WRIGHT CITY CONNECTION

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Michael Baryo Wins Wright City’s “Person of the Year” Award (above) Michael Baryo and his family By Abisay Berry Michael Baryo Gana “Persona del Año” INDEX 3 Counselors Provide Sound Advice 5 THANKSGIVING SURVEY “What are you thankful for?” 7 FRACTION DAY IN FIFTH GRADE “Supongo que me eligieron por todas las cosas que trato de hacer en la comunidad para convertir Wright City en el mejor lugar posible.” Michael Baryo, recién nombrada Persona del Año, por Wright City, dice cuando pre- guntado porque piensas que fue elegido para esta posición. Este premio sola- mente es para celebrar a las personas que han probado que tener los mejores intereses de Wright City en sus corazones. Michael Baryo es parte del consejo del distrito escolar de Wright City para mejoramiento escolar, tiene un club de ajedrez en Wright City West El- ementary, donde asisten sus dos hijos también. Baryo estaba abogando para un club de Pokemon, pero Covid ha puesto una llave en sus planes. En la comunidad Baryo es el presidente de los “Friends of the Library” para Wright City Library (biblioteca), es un voluntario para Wright City Food Pantry (despensa de alimentos), es un miembro y un miembro de la junta de Wright City Chamber of Commerce (cámara de comercio), y un miembro alternati- vo para el Board of Adjusters (junta de ajustadores) para la ciudad de Wright City. Este año Michael Baryo estaba en el comité de Strassenbash y decidió vender Oreos fritos para recaudar dinero para Wright City Food Pantry. “Mi responsabilidad principal es para asegurar que el parque está limpio después de Strassenbash. Sin embargo, yo ayudo cuando y donde [yo puedo].” Es cla- ro qué Baryo se preocupa por la comunidad y por eso el premio es más es- pecial. Las personas alrededor la comunidad han dicho que el premio fue a la persona correcta. Aunque Strassenbash fue diferente que normal, Michael Baryo hizo lo mejor, con el resto de la comunidad, lo que contribuyó a que ganara el premio. Wright City ha tenido el placer de ser un pueblo y comunidad acog- edoras. Este año la comunidad es agradable para nombrar Michael Baryo la Persona del Año. Wright City tiene mucho suerte de tener una persona tan compasiva y pensativa como Michael Baryo para representar la comunidad. Si alguna vez ve a Michael en la calle o en una tienda de la ciudad, asegúrese de felicitarlo. “I guess they chose me because of all the things I try to do in the com- munity to make Wright City the best place it can be.” Michael Baryo, newly named Wright City Person of e Year, comments when asked why he thinks he was chosen for this position. is award isn’t just given to anyone; it’s given to those who have proved themselves to have Wright City’s best interest in their heart. Michael Baryo is part of the Wright City School District committee for school improvement. He has a chess club at Wright City West Elementa- ry, where his two children attend. Baryo was also pushing for the idea of a Pokemon Club, but unfortunately, Covid has put a wrench in his plans. [In the community,] Baryo wears many hats: he is the President of the “Friends of the Library” at the Wright City Library; he volunteers for the Wright City Food Pantry; he is a Board Member for the Wright City Food Pantry; he’s works with the Wright City Chamber of Commerce, on the Board for the Wright City Chamber of Commerce, and an alternate for the Board of Adjusters for the City. is year, Michael Baryo was on the Strassenbash Committee and de- cided to sell deep-fried Oreos to raise money for the Wright City Food Pantry. “My main responsibility is to make sure the park gets cleaned up aſter Stras- senbash, however, I help out with whatever, and whenever [I can].” It is clear Baryo cares about the community and it makes the award so much more spe- cial. ose around the community have said that the award went to the right person. Although Strassenbash wasn’t how it usually was, Baryo made the best of it, along with the rest of the community, which contributed to him winning the award. Wright City is a place where any visitor can come and feel welcome. is year the community is grateful to name Michael Baryo, “Person of Year.” Wright City is truly lucky to have such a compassionate, thoughtful person like Michael Baryo, representing the community. If you ever catch Baryo on the street or in the store, make sure to congratulate him. WRIGHT CITY CONNECTION CONNECTING YOU TO THE COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 2020 VOL. 31, NO. 3 Translated by Señora Scearce Wright City R-II Nonprofit Organization of Warren County US Postage Paid 90 Bell Road Wright City, Missouri Wright City, MO 63390-3202 Permit 3 ECRWSS Postal Customer

