Tuscaloosa Academy
Volume 1, Issue 1
December, 2010
mini Knight News Getting to know Headmaster Mitchell
working at TA His favorite part about TA are the children. He says they are very nice. Dr. Mitchell has lots Dr. Mitchell is our of things to do. He sends headmaster. He has been at TA for one year. He re- e-mails. He has lots of projects and has to go to ally loves to work here.I lots of meetings. He also interviewed Dr. Mitchell. visits the children. Dr Mitchell likes His favorite thing Photo by Blake Landreth about TA is the children Dr. Mitchell works at his desk in his office. and the teachers who little longer. Dr. Mitchell puzzles, and he likes to enjoy being here. is glad we have a bigger play lots of sports. His Dr. Mitchell made a school store. He loves the favorite book is Guns, new schedule. One of school store. Germs and Steal: The the new ideas is we have Dr. Mitchell likes Fates of Human Societa new schedule in the spending time with his ies. Photo by Ashton Cochran whole school. children who go to TA, He likes golf and basIn middle and upper Dr. Mitchell loves the improved school store. school the subjects are a reading, doing crossword ketball. He likes calamari. By Lena Becker, Ashton Cochran and Liya Mekonnen Staff writers
Mrs. Lake is excited about reading By Julian Winter and Justus Gaude Staff writers
Robin Lake, the school librarian, likes to get students excited about reading. Her favorite author Photo by Julian Winter is Tommie de Paola, Librarian Robin Lake author of over 200 enjoys helping students in books for children. the library. Mrs. Lake is thrilled
that the lower school has taken over 2,000 Accelerated Reader tests already this year. She just put an order in for a new set of Geronimo Stilton books and five books of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. She likes to say, “Readers are leaders.�
Inside This Issue T-shirt contest
Page 2
Getting to know Lisa Brantley Page 2 Football
Page 3
Cheerleading
Page 3
Letters from 2nd grade
Page 4
Deborah Kim wins LS T-shirt contest By Shannon Kim Staff Writer A night of a football game Mrs. Crawford announced the winner of the T-shirt contest. The winner was Deborah Kim! She spent 3 hours drawing for the contest. Drawing, erasing, drawing, erasing, and drawing. She went online and printed a picture with a knight and drew a horse. She likes horses so she drew one with a knight sitting on it. She got the checkboard pattern from last year’s Field Day T-shirt. She was very excited and exploded with happiness. Buy Deborah’s T-shirt! Please congratulate Deborah when you see her!
Third graders enjoy learning history lessons on field trip By Abby Hulsey and Deborah Kim Staff writers The 3rd grade went on a field trip to Camp McDowell recently. First they went to the Living History section. They learned how to make fire. They also learned what native Americans are. They talked about gunpowder, musket and deer toes that were used in dancing. They played a game called ball and stick. Third grade learned about Alabamian Indian tribes. They saw the chief’s house and
watched the Native American show. They played stickball. Most of them got their face painted with red, white and black colored paints.
Girls dressed up like pilgrims and made nametags. Some made necklaces with colorful beads, and weaved straws. They say they had a good trip.
Photo courtesy of Louise Gambrell
Third graders take a break at Camp McDowell.
Meet peewee cheerleading sponsor and 4th-grade teacher Lisa Brantley By Caroline Greene Staff Writer Lisa Brantley loves being the peewee sponsor. She has a daughter named Ashton who is a peewee cheerleader. Brantley wanted Ash-
ton to be a cheerleader because she was one in high school so she wanted Ashton to be one. She became the sponsor because she has had a lot of experience with cheer and teaching lower school students.
She has confidence in all the cheerleaders to do what they taught the cheerleaders. Also accidents happen, but she does not worry. Brantley the sponsor and Miss Amy the coach share the coaching
Third Grade AR Deborah Kim won the LS T-shirt contest.
The entire third grade has passed 576 AR tests this semester. Leading the group right now are Christina Sealy with 56 tests, Kevin McNeal with 42, and Hildegarde Abney with 37. Tied for 4th place are Trip Pate and Simeon Wisebarth with 39 tests passed. – Abby Hulsey and Deborah Kim
mini Sports
Peewee cheerleaders love their team By Maggi Diaz Staff Writer
Photo courtesy digitalblissphotography.com
Peewee cheerleaders enjoy some down time at practice.
I talked to some of the Tuscaloosa Academy peewee cheerleaders, such as Ashton Cochran. She said she loves cheering. She loves to stunt and learn dances. I also talked to Caroline Greene. She loves to
cheer with her friends. Caroline loves to stunt and do cheers. She decided to cheer when she was in third grade. Cheering is Caroline’s favorite thing to do. There are 16 cheerleaders on our cheer squad. The cheer coaches are Amy Cochran and Lisa Brantley.
4th grade student profile: Q and A with Jack Woods By Michael Golding Staff Writer Q. Who is the best football tackler? A. Conrad, Jack and Trey. Q. Who is the fastest? A. Beck, Alex, Conrad, Trey and Parker.
Q. Where do you practice? A. Baseball field, football field, sometimes practice at home. Q. Who is the strongest? A. Jake, Brendon, Conrad, Trey, Beck, Alex, Mason, Stephen, Jack, Luke, Bo, Parker, and Kevin. Q. What position do you play? A. Center and wide receiver. Q. What number are you? A. 7.
Jack Woods
Q. How many games do you play each year? A. 10 games each year.
Photo courtesy The Tuscaloosa News Coach Wayne Brantley is 21-20 at Tuscaloosa Academy.
Varsity football coach looks back on success By Sahar Aryanpure and Trey Finison Staff Writers
Coach Wayne Brantley led the TA football team this year. According to coach Brantley, “this is the best TA team ever.” He knows that because he’s coached from 1993 until now. The players were
determined to win more games with top RB Jaevon Walton, QB Jonathon Plott, and Kendrill McNeal leading them to the playoffs this year. In Coach Brantley’s words, “pep rallies were a big part of the games because they get the players all fired up.” Coach Brantley is 2120 at TA.
Letters to the Editor (from 2nd grade): Dear Sir or Madam:
You should save polar bears, because they are stuck in freezing cold ice. They only have one part of green land, and they have to take care of their babies. Indians are trying to kill them. Please help. Sincerely, Maria Sealy
Dear Sir or Madam:
Save the Komodo dragons, because they are cool and they are in nature. They are killing them for their meat. We need to protect their habitat, because they are great creatures. If I were you, I would not kill them.
Sincerely, Claire Roberts
Dear Sir or Madam:
Stop hunting down sharks. They’re innocent. There are only 10,000 left. They don’t want to hurt you, but if you hurt them they want to hurt you. And sharks are not trying to be mean, they just make a mistake because they think you are a fish or a seal when you are on a surfboard.
Sincerely, Harrison Palmer