Barton Junior High School
October 2023
INFORMATION ABOUT THE WILDKITTEN WAY NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the Wildkitten Way!
Here is the month of October's layout:
- Principal's Note from Mrs. Henry
- News Articles by our Media Staff
- Feature Articles by our Media Staff
- Other Events that happened in September
- Yearbook Information
- Our Weekly Hispanic Heritage Month
- Tentative Calendar for October
If any students are interested in submitting a short story or poem to be published your deadline is the 23rd of October!
PRINCIPALS NOTE: MRS.HENRY
Barton Jr High is celebrating BIG! We are so excited to share that our school made a lot of growth during the 22-23 school year. Our teachers and students worked very hard and increased our ESSA School Index score from 62.97 to 65.54. This raised our grade from a D to a C. (The scale for a C is from 63.73 - 69.93; B is from 69.94 - 75.58; and A is 75.59 and above.) We are very pleased with our growth in the right direction. This is just the beginning, as Barton's staff is focused on maintaining a culture of improvement throughout the building.
This week (Tuesday & Thursday) is our fall parent teacher conferences. Please plan to come meet with your child's teachers anytime from 3:30 - 6:30 either day. School will dismiss Tuesday and Thursday of this week at 2:00 so our teachers can prepare to meet with parents. We look forward to seeing all of you. Please plan to come to our Title I Parent meeting at 6:30 on Tuesday evening in the cafeteria as well.
Thank you for supporting Barton as we work to provide the best for our students every day. Together we will continue to move upward!
NEWS ARTICLES
Barton Introduces Saturday School by Makenlee Cunningham
Barton Junior High School introduced “Saturday School '' on September 9th, 2023, as a part of a new disciplinary measure for not cooperating with ‘The Wildkitten Way’.
‘The Wildkitten Way’ at BJHS is a set of rules that students are expected to follow. The two focuses of these rules are: being respectful and being responsible. Saturday school has just been implemented as another form of discipline for students who do not comply with ‘The Wildkitten Way’. Saturday School is only given if a student has received seven tardies, or exceeded a certain number of disciplinary issues.
Michelle Henry, Principal at BJHS, gives a clear overview of why it has become included in the school’s choice of discipline.
This is a different way of implementing discipline for students at Barton. Principal Henry says, ”It just gives us something else besides study detail or AC.”
There are a couple of ways students at BJHS can get Saturday School as a consequence. Principal Henry says, “Multiple study details or multiple issues with tardies.”
As long as students actively practice ‘The Wildkitten Way’ this is going to be the best year at Barton Junior High school.
Photographed by Khilee Evans
Photographed by Khilee Evans
Photographed by Khilee Evans
Wildkittens vs. Cardinals by Hayven Norris and Abby Davis
On Thursday, September 14th the El Dorado Wildkittens played against the Camden Cardinals at the Wildcat stadium. The score was 0-6 in favor of the Cardinals.
In the first quarter, Ryan Polk, Quarterback, had two complete passes to his receiver, Bryson Scruggs. Trayden Penigar, on the Wildkittens defense, also picked an interception from the Cardinals. Penigar also made a tackle to player 16 on the Cardinals. In the second quarter, the Cardinals got a touchdown, bringing the score to 0-6, Cardinals in the lead.
The audience was able to not only view the game, but also watch the cheerleaders. Cori Martinez, 7th grade girls Assistant Principal, at BJHS was in attendance at the game. Assistant Principal Martinez said, “I was impressed by Trayden Penigar’s tackle, and I really loved the energy from the cheerleaders!”
The BJHS cheerleaders had spent a couple of weeks preparing for their performances at the games. Lynley Miller, 8th grade cheerleader, said, “We had two weeks of our summer to learn, so we had practices where we ran all our cheers, and if we didn't know them, we ran again!”
This was the first home game of the season. To attend any future games, tickets are $5.
Photographed by Abby Davis
Photographed by Allie Foster
Photographed by Allie Foster
Fall Pictures by Izzie Smith
The Barton Junior High School students took fall pictures on Friday, September 15, 2023 in the cafeteria.
