Cub's Column
The Voice of Jackson Memorial Middle School
December 2017
Principal's Message
Being able to return to the Middle School after being at JHS for five years has been incredible. I am so thankful each and every time I walk the halls and hear students saying hello to me. JMMS is a special place because of the great students we have and because of the great staff who work here.
If I could give any advice to our student body, it would be to follow the three ideas in this year's school motto. Work hard. Stay humble. Be kind. Those three concepts set you up for a successful future. Always earn everything in your life through your attitude and effort. Recognize that you didn't get where you are all by yourself; someone helped you out somewhere along the way. Treat others how you would like to be treated. If you can do all of those things each and every day, you will have given yourself a tremendous foundation for the future. I wish all of you the best for the remainder of the school year, and if you ever need anything, please stop down and see me.
JMMS Principal
Getting to know Mr. Carter, the new JMMS principal
by Alanna McClain and Olivia Richardson
Mr. Carter, JMMS’s new principal, didn’t always want to be a principal. Although he did want to work with kids, he just wasn’t exactly sure how.
Mr. Carter went to East Canton High School, which was a very small school. In fact, according to Mr. Carter, there are more students here at JMMS, than there are in that entire district. He then went on to graduate from Mount Union.
Although Mr. Carter loves being a principal, he has some challenges. His biggest challenge is staying ahead and making sure everything is going well. "We have a lot of different rules that come down from the state and different initiatives that are going on with the district," Mr. Carter said. "And then I also have 1,500 kids that I have to worry about." Mr. Carter also has to make sure everything stays on schedule.
Despite all of these challenges, Mr. Carter enjoys working at JMMS. "I love it," he said. "We have great kids and a great staff."
Mr. Carter has been an educator at Jackson Local Schools for over 10 years. He was even a social studies teacher at JMMS a few years ago. "The cool thing with my situation is when I came to Jackson I taught at JMMS for five years, the high school for five years, and now I’m able to come back," Mr. Carter said. He also loves how everyone is handling the new Chromebooks and just jumped right on to help with the food drive.
As a principal Mr. Carter hopes to improve students’ achievements. He tries to be as fiscally responsible as he can with how money is spent, and he prioritizes conserving energy in the building. Mr. Carter describes his accomplishments as a moving target. However, he said, "If you look around at our district, we have a lot of great things going on, whether it’s in athletics or whether it’s in academics or in our extracurriculars."
Mr. Carter may be busy as a principal, but he still shares some of the same interests most people have. Mr. Carter has a has a very active two-year-old boxer named Ollie. According to Mr. Carter, Ollie runs all over the place and jumps over fences. “It’s crazy!” he says.
Mr. Carter pretty much loves all movies, but if he had to pick, he would narrow it down to The Matrix, Star Wars, and Harry Potter.
He also likes to read as well. His favorite series is called The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Carrow, which is, “about Lyndon Johnson when he was in the house of representatives, when he was in the senate, [and] when he was president...” Mr. Carter said. His favorite genre is nonfiction, but growing up he loved sci-fi.
Mr. Carter's favorite subject in school was definitely social studies. He especially loved talking about politics, the constitution, and government. He even became an 8th grade social studies teacher for five years at JMMS and a social studies teacher at JHS for three years. Mr. Carter also liked Spanish, French, and English classes. His least favorite subject was math because he always seemed to struggle in that subject. However, he said he had great math teachers that were able to help him, just like the teachers at JMMS.
As far as his favorite song goes, Mr. Carter likes Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan; although he admits it was hard to pick just one.
His favorite animals are dogs, considering he owns one, and hippos.
“I would just like to say that our theme for the year of work hard, stay humble, be kind hopefully will shine from every student," Mr. Carter said. "I’ve said to kids I’ve talked to, if you’re doing those three things, you’re doing well as a JMMS student, so I just want to encourage everybody to keep moving forward and have a great rest of the year.”
Canned food drive beats all records
This represents double what the BTG collected during last year's food drive.
Homerooms competed with each other to raise the most amount of food items. The top winner was Mr. Hirschman's homeroom, which donated 2,225 food items. Mr. Hoffman's homeroom donated 1,718 items, and Miss Tan's homeroom donated 1,243 items.
jmms students receive chromebooks
by Madi Shaw
Students at JMMS have been given a powerful, new tool to help them complete assignments and present their work. Every student in grade six and eight received a Chromebook laptop computer this fall.
