West Salem Middle School Student Newsletter … oct...West Salem Middle School Student Newsletter ... Sunny day or rainy day: sunny ... We do normal day running where we will

West Salem Middle School Student Newsletter September/October 2015

Meet Mr. Wopat West Salem Middle School’s New Principal by Cameron W.

Mr. Wopat wants to work at West Salem because of the size of our community and because there are a lot of opportunities for kids here. He became a principal because it's a great way to help students and the job impacts all the students in the middle school.

He taught at Logan for nine years. He taught Social Studies, Math, English, Guidance, and he was a Dean of Students for three years. He was a football coach for six years.

Mr. Wopat lives in Onalaska, but his kids go to school at West Salem. He has a freshman named Joe and a 7th grader named Maddie. He has a tiny dog that he got for his family.

He grew up in Norwalk, Wisconsin, but when he got a little older his family moved to Ontario, Wisconsin. His favorite grades were 3rd because of his teacher and 9th because two small towns were put together for high school. He went to Brookwood High School. He went to UWL and Viterbo for college.

In his spare time he likes to play and watch football and hunt. He also likes to watch his kids play sports. When he has the time, he likes to go to his friend’s cabin.

He said the hardest part about being a principal is meeting the needs of all of the staff and students. The best part about being a principal is the kids. He wants the kids at West Salem to know that he is here to serve them, and he thinks they are very polite. He also wants them to know that he is impressed with all of the kids here at West Salem!

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In This Issue

Advice Column pg. 12

Celebrity Spotlight pg. 6

Comic pg. 6

Cross Country pg. 8

Crossword Puzzle pg. 11

Entertainment pgs. 2 & 7

Football pg. 10

Holidays pg. 18

Local News pg. 5 & 13

Meet Mr. Wopat pg. 1

Pet Feature pg. 17

Student Survey pgs. 14-16

Teacher Feature pg. 2-4

Volleyball pg. 9

BLACK CAT NEWS Welcome Back to School! MAKE IT A GREAT YEAR!


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Teacher Feature: Mrs. Jehn by Maggie C. & Taylor H.

Born: November 28th,1980 Favorite color: blue Favorite food: pizza Favorite animal: dog

Favorite season: summer Favorite sport: basketball

Sunny day or rainy day: sunny Favorite number: 12

Favorite movie: Remember The Titans Favorite book: Redeeming Love How many years teaching: 12

First teaching job: La Crosse

If Mrs. Jehn could go anywhere: Alaska Pets: dog and cat

Favorite subjects: PE and Math Favorite sports team: Packers Full name: Heather Lyne Jehn

Hometown: Oostburg, WI Heritage: Dutch, German, English,

French

(Recommended by the Black Cat News staff)

Courageous The Hobbit Forrest Gump Jurasic World The Longest Yard The Hunger Games series Jumanji Mean Girls Divergent series The Theory of Everything Hot Rod Paper Towns The Longest Ride

“A film is — or should be — more like music than like fiction.

It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what’s behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later.” -

Stanley Kubrick (Julia S.)

Must See Movies


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Teacher Feature: Mr. Zwonitzer by Trevor T.

How was your childhood/where did you grow up? “Laramie,Wyoming but in Kindergarten went to Minnesota in the country."

Where did you go to school? “Winona, Minnesota."

How long were you in college? “Four 1/2 years and two years for a Master’s degree."

How long have you been teaching in West Salem? "I have been teaching for 24 years."

Why did you decide on science? “A high level of interest in the outdoors and animals. Teaching gives me a way to share it.”

What do you do in your free time? "Hike, fish, camp, a lot of outside activities."

What did you do this summer? "Worked on landscaping around the house, worked on all parts of the house, and went on the river."

What's your favorite food? "Big thick venison steak."

What's your dream vacation? "Follow the changing of the fall colors to the east coast."

What's your favorite movie? Dirty Dozen

How many kids do you have? “two daughters and five grandchildren”

What's your favorite restaurant? "Famous Daves"

What’s the funniest moment you have ever witnessed? "Duck hunting, ducks came down and slipped on ice all the way down till they hit the weeds."

Did you play sports? "Yes, I was a swimmer."

Will you always have your hair like that? "No, I will cut my hair for the kids before I retire."

Anything else you would like to say? “I canoed the whole Mississippi River and walked the Camino de Santiago.”

!

Taking a Break! Camp Out 2004.


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“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” - Jimmy Dean (Blake S.)

"With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it takes is an imagination.” - Michael Phelps (Taylor H.)

Teacher Feature: Ms. Friell by Blake S.

