MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Volume 9 Issue 6
March 2015
HAMS
PRINCIPALS MESSAGE
Greeting HAMS Parents!
The HAMS students certainly have been busy
during the month of February! The entire
building kicked-off the second semester of
Positive School Wide with a movie and pep
rally on February 13th. Mr. Buterbaugh and the
entire PSW teacher team did an excellent job
planning the fun-filled day to reward students
for achieving their PRIDE goals! Way to
go,HAMS students! Mrs. Mykut and the
members of the student government did a
great job planning the beautiful decorations for
the winter dance on February 20th . All of the
students looked terrific dressed in their finest!
I am sure all students would agree that is was a
great time despite the short music challenges
at the beginning of the evening! And finally,
Mrs. Canner and the HAMS Choir performed
the Star Spangled Banner at a Lady Lions
Game at the Bryce Jordan Center on February
26th! The students’ voices were absolutely
perfect in their performance. Our choir
students represented us well.
During this month we will begin to prepare our
final test preparations for the state
standardized tests, the PSSAs, that will be
administered during April. The testing will
begin on April 13th with the first week of tests
focusing on Reading and Writing (ELA). There
will be four days of tests this first week of
testing. The second week of testing will focus
on Math with three days of testing.
B
E
A
R
C
Only the 8th graders will be tested two days in
Science during the third week of testing. As
teachers have been preparing students all year
long with the concepts and the information
that will be on the tests, we will ask you as
parents to assist with making sure there are
proper pre-testing conditions at home for your
son or daughter. We encourage you to make
sure you talk about the tests and how
important it is for the students to do their best
so we as teachers can use the data to reflect on
our teaching to improve. We also encourage
parents to have students get plenty of rest
during the testing window- early to bed! And
finally, we encourage parents to have students
eat a healthy breakfast the morning of testing!
You will be receiving more information about
the PSSA tests on March 19th. If you have any
questions about the PSSA, please feel free to
contact me.
Educationally yours,
Mrs. Luffy
A
T
HAMS
2500 Cassady Avenue
S
Huntingdon, PA 16652
(814)-)-643-2900
Website: www.huntsd.org
Fax: (814)-643-6513
Page 2
Volume 9, Issue 6
Making Reading Fun
Making Reading Fun—Cont.
By: Mrs. Mykut
In order for children to enjoy reading and
make it a significant part of their lives, they must be
motivated to explore new books and stories. We
know that children are motivated to read when they
are provided with opportunities to become more
involved in the reading process. This is what we
have strived to do this year in 6th grade with guided
reading. When children feel that they are a part of
the action or can relate the action to their own personal experiences, they will develop a very positive
attitude toward reading development. At home you
may want to try these motivators to help make reading fun:
Be sure your child has plenty of opportunities to
see you reading (and enjoying it). Take
time to tell your child about some of the
things you are reading.
Help your child set up his or her own home library system. Have your child sort their
books into different categories (i.e. scary
books, fun books, action, etc.) Make signs
to go along with each category.
Have your child make up ―reviews‖ for some of
his or her own books.
Have your child write letters to some prominent
people in our community. Ask them about
their favorite books and why they enjoy
them. This may be a stimulus for your child
to read them, too.
After they are done reading a book, have them
create an art project that depicts the book or
characters in the book.
Finally, give your child lots of praise as he or
she is reading. A little praise each day can
go a long way toward building successful
students and readers.
Helping your child develop the skills necessary
to become a successful reader can be one of the most
important jobs you do. Setting a good example involves more than giving you child lots of books. It
also involves motivating them to read and explore new
books and stories. In addition, it involves a measure
of encouragement and respect for your children as
they are becoming young adults.
Happy reading!
Parent to Parent
More nonfiction reading:
My son reads mostly fiction, but his language
arts teacher said the class will read lots of nonfiction
this year. The reason, she said, is to prepare students
for high school, college, and careers, where
―informational text‖ is important. The teacher suggested a few ways to help at home.
First, she said, we could leave the newspaper
out and mention articles about topics that affect him.
For example, I pointed out stories on road construction
where he rides his bike and on festivals we might attend.
