Mrs. Smith is a welcome addition to our staff

by Adriana Lunsford

Mrs. Karrie Smith is not only an aide here at FCMS, but she's also a helpful substitute and SRT teacher and is there when needed.

Mrs. Smith is a mother of four: Shelby, 19; Chelsey, 16; Brycen, 13; and Whyatt, 8. An interesting fact one probably doesn’t know is Mrs. Smith has a 7th-month-old grandson.

“Treat people the same way you want to be treated,” is Mrs. Smith's famous motto for life.

Mrs. Smith says if she were to take one day off work, we could find her out in nature, perking up her flowers as-well as, and out and about in her garden.

Her students know she works hard. Moreover, some advice Mrs. Smith has for students: “Stay in school, pay attention, get good grades, and treat others with respect.”

In the future, Mrs. Smith hopes her students would treat her with the same respect they show to a regular teacher.

Since she’s a positive person, perhaps it’s not surprising that one of her favorite songs is “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. She stated it’s a song that is just relatable.

We hope Mrs. Smith enjoys teaching and lending a helping hand. We’re glad to have her here, and it doesn't go unnoticed that she is a kind person. Thanks for being a part of our community, Mrs. Smith!

Mrs. Yager retires after 35 years of service

by Cierra Perry

Most of us know Mrs. Bev Yager, our prestigious 8th grade math teacher at FCMS, but it may be news to some that she is retiring at the end of the year, after 35 years of teaching pre-algebra, algebra, and English language arts! Let’s take a minute to thank her for all she’s done for us.

During her years as a teacher, Mrs. Yager has worked at Rushville Consolidated High School, Brookville Junior High, Laurel High School, Brookville Middle School, and Franklin County Middle School.

During her first few years of teaching, she taught language arts then switched over to pre-algebra and algebra. At one point, when she was teaching at Brookville Junior High, she was also a lunch monitor and sold ice cream to students in the hallway after they ate lunch. One thing she remembers from Laurel High School was it had one hallway and a cafeteria in the back of the classroom!

Many of her accomplishments include her education. Before she started teaching, Mrs. Yager received her bachelor's degree from Ball State University, where she majored in middle school math education and a supporting area in language arts. She also received her master’s degree in education from Indiana Wesleyan University. In 2005 she was awarded the Toshiba Grant for Education. Mrs. Yager was also the coach of the Brookville Middle School (FCMS Middle School) Academic Team from 1989-2013.

Why did Mrs. Yager become a teacher? She explained, “When I was a student in school, I always had ideas of how the teacher could say or do things differently to help students learn better. I always liked to ‘play school”’ with my best friend on Saturday mornings when we were in 1st and 2nd grades. I always liked the school environment, and I liked helping other students. When I was in high school, I was planning on being a secretary and was able to work half-days during my senior year as a secretary for a law firm. I found it wasn’t something I wanted to do for the next 45 years of my life. My boyfriend at the time (and now husband) strongly encouraged me to go to college and fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher.”

Mrs. Yager commented on how she would most like to be remembered: “I hope they remember that I care about them and was able to help them become a better and more successful person. I hope I was able to help them learn skills that would help them in their next math class and in life,” she stated. The thing she said she will most miss about teaching and FCMS is, “The students who have a desire to learn and strive each day to do their best.” She will also miss the faculty at FCMS. Her motto that has also kept her going is by Malcom X: “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

Mrs. Yagers’ advice to the students is to always try your best and ask questions when you don’t understand something. Every teacher I know will bend over backwards to help a student who is trying. To the teachers she wants to remind them to hang in there and focus on the positives.

Her retirement plans are that she would love to spend more time with family and friends, help more with her church, travel, and play pickleball, as well as cards. She will continue to live in Decatur County, since her husband will still be farming and teaching in Columbus.

What she would most like to accomplish during her retirement is she would like to travel to Europe, Costa Rica, and Australia. She hopes to make it on Wheel of Fortune or Chain Reaction one day. Mrs. Yager would also like to help students become better at math by tutoring adults who are working toward getting a GED.

After her retirement she will most likely be with her family, which consists of her husband, Jerry, who farms and teaches algebra at Indiana University-Purdue University at Columbus. She also has a son, Doug, who is 30 years old and lives in Indianapolis and drives for FedEx. She has a daughter, Alicia, who is 26 years old and lives in Fairfield, Ohio. Her daughter Alicia is married and is a financial analyst for Total Quality Logistics.

Congratulations again, Mrs. Yager, on your retirement, and we hope to see you on Wheel of fortune or Chain Reaction in the future. FCMS will miss you!

FCMS welcomes Mrs. Riffle to the agriculture department

by Taylan Brewer

There is a fresh new face in our school: Mrs. Angie Riffle has recently taken the position of teaching agriculture here at FCMS.

Mrs. Riffle is part of a family of six, with two high schoolers, Maggie and Joe; two middle schoolers, Izzie and Ben; and a husband, Don, of 21 years of marriage.

Mrs. Riffle added, “We have lots of pets at home: rabbits, chickens, cats, and fish.”

“Be prepared and flexible” is Mrs. Riffle’s motto for her job, as she stated, “Being prepared and flexible is very helpful for when it’s time to get up and roll for the day.”

“I took this position because I’m passionate about ag and education,” Mrs. Riffle declared.

Mrs. Riffle grew up in Oxford, Ohio. She loves going on family vacations, and her favorite vacation spot is any beach or places to hike. She exclaimed, “I love the ocean, and the beach is relaxing!”

Mrs. Riffle says if she were to take one day off work, we would find her traveling, most likely by mountains so that she could go hiking, which she enjoys doing in her free time.

Not surprisingly, as a teacher, Mrs. Riffle stays really busy. If we were to find her on a school night, we would find her either at the school working on grades and assignments or at one of her children’s sporting events.

As for her favorites, her go-to snack is ice cream. Mrs. Riffle exclaimed, “Any ice cream with peanut butter or chocolate is my favorite!” Unbroken is Mrs. Riffle’s favorite book that she has most recently read.

Already Mrs. Riffle has advice for us: “Never give up, be accountable for your actions, and always ask for help when needed.”

In the future, Mrs. Riffle hopes her students will remember that she was always fair and compassionate.

It’s clear that Mrs. Riffle is a very smart and kind person. We’re so glad to welcome her to our school and hope she continues to enjoy working with the students here as an ag teacher.

Ms. Burris adds energy and tech savvy to FCMS

by Mady Stone

FCMS is getting technical, with our new tech coordinator, Ms. India Burris! Her lively, electric-powered room is located at the beginning of the 6th-grade hallway, room 115.

A typical morning in her classroom is busy, with students coming in and out with repairs. But that isn’t a bad thing because Ms. Burris likes interacting with her students and staff; in fact, it’s her favorite part of the job! As for her biggest challenge, Ms. Burris stated, “Sending out bills and fees for chromebooks has to be the most challenging part of being a teacher or tech coordinator.”

Ms. Burris decided to be a tech coordinator because that’s why she’s in college: technology!

Ms. Burris always wants her students to remember that she is always there for them. Her motto for life could help many students as well: “Keep moving forward.” Her advice to students is, “Enjoy the time you’re here. You grow up fast.”

Speaking of growing up, Ms. Burris is from Buena Vista, Indiana but went to school at Laurel, St. Michaels, Oldenburg Academy, and Ball State University. She has a big family, which consists of her mom, Misty Burris; her dad, Gregg Burris; her brother, Byron Burris; and her sister, Nadia Burris.

Something that we would be surprised to hear about is that Ms. Burris is still in college and that she’s only 20 years old! Nevertheless, she’s tech savvy and dedicated enough to handle this challenging career.

It’s 7 p.m. on a school night, one can find Ms. Burris, painting, or doing arts and crafts. If Ms. Burris took a day off of work, she would go to an aquarium with friends. “No one wants to see sharks alone,” declared Ms. Burris. We can also find Mr. Burris making Mac & Cheese at 5 p.m. on a school night and sharing most of it with her fiance.

If Ms. Burris had to choose between time travel or a vacation, she would choose a vacation spot because, as she acknowledged, “I’m too scared to travel back in time!”

Maybe one can find Ms. Burris jamming to “Barbie Girl”, by Aqua, because it’s her favorite song. “My favorite song is “Barbie Girl” because it’s a funny song,” admitted Ms. Burris.

Make sure to give Ms. Burris a big welcome! With her techy talent, maybe one day we can find her producing and directing her own “Barbie Girl” type music video. FCMS is glad to welcome Ms. Burris, and we are grateful not only for her technical skills but also her fun personality!

Best wishes to Mr. Corey Bowling, beloved tech coordinator

by Dakoda Keith

Our Mr. Corey Bowling, tech coordinator, is now leaving to go to a new position. His new position is as a remote tech at Sun Chemical in Cincinnati. He exclaimed, ”I am going to miss helping the students and teachers!”

