1      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   

   

                         

 9555 Huakai Road Waimea, HI 96796 Phone: 338-6830

Help  us  stay  in  touch  with  you!  

Please  call  the  school  office  at  338-­‐6830  or  send  a  note  

whenever  you  have  a  change  of  address,  contact  phone  number,  

or  family  arrangement.      

http://waimeaca.hidoe.us    or    http://www.waimeacanyonmiddleschool.us  

Waimea  Canyon  Middle  School  is  ADA  accessible.    Contact  the  school  

office  to  request  for  accommodations  to  participate  in  

school  events.    

Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, Community Members, and Students,

We are starting off the second semester with enthusiasm and excitement. Teachers and students are busy administering and participating in lexile level-setting using Achieve3000 TeenBiz and completing mid-year progress checks with Star Reading and Star Math. These tools help students receive feedback on their progress, help them set goals for improvement, and help teachers provide appropriate instruction. The results from these assessments are compared with initial scores from August assessments. Onward and upward!

Achieve3000 sponsored a parent night with guest speaker and consultant Garrett Graf on January 20th. Mr. Graf showed parents how to access TeenBiz using home accounts. He also showed them how usage of these accounts increases informational reading comprehension and lexile scores. No matter what our children choose to pursue in the future, they will need solid reading comprehension skills.

Exciting news! Through a competitive process, the west side complex was chosen by Duke University for a special science road show on evolutionary science. Presentations will be made in our 7th grade Science classes. The presentation will also be open to the westside community on Wednesday, February 18th at Waimea High School from 6-8:00 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity! (Please see the article on page 6)

Congratulations to all of the Honor Roll students, perfect attendance students, and to Fred Ryl Adella, who placed second in the Kauai District Spelling Bee. Special congratulations to all who participated in the recent WCMS Science Fair. We had 60 entries and winners representing all grade levels. (please see the article on page 5)

Show your Science Minihune pride!

Melissa Speetjens

Principal

 

 

 

 

Feb.  16    (Mon.)  President’s  Day  Holiday    

Feb.  14    (Sat.)  –  Valentine’s  Day    

Feb  18    (Wed.)  –  3rd  Quarter                                    Progress  Reports  go  home  

Darwin  Day  Roadshow  at  WCMS    

March  2-­‐13      Gr.8  Explore  Testing  

March  13      End  of  3rd  Quarter  –  Health  and  Wellness  Activities  

March  16-­‐20    Spring  Break  

 

 

 

 

  2  

 ROU  

Here's What Middle School Teachers Want to Tell Parents

Parent-teacher conferences at the middle school level are usually brief. Your child's teachers may not have had the opportunity to share everything on their minds.

Here are some things they may not get to say, but certainly think are important:

• Your child needs your support for success in school. Be aware of homework, tests and projects. Be suspicious if he never seems to have any!

• Ask questions. You have the right and responsibility to know your child's grades and how he's doing in general. Send an email, or call the school and leave a message for the teacher.

• Know your child's friends. Peers often become all-important in middle school. If your child starts hanging out with friends who experiment with harmful behaviors or rarely study, chances are he'll do the same.

• Monitor your child's stress. Middle school students have a lot to manage. Some take on too much. Your child needs family time and time to relax each week.

• Love your child with your whole heart. Tell him often (maybe not in front of his friends). Encourage him all you can. When he wants to talk, make every effort to drop what you're doing and listen. Remember, you are still the most influential and key person in your child's life.

Reprinted with permission from the February 2015 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (Middle School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2015 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc.

Got absence notes?

We appreciate calls to the office notifying the school when your child is absent. Please remember that when your child comes back to school they also need a note explaining their absence.

Some absences are excused: illness, injury, family emergency, funeral leave, doctor or dentist appointments.

Others are unexcused: trips and vacations, staying home to spend time with visiting relatives, staying home to help babysit, attending programs for siblings, etc.

                                                                           Mahalo!  

                                     

 

2  Easy  Ways  to  Help  WCMS  Earn  $    1.    Clip  BoxTops  for  Education  coupons  from  participating  products.    Each  one  is  worth  10  cents.    As  of  Jan.  2015,  you  have  helped  to  bring  $925.00    towards  

the  $1,000  goal!    The  money  will  be  used  to  buy  technology  for  the  school.  

           

2.    Turn  in  any  old  telephone  books  to  the  school  office.    WCMS  participates  in  the  annual  ‘Think  Yellow,  Go  Green’  recycling  contest.  

Over  the  past  few  years  we  have  been  collecting  enough  books  for  third  and  fourth  places,  winning  enough  money  to  pay  for  pins  and  certificates  for  academic  

achievement  as  well  as  glow  necklaces  and  bracelets  to  pass  out  during  the  Waimea  Lighted  Christmas  parade.        

Thank  you  very  much  to  all  the  parents,  families,  and  friends  who  contribute  to  

these  efforts!  

  3  Question of the Month: Which block day do you prefer, A or B? Why?

Coming Soon: National Junior Honor Society

We are pleased to announce that we have established our very first Waimea Canyon Middle School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society and will be inducting our first group of students this spring. The purpose of this organization is “to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, to encourage the development of character, and to foster active citizenship in students of Waimea Canyon Middle School.” To be eligible for membership, students must be enrolled for at least one semester at the school and have a minimum grade point average of 3.5. Eligible students will be given applications that must be completed by a set date, and eligible applicants will then be voted in by the majority of our Faculty Council. Once inducted, students are expected to maintain their grade point averages as well as participate in group and individual service projects. We are very excited to establish a chapter of an organization dedicated to recognizing academic excellence, leadership, citizenship and character. Once inducted, students will meet regularly to plan service projects that benefit our local community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Adviser Cara Clarke at ext. 139.

TeenBiz Written in Third Person Point of View

TeenBiz is a website used by WCMS to improve students’ reading and writing comprehension skills.

Students read articles, take part in polls, and take quizzes. Recently, students (at least in 8th grade) have been accessing TeenBiz much more often. By Sarah Santos

TeenBiz Written in First Person Point of View

This year in eighth grade we are being pushed really hard in TeenBiz. Mr. Kishida, the 8th grade Social Studies teacher, is planning to have us do a lot of TeenBiz and I personally am fine with it. It gives me a chance to boost my lexile score and reading level. I am really close to the lexile score needed to be a news caster which is what I want to be. So I hope with all the TeenBiz tests we have and all the articles I’m reading that I will be able to reach my goal. It’s a bit of a pain but thank you Mr. Kishida for being a thorn in my side when it comes to doing TeenBiz. By Sara Funtanilla

Lily: I prefer B days because I have Band during period 7 and I love it.

 

Kierstin:    I  like  A  days  because  I  have  more  classes  with  my  friends.  

Noah:    I  prefer  B  days  because  they  are  a  lot  more  cool,    I  have  my  electives  on  that  day.  

Jayden:    I  like  A  days  better  because  I  like  Family  and  Consumer  Science.  

Sarah:  I  like  B  days  better  because  I  like  the  classes  I  have  on  my  B  days.  

January  Editors:    Grade  6  –  Aiyana  Lagazo  Lagmay,    

Grade  7  –  Krystal  Papa,    Grade  8  –  Mikala  Romanak  

ADVICE COLUMN – The wise minihunes went on vacation this month, they were spotted at Disney World, the Bahamas, and deep in Waimea Valley. They will be back next month!

 

Julienne:    I  like  B  days  better  because  I  have  English  and  it  is  fun!  

  4  

Huh? What Rules?

All students attended a discipline assembly in the cafeteria after Winter Break. Counselors Mrs. Vea, Mrs. Franco, and Ms. Bucasas, along with our principal, Mrs. Speetjens talked to us about how we could be more responsible for the rest of the school year. They reminded us about cell phone use, insubordination, detentions, referrals, bullying, and making wise decisions. Hopefully, everyone will be more respectful and responsible for the rest of the school year. by Aiyana Lagazo Lagmay

Welcome Miss Carbonel!

WCMS has a new 7th grade math teacher, Miss Ashleigh Carbonel. She loves to teach, she used to teach at Kauai High School. She is from Kauai but lived on Oahu from middle school until college when she moved to California to attend Azusa Pacific University. Miss Carbonel enjoys working at WCMS even though she says it’s a bit different than teaching high school. Middle school students are younger and a lot more energetic and talkative. Miss Carbonel will be getting married next year so then we’ll have to call her Mrs. Instead of Miss. For now make sure to say, “Hi! Miss Carbonel” when you see her. By Tyde Takemoto

Grade 6 Tetherball Play-Off Results

WCMS held a tetherball competition for sixth graders before the winter break. The two finalists were Kaye

Serapio and Mayson Broyles. They went head-to-head throughout the competition. The competition went on for so long, day after day, and they had to stop for the winter break. When they came back after winter break Kaye forfeited because she was tired of it and said she was OK with conceding to Mayson. So, Mayson won the competition…or did he really? By Raelee Samio

Restaurant Reviews

I recently visited Kauai Ramen at Eleele Shopping Center with my family. The atmosphere is nice, there are lanterns at every table and Japanese paintings all over the walls. The prices are amazingly low and there is a wide variety of food, not just ramen. Although the atmosphere, prices, and quality of the food are good, there is one thing that keeps Kauai Ramen from being perfect, the service is very off-putting. It takes long for the food to get to your table and they don’t refill your water unless you ask for it. Other than that, I really recommend it! I give it an 8 out of 10. By Mikala Romanak

If you enjoy delectable local meals that come with a warm, welcoming, friendly team of waitresses making sure that you have your water filled and that you are doing just fine, then you need to try Unko’s Kitchen, located just off the main highway in Hanapepe Town (near the fire station). Besides the fact that they have delicious local meals that are wonderfully presented, their waitresses are always willing to have a friendly conversation with you. According to an online review from Yelp! (a website that reviews restaurants and visitor destinations) someone wrote in that the nice waitresses told them about some wonderful places to visit while his family and he were on their family vacation.

This restaurant has reasonable prices. According to their Friday night cook (the owner’s niece) Unko’s Kitchen started as catering for family and friends. It then became a catering business known as Pupus Etc. (which is still in operation). Since the cooking was done in the former Green Garden restaurant, the catering turned into a restaurant that Uncle Manno, the owner, now runs as Unko’s Kitchen. It is open Friday nights from 5:30 to 9:00 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. The dining area is a little small but they sure are quick to make sure ALL customers are satisfied. So, if you are heading west or you live in theHanapepe area, don’t forget to stop by for Unko’s appetizing, flavorful local cuisine. By Xavier Lasconia

  5  

Science is Alive at Waimea Canyon Middle School!

On Wednesday, January 21, 2015 Waimea Canyon Middle School students and families were able to view all the Science Fair projects. They were on display in the cafeteria. Judging took place during school hours in the library. Some students had partners, some worked alone but everyone who entered had to have a display board. Winners were announced on the 21st at 6:30 in the evening. Congratulations to all the participants for keeping Science alive! By Sanoe Grijalva

CELEBRATIONS!

TRIBES Recognitions

WCMS is so proud of these awesome students for their excellent use of the Tribes agreements: Attentive Listening, Mutual Respect, Showing Appreciation – No put downs, and the Right to Participate/Pass

December students were selected by their period 5 teachers

Layne Kanoa Morgan Joy Igaya

Nariah Kane Sierra Ganotisi

Kiersten Gummerus Joel Hedstrom

Kealiimalu Kaawa Joseph Hedstrom

Degan Davis Joey Perpose

Vanessa Rowland Lacin Montemayor Naomi Kaauamo

Makeyah Wisneski Moani Felix-Keamoai

Jayana Kaui

January students were selected by their period 6 teachers

Tyla Iida Larissa Kobayashi

Jaelynn Munar Wyatt Hartsell Jaysha Olores

Aliyah Nordmeier-Kanahele Kaysha Ragocos

Vanessa Rowland Tehani Togioka

Sy Someda Cori Burton

Jerry Oliver Clyde Souza

Chaestyn Hasegawa Ron Acob

Kharyl Llapitan Lacin Montemayor Cameron O’Day

Samantha Bostick

WCMS  Science  Fair  Winners  Congratulations to all the participants in the Science Fair and a shout out to all the winners! Honorable Mentions Dawson Franco Rochel Agustinez & Wendee Miguel Wyatt Hartsell Moani Felix-Keamoai Top 5 5th Place - Ron Acob 4th Place - Ethan Yamamoto 3rd Place - Kaysha Ragocos & Leslie Uri 2nd Place - Samantha Bostick 1st Place - Larissa Kobayashi Alternates (in the event any of the top 10 cannot compete at district) Caelen Nakato Amelia Styan Clyde Souza & Dylan Martin-Lazaro Marcus Schultz          

  6  Coming to Waimea Canyon Middle School! Don’t Miss This! You Don’t Have to Travel Anywhere…They’re Coming to Us!

The Darwin Day Roadshow

The Darwin Day Roadshow is a way for scientists and educators from NESCent (The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center) to share their enthusiasm for evolutionary science with students, teachers and the general public across the United States each year, on the occasion of Charles Darwin’s birthday, February 12.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THE DARWIN DAY ROADSHOW?