Also, the teacher said to encourage our son to
read nonfiction books about things he’s interested in.
The next time I went to the library, I brought home
books about car racing and a biography of one of his
favorite drivers. I was happy to see him reading one
rather than watching TV the other night!
My son even went to the library to get a book
about another driver. And when we were there, he
picked up a few books on speed records and breaking
the sound barrier.
Volume 9, Issue 6
Page 3
Meal Time
By: Mrs. Felton
School Nurse
Celebrating Learning
By: Mrs. Botteicher
Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy, drone
usage and ethical implications, the Trojan War,
Family meals – eat better, eat together. Research
psychological benefits of gardening, women’s
shows family meals promote healthier eating. Beyond
suffrage, malaria, Hoovervilles, solar energy
preparing the meal, we sometimes forget mealtimes
potential, K-9 dogs, smart watch technology and
provide time to talk, listen and build relationships. And
future implications, organ transplants, Carthage, the
it’s a chance for parents to be good role models for
90+ study, the French Revolution, the implications of
healthful eating.
Tommy John surgery on teens, the decline of the
Roman Empire, therapeutic horseback riding,
Below are some ideas for adding family meals to
artificial intelligence, Albert Einstein… What do
your routine:
these topics and many others have in common? They
represent the vast spectrum of research that has been
* Start slow. However many family meals you
conducted by middle school students in Room 111
eat now, add one more to your weekly schedule.
during the last few weeks.
If school nights are too hectic, make it a
After choosing their topics, students have located
weekend breakfast or lunch. After a few weeks,
sources of information, taken notes, created outlines,
add another meal to your schedule.
written reports that included MLA documentation,
* Plan menus. Putting together a family meal
and created visuals. After completing their research,
does not have to be complicated. Let everyone
they presented their projects to the class to share their
choose a favorite item and build simple,
learning.
delicious meals around them.
* Have positive conversations. Dinner-time
As the state of Pennsylvania transitions to the
conversations have a huge impact, as you share
Common Core Standards for academic excellence,
experiences and ideas, and pass along family
skills in interpreting and analyzing non-fiction,
values. Pick topics that are positive and allow
research, informative writing, speaking and listening,
everyone to talk.
and technology are at the forefront; and these
* Turn off the noise. TV and mobile devices can
students are demonstrating strengths in all of these
create distractions that can throw off any
areas by the completion of their projects.
family’s mealtime. Declare mealtime a TV- and
The researchers celebrated their accomplishments
phone-free zone, except for emergencies.
with a party, but the real benefit is the sense of
accomplishment and the knowledge gained.
Page 4
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
TASTY TIDBITS
March Madness: A Tournament of Books!
By: Mrs. McNitt
By: Mrs. Steward
Food Service Director
Tasty Tidbits Hidden Calories Foods that are
good for us can also hide extra calories and
fat. You don’t have to avoid them, just
watch how often and how much you eat. For
example, nuts, such as almonds, cashews,
walnuts, etc., will give you protein and
healthy fats in your diet. However, nuts can
pack an unhealthy punch, too. A quarter cup
of walnuts – which are good for your heart
and have the good omega‐3s – has 190 calories and 19 grams of fat. Hint: Keep a tablespoon measure in the package so you can
control portions (4 tbsp. = ¼ cup). In addition, tossed salads are a good part of a
healthy diet, but toppings can add calories
and fat. When dining out, if you are planning on a salad, check nutrition information
online or on menus. At a salad bar or at
home, go heavy on fresh vegetables and light
on toppings such as bacon bits, cheese, croutons, and dressings.
March is a month full of expectation. All of us
are looking forward to the warmer months, and many of
us are excited about upcoming events like graduation
and holidays. In library, we are excited to be unveiling
March Madness, but not with basketballs!
This will be our first interactive bulletin board.
Many of us know March Madness as a basketball tournament that starts with the sweet sixteen teams and
crowns the champion in the beginning of April. In library, we will be using the same idea, but instead of
crowning a champion basketball team, we will be
choosing a book of the year.
