RHINO REPORT May 23rd, 2016 Ramsey Middle School Minneapolis, MN Volume 1 No. 13 A Note From Principal Janecek Dear Families of Ramsey Middle School, I am writing to announce that I have been offered and accepted a new position. I have decided to pursue an opportunity in the Mounds View school district serving as principal of Irondale High School. I’ve truly enjoyed serving Ramsey Middle School as your principal. Working with this community gave me an exceptional opportunity to develop long-lasting relationships with our families, teachers and staff. Ramsey Middle School has been a wonderful place for me this past year, and I will miss it. However, I am grateful for this new opportunity and know that the students in my next district will benefit from what I have learned here, from you and your children. I am confident that Minneapolis Public Schools will do an outstanding job in searching for a great candidate to fill my current position. They will provide you with updates on this process as they are available. Again, it has been an honor to serve as your principal. The Last Days Of School: 8th Grade End of the Year Teacher Interviews BY: Frances P-G and Solveig J BY: Marley Hinschberger 1. Mr. Koupal The last day of school is coming soon, with only Q: What’s your favorite part of the end of the year? two weeks left. So the question is, what are we doing A: For 8th grade, ValleyFair and the Recognition the last days of school? Well the answer is simple really. Ceremony because that’s what you builds towards all For 8th graders, we get it easy. On June 6th, we go to year. Valley Fair from 9 am to 5 pm. All the information is on Q: What’s your least favorite part of the year? the permission slip you got, which you return to your A: Thankfully it’s done, but testing. second hour teacher. For the last day of school, or June Q: Is It stressful at the end of the year? A: It can be. We have a lot going on. 7th, it's the 8th grade promotion ceremony. The time is Q: Do you enjoy the end of the year? to be decided, but [it is] in the morning. After the A: Yes I do. ceremony your parents can either sign you out or if 2. Ms. Krasean your parents can't, you will be helping out around Q: What’s your favorite part of the end of the year? school, but not doing any studies or Track and Field A: Celebrating student accomplishments for the end of Day. the year. th Q: What’s your least favorite part of the year? 8 Grade End of the Year Event Info A: Oooh. I would say the days before break when everyone is antsy to get out of here of MCA testing. Friday, June 3 - 5:30-8:30 Q: Is it stressful at the end of the year? A semi-formal dance and party will take place in A: Yes because we are trying to do a good job of finishing the Ramsey Cafeteria. The dance will be hosted by A- up this year and planning for next year. List Entertainment. A-List does an incredible job of Q: Do you enjoy the end of the year? encouraging all the kids to dance and join in the fun, by A: Ya, I enjoy the ed of the year. The weather’s nice and fostering a sense of inclusion. There will be a DJ, lights, there’s all the excitement of summer coming. dancers, a photo booth and light refreshments and 3. Mrs. Cisco Q: What’s your favorite part of the end of the year? beverages will be served. Students should plan to eat A: Slam poetry spoken word projects dinner prior to arrival. Q: What’s your least favorite part of the year? A: When kids leave for summer. Monday, June 6 – 9:15 – 5:00 PM – VALLEYFAIR!!! Q: Is it stressful at the end of the year? All the info you need is on your permission slip. A: Ya, a little. It's hard to keep up expectations Don’t have a permission slip, go to Mr. K’s website to Q: Do you enjoy the end of the year? print another copy, or see Mr. K. in room 312. A: Yes, I enjoy all time periods for different reasons. Kids are excited for summer. Tuesday, June 7 (time TBD) – Morning Recognition 4. Mrs. Noriega Ceremony Q: What’s your favorite part of the end of the year? This ceremony, in the newly renovated theater, A: Relationships built with students will celebrate and recognize our students’ Q: What’s your least favorite part of the year? achievements as their middle school experience A: Cleaning my room concludes. The ceremony is open to families and will Q: Is it stressful at the end of the year? be followed by a cake and punch reception in the A: Only on Mondays ( it always is ). cafeteria. Q: Do you enjoy the end of the year? A: I look forward to it, the break and good weather. