The Times of Sargent Central

Volume 61 Official Newsletter of the Sargent Central School District February 2016

School Board Meeting

The February meeting of the Sargent Central

School Board will be held on Wednesday, February 10th at 7:00 p.m. in the Multi-purpose Room.

School Not in Session

The Sargent Central Public school will not be in session February 12th and February 15th.

100th Day of School By Mrs. Mahrer

The K-2 students celebrated the 100th Day of

school on February 5, 2016. The day was filled with activities dealing with 100 - counting, exercising, art - you name it, they did it 100 times!!

Kindergarten & 6th Graded Lego Project By Mrs. Mahrer

The kindergarten and sixth grade classes

collaborated for a Lego project this week. The classes read Jack and the Beanstalk and then divided

into groups to make different scenes from the story. The Lego kits were made available through the VCSU Teacher Center for

three weeks at Sargent Central.

JH Math and Science By: Mr. Kean Nelson

7th Math

We just finished studying how to write and solve one- and two-step equations. Next week we will begin working with applications of these

equations as well as beginning to work with even more complex equations.

8th Math

The 8th grade are currently about half way through Chapter 8 which focuses on the manipulation of data sets to form linear functions. The students are working hard to learn many mathematical skills that will be carried throughout their academic careers.

Life Science

The 7th grade class has just finished learning about our first large scale eukaryotic organisms, which were plants and their various processes. During this second semester we will be studying ever increasingly complex organisms through the processes of research, examination/observation, and dissection.

Earth Science

We have almost wrapped up our studies on weathering, erosion, and deposition of the Earth. After which we will move into studying the various types of environments located on or in the Earth.

Social Studies/Speech News

By: Mrs. Kylee Roney

In POD, the seniors have been working on running a campaign for the election we are having in our class. They were put in groups and were tasked with coming up with successful campaign ideas. These included clever advertising, brainstorming campaign promises, and making a presentation. The sophomores, juniors, and seniors voted and a candidate was selected. We will extend this activity when we start the unit on the executive branch in the next few weeks.

The speech season is under way. We have 8 participants and have already attended two meets. We are planning on attending the following meets in February: February 13th (Northern Cass) and February 27th (Oakes).

Counselors Corner By: Mrs. Rachel Olson

GO RED on

February 24!

Help the SC Honor Society support the Jump Rope for Heart & the American Heart Association by wearing red for a $1.00. For Sargent Central students and staff, community or business. Honor Society students will be coming to visit businesses soon.

General statistics from the AHA.

• Cardiovascular diseases and stroke cause 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every 80 seconds.

• An estimated 44 million women in the U.S. are affected by cardiovascular diseases.

• 90% of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke.

• Women have a higher lifetime risk of stroke than men.

• 80% of heart disease and stroke events may be prevented by lifestyle changes and education

• Fewer women than men survive their first heart attack.

• The symptoms of heart attack can be different in women vs. men, and are often misunderstood – even by some physicians.

• Women who are involved with the Go Red For Women movement live healthier lives.

• When you get involved in supporting Go Red For Women by advocating, fundraising and sharing your story, more lives are saved.

Reminders: February 17- Sargent Central Honor Society Induction, 8:30 am in the Activity Center. March 15- Statewide ACT test for juniors at 8:00 am. Senior students & parents- be sure you are working on the FAFSA if going to college. Due April 15 for ND colleges.

Yearbook Orders

It is time to order your 2015-2016 yearbook. The yearbook covers K-12 so it is appropriate to order for elementary students as well as high school students. You must pre-order and pay for your yearbook. The cost is $45.00. It is hardcover and all in color. No extra yearbooks are ordered. Call the school at 724-3205.

3rd Grade Class By: Mrs. Samantha Stenvold

Third graders had a fantastic time celebrating

the 100th day of school on Friday, February 5! We had fun with different activities involving 100 items, but the favorite activity was stacking 100 cups!! That’s A LOT of cups!!

