Knightly Chronicles

Spread Kindness on Valentines Day!

By JJ Castillo

Valentine's Day is Famous for Its Hearts, Positivity, and Love! This is a Day where you spread love! Such as Platonic (just friends) or Real! Maybe you have a Secret Someone who you want to Spread Kindness to! You’re probably saying to yourself, “Valentine's Day? More Like No Way! I’m too scared!” Well, here’s How YOU can Spread Love, whether Platonic Love or Not!

Here are 5 things you can do for Valentine's Day!

1) Buy them Candy Grams!

Candy Grams are little Candy Hearts saying cute messages! You can buy a bag at your Local CVS or you could buy one for $2.00 during Both Lunch Periods on Wednesday and Thursday.

2) Give them a Flower!

Flowers are tiny yet symbolized with Love! I’d personally want a Hyanctich but I’d recommend a White Rose! They Symbolize Young Love and Purity! You can get them from your Neighbors Garden or CVS!

3) Do a Random Act Of Kindness!

Kindness makes a difference to your ENTIRE LIFE! How did your Parents get Married? By Being Kind to each other! How do you get more friends? By being Kind to everyone! Though, you can be Kind on Any Day of the Week!

4) Write a Letter to them!

As a MASTER of writing/typing, Writing Letters are Proof that you care about them enough to Spend Time writing to them! You can Find paper at CVS!

5) Do Something you guys Like doing!

Whether Fishing, Baking, Breakdancing, or Eating, You and your True Love can Find something You Both love doing! Though, maybe leave Fighting out of your List.

Have a happy Valentine's Day!

Super Bowl LX (60) Recap

By Jordan Lee

The Seattle Seahawks won their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. Their defense (AKA The Dark Side) led the way and the MVP of the big game, Kenneth Walker III, carried their offense. The Dark Side destroyed the runner up MVP Drake Maye, sacking him 6 times and forcing three turnovers.

Seattle Linebacker Derick Hall forced the first turnover of the game, a strip sack off of Maye in the third quarter. Then linebacker Uchenna Nwosu and safety Julian Love both had an interception each.

The Patriots were shut out for three quarters until Maye threw a passing touchdown to Mack Hollins to make the score 19-7 early in the fourth quarter. However, because of the two interceptions that occurred after, the Patriots were never able to come back.

Walker led the way for the Seahawks with 130 rushing yards. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who rode a journey from a potential bust to a Super Bowl victory, had a good game with 202 passing yards and a touchdown pass. Kicker Jason Myers set the Super Bowl record with five field goals made, scoring more than half of Seattle’s total points.

The Pats suffered their sixth Super Bowl loss, the most all time. Many local students celebrated, because the local teams the New York Jets and New York Giants are often rivals with the Patriots. However, the Patriots have a lot of fans with all of their success. So many people were probably sad as well. Win, or lose, hopefully you enjoyed the game, the commercials, or all of the food that was likely eaten at the local event.

7th and 8th Grade Spelling Be Wrap Up

By Liam Rampersad

They came, they saw, they spelled. On Friday, February 6th, the CDW students who made it into Round 2 of the Spelling Bee performed on stage. There were about 20 contestants and approximately 15 spelling rounds. The first few rounds consisted of first bee words, which are the less challenging ones. Next came the second and third bee words, knocking out a significant portion of the contestants. The last few rounds were new words that weren’t studied, bringing an even greater challenge to the few remaining. As the audience grew quieter, and the vocabulary intensified, the final showdown was between Joseph Jin and Kareem Khan.

The final word given to Kareem was “deuce”, and he successfully spelled it crowning him the 7th and 8th grade spelling bee winner. However, this final word sparked some controversy amongst the audience and other contestants because some people claimed that this word was too easy to nominate the winner. This gets tricky because a word may be easy to spell for some people, and not for others. Regardless of how things shake out, everyone competed their very best and should be proud of how they rose to the c-h-a-l-l-e-n-g-e. On Tuesday, February 10th, the winner of the 5th and 6th grade Bee, and the winner of the 7th and 8th grade Bee will compete in front of a panel of judges to see who will move onto the Regional Round. Bee ready to find out what happens next!

Christmas Movie Recommendations

By Ellie Han

Christmas time is here! Looking for a Christmas movie to watch while snuggling under your blankets, drinking hot chocolate (with extra marshmallows obviously) by the fireplace? Here are some of the favorite Christmas movies that students and teachers have recommended, just for you!

Ellie(Me): Christmas Chronicles 1&2

Mr. Johnson: Home Alone

Chaeyoung: The Grinch

Kira: The Grinch

Lois: Home Alone 2

Ariana: Christmas Chronicles

Jungwoo: Elf

Liam: Home Alone&The Grinch

Jordan: Home Alone

Juah: Home Alone

Kevin: Home Alone

Elaine: Home Alone

Hailey: Home Alone & The Grinch

Rachael: Home Alone & Elf

Toru: Home Alone

Oliver: Home Alone 2

Teyla: Home Alone 2

Ella: Home Alone

It looks like a lot of students and teachers liked the movie, Home Alone as their favorite Christmas movie. When people think of ‘a Christmas movie’, they often think of Home Alone. I also personally loved watching Home Alone, so it would be great to watch Home Alone this Christmas if you haven’t watched it yet!

