HLWW Middle School Newsletter

Welcome to the HLWW Middle School Monthly Newsletter! We hope this will provide additional insight on the many activities and events taking place at HLWW.

If you wish to be added to the mailing list, please email adamlakerpride@hlww.k12.mn.us

• December 23-January 1st: Winter Break
• January 14-16th: 6th Grade Deep Portage Trip
• January 16th: End of 2nd Quarter
• January 17th/20th: No School

Lennie Stewart, Karissa Lyzhoft, Julia Anderson, Amber Gnitka

Jillian Mello, Porter Matheson, Ava Mochinski, Isabell Scheuch

To watch the choir concert, click below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE6ULrYXK2g

To watch the band concert, click below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6O7yAFeroQ

By Ashley Roemer, 5th Grade Teacher

As a fifth grade reading and language arts teacher, my goal is to give my students many chances for POWER within their school day: Providing Opportunities With Everyday Reading. During POWER, students are encouraged to read self-selected novels that are of interest to them individually. I love helping students find novels to read, but ultimately, my goal is to guide my students to be able to select their own novels to read for enjoyment. This is a skill I want each student to be able to carry with them throughout their life—not only selecting their own novels, but developing a life-long love for reading!

As a person who has loved to read all my life, it is easy for me to see the many positive aspects of having time for POWER throughout the school day. But what about the opinions fifth grade students? I recently asked my students what they like about independent reading (POWER) as well as how they feel free choice, independent reading helps them improve as a reader.

Many students like having the chance to choose the books they read. “I get to read a book I like, and I get to read at my own pace,” said Lilly Loge. Ryan Erickson would agree, as he said, “I like it because I get to read the book I want.” Another student likes the choice simply for the enjoyment of reading stories: “(Independent reading) takes you into their land and you feel like you’re there!”

Sophie Fisher truly likes the “independent” part of independent reading: “It’s fun to just read without anyone bugging you.” Kaitlyn Putnam, along with other classmates, had this to say about POWER, “It’s just nice to have some time to relax and read.” In regard to the independent piece, Hope Bursch said, “I don’t have to worry how slow or fast I go because I can just go at my own speed.”

As for improving as a reader, one student said, “It helps because I can get more of an understanding because I like the book.” Another fifth grader said he enjoyed reading different varieties and in the process, might learn who his favorite author might be. Many students said their independent reading helps them to improve their spelling, vocabulary, and overall reading skills. I was happy to hear this comment, as this sums up my overall goal as I provide students will daily opportunities for independent reading: “The more I read, the better reader I become.”

By Ben Anderson, 5th Grade Teacher

Students are being exposed to multiplication facts as early as first and second grade. Having these facts mastered by fourth and fifth grade is vital to their success as they move to higher levels of math and difficulty. In fourth grade, students are shown how to multiply one by two and even three digit numbers. This task is extremely difficult if they need to try and add these multiplication facts in their head. I compare it to reading when you have to sound out every single word. When this happens, students become fatigued and their motivation levels drop, causing perhaps a poor attitude and work ethic towards math. Students that have these multiplication facts memorized are far less fatigued and have a lot more confidence in their abilities.

Also in fourth grade, students begin learning how to do long division. What students enjoy about long division is that they get to use their knowledge of multiplication facts to find the quotient. Again, without the foundation of memorizing these facts, it becomes another daunting task for a fourth or fifth grader.

The use of these facts are not going to go away either as they progress through the different levels and types of math. In fifth grade alone, students will be expected to have their facts mastered to do multiplication, division, algebra, adding fractions, subtracting fractions, measurement, geometry, and statistics. When a student has these multiplication facts memorized, they have demonstrated that they are very capable of mastering the processes that go along with all these different types of math.

In class, I continually address to the students how important it is going to be to have these multiplication facts memorized. In class, we have spent some time playing online games that are designed to help them practice their memorization of these facts. The faster they are able to find the answer, the better they will do in most of these games. We also have brainstormed as a class some ways to practice outside of school. Quizzing each other on the bus or in the vehicle with their parents was one of the ideas they had to help pass the time. Students also enjoy being quizzed with flash cards by seeing how fast and how many they can answer correctly in one minute. Perhaps one minute a day outside of class could drastically change a student’s outlook on math for the next few years. Does your third, fourth, or fifth grader know their multiplication facts?

For the past four years, HLWW Middle School has raised money to host a Food 4 Kidz meal packing event. During this day, students from each grade spend one hour assembling and packing meals to feed children around the world. This annual event has been a great way to show our students how they can make a difference in their community and the world around them.

The Middle School’s goal this year is to raise $7,500 for Food 4 Kidz – the equivalent of 50,000 meals! We have challenged our students to raise fifteen dollars through completing service projects around the community. These projects could include leaf raking, snow shoveling or dog walking with the intent students experience performing unselfish acts of kindness. Through promoting altruism, HLWW Middle School hopes to foster a lifelong interest in the transformative power of kindness.

HLWW Middle School is also seeking local businesses to sponsor food packing tables. For a donation of $300 your business name will get printed on the table that the students are packaging food on. We would also love to have a couple staff members from your business join us in packaging food. Please visit their website for more information on the Food For Kidz organization: https://www.foodforkidz.org/we-are-feeding-children/

To donate please contact Middle School Principal Jim Schimelpfenig at jschimelpfenig@hlww.k12.mn.us or call 320-543-4660.