ISSUE I
OCTOBER 2015
JLS TIMES
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHECK OUT WHAT’S
HAPPENING ON CAMPUS,
PANTHERS!
UPCOMING EVENTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
UNITY DAY * LUNCH RALLY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
SPIRIT FRIDAY * PAJAMA DAY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
HALLOWEEN RALLY
Greetings from the JLS Times
Jocelyn W.
Hello, JLS Panthers! It’s awesome to
see everyone again and meet new
people. If you’re in sixth grade,
welcome to middle school!
Summer vacation is long gone and
we’ve already finished a quarter of the
school year. Life goes pretty fast! But
we still have three quarters ahead of us
and we’re going to cover a lot of cool
happenings around campus.
The JLS Times is here to keep y’all
informed — from staff-student games,
choir concerts, dances, plays, book
reviews, interviews, trivia, technology,
and more.
We’re excited for the 2015-2016 school
year! We hope you are, too!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
ELECTION DAY
TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS
3:15 P.M. TO 4:15 P.M.
ROOM 113
JLS WRITING CENTER
MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, &
THURSDAYS
3:15 P.M. TO 4:30 P.M
LIBRARY
HOMEWORK HABITAT
J.L. Stanford Middle School
480 East Meadow Drive
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 856-5188
jls.pausd.org
Grabbers!
A selection of first sentences from our
favorite books.
“I know I’m not an ordinary ten-year-old
kid. I mean, sure, I do ordinary things....But
I know ordinary kids don’t make other
ordinary kids run away screaming in
playgrounds. I know ordinary kids don’t
get stared at wherever they go.”
Wonder
R.J. Palacio
“You don’t know about me without
you have read a book by the name
of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer;
but that ain’t no matter.”
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain
*image from www.prioryca.org
JLS Writing Center
Need help with a writing assignment?
We offer:
“First the colors. Then the humans.
That’s usually how I see things. Or at
least, how I try.”
The Book Thief
Markus Zusak
• writing support for all students in
all subjects.
• one-on-one and small group
writing assistance.
When: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Time: 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Location: Room 113
“Far out in the uncharted
backwaters of the unfashionable
end of the Western Spiral Arm of
the Galaxy lies a small unregarded
yellow sun.”
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams
ISSUE I
PAGE 2
A Warm Welcome to New
JLS Teachers
Elaine C. & Christine T.
This year, we have a few new teachers on campus.
We would like to welcome them to our school and
introduce them to our learning community.
Ms. Sarah Coyle
English Language Learners & English 8
JLS Times: What is your favorite food?
Ms. Coyle: White nectarines, cantaloupe, and sushi. But
not together. Wait. Maybe.
JLS Times: Do you have a motto you live by?
Ms. Coyle: Yes, and it’s tattooed on my wrist: Just
Breathe.
Welcome to JLS, Ms. Coyle!
Mr. Zak Ibsen
P.E.
JLS Times: What do you love most about teaching?
Ms. Coyle: EVERYTHING, except the paperwork. Can
someone make the paperwork go away?!?
JLS Times: How long have you been teaching?
Ms. Coyle: I’ve been teaching since 1999, so, that’s like
a gazillion years, right?
JLS Times: Why did you decide to major in English?
Ms. Coyle: I love words. Love them. Like, insanely. I
love books that have lots of pages of words, which is
probably why I love John Irving, Wally Lamb, and Phillip
Roth.
JLS Times: Have you always taught English?
Ms. Coyle: Yes, but when I was an elementary school
teacher, I taught all subjects. This is actually the first year
I’ve only taught one subject.
JLS Times: What do you like most about English?
Ms. Coyle: You can put words together in a million
different ways to create a million different
scenarios.
JLS Times: We heard you enjoy cycling. When did you
start cycling? Where do you like to cycle?
Ms. Coyle: Yes, I am passionate about cycling and bikes
and all the things that go along with it. I started cycling
about five years ago and have been pedaling ever since! I
love to ride up in the hills, along the coast, anywhere with
pretty scenery and hills. I love climbing things!
JLS Times: We heard you
were a professional soccer
player. Tell us a little bit about
your soccer career, please.
Mr. Ibsen: I achieved my
childhood dream of becoming a professional soccer
player through hard work and determination. I feel so
lucky to have been a part of many incredible
championship teams (youth, college, professional).
There is no greater honor than representing your country
in the Olympics and at the international level. These
experiences are a huge part of who I am today. I am
forever indebted to the beautiful game for teaching me
how to get the best out of myself and others.
JLS Times: Why do you like soccer?