Students received their Chromebooks on the eighth of September. They then took them home, charged them, and brought them ready to go to school that following Monday, September 11.
"The district determined that they had enough resources, like budget, staff, and tech support, to roll out 2,000 Chromebooks in the first phase," said Mr. Robitaille, the JMMS information and media specialist.
"Because these students had prior experience with laptops and Polaris [our school's learning management system], the district's Technology Advocates committee decided to place this year's 6th and 9th graders in the first phase roll-out," Mr. Robitaille said. TThey wanted to try the Chromebooks with a variety of other grades, so they chose grade 5 and grade 8 to also join the roll-out this year."
"The Chromebooks offer so many new learning opportunities for students," Mr. Robitaille said. They allow teachers to differentiate instruction inside the Polaris learning management system. They also allow teachers to facilitate blended learning and project-based learning methods. With the Chromebooks, students are offered a wider variety of learning experiences, many of which can be individualized for higher engagement."
"Of course, with any major technology initiative, there are bugs to be worked out," Mr. Robitaille said. "We are fixing a handful of issues. Fortunately, we have been able to fix the major issues."
"The Chromebooks are a useful educational tool," Mr. Robitaille said. "But they are not the be all and end all of good teaching and learning. There are times that a Chromebook will positively influence a student's learning. Consequently, there are times that the Chromebooks should be closed so other teaching tools can be used."
"Chromebooks should definitely not be used for non-academic applications," Mr. Robitaille said. "When students stream videos or music for personal entertainment, they violate the acceptable use policy and face disciplinary consequences. Wireless bandwidth is limited and should not be used for non-academic functions."
The current seventh-grade students will receive Chromebooks during Phase 2 of the release in the 2018-19 school year.
Fundraiser a giant success
by Kenny Gutierrez-King
This year's school fundraiser helped raise an impressive amount of money while offering amazing prizes to students. Jackson Memorial Middle School students raised over $20,000. Around 280 students contributed to this annual event.
Even teachers Mrs. Snow and Mrs. Carter from community 6B sold items.
"The money raised goes toward student activities, including any special programs we might offer," said Assistant Principal Mrs. Adolph, who managed the fundraiser.
Some people who helped in the fundraiser received special prizes. Students who returned the fundraiser postcards were able to attend a BMX show in the school's parking lot. Students who sold five items received a hands-free selfie stick. Students who sold 12 items went on a special trip to tour Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Students sold 20 items received a pass to the Kalahari indoor water park.
"The prizes were a boost in the fundraiser," said Jacksen Austin, a 7th grader at JMMS.
"The prizes were much prefered this year than last year," said Mrs. Adolph.
This year students sold cookie dough and magazine subscriptions.
"This year's fundraiser far surpassed last year's, Mrs. Adolph said.
Jacksen Austin admitted that "helping people who need the food and helping people in the community was nice."
To view a photo album of the student tour of Quicken Loans Arena, click the link below:
Meet Mrs. Gillette, our new guidance counselor
by Briana Brogan
Mrs. Gillette is the new seventh grade counselor at JMMS.
Mrs. Gillette has been working as a counselor for 16 years. She spent 15 years as the counselor at Jackson High School.
"I was very fortunate Jackson chose me," said Mrs. Gillette.
Mrs. Gillette was assigned as the new seventh grade counselor. She is excited to see the students grow during the three years they will spend at Jackson Middle School.
"I have always had a passion for helping students on a personal (social and emotional) level as well as assisting with academic success and future planning," she said.
Mrs. Gillette also assists eighth grade students as they transition into the high school when they begin choosing courses for the next school year.
When Mrs. Gillette was younger she attended Fairless Local Schools. She went to Kent State for her bachelor's degree in special education and the University Of Akron for her masters degree as a school counselor. She began her career in education as an intervention specialist in Canton City Schools.
"My goal was to spend at least 10 years in the classroom, but I had an opportunity to take position as a counselor with Canton City Schools immediately upon receiving my masters degree in school counseling," Mrs. Gillette said. A month later she was interviewed and hired by Jackson Local Schools.