He will be missed in FCMS, since he always made the day brighter. Mr. Bowling’s kind attitude always brought smiles to the students’ faces. He explained, “The most changeling part of my job here is not being able to spend time with the kids more because once one comes in to see him, they all come in.’’

When explaining why he chose to be a tech instructor, he proclaimed, “I love computers, and I want to share what I know with y’all.”

Mr. Bowling explained why he fit in nicely with the students and staff at FCMS. “I grew up in Laurel, Indiana, a very small town where everybody knows everyone. That is how Brookville is. Everybody knows everybody, and nobody goes by without saying a word. That's where I come from.”

Mr. Bowling hopes we all will remember him as a helpful, caring person, going out of his way for us.

When thinking about mottos in life, tell me what you think about Mr. Bowling’s: “You can’t take life too seriously.”

When we talk about his family, we find out that Mr. Bowling lives at home with his younger sisters. “One of them is going to Ball State to work in social work, and the other sister is going to IUE to work in computer science.”

Besides his job, Mr. Bowling admitted, “I play a lot of video games. “

Another surprising thing is that he plays guitar and drums.

Some of Mr. Bowling’s faves: He loves the Beatles. His favorite books are Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Favorite vacation spot: Florida, especially Walt Disney World.

Author’s note:

Wow, Mr. Bowling has been here since 2018. When a little 6th grader walked into his class, he/she found a tall shoulder because of how nice and kind Mr. Bowling was with students.

Walking into his class, I think that was, hands down, the most fun class of all of 6th grade. He always sets the mood in his class, it feels like. He lets loose. His class was way laid back, seemingly the most peaceful class.

Mr. Bowling has some final advice for students: “Never give up on trying new things and try to stay calm during Covid.“

Iit has been a pleasure having Mr. Bowling in our school by brightening our day everyday and being a very outgoing person. Best wishes on the new career!

Mrs. Osborne provides heaps of positivity and praise

by Mady Stone

We have a new source of positivity here at FCMS: her name is Mrs. Danielle Osborne! Mrs. Osborne is the new special education teacher. Her fun, empowering, and creative classrooms are located at the end of the sixth-grade hallway.

This is only her second year of teaching, but she has wonderful long-term goals. Mrs. Osborne stated, “I have always wanted to see kids accomplish something great.”

Mrs. Osborne says a typical morning in her classroom is, “Positive, fun, with cheerful students, students playing music, relaxed, and with me and my staff helping the students understand.” She also explained that the most challenging part of being a teacher is making sure that every student is included in the classroom and feels welcome.

Growing up close by in Liberty, Indiana, Mrs. Osborne always wanted to be a teacher. She went to Union County High School and Ball State University. Her motto for life is, “Be kind, no matter if it is within the classroom or outside of it.” She also wants her students to know and remember that they are always loved.

Mrs. Osborne has three brothers and just recently got married to her husband, Cole, in May of 2020! (Congrats!) She and her husband have a dog and a cat but no children yet.

At 7 p.m. on a school night, we can see Mrs. Osborne watching movies (preferably Disney or Marvel), cleaning, or reading. If she took a day off of work, Mrs. Osborne would, “Spend the day with my husband or best friend and do nothing, maybe go shopping or go out to eat, ” she remarked.

Some surprising things about Mrs. Osborne are that she can play the tuba, is a Broadway musical nerd, is amazing at song trivia, and can identify soundtracks of movies. Her favorite books focus on human rights/overcoming things, and they are The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou.

Finally, if Mrs. Osborne could choose between a time machine or her favorite vacation spot, she would choose a place she’s never been--Alaska in the fall--to see the northern lights.

Her advice to students is to, “Believe in yourself, remember to smile, and know your worth.” We are so happy Mrs. Osborne is here to help students know how much they are valued and loved and hope that Mrs. Osborne has a wonderful year here at FCMS!

Mrs. Hornberger receives nomination for outstanding agriculture educator

by Kenadie Powell

Congratulations to Mrs. Teri Hornberger, 7th and 8th grade Ag teacher, for receiving the Golden Owl award, an honor for outstanding educators in the field of agriculture education! “I received my nomination letter certificate in the mail. It didn't even say who nominated me for the Golden Owl,” Mrs. Hornberger explained about receiving this prestigious honor.

Even though this is only her 2nd year as a teacher, Mrs. Hornberger has clearly already made an impression. As a teacher, what would she want her students to remember her for? Mrs. Hornberger stated, ”I want them to remember that I pushed them out of their comfort zone to try something new.” The hardest part about being a teacher is,” Having a short amount of time with my students. There is so much I want to teach them,” she remarked.

What would a typical morning look like in her room? “A typical morning? Controlled chaos. We have a whole bunch of laughter as well!” she exclaimed. Mrs. Hornberger likes her job because, as she puts it, “I can help them with Ideas, and they can learn new skills.”

What's her advice for students? She declared, ”Don't be afraid to try something! If you fail, make mistakes and don't give up.” A motto in her life/job is, ”When plan A fails, you have 25 more letters in the alphabet!”

Mrs. Hornberger has been married to her husband, Chad, for 23 years. They have three sons: Jacob, 22; Troy, 17; and Peyton, 16. She also has 3 dogs, 12 cows, and 15 rabbits.

Mrs. Hornberger is not a Franklin County native. “My hometown is Moundsville, West Virginia. I moved to Indiana in the 4th grade. I live in Sunman, Indiana with my family. I was also adopted when I was only one day old.”

“I became a teacher because when I watched my son struggle in school, I wanted to become an understanding, compassionate teacher who helps a student reach their full potential,” Mrs. Hornberger noted.

In her free time, whenever she doesn't have to go to school and could just take the day off, she would be, ”Either be sitting on the couch catching up on my favorite show, Grey's Anatomy. Or working on the garden and yard, but yes, of course, there would be shopping!” she declared.

Congratulations go to Mrs. Hornberger for being nominated for this honor. Surely this is the first of many honors to come your way!

We have superheroes in our midst

Celebrate Lunch Superhero Day on May 7th

Meet our lunch superheroes

by Kiley Robinson and Paige Ripberger

Do you ever think about how hard the lunch staff actually works? Or how long they have been working here? Well, now is your chance to learn about them. Everytime you go through the lunch line, maybe you should think about how much work is put into the food that is put on your tray. Help celebrate Lunch Hero Day this May 7th!

Sandy Boggs, one of our cafeteria superheroes, is a loyal, caring, and helpful staff member. She has been working at our school for 26 years, and she has seen all of the changes over the past years. “We used to cook all of the food by scratch, but now it all comes packaged,and all we have to do is heat it up to the right temperature,” Sandy explained. She also commented that the kids haven't changed much.

“The work place is very busy and fun, and the workers are fun to be around, but man does it get busy!” Sandy exclaimed. Aspects she takes pride in are the food they prepare and the cleanliness of the kitchen. If you've ever been back in the kitchen, you would agree: the counters are spotless, and the floors are squeaky clean. The food that the lunch ladies prepare is fantastic, and they work very hard to give the students of FCMS a full stomach every lunch period.

Another worker that works in our lunch room is Amanda Jansing, who is a fresh member of our lunch team. Amanda has been working here for three years. She would describe a normal day as, “Fast paced and very busy.”

Amanda’s favorite part of being a cook is baking anything. She enjoys baking pastries and other foods. Amanda declared, “I take pride in how well I do my job.” She is proud to be part of our FCMS lunch team. Amanda works hard everyday to be the best at what she does.

Angie Westerfeld is the cafeteria and food manager here at FCMS. She has been helping to serve us fresh meals for approximately 31 years now!

Mrs. Angie Westerfeld says a normal day is quite busy, but she loves “meeting all the different children.” The thing Mrs. Westerfeld takes pride in is the food she serves. She exclaimed, “I enjoy the job because it’s fun, and the job is always changing!”

Another member of the lunch staff here at FCMS is Alica Lemons. It’s her first year working in the kitchen staff.

Alica enjoys the job because it lets her get out of the house and get to meet the students. She mentioned, “I always try to do my best and take pride in my work.”

Our newest addition to the cafeteria workers is Danielle Roberts. She just started working at FCMS back in February.

Danielle describes a typical day as frantic. She stated, “When we have spare moments, we are supposed to fill them.” Danielle takes pride in a job well done.

Our lunch team is very hard working and makes sure that the students of FCMS are healthy and happy. The next time you see a lunch lady, maybe you should say thank you or ask how her day is going. You wouldn't believe how happy a little remark can make a person. Hats off to our lunch superheroes who save the day each and every day!

