The Hive

Woodstock Union Middle School's Student News

Quarter 1 Issue 7 October 17, 2025

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Tuesday's Soccer Games End in Losses

BY KILLIAN

As you may know there were soccer games on Tuesday. Both teams played white river and lost by the same score 4 to 2. Both games were home. I asked Seamus how he thought we played and this is what he said, “I thought I could have jumped to the ball more. There were moments when people could have defended the goal but they just walked.” I interviewed Anabelle and she said “ I think we did well. The other team was very aggressive. We did a good job being aggressive back." Here is a photo taken by Anabelle.

Anabelle!!! (A Profile)

BY IDA

Meet Anabelle, an eighth grade girl, friends with all. I interviewed Anabelle about who she is so you can get to know her. The first question I asked Anabelle was: What is your favorite sport? “Baseball” Was her response.

I asked her a few other questions such as: What is your favorite pet's name? She was not a big fan of that question. “I can’t choose, don’t make me answer that question.”

If you're wondering how old Anabelle is here is her response: “13.”

The last question I asked her was who is your favorite singer. Anabelle's favorite singer is “Taylor Swift.” Her favorite song right now is Elizabeth Taylor.

Gaza Ceasefire Is Good News

BY SEAMUS

The Gaza ceasefire has been a hope to the end of the suffering of the Palestinian people and many others who hope for their safety. In case you haven’t heard, very basically the Gaza strip has been victim to a genocide by the Israeli government, killing thousands of Palestinian civillians, since October 7 2023.

But it seems as though President Trump’s peace deal on Monday has managed to get to Hamas and the Israeli government. They are currently agreeing to the first steps of the plan as we speak. But, president Trump’s plan for the end of the Israeli/Palestinian war is unclear to some.

The first step of the peace was a ceasefire of both sides, but the rest of the plan looks to be uncertain. Hopefully this plan can end the bloodshed of this monstrous war and end the suffering of those who are caught between it.

Snow Predictions

BY ELLIZA

As fall sports begin to come to an end, cold weather is here. The talk of snow begins to come back into play! In the middle of the year, it was predicted we would have an above-average snow season for 2025, however, after the drought, the prediction went down. Many people in the Woodstock Union High school & Middle school ski or snowboard, so this isn't the best news to hear.

When Anabelle, an 8th grade skier, was asked about how she felt about this news, she responded with:

“I am sad because I like to ski and it's not fun when there isn't much snow. However, I also think the prediction will change and be a bit better, but still not a great season.”

Clearly, Anabelle is bummed to hear that news, but she is still staying semi-optimistic!

In the past, average ski resorts open around mid November, so keep your fingers crossed that some snow will come soon!

Nurses Aim to Improve Privacy

BY PAYTON

Starting this year, the nurses started asking students to make appointments. Students’ reactions were generally super mad.

Why are the nurses doing the appointment system? I interviewed them and they said one of the reasons was to help take care of us and give us privacy because if someone’s in there and you start to talk then the other person is gonna hear and the nurses want it to be private.

I asked how it’s working and if people use it, and Kim answered, “It’s working for some people, it’s just taking time to adjust, and it’s hard for kids to find the website to make an appointment.”

I also asked what is 3 things you’d change about your office if you could. Kim said she would have separate rooms for privacy and a half door in the front, “and a way for people to get to us and leave without other people seeing the patients.”

Hey! It's Ida!

BY ANABELLE

I bet you have probably heard of Ida. She is a nice and funny girl in the 8th grade. I asked her what her full name is and she said, “My full name is Ida May Litweiler.” Ida has two first names and no middle name.

I asked her what her favorite animal is and she said, “My favorite animal is a raccoon. She said, “My favorite sport is snowboarding.” Ida is really good at snowboarding. I asked her if she has any pets and she said, “Yeah. Two horses, a dog, four chickens, and a snake.” “My dog’s name is Frida.” Ida is a barrel racer and she loves chickens because they’re cute.

I asked her a little bit about her school life. She said, “My favorite core class is American Studies. It is my favorite core class because I got to watch a movie to do my work.” I asked her about her favorite class overall and she said, “My favorite class overall is I don’t know.” Ida is an interesting person but she is loved by many people.

Yondr? More like wander… back to summer vacation

BY LIV

From the actual pouches, to not closing them, to the now checks, I think it is fair to say that the Yondr pouches are taking over the school. These sad pouches just take the morale of the school right down, and with them, students’ hopes of documenting our once-in-a-lifetime memories, calling for help, or checking the time are absolutely demolished.

Personally I think the trust has been broken between the students and teachers. The fact that they had no trust in us to be responsible made them double down and break all trust ever, putting our “distracting cheater devices” in a sack.

This Wednesday they even felt they had to check for proof that we are following the rules; which we were. Although they only did the check for one day, it was a good effort to reinforce the “rule”to have phones in Yondr pouches.

Now enough of my thoughts, lets hear from Harlow about what she thinks about this: “I hate them because I feel like they were a waste of money and last year having our phones out wasn't even that big of a problem and now that they're reinforcing the rule not to be able to have them. It's creating sneakier students and a bigger problem.”

Real Harlow, real. Well we shall see what the future holds with the Woodstock Union Middle and High School and Yonder pouches. Let's hope the teachers forget about them!

Quarter 1 Issue 6 October 9, 2025

Those Chicks In Room 206

BY IDA

Peep peep. In the middle school hallway three-day-old chicks are here. Two weeks ago Mrs. Bridwell, the new teacher in 206, got chicken eggs for her students to raise.

I Interviewed my chick, Pickle. The question I asked was: Do you like being in school as a chick? “Peep peep peep peep peep,” Pickle answered.

I also interviewed a student here in the Middle School, Killian. “[That] chick makes my day better and I like little chickens,” he says.

I also interviewed the new teacher in 206, Mrs. Bridwell, and asked her: How did you come up with the idea? “I did it before with ducks with one of my classes in Connecticut,” she said. “I realized it was a good bonding experience.”

I also asked her: What do you hope we will get out of this? She said, “I hope students learn how to work together as a community.” So next time you hear peeping You know who it's coming from.

What Students Would Do If They Had The $16,000 Used For YONDR Pouches

POLL BY SEAMUS

Spanish Exchange Students Visit Woodstock

BY LIV

We have all heard about the Spanish exchange students; the teachers, the students….. The police. They exchanged from Madrid and were staying at WUHSMS students’ houses for 10 days for the last two weeks. They are super polite and curious, and their English is pretty good.

In the short time they have been here, the exchange students have really made the most of it, learning about the culture and shenanigans of the American students. They have had an amazing time, like trying maple creemees, getting kicked out of Walmart, going on a rope swing, getting the cops called on them, and anything that comes to mind. (Their police interactions were minor).

When my family’s exchange student, Nicholas, got interviewed about his thoughts on America, he said, “It is good, a lot going on. Hehe. It is very fun!” And then when he was asked about his thoughts on the food, he said, “It is kinda too sweet and I love marshmallows!”

And last, when Nicholas was asked about his favorite thing he did in Vermont, he said, “Being on the lake on the tube, but my back hurts. Hehe.”

Nicholas also made breakfast for my family. He made Spanish Tortilla, and said that is what he eats on the norm. It was delicious.

Overall, the exchange was an amazing experience for the American students and the Spanish students, and will be so fun when the American students go to Madrid, but that is for another story.

Estudiantes de intercambio españoles

POR LIV

Todos hemos oído hablar de los estudiantes de intercambio españoles, los profesores, los estudiantes… La policía. Vinieron de Madrid y se alojaron en las casas de estudiantes de WSMHS durante 10 días las últimas dos semanas. Son súper amables y curiosos, y hablan bastante bien inglés.

En el poco tiempo que llevan aquí, lo han aprovechado al máximo. Se lo han pasado genial, probando cremosos de arce, que los echaran de Walmart, columpiándose en una cuerda, que llamaran a la policía y todo lo que se les ocurra. Sus interacciones con la policía fueron mínimas.

Cuando entrevistaron a mi estudiante de intercambio, Nicholas, sobre sus opiniones en Estados Unidos, dijo: "Es bueno, hay mucho que hacer. ¡Jeje! ¡Es muy divertido!". Luego, cuando le preguntaron sobre la comida, dijo: "Es un poco demasiado dulce y me encantan los malvaviscos".

Y por último, cuando le preguntaron a Nicholas sobre su actividad favorita, dijo: "Estar en el lago en el metro, pero me duele la espalda. ¡Jeje!". Y cuando Nicolás preparó el desayuno, hizo tortilla española.

Y dijo que eso es lo que come normalmente... Estaba delicioso. En general, una experiencia increíble para los estudiantes estadounidenses y los estudiantes españoles, y será muy divertida cuando los estudiantes estadounidenses vayan a Madrid, pero esa es para otra historia.

A Day In The Life of A McCormick

BY AVERY

Today we will be exploring a day in the life of the elusive McCormick. Have you ever wondered what a wild McCormick would do in its day? If so you’ve come to the right place.

At 4:15 A.M. the McCormick wakes up.

After he wakes up, he immediately gets a cup of coffee. A programmable coffee maker has been a life-changing acquisition for him. It is a miracle of modern life that he can wake up to a freshly brewed pot of coffee. Then he usually take this coffee to his computer and does the Wordle, Spelling Bee, and Connections (in that order, every time).

Once the McCormick’s brain is awake, he usually does some planning for the school day. He builds his slides, makes handouts, etc. Around 5:15, He like to do some moving. The McCormick alternates between a 4.5 mile run and and light weights training. He finishes around 6 A.M. Then he makes sure Ms. Hanrahan is awake.

Around 6:15 A.M., the McCormick wakes up his children, Kessler and Rosie, and takes their breakfast order. Right now, they’re into a toasted bagel and cream cheese, which is pretty easy. The McCormick likes to have a breakfast burrito pretty much every morning. It has a nice mix of protein, whole grains, and vegetables. He creates a big batch on the weekend, so all he has to do is add eggs on weekday mornings.

At 7:15 am, the McCormick leaves for work. He teaches Global Studies during D, E, and F Blocks, and co-teach Wellness with Mr. Loots during C and H Blocks. His favorite part? It depends. He really likes hearing students talk about their learning and thinking in Global Studies. Some days, synapses are firing away, and the McCormick finds that really fun. He also really likes Wellness, especially on PE days.

The McCormick loves games, and it’s awesome when he gets to play, too. Right now, they are starting on flag rugby, which he thinks is a great game that mixes strategy and pure running.

After school, Kessler and Rosie usually arrive on the bus at 3:10. Some days, he heads home right after that. Other days, he takes Kessler to and from various sports. Right now, it’s soccer. Most days, his practices are over by 5. When he has games, they can last until 6 or so.

The McCormick finds crossword puzzles engrossing and relaxing. He'll also play some guitar; He tries to be working on at least one new song so he has something to work on. It’s also fun to play games with Kes and Rosie. They have one game where the McCormick hits practice golf balls onto their trampoline, and they try to catch it. Ms. Hanrahan also got Kessler a laser-tag set for his birthday, and that’s been fun, especially as the evenings have become darker and darker.