The photographers come every year to take pictures at the start of the year, usually around September. These photos are used for the yearbook and student smart tag IDs that they use to ride the bus and to get lunch. This year, Patterson’s Photography came to take the school photos. Usually, this is a seasonal event that happens.
Some students believe that once a year is sufficient for photos to be taken. Billy Mabry, 7th grade student, says, “They are unnecessary and they do not need a picture for every season.”
Some students think that the pictures should be later in the year because they are not an accurate reflection of what they look like by the end of the year. Dallas Dumas, an 8th grader, says, “The yearbook pictures really don’t matter in the first place because kids usually have a glow-up in the middle of the school year and not in the summer. They don’t even end up looking like their yearbook picture.”
The school pictures may not be important to some people but they are a memory for everyone.
FEATURE ARTICLES
The Annual Union County Fair by Lynley Miller
Corn dogs and caramel apples wafting through the air. The game buzzers beeping as guests won prizes. The screams of excitement that filled the atmosphere. The Union County Fair gave its guests an experience that comes around annually.
The Union County Fair has been held at the El Dorado FairGrounds for the past 164 years. This year the fair was held from September 19-23. Many of our school's students and staff have been to the fair this year or years prior. This is a place of fun and food.
There are many activities that go on during the fair, aside from rides. Livestock shows that include horse riding and a petting zoo. A pageant for young individuals to compete. Games for those who have a competitive side. But, that does not include all the fun. There are also plenty of rides for people to enjoy individually or with friends and family. These rides consist of The FireBall, The Freak Out, Genesis, The Yoyo, Fairest Wheel. These are just to name some of the amazing rides at the fair.
People come from all over to join the fun. We spoke to one of the students at Barton Junior High, Harper Allen. Harper said, “The fair was very fun. My favorite ride that I went on was the Genesis because it was scary but also really fun.”
If you want to attend the fair next year, gate admission was $7. Tuesday through Friday, wristbands were $25. On Saturday one to five p.m., wristbands were $20, however six p.m. til closing, they were $25.
Overall the fair is a fun time to have with friends and family.
Photographed by Rebekah Ibert
Photographed by Rebekah Ibert
Photographed by Rebekah Ibert
Lady Wildkittens Volleyball vs. Texarkana Razorbacks by Jasmine Edwards and Dallas Dumas
Have you ever tried to play volleyball? In a valiant effort, our 7th and 8th grade Barton Junior High School volleyball team faced Texarkana’s. Unfortunately our Lady Wildkittens did not win.
On September 12th, at the El Dorado High School Wildcat Arena, the two teams faced off. This would be the first time in a year our WiIdkittens would go against the Razorbacks.
This game was an adjustment for the girls since they are used to working individually with their grade levels. When speaking to Italei Gray, who coaches both grades of girls, she said, “I think the game could’ve gone better. They could’ve given more effort, and this is our first time seeing them all together, but next time will be better.”
When nerves are at an all time high, it can be easy to make minor mistakes that sway the results of the match. Speaking to Cora Conner, an 8th grade player, she said, “I think we did good as a team, but we kept getting mad cause we kept messing up. Like little mistakes, so then we kept getting mad at ourselves.”
There will be many other volleyball games, and all the home games will be at the El Dorado High School arena. All students who are interested in volleyball should come. Tickets are $5 dollars for everybody. We encourage everyone to come and cheer for our Wildkittens!
Go Barton Junior High’s Lady WildKittens!
Photographed by Jasmine Edwards
Photographed by Jasmine Edwards
Photographed by Jasmine Edwards
OTHER EVENTS
National Reading Day 9/6/23
Photographed by Cayden Adams
Photographed by Cayden Adams
Photographed by Cayden Adams
Pep Rally 9/15/23
Our Wildkitten Cheerleaders
Our 7th and 8th grade Wildkitten Football Team
Wildkitten Family!
Friends and family were able to attend and enjoy in the Pep Rally festivities with our Barton Wildkittens!
Spirit Stick!
Our 8th graders won the BJHS Spirit Stick by having the most Wildkitten pride!
Amazing Wildkitten Staff!
Our amazing teachers and staff were in attendance to ensure everything was flowing smoothly!
Our Wildkitten Band!
Our Wildkitten Percussion Section!