Thanks to Sargent Central FCCLA students, the third graders have the

special opportunity to have “big” kids come into our room and share their time and talents with us. We practice “reading to someone” with them on Wednesday afternoon and do a Science experiment on Friday

afternoon. This has

been a huge hit with the students and they really look forward to these afternoons.

12 Common Grammar Mistakes By Ms. Brenda Grothe

Source: HubSpot.Inc. 2015 1) They're vs. Their vs. There One's a contraction for "they are" (they're), one refers to something owned by a group (their), and one refers to a place (there). You know the difference among the three -- just make sure you triple check that you're using the right ones in the right places at the right times. I find it's helpful to search through my posts (try control + F on PC or command + F on Mac) for those words and check that they're being used in the right context. Correct Usage: They're going to love going there -- I heard their food is the best! 2) Your vs. You're The difference between these two is owning something versus actually being something: You made it around the track in under a minute -- you're fast! How's your fast going? Are you hungry? See the difference? "Your" is possessive and "you're" is a contraction of "you are." Again, if you're having trouble keeping them straight, try doing another grammar check before you hit publish. 3) Its vs. It's This one tends to confuse even the best of writers. "Its" is possessive and "it's" is a contraction of "it is." Lots of people get tripped up because "it's" has an 's after it, which normally means something is possessive. But in this case, it's actually a contraction. Do a control + F to find this mistake in your writing. It's really hard to catch on your own, but it's a mistake everyone can make. 4) Possessive Nouns Most possessive nouns will have an apostrophe -- but where you put that apostrophe can be confusing. Here are a few general rules to follow: If the noun is plural, add the apostrophe after the s. For example: the dogs' bones. If the noun is singular and ends in s, you should also

put the apostrophe after the s. For example: the dress' blue color. On the other hand, if the noun is singular and doesn't end in an s, you'll add the apostrophe before the s. For example: the lizard's tail. Simple, right? If you want a deeper dive into the rules of possessive nouns, check out this website. 5) Affect vs. Effect This one is another one of my pet peeves. Most people confuse them when they're talking about something changing another thing. When you're talking about the change itself -- the noun -- you'll use "effect." That movie had a great effect on me. When you're talking about the act of changing -- the verb -- you'll use "affect." That movie affected me greatly. 6) Me vs. I Most people understand the difference between the two of these ... until it comes time for them to use one in a sentence. They'll say something like: When you get done with that lab report, can you send it to Bill and I? But that's wrong. Try taking Bill out of that sentence -- it sounds weird, right? You would never ask someone to send something to "I" when he or she is done. The reason it sounds weird is because "I" is the object of that sentence -- and "I" should not be used in objects. In that situation, you'd use"me." When you get done with that lab report, can you send it to Bill and me? Much better. 7) Who vs. That This is a tricky one. These two words can be used when you're describing someone or something through a phrase like "Lindsay is a blogger who likes ice cream." When you're describing a person, be sure to use "who." When you're describing an object, use "that." For example, you should say "Her computer is the one that overheats all the time." It's pretty simple, but definitely something that gets overlooked frequently. 8) Into vs. In to Let's clarify the "into" versus "in to" debate. They're often confused, but "into" indicates movement (Lindsay walked into the office) while "in to" is used in lots of situations because the individual words "to" and "in" are frequently used in other parts of a sentence. For example, "to" is often used

with infinitive verbs (e.g. "to drive"). Or "in" can be used as part of a verb (e.g. "call in to a meeting"). So if you're trying to decide which to use, first figure out if the words "in" or "to" actually modify other words in the sentence. If they don't, then ask yourself if it's indicating some sort of movement -- if it does, you're good to use "into." 9) Lose vs. Loose When people mix up "lose" and "loose," it's usually just because they're spelled so similarly. They know their definitions are completely different. "Lose" is a verb that means "to fail to keep or maintain; fail to win; cease to have," like losing your keys or losing a football match. "Loose" is an adjective that means "not tight" or "not closely constrained," like loose clothing or a loose tooth. A trick for remembering the difference is to think of the term "loosey-goosey" -- both words that make up that compound word are spelled with two o's. 10) Then vs. Than What's wrong with this sentence? My dinner was better then yours. *Shudder.* In the sentence above, "then" should be "than." Why? Because "than" is a conjunction used mainly to make comparisons -- like saying one thing was better "than" another. "Then" is mainly an adverb used to situate actions in time: We made dinner, and "then" we ate it. 11) Assure vs. Insure vs. Ensure All of these words have to do with "making an outcome sure," which is why they're so often mixed up. However, they aren't interchangeable.