For those who are considering watching Home Alone, a quick no-spoiler summary: Home Alone is a family comedy movie about an eight year old troublemaker named Kevin who is mistakenly left home alone. Initially overjoyed by his newfound freedom, he must soon protect his house from two burglars when he realizes they plan to rob it. To do so, he must learn to fend for himself and outsmart the intruders, leading to many creative traps. (Spoiler-alert_this is the comedy part!)

Other Christmas movies that have been mentioned are also great, so take your time this Christmas, and binge-watch all the Christmas movies, and get your Christmas spirits up!

New Teacher Profile: Ms. Galgano

By Quentin de Cordova

Ms. Galgano is a new teacher at CDW. I interviewed her, let's see her thoughts on the first month in CDW or the first week.

How was the first week for you?

The first week of school was so exciting. Coming into a new school and being welcomed by everyone here has been amazing. As well as getting to know and meeting all of the fifth grade students for the first time.

Are you enjoying teaching 5th grade so far?

Absolutely! Fifth grade is such a special year—it’s that bridge between elementary and middle school, and I love seeing how capable and independent the students are becoming.

Do you think the students in your class could act better?

I believe all students are learning—not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. Like any class, we’ve had moments where expectations needed to be revisited, but overall, they’re doing well. I focus on building a positive classroom culture where students feel respected and understand what’s expected of them, and I’ve seen great growth already. I always approach behavior as something to guide and support, not just correct.

Are you happy with the grade you teach?

Yes, I’m very happy with fifth grade. It feels like the perfect fit for me. I enjoy the balance between teaching foundational skills and preparing students for more advanced work. Plus, their personalities are really starting to shine at this age, and it makes teaching both fun and rewarding.

Was the first month for you hard or easy?

It was definitely a mix of both. There were some challenges, especially with getting routines in place and learning all the ins and outs of a new school environment. But I’d say it was a good kind of hard—every challenge was a chance to learn and improve. Now that I’m in the rhythm of things, I feel much more confident and excited for the rest of the year.

These are the results of Ms. Galgano’s first month in teaching: In summary, Ms. Galgano had a good first week, is enjoying 5th grade so far, she thinks the students are learning socially, she is very happy with the grade she teaches, and she said the first month was mixed easy and hard. This is all you need to know for Ms. Galganos first month on CDW. Hope you enjoyed.

What is the Winter Solstice?

By Quentin de Cordova and Kayden Pulickal

So the Winter Solstice is happening very soon on December 21st, 2025. A lot of people are wondering... what is it? The winter solstice is one day only. The thing you need to know is that it is the shortest day of the year. Really that means it has the least amount of sunlight. A few people will enjoy it being darker for longer, but a few other people won’t enjoy it as much, or maybe not at all. There are many reasons why people might not enjoy it. Including that the days get shorter so it will look like that it is night, when it usually would be daytime. If you do a walk at 5pm, you may not be able to do it if it's too dark for that now. So people will not get tired in the night when they are supposed to, because maybe they were already tired all day. Another concern about the Winter Solstice is because it can affect your mental health when the days get shorter. People will also get the case of winter blues which means it will give them disrupted sleep. It could also give them headaches. There are many of the concerns about the Winter Solstice but at least it will all pay out when it ends. Why you ask? Because after the winter solstice ever, we get a little bit more sunlight every single day, all the way until June. There's a special day in June which is the longest day in the year. That means the Sun is out for the longest amount of time. What is this special day called? You guessed it... the SUMMER solstice.

Common Hanukkah (or Chanukah or Hanukah or Hannukah or Chanukkah) Traditions and Foods

By Dylan Bernstein

During December (and October and November) all people talk about is Christmas this, Christmas that. However, there’s another holiday in December called Hanukkah (or Chanukah or Hanukah or Hannukah or Chanukkah) that doesn’t get as much attention. Hanukkah is an 8 day Jewish festival falling on the 25 day of the Hebrew month Kislev. People traditionally celebrate this holiday by lighting the menorah, spinning dreidels, getting gifts, and my favorite part- the food! In my opinion, these are the top 5 Chanukah foods-

Latkes- pronounced lot-kuhs

Fried potato pancakes; best dipped in apple sauce.

Matzah Ball Soup- pronounced mot-zuh-ball-soop

SOOOOO good, especially homemade.

Doughnuts, or Sufganiyot- pronounced soof-gaan-y-o-t

Traditionally jelly doughnuts, though I prefer vanilla frosting.

Gelt

Chocolate coins, wrapped in foil.

Challah- pronounced ha-la

Sweet braided bread- not my favorite, but a very popular year-round Jewish food.

