February 25, 2009

Flat Max Flies to Arizona Meets Kurt Warner

A fun event for Sunset Kindergarteners this past fall was the Flat Stanley launch. After reading about the exploits of Flat Stanley, a fictional boy who is flattened in an accident but then makes the most of his situation by mailing himself to various interesting locations, the students decided to follow Stanley’s lead and see where their flat selves might end up.

For at least one of the youngsters, Max Ruth, his flat figure, Flat Max, went on an adventure that is truly something to write home about. Flat Max was mailed to a teacher in Arizona, after which he eventually met up with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.

Arizona teacher Angie Leiker’s students have also read the Flat Stanley book so she was familiar with the story. After receiving him in the mail, Leiker took Flat Max to a reception where Warner was speaking and was able to get the gracious quarterback to hold Max and pose for a photo. The photos were mailed back to Newton and the three dimensional Max was able to see the evidence of his flat self’s fun adventure.

Photo: Arizona teacher Angie Leiker and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner with Flat Max.

February 25, 2009

Santa Fe Students Shoot Hoops for Heart

During a one-week period sixth and seventh grade students at Santa Fe Middle School hit the basketball court in order to help the American Heart Association. This is the third year the students have participated in the Hoops for Heart event and the results this year were phenomenal. The students raised over $2100 for the association. The top fund raiser was Sydney Bacon with $235 collected. The students capped off the event with a girls vs. boys basketball game.

photo: (Front row, left to right) Taylor Stahly, Abby Anderson, Sydney Bacon, Adrian Smurr, Sarah Bartel. Middle row: Ashley Benard, Erica Long, Alyssa Ingram, Dayton Stucky, Jenna Ratzlaff, Savannah Pryor. Back row: Lyndon Voth, Hayley Cooper, Gage Weller, Lauren Regier, Afton Moore. Not pictured: Chloe Denno, Armando Melendez, Garret Hefner.

February 25, 2009

Scholastic Journalism Week Celebrated by NHS Journalism Students

Students of NHS journalism teacher Erica Rikard are celebrating Scholastic Journalism Week by participating in a variety of different activities. The students have worn replica arm bands in honor of Vietnam War protestors and given presentations on the First Amendment rights that affect high school students. Erin Bradley, the editor of the school’s newspaper, The Newtonian has also written a letter to the editor of the Kansan newspaper to help recognize this week’s celebrations.

Top Photo: Sophomore Joanna Epp works in her 2nd hour English class while wearing a black armband similar to those worn by John and Mary Beth Tinker in 1965. The Tinkers were suspended for wearing their armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War. They fought the suspension all the way to the Supreme Court, where the justices voted 7-2 in favor of the students saying, “It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Newton High School journalism students wore the armbands on Tuesday in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Tinker decision.
photo by Brittany Winter

Middle Photo: Assistant principals Greg Dietz and Roger Erickson and Newton High School principal Ken Rickard listen to a presentation by the Introduction to Journalism students on Monday. The students presented information about the rights and responsibilities of student journalists as part of Scholastic Journalism Week.
photo by Brandon Hanchett

Bottom Photo: Sophomore Tyler Brotton explains the Supreme Court’s 1969 decision in the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District case. Journalism students presented information about the First Amendment and Supreme Court decisions that affect high school students.
photo by Brandon Hanchett

February 25, 2009

NHS Math Students excel at (MC)² Math Contest

On February 18, twenty-seven students from Newton High School participated in a mathematics competition at McPherson College. Each participant had been recommended by their respective math teacher and was placed into teams of four. They each then took an individual exam and then later competed in their teams. These talented students had formulated mathematically-related and creative team names, including: Diver Gents, Carpe dx and √Railers (the last one reads “Radical Railers”). The final team scores have not been released as of this writing, though we had exceptional results from our individuals.

In a field of approximately 400 students, the NHS Railers brought home these individual titles:

Freshman 3rd overall was Jared Janzen
Freshman 1st overall was Steven Harms
Sophomore 2nd overall was Tim Stucky
Junior 1st overall was Megan Leary

February 25, 2009

KASB Holds Annual GRN Seminar

KASB held its annual GRN Seminar at the Manor Conference Center in Topeka, KS on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 and Thursday, February 19, 2009. Barbara Bunting, USD #373 Newton Board of Education member and KASB Immediate Past President, attended the advocacy training focused upon student needs and state legislation, especially funding. Two hundred KASB members (including School board Members and District Administrators) representing 296 school districts throughout the state attended.

