Comet Chatter

By: Ali Enwright and Maya Lazo

Harker is known for having dogs walking around. That’s right - if you’re walking down the hallway at Harker, there’s a possibility you’ll be walking next to a four-legged furry friend!

The Paws Project is one of the biggest programs at Harker involving puppies. As one puppy gets adopted, the next one is rolling in. The Paws Project here at our school is organized by Mrs. Kline's and Mrs. Gentleman’s class! This school year they wish to help 30 puppies adopted! Mrs. Kline stated that younger puppies are easier to take care of and older puppies are harder to take care of. This is because younger puppies sleep and the older puppies are way more playful and need more attention. The puppies have to be at least eight weeks old before they can be adopted.

A new year means new students, which means the students have to prepare for the puppies. This is important because they don’t want the dogs getting out or lost. This class prepared for the puppies with stuffed dogs around the classroom and poop bags that they practiced picking up the ‘poop’ using math cubes. They were also taught how to hold the dogs correctly. They set up the playpen so the kids could get used to it being in the room with the puppies.

This year Mrs. Kline and her class are hoping for a dog breed known as Doodles. This is because Mrs. Kline has this breed of dog at her house. They really love Doodles and are looking forward to having them.

If you are wondering how these sweet little puppies get their name, they usually come with names from the rescue or before they are brought to the rescue. If you would like to adopt a puppy there are two websites you can go to. You can follow along on the puppy journey by following: IG@ThePawsProjectswsd on Instagram. The website where you can adopt these puppies is, www.rags2richesrescue.org.

We all want great homes for these lovable puppies!

By: Nate Bustard and Emma Whitworth

Do you think you’re lucky? Well the human I am about to tell you about might be one of the luckiest humans ever. It all started with someone named Jack Jokinen. You see, Jack had one dog, his name was George. Before getting George, Jack didn’t really seem interested in wanting a dog. But when he got George, he found out that he maybe did like dogs. Another thing is that Jack loves writing. He really liked putting in humor to his text. Although he enjoyed writing, he wasn’t interested in writing a book… until one day, something incredible happened. A dog came and walked into Jack's house in the middle of the night!. Jack and his wife only found out this happened when Jack's wife woke up. Everyone was shocked to see this. Jack decided to call animal support, but then rejected when they said what they would do. He brought the puppy to the vet, got him cleaned up, and then brought the pup home. Jack was able to keep the dog, and named the pup Suzy. The name Suzy came to be because an announcer that Jack really likes, who announced the Yankees, is named Suzen. Jack received many donations to support Suzy, and was even on the news. Suzy has now grown up to be a big dog, and loves her new home. After Suzy settled into her new family, Jack had the idea to write a book, and the rest is history!

On Nov 21, 2024 The author of “A Stray Dog For Christmas” , Jack Jokinen, came to our school. Jack brought his dog, Suzy along with him and let her off her leash to roam around the cafeteria. Suzy even went up on the stage! She walked around and let some students pet her. She was the nicest dog ever! Jack read his book for all of the students at Harker and answered lots of our questions. Two questions we asked were “ Does the fame that you are getting from this ever feel overwhelming?” He replied saying yes , and that with it being all over the news and going viral some people were being nice about it , but others were really mean , and that made it a little tough. However, having family around that he wanted them to know the story reminded him that he was doing the right thing. He also added how sometimes it feels like the whole world is watching you.

When he was talking about why he decided to make a book about it, he told us that we can make a difference. Suzy was the stone in his story, starting off with one ripple, but then that ripple gets bigger and bigger. Just like us! We can do one kind thing and that one kind thing can turn into something bigger and bigger: a ripple effect!

We appreciate that Mr. Jokinen and Suzy took the time to be with us and share about their story.

By: Emma Johnston

This year a new addition has been added to the Wings and Wonder Butterfly Garden. Thanks to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extensive Team, and, of course, Mrs. Roberto and the amazing staff we have here at General Charles Harker School, we have our first operating rain garden.

The top question about this new project here at Harker was, “What is a rain garden?” Few students know what it truly is and many were skeptical. A rain garden is a lowered-into-the-ground garden. It is strategically placed so rain and snowmelt can be naturally collected and will seep into the plants in the garden to give benefits and recharge the garden. Rain gardens have much less maintenance than regular gardens, making it easier to maintain.