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Review Of The Musical JatATD: Was Casting Fair? BY: Marley Hinschberger BY: Sierra Krueger-Wolfe The musical this year was Joseph and the I asked the kids in the musical “What part they play and Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat. I saw it two times, if they thought that the way that parts were assigned once on the opening night and once at the all school was fair?” Here's what they said: performance. In my opinion, this is not the strongest musical that Ramsey has put on. but let's start on the - “Well I’m a Select dancer,” said one kid just as another positives first. The set looked great. They reused the set student said, “but you should be more than that.” “Yes I from Seussical, and it looked better than that one. should, I should, I have talent! And just because I was a Secondly, the cast was great. The leads were strong and 6th grader, just a 6th grader, they have forgotten about pieced it all together. The music was strong and it was me. Its VERY unfair!” neat for the most part. Now for some negatives. In my opinion there was too much music, there was never any - “Well, um, I play [in] the choir, well a guard and I'm in talking and half the time i didn't know what they were the Choir.” “And so do I and we’re pretty good at it.” saying so they also could have worked more on diction. “Yeah, but it’s not that fun.” “Well do you think it’s Some of the dancers forgot their props or we could see fair?” “Yes, because I’m really bad at this.” them from the audience when they were off stage. It was mostly errors that were laughable but made the - “She’s a slav,.” said one kid. “Well thank you, I am the musical not the strongest. I would also like to wife's servant, and I feel like, it's not really fair because compliment the choreography and the leads. I would I feel like they gave all the older kids the better and rate the Musical a 7.5/10 technical errors and some bigger parts and there was only one 6th grade brother professionalism made it worse, but overall it was good. there so I feel like it really very unfair.” Washburn Play Review - “Ok so I’m part of the Chorus, and I personally think that it wasn't fair because they gave like 6 main roles out that actually have like singing parts that are like BY: Marley Hinschberger together and stuff and single parts so I don't think that A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare: a that's really fair and there's like featured roles but there great play, many films, and so many classes read it in just one or so songs. So I don't think that it's fair.” every year. When Ramsey 8th graders read it, it was obvious that we should see it at Washburn. Now, we “I'm in the chorus, and i guess it's fair because I'm just a only saw ⅔ of the play, and it was set in the 1960s. I sixth grader.” “Well do you think that it's fair that most personally thought the play was very well put together. 6th graders got bad parts or select dancer?” We asked Some might not agree but overall it was good. trying to get more out of her. “I guess.” Special Olympics: Saturday, May 21st @ Roosevelt High School This year’s team was made up of students from not only Ramsey Middle School, but also Green Central and Washburn. Cortez and Theo (pictured) each brought home one Silver and one Gold medal a piece. Congratulations to Ms. Di, Ms. Koch, Ms. Hokr, and all the students that represented us so well! Math Competition Update FROM: Ms. Krasean We had 16 sixth grade students show up on a beautiful Saturday to compete and do some challenging math problems. We had a fun time with great results. Please congratulate the following students on their accomplishments. Participants: September Garwick -Evans, Caroline Claeson, Taite Miller, Ellie berrie, Matthew Feriancek, ben Merims - Johnson, Vaughn Hendrix, Jack Jorgensen, Johanna Perry, Elizabeth Erickson, Ruby Song, Presten berg, Tomm y Lawless, Luke Goeddeke, Nico Alexander, Owen Knych Fact Drill Honorable Mention: Presten berg, Jack Jorgensen, Owen Knych, Vaughn Hendrix Individual 2nd place: Owen Knych Individual Honorable Mention: Jack Jorgensen Team 2nd place: Matthew Feriancek, ben Merims- Johnson, Vaughn Hendrix, Jack Jorgensen Overall Award 2nd place: Matthew Feriancek, ben Merims-Johnson, Vaughn Hendrix, Jack Jorgensen Viva Cinco De Mayo! AVID Field Trip to U of M Learning Works 2015-16 Interesting News 1 Recycling at Ramsey BY: Isabella Freeland RESEARCHED BY: Sierra K-W Ramsey Middle School has a problem.