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January/February, 2016
THE SPARTAN TRIBUNE Southern Lehigh Middle School Newspaper Due on Monday By Sydney H.
Do you have homework on the weekends? What are your feelings about that? Most teachers try to assign classwork and homework before Friday so students have a chance to accomplish their work before the weekend, but it seems like there is always that one teacher that decides to assign homework at the last minute. Then you’re stuck doing it over the weekend. One can argue that sometimes it is the students’ faults when they have homework over the weekend. With after school activities like sports, music lessons, and family activities, it is sometimes hard to get ahead on homework; when it is a battle itself to complete the homework assigned that are due the next day. Forced to procrastinate, students then get stuck doing their assignments over the weekend. One 8th grade SLMS student, Claire C., said she usually misses out on family events over the weekends because on Saturday she hangs out with her friends, which leaves her Sundays to finish her homework. Her family likes to do activities on Sundays, so they usually end up going without her. On the other hand, Abby L. likes having homework on the weekend because it gives her time to accomplish assignments she might not have the time to complete during the week. Marissa M. states that she doesn't think it is unreasonable for teachers to assign homework, and she also thinks that it is sometimes students’ fault for procrastinating.
January/February, 2016 New Year’s Resolutions…….2 SLMS Secrets……………………..3 Teacher Aides…………………...4 LINC……………………………….….5 Spelling Bee……………………….5 Guys and Dolls…………………...5 Babies…………………………….…..6 Teacher Features………....7 & 8 Sr. Rattin ………………………..….9 Snowball Dance …………….…..10 February Calendar……………10 Cartoons by Brian……………..11
Ms. Kleppinger, an 8th grade LA teacher stated, “Personally, I try to avoid assigning homework on a Friday that is due on a Monday. Almost of all my assignments are long-term because I want to give students as much time as possible to complete the homework tasks. A big part of middle school is learning time management and how to budget your time.”
January/February, 2016 Due on Monday Continued from P. 1
Are you keeping your New Year’s Resolution?
SLMS Principal, Dr. Donahue supports homework on the weekends. He stated, “I believe that middle school is when students separate themselves from ordinary to extraordinary. If you think about it many students who participate in sports will not become professional athletes. School prepares those students who will not be professional athletes to peruse practical careers when they grow older. In saying that, I support all homework on the weekends and as much time as it will take to score the best grade on assignments”.
By Caitlin T. and Holly M. If you are like most people, you made a New Year’s Resolution. If you are like most people, you aren’t keeping it. Here are some resolutions made by some of our teachers and students. Are they keeping them? Mrs. Mac- Get all of her students projects graded quicker. Mr. Miller- Read more books.
Whether it’s homework on the weekends or on the weekdays all students should strive to do their best in academic activities.
Mrs. Benedix- To brush up on her German. Mrs. Toto- To keep one of her resolutions. Mrs. Heydt- To be more kind. Mrs. Walter- To paint rooms in her house, get rid of her children’s toys that they do not play with anymore, and to move her wedding dress. Mr. Rodriguez- To win 1 million dollars. Mrs. Riley- For everyone to be nice to each other. Ms. Sun- To survive the school year. Luke T.- To drink lemonade everyday. Jack Z. - To get all A’s. Abby A. - For her finger to heal. Lauren I.-Read more.
Some 7th grade students are affected by stress.
Jillian G.- To be pretty. Maddie U.- To solve hunger. Alli C. - To find a unicorn. Ariana D- To do good in school. Maria B.- To lose weight and pass all her tests.
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January/February, 2016
SLMS Secrets By Emily M. Whether you know them or not, Southern Lehigh Middle School has some secrets, things about what happened before you went to school here. The Spartan Tribune went and interviewed Dr.Donahue, Mrs.Riley, and Miss.Beck about secret things students and staff may not know about the school. Here are some of our school secrets in random order. • •
• • • • • • • • • •
At one point our school mascot was Blazers! (What even is a blazer?) SLMS has had 4 additions since it was originally built. The tile is different at every part it has been added onto, so see if you can find where the additions were by looking at the tiles. The famous “blue wall” has never been retouched. The fountain in the front lobby at one time was a fishpond. The defibrillator near the tardy desk used to be a ticket Mrs. Riley knows all the booth for theatre productions and or dances. secrets!! Theatre productions started in 2008, which was 8 years ago. In the 1970’s, girls took sewing classes and guys took wood/mechanical shop! Peak began in 2000 and used to be called Planned Edutainment. Miss Grube has always been running it. During the construction of SLMS, there were no exterior doors for a while. Where it is now red the color used to be Spartan blue! There used to be a little house In the FamCam room. There was a game where if you guess the vocab word right you would win a prize out of the treasure chest, that belonged to Dr.Donahue.