Transcript of WRIGHT CITY CONNECTION

Page 1: WRIGHT CITY CONNECTION

Michael Baryo Wins Wright City’s “Person of the Year” Award

(above) Michael Baryo and his family

By Abisay Berry

Michael Baryo Gana “Persona del Año”

INDEX

3Counselors Provide

Sound Advice

5THANKSGIVING SURVEY “What are you thankful for?”

7FRACTION DAY IN

FIFTH GRADE

“Supongo que me eligieron por todas las cosas que trato de hacer en la comunidad para convertir Wright City en el mejor lugar posible.” Michael Baryo, recién nombrada Persona del Año, por Wright City, dice cuando pre-guntado porque piensas que fue elegido para esta posición. Este premio sola-mente es para celebrar a las personas que han probado que tener los mejores intereses de Wright City en sus corazones. Michael Baryo es parte del consejo del distrito escolar de Wright City para mejoramiento escolar, tiene un club de ajedrez en Wright City West El-ementary, donde asisten sus dos hijos también. Baryo estaba abogando para un club de Pokemon, pero Covid ha puesto una llave en sus planes. En la comunidad Baryo es el presidente de los “Friends of the Library” para Wright City Library (biblioteca), es un voluntario para Wright City Food Pantry (despensa de alimentos), es un miembro y un miembro de la junta de Wright City Chamber of Commerce (cámara de comercio), y un miembro alternati-vo para el Board of Adjusters (junta de ajustadores) para la ciudad de Wright City. Este año Michael Baryo estaba en el comité de Strassenbash y decidió vender Oreos fritos para recaudar dinero para Wright City Food Pantry. “Mi responsabilidad principal es para asegurar que el parque está limpio después de Strassenbash. Sin embargo, yo ayudo cuando y donde [yo puedo].” Es cla-ro qué Baryo se preocupa por la comunidad y por eso el premio es más es-pecial. Las personas alrededor la comunidad han dicho que el premio fue a la persona correcta. Aunque Strassenbash fue diferente que normal, Michael Baryo hizo lo mejor, con el resto de la comunidad, lo que contribuyó a que ganara el premio. Wright City ha tenido el placer de ser un pueblo y comunidad acog-edoras. Este año la comunidad es agradable para nombrar Michael Baryo la Persona del Año. Wright City tiene mucho suerte de tener una persona tan compasiva y pensativa como Michael Baryo para representar la comunidad. Si alguna vez ve a Michael en la calle o en una tienda de la ciudad, asegúrese de felicitarlo.

“I guess they chose me because of all the things I try to do in the com-munity to make Wright City the best place it can be.” Michael Baryo, newly named Wright City Person of The Year, comments when asked why he thinks he was chosen for this position. This award isn’t just given to anyone; it’s given to those who have proved themselves to have Wright City’s best interest in their heart. Michael Baryo is part of the Wright City School District committee for school improvement. He has a chess club at Wright City West Elementa-ry, where his two children attend. Baryo was also pushing for the idea of a Pokemon Club, but unfortunately, Covid has put a wrench in his plans. [In the community,] Baryo wears many hats: he is the President of the “Friends of the Library” at the Wright City Library; he volunteers for the Wright City Food Pantry; he is a Board Member for the Wright City Food Pantry; he’s works with the Wright City Chamber of Commerce, on the Board for the Wright City Chamber of Commerce, and an alternate for the Board of Adjusters for the City. This year, Michael Baryo was on the Strassenbash Committee and de-cided to sell deep-fried Oreos to raise money for the Wright City Food Pantry. “My main responsibility is to make sure the park gets cleaned up after Stras-senbash, however, I help out with whatever, and whenever [I can].” It is clear Baryo cares about the community and it makes the award so much more spe-cial. Those around the community have said that the award went to the right person. Although Strassenbash wasn’t how it usually was, Baryo made the best of it, along with the rest of the community, which contributed to him winning the award. Wright City is a place where any visitor can come and feel welcome. This year the community is grateful to name Michael Baryo, “Person of Year.” Wright City is truly lucky to have such a compassionate, thoughtful person like Michael Baryo, representing the community. If you ever catch Baryo on the street or in the store, make sure to congratulate him.

