nishnabotna middle school newsletter...nick brady joey bailey kennedy mary emma connor brody zayne...
TRANSCRIPT
Quarter 3
Nishnabotna Middle School Newsletter
Track Athletes
Boys – Joey B., Nick P., Adam T., Brady L., Dalton M., Jake S., Jaxon L., Zayne O., Braxton L., John S., Josh L., Tylur P., Bryson D., Cody H., Jacob S., Logan L., Patrick B., RJ H. and Treyton G.
Girls - Dharma B., Logan H., Jordan A., Kennedy W., Ami A., Caitlyn W., Damita F., Mary B., Morgan A., Emma H., Mallory P., Zoe M., Emily W., Blu O., Es G., Ana O., Taylor S., Kristina B., Hannah S., Hailey B. and KC C.
Coaches
Girls - Coach Carr
Boys – Coach Holman
JH Track Schedule April 7 Sidney 4pm April 15 Stanton 330pm April 29 Nishnabotna 345pm May 5 Fremont –Mills 4pm May 9 Southwest Valley 4pm May 13 Essex 4pm
May 16 Conference Meet @ FM 4pm
Contents
Sports News 1
English News 2
Battle of the Books 3
Keyboarding & Reading 4
Math News 5
Information 6
Music 7 & 8
Science Bowl & Spelling Bee 9
7th Grade Social Studies trip 10
National Geographic Bee 11
Social Studies 12
Science 13 & 14
Whole School Trip 15
Principal & Interventionist 16
Homeroom & Assembly 17
Superintendent News 18
March 2014
Upcoming Events
Track Meets
State Geography Bee (Cody H.)
CC Science Fair
JH track practice is scheduled every day.
We transport the
runners to MSE gym at 230pm and shuttle Riverton/Farragut students home at
445pm.
Please watch the calendar and
announcements for any changes in the schedule.
Sports News
Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart.
Track pictures - April 16th
English News
Imagine you and your friends following a mysterious treasure
map and finding yourselves traveling on winding paths, into dark
caves, and hustling through passages with bad guys on your tail
and a one eyed monster as your salvation? If you are on this
adventure, that's right, you are a GOONIE!
Sixth and seventh grade classes are watching the classic movie,
The Goonies. What will students be learning? Cliché’s,
prepositions, prepositional phrases and objects, interjections,
and it wouldn't be complete without a little creative writing and
practicing grammar and writing elements!
Morgan
Mallory
Caitlyn
Jake
Adam
Nick
Brady
Joey
Bailey
Kennedy
Mary
Emma
Connor
Brody
Zayne
Dharma
Payton
Jordan
Leslie
Jaxon
Dalton
Logan
Sophie
Haylee
Natalie
Damita
Ami
Hailey
Justis
For the third year in a row, a team of four students from Nishnabotna
Middle School entered the Southwest Iowa Middle School Battle of the Books contest. This year’s team, Nishnabotna Book Devils, consists of Kristina B., Treyton G., Blu O., and Sophie W.
At the beginning of the year the team members are given a list of 20 books from which the Battle of the Books questions are taken. Each of the four team members read as many of the 20 books as possible. As a team we meet once or twice a month to discuss the books and practice matching the titles to the correct author. In the middle of March we competed against 50 other teams for a spot in the Ultimate Battle of the Books that will be held at Tri-Center Middle School on April 30. As a team, the Book Devils completed the first round of the contest by answering 40 multiple choice questions over the twenty books on the list and matching the title of each book with its author. This was scored and the top twenty teams were invited to Tri-Center Middle School where they will compete in the Ultimate Battle of the Books. I’m glad to announce that this year’s team has secured a spot and will join in the Ultimate Battle. Good Luck Book Devils!
Battle of the Books News
Southwest Iowa Middle School Battle of the Books with Mrs. Barrett
Sophie, Kristina, Blu & Treyton
Reading class can be so much fun! All classes were rewarded by spending their AR points in the AR store. Items included college gear, candy, t-shirts, nail polish, picture frames and more. If you would like to contribute to the last AR store let Brandi or Mrs. Lueth know. The next store will be the last week of school. 8th graders have been reading Romeo and Juliet or Anne Frank. Both stories are great and have excellent movies to go with the reading. Currently there are over 2 dozen posters about Romeo and Juliet in my classroom. The story of Anne touched a lot of the students about how terrible her life was during WWII.
