Lakota Middle School Falcons - Federal Way Public Schools

Highlights From The Principal—Pam Tuggle
Lakota Middle School
Falcons
Lakota Middle School
1415 SW 314th St
Federal Way, WA 98023
(253) 945-4800
www.fwps.org/lakota
The 2011-2012 school year is off to a great start with over 800 smiling,
energetic and eager learners walking through our academies of middle
school excitement. Seeing your students learn and enjoying school is such
a bright spot in my day. This is our first official e-newsletter for this
year. After this newsletter, all future newsletters will be viewed online. We
will, however, keep hard copies of
our newsletter in the information
rack by the Attendance/reception
counter and in the main office. If you
would like a copy, please feel free to
take one or ask someone in the office.
I encourage you to read through this
newsletter in it’s entirety, because it
contains some very important information
you must know, as well as it
creates another venue for your involvement
and partnership with Lakota Middle School. We extremely
value our partnership with you, our families, because of the positive impact
it has for your student(s) overall school success.
Included with our newsletter is the “Falcon Flyer,” from our amazing Lakota
PTA. If you have not joined our PTA, I am personally recruiting you.
The Lakota staff is just a smidgen shy of 100% membership. There are
many, many perks to having a strong PTA at Lakota, but the most important
perk is that your children benefit from our partnership, because everything
the PTA is doing or involved with is advocacy for your child. I can genuinely
say that all of the work we do together is “about the kids.” And, as it
should be!
Our Lakota Watch D.O.G.S. barbequed some delicious burgers and over
700 were served at our Open House. We estimated about 800 people present
for this back to school “kick off” event. It is always great to see what is
going on in the classroom, to meet students and put a face with a name.
Thank you for your participation and we thank the PTA and Watch
D.O.G.S. for their tremendous help. We believe it was a very successful
Open House.
Pam Tuggle, Principal
Michael McCarthy, Assistant Principal
October
Lakota Calendar
20—Orchestra Concert
25—Fall Harvest
27—No School—Student Led Conferences
28—No School—Student Led Conferences
November
2—Choir Concert
7—2nd Sports Season Begins
10—End of First Grading Period
11—No School—Veterans Day
24-25—No school—Thanksgiving Break
December
1—Band Concert
6—Choir/Orchestra Combined Concert
19-30—No school—Winter Break
January
2—No school—Winter Break
16—No School—Martin Luther King Jr. Day
25—7th Grade Culture Fair
27—No School—Semester Break
30—3rd Sports Season Begins
February
1—Choir Concert
7—2nd Sports Season Begins
20-21—No School—Mid-Winter Break
March
2—No school—Winter Break
15—Orchestra Concert
16—No School—Teacher In-Service
22-23—No School—Student Led Conferences
27—Choir Concert
29—Band Concert
School Hours
8:00—2:45
Office Hours
7:30—3:30
October 2011

