Trojan Tribune
Students of the Month by D. Wittrock, A. Sutherland,
Gia Perrelli, and Jesus Morales
Two students from second
grade have been nominated for students of the
month.
Isabella Martenico from
Mrs. Charleton’s class was
selected because of her
excellent behavior and for
following our PBIS expectations. According to
Mrs. Charleton, she notices Isabella always follows
directions and is kind to
others.
Isabella loves John Mills
School and said, “I feel it’s
a good school, and has
good teachers.” Her favorite part about John Mills
is a simple answer, Ms.
Iovinelli.
In her free time, Isabella
loves reading and watching the Harry Potter se-
ries. She’s a talented
dancer, and specifically
loves tap dancing. She
also loves to swim.
Our second student is
Iskandar Ahmed, a second grade student in
Mrs. Rickenbrode’s
room. Mrs. Rickenbrode
nominated Iskandar as
student of the month
because of his kind disposition.
The Busy Bees asked
Iskandar a few questions to get to know him
better. Iskandar said
his favorite subject is
reading and he loves going
to music class. Iskandar is
interested in sharks and
likes to read about them.
When asked what his favorite movie is, he said
the “Box Trolls”. In his
free time, Iskandar enjoys
playing soccer and hangs
out with his friends.
Iskandar also reported
that he loves the color
green and his favorites
holidays are Christmas
and Halloween.
program. Most students in the program
have improved their
game and have had a
lot of fun. Mr. Grigolo
said it best, “5th and
6th graders, through
spirited practice, and
competitive games
develop their football
Volume 1, Issue 3
Winter 2015
Iskandar Ahmed
Congratulations to both
Isabella and Iskandar for
being chosen as the second
grade Star Students!
John Mills is lucky to
have you both!
Trojan Sport Corner
Did you know John
Mills School offers a
variety of Intramural
programs for 5th and
6th grade students?
This month’s sports
corner will focus on
flag football. Mrs.
Birchall and Mr.
Grigolo moderate the
John Mills Elementary
School
Isabella Martenico
By Damian Nowik
skills and knowledge
of the game”. Mrs.
Birchall also organized a half time routine with the John
Mills Cheerleaders.
Having a half time
show made the intramural experience
more authentic. All
participants had a
great time playing
football.
The next intramural
program is Dodge
ball.
Page
2
Trojan Tribune
CINDER:
A book review
By: Julia Ciura
What if you were someone you didn’t even know? You were a
different identity? What if you were a well-known mechanic, but
not a well known cyborg or lunar?
Lihn Cinder is a 16 year old mechanic, cyborg and lives with her
step-mother and two step sisters. Cinder is the scientific version
of the fairytale, Cinderella. Cinder catches the attention of the
prince, gets involved with a deadly plague her sister has caught,
becomes a test subject, and gets involved with lunars, all while
trying to get back to her “normal” life. The only way to do this is
to escape. She needs to escape the crowded streets of New Beijing, and her so-called family. Cinder begins to plan an adventure of a lifetime. Sci-Fi lovers will devour this book!
Primary Project
Two different grade levels have paired
up to work together on special projects, such as reading to each other,
play games together, and create projects. Two rooms we like to showcase
are Mrs. Malizzio’s 5th graders and
Ms. Slobodecki’s first grade students.
These two classrooms have been
working together since the beginning
of the year. One of our Busy Bees,
Olivia Dombeck, asked her reading
buddy a few questions about the program. First, she wanted to know if her
by O. Dombeck and A. Ziomek
buddy liked the buddy system and if
so, why. Jeremy Munoz, a reading
buddy said, “Yes, I like writing with
my reading buddy.” Another student,
Angelia Freidin said, “I like to work
on projects with my reading buddy.”
According to these testimonials, it is
safe to say that the buddy project is a
success. Teachers and students both
enjoy the time they spend together and
like working as a team.
WINTER WRITING WINNER !
The following story was submitted
by Iris Keane, a third grade student
in Mrs. Dean’s class.