He also always has a book going. The McCormick usually picks that up in the hour or so before bed, which comes pretty quick for him. He is usually out by 9:30. Then it all begins again!

Well that was interesting.The McCormick is a fascinating creature. In the next episode we will learn about the even more elusive Kent.

What About the Chicks?.mp4

Chick Studies

Anabelle presents three chicks with three challenges. Science is hatched.

Monday's Soccer Games

BY KILLIAN

You may have heard that the boys and girls soccer had a game on Monday. There was no bus because of the incident on the bus last Thursday is what I am thinking. The outcome of the games were different but they were both against Hanover. The girls team won 4-3 and the boys lost 3-5.

The boys played Hanover's A team and the girls played their B team so the outcome was inevitably different. I interviewed Seamus and this is what he said “I thought we played well but we are slow on offence and some of our defence.” I also interviewed Anabelle on the girls team and this is what she said, “I think we played okay but I think we could have done a lot of things better.” That is how the games went. Thank you for reading.

Favorite Holidays

BY ELLIZA

There are many holidays that are celebrated here in our community, and thousands more celebrated around the globe. However, the most common ones are Thanksgiving, The Fourth of July, New Years, Halloween and Christmas. People also have many mixed opinions about holidays. When the WUMS students were asked about which holidays were their favorites, these were the results.

There are many different reasons for why students liked the holidays. In addition to the poll on which was their favorite, they were asked to explain why. Some reasons included:

“I love spending time with my family and eating the delicious food”

“Family, and friends”

“It is during the snow season and it is close to my birthday”

“I love Halloween because it is right near my birthday. I also love figuring out my costume, seeing what other people dress up as, and getting free candy.”

“Because everybody gets together and there are lights and everything is really cozy. I love the winter holidays, they give off good vibes. :)”

Everyone's opinions are very positive about the holidays, and Ida states, “It doesn't matter which holiday is your favorite, that's what matters most of all.”

Quarter 1 Issue 5 October 3, 2025

Mechanical Pencil Man: Episode 3

BY AVERY

Killington Whip Off

BY KILLIAN

As you may know, Killington mountain hosted the Fox US Open downhill competition last weekend. Part of this event is the Whip Off, where riders launch off a huge jump and do aerial tricks, just for fun. Here are some pictures I took of the Whip Off.

Girls' Soccer Senior Night Approaches

BY ELLIZA

Next Monday, the WUHS girls’ soccer Senior Night will be taking place! They are playing Hartford at 6:00pm, under the lights on the football field.

WUHS had a great start to the season, yet it’s been difficult for them since they have had a vast amount of injuries on the team. However, those girls with injuries have been resting up with the hopes to play their hardest in the Monday game. Bonnie Kranz, with two ankle injuries said “I don't care if I'm hurt, I’m playing.”

The teams’ games are always very exciting, and Senior Night makes them even more fun. At Senior Night, they often do announcements, guess the seniors as babies games, and more fun activities. It's also a great way to celebrate your fellow students that won’t be here much longer.

All in all, if you're around, come to the game! You are in for a fun evening!

Boys' Soccer Falls To Green Mountain

BY SEAMUS

The Woodstock Union Middle School Soccer team had a game Monday against Green Mountain Middle School. It ended with a defeat for the Woodstock Middle School Soccer team ,having a score of 2:4, but this defeat is only a setback for our Woodstock team.

Here are Killian’s thoughts on the loss, “I think we did pretty good because we were down a few plays and they were pretty physical and so now we know so we have a pretty good chance next time.”

Even though the Woodstock team lost it seems as though they still have high spirits for the rematch against Green Mountain, having high hopes that they will win against them. Let’s hope that they will win this one!

8th Grade Hikes Mt. Tom

BY ANABELLE

This week, the 8th graders went on their 8th grade hike up Mt. Tom. The hike consisted of three stops along the way to do advisory challenges.

The first challenge included legos. The challenge was a good start to the trip but I think it should have happened later in the hike.

All four hours of the trip, it was not told to us that there was a bathroom that we could use, so it would have been nice if we knew that we could use a bathroom. I asked Ms. Hanrahan why there wasn’t a bathroom and she said, “That was actually the test. The whole experience was designed as a summative assessment on bladder control.”

Ms. Smith also brought snacks for everyone, which was a very kind and thoughtful thing to do.

The second advisory challenge was where you have to organize a list of items in order according to their importance. The challenge was a fun twist to what I expected and I think that it was at a good time during the hike.

Once we reached the top of the mountain, the students spread out and ate their lunch. Zella was very nice and shared her Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Rolled Tortilla Chips with her friends. The whole 8th grade took a picture and then we all headed back down the mountain.

We stopped another time to do our final advisory challenge. The challenge included duct tape and people. Try to guess what the challenge was if you are not an 8th grader and come tell me. It was another fun activity for us. We walked down the hill and back to the school, where we could finally use the bathroom. We played outside for about thirty minutes before the end of the school day. I think that the 8th grade hike this year was a success.

Chick Exclusive: TEASER

PHOTO BY ASA | STORY BY IDA

This week, the Woodstock Union Middle School hallway was filled with the cheeps of fwuffy wittle chickies, and the shrieks of students loving them to pieces. Ida sat down with one chick, Pickle, to learn more about what it’s like to be born into middle school popularity. Here is a brief teaser of that interview:

IDA: Do you like being in school as a chick?

PICKLE: Peep peep peep peep peep…

MORE TO COME!

