Raptor News
Learning to RISE...the Stuart way!
Message from Principal Velez
We hope that the Thanksgiving Break was restful and that you and yours are safe and sound. We are looking forward to remote learning for the following three weeks. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you need any support. Remember that each grade level is supported by a team of professionals ready to help you and your Raptor be successful. Reach out. We are ready to help.
Principal Velez
Important To-Know and To-Do Information
To Know:
- District IT Department will be providing IT support at Stuart on Wednesdays from 12pm-5pm.
- Free grab n' go meals are available for any student enrolled in 27J schools.
To Do:
- Fill out THIS form to receive free meals.
- Last chance for yearbook baby ads.
*Additional information below.
The Giving Tree
We wanted to thank, once again, our community for the incredible support to our Giving Tree program. This year we had more than 112 requests for presents, exceeding by far our last year's numbers. Our very own Commerce City Mayor Ben Huseman adopted a Raptor for the holidays. Ms. Mink collected the gifts (from a safe distance) at his come in Commerce City. Thank you Mayor Huseman.
Yearbook - Last Chance for Baby Ads
Technology Support
Just a reminder that if your child needs tech (IT) support, please make sure you (the parent) submit a ticket. Students cannot submit their own IT ticket, and neither can staff on your behalf.
- 27J provides support to parents and families with remote learning via our Remote Learning Resources webpage. This page includes resources for all online learning platforms, Chromebooks, and the ability to request technology support. All resources are available in English and Spanish.
- How to submit a help desk ticket for issues with devices or technology support.
- Option #1: Students or parents can email the helpdesk when there is an issue. This is the best option and will allow our team to communicate with you via email.
- Option #2: Call 303-655-2999 and select Option 1.
- You must first submit a helpdesk ticket for us to troubleshoot your Chromebook issues. If IT determines that your child needs a replacement device, we will instruct you to schedule an appointment at one of our remote support locations. We are unable to provide support without an appointment.
FREE Grab N' Go Meals Available
- 27J Nutrition Services Department is committed to providing healthy meal options to all students currently enrolled in 27J Schools.
- Grab N’ Go Meals (6 breakfasts and 6 lunches) are available to all students ages 1-18.
- Meal pick-up days: Tuesday, December 1, 8, and 15 and Tuesday, January 5.
- You must sign up for meals by 3:00 pm on the Monday prior to pick-up.
- Pick-up locations: Brighton High, Prairie View High, and Riverdale Ridge High.
- English meal order form
- Spanish meal order form
Raptor News - Journalism Club
Small Business Saturday by Neyla Gurule- 7th grade
Make Your Own Applesauce by Maggie Channin- 8th grade
As you start preparing for the cozy weather, and the holidays, you can make a healthy and delicious snack.
Make your own applesauce in three easy steps!
Ingredients:
12 apples(this can vary depending on how much applesauce you want to make)
½ cup of sugar
1 tsp. of cinnamon
½ cup of water
1 tbls. of lemon juice
Crock Pot
Step 1.)
Peel and core your apples into fourths. Toss the apples in the lemon juice and add to the Crock Pot. Add in sugar, cinnamon, and water.
Step 2.)
Cover Crock Pot. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Step 3.)
That’s it. Enjoy!
This recipe can be severed with oatmeal, ice cream, you can mix it with pancake batter, or eat it plain!
Alternate Reality (Part 3) by Maile Diaz- 8th Grade
Franklin was disappointed to find that Gabriel was sleeping. Sure, he was 2 days old, but he wanted to make sure that the first book little Gabe ever heard was In The Valley. He wanted Brianna’s brave, adventurous spirit to be Gabe’s first influence.
But not to worry, he was bound to wake up within the hour, right?
**************************************************************************************************
Wrong.
It took 3 whole hours. Luckily, their moms just talked for that long. Gabe just chilled in his little rocking-baby seat thing. As soon as his eyes popped open, Franklin dove for his backpack.
“Franklin! What are you doing?!” Clara whisper-yelled.
“I’m gonna read to him!” Franklin whisper-yelled back.
“He won’t know what you’re saying.” she pointed out.
“He doesn’t know what you’re saying when you talk to him.” Franklin said.