Congratulations to the following students who were recognized in the Scholastic Writing Contest. Emily J.- Gold Key Poetry Sooyeon J.- Silver Key Poetry Amy S.- Silver Key Poetry Nicole K.- Honorable Mention Short Story Hanna O.- Honorable Mention Poetry Krishna A.- Honorable Mention Poetry Alex W.- Honorable Mention Short Story Andrew C.- Honorable Mention Michelle L.- Honorable Mention Lucas W.- Honorable Mention Sophia L. – Honorable Mention
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January/February, 2016
Teacher Assistants, The Unsung Heroes of SLMS by Lauren P, Sooyeon J, Heather Z
Have you ever noticed the teacher assistants meandering around our school? Teacher aides work under the teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction. They reinforce lessons in small groups or one-on-one. They enforce class rules and assist with student behavior. They can also help students with their personal life and hygiene. Teacher assistants are an overall necessity to our school. They work diligently behind Mrs. DeBlois, Mrs. Zweifel, Mrs. Kish
the scenes to support our school. We asked a few of our aides questions about their work.
Mrs. DeBlois has been working at Southern Lehigh for four years. She says that her most common advice to give students is to never give up. She enjoys telling them to fight and struggle until the end, because you will be satisfied with yourself. She most often tells children one of her favorite quotes. “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow” -anonymous. She enjoys interacting with children and building relationships with them. Mrs. Zweifel has been assisting at our school for four years, also. She says that her favorite part about being an aide is interacting with the kids. “They are all so unique and impressionable,” she says. Mrs.Zweifel assists teachers in educating and enriching the minds of students so that they are better prepared for the future. Her favorite component about working with children is the chance to give them a brighter tomorrow. If she had to give advice to students she would say, “Buckle down and study hard so that you have a better chance of being successful in the future.”
Mrs. Jan
Thank you to all of our teacher aides!! We appreciate all you do for our school. Ms. Poskay, Mrs. DeBlois, Mrs. Kish, Mrs. Zweifel, Mrs. Jan, Mrs. Kovacs, Mrs. Higgins, Miss Kauffman, Miss Pulcini
Mrs. Higgins with some of her favorite 8th grade students
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January/February, 2016
What Is LINK? By Melanie M. and Bryan M. LINC is a class period set aside for teachers and kids to connect. LINC stands for Lead, Inspire, Navigate, Connect. The goal of this program is to increase positive school climate and individual student self-esteem by giving each student an adult who will take the time to get to know them and check in with them. Basically LINC is about making new friends and connecting with teachers. LINC lessons are planned by the SLMS Builder’s Club and have to do with building self-esteem, setting goals, and practicing kindness. Some kids and teachers like LINC, but others don’t. Here are a few opinions of the program. Emily S.- “ I think LINC is great because Mr.West always has us doing some game related to the lesson.”
SLMS Spelling Bee By Lauren P. and Sooyeon J. On December 23, 2015, thirty-five students participated in our school wide spelling bee. They entered by winning their classroom spelling bees, which were held in every Language Arts class. Congratulations go to our winner, 7th grader Erica W. and to our runner-up Michelle L. Erica will represent SLMS at the regional spelling bee in March. Good luck, Erica!
Mr.Myers – “The truth is I don’t really like LINC because I am uncomfortable teaching things I haven’t been trained for.”
Edward M. – “I think LINC is okay because I think it helps with bullying and cyberbullying.” Mr.Hines - “LINC provides staff members and students an opportunity to develop a positive school atmosphere.” Erica and Michelle
Guys and Dolls Jr. By Caitlin T.
Consectetuer:
It’s that time again, the Southern Leigh Middle School is doing a spring musical called Guys and Dolls Jr. The cast made up of all middle school students and was chosen by Miss Erin. The show dates for Guys and Dolls Jr. are Friday, March 25th, Saturday, March 26th, and March 27th. The prices to see the show are, five dollars for adults and students are free. The show will take place in the SLMS Auditorium. Guys and Dolls Jr. is a less intense version of the popular musical Guys and Dolls. Set in New York City in the 1940s the show is about a gambler and his long time girlfriend and the many problems them have. Hope to see you at the show!