The bulletin board will start with the sweet sixteen books. They are The Boy on the Wooden Box, I
Survived, The Maze Runner, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Dork Diaries, The Fault in our Stars, The
Hunger Games, Harris and Me, Number the Stars, Fever 1793, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Touching Spirit
Bear, Pretty Little Liars, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Divergent, and The Lightning Thief. Books were selected
based on curriculum, core standards, and popularity.
Students who have read and quizzed on the two books
facing off will be allowed to vote starting March 9th.
Students will receive an e-mail and instructions on voting. After a week of voting, we will vote again on the
Elite eight. A week later, students will vote on the Final
Four. Finally, we will vote on our winning book.
The bulletin board will hang in the hallway upstairs. We will present the tournament brackets the last
week of February, so that students may be encouraged
to power read and quiz on any books they haven’t read
yet. A special thank you to the Brown-Bag Teacher
Blog, where I discovered the idea.
Volume 9, Issue 6
Page 5
Counselors Corner
By: Mrs. Miller
On March 20, 2015, 10 – 15 eighth grade girls
will participate in the Sister-to-Sister Summit at
Juniata College. The Sister-to-Sister Summit
empowers middle school girls to overcome obstacles
involving body image, self-esteem, relational
aggression, and peer pressure. Through utilization of
chat sessions, a keynote speaker, and fun activities,
students establish positive peer relationships and
develop strategies needed to navigate in the complex
world of adolescence. The participants learn that they
are not alone during these tumultuous years and can
attain success. Special thanks to Juniata College for
providing this unique opportunity.
On March 24, 2015, all parents/guardians are invited
to attend a presentation regarding social media use
during adolescent years at 6:30 pm in the Large Group
Room. Megan Maas, a sex researcher, doctoral
candidate, and National Institute on Drug and Abuse
Fellow, will provide pertinent information that every
parent/guardian should know regarding internet safety
and app use by young people. The goal of this
endeavor is help adults more effectively monitor the
use of electronic devices by youth and promote online
safety. Light refreshments will be provided. Please
come!
All students will have the opportunity to participate in
Global Perspectives on April 10, 2015. International
visitors from Grier School, Juniata College, and the
local community will present fascinating information
to middle school students about foreign cultures.
Please contact the school counseling office if you
would like to serve as a speaker. Also of great
importance would be talented individuals capable of
preparing recipes for the international food buffet.
Global Perspectives will be a memorable event for
all!
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to speak with their
child regarding ― Kids Are Authors‖ Writing Contest
sponsored by Scholastic Book Fairs. This is a
fantastic opportunity for the many outstanding writers
at HAMS. To learn more, please visit
scholastic.com/kidsareauthors. Deadline to enter is
March 15, 2015.
7/8 CATS School-Wide Positive Behavior
By: Mr. Smith
On February 17, the ⅞ Cats went on a field trip to the
Holiday Bowl in Huntingdon. The field trip was a
team reward as part of the School-Wide Positive Behavior program at the Middle School. In order to qualify for the bowling trip, ⅞ Cat students had to earn
500 Buckaroos as a team. The trip cost students $5.00,
which covered transportation and bowling alley rental
expenses. At the bowling alley, students were able to
hang out and bowl with friends and teachers. The field
trip also allowed students to escape the rigors of
school work for just a few hours. Many students said
that they had a lot of fun on the field trip. The ⅞ Cats
would like to thank the owners of the Holiday Bowl
for working with the team to provide a fun and rewarding day for the students. There is a possibility
that the ⅞ Cats will make a return trip to the Holiday
Bowl at the end of the school year for another team
reward.
Looking ahead, the ⅞ Cat students will be receiving a
paper about the Philadelphia and the Carnegie Science
Center field trips in the coming weeks. The plan is to
take eighth grade students to Philadelphia and seventh
grade students to the Carnegie Science Center in May.
Both field trips align with the ⅞ Cats’ curriculums and
are currently in the early planning stages. Cost of the
field trips will be explained in the paper that students
will receive in the coming weeks. The paper will also
explain fundraising opportunities for parents that don’t
have the option of paying for the field trips out of
pocket. This is an exciting time to be a ⅞ Cat student,
and the ⅞ Cat teachers look forward to creating two
field trips that students will remember for the rest of
their lives.