“True, true.”
“Besides, wouldn’t you want his first ever exposure to human nature be Brianna? She’s awesome!” he pumped his fists in the air.
“Those are some big words for a kid who threw a blob of yogurt in the air and tried to catch it in his mouth.”
“Go big or go home.” Franklin shrugged.
“Go home.”
“Too bad, I’m here.”
Clara rolled her eyes but went with it anyway. Sometimes, she couldn’t believe she was friends with him. He can be ridiculous sometimes.
“No, you.” Franklin poked her arm.
“What? Did I say that out loud?”
“Pfft, yeah! To Gabriel! What kind of big sister are you?!”
“The one who’s just learning.” She said, stubbornly. “But you can be ridiculous, sometimes.”
“I’m not gonna take that as an insult, so thank you.”
“Just read, idiot.”
“Fine, fine.” Franklin, always being extra, cleared his throat and sat up straight. “There was a girl, no more extraordinary than anyone else. But the difference was, she decided not to act on it. This girl, Brianna, she was a fighter, but a very humble one. Her auburn hair went perfectly with her deep brown colored eyes. It was always tied back, just in case something bad happened, and she would have to go to work. The valley was-”
“Yeah, yeah skip to a really good part!” Clara interrupted. “I’m starting to fall asleep.”
“Clara! You know the beginning of books are always slow!”
“Yeah, but Gabe is 2 days old. He’s not gonna care that you skip a few pages. In fact, he’ll probably forget in 15 minutes.”
“Fine.”
Franklin skipped a few pages and found a good battle scene.
“All this for a slab of glass? Brianna wondered. All around her, fellow soldiers took on their opponents, not knowing that the queen had given her special orders. Protect the mirror. That was dumb, but if it was her special orders, she might as well go through with it. Brianna tried to sneak around the battle to the staircase that led to the room holding the queen’s precious mirror. There, she stood for what felt like hours. Her legs grew heavy and she sat down right in front of the mirror. Her head pressed against the glass when suddenly, it gave away! The movement startled her so much, she rolled away from the mirror and kicked it. The sound of glass shattering filled the corridor-”
“Okay, Frank. It’s time to go.” his mom said.
“Aw, please? Just a few more minutes!” Clara and Franklin begged.
“No, it’s almost 8, we haven’t eaten dinner yet, and it’s a school night.”
“Aw okay.” Franklin ducked his head as he collected his book and backpack.
“Thanks for coming over, guys!” Clara’s mom hugged Franklin’s mom goodbye.
“Oh, anytime, Sheryln! Maybe we could hang out over the weekend, if that’s okay with you. I know that kids are dying to keep reading that book of theirs to little Gabe.”
“Of course!”
***
Brianna closed her book. That seemed all too familiar...OH MAN, THE MIRROR!!! Why is it always a mirror?! She ran as fast as she could, with blood from the previous battle dripping down the side of her leg and even some on her face. The castle was cold and empty, per usual. The queen was with her sister 90 miles away while they sorted out all the murders in this kingdom. Brianna’s footsteps echoed through the stone hallway. She retraced her steps around a corridor, up some stairs and into the room where pieces of broken glass were still scattered on the floor.
Yep. There was something weird going on. It was like her book was somebody else’s book coming to life and punching her in the face. Brianna picked up a piece of mirror and put it in her pocket. Her foot hovered over the original frame of the mirror. Blood from her leg fell, but it never hit the ground. To Brianna’s surprise, it just kept falling, instead. Blue clouds filled the room and Brianna allowed her foot to fall and after her foot, well...the rest of her. Oh well, go big or go home...or you know, to another dimension.
Teacher Feature by Loganne Easdon- 6th Grade
The teacher that I have chosen to highlight this month was the one and only Mr.Schmidt. I got the idea of highlighting him because at least everyone I talk to at Stuart says that Mr. Schmidt is awesome so I thought it would be cool to choose him.
Question: Your name, What community you’re in? Reply: Taylor Schmidt, T-Rex
Question: What subject do you teach?
Reply: Science
Question: What college did you attend?
Reply: Adams State University
Question: What major did you study?
Reply: US History and Biology
Question: What did you do during the summer?
