Tiger Talk

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Happy October! 🎃 It’s the season of cooler weather, pumpkin spice everything, and of course—Fall Break! 🍂

This month is packed with learning and growing, but we’re all looking forward to that sweet, sweet Fall Break from October 14-18. I promise, it’s not just the students counting down the days! (Yes, even teachers need a moment to recharge their coffee mugs and sanity ☕).

Before we head into break mode, we have some exciting things happening on campus:

• Thinkfast on October 3: Sponsored by the TN Highway Department

• R.O.A.R. Celebration on October 4: We’ve got a water balloon fight and capture the flag game! Get ready for some fun and engagement!
• Report Cards will go home on October 10.
• Reminder: Let’s keep the momentum strong for the first half of the month, so the second half can be full of rest and relaxation. I know Netflix and fuzzy socks are calling, but we still have a bit of work to do. 😉

As always, I’m here cheering on our amazing students, and that includes YOU—the parents—because, let’s face it, you’re doing great too! Keep up the good work, and we’ll see everyone refreshed, energized, and ready to rock the rest of the semester after Fall Break.

Wishing you a fantastic, restful October with just the right amount of pumpkin everything!

Best,

Dr. Joshua Holtcamp
Principal, Whitwell Middle School 🍂🎃

Congrats to our Lady Tigers!

Varsity SVC Regular Season Champs

JV Tourney Runner-Up

District Tourney Play at Whitwell High:

Tuesday evening at 5

Please email Mrs. Long for information: klong@whitwellmiddleschool.org

A horrific scenario occurred in Erie, Pa., in 2019 when five children staying at an overnight daycare died in a house fire. Investigators later found the only working smoke detector in the house located in the attic.

Maintaining working smoke detectors in multiple areas of your home is just one way to prevent tragedy. Fire Prevention Week is in October, making this the perfect time to talk about fire safety with our families, and also to ensure our home and children are prepared in the case of an emergency. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Lieutenant Kirsten Miller offers these 10 National Fire Prevention Association fire safety tips for families:

1. Stay in the kitchen when cooking

If you must leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.

2. Give space heaters space

Keep fixed and portable space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn. Turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.

3. Ask smokers to smoke outside

Keep sturdy, deep ashtrays for smokers and make sure they use them.

4. Keep matches and lighters up high

You want matches and lighters out of the reach of curious children. Consider a cabinet with a child lock. Also teach your children never to play with matches or lighters.

5. Inspect electrical cords

Replace any that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs, or have loose connections.

6. Blow candles out when you leave a room

Candles should only be lit at least one foot from anything that can burn and should be extinguished when you leave a room or go to sleep.

7. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home

Smoke alarms should be located inside every bedroom and outside sleeping areas. Interconnect smoke alarms throughout the home so that when one sounds, they all sound.

8. Test smoke alarms at least once a month

Replace conventional batteries at least once a year or when the alarm “chirps” to tell you the battery is low. Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.

9. Install residential fire sprinklers

If you are building or remodeling your home, install sprinklers, which can contain and even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive.

10. Have a plan

On the fourth Saturday of October, millions of volunteers nationwide come together for Make a Difference Day. The event is one of the largest and most widely recognized days of community service.

Volunteers will tidy parks, engage in environmental tasks, collect food and host bake sales for local food banks, raise money for charities, donate their time to nursing homes and women’s refuge centers, and engage in a host of other activities that celebrate the power of people to make a difference.

One of the most rewarding things about Make a Difference Day is that anybody, regardless of age or background, can help others and give back to the communities. And there’s no better place to start learning about making a difference than in the classroom.

Here are 5 awesome activities that students can participate in on Make a Difference Day.

1. Tidy School Grounds

Raking leaves, planting fall flower bulbs, and tidying the school grounds is a great way to get students involved in volunteer work and community service. It’s also a good way for them to get some fresh air! Use one of the day’s free periods to get students to help clean up the schoolyard.

Once they’re engaged in these small environmental tasks, tie in an informal lesson about environmental interconnectedness.

2. Thank You Cards

Make a few tweaks to this lesson plan to create thank you cards for people in your school or community. Making a difference doesn’t always involve volunteering and community service. It can also be about random acts of kindness and empathy.

Showing people appreciation and gratitude for their work is an easy way for young students to give back to the community.

3. Crafts for Senior Centers

Get crafty in art class and customize coffee mugs for nursing homes and senior centers. Make a Difference Day is about building community awareness, and this activity accomplishes that by bridging the generation gap. Encourage an attitude of service by having students offer their gifts in person.

4. Raise Money for Local Charities

Hold a talent show, bake sale, or car wash, and donate the proceeds to a local charity. Make a difference by giving back to the community while raising awareness and money for those in need.

5. Good Deed Coupon Book

Have students create a coupon book with a list of chores and services they can do (watering the school’s plants, helping clean up gym materials, etc.). This coupon book doesn’t have to focus on volunteer work for the school; it can also be given to parents or grandparents.

Make a Difference Day is a national day of helping others, a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors, and a testament to the power and goodness of humanity. Whether giving back to their school or volunteering in the community, students are never too young to start changing the world!

Email: jholtcamp@whitwellmiddleschool.org
Website: www.whitwellmiddle.org
Phone: 423-658-5635