Winter Dream
I was in my bed. It was so cold, like
an ice cube. “Tick, tick” went the
snow. It was so loud! While I was
sleeping, it snowed; 1inch, 2 inches,
3 inches and so on. When I woke up,
I saw a sea of white. “Wow!” I said.
I played with the Ipad for a little bit.
When I went downstairs, I talked for a
little bit and Dad made pancakes. After I ate, I asked if I could go outside.
Mom said, “Yes, but make sure you
put on your jacket.”
I found all the clothing I needed and
went out to play. Dad was shoveling
and I was playing. The snow was so
thick, that my feet couldn’t touch the
ground. I had so much fun. I played
for a long time, so long that my toes
were numb. When I went inside, I
made hot chocolate. It made me feel
warm inside. I watched TV for a bit
and then it was time for bed again.
When I went to sleep that night, I
thought, “today was a fun day!”
John Mills Elementary School
Page 3
and
Dear Delilah
By Deiliah Quintinar
Dear Delilah:
I don’t celebrate Christmas, although
it’s a huge holiday celebrated this
time of year. I don’t want my friends
to think I’m different. What should I
do?
Dear Tori:
I don’t know what to talk about with
my new step mom. Please help!
Sincerely,
Tongue Tied
Sincerely,
Juggling Jingles
Dear Don’t Know What to Say:
Dear Juggling Jingles:
There are many holidays being celebrated this time of year; Hanukkah,
Kwanza, and Ramadan. Christmas
tends to be a popular holiday because Christianity is a huge religion.
Because you celebrate something
different or nothing at all, makes you
a unique individual. Remember your
beliefs and celebrations are exclusive
to you. However, if you feel comfortable sharing your traditions then
you should do so! If you don’t want
to tell them, you don't’ have to. It is
your choice. No matter what, be
proud of your belief system.
It must be difficult when someone
new moves in. You can start talking to your step-mom about your
likes and dislikes, then ask her
questions. For example, when is
her birthday? How old are you?
Ask questions that you’d like to
know about her. To make your
step-mom happy, you can say
“Welcome to our home”, or “I’m
happy you’re here”, just like you
would to any guest. Also, if things
get sticky or tough, talk to your
dad about your issues. Getting
your feelings out in the open can
help you solve your problems.
Love,
Delilah
Truly,
Tori
Truly, Tori
By Victoria Cza
Czacha
charowski
charowski
Need help solving
a problem? Ask
Delilah or Tori by
anonymously submitting your problem in one of the
boxes in the John
Mills library. These
ladies love to help
others solve problems! You may be
picked and get the
help you need in a
future issue!
The Circuit book review by Mark Gomez
The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez
is an autobiography which follows
the story of a young immigrant,
Francisco Jimenez. The book begins with Francisco’s family discussing plans to come to America,
but there’s a catch...they are illegally crossing the border. As the
story progress, it becomes obvious
that life isn't as easy as they
thought it was going to be. As the
story picks up, things start to get
better for Francisco and his family. Towards the end of the novel,
the author treats the reader to a
surprising conclusion. If you
want to know how the book ends,
you’ll have to pick up a copy. I
recommend
this book for
10-12 year old
students.
Learning Lab
The Busy Bees would like to challenge all students to try to solve these difficult problems.
Solutions to these problems will be in the John Mills library in January.
Problem A:
FIND the PRONOUNS
By. D. Wittrock
Circle all the pronouns you find in the following
paragraph.
Pronoun: a word that takes the place of a noun
Suzy needed money. She decided to sell lemonade on her street so she could buy a
new video game. She had been waiting for it to come out for months.! Selling lemonade is
simple and old fashioned, she thought, but it’s the best I can do. After the lemonade was all
sold out, she had only earned nine dollars and fifty cents. She has a long way to go!
Problem B: RIDDLES
Solve these riddles. By Jesus Morales
1. What can travel around the world while staying in one corner?
Hint: Mail
2. Take off me skin– I won’t cry, but you will!
Hint: A vegetable
Problem C: MAKING WORDS
How many THREE LETTER words (or more) can you make using the following letters in these two words:
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
DIY GIFT IDEAS
DIY is an acronym that
means Do-It-Yourself.