Mrs. Gillette is married to an English teacher at the Jackson High School. She has two children, Anna who is nine, and Henry who is seven. She has two cats.
Mrs. Gillette enjoys baking, traveling, exercising, and being outdoors ... when the weather is above 55 degrees.
Mrs. Gillette
Pancake Breakfast offers unity in the community
by Abby Moore
The Pancake Breakfast is a place for family and friends to enjoy a meal, mingle with community members, learn about health, and listen to music by the high school band.
The Pancake Breakfast is really a health fair as well. Many local vendors come and set up different booths to introduce people to new businesses. Jackson teachers play a big role at this fun and entertaining event.
This year the Pancake Breakfast marked its 10th anniversary. The event occurred at Jackson High School on October 21.
Faculty and staff from all Jackson school buildings volunteer their time to make the Pancake Breakfast a success. All the teachers from Jackson have the opportunity to sign up and volunteer at this event. Numerous teachers from Jackson Middle School assisted with the many jobs.
JMMS Science teacher Mr. Morningstar said, "Every year I volunteer to flip the pancakes in the back."
This event also introduces different health related businesses. For example, Fleming and Wise, Mercy, and Aultman set up booths to inform the public about improving their health.
Kids also had an amazing time at this event. Some of the kid-friendly activities included bouncy houses in the gym, face painting, balloon animals, and drawing with chalk outside.
Another thing families enjoy is the bookmobile. The bookmobile is a mobile library that allows people to check books out from the Jackson library.
mentors help 6th graders adjust to JMMS
by Abby Williams
Do you remember how you felt on your first day here at JMMS? If you went to JMMS in 6th grade, then you remember being helped by 8th grade mentors. The 8th grade mentors are students who give up two days of their summer and their first day of school to help the incoming 6th graders adjust to the middle school.
When 6th grader Ashley Scaife first arrived, the JMMS was "scary." She "had no clue where anything was." But, thanks to her mentors, she was able to find her classes and learned how to open her locker.
Lily Wahl, an 8th grade mentor, said, "It was a good experience." She offers some pointers to make the mentorship program even more effective.
Lily suggests that one mentor can help a group of six or seven kids, rather than three or four mentors helping an entire class all at once. She also recommends that mentors help the 6th graders at the end of the day as well as the beginning.
Many mentors and mentees had a positive experience with the program. Sixth graders Gabriella Morris and Ashley Scaife plan to be mentors when they are in 8th grade.
Gabriella plans to be a mentor because it is a great way to see her friends before the end of summer while giving a positive experience at JMMS to the incoming 6th graders.
Ashley is going to be a mentor because she knows that, having experienced this herself, the 6th graders will need "all the help they can get." She would be very happy to know that she is helping someone who needs it.
Lily Wahl decided to become a mentor "to help the incoming 6th graders." The 6th graders benefited greatly from the help of their mentors, she said.
According to Mrs. Selinsky, the adviser of the mentoring program, applications for next year will start in May. "It is a necessary program at the school," Mrs. Selinsky said.
Mrs. Selinsky said the mentors help the 6th graders most by "teaching them about the school" and "taking on a leadership role."
Current 7th graders are encouraged to apply to become mentors next year.
Meet Mrs. Billig, the new Algebra teacher at jmms
by Lily Wahl
Cub's Column reporter Lily Wahl interviewed new teacher Mrs. Billig, who teaches Algebra 1.
How do you like JMMS so far?
I love JMMS so far! Everyone here - students and all staff members - have been so welcoming and are always so friendly. I love how everyone says Good Morning to each other, and people genuinely care about others. All of the teachers have been very supportive to me as I learn about JMMS. The diversity of clubs and activities and sports that students can get involved in is also very impressive and creates this strong sense of community. Being a teacher at JMMS is truly a blessing!
What is your opinion on Chromebooks?
Chromebooks have been such a wonderful tool to enhance learning. I think about the many students who have to miss class for different reasons and how they can access the notes, worksheets, assignments, and many other things from their chromebooks if they are at home or in a study hall. It has also been a way to help save paper and printer ink.
For all of the homework answer keys, students can use their chromebooks to view it instead of straining to see the board. Most importantly, it can be at their own pace, while some students may need to spend time fixing their work than others. Chromebooks help me as a teacher individualize learning for my students and differentiate content, so that students who need that extra support can receive it, and students who are ready to move on can be provided with additional challenge.
