Jockey Hollow Unified Sports 

Winter Season, 2024

By: J. Ryan O’Shea and Lorenzo Lucas

On Thursday, April 4th, 2024 the Unified Sports team meeted for their spring celebration. Coach Casey made his Grand entrance into the gym. First, everybody got pizza, including us, of course! Next, everybody was ready to play some cornhole!  After the cornhole practice, there was a giant game of Snowball. The snowballs are fluffy white balls. Coach Casey explained to the kids that he and Mrs. Fisher had to go all the way to the North Pole to get them. Coach Casey dumped the “snowballs'' around the middle of the gym. Students divided up into two teams, each taking up half of the gym. If a snowball lands on your side, you have to throw the ball high in the air back across the gym. If you throw the ball low, you get disqualified. Halfway throughthe first match, the right side was winning by a hair. After painstaking scoring and thorough review the winner was… everyone!   After a close endgame, Coach Casey called it a tie. 

Round Two started, and the right side took the lead again!  When it was all said and done The winner for the most snowballs was… the left side, but the right side also won for having the least amount of snowballs! Round three started off with the right side again gaining an advantage, but just like the second round, the left side ended up with the most snowballs, and the right side the least! 

Olivia Haggen added a beautiful acapella soundtrack to most of the 45 minute practice. Her singing was very nice. After a final group meeting, Coach Casey gave out gifts and prizes! He gave everybody a bouncy ball, a pencil and a certificate of excellence for their great work during the season. To quote Abigail Cappola’s praise, “You had a terrific basketball season”. Thank you to Coach Casey and Mrs. Fisher for inviting us to the ceremony!      

Think Pink Monroe

By Anika Kamath & Shreya Varadarajan

You probably know that October is Cancer Awareness Month, but did you know about 10 million people die from it every year? Cancer starts when cells uncontrollably multiply and spread. A cluster of these is called a tumor.

According to the World Health Organization, “The most common cancers are breast, lung, colon, rectum and prostate.” They also mention how unhealthy habits such as tobacco use, low intake on fruits and vegetables, and bad physical health account for a third of all cancer deaths.

While cancer in general accounts for 10 million deaths, breast cancer specifically has 2.26 million cases, accounting for 685,000 deaths in just 2020 according to the site. 

There are many ways to bring recognition to cancer. Wearing pink, having pajama day at school, and wearing a lavender cross, which is the cancer awareness symbol. In the Monroe Elementary schools, they have a pajama day in September to celebrate the brave kids with cancer, (an estimated 400,000 a year) resulting in schools spending a comfy day in pajamas all for a good cause.

Another way to get actively involved is through the Think Pink program founded by former Jockey Hollow teacher, Bonnie Maur.  Mrs. Maur wrote that she started Think Pink because having been in other cancer organizations she wanted to jumpstart something for Monroe. But more importantly, she herself was an 18 year breast cancer survivor.

Think Pink brings awareness to breast cancer. They accept donations and have a shop.

The festivities this year began on October 1st at the Think Pink Palooza. The Think Pink Palooza was at the Monroe Town Hall Green from noon to  3pm. The family-friendly event will feature activities such as kids’ games, face painting, pumpkin painting, rock painting and a cornhole tournament. The event will also have some tasty treats like  kettle corn,  Addeo’s Italian Ice, and cotton candy . For music and entertainment, the Masuk High School band, orchestra and chorus will be performing. 

Have fun cheering Masuk, participating in games, and eating tasty treats all while supporting Think Pink! For more information, ask a teacher or involved staff member. In S.T.E.M, there is also a bulletin board by the library with details.

The Lions Roar had the special opportunity to communicate with Mrs. Maur about Think Pink and other related subjects.

Lions Roar:  Thank you for taking the time to respond to our questions.  We would like to know a little about the person behind the Think Pink.  Do you have any hobbies?

Bonnie Maur:   I do. I love to spend a great deal of time with my family and friends, but especially my grandchildren. I love to travel and have traveled around the world. I also love to go to Broadway shows and concerts. I also love to swim, take long walks and am an avid reader.

Lion Roar:  How long have you been in Monroe? 

Bonnie Maur:  I have lived in Monroe for 42 years. All of my children grew up here.

Lions Roar:  How old were you when you found out you had cancer? 

