Falls High Ink Weekly News Letter
December
MHS Decorated Teacher's Doors throughout the School. Here are some pictures!
Sports Activities
Sports:
Tuesday, December 20: Boys Swimming & Diving @ Chisholm 4:30pm
Boys Hockey HOME vs. Ely 7pm
Girls Basketball HOME vs. Deer River JV 5:45 Varsity 7:15pm
Boys Basketball @ Bigfork JV 5:30pm Varsity 7:15pm
Thursday, December 22: Girls Basketball HOME vs. Bigfork JV 5:45pm Varsity 7:15pm
Boys Basketball @ Mesabi East JV 5:45pm Varsity 7:15 pm
Tuesday, December 27: Boys Basketball Tournament @ Chisholm TBD
Wednesday, December 28: Boys Basketball Tournament @ Chisholm TBD
Boys Hockey @ Warroad Tournament vs. Orono 7:30pm
Thursday, December 29: Boys Hockey @ Warroad Tournament vs. Providence Academy 5pm
Friday, December 30: Boys Hockey @ Warroad Tournament vs. Warroad 1:30pm
Tuesday, January 3: Boys Swimming @ Grand Rapids @5pm
Boys Basketball @ Lake of the Woods JH @5:30pm JV @5:45pm Varsity @7:15pm
Thursday, January 5: Girls Basketball @ Hibbing JH @5:30pm JV @5:45pm Varsity @7:15pm
Friday, January 6: Girls Hockey @Bemidji Varsity @TBD
Girls Basketball @ Northwoods JH @5:30pm JV @5:45pm Varsity @7:15pm
Boys Hockey HOME vs. Red Lake Falls @6pm
Saturday, January 7: Boys Hockey @Proctor JV @12pm Varsity @2pm
Boys Swimming @ Duluth Denfeld 1pm
Boys Basketball @ Duluth Denfeld JV @1:30pm Varsity @3pm
Girls Hockey HOME vs. Long-Prairie @2pm
School Event Calendar:
No School: Teacher in Service January 16th
End of 2nd Quarter/Semester 1: January 23rd.
Mr. Glowack's Class Decorates Christmas Cookies & Ornaments with Mrs. Line's 6th Hour Class
FHS and FES Winter Concerts
LOST & FOUND
A New Look for FHS Junior High By: Ellen Windels, Emma Saxton, Alaina Gates, and Landan Snyder
Falls High School is currently a sixth through twelfth grade institution. After completing fifth grade at the elementary school, all students in our district move straight into the high school. While younger students spend most of their time with their peers, they still interact with upperclassmen often. Admittedly, both teachers and students have noticed crucial flaws in this current model, including behavioral and developmental issues. As a result, staff feel that separating the school into a middle school and high school would benefit all grade levels. Teachers have been leading discussions and brainstorming changes to create a “school within a school” and finding a creative way to give sixth through eighth grade students a middle school experience with the limited space. All plans are tentative and dependent on the decisions of the new school board.
The leading model is to section off the main upstairs hallway for the junior high students, which has enough lockers and classrooms to accommodate the sixth through eighth graders. It would stretch from the edge of the West End to the elevator and band and choir rooms. The goal is to create a self-sufficient environment for the students and limit the amount of overlap with the older kids. Doors would be used to define boundaries and staircases may be restricted, with the middle schoolers using the music hallway staircase to access the lunch room, gym, and the office. Some teachers would be permanently within the middle school, however, some will need to teach both lower and upper grades. Ideally, middle schoolers would not need to travel into the high school spaces so, instead, teachers would move into a shared classroom within the middle school when necessary. Currently, there are bathroom facilities upstairs that have been out of use for decades but hopefully, if funding comes through, those bathrooms could be renovated for middle school use.
Along with a physical change, teachers have discussed how to create a more age-appropriate middle school environment. Teachers would operate differently in classrooms and organize middle school pep fests. Other potential changes include introducing homerooms, requiring a study skills class, or reblocking the middle school schedule. The Student Council would likely be split to some extent, which would give the younger members more agency and responsibility. Mr. Casareto said he thinks it is important for younger students to have their space and ability to “celebrate their middle school accomplishments”, maybe even adopting their own mascot, unique from the Broncos, to give themselves a separate identity.
“The idea is to keep them in their own world and kinda away from those older students,” commented Principal Tim Everson. While upperclassmen have generally interacted well with the younger grades, they are at a different developmental stage. The language they use, the topics they talk about, and the activities they partake in are not always appropriate for sixth through eighth graders. With the current combination of all grades, these younger students lose the opportunity to freely express themselves and mature at their own pace.