WRIGHT CITY CONNECTION CONNECTING YOU TO THE COMMUNITYNOVEMBER 2020 VOL. 31, NO. 3

Translated by Señora Scearce

Wright City R-II Nonprofit Organizationof Warren County US Postage Paid90 Bell Road Wright City, MissouriWright City, MO 63390-3202 Permit 3 ECRWSS

Postal Customer

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All Emotions Matter: Teaching K & 1 Students to Identify Their Emotions

By: Lynette Dixon & Donna Terbrock

Todas las emociones importan:Enseñar a los estudiantes de K & 1 a identificar sus emo-

cionesPor: Lynette Dixon & Donna Terbrock

Traducido por: Sharon Scearce

Four years ago, our district began learning about the RULER program, which was developed by Marc Brackett and offered at YALE University.

RULERRULER stands for:

RRecognizing emotions in self and othersUUnderstanding the causes and consequences of emotionsLLabeling emotions accuratelyEExpressing emotions appropriatelyRRegulating emotions effectively

RULER teaches emotional intelligence, using tools like the Mood Meter.

Both staff and students check-in on the mood meter daily to help them become aware of their own emotions and the emotions of others. One of our goals as counselors is to help students develop their emotional vocabulary, so that they can learn how to identify and express what they are feeling. There are so many more words than happy, sad, or mad to express how we are feel-ing, and especially at these young ages, our children are sponges to learning these concepts.

We teach these skills to children in a variety of ways. Teachers hold morning meetings with students, giving students the chance to share their feelings with each other. When reading stories, or through class lessons and discussions, we often talk about how the characters are feeling. Children love doing this. Some of the new words that we are discussing are annoyed, confused, nervous, excited, confident, proud, hurt, lonely, bored, relaxed, patient, and safe, just to name a few. Don’t be surprised if your students come home and talk about the new words that they are learning. It is our hope that learning how to actively express how they are feeling, will lead to meaningful discussions at home.

This is a picture of a fall-themed activity that students engaged in, allowing them to learn feeling words both in English and Spanish.

Hace cuatro años, nuestro distrito escolar comenzó a aprender sobre el pro-grama RULER, que fue desarrollado por Marc Brackett y ofrecido en la Universidad de YALE. Ruler significa:

RRecognizing emotions in self and others(reconocer las emociones en sí mismo y en los demás).UUnderstanding the causes and consequences of emotions(comprender las causas y consecuencias de las emociones).LLabeling emotions accurately(etiquetar las emociones con precisión). EExpressing emotions appropriately(expresar emociones de manera apropiada).RRegulating emotions effectively(regular las emociones de forma eficaz).

RULER enseña inteligencia emocional, utilizando herramientas como el Mood Meter.

