Around the School
College to career:
Miss Cavanaugh's tale of transition
By Annie Patel
Miss Cavanaugh, the daughter of Cluster 8 teacher Mrs. Moran (Cavanaugh), is a building substitute teacher here at Washington Middle School. She loves working with kids and getting to know them, and hopes teach her own social studies classroom one day. When I sat down with Ms. Cavanaugh we discussed her future career goals.
Q: How do you feel about graduating college? What do you plan to do? Are you going to be a history teacher, and in which grade levels?
A: I feel very accomplished. I worked very, very hard and for this reason was able to obtain my teaching degree from Eastern Connecticut State University in four years. I am very proud that I achieved my goal. I plan to continue to look for a full time teaching job, but until then I love working here! The staff has been very welcoming. In terms of my certification, I can teach social studies grades 7 through 12. I would eventually like to work in a middle school.
Q: What do you think you did best while you were in college?
A: College is mostly about time management, working hard and seeking help from your professors if necessary!
Q: Why do you want to be a social studies teacher?
A: In high school I excelled in social studies. I started taking courses at college I became more interested in it. I think when you study the past you can learn more about the present and how things came to be. That’s why I became fascinated with the subject. I chose to become a teacher because of the impact I can have on students. I want to be a role model, a person students enjoy spending time with and can trust.
Q: What do you do at Washington Middle School?
A: I am a building substitute. I work in all different clusters and I work every week Monday through
Thursday.
Q: What made you decide to come to WMS?
A: I applied for this new sub program in Meriden where certified teachers can apply to be assigned to a specific school as a substitute for an entire year.
Q: What advice do you have for students who want to be successful?
A: Work hard and always believe you are smarter than you think.
Miss Cavanaugh will be working at WMS until the end of the year. If you see her in the halls do not be afraid to say hi. She loves getting to know all of the students here at Washngton.
Miss Cavanaugh, the daughter of Cluster 8 teacher Mrs. Moran (Cavanaugh), is a building substitute teacher here at Washington Middle School. She loves working with kids and getting to know them, and hopes teach her own social studies classroom one day. When I sat down with Ms. Cavanaugh we discussed her future career goals.
Q: How do you feel about graduating college? What do you plan to do? Are you going to be a history teacher, and in which grade levels?
A: I feel very accomplished. I worked very, very hard and for this reason was able to obtain my teaching degree from Eastern Connecticut State University in four years. I am very proud that I achieved my goal. I plan to continue to look for a full time teaching job, but until then I love working here! The staff has been very welcoming. In terms of my certification, I can teach social studies grades 7 through 12. I would eventually like to work in a middle school.
Q: What do you think you did best while you were in college?
A: College is mostly about time management, working hard and seeking help from your professors if necessary!
Q: Why do you want to be a social studies teacher?
A: In high school I excelled in social studies. I started taking courses at college I became more interested in it. I think when you study the past you can learn more about the present and how things came to be. That’s why I became fascinated with the subject. I chose to become a teacher because of the impact I can have on students. I want to be a role model, a person students enjoy spending time with and can trust.
Q: What do you do at Washington Middle School?
A: I am a building substitute. I work in all different clusters and I work every week Monday through
Thursday.
Q: What made you decide to come to WMS?
A: I applied for this new sub program in Meriden where certified teachers can apply to be assigned to a specific school as a substitute for an entire year.
Q: What advice do you have for students who want to be successful?
A: Work hard and always believe you are smarter than you think.
Miss Cavanaugh will be working at WMS until the end of the year. If you see her in the halls do not be afraid to say hi. She loves getting to know all of the students here at Washngton.
WMS volleyball: set, spike!
By Danaiyla Mendoza
This year’s volleyball team has done an outstanding job. Coach Coon said that her varsity squad never gave up. This year’s junior varsity also played great, she said. Coach Coon said the best way to win is to communicate, give 110%, and show aggression. Coach Coon said one of the best games the girls played this year was against Depaolo of Southington, where the Wildcats scored 25 points.
The 2014 fall squad are as follows: from 8th grade there is Grace Antrella, Madison Clancy, Isabell Frazza, Emily Gannon, Brooke Lavalle, Carly Massicotte, Shanice Smith, and Julia White. From 7th grade there is Brooke Lathe, Annika Manke, Laila Martinez, Jocelyn Rosado, Alexis Sciola, and Lea White. From 6th grade there is Lizzie Barton, Natalie Camera, Abigail Lespier, Haley Lespier, and Lauren Matias. Managers this year were Samantha Meyers and Kayla Winslow.
If you enjoy fall sports, then check out the girls volleyball team next fall, listen to the broadcast in the morning for announcements about tryouts. GO WILDCATS!