What was your college experience like?
I went to Kent State University for college. It was not my top choice, especially since I wanted to study music at a conservatory, but I decided to go there because it was more affordable. I am glad that I did, because I met some of my best friends there, including my husband. To help pay for college, I was a math tutor for the university for almost three years, and I also worked at the music and performing arts library for a year. Throughout college, I struggled to figure out what to major in and what I wanted to make my career. I would give the advice to students to be open to many experiences and willing to take on challenges. I never thought I would be a teacher until I started to tutor math, and I never thought I would have liked teaching middle school until I taught a middle school summer program in Chicago a few years ago and realized that I love the middle school age!
What was your favorite subject in school? Did you like school?
Math - hands down. I would finish my math homework on the bus ride home when I was in elementary and middle school. Then in high school it started getting a little harder, but I really enjoyed the challenge. In AP Calculus, I was the one my friends would come to ask for help on homework because they knew I spent hours trying to figure it out the night before. I did enjoy language arts, but I was a very slow reader and often struggled to comprehend complex text as quickly as my advanced peers. I did not pass my AP English Comp test because I finished less than half of it...but I did pass my AP Calc and Chem tests! Anyways, I enjoyed chemistry and physics, but I did not like social studies, because it was always just note taking and memorizing trivial dates and facts. I think I would have liked it better if it was made more interesting and less fact memorizing. I did not like that. In general, though, I did like school. I was a percussionist in the band, so that was also something that I enjoyed about school.
Let’s talk about the deep stuff… What’s your favorite color?
I actually don’t have one! It depends on the mood that I’m in. Sometimes I’m in an all-black mood, sometimes I like to add a pop of color. Sometimes I like hues of brown. I have a lot of blue and pink in my closet. My wedding colors were sage and blush pink. I like yellows and different pastel colors. I wouldn’t be able to tell you my favorite color though!
Favorite candy?
Chocolate. Nothing too thick though like Snickers or Reese's, just pure chocolate (maybe with a flavoring or sea salt). Also I like moderation. A little goes a long way with chocolate. I would rather have small pieces here and there than a big candy bar all at once.
Favorite book?
So this is where I tell you that I like the idea of reading, but I really do not and have not read for enjoyment that much. Not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t have time to. If I ever do have free time, I like to play my piano. I scored a free Starr baby grand piano from 1920 over the summer, and it is beautiful to play! There are so many piano pieces that I have on my “to-learn” list. Hopefully I will have some time over winter break so play and finish a few of those half-read books! Some of the books I have read lately have been about the Catholic faith and about a few Saints that I admire, like Saint Philomena.
Did you student teach anywhere?
I did! I student taught at Firestone High School in Akron. They are a magnet school within the Akron Public School District because they have both the excellent performing arts school, as well as the International Baccalaureate program for gifted students. I was actually fortunate enough to do my student teaching with the math teacher for the IB program there. I really enjoyed my time at Firestone, and even though I am done with my student teaching, I still find myself reflecting on the things that I learned from my cooperating teacher and applying that learning to my classes here at JMMS.
What do you think about your student’s behavior and middle schoolers in general?
One thing I like about middle school is the youthfulness. I like how middle schoolers can get excited over simple things and are willing to take risks at the sake of being wrong. Since kids at this age grow at lots of different rates, behavior can vary from class to class, and sometimes even day to day. The goofy behavior can sometimes get distracting from the learning, but usually I’ve found that I can reel that in and get students focused on the task when I remind them of the goal.
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Reflective, inclusive, and willing. Let me talk about these briefly. I am willing to try new things and willing to be wrong sometimes. There is a lot of humility required to be wrong, but some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned have been from the mistakes I’ve made (that is my motto!). I am always thinking and reflecting on things that happened during the day or how I would have responded better to something or how I might teach the next lesson. I do a lot of thinking when I go for runs. Sometimes I will even find myself driving home and preferring to not listen to music or the radio, and to just think. That is something that is missing in today’s culture - the time to think without any interruptions or outside noise. Finally, one of the greatest compliments that I have received from someone recently was that I was inclusive, meaning that I made the people around me feel included and important. That to me meant far more than any of the academic accomplishments I have had.