Photo courtesy of:
Smith, J. The Italian
Stallion. Visit Philadelphia. Web. 20 February 2015.
Page 6
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Utopia
By: Mr. Uhrich
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to
live in a ―perfect‖ society? Students on the 8 Bears
team got the opportunity to ponder this situation and
were given the chance to create their own flawless
communities. After a lengthy and detailed discussion
about whether a ―perfect‖ society is even possible,
class conversations led to heated debates because of
opposing feelings about what the students believed
belonged and did not belong in their peaceful and harmonious communities. The students were then introduced to two distinct terms: utopias and dystopias.
The focus eventually shifted to dystopias in fictional
literature, where authors use worst-case scenarios to
make criticism about current trends, political issues
and/or problems in modern society. Students had the
opportunity to view short video clips of several dystopian movies including Pleasantville, Minority Report,
Fahrenheit 451, The Hunger Games and Wall-E.
Next up…novel studies of The Giver and Divergent.
In The Giver, 11-year-old Jonas lives in a futuristic
society that has eliminated pain, fear, war, hatred and
choice. Divergent deals with Tris, who at the age of
16, must choose a particular faction which places
value solely on a specific virtue: selflessness, peace,
knowledge, honesty and bravery. Once a faction has
been chosen, this will be hers for the rest of her life.
One rather important concept remains – Because individuals’ minds move in a dozen different directions,
they cannot be confined to one way of thinking, and
that terrifies the leaders of many societies. This also
means they cannot be controlled. And it also means
that no matter what these leaders do, individuals will
always cause trouble for them. So what does this
mean for Jonas and Tris?
Trout in the Classroom
By: Mr. Quinter
For the last 5 years, the 8 Bears team has
taken part in the Trout in the Classroom program
sponsored by PA Fish & Boat Commission and the
John I. Kennedy Chapter of Trout Unlimited. This
program promotes coldwater conservation with the
Brook Trout being the focal species. Students have
been involved with egg separation of the eyed eggs,
tank design and maintenance, as well as continued
water quality testing. The fish have hatched into
sac fry and developed into swim-up fry in the past
twelve weeks. Students have had the opportunity to
watch eggs develop through these stages while in
class.
The program’s culminating activity is the release in
late May. The 8 Bears will have the opportunity to
take a field trip to the C. Barton McCann School of
Art, a few miles North of McAlevey’s Fort, and release the fry into Laurel Run. We will take advantage of the wonderful setting with many hands on
activities for the students. If any parents have an
interest in helping with the program in any way,
please contact the Middle School and set up a time
to meet with us. The more involved we can get the
community, the more successful the program will
be.
Page 7
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Attendance
EVENTS AT H.A.M.S
March 2- Read Across America Day
Students are permitted to wear their
PJ’s to school.
March 8– Daylight Saving Time Begins
Turn your clock AHEAD one hour!
March 9—School Board Meeting 6:30 PM
March 13– Act 80 day
1/2 day of school for students
March 17— Happy St. Patrick’s Day
March 27– End of the 4rd Marking Period
March 30 & 31—Jr. High County Band
April 2– Report Cards Go Home.
School Closings can happen at any
time. With this in mind, please make
arrangements with and for your child
before they happen. Planning ahead
helps lessen your child’s anxieties regarding what they are to do and if
their parents know. Also, calling the
school ties up the phone lines which
may be needed in case there is an
emergency.
Thank you for helping assist your
child when there is a change in the
regular school day.
The Huntingdon Area School District has implemented a
new Student Information System (Skyward). The major
benefit of this transition has been the opportunity to review policies and practice at each of our buildings. This
will create a standard and consistent process for families
as they move through the school system form Kindergarten to graduation, as well as, align with any new laws
and legislation imposed.
During the fist semester, which ended January 16, we
are ensuring Skyward is set up to be accurate and efficient for attendance reporting. As you may also know,
Pennsylvania has a “Compulsory Attendance Law” that
requires us to tract attendance as excused or unlawful,
as well as the number of days in attendance. We need
your help to make this happen.
