Altoona Middle School Gr 6 - 8

Altoona Intermediate School Gr 4/5

A P R I L 2 0 1 5

PBIS & The Badger Exam 1

PTO Color Run 2

Helpful reminders! 3

8izGr8 Camp/Nurse news 4

AIS Heritage Fair, Ice Age

trail, 5th gr transition

5

Ellis Island simulation 6

6th Grade 8

6th Grade 9

7th Grade 10

7th Grade 11

Phy Ed Update 12

STEM Science show 13

8th Gr NHD Showcase 14

8th Gr NHD Showcase 15

8th Gr Author Visit 16

8th Gr Author Visit 17

April 2015 Calendar 18 Mr. Pszeniczny Mr. Oliver

In This issue:

The Core Values for our School are the expectation

that Altoona Students will:

Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible & Be Ready to Learn

Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies -PBIS- is focusing

on the core values and expectations of our school. Students

are encouraged to demonstrate appropriate behavior in or-

der to create a positive learning environment for everyone.

Positive behaviors are encouraged verbally and with “tickets”

which can be exchanged for a variety of rewards to celebrate

the success of our students.

Just a reminder that the state mandated Badger Exam will

be administered to every student in grades 3-8 during the

weeks of April 13th & 20th.

Thank you for your support during this time, ensuring that

your child gets adequate rest and a healthy breakfast on

these days. Also, please try to keep these dates free of ap-

pointments to ensure your child can be tested in a timely

manner. Enjoy your Spring Break.

Learning is an experience. Everything else is just information.

-Albert Einstein

The AMS PTO is having a 1.5 mile fundraising ColorRun on Friday, May

15th, 2015 for AMS students & their immediate family members.

6 stations along the course will be manned by smiling volunteers (we

NEED your help!) ready to douse you in colorful powder, ensuring you look

like you ran through a rainbow as you cross the finish line. The powder is

certified non-toxic, free of any heavy metals, made from cornstarch and

FD&C dyes. We will have air blown color cleaning at the finish line - you

won’t be 100% clean, but you are good for the drive home. We encourage

you to bring some towels for the ride home or a change of clothes, just in

case. 100’s of $$ in prizes for top pledge earners!

Please Volunteer Now! Contact Tammy at TTAMBORN-

INO3@GMAIL.COM or Rhonda at RLKL24@CHARTER.NET or call Brenda

at the AMS Office on 715-839-6030. Thank you for your support.

May 15th

Rain date May 18th

Page 3

A FEW HELPFUL REMINDERS:

AIS & AMS office (715) 839-6030 Hours 7:30am-4pm

Absentee Hotline (715) 839-6095 Food Service (715) 839-6056

*****************

Altoona Middle School hours 7:45—3pm (students may arrive after

7:20am when we have teacher supervision)

Altoona Intermediate School hours 8:20am—3:30pm (Students may ar-

rive at 8am when supervision begins on the playground)

***************

The 2015-2016 school year will begin on August 19th, 2015 with a parent/student orientation day.

The first day of classes will be Thursday, August 20th. The last student day will be on May 25th, 2016

*****

The full 2015-2016 school year calendar is on the Altoona School website at www.altoona.k12.wi.us,

along with many valuable pieces of information from lunch menus to staff directories to school policies.

The Maker Fair is just around the corner and Mr. B. (Art depart-

ment) needs your help. Please gather useful items such

as old legos, lincoln logs, blocks, cardboard, paper rolls,

styrofoam of all sorts, shiny bling such as old CDs, fabric,

felt, clean plastic containers and lids, small broken elec-

tronic items or anything else that would be helpful.

A great summer opportunity! Our school counselor, Mrs. Kaldor, has applications.

Please call (715) 839-6031 x 301 or stop by her office and pick up an application.

From Nurse Schubring: Dear Parents & Guardians,

Dental Sealant Day is on April 14th for AMS 6th grade students. This pro-

gram is a wonderful opportunity for your child at no cost to the parent!

Sealants can cost approximately fifty dollars per tooth if done in a dental office.

Dental sealant is a thin, plastic coating painted on the chewing sur-

faces of teeth (usually the premolars and molars) to prevent tooth

decay. The sealant quickly bonds into the grooves of the teeth,

forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth.

7th.

Page 5

Grade 4/5

8:20 - 8:35 Homeroom

8:35 - 9:45 CORE 1: English/

Language Arts

9:45 -10:00 Recess

10:00 -11:05 Snack & CORE 2:

Science & Social

studies

11:08 -11:53 Specials

11:57 - 12:29 Lunch & Recess

12:32 - 12:52 Stamina

Reading time

12:52 -1:22 P.I.E.