Reading News with Mrs. Lueth
7th graders have been reading stories about the Civil War and slavery. Those were slightly depressing stories, so now we are lightening the mood with Tom Sawyer and The Time Machine. Both of those stories have great movies as well. It is satisfying to hear the students say they like the book better than the movie.
6th graders have been studying weather through packets of literature and research. Did you know there is a Beth Belgium? Students found towns that had their names and researched their weather. Duncan, Jamaica has great weather all year! We are now involved in vocabulary packets.
Keyboarding News with Miss Smith
The 3rd quarter has proven
to be a busy one in
keyboarding. Students have
been actively involved in
learning proper posture and
finger placement to be
successful. We started with
lessons that allowed
students to get a feel for
the keyboard and learn basic
typing skills with a focus
on accuracy not speed.
Students have successfully
learned home row, top row,
and bottom row keys. They
take weekly tests to
identify the keys of a
keyboard and this has been
quite successful. With the
approaching 4th quarter
students are getting ready
to start testing finger
placement.
An activity the students
really seem to be getting into
is the covered keyboard. It is
a friendly competition, and
students who succeed to move
on the WPM scale with 70% or
greater earn a reward for
their efforts. Right now our
highest covered keyboard WPM
is 9.
Now that students are feeling
more comfortable with the
keyboard we have started a
program that is web based. The
site is typingweb.com. It
tracks a student’s progress
and identifies keys they still
need to work on. The web
based program allows students
to move a little more at their
own pace, allowing everyone to
be successful.
The best way to learn to
type is to practice,
practice, practice. Here
are some great websites
that allow students and
even parents to do just
that:
http://www.learntyping.org
/beginnertypinglesson2.htm
http://www.alfatyping.com/
freetypinggames/
http://freetypinggame.net/
Keyboarding & Reading News
The Pre-Algebra students are currently graphing equations of lines. They have done this by using three methods – making a t-table of values, using the x and y intercepts, and using the slope intercept method. They will also use graphs to find the solutions to systems of equations by seeing where the lines intersect. In addition, they will be graphing inequalities on the coordinate system. Later in the quarter, they will be introduced to solving systems of equations by substitution and addition, and they will do some simple factoring of polynomials.
Math News from Mrs. Hall
Math News from Mrs. Lenhart
Integrated Math I students have just finished a unit on combining like terms, and writing algebraic expressions in different ways. They are now starting a unit on exponential equations, and will be working with the laws of exponents. In addition, they will be simplifying expressions that contain zero or negative exponents and simplifying square roots. These students will also learn to solve systems of equations three ways – by graphing, substitution, and addition. The focus in this class the last few weeks will be on geometry, studying properties of various triangles and quadrilaterals.
Math News
The third quarter seemed to fly by!! This quarter the content material took a shift in all the classes from basic computation to application. This is a tough transition for many students but a majority of the grades increased from Quarter 2 to Quarter 3. I am very happy with the students’ work and how they took on the challenge! The fourth quarter will end with more application content so please encourage your child to continue to work hard and come in when they need help. The Amazing Race just ended and it was another highly successful year! Throughout the five days I was very pleased to watch the students improve their cooperation skills, problem
solving skills, and their ability to decide what math strategies needed to be applied to each problem! Congratulations to each winning team!! 8A - John, Ana, and Kristina 8B - Patrick and Jerrod and KC, Logan L and Jacob (Tie over the five days which there will be a tiebreaker over the next week.) 7A - Joey and Hailey 7B - Adam and Haylee 6A - Jayden and Hunter 6B - Danica and Nicholas Keep up all the hard work and finish the year strong!!