The attendance module of Skyward will soon notify you
in a variety of ways about student attendance:
A call the day your child is absent
An email the day your child is absent
It will be posted on the Family Access Module of
Skyward ( You have been provided login information
at the beginning of the school year. Please contact
the school office if you do not have this information.)
Due to the implementation of Skyward, a grace period
was given. After January 20, 2015, excuses that are not
turned in with three (3) school days after a student returns will no longer be accepted. These days will be permanently marked as unlawful.
Please turn in excuses as soon as possible.
This is an area that could easily be accomplished if you
establish a practice of sending in an excuse, parent or
doctor, when your child returns from an absence. You
will read in our letters, :If a written excuse is not received
within three days, The absence will permanently be
added to the student’s file as unlawful. “ Again, please
help us avoid sending the notification by sending in an
excuse.
Page 8
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
HONOR ROLL FOR THE 2ND MARKING PERIOD
Homeroom: 0111
Homeroom: 0115
ALICYN L. ALBAUGH
KELLY V. ARDREY
ABIGAIL M. BUSH
GRACE L. DONNELLY
NICHOLAS BUCKLEY
DANIEL T. BUKOWSKI
KATHRYN EINODSHOFER
BRADY A. HANDY
ANDREW CBUONACCORSI
JENA CHOI
SHAYNA G. HAWTHORNE
KYRA M. HELSEL
KENDEL R. CROTSLEY
CODY R. DYSARD
CHESNEY E. LAUER
ALENA M. LESKOWSKY
ANGELINE GROVE
JACK D. HOSLER
TAYLOR L. MCALEER
NATHAN MCDERMOTT
NATHANIEL R. KRAMER
ISABEL M. KRUSE
SAMANTHA MONTORO
ASHLEY N. STUBER
NICHOLAS NAZARI
RECE C. RITCHEY
CAROLINE SLIVER
ELIZABETH M. SPECK
Homeroom: 0116
SHAMON K. EASTER
ELIZABETH F. ESCUADRO
SAVANNAH J. SWARTZ
NICHOLAS TROHA
LYNDZI M. FISHER
HANNAH N. GARMAN
DUNCAN C. WENTZEL
BAREND M. WERNER
OLIVIA K. LANGENBACH
SYDNEY J. SELLERS
MALLORY WOODWARD
ROSEANNE G. ZOERNER
GWENYTH C. SIMPSON
Homeroom: 0203
Homeroom: 0117
CHRISTOPHER BRUMBAUGH JR
MAXWELL B. BRENNEMAN LYDIA E. BROWN
ALEXIA N. FAGAN
AMBER L. NEWELL
MACKENZIE BROWN
ANDREA N. BUSKO
KENNETH NGUYEN
DYLAN PAINTER
KAYLA C. CIANCI
BRIAR L. DELINE
REED J. PECK
CADEN J. REAMER
ALIYAH A. KINDER
ZACHARY M. LONG
CORINNE L. REAMER
MIKAELA C. REED
KARLEY MILLER
TAYLOR N. PETERSON
AVALON R. RITCHEY
IRIS E. SEGUIN
SHERRY P. SHEEDER
Homeroom: 0204
FRANK D. HAWBAKER
Homeroom: 0118
RILEY CONFER
ALEX HEATON
MYLES L. BANEY
BRUCE A. BANKS
ISAIAH M. HOUSE
KATRINA GLADFELTER
