WELLS PRESS

Students in Mrs. Zugelder's fifth grade math class listen to instructions from their teacher.

[photo by Connor Russell]

by Nevaeh Alexander

Fourth and fifth have a lot of reviewing to do before their next MAP testing.There are three tests in every school year. The first test is in late August, and the second is in early December. The other test is at the end of the second semester.

MAP – Measures of Academic Progress – testing helps teachers and their students see how well they progress in reading and math.

All teachers say they hope to see steady improvement from last year and earlier this year.

“Always, even if it's just a little bit, to me that's a win ” said fourth grade teacher Ashton Sparks.

All teachers are either working with their partner teacher or their fellow subject-matter teachers to plan review so that scores will go up. For example, fifth grade language arts teacher Stephane Wendland is working with other fifth grade language arts teachers Shanda Lascano and Belinda Wood.

Teachers say their kids are working really hard to make sure they improve. Fifth grade teacher Nicole Zugelder is working with the kids through one-on-one interventions to make sure she gets the scores to go up.

"I am not looking for huge jumps, but I just want to see growth,” said Mrs Zugelder.

Overall these teachers say they are working hard helping kids to see more improvement from last year. But it isn’t just the teachers working hard; it's the kids too. Teachers say the kids have to put in effort if they want their scores higher too.

Tell-tale Trial: To review the elements of fiction, Ms. Phillips' sixth grade English language arts classes conducted a mock trial of the killer from Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Tell-tale Heart."

[photo by Connor Russell]

by Connor Russell

Wells Four-Seven has scheduled its second round of MAP testing during the first week of December. MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) testing is how students’ math and reading levels are measured, which is done in the fall, mid-year, and in the spring.

“In my class I am getting scores up by motivating students and doing fun activities like the ‘Tell-Tale Heart’ trial,” said sixth grade English language arts teacher Jamie Phillips. In the mock trial of the killer from Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Tell-tale Heart," Ms. Phillips' sixth graders each period assumed roles of prosecution, defense, jury, witnesses, etc.

“I plan to use small group activities to get my students’ MAP scores up,” said sixth grade math teacher Auburn Jacobs. Her class also is testing math facts. And Ms. Phillips even has joined with Mrs. Jacobs using language arts class time for quick reviews of multiplication facts from three to nine.

Unlike in most middle school classes, Wells' choir studies AND memorizes its class work. These students are studying sheet music as part of their early preparation for a performance.

[photo by Harlee Fox]

by Kamryn White and Kamden Scott

The Wells Middle School band and choir each are hosting Christmas performances. The date for the band is Monday, Dec. 4, and the choir is going to perform on Monday, Dec. 11. Both concerts will be in The Dome, and admission is free.

There will be many songs that the band and choir will perform including "Jingle Bell Rock," and “Somewhere in my Memory” from the holiday movie Home Alone. The songs the band performed included "Jingle Bells" and the Hanukkah song "Dreidel-Dreidel-Dreidel."

“We are practicing in class, and I'm trying to teach them how to practice outside of class,” said middle school band director Asher Shoopman.

“The choir is preparing in class day by day to get ready for their performance," said Catoosa choir director Gregory Landburg.

Wells theatre students work together to organize costumes for their upcoming performance on Dec. 12. [photo by Jasmine Tucker]

by Jasmine Tucker and Dakohtah Jordan

This holiday season the Wells Middle School drama/theater class is going to perform Elfis and the Frozen Princess on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

“Elfis and the Frozen Princesses is a story mixed with Elvis Presley and it's kind of like Frozen,” said Catoosa theater teacher Gregory Landburg.

Mr. Landburg will be directing the play. The play has a cast of 23 people “who are doing a fantastic job” preparing for the play and making it the best it can be, Mr. Landburg said.

Thank you for your service: U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Frank Sands served as the guest speaker for a Veterans Day assembly Wells fourth and fifth graders hosted Nov. 9. [photo by Kynadi Carl]

by Kynadi Carl and Hailey Spears

Wells Four-Seven hosted two Veterans Day assemblies Nov. 9 in The Dome to show appreciation to area veterans. The morning assembly for fourth and fifth grade had a guest speaker, Sgt. Frank Sands of the U.S. Marines.

A choir of fourth and fifth graders performed patriotic songs for their assembly. “I like how there was a bunch of people that tried to be there and they did end up going there so we can celebrate with them," said fourth grader Aiden Woody. "I have sung in the assembly. I also saw my grandma there.”

The middle school choir performed for the sixth and seventh grade assembly in the afternoon. Seventh grader Jasmin Perez Lopez said that she liked that she got to sing in front of everybody and that she had never done that before. Sixth grader Skylee Maymi said the assembly was fun, and she liked that she got to sing.