How long have you been teaching? 20 years

Where did you go to school? Lincoln Middle, Logan High, UW- Madison

Where all have you lived? La Crosse, Madison, and Minneapolis

Why did you decide to teach? I’ve always loved learning, and I think it’s

important to inspire people to think and want to learn.

What do you do in your free time? travel, go

outdoors, read, run, yoga, creative projects

What do you do in summer? teach summer school,

travel, and stay outdoors as much as possible

What is your favorite food? I like just about anything,

but maybe Italian is my favorite.

What is your dream vacation? Spending unlimited

time in Europe. Germany, France, and Italy are next on my

list though. I also wouldn’t mind hiking and camping out West every summer.

Favorite movie? Breakfast Club

How many pets do you have? one dog

Were you in any activities when in school? tennis, track, cheerleading,

student council, show choir, pep club, yearbook

What is your favorite sport to watch? football

What is your favorite sport to play? tennis

If you weren’t a teacher what would you be? probably a social worker

in Denali National Park, Alaska


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Hidden Trails Corn Maze Opens by Ever C.

West Salem, WI - Open daily from Sep. 1 to Nov. 1

Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

West Salem's Hidden Trails Corn Maze opened up this fall with four mazes, totaling around five miles in length. Two of the mazes are smaller children mazes, and two are mile long

mazes for teens and adults. Aside from the mazes, they have other activities to try. You can pick pumpkins, go on a hay wagon rides, and the kids can even go for a barrel ride.

Sources:

http://www.news8000.com/news/hidden-trails-corn-maze-opens-for-the-fall/35135020

http://www.hiddentrailscornmaze.com

“Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.” -Albert Einstein

(Aidan D.)




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“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” -Aldous Huxley (Shanda A.)

Celebrity Spotlight: Twenty One Pilots by Chloe I.

Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph are a two-man band known as Twenty Øne Pilots. The American musical duo have recently become increasingly popular, as they have

preformed at the VMAs. They are somewhat new to their music career. They were first signed by Fueled by Ramen in 2012. What makes this band so unique and wonderful

is the blend of many music genres they bring together. The music they play could be known as alternative, hip-hop, electro pop, or indie pop. Twenty

Øne Pilots was formed in 2009 in the state of Ohio. Originally, the band had three members: Tyler, Nick Thomas, and Chris Salih. Nick and Chris quit the band due to busy schedules, and Tyler was later joined by Josh Dun. Twenty Øne Pilots has four albums:

Twenty Øne Pilots, Regional at Best, Vessel, and Blurryface.

“Me, I’m dishonest, and you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly, it’s the honest ones you have to watch out for.” -Johnny Depp (Chloe I.)

I found this joke (the words on

commons.wikimedia. org) and drew this

comic (the four boxes) based on the joke!

Yana G.


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(Recommended by The Black Cat News staff)

A Work In Progress The Left Behind series The 11th Plague Lord of the Rings trilogy Odd and the Frost Giants Rangers Apprentice Matched series The Summer I Turned Pretty series Rush for the Gold Unstoppable Football Genius An Abundance of Katherines Inkheart anything by Dr. Seuss

Must Read Books

West Salem Public Library Hours

Monday 10:00-8:00 Tuesday 1:00-8:00

Wednesday 10:00-8:00 Thursday 1:00-8:00

Friday 11:00-5:00 Saturday 10:00-1:00


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Cross Country News by Lexi G.

In a usual Cross Country practice new will do many things. Right when we get to practice we have to sign in to tell the coaches that we are there. Once everyone is ready to get started with practice and the coaches and all of the runners are there, we will begin stretching. We do stretches before and after we run. Some of the stretches are over the fence under the fence, high knees, butt kickers, lunges, and many others that will get us warmed up for running. Then Coach Hoff or Coach Tashner will normally tell us what we are going to be doing that day and every other day of that week. We do normal day running where we will just go on a trail and get in some miles to make us better runners. We also will do workouts at times when we need to get ready for a meet. Workouts are normally track workouts. That is where we will run on the track and do 'jog, stride, sprints' where we will start by slowly jogging then, as we walk our way around the track ,we will start to pick up speed a little bit by striding. Then, at the very end, we will start to sprint. Another work out that we will do is 'The hill workout.’ This is a workout where we will go up and down a hill and get more prepared for meets. Once we are done with our running we will stretch a little at the end of practice. We will also do 'barrels' where we will stand in a cold bucket of water to get the Lactic Acid in our legs moving. By this time we are done with our practice!

Coaches: Mr. Tashner, Mrs. Jarosh, Mr. Hoff

Boys’ Cross Country Team: Grant B, Connor B, Aidan D, Peter D, Ryan D, Mathias D, Gavin H, Memphis H, Chase J, Justin K, Eli L, Charles K, Brady N, Jackson O, Isaac O, Alex O, Brady S,

Canaan S, Orin S, Athan S, Liam S, Christopher T, Sam T, Blaine W

Girls’ Cross Country Team: Samara W, Lexi G, Ava H, Shelby B, Calista R, Sara Z, Tessa D, Autumn S, Alyssa S, Molly R, Anna B, Lacy H, Annalisa S, Betsy S, Rayna D, Emma C, Paige W,

Rebekah S, Autumn D, Lily W, Ella J, Ellie S, Magei F, Elsa M, Abby B, Shelby B

Meet Schedule

Tuesday, Sept. 15 at Myrick Park Monday, Sept. 21 at Holmen High School

Tuesday, Sept. 29 at West Salem Soccer Field Tuesday, October 6 at Van Riper Park (Onalaska)

Saturday, October 10 at Arcadia Tuesday, October 13 at Myrick Park

Monday, October 19 at Meadowview Middle (Sparta)

“I can accept failure,everyone fails at times. But I can't accept not trying.” -Michael Jordan (Ever C.)


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“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Albert Einstein (Cameron W.)

7th & 8th Grade Girls’ Volleyball by Jillian W. & Shanda A.

The first thing we do in practice is we do dynamic stretches (butt kicks, high knees, zombie walkers, touch the ground, lunges, open the door, run 50%, then run

100%). Next, we slam the volleyball down with both hands, then one hand, and then we slap it down. After that we begin peppering for about 5-10 minutes. After

that, we do hitting, passing, and setting drills. If there's time we scrimmage.

A regular games starts with setting up the nets if it’s a home game, or if it’s an away game, we just get on the bus and go. Before a game we stretch and play pepper with a partner. The B Team plays three matches and then the A Team plays their

three matches. Hopefully both teams win!

8th Grade Team: Kendall A, Allie A, Shanda A, Hannah B, Abbie C, Taylor F, Kara G, Gracie G, Meghan H, Marissa H, Lilly H, May J, Zoe J, Holly K, Kasaya K, Haley N,

Julia R, Taylor S, Rebecca S, Abby S, McKenna S, Lexi W, Jillian W Coaches: Mrs.Rel and Mrs.Rochester

7th Grade Team: Abby B, Grace B, Jenna C, Kitara C, Katelin D, Mallory F, Emily F, Serena F, Kendall G, Audrey G, Elaine G, Sydney H, Dana H, Brynn H, Natalie J,

Erica K, Shelby K, Josie L, Abby L, Jenna L, Murelle L, Madisen M, Katelyn M, Madeline N, Bailee P, Autumn P, Allyson P, Madeline Q,

Maddie S, Onnastasia S, Angela V, Madalynn W Coaches: Mrs. Jeranek and Ms. Jones

“Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.” -Rocky Balboa (David L.)


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7th & 8th Grade Football

By David L.

After school the football players have to run to the elementary school. That is where they get dressed. When they are finished dressing, they go outside and do their fundies

(fundamentals) until the coaches come out. The fundies are running routes, throwing the ball, and all that fun stuff. Then they stretch and do hitting progression to keep themselves safe. After all of that, they run a couple of drills and sometimes scrimmage until practice is

almost over. The players’ least favorite part of practice is conditioning. Conditioning is running. They usually have to run cross fields (sprinting across the field as many times as the coach says to) or they do ladders (running to the 20yd line then back, then to the 15yd

line and back, and so on). When conditioning is finished they have a breakdown. A breakdown is when the players huddle together, clap, and shout. At the end of practice,

they put their pads back and their practice is over.

2015 8th Grade Football Schedule

Thursday September 17, 4:00pm at Sparta Thursday September 24, 4:00pm vs Lincoln at West Salem

Thursday October 1, 4:00pm at Logan Middle School Tuesday October 6, 4:15pm vs Tomah at West Salem

Thursday October 15, 4:00pm at Onalaska Middle School Thursday October 20, 4:00 pm vs Winona at West Salem

7th Grade Coaches: Mr. Running and Mr. Shrake 8th Grade Coaches: Mr. Brewer and Mr. Duster

7th Grade Players: Justin B., Drake B., Alan C., Evan D., Collin D., Adam G., Teegan H., Ethan H., Samuel H., Zach H., Donovan J., Cain K., Connor K., Morgan L., Briley L.,

Ian L., Brayden L., Ethan M., Brennon O., Josh S., Gavin S., Ian S. Skyler W.

