Ninety-degree days, swimming pools, cicadas and watermelon -- these signs of summer still surround us, yet our children must soon trade their flip-flops for backpacks. To make the transition a little easier, our local schools offer a variety of orientations prior to the students' first day back Monday, Aug. 25.

Cindi Deckman, the principal's secretary at Waverly Elementary, said the school will hold its new student orientation Aug. 21 at 9:30 a.m. and a kindergarten orientation Aug. 22 at 1:30 p.m. Both sessions meet in the school's cafeteria. Students may go directly to their classrooms at 2:30 p.m. for the school-wide open house following the kindergarten orientation.

For more information, call Waverly Elementary School at 410-313-2819.

West Friendship Elementary School offers a parents-only kindergarten orientation in the cafeteria Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. A school-wide open house takes place Aug. 22 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Penny Jones, the principal's secretary, would like to remind parents that WFES is a "green" school and thus aims to reduce paper flow by communicating information through the school Web site at wfes.hcpss.org.

The school also encourages parents to register for online news and updates via www.eSchoolNewsletter.com. For more information, call West Friendship Elementary School at 410-313-5512.

Mt. View Middle School presents its new student orientation, geared towards seventh- and eighth-grade transfer students, Aug. 22 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The sixth-grade orientation follows from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and both groups meet in the media center. Karyn Littlejohn, the principal's secretary, is a terrific source of information at Mt. View. If you have questions, please call the school at 410-313-5545.

Lastly, our up-and-coming high school, Marriotts Ridge, offers a freshman orientation at Aug. 21 at 1 p.m. Staff will direct students at the door. For more information, call Marriotts Ridge High School at 410-313-5574.

My thanks go to Marriotts Ridge Principal Pat Saunderson and his secretary, Gay Burdick, for welcoming me warmly and assisting me in my quest for information.

In other school news, Mt. View Middle School Principal Kathryn McKinley and Assistant Principal Debbie O'Byrne proudly announce that the Maryland State Department of Education has recognized Mt. View Middle School as a PBIS Banner School.

PBIS, which stands for Positive Behavioral Initiatives & Supports, is a team-based approach that helps schools teach and support positive behavior in all students by focusing on areas such as expectations, rewards, and building leadership.

In keeping with its Falcon mascot, Mt. View encourages its students to "SOARRR," where the three Rs stand for "Respectful, Responsible and Ready."

The PBIS Committee at Mt. View consists of school psychologist and PBIS coach Jeff Leard, science teacher and PBIS team leader Tim Guy, reading teachers Carolyn Young and Jim Ford, data clerk Kathy Anderson and O'Byrne.

The Committee delightedly notes a decrease in discipline referrals as a result of PBIS and aspires to earn the even higher "Exemplar" designation next year.

The administration at Mt. View also asks you to support the school by eating at The Waverly Grill (formerly Mangia Italian Restaurant) in the Waverly Woods Village Center Tuesday, Aug. 19.

If you order lunch, dinner or carryout from the Waverly Grill that day and mention Mt. View, the restaurant will donate a percentage of your bill to the school. Everyone wins through this partnership -- The Waverly Grill fills its seats, Mt. View Middle School receives extra money for its PTA, and you get to enjoy a delicious meal without the preparation and clean up!

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