Most people think
great holiday gifts
have to be big or
expensive. What if you
want to buy a great
present for a family
member and you
don’t have a lot of
money? Have no fear!
The Busy Bees joined
together and thought
of great DIY gifts that
anyone can make
and enjoy!

By Diana Wittrock
Braided Leather Belt
Leather cord actually isn’t very expensive, and
braiding just comes naturally. All you have to
do is braid a leather cord together (recommend
three per section) and tie a knot when you are
done. It is easy, quick, and for either gender.

Smart Phone Case
We all use our smart phones for more than just
phone calls, so its important to have a cool case.
Phone cases make great presents, and homemade ones are even better. You can use pictures, beads, pieces of felt, glitter to bedazzle a
plain case from the
dollar store.
Spotlight on Dr. Baird
We interviewed Dr. Baird, the
enrichment teacher for this
month’s Trojan Tribune.
BB: When and why did you start
teaching in the Enrichment program?
Dr. B: I started teaching gifted
students in 1982. Why, I was
asked by the principal because
I knew a lot about history.
by George Gauthier and Suzy Lundin
wrestling, and track.
BB: What places have you traveled to?
Dr. B: I am way too busy to travel, but one day I would like to.
BB: What do you do in your free
time?
Dr. B: I read. I love to constantly read.
BB: What did you want to be
when you grew up?
BB: What other schools have
you taught at?
Dr. B: History Professor and lawyer (which was accomplished)
Dr. B: I teach here in Elmwood
Park at the ECC, John Mills and
Elmwood. I’ve also taught at
National Lewis University and
Concordia University.
BB: What do you enjoy to do
after school?
Dr. B: I like to play football,
BB: How many degrees do you
have?
Dr. B: Thank you for asking. I
have a B.A. in Education, M.A.
in Administration, a PHD in Educational Leadership and a J.D.
in law
BB: What do you see yourself
doing in the future?
Dr. B: I shall teach until I die!
Page 6
CULTURE CORNER
This month the Busy Bees are highlighting Albanian Christmas.
This is one way an Albanian Family celebrates.
On Christmas morning, we eat a huge breakfast, followed by lunch, then dinner. Traditionally, at dinner
time we eat dolma or dolmades. Dolma is a grape
leaf or cabbage leaf wrapped in meat, or spiced
rice. We also bake pound cake, eat chocolate chip
cookies and enjoy many other flavorful dishes. We
also partake in regular Christmas traditions by opening presents and visiting family. It is a special holiday
for us to celebrate happiness, generosity, and the
wonders of winter!
By Delilah Quintanar
ANTI-BULLY PLAY A SUCCESS!
By Ally Scheidt and Iliyana Zuniga
Bullying:
Bullying is unwanted,
aggressive behavior among
school aged children that
involves a real or perceived
power imbalance. The
behavior is repeated, or has
the potential to be repeated,
over time.
On November 18th, Mrs. Flaherty’s 6th graders put on a play for the 3rd
grade students. The play was about bullying. The 6th graders talked about the
different types of bullying and why a bully acts. The play was based off of a
reader's theater skit. Mrs. Flaherty said “That bullying is something that occurs in many environments. We want the 3rd graders aware of the different
types of bullying and how to prevent it.” Mrs. Richards also helped put the
play together. She said “the 6th graders came up with the idea to do a play. I
was working with Mrs. Flaherty’s class on improving their friendships and
solving problems with peers. The play was a big influence on the class. The
6th graders had a great time making there own scenes and working on the
script.” Viktoria and Petr in Mrs.Barons class said, “That bullies only bully because they have been bullied or they are alone.” Also a few other 3rd graders
commented by saying bullying is bad and it hurts people’s feelings. They also
said if you see someone getting bullied stand up for the other person or go
get a teacher. Mrs. Flaherty’s class did a great job on the play! Congratulations!