Page 2
Lakota Middle School
Highlights From The Principal—Continued
As we all know, students who are involved in school activities, not only have a much more memorable experience
in middle school, but research indicates that they achieve better academically. At Lakota, we try to
offer a broad range of activities to meet the interests of our students. Please take a look at the list of Lakota
Clubs and Sports and see where your student may be plugged in. After school academic support is provided
by our individual teachers, along with Homework Club, but there are various activities that will help your
student with Math, Reading and Science concepts while they are having fun. We want every student to have
access and opportunity to apply their learning in a different social setting. Socialization and social skills are
critically important in the middle school child’s overall development, health and well-being.
Mr. McCarthy, our Assistant Principal, has been restructuring our protocol and procedures for lunch, so
students have time to eat, socialize with friends and expel some of their energy through what we call
“transition.” The transition choices may be to stay at the table with friends and continue to eat, go to the
library, play at the foosball tables or when weather permits, go outside. Outside, students may be playing
kickball, throwing a football, using a hoola-hoop or jump rope. Or, they may just be outside enjoying some
nice weather and visiting with friends. Now, as the typical Northwest weather approaches us, these outside
options will be limited or not available. But,
we will still have “transition” during lunch;
it just may look different. Also, Mr.
McCarthy has included in this newsletter
some “uniform” or dress code adjustments
we have recently made. Please look over it
carefully and talk with your student at home
about the changes, so they know the expectations.
We will be going over the changes at
lunch time, so students will be hearing it
multiple times. Please note: When students
ask a teacher to wear their coat in class, because
they are cold, it is their responsibility
to take it off BEFORE they enter the common
areas of the school. Coats are still NOT allowed
in the common areas of the school.
Common areas include the Great Rooms in
each academy, the hallways, the main entrance, the Commons and the gym areas. Coats are only allowed in
the classroom. Of course, coats are allowed when students are transitioning from the main building to P.E.
But, we must see Lakota uniforms when students are all gathered in common areas. We have made a few
changes that seem more practical and reasonable and have appreciated your feedback this year. No additional
revisions will be made this year.
Our Parent Portal is around the corner and it is called GO 2 (Grades Online 2). As I write this newsletter,
you are going to be receiving login information via mail, so you can go into a teacher’s grade-book to see
how your student is doing in class, with respect to standards, learning targets and assignments. Enclosed in
this newsletter are the explicit instructions for you to use when logging into GO 2. If you have any difficulty,
please contact our office and we will try to help you. This program will continue to evolve and get
better as we navigate through it and learn it better ourselves. So, please give us your constructive feedback.
Since it is so new and designed specifically for our district, there may be some slight glitches, as all new
computer programs sometimes experience, but we will definitely submit any great suggestions you may
have from a parent perspective. There is also a “student” view, so your students can go into the grade-book
and see where they are in each class. They will also be receiving their login information in the immediate
future.

Page 3
Lakota Middle School
Highlights From The Principal—Continued
Student-Led conferences are coming up at the end of October, along with our PTA Fall Harvest Festival.
Please look for communication from your student’s teacher to schedule the conference. If you have not
heard from them yet, you will very shortly. Conferences will be on Thursday, 10/27 and Friday, 10/28.
Some conferences may be on Wednesday evening, 10/26. Our PTA will, again be sponsoring our Scholastic
Book Fair, so please check it out in the Commons area. This is a great time to pick out some books, gifts,
posters, and other little trinkets kids love. We have two book fairs each year, one in the fall and one in the
spring. The Fall Harvest Festival is open to all Lakota families and is a great time of celebrating the beautiful
season of FALL. Please join us on Tuesday, 10/25 from 6:30-8:00 pm. Read the details in the PTA newsletter.
Remember, if you are available in the morning, I hold a “Coffee and Conversation with the Principal,” once
per month. The next one is coming up on October 20 th . We have coffee, treats and most of all excellent
conversation about our students, school, learning, district initiatives and whatever you believe is important
for us to discuss. We meet in the Commons from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. We start and finish promptly, so please
join us if possible.
It’s a great day to be a Lakota Falcon, because, “Together We Win!”
Pam Tuggle
Safety and Security—Officer Rudy Talik
Parent Pick Up Loop - For the safety of all students and others in our parking lot, please remember:
slow down
watch for oncoming traffic when entering the continuously moving lane from the pick up lane
watch for people crossing the traffic lanes to get to the parking lot...they are pedestrians and
have the right of way - crosswalks will be painted soon
always pull as far forward when in the pick up lane - traffic backs up to 312th when we do not pull forward continuously
Reporting of Harassment or Bullying - If your student is experiencing harassment or bullying, please encourage
them to report it as soon as possible. We do not tolerate this in our school, but we cannot address it if it has not
been reported.
Please report to:
A teacher - any teacher
Counselor - Mrs. Fortunato
Dean of Students - Mrs. Turley
Security - Mr. Rudy
Assistant Principal - Mr. McCarthy
Principal - Mrs. Tuggle