1:25 - 2:37 CORE 3: Math

2:40 - 3:25 Specials

3:27 - 3:30 Homeroom

Altoona Intermediate School Grade 4/5

Ms. Bain

Ms. Brahan

Ms. Gagnon

Ms. Gutsch

Ms. Langlois

Ms. Madsen

Ms. Pszeniczny

Ms. Schirm

Ms. Scott

Ms. Stamos

WISCONSIN’S ICE AGE TRAIL

Our AIS students had the wonderful

opportunity to visit the Ice Age trail,

which winds for more than 1,000

miles along some of Wisconsin's most scenic landscapes. Students

had the opportunity to see some unique glacial features, as well

as participate in wildlife viewing, bird watching and snowshoeing.

SAVE THE DATE:

The AIS Heritage Fair

Thursday, April 9th 2015 1:00pm-2:15pm Come

to our Heritage Fair. Enjoy the culmination of

weeks of research and studying as we presen

our findings on our ancestors, their customs,

and traditions.

Transition to Middle School

5th Grade Parents/Guardians; April 20th, 5pm in

the Commons. Come and get the information

you need for your child to have a smooth and

successful transition into 6th grade.

A.I.S. & The Ellis Island

Simulation 3/5/15

After a long, difficult

journey, we arrived

at the new country.

There were many confusing forms to fill

out, in languages we didn’t

know. A ferry was there to

take us to

New York.

We were

examined

by many doctors

and nurses.

There were many

lines to wait in.

Some of us were

detained and had to

wait together.

Page 8

Mr. Burgraff and the 6th

grade will be going to the Art

Institute of Minneapolis. Thanks to our PTO, The

Altoona Star Grant, and The Altoona Lions Club

for helping raise money for the busses.

Congratulations to

Ms. Camlek who ap-

plied for and re-

ceived a $500

Meemic grant to put

towards buying more Lego Robotics equipment.

By Zander

By Abby

By Chewy

By Christina

6th Grade

By Ty

Have you seen our

“Gainers and Losers”

stock board outside

Mrs. Camlek’s room?

Mr. Laporte

+$4,179.59

Ms. Gagnon

-$916.48

Nate & Jordyn en-

joy learning about

the fascinating life

cycle of a Milkweed

bug!

Page 10

7th grade has been stud-

ying Newton’s Laws of

Motion by using a raw

egg to show inertia. Stu-

dents observed two

eggs—one raw and one hard boiled. Both were

spun, then stopped and observed. Students used

their background knowledge to make observations

and write inferences as to which

egg was the raw one. Volunteers

were chosen to crack eggs on their

foreheads at the same time.

Anna, Hay-

ley &

Sadie—The

Hanging

Gardens of

Babylon

Hannah,

Nate &

Rece—The

Pyramids

of Giza

Wonders of the World

Ray, Jacob &

Kadyn—Mausoleum

at Halicarnassus

Matt & Isaac—The

Lighthouse of Alexandria

7th Grade

The students in ELA are finishing up a unit called, Courage: Be

You, Stand Up, Make a Change. They did research and read a

historical fiction novel. Their final projects

are a representation of the book's theme or

lesson taught through a journey of courage.

Some things they learned were:

"A lot about history!"

"It opened my eyes!"

"It made me feel thankful for what I have."

"We learned what life is like in other coun-

tries."

Balloon Bonanza! All grades were able to enjoy some extra fun in P.E. this week. Hun-

dreds of balloons were

dumped into the gym, giving

student the opportunity to

play a variety of games in an

attempt to pop them.

P.E. News This Spring the PE Department is getting set to go outside. Ms. Reilly has just fin-

ished up her placement here at Altoona Middle School. We want to thank her for being such a great stu-

dent teacher. The staff and students have benefited from her knowledge, enthusiasm, and the time she

has given us. Ms. Reilly has promised to return for the Color Run on May 15th.

Our students have been involved with snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, weight training, fitness, and

Lacrosse over the past six weeks. Mother Nature allowed us a full two week unit outside. For some of

our students this was their first time skiing, snow-shoeing or both. We were able to sled a couple of days,

as well. We sometimes forget that not all the students have been exposed to sledding.

Our Character Education/Fitness Fridays have been going strong with Ms. Reilly. We were even able to

get outside for one of our Fitness Fridays, that was a treat for the students and the teachers. In the last

newsletter, we explained how we would be taking a group of 8th graders to the Community Table. Well

we did just that and it was great. We served over 75 people. Mrs. Bourget and Mr. Emerson were able

to discuss with the students that not all people who go to the Community Table are homeless. It is a

place where anyone can go for a meal. The food was fantastic, just ask the kids who prepared it.