DARIN J. HARMAN
Homeroom: 0205
ABIGAIL S. HENNEY
COLTON M. HETRICK
IRA B. BAILEY
PEIGHTON GUTSHALL
JACOB P. SMITHMYER
NATALIE J. TROHA
AMIRA R. MHADHBI
ROBERT P. RHODES
RACHEL M. SHOPE
ALEX SHULTZ
Homeroom: 0119
JENICKA M. HUNTSMAN-VARNER
BROOKE A. BANKS
KODY R. BUMBARGER
LAURYN J. SMITH
JAKE R. TANNER
ANDREW CUNNINGHAM
DOUGLAS CUNNINGHAM
OLIVIA L. VLASAK
EMILY J. WRIGHT
GABRIELLE DAVIGNON
MONAKA GIORDANO
Homeroom: 0206
NICHOLAS GOODMAN
MARISSA J. LOW
ALLY KYLE
CHANDLER A. LAUER
DELAINEY A. MARK
JEREMIAH E. SAFKO
HARPER LEWIS
PAIGE LONG
KAITLYN R. MCELROY
JUSTIN T. SHETROM
ALYSHA C. YINGLING
Homeroom: 0123
HAIDYN B. CARLIN
AMANDA N. GWINN
ERIC D. ITINGER
ELIZABETH K. KYLE
MERRITT E. LEIDY
MEGAN A. LYNN
NATHANIEL MCCLAIN
ETHAN MCKELLOP
TARAN PELKEY
AUTUMN N. SWOPE
ETHAN T. VARNER
JESSICA M. WEKO
Page 9
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Homeroom: 0211
Homeroom: 0213
ADDISYN M. BRACCO
LEVI BRIGGS
REAGAN D. QUERRY
CONNER CLARK
ANDREW S. COOPER
Homeroom: 0214
SOFIA DINARDI
NICHOLAS GEARHART
NELLIE F. ROMECKI
BRADY C. HAWKINS
JACOB KELLY
Homeroom: 0215
CARLY L. KYPER
MAGDELINE LASHLEE
ATTICUS T. CLARK
JOSHUA L. GORDON
ROLAND Z. MILLS
EMILY MITCHELL
OLIVIA SIMPSON
ERIN K. STATES
SAVANNAH MUCKLE
BRUCE PEROW
JASMINE M. WHITE
ISAIAH D. REED
HAYLEE RILEY
Homeroom: 0216
VICTORIA R. THOMPSON
ALLISON M. TROUP
LOGAN D. ALLEN
KIERAN WRIGHT
Homeroom: 0217
Homeroom: 0220
MORGAN H. BANKS
CAMDEN T. YABLONSKI
LINDSEA C. SHERLOCK
OLIVIA B. STINSON
VICTORIA S. CONRAD
ABIGAIL G. BILGER
JADA R. BURKS
MIKAYLA B. CUMMINGS
ANDREW M. FINKLE
JACEE K. DELINE
COLBY GRUBB
MADISON LANGENBACH
MARSHALL H. LOWE
LILLIAN GUYER-WRIGHT
RACHEL E. KYLE
RYAN S. QUERRY
NICHOLAS J. RIGBY
KYNNEDY R. MILLER
SARA M. MILLER
HAYLEIGH M. SCOTT
BRYANT T. SPECK
LUCAS A. STEPHENS
RACHEL M. STUBER
EMILY A. WALTERS
KIEARA C. WORTHY
Homeroom: 0209
GABRIELLE P. BROWN
SKYLA R. FUNK
JACKLYN M. GAUGLER
REBEKA S. GEARHART
NATALYN GLADFELTER
KYLIE E. GLORIOSO
LAUREN T. ITINGER
ZANE M. KAZMARSKI
NATALIE E. LUCAS
AALIYAH E. MATEO
GRACE E. MILLER
KYLIE-JO E. MILLER
AMANDA L. NORRIS
KADEN M. SIMS-BASIL
WILLIAM F. SULESKY
CAMRYN N. YOCUM
SETH G. YOCUM
Homeroom: 0210
ALLISON GOLDSTONE
RACHAEL E. GWINN
CONNOR J. HEATH
TYLER A. HESS
CATHERINE MCCARTHY
SEAN T. MCLAUGHLIN
JAELYN R. MITCHELL
CHRISLYN M. PATRICK
MALLORY G. SELLERS
JACOB E. WAGNER
DAKOTA R. WEGLARZ
ISABELLA Y. WELSCH
RICHARD E. WIDMAN
ROBERT T. WILSON
VICTORIA P. WISER
Homeroom: 0212
MAKENZIE S. BENNETT
AMANDA L. STONE