WILDKITTEN YEARBOOK 2023 INFORMATION
YEARBOOKS ARE OFFICIALLY ON SALE! They start at $27 plus taxes. You can either place an order in person with Ms. Smith in room 114, or online at jostens.com/ybk or jostensyearbook.com! PLEASE FILL OUT A FORM PRIOR TO PURCHASING AND GIVING YOUR PAY! Get yours by December 15th, 2023! If you would like to purchase a recognition section for your student, the cost is $25. If you would like to purchase a section for an ad for your business, the cost is $25. For any questions, please feel free to email Kayla.smith@esd-15.org or Kalee.cook@esd-15.org.
Yearbook Staff 2023
Yearbook Staff 2023
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
History of Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month originally began as Hispanic Heritage Week that was sponsored by Mexican American Rep. Edward R. Roybal. Two decades later, it was extended to a month long celebration, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. The significance of September 15th is that it is the anniversary of a town in Mexico that launched that country's war for independence from Spain, even though they celebrate officially on the 16th. Other countries that celebrate their independence on this day are the Central American nations of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. In South America, Chile has their independence day on September 18th. This month aims at honoring how various Hispanic peoples have shaped and aided in the advancement of the United States.
HISPANIC ARTISTS
Frida Kahlo
This Mexican artist was known for her bold use of colors and portraits that dealt with deep themes. These themes included: identity, the human body and death. She never acknowledged what specific type of art she did, however many have claimed that she was a surrealist.
Salvador Dali
This Spanish painter was known for his surrealist art. He had a signature technical skill, which was originally inspired by the Renaissance movement and Impressionism. Once he hit his surrealist era in the 1920s, he received the most recognition for his famous painting, "The Persistence of Memory", which depicts various melting clocks.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
This Haitian-Puerto Rican American first got his career start as a graffiti artist in New York City. He is apart of the Neo-expressionist movement and is one of the first graffiti artists that has transitioned from underground to fine art. His art themes have a connection between social injustices and class struggles.
Fernando Botero
This Columbian painter and sculptor actually pioneered his own movement called Boterism. This styles features depicts exaggerated and curvy proportions. By his use of strong flat lines and vibrant color, we can see that he is deeply inspired by Latin American Folk Art.
Jose Clemente Orozco
This Mexican artist was known for his murals. He was a strong foundation in encouraging unity in his country after the Mexican Revolution. Through his art, he poses comments and opinions and forces people to question the social injustice of the treatment of peasants and workers in Mexico. Although, some of his work can also be found in Guadalajara.
Calendar
September move over! It's time for October!
October 3rd and 5th: Early Dismissal (2 PM) and Parent/Teacher Conferences
- Parents, feel free to reach out to your students teachers about having conferences. Teachers will be available 3:30-6:30 on these days.
October 6th: NO SCHOOL
October 9th: NO SCHOOL
October 14th and 28th: Saturday School
October 16th-20th: Spirit Week
October 20th: Homecoming and Early Dismissal (2 PM)
October 25th: First Quarter Report Cards
Support your BJHS Sports Teams!
Below are the current sports teams home games schedule for September. Please come out and support your Wildkittens!
2023 7th Grade Volleyball: Head Coach-Italei Gray
October 3rd at 4:30 PM
October 10th at 5 PM
2023 8th Grade Volleyball: Head Coach-Italei Gray
October 3rd at 4:30 PM
October 10th at 5 PM
2023 7th Grade Football: Head Coach- Robert Kersh; Assistant Coaches- Eli Lester, Aaron Smith, Scot Perry, Billy Major and Todd Pettitt
October 2nd vs. Magnolia at 5:30 PM
October 30th vs. Texarkana at 4:30 PM
2023 8th Grade Football: Head Coach-Scot Perry; Assistant Coaches-Robert Kersh, Todd Pettitt, Eli Lester, and Aaron Smith
October 17th vs. Magnolia at 6 PM
October 30th vs. Texarkana at 5:30 PM
Holidays in October
October 2nd: National Custodians Day
October 6th: National Coaches Day
October 9th: Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day
October 15th: Final day of Hispanic Heritage Month
October 31st: Halloween
Location: 400 W. Faulkner Street, El Dorado, AR, USA
Phone: 870.864.5051