Miss Fortner’s Reading Group
Last week, we read Journey to a New Land by Joelle Murphy. We learned about the Pilgrims’ journey to America through journal entries. Our class discussed what the journey was like for the Pilgrims and what they did when they arrived. After reading about the Pilgrims’ journey, we decided to take a journey of our own! Each student created a map with different lands and countries. Some students chose to draw places such as China, Spain, France, and England. Other students really used their imaginations and drew lands such as Cookie Dough Land, Volcano Land, Pink Land, and even Teacher Land-a place only for teachers! After the students created their maps, they wrote diary entries about their travels. They modeled their entries after what we read in the book. We had a great time creating new lands and writing about our journeys!
From the High School Congratulations to Sara Hale for earning a Superior "1" rating on her solo at state contest.
Tayeb Ihekoroyne, Jake Murri and Trevor Latta received an Excellent "II" rating on their solos.
Congratulations to the baseball team on its victory over New Haven on senior night last week.
Congratulations to Daniel Donaldson for representing WCHS well at the sectional golf meet last week.
Congratulations to the boys and girls track teams on finishing in the top 5 at the conference track meet last week.
Steffes to lead the staff at East Elementary
Effective July 1, 2012, Terri Steffes will take the reins at East Elementary School. Mrs. Steffes will take over for Michele Reigh who has taken a position with the Valley Park School District.
Steffes received her Bachelors degree from Columbia College, her Masters in Administration and Supervision from Lincoln University, her Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership from Lincoln University and is currently working on her Doctorate at Saint Louis University.
Mrs. Steffes has been an elementary school teacher in the Columbia Public Schools and the Jefferson City Public Schools. She has been an elementary principal at South Callaway R-1 and is currently the principal at Monteau County R-1 in California, Missouri.
Some of Steffes’ many awards include being a National Board Certified Teacher, a STARR teacher, Teacher of the Year Nominee for the Jefferson City Public Schools for six years in a row, JCPS Foundation Grant Award Winner, recipient of the Governor’s Proclamation for the first JCPS Foundation Grant Winner, Missouri State Teacher’s Association Central District Teacher of the Year Nominee, Yellow Rose Finalist Zonta International and Inductee of Golden Key Honorary Society Saint Louis University.
As if working in the school setting and continuing her education as a life-long learner, Steffes has been very active in her community. She is the founder and member of the Pickwick Society Book Club, she served as a Girl Scout leader, co-founder and member of BBL Book Club, Docent for the Cole County Historical Society, served on the board of directors of the Jefferson City Public Schools Foundation, a representative on the Governor’s Committee for Missouri Safe Schools, on the board of directors of the Council for Drug Free Youth and Captain of Pretty in Pink Relay for Life Team.
Mrs. Steffes is planning events to continue parent involvement at East Elementary and looks forward to meeting all the students and staff.
Support Staff Person of the Year
As with the Teacher of the Year, the staff of the Wright City R-II School District choses a Support Staff Person of the Year around this time every year. That distinction is announced at the annual Staff Appreciation Party.
This year the nominees for Support Staff of the Year were: Jeff Adkins, custodian from East Elementary; Jean Miller, paraprofessional from West Elementary; Carol Manda, administrative assistant from the middle school and Diane Berube, food service manager from the high school.
 This year the honor went to Jean Miller. Jean has been a paraprofessional with the district since 2001. She attended St. Pius X high school and received her Bachelors degree from Southeast Missouri University.
Jean’s co-workers said there is one word to describe Jean and that is “Commitment”. She is willing to do anything asked of her and she does it with a smile on her face. She works well with the students, always demanding the most of them, but doing so in a manner that is comforting.
Congratulations to Jean and to all the nominees who help make each building the best it can be.
News from Mrs. Mazzei's room
 Text books – yep, got them. Blackboards – nope, switched to dry erase boards – but yes, we got them. Worksheets? Boring, but necessary at times. These are all learning tools that most schools use, including ours. BUT …. in first grade we branch out and use some different tools to learn with – live animals!! That’s right, real, live critters. Move over Miss Frizzle, you’re not the only one who can make learning fun!! Frogs, lizards, butterflies, praying mantises, and chicks – oh my!!! First graders are using the critters to learn about the life cycle stages of some animals, animals and their body coverings, and needs an animal needs to live. In addition, the children learn the responsibility that is needed to take care of the animals, the compassion that is essential for good care, plus even have a bit of fun! We invite everyone to come visit and see the “Mazzei Zoo” if you can (East Elementary, room 118)!
1- 2- 3, This Was Fun For Me… Math Club
Math Club is wrapping up its year. Students of second and third have had the opportunity to come in before school on their own time to learn or enrich math skills every first, second, and third Friday of the month. Some of the favorite activities played were Baseball Addition, Football Subtraction, and Magic Pot Probability. Wright City West Elementary will continue Math Club for the 2012-2013 school year for any second or third grade student. Plan on joining the club and have fun while strengthening your math understanding and skills.