This spring we are planning on running our first annual Color Run during school hours. It will be in con-

junction with raising money for our PTO. It is for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders this year. The

course will be 1.5 miles and include a few hills along the way. The students and staff are getting excited

for the date.

Within the next few weeks ,we will be starting our spring fitness testing and we hope to

get outside for archery, golf, and other outdoor activities. We are hoping

for a warm spring!

Until next time this is the PE Department saying; Get Active, Get Smart,

and Get Going

WE WON A STEM GRANT!

A STEM grant from the Minnesota Science Museum was

awarded to Altoona Schools thanks to Ms. Kuchta! One

of the purposes of the grant was to encourage our stu-

dents to consider careers in Engineering, Science and Technology.

“We live in a designed

world—engineered solu-

tions can be seen every-

where. From high speed

trains to gloves that insulate from heat and cold, to transporting water in drought-

laden areas of our world—engineers are identifying needs, designing and testing solu-

tions. Through engaging and interactive presentations, our presenters will explore what

engineers do, what inspires them and why it is important.”

SPANISH NEWS! It's FIESTA time

again.....¡Olé! 'El cinco de mayo' is just

around the bend, and the Altoona High

School Spanish classes, along with the Al-

toona Middle School 8th grade Spanish Students, will once again be

creating piñatas to mark the occasion! The completed piñatas will

be on display in the High School LMC on Friday, May 8, from 8:30

am - 2:00 pm. Elementary, AIS, and Middle School students

are invited, along with their teachers, to come to the high school

throughout the day to see the piñatas. Parents and community members are encour-

aged to come in during that time to vote on your favorites, as well! It's an exciting

day, and the piñatas are always amazing! Here are a few

examples from 2014. Hope to see you

there! If you have any questions,

please contact Melanie Engen via

email mengen@altoona.k12.wi.us, or

call 715-839-6031 ext. 460.

Page 14

8th Grade

Logan, Nick & Shawn Taya, Megan & Sophie

Kayla & Chloe

Hunter & Ben

Alex

Amber, Colton & Elijah Jacob & Nick

Kiana

An impressive turnout in our Lower Gym.

Thank you to our judges from the Al-

toona Historical Society, School

Board, Staff members and UWEC

students. We appreciate your time

and knowledge.

National History Day

The 8th Grade Graduation and Farewell will

be on Friday, May 29th at 1:30pm.

For National History Day, our 8th graders made documen-

taries, papers and websites to show how various leaders have left leg-

acies that affect our lives today.

We hope you were able to make

it to their impressive showcase

on March 5th, 2015.

Page 15

Linnea & Sydney Gage, Jakob & Melissa Logan & Tim Elizabeth Carson & Keaton

Congratulations to the 8th grade students progressing to the

NHD Regional Competition at UWEC on April 1:

Exhibits Emily E

Alex C

Gabby D and Jordyn D

Melissa W, Jake M, and Gage E

Justin L, Brayden W and Nick H

Websites Maryam K

Julia C

Mathias G

Linnea M and Sydney P

Jaxon A, Tanner T and Matt P

Documentaries Hunter L

Logan K and Tim C

Hannah Sand Maddi G

Izzy V, Grace N and Owen C

Sophie D, Megan V, and Taya S

Papers Savana B

Matt W

Dylan S

Ann Noser and Colleen Chmelik grew up to-

gether—Ms. Chmel is one of Ms. Noser’s big-

gest fans, helping her edit her books, and she

is even acknowledged in her book ‘How to Date Dead Guys’.

Recently, four professional authors visited AMS

and talked to 7th and 8th graders about their career. Each author was interviewed and

told us about their books, their inspirations, and their interests. They even gave us tips on

how to put our ideas into a book and how to inspire ourselves!

Mike Kalmbach, one of the authors, grew up in a forest near Lake Michigan and en-

joys sharing the stories of his because of the inspiration his childhood gave him. He pro-

gressed his way from occasional writing to leading the Rochester MN Writing Group, to

officially sitting down to write a book. From him, I learned that writing isn’t always easy,

and the people around you can be a big inspiration.

Derek Sullivan lives in Minnesota with his wife, three kids, and two pets. While at the

Author Talk, he told us a lot about how his schooling affected his writing and what pro-

cesses he uses to write. I learned from his presentation that it’s alright to mess up! He

mentioned how he sees so many mistakes in his first book, but he uses those mistakes as

learning tools that helped him write his second book, BIGGIE. I also learned that in order

to write, he likes to develop the characters first and see how they react in tough situations.