Bonnie Maur:  I was 47 when I was diagnosed with cancer

Lions Roar:  How did being diagnosed affect your life? 

Bonnie Maur:  It affected my life tremendously. After having surgery, I needed to undergo chemotherapy and radiation, which was difficult to navigate and made me pretty sick. However, not only my family and friends, but people throughout this community came out to support me. So I also realized the goodness in people that exists and became so incredibly grateful for this wonderful town and the people in it. About eight years later, I had a heart issue due to my cancer treatments and again this town provided so much support for me and my family and I again realized just how much I had to be grateful for. So although I went through some tough times, there was a great deal of positivity and gratitude in my life.

Lions Roar:  When did you first consider starting Think Pink?

Bonnie Maur:  After I went through my cancer treatments, at first I felt like I never wanted to talk about it. Then I was asked to be an honorary chair for another organization. After some folks pushed me to do that, I did and realized that this was a very healthy way to deal with my feelings as I spoke about my experiences. I became very involved in promoting awareness through other groups and during that time realized that although there are other organizations, there is none that will completely benefit the citizens of Monroe. The more I thought about that, the more the idea grew. About five and a half years ago, I spoke with our selectman, put out a post to gauge interest in the town on social media, and from a few initial meetings and a dedicated, but small group of residents and family members, Think Pink Monroe began.

Lions Roar:  How has Think Pink affected your life and how does it feel to be helping others?

Bonnie Maur:  In short, it feels incredible! Honestly this group is growing to be more than I could have first imagined. It has affected my life in many ways. As an educator, I always believed that impacting peoples’ lives is what we are really all here for. I always have said to my students that I know they will forget much of the factual information we ever talked about, but that if in some way I impacted their life, then I did my job. I truly believe that we are all in this world together and that it’s the people in our lives that matter. So Think Pink Monroe has been my love letter to this town that has been so good to me and my family. If in some way I have been able to help people and give back a bit, help people out and not only support people and families, but also raise awareness and help people get diagnosed with health issues early,  maybe then I’ve accomplished some of my goals

Lions Roar:  Do you have anything you would like to say to the supporters and students out there? 

Bonnie Maur: I would like to thank the town officials, the board of directors and volunteers of Think Pink Monroe, the town residents, and of course my family for their support. You have not only helped to make my dreams come true, but together we have helped many people and families in this town navigate a better life during one of the toughest times in their life. To students I want to say a couple of things. If you have a family member or loved one with a cancer diagnosis, first of all, show them how much you love them, not only by telling them, but by helping them out when you can. Perhaps there’s a neighbor who needs your help. Help out when and where you can. Also show your appreciation to others who help you out with things. I also would like students to think about ways in which you can help. When I was your age, I did some charity walks, helped out some neighbors and just did small things to help others. But sometimes, little things mean a lot. It’s hard as a middle schooler to find your place at times, but everything positive you try may lead to a better you, maybe an even better family life, but even more perhaps a better town and ultimately a better world. You never know!

Lions Roar:  Anything else you would like to say?

Bonnie Maur:  If Think Pink Monroe can assist you or your family in any way, please let us know. We offer support in raising awareness for people, financial support to survivors and support through support groups to folks going through treatment. Moreover, thanks to Jockey Hollow for your support and to this publication for this opportunity. I love JH. I love the Monroe Public Schools. I spent a great deal of my career here. I have also now lived the majority of my life in Monroe. This was a phenomenal place to choose to raise my family. It’s a wonderful community and I am thrilled to be a part of it and also to be able to help this community that I love as best I can.

Lions Roar:  Again, thank you so much for your time and consideration.

We hope you will have a chance to participate this October,  bringing awareness to cancer and breast cancer. You can even try buying things from their shop to spread the word about breast cancer. Remember, any day of the year you try to do something positive just may lead to better things for you and others. 

Happy 25th Anniversary to Jockey Hollow Middle School!

By Lorenzo Lucas

In the year 1998, Jockey Hollow Middle School opened its doors to the 11 - 14 year olds for the first time. To celebrate this event,  25 years later, we will commemorate the anniversary of Jockey Hollow Middle School! 

Jockey Hollow will have a parade float celebrating its silver anniversary. On May 25th, 8th graders from Main Campus and STEM Academy will assemble in front of the school in the formation of the number 25 for a drone photo. PAWS sessions that day will recognize and relate some of the history of Jockey Hollow. Also, if you or someone you know attended Jockey Hollow in the 1998 - 1999 school year, please reach out to Principal Strong. You are in the JHMS OG club! 