3rd Quarter Birthdays Jakob S. Autumn Caitlyn Danica Damita Seth Blu
Taylor Ashton
NMS GRADE SCALE A+ 100 A 97-99 A- 94-96 B+ 92-93 B 89-91 B- 87-88 C+ 84-86 C 79-83 C- 76-78 D+ 74-75 D 71-73 D- 69-70 F Below 69 I Incomplete W Withdrawal
Teacher Email Addresses Science – Mrs. Wynia [email protected] English – Mrs. Madison [email protected] Advanced Math – Mrs. Hall [email protected] Math – Lenhart [email protected] Social Studies – Ms. Leiding [email protected] Resources – Mrs. Barrett [email protected] Reading - Mrs. Lueth [email protected] Chorus – Mrs. Emberton [email protected] Band – Mrs. McCall [email protected] Office/Administration Email Addresses Nurse – Mrs. Haning, RN [email protected] 382-2017 & 382-2703 Interventionist – GHAEA Steve McPhillips [email protected] Building Principal – Mr. Harris [email protected] Building Secretary – Brandi Oakes [email protected] District Superintendent – Mr. Lutt [email protected] Business Manager – Mrs. McComb
JMC (student information system) is available online for parents & students at all our
schools. You can check attendance, grades, and progress reports and also
update your contact information. School meal
payments can also be made through the JMC
system. For more information, see our
website or contact your
building secretary.
Upcoming Events April 4th State Geography Bee (Cody H.) April 5th NHS Prom April 16th CC Science Fair April 16th Nishnabotna track pictures April 18th – April 22nd Spring Break April 21st Republican Caucus @ MSE 6pm April 26th NHS Cheer Tryout @ MSE 2pm May 17th NHS Graduation 2pm May 20th NHS Winter & Spring Sports Banquet May 22nd NMS Awards Day & 8th Grade Promotion May 23rd Last Day of School!
Spring Break is April 18th, 19th,
20th, 21st and 22nd! 4th Quarter
Midterm is April 17th!
Go to the Middle School tab on the
Nish website for all our information www.nishbd.org and click on the
Middle School tab
April 16th Farragut Elementary Spring Concert 7pm April 23rd NHS Spring Concert 7pm May 12th NMS Spring Concert May 14th MSE Spring Concert
Vocal & Band Contest Results – from
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Vocal Results – I+ ratings Emily B., Danica L. & Zoey D. Kristina B. (solo) Emily B. (solo)
Es G. (solo) I ratings 6th grade girls Emily W., Zoe M. & Logan H.
I- ratings 6th grade boys 6th grade boys & girls ensemble Jayden & Kaylee (duet) 7th grade girls 7th & 8th grade boys & girls 8th grade girls Damita F. (solo) Judge Reva Benefiel Chorus Instructor Mrs. Emberton
Band Results – I+ ratings
McKenzie W., Damita F., Treyton G., Emily W., Blu O., Brady L., Jaxon L., Josh L., Cody H., Brett G., Nicholas M., Cale P., Emily B., Jake S. & Kennedy W.
I ratings
Caitlyn W., Payton J., Connor O., Zoe M., Adam T., Bryson D., Maddy D., Hunter S., Jordan M., Andrew P., Ashton D., Kaylee M., Danica L., Kristina B. & Jordan A.
I- ratings
Mason H., Corey M., Justis H., Jacob S., Kayden H., Jed W., Zoey D., Elizabeth H., Jakob S., RJ H., Natalie N., Cameron B.
II – ratings
Andy C., Seth V., Jayden L., Kelvin H., Braxton L. & Sophie W.
Judge Nicole Zavadil Band Instructor Mrs. McCall
Honor Band went to East Mills on March 20th. It was a wonderful day. The kids enjoyed played their favorite song Sweet Caroline. Great bunch of kids, staff & parents to work with! Mrs. McCall~
Dharma
Kennedy
Cody
Ami
Damita
Sophie
Braxton
Treyton
Zoe M.
Bryson
Jaxon
Brady
Blu
Josh
RJ
Mason
Jake S.
Honor Choir:
On March 11, eight Nishnabotna students traveled
to Treynor, Iowa for the annual Southwest Iowa
elementary/middle school honor choir. Students
were selected by Mrs. Emberton for the honor choir.
Selected students were Blu, Es, Kristina, Damita,
Ami, Treyton, Ashton, and Kelvin. The students
rehearsed all afternoon under the direction of guest
directors Jennifer Wagner from Riverside and Luke
Johnson from I.W.C.C. The 6th grade choir
performed five selections including “Build Me Up,
Buttercup.” The 7th/8th grade choir selections
included “Be the Light.” Both of these selections will
be performed at our spring concert in May.
