School Snippets – October 3, 2014

Published October 3, 2014

The information below is provided by each school. Schools are listed in alphabetical order according to grade level.

Elementary Schools

 

Allendale Elementary

Allendale Elementary second graders have begun studying about the life cycles of different insects and animals. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our caterpillars! This is an exciting unit in science because we will watch how caterpillars grow, turn into a chrysalis and eventually emerge as a butterfly! Along with learning the life-cycle of a butterfly, we will study the life-cycles of chickens, frogs and even meal-worms!

Bethesda Elementary

Fifth graders at Bethesda Elementary School had fun celebrating Crazy Hair Day! It was part of an award they received for collecting so many donations at the school’s annual Boosterthon.

Chapman’s Retreat Elementary

Chapman’s Retreat Elementary School’s entire second grade class recently took a field trip to the Sam Davis Home in Smyrna where they learned about the role Davis played in the Civil War. In other news, the Chapman’s Retreat PTO kicked off its annual Fun Run fundraiser with a school wide assembly. To help the PTO kickoff the assembly, Summit Spartan Cheerleaders performed and did a fabulous job at getting the students motivated.

Crockett Elementary

In accordance with the state requirements of the WCS Coordinated School Health initiative, Crockett Elementary School Nurse Jorja Trocino worked with Belmont nursing students to complete health screenings for students in kindergarten, second and fourth grades. Trocino will contact parents if there is a concern.

Edmondson Elementary

Third grade students at Edmondson have been studying folk tales. For a culminating activity, they did a reader’s theatre on folk tales. Throughout the week, students were able to rehearse in small groups to practice their parts. On Friday, they performed for the rest of the class and invited their kindergarten reading buddies.

Fairview Elementary

This week, first grade students at Fairview Elementary are learning about fall, studying the author Lois Ehlert, and using their imaginations! After reading the book Leaf Man, the students were asked to create their own masterpieces out of leaves. The creativity shown was amazing!

Grassland Elementary

This week, third grade students learned about rocks and minerals. They categorized them by hardness using several different tests. All Pro Dads meets on Friday, October 3 from 7-7:40 a.m. APD invites all dads and special guests to attend. The Box Tops contest started September 29 and runs through October 24. Collect Box Tops for Education and “Reach for the Stars!” Stay tuned to your GSCA emails for current updates! Thanks to Sarah MacIntyre and Lisa Johnson for coordinating our Box Tops program.

Hunters Bend Elementary

We have been having exciting times at Hunters Bend. First grade will be learning fire safety with a visit from the Franklin Firehouse this week! We are also learning about what makes something magnetic in science. We will be experimenting around the classroom with our very own magnets! Second graders are learning about animals and their habitats. This week they will begin researching a local animal and complete a project using their information. We can’t wait to see what fun facts the students find! Second grader, Megan Ozan, was our library assistant this week! The third grade students have been learning about landforms and bodies of water in social studies and science class. This week the students will present land-form projects that they have created as a culminating activity. In math, the students will begin learning multiplication.

Kenrose Elementary

Kenrose Elementary is proud to be one of only six schools in the state to be named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Longview Elementary

Longview Elementary’s first grade voted last week to learn more about their favorite community heroes by inviting the Spring Hill Firefighters to their classroom. The students prepared a variety of interview questions before their research came to life in the classroom with a personal visit from the firemen. The students were able to tour a fire truck, gain understanding of the equipment firemen use and meet the fire chief. It was an honor to collaborate with Spring Hill’s finest community heroes!

Nolensville Elementary

Third graders have completed land form projects. Students were given instructions to follow. They could use clay or any type of dough. A salt dough recipe was included and a favorite among students. The map was to be three dimensional and appropriately colored with a key included or specific landforms labeled. Students look forward to this third grade project every year.