Quarter 1 Issue 4 September 26, 2025

7th Graders Adjust to WUMS

BY PAYTON

This year there are 60 new 7th graders at Woodstock Union Middle School. Heather Fernandes says, “I’m happy to see them in this building. I'm still surprised 8th graders are the oldest middle schoolers.”

Dr. C says, “It's a great group of kids that want to do good in school and make friends, I just want to welcome them in and have 6 great years together.”

Vali says “They seem like a really good group of kids, they seem positive and kind and pretty happy with the new school so far”.

These students come from at least four different elementary schools. But how are they adjusting? I recently stopped by Mr. Kent's math class and chose to interview a couple of his students and here's what I got.

Natalie says, “It's really good and really fun!”

Libby says, “it’s good and it’s calm.”

I asked one more person which was Jess and she said, “It's so fun, I'm learning a lot more.”

Opinion: We Need A Longer Break!

BY ELLIZA

Do you feel rushed to get to your next class? Well, most students do! 85% of an anonymous mix of Eighth grade students said they do! The percentage doesn't include me; however, I agree. Students are rushed because they have lots of things to do between classes.

One example of a time consuming break activity is using the restroom. A test was taken and on average, students like to go to the restroom for various important reasons every other class (every two hours). EHS magazine, a magazine for professionals in the fields of environmental, health, and safety, stated that, “generally, a reasonable time for a toileting break is around 5 minutes.” That means that the entirety of your five minutes in between classes could be used up by that.

This number doesn't even factor in the time it may take to get from your last class to your next class. We timed it, and the longest route MS students walk takes 3 minutes and 19 seconds when walking at an average pace.

This means students don't even have the option to deal with all of their necessities during that five minutes. And, spending all of their break on those things also takes away time to relax (relieve stress), socialize with your friends, or talk to a teacher about work. Luckily for middle school we have a break after two of those sets of two hours (Block 1, Block 2, Block 3, Block 4, BREAK, Block 5, Block 6, BREAK).

Because of that, all we need is a longer break after Block 2 in order to have a longer break between every 2 classes. By longer, I mean 10 minutes. The second block class could end 5 minutes early. This would solve all the problems listed above, and more. Mrs. Whitehead already does this (however, she takes 5 minutes of the start of the third block), and the students treat it well, and are very grateful. All in all, one 5 minute longer break would make a vast positive difference where we need one.

Zella Profile

BY ANABELLE

I think that most of the people in the school know who Zella is. Zella is a colorful, fun, goofy, nice person. For anyone who has heard of her, but doesn’t know too much about her, I asked her some basic questions.

Some things that are really important to Zella are her animals and sports. I asked her if she has any pets and she said, “Yes, I have 1 dog named Thunder, he’s a lab, and he’s super fluffy. I’ve had two old dogs who’ve died, two old hermit crabs who’ve also died and they were awesome.”

I asked her friend Liv about her thoughts on Zella. She said, “Well I have a lot of thoughts about Zella because I think about her a lot and one of them is that she's beautiful and another one is that she's really nice to me and I love playing sports with her because she's really good at them and it sometimes makes me sad because she's so good at them but that's a me problem. I love Zella and I want to spend more time with her. I think her colorfulness and her outfits are absolutely amazing! Zella, if you're listening to this I love you, and I think that you're amazing and I love you.” So obviously Zella is loved for all that she is.

As Liv said, Zella does a lot. By a lot, I mean she knows how to play multiple different sports and other activities! “So, my favorite sports are in order lacrosse, ice hockey, and field hockey. I like running, and paddle boarding. Does that count as a sport? Skiing and snowboarding are fun, but they’re not my favorite. Oh yes, water polo, yes. And cricket, and kickball. That’s all for now.” Zella said, “My favorite activities aside from sports are crocheting, hanging out with my dog, like painting and stuff, I don't know, arts and crafts. I really like hanging out with my family like with my dad like helping him out with projects.” Clearly Zella likes a lot of things.

I asked her about her dream vacation and she said, “Ooh hoo! I like this one! My dream vacation is going to the Swiss Alps and meeting the sheep people. I don't know, I don't really have a dream vacation actually.” Zella is loved by many people for who she is.

I asked Zella where she sees herself in 15 years and she said, “I see myself in an awesome outfit.” So I asked her what her favorite outfit was and she said, “My favorite outfit is my Christmas pajamas. So my Christmas pajamas are awesome because they make me really confident and they're super comfortable and they're super cute! They get ten on the 3 Cs.” Hopefully you see Zella in the hall, and if you do, tell her that you love her outfit.

Students' Opinions on Yondr Pouches

BY KILLIAN

As you hopefully know, we at Woodstock have had a No Phone policy that was lightly enforced, and this year we have taken a drastic step up to locking our phones in Yondr pouches.

Dr. C said, “We raised $16,500 for the Yondr pouches and the magnets all together." The money was raised through outside funds and taxes.

I am going to ask fellow students how they feel about the Yondr pouches. I interviewed Avery and he said, “It takes away from time, and I would rather not have them. I have theater most days and I have to walk all of the way back to unlock my pouch and then go all the way to the theater. I think that we should just put our phones in our bag and if we can't that's our problem.”

I also talked to Liv, who said, “Nooooo! I don't think we should have them because why do we need them and I can write it off. It is a waste of money and plastic we should just put them in our bags.”