What clubs or extracurriculars were you in during middle school?
Band, art club, tennis club, soccer, track, and cross country. There may have been a few other clubs, but I honestly can’t remember! In high school I did those same things (except tennis) and I was also in NHS and biology club. We didn’t have a math club, or else I would have liked to be in that. I also took piano lessons throughout middle school and high school (I began in 2nd grade) and took music composition lessons in high school.
Is there anything else you would like to say, or fun facts about yourself?
I did not attend JMMS for middle school, but I did attend the nearby Manchester schools, so I am pretty familiar with the North Canton area. I am just incredibly honored to work at such an amazing school district as a second year teacher. I don’t think I could have asked for a better teaching position or a better school to work at. I am excited to continue to learn about the community here at Jackson!
Mrs. Billig
Sixth graders adjust to life at JMMS
by Joel Morris
Sixth graders are almost halfway through their first year at Jackson Middle School. They came from four elementary schools and had a lot of adjustments to make.
Coming into the year, some sixth graders were nervous. Walker Wright said that he was nervous about, "Getting my locker combination."
Will Prato said that he was nervous about getting to classes on time.
David Chen prefers his elementary school more because of his "favorite teacher."
Grace Schindler likes the middle school more because she "loves all the teachers."
Shaila Norris said she likes the schools equally because she has teachers that she likes at both schools.
These new sixth graders are excited for a new year at their brand-new school and they are in for a treat.
Enter to win the cub's column flash fiction contest!
Speech and Debate offers fun opportunities for JMMs students
by Kloee Tomkinson
Do you ever wonder what goes on in Speech and Debate? Jackson Middle School has its own Speech and Debate team, which offers students many opportunities to become better speakers and to have fun with friends.
"Speech and Debate is an opportunity for students to develop a spectrum of skills that aren't just related to public speaking," said Miss Tan, the JMMS teacher who advises the Speech and Debate team. "It helps us become better critical thinkers, analyzers, performers, persuaders. It has so much to offer."
Quite a few people attend the after-school meetings, said Miss Tan. There are 20-25 people attending the Monday meetings regularly. There are people who just go to socialize with others and others who joined to improve their public speaking skills.
The middle school students are often joined by members of the Jackson High School Speech and Debate team. The middle school students often split into groups and speak separately to high school students who offer suggestions that might help impress judges and get a better score.
Students can choose between a variety of speeches to practice. They can choose a duo speech or even a humorous speech. There are also different kinds of debates that students can pick from. Students are given a topic to speak about. Students can make it a serious topic or a funny topic, based on the research they do and their emotions.
Right now we are learning about the different categories that make up Speech and Debate," Miss Tan said. "So students can choose one that fits them best. Students from the high school Speech and Debate team volunteer their time to guide middle school students into a category that fits their strengths, and then they help to coach the seventh and eighth graders in a specific category."
"Eventually students will choose a piece or topic to spend the year perfecting and rehearsing," Miss Tan said.
Meet Miss Casserlie, the new 6th grade language arts teacher
by Chloe Zackary
Miss Casserlie is the new sixth grade language arts teacher at Jackson Middle School. She has been teaching for five years, but this year she joins the staff at JMMS. She is also the coaching the 7th grade girls purple basketball team.
Before coming to Jackson, Miss Casserlie taught fourth graders at Canton City. She was also the Varsity head soccer coach for McKinley High School.
Additionally, Miss Casserlie taught at Put-In-Bay Elementary on South Bass Island in Lake Erie where her largest class had ten students and her smallest had only three.
Miss Casserlie attended Walsh University where she obtained her bachelor's degree. She attended Ashland University where she obtained her Master of Educational Administration/Principal License. Miss Casserlie attended Walsh Jesuit High School, and Sts. Peter and Paul grade school from kindergarten to eighth grade in Doylestown, Ohio.
As a child, Miss Casserlie was involved in all sports. Soccer was her favorite. She played soccer from the time she could sign up through high school at Walsh Jesuit. She continues to play on an adult indoor soccer league in Hudson. Miss Casserlie also loves basketball, track, and lacrosse.
