The View—Volume VIII, No. 6 | March 2010

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PTSA PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Going for the Gold

By the time this message gets published, this year’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC will have played out. Races won or lost, dreams fulfilled or dashed, and proud smiles with national anthems on the podium will no longer be heard nor seen on TV. Another Olympic Event, will have passed through our lives and soon be forgotten. Names like Bode Miller, Apolo Ohno, and Racheal Flatt may fade from our memory. Yet, these same athletes will continue to train, and spend countless hours and years of their lives mastering their sport, readying themselves for the next Winter Olympic event in 2014.

Such strength, and stamina. How does one get so much determination?? How does our PTSA continue to forge ahead year after year in these tough economical times and still provide outstanding programs for our parents, teachers and students? Kathryn Peterson our historian (thanks Kathryn!) keeps a monthly tally on the numerous volunteer hours donated at Westview. On average, we log in about 1100 hours per month!! If you multiply that by the current minimum wage of $8.00/hour = $8,800, then take that amount and multiply it by 10 months in our school year, that would add up to about $88,000 per school year that Westview would have to pay in wages. Wow! Our volunteers provide an amazing amount of stamina and determination each year to the “sport” we call our children’s education.

I wish I could give gold medals to each and every one of these amazing volunteers who continue to provide excellence in their sport:

Diana Buell - VP of Membership
Sheida Barstad – VP of Volunteers
Cathy Carpenter – VP of Ways and Means
Tere Ossa – VP of Grad Nite and Student/Staff Recognition
Kris Shetter – Recording Secretary
Gudrun Fichter – Treasurer
Sabine Schroeder – Financial Secretary
Mari Stryjewski – Auditor
Kathryn Peterson – Historian
Jennifer Kuhlman – Corresponding Secretary
Elizabeth Estes, Parliamentarian.

Our dedicated chairpersons who also deserve gold medals:

Lynn Langley – ASB Liaison and Character Counts
Alicia Gazotti – College/Career Readiness
Jenny Cole – Community Concerns
Debbie Vogel – Directory
Keri Bohart – Foundation Liaison
Christine O’Hara – Gifts to School
Barb Doyle – Grad Nite Co Chair
Sonia Gahloff – Honorary Service Awards and Legislation Rep
Lisa Tripp-Smith – Hospitality
Janet Ranshous – Logo Item Sales
Valerie Chau – Mock College Tests
Crystal Ranj – Newsletter Editor
Lisa K. Miller – Reflections
Sue Reich – Safety and Wellness
Kathy Govea – Senior Scholarships
Colleen Salzetti – Staff Grants
Margaret Lupfer – PTSA Web Page
and last but not least
Yeni Clement - our Student/ASB Rep

When we look back at these Olympian athletes and how Going for the Gold drives them to excellence, let us look at our own Westview Olympian volunteers who also draw from that same spirit of excellence. Let’s yell and cheer for them with the same sense of pride as we did in front of the TV for our U.S. Olympic athletes.

As our PTSA volunteers continue to go for the gold, why not become a part of their drive for excellence? Contact our VP of Volunteers, Sheida Barstad at sheidasd@yahoo.com to join our team of Olympian volunteers. 

Allison Aquino-Arcio
PTSA President

WESTVIEW CHOIR CONCERT

Mark your calendars for Westview Choir's Festival Concert, Tuesday, March 16 at 7:00pm. This concert will showcase our festival and competition literature.

General tickets for this evening of fun, beautiful music are $5 and student tickets are just $2!

ASB

Look out for more information about these upcoming events:

March 8-12: Battle of the Classes Week
March 18:    Club Rush
March 19:    P.R.I.D.E. Day Fairness

GRAD NITE TICKETS

Don't miss out on the discounted price! Tickets are still available for $80.

Please visit the Grad Nite Website for forms (Ticket Form/Student Waiver/Entertainment Permission). Submit forms to front office. Thank you.

LOCAL BOY SCOUT MAPS HIS WAY TO EAGLE

Brian Hayes from Rancho Penasquitos continued the legacy of Boy Scout Troop 648 by earning Boy Scouting’s highest rank of Eagle. Brian was awarded his Eagle recently after years of preparation and leadership development that began in first grade as a Tiger Cub Scout with Pack 667 at Sundance Elementary School.

For his Eagle Scout project, Brian planned and coordinated the painting of two 17 feet by 30 feet maps of the United States on the playgrounds of Los Penasquitos Elementary in Rancho Penasquitos and Stone Ranch Elementary in 4S Ranch. Five different colors were used to make a colorful and fun way for students to playfully learn about our country's geography. To raise funds, Brian held a garage sale and recycled cans and bottles for a year.

Brian chose this project because he wanted to share with younger children the same opportunity for fun playground education as he remembers from his time in elementary school. This was a long-term goal he had for himself, and Brian stayed with scouting for over ten years to reach it, earning 24 merit badges in all. “Some were especially fun,” Brian said. “Photography, Archery, Rock Climbing and Canoeing were some of my favorites. And camping….that’s the best activity of all.”

As part of his leadership development, Brian served as Troop 648’s quartermaster, librarian, and den chief, mentoring younger boys. Each scout who reaches Eagle rank has also actively progressed through all levels of scouting while demonstrating competency in first aid, community service, and leadership—the Eagle project is the culmination of all these skills.

Susan Hayes and Chip Hayes, Brian’s parents, have extra reason to smile because he is the family’s second Eagle Scout. His older brother Mark earned the Eagle Award in 2007. With Brian’s busy youth athletic career, his accomplishment is particularly notable. “He has played 13 years of soccer, plays basketball, and was a member of four Little League All-Star teams,” adds his mother. As a junior at Westview, Brian plans to continue his involvement as the Westview yearbook staff sports editor and as an active member of the youth group at Penasquitos Lutheran Church.