Many teachers feel older students would also benefit from having an actual High School. The school can become too familiar and boring for students who attend it from 6th through 12th grade. More and more eleventh graders are choosing to go PSEO at the college, just to be in a mature and different environment. There is hope that this division would make the High School newer and more exciting, especially if it feels like there is an actual transition when students reach 9th grade.
Teachers have shown widespread support for creating a middle school space. Every teacher that the Falls High Ink interviewed believed there were needs for the younger students that weren’t being met and were enthusiastic about making these changes possible. These discussions have been teacher-led, with administration only sitting in to offer suggestions, and staff have shown a receptive attitude towards the proposed changes and a willingness to make them work, even if that means moving to different classrooms throughout the day or switching up schedules. Some have voiced concerns about follow through, though, especially since some funding is needed in order for the plan to be fully carried out.
The sixth graders agree that the transition to High School was a difficult time for them. They went from being the oldest students in the Elementary School to the youngest in the High School. Many of the sixth graders feel uncomfortable among the upperclassmen, with one student in Mrs. West’s first hour class saying “I feel like I am going to be shoved into a locker.” However, some students enjoy being at the high school where they can spend time with their older friends and get a chance to move between classes rather than being in the same class all day. Students agree that they would feel more comfortable being separated from the older students, where they would have more activity opportunities.
Juniors Mitchell Erickson and Adley Deedrick feel that it would benefit the school for the younger students to have their own space. They agree that the younger students and high schoolers have a different maturity level. Erickson and Deedrick stated that it is not necessary to have the sixth graders completely separated and could not recall any issues from their own time as a younger student in the high school.
Older students have voiced complaints about currently sharing their space with the sixth through eighth graders. Some have described them as “little kids” and feel they can be immature and irritating. Hallway behavior in particular has disgruntled upperclassmen, with sixth graders running around or standing in the middle of the hallway. Most older students have said they would find pepfests more enjoyable without the younger students there. Student Council President Mitchell Erickson mentioned pep fests are currently combined because the student population is so small that the bleachers can seem empty when it’s only 9-12th grade. Still, he thinks “they will have more fun if it is sixth, seventh, and eighth graders” in their own pepfest and they can do more younger-kid activities and games.
“I think it would be beneficial for, not just the kids that would be in it when we are able to make it happen, but for the district as a whole” said Mr. Boyle. “I think the staff is anxious to do it,” Mr. Casareto commented, “If we can find the money I think we can do it”. “I think it will make a better learning environment,” said Mrs. Simon. For now, nothing is set in stone, but people in the school are certainly excited for the opportunities a change to the school structure could bring to the students.
Bronco Boys Swimming Update By: Jillian Bilben & Keira deBernardeaux
The Bronco boys swim and dive team had their first meet at home against Mesabi
East on Tuesday, December 13th. The team unfortunately lost to the Giants with a final
score of International Falls 63, and Mesabi East 99. There were a few highlights in this
meet though. Trygg Hemstad placed 2nd in the 100 freestyle, and Josh Wherley placed
2nd in the 100 breaststroke by just milliseconds. The team’s second meet was an
invitational at home on Saturday, December 17th. They placed 5th overall, and Michael
Sobkowicz placed 2nd in diving.
Bronco Boys Basketball Update
The Bronco Boys Basketball team played Lake of the Woods on Thursday December 16, and unfortunately lost 82-40. The Broncos played Rock Ridge on Friday and unfortunately lost 123-23. The boys traveled to Bigfork on Tuesday, December 20 and lost 82-35. Landin Budris led the team in scoring with 12 points. The boys travel to Mesabi East on Thursday, December 22 to take on the Giants. They will play in a Christmas Tournament over break in Chisholm.
Bronco Girls Basketball Update By: Emma Saxton
The Bronco Girls Basketball team played Hill City on Tuesday December 13, and got their first win of the season with a score of 63-35. It was Brandon Barras’s first varsity win as head coach. The Broncos traveled to Rock Ridge on Friday and unfortunately lost 76-23.
Girls Basketball V. Deer River
The Bronco Girls Basketball team faced off against Deer River on December 20th. Hannah Anderson made the first basket of the game for the Broncos. The game was off to a slightly rocky start when Kale Taylor was subbed in and received a technical foul for not being in the score book. Deer River got two free throw shots without the Broncos on the court and made one of two of them. The Broncos made nine free throw shots in the first half of the game and were winning with a score of twenty eight to twenty six at half time. Each team had fouled more than ten times in the first half and were in double bonus. Deer River made the last shot of the first half with just one second remaining.
