December 2009

One of the hardest and scariest things about orchestra and band class is taking playing tests.  A playing test is when a student plays a specific song for the teacher, and the teacher grades on how well that student has played.  Dr. Samuel Tsugawa’s orchestra classes at SJHS have a new way of doing playing tests.  They record their playing tests on a computer, and then send them to Dr. Tsugawa using the Internet. This is done using a program called Smart Music.
   

Twelve people made the boys basketball team this year, and two of those twelve were voted as team captains. One of those captains is Jantzen Dalley. Jantzen loves basketball; he has been playing basketball since he was in third grade and has loved it from the beginning. This year he made the junior high school basketball team. Before the third practice, the team voted on team captains for the year. Mr. Shaun Blakey, basketball team head coach, told the team, “You should vote for someone who you think will be a good leader, will be able to push you to your limits and make us a better team as a whole.”

This year at SJHS a teacher is spending her 41st year educating. This teacher is Mrs. Vonnie Burton. Mrs. Burton teaches English, which most enjoy because of her. Mrs. Burton has fun things planned for her students. “All sorts of ‘PUNishment’.” She joked.

Maddie Joyner, an eighth-grade student, said that Mrs. Burton always has jokes to tell. But it’s not just the students that have nice things to say. “My favorite thing is my students,” Mrs. Burton said. Mrs. Burton said that it is her calling to teach.

Maddie said that her class is “very easy and very fun.” Eighth-grade students are learning about Edger Allan Poe. They have been finding out about his life, and will be reading some of his work.

Mrs. Vonnie Burton’s eighth and ninth grade English classes have been studying a literary genius: Edgar Allan Poe. According to Mrs. Burton, it was required for them to study a story by him. A story is chosen for each grade based on reading level. As part of their Elements of Suspense study, the eighth graders read “The Black Cat”, and the ninth graders read “The Cask Of Amantillado.”

At Springville Junior High there have been various physical education teachers throughout the years, and they have all come and gone. But Mrs. Kelly Anderson, the girls' PE teacher, has been teaching at Springville Junior High for over twenty years, and those twenty years have been very fun for her.

“I thought Springville would be a great community to teach in. I had done my student teaching at Springville Junior High School in 1981 with Mrs. Harding. She was the girls PE teacher back then,” Mrs. Anderson explained.  Teachers have to have a little bit of experience before they start teaching at a new school, that often helps them to have a more fluent and precise teaching style.

This week in Mr. David Kindrick’s eighth-grade science class, everyone is looking a little bit greener. Mr. Kindrick is teaching his students about the environment and how important it is to us living on this earth. “We impact the environment,” said Mr. Kindrick, the eighth grade science teacher at Springville Junior High.

A part of this unit is for students to design and create their own logo. Students will then pick the best logo out of all Mr. Kindrick’s classes, and it will be printed on a T-shirt. “Students are very creative,” said Mr. Kindrick, “I expect quality work.” Students then have the option to purchase a T-shirt for three dollars.

Mr. Sam Tsugawa, orchestra teacher at SJHS, mysteriously disappeared one Friday in October leaving his students in confusion. “Where is he?” seemed to be the general talk around the orchestra room. The following school day, Mr. Tsugawa told of his journey to St. George. He told his classes that he had gone to a conference to discuss getting his doctorate degree.

Christopher Taylor, a cellist and student of Mr. Tsugawa’s, said “It’s really cool that he is getting his degree. I didn't think it was possible, but it may even help him become a better teacher than he already is.”

When you walk by the SJHS Choir room during sixth to eighth period, you will hear melodies and harmonies. On December 11th, elementary school students will be able to hear these harmonies and melodies without leaving their schools. “All of the elementary schools in Springville will be visited (by the Master Singers and Knightingales),” said Mrs. Leslie Walker, the SJHS choir director. The Master Singers is the ninth grade audition choir; the Knightingales are a mixed chorus of eighth and ninth grade girls.

The first Thanksgiving was in 1621 with the pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans.  Thanksgiving, on the fourth Thursday of November, became a national holiday in the United States in 1941.  Today we celebrate this holiday to stop and give thanks for what we have.  November 25th through the 27th was a break from school for Nebo District students.  Students and teachers at SJHS have a lot to be thankful for.

This year, three ninth-grade students at Springville Junior High made the Springville High School girl’s basketball team: Ashli Averett, Amberly Austin, and Hannah Packard.

“I think it is really cool and great experience to be on the high school basketball team,” said Ashli Averett, one of the freshmen that made it to the girls high school basketball team. Ashli said, “I watched my sister play for many years. She had a lot of fun, and learned a lot. I hope to get the same experience.” Ashli also said, “Basketball is a lot of work, but it’s so much fun. I love it.” Ashli’s siblings, dad, and cousins have played high school basketball, and she said they are the ones who help her and teach her new skills.