The SoRoCo Weekly Newsletter
January 8, 2017
Dear Team,
It is hard to believe we only have five more months with our students – and less than three months until PARCC. Please know the foundations you have set from back in August will stick, and we will continue to push our students to reach those high expectations of growth and creativity, while supporting their academic and social needs.
Remember that some of our students may have not yet completely switched out of Christmas vacation mode. Now that class rosters have been finalized for the second semester, if you haven't already, please take the time to review and reset your classroom expectations – this is crucial, and will save instructional time down the road.
Our mission and vision are so important. There is nothing more noble than teaching. Those outside the educational realm don’t realize teaching is one of the hardest professions out there. It is exhausting work, and often you feel the daily grind. But what you are doing is making a difference in the lives of many students.
With much gratitude,
~ The Admin Team
Science Discovery Day!
High School Student of the Week - Hannah Hayes
Hannah has been one of the most consistently positive students in Soroco. She has been nominated by her assistant principal, Mr. Luongo, who has noticed her contagious cheerful demeanor and helpful attitude. Hannah is an excellent student academically, but also, she participates in many of our extra-curricular programs, like the band, volleyball, and basketball.
Grade: 10
Favorite Subject: Biology, because she wants to be a marine biologist some day
Favorite Food: Butterflied elk steak
Favorite Hobby: Sketching and drawing
Favorite Book: Origin
Favorite Movie: Austin Powers
Favorite Sport: Basketbball
Best Part about Soroco: How close-knit we all are, and people have known each other since they were little.
Ice Fishing at Stagecoach
Middle School Student of the Week - Izabell Sanchez
Izabell was nominated by her art teacher, Ms. Elston, who says, "Izzy Sanchez is one of the most amazing art students. Not only does she do a great job on her own artwork, but she is always helping to keep the art room clean and organized!" One thing I have noticed about Izzy is her school spirit. When she is not playing for our school herself, she is leading cheers in the stands at our high school games.
Grade: 7
Favorite Subject: Leadership, because one of my goals this year is to be a better leader.
Favorite Book: Among the Hidden
Favorite Movie: Home
Favorite Sport: It's a tie between volleyball and basketball
Favorite Hobby: showing goats with 4H and playing with my animals
Favorite Animal: I like them all - except my cat, because she attacks me.
Best Part about Soroco: The people. They're nice and supportive.
Hands On Approach to Learning Genetics
Mr. Richard's 8th grade scientists are discovering genetics in a unique way. They are growing Wisconsin Fast Plants, to study how traits are passed from generation to generation. In this lab they are observing the relationships between dominant and recessive genes. They will use the principles of Mendelian Genetics to predict the chances of the offspring displaying the same traits as the parent plants.
In the gym, they use shoes to model the process of mitosis, which is the process our cells and some organisms use to reproduce. The shoes were used to show how our DNA is copied and transferred to daughter cells by forming a pair of chromosomes. Once the chromosomes form, they line up in the middle of the cell. At that point one half of the chromosome pair goes to one cell and the other half goes to another cell when a single cell divides into two cells. (The pair of shoes were used to model a pair of chromosomes and the students represent the formation of two cells as the cell divides.) Through this process our bodies grow from one cell into around 50 trillion by the time humans are fully grown up.
A Message from the Athletic Director
We had an exhilarating come-from-behind win for the HS Boys Basketball team Friday night. They were down 10 points with 6 minutes left, and ended up winning by 6. Excellent job not giving up.
Congratulations to our HS Girls Basketball team, who went undefeated this weekend, including JV and Varsity!
At the Middle School level, our Girls Basketball team traveled to East Grand to play in a tournament, and each of our three squads came back with a victory.
Congrats to our wrestlers, who placed in their weight divisions in the Eagle tournament:
Jace Logan - 1st place
Lane Martindale - 1st place
Sky Carlson - 2nd place
Go RAMS!