Miss Casserlie knew she had wanted to be a teacher since she was little. She played school in the basement with her younger brother and sister, and she loved to teach them. When she participated in their senior experience program in high school, she chose to shadow a teacher for the last month of school. This confirmed her passion and determination to become an educator when she grew up.
Miss Casserlie's current hobbies include running, biking, hiking, baking/cooking, painting, calligraphy, and walking her dog, Lola. She is also on a pinball league with her fiance and dad. Her dad loves to restore pinball machines.
Miss Casserlie loves language arts, but she also loves math and science. Social studies is her least favorite subject.
She is currently engaged, so her name will soon change to Mrs. Danko.
Miss Casserlie
Halloween party offers spooktacular time
by Ashley Scaife
Around 330 students attended the sixth-grade Halloween dance. The dance was hosted in the purple gym and lasted from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. on October 5. The dance had many activities such as games, raffle baskets, and dancing. Food was also available at the concession stand.
Many teachers attended including Mr. and Mrs. Elliott, Mrs. Coyle, Ms. Ruggeri, Mrs. Capper, Mrs. Beckwith, Mrs. Dannug, Mrs. Laverick, and Mrs. Mastroine. The principals and Mr. Michel came too.
There were 12 raffle baskets including a Harry Potter themed one, an Xbox one, a glow in the dark one, a Halloween themed one, a soccer-themed one, a girls theme, a Starbucks themed one, a movie-themed one, and several with Jackson attire and some with candy or gift cards.
"I went to the Halloween dance as a pineapple and had a lot of fun!" said sixth-grader Erin Zupp. "I did not win any of the raffle baskets or the costume contest, but I do think that I will remember the Halloween dance for a long time. The best part of the whole dance was dancing the night away and having a good time hanging out with my friends."
Gabriella Morris is another 6th grader who went to the dance. "When I went to the Halloween dance I dressed up as a koala," she said. "I played some of the games, one of which was the one where you have to put the spider rings on the straw."
Alyssa Snyder also attended the dance. "When I went to the Halloween dance I dressed up as a koala just like my friend Gabby did because we went together," she said.
Gabriella Resnick, Estelle Peterson, Natalie Grisak, Brook McClain, and Ava Schreck were a group of girls who went to the dance. "I went to the dance as a strawberry. Estelle went as a cherry. Brook was a grape. Natalie was a Watermelon and Ava went as a pineapple," said Gabriella. "The Halloween dance was really fun. We enjoyed hanging out with each other and dancing to the music. The best part had to be when our names came onto the speaker. The DJ told us that we were the winners of the costume contest! None of us believed it was really happening nor that it was true, but it was. We will all remember the Halloween dance for a long time. Winning the costume contest had to have been the best part, no doubt."
Mrs. Clapper, a 6B Language Arts teacher, said, "When I went to the Halloween dance I dressed up as a Cleveland Indians baseball player, specifically Francisco Lindor. He is my favorite. Although I do not know how many votes I got, I do know I got more than the other teachers because I won! When they called my name to tell me I was the winner of the teacher costume contest I got to run down this huge tunnel, which was formed by all of the sixth graders!"
"This was my first year winning the costume contest," Mrs. Clapper said. "Normally Mr. Elliott wins, but this year I managed to beat him. The best part of the dance had to be seeing all the creative costumes. I really like the boys that dressed up as the characters from cereal boxes. I definitely think I will remember the Halloween dance for a long time!"
To view a photo album of the Halloween dance, click the link below:
JMMS and Jackson Libraries join forces
by Jordyn Myers
The Stark County District Library Partnership Program is here! This program allows JMMS students to request books from the Stark County District Library without ever leaving their middle school library.
"Since February 2016 students at Jackson Middle School have been able to borrow library books through the Stark County District Library," said Mr. Robitaille, the information and media specialist at Jackson Middle School.
Mr. Robitaille created a partnership with the Jackson Branch of the Stark County District Library. When a student wishes to borrow a book from the Stark County District Library, Mr. Robitaille orders the book and offers to deliver the book at the middle school.
Ellen Doucette tells us why this is happening,
"Many students are requesting books that Mr. Robitaille does not have in his JMMS library collection," said Ellen Doucette, the teen librarian at Jackson Branch Library. "This way, he can request the books for them from the Stark County District Library and have them delivered to the Jackson Library for them to pick up. He will even go to the Jackson Library and pick the books up for the student if the student can't make it to the library."
