most parents took when they were in school. New forms of evaluating
students' work are already in use, and even more changes will be coming in the years ahead. The broad
term "assessment" has come into common use to describe these new ways of measuring students'
accomplishments.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE ON THE NATIONAL PTSA WEBSITE
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Walker
Middle Magnet School PTSA
is the foundation for helping
to provide the support our
students and school needs to
create a safe and educational
environment.
The strength of our
organization depends on you
— the parents, teachers, and
students who embrace the
opportunity to directly impact
the lives of our students and
faculty at Walker. Every
family member is encouraged
to join (including grandpar-
ents!) as well as friends,
neighbors, businesses, and
community leaders.
Please print and complete the
Walker PTSA Involvement
Form and return it to your
student's homeroom teacher as
soon as possible.
Greetings from your School Social Worker!
As we get into the holiday season I would like to thank take a moment to thank all of the
families at Walker Middle Magnet for supporting our charitable efforts this year. The level
of caring and support provided by Walker PTA families has truly blown me away! The
Thanksgiving food drive for our family in need provided a whole trunk full of food,
toiletries and other necessities. The mother of the family was so overjoyed by the out
pouring of support she struggled to keep the tears in when I delivered it to their home.
I look at the efforts you all have made to meet the need of those less fortunate and I am in
awe! As we have started our Angel Tree in the main office I am amazed at how quickly the
ornaments are claimed. Thank you for your continued commitment to making Walker
Middle Magnet a wonderful place to learn, grow and achieve!
Best Regards,
Amy Edl, LCSW
School Social Worker
BUSINESS PARTNERS
NEEDED!
f you are a business owner
and would like to
support your PTSA or
become a partner!
Contact Kim
Bermudez
through the
PTSA website.
TEACHER AIDE POSITION Walker currently has a temporary
(with benefits) Unique Needs
paraprofessional position
available.
This person will work with our
students with autism and other
intellectual exceptionalities.
If you are interested, email Pat-
or call her 631-4726 ext 225.
7
RECEIVE THE NEWSLETTER
ELECTRONICALLY!
Send an email
HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOL NEWS
International Intelligence - A Publication of the Walker Middle Magnet School of International Studies PTSA
A Hillsborough County School Volume 18, Issue 2 January 2015
Dear Parent/Guardian:
We would like your feedback on an important district Initiative.
Through a partnership with several community agencies, all Hillsborough County students
through the 8th grade are able to access an online digital library of more than 4,000 books
– called myON Reader – for free.
Read On myON is a unique and innovative project focusing on community-wide literacy. In
the past three years, 240,000 students in Hillsborough County have logged into myON and
read more than 5.2 million books!
As we look forward to continuing the Read On myON project, we would like your feedback
Please take a few minutes to complete a survey about your use of myON Reader.
To take the survey, click on the link below.
www.surveymonkey.com/s/ReadonmyON2014
Thank you for your feedback.
MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent
Hillsborough County Public Schools
One of the largest middle
schools in northwest
Hillsborough County
Walker Middle has main-
tained a state rating
of "A" for the
past several years.
The school has instituted
the Olweus Program
anti-bullying program,
which prohibits
bullying and encourages
students to help other
students who may
be being bullied.
THANK YOU
for supporting the
Walker Middle
Magnet School PTSA!
GARDEN
UPDATE! We have started a community garden project
with three organic gardens at VISTA Gardens in Carrollwood Village.
We are now in need of your help. Areas you may volunteer or contribute: 1. Help maintain the garden (weeding, clipping, fertilizing, etc.) 2. Help with spreading mulch around the gardens 3. Contribute kitchen and yard refuse - Vegetable skins and debris - Coffee grounds - Grass clippings - Oak leaves
Students who need community service hours will receive credit for volunteering. Students should always be under the supervision of a parent/guardian when
working on the garden. For more information about volunteering and contributing debris contact Rebecca Petrilak @ [email protected].