Lakota Middle School Page 4
Assistant Principal’s Corner—Michael McCarthy
Lakota Dress Policy Revisions and Reminders
Over the course of the first 6 weeks of school, we have received input regarding the Lakota Middle School Standardized Dress
Policy. In hearing the concerns of parents, students, and teachers we have made several revisions to the current policy. These
revisions are not more restrictive, but less restrictive in nature yet still lead to promoting the objectives outlined by the committee
that created the policy in May of 2011:
To promote a safe and civil school community
To support an atmosphere that encourages learning
We feel the revisions as stated below address many of the concerns that have been expressed this year:
Original Policy Revised Policy Rationale
“Coats/Jackets are not to
be worn inside the classroom
or building during
the school day”
Students must only wear
either a polo shirt or a
Lakota Wear Sweatshirt
as the top layer of clothing.
Students “Must still wear
a polo shirt underneath
the sweatshirt”
“A white undershirt may
be worn under the polo
shirt”
Coats and Jackets may be worn inside
classrooms but must be removed in
hallways, and common areas.
While in these “no coat areas,” students
may place their coat in their
backpack, tie it around their waist or
carry it from class to class.
Students may wear official Lakota
Wear T-Shirts as stand alone tops.
Students do not need to wear a polo
shirt underneath sweatshirts.
However when a sweatshirt is removed,
the student must remain in
proper dress code.
Students may wear solid, white, red,
or black undershirts beneath their
polo shirts (The undershirt must be
plain, but can be a short sleeve, long
sleeve or a turtle neck undershirt.)
Students were becoming cold inside classrooms
and need access to their coats.
For student safety purposes, coats are still
not allowed in halls/common areas. Staff
must be able to visually distinguish students
from visitors or unwelcomed guests.
Much money has been spent on purchasing
Lakota T-Shirts that with the original policy
could not be worn at school. When students
are wearing Lakota T-Shirts, they
can still be identified.
Wearing a Polo Shirt under a sweatshirt
was uncomfortable for many students.
The presence of school-colored undershirts
does not distract from the learning environment
or inhibit the safety of our school community.
Dress Code Tips and Reminders:
Many online retailers offer coupons or discounts on uniform items June-October
Hats are not to be visible during the school day and should be stored in students’ backpacks
No form-fitting or revealing clothing should be worn as a part of the Lakota uniform
Students may purchase Lakota Wear Crew-Style Sweatshirts from the main office for $11.00. Lakota T-Shirts will soon be
made available for purchase.
Disciplinary Consequences will not result from violations of the dress code. However, if a student becomes defiant about
following a staff member’s reasonable request to change, go to the uniform closet, or call home for replacement garments,
consequences will result. In addition, the act of repeatedly refusing to abide by the Standardized dress policy, will be considered
an act of defiance and will result in consequences.
If there are any comments or questions about the policies outlined above, please call or email Mr. Mike
McCarthy (Assistant Principal) at (253) 945-4815 or mmccarth@fwps.org

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Lakota Middle School
Introducing Go2 – Grades Online Gets a Standards-Based Makeover
Beginning Monday, October 17, secondary students and their parents will have access to a new online
tool for monitoring their academic progress in Federal Way Public Schools. We’re excited to introduce
Go2, a robust and flexible grades online program.
How to access your child’s grades online. Go to www.fwps.globalscholar.com and enter the User ID
and password on the opposite side of this letter. User IDs are set by the system. Parents and students
will have individual access to the system and can select their own passwords.
Once you sign on, you’ll be able to click on tabs and buttons at the top of the screen.
The home page includes a
―Resources‖ button – explore
this to learn more about
Standards-Based Assessment and
Grading. We recommend
downloading the parent guides and
grading sheets (marked with the
arrows at the right) to refer to as
you check your child’s grades.
To see your child’s grades and
attendance, hover over the ―My
Children‖ tab and select your
child’s name. Then, click the
appropriate button.
You can also see any assignments
your child needs to complete and
how he or she did on recent
assessments. You will also be able
to see your child’s progress in
meeting the power standards by
selecting the ―Reports‖ button.
Take a few minutes to sign on now, and start finding your way around the page. You’ll find quick, easytounderstand
explanations about SBE instruction and grading in the Parent Guides to Standards-Based
Education on the Resources page.
This is just the first phase of Go2. In February, more features will be added based on the input we
receive from teachers, parents and students. Related information like homework assignments, daily
classroom activities and assessments are among the likely additions. Next fall, there will be even more to
look forward to, including tools and links to pages your teacher has selected.
At Federal Way Public Schools, we recognize the powerful impact of parents being actively involved in
their child’s education. We encourage parents to use Go2 early and often, and to use that information as
a starting point for conversations with your child and his or her teachers.