Chanukah is one of my favorite holidays for food, right next to Halloween and Thanksgiving.

There are many traditions associated with Chanukah. One tradition is playing dreidel. A dreidel is a small 4 sided top with the hebrew letters nun (נ), gimel (ג), hey (ה), and shin (ש). This stands for nes gadol haya sham, or “a great miracle happened there”. The miracle is how a tiny bit of oil lasted for eight nights. How you play dreidel is this:

Everyone starts with 10 chocolate gelt or pennies, and they all put one in the center. You spin the dreidel and if you get a nun, you take nothing. If you get a gimel, you get everything in the pot and the game restarts by everyone putting one in again. If you spin a hey, you take half of the items. If you get shin, you have to put one in. You win when you have all the gelt- but share it with family and friends.

On Chanukah, you light the menorah. A menorah is a candle holder with nine spots, and you add a candle each night. The taller candle in the middle is called the shamash, or the helper. You light this candle with a match or lighter, then use it to light all the other candles. As you light the candles, you say the Chanukah prayers. You can also sing a Chanukah song after, such as I Have A Little Dreidel.

And of course, there are presents. Chanukah is about giving as well as getting. It’s always fun to pick out gifts and hand wrap them, and to see the look on people’s faces. Happy Chanukah!

Holiday Foods

By Emma Podgorski, Klesta Arifi, and Olga Storozhuk

As you know, the holidays are coming up. That means there are lots of holiday foods associated with where you’re from. We decided to research popular holiday foods from around the world. Below are a few dishes from countries.

POLISH: Barzcz Czerwony- this is beet soup with these little things that look like dumplings and are filled with cabbage and mushroom or meat. Pierogi- These are kind of like dumplings but they can have berries in them along with other things. We also have fish with lemon and lemon potatoes. Makowice- this is a poppy seed bread that is super sweet and glazed with sugar (a dessert). We also eat fish with lemon and potatoes with lemon.

ALBANIAN: To start off, byrek is a popular pastry made from dough layers and is often filled with meat, cheese, spinach, and more. Baklava is a sweet pastry with layers of nuts, syrup and phyllo. Lastly, petulla are fried donuts accompanied by sweet or savory toppings.

AMERICAN: They eat meat like turkey with mashed potatoes and stuffing, casserole, and cranberry sauce and gravy eggnog and cocoa are popular drinks along with fruitcake and pie.

KOREAN: Bulgogi is thin marinated meat, most commonly beef. Jeon is a type of savory pancake made from various ingredients. They are also mixed with different vegetables. Japchae are sweet potato noodles often mixed with beef or vegetables, seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.

FRENCH: Classic oysters are a popular holiday dish in France. They are often served with raw lemon. Escargots are land snails cooked in garlic butter. Gougères are a savory pastry made from choux dough and mixed with cheese, often filled with scallion cream cheese, mushroom duxelles, and more.

RUSSIAN: A traditional russian food is called Holodets (or Kholodets.) It is soup that has been turned into jello and may be eaten with hot sauce.

Do you eat any of these foods during holidays? WOULD you eat them if you could?

CDW Band Winter Concert

By: Juah Jeong

As you may know, CDW is having our winter concert! The 5th grade band and the 6th grade band will be performing on Wednesday, December 17, at 7:30 PM. The 7th grade band and the 8th grade band will be performing on Thursday, December 18, at 7:30 PM. The Day-Time Concert is going to be on Thursday, December 18, starting at 1:00 PM. These are the songs the bands will perform:

1. The 5th grade band will be performing 2 songs: Battle of the Samurai by Timothy Loest and Reign by Robert W. Smith. Battle of the Samurai by Timothy Loest is an intense, heroic, and dramatic piece with energy and fiercefulness. Reign by Robert W. Smith is a majestic, powerful, and confident piece of music with strength.

2. The 6th grade band will perform 3 pieces: Japanese Festival Dance (Traditional song) arranged by Michael Story, Northridge Overture by John O’Reilly, and Quantum Mission by Ralph Ford. Japanese Festival Dance, which is a traditional song arranged by Michael Story, is a bright, exciting, and joyful piece with a Japanese melody as a base. Northridge Overture by John O’Reilly is an upbeat, dynamic, and intense song with changing moods and features throughout the song. Lastly, Quantum Mission by Ralph Ford is a bold and mysterious piece with suspense and energy.

3. The 7th grade band will be performing 3 songs as well: Pirates of the Caribbean by Klaus Badelt / arranged by Michael Sweeney, Egyptique by William Owens, and Ghost Lights by Timothy Loest. Pirates of the Caribbean by Klaus Badelt and arranged by Michael Sweeney is a mysterious and bold piece of music that shows the adventure of pirates traveling through the Caribbean Sea. Egyptique by William Owens is a mysterious and majestic piece that represents the magic of Egypt. Finally, Ghost Lights by Timothy Loest is a piece which represents the eeriness and mystery of ghosts by transitions throughout the song.

