Hilda Walker
Intermediate School
Wildcat News
January 2015 Edition
Parents and Students:
December certainly flew by this year with the many activities during school and in the evenings. We had several
choral, band, Orff, and strings events over the past several weeks. It amazes us how quickly our young musicians
develop. Mrs. Goddard, Mrs. Lewkow, Mr. Wagstaff, and Mr. Collins certainly do a fantastic job helping our
musicians learn.
We want to send out a quick thanks to the HWSCO volunteers and staff members that made the Activity Night on
December 18 an enjoyable evening for the students. The kids had a good time and were very well behaved that
evening.
We ended our December with an all-school assembly featuring our Orff Ensemble, 6th Grade Band, and Wildcat
Chorus. The musicians did a fantastic job spreading holiday cheer to their classmates. We ended the assembly
with the staff (ugly) holiday sweater contest. The kids really cheered for the teachers’ hideous apparel and
impromptu gymnastic expression! The applause-o-meter registered a 10 for Mrs. Boudreau who won the coveted
Fruitcake Trophy. Congrats to all the teachers that helped make some fun memories for our kids.
When we get back in January we will soon be wrapping up the 2nd quarter and will take our midyear benchmarks.
We look forward to a productive and fun 2015 with the students. Happy New Year!
Kindly,
Mr. Pierson & Mrs. Goebel
Important Dates:
12/22-1/3
Winter Break
1/16
Institute Day- No School
1/5
School Resumes
1/19
Martin Luther King Day- No School
1/23
SHEF Pizza Day
1/8
HWSCO Treat Day &
SCO Meeting at 3:00pm
1/11
Star Assessments Testing begins
1/28
1/14
BOE Meeting at 7:00pm
1/30
BOE Meeting at 7:00pm
HWSCO Hot Lunch &
Report Cards Issued
FROM THE OFFICE:
Office hours are 7:30 a.m.-3:55 p.m.
Teacher hours are 8:10 a.m.-3:10 p.m.
Absence Notification:
Please call in your child’s absence by 9:20 a.m. Please give your child’s name, teacher name and
reason for absence. There is 24 hr. voicemail also. 815/464-2285
Homework requests should be phoned in with your child’s absence. All requests for homework are
to be requested by 10:00 a.m. for that day. The pick-up time for homework is from 3:00-3:55 p.m.
If you are requesting the homework goes home with another student, please make sure the other
family knows and approves it. All requests for homework are generated by the main office to the
teachers every morning.
Visitors:
For the safety of our students and staff, all visitors must sign in at the main office. This includes
before, during, and after school hours. Please have a picture ID available when you check-in. We
understand that you will periodically need to talk with your child’s teacher. You are always welcome
to do so, but we do ask that you arrange for a date and time in advance with your child’s teacher.
This will ensure that they are available to talk with you when you arrive.
Early Pick up:
We understand that certain appointments can only be made during the day. If you need to pick up
your student before regular dismissal, please send a note ahead of time to your student’s teacher.
The teacher will give the note to the office. Please indicate the student name, time of pick up &
date, reason and teacher name along with the person’s name that will be picking up your student.
The office will call your student to meet you in the office as soon as you arrive. Please bring your
drivers license to the office to check your student out.
Items Dropped Off:
We will call your student down to the office to pick up the item a.s.a.p. when you arrive. If you are
dropping off a lunch for your student: Please make sure the student’s name and grade level are
written on the bag. If your student knows it is coming, they will check the office for the lunch. If they
do not know you are dropping it off, please notify office staff and your student will be called down. All
lunches should be dropped off inside the office after 10:45 to insure they get their lunch at the
beginning of their lunch period.
Volunteering:
We always appreciate any and all of our school volunteers. If you would like to volunteer at Walker,
please complete a volunteer form and return to the office before the volunteer date. On the day you
volunteer, you will need to show your driver’s license to office staff. The link to download the form is
below.
Volunteer form
Academic Assistance:
Academic assistance is available for your student Monday and Friday after school. All students must
have a pass arranged through the teacher and parent before 2:30 the day they are to stay. Please
refer to the email you received on 11/21/14 for details.
Buses:
In order to provide safe transportation for all of our students, children must ride the same bus to and
from school each day. They will not be able to switch buses without written permission from the
school office. Permission will only be granted for emergencies, which do not include babysitting
arrangements or going to a friend’s house. Students also need to use their designated bus stop for
boarding and drop off each day.
