CUB REPORTER
March 16, 2004
http://www.cobb.leon.k12.fl.us
http://listserv.leon.k12.fl.us
 “Building the Future Together”


Dear Students and Parents,

On Friday, March 12th, the symphonic band participated in the District 3
Music Performance Assessment at FSU and earned straight superior ratings
from all four judges.  We offer them our congratulations for a job well
done and thank them for their dedication and hard work.

The Cobb Middle School Brain Bowl team won second place in the Big Bend
Middle School Brain Bowl competition on March 11, 2004.  The team and
coaches, Jo Ann Brierton and Lynne Corbett, spent the day at Tallahassee
Community College for the competition.  There were 6 rounds consisting of
15 questions each.  Cobb was undefeated through the first four rounds and
then came the exciting match between Cubs and Deerlake, also undefeated.
The match was tense and exciting with Cobb coming out on top of 6 points!
The championship round was Fairview VS Cobb – the battle of the
undefeated.  Fairview won but the Cubs made Cobb proud.  With the support
of the administration, faculty, staff, students and fantastic goodie bags
provided by the PTO these six students represented our school well.  CUBS
HAVE BRAIN POWER!

Congratulations to a 6th grade Cobb student who has qualified to represent
Cobb Middle School at the state level of the National Geographic Bee.  The
state Bee is scheduled for April 2nd in Jacksonville, Florida.  He was one
of 100 students in the state chosen to compete.  Good luck Cliff!!  We are
so proud of you!!

Congratulations to me for being appointed into the Manchester Who’s Who
Among Executive and Professional Women in the Honors Edition.
Congratulations to the two teams from Cobb who will be advancing to the
Odyssey of the Mind State Competition on Saturday, April 24th in Orlando,
Florida.    We are so proud of all of you and wish you the best in your
competition.  Congratulations for advancing this far!!

Congratulations to the Cobb Cheerleaders for an outstanding performance
last Wednesday evening at the Tallahassee Cheer Showcase in Tully Gym.
Seven middle schools and four high schools participated in this exciting
exhibition of gymnastics, stunts and dances.  Great job girls and thanks to
our sponsors, Mrs. Oliveri and Ms. Mays.
Cobb Middle School concluded Black History Month activities on Friday,
February 27, 2004 with an assembly and dinner.  Former president of Cobb
Black History Club and PIMS club was the guest speaker. The sophomore at
Leon High School gave an inspiring speech that challenged the students to
do their very best. Mrs. Alesia Alexander-Garrison a member of Cobb’s first
Black History Brain Bowl team(1983) did a dramatization of a Langston
Hughes poem. Current Cobb students that participated on the assembly
program. The assembly was followed by a Black History feast for staff and
guest.  Special guests that attended the program included Mrs. Harriett and
Mrs. Myrtle Williams, mother and grandmother of the speaker; Mrs. Maggie
Lewis, Leon County School Board; Former Cobb Staff Members: Mrs. Dorothy
Harris, Dr. Nancy Henning, Mrs. Bernice King, Mrs. Valerie LaHart, parents
and friends. School Board member Sheila Costigan could not attend because
of death in her family.

Congratulations to Mr. Doug Cook, Cobb’s Aquillina Howell/Devurn Glenn
Distinguished Minority Educator; Ms. JoAnn Brierton, Cobb’s Teacher of the
Year; and Ms. Mary Barrett, Cobb’s School Related Employee of the Year.
Mr. Cook, Ms. Brierton and Ms. Barrett always go above and beyond the call
of duty to help all students.

Girls Softball, golf and track are all underway.  Come out and support the
girl’s softball team or attend one of the track meetings.  These events are
always a lot of fun.

The Lincoln Drama department performed Rapunzel uncut and some
improvisations for our 8th graders last Thursday and everyone enjoyed the
performance.  Several of the students were former Cobb students and it was
fascinating to watch these confident young adults and former students.

The teachers are still attending inservice on Reading Routines and many
teachers have joined the book club and the book we are reading is, I Read
It But I Don’t Get It, by Cris Tovani.  This book is superb to help all of
us understand that students learn to read in elementary school but must
learn to understand text when they get to middle school.  It outlines
specific strategies to help our students with reading comprehension.

Start reading students!!  Cobb is starting a book club and the first
meeting is Thursday after school from 2-3:15. Our first book is "Sister
Spider Knows All" by Adrian Fogelin, a local author who sets the story at
the Tallahassee flea market. It's not too late to join, so interested
students should come to the media center on Thursday. See Mrs. Beyer or Ms.
A. Davis for more information.

Parents of 6th graders, please be aware that it is time for immunizations.
To go into the 7th grade your child must have the Hep B series and a TD
booster.  Cecile Kemp LPN, clinic nurse for Cobb will be sending letters to
parents/guardian who are not up to date.  If you receive a letter and your
child is up to date, please bring verification to the school.  Ms. Kemp has
a list of when the County mobile unit will be in your area.  Please feel
free to call her at 488-3364 or email her ([log in to unmask])
for that information.