Opinion: President Trump Silencing Free Speech

BY SEAMUS

You may have heard of Jimmy Kimmel getting cancelled by Trump. In case if you haven’t heard, Jimmy Kimmel on his late night show said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

After what Jimmy Kimmel said on his show, Brendan Carr, head of the FCC, came onto a right-wing podcast and threatened ABC (The company behind “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”) by saying, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

ABC’s parent company, Disney+, simply obliged and suspended Jimmy Kimmel and his show. With this incident some people went out into the streets of D.C. to protest against this decision, saying the decision against Mr. Kimmel violated the First Amendment, censoring the press.

Luckily Jimmy Kimmel and his “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has gone back on the air on Thursday, but this incident has shed some light on the Trump administration. They are trying to destroy this democracy and trying to stand on top of the rubble. The fact that the Trump administration is going after comedians is scary, not because comedians are important, but because if they can do this they can do much worse.

Am I Safe To Voice My Opinion?

BY AVERY

The political climate is quite unsteady at the moment and it’s at the point where a lot of people are scared to voice their opinion on politics. Even Mr. Kent, one of (if not) the most fearless people I know, says, “as a public school teacher I have to think about it.”

We all need to face it. In this time and age most anything could happen if you say the wrong thing to the wrong person. So I have decided to ask a bunch of people if they would feel comfortable voicing their opinion about politics in front of a crowd of strangers here are the results.

Comics!

BY AVERY

The Best Podcast Ever Tackles School Walls

BY LIV AND IDA

My Project.mp4

Elliza Profile

BY IDA

If you don't know Elliza, this is your chance. Elliza is a 13 year old girl in 8th grade, one of my fave friends. I asked her some questions so you can get to know her.

The first question I asked her was, “What is your morning like?” Here is her response, “First I wake up, then I get ready for an hour. Then I go and eat breakfast at 7:00. Then at around 7:10, I brush my teeth. After that, I put my shoes on. If I have time I play with my cats. Then my sister drives me to school at around 7:30. I'm at school by 7:40. Then I sit in the car for 5 minutes. Then I go to school. After school, I have soccer practice. Then I shower. I have dinner with my family at 6:30 or 7. Then I hang out till around 8. Then, I do homework with my cats for an hour to an hour and a half. Then I hang out, and get ready for bed. Then when it’s time I go to bed.”

Elliza has many friends such as Maegan, Liv, Caitlin, me and so many other friends. I Interviewed Liv and Anabelle. Anabelle’s response to this question “What's it like to know Elliza?” “It's pretty cool because I don't know she's nice and good at soccer and stuff and funny and I have a lot of classes with her.”

Here is Liv’s response, “fire she's pretty cool and a pretty freaking amazing person to know.” Elliza has several pets. She said, “I have so many pets and they are very cute. I had 28 fish, however I'm down to eight. I have one fish that I've had since I was four even though he's supposed to live for 2 years. But, most importantly I have two cats. Their names are Roxy and Eric. They are my best friends. Get this, Eric is Roxy's son! Many months After my old cat, Knightsy passed away we were getting a new one. We were planning on just getting Eric however the lady who was giving him to us asked if we wanted roxy. We didn't want to split up the mom and son so we got them both and it was the best decision ever.

'Eric and I have a stronger relationship than me and Roxy, however me and Roxy have a very strong relationship as well. I have taught them to walk on two legs. It is very impressive. They also know how to spend as well as walk backwards on two legs. They also do this trick called the kangaroo which is a mix between standing on two legs and sitting. My dad taught them both how to sit when they're getting their food before bed. They are very impressive and amazing and beautiful kitties. I love them so so so so much! and so does Liv, who met them three days after I got them!” And that's Elliza.

Quarter 1 Issue 3 September 19, 2025

Second Annual 7th Grade Camping Trip

BY ANABELLE

Last week on Thursday, September 11, the seventh graders left the school and drove all the way up to Plymouth State Park for the 2nd annual 7th grade camping trip. Before they left, they watched The Incredibles for an hour, and then drove away from the school.

The trip consisted of dinner, breakfast, and multiple fun games. This year the seventh graders also participated in a lip syncing contest by advisory. It was judged by the parents who came and the songs were chosen by the advisory based on what music was around when their advisor was in seventh grade. Phoebe said her advisory was, “Mr. Kent and we won. We did amazing!” There were also other games during the trip. “I liked 9 square,” said Lyla.

As well as activities, there was some food. According to Ben, “I had four bagels, like eight halves, and then I had a big bowl of Cheerios.” For dinner there were different options. “I had mac and cheese and a hot dog,” said Emily.

The camping trip this year seemed to be a success. I asked Connor if he would do the camping trip again if he could and he said, “Yes, because it was fun.” Hopefully the seventh graders next year have the same great experience!

The Boys' Soccer Team

BY SEAMUS

You're probably wondering about the past two middle school boys soccer games. Well these last couple of games have been a huge success for the Woodstock boys' soccer team, seeming as though they are on a good luck streak.

The first game had Woodstock going against Rutland at Rutland Middle School, where the boys' team won 5-3. Tate and JJ scoring the winning goals for the Woodstock team, and the team was rewarded by going to McDonalds.

The second game was on September 15 at 4:15 p.m. against First Branch at Woodstock Middle School/High School. The score against First Branch was 7-2, with JJ scoring 3 goals, Tate scoring 2 goals, and Henry L scoring 2 more goals, winning the game.

When Killian was asked about the strengths of his soccer team he said, “We have different types of players. Some of us are good at hustling and giving the ball to people, and others are good at handling the ball. We have a good ratio of players.” No matter what you think about the Woodstock boys soccer team, you have to admit they are having a great streak for winning these past couple of games.

WUMS Trivia Crossword

Comics!