Mrs. Kaiser earns statewide advisor award

by Kate Fain

Franklin County Middle School teacher Mrs. Beth Kaiser has won the Spirit of Advising award! She was chosen for advisor of the year for the Indiana State FCCLA organization. FCCLA helps promote leadership and students’ futures outside of school. Mrs. Kaiser was nominated by Mrs. Jacque Barricklow, fellow FCHS teacher.

Mrs. Kaiser was in awe when she found out she had won the award. In fact, she had no idea about her chance of winning until she was told, during the ceremony, to move and sit in the front row. Once she sat down, she looked over and was surprised to see her husband and one of her daughters! She was then presented the award.

Out of 33 years teaching,Mrs. Kaiser has been teaching for 28 years in Franklin County. She has also taken up the role of secretary for the 4H association, Mt. Carmel student council sponsor for 20 years, member at St. Thomas Lutheran Church, cheer coach for 30 years, Empowering Young Families board member, as well as membership in Club 21 Homemakers and Delta Theta Sorority.

Mrs. Kaiser graduated from Brookville High School and went to college at Purdue University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in science. From there she taught Family & Consumer Science and science at Mt. Carmel School until she became a full time FACS teacher.

Mrs. Kaiser is currently the FACS teacher at the middle school and FCHS. On an average day one can find her in her classroom with her students, teaching them how to sew, cook, and other life skills. Her class is always very busy doing labs and trying new activities.

Mrs. Kaiser loves being around her students and her peers. She always tries to be positive and always starts her day with a smile.

In her free time she likes to work in her organic garden, take care of her grandchildren, and eat in outdoor restaurants. She and her husband Maury have three daughters, Kristi, Kelsey, Kylene, as well as five grandchildren, Kenley, Lucas, Paxton, Bennett, and Gemma.

Her advice for students is to always do one’s best and stay in school. One of her students, Kaiden Maxie, remarked about why she is so influential: “Her students have grown to be a family, and her students love her crazy stories and all of the life skills she teaches.”

FCMS is so very proud of Mrs. Kaiser and all she has achieved. Congratulations, Mrs. Kaiser! Thank you for all you have done for the past and present students.

Trusty aide Lorna Dowd looks to life after FCMS

by Landon Gabbard

Did you know that one of our fabulous teachers’ aides here at FCMS is resigning? Her name is Mrs. Lorna Dowd and has been working as an aide here FCMS for ten years.

Why did Mrs. Dowd want to become an aide? ”I like working with kids,” she declared.

A typical morning for Mrs. Dowd is keeping busy trying to help get the students organized.

When asked what was her most challenging part of her job, Mrs. Dowd explained, “The most challenging part of my job is always having the patience for the kids.”

What Mrs. Dowd wants the students she has helped teach to remember her for is being loving and caring to them.

Mrs. Dowd’s hometown is here in Franklin County. She was born and raised in Metamora and still currently lives there. She lives with her loving husband, Jack, and has three kids and five grandchildren. One of her grandchildren is due for birth this summer.

In fact, what Mrs. Dowd will be doing most of the time after she resigns is, “Watching after my grandkids most of the time,” she declared.

Mrs. Dowd has some clear favorites that make her smile. Her favorite music is country. Mrs. Dowd stated, “My favorite kind of music is country music because it is more upbeat.” She added, “My favorite kinds of movies are romantic comedies.”

She already has a travel spot picked out. Mrs. Dowd’s favorite vacation spot is Orange Beach, Alabama. In addition, she looks forward to having more free time.

Finally, Mrs. Dowd would like to remind us, “Always work hard and keep trying.”

Hopefully, Mrs. Dowd had a good time at FCMS and had fun helping with students. Best wishes and thanks for all of your hard work and dedication!

Welcome, Mr. Elleman, our social studies student teacher

by Kiley Robinson

FCMS has a new addition to our hallways! His name is Mr. Dakota Elleman, and he is a student teacher in Mr. Gutzwiller’s classroom.

He is currently a senior at Indiana University who is training and getting educated to become a social studies teacher.

Mr. Elleman is a busy man these days, as he is also the track coach at Union County. His hometown is Bath, Indiana, so he is giving his extra time to help out local athletes.

Mr. Elleman decided to pursue a career in teaching because, in his opinion, it is the most direct way to help people out. He wants his students to remember him as “energetic”.

He also stated, “I hope to teach my students life lessons.”

When asked his motto in life, Mr. Elleman confidently replied, “Never give up!” Speaking of never giving up, his advice to students is, “To persevere through Covid19 because it will get better. “

If Mr. Elleman took a day off from his job to do anything he wanted, he would spend it watching basketball with his mom, dad, brother, and sister.

Mr. Elleman enjoys the musical Hamilton and also enjoys the Rocky movies, and favorite vacation spot is Punta Cana.

His favorite part about teaching so far are his students. He exclaimed, “They make the day so much better!”

We are thrilled to have Mr. Elleman here at our school and wish him a great semester!

Mrs. Dishman retires after 41 years of service in education

by Colin Troyer

We all know Mrs. Barbara Dishman, one of the 8th grade history teachers at FCMS. After 41 years as an American History and English teacher, she will finally achieve a well-deserved retirement at the end of this year.

During her years as an educator, Mrs. Dishman has worked at Laurel Middle School, Laurel High School (when it had one), and Franklin County Middle School. At Laurel Jr. High School, she was a volleyball coach for two years. She was also the athletic director at Laurel Jr. High School for 16 years.

Mrs. Dishman attended college at Ball State University, obtaining a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history, political science, and English.

She decided to become an educator because she always enjoyed it, and she loved to work with children. Both her mother and grandmother were influences, since her grandmother had been a teacher and her mother wanted to be one.

When asked what she would like her students to remember about her, Mrs. Dishman remarked, “ I hope they remember me as an honest and fair teacher who tried to show them why they should appreciate and remember the sacrifices our ancestors made, as they created our country.”

Mrs. Dishman will miss the staff and interacting with kids the most when in retirement. She will also miss the people and laughs. Mrs. Dishman declared, “There’s a lot of funny stuff that goes on here. It’s a wonderful place to work.”

Mrs. Dishman’s wisdom for staff and students is no matter what, try to keep a positive outlook and enjoy what you do. Mrs. Dishman proclaimed, ““The students needed to be more responsible and take pride in their work. FCMS is lucky to have a staff of good, hard-working of people.”

After the last day of school, Mrs. Dishman intends to stay put right here in Franklin County, although she would like to make a trip to Ireland. Another major highlight of Mrs. Dishman’s retirement is to get a more detailed replica of her family tree.

Mrs. Dishman’s husband, Jay, is a site manager at the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site. She has one daughter, Megan, who is a pharmacist at the Greenfield Kroger, Indiana.

Upon retirement, she will miss the friendships, the routine, and the people. Nevertheless, Mrs. Dishman added that she “won’t miss E-learning!” At FCMS, Mrs. Dishman said that when she is here, she feels like she belongs.

We will miss Mrs. Dishman when she retires, and we will always remember her lasting and positive contributions. We would like to congratulate her on her successful teaching career and wish her all the best!

Mrs. Isaacs is a fresh face with loads of enthusiasm and experience

by Paige Ripberger

Have you noticed any new faces in our school? Well, many students have taken an interest in a new teacher at FCMS, Mrs. April Isaacs. Her students have learned that she is a friendly addition to our faculty.

Even though this is her first year at the middle school, Mrs. Isaacs has been teaching for 32 years. While she teaches here in the morning, she spends the rest of the day at FCHS.

She went to college for 5 ½ years, which includes her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Fun fact: Mrs. Isaacs was a coach for 20 years! She actually became a teacher to pursue coaching. In fact, she coached the volleyball and tennis teams at Tri High School, near Cambridge City, for three years.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Mrs. Isaacs’ favorite sport is volleyball, which she played while in college at Ball State. She also enjoys anything competitive, such as wrestling.

Another fun fact about Mrs. Isaacs is that her favorite meal is steak, mashed potatoes, any kind of vegetable, and salad with ranch dressing.

Mrs. Isaacs loves her children dearly. We know this because if she were to take a day off work to do something she loved, besides her job, we would see her with her children. She explained with delight, "I would spend time with my kids. They are older now, but I still love spending time with them. Their names are Courtney and Travis.

Often there is a hidden hobby that people often do not tell. Well, sorry Mrs. Isaacs, it’s time to tell them. What is something we would be surprised to hear? Mrs. Isaacs answered, “My husband Keith and I like to do little home projects here and there.”

Mrs. Isaacs’ favorite vacation spot is a beach so that she and her husband can sit and relax. When they are at the beach. They either sit and read, listen to music, or love taking walks on the shoreline. She also loves to go to historical vacation spots too. She stated proudly, “It connects to the literature lessons I teach.”