Rain gardens have a ton of benefits to the environment around them. For example rain gardens collect excess rain water laying around in the surrounding yard or environment, letting rain puddles laying around to be rare. Rain gardens also play a big factor in preventing rain water from flooding into rooms or extra water in other plants. Finally, they also make their surrounding environments beautiful. Rain gardens give a natural look with their plants but also are minimalistic, not having tons of plants everywhere. When you have a good looking garden, it can actually affect the nearby amount of animals. Having pretty landscapes, gardens, or plants can increase the amount of birds around along with many other helpful animals.

In all, rain gardens can have benefits like preventing flooding, increasing the number of plants and animals, and helping other plants in the environment just by placing them strategically and taking care of them.

By: Alex Morgado

Did you know that the new rain garden plants were all planted by 5th graders? In this article I will teach you about the process of 5th graders planting, the difficulties, and how the 5th graders left their legacy.

The first step to planting the rain garden is that students from Rutgers came and did a survey on the land to tell them when it rains where the most water gathers. They do this so they can put the garden there and when it rains it will practically water itself. The second step to planting the rain garden is the Rutgers students will start building the actual garden. This took a few days of hard work! Step three is where the students come in. Not only did the 5th graders get to plant, but we also got to be the helpers who unloaded the huge truck full of plants. We paired up and dug the hole, put the plants in, and put the mulch and dirt back. We learned how deep to dig each hole, which layer of soil to focus on, and the reason why each plant was chosen specifically for this garden.

There were some difficulties planting the plants too. I interviewed one student on what they thought the difficulties of planting the plants were. They told me, ”I didn’t really think there were many difficulties, me and my partner worked together. The only confusing part was our dirt and mulch mixed together and made it harder to cover the hole”. Another student I spoke to responded that ”There wasn't many difficulties.The only difficulty was that the mulch kept falling in the hole but it was a fun project”. Sounds like this project had little difficulties or challenges, we love to hear that!

The 5th graders left their legacy and they did this by planting the plants because behind the plant is the fact that 5th graders from Harker in 2024 planted the rain garden. As long as the plants are there, so is the fact that this class made their mark on their school. That is how the 5th graders left their legacy.

In this article I taught you about the process of 5th graders planting, the difficulties, and how the 5th graders left their legacy I hope the next time you think of the rain garden don’t just think about the plants think about how cool it is that Rutgers students and the school and the 5th graders worked so hard to make a rain garden that everyone who passes by can enjoy.

By: Melaniya Ramsay

Not many of us know that when Mrs. Sandy was in school, her favorite subject was Science, especially marine biology. She loved learning about life under the sea. Even though she didn’t become a biologist, her love for science has always influenced how she leads our school. She believes that curiosity and a love of learning are important. She encourages all of us to explore and not be afraid to ask questions just like a scientist.

First Day as Principal

Mrs. Sandy’s favorite part about being a principal has always been interacting with the students and staff. She enjoyed being part of everyone’s journey, whether she was celebrating someone’s success or helping them overcome challenges. “Being part of your growth and achievements has been incredibly rewarding,” Mrs. Sandy shared with me.

The Best Memories

When I asked Mrs. Sandy about her favorite memory from working with students, she said it was hard to choose just one. “Every single day has a memory to cherish,” she explained. Some moments were big, and others were small, but they all were special to her. We can agree that

Mrs. Sandy made so many memories with us, from fun school events like Holiday Shop, Book fairs, Fun day, Fun run fundraiser to those little moments of connection like school games “Rock, paper, scissor Battle”or my interview with her.

The Funniest Moments: CHS NEWS BLOOPERS!

When I asked Mrs. Sandy about the funniest thing that ever happened at school, she said that she couldn’t pick just one moment. But she did mention the funny times on CHS News, where things sometimes don’t go as planned, and everyone ends up laughing.

Plans for Retirement: Family and Fun

After retiring, Mrs. Sandy plans to spend more time with her loving family. She might even volunteer to help protect marine life one day! No doubts, she will find lots of ways to stay active and enjoy herself. But even in retirement, I hope, she knows how much she means to all of our Harker family.

What She Learned From Us

Mrs. Sandy shared that she learned a lot from all of us, especially about resilience and adaptability. She said, “You have shown me how to embrace and tackle challenges with a positive attitude. I truly admire that”. It’s amazing to know that even as our principal, she was always learning from us too!