To share excitement and enthusiasm about the science of evolution, what it is, how it works and why it is important to our understanding of biodiversity, protecting endangered species, health/medicine, agriculture, etc.

To give NESCent researchers (especially our postdoctoral fellows, who are recent PhDs and will be professors soon) an opportunity to talk about their own research and to give them some experience doing science outreach

To have scientists talk to kids about what it is like to work in science careers (“a day in the life of…”), what the rewards and challenges are, and what sorts of opportunities might exist for your students in science.

Quarter 2 Honor Roll

SY2014-2015

Principal’s List GPA 4.0

Grade 6 Cayaban, Braelyn                                                                                                          Chelius, Asa Drake, Amber Gummerus, Kierstin Hartsell, Wyatt Remigio, Julie Jane Styan, Amelia

Grade 7 Fernandez, Chyna Mockett, Gavin Ragocos, Kaysha Tsuchiya, Kaela Uri, Leslie Yamamoto, Ethan

Grade 8 Bostick, Samantha

Honor Roll GPA 3.5-3.99

Grade 6 Agena, Ashlyn Altomare, Vittorio Apuna, Alia Bisarra-Kaleiohi, Kainalu Broyles, Mayson Callion-Nizo, Stephan Constantino, Kylan Daliva, Justice-Ross De Leon, Celine Dumlao, Denise Alaina Geronimo, Marcial Hatcher, Chloe Hedstrom, Joel Hillis, London Iaea-Constantino, Malia Igaya, Morgan Joy Kamakea, Crystal Kittredge, Geon Kobayashi, Larissa

Want  to  know  more  about  what  students  are  learning  in  their  classes?                                                                                                                                            

Go  to:  Hawaiipublicschools.org  

Want  to  know  more  about  how  schools  are  checking  to  see  that  students  are  learning?  

Go  to: Smarterbalanced.org  

 

  7  

Lagazo Lagmay, Aiyana Martins, Momilani Medina, Fiona Hayle Munar, Jaelynn Otoman, Deiton Pasion, Cailin Reeves, Kaylee Rickards, David Samio, Raelee Serapio, Kaye Siliado, Ariell Silva-Vidinha, Elijah Tapucol, Deven Grade 7 Achuara,  Macie                                                Adella, Fred Ryl Alejandro, Kairah Alt, Lily Apilado, Kaysen Batacan, Rhona Lei Batangan, Wendell Burton, Cori Buyat, Jahnievie Kayte Caoagdan, Shannon Marc Caudill, Jadin Davis, Degan Driver, Carson Erakdrik, Roselinda Gawaran, Julienne Kate Garcia, Kaitlyn-Rose Iida, Tyla Ishikawa, Tori-Ann Jamorabon, Ian Ari Kaneakua-Yoshimoto, Jhayliyah Lim, Alyssa Monique Lumabao, Braden Mangayayam, Gavin Mecham, Ashley Minia, Kean Morris, Alana Nakaahiki, Naomi Nakato, Caelen Numazawa-Pacanas, Kaiulani O'Day, Cameron Owen, River Papa, Krystal Ragragola, Nainoa Rowland, Vanessa Schultz, Marcus

Soares, Maegan Takemoto, Tyde Tumbaga, Jemaica Vanaman, Makoa   Grade 8 Aguinaldo, Brandie Felix-Keamoai, Moanikealohilani Franco, Dawson Funtanilla, Sara Hedstrom, Joseph Kaauamo, Naomi Llapitan, Kharyl Miguel, Wendee Minia, Azea Numazawa-Pacanas, Kalena Ramos, Kimberly Robinson, Kyle Santos, Sarah

Honorable Mention GPA 3.0-3.49

Grade 6 Aguiar, Pohakea Antolin, Jenna Aquino, Kaili Ayau, Logan Bagaoisan, David Beniamina, Jessie Blanes, Kimberly Anne Buyat, Adrian Lester Ceballos, Bergen Courbis, Gabriel Cromartie, Anyia Cumlat, Dayne D'Acosta, Sasha Ephan, Kanaan Fernandez, Keanuwaiola Furtado-Oligo, Hunter Kaawa, Kealiimalu Kamakea, Chloe Kane, Nariah Luis, Justin Mangayayam, Aaron Maruyama-Chang Wo, Jordyn Medina, Mariah Montemayor, Taylor Niheu-Kamaka, Kayana