4. Last but not least, the 8th grade band will be performing 3 songs: Codebreaker by Robert Buckley, Santa’s Big Adventure by David Shaffer, and Star Wars/Raiders March by John Williams. Codebreaker by Robert Buckley is an adventurous and suspenseful music with the style of a classic spy music. Santa’s Big Adventure by David Shaffer is a festive, energetic, and entertaining piece with Christmas carols and bright tempos. Finally, Star Wars/Raiders March by John Williams is a piece with grand adventures, excitement, and heroism.

If you are interested in the CDW winter band concert, feel free to come on December 17th and December 18th to watch our performances!

Knightly Chronicles Movie Review: Wicket For Good

By: Aislyn Lovrich, Ashley Kim, Dylan Bernstein, Klesta Arifi

On Nov 21, 2025, a movie FINALLY came out, one we were anticipating for a year. One year before, the movie Wicked came out. This was a movie version of the classic musical Wicked. The movie follows Elphaba (a girl with green skin who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (a popular girl who becomes Glinda the good witch). They go through many things together before a sad ending (if you’ve seen the Wizard of Oz then you know what happens). The songs are magical, the action is amazing, and the story is just pure perfect. Wicked is an amazing musical and film. The epic conclusion is a bit sad, but still very good. There are also some scenes… Anyways, this movie is definitely one you should watch, but maybe not one you should watch multiple times- it’s not that incredible.

Wicked For Good has its ups and downs. Here are some ratings of it.

Emma: I rate this movie Wicked for good 3.8/5 because it's really sad at some points and people die too. The first one wasn't as sad and was amazing except for those devious monkeys. This one also had some cool mention to the movie the wizard of oz and those were so cool. There were also some big secret moments that I won't say because then that will ruin it for y'all who never watched it. The bonds the characters made are awesome. Wicked 2 bonds also this

Klesta: I would rate Wicked For Good a solid 4/5 because some scenes and songs were amazing in my opinion, but the first one was better. I likes how it kind of referenced the Wizard of Oz. I loved the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. Overall, I would rate this movie 4/5.

Ashley: I rate the movie Wicked For Good a 4/5 because it was good but it had too much drama and also I prefer the first one more. Additionally, the movie was so emotional and the end wasn’t the best ending.

Aislyn: Wicked For Good was amazing. It answered a lot of questions and tied in the Wizard of Oz story. I loved the moral and For Good is such aIt was sad and scary at parts. One thing I do wish it had was more humor, I always love a good laugh. All in all I give this movie a 4.5/5 rating.

Dylan: I preferred the first one, but this one was SO GOOD! It was kind of dark, so I wouldn’t recommend it for younger kids. The ending was so touching, it almost made me cry. I love how it ties easter eggs from the first one, the musical, and the Wizard of Oz. I loved the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda and their opposite personalities which I relate to both. The music was also good, but not as good and it just wasn’t as fun. Overall, I would rate it a 4/5 stars.

Overall, the Knightly Chronicles Authors rated Wicked For Good: ★★★★☆ stars.

Autumn or Fall?

By: Ellie Han

Ever wondered why “Autumn” is also called “Fall”, the one and only season that has two names? What are the differences between them?

Autumn is more prevalent in British English, and is considered a more formal and poetic term, which is probably the reason why you usually see the word “autumn” in a poem than the word “fall”. The word “autumn” is from the latin word autumnus which means ‘passing of the year’ and also signifies ‘season of harvest’ and ‘plenty’.

Fall is more common in American English, and is considered a more casual, and everyday term, which is probably the reason why people in the U.S.A would use the word “fall” rather than “autumn” in a sentence. The word “fall” is the shortened form of the phrase ‘fall of the leaf’ from Britain in the 1600s.

Now let’s find out which term is used more by students, “Autumn” or “Fall”.

Ellie(Me): Fall

Hailey: Fall

Elaine: Fall

Oliver: Fall

Paloma: Fall

Toru: Fall

Chloe: Fall

Arianna: Fall

Rachael: Fall

Liam: Fall

Kevin: Fall

Ella: Fall

Mean Old Mr. Johnson: Autumn

So, while all the students I interviewed went with “fall,” both words are perfectly fine to use. I personally like the term “autumn”, (even though I don’t use it often) because it just seems more poetic, and makes me think of the leaves changing their color into their autumn colors; red, orange, and yellow. Mr. Johnson clearly agrees.

Well, guess what, people who love autumn/fall! Your favorite season is the one and only season that has two names!

Where Can You See Holiday Lights?

By: Liam Rampersad

The holiday season is almost here. While you may love getting and receiving presents, other people like putting time and effort into decorating. If you don't want to do all that work, you can watch somebody else's hard work! A tradition some people have is to go and see holiday lights that other people put up. I put together a list of places you can go to see some holiday lights for this year.

#1: Tappan New York - Winter Light Festival.