8th Grade Players: Hunter B., Ethan D., Dawson F., Gavin G., Dawson H., Keegan K., David L., Kirin L.,

Brandon L., Carter M., Quinten M., Dylan N., Ryley R. Therrick R., Jack S., Ethan S., Blake S., Jesse S., Max S.,

Austin S., Sawyer S., Tristyn S., Trevor T., Devin V.

“You've just got to go out there and try to control the things you can control, deal with things and stay mentally strong.” -Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks Captain

(Kasaya K.)


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“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” - Napoleon Hill (Maggie C.)


(Lexi G.)

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Ask Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

I really like this boy, but I’m not sure if he likes me. What should I do? Thanks in advance for any

advice you can give me.

-Jenny

Talk to your friends (that you know you can trust) and see if they know

anything about him or what he likes. But remember, you should never

change yourself for the person you like. If they like you, they'll like you for you, not the person you're pretending

to be. Also, see if your friends are friends with him. Maybe a mutual friend could introduce you two?

Communicating with someone face-to-face is always best. Maybe you can find out where he’ll be so you can say hello and start a conversation! You might find out you have similar interests or

you might find out that you don’t!

Best of luck!

Issues Teens Deal With

(compiled by the Black Cat News staff)

-pressure to do well academically -people judging you for what you look like -friends talking behind your back -being noticed for your mistakes -being made fun for who your friends are -being insecure with who you are -peer pressure -temptation -disappointment or rejection

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” -George Bernard Shaw (Sam K.)


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New Mental Health Program in Wisconsin By: Aidan D.

Recently the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has developed a plan to improve the mental health of the state's students.This five year project titled "The Wisconsin School Mental Health Program" aims to train school staff so they are better prepared to help students with mental health issues. The program will also assist schools in creating policies and programs to help these students. Alcohol and drug counseling is also included in the program. School staff from certain schools were trained on August 17th.

In Wisconsin, about one in five students has a serious mental health issue. Some serious mental health issues include: panic disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, autism, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Students with poor mental health have trouble learning in school.

The public will have to wait until results are released to see if the program is effective. Thirty schools have joined the program, including the Sparta and La Crosse School Districts. West Salem has yet to join.

Sourceshttp://dpi.wi.gov/news/releases/2015/wisconsin-school-mental-health-project-gets-under-way

http://www.bcbsil.com/provider/standards/serious_vs_non_serious.html

http://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/news-release/dpinr2015_72.pdf

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.” -Walter Bagehot (Matthew N.)

Badger Football Schedule

9/5 vs. Alabama 10/17 vs. Purdue 9/12 vs. Miami (Ohio) 10/24 at Illinois 9/19 vs. Troy 10/31 vs. Rutgers 9/26 vs. Hawaii 11/07 at Maryland 10/3 vs. Iowa 11/21 vs. Northwestern 10/10 at Nebraska 11/28 at Minnesota

http://dpi.wi.gov/news/releases/2015/wisconsin-school-mental-health-project-gets-under-way



http://dpi.wi.gov/news/releases/2015/wisconsin-school-mental-health-project-gets-under-way




_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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7.5

15

22.5

30

less than 5 5-6 hrs. 6-7 hrs. 7-8 hrs. 8-9 hrs. 9-10 hrs.

Boys Girls

0

7.5

15

22.5

30

under 5 hrs. 5-6 hrs. 6-7 hrs. 7-8 hrs. 8-9 hrs. 9-10 hrs.

Boys Girls

Student Survey Question: How Much Sleep Do You Get On An Average School Night?

7th Grade Results

8th Grade Results


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“If you really want to do something, you will find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse” - Jim Rohn (Jillian Wakefield)

0

7.5

15

22.5

30

5 hrs. 6-7 hrs. 7-8 hrs. 8-9 hrs. 9-10 hrs.

Boys Girls

6th Grade Results

How Much Sleep Do Teens Need? Most teens need about 8½ to more than 9 hours of sleep each night. Getting the right amount of sleep is essential for anyone who wants to do well on a test or play sports without stumbling. Unfortunately, though, many teens don't get enough sleep.

Why Don't Teens Get Enough Sleep? Until recently, teens often got a bad rap for staying up late, oversleeping for school, and falling asleep in class. But recent studies show that adolescent sleep patterns actually differ from those of adults or kids.