Over the past 25 years, Jockey Hollow has had four amazing principles. The first ever was Anita Healy.  Mrs. Healy had previously been the principal of Chalk Hill Middle School.  Jockey Hollow welcomed Jack Ceccolini in 2006.  In 2020 Michael Crowley was appointed to the position . This year, Jockey Hollow welcomed current principal Julia Strong, who stated earlier this year “I am honored to have the role of principal here at Jockey Hollow. I love it here!” 

We interviewed former principal Ceccolini about some of his recollections of his 14 years at Jockey Hollow. “We used to do lots of musical events. In the past, we had big jazz bands come into the school, along with acapella, and other professional bands.” He told us. “At the end of the school year, we used to do olympic games, sort of like a field day, but with olympic type sports.” “We even got a Sikorski helicopter to come land in the Masuk field!” stated Ceccolini. 

Cheers to another 25 amazing years at Jockey Hollow Middle School!

Rock Week

By: Sidney Lampley

Rock week is a great way to partake in some school wide fun. Rock week is about being kind. Everyday during Rock Week try to think of a different kind thing you could do to make somebody else's day better. For example, you could hold the door for someone, sit with somebody who is alone at lunch, compliment somebody, even just waving to somebody in the hallways can make more of an impact on somebody’s day than you think. 

Another good thing about rock week is there are themes, you dress like whatever the theme says for each day. For example, day one is sports attire day, you can wear any sports jersey, it doesn’t even have to be for a team that you play for.  If you don’t have any sports jerseys, you can still wear something sporty. Day four is an easy one, comfy clothes day. You can wear anything from pajama pants, to just a t-shirt and sweatpants. The other two themes are wacky wednesday, and school colors.

If you don’t want to dress up each day you absolutely don’t have to, because rock week is really about Random Opportunities for Caring and Kindness.

Jockey Hollow Middle School is Starting off Strong

By - Lorenzo Lucas 

Welcome back to Jockey Hollow, and a warm welcome to our new 6th graders! This year is starting off great, with a strong first quarter, and excitement for quarter two. This year Ms. Strong, Former STEM director, is now the principal of Jockey Hollow. We interviewed Ms. Strong and here is what she said. 

How do you feel about being principal of Jockey Hollow?  

I am honored to have the role of principal at Jockey Hollow School. I love it here! 

What are your hopes for Jockey Hollow in 2022? 

I hope Jockey Hollow will keep becoming a kinder place where every student will say they feel safe at school. 

How was the first quarter of school? 

We are getting back to normal! It is great to see our in person activities  returning, and students working hard.  

What do you think about 2022?  

I think we all are a little changed by the past few years.  

Do you have a quote / inspiration to share to keep students motivated? 

My favorite quote these days is “ We rise by lifting others.” This is a quote by the american poet - Maya Angelou. 

Is  there anything else you would like to share? 

I would like to thank the Jockey Hollow students and staff for welcoming me so warmly, you have made this place feel like my home already.  

7th and 8th graders are used to middle school, but the 6th graders are not, so if you see a lost 6th grader, please help them get to where they need to go, as this year, Ms. Strong wants to promote kindness. 

Speaking of kindness, there are new raffle tickets to win prizes! Prizes include fidgets and homework passes. Raffle tickets replace the hole punch system from last year. The way raffle tickets work is you do an act of kindness, write your name on the ticket, go to the office, put your ticket in a bucket, and every Friday the winners will be announced. 

Summertime memories may still make it hard to get back into school, but overtime you start to have fun. Afterall, there are tons of things to do at school, such as hanging out with your friends at lunch, or signing up for enrichments at PAWS. You could also sign up for one, or more, of the various clubs here at Jockey Hollow. A list of clubs can be found here. Clubs are a good way to hang out with your friends, and make new ones.

Another change this year is PAWS. Unlike last year, where Fridays were lessons, this year you can sign up for  Fridays! Also, sign up is at the end of the day on Fridays, instead of at the start of PAWS. Remember you can only have 2 enrichments.

That is it for now, until next year's newsletter . Have a great year Jockey Hollow! 

P.A.W.S.