Located right down the street in Tappan, New York, this is a great way to see a bunch of lights. For a fee, you can your family can all experience the magic of the Winter Lights and Holiday spirit. It runs from 11/29 through 1/4. Below is information taken from the website: winterlightny.com

Step into a world of pure holiday enchantment at New York's Winter Light festival, where the ordinary landscape is transformed into a spectacular, glowing wonderland of festive light displays, enchanting storybook scenes, and joyful surprises around every turn . As you meander along the twinkling path, you'll be immersed in a dazzling atmosphere, complete with canopies of shimmering lights, festive music, and gentle snowfall, creating the perfect backdrop for unforgettable holiday memories with family and friends. Warm up with hot cocoa, grab a bite to eat, and cap off your magical adventure with a visit to Santa's Grotto at the sparkly Christmas Village, an immersive experience designed to make the spirit of the season shine brightest for all ages.

#2: Demarest Farms Orchard of Lights.

Another local place to see lights is in Hillsdale NY. This is available every night from now until 12/30, and you can find more info online at https://orchardoflights.com/. Here is information from the website.

Step into a winter wonderland and experience the captivating Orchard of Lights at Demarest Farms, where 32 acres of rolling orchard are transformed into a dazzling drive-through display of brilliant holiday lights. Journey through twinkling light tunnels, past scenes of frolicking snowmen, Santa, and his singing reindeer. The magic continues after the tour, as you can warm up by the cozy fire pit, sip on delicious hot cocoa, make your own s'mores, and snap photos with Santa at the farm market

#3: Times Square or Rockefellar Center

You could always go into New York City if you want to get real fancy. There's all sorts of decorations on the busy streets. There's a whole ceremony for lighting the big tree at Rockefellar Center, and you can even go ice skating.

#4: Drive around Old Tappan:

If you don't want to spendy any money or go into the city, why not just wait until it gets closer to Christmas and Hannukah, and just drive around town. A lot of people go all out with their decorations, and some houses look extra pretty at night. You can turn on holiday music as you drive around.

So many fun options are available to you. Will you be checking any of them out this year?

What Thanksgiving Food is Best?

By: Liam Rampersad

Wondering what you should eat for Thanksgiving? Well, here are some scrumptious recommendations to have a terrific feast. According to Fine Dining Lovers, turkey is the #1 most popular food for Thanksgiving. In second place is mashed potatoes, and third place is stuffing.

The first Thanksgiving was in 1621, where there was 90 Wampanoag Native Americans and 52 English people at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, to mark a successful harvest. They ate corn, beans, squash, nuts/fruits, herbs, seafood, and roasted meats. Nowadays, family would gather around the dinner table and eat an assortment of other foods such as turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, beans, macaroni and cheese, and pie.

The 99th Macy’s thanksgiving day parade will take place on Thursday, November 27 from 8:30 AM to 12 Noon, EST. It will stream on NBC’s Peacock service. I have interviewed some people below to see their favorite foods on this spectacular tradition.

Jungwoo: Turkey

Ariana: Macaroni and Cheese

Jordan: Stuffing

Mr. Johnson: Brussel sprouts and for dessert- butterscotch cream pie

note: Mr. Johnson's 2024 Thanksgiving plate is pictured above.

Quentin: Turkey

Dylan: Probably sweet potatoes

Olga: Any type of pie

Juah Turkey

Lois:Mashed potatoes and gravy

Aislyn: Sweet potato casserole

Ashley: Corn

Emma: Turkey and cranberry sauce

Klesta: Cranberry sauce

There are so many tasty options to pick from. What will your plate look like?

What Are You Thankful For?

By:Emma Podgorski and Dylan Bernstein

While in your opinion, Thanksgiving is about the food, it’s really a holiday about being thankful. Gratitude is very important. And yes, you can be thankful for the Thanksgiving food on your plate. You can be thankful for anything past, present, or future (not really future but….). Now lets hear some things people are thankful for and maybe inspire others.

Emma: I am thankful for a house, food, clothes, water, school, being healthy, being happy, family, and friends. I'm basically thankful for everything.

Klesta: I’m thankful for access to health and education, my family, friends, food, and a roof over my head.

Dylan: I’m thankful for being happy and healthy. I’m also thankful for the 4 F’s- family, friends, food, and fashion.

Jaye: I am thankful for my family and friends

Righley: I'm thankful for my family, my home and the food that is on my plate every day.

Chaeyoung: I’m thankful for music, my family, friends, food, and colors.

Kira: I am thankful for Family, friends, animals, food, people in general, and music.

Ashley: I’m thankful for who I am, my family, and my friends.

Chika:I am thankful for my family and friends.

Eva B: I'm thankful for my family,friends,sports, and my whole lifestyle in general!

Aislyn: I am thankful for my family, pets, awesome friends, and my good health.

Ariana: I’m thankful for everything.

Melody: I’m thankful for my friends family

Beatrice: I am thankful for Sephora, my family, and my friends

Olga: I am thankful for my besties!