Car riders:
Please remember that the building is not open for students until 8:00 am each day. Please do not
drop off your child before this time. Our primary concern is the safety of your child.
All student pick-ups are in the front of the building at the main entrance only.
Bullying-Reporting
If you are aware of any bullying behavior going on in the school, please go to our school webpage,
find the bullying reporting icon on the left side of the page, and complete the Bully Submission Form.
Once submitted the form is sent to our School Counselor– Mrs. Linke and our Assistant Principal,
Mrs. Goebel. They investigate the issue and address it with all parties involved. Also, feel free to
email Mrs. Goebel or Mr. Pierson. The link to the Bully Submission Form is found below.
Bully Submission Form
What Does Bullying Mean?
Bullying is a deliberate and hurtful behavior meant to belittle, frighten, hurt or exclude someone.
Bullying usually does not happen just once. It continues to happen over and over.
Why Does Someone Bully?
Most bullies have a hard time understanding or being sensitive to another person’s feelings. The bully
may:
 Feel powerful by bullying others;
 Feel bad about themselves and bullying makes them feel smarter, stronger, and more popular;
 May have been bullied themselves;
 Blame the victim by saying the person is annoying, different, or deserving of being bullied.
 There are no good excuses for bullying. No one deserves to be bullied no matter how different they
may be.
Walker’s Counseling Team
From the Counselling Team: Maria Bullion, Kristi Linke, and Dianne Mears-Mustafa
Character Matters
Recent research has shown that certain character traits help students achieve success in school and
life. Dr. Anders Ericsson, who is a professor at the University of Stockholm in Sweden, has
specialized in research in this area. What has been found is that time “spent engaged in ‘sustained
and deliberate practice’ is a key predictor of success in school and often, life.” (S.Seider, “Education
Gets Gritty: Why Character Matters for Academic Success,” Professor Voices, Boston University,
January 13, 2014)
Research done by Angela Duckworth and Martin Seligman supports the idea that certain qualities,
such as perseverance (to continue to try and do something, even though difficult) and being able to
delay gratification may be as important as intelligence in predicting school success. Other authors
point out that perseverance is a quality that will help in any field, not just academics.
How can teachers and parents teach students to persevere? Scott Seider is an assistant professor of
education at Boston University, who specializes in character development of adolescents and is the
author of an award winning book, Character Compass: How Powerful School Culture Can Point
Students Toward Success. He suggests that we regard intelligence as something one achieves
through hard work rather than a quality that a person either has or doesn’t have. He suggests that
teachers (and parents) help students achieve and feel successful through small steps that lead to a
long-range goal. The work should not be too easy, but also, not too hard.
Possible strategies to use that might help your child learn perseverance are:
*teach them to imagine their “future self,” after a goal is accomplished
*have them choose a goal in an area they find interesting
*make sure it is a realistic goal
*help them set small steps toward the goal
*applaud effort
*teach them appropriate techniques to deal with failure and frustration
*role model all of the above behaviors
If you would like more information on this topic, google “character counts” and “teaching
perseverance,” or any of the above mentioned authors/researchers.
Team Alabama News
The teacher’s on Team Alabama have been working on
teaching the students all about Point of View.
Students in this group are working
on creating stories in each point of
view based off of the picture they
were given.
(Group names: Kemi Omoniyi,
Jillian Mills, Owen Frickenstein,
Emily Gonzalex, and Caleb Zegar)
Davey Creamer is writing a short story using
a first-person narrator. He is imagining he is
the character to whom something surprising
has just happened. Davey writes about the
feelings of his character in this event.
Students are working independently on
creating their rough drafts of comic strips in
each point of view for their final assessment.
(Victoria Janda, Anthony Dugandzic, Shannon
Engel, and Bobby Weiss)
This group of students
presented their stories to the
class about their picture written
in the five different points of
view (1st person, 2nd person, 3rd
person- limited, omniscient, and
objective)
(Group Names: Lauryn
Peacock, Amber Zmuda, Taylor
Mainwaring, Alex Aikens, and
Jack Walsh.)
Mrs. Milazzo’s class is working with the
Tablets to complete their final
assessment on creating their comic
strips in the different points of view.
They are using a website called
www.bitstripsforschool.com.