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January/February, 2016
Babies invade the SLMS By Marissa M. and Abby L.
A babypalooza is happening at SLMS! Science teacher Mr. Meyers and his wife just had a baby named Ella Mae, on January 11, 2016. Mr. Meyers says being a father makes him feel lots of love. Mrs. Flannery, 7th and 8th grade LA teacher, is expecting her third child in April, and she is very excited. She doesn’t know the gender of the baby, but her kids seem to think it’s a girl. Teacher Mr. Hines and his wife, 6th grade Math teacher at the IS, Mrs. Hines, had twin girls on September 15, 2015. Their names are Liza and Nora, but they are not identical. Mrs. Duggan, our guidance secretary, has a new grandson named Jackson. He was born on July 19, 2015. Mrs. Duggan said she is very excited to have her first grandchild and is hopping for many more! Welcome to the SLMS Family all you new babies!!
Nora
Ella
Jackson Liza
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Consectetuer:
January/February, 2016
SLMS Teacher Features Meet Mrs.Kleppinger!
All About Mrs. Halloran By Emily M.
By Sydney H.
Which SLMS teacher owns 3 goats, lived in England, and loves to garden? Why Mrs. Kleppinger of course! Mrs. Kleppinger teaches 8th grade Language Arts. Mrs. Kleppinger has been teaching for 11 years, and this is her 8th year teaching at Southern Lehigh Middle School. She grew up in Emmaus and moved to England the summer before her senior year of high school. Mrs. Kleppinger returned to the United States to attend college; she attended Millersville University and Kutztown University. When she started teaching at SLSD, she went back Kutztown University to go to graduate school. Mrs. Kleppinger loves teaching at Southern Lehigh Middle School because it is a small school and you can get to know everybody. Mrs. Kleppinger and her husband live on a small farm with three goats, six chickens, one cat, and lots of trees. She loves spending time with her goats, riding horses, and just being outside. Mrs. Kleppinger also loves to read. Her favorite book is Carry me like Water by Benjamin Alire Saenz. She also enjoys cooking. Her favorite food is zucchini. In the future Mrs. Kleppinger plans to keep on teaching, growing vegetables, and taking care of more goats.
As a member of the Spartan Tribune, I interviewed our 7th grade Academy Literacy teacher, on team Lambda, Mrs. Halloran. Mrs. Halloran has been teaching for 15 years, and she has been at SLMS for 5 years, 2 years permanently as a teacher. What she likes best about teaching best about SLMS are the kids, the staff, and the fact that the school is only two minutes from her home. She grew up in Salisbury and attended East Stroudsburg and Arcadia Universities. Mrs.Halloran has two children, and, as she says, two bonus children. Their ages range from 17 to 20. Two of them are at the University of Utah and the other two are in high school. She has two dogs, Max and Cosmo. In her free time, she enjoys going to the movies and spending time with friends and family. Her favorite food is popcorn and pizza. Her favorite quote she says is “Never give up�. And when asked where she sees herself in 5 to 10 years, she said that she sees herself still teaching at SLMS. Her children will all be out of college and she will be travelling more.
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January/February, 2016
Mr. McDonald By Heather Z.
Do you know who our STEM teacher is at SLMS? Well, his name is Mr. McDonald. Mr. McDonald has been teaching since 2010, and he has been at SLMS since March 2011. Mr. McDonald grew up in Berks County and attended Fleetwood Area High School. He graduated from Millersville University and is currently attending Wilkes University for graduate school. He is from a family of teachers. His mom and dad are both retired teachers, and his brother is a math teacher. Mr. McDonald loves to be outside and he enjoys any activity or sport that is outdoors. His favorite activities or sports include hiking, traveling, and playing golf. Mr. McDonald's favorite food is beef jerky. His favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption, and his favorite book is 1984. His favorite superhero is Batman. You can’t forget his favorite sports teams; he likes the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers. Mr. McDonald’s favorite quote comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. In the future, Mr. McDonald sees himself still at Southern Lehigh teaching STEM to our wonderful students for the next 30 years. He was recently honored for Teacher-State award-proving technology and engineering education instruction of high quality, learner centered and relevant to a study of technological literacy.
