May Newsletter
/Dear Science Magnet Community,
The light is at the end of the tunnel! What a year it has been. The JAMS Science Magnet continues to be a gem at JAMS and it truly takes a village to keep it all going, thank you for your support and being a part of this wonderful community.
JAMS SCIENCE MAGNET SCHOLARSHIPS for SAMOHI SENIORS
Each year JAMS Science Magnet awards scholarships to graduating Samohi seniors who are JAMS alumni. These hardworking, science-minded students are chosen by the Science Magnet scholarship committee based on merit and a written essay. Four scholarship recipients have been chosen for 2017 and will be announced at the Science Magnet Social on May 15. Their essays will be published in the next newsletter! Click here to read the notes to the Science Magnet Community from last year's Samohi JAMS Scholarship recipients.
SCIENCE MAGNET SEMINARS UPDATE
Due to a large number of 7th-grade magnet students needing that one last seminar credit to remain in the magnet for next year, we are extending the deadline for their 5th seminar. Students short on seminars can complete an independent seminar (and/or Coding if they need two) by Monday, May 8th. For coding, they must complete the advanced 20-hour course on the coding website. They need to register with the directions on the seminar sheet and sign in under the class code given. Students should register with their first and LAST name as one name for credit, example "TRACYLEVIN" Email tlevin@smmusd.org with questions.
Students that qualify will receive their acceptance letters on time. The others will be contingent until Monday, May 8th. The extension applies only to seminars.
2017-18 SCIENCE MAGNET BOARD
The proposed slate for the Science Magnet Board for next year is coming together and can be seen here. We still have a few vacancies and can alway use new members, so if you would like to be a part of the Board or would like to volunteer in any capacity, we need you. Please join the next meeting on 5/22 or e-mail board@jamssciencemagnet.org.
YOUR FAMILY IS INVITED TO THE MAGNET SOCIAL!
The Annual Science Magnet Social is on May 15 at JAMS at 6 pm. We will have dinner, dessert, demos, and showcase some of the year's highlights! Click on the flyer, then rsvp with the number in your party so we can plan for food.
E-mail manja.lenkin@verizon.net.
If you are available to volunteer to help, please sign up! http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e49aeaa28a0f58-science
WILL JAMS STUDENTS GET TO SPEAK WITH ASTRONAUTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION NEXT SCHOOL YEAR?
We hope so! Many thanks to Sigrid Geerling for putting together an amazing application and letter of intent to NASA for JAMS to host a NASA Downlink! This will be a great opportunity for our students and educators to interact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station during a live, 20-minute question-and-answer. Check out the letter of intent which outlines why JAMS is a perfect candidate.
JAPAN EXCHANGE PROGRAM
As our own JAMS students are ready to depart for Japan at the end of June, we are still looking for families to host a Japanese student for a weekend in August. Our exchange students will be part of your family from late afternoon Friday, Aug 4th until the morning of Aug 7th. You need to be a totally average family with the desire to show a Japanese student how we do things Santa Monica style. No expensive Disneyland trips, no rigid schedule to keep. Just have fun! We have need for 4 adults chaperones to be hosted as well. The only requirement is that the guest has their own bed. If you have previously hosted, please share your experience in the comments. E-mail mdhannant@msn.com.
SUMMER INSTITUTE
Sixth Grade Summer Institute - The incoming 6th-grade science camp is currently full. All students that have signed up and paid are in! We'll see them at JAMS on Tuesday, August 15th and Wednesday, August 16th from 8:30am-2:30 pm. Incoming 6th-grade registration will take place after camp on Wednesday!
7th & 8th Grade Summer Institute will be August 7th-August 11th, 8:30am-2:30 pm, Signups for incoming 7th & 8th-grade students coming. http://jamssciencemagnet.org/summer-institute/
MORRO BAY FAMILY CAMPING TRIP
Next year's 7th and 8th-grade family camping trip to Morro Bay State Park is September 15-17, 2017. To sign up for announcements and directions for next year's trip, please click on the "trip info" button on the Morro Bay page.
THANK YOU!
A Special “thanks” to the many parents who shared their spark by leading a seminar this year:
John Moss (SMC Zoology)
Patricia Jardack (nutrition seminar)
Mara Cabrera (Fairview Lib - 3-d printing and raspberry pi)
Randy Powell (Ham Radio)
Dennis Payne (Ham Radio)
Will Nicholas (Wetlands)
Armando Martinez (Trees of JAMS)
Jennifer Raymond (Urban Farming)
Gavin Bahadur (Be a doctor)
Duilio Cascio (Soap with Ray)
Maxine Meltz (Gardening)
And a final thank you to the 2016-17 Science Magnet Executive Board for working behind the scenes to support the science magnet program, our students, and our teachers.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
5/5-8 2017 - Astrocamp, 8th Grade Science Magnet, (all students -one trip)
5/15/2017 - 6:30 pm SMSM SPRING SOCIAL
5/22/2017 - SMSM Board - Transition Meeting
8/7-8/11 - Summer Institute 7th & 8th Grade, 8:30am-2:30pm
8/15-8/16 - Summer Institute 6th, 8:30am-2:30pm