Tanto el personal como los estudiantes revisan el medidor del es-tado de ánimo a diario para ayudarlos a tomar conciencia de sus propias emociones y las emociones de los demás. Uno de nuestros objetivos como consejeros es ayudar a los estudiantes a desarrollar su vocabulario emocio-nal para que aprendan a identificar y expresar lo que sienten. Hay muchas más palabras que feliz, triste, o enojado para expresar cómo nos sentimos, y especialmente en esta edades tempranas, nuestros niños son esponjas para aprender estos conceptos. Enseñamos estas habilidades a los niños de diversas formas. Los maestros celebran reuniones matutinas con los estudiantes, dándoles la oportunidad de compartir sus sentimientos entre ellos, cuando leemos historias, a menudo hablamos sobre cómo se sienten los personajes, o mediante lecciones, y discusiones en clase. A los niños les encanta hacer esto. Algunas de las nuevas palabras que estamos discutiendo son: mo-lesto, confundido, nervioso, emocionado, seguro, orgulloso, herido, solo, aburrido, relajado, paciente, y seguro, solo por nombrar algunas. No se sorprenda si sus estudiantes regresan a casa y hablan sobre las nuevas pa-labras que están aprendiendo. Esperamos que aprender a expresar activa-mente cómo se sienten los lleve a una discusión significativa en casa.

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Post-Its and Papermate PensBy Jennifer Sommer and Konrad Laughman

Infographics by Abisay Berry and Payton Mosbey

As we prepared for the new school year, families were given the opportunity to choose seated (in-person) instruction or to participate in virtual instruction for the fall semester. Approximately 75% of Wright City students chose to engage with their teachers in the classroom, while another 25% selected virtual instruction. Over the course of the past several months, we have seen some students succeed and other students struggle. Whatever instructional setting your family selected for the sec-ond semester of the school year, we would like to share some strategies that have shown to help students reap the greatest benefit of their educa-tion.

Virtual Instruction has been new for students and staff, alike, but we are determined to learn together and have a successful school year. So what can you do to improve your online learning approach? We have some tips for you. Regardless of instructional setting, Wright City School District is dedicated to our students’ success. Your teachers and school counselors are just a phone call or email away. Please reach out if you have questions or face difficulty. We are here to help.

In March 2020, Wright City School District students found themselves suddenly placed in a new learning environment. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, and concerns for potential contagion, the schools were closed and all learning was moved to virtual instruction. Although no

one was prepared for this, adaptations were made and learning continued.

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Student Involvement at the High SchoolBy Kyrsten Evans

What Are You Grateful For?By Kyrsten Evans

As Thanksgiving approaches, and families get together, it is a time of cele-bration and a time to think of what everyone is thankful for. Many will say friends, family, or the life they’ve been given, while other may choose tangible items. The newspaper staff surveyed students and staff at all grade levels, and various answers were received, which shared what Thanksgiving is about for them. Aubrey Lorraine (9) says, “I am thankful for a lot of things, so I will sum this up; I am thankful for having a roof over my head and food in my stomach, but most of all, I am thankful for having a family who loves me and friends who care for me.” Similarly enough, there were a number of students and staff who said they are grateful for the people around them, including Mckinize Davis (9) who shared “I am thankful for my grandpa being strong and making it through open heart surgery.” While sev-eral students and staff mentioned family members, Seth Norber (9) is reminded he is thankful for his furry companion. Though there were a significant number of students thankful for the people in their lives, others had a different outlook on the topic. It is no secret the year 2020 has been tough, and some individuals are able to recognize how lucky many of us are to have gotten through it. Brody Mosbey (10) reflects on those around him. “I’m thank-ful for the courage and strength everyone has gained during this long and terrible pandemic. Although we wear masks to protect ourselves, we also protect ourselves from the fear that’s among us. Let’s be thankful that 2020 is almost over as well.” While Mosbey shares positivity during this time, others brought humorous, (yet relatable), interpretations of what Thanksgiving means to him. An anonymous students states, “I am thankful for the delicious food I will be inhaling at Thanksgiv-ing. While I [am] thankful for my family, I am much more thankful for the mashed potatoes because those are the best thing on the planet.” Several students are looking forward to the joyous occasion of Thanksgiving, primarily for the food they will be enjoying and the time off. Although the food is great, everyone is fortunate enough to have something to be grateful for, whether it be the delicious food or the supportive family, friends and teachers who are around.