This year’s volleyball team has done an outstanding job. Coach Coon said that her varsity squad never gave up. This year’s junior varsity also played great, she said. Coach Coon said the best way to win is to communicate, give 110%, and show aggression. Coach Coon said one of the best games the girls played this year was against Depaolo of Southington, where the Wildcats scored 25 points.
The 2014 fall squad are as follows: from 8th grade there is Grace Antrella, Madison Clancy, Isabell Frazza, Emily Gannon, Brooke Lavalle, Carly Massicotte, Shanice Smith, and Julia White. From 7th grade there is Brooke Lathe, Annika Manke, Laila Martinez, Jocelyn Rosado, Alexis Sciola, and Lea White. From 6th grade there is Lizzie Barton, Natalie Camera, Abigail Lespier, Haley Lespier, and Lauren Matias. Managers this year were Samantha Meyers and Kayla Winslow.
If you enjoy fall sports, then check out the girls volleyball team next fall, listen to the broadcast in the morning for announcements about tryouts. GO WILDCATS!
WMS goes to Broadway
By Zeel Patel
On April 15th about 100 people went to New York City to see the play, "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical." This is a trip that was organized and planned by Mrs. Zak. Seventh and eighth graders in band, orchestra, applied music and chorus were offered a chance to go on this trip. Our school has been going on the Broadway trips for five years.
This year there were 30 students and adults from Lincoln Middle School who attended the show with us. Mrs. Zak chose the play in September. With the help of a travel agent, seats are assigned to students. She figured out the number of people who can attend based on the amount of buses provided. This year there were two buses that provided transportation. The students benefited in many ways during this trip. Each person got to attend a Broadway workshop where they could meet set designers, choreographers, actors, writers, and dancers. Students learned about a variety of careers offered in musical theater along with the ‘ins and outs’ of performing in a Broadway show. “There are also students who have never been to NYC and who got to go there for the first time during this trip,” said Mrs. Zak.
The musical this year is based on Carole King, a famous singer and songwriter from the 70's and 80's. Mrs. Zak chooses the musicals every year based on popularity and she hopes to find shows that parents and kids will find interesting. This musical connects to her class’s music theme this year of “American Pop Decades”. When I asked Mrs. Zak what her favorite part of the trip was she answered, "I don’t have a favorite part, I like it all."
Her favorite Broadway show is, “Mamma Mia” because she grew up listening to the music from ABBA. One year, WMS went to see “Mamma Mia” on Broadway. In chorus that year, Mrs. Zak did a medley of songs from “Mamma Mia”. While watching the musical, the students were all singing and dancing along, which was a wonderful experience. I also learned from Mrs. Zak that the Broadway trip is an affordable price because it is only $189. This includes the price of the show, transportation, the workshop, and being in NYC all day. She explained that usually, the prices range from $69-$300. Mrs Zak shares, “I can’t wait to go again next year!”
On April 15th about 100 people went to New York City to see the play, "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical." This is a trip that was organized and planned by Mrs. Zak. Seventh and eighth graders in band, orchestra, applied music and chorus were offered a chance to go on this trip. Our school has been going on the Broadway trips for five years.
This year there were 30 students and adults from Lincoln Middle School who attended the show with us. Mrs. Zak chose the play in September. With the help of a travel agent, seats are assigned to students. She figured out the number of people who can attend based on the amount of buses provided. This year there were two buses that provided transportation. The students benefited in many ways during this trip. Each person got to attend a Broadway workshop where they could meet set designers, choreographers, actors, writers, and dancers. Students learned about a variety of careers offered in musical theater along with the ‘ins and outs’ of performing in a Broadway show. “There are also students who have never been to NYC and who got to go there for the first time during this trip,” said Mrs. Zak.
The musical this year is based on Carole King, a famous singer and songwriter from the 70's and 80's. Mrs. Zak chooses the musicals every year based on popularity and she hopes to find shows that parents and kids will find interesting. This musical connects to her class’s music theme this year of “American Pop Decades”. When I asked Mrs. Zak what her favorite part of the trip was she answered, "I don’t have a favorite part, I like it all."
Her favorite Broadway show is, “Mamma Mia” because she grew up listening to the music from ABBA. One year, WMS went to see “Mamma Mia” on Broadway. In chorus that year, Mrs. Zak did a medley of songs from “Mamma Mia”. While watching the musical, the students were all singing and dancing along, which was a wonderful experience. I also learned from Mrs. Zak that the Broadway trip is an affordable price because it is only $189. This includes the price of the show, transportation, the workshop, and being in NYC all day. She explained that usually, the prices range from $69-$300. Mrs Zak shares, “I can’t wait to go again next year!”