During half time Summer Hessledahl won $14.00 from Throw for Dough, making back the $6.00 she had invested with Emma Saxton over the course of three games. They have now more than doubled their investment. What a thrill! Highlight of the night!
The Broncos started off the second half of the game strong with Graci Swenson making two free throw shots. With 13 minutes left of the game, Kale Taylor received her fourth foul, meaning that if she received one more foul she would be out of the game. With five minutes remaining, the Broncos were up ten points, but the Deer River team was about to make a comeback. Deer River’s Constance Bowstring made two free throws to tie the game with only ten seconds remaining. Constance Bowstring then fouled out and Lola Venezuela got to make two free throw shots. Lola made the first shot and missed the second, giving the Broncos the lead by one point.
Deer River rebounded the free throw but with 2.4 seconds remaining, the Broncos regained possession. Nora Sullivan attempted a final shot at the last second, but missed. The Broncos ended up winning the game with a close score of 53 to 52.
Bronco Girls Hockey Update
The Bronco Girls hockey played Rock Ridge on Tuesday December 13, and unfortunately lost 6-0.
The girls will host their annual alumni game over Christmas weekend and are looking forward to that.
The team has an upcoming scrimmage on Friday, January 6th at Bemidji High School. Their next scheduled game is Saturday, January 7th at home against Long Prairie Gray Eagle/Wadena-Deer Creek at 2pm.
Bronco Boys Hockey Update By: Adyson Wallander
The Bronco Boys hockey played Ely on Tuesday December 13, and got their first win of the season with a score of 12-3. The scorers of the game were: Cody Joslyn, Braden Skiftstad, Matt Wherley, Cadyn Zahn, Max Dremmel, Colin Kostiuk, Noah Shikowsky, and Cooper Crandall. The Broncos then played the Fort Frances Muskies on Friday, December 16 and unfortunately lost 5-1, Noah Shikowsky scored the Bronco goal. On Saturday, December 17 the Broncos played Kittson and won 8-5. The scorers of the game were: Nate Dremmel, Asher Keep, Braden Skifstad, Aidan McFarland had 2 goals, Cody Joslyn, Colin Kostiuk, and Max Dremmel. The goalie Tyrel Shoberg had 21 saves against Kittson. After the game the team then had skate with the Broncos.
The boys travel to Warroad for their annual Holiday Tournament on December 28-30 where they will play Warroad, Orono, and Providence Academy.
Boys Hockey Defeats Ely By: Landan Snyder
The boys hockey team faced off against the Ely Timberwolves on Tuesday, December 20th. Colin Kostiuk scored the first goal of the game five minutes in for the Broncos. Ely snapped back by scoring a goal a minute after. Cooper Crandall scored another two minutes after to take back the lead for the Broncos. Cooper later scored another to further strengthen their lead. The Broncos now led 3-1. Ely fought back and scored a goal eight seconds after to reduce the lead to 3-2. Matt Wherley responded by scoring a minute after. Before the first period ended, Ely scored one to make it 4-3. The boys planned to add to their lead in the second period. Wherley scored his second straight goal to make it 5-3. Brayden Skiffstad scored another goal for the Broncos to make it 6-3. The Broncos shut out the Timberwolves in the second. It took ten minutes for anyone to score in the third period. Ely scored one to tighten the score. The game was very tense. Each team was getting opportunities but no team could execute. Ely took a timeout and pulled their goalie with around three minutes left. The Broncos were able to hold them off and Colin Kostiuk was able to score an open net goal to end the game 7-4.
Its a Wonderful Life - Live Radio Play
All proceeds went to Community Café.
Photo Credit to Lois Lundin
FHS Hosts Mitten Drive
FHS Hosts Mitten Drive
FHS Students Participate in Winter themed Dress Up Days!
Tuesday- White Out/Blizzard Day- wear white!
Wednesday- Ugly Sweater Day
Friday- Christmas Cheer Day- wear anything Christmas themed!
KAPE Sponsored an Ugly Sweater Contest-
Winners: Kimberly Wehrenberg, Nico Bradseth, and Logun Wilkins
Christmas Dress-Up Days!
Staff/Faculty Birthdays
Mr. Mathews- December 26
Tom Holt - December 28
Kim Begg- January 1
Lenisha Bublitz- January 9
Mr. Dowty- January 10
Lori Potter- January 26
Mrs. Rudolph- January 29
Mrs. West- January 29
About Us
Email: fallshighink@isd361.org
Website: www.isd361.org
Location: 1515 11th Street, International Falls, MN, USA
Phone: 218-283-2571