By Joaquin Dao-Crespo, Brody Philbin, Kyle Riccitelli, Micah Russell and Scarlett Westerfeld

Jockey Hollow Positive Academic Wellness Sessions commonly known as P.A.W.S. has quickly become a helpful and fun way to learn, relax, and practice different skills and interests. P.A.W.S is still in its early stages of development, and students are still adjusting to this new and very different part of their school day.  So let's find out what our school community thinks of P.A.W.S!

The Lions Pride interviewed Principal Crowley to learn a little about the ideas behind the program.  He explained that, “P.A.W.S. was created because we thought students needed fun and creative things to do. Teachers also needed the extra time with students because of the pandemic, and some students needed extra assistance too.”  He added that “P.A.W.S grew from the school’s old  K.I.D.S time,” a shorter period that occurred every other day that stood for, knowledge in different settings.  P.A.W.S. also borrows from the flex period at the high school.  “We  brought it over to the middle school.” 

Ms. Strong, the director of STEM, says, “we created PAWS to respond to all the fun things that our students lost during the pandemic. PAWS is flexible instructional time, in a way to get back a little bit of both.” she also said, “I think PAWS is here to stay!”

We then set out to get a better understanding of how the program is going with students at Main Campus and STEM.  Jockey Hollow Main Campus 7th grader Matviy Feduniv says P.A.W.S is good “I like it, I get to do enrichment, board games, and anything else fun. I like how there's so many things to do. P.A.W.S is a good thing compared to last year.  You can finish your homework instead of having to do it at home, or if you need extra help for a class you can go there. I don’t think there can be any improvements to P.A.W.S.” 

STEM 7th grader Filip Wadolkowski says P.A.W.S is a good idea. “P.A.W.S is fun, but students should be able to do whatever they want.” Filip stated. “For example, if a student wants to go on their phone or just play a game on the computer, or even relax, they should be able to do that.”  He added that, “We should also have more options for P.A.W.S, Stem has fewer teachers which means we have less P.A.W.S activities.”  He later shared that, “Both Main Campus and STEM have banned phones all day in school. They also made rules that phones can be used on the bus. A few students have reported almost every kid they see is using a phone on the bus. So going on a phone in school wouldn't be a good idea unless you needed to text a relative about something important.”

William Clark, a  STEM 7th grade student, said, “P.A.W.S is really cool. I enjoy doing fun activities during school time.” He emphasized that P.A.W.S is a good thing, “... because we get to do whatever we want, practically.” He added that he hopes there will eventually be even more options but that, “P.A.W.S is very cool.” 

There have been some concerns among the STEM community about the smaller amount of P.A.W.S choices. William Clark, wished that P.A.W.S. had more options.  Ari Ashe felt that “...For the most part I like P.A.W.S., but I don't like how teachers can just select you, and they don’t give a reason.” Ari also was concerned about how quickly sessions are closed, “I also don’t like how everybody selects P.A.W.S sessions at the exact same time because it causes all the sessions to get filled up immediately, and then you have nothing fun to do that day.”  

The P.A.W.S program is well liked by the wide majority of our school.  As the program grows and evolves there is hope, as some STEM students have noted, that a larger variety of options become available there.  All in all P.A.W.S. is a welcome addition to our school day and we look forward to its continued development. 

HANGING DANGER 

With  Mr.Safety

It’s been freezing this winter for weeks at a time, which means ice has been all over Monroe. This includes the undersides of roofs. Many people don’t know this, but icicles can be very dangerous, especially during the end of winter. Even with their sharp tips, people will feel perfectly fine while standing under an icicle, some even say they are beautiful. These “beautiful” icy spikes under the right circumstances can actually penetrate car windshields. 

This happens in Northern areas such as Canada. CT is only six hours away from Canada however, and the average temperature of Monroe is 20-50 degrees Fahrenheit. If freezing temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit and lower, Monroe is a possible breeding ground for dangerous icicles. 

Winter is ending, meaning the temperatures are going up. Icicles will fall when the weather is above the freezing mark, (32 degrees °F) so to be safe, keep tabs on the temperature. You also might want to try to carefully knock your large icicles down. 

You should also be careful of black ice. We’ve all heard of it, and we’ve all probably slipped on it. The reason black ice is so dangerous is because it is nearly invisible and can totally undermine not only walking, but driving. Stay safe.