Mr. Ibsen: I love soccer because it is the ultimate team
sport. Several family members played soccer at the
collegiate level. One very influential uncle of mine was
an exceptional player who ended up attending UCLA
and briefly playing professional soccer, before
embarking on a very successful business career. I was
introduced to the game at a very young age and
immediately fell in love with it. My first love was tackle
football, but my mom wouldn’t let me play on a real
team until I was 10 years old. By then, soccer had
consumed my life, and the rest is history.
ISSUE I
Mr. Zak Ibsen (cont.)
PAGE 3
Halloween
Christine T.
JLS Times: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Mr. Ibsen: I love sports, coaching, and being part of the
overall development of youth. There is nothing better
than being in the presence of great teaching and learning.
I strive to become the best teacher, mentor and coach to
all of my students. It makes me happy to provide a
platform for students to turn their potential into
greatness. Every student deserves the opportunity to
enjoy learning in a safe and effective (sporting)
environment, where mistakes and failure are celebrated
as building blocks to success.
JLS Times: What do you love most about teaching?
Mr. Ibsen: I love being around students. Their energy
and enthusiasm, curiosity and wonder, motivates and
inspires me to put forth my best effort every day. I enjoy
building strong teacher-student relationships with a
foundation of mutual trust and respect.
We know Halloween as a night when one dresses up in a
costume and goes from door to door trick-or-treating.
But, this holiday all started as an ancient Celtic festival
known as Samhain and was celebrated at the end of
harvest time.
Halloween was celebrated in a similar way during the
Middle Ages in Europe. People believed that at this time
of year the spirits came back to life and caused sickness
and damaged crops. The poor would go from door to
door offering their prayers in exchange for food.
Today, Halloween is celebrated in not only America, but
also the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and Saudi
Arabia.
Halloween Facts
• Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.
• Boston, Massachusetts holds the record for the
most jack-o’-lanterns lit at once (30,128).
JLS Times: How long have you been teaching?
• The colors black and orange are typically
associated with Halloween.
Mr. Ibsen: This is my first year teaching. I was lucky
enough to do my student-teaching at JLS last fall, under
the tutelage and guidance of Mr. Ferolino.
• The color orange is a symbol of strength and
endurance and, along with brown and gold, stands
for the harvest and autumn.
JLS Times: What is your favorite food?
• The color black is typically a symbol of death and
darkness and acts as a reminder that Halloween
once was a festival that marked the boundaries
between life and death.
Mr. Ibsen: My mom’s flank steak.
JLS Times: Do you have a motto you live by?
Mr. Ibsen: I am prepared to fail today, are you?
Welcome to JLS, Mr. Ibsen!
ISSUE I
PAGE 4
Halloween Q&A
Recipe: Pumpkin Cookie Pops
Camille L. & Isha R.
Researched by Ananya K. & Sherry W.
It’s Halloween — a time to bring out your inner goblin
and have a lot of fun. Do you like going trick-or-treating,
wearing a costume, going to a party, handing out candy,
or decorating? Halloween is definitely a time for
everyone to have a great time. Below is a Q & A with
JLS students about this spooky holiday.
What do you like most about Halloween?
Asha (6th grader): I like trick-or-treating.
Kevin (7th grader): Definitely CANDY!
Will (8th grader): I like wearing costumes.
What will you dress up as for Halloween?
Ben (6th grader): Minion!
Emily (7th grader): A ninja.
Stephanie (8th grader): Maybe a leopard or a witch.
Ingredients:
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup green gumdrops, quartered lengthwise
Icing:
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup water
• Orange, black, purple, green, and red paste or gel
food coloring
30 popsicle sticks
Halloween Jokes
Researched by Malik Funes
Let’s see if you will survive these corny jokes!
1. What type of road attracts the most ghosts?
2. What soccer position does a ghost play?
3. Which room is useless for a ghost?
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light
and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in pumpkin.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and
cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture.
2. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2in. apart onto
greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Insert Popsicle sticks into dough. Insert a gumdrop
piece into the top of each for the pumpkin stem.
3. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes, then remove to cool.
Answers: 1. a dead end 2. ghoulie 3. a living room
*image from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/03/1c/3b/
031c3be4a191f67e20720d40c7723cea.jpg
*image from http://images.clipartpanda.com/ghost-clipart-for-kids-black-and-white-ghost.svg
4. For icing, in a large bowl, combine confectioners'
sugar and water until smooth. Remove 1/2 cup to
another bowl; cover and set aside. Stir orange food
coloring into remaining icing. Spread or pipe over
cookies. Let stand for 30 minutes or until icing is set
and dry.
5. Tint reserved icing with colors of your choice; use
colored icing to create jack-o'-lantern faces. Enjoy!
ISSUE I
The Bottom of the Lake
A JLS Production
Liza K., Malavika K., & Isha R.
The Bottom of the Lake is a perfectly spooky, eerie tale
of four camp girls telling scary stories by a campfire.