In addition to KASB Staff, presentations were made by Duane Goossen, Goessel, Secretary of Administration/Director Kansas Division of the Budget; Dale Dennis, Deputy Commissioner of Education, Kansas State Department of Education; new Kansas State Board of Education Members: Carolyn Campbell, Walt Chappell, David Dennis & Sue Storm; April Holman, Director of Economic Policy, Kansas Action for Children; Mark Desetti, Director, Kansas - National Education Association; Jennifer Crow, Executive Director Kansas Coalition for School Readiness; and Jim Redmon, Executive Director Kansas Children's Cabinet; Barbara Bunting also served on a panel of members who recently attended the National School Board Association (NSBA) Federal Relations Network (FRN) Seminar in Washington DC and impacts of federal funding. Her topic was Early Education.

KASB is a non-profit organization comprised of all 296 school districts in the state of KS. Its mission is to assist local boards of education and related educational entities in their responsibilities to ensure quality public education for all students.

photo: Dale Dennis, State Deputy Commissioner of Education, addresses KASB members during their annual GRN Seminar

February 18, 2009

A Cotton-Pickin’ Mystery

Students in Chelle Gaede’s 7th grade science class at Chisholm Middle School became detectives last week when they helped solve a “crime” by examining fibers left by fictitious suspects. Using microscopes and drawing diagrams of their finding the students were able to determine if the threads were cotton, wool or polyester and help find the criminal. The students are also learning about the role cotton played in the deep south prior to the Civil War in Gary Ewert’s Social Studies class.

photo: Brittney McDonald watches as Kaitlin Abrahams examines fibers under a microscope to determine where the material came from.

February 18, 2009

Students Skype to Cosmosphere

It was a virtual game of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” when 5th grade students at Slate Creek tried to stump Howie George, Space Science Educator at the Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutchinson last Friday. Rita Betts, who provides technology integration support for the district collaborated with experts at the Cosmosphere and the Slate Creek 5th grade teachers to bring George and the students together using Skype, a free software that allows voice and video calls over the internet. Even though the 5th graders weren’t able to stump George, the event helped build student interest for an upcoming field trip to the Cosmophere where they will meet George in person.

photo: Rita Betts, Tech Integration Support and Slate Creek 5th grade teacher Kathi Bogner look on as Howie George, Space Science educator at the Cosmosphere (on the screen) answers a question via Skype from a 5th grade student during a game of "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?"

February 10, 2009

Winter Sports Activities

The Winter Sports King and Queen will be announced at this Friday’s varsity basketball game vs. Goddard. Following the game there will be a Winter Sports dance in the NHS commons beginning at 10:00 p.m. In addition to the game and dance, the Newton High School Fine Arts Boosters will hold a Pig Roast during the basketball games from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Photo: Winter Sports candidates are: (girls left to right) Katelyn Alexander, Mollie Emerson, Linsey Laird, Katie Stiffler. (boys) Nathaniel Martens, Jimmie Norman, Josh Scheurmann, Isaiah Thaw.

February 4, 2009

NHS Teams Win Division II Scholars Bowl

The Newton High School Scholars' Bowl team posted the most total victories, and thus won the divisional sweepstakes championship at the AVCTL Division II competition held at NHS last week. Newton's three teams combined for 15 victories, easily outdistancing McPherson and Valley Center, who tied for second with eleven wins each.

The first team, comprised of Christoph Welling, Megan Leary, Andrew J. Walker, and Andrew T. Walker won the individual team championship with a perfect 8-0 record.

The Railers' second team, whose members included Andy Nguyen, Jake Bevan, Tim Regier, and Monica Voth earned a 4-1 record. Tyler Brotton, Brian Stewart, Pancho Fields, Rebecca Trumble, and Jacob Skala combined to earn a 3-2 record for the third team.