Experts say that during the teen years, the body's circadian circadian rhythm (sort of like an internal biological clock) is temporarily reset, telling a person to fall asleep later and wake up later. This change might be due to the fact that the brain hormone melatonin is produced later at night for teens than it is for kids and adults. This can make it harder for teens to fall asleep early.

continued on next page


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These changes in the body's circadian rhythm coincide with a busy time in life. For most teens, the pressure to do well in school is more intense than when they were kids, and it's harder to get by without studying hard. And teens also have other time demands — everything from sports and other extracurricular activities to working a part-time job to save money for college.

Why Is Sleep Important? A sleep deficit affects everything from someone's ability to pay attention in class to his or her mood. According to a National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America poll, more than 25% of high school students fall asleep in class, and experts have tied lost sleep to poorer grades. Lack of sleep also damages teens' ability to do their best in athletics.

Lack of sleep also is linked to emotional troubles, such as feelings of sadness and depression. Sleep helps keep us physically healthy, too, by slowing the body's systems to re-energize us for everyday activities.

Am I Getting Enough Sleep? Even if you think you're getting enough sleep, you might not be. Here are some of the signs that you may need more sleep: • difficulty waking up in the morning • inability to concentrate • falling asleep during classes • feelings of moodiness and even depression

How Can I Get More Sleep?-Set a regular bedtime.

-Exercise regularly.-Avoid caffeine after 4 PM.

-Relax your mind. -Stay away from bright lights.

-Don’t nap too much. -Check your environment (it should be dark, quiet, & a bit cool.

You need sleep to do your best!

Source: kidshealth.org


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Looking for a Pet? by Julia S.

Shelter pets are all waiting for a loving home with a happy family. Instead of buying your new dog or cat from a breeder, head on over to your local pet shelter!

The pets featured here are at the Coulee Region Humane Society in Onalaska. Go check them out!

Comet Torbie/domestic short hair mix Female

If you are looking for a very sweet and snuggly cat, Comet is the one for you. This gorgeous green eyed kitty will blow you away with her affection and loud meows. Comet is not the kind of cat to look for trouble, but prefers to relax or take a nap. She is four

years old and does wonderful with any aged kids. Extra information about Comet

House trained - Spayed

Blue Pit bull Terrier Male

Blue is a super active dog who will keep you on your toes! He enjoys walks and likes to learn tricks. If you're up for a game of hide-and-seek, Blue is the dog to play with. He would prefer to be the only dog, and likes to have time to himself. Blue would do very well with any child over the age of ten. He requires an owner who is a little more experienced with dogs, and will give

you lots of love! Blue is 6-7 years old. Extra information about Blue

Neutered - Vaccinated

Duffy Abyssinian Male

Duffy is a six month year old Abyssinian guinea pig. You will be able to tell when he's excited or playful, because he will be quite vocal about it! He is also known to like to relax in his cage. Duffy

prefers an older child to take care of him


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National No Rhyme Day

National Blueberry Popsicle Day

U.s Bowling League Day

National Wildlife Day

National Cheese Pizza Day

National Coffee Ice Cream Day

National Salami Day

National Ants In A Log Day

Care Bears Show Your Care Day

National TV Dinner Day

National Make Your Bed Day

National Chocolate Milkshake Day

National Kids Take Over The Kitchen Day

National Cream Filled Doughnut Day

National Cheese Toast Day

National Play-Doh Day

National Apple Dumpling Day

Int

National Apple Dumpling Day

National Butterscotch Pudding Day

National Linen Day

National Pecan Cookie Day

National White Chocolate Day

National Pot Pie Day

National Comic Book Day

National Pancake Day

National Chocolate Milk Day

National Strawberry Pie Day

National Coffee Day

National Chewing Gum Day

National Homemade Cookie Day

National Name Your Car Day

National Tech Day

National Taco Day

National Do Something Nice Day

National Noodles Day

National Poetry Day

National Moldy Cheese Day

National Angel Food Cake Day

National Sausage Pizza Day

National Dessert Day

National Free Thought Day

National Train Your Brain Day

National Cake Decor Day

National Color Day

National Pictionary Day

National Pasta Day

National Chocolate Day

National Seafood Day

National Brandied Fruit Day

National Color Day

National Boston Cream Pie Day

National Food Day

National Greasy Food Day

National Mule Day

National Navy Day

National Chocolate Day

National Cat Day

Compiled by Haley N. & Kayasa K. Source: nationaldaycalendar.com

http://nationaldaycalendar.com

http://nationaldaycalendar.com

Documents

West Salem Middle School Student Newsletter … oct...West Salem Middle School Student Newsletter ... Sunny day or rainy day: sunny ... We do normal day running where we will