Being part of the Wright City School District community is very important and the high school stu-dents are taking every action possible to make the school increasingly better for the students and staff. By doing so, students are able to take the initiative to take matters into their own hands. Throughout the first semester, grade levels nom-inate students for class officers, who will then represent their class at Student Council meetings. The high school has recently nominated the latest class president, voted in by their fellow classmates. Amber Lorraine, who is the Junior Class President, ran for the first time in her high school career and already has many plans for the school. “I really love Wright City, and I want to be as involved as possible. I’m really excited to be a part of student government. I would like to get as many people involved in activities like clubs, sports, and spirit days. I think these are really important years, and I don’t want anyone to miss out. School can be really fun if you keep the right mindset. [Reflecting over] the last two years, I have really grown, and I want to help others do the same.”

The World of dungeons and dragonsBy Kyrsten Evans

In a fantasy world of table-top role playing and the encoun-ters of mythical monsters embarking on imaginary adventures, Wright City High School makes it possible for students and teach-ers to take part in the inventive game of “Dungeons and Dragons (DnD).” Supervised by Mrs. Anne Holzen-Mason and Mrs. Whit-ney Schuenemeyer, students are able to create their own individual characters and embark on make-believe thrills, while the members shape a party where they interact with the setting’s inhabitants and each other. Holzen-Mason says, “I joined because of personal inter-est; my husband and I play DnD, Mrs. Schuenemeyer plays DnD, and we found out each other played, so we decided we should make a club, and we did; so here we are.” Holzen had already been quite familiar with the game before starting the club and wanted to pursue the hobby further. She adds, “People get to let their creativity fly completely crazy with this game. DnD is as wild as you want to make it. It is entirely what your imagi-nation can come up with.” The managers have given our students the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild and turn it into real life, even if it’s just for a couple hours after school. Many members of the club had never even played before but took a special interest and decided to join. Alex Leech (11) was in-experienced with the game before she attended meetings, but she already knew it was something that would be fun. Leech states, “I wanted to start playing because I wanted to broaden my imagination. It’s a place where you can get as creative as you want and be who you wanna be. You can create a character who you actually are and not be afraid to show it.” Dungeons and Dragons is a place where you can be whoever and whatever you want, and thanks to the wonderful sponsors, any Wright City High School student can join at any time and be a part of a club they are passionate about and can have fun with it!

They decide on the most efficient ways to complete the activities and maximize participation with STUCO members and others throughout the school. “Student Council is really a big group and the class officers [are the leaders of that group]. Everyone in STUCO works hard and is devoted [to bettering to school]. We haven’t really had much working time to-gether because of Covid, but this is also my first year, so I’m not quite sure what to expect.” Lorraine con-firms that every role of the student council is just as important as the next. Besides Covid-19 causing a bit of a slow down in the group, STUCO works to gen-erate service events in and around the community. Lorraine adds, “I’m really surprised and thankful I got voted; it’s something I’m really passionate about. I’m determined to make this year a good year for myself and everyone else.” The school is so incredibly lucky to have student council members who care so much for the well-being of the district and their classmates. Lorraine has a great vision for the rest of the school year and hopes that her role as Junior Class President will allow her to make an impact on those around her.

Amber Lorraine (11) holds one of the class pets in Mrs. Schuenemeyer’s classroom.

Seth Norber’s dog, Daisy May, is all curled up in her favorite spot. Mckinize Davis takes a moment to

pose with her grandpa.

Students in the Dungeons and Dragons club get set up for their game on Thursday. Holzen-Mason stands back and observes the mastery of their skills as they play.

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Digital Literacy: A Necessity in 2020By Brian Ernst

High School Teachers gather in the library for a virtual learning session from Rick Wormeli.