Adair accepted to the Missouri Scholars Academy
A few days ago, the Adair household received a letter in the mail that could change the life of one of our high school students. Katy Adair, currently a sophomore, was accepted to the Missouri Scholars Academy. Only 330 students throughout the state of Missouri are chosen to attend the three-week summer course. High school principal Shawn Brown commented that this is a great honor for both Katy and our high school.
Founded in 1985, the Missouri Scholars Academy was established to provide educational experiences and enrichment opportunities which may differ significiantly from those provided in the more traditional high school setting. The Academy is administered by the University of Missouri, and is funded by MU, MSA alumni and friends, various Missouri Corporations, and a Stduent Activity Fee.
Teacher of the Year
It is that time of year again when each school building nominates a teacher who is outstanding in their field and makes major contributions to our student body and community. After a building nominee is chosen, the winners’ applications come to the Central Office and the staff chooses a District Teacher of the Year. This process is modeled after the Missouri Teacher of the Year contest.
This year we are honoring Linda Case from East Elementary School, Judy Gigax from West Elementary School, Sandy Romero from the middle school and Sean Wheeler from the high school.
Ms. Case is currently a Title 1 reading teacher. She received her Bachelors degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia. She began her career with the district in 1990 teaching 2nd grade.
When asked the importance of education Case wrote: The youth of today is our future. Everyone has had that special teacher who made a difference in their life. Many of us have actually been inspired to become teachers because we were fortunate enough to be taught by an inspirational teacher. Strive to be that special teacher from Wright City School District who makes a difference in a child’s life.
Ms. Gigax is currently a special education teacher working with grades 3 through 5. She received her Bachelors degree from the University of Northern Colorado. She began her career with the district in 1998.
When asked about the importance of education Gigax wrote: I would love to say that teachers alone cannot provide a quality education for children, that parents are the most important part of the picture and teachers really need their support and help in educating students. Parents need to realize how important they are in educating their children, it is not just the teacher’s job, it’s the job of everyone in the community.
Ms. Romero is currently a 6th grade reading and social studies teacher. She received her Bachelors degree from Williams Woods College and her Masters from Webster University. She began her career with the district in 1998.
When asked about the importance of education Romero wrote: Education and sadly, the lack of an education are still the most significant experiences that have impacted our nation and world. Who would have thought that medicines could be invented that cure illnesses, civilizations developed and stabilized with language and culture, rockets sent to the moon and beyond without knowledge? Our young people are living in an ever rapidly changing world, so promoting the value of getting an education in order to leave one’s imprint in our world and have a better quality of life would be an important discussion to have with others. The goal here would be to get others to think about where our world would be without education.
I think that it’s really important to inspire our young people about the role that education plays in our daily lives and that with an education, there is hope for a better quality of life, as well as a better world. All young people need to be provided with the hope and ultimate guarantee that a quality education can provide to them. When young people give up, lose hope, or believe that their lives don’t matter, we have much more work to do.
In order to inspire our young people, I would like to share the struggles that many leaders in technology, medicine, the arts, athletics, and so on overcame. In my own experience, it is when I share some of these challenges with my own students, they tend to be more inspired to dream and believe in their own capabilities and potential for success. Everyone has the potential and right to be someone.
 Mr. Wheeler is currently an English/Communication Arts teacher at the high school level. Wheeler received his Bachelors degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia and is currently working on his Masters through the University of Missouri – St. Louis. He started his career with the district in 2008.
When asked about the importance of education, Wheeler wrote: Education has always been an important stepping-stone in achieving a better quality of life, but its role has changed in significant ways over the course of time. Education was once important to our society in that it prepared students for lives as productive workers and citizens; although this is still a valuable product of education, students must be prepared for more than simply accepting a role as a gear within a larger machine. In other words, education matters today because it gives students the chance to be extraordinary, not mediocre, in a world which increasingly values creativity and resourcefulness over obedience and the development of a single skillset.
In a world that looks much different than the world of just a generation ago, teachers must give students skills that will prepare them for success in jobs and situations that are only in their infancy, if they exist at all. Although we obviously cannot teach content that does not yet exist, we must give students tools that can be applied in novel situations. Among these skills are the ability to work as part of a team in order to accomplish a shared goal; the world increasingly demands that teams of people work to develop strategies for solving problems, or cooperatively create a product that would be difficult or impossible for an individual to accomplish alone. Because information is accessible in a way never previously seen, students also need the ability to critically assess the value and trustworthiness of what they read, and to question the motives and intended purpose of the authors of content. A third vital skill is being able to competently use technology as a tool to transmit ideas to others and to collaborate on shared products; although these technologies are sure to change in ever more drastic ways, giving students a working knowledge and comfort with technology better prepares them to use new technologies as they develop.
All of these skills are taught to some extent in our schools, but I believe they need to become a central focus of our work as teachers. Because being educated now means being able to think independently and apply skills in original ways, we must do everything in our power to develop these abilities in our students; if we do not, we succeed in only preparing students for a world that no longer exists.
On Tuesday, April 10, the Central Office Prize Patrol visited the classroom of Sean Wheeler to present him with a plaque and congratulate him on being chosen the District Teacher of the Year. Mr. Wheeler will represent our district in the Missouri Teacher of the Year competition later this year.
Congratulations to all of our nominees. You do make a difference every day.
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