BY AVERY

Haloween Challenge

BY ELLIZA

Yoh! Is Back With Elektra

BY AVERY

It is a new school year and theater is back. The first play is Elektra, by Sophokles, translated by Anne Carson.

It is a Greek tragedy with a chorus. the chorus is not the same as a typical chorus because it does more than just sing. There are 31 students in the play, from grades 7-12.

In this play Ms. Bender wrote the music. In an email to staff she said, “This is Greek tragedy and does not end well! But our learning through this ancient storytelling propels us forward, strengthening our resolve to stand firm in our convictions, without violence.”

Get ready for some patriarchy. The play will take place on October 3 (7pm), 4 (7pm), 5 (2pm).

Tunbridge Fair

BY KILLIAN

As you may know the Tunbridge Fair was last weekend. It went from Thursday to Sunday for rides and for the public. I interviewed two people about it and this is what they said.

Eliza

K: What was your favorite part of the fair?

E: Being with my friends

K: What was your favorite ride?

E: The bag race was pretty fire because my friends caught like 4 feet of air off a jump.

K: What was something surprising you saw

E: Killian trusting to leave his bag under the ride.

K: What was your favorite food there

E: I didn't get food

K: Did you get any souvenirs?

E: No but my friend Lila was going to buy me the secret

walking Labubu but she couldn't afford it and Liv is jealous.

Annabelle

K: What was your favorite part of the fair?

A:The caramel apple and the knock off rock and roll ride

K: What was your favorite ride?

A: Cassino ride was my favorite

K: What was something surprising you saw?

A: Two roosters beefing and pecking at each other

K: What was your favorite food there?

A:The caramel apple and the fried dough

K: Did you get any souvenirs?

A:I got one of those really annoying horn thingies.

I also went to the fair. It was fun and there were different renditions from last year's rides. If you didn't go this year you should definitely go next year.

Quarter 1 Issue 2 September 12, 2025

Luxurious Lunches

BY ANABELLE

School lunches are a big topic at WUHSMS every year. There are the classic favorites such as Orange Chicken or the dreaded such as Cheesy Breadsticks. But some people disagree with that fact.

Liv says, “My least favorite school lunch is the mac and cheese when it’s watery and sweet or the cheesy breadsticks when they have ricotta in them, and the hard boiled eggs in the salad bar thing.” It seems like it’s hard to decide which lunch is really the worst. Avery says, “I have never tried the macaroni and I don't want to.” Apparently the macaroni isn’t appealing to everyone.

Payton says, “My favorite school lunch is orange chicken.” However, Seamus says, “My favorite school lunch is the pepperoni pizza.” Some people prefer fruit instead of the actual lunch. Ida says, “My second favorite school lunch is grapes.” Grapes are definitely a favorite here as well. Although there are some people who agree, most people would not agree on which school lunches to get, and which ones to just sit through.

Black Ops 7 vs Battlefield 6: What’s Going On?

BY SEAMUS

There has been a lot of confusion and heat between the two new games that will be released soon. One is being praised and expected to hold a world record game release, while the other is being criticized for being too “cartoonish” and not grounded with the setting of the game.

Black Ops 7 is going to be a sequel to Black Ops 2 with one of the most critically acclaimed villains of all time, but it seems as though that the fans of the game are hating on the game and will think it will be a failure and a disgrace to the Black Ops franchise. With leakers for Black Ops 7 saying that it will continue to have crazy skins for the game, with Treyarch (the game studio behind Black Ops 7) hearing of this they released a statement on twitter saying “Fun always comes first for us…we want to stay grounded in the DNA that makes a Black Ops game unique, but we are not afraid of breaking the rules a little bit.”

The statement for fans was a little calming, but not settling concerns about the entire erasure of crazy skins. Some of the fans say that if a game is set in the 2030’s then the atmosphere should be set in the 2030’s along with the cosmetics. When Killian was asked about the situation about the Black Ops 7 vs Battlefield 6 he said “I don’t know, they’re both games right? But I think Black Ops 7 will probably do better.”

The next topic is Battlefield 6 which is a much more praised upcoming shooter game that is expected to sell more copies than Black Ops 7. Battlefield 6 has had a recent beta for new players to experience and has mostly had positive reviews for Battlefield 6, with it having a much more grounded tone and amazing destruction physics. A Battlefield 6 developer when asked if it will stay realistic with the skins they responded “The thing we can say, we are a military shooter in modern times.” With this response fans are hopeful for the future of Battlefield 6.

Gray Fink had his comments about the whole Battlefield 6 vs Black Ops 7 situation and here is what he said “I believe that COD has been on a downfall for a long time. ever since mw 2022, everyone's been getting angry with the way COD’s

going. Tons of microtransactions, bad mechanics, and awful skill based matchmaking. I think that since the trailer of Bo7, everyone's just done. I'm sure some people will play it, but no one is going to enjoy it like the past titles. It's gotten so bad that many people are switching to Battlefield “

Battlefield had a somewhat big decline with 2042, but since the Battlefield 6 demo, people are loving it. Hell, I'm probably gonna play it. I think that everyone is gonna start playing battlefield 6 and see how good it is compared to cod. The devs have started putting actual care, effort, and have listened to the community more than ever. Overall,I think battlefield six is overall the better game and the bo7 could be the beginning of a major decline for cod.”

Whichever side you decide to choose on this heated topic of Black Ops 7 vs Battlefield 6 one thing can be said about this. There is still going to be fun for gaming this year.