Page 6
Lakota Middle School
2011-2012 Federal Way Promotion and Procedures
The Federal Way School District’s Promotion Policy and Procedures were passed to help your child be prepared
for the rigor in high school. The Promotion Policy which affects your 8 th grade student for the 2011-2012
school year states that your student must meet standard in both reading and math in order to be promoted.
Your student can achieve standard in any of the following combinations:
Meet standard on the reading and math sections of the student’s grade level Measure of Student Proficiency
(MSP) Exams;
Meet standard on the reading District course assessment (Gates MacGinitie) given in September, January,
and May;
Meet standard on the math District course assessment given in May/June;
Meet reading and math standards in any of the above combinations;
Demonstrate standard through the creation and subsequent review of a portfolio in the student’s Language
Arts and/or Math class
Reading
Score 400 or higher on the 6 th , 7 th , or 8 th grade State reading
Math
Score 400 or higher on the 6 th , 7 th or 8th grade State Math test
Or
Score 50th percentile or higher on the Gates MacGinitie
Reading test in 6 th , 7 th , or 8 th grade – applicable to
student’s current grade.
Or
Compile a promotion portfolio that
demonstrates proficiency with the
State standards. Guidelines provided by the District. Reviewed
by building principal and/or building team.
Or
Or
Pass the District End of Course assessment in Math – applicable
to student’s current grade.
Compile a promotion portfolio that
demonstrates proficiency with the State standards. Guidelines
provided
by the District. Reviewed by building principal and/or building
team.
* For ELL students, final promotion decisions will be based upon a combination of ELL assessments and
adequate yearly progress.
** For Special Education students, final promotion decisions will be determined by the student’s multidisciplinary
team.
If you have fines from lost or late library or text books, you will need to clear
them. Please remember that outstanding fines can affect sports eligibility
and other school activities.

Page 7
Lakota Middle School
Nurse Notes—Mrs. Overton
Individuals and families should make plans now for keeping themselves and their
children at home and away from work, school, and child cares if they are ill until they are
no longer infectious. This also means working with schools to assure
learning continues at home whenever possible.
A reminder about medications: ALL prescription medications
taken at school must have a written doctor’s order, parent permission,
and labeled container. This includes inhalers for asthma. You can pick
up the forms from the front office or health room. Over-the-counter
medications may be carried by the student with a written note from the
parent/guardian, and only one day’s dosage. Remember no sharing
with other students.
To reach me, call 253-945-4809 or e-mail me at soverton@fwps.org with any questions
or concerns.
All students enrolled in P.E. class will be required to wear a P.E. uniform along with
tennis shoes and socks. The student’s name will be printed on the white identification
bars on the uniforms. Students should remember that prevention is the best deterrent to
theft and always lock up their uniform securely in their PE locker.
Uniforms will be available for purchase throughout the school year.
The uniform cost is $11.00: $6.50 for shorts and $4.50 for shirt.
We also offer sweatpants for $10.50 as an optional item.
Needed: Substitute Bus Drivers
Paid training and great hours.
Please apply at www.fwps.org
Please contact us at 253-945-5943 with any questions.