TEAM ISU
Mrs. Boudreau, Mrs. Cramer, Mrs. Schaefer,
Mrs. Stokoski, Mrs. Zitkus, Ms. Soch
Fifth grade students from “Team ISU” at Hilda Walker were excited to complete various holiday
projects as the season approached. Some classes completed math projects that directly related to
their current Common Core Math topics. They added multiple numbers that included decimals, as
well as figured tax on subtotals, while they went on a “shopping spree” for a pretend local family.
Other classes went on a “shopping spree” to purchase a new bedroom and all of its belongings. The
students really seemed to enjoy this change of pace and didn’t consider it ‘work.’
Team ISU students also brought their artistic talents to the table during our Gingerbread House
competition. All students participated in designing the outside of their own house for the season. It
was fun to watch their minds work and the creativity flow.
Thank you to all of our parents and students for a great first semester. We are proud of your
accomplishments so far. Keep up the good work! 
Pictured at the below: Noah Ippolito from
Mrs. Boudreau’s class
Welcome Buckeyes
NEWS FROM OHIO STATE
Presented by the 5th grade homerooms of
Bednarz, Doody, Maranto, Rafa, & Thomas
Team Ohio State has been learning about forces that affect our
everyday lives. Classes were able to experiment with friction, gravity and magnetism. Students
participated in a box race where different surfaces were tested showing how friction affects the speed
of the box. Next, students dropped different shaped objects to see the effect of gravity. Finally,
students tested given objects for their magnetic and nonmagnetic properties.
In math, we have moved on to decimals. Students have been utilizing decimal rounding, estimating,
adding and subtracting as it applies to real world situations and money. Please encourage your child
to continue to practice their basic facts as this will greatly help understanding future concepts.
In social studies students are continuing to examine the 13 colonies and the struggles of becoming an
independent nation. We will be learning about the French and Indian War as well as the
Revolutionary War.
Above Team Ohio State December Jr.
Buckeye Winners: Hailee Marek, Lily
Chelsa, Courtney Rogovic, Alexander
Stanwich, Dylan Waishwell, Rayna Klapp,
Jace Styrsky, Conor Sayers
Above: Jailee Clemmons and Aidan
Daugherty are working with the force of
magnetism.
Team 6-1
Notre Dame
Mrs. Sajewich’s/Mrs. Mc Farland’s Reading/Language Arts Classes
The students are really enjoying the novel, The Lightning Thief. We are discovering how Percy, the
main character, is on a hero’s journey. Students are writing constructed responses citing multiple
texts. We will be continuing Percy’s journey through the New Year and bringing in more sources that
relate to the novel in order to develop making inferences and connections. Also, the students are
practicing how to align two texts and explain the relationship between the texts.
Ms. Mittelstadt’s Math
In math, the students started the ratios chapter. They have been solving ratios with ratio tables and
tape diagrams. After break, the students will be learning about rates and how to find a unit rate. In
Summit Math, the students have been working on graphing ratios. They also learned about
proportions and how to convert measurements using proportions. After break, we will be starting
percents.
Mrs. Dermody’s Social Studies
In December we focused on Egypt’s Middle and New Kingdom. In the Middle Kingdom the students
learned why it was considered the “golden years.” In the New Kingdom they learned about the first
woman ruler, Hatshepsut, who first ruled with her husband until he died. They also learned about
King Tut who became a ruler at the age of 10. The students also enjoyed presenting their game
shows and talk shows on Egypt. In January we will be moving on to Ancient Greece.
Ms. Dempsey’s Science Class
Students will be introduced to electricity in the coming weeks. As we explore this topic, the students
will learn about electric charges and static electricity. They will focus on the difference between
insulators and conductors as well as learn what series and parallel circuits are. During this time they
will complete several hands on experiments including making and using an electroscope and then
creating circuits to gain a better understanding of how they work. Much of this material will be new for
the students, so it is important for them to review their material and vocabulary throughout the
chapter.
Mrs. Becker’s and Miss Hourihan Reading and Language Arts Classes
Team Michigan’s Reading students are selecting two pieces of text and analyzing to create a writing
sample. In class the students have been working hard in collaborative groups to follow the criteria
checklist for comparing two pieces of texts. In Language Arts the classes finished part one on verbs.
Students will be transitioning to Argumentative writing.