Reply: My wife and I bought our first house so we were busy doing a lot of house projects!
Question: What is your favorite thing about teaching?
Reply: Getting to see how kids’ thinking grows and changes every day.
Question: What is your favorite thing to do out of school?
Reply: Anything in the mountains! I really enjoy fishing, hiking, and camping
Question: How long have you been teaching at Stuart?
Reply: This is my 4th year
Photo credit: supplied by Taylor Schmidt
Photography Club Highlight by Kailey Seymour- 6th Grade
Mrs. Leonard is the AVID teacher at Stuart Middle School, but something even I was shocked about was that teachers have other hobbies, and they run clubs within the school! She is also the Photography Club sponsor. The goal in Photography Club is to improve student understanding of photography composition. Each week they focus on something new. Right now they have approximately 10 members in the Photography Club, and it is always open to anyone interested in learning more about photography. Mrs. Leonard says, “We would love more members to join!” It is always open to anyone interested in learning more about photography!
Photo credit: provided by Loganne Easdon. This is a photo taken during golden hour; a method taught in Photography Club.
Book Review: A Promised Land by Barack Obama by Tailae Khongrath- 7th Grade
Fund Food Craft by Kailey and Kamer Seymour- 6th grade
Craving a snack? Then read this! We are going to make turkey cookies, and if you are asking how, then just wait and read you first get out all of these ingredients:
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups unsalted butter-softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3/4tsp salt
For the caramel 15 oz bag of caramel
2 tbsp evaporated milk
For the chocolate
2 cups of chocolate
Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350 digrees F.
In a large bowl,add your butter and sugar and use an electric mixer cream the ingredients together.
Add vanilla,flour,and salt and mix well and combined.
Using a cutting board or you countenuere add flour to the surface.
Roll the dough out to ½ inch thick. With A small circle cookie cutter, cutout cookies.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place the cookies onto the baking sheet.
Bak for 14-16 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cookies cool completely.
Remove from the oven and let cookies cool completely.
In a medium saucepan add your caramel and evaporated milk.
Have your heat seat to medium and stir until melted.
Take a spoon and scoop melted caramel onto the cookies and spread from edge to edge covering the whole surface.
Let the cookies sit for the caramel to set.
In a small microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate wafers for 30 seconds and repeat as needed.
Spread over the tops of cooled caramel.
Let chocolate set before eating and serving.
That is all there is now, go bake these amazing cookies.
Photo credit: supplied by Kailey and Kamber
Student Highlight by Brian Arpero- 6th Grade
This student highlight we have Derrick Collins here is he's answers
What grade are you in?
6th grade
What is your favorite subject in school?
Recess is the best because we get to have fun as a group.
What is something that you do outside of school?
Football is something I like to do outside of school.
What is your favorite thing about Stuart?
The kindness and patience from the teachers.
If school were a movie, what movie would we all be in?
Some sort of football movie because football is about perseverance and talent and I believe everyone in the school has that.
What is a goal that you have for the future, and how do you intend to get there?
I would like to become an NFL player and I just gotta be on the grind to get there.
Photo credit: supplied by Derrick Collins
LA Teams by Dylan O’Connor- 7th grade
Coping w/ Corona by Logan Johnson- 7th Grade
Before 2020 happened, we were stuck in a world of screens; Instagram gave us hope, Tiktok gave us a laugh, and Snapchat made sure we had friends in Indonesia. But now, all most people want to do is hug somebody. I would kill to hug my friend again right now.
Online school has affected many. It can be tough to learn through a screen versus learning in person. Back in 6th grade, I never thought I’d say that I missed school, but I did. I hate this virus. But even through times of hurt we learn to rise past the pain, for we as humans are stronger than this.
Despite our races, genders, sexual identity/preference, political beliefs, and background this virus hits us hard in so many different ways. The only way to fight fire is with water. We must come together as a school and community to stay positive, and look towards the light.
Wear a mask, social distance, and stay safe, please. Make history the right way. Together we will RISE.
Otho E. Stuart Middle School
Website: https://www.sd27j.org/stuart
Location: 15955 East 101st Way, Commerce City, CO, USA
Phone: (720) 685-5500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuartmiddleschool