Catamount Times
June, 2016
The thing that I will miss the most about the St. Johnsbury School is all of my teachers. My teachers have helped me a lot, and they have said so much that I can work with and that will help me in the future.
I have had fun in all of my all classes. I would like to thank Ms. Day, Ms. Clearwater and Ms. Smith. First, I would like to thank Ms. Day for coming in the middle of the school year to teach us math. You’ ve done things differently that we are used to, and it’ s been fun. Thank you so much for everything you have done.
Next, Ms. Smith, you helped me
8th Grade Reflections on the St. Johnsbury School
when I really needed it. Also, you changed things up this year and I love it. Thank you for everything.
Finally, Ms. Clearwater, though I didn’ t have you last year for any of my classes, you were someone I could talk to because you were the advisor of my best friend’ s class. So we talked here and there, and you are one of the best teachers in the world. Thank you so much for having me in your advisory this year.
I will miss you all. By Kaylin B.
Catamount Staff Reporter
The Old Way of Middle School Was Better
My time at the St. Johnsbury School has been full of memorable experiences with different people over time.
Being a part of the school community has made me a more wellrounded person. It has made me able to communicate better and has helped me with teamwork. It has gotten me into things I wouldn’ t have done without it.
I became involved in chorus and theater, and found a love for performing and watching performances. It’ s one of the reasons I joined the newspaper and A. V. clubs, other than a natural interest. I have since done several afterschool and extracurricular activities, such as musicals – both acting and tech crew – plays, and math at St. Johnsbury Academy, among other things.
These opportunities have opened my eyes to other possibilities that I wouldn’ t have had if I hadn’ t done such activities. I have learned many things, broadened my horizons and expanded my mind. Live has changed so much, and I have gained an abundance of both knowledge and memories.
Life is an ever-changing thing, and with each change comes a new result, each affecting your life differently than the last.
By Sophia H. Catamount Staff Reporter
Though this year in middle school was endurable, last year was amazing. The old way of things was the best: all of the teachers seemed happier, and the students did, too.
The middle school has now become segregated. Team Alpine gets to talk with Team Pack occasionally, but we haven’ t seen our friends from Team Boomers in a while.
We used to have classes with a variety of people, all different. Now we are condensed into a team of about 70 kids, always interacting and never getting a breath of fresh air of new people.
It is my belief that not only the students, but also the teachers, need to interact with their peers. Many people agree with me – they want to see their old friends again. When we are segregated into teams, it is like a trap that won’ t open up.
The teams also make it easier for students who are old friends with each other to discriminate.“ I can’ t be your friend anymore because you’ re in Team Boomers.” I think that should end.
We need to try to integrate the kids more evenly. It’ s unfair for the Boomers as well, because Team Alpine and Pack get to talk, when Boomers are stuck down a hallway by themselves.
The old way was the best, and I hope for the 7 th-graders’ sake that our middle school will go back to the way it was: a middle school where people get to regularly talk to their peers from other teams.
By Tristan M. Catamount Staff Reporter
Basic Life Skills Should be Taught
A lot of information is packed into your daily classes, and all of that builds up over the years. The thing I’ ve found is that, although you are being taught many things that you’ ll need later in life( as well as some things you may not need), there are quite a few crucial points that aren’ t being covered in classes.
I’ m talking about basic life skills like learning how to make a budget, balance a checkbook or even do laundry. This may or may not come as a surprise to you, but many students from a middle-school age to high school don’ t even know how to do their own laundry.
My idea is that these skills should be put into a health class curriculum, or another class that every student has to take at least once in middle school or high school. I believe parents should teach these things to their children, but the reality is that a lot of parents won’ t do that.
The school system is responsible for making sure you’ re ready for the life ahead of you, so why not teach some of the most important life skills as well?
By Emily R. Catamount Staff Reporter
Standardized Tests are Not Pleasant
Last year was the first year that we switched from the NECAP test to the SBAC test, and I have a couple thoughts on that.
Obviously, because the test was new last year, nobody completely knew what they were doing or how the test would go. There were a few complications, like only parts of questions appearing and graphics like maps or charts did not. We wondered: if we took a break, would the test close without saving our work? It was kind of a stressful mess for everyone, students and teachers alike.
The stress sank back in as the 7 th and 8 th graders approached our testing time. This year went more smoothly, but it was still hectic. Comparing these two tests gives us a lot of differences and changes, both good and bad.
Although typing was significantly easier and a lot faster than handwriting constructed responses or essays, looking at the computer screen for a prolonged amount of time gave a lot of people a headache.
There are obviously a lot of pros and cons to both tests but, regardless, standardized testing isn’ t pleasant and is never something that students are excited to do.
By Emily R. Catamount Staff Reporter
What I’ ve Learned
For the past eight years, I have attended the only school I’ ve ever been to, the St. Johnsbury School.
I have woken up at 6:30 every day to go to school, and then gone home at 2:40. I have gone to school for about 1,400 days, which is about 84,000 hours. I’ ve had every kind of teacher a student could have.
This all seems like a lot, and it is. And during all this time, I’ ve learned a lot of things:
Adults aren’ t always right. Surprise, right? Not at all. They’ re human, and so are you. Every single human being will make mistakes and give wrong answers.
It’ s okay to get in trouble. If it’ s every day, that’ s not good. But, honestly, it’ s inevitable and will happen.
Learn patience, for you have to deal with the same people every day. School is where you’ re spending three-quarters of your time at the moment. You’ re going to be working with the same kids every one of those days. Might as well be nice-ish.
Get a ton of pencils at the beginning of the year. You’ re going to go through them fast. They’ re going to break and people will take them, etc. You’ ll be scrambling to find any writing utensil towards the end of the year.
These are just a few of the things I’ ve learned during my time here.
By Sidney G. Catamount Staff Reporter
5