Students who are interested in joining the program need to obtain permission from their parents before enrolling.
"Students do have to apply to join this partnership program," Mr. Robitaille said. "They are not automatically enrolled. Students must complete an application with their parents."
The application authorizes Mr. Robitaille to sign into the student's Stark County District Library account in order to request books.
The benefits, however, far outway the downfalls.
"JMMS students benefit from this program because they gain access to any library book that is currently available in a public library in Ohio," Mr. Robitaille said. "They can get their hands on hard-to-find books as well as books that are very popular (and hard to get) at the middle school library."
Joining the Stark County District Library partnership program is fairly simple.
"Students fill out the permission slips with their parents," Mrs. Doucette said. "Students give these completed permission slips to Mr. Robitaille in the Media Center. He brings them to me at the Jackson Branch Library. I either create a new library card for each student, or if the student already has a card, I will update the account. I will make a note in each student’s account that Mr. Robitaille has permission to use this card. I will also write each student's barcode on their permission slip. Mr. Robitaille picks these permission slips up at the Jackson Branch Library and then files them in his notebook alphabetical by the student's last name."
Mr. Robitaille and Mrs. Doucette are both very excited and very proud of their idea. They hope that many people enjoy this great opportunity by joining this program.
sixth graders visit camp muskingum
by Alyssa Snyder
This September the sixth-grade class went to Carrollton, Ohio for the annual class trip to Camp Muskingum. Communities took turns and went in the order of A, followed by C; and finally, B. The outdoor education camp included two nights in a forest setting.
Some of the activities that campers participated in were night hikes, kayaking, and a night campfire. The campers also learned about the Underground Railroad.
Sixth-grade student Ryan Williams described the trip as "awesome."
Community A student Gabby Morris said it was a good time and that she did not mind being away from her family.
A few students like Natalie Lenkey, Victoria Rao, and Kya Steineck said that they had a fun time hanging out with their friends.
The teachers also had fun. Mrs. Davis said the kids were excellent. She also said the teachers had to jump in the lake because the sixth grade community A was ort free. Ort is food that is leftover on a meal plate. The teachers said that the kids were the best group that they have ever taken.
Mrs. Davis added that the camp is one of the best memories you can make in sixth grade.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Teachers from Communities B and C shared photos of their trip to Camp Muskingum. To view the albums, click the links below:
photo album: Fall spirit party
Parents And Friends Together (PATT) threw a Spirit Party for 7th and 8th graders on the evening of Nov. 17. Students enjoyed an evening of music, games, and refreshments in the purple gym. Cub's Column reporter Stavros Spanakis photographed the event. Click the link below to view the photo album:
Review: JHS fall musical "Beauty and the beast"
by Alexandra Sondike
Students at Jackson High School performed their fall musical, Beauty and the Beast, on November 2, 4, and 5. I think that it was an amazing show! Senior Hannah Houston played the part of Belle, and senior Mark West was the Beast. These talented high schoolers put on an awesome show, that will be a show to remember!
The show starts in the town. The set was wonderful! It really painted a picture of what you think the town would look like. It looked like the original movie.
The costumes in the show were wonderful. They were very original. My favorite costume was Mrs. Potts. I think that it was a very good costume. I think it would look just the same if it was animated.
One of the actress's arms was in a shape like a teapot's spout. Her other arm was always on her hip like a handle. Then her dress was like the body of the teapot. I was so happy that the crew was able to bring this awesome musical to life.
The cast were amazing singers. They were amazing dancers. They were amazing actors. Every single one of them, from the leading stars to the ensemble, did a fantastic job. They did not mess up, they were always on time, and they knew what to do and when to do it.
The end set was the castle interior. It was just as great as the town at the start. To top it off, you could purchase a light-up rose to hold up at the end of the play. It helps break the spell.
I think this was truly amazing. I have never seen anything like it before! I loved it! I can't wait for future musicals and plays to come.
Book reviews
Cub's Column writer Mierae Taylor has compiled a list of book recommendations. Click the link below to open the slide show. Then click the arrows to advance through the slides.