Mrs. Isaacs is a very inspiring teacher. Her students can tell this by the quotes that are her favorite. One of her favorite quotes is, “You can always do more than you think you can. Never sell yourself short.”

Clearly Mrs. Isaacs’ students see her as a good teacher. She treats her students as family, and she even calls them, “my darlings.” The students of FCMS are super psyched to have you in our school!

Mr. Lakes creates a personable atmosphere for classes at FCMS

by Kaiden Maxie

In this edition of ‘jr. reporter’, you’ll read my exclusive interview with faculty member Mr. Doug Lakes! Stay tuned for some exciting and very interesting yet surprising news, in a Q and A style writing!

For those of you who don’t know, Mr. Doug Lakes is our SRT and gym teacher. This teacher truly can do it all! When asked what his morning routine was, he responded with, “For the first three periods of the day, I'm a gym teacher at the high school.” With two schools, that's quite a busy schedule!

Later Mr. Lakes commented on what he loved most about his job: ”Teasing the kids when I get to know them.” Mr. Lakes had plenty of things to say about all kinds of topics, but his motto in life was easy for him: “God, family, and country.”

Mr. Lakes also stated, “I have a son named Robert. He's a science teacher at Goshen high school in Goshen, Ohio.” “My daughter Courtney works at Montana State University in Billings, Montana. She is an academic advisor,” he proudly declared.

It’s surprising his family is so spread out because in an earlier question about his hometown, Mr. Lakes said he grew up in Hamilton, Ohio. He later said he moved to a country spot and has since enjoyed it. When asked about Mr. Lakes’ schooling, he said he graduated from Miami University.

I asked Mr. Lakes towards the end of the interview what he would be doing with a sudden day off work. “Fishing!” he declared. “It’s relaxing, and it’s therapeutic.”

At the end of the interview we got into some fun questions, such as what a 5 p.m. snack looks like. Mr. Lakes replied, ”Hmmm uh, 5 p.m.? That's a grilled cheese sandwich.”

My final question to Mr. Lakes had this to say when asked about his favorite book and song: ”My favorite book is the Bible, and Amazing Grace is a good song.”

Always a personable faculty member, we wish him well with his endeavors to enjoy the countryside and are glad Mr. Lakes adds to the positive atmosphere at FCMS!

Mrs. Nobbe's Australia rug provides a safe respite from world's troubles

by Allie Melton

Have you stepped foot into Mrs. Nobbe’s room? Maybe even when you are having a bad day?

Well, her rug of Australia is somewhere we all can go to take a deep breath before we start our day.

Mrs. Nobbe proclaimed that in the book called Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, a boy in the book is having a bad day, so he wants to go to Australia.

The boy’s mom in this book claims that things can still be bad, even in Australia.

Consequently, anyone can come and sit on Australia in her room and have a better day.

The rug acknowledge that everyone has bad days sometimes, and that way other people know that they are not having the best start to their day.

Mrs. Nobbe is looking out for the students in her room and wants to help people be relaxed and feel acknowledged.

When you aren’t having the greatest day, just stop by Mrs. Nobbe’s room to visit the land down under!

Meet 217, the classroom with character

by Serinity Wright

Have you noticed how adventurous and out of the ordinary room 217 looks?

That’s because our teacher, Mr. Sells, decorates his room in all sorts of wacky decor to make sure students are relaxing and concentrated, in order to focus on his teachings in language arts.

Mr. Sells chose to decorate his room the way he did because when he was a little kid, he had always wanted a 90’s or adventure-themed room, so he kind of chose both.

Mr. Sells mentioned, “I’ve always been a big kid at heart,” which could probably mean the little things do matter.

The main reason Mr. Sells themed it ‘adventure’ is, as he expressed, “I put the kids’ personality everywhere.”

He has always been the teacher to make the objects in his room feel like they were our own--or make it feel as if we have done something well, whether that is going to a movie or flying to Washington.

What he wants most if for his students to do their best and to feel comfortable.

Whether Mr. Sells is grumpy or happy, he’ll always try his best to make his students feel cared for and never left out in room 217, where everything feels cozier.

Mrs. Hornberger inspires all students to meet their potential

by Serinity Wright

Our new Ag educator, Mrs. Teri Hornberger, is the kind of teacher in which students view as an understanding person. She is hardworking, with a goal of making people happier and getting them somewhere successful in life.

At the beginning of a busy day of teaching agriculture, she starts off with a class period of teaching college and career readiness. Her class period starts with bell ringers or finishing projects before moving on to the busy day’s lessons.

Mrs. Hornberger’s thoughts are, “First think, second believe, third dream, and finally, dare.”

She loves her job because she gets to help different unique students. In fact, Mrs. Hornberger exclaimed, “No day is the same as yesterday!”

She is a mother of three children: Jacob, 20: Troy, 16: and Payton, 15.

Mrs. Hornberger explained about her own upbringing , “I was adopted at a day old and have never met my birth parents.”

With her family, she grew up in a little town in an elementary school of maximum of ten students in each classroom.

She was born in Moundsville, West Virginia. The school was Limestone Elementary, with one teacher for 2nd and 3rd grades because there were only a total of 200 students.

In college she was a student at the University of Cincinnati. She is working on completing a license for Ag in a few weeks by taking an exam.

In Mrs. Hornberger's free time, she is either cheering for the football team Batesville High or helping with her FFA group, or if it's hot, she is outside or reading. Her favorite author is JK Rowling, and her favorite book is The Shack.

A big Chicago sports fan, she prefers football and baseball and going to the Chicago Cubs or Chicago Bears games.

No matter how busy or stressed Mrs. Hornberger is, she is one of the hardest working teachers at FCMS. Welcome, Mrs. Hornberger!

Science teacher Mrs. Brown stays busy filling many roles

by Allyson Miller

Kind-hearted, confident, and conscientious--all of these words describe Mrs. Brown. Many of us may know her as an 8th grade science teacher at FCMS, but there is so much more to her than we may realize.

Despite being a busy teacher, she finds time to coach high school cheerleading, stay active in her community, and--above all--maintain her status as a wonderfully supportive mother to her three children.

Mrs. Brown went to Indiana University, graduating in 1990. She later completed her master's degree at Miami University in 2004. She commented that she got interested in teaching science from her college teacher and high school mentor.

A love of education runs in her family. Her mother worked at Brookville Elementary, and her

grandfather was the first BES principal, as well as a founder of the Heap Memorial Pool and the W.A.T.C.H. center!

When being asked why students should find science important, she explained, ¨I would say because science is awesome!¨

Mrs. Brown added, ¨My favorite thing about teaching science would be when students really understand the concept and can relate it to their lives.¨

She also revealed, ¨The most challenging part of teaching this class is having kids understand how valuable they are and for them to discover their super power, whatever it may be.¨ Something exciting coming up soon in her class is her lesson about genetics.

When being asked what she hopes her students remember most about this class, she remarked, ¨I hope they remember that they can count on me for support and to have some love of science.¨

Mrs. Brown's motto for life is the famous Nike quote, ¨Just Do it.¨ Another favorite of hers is ¨Just believe.¨

Did you know Mrs. Brown loves to read? That’s just one of the interestings things we might be surprised to know about her. She also loves the beach, as well as rooting people on, especially during IU basketball games.

One thing you may not know about her is that she is a part of the pool committee for the future aquatic center and has been for almost three years.

She has been married for 27 years to Bill Brown. She has three loving children: Andrew, who is 26; Nick, who is 24; and Alexis, who is 18.

Mrs. Brown is an interesting person and an amazing teacher. Her love for her job is apparent to her students and staff.

Thanks, Mrs. Brown, for being a part of FCMS as such a wonderful educator!

Mrs. Bradley, custodian, loves her job because she loves middle schoolers

by Paige Ashcraft

Do you realize how hard our custodians work? Have you ever taken the time to thank them or get to know them?

Mrs. Bradley is one of our hardworking custodians at FCMS. She enjoys her job because, “I am being able to walk around and move my legs a little more, and I still get to see the kids,” Mrs. Bradley remarked.

“I got interested in what I was doing because I was a stay- at-home-mom, and when my youngest, Makinzee, started middle school, I saw an opening, and I took it. That’s when I first became and aide, and I have been an aide for 7 years,” Mrs. Bradley explained.

The most challenging part about Mrs. Bradley’s job is keeping up with the work because it’s a lot to do.

Mrs. Bradley hopes the kids remember that she cared because she does. Mrs. Bradley cares about each and every one of us and, she wants to help any of us if we come to her.

Did you know Mrs. Bradley loves motorcycles?

She loves to ride, and she and her husband do a lot of benefit rides for cancer and to help kids with special needs.