PROFILE: LIV’s Top 3s

BY ELLIZA

Do you know Liv? Well, most likely, you do! But if you don't, you are in the right place! Liv is a girl in the eighth grade at WUMS. She has many friends, but Liv says, “the best friend I have is Elliza.” To introduce her to those you haven't yet met her, Liv was interviewed, and asked what her top three favorite things were under different subjects. Here, you will see the questions asked and the answers she gave.

What are your top three favorite sports?

1.Hockey

2.Lacrosse

3.Water polo

What are your top three favorite musicians?

1.Noah kahan

2.Nicki Minaj

3. “BENSON BOOOOOONE"

What are your top three favorite foods?

1.Burritos

2.Sushi

3.Lollipops

What are your top three favorite pets?

1.Sharon, her fish

2.Robin, her horse

3.Gordi/Obi/Rosie/Dublin, her cats and dogs.

Ida May, another eighth grader, said, “Liv is a really good friend and she's really nice and pretty, and it's amazing I've gotten to get to know her and become one of her friends!” Hopefully, now you know more about the loved icon, Liv.

8th Grade Girls Look Forward to Soccer Game

BY IDA

Yesterday the 8th grade girls had a soccer game against Lebanon. I spoke to some of the girls on Wednesday and asked them about how they were feeling about playing Leb with no 7th graders. “I feel good because even though we don't have 7th graders, Leb is not a very good team so I think we can still beat them,” said Anabelle Park.

I also spoke to Elliza and she said she was feeling “Great.” I asked them some more questions such as. Do you think we're going to win? And, are you sad to have no 7th graders playing with us? Elliza’s answers were, “Yep. You have to have a positive mindset because you know they say winner winner chicken dinner. “ and, “Yes I'm sad because 7th graders are chill and good

I also asked Anabelle these two questions she said, “I'm not going to answer that question because I don't want to jinx it “ and, “ I'm sad we won't have time to practice with them in a game however I'm excited to see how we play among each other's since we're going to go to a different team next year without them.”

I also asked Coach Justin, are you excited to only deal with the 8th graders? He said, "I am excited for some of these girls to play their first game of the season. They will have to work harder because there are fewer girls at the game but I am excited to see them step up to the challenge." In the end Woodstock lost 3-2.

7th Grade Teachers: We Know You Miss Us

BY LIV

Grief is hard, especially if it’s withdrawal from amazing people. We all know that the 7th grade teachers had to take a bit to adjust to the change of not having their beloved now 8th graders, but sometimes the break just isn't long enough. It is obvious, the looks on their faces when they see the 8th graders roaming the halls, but faces aren't enough. Let's get some real data of the pain they endure. “I miss you guys an 11 out of 10 obviously,” said Mr Kent, although I think he was referring to me, Sierra, and Zella because we are his favorites.

Mr Kent wasn't the only one who's been crying; Mr McCormick has some strong feelings about how much he misses us as well. When asked how much he missed us, he said, “Define ‘us.’ I dont miss you cause you cause you are next to me…” On a scale of 1-10, Mr. McCormick misses the 8th graders a “9”, but unlike Mr Kent, he said “I don't cry over you guys.” Last but not least his favorite thing about us was our “sense of humor, I guess.”

After answering those questions, Mr. McCormick only responded with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ so we stopped the interview…Let's just say I called it. We really did see the pain that these teachers go through every day. They might even stop following the 8th graders around, but you never know.

How One 7th Grader Likes Middle School

BY KILLIAN

This is Beau, a new seventh grader from Stockbridge. He is a very good downhill biker and a good snowboarder. He plays baseball occasionally and as you can tell is very athletic. He is a funny kid and is a good student. I interviewed him about this new school and this is what he said:

K:How do you like the 8th graders?

B:I like some of them and others not so much.

K:How do you like the new rules?

B:I don't really like them, they are not good

K:Are the 8th graders good role models?

B:Some of them are good and nice and others are not.

K:How does Woodstock compare to your old school?

B:The rules are different and I liked the rules at my old school more because they were better and I liked the phone policy there better.

K:Are all of the teachers good?

B:I like Mrs. Lessard and some others, but some I do not like a lot.

Quarter 1 Issue 1 September 5, 2025

Girls Soccer Kicks Off

BY ELLIZA

There is around a total of 28 players on the girls’ MS soccer team this year! Because of this, coach Justin has to split the team up. Originally, he was going to split the groups based on how advanced the players are with their soccer skills. However, now, coach Justin is going to choose a different group of players to attend each game. Coach Justin stated that he “will make sure every player gets to attend at least 7 games (of the 13 scheduled for this season).” He also has been looking for team captains! That means the stakes are high for the practices taking place this week!

Despite having school off, there was a practice on Labor day, and 18 girls attended it. With hopes to beat Rutland at their first game next Wednesday, players have been provided an optional soccer workout recommended to do in their free time. These workouts have helped many players improve their individual ball-handling skills already!

Anabelle Park, a goalie on the team, said, “I'm excited to play Rutland next week even though they can be scary; however, I also think we need to work better as a team if we want to get a win!” Hopefully, the team improves their cohesion this week at practice so they'll be well rounded with both their individual and team skills. LET’S GO WOODSTOCK.

Get to Know Mr. Lanz

BY PAYTON

Today I am interviewing Mr. Lanzalotto, Mr. Lanz for short. Mr. Lanz came from New Jersey. He was an athletic director at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School and now he is an Assistant Principal at Woodstock Union High School and Middle School. He came to Woodstock to find a different job but he still wanted to work in a school. He retired and moved to Stratton Mountain and only requested to work at Woodstock. He drives every day for an hour just to come work here.

In a recent interview, he said, "I'm enjoying it and feel like this is a place I get to come to instead of a place I have to come to.” Mr. Lanz likes skiing and hiking and learning new things like how to mountain bike.