Sophia L: I am thankful for everything that is in my life.

Angela L:I am thankful for my family, food, clothes, friends, my house, and education.

Eva S: I am thankful for my family, friends, food, water, and my house

Lia: I am thankful for all the kind teachers and staff in the school

Liam: I am thankful for my sister and my cousins.

Juah: I am thankful for my parents, life, and dogs (I don't have one, but I like them).

Mr. Ro: I am thankful for my family, my cats, and when Mr. J visits me in the morning before OTBN.

Mr. J: I am thankful for my wife, my cat Douglas, and good movies to watch.

In conclusion, now that you have seen these, are there any that inspired you? Did you notice that most people said about family and friends, and everything? It’s really important to think about what you're thankful for and what better time than Thanksgiving it has Thanks in the name! Even though you should think of the things you're thankful for everyday, Thanksgiving is when you speak it. 🦃🥧

New Testing Website Review

By: Klesta Arifi

As you may know, CDW students recently took some tests on a new website. Some people have different opinions on the new test. There are some new features on the test that have their pros and cons. The NJSLA this year features a new system that changes what question you get based on how you answered the last question. I’ve decided to ask a few students in the 6th grade on their opinion on the new website.

Dylan: I don’t like the new testing website. It was hard to get around. On the math test, there was apparently a reference sheet. Half of my questions revolved around the reference sheet, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I also struggled going to the next part. I got the essay prompt for the writing one- I do NOT like essays and I’m much better writing stories.

Kira: I think that there is almost no difference in the two websites. I think they are almost the same. Also, the essays are pretty fine to type because you can waste some time just typing random things.

Lia: I hate the new NJSLA testing system. I hate NJSLA overall!

Emma P: I don't like the new website. It’s super hard to see the question you are on, there are 2 next buttons, it’s just confusing, and I generally don't like testing. They make us test our headphones when we don't even use them because there is no audio or videos. So in general I don’t like it.

Sophia K: I hated this new website. I got booted out in the middle of testing and iI was terrified that my work wouldn't be saved.

Ashley: Hmm, honestly I think the new testing website was better than the other ones. This one is more organized and I like the color.

Chika: I think we should've stayed with the old website. I liked the format of it better.

Maybe this new format is just a test, or maybe it is here to stay. Only time will tell!

Boy Scouts Visit the Veteran Shelter

By: Quentin de Cordova

So recently the Boy Scouts of OT went to a Veteran Shelter! They learned a lot about veterans and how they experienced the wars. So many people had difficult times in the wars. Hope you enjoy it!

The boy scouts first went to the library to make cards for the veterans. You may wonder, why would they do that? The reason is to honor their justice and the time they served in many wars. They were excited to see all of the veterans that fought in the war. ( Each boy scout made 2 cards to hand in.)

The Boy Scouts made envelopes that made cards and usually put them in envelopes.

After the Boy Scouts made envelopes and cards, they went into the car to go to the Veteran home. The ride did not take that long; it only took about (21) minutes to get there. Once they got there they followed a person in a white suit to go to the Veterans.

They got to the rooms of the veterans that fought in the war. They handed out the cards to the veterans. The veterans were really happy that they got cards. They also were excited to see kids that were coming to visit them. Most of the cards were handed out but they still had a few cards left. They also had a few veterans left so then they could hand out the cards to them.

The boy scouts followed the guy in the white suit and then they went into a room. The room was filled with candy galore!!! All the kids were taking handful after handful scoop after scoop!!! They were very happy about it. The reason is because the veterans couldn't have it.

They went back to the front to wait for their parents to pick them up. Once everyone was picked up we went back to the car to go home. Everyone was pleased with the experience and I think they want to go back to it

New Teacher Profile: Mrs. Rausch

By: Jaye Ahn

There are new teachers at CDW this year. Mrs. Rausch is one of them! She teaches 6th and 8th grade Language Arts. You can get to know some fun facts about her with these questions!

Did you always live in New Jersey? If not, where?

No, I grew up in Florida and was a teacher in Brooklyn and Manhattan for 15 years.

Do you have any pets?

I have a dog, Nyla and a cat, Saphire.

Did you ever teach other grades or subjects?

I taught 5th grade for a long time while in Brooklyn and mostly 4th grade. I taught 3rd grade for a bit and 2nd grade once. But, I taught 6th grade for a long time in New Jersey.

Do you have any book suggestions for kids?

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is one of my favorite books. I also love anything by Gary Paulsen like Hatchet and all of Gary Paulsen's books.”

Any favorite snacks?

I love jalapeno potato chips.

If you see Mrs. Rausch in the hallway, make sure to say hi! We welcome her to CDW and hope she loves it here!

New Nurse Profile: Ms. Alves

By: Juah Jeong

This year is the first year Ms. Alves is working at Charles DeWolf Middle School. After Mrs. McCarthy’s retirement, Ms. Alves started working in our school as our school nurse. Many students are curious about the new nurse, so we interviewed her to get to know her more.

