January 2011

Assistant Principal Mark Bake took time to “sit in” with Mrs. Thompson's seventh grade English classes as they celebrated the completion of The Wednesday Wars, a novel by Gary Schmidt. Bake shared his musical talents, serenading students with famous wartime protest songs from the 1960s. Renditions of “Blowin' in the Wind” and “Tin Soldier” captivated the students' interest while cream puffs and Coke satisfied their taste buds.

Teacher of the Month

Allen Garrett –

Spanish Fork Junior High recognizes our school psychologist, Allen Garrett, for the month of January.  Mr. Garrett has worked in education for 12 years.  He has been at our school for 3 years.  He graduated from Southern Utah University.

The science fair at Spanish Fork Junior High School was held Thursday, January 20, in the media center.  The students put a lot of work into their projects. Some had as much as 800 hours in their experiments alone.  There was great variety in the fair projects and the students presented their experiments to the judges as professional researchers.  Shane Waters and Trent Syme do an outstanding guiding their students to this high level of achievement.  The winning students will participate in the District Science Fair, February 24, and possibly the B.Y.U.

Our Jr. High Concert Choir had the privilege of singing at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo this week as part of their Diversity Week celebration.  The choir performed Amazing Grace, Footloose, Deo Gratias, and a fun rendition of James Bond.  Also performing individual songs were Caitlyn Nixon and Saraih Lee.  The Concert Choir enjoyed the experience and the audience was uplifted.  Way to go Concert Choir.

Parents, family members and classmates were dazzled Tuesday night with a performance by the Spanish Fork Junior High Choirs.  Salem Hills High School was the backdrop and the Spanish Fork Junior High students were the envy of Glee.  Women’s Chorus sang sweetly and ended with a bang singing their rendition of “Fame”.  Up next was Concert Choir sharing “Amazing Grace”.  Men’s Chorus rocked the house with “Love Potion #9” with solos coming from Jackson Lindley, Ethan Sokol and Tanner Bills.  After intermission the Salem Hills Singers made a guest appearance.

Congratulations to Trevyn Zobell (7th Grade), the winner of the 2011 Spanish Fork Jr. High Spelling Bee. Second place went to Alyson Jardine, and Maleah Cook and Natalie Stutz tied for third place. Thirteen students participated in the bee which continued for 25 rounds. Although students were given spelling lists of words to study months ago, some words were new to the students. Do you know the meaning of nebulosity, lugubrious, crepuscular, or tenebrific? Would you be able to spell them? Congratulations to all participants and winners.

Spanish Fork Junior High sponsored a 2 two day preschool activity as part of the Family and Consumer Science department’s CTE Child Care unit. Students planned and carried out their preschool activities with the preschoolers that the students brought.  Each day 5- 10 little preschoolers were in attendance per period. They learned about the ocean, farm animals, being happy, seasons, cowboy/girls, prince/princesses and insects.  Each day there was a theme that was carried out in each of the 5 areas: Welcome, Reading, Arts & Crafts, Math/Science, and Snacks.

A double-time win against Springville Tuesday, January 4, when the Spanish Fork Jr. High girls team hit several free-throws in the last minute!  Savanna Pritchett, Maddy Money, and Elle Jackson iced the game for the Lobos by hitting their free-throws in a 38 to 41 win. Congratulations to the girls team and coaches, the Thompsons.