Did you know everything in the sensory room is from Mrs. Bradley and the other aides? They worked to put everything in the new facility. Previously, it was just a room with nothing in it. Now they have a lot of equipment to help students with sensory challenges.

Mr. and Mrs. Bradley have five girls: Alicia, Megan, Nikki, Maranda, and Makinzee. They also have ten grandchildren.

Besides riding motorcycles, Mrs. Bradley loves to spend time outdoors involved with other hobbies such as hunting, taking walks, or being at Panama City Beach.

Thank you, Mrs. Bradley, for being here for the kids and for cleaning our school. We know it’s a lot to do, but you manage to do it all!

Our teachers lend talents to high school sports

by Adam Barrett

Did you know that some of our great teachers at FCMS coach high school sports? Mr. Huber, Mr. Vanmeter, Mr Deters, and Mrs. Brown all enjoy coaching high school sports.

Mr. Huber has always been involved in sports. Mr. Huber played basketball, baseball, and football as a kid. He enjoyed playing sports and played all the way to high school. He loves coaching high school sports and currently coaches 9th grade basketball and is the assistant golf coach. Mr. Huber said he likes the competitiveness of the game at that level.

Mr. Huber commented,¨I love to try to get kids to college.¨ He admits that it is sometimes hard to juggle his schedule between being a teacher and a coach.

Mr. Van Meter coaches junior varsity basketball for FCHS. He started playing basketball at the age of 5 and kept going until high school. Mr. Walter had some opportunities to play college basketball but chose not to. He remarked, ¨I have always wanted to be a coach.¨

Mr. Van Meter started as an assistant coach for Mt.Carmel and worked his way up. He said he loves to help players get better at the sport. He said it is hard to juggle his schedule as a teacher and a coach, but it is worth it.

Mr. Deters formerly coached wrestling for years at FCHS but no longer coaches any sports at FCHS or FCMS. He is now our art teacher at FCMS. About coaching, Mr. Deters commented, ¨I love seeing students achieve their goals and develop.¨

Mr. Deters said that it is hard to coach at the high because he does not know the students there as well as he knows the students at the middle school.

Mrs. Brown is the assistant FCHS cheer coach. She also teaches ICP for 8th graders, regular science for 8th graders,_, and advanced 7th grade science.

Mrs. Brown first got involved with these sports in middle school and high school. She was also a dancer and a cheerleader.

Mrs. Brown was the head coach for FCHS cheerleading for one year in the 90´s and got involved again when her daughter showed an interest in cheerleading. She loves creating a team environment and teaching her team how to support their team and each other. Mrs. Brown commented, ¨Commitment is one of the biggest challenges.¨

Mrs. Brown advised that high schoolers should play sports.¨Being a part of a team is like having another family,¨ she declared. Mrs. Brown also added that joining a club in high school will make the experience better.

Thank you to all these teachers who work very hard to help students of all ages in Franklin County and best wishes to all the student athletes.

Mr. Deters motivates students and cultivates artistic skills

by Brooklynn Mays

Mr. Deter’s is the new full time art teacher here at FCMS! He enjoys interacting with kids and helping them be creative while making art.

When asked what he likes most about his job, Mr. Deter’s stated, “What I enjoy most is engaging and building relationships with students.” When asked what the most challenging part about his job was, he stated, “Motivating the unmotivated.”

“What made me decide to become a teacher was when I was coaching I realized I wanted to help make a difference. Since I major in art, I wanted to give students skills and help them succeed,” explained Mr. Deters.

Mr. Deter’s really enjoys helping students learn their potential art skills. When asked what a ‘typical’ morning in his classroom, Mr. Deters explained,” I usually start class by speaking or explaining what to do, show students the techniques to use, and watch students feed off each other and my ideas.”

Mr. Deter’s family is very supportive and hardworking. He remarked, “I have a wife named Heather, a sister Kelly who grew up in FC with me, my mom Kathy taught here for 26 years in home economics, and my dad Tom was a veterinarian for 20 years.”

Mr. Deter’s explained about his heritage: “I grew up in FC and lived here my whole life. I went to St. Michaels and then Franklin County High School and finished with my bachelors degree at the University of Indianapolis.”

Mr. Deters coached for a long time, so usually he would be coaching still at 7 p.m. on a school night. Now that he's an art teacher, he explained, “You’ll probably find me hunting, fishing, spending time with my wife, or finishing up lesson plans.”

When asked what he would do if he took a day off work to do something he loves besides his job, Mr. Deters declared, “I would definitely spend time with my wife.”

Mr. Deters really wants his students to learn things from his art room, but when asked what advice he would give students, Mr. Deter’s overall advice would be, “Build a foundation of good techniques and qualities now.”

Mr. Deters classroom is usually busy. He currently explained, “The students are finishing a sunset landscape. They’re using primary warm colors for the sunset with a black silhouette outline.”

Good luck with your students, inspiring them and helping them build their skills, Mr. Deters. Thanks for sharing!

Meet Your Staff and Faculty: A Video Production by Katie Mauntel and Desirae Callahan

Mrs. Yager has a winning record in the classroom and over the airwaves

by Katie Mauntel

Not only is she a great math teacher, but she is also really good at winning radio contests. She is none other than our own Mrs. Yager!

Mrs. Yager has won about $2,000 since last May by just participating in radio contests. She has won a number of prizes, such as 1,500 dollars in cash, tickets to Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, and Speedwagon/Chicago concerts, as well as tickets to plays at Derby Dinner Playhouse. In addition, she has also won Beef & Boards and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park tickets.

When she's not winning radio contests, on a usual school morning you could find Mrs. Yager teaching the ‘warm up’. After the warm up, she has the students grade homework from the night before. Then she teaches the lesson and helps students with their homework.

Mrs. Yagers motto for students is, “Always do your best so that you have no regrets. I want my students to remember that I cared about them and wanted them to succeed in life."

Mrs. Yager’s family includes her husband, Jerry; her son, Dough, who is 21 and is the manager at Taco Bell; and her daughter, Alicia, who is 23 and going to Frankfurt Germany for graduate school.

Mrs. Yager grew up in Rushville and went to their school district. After graduating she attended at Ball State University and then transferred to Indiana Wesleyan to get her master’s degree.

“The most challenging part of my job is getting students to do their homework,” she claimed.

Mrs. Yager’s favorite part of her job is helping students. “If they’ve been confused on something and they finally get it, it’s probably the best part,” she remarked. Mrs. Yager mentioned that she decided to be a teacher because she always liked school, and she also liked helping others.

Mrs. Yager’s advice to students is ask questions when they don't understand something.

At 5 p.m. Mrs. Yager has made a snack. What could it be? It’s popcorn! Mrs. Yager loves all types of popcorn.

“At 7 p.m. on a school night you could find me grading papers,” she mentioned.

If Mrs. Yager were to take a day off of school, you could find her playing pickleball.

Mrs. Yager’s favorite book is Killer Mockingbird because it teaches us not to judge people. Her favorite song is Be A Simple Kinda Man because it's pretty.

Do you know anyone who has won this many radio contests? Not only is she great at winning, but Mrs. Yager is also a great teacher!

Media center boasts new face, new events

by Katie Mauntel

Have you noticed a new face in the library? Mrs. Fultz is a new librarian at FCMS. Congratulate her on the new position!

Mrs. Fultz declared, ¨I am happy with my new job!¨

¨I wanted to become a librarian because I have worked as a teacher aide for 15 years and felt that I needed a change,¨ stated Mrs Fultz. “I also wanted to be a part in helping to get the students to read more,“ she added.

She and Mrs. Beth Wade are excited about the well-known author coming to our school on October 17th. “Margaret Peterson Haddix is an amazing author. She has sold millions of copies of her books. The Missing series is a very popular series in our school, along with the series Shadow Children,” expressed Mrs Fultz.

She added, “It will be good for the students at our school to get to see the author of the books they’re reading.”

Another big happening in the library are this year’s Young Hoosier books, which are available for all students. If you read five of the Young Hoosier books, you can attend an ice cream/voting party in the fall.

Mrs. Fultz’ favorite Young Hoosier book so far this year is Love and Gelato, ¨Because there's a love story plus there are two mysteries: she finds her mother's secret, and she finds love and who her dad is!¨ declared Mrs. Fultz.

Every quarter Mrs.Wade and Mrs. Fultz invite kids to book club, and they get to eat cookies in the library. In order to attend, students have to sign a sign up sheet and read the book by a certain day.

We also have ‘reading race teams’ each semester. Students get together with a team and try to read the most pages. If they read 2,000 pages, they will attend the reading race party and can receive big prizes!

Mrs. Fultz added, “I wanted to be a teacher’s aide because I've always Ioved working with kids, and I also liked that I worked the same hours in which my children did when they were in school.¨

Mrs. Fultz has been married to her husband, Paul, for 30 years. She has three children: Jason, Jackie, and Jacob. She also has two daughters in-law and one son in-law: Dustin, Randi, and Jessica.