Oak View Elementary

It’s time for Hoot, Scoot, & Boogie at Oak View! Hoot, Scoot, & Boogie is Friday, October 3 from 4:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Our wonderful PTA plans, organizes and runs this exciting fundraising event for our school each year. Spirit Week leading up to Friday gets everyone excited! The night is filled with games, food, a silent auction and lots of fun. Thanks to everyone involved for a wonderful family night for the Oak View community!

Sunset Elementary

The Sunset Elementary Book Fair will be open October 3-9 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Join us for a Reading Renaissance featuring daily Reader’s Theater and guest readers! Shop online at www.scholastic.com/bookfairs.

Trinity Elementary

Congratulations to the incredible students and staff at Trinity Elementary School. Thanks to their hard work, Trinity was one of six schools from the state of Tennessee to be named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Walnut Grove Elementary

Kindergarten is learning about the number 5. They have been working on building the combinations that make 5 and have discovered that there are six combinations of 5; (0,5) (5,0) (1,4) (4,1) (2,3) (3,2). They have also been discussing the things that come in 5’s such as the 5 senses, nickels are worth 5 cents, and stars have 5 corners. They were so excited to have a visit from the “5 Fairy” and share what they have been learning about the number 5. While the “5 Fairy” was visiting they noticed that she was wearing many things that added up to five.

Westwood Elementary

Westwood second graders participated in a butterfly release Friday, September 26! Second grade students learned the stages of butterfly metamorphosis throughout the last few weeks as they watched their eggs turn into beautiful butterflies. Students learned songs that helped identify with the life cycles, and on Friday they celebrated the release of the butterflies.

Winstead Elementary

Thank you to all of the Winstead Elementary parents, students, staff, friends and PTO for their time and contributions on making our Wildcat Palooza a great success. All of your support is greatly appreciated. In fifth grade, students are studying about the Civil War. Students visited Carter House and Carnton Plantation to learn all about the Battle of Franklin and the culture of the Civil War era. Thanks to the staff of both sites for making it an awesome field trip.

 

Middle Schools

 

Brentwood Middle

Have you ever wondered what will happen to good old-fashioned handwriting, in this world of texting? Brentwood Middle Studio8 artists did. So after creating their own alternative writing instruments, they decided to create drawings of their hands holding them. The picture below represents Callie Hillgenhurst’s interpretation of this assignment.

Grassland Middle

For the third consecutive season, the Grassland Boys’ Cross-Country squad won the county championship. Five GMS boys finished in the top 10. The Generals were led by eighth grader Benson Rubio who came in fourth overall, followed by Max Zani, Sam Lowe, Matthew Young and Brandon Parrish. In addition to the winning the title three years running, Grassland’s boys have not lost a cross-country meet in three years – prompting some competitors’ coaches to ask, “what are you all feeding those boys over there at Grassland?” To which we respond, “a healthy dose of practice.” Although only having a 12-girl team and consisting primarily of 6th and 7th graders, our girls’ team was also competitive this season. Our lone eighth grader, Gracie Cockerham, was a stalwart in leading our youngsters throughout the season and helping our girls post a 5th place finish at the county championships. Lily Rummo, Megan Baccash, Anna DeFranco, Brianna Doyle and Jessie Williams were Grassland’s top five finishers at the county meet.

Heritage Middle

The eighth graders in Ms. Fox’s Model United Nations class are in full swing researching different aspects and issues of their assigned countries, deciding which issue of their country to focus on, and crafting the resolutions that they will present at the Model U.N. Conference next month in Murfreesboro. Heritage Middle was assigned the countries of Kiribati, Switzerland and Israel and the classes resolutions range from environmental and economic concerns to demilitarized zoning.

Hillsboro K-8

The U.S. Department of Education announced September 30 that Hillsboro is a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School award winner! The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content.

Sunset Middle

Sunset Middle School is pleased to announce our Student of the Month for September. Our character focus was respect and these six students, two from each grade level, were nominated by their teachers for demonstrating this quality on a daily basis. Congratulations go to Hannah Kapolas, Reagan Lyle, Mitchell Waller, Davin Watkins, Haley Massey and Paige Bradley. October’s character focus will be responsibility.