SAFETY - We need ALL parents to assist us with our after school Safety
Plan.  We are concerned that too many students are unsupervised from 2:20
until 5:00 P.M. and later.  Please note the current rules that are in place
for reasons of child safety:
-General campus supervision is from 7:00 A.M. to 2:20 P.M.
-School dismisses at 1:50 P.M.
-All students must go to an authorized area, bus stop, parent pick up or a
supervised after school activity by 2:00 P.M.
-Supervision is provided at the bus stop until the last bus leaves.
(Approximately 2:05)
-Supervision is provided at parent pick up until 2:20 P.M. (see posted
signs)
-No school child is authorized to be in an unsupervised area after 2:20.
-ALL after school activity students must be picked up by 4:00 P.M.

Because we find that many parents believe their child is staying for the
homework center or some other supervised after school activity and they are
not, we are taking the following safety measures beginning Monday, March
26, 2004:
-ALL students that are unauthorized and unsupervised on campus after 2:20
will be taken to room 2 located in the first hallway.  We will determine
the nature of the problem and notify parents accordingly.
-Parents will be asked to sign their student(s) out of room 2 after 2:20.
-ALL after school activity students must be picked up by 4:00 P.M. as a
condition of continued participation.
Parents, please work with us to insure that all of our students are always
safe.  See Mr. McDaris if you have questions.

Please mark your calendars that Friday, March 19th is a Teacher Plan Day,
Spring Break is the following week, and students return for the 1st day of
the last nine weeks on March 29th.

As always, thanks for your support.

Sincerely,

Lynda Roser,
Principal


The next Cub Reporter will go home on April 6, 2004

Cobb will be offering the following Summer Camps.  Please email the sponsor
for more information.
Math Camps
June 7-10 and 14-17 [log in to unmask]
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August 2-5
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Reading & Writing for Comprehensives
June 7-10 and 14-17
[log in to unmask]
Conditioning Camp

June 7-10, 14-17, 21-24 and June 29-July 1
[log in to unmask]
Color Guard

June 21-24
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Band Camp

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Calendar of Events:

March 17 Girls Softball Cobb VS. Ft. Braden
                at Messer 6:00 P.M.
 March 18 End of 3rd Nine Weeks
 March 19 Teacher Planning Day
March 22-26 Spring Break
March 30 – SAC 12:15
April 2 – Report Cards scheduled to go home
April 5 – Girls Softball Cobb VS Nims
             At Leon
6:00
April 6 – Friends Picture Day
April 6 – Track Meet at Godby 5:30


PTO

March 23 is Children and Junior Night at the Caring Tree Program of Big
Bend Hospice.  The Caring Tree offers care, comfort, and hope to grieving
children, teens, and their families as a FREE community service.  These
Hospice events allow those who have experienced the death of a love one a
safe place to come and share their ideas, feelings, experiences, and
support.   Trained grief support counselors are present at all Caring Tree
activities.  Located at 1723 Mahan Center Blvd.  Tallahassee, contact
Candace McKnight at 878-5310 X 449 for more information.

CALLING ALL PARENTS!  End-of-the-year events are fast-approaching and we
need
your help!  For more information or to volunteer for any of these
activities,
contact PTO President Meg Guyton at 385-0275.
    April 6 - Friends Picture Day
    April 23 - 8th grade cook out (parents help cook, serve, etc.)
    April 26 - 5th graders visit Cobb
    April 27 - Curriculum Fair (parents needed as hosts/hostesses)
    May 11 - 6th grade field trip to Wakulla Springs (chaperones needed)
    May 19 - 8th grade bowling party (chaperones needed)
    May 21 - 8th grade citizenship ice cream social (parents needed to
serve,
etc.)
    May 25 - 7th grade parents needed to assist with 8th grade  Awards
Assembly
    2004/2005 - 8th grade trip for May, 2005, needs parent coordinator

2004-2005 LEADERSHIP SOUGHT - It is time to put together a slate of PTO
officers for the next academic year and we need parents of current 6th and
7th graders to step up to the plate!  If you would like to consider serving
as an officer (Vice President, Treasurer or Secretary) or committee
chairperson, please contact Meg Guyton at 385-0275.  We are, also, looking
for current 5th grade parents who will be at Cobb next year and would like
to be involved.  Serving as an officer or chair is not difficult (detailed
instructions are available for many positions) and does not have to take a
lot of time.  Please consider
now how you can support your child and his/her school next year!

MANY THANKS to Lura Wiley and Laura Rogers for providing treats for Cobb's
Brain Bowl team!

Parents - The 8th grade dance is set for Friday, May 14th, 7:30-10:30 at
The Women's Club in Los Robles.  If you can help out with refreshments,
supplies, decorations or chaperoning please call Gaye Johnson at 222-8118.