Cross Country runners have formula for success
by Ella Fox
Do you like being active and moving around? Do you like running? Do you have good stamina? Cross Country runners answer yes to all of these questions! In an effort to keep runners fit throughout the off-season, students are invited to meet every Tuesday and Saturday and do running drills, long-runs, and sometimes games.
During the cross country season, students worked long and hard to bring home many first-place trophies and prizes. The girls team was undefeated, and they boys came in second place.
"We constantly talked about goals as a team and individuality," said Mrs. Elliott, cross country coach. "We reminded the runners of how good they had the capability of being."
"This group had the drive and knew what they wanted to accomplish, so keeping them motivated was not hard," Mrs. Elliott added.
"Our team did so well because we all were so close," said Riley Wagner, a 7th grade runner on the cross country team. "We had a group chat, and we were all very supportive to everyone," she said. Even when everyone's legs were sore and tired, people would still cheer each other on and be supportive.
The teams meet on Tuesday and Saturday. After school they go to the locker rooms to change, then meet up together and start stretching and doing warm-ups. They go from 3:05-4:30. They even worked over the summer with running.
During a typical practice, the team meets at 3:05. Then they stretch and do running drills. After that they run. Depending on the day, they may do easy runs, workouts, tempo runs, or long runs. Finally at the end of the day they stretch again and sometimes do games.
Football team pushes ahead with challenging season
by Kowen Gayhart
With a score of three wins and five losses for the Wednesday team and three wins and two losses for the Thursday team the 8th grade football team had a challenging season.
According to Mr. Williamson, the head coach for the 8th grade football team, the best game was at Western Central Catholic Middle School with a score of 36 to 12.
Coach Williamson mentioned a few key players who helped the team progress throughout the season.
"Griffin McKinney was a very good player offensively and defensively," Mr. Williamson said.
Mason Ferrer, Kevin James, and Toddrick Lee also performed well, according to Mr. Williamson.
8th grade football team
Athletic Notes
by Mr. Michel
Below are the records of our fall sports teams. Congratulations on an amazing season!
Boys Cross Country Coaches: Mrs. Elliott, Mrs Cheyney, and Mrs Fontes
- 6-0 in the Federal League
- 2nd at Glenoak Invitational
- 1st at North Canton Inv
- 1st at Jackson Inv
- 1st at Cloverleaf Inv
- 1st at Boardman
- 1st at Cloverleaf
- 1st at Stark County Inv
- 1st at Andrew Osborne Inv
- 1st at Federal League Tournament
Coaches: Mrs. Elliott, Mrs Cheyney, and Mrs Fontes 6-0 in the Federal League
- 1st at Glenoak Invitational
- 1st at North Canton Inv
- 1st at Jackson Inv
- 1st at Cloverleaf Inv
- 1st at Boardman
- 1st at Cloverleaf
- 1st at Stark County Inv
- 1st at Andrew Osborne Inv
- 1st at Federal League Tournament
Girls 7th Grade Gold
Coach: Mr. Hubbard
- 13-5 overall 12-1 in league
- Seeded 1st in League Tournament
- Finished 2nd in League Tournament
Girls 7th Grade Purple
Coach: Miss Kracker
- 14-3 overall 11-1 in league
- Seeded 2nd in League Tournament
- Finished First in League Tournament
Girls 8th Grade Gold
Coach: Mrs. Dannug
- 14-4 overall 11-3 in League
- Seeded 2nd in Federal League Tournament
Girls 8th Grade Purple
Coach: Mr. Ryan
- 8-9 overall 7-5 in League
- Seeded 8th in League Tournament
8th Grade Football
Coaches: Mr. Williamson, Mr. Hirschman, Mr. Poetter, and Mr. Johnson
- 5-7 overall
Vox Pops
Cub's Column reporter Alex Braun asked students to name their favorite bands.
Please click the link below to open a slide show. Then click the arrows to navigate through the slide show.
Cubs Comics
Student YouTube feature: Zane vs. Zane
Are you a good artist?
Do you have video talent?
Cub's Column
Email: atr2jc@jackson.sparcc.org
Website: tiny.cc/cubscolumn
Location: Jackson Memorial Middle School, Mudbrook Street Northwest, Massillon, OH, United States
Phone: (330) 830-8034