What is the correct pronunciation of your name?

My last name is my married name. Although it is originally supposed to be pronounced Al-v-sh, my husband and I Americanized it into Al-ve-z.

What is your main job in Charles DeWolf Middle School?

I am the school nurse. I’m here if anyone here is sick, hurt, or needs anything, and I am here just in case of any emergency. I came to this school because Mrs. McCarthy, the previous school nurse, retired.

What inspired you to become a nurse?

When I was in high school, I was very close to my school nurse, and I visited her office very frequently. My aunt was also a nurse, so I dreamed of becoming a nurse. Eventually, I became a nurse!\

How is your experience at CDW so far? What was your favorite part?

I love it! The students are very sweet and polite, and I really like the middle school age. My favorite part of the experience at CDW so far was the Sharpe trip. I really did not expect it to be that good because I am not an outdoor person, but the trip was so much fun and the view was beautiful.

Have you ever worked in another place or another school before? And if yes, where did you work?

I never worked in another school before. However, I have worked in several hospitals before, and all of them were children's hospitals because I am a pediatric nurse and I love children and always want to help kids.

We hope everyone knows more about the new nurse now!

Bergen Brain Busters Meet 2 (in CDW!)

By: Jungwoo Seo and Jordan Lee

The second brain busters meet occurred on November 17, at our very own school of CDW. Bergen Brain Busters is a county-wide competitive trivia league for Grade 7 and 8 students. CDW is part of Division 5: Northvale, Norwood, Harring Park, Demarest, and Haworth are all of the different middle schools that participate in it. Eight students will be chosen to compete at each meet.

There is a finals competition in June. Although 6 total divisions exist, there are about 50 teams that compete in the finals. The teams travel to a local college, such as Bergen Community College or Ramapo College of New Jersey to participate in this tournament. Last year our team came in 5th place overall, and the year before, we came in 4th place overall.

There will be one competition per month, October through March. Meets take place during the school day from approximately 8:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.m. There are two types of meets: School vs. School meets and Mixed meets. Mixed meets have students mix with other students from other schools; School vs. School is when each school will compete against each other. Students chosen for School vs. School meets will depend on their performance during practice and competition.

At the second meet, eight students competed from CDW, who were Liam and Ariana Rampersad, Jungwoo Seo, Jamie Kwon, Jordan Lee, David Kodosh, Hunter Choi, and Lucas Shin. Jordan (Team E) and Lucas’ team (Team H) made it to the finals. This was a big and decisive victory for team E.

Mrs. Hwang, who runs LEAP and Brain Busters in Old Tappan, said the following about today's event: "It was great for teams made up from different schools to compete today. New friendships seemed to be formed, and everyone really enjoyed themselves."

Congratulations to Team E for winning the meet and for everyone else for their amazing effort and performance!

Top Free Agents in MLB

By: Jordan Lee

Who are the top free agents in Major League Baseball, and which teams will they go to?

With the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the 2025 World Series, the offseason has begun. There are many new free agents, with some being the top players in the sport. Here are the top 5 free agents and which teams could sign them.

1) Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs OF (28 years old)

He started his first year with Chicago with 17 homers, 52 RBI's, and 20 stolen bases. Although he was set back in July and August, he is the most well-rounded player on the market.

Potential fits: Cubs,Dodgers,Yankees, Phillies

2) Alex Bregman, Red Sox 3B (32 years old)

He signed with Boston on a three year, 120 million dollar contract. He opted out, trying free agency again. He had a solid year, but only played 118 games because of injuries, hitting 18 homers and .822 ops.

Potential fits: Red Sox, Tigers, Cubs

3) Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies OF/DH (33 years old)

Even though 33 year olds shouldn’t be ranked this high in free agency, Schwarber had tremendous power, hitting an NL-leading 56 home runs and 132 RBI’s while playing all 162 games. He is a primary DH and can play left occasionally.

Potential Fit: Phillies, Mets, Red Sox, Reds

4) Pete Alonso 1B (31 years old)

He signed with the Mets on a two year deal after a disappointing 2024 campaign. However, he had an excellent year, 38 homers, 126 RBI’s, and a .871 ops in all 162 games this year, and gives free agency a go again.

Potential Fits: Mets, Mariners, Giants

5) Bo Bichette SS (28 years old)

After leading the AL in hits in 2021 and '22 and making his second career All-Star team in '23, Bichette had an unproductive year in ‘24. This season, Bichette looked like himself, leading the league with 181 hits before an injury that ended his regular season. Bichette finished the year with 18 homers, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games.

Potential fits: Blue Jays, Braves, Tigers, Dodgers, Yankees

Which teams do you think will sign these free agents?

What Are You Going to Be For Halloween?