Nothing Remains Quite the Same - And That’s Not All BadBy Douglas Smith

The modern sage Jimmy Buffett, in his song Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, tells us a truth we’ve certainly come to understand through-out the year 2020 - that “nothing remains quite the same.” We have endured the discomfort and uncer-tainty that has defined this most tumultuous of years, and I would venture to say that whatever once had been “normal” will never be so again. This has been particularly the case for us in the Wright City School District, and I now cringe every time I hear “contact tracing”, “cohorts”, “pods”, “spacing and hygiene”, and of course, “AMI.” With so much change, fear, and loss during these months, the easy article for me to write would be one focused on the negative effects of the “nothing remains quite the same” era we are amid. However, during times of turmoil, history has witnessed ad-vancements to, and modifications of, existing systems that have proven to improve the quality of those sys-tems. And although many may find it hard to believe now, I predict that 2020 will be a year we look back on and realize created a much stronger education system than we had prior, and I am excited that the Wright City School District will be at the innovative front of this positive change. From designing our own virtual course offerings to finding more creative and mean-ingful methods to reach and connect with students, the upheaval of life during the past nine

months has forced us to reconsider teaching and learning, and we are growing because of it. To that end, the Wright City Professional De-velopment Committee planned a terrific learning day for teachers on October 30. Teachers and principals experienced a taste of virtual learning, as renowned writer and national presenter Rick Wormeli, who has authored multiple books on education and is an in-ternationally recognized teacher who speaks around the globe, presented virtually to Wright City teachers. Wormeli’s message focused on the need for educators to plan for students to be “active creators” rather than “passive consumers” in school. He also pushed each of us to do whatever was needed to challenge students by reminding us that “whoever is asking the questions is doing the learning”, and that our lessons should create a “question journey”. To learn more about what Wor-meli spoke about, check out the #WCPD2020 hashtag on Twitter. With the terrific staff we have in place in the Wright City School District, all of whom have worked so hard during this year to make the learning experi-ence better than we could have anticipated it would be back in August, translating this learning from Wormeli into solid opportunities for students will be terrific. What our teachers and staff have done is commendable, and to echo what Buffett says later in the Changes song, when it comes to innovating and improving learning in the future, “I know that (we) just can’t go wrong”.

Virtual teacher Sarah Meadows engages with her student during a Zoom Call.

An elementary school student uses a ClearTouch board to present during class.

Students and staff across the Wright City R-II School District have displayed incredible flex-ibility and adaptability throughout this school year. Increased utilization of technology to limit paper passing and physical interaction has produced inno-vations in teaching and learning as well as improved digital literacy for students and families. While this shift in education has not been without challenges, the current educational paradigm in our schools is surely the beginning of an overall shift in practice. Learning from the experiences of last spring, school staff sought to streamline lessons delivered virtually to students who opted for virtual learning this year. The product was a template used by all teachers K-5 or 6-12 where lessons were outlined and designed for students to know exactly what to do and how to approach online learning. This effort provided teachers a formula to create virtual lessons and students a familiar layout that was easier to navi-gate as they sought to continue learning at home. The templates were also designed with families in mind so parents would only have to familiarize themselves with two templates at most if they have students in both elementary and middle or high school. In-person learning has also shifted to more reliance on technology to promote fewer physical in-teractions. An additional benefit of increased tech-nology usage was a streamlined experience should students have to miss school for any reason. Teachers and students are finding new ways to work and inter-act through different apps, programs, and tools that are available digitally. More than ever, students have to bring their Chromebooks to class, ready to go, as teachers are likely to have at least one digital activity in their classes each day. One positive result of the current practice is the growth in digital literacy. The American Library Association defines digital literacy as “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information,

requiring both cognitive and technical skills.” Students, staff, and families have demonstrated fluent digital literacy skills and have been quick to seek help to improve throughout this school year. Students and families in particular have grown more familiar with the Infinite Campus Portal where they can see progress and grades posted by teachers. Google Classroom has long been a component of education here in Wright City. Google Classroom is a Learning Manage-ment System (LMS), which allows teachers to take items they have created and assign them for students to complete digitally. This year, the LMS has taken a larger role for most students as it has become the vehicle for most teachers to deliver lessons and interact with students by providing feedback on completed work. Flexibility has been a huge trait exhib-ited by teachers and students alike throughout the school year. While the efforts to simplify the learning process have been largely success-ful, there have been steep learning curves to overcome, and they have been tackled through patience and perseverance. When things do not work as planned, students and families have com-municated with teachers and patiently waited as adjustments were made. Likewise, teachers have learned how to foresee potential hurdles and have learned to plan accordingly. Overall, the growth in planning, teaching, learning, and communica-tion has been nothing short of remarkable. The future of education in Wright City will develop on the strong foundation laid by the efforts of our teachers and students throughout this year. Sure, adjustments and changes will come, but the technology skills and knowledge acquired this year will pave the way for our students to lead our technological society in the future.

