Meet the  JM Tribune Advisors

A Day in the Life of a Young Learner:

an Interview with Dimitri Hearn

By: Roman Carter 

Today, we're sitting down with a bright young student, Dimitri Hearn, to learn about his experiences and thoughts on school. 

Hi Dimitri! Can you tell us your name and a little bit about yourself?

Dimitri: My name is Dimitri Hearn, and I'm 7 years old and in kindergarten.

It's great to meet you Dimitri. What do you like about school?

Dimitri:  One thing I like is learning.

Learning is wonderful! What kinds of things are you working on in class right now?

Dimitri: We are reading a story called, Why Do Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears?

That sounds interesting! What do you like about your friends at school?

Dimitri:  I like that they are nice to me.

It’s so important to have kind friends. When is your birthday, Dimitri?

Dimitri: My birthday is on April 9th.

 Happy belated birthday! So, you mentioned you like learning. What are you learning in math these days?

Dimitri:  I'm learning how to make ten. I really like when I get the answer correct.

Math can be a lot of fun when you figure things out. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Dimitri: I want to be a firefighter so I can save people from buildings.

That’s a very noble ambition. What's one thing you are really proud of?

Dimitri: I am really proud that I am a good person. 

That’s a wonderful thing to be proud of Dimitri. Thank you for sharing with us today. Keep up the great work in school!

Dimitri: Thank you!

This concludes our insightful chat with Dimitri Hearn, a promising young student with a bright future ahead.

Administrator Spotlight: 

Mr. McNamara- Middle School Assistant Principal

Questions by: Zane Wallace

Tell me about a day in the life of an assistant principal.

Mac: The day in the life of an Assistant Principal is different every day.  My favorite days as an Assistant Principal are the days that I can get into middle school classrooms all day, observe and participate in lessons. I like to do my “Morning Rounds” during WIN time and check in on teachers and students, get a pulse on school for the day. It usually helps me know what type of day the students will have.  My least favorite days are when there is unnecessary conflict that is brought into school and I spend my days working through drama that could have been avoided. 

What is the best way to deal with an argument between two students?

Mac: I handle arguments between students in a variety of ways depending on the day. I prefer to conduct restorative meetings with students to give them an opportunity to share their perspective of the situation and talk out when they felt wronged by the other person. The ultimate goal is for students to work out the issue together and come to an agreement in the end to move past for the better. I love to see students apologize and shake hands. 

How has the school improved in terms of student achievements?

Mac: WIN time has helped students know their status in terms on academic ability and set goals for themselves. Students buying-in to their own academics and wanting to see themselves grow is the biggest factor to push student achievement. 

How would you describe why you chose this job?
        Mac: I started as a classroom teacher and saw a need for more consistent leaders in our school. I had 5 Principals over my first 4 years as a                  teacher. I felt that our school and community deserved to have consistency and be able to grow together with school leadership. I also found 

        myself to be a natural leader, whether it was through sports growing up or as a teacher leader. I miss being in the classroom but now I can make         a difference as a school leader, potentially on a larger scale. 

How does the school handle bullying?

        We try to handle situations between students prior to it getting to a “bullying” scenario. I think it is important for students to understand how               serious the impact of their hurtful words or actions can have on their classmates. I like to lean on Ms. Smith, our guidance counselor, to teach              lessons in classrooms around bullying and how harmful bullying is. 

What is the school’s policy on rewards?

Mac: We love to incentivize students. We unfortunately focus so much on the students that are doing the wrong thing, and sometime forget about the students doing the right thing. A big goal of the school this year was to change that mindset and incentivize and reward the students that are SOARing everyday.  We change up incentives throughout the year to keep things fresh and exciting. For example, the change to the raffle ticket system with daily winners being announced at the end of the day. 

When a Teacher Pushes You….

By: Nailah Collick- 7th Grade English Teacher 

When a teacher pushes you 

It's because we’d rather do too much 

then live knowing we didn't give enough

When a teacher pushes you 

Its' in all the ways you haven't learned how to 

It's because we’re already proud of you 

When a teacher pushes you 

It's just in case the world doesn’t

You’ll have the backing of all your teachers within you

Long after you’ve finished school 

Years from now when there's no one to tell you complete the homework  assigned 

When there's no one making sure you get to class on time 

You’ll know how to do it on your own 

How to give yourself  that push even when you're alone

When a teacher pushes you 

It's because we see all the ways the world may overlook you 

So we highlight all the great things within you 

All the great things you can do 

In hopes that one day, 

You’ll see it too 

When a teacher pushes you 

It's because you’re not just the future 

You Are OUR future 

Everything you learn, every success you take 

Will change a part of the world some day 

When a teacher pushes you it's because we see past your mistakes 

We see past the redirections

We see  so much more than your class or section 

Each time you raise your hand to ask us a question 

It means you’re filling learning gaps with each lesson  

You’re taking several steps in the right direction 

So No, there is NEVER a such thing as a dumb question

When A teacher pushes you

It's because we see architects and doctors

Teachers and Nurses

Artists and Mechanics 

Successful and independent 

When a teacher pushes you 

It's because we see you 

It's because we need you 

It's because tomorrow starts with you

Problem or not? Group Chat Controversy-

By: Haija Dolo

50% of middle school students who took a survey said that group chats have gotten out of control. Students feel that group chats are either made for a good reason and lose purpose, or were created to spread inappropriate content. 80% of students who took this survey believed that administrators’ form of consequences is very over-the-top and still doesn’t make the students listen. The students also believe that a better consequence is a phone call home rather than suspension. Other sources like blogs and other schools have similar problems and discuss ways to prevent them. For example, leave a group chat that is turning mean or inappropriate. To know if a group chat is inappropriate, look for signs of immaturity or insulting language and graphic content. To prevent these issues keep a group chat strictly for one appropriate topic like school or a fun group activity. If you feel a group chat is getting out of hand, tell a trusted adult.