Mrs Fultz also has five grandchildren: Nevaeh, Zachary, Naomi, Olivia, and Owen.

Mrs. Fultz has worked at Mt.Carmel school for 3 years, and she has worked at FCMS for 15 years. She also subbed for a year before becoming a teacher’s aide, and this is the beginning of her 19th year.

Come checkout the new face in our library when you're ready to checkout a book!

Mrs. Bolser returns to inspire FCMS 6th grade students

by Logan Reese

A new--but returning--6th grade teacher is in our midst!

Mrs. Bolser is an English teacher in the 6th grade at FCMS. She lived just north of Brookville growing up, and then she went to Ball State to pursue an elementary education to teach.

Mrs. Bolser even had some of the current teachers now as her teachers. A few are Mrs. Mitchum, Mr. Sherwood, and a few others.

She absolutely loves to teach, and she likes to work with students, which is why she became a teacher! She likes to help people. It's her favorite part of teaching.

Most of Mrs. Bolser’s classes start with Bell Work. After that, she starts her lesson, and she works on the lesson for the rest of class. (And sometimes they sing the “Shirley Vocabulary Jingle!”)

Her motto for her life is to “Enjoy the Journey”. Mrs. Bolser hopes her students remember that they all have their own talent and strength. Her advice for her students is to dream big, work hard, and be kind.

Mrs. Bolser’s favorite kind of music is country. Specifically, her favorite artist is George Strait. She lives with her husband, Joe, and her three children: Amelia, age 5, Audrey, age 3, and Brett, age 1.

Mrs. Bolser loves to travel! Her favorite vacation spot is Gatlinburg, Tennessee. She loves Tennessee because her family goes every fall break. In particular, her children love Dolly Partons Stampede, as well as Putt Putt golf.

Mrs Bolser has a pretty busy life! At 7 p.m. on a school night she would be cleaning up dinner and getting her kids ready for school.

She taught her a few years ago at BMS; however, she had a baby and went to Mt. Carmel.

Now she is back teaching at FCMS. Welcome back, Mrs Bolser. We’re glad you’re here!

Mr. Bowling lends enthusiasm and tech skills to 6th grade and beyond

by Michael Hoskins

Some know him as the IT guy. Others know him as the guy in the back corner, and some know him as Mr. Bowling, Mr. Bowling stated, “I hope my students remember that I treat everyone like an adult.” He says this because he hopes that we treat each other equally and with respect.

Mr. Bowling explained, “My job is fun getting to be the IT guy and computer teacher because I get to help kids all day and talk to all sorts of people.”

He also says he just likes helping people and claims that it runs in the family.

Mr. Bowling attended Ball State University and graduated and is still living with family in Connersville, Indiana.

Mr. Bowling is the new computer teacher for sixth graders. He teaches them tech skills and how to type using home row. He stated, “I tried to be as fun and ‘go with the flow’ type of guy as I can, but soon my 6th grade classes are going to be learning numbers, so I’m gonna have to crack down on them.”

Mr. Bowling is also one of the one of the main people who make it all happen. Without him, you would never get your Chromebook screen, keys, and mouse pad fixed. Now how horrible does that sound?

Mr. Bowling claimed, “I don’t do much after school. I get home, and I usually play video games and eat a bowl of cereal for a snack.” Now that’s something that you wouldn’t expect from a teacher at FCMS, now would you?

Something Mr. Bowling wants us to remember is, “Life can be hard, and some days may be bad, but if that day is bad, then you have tomorrow, and if that day is bad, then you have the next day.”

We're glad you're here, Mr. Bowling, to remind us to do our best with each day.

Mr. Huber happily helps his students

by Shelby Beneker

“Teamwork makes the dream work!” Mr. Huber chorused happily. Some might think that Mr. Huber is just your ‘average’ teacher, but he is much more than that.

Mr. Huber loves to be around kids, even though it’s a challenge to stay on task 24/7. Every day he strives to help everyone excel by helping them understand in various ways. “I just want to be a teacher they know they can come to,” he pointed out.

Not everyone gets a chance in everyday class to participate and have a chance, so he solved this by giving them interactive word problems and new learning resources. His advice, “Always try your best in the present.”

However, it might be surprising to note that before the phenomenal Mr. Huber was a teacher, he was a basketball coach. What was the one thing that drove him to become a teacher? “Being with the kids and helping them with their schoolwork, “ he explained.

He would know how stressful school can be, since he went to multiple schools himself, such as St. Michaels, FCMS, Hanover College, and Taylor University.

As many people say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” and this is extremely true in this case. Mr. Huber’s mother was a teacher for 35 years. His father is a surgical assistant, while his sister is at Indiana University in Bloomington, University.

Even though he is a teacher, he has hobbies just like the rest of us. Some of the hobbies he spoke about were playing golf, basketball, and football. Mr. Huber also claimed that on the weekends, he watches any kind of sports that are on.

The most surprising thing for many people is that he favors the Bengals. “Yeah, you like the Bengals,” Clayton Bolser, grade 8, chimed in after Mr. Huber was asked about his unexpected love of the team.

One thing you might not know about Mr. Huber is that Bora Bora is a dream destination for him one day. “I would like to see the golf courses there,” he proclaimed.

Another thing is that he likes to listen to all kinds of music, including Guns and Roses. The last peculiar fact about Mr. Huber is that his preferred snack is pretzel crisps and dip.

In a new student’s perspective, he may seem like a math and resource teacher, but in FCMS, he’ll be seen as oodles more.

So the next time you see Mr. Huber in the hallway, wish him luck, as he may need it in the future with that busy schedule of his!

Mrs. Demkovich brings positivity to her role as school nurse

by Makayla Bradley

Have you ever gotten sick or hurt at school? Well, if you have, you probably stopped by the nurse’s office.

Do you even know the school nurse’s name? Well, her name is Gwen Demkovich. Many students rely on her, whether they know her full name or not.

A typical morning for Mrs. Demkovich is getting all the medicines out for the day. The diabetic students come around 8:00 am and get their medications.

Also, if anyone throws up or gets an injury in the morning, he or she will come to the nurse. She’ll look up on the computer for the correct medications for the students that come to see her whenever anyone is sick.

Mrs. Demkovich likes most about her job is interacting with the students, typically the middle school age group.

The most challenging part about Mrs. Demkovich’s job are students with health issues, and she encourages them to realize that one day they are going to have to take care of themselves. She just sometimes struggles to get that message across to those students.

Mrs. Demkovich’s job decided to become a school nurse because she likes being a community nurse, and the school is a part of that.

She went to college when she was 30 years old at IU East Richmond.

What Mrs. Demkovich would like students to remember about her is just that she cares for everybody in this school.

Mrs. Demkovich’s motto for life and her job is, “Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude will ensure a happier and healthier life.”

She explained, “I chose this one because you always have to look for a positive side, a benefit to everything.”

Mrs. Demkovich has a husband named Allen, who is a semi-retired attorney; and a son named Brent, who is 39 and a sommelier, which means he is a wine professional.

At 4 pm she just made a snack, which is popcorn, her favorite food.

At 7 pm on a school night we could see her taking care of her beef cows or chickens. She might also be working in her flower beds.

Fun fact: Mrs. Demkovich’s cow just had a calf fairly recently.

If our school nurse took off a day of work to do something she loved, she would be a barbecue judge in Tennessee, which is what she will be attending next month.

Did you know she has a farm? You might be surprised one day when you are driving down the road and see her on a gigantic tractor.

Mrs. Demkovich’s favorite books are farming books. Her two favorite movies are A Dog’s Purpose and The Notebook. She exclaimed, “I love those two movies both. I just can’t decide!”

Mrs. Demkovich’s favorite vacation spot is the mountains, typically out West: the Canadian Rockies is her favorite mountain spot.

Mrs. Demkovich stated, “Try to be positive all the time and plan out your career.” That’s the best advice she can give to students.

Mrs. Demkovich was very easy to talk to, as well as considerate and honest.

Thank you for being a great school nurse and for helping all the students out when they are feeling atrocious!

Just a reminder, May 9th is National School Nurse Day! Make sure you stop by and say hello on that day.

Welcome Mrs. Robinson, our new front desk secretary

by Braidyn DeHaven

Responsible, amiable, and gregarious--Mrs. Lisa Robinson is the definition of all of these.

Her typical morning is taking calls for sick children and letting people in the door.

“My job is always busy, and I am always busy. It’s always something different. I also like the kids,” Mrs. Robinson explained when she asked what she likes most about her job.

“The most challenging part of my job is getting everything done that needs to be done,” Mrs. Robinson claimed.