Mrs. DeCesare’s Math Classes
Team Michigan students will start Module 6: Representing Ratios and Rates using the different tools
to find ratios and rates. Some of the tools we will be using are: tape diagrams, ratio tables, and
double number lines. Each of these tools will aid in helping to solve questions comparing rates by
finding part-to-whole or part-to-part relationships. When completed, the students should be able to
answer the essential question: When is it useful to be able to relate one quantity to another?
Mrs. DeCesare’s Summit class will continue to work on Module 7: Applying Ratios and Rates. In
this module, students will use another method to find the part-to-part or part-to-whole relationship by
using proportions to solve. They will also convert units using proportions involving the Customary
and Metric Measurements.
Students should continue to work on their facts by using Reflex at www.Reflexmath.com. The
username is the same for all of Mrs. DeCesare’s classes (tdecesare) and if they need their password,
please have them see me.
Mrs. Krueger’s Social Studies Classes
Before break, we wrapped up with our unit on ancient Egypt. Our next unit is on ancient Greece.
Students will discover how the geography of Greece influenced their early civilizations, the Minoans
and the Mycenaeans. While studying this section, students will also learn a few myths. We will talk
about how colonies and trade spread Greek culture and spurred industry. The idea of citizenship in
Greek city-states will be explored as well.
Mrs. Medendorp’s Science Classes
Students in science are continuing to study the concepts of electricity and magnetism. Team
Michigan students built an electroscope to detect charges on several objects and determined which
objects were able to hold a charge. We will also investigate electric current and energy, and learn
how to calculate voltage as well as electrical power. Students will also get their hands on some
electric circuits, and build series and parallel circuits – the same types of circuits found in your house!
Our focus will shift to magnetism, and we will learn about the properties of magnets. The students
will also learn how to generate a magnetic field from electricity, as well as generate electricity from
magnetism. Students will be building devices that can generate a magnetic field – solenoids and
electromagnets. Once we create magnetic fields, we will shift our focus and actually ‘create’
electricity using a magnetic field! Team Michigan students will be working hard!! GO BLUE!
Sixth Grade—Team University of Illinois
Math—Mrs. Nance
We wrapped up Module 5 in math before Winter Break. Students worked on adding,
subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals. Our essential question for this module was: How can
you use operations with decimals to solve real-word problems?
After break we will begin Module 6. This module will have students working on ratios and rates
to solve real-world problems. The students will be using a variety of tools to accomplish this task.
They will be creating double number lines, tape diagrams, and ratio tables. Students will also be
working on a technology activity during this module.
ELA—Mrs. Johnson
Students are reading the novel, The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan. While reading The
Lightning Thief, students are involved in a deep study of mythology, its purposes and elements. We
are focusing on the archetypal journey and close reading of the many mythical illusions. As we
began the novel, students read a complex informational text that explains the archetypal storyline of
the hero’s journey which has been repeated in literature throughout the centuries. Through the close
reading of literary and informational texts, students will learn multiple strategies for acquiring and
using academic vocabulary. Students are also building routines and expectations of discussion as
they work in small groups.
Students are still working on the organization trait in writing. Students will work on: writing an
essay about the various uses of an everyday item, and writing a paragraph about a postcard that is
so descriptive, readers will be able to identify the postcard the student used.
In our English textbook, we just finished working on nouns and will working on verbs. Students
will: identify action verbs, tell whether an action is visible or invisible, identify verb phrases, distinguish
between main verbs and helping verbs, identify objects in sentences and identify being and linking
verbs.
Science—Mrs. Fischer
During the month of January, the students in Mrs. Fischer’s class will begin learning about
Electromagnetism. We will discuss several types of magnets and also describe how electricity and
magnetism are interconnected. This is going to be a great opportunity for the students to experiment
with magnets and learn about how our Earth is simply a giant magnet. Many of the concepts learned
in this chapter will enhance the understanding of the world around them.
Social Studies—Mrs. Driscoll
After winter break, students will be learning about particular Egyptian pharaohs. Students will
compare and contrast pharaohs’ leadership qualities and techniques. Pharaohs will be critiqued and
judged based on their leadership qualities.
After our study of Egypt is complete, we will be moving on to discover Ancient Greece. We will
begin by learning about Greece’s geography and how their geography impacted the development of
their civilization. Students will work on a document-based question activity to compare several short
texts on the topic of Greece’s geography.
ELA—Mrs. Higgins
In Reading class, we have concluded the first unit of Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief. We
have been aligning “The Hero’s Journey”, which follows the archetype of a hero, with our novel.