Opera Iowa:
Members of the Des Moines Metro Opera visited the
Nishnabotna Middle School on February 6th to
present “The Three Little Pigs” to K-8 students. Due
to the late start that morning, the opera troupe was
unable to do workshops with the students.
However, prior to the performance they did a “crash-
course” workshop explaining details of opera singing
and performances for all the students. The opera
was very entertaining and the singing was excellent!
We enjoyed seeing all the costumes, set and props.
We’d like to thank the Fremont County Community
Foundation for funding this activity. It was a great
opportunity for our students to see an opera
performance!
RJ H., Blu O., Bryson D., Bailey P. and Jake S. competed at the Iowa State Science Bowl competition in Ames on February 22nd. The group placed 6th out of the 24 teams entered into the competition. The students were tested on their knowledge of Life Science, Physical Science, Earth & Space Science, General Science, and Mathematics. Prior to the trip to State, these students put their skills to the test by competing against some of the Middle School staff – Mr. Harris, Mrs. Lenhart, Mrs. Hall, Ms. Leiding, and Mrs. Madison. The teachers put up a good fight, but the students came out on top.
The Fremont County Spelling Bee was held at Nishnabotna Middle School in February. Nish students were awesome! In the middle school division 6th grader Danica received 3rd place. Out of all the 7th graders, Bailey received 1st place and among all the 8th grade spellers, Treyton received 2nd place. Logan H. and Cameron were alternates. Super job, spellers!
Nicholas, Danica, Emily, Justis, Bailey, Logan, Damita, Jacob, Blu & Treyton
Science Bowl & Spelling Bee
7th Grade Social Studies Field Trip On January 16, all 7th graders participated in a wonderful educational experience at the Strategic Air and Space Museum. The day started off with a guided tour and lesson on some of the aircraft on display throughout the museum. We learned which types of aircraft were used at various times throughout our history, as well as other interesting facts about military aviation. Following that tour, we participated in a special program called “Searching for Humanity: Veterans, Victims, and Survivors of World War II.” This program told a powerful story about the Holocaust and those who rescued survivors from concentration camps via photographs, memorabilia, and testimony of Nebraska Holocaust survivors and servicemen. The highlight of the day was hearing the guest speaker, Lou Leviticus. He was a survivor who managed to escape capture by the Nazis – not once, but twice. Unfortunately, his entire family was wiped out – with the exception of Lou and one distant cousin. His story was moving and powerful, but told with a sense of humor. He made a huge impression on the students and many of them still talk about him. Last week we made cards for Lou, wishing him well and thanking him again for sharing his story with us.
Social Studies Field Trip
NMS National Geographic Bee Held Prior to winter break, all social studies students took tests as part of the preliminary round of the National Geographic Bee. The ten students with the highest scores advanced to the final round. Those students were (in no particular order): Cody H., Emily W., RJ H., Bryson D., Patrick B., Blu O., Treyton G., Logan L., Jaxon L., and Braydon. Congratulations to all the finalists! The final round was held on January 10. This is an oral competition in which students are asked questions on an individual basis or as a group. Once two questions have been answered incorrectly they are eliminated from the contest. Cody Heming won this local competition. Emily Welch finished 2nd and Bryson Duncan came in 3rd. Congratulations to our top 3 finishers!
CODY HEMING ADVANCES TO STATE GEOGRAPHIC BEE! Cody Heming, 8th grader here at NMS, has been notified by the National Geographic Society that he is one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2014 Iowa National Geographic Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. Bees were held in schools throughout the state to determine each school’s winner. School-level winners then took a qualifying test which they submitted to the National Geographic Society. Students with the top 100 scores were invited to compete at the state level. Cody will be competing in the 2014 Iowa National Geographic Bee held at the Maucker Union Ballroom on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls on Friday, April 4. Congratulations to Cody! We all wish him the very best of luck on Friday!
In 6th grade social studies we have been studying the United States and Canada. Because of technology issues we had to delay project work but have just gotten those underway. Each student is planning a “road trip” through a state. They are researching significant places to see and activities to do in that state. This information will be put into a presentation that will be shared with classmates. This project helps them learn more about a state of interest to them while working on research, writing, and technology skills.
