From the Principal – WOW! It is hard to believe it is already May! This year has flown by! We have had many successes this school year! We have seen our academic, benchmark and checkpoint scores on our assessments consistently rise. We have had incredible learning opportunities for your children throughout the year! Our athletic and fine arts programs have had many successes this school year! Our PTA has been phenomenal in their support of our programs at Tippit Middle School! In looking at the wonderful successes of our campus, I have to thank you for supporting our wonderful instructional staff. In 19 years of education, I have never worked with such a dedicated and talented group of people! They never cease to amaze me in what they teach our children everyday! Take time to ask your son or daughter what they have learned this year-DON’T settle for “nothing” or “I don’t know”. Really push them to tell you about this year! You will be amazed, not only at what they have learned, but the depth and complexity at which they have learned it. I am convinced that we must have the smartest students in Georgetown! As we wrap up this year, I just want to say thank you for a wonderful year! As I said earlier, it has been my most exciting and enjoyable year in education! I cannot wait to see what next school year brings. I truly feel honored to be working alongside the wonderful staff we have at Tippit Middle School and with the wonderful parents and community! So in closing… THANKS

• a thank you to all the parents who volunteered and gave us help when needed; • a thank you to all the parents who regularly looked through students' backpacks for notes and messages sent

home; • a thank you to all the parents who called in when their child was ill and would be absent from school; and • a thank you to all the parents who made sure their children spent time on schoolwork at home.

As we consider our upcoming year, please take time to find out how you can get involved in your child’s educational journey! We want to see you at Tippit Middle School! We have many wonderful opportunities to get involved! Just ask one of our wonderful PTA representatives or ask any teacher or staff member at Tippit Middle School…we will guide you in the right direction. As you consider preparing for next school year, please think about what we expect of our learning community at Tippit Middle School:

• We will challenge and support each student through differentiated content, products and instructional strategies in all content areas.

• We will collaborate as a staff and community to ensure we have a work environment that promotes and achieves high staff productivity and positive morale.

• We will increase student learning in content and language by organizing existing curriculum, instructional resources and assessments to focus on key concepts and critical skills.

Thank you for sharing your children with us! We look forward to serving your students in the 2013-2014 School Year! Sincerely, Brian Dawson, Principal, Tippit Middle School

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Tippit  School  Store  

The  Tippit  Titan  school  store  has  great  gifts  for  Mother’s  Day!    If  you’re  running  low  on  school  supplies,  you  can  purchase  them  at  the  store  for  very  reasonable  prices.  Pencils  are  only  20  cents,  and  we  have  many  more  items!  

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Tippit’s Got Talent!! Wow!! Thank you to EVERYONE who gave of their time and talents for our awesome Tippit’s Got Talent show on April 4. We have so many talented students at TMS and thoroughly enjoyed all of the great acts! A special congratulations to our winners: 1st place – Hayden Hickman, guitar solo 2nd place – Luna Reyes – Mexican folk dance solo 3rd place – Michael Harris & Hayden Hickman – vocal & guitar duet A huge THANK YOU to: *Our wonderful emcees – Mr. Dawson & Mrs. Bradford *Our excellent judges – Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Johnson, & Mrs. McWherter *TMS teachers & staff who created the wonderful baskets for the silent auction *All of the great performers *The parents & others who attended and supported their students *All of the fabulous volunteers *Organizers Dawn Korman, Kirby Tyndall & Maureen Raleigh *Platinum sponsors:

T&K Physicians Associates The Stewart Family The Tyndall Family

*Gold Sponsors: The Behling Family The Crawford Family

*Donors: Arie Awards & Signs Best Buy Dolce Music Studio HEB Hobby Lobby Michael Angelos Souper Salad Target

Teacher Appreciat ion Week is May 6 - 10

Teachers play a key role in student success, and sometimes a simple “thanks” is all a teacher needs to feel valued. If you would like to say thanks to a Georgetown ISD teacher or staff member, you can do so by going to a special link on the district’s web site. Once you enter your comments, they will be sent to the School and Community Relations Office. Some of the best comments will be published during Teacher Appreciation Week. The link can be found at: www.georgetownisd.org//cms/module/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=135

8th  Grade  Graduation  Volunteers  are  needed  to  help  with  the  8th  grade  graduation  ceremony  on  May  31.    Volunteers  should  arrive  by  8:30  a.m.  to  set  up  table/cake/plates,  etc.  and  will  then  stay  throughout  ceremony  &  cut  &  serve  cake  at  the  end  of  the  ceremony.    The  ceremony  should  end  no  later  than  10:30  a.m.    We  ideally  need  4  volunteers.    Please  contact  Christine  Bowman  at  receptions@tippitmspta.org  to  volunteer  or  for  more  information.    Thank  you!    