She is always doing something for the school. At 7 pm, this is what she is doing: she is at most sports games/meets, as she is the FCMS athletic director.

When it is not sports season, Mrs. Robinson can be found sitting in her recliner, watching The Walking Dead, and eating fruit snacks, her three favorite things to do in her leisure time.

When she is not doing that, Mrs. Robinson is visiting her granddaughter. She declared, “I would visit my granddaughter Harper if I would suddenly get a day off work.”

Mrs. Robinson grew up in Metamora and graduated at BHS in 1979. She did not go to college, but she is still doing what she loves.

She hope that all the kids remembers that she tried to help and was always nice to them, and to remember the GOLDEN RULE: treat others how you want to be treated.

Mrs. Robinson and Dan, her husband, share a family. Her son, Dustin, is a teacher; her daughter in law, Lacee, is still in school; her daughter, Kelsea, is also still in school; and her granddaughter, Harper, is only two.

Her favorite vacation spot is beaches, specifically Gulf Shores, Alabama. Mrs. Robinson wants all of us to do the best we can because before we know it, we will be graduating.

Mrs. Robinson is always willing to help all of us. Thank you, Mrs. Robinson, for being a great front desk secretary.

Assistant principal Mrs. Reuss is a woman with many talents

by Toni Williams

If you ever hear a beautiful melody coming from Mrs. Reuss’s office, it is most likely one of her lovely recordings of her playing the harp. Mrs. Reuss has many other talents other than the harp: she played the piano, percussion, and the flute while she was in school.

Although Mrs. Reuss is a teacher and assistant principal, and it may seem as though there is a big difference between her and you, actually, there’s not. Mrs. Reuss loves doing the things she enjoys after school or whenever she has free time, just as we all do.

Mrs. Reuss started playing the harp about two years ago, and she usually sits down about twice a week, which is not enough time if one wants to learn to play fluently, according to her.

Mrs. Reuss has a word of advice for people wanting to play the harp: “You have to practice everyday, because the muscle memory in your fingers will make them automatically go to where they need to go.”

According to Mrs. Reuss, to be able to start playing the harp, “Find a good instructor, learn how to read music, and have relaxed hands or it might sound off.”

Mrs. Reuss says that playing music comes easy for her, but playing the harp has been difficult because she has to memorize the notes and music, all while plucking the correct strings.

When she’s not practicing her music, Mrs. Reuss loves to spend time with her family. Mrs. Reuss has been married for 29 years to Roger Reuss, and she has one son, Reggie, who is a senior at FCHS.

Mrs. Reuss has lived in Brookville all her life, and she attended Ball State University, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, and Indiana Wesleyan universities.

Mrs. Reuss is our assistant principal, and it may be stressful at times, but she absolutely loves her job. Mrs. Reuss exclaimed, “There are moments that may be stressful, so playing the harp is a good way to relieve that stress and relax in the evenings!”

You may not know this, but Mrs. Reuss is a former 2nd grade teacher at BES who had many of us as students when we were younger.

Mrs. Reuss enjoys multiple things about her job, but just like any teacher, she has a favorite part. “So far my favorite part has been seeing the changes in students from elementary school to FCMS. As a former second grade teacher at BES, I remember many of you as you have grown up over the last few years. I also enjoy the technology side of my job. I learn something new everyday.”

Mrs. Reuss may seem like a typical teacher, but that doesn’t mean everything that goes on during her day is ‘typical’.

Mrs. Reuss stated, “Believe it or not, I’m not sure there has ever been a typical day in my position. No two days are ever the same. There are responsibilities that I take care of each day, which include reading and answering emails, listening to voicemails, returning phone calls, checking the attendance, and many other things as needed.”

As you can see, Mrs. Reuss is a woman of multiple talents, and she is a very intriguing woman. Mrs. Reuss enjoys doing things she loves to do just as we all do, and you might find yourself having more in common with her than you originally thought!

Mrs. Mitchum helps prepare students for their future

by Braidyn DeHaven

Does it take you forever to get a paper done on your Chromebook? In Mrs. Mitchum’s digital apps class, as well as her business IT class, you will learn the basic rules to typing, including all of your ‘reaches’ on the keyboard.

Your can increase your knowledge, speed, and even your ability to use your fingers.

Mrs. Mitchum would say the best reason to take this class is because computers and software are our future. She declared, “If you can type, you will be able to navigate through assignments more efficiently.”

She also added, “The programs and features you will learn in my class will give you guidance for not only future classes but also more possibilities for job positions.”

Students learn much more about computers and life in business IT and digital apps than what they realize. They learn certain processes that may seem basic, but many other people have no idea how to do them.

The seventh graders are learning the reaches on the keyboard, and the eighth graders will do assignments in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Mrs. Mitchum said her typical morning starts with her tea time and then teaching her 7th and 8th grade classes. Her favorite part about her job is working with the kids and watching a skill develop.

Besides tea, Mrs. Mitchum also enjoys the occasional round of golf.

Mrs. Mitchum’s mom and dad are Bob and Kathy O’Bryan. Her sister is Molly Newkirk, Her husband is Terry Mitchum. She also has three daughters and one son. Her son’s name is Casey, and her daughter is Lauren, with Abby and Gabby, her stepdaughters, rounding out her large family.

She decided to become a teacher because of her parents. In fact, both of them were teachers, and she helped them make billboards, grade papers, and work in their classroom while she was growing up.

Mrs. Mitchum graduated from Brookville High School then went to Ball State University. She received her masters degree for teaching at Wesleyan University.

Her motto is, “If you don't try, you cannot succeed.”

So after you get done taking this class and are the fastest and most efficient typist, thank Mrs. Mitchum.

Guidance counselor Mrs. Rauch exerts a sense of relaxation and kindness to FCMS students

by Tori Vickers

For many people, crafting is relaxing. Likewise, making cards and scrapbooking is a relaxing hobby for Mrs. Rauch, the guidance counselor at Franklin County Middle School.

“I got interested in it through a family member about ten years ago. I do monthly card classes, people can come, and they can put their cards together at their own pace,” stated Mrs. Rauch.

“It’s something I enjoy doing because it’s very relaxing. People do it for fun, and they enjoy putting them together. It’s kind of like a social thing,” Mrs. Rauch confided to us.

“I sell my cards at the Farm House in Metamora,” she added.

Although many people don’t think about it, teachers have families and lives outside of school. Mrs. Rauch’s family consists of her husband, Brett, and her children.

“My husband Brett and I have been married for ten years. We have two kids, Jerod is 8, and Kendall is 3. Jerod is a 2nd grader at St. Michaels, and Kendall is in daycare,” she stated.

You may not know this, but Mrs. Rauch was actually a PE teacher before becoming a guidance counselor! “I went to college at Eastern Kentucky University. I majored in exercise science, and I played on the women's basketball team for four years."

I graduated from high school in 2001, and I graduated from college in 2005. I got my masters degree in 2010 for counseling.

I started as a PE teacher, split between the schools. A coworker suggested that I would be good at counselling, I looked into it, studied, and now I’m beyond happy with my decision. I really enjoy my job and working with students,” she confided.

Outside of her job Mrs. Rauch loves to hike, craft, and spend time with her family and friends. “I like to spend time with family, be outdoors, and we go to state parks and hike a lot.

In my spare time I make cards! I don't really read, so I mainly do crafts,” Mrs. Rauch chatted.

If she could go back to her favorite vacation spot, Mrs. Rauch replied ,“I would go back to Hawaii because it's absolutely gorgeous. My husband and I went there for our honeymoon. I'd love to go back."

Honeymoons can be very expensive, so it’s really fantastic that they didn’t have to pay for it!

“Every school day is different; therefore, I try my best to meet the needs of my students. I spend a lot of time talking with parents and students.

I like to help out with anything, which means that no day is the same, which is cool.

During ISTEP I’m really busy, and towards the end of the year, I’m busy scheduling. I’m always trying to get kids to sign up for the 21st Century Scholars Program.

Students can qualify based on income and how many people live in their house, and if they qualify, they can receive free college tuition!” she exclaimed.

You may not think about it, but teachers don’t just say in their classroom all day, waiting for students to come back. It doesn’t really occur to us when we’re sitting in a classroom, doing our work; however, teachers are just like us!

They’re older, so they can drive, but they listen to music too! For Mrs. Rauch, whatever is on the radio is what she prefers.“I like country music, even though I usually just listen to the radio. Eric Church and Kenny Chesney are some of my favorite singers,” remarked Mrs. Rauch.

“My motto is probably, ‘Be nice.’ It's free and it goes a long way,” she confessed. As Mrs. Rauch pointed out, kindness is underrated, and many people forget that being kind could make someone's day.

Say hi to people if they look a little down, or compliment someone’s new shoes! Just try your best to be kind, and it’ll be worth it in the end.