Established in 2000, Boy Scout Troop 648 is a member of the Black Mountain District in the San Diego Imperial Council of Boy Scouts of America. The troop’s chartered organization is VFW Post 11388. Under the leadership of Scoutmaster Ron Lawrence, the troop’s goal is to have every boy attain the rank of Eagle Scout through skill building, community service, and leadership development. Meetings are held at the Rancho Penasquitos Adobe and at Los Penasquitos Elementary School. More information can be obtained by contacting Scoutmaster Lawrence at (858) 484-1660 or visiting the troop website at http://www.t648.com.

8th Grade Orientation

2009-2010 Course Requests

AP Exam Registration

ASB

Choir Concert

Counselor's Corner

DMV

Eagle Scout

Grad Nite Fundraisers

Grad Nite Tickets

Inspirational Thought

League Champs

Principal's Message

PTSA President's Message

Quick Web Links

Reflections

Spring Sports

What's Coming Up

AP EXAM REGISTRATION

For those students taking an AP course this school year, the AP exams will be held in May. The registration period is from February 22-March 19, 2010 at 1:00pm. Students may register by clicking here.

GRAD NITE FUNDRAISERS

Help support the Senior Class and raise money for Grad Nite 2010 by participating in the following fundraisers:

• March 3
  Rubios Torrey Highlands
  The flyer must be presented at the time of purchase

• March 8–12
  It’s a Grind Torrey Highlands
  Must present coupon at the time of purchase

Save the dates for upcoming fundraisers – Flyers will be posted on the website as the date approaches

• March 17
  Cheeburger Cheeburger

• March 28
  Chevy’s

• April 11
  Claim Jumper

• April 17
  Grad Nite Parent Party – details coming

• April 28
  Rubios

• May 5
  Chilis

• May 19
  Bread Bites

• June 2
  Rubios

DMV

Car Buyer’s Tips, Services and Rights
Important Information for New and Used Car Buyer’s

Now more than ever people are selling their cars or trading them in for something a little older and a little less expensive. Whether you are part of this downgrading/downsizing trend or even upgrading to a new car, it is important to know your rights as a car buyer. The California Department of Motor Vehicles wants to ensure that customers are being vigilant when buying their vehicles and are aware of their rights, as well as possible hazards associated with purchasing a vehicle. Listed below are tips for smart car shopping, DMV services that are useful when buying a car and the legal rights of new and used car buyers.

Tips:

• Read and understand your purchase contract- Do not sign anything you don’t understand

• Compare interest rates - Obtaining the best possible interest rate can significantly affect the overall cost of your vehicle

• Know the value of the vehicle - Visit Kelley Blue Book at www.kbb.com to learn the suggested retail value of the car you are purchasing

• Read your warranty- Be sure to fully read and understand the manufacturer’s warranty and any additional warranties offered by the dealer

Services:

• Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator online - Determine your VLF, use/sales tax and additional fees before purchasing your car.

Rights:

For new and used car buyers:

• Dealers must provide an itemized price list of items such as warranties and insurance, etc., if the items are being financed

• Dealer compensation from an institution financing the purchase of a vehicle is limited to no more than 2 percent for a loan term over 60 months and 2.5 percent for a loan term of 60 months or less

• Dealers must provide buyers with their credit score and an explanation of how it is used

• A new car buyer may purchase a two-day contract cancellation option agreement

For used car buyers only:

A used car buyer may obtain a two-day sales contract cancellation option.

Used cars advertised as “certified” must meet specific requirements such as:

• Odometer indicates the actual mileage of the vehicle 

• The vehicle was not purchased under state or federal warranty law (repurchased by the manufacturer or dealer)

• The vehicle was not damaged by collision, fire, or flood unless repaired to safe operational condition prior to sale

• The title was not branded as a Lemon Law Buyback, manufacturer repurchase, salvage, junk, non-repairable, flood, or similar designation.

• The vehicle does not have frame damage or was sold "as is"

• The seller should provide the buyer with a complete inspection report of all components inspected

By following these bits of advice and being an informed car buyer, you can save yourself time and money. For more information on car buyer’s rights, smart shopping tips and many services available by the DMV online, visit www.dmv.ca.gov. Save time. Go online!

INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT

Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person.
               - Dr. David M. Burns

Course Request for the 2010 - 2011 School Year

It’s time to start thinking about courses for next school year! The counselors are visiting all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade classes March 1-5 to present information on the course selection process for 2010-2011. We provided students with a transcript, four year plan and information about logging on to their Family Connection account.

The Course Request Window will be open from March 15–31. It is important to remember that courses can be selected only in the Student account. The parent has access to view the information in their account, but not to save the course requests.

If your student is having trouble navigating the course request system, please encourage them to watch the Online Video Tutorial found on the Westview Counseling website. We are also hosting an Open Lab on Wednesday, March 24 from 8:00-9:00am in rooms A 104 and A 142 for students who are experiencing technical difficulties or do not have computer access. Finally, we are hosting Open House events for students/parents who have additional questions regarding course selection. The events, all located in the Staff Lounge at Westview, are as follows:

9th Grade Open House – March 23, 2010 from 1:00-3:30pm

10th Grade Open House – March 24, 2010 from 1:00-3:30pm

11th Grade Open House – March 25, 2010 from 1:00-3:30pm

8th Grade Orientation Meeting

The first meeting for parents of incoming freshmen in the fall will be held on March 16 from 6:00-8:00pm. This orientation meeting will provide information on the following topics:

• Academic Offerings

• Counseling & Special Programs

• Westview Athletics

• Westview Activities

• Parent Programs

Please visit our Website for more information at www.westviewwolverines.com. Due to limited space, we are asking that Parents Only attend this orientation. Details to follow on our website!