Students have been working intensely on citing text based evidence to support the analysis of both
literary and informational text. We will continue to dig deeper into our novel as we look at the myth of
Cronus and the story of Zeus.
English classes are ready to publish our argument essays that will be sent to the President.
Students have examined the parts of an argument essay which include: claim, reasons, data,
counterclaim, and a rebuttal. After researching facts and evidence, students have put together a
letter to the President arguing a federal ban on texting and driving. We will be able to utilize our
portable lab to practice formal letter writing.
P.E. News
During the month of November students participated in our bowling unit. In our unit students learned
a 3 step approach and how to keep score. We concluded our bowling unit with Cosmic Bowling.
Rope lights are place on the floor for each lane and the lights are off to set the Cosmic Bowling
atmosphere.
After bowling we then began our pickleball unit. This activity is great for building hand eye
coordination and testing teamwork skills and strategies. Students were taught the skills and rules of
the game. They then applied that new knowledge during game play.
Attention families, the PE Department is still collecting Box Tops for Education. The Box Tops
collected are used to enhance your students Physical Education Experience by providing them with
the latest fitness and health equipment. Thank You to all of the families that have contributed. Every
Box Top Counts!!!
Parents please help your student remember to complete their PE homework. It is due every Tuesday
in their homeroom's PE box. Homework is worth 15% of their overall grade. Downloads to the
weekly homework are available on Mr. Acevedo's webpage through the Hilda Walker School website.
PBIS
PAW Mart is open every Thursday for students during lunch. Items available at the school store will
change monthly. This month students may purchase glow items, stress balls, and mini sports balls.
We will continue to have popcorn available the last Thursday of each month for 20 tickets. Every
quarter Nachos will be sold for 40 tickets. The next Nacho Day is Thursday January 29 th. In addition
to all of that, there is MORE!! Students may enter a ticket into the monthly PAW Mart Giveaway!!
5th Grade Band News
On Wednesday, December 17th, our fabulous Beginning Band treated our parents and families
to an awesome winter concert. This was the Beginning Band's first full band concert and they were
amazing. They are off to a fantastic start as young musicians. Band...Mr. Wagstaff is very proud of
you as is the entire community. We can't wait to see what you accomplish in the years ahead. Have a
great winter break and we look forward to your next performance at "Band-O-Rama" at Lincoln-Way
North High School on February 17.
Music and Choir News
On December 11th the Hilda Walker Wildcat Singers performed at the Summit Hill 161 Winter Choral
Concert. The group of students who are over 140 strong did a magnificent job at the
performance. They opened their portion of the concert with a salsa tune called "Hot Chocolate" which
got the audience excited about what was to come. The next song was "Angels in the Snow" followed
by some familiar tunes from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" medley. The students were powerful,
exciting to watch, and represented the school choral program extremely well! Our next project will be
working on getting ready for the IGSMA district choral contest in March. We continue to be thankful
for all of the wonderful support from our parents, administrators, and community members! We are
certainly looking forward to what is to come after the New Year!
The Walker School showed their support to our troops at Walker’s 16th Annual Veterans Day
Ceremony in early November. Over 75 veterans and quests attended our ceremony that started out
with a parade of military vehicles that later were explored by both students and veterans. This
ceremony is held to honor the men and women who are still missing in action or being held as
prisoners. The event was captured by a photographer and made into a DVD. If you are interested in
purchasing the DVD, please contact me and we will give you a contact name and phone number.
Thank you for your support,
Pamela Tucker
[email protected]
Safety Patrol
The Walker Safety Awareness Team has been busy doing various activities at their meetings. We are
doing research on ways students can stay safe during the really cold days of winter, and writing
letters. The Team decided to make Christmas cards for the veterans at the Marteno Veterans’ Home
as a way so say thank you for keeping our country safe. Students also talked about ways to keep the
home and animals safe during the holiday season.
Boys Basketball
The Hilda Walker Boys Basketball Team is in full swing. The twenty student-athletes that make up
the first and second teams have all been working hard since October. These players are coming
together as a team both defensively as well as on the offensive end. In most games, 8 or 9 players
on each team will score points. The team that plays first has a record of 7 wins and 1 loss. The
second team is currently undefeated with 8 wins and 0 losses. We have already had many, exciting
game. One game went into overtime. So if you like basketball, come out and watch the exciting
Hilda Walker Wildcats in action.
Submitted by:
Ron Buoscio
Coach