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Mrs. Walter Teacher Feature By Amanda and Guiliana
Mrs. Walter is our Family and Consumer Science Teacher. She has been teaching for 14 years, and has been teaching at the SLMS since 2009. She grew up in Coopersburg, and she went to Southern Lehigh High School. For college she attended Muhlenberg College, PSU Lehigh Valley, and the University of Turabo. She also attended Lehigh University and California University of PA for her Masters Degree and Principal and Curriculum Instruction certificates. Her favorite aspects of teaching at SLMS are the innovative programs, the awesome students and wonderful staff. She always tries to work with a smile. Recently you might have seen her in either a wheelchair or wearing a leg brace. This is because of some bone bruising, but she persevered for the education of her students and came to school anyway. Mrs. Walter is married and has two kids, Evan (5) and Bryn (3). Her favorite hobbies include golfing, organizing, taking pictures, and cooking. Some of her favorite movies include The Princess Bride, Jaws, and Silence of the Lambs, but she has a wide variety of movie tastes. Her favorite foods are French fries, chicken and broccoli (without the chicken), and chicken stir-fry. Her favorite colors are yellow and orange, and her favorite sport is golf. In 5 to 10 years, Mrs. Walter sees herself spending most of her time being busy with her kids, along with possibly having a leadership position in education. One of Mrs. Walter’s favorite quotes is “to live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”
January/February, 2016
Hola all the way from Uruguay! By Sydney H. Bienvenido, Señor Rattín! This February, Señor Rattín visited SLMS all the way from Montevideo, Uruguay! The whole school had the opportunity of learning the culture and customs of Uruguay while getting to know Señor Rattín. He stopped in some of the science classes, family consumer science classes, and all the Spanish classes.
Mrs. Gonzales hosted exchange teacher, Sr. Rattin, for two weeks in her home.
Señor Rattín is a science teacher from the capital of Uruguay in South America. He rode a plane for over 12 hours to get here! When asked what his favorite part of the plane ride was, he answered “My favorite part of the plane ride was seeing snow, and arriving in Washington D.C.” Since Señor Rattín has never seen snow before his first experience was when he arrived in America. “What did you think about the snow?” We asked. “The snow was very cold, but very soft. And Dangerous!” He laughed. “My colleagues and I enjoyed playing in the snow and throwing snowballs”. In addition to the time being very different, another thing that is also different is that almost all the teachers in the U.S. have their own classrooms. In Uruguay, all the teachers share classrooms. However, he stated, that the students are all very similar. Señor Rattín’s hobbies back in Uruguay include swimming and hanging out with his friends. His favorite color is green. He also enjoys soccer, and his favorite movie is “Fast and Furious 5.” His favorite foods from America are hamburgers and Mrs. Gonzales’s chicken vegetable soup. Back in Uruguay Señor Rattín has one dog named Renata who is a dachshund. Southern Lehigh has enjoyed getting to know Señor Rattín while learning from him at the same time! From teaching students about cultural herbal mate tea to helping students improve their Spanish, Senior Rattín’s visit has been very fun and educational! Thanks for coming Señor Rattín and as you would say in Spanish: Adios y Nos vemos!
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January/February, 2016
SLMS Winter Snowball Dance By Rachel K., Amanda S., Katilin G., and Meggan H. Did you go to the Snowball Dance? Our SLMS dances are a great place to go to dance and hang out with friends, but did you know that Student Council works hard behind the scenes to get everything together. The DJ is Mrs. Benedix’s brother-in-law; he works for a company called Solid Ground DJs. All the DJs that work for this company are teachers. Other teachers and parents are also needed at dances to work the snack stand and supervise students. These parents and teachers are really helpful. Also the SLMS maintenance staff assists with setting up and cleaning up. Mrs. Halloran comes up with the themes of the dances. She gets ideas from the Internet or the holiday that is being celebrated. The average cost of the dance ticket is $5.00, and the money that is earned goes to Student Council activities, supplies for the dances, supplies for our school, and pep rallies. The Snowball Dance collected a total of $1,000.00 and 500 students attended.
Did you know that there is a special day for every day of the year? Here is an example from February. Did you eat Thin Mint Cookies on 2/19 or cabbage on 2/17? By Nicole K.
January/February, 2016
Happy Valentine’s Day from the members of the Spartan Tribune Newspaper Staff!!
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