Lakota Middle School Page 8
Standard-Based Assessment Supports Real Learning
With the district’s change to a standards-based education system, students know exactly what they need to
do to meet the standards (essentially, learning goals) for each subject. They know what learning targets, or skills,
they need to master to meet each standard. And they can demonstrate that they understand the topic in more
than one way, different from the days when a final exam might count for 50% of the grade.
Instead of a high-stakes pencil-and-paper test, teachers conduct informal and formal assessments on an
ongoing basis and provide students with feedback. Students and their parents can see clearly how much progress
they are making and know what ares need more work to reach the goals.
Assessments can include projects, reports, presentations, daily class work, classroom discussions, and
even pencil and paper tests and quizzes. With students who show understanding quickly, the teacher may increase
the challenge by assigning a task that requires more complex thinking. If the student does not grasp the
concept, the teacher will look for another way to present the skill or concept, and may provide the student with
another way to show what they know.
Lakota Clubs
Math Club Tuesday 2:45-3:40 pm Room 1303
Lego Robotics Tuesday/Thursday 2:45-3:40 pm Room 1205
Yearbook Monday 2:50-3:40 pm Room 2301
Honor Society 2 nd Tuesday of month 2:55-3:40 pm Room 2104
ASB Officers Friday 7:00-7:50 am Room 2203
Student Council 1 st Tuesday of month 10:30-11:15 am Room 2203
Jazz Band Tuesday/Thursday 7:00-7:50 am Band Room
Homework Club Monday/Wednesday 2:45-3:40 pm Room 1205
Homework Club Tuesday/Thursday 2:45-3:40 pm Room 2204
Cash Flow Club Monday 2:45-3:40 pm 7 th Grade Great Room
H.E.R.O. (Honoring Education, Respecting Others)
To Be Announced
There is an ELO bus for students that usually take a bus home. Students need to get an ELO bus pass from the supervisor/teacher
of the activity or they will not be allowed to take the bus. This bus is only for students who stay for extended
learning opportunities.
Cell Phones
Students may carry cell phones with them at school, but may not have them turned on for
any reason during the school day, unless a teacher has given directions for instructional use in the
classroom.
They must be turned off prior to entering the building each morning and they can be turned
on once the final dismissal bell has rung.
Use of cell phones for any reason not directed by a teacher during the school
day can be disruptive and is prohibited. The phone must remain in a pocket, backpack,
or purse. Cell phones out during the school day can be cause for discipline
and the phone can be taken by a staff member. The school is not responsible for loss
or theft of cell phones.

Page 9
Lakota Middle School
Attendance Information You Need to Know—Mrs. Ancheta
The attendance phone number is 253-945-4812
If you must leave an urgent message for your student, please be aware that the
message will be delivered between 2:15 and 2:45 each day. We would like to
limit disruptions to the student learning environment as much as possible.
When a Student Arrives Late
If you are not in your first period class when the bell rings, you are tardy. The Student Handbook lists
the consequences for tardies, and these are cumulative.
Set your alarm—Oversleeping is not considered an excused absence or excused late arrival.
When a Student Leaves Early
If your student needs to leave early for an appointment, please send a note with them in the morning. We will issue an Off-
Campus pass and you can sign them out at the Attendance office.
Last minute appointments or plans do come up, and we just ask that you call us as soon as you know, and we will do our best to get
the pass to your student ahead of time. PE, music classes, and lunches take more time to locate students. On assembly days, we
can seat students at the bottom of the bleachers if we know ahead of time that they will need to leave.
When a Student Stays Home Sick
Please call our Attendance office when you know your student will be absent for the day. You can call before school starts and
leave a message with your student’s name and reason for absence.
The school needs notification each day your child is ill unless you have notified us in advance. If you forget to call first thing in the
morning, you can call any time of the day or send a note when your student returns to school.
If you know in advance that your student will be absent for three or more days, please let the Attendance office know in writing.
Your student can request homework in advance from his or her teachers for the time they will be gone.
Homework
If students are ill for three days or more, parents/guardians may request homework to be picked up after 24 hours from the notice.
For extended absences approved by parent/guardian for more than three days (pre-arranged absences), the unfavorable effect on
the education progress may be minimized by requesting approval for the absence in writing at least three days prior to the absence,
requesting make-up work from the student’s teachers at least three days in advance, and following established timelines to return
the completed work.
When a Student is Absent Too Much
Students with accumulated unexcused absences will become subject to the Becca Bill (Washington State’s Compulsory School
Attendance Law). Failure to comply with the law may subject the student and parents to legal sanctions.
Stay Connected to Your Student—Lakota and the Federal Way School District provide a number of ways that
you can stay connected with your student.
E-mail or Call Teachers: The Lakota website also provides this information under the staff information link.
Homework Hotline:
Lakota teachers record homework information that is available on their voicemail.
Phone numbers are available on our website.
School and District Websites
Online Grades
BE INVOLVED!!!