A Tip for the Next Principal

When I asked her about advice that she would give to the next principal, Mrs. Sandy said, “Listen actively to both students and staff. Building strong relationships and understanding everyone’s perspectives is key to creating a positive school environment.”. This advice will surely help whoever steps into her shoes.

Mrs. Sandy hopes to leave behind a legacy of love for learning and a sense of family. “ I want everyone to know that we work together to support each other in good times and in challenges,” she shared. We are so grateful to the relationships she built with all of us and the positive impact she’s had on our school community.

Mrs. Sandy kindly gave us one final piece of advice: ” Always be kind and compassionate to one another. Small acts of kindness can create a ripple effect, making the world a better place one step at a time.” Our principal reminds us to never underestimate how much we can do to make a difference in this world. “ Aim high, work hard, and make every minute matter!”

THANK YOU, MRS. SANDY!

As Mrs. Sandy gets ready to start her next chapter in life, I would like to take a moment to say a HUGE THANK YOU for everything she has done for our school. From her kind leadership to the way she made each of us feel important she has truly made our school a better place. Mrs. Sandy helped us grow not just as students, but as people who care for each other.

We will miss you every day, cheering us on, and leading by example. Your positivity and encouragement inspired us all to aim higher and work harder. Even though You are retiring, You will always be a part of our Harker family. We will always remember the fun assemblies, the exciting school events, and the way You made every day special. Your legacy of love for learning and the importance of working together as a team and as a family will always live on in our school.

Thank You for being the heart of our school! We will never forget You!

By: Kayla Getz and Blakely Fleming

What is a Mystery Reader?

Have you ever heard your child say, “We had a mystery reader today!” or, “Can you be a mystery reader?” If you have no idea what a mystery reader is, or how to be one, you chose the right article to read. To be a mystery reader, you first need to fill out a form. The form to become a mystery reader should be posted from the child’s teacher on a website, like on Class Dojo for example. The form will pretty much ask questions like what your child’s name is, what their teacher’s name is, stuff like that. After you inform the teacher that you're interested in becoming a Mystery Reader, you can then send some clues about who you are, and send them to your child’s teacher(s). For example a clue you could give would be, “My favorite color is pink.” Or, “My favorite movie is Home Alone.” Once you're done filling in certain information and giving clues, you can then start picking out some books. Then you’ll obviously head to our school (General Charles Harker), and head to the child’s class that you’re reading to. Students love being read to, so don't worry about choosing the wrong book. There is never a wrong choice when it comes to children's books!

Blakely’s Mystery Reader Experience

My family has come in my class a few times to mystery read, but my favorite time when the Mystery Reader was one of my family members was when my aunt surprised me. My aunt and uncle moved temporarily to Denmark for two years, so it has been really hard for me to see them. But on October 31st this year, my aunt surprised me in school! My teacher had announced that we had a mystery reader coming in, and I honestly thought nothing of it. The teacher shared some anonymous clues, but I didn't think they pertained to someone I knew. But about a minute later, I saw my aunt turning around the corner to my classroom! I ran straight up to her and gave her the biggest hug, crying tears of joy! It was seriously the best core memory ever! She read to us, talked about her life in Denmark, and she even helped my classmates with a craft project we were doing in class.

An Interview of a Fellow Classmate

For this, we interviewed another student. She had her mom come in and read to us. Here is how the interview went.

Q: Did you expect it to be your mom?

A: Yes, when Mrs. Roberto gave out the clues, it was obvious it was her. She was also off from work that day, making it even more clear that it was her.

Q: When the clues were given out, what made you know it was her?

A: When Mrs. Roberto gave out the clues, she mentioned that this person was the loudest from the sidelines no matter what sport it was. I knew it was her from the moment she said the word loudest. :-)

Q: How did you feel when you found out that it was your mom?

A: I was excited because this was the first time I’ve had her as a mystery reader. She’s never been able to be one due to work.

Q: Have you had any other mystery reader experiences in the past?

A: Yes, my grandma came in. I was excited because I thought she was still in Canada but turns out she came home a few days early.

Q: What book was read?
A: A book called “Why”. It is a book that answers all the silly questions you may have. For example, why dogs chase their tails.

Q: Would you say this was a memorable experience? Why or why not?

A: Definitely because she brought in a really interesting and funny book. Those facts will be in my head forever and I will know it is from the time she came in for mystery reading.