Mrs. Rauch is the guidance counselor in our school, so feel free to talk to her. We hope she continues to spread her positive and kind influence here for many years to come!

Mr. Sherwood juggles busy family life and inspirational 6th-grade teaching

by Abby Bochenek

Mr. Clark Sherwood is an amazing sixth grade teacher at FCMS!

We asked Mr. Sherwood what he liked most about his job, and he stated, “I love the interaction I have with kids.” In fact, we have sixth graders that say that that they love Mr. Sherwood as well.

But there is a time that comes for all teachers that is the most challenging part of their job, and for Mr. Sherwood, it’s dealing with all the paperwork.

Mr. Sherwood decided to become a teacher because when he was in high school, he coached a boys’ baseball team. Mr. Sherwood grew up in Elkhart, Indiana and also went to school there. Then he graduated from Anderson University.

Mr. Sherwood wants his students to remember him as, “That I always tried my best for the students to feel safe, welcome, and respected.”

We also questioned Mr. Sherwood on what advice he would give his students, and he responded, “Get to school on time, stay all day, pay attention in class, try your best on all your work, and do that with a positive attitude.”

Mr. Sherwood’s motto for life is, “It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice.”

Mr. Sherwood has a wife, Betsy, who is a teacher’s aid in Batesville, and two sons: a freshman and a seventh grader named Willy and Cal.

The Sherwood family is always kept busy with sporting events. In fact, on a school night around 7 p.m we could find Mr. Sherwood either coaching or watching a sporting event. The Sherwood family also loves vacationing on the beach!

We would like to thank Mr.Sherwood for being such a wonderful staff member here at FCMS. Also, we appreciate the hard work he puts into everything he does to make his students and other enjoy school!

Mrs. Nobbe has a passion for teaching, running, and making a difference

by Kionna Hauk

Mrs. Stacey Nobbe is a new teacher at Franklin County Middle School. She is a student resource teacher for language arts.

Mrs. Nobbe reviews vocabulary, practices sentences, and does Read Theory or Readworks with her students.

She loves getting to work with small groups of students and seeing what they do in their classroom.

Mrs. Nobbe decided to become a teacher because, ”I really like the kids, and I think I can make a difference in the world,” she declared.

Mrs. Nobbe is also a parent. She has 5 children: Hunter, Easton, Lakin, Meadow, and Moorea. Three are grown and don't live at home. One is in high school, and one is in the middle school.

Her hometown is Brookville. She stated, ”It’s a small town, but people take care of each other here.”

One hobby of hers is running. She runs 26.2 mile marathons, but she doesn’t like the 5k marathon, which is the shortest. Mrs. Nobbe exclaims, ”I don’t like them; they're too short and too fast!” However, she does enjoy the Flying Pig marathon, which can last up to four hours. She explained, ”I like it because it has the best crowds, the best food at the end, and the best swag, which is what they give you for signing up.” One of her marathons that she is most proud of is the Boston marathon.

She hopes her students remember that she cares about them and believes they can be successful. She advises to, ”Never give up...and believe in yourself.”

We wish the best for Mrs. Nobbe through this school year!

FCMS Custodians work to help students at all hours of the day

by Adam Mace

We see them every day. We don’t realize all of the work they do for the school: they’re the school custodians--Mr. VanWinkle, Mrs. Doerflein, and Mr. DeMoss.

They discussed some of the work they do around the school when we're not even here.

“I clean the floors and help kids with their locker if the can’t get it open,” replied Mr. VanWinkle.

Mrs. Doerflein says, ”I clean up the classrooms and other rooms if they need it. They all do all kinds of work to help us have a good and clean school, and most of the time some of the same basic work.”

“I also have to help over the summer, rearranging rooms and taking out the furniture to put new furniture and fix it back up,” Mr. VanWinkle replied.

“No matter what job you have, always try your best to do and/or complete that job,” replied Mr. Kenny DeMoss

So they don’t just help us during school hours but also, rather, when there is no school.

For this, we have to give credit to them for all the hard work they do for our school.

Mrs. Biltz provides great p.e. classes, day in and day out

by Nathan Staudt

Jennifer Biltz is our new middle school gym teacher.

She does so much every day to get the ready for p.e.

Mrs. BIltz stated, “A typical morning starts out by getting my p.e. equipment ready and setting up the gym or fields for the activity we are doing that day.”

What Mrs. Biltz likes most about her job is, “There are many aspects of my job that I enjoy, but most of all I like talking and interacting with my students. I like to hear about their likes and interests.”

For the past 14 years, Mrs. Biltz worked as a gym teacher at both Mt. Carmel and Laurel schools.

Mrs. Biltz knew she wanted become a PE teacher. She explained, “I became a PE teacher because I love sports and enjoy teaching my students how to play the games.”

Mrs.Biltz has two children and two dogs. The children are seven year old boy/girl twins named Bentley and Bailey, and they have two dogs, named Jax and Riley. She has been married to her husband, Joel, for 15 years.

At 7 p.m. each night we could find Mrs.Biltz exercising or helping her children with homework.

Finally Mrs. Biltz has advice to students: “My advice to my students would be that they can do whatever they put their mind to. Too often I hear “I can’t do this because ….” I think everyone is capable of doing anything as long as they put in the effort. Mind over matter!”

We would like to thank Mrs.Biltz for teaching us about different games and activities and for getting ready for p.e. each and every day.

Mrs. Ferman loves teaching 7th grade math

by Jake Allen

Have you heard about that awesome 7th grade math teacher, Mrs. Ferman?

She has got a lot to offer our school. On school nights, she is grading homework or coaching volleyball or helping with homework. Mrs. Ferman loves to work with students. She has two children: Kensee and Michaela.

Mrs. Ferman is married to Mike Ferman. She graduated from Franklin County High School and went to Franklin College.

She loves to help students succeed in life. Her favorite vacation spot is going to Nashville, Tennessee. Her advice for students is, ¨Everyone makes mistakes. It's what you do the next time that matters the most.¨

Mrs. Ferman loves to read books by Margaret Haddix.

She wishes all of the students a happy school year. We all wish her the best as well.

Mrs. Dishman is a great addition to social studies department

by Dylan King

Mrs. Dishman is a new FCMS teacher, and she was able to answer some questions about the new school and the students.

At Laurel Elementary, where Mrs. Dishman was an English teacher, there were a lot fewer students.

She declared, “Here there are a lot more students, and it is hard to get their names straight.”

Mrs. Dishman likes golf and baseball, with her favorite team being the Cincinnati Reds.

When asked about what music she likes to listen to, she claimed, “I like 70s & 80s rock, and I just discovered bagpipe rock.”

Another favorite hobby of Mrs. Dishman’s is reading.

Mrs. Dishman says her favorite part of her job is, “Teaching history.” She explained about her family, “My daughter is finishing college, and she is going to be a pharmacist.”

Her husband Jay works at the canal in Metamora. He talks about the history of the town.

She has two dogs, Vader and Alaska. She also has a cat named Maxx.

Her motto for life is, “Do or do not. There is no try.”

With Mrs. Dishman joining us, this could be a great year for FCMS students. We wish her all the best!

Ms. Wu gives students the opportunity to learn about Chinese culture

by Tori Vickers

Ms. Wu is our new Chinese teacher, and there are a lot of things most people don’t know about her.

She has found Brookville to be very different from her hometown of Shanghai, China.

“Shanghai is kind of like New York. People sometimes call it the night city because people are still out partying and eating at midnight!”

She continued, “I am an only child, due to the one child rule in China, and my parents do business, so they were gone a lot. I was home alone quite a bit,” when I asked about her home life.

Her most challenging thing about being a teacher is that it's hard to get to know all the students in both schools.

“I am also the new teacher in both schools; consequently, that can be challenging as well,” Miss Wu explained.

She wants her students to, “Not only learn but to understand how to be nice and have a good personality.”

Miss Wu wants them to learn how to appreciate diversity and be kind to everyone. Her teachers influenced her a lot, and she hopes that she can influence her students as well so that maybe one day, when they're in their 30s, 40s, or maybe even 50s, they'll remember her.

Many of her students love the class.

“I love it! I have so much fun writing the characters!” stated Massie Snyder, one of Miss Wu’s students.

Miss Wu’s students adore her too, “She’s great, and she makes sure we understand, and helps us if we don’t,” Lillian Collins beamed.

“The tests are easy!” JD Stokes chimed in.

“We get to choose a new name, and the class is tons of fun! Everyone should join, and it's great to learn a new language, and Miss Wu is super nice. She puts so much time into just teaching us how to say hi,” they all agreed.

According to her students, Miss Wu is an amazing and loving teacher who devotes her time to her students. We all hope she stays for many years to come!