Woodland Middle

Students in Mrs. Moeller’s 6th grade science class applied the engineering design process to construct towers for Moeller Corporation. The towers were constructed to withstand earthquakes and tornadoes, and the students had to make decisions on which materials to purchase and where to best utilize these materials in order to design the strongest, tallest and most creatively built tower. Students wrote checks to purchase needed supplies and had to work together in their “companies” to create the best tower.

 

High Schools

 

Brentwood High

Next week wraps up the Lady Bruins JV Girls Soccer season with the district tournament, hosted by Independence. The Lady Bruins Varsity Girls Soccer team will host their last regular home game of the season on Tuesday, October 7, against Harpeth Hall. This is also senior night, where seniors Jessi Boozer, Caroline Connor, Ann Peyton Diffenbaugh, Jessi Kocina and Kaylie Niehaus will be honored at halftime. Varsity will start their district playoffs on Monday, October 13.

Centennial High

Congratulations to the following students on qualifying for one of the Midstate Honor Choirs: Alli Brown, Jake Cannon, Sam Evangelista, Anna Micksch, Stefany Monson, Sarah Moore, Addie Pollard and Cassie Trabucco. The CHS Habitat for Humanity club will kick off a week of giving called Give 4 a Place 2 Live. They encourage students to give the change they normally use on vending machine snacks to Habitat. The students also built a miniature version of this year’s house and are using that as their collection container. Plan to attend the International Festival next week. The indoor soccer tournament will be held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with the International pep rally, fashion show, food tasting and dance on Thursday.

Fairview High

Students are showing off their Jacket pride during the school’s annual Homecoming Spirit week. Students are participating in dress up days, and float building events. All this is to prepare for the big game October 3. The second annual coed Alumni Soccer Game will be Saturday, October 4 at 2 p.m. at the Fairview High School field. Broadcasting I students are completing a ‘Storyboard-Dialogue’ project. Using a 12-panel storyboard they plan a story, write dialogue and then record the story. Broadcasting II students are preparing 2-minute news packages on subjects of their choice. Broadcasting III students are developing a weekly news show. Fairview JROTC students will participate in a Raider competition at Creekwood High School this weekend. Freshman Honors Algebra and English classes are working on a cross-curricular project which combines both numeracy and literacy skills. The students are taking on the role of travel agents and set up a mock international travel expedition in the school’s library.

Franklin High

Franklin High had three students, Elizabeth Schenck, Ashley Nite and Kaitlin Logan, who made Tennessee All-State Choir and 13 students who made All-Region choir this past weekend! Sophomore Musa “Super Mario” Subramaniam took third place in Extemporaneous Speaking at the Forensics Tournament this weekend in Portland. The Forensics team will be at White House next Saturday. Senior Maison Felkins finished the first round of the state golf tournament Tuesday and tied for 11th at even par.

Page High

Parent-teacher conferences will be held at Page High School Monday, October 6 from 3-6 p.m. by appointment. Seniors who have not had their senior portraits taken need to see Ms. Megan Comer in room 403 to sign up for an appointment by October 6. If seniors miss the deadline they will not have their senior portrait in the yearbook. Juniors will order class rings Wednesday, October 8 during lunch time. The end of the first quarter grading period is Thursday, October 9. All assignments and test should be completed by this date. Fall break will be Friday, October 10 and Monday, October 13.

Ravenwood High

The Ravenwood High School choirs will be presenting our fall concert “Let It Be Jazz” on Tuesday, October 7 at 7 p.m. in the RPAC. Choirs will perform a tribute to The Beatles and Jazz Standards. Ravenwood’s new a cappella choir, Rhapsody, will make its debut performance. Please contact Lauren Ramey (lauren.ramey@wcs.edu) for more information.

Summit High

The Summit High Bowling Team started off the season with a win over Centennial. The boys won 25.5 to 1.5, and the girls won 19 to 8. The Summit High boys team was ranked 12th in the state this preseason following an undefeated 2013 season.