• "To assure" means to promise or say with confidence. For example, "I assure you that he's good at his job."

• "To ensure" means to make certain. For example, "Ensure you're free when I visit next weekend."

• Finally, "to insure" means to protect against risk by regularly paying an insurance company. For example, "I insure my car because the law requires it."

12) Less vs. Fewer You know the checkout aisle in the grocery store that says "10 Items or Less"? That's actually incorrect. It should be "10 Items or Fewer." Why? Because "items" are quantifiable -- you can count out 10 items. Use "fewer" for things that are quantifiable, like "fewer M&Ms" or "fewer road

trips." Use "less" for things that aren't quantifiable, like "less candy" and "less traveling."

FCS Department

By Mrs. Hollie Harrington Happy Valentine’s Day from the FCS

department! It has been another busy month in the Family

and Consumer Science classrooms. The Housing students are looking for pictures that show good (or bad) examples of Principles of Design. We talked about the different principles: proportion, balance, scale, rhythm, emphasis, and unity so now they will look for housing examples that display those ideas. Most of the students see a picture of a home and decide quickly if they like it or not. However, the principles of design sometimes give them a reason why they are not “attracted” to the ideas in the room.

FCS II just finished a lab on appetizers and snacks. It is amazing how fast a class period can go when you are trying to mix up buffalo chicken dip, bake it, eat, and then clean up. I think most every student would agree that they could use an additional 15 minutes for each lab. This week,

they will participate in a Valentine Challenge. The four different kitchens will each make a cake or cupcakes and decorate it/them for Valentine’s Day.

The other students and some faculty will vote on the cake with the best flavor, texture, and appearance. We are always looking for outside opinions…are you interested?

The Foods students are starting to work on cultural reports. Each student has picked a country that they want to know more about.

They will do research and then make one of the recipes that is traditional to that country. All of us are

interested to see what they will come up with. Our exchange student Paul, will do his report on his

native country of Germany. We will look forward to trying some authentic German foods.

Since the new semester started, the eighth grade students are now in the FCS room. We are talking about their own

personal responsibilities within their family and with friends. Soon, they will put together a small booklet about their own family, memories, and life dreams. If they have a grandparent that lives close by, I hope they are available to answer a question or two about “the good old days”.

FCS 9 is sewing. We only have 6 sewing machines and 9 students in class so it takes us a little longer to accomplish our projects. Gretchen Vann was kind and generous with her sewing materials and donated the fabric and batting for all of the students to make a table runner. Once they finish their runner, they each will begin working on the sewing project of their choice. Most of them picked a quilt, duffle bag, or stuffed animal to sew. Once again, each class goes way too fast.

Have a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Sargent Central Music Department Presents

Weapons Of Mass Percussion

Featuring

The

Cadet

Drumline

Monday, February 8th Halftime of the Girls Varsity Game Sargent Central Activities Center

*For best viewing, please sit on the south side of the gym in the folding chairs.

The show will be directed towards that side of the auditorium

The Faithful Footsteppers Relay for Life Team is sponsoring:

Sargent County Alumni Basketball at Sargent Central High School

Men’s and women’s teams from each school

6 games

Concessions Available

Gate Fee: Adults $6.00, K – 12 $4.00 and Preschool - Free.

Bring your families and enjoy some basketball.

Thanks for Supporting Sargent County Relay for Life!

Saturday March 5, 2016

1:30 p.m.