Announcing our student council...
This week we held our elections for student council positions. We are very proud of all those who ran -- they definitely demonstrated the IB leaner profile trait of risk-taking when they bravely stood up in front of their peers to give their speeches. Congratulations to our new members:
President -- Bella M.
Vice President -- Rylee H.
Treasurer -- Ella B.
Recording Secretary -- Kathryn M.
Next week we will elect homeroom representatives!
On Saturday, the XC Mustangs ran a 1.5-mile course through Horner Park. They demonstrated growing strength as runners by conquering a hill at the end of the run when fatigue usually sets in. Tuesday was an easier 1-mile flat course at Regina Dominican High School (a.k.a. Ms. Nolan's alma mater). All runners posted improved times, earning a 5th place boy's team finish and 7th place girl's team finish. They wrapped up a busy week of meets on Thursday with a 1-mile course for our 6th grade runners and 1.5-mile course for our 8th grade runners at Schiller Woods. The course has the largest hill of any of our meets, but our runners didn't shy away from the challenge. They all had great runs and showed some real determination. They're off to a great start this season!
This week in Language Arts, junior high students have been focusing on their writing skills. Seventh grade focused particularly on organizing their writing via graphic organizers that helped them see the way they organized their thoughts. After discussing this week’s theme of first impressions and assumptions vs. true understanding, students looked for examples of when characters in The Outsiders made assumptions about others and when they truly began to understand each other. Then, they moved around the room to talk with their classmates about the examples that they chose. Students spoke to many different partners in order to get different perspectives on what they had read. By explaining why the quotes they picked out were examples of assumptions and true understandings, students were actually practicing their reasoning skills: an important component of writing that we will develop next week when they put their thoughts into written form!
Things got sandy and wet in science class this week as we learned how flowing water moves sediments. Cleaning up the mess afterward may be a hassle, but getting our hands dirty to learn about the world around us is totally worth it!
The sixth-grade students are ready to serve up some scrumptious snacks! After learning about the foraging methods practiced by early civilizations, the students set out to create a menu based on locally-grown items that could be foraged by modern peoples. We ventured to the St. Matthias garden in search of ingredients and garnishes to spice up our menu offerings.
The seventh grade class got a double treat this week! After learning the elements of experimental design by planning and conducting their own experiment on catching, students welcomed Mrs. Wentworth to class to talk about her experience working with clinical trials and funding. They enjoyed our guest speaker even more because she used Rice Krispie treats for a simulation. Yum!
Eighth graders got to put on their science goggles to test some physical and chemical properties of matter. Electrical conductivity, anyone? Hydrochloric acid? Luster? We got to test it all! After investigating the properties of different materials, students were able to better understand the work of a materials scientist or engineer, and they even figured out which materials should be used to make which products.
It may be mid-September, but we still get to play like it's mid-summer!
September 18 - Catechetical Sunday: Please join us at 10:30 Mass in the church!
September 23 - Pep rally at 1:50 PM in the gym
September 24 - School clean-up volunteer day from 9 AM to 1 PM
September 27 - IB Grading 101 at 6 PM (Dank Haus)
September 30 - Progress reports sent home
-Ms. Scheiber & Ms. Denten