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One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish:

East Welcomes New Kindergarten TeacherBy Payton Mosbey

Wright City McDonald’sNow Hiring

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ship Program*All Shifts and Hours Available

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because we get to explore the world togeth-er It is so fun to experience new informa-tion with them and to see the world through their eyes!” Due to the ongoing pandemic, they are deprived of necessary resources needed to learn these skills, resulting in them not learning as quickly and thoroughly as they should. O’Brien comments on these strug-gles, saying “Kindergarten is such a crucial grade, and everything we learn here builds on each other. It is best to have them in class, [doing hands-on activities], and

“Oh the places you’ll go!” Ms. Charlotte O’Brien traveled from Missis-sippi to Missouri to teach kindergarten at Wright City East Elementary. East had the pleasure of welcoming O’Brien onto the staff in August, along with students both new and returning to the school. Ms. O’Brien previously taught half of a year of second grade at her old school in Mississippi. “I came from a very rural, Title I school,” she says. “My [previous] school did not have nearly as many resources as I have here at Wright City. [I] feel so supported here, and I feel like I have more freedom to experiment in my classroom!” Ms. O’Brien is busy teaching students the fundamental skills needed for English and mathematics, as well as exploring science and social studies with them. She covers a wide range of topics within the school year, which further readies kids for their next years of school. With kindergarten being a key stepping stone for young children, they are re-quired to develop the foundation of their social, reading, and evaluating skills.“In class, I cover letters, the sounds they make, and how to blend them together. In math, we are learning foundational skills. Science and social studies are my favorite

Ms. Cairey O’Brien with her new puupy, Daisy

Ms. O’Brien poses in her new kindergarten classroom.

Laces for LovePlease bring in gently-worn shoes (both youth and adult) to Mr. Brandriff at the high school to particpate in the drive.

learning together.” She further expresses “it has been tricky figuring out teaching some students virtually and in person, giving them the same quality education.” O’Brien recently graduated from Mississippi College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, certifying her to teach kindergarten through sixth grade in all subjects, and seventh through twelfth grade in English and history. On a personal note, she recently got a golden retriever puppy, named Daisy, who keeps her busy with her rambunctious behavior.East Elementary is truly lucky to have such an enthusiastic and compassionate person to teach kindergarten.

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Fractions! Fractions! Fractions!

As Kelly Forguson and I began mapping out our fractions unit, we knew we needed a way to hook our students into the world of fractions from the start. Then the phrase, “when will we use this in our life?” rang in our heads. As teachers, we hear that phrase [so much]. So, we decided to give our students that real-world connection. We planned to show our students fractions, truly, are everywhere! That real-world connection sprang to life in the form of guest speakers! Before our unit even began, we invited a variety of teachers and staff from West Elementary to join our classroom for the day and teach our students how they use fractions in their daily life. The guest teachers were asked to prepare a presentation or bring in objects to help explain to students how they utilize fractions in their everyday life. We were extremely lucky to have seven guests join the classroom and one guest Zoom in from her kitchen. Guest speakers, such as Angel Johnson, Daisy Skelley, Pat Wallace, Jay Hammel, Amy Rinearson, Molly Juergensen, Mackenize Lewis, and Ashley Garrett were welcomed into our classroom. These guest teachers taught our students how fractions are used in farming to feed animals, woodworking to measure and construct items, art to mix colors, crafting to sew, baking to follow a recipe, football to explain the layout of the field, and even how to follow a recipe to create play dough. At the end of each class period, the students learned more than just fractions; they learned the importance of math in everyday life.