Ann M. Noser, who is also Mrs. Chmelik’s really good friend, grew up as an only

child, which taught her how to entertain herself. She loves reading and gets new ideas for

books right away. From her, I learned that publishing can take years and not all of your

writings will be published. Also, she really taught us how to motivate ourselves to really sit

down and write that book we’ve been thinking about for the past month!

Kristin Van Risseghem grew up with a big sister, who she enjoyed learning

from. She’s also an avid reader, and lives with her husband and two cats. Kristin Van Ris-

seghem loves going shopping, and gets a lot of her inspiration from the mall. She taught

us that other people can be a big inspiration as to how to make your characters, and she

often uses different characteristics from the people she sees and puts them into her char-

acters.

We were all very lucky to be able to get such great advice from these au-

thors and I look forward to reading their books! Overall, I learned many new

things and found it a very enjoyable experience. - Maryam Kazelka, 8th Gr

Authors in our midst

Page 17

Last Thursday’s author visit was an

amazing experience into the world of writ-

ing. Four authors including Kristin Van Ris-

seghem, Mike Kalmbach, Derek Sullivan,

and Ann Noser shared their stories on how

they write. Although writing a book can be fun, there can be many difficult obstacles. Kris-

ten says she gets help by looking at how teens act and their appearance. For example

what stores they might go to or how they dress. Mike got his inspiration for A Shark At The

Park from his two year old son. Writing also takes a lot of researching. Mike came across

this when he looked for helpful writing ideas for teens. After realizing that there wasn’t

many resources out there he researched and created a book call Writing Advice For Teens.

The writing portion is only the beginning. Getting your book published can range

from only a few months to years. Ann wrote her book How To Date Dead Guys about 10

years ago and just had it published recently. If you’re having trouble writing, Derek sug-

gests you can write short stories to help improve and to help you get an idea about what

you want to write. Ann has one of her friends (Mrs. Chmelik) look over bits of her writing to

make sure there are no errors and that it’s understandable.

Every author has a different way of writing. Some authors don’t base characters on

people they may know, but some prefer to because it helps with their story. Mike suggests

a little bit of planning and making sure you have an idea on how you’re going to start it

and end it. Make sure to be flexible not to get stuck on one idea. All authors get writer’s

block, but there are things to help. Try not to get upset; just let it flow. Write a first draft no

matter what, and if things go wrong try again.

Being an author isn’t a full time job, but you can do other things that relate to writ-

ing like write for local newspapers or magazines. For example Mike helps people with their

writing by looking at their drafts. But you could also do something different, like Ann who

is a veterinarian.

During this visit, I realized the time and dedication you need to have to be able

to be an author. A big thanks to the authors for coming and visiting us! You can

find more information on the authors on their social media:

Mike Kalmbach Ann M. Noser Website: http://mikekalmbach.com http://www.annmnoser.com

Twitter: @mikelambachWebsite: Twitter: @AnnMNoser

Kristin Van Risseghem Derek Sullivan

Website: www.kristinvanrisseghem.com Website: http:www.derekesullivan.com/ Twitter: @KVanRisseghem Twitter: @DerekESullivan

- Taya Strait, 8th Gr

Upcoming May 2015 Dates:

Friday, May 8th 12:30pm AIS Spring Program Friday, May 15th AMS Color Run (Rain date May 18th)

Thursday, May 19th 6pm AMS Awards Night Thursday, May 21st 7pm AMS Pops Concert

Monday, May 25th Memorial Day Friday, May 29th 1:30pm 8th gr Graduation & 3pm Dance

June 5th Last Day of School & Early Release

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

April 2015

AMS PTO

Meeting 6pm

AMS LMC

Board Meeting

6:30pm D/O

Board Meeting

6:30pm D/O

Early Release:

AMS 11:05am

AIS 11:35am

AIS & PES PTO

Meeting 6:30pm

PES LMC

SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK

Rescheduled Ice

Age visit for

Scott & Stamos

Dental Sealant

Day 6th Grade

5th Grade to

tour UWEC

1-2:15pm AIS

Heritage Fair

4-7pm Maker’s

Space Showcase

- Lower gym

Play Practice:

3:30 –5pm

AIS Play perfor-

mance

6pm

Page 18

5pm—6pm 5th gr

parent/guardian

transition night—

Commons

Planing on participating in athletics

for 2015-2016 school year?

Athletic Code Meeting: Mon, June

1st 2015-7pm AHS auditorium for

students & parents

Sports Physicals available: Wed,

June 3rd 5:30-7:30pm CV Ortho &

Sports Medicine, Altoona

Badger Testing begins