Nominate a Great Educator! Educators play a huge role in the success of our students & TX PTA wants to recognize deserving educators. Nominations are open until May 17. The nominator and the nominee must be PTA members. Categories for the awards are: Elementary & Secondary Teacher of the Year; Elementary & Secondary Principal of the Year; Superintendent of the Year. You can nominate a deserving educator today at www.txpta.org/recognition/educator-awards/

From the Library Parents, The end of the year is almost here---hard to believe!! The last day for students to check out books from the library is Friday, May 10. All library books are due the following Friday, May 17. Students that return books on time will receive a free buy-one-get-one free coupon to Fiesta Texas & a free Sonic ice cream coupon until they run out. 6th grade students that qualified for free Six Flags tickets will also get a buy-one-get-one Fiesta Texas coupon for other family members. (The coupons are good for up to 4 people). Literacy Walk On Wednesday, May 8, Tippit Middle School will celebrate literacy with a school-wide Literacy Walk. The purpose of the Literacy Walk is to raise money for library books & Language Arts book sets. Students are asked to seek pledges from family members & friends for every lap they walk during their Language Arts class on the Tippit track that day. The pledges are to be recorded on the pledge sheet. Each lap = ¼ mile & students will have approximately 35-40 minutes to walk. Flat donations are also appreciated. Students should not go door to door to solicit pledges. Participation in the Literacy Walk is not required, but strongly encouraged. Pledge sheets are due to the Language Arts teachers by Wednesday, May 15. Students should dress comfortably in good walking shoes. They may wear hats. Students may also bring sunscreen and water bottles. Concessions will be available that day (water, Gatorade, & popcorn). We are looking for volunteers to help in a variety of ways on that day. Please contact Mrs. Gauntt if you can help out! Thank you! Sheila Gauntt Tippit Middle School librarian 512-943-5043 gauntts@georgetownisd.org

Tippit PTA for 2013-2014

Do you like to serve, be involved at your child’s school, and make a difference? If so, the Tippit PTA board needs you next school year! The following positions are open: Vice President - This position supports the president and the rest of the PTA board to carry out the goals of Tippit Middle School PTA. Volunteer Coordinator - This does not need to be one person, it can in fact be a group of people, generating interest in helping out at PTA sponsored efforts/events. Fundraising Chair - This person would help out with the school-run fundraiser, along with supporting the PTA annual fundraiser (Talent Show or Family Fun Night), Concessions & School Store. Talent Show or Family Fun Night Chair - The Talent Show was a huge success in so many ways this year. If this is your cup of tea, we would love to hold a 2nd Annual Tippit’s Got Talent Show. If not, we are open to new ideas. This event has been held in the spring in years past, but if you have time and energy during another time of year, the date is flexible. Concession Stand Co-chair - PTA currently runs the concession stand each Tues. afternoon/evening during football season (about 8 games). This is a great job for football & cheer parents (due to timing), but is a great opportunity to meet new parents, enjoy the game & the students in attendance. We respect your need to watch your child play & make every effort to man the stand so this will happen. The co-chair will assist with the stocking or the stand, keeping track of inventory & manning the stand. Reflections Chair - Coordinate the PTA Reflections program for Tippit. This event can be run in conjunction with the Pickett Elementary program. Health & Wellness Chair - This position will work with chairs from the other schools. Environmental Chair – If you have ideas or desire to help the environment at Tippit, we could use your help and would love your energy. Box Tops Coordinator – Collect & turn Box Tops from Tippit; coordinate collection drives.

If you are interested in filling any of these positions, or if you have questions, please contact Sarah Jenkins at schoolstore@tippitmspta.org

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8th Grade End-of-the-Year Celebration Student Commitment and Parent Consent Form

Please complete this entire form and return it to the attention of Tippit PTA in the Front Office with your payment of $12 (cash or checks made out to Tippit PTA) by Friday, May 8th. NO LATE FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED. STUDENT’S NAME: __________________________________________________________________________ 3RD PERIOD TEACHER: ____________________________________________________ I plan to attend the 8th Grade End-of –the Year Celebration at Summer Fun Water Park in Belton, on Wed., May 29th. I understand I will be invited to attend only if I have met all requirements for 8th grade graduation and promotion to 9th grade and have not had any discipline problems. Student Signature: _________________________________________________________ My child has permission to attend the 8th Grade End-of-the-Year Celebration at Summer Fun Water Park in Belton on Wednesday, May 29th, 2013. I understand my child will be invited to attend only if he/she has met all requirements for 8th grade graduation and promotion to 9th grade and has not had any discipline problems. I understand that I will be responsible to come and get my child if he/she fails to observe school conduct or dress code. _____Yes, my child will need to take medication on this day. (Only daily medicines approved by the school nurse will be administered at Summer Fun Water Park). _____ Yes, I have enclosed a donation to help provide another student the opportunity to attend this event. _____ Yes, I would like to help. We would like 20 parent volunteers to be in attendance. Help with t-shirt distribution, lunch and beverages would also be appreciated. _____ Yes, I give my permission to have my child’s name included in the class list on the back of the shirt. Parent Signature: _____________________________ E-mail: ________________________________________ Home Phone: _______________________________________ Work/Cell Phone: _______________________________ T-SHIRT ORDER Student’s Name: ________________________________ 3rd Period Teacher: ______________________________ Please Circle T-shirt size: Adult: S M L XL XXL

Attention 8th Grade Parents – 8th Grade Celebration!!!

Where: Summer Fun Water Park When: Wednesday, May 29th Who may attend? Only students who have successfully met all requirements of the 8th grade & will be in the 9th grade for the 2013-2014 school year will be allowed to attend. Students need to return the student commitment & parent consent form below along with $12 (cash or check made out to Tippit PTA) to the Front Office by Friday, May 8th. LATE FORMS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!