Watch as the stories come to life, thanks to wonderful
actors, as each story is told. The audience will be left
speechless after each one. The last tale might be the
spookiest, for it is one that not even the girls have been
expecting. Will you be creeped out? Make sure to see
JLS’s fall play!
Q&A with the Directors, Producer, Actors, & Crew
Stage Managers and Tech Director:
Stage Managers: Liza, Malavika, & Sophia
Tech Director: Yonatan
What are you looking forward to in the production?
L: I’m looking forward to seeing all the pieces of the
production just come together and form something.
Y: I’m looking forward to finally creating an awesome
haunted house and hearing screams!
PAGE 5
Directors:
Director: Kida
Assistant Directors: Tram & Evan
This show is student-directed. How does being
student-directed make it unique from other
productions?
E: I think people are going to underestimate us because
they think we’re not responsible or that we’re immature.
Let me just say that that may be 100% true, but that
doesn’t mean that the show won’t be special.
T: Adding on to that, they will see that we’re capable.
We know we’re students, but we can do it anyway.
K: The fact that Mr. Mahle is handing this off to us, and
this is the first time he’s done this, feels like wow, you’re
really putting that much trust in us? He’s comfortable
with us [directing] and that really makes it special.
Technicians:
Costume Designer: Isha
Haunted House Manager: Zoë
What has been exciting so far in tech?
M: I’m looking forward to seeing all of the audience
members be scared.
I: I like working with everyone. I’ve done costumes and
I like doing that, and trying to find costumes that might
suit characters.
S: I’m looking forward to seeing Liza get scared.
Z: I like planning the haunted house because I get to be
a leader.
What do you enjoy about being a stage manager or
tech director?
Producer: Mr. Mahle
L: I enjoy being able to be there at all the rehearsals and
seeing all the pieces of the play from a different
standpoint.
Why did you decide to make this show studentdirected?
Y: I really like directing people to build huge stuff that
they wouldn’t be able to build without this tech program.
Mr. M: Because, after working here for four years, I felt
like we finally had our theater students who were not
only enthusiastic about being here, but also good at
working in a collaborative way — leading each other.
M: Free food. Well, other than free food, I like watching
this production from start to finish and seeing it grow
and come together.
S: I agree with Liza, I mean, it’s just cool to see all the
pieces of the play develop and form into a beautiful
thing.
What do you hope to see in this production?
Mr. M: I hope to see… Well, I do hope to see the script,
in the form that it was intended to be performed. Without
giving any spoilers, I’m looking forward to seeing some
great acting, I’m looking forward to seeing lights and
minimal set being used to create an eerie mood that sets
the stage for future Halloween shows.
ISSUE I
PAGE 6
The Bottom of the Lake (cont.)
JLS TIMES STAFF
Actors:
Bloody Mary: Ellie
Danie: Kerawin
What do you like most about your role?
E: I love being so powerful. I’m Bloody
Mary, so everyone’s scared of me because of
my legend.
K: I really like getting to be creepy because I
feel like most of the time I’m kind of a regular
girl. [In one scene,] I get to be creepy and
that’s really fun.
Be sure to bring your family and friends to see
The Bottom of the Lake! You won’t want to
miss the amazing haunted house that is open
before showtime. We can’t wait to see you
there!
Showtimes:
October 29 at 7 p.m.
October 30 at 7 p.m.
October 31 at 4 p.m.
Co-Editors
Christine T.
Sherry W.
*image from Wordpress
Newsies
Esther C.
Elaine C.
Nostalgic
Zoë L.
Malik F.
Once a little girl
dressed up as a little mermaid
Adorned around her neck were strings of
pearls
Pumpkins glowed in the dark
and with her ghost friends they walked far
Bags of candy
that didn't cost a penny
were quickly devoured
All the candy, even the sour
then years passed
it seemed as if time had flied
soon that little girl
who loved to wear pearls
was the one behind the door
who made the children's night a little more
she passed out candy, counting the years
when her time for treats was plenty
She felt nostalgic for the fun times she had
years ago on this very night
and now even when she tried with all her
might
She could not be that little girl again
and ghosts were no longer her friend.
Then she blinked,
for in front of her was another little girl
eager for candy
She was dressed up as a little mermaid
and adorned around her neck were stings of
pearls
Laura K.
Liza K.
Malavika K.
Ananya K.
Camille L.
Zoë L.
Mina O.
Isha R.
Christine T.
Sherry W.
Jamie W.
Jocelyn W.
Mary W.
Audrey X.
Faculty Advisor
Mrs. Coluzzi
*”Halloween History - History
of Halloween." History of
Halloween. N.p., n.d. Web.
10 Oct. 2015.
*Recipe from http://
www.tasteofhome.com/
recipes/pumpkin-cookie-pops