7th graders have been working on a unit on Europe. We learned a little bit about the early history, but have focused more on recent history and modern times. We spent the first couple of weeks after winter break studying WWII and the Holocaust. The culminating event for this unit was a field trip to the Air and Space Museum on January 16. (See the article and pictures for more information about this trip.) More recently we have been learning about the countries of Europe. As part of this unit we completed a variety of assignments and watched videos that give us a good insight into different aspects of the countries – government, religion, food, dress, currency, and much more. We recently started a project in which the students are planning a trip to Europe. They have a budget to follow and have to research costs for transportation, hotels, and other expenses. In addition, they are required to research significant places of interest to see while there. They are completing journals in which they describe their daily activities and include pictures of the sites they are visiting. This will help them work on research, writing, and technology skills. It will also provide them with a real-life experience that will hopefully give them skills they can use in the future. (Note: As we have been studying Eastern Europe we have discussed the current situation that has developed with Russia and Crimea. I encourage you to discuss these and other current events with your children on a regular basis!)
In 8th grade social studies we have been working on a unit on racism, prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. As part of this unit we studied Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights movement. We completed a project in which each student got to pick four people from history or present time that they feel deserves to be on their own Mount Rushmore. They had to find background information on these people and discuss what contributions they have made that would make them worthy of such an honor. They were allowed to include a family member if they so chose. This information was shared via www.linoit.com . I have to admit, I learned a lot from this project. Some students picked people I knew very little or nothing about, including some of their family members. I love when I learn new things from my students!
Social Studies News
6th Grade: We have been learning about the solar system and what causes the changes of the seasons. The students have been researching facts about a planet and learned how to create a presentation.
7th Grade: We have been learning about the classification of living things and how scientific names help with the classification of organisms into seven different levels. In the next unit we covered the stages and factors that all populations have in common and how the response of human populations are different from the response of other populations. We just started the unit about single-celled organisms and we are doing research about bacteria which includes the ways bacteria are harmful and helpful, the different shapes of bacteria and the environmental conditions that are necessary to grow. 8th Grade:
We have been learning about the Continental Drift Theory, seafloor spreading, and the different types of plate boundaries and what causes the movement of plate boundaries to happen. We have also been learning about the different planets in the solar system. The students have learned when and who discovered the planet, what elements make up the planet’s atmosphere, how many moons and rings each planet has and the planet’s position in the solar system.
Advance Science I: We have been learning about difference between active and passive transport, the different phases of mitosis, how the cell cycles are controlled by key elements, and that cancer can be caused by genetic and environmental factors. We have also learned what types of diet will increase the risk of getting and preventing cancer, and the importance of making healthy choices with diet and daily exercise. The final project completed was on a genetic disorder of their choosing. They learned if the disorder was sex-linked, dominant or recessive, the signs and symptoms, ways to treat or cure the disorder, and helpful websites that will assist patients and their family members cope and deal with the diagnosis.
Advance Science II: We finished studying about the different characteristics of mollusks, the adaptations of gastropods, bi-valves, and cephalopods needed to live in their specific biomes. We also have covered the structural and behavioral adaptations of arthropods and their ability to live in their different environments. We have also covered the differences and similarities that are present in echinoderms and chordates through dissections of sea cucumbers, sea stars, and sea urchins.
Science News
Science Pictures
On February 7th, Nishnabotna Middle School students and staff traveled to Wesleyan College in Lincoln, Nebraska to watch their production of Little Shop of Horrors. This was a special performance that was arranged by the director, Jack Parkhurst, and Mrs. Lueth. After the show the cast members talked to the students and answered their questions. They seemed to be especially interested in learning how the big plant worked. Afterward, everyone walked to the cafeteria to enjoy college cuisine. This was a wonderful experience for our students and we hope to do it again next year!
Whole School Field Trip
“Spring Is In the Air”
April stimulates people to think springtime, fresh air, bright sunshine, warmer weather,
etc. It also causes me to think about how we (school) can maximize the remainder of the
school year for student achievement and success.
Keeping students engaged is a daily goal (and challenge) all educators face. This task
becomes more challenging this time of the year. Kids of all ages have multiple activities
that “pull” and expect a piece of their time and energy.