Nordmeier-Kanahele, Aliyah Ochua, Jillian Olivas-Dominguez, Kiani Olores, Jaysha Palacio, Alysha Pegeder, Kaanoe Perez Aguilar, Kobe Ragudo, Kris Ragus, Pauline Sarah Kate Ringor, Aden Gerico Simola, Rachel Soriano, Derick Stinyard, Anaijah Swacker, Mikayla Vegas, Shalyn  

Grade 7 Akana, Kaya Albina, Koedy Apo, Leiana Banquel, Kemren Bateman, Isabella Bugado, Louis Cano, Quinlan Cardejon, Kristian Carinio, De'Angelo Chikahiro, Chelsey Concepcion, Logan Costales, Zachariah Cudanes, Jaszarae Damasco, Terren Dusenberry-Lee, Lanakila El Saieh-Rowe, Kalaea Fernandez, John Arnie Gonsalves, Kevin Grijalva, Sanoe Guillermo, Toni Helgen, D'Anndra Lynn Henriksen, Jas Huddy, Kawelo Itamura-Ishii, Chaden Jamorabon, Eilon Domscen Kamaka-Riley, Maren Kanna, Keith Kanoa, Layne Kaohelaulii, Palenapa

  8  Kuhlmann, Shandalyn Malama, Joaquin Morimoto, Kekai                            Nakaula, Rachel Niau, Jonathan Pascual, Hermz Dom Adriane Perpose, Joey Christian Perreira-Alquiza, Kaikoa Planas, Nevaeh Ramos, Tiana-Leigh Ruiz, Rayson Sarmiento, Zayden Semblante, Nicholas Shamblin, Slater Togioka, Tehani Ulanday, Isahn Vea, Zyana Villarreal, Christopher Williams, Sean Wilson, Herman Yanos, Polo Jaylewel Young Jr, Colin  

Grade 8 Acob, Ron Janus Agustinez, Rochel Mae Albarado-Rita, Kaila Apuna, Qayjah Bermudez, Adrienne Calixterio-Martinez, Taylor Clarke, Dylan Cromartie, Christopher Duncan, Makanaalohaomokihanama Espanto, Noah Fernandez, Veronica Hedges, Evan Jardin, Malyssalin Jensen, Maeve Kaulili, Sherron Kali-Bagaoisan, Mark Kamakele, Keila Kelekoma, Kaira

Labanon, Kaya Lacaden, Shyli Makua, Kealae Montemayor, Lacin Noda Jr, Wayne Nonaka, Harley Oyamot-Taniguchi, Nikayla Pablo, Christian Earl Peleras, Gabrielle Perreira, Cerriah Pimental, Terrilynn Pinkston, Elliot Ragragola-Palacio, Jacelyn Rapozo, Justin Rull, Reyden Sandal, Kaitlin Serapio, Dawn Christine Silva-Pai, Zenin Simbre-Medeiros, Shayne Simbre-Medeiros, Shelsy Villanueva, Ezekiel Yamauchi, Leiko  

Try Turning to Technology to Motivate Your Middle Schooler

Studies show that students are more motivated to learn when they are actively engaged in that learning. And one of the best ways to engage them is by using technology.

When your child is studying, she can type vocabulary words and their definitions on a computer. When she has a reading assignment, she can use a tablet to type her notes.

And if your child has a project, she can head to the Internet to do research. When your child uses technology to gather data, experts say she:

• Improves her ability to analyze facts and predict outcomes.

• Becomes a "real-world" learner.

• Sharpens problem-solving skills.

Reprinted with permission from the February 2015 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (Middle School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2015 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: "Using Technology to Motivate Middle School Students," Teaching Today, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, niswc.com/technology_homework

Don’t forget to pay for your 3rd quarter bus passes and coupons

by Friday, March 6. Spring Break is from March 16-20.

Are you missing a jacket? Sweatshirt? Hoodie? Come to the Office and check out what’s in Lost and Found. There are enough forgotten items to put on a fashion show! Unclaimed items will be donated to Nana’s House at the end of the year.