Spectator sport: Catoosa E-sports 7th grader Ryder Gunsell, left, takes on an opponent at a Nov. 9 tournament while teammates Jin Chang and Asher Richards, far right, watch the virtual battle.

[photo by Jamie Phillips]

by Jailin Duran and Anlli Alcudia-Avalos

Catoosa's middle school and high school E-sports teams competed in a tournament Nov. 9 in the Cox Convention Center in Tulsa against other Oklahoma schools.

But the Catoosa team still has more competitions to go, said Wells E-sports sponsors Jamie Phillips and Eugenia Alderman who help the middle school team prepare for these competitions.

Catoosa competes to get into different competitions which turns into leagues. “I like how we get to meet and compete with other people," said seventh grader Michael Sanders.

These Catoosa Special Olympians represented Wells at a Special Olympics leadership conference at Owasso High School Nov. 4. Pictured, left to right, are Skyler Nacke, Erick Ramirez, Samuel Perez, Wyatt Ball (with poster), coach Laura Franklin, and Deanna Stevens.

by Bella Borum and Karley Reich

Wells Assistant Principal Rex Langley announced Nov. 2 the class winner in the school’s Special Olympics fundraising contest. Nicole Zugelder’s fifth grade class won by raising $31 in sales of $1 stick-on mustaches to students. The entire school raised $312 in total.

“We had enough money to cover a hotel room and a half for when we go to our winter games,” said head coach of the middle school Special Olympics team Laura Franklin,” which is wonderful for our winter games.”

Because Mrs. Zugelder’s class raised more than the other classes, they got a hot cocoa and donut party to celebrate their win.

The kids of the Special Olympics now can go to more places thanks to Ms. Zugelder’s class and the rest of the school. “I encouraged the kids to support the Special Olympics program,” said Mrs. Zugelder, “and that they would get to enjoy hot chocolate and donuts.”

Catoosa's junior high girls compete in a pre-season scrimmage. [photo by Amanda Henderson]

by Anna Smith and Jaidyn Swarer

Catoosa’s sixth/seventh grade middle school girls basketball 2023-24 season’s practices started on Oct. 3, and they played their first games Nov. 4-5 at a tournament in Prue, Okla. Even though the season has just started, the coach says she is very proud of her players.

While some of them have been playing basketball for years. For others it’s their first or second year playing.

The players say that their head coach Amanda Henderson works great with her players.

“So this is my 15th year to be a girls basketball coach, and my sixth year to be a head girls basketball coach,” Coach Henderson said. This is her third year coaching at Catoosa.

Coach Henderson said it will be tough, but she is confident the Wells girls will win a few games.

“Sixth and seventh grade girls unfortunately have to play up a lot this year, so that's going to be tough for them,” Coach Henderson said. “They are a very good group of girls. They are kind, funny and smart and work hard. So hopefully all of that hard work will help them win a few games this year.”

Some of the players say they think so too.

“I think it will go pretty well,” said sixth grader Claire Rawls. “We have a bunch of really good people on our team, so I think we will do really good this season.”

There are different things people can like about basketball. ”I like that you can be competitive, and it fixes your hand and eye coordination,” said sixth grader Madelynn Monroe. Added seventh grader Lily Castaneda said, “The shooting it's just fun.”

by McKenzie Hargrove and Brooklyn McAnally

Catoosa junior high boys basketball has started its 2023-24 season, and the coach and his players say they are doing well, but always are working to get better.

“We are going to improve to get better, so we can be like the high school,” said seventh grade head coach Wes Hammons. He added that he’s working with his team to concentrate on “just the basics: dribble, pass and shoot.”

“Playing in the games and having fun,” is what seventh grade shooting guard Jarrett Grushin said is his favorite part of playing basketball. He also said that his dad, who played basketball, inspired Jarrett to play.

“Playing with my team is my favorite part of basketball,” said sixth grade guard Quincy Bell.

Wells Press staff: Anlli Alcudia-Avalos, Nevaeh Alexander, Bella Borum, Kynadi Carl, Jailin Duran, Harlee Fox, McKenzie Hargrove, Izzy Holmes, Dakohtah Jordan, Brooklyn McAnally, Yanely Olvera-Stephenson, Eva Ortiz-Becerra, Karley Reich, Laveah Robertson, Connor Russell, Kamdyn Scott, Anna Smith, Hailey Spears, Jaidyn Swarer, Jasmine Tucker, Kamryn White ... Send inquiries to kmcanany@catoosa.k12.ok.us