Many students want to know more about some of the new policies at our school this year, so I asked Mr. Lanz about them.

First I asked about what you have to do to get a Saturday detention and he replied with, “I'll start with a conversation and if it doesn't work I will move to an after school and if that doesn't work, then there will be a Saturday.” Some things that would head toward a Saturday detention are “if someone's off campus and did something like bullying. If they’re caught vaping and there’s no THC then it would likely be an after school detention. If it keeps happening it would be a Saturday.”

What about phones? If a phone is out this year, Mr. Lanz said, “I'll take the phone and keep it till the end of the day and then I'll have a talk with you at the end of the day.”

Some other stuff about Mr. Lanz is that he has a son named Christian that is 24. He graduated from Bentley University. He also has a daughter named Isabella (Bella). She is 22 and graduated from University of Tampa. His wife's name is Jolie. And he has 3 dogs and a cat. All his dogs are mutts and rescue dogs. His dogs' names are Pippa, Gracie, and Bo; and his cat's name is Marley. Marley is the boss.

Back To School

BY ANABELLE

It’s getting colder outside, and that means that we all have to go back to school. Although a lot of people would rather be at home or at the beach, some people are excited to be back. Some of the middle schoolers offered their opinion on the year so far. Here is what they said:

Elliza (8th):

Q: From a scale of 1-10 how are you feeling about going back to school.

A: Five, because I’m glad to see my friends again, but it’s more challenging than last year.

Q: What is your favorite part of school so far?

A: Art class, because my friends are in it.

Q: Are you playing any sports or doing theatre and if so, how is it going?

A: I’m playing soccer and it’s fire.

Killian (8th):

Q: From a scale of 1-10 how are you feeling about going back to school.

A: Four, because it’s fun right now, but it’s going to get harder throughout the year.

Q: What is your favorite part of school so far?

A: Probably either Journalism or Gardens and Greenhouses because they’re fun.

Q: Are you playing any sports or doing theatre and if so, how is it going?

A: I’m playing soccer right now and it’s okay. It’s not a big passion but it’s kind of fun.

Emily (7th):

Q: How are you feeling about starting middle school?

A: I feel confident that I’m going to be a good student this year.

Q: What is your favorite class?

A: Probably Global Studies because he makes it fun.

Q: Are you playing any sports or doing theatre this season, and if so how is it going?

A: I’m playing soccer so far, and it’s been really good.

Ben (7th):

Q: How are you feeling about starting middle school?

A: It’s cool.

Q: What is your favorite class?

A: My favorite class is Wellness because it’s basically P.E. and it’s fun.

Q: Are you playing any sports or doing theatre this season, and if so how is it going?

A: I’m doing soccer. We have our first scrimmage today. It’s going great.

As well as the student’s opinions, the teacher’s opinions are also important. Here is what the 8th grade English teacher, Ms. Hanrahan thinks.

Ms. Hanrahan:

Q: How are you feeling about the new 8th graders this year? And why?

A: I feel fantastic. They are fashionable, they’re athletic, and they’re thoughtful.

Q: What is your favorite part of the school day?

A: Journalism class, because it feels a little more relaxed than English class and that’s kind of fun. I also like recess.

Q: Are you nervous about anything coming up in the year and why?

A: I’m so scared. I’m scared about a crime that’s going to happen in the second quarter.

Obviously, there are mixed opinions about the coming school year. But who knows what will actually happen???

Should We Switch Brands of Paper Towels?

BY AVERY

Did you know our school spends roughly $11 daily on paper towels? We use the Georgia Pacific brand of paper towel and it absorbs about 9.7ml of per towel, according to tests by 8th grade science classes this week. Bounty paper towels absorb about 15.57ml of water per half sheet. That’s a significant increase.

Buildings and grounds manager Paul Woodman says we spend roughly $4300 a year on paper towels. Do you think it is worth it to make a change? Take our poll here.

”Something else to think about or research,” Woodman said, “is what other alternatives are there out there instead of using paper towels. Not just hand drying but cleaning also.”

Separation Causes Confusion Throughout Middle School

BY IDA

The Separation of 8th grade and 7th grade has caused confusion and frustration throughout the Middle School.

I spoke to Killian and asked him What are your feelings about the separation?" “I think it's not fair cuz we should be able to see the 7th graders and make friends and I think some of them don't like it as well cuz they like some of the 8th graders.” Killian went on, “And I think we should be allowed to hang out during lunch cuz that's like the only time besides like tiny amounts of Time.”

I also spoke to Mr.McCormick. In a lot of ways the lunch was not a safe place last year. “We are trying to make a better place to eat lunch,” he said.. “It is not necessarily a permanent thing, it is to help them learn expectations”.

What Happened to Musa?

BY SEAMUS

Musa Lenfest is a nice, funny, and inclusive guy who managed to make friends with everybody in Woodstock Union Middle School.

You might see that Musa Lenfest is not here this year, well that is because he moved to California with his family. Musa said that he and his family moved to California because: “My dad is a professor here in California and I wanted to try a new school since here we are close to a university and I also don't really like the winter in Vermont.”

You're probably wondering when did he move to California? Musa had said that he moved “two weeks ago, on Monday.”

Luckily Musa has confirmed that he will be visiting Vermont during the summer to meet with us and spend time mountain biking in Vermont. When asked if Musa will stay in contact with his friends in Vermont, he responded, “Yeah definitely!!” It may be sad that Musa is moving to California and staying there, but it is nice to know that he will be seeing us again very soon.

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