Students being taught the importance of fractions in woodworking.

Students engaged in discussion over fractions.

Fantasic Fractions Day in Fifth Grade By Alexandria Muzzy

New Redo and Retake Policy Being Implemented at Wright City Middle School

By David Williams

Students implementing the redo/retake policy:

At Wright City Middle School, we believe in the value of a strong work ethic, the importance of a growth mindset, and the value of learning from our mistakes. In fact, studies have shown that a growth mindset, the ability to persevere through failures to achieve desired goals, is a more powerful and accurate predictor of future success than academic achievement. In order to encourage this mindset, our teachers have been working to refine and/or develop redo/retake policies within their classrooms. A redo/retake policy provides a pathway for re-teaching and re-learning when stu-dents fail to demonstrate proficiency on a given assessment. This applies to all assessments, from simple classwork assignments to projects, tests, and quiz-zes. The rationale is straightforward: any assessment can be thought of as a tool to gather evidence of what students have learned. When a student fails to demonstrate that they have learned the material, a teacher is faced with two choices: to let the student off the hook and move on with the knowledge that the student has not learned the material or to require that the student takes action, revises his or her work, and perseveres until success is achieved. At Wright City Middle School we strongly believe that the latter will result in deeper learning, higher academic achievement, and most importantly, will help to instill a strong sense of work ethic students will carry with them throughout their lives. It is important to note that implementing a redo/retake policy is diffi-cult to manage and presents several significant operational challenges. These challenges can range from creating new assessments to managing the time given to students to resubmit work. However, when designed correctly and implemented with fidelity, a sound redo/retake policy helps struggling stu-dents to prepare a plan of action that promotes deeper learning and leads to

success. Additionally, a solid redo/retake policy helps teachers manage the time and the workload required to provide students with timely feedback and engage them in an authentic cycle of academic goal setting and reflection. The principle of offering "redos" is often misunderstood and frequent-ly misapplied in schools and classrooms. Poorly designed redo policies often remove deadlines for turning in work and fail to hold students accountable for their actions. Students should never be allowed to simply "redo" all assign-ments nor should redos ever be offered without clear learning goals or with the intention of simply “boosting a grade.” Keeping deadlines and maintaining student accountability are essen-tial components of a successful redo policy, which, when implemented cor-rectly, serves to improve student learning, promotes a resilient work ethic, and ensures mastery. Ultimately, for a redo policy to be effective, there must be some sort of corrective action on the part of the student (for example, test corrections, help sessions, required reading, etc...) accompanied by quality, non-evaluative feedback from the teacher. When students are given descrip-tive feedback on their failures, time to reflect in meaningful ways, and given the opportunity to make corrections, learning improves. Period.

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EventsNOVEMBER

Nov. 23 HS ASVAB TestHS Extra Tutoring @ 2:30pmMS Basketball: Home @ 5:00pmNov. 24 MS Picture Retake7/8th Girls Basketball: Home @ 5:00pm Nov. 25-27Thanksgiving BreakNov. 30JV/V Boys Basketball: Home @ 5:30pmHS Extra Tutoring @ 2:30pm

DECEMBERDec. 1West Picture RetakesDec. 2HS Picture Retakes 7/8th Boys: Home @ 5:00pmDec. 3MS Winter Sports PicturesDec. 7JV/V Boys Basketball: Home @ 5:30pmDec. 88th gr. B/G Basketball: Home @ 5:00pmJV B/G Basketball: Home @ 5:30pmDec. 9JV/V Boys Basketball @ Warrenton Drive over and support the rivalry!Dec. 107/8th Girls Basketball: Home @ 5:00pm7/8th Boys Basketball: Home @ 5:30pmJV/V Girls Basketball: Home @ 5:30pm

Truman State University presents a variety of strategies for coping during this global pandemic. These strategies can help you in the home or at work. Take some time to read through the informa-tion and use what is beneficial to you. Together, we can become stronger than we were before.