Important Events
January 10th- Spelling Bee @ 1:00
January 13th- 8th BBB @ Ottawa; 7th BBB @ Home
January 14th - 8th BBB @ Home; 7th BBB @ Baldwin
January 14th- @ 6:30 Mattress sale fundraiser parent meeting
January 16th- 8th BBB @ Home; 7th BBB @ Woodland Spring
January 20th- NO SCHOOL
January 21st- 8th BBB @ Louisburg; 7th BBB @ Home
January 22nd - KAYS Red Cross Blood Drive
January 23rd- KAYS Unit Conference
January 23rd- 8th BBB @ Home; 7th BBB @ Pioneer Ridge
January 24th- Winter Sports Pictures
January 27th- 8th BBB @ Home; 7th BBB @ Spring Hill
January 29th- Yearbook Group Pictures
January 30th- 8th BBB @ Home; 7th BBB @ Ottawa
WELCOME BACK!
What went right last semester?
It’s easy to focus on what went wrong and where you want to see improvements. However, it’s also important to step back and recognize achievements, no matter how small, that were made during the first half of school. Did your child start the year strong? Maybe he wrote in his planner consistently for the first month. Even if it fell off after that, celebrate the beginnings of time management habits! This semester, he can focus on maintaining that tool for more than a month.
Re-set Goals
Starting with the positives from last semester, talk with your child about the goals you BOTH have for the new semester. Build on those habits, or choose new areas on which to focus.
Homework
Establish a clear plan for finishing homework, checking to make sure it’s correct, and putting it away in the right place so it can be turned in the next day. Quizzes/Tests/Projects
Develop skills to keep track of larger assignments and break them down into manageable pieces.
Grades
Look closely at the semester report cards and break down each grade by category (homework, quizzes/test, projects, final exam). That way, it’s easier to tell where the student needs to improve.
Academic Skills
In the first semester, foundational skills were built. This semester, students will be expected to develop and apply those skills. If there are any holes or weak areas, they should be addressed now!
Time Management and Organization
Clean out those binders! Take out materials that won’t be needed for the new semester (if in doubt, store them in a folder at home), fix broken divider tabs, and replace lost planners.
Extracurricular Activities
It might be time to change sports or start a new extracurricular activity, but keep practice and game schedules in mind. Don’t schedule too many activities at once. Think about whether games, plays, or recitals will come at the same time as the next round of final exams.
Support System
Evaluate the support system that was in place for the first semester. Perhaps your child had a study buddy, met with a teacher, or improved skills with a tutor . Was that the right amount of support? Would your child benefit from more support, or is he ready to be more independent?
If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your student's teacher, Mr. Cash, Mrs. Wright, or Mr. Bloustine.
Mattress Sale!
6th Grade Goes to Space!
New Teacher Spotlight- Ms. Yohe
Meet Ms. Yohe
By Hayley Hines (8) and Krislyn Hadlock (7), Journalism Staff
Ms. Yohe is the STEM Lab teacher at Paola Middle School. This is Mrs. Yohe’s first time teaching in Paola and is very excited about it. Ms. Yohe actually grew up in Paola with her two older brothers! She did not always live in Paola though, she also lived in Missouri. Ms. Yohe has a Fiance and two kids. She also has 2 pets, a guinea pig and a dog.
At first, Ms. Yohe had her mind set on being an athletic trainer, but as she continued with college at Baker, she took education classes and realized that she wanted to become a teacher. Ms. Yohe has been teaching for 4 years. She loves teaching, helping others, playing sports and many other things that have helped her connect with her students throughout the years.
Her strength as a teacher is having lots of experience with many types of students has really helped her with her teaching skills. As every teacher does, Ms. Yohe also has weaknesses. Her weakness is that sometimes she is too flexible with herself, her students, and her lessons. The most frustrating thing about being a teacher is knowing the home life that she has to send her kids home to. She knows that she can give her students what they need at school, but she can’t while they are at home and that’s really frustrating for her especially over breaks.
In her free time, Ms. Yohe loves hanging out with her kids and just playing with them! Mrs, Yohe’s favorite place to eat is definitely Chipotle. Her favorite holiday is Halloween. As she was growing up and still to this day, her favorite subjects are P.E. and Science.
The quote that Ms. Yohe lives by on a daily basis is, “If everything is not okay, then it is not the end.” She reminds her students when they say that it’s not okay, or that it’ll never be okay, that it’s not the end, and when that end gets here then everything will be okay. It will get better someday whether it’s now or ifs it’s 5 years from now, there is always an end.
PAWSitive 2nd Quarter Winner- Zebulon Wobker
Each quarter teachers are able to submit "Paws"itive referrals to the office as a way to recognize individual students that are going above and beyond the behavior expectations at Paola Middle School. Once a "paws"itive referral is submitted to the office, that student's name goes on a yellow paw, and is posted outside the office. Each quarter a student's name is drawn at random from the "paws"itives that have been submitted. The second quarter winner is Zebulon Wobker, submitted by Ms. Forrest. Congrats to Zeb, and to all of our "Paws"itive Referrals.
Paola Middle School
Email: amy_wright@usd368.org
Website: www.usd368.org
Location: 405 North Hospital Drive, Paola, KS, USA
Phone: 913-294-8030
Twitter: @PaolaMiddle