My experiences over the many years as an educator have taught me the best way to
maximize student engagement and success is to keep the “Educational Triangle” intact.
Keeping the school and parents/home connected at the base will provide the foundation.
This foundation then links to the top of the triangle, the students - for peak performance
and success!
The next seven weeks are the “home stretch” to the school year. I invite and encourage
each and every member of the Nishnabotna school community to unite and combine our
efforts so all students can experience a strong and successful conclusion to the 2013-14
school year.
Jan Harris, Principal/A.D.
I would like to commend the students, parents, and community on their efforts regarding attendance. After three quarters of school this year, everyone's hard work is evident. The percentage of students attending class each day has risen significantly compared to last year. Your hard work and support is greatly appreciated! Thank You.
Kudos from Mr. McPhillips
Principal News
Iowa Assessments!
Homeroom News & Assembly
Third Quarter in
Homeroom was structured to
help prepare students for the
Iowa Assessment Tests. We spent
time working with Skills Tutor on
the Chromebooks in addition to
some sample tests on paper. The
students worked very hard and
showed lots of improvement.
Hopefully it will pay off when the
test results come back!!!
In between preparing for
the Iowa Assessments, students
worked on homework and read
their AR books. Mrs. Sanders was
also here every other Thursday
Homeroom News with Mrs. SWard
for sessions with the students in
the library, learning about the
resources available to them
through the school. Mr. McPhillips
and Mrs. Linke also had periodic
meetings with the boys and girls,
discussing a variety of issues
facing our teens, from gossip to
drama to bullying.
We have had a very busy third quarter in Homeroom. We are looking forward to a fast paced and productive end to the
school year.
Mr. Patrick Gress shared the story of his mission trip to Ghana, Africa in 2012. He gave a presentation about the people he met, work he did, and some of the interesting things he got to do – such as meeting a crocodile up close. Mr. Gress brought numerous items from Ghana for the students to see such as clothing, beadwork, and a clock.
Ghana Assembly - Mr. Patrick Gress
Mrs. Lueth took a few of the cast members (The Fairies) to NE Weselyn College’s prop room.
Finally, spring is here, now if we
could just get the weather to
cooperate! Basketball is officially
over and golf, track and tennis have
started. Before you know it prom will
be here! It will not be long until we
are complaining about the heat!
I would like to thank everyone for
their contributions to the Clarity
survey. Parents of Nishnabotna
students did a great job in
responding to this. Thank You
Parents! It is time for the annual
needs assessment as we prepare for
the 5 year State Site-Visit. This
survey is a little longer than the last
one and very important. The
Administration, Board and School
Improvement Advisory Committee
(SIAC) all use data from this to see
how the districts have progressed.
Your participation is crucial to
influence the direction of the school.
An invitation will be both emailed and
mailed out to all families. Thank you
in advance for filling out this survey!
So, what are the results of the Clarity
survey? Actually there is tons of
information that we will be learning
from. A few members of the
technology team and I will be
attending a workshop in April to learn
Nishnabotna Superintendent News from Mr. Lutt
Preparation for the NMS School Play – Sleeping Beauty
Nishnabotna Middle School
105 E Street Hamburg, IA 51640
Phone: (712) 382-2703
Fax: (712) 382-1211
E-mail: [email protected]
We’re on the Web! www.nishbd.org
all about it. But, in the mean time, I
would like to give you some “overall”
information on our Clarity results.
CASE stands for Classroom, Access,
Skills and Environment. Our total
score for CASE is 1045 which is right
in the middle of proficient. The score
levels can be assessed as beginning,
emerging, proficient, advanced and
exemplary.
Upcoming Meetings:
Hamburg Board Workshop
Thursday, March 27 6:30
NMS Library
Farragut Budget & Calendar Hearing,
Special Meeting and Community
Workshop
Monday, March 31 6:30
NHS Concourse
Hamburg Board Workshop
Thursday, April 3 6:30
NMS Library
Hamburg Budget & Calendar
Hearing, Special Meeting and
Community Workshop
Monday, April 7 6:30
NMS Auditorium
NMS School Play pictures and
article will be included in NMS
4th Quarter’s Newsletter