By: Dylan Bernstein, Aislyn Lovrich and Klesta Arifi (credit from Emma Podgorski, and Ashley Kim)

It’s almost the best time of the year- Halloween! People dress up for this spooky holiday, but you may wonder why you dress up in the first place? Halloween originates from the Celtic holiday of Samhain. People wanted to ward off evil spirits, so they wore costumes made from animal heads. Nowadays, costumes are now made of plastic, cotton, or something else. Some popular costumes include (in order)

K-pop Demon Hunters (a movie with catchy but arguably annoying songs)
Labubus (if you don’t know what these are, they’re demonic creatures)
Katy Perry in space (no comments here, kind of self-explanatory)
Kendrick Lamar at the Superbowl halftime show (just why?)
Your English Teacher and your Gym Teacher (Tay Tay + Travis 4eva!)
Chicken Jockey (something from the Minecraft movie)
6-7 (please help us all)
Wednesday Addams (giving last year?)
Aunt Gladys from “Weapons” (who is this?)
Cher Horowitz from "Clueless” (who is this x2??)

So according to one website, these are the top ten Halloween costumes. But not in our school! In fact, none of these costumes may be represented in the 6th grade based on some interviews. So, what are these people going to be??? Let’s find out!

Aislyn: Preppy pink cowgirl (with Dylan, Ashley, Emma)
Dylan: A preppy pink cowgirl (with Aislyn, Ashley, Emma)
Ashley: Pink preppy cowgirl (With Dylan, Emma, Aislyn)
Emma: Cowgirl (with Ashley, Aislyn, Dylan )
Klesta: Girl Pennywise
Jaye: A duck
Chika: Simon from Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Roxanne: Cupid
Olga: Barbie
Cera: A cop
Maddie: A panda
Beatrice: Eleven (Stranger Things)
Phoebe: Alien from Toy Story
Chloe: Go go girl
Lia: Nesuko from Demon Slayers
Kira: Shrek
Righley: Theodore from Alvin and the Chipmunks
Idanya: Alvin from Alvin and the Chipmunks
Melody: A panda (with Maddie)
Sophia L: Mean girls (with Eva Shim)
Eva S: Mean girls (With Sophia Lee)
Tessa: Donkey from Shrek
Sophia K: Witch
Yuna: Witch
JT: FedEx dude
Dominic: UPS dude
Alivia: Cinderella

Can't wait to see how everyone dresses up this year!

Fright Night Preview

By Jaye Ahn

Fright Night is almost here! What do YOU need to know about Fright Night? Well, the theme of Fright Night will be K-pop Demon Hunters. You know... the popular Netflix movie that everyone loves (or loves to hate). To go to Fright Night, You can sign up on the PTO Website and there is a $10 entry fee. It will be at CDW on Thursday, October 30th from 7-9PM for grades 5-8. There will be Gaga Ball, Bingo, an Inflatable Obstacle Course and more. You can wear your costumes but it isn’t mandatory. If you come, there will be sweet treats and pizza. I interviewed some people about their thoughts on the event. 50% of people (5 people) said that they don’t like the theme. 30% of people (3 people) said that the theme was good. 2% of people (2 people) think that the theme is fine and okay. The two people who said they thought the theme was fine and okay, they weren’t going to Fright Night. But you should! Make sure you go to the OTPTO website to learn more!

October School Spirit Week

By Ashley Kim, Aislyn Lovrich, and Emma Podgorski

As all the students start getting into the Halloween spirit CDW does too! Join in the Halloween fun by doing these things next week!

Monday is school spirit sweatshirts day! Wear anything from band sweatshirts to school sports sweatshirts. Let's show school spirit! 👕

Tuesday is crazy hat day. Wear any silly, weird, and different hats! Make them unique! If you don’t have then say that your hat is invisible.🎩 👒 ⛑

Wednesday is anything but a backpack day! Bring any item that you could stuff your school supplies in! Here are some things you could bring instead of a backpack: reusable grocery bags, laundry baskets, and more! But make sure you bring something appropriate! 🎒

Thursday is Halloween PJ day! Bring your spookiest pajamas and if you don’t them normal PJs are fine you can event get an head start for christmas if you want.😴 Just remember NOT to fall asleep. Finally don’t bring the ones you slept in bring a new and clean pair.🧽

Friday is…HALLOWEEN! YAY! Wear your Halloween costume to school!!! 🎃

Now get pumped up for spirit week and start planning what you wear or bring! Halloween is just around the corner. Let's bring it in with a big bang. Let the spooky vibes begin! 😱👻🧙🎃💀

Old Tappan Town Day

By Liam Rampersad

Wondering what to do this Saturday? Town Day is an annual community celebration which has food, snacks, and tons of activities. This is a great activity to bring your kids because they can have fun and be social! Also, there will be 7th and 8th graders volunteering to guarantee that you have have the best time. It is located at Stonepoint Park from 1pm-5pm, and it is free to go. In addition, their will be local vendors and other delicious foods that you can buy if you get hungry. I recommend going even if you can’t stay the whole time because it will truly be worth your time. Hope to see you there!

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