The next competition for the Railer Scholars' Bowl team will be at the KSHSAA Regional meet to be held on February 5 at Emporia High School. The top-four finishing teams at Emporia will advance to the State 5A Championship at Topeka West on February 14.

Photo: Newton High School Scholars Bowl participants are (front row, left to right): Christoph Welling, Tyler Brotton, Jake Bevan, Brian Stewart. Back row: Michael Kelting (coach), Andrew Walker, Tim Regier, Andy Nguyen, Robert Smith, Grant Scott (coach). Not pictured: Megan Leary, Drew Walker, Monica Voth, Rebecca Trumble, Pancho Fields, Jacob Skala.

February 4, 2009

Chisholm Team Places 5th at Science Olympiad

The Chisholm Middle School Science Olympiad team placed fifth overall at the Salina Science Olympiad regional competition at Kansas State University on January 14. Several individuals also won medals.

Pictured are Miranda Hanchett and Liz Glimpse, 1st place in Write It Do it and 2nd place in Fossils; and Caitlin Conlon and Brittany Stark, 2nd Place in Dynamic Planet.

February 4, 2009

Spanish Honor Society Induction

Los Ferroviarios Chapter (the Railroaders) of the Spanish National Honor Society held its Induction Ceremony and Reception on Sunday, January 25 at 2:30 in the afternoon in the Newton High School Auditorium. The Society, which is a national organization, recognizes high achievement in Spanish in secondary schools and promotes the continuing interest in Hispanic affairs.

In order to qualify for membership students must have completed four semesters of high school Spanish with a 4.0, be currently enrolled in Spanish and have an overall 3.00 GPA. The featured speaker for the ceremony this year was Stephanie Gomez, a recent graduate of the University of Kansas and the first president of the Newton Spanish Honor Society Chapter. The sponsor of the Spanish Honor Society is Evelyn Gregg. Officers are: President-Mollie Emerson, Vice President–Leah Bartel, Secretary-Lydia Seger and Treasurer-Phillip Bradshaw.

The following students were inducted into the Spanish Honor Society for 2007-2008: Janeen Aguirre, John Bergen, Celeste Blann, Logan Duerksen, Brian Dukes, Francisco Fields, Curtis Fischer, Maria Jantz, Samuel Kier, Ben Kreider, Feilisha Kutilike, Megan Leary, Arin McMullen, Kelsey Nachtigal, Jacob Scala and Kathryn Stiffler.

Qualifying for membership for the second year and receiving Spanish Honor Society patches were: Katelyn Alexander, Chloe Brackeen, Milissa Crawford, Tasha Garnica, Jenae Janzen, Kelsey Lanzrath, Hannah Miller, Krista Saylor, Lydia Seger and Samantha Smith.

Qualifying for membership for the third year and receiving Spanish Honor Society t-shirts were: Leah Bartel, Phillip Bradshaw, Mollie Emerson and Natalie Hagman.

Nan Bergen, chairperson of the World Language Department, presented the certificates. Special recognition was given to the five students who traveled to Spain in the summer of 2008 on an educational tour: Leah Bartel, Milissa Crawford, Mollie Emerson, Natalie Hagman and Kelsey Lanzrath. Phillip Bradshaw was recognized for his participation in the Rotary scholarship competition and his travels in Panama for several weeks in the summer of 2008. A reception followed the ceremony in the commons.

Photo: Newton 2008-09 Spanish Honor Society.

February 3, 2009

Slate Creek Students present Reader's Theater

Students in Karen Bonewitz's speech class have been working on the /r/ sound and presented a reader's theater to their classmates in Mrs. Wenger's second grade classroom at Slate Creek Elementary on Tuesday. The Script was written by Lisa Blau and appropriately entitled "Happy Groundhog's Day!"

The students are from left: Tayler Dougherty, Ashley Arellano and Caleb Flaming.

February 2, 2009

Walton Rural Life Center Featured in Ag Newspaper

Walton Rural Life Center is featured in the current edition of Grass & Grain, a weekly agricultural newspaper. Photos of students working in the school’s greenhouse and an article about the school's ag-tech curriculum appear on the front cover of the newspaper.
See a “sneak peek” of the cover containing a portion of the article on the Grass & Grain website.