EMS students offer President Obama opinions on standardized testing

After hearing President Barack Obama tell those attending a town hall meeting that he thought students are taking too many standardized tests, students in Mr. Randy Turner's eighth grade communication classes wrote letters to the president telling them how they felt about the topic.

The students selected the following 21 letters to be sent to the president:

Julia Ayala, Dakoda Ballard, Alec Welch, Jaxon Santiel, Alex Capehart, Evan Blue, Alex Nguyen, Zhenjia Yuan, Mari Santillan, Trevor Conrad, Bethany Martin, Alyvia Warstler, Ronnie Herron, Melissa Danner, Taylor Corp, Paige Earl, Trace Neidholdt, Duane Carpenter, Denton Williams, Tess Harmon, and Rylee Hartwell

Talent show applications available

Applications for the annual East Middle School Talent Show are available in the office.

They must be returned not later than Friday, April 29. A copy of all lyrics must accompany the applications.

The talent show will be held the last day of school.

Student Council elected for 2011-2012 school year

East Middle School and ninth grade Student Council members were elected last week.

For ninth grade- Jessica Crabb, Paige Earl, Rylee Hartwell

For eighth grade- Jennifer Nguyen, Tyler Viles, Shelby Welton, Amy Koch, Ethan Holz, Megan Hickey, Cara Marshall, Jimmy Willerton

For seventh grade- Taylor Robinson, Ashlynn Griffberg, Amy Walser, Kendra Sparrow, Lydia Routledge, Annie Le, Bridget Ingham

MAP testing concludes today

The annual MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) tests conclude today with eighth graders taking science exams.

Sixth and seventh graders, who do not take the science test, finished last week, when testing was held Tuesday, Wedndesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Quiz Bowl ends most successful year ever in Academic Challenge

The East Middle School Quiz Bowl team ended the traveling Academic Challenge competition earlier this month, with Team 2 tying for third place with a 6-3 record and Team One finishing 5-4.

The last competition was in the humanities, following earlier competitions in math, social studies, science, and communication arts.

Team 2, led by Captain Evan Blue and Tess Harper, finished in fourth place out of 10 teams for the entire year. During the humanities competition at Carl Junction, Harmon answered 20 questions correctly, with Blue answering 19.

Team 1 was led by Captain Rylee Hartwell, who answered 19 questions correctly.

The teams will be involved in a Quiz Bowl Spectacular May 19, which will feature teams consisting of sixth graders, seventh graders, eighth graders, parents, faculty members, and high school students who were involved in Quiz Bowl when they were in middle school.

East Middle School Band receives 1 rating at festival

The East Middle School band under the direction of Nicholas Moore, received a 1 rating at the Nevada High School Music Festival Saturday.

An interview with Mrs. Linda Weaver, Golden Eagle winner

In the accompanying video, seventh grade reading teacher Mrs. Linda Weaver, one of two Golden Eagle winners, (the other was Ms. Lara Stamper) is interviewed by Bonnie Ardrey and Annie Suskey:

Are You Smarter than a Map Tester continues

More candid shots from Alexis Gifford and Annie Suskey at the third annual Are You Smarter than a Map Tester at East Middle School:

Live blogging Are You Smarter than a Map Tester

 By ALEXIS GIFFORD and
ANNIE SUSKEY

East Middle School Roundabout co-editor Alexis Gifford and staff writer Annie Suskey will be providing live coverage tonight during the third annual Are You Smarter Than a MAP Tester.

The meal has finished and students are playing games. Parents are meeting in the library and will be taking the type of tests our students will be taking beginning April 12.

Faculty awards Golden Eagles to Mrs Weaver, Ms. Stamper

Two veteran East Middle School teachers, seventh grade reading instructor Mrs. Linda Weaver and drama and science teacher Ms. Lara Stamper were named 2011 recipients of the prestigious Golden Eagle awards this week.

The honor, which is presented to two teachers each year, is voted on by the entire faculty.

Annual Book Fair is a success

Assembly promotes Are You Smarter Than a MAP tester

By JESSICA CRABB
Staff Photographer
East Middle School students were treated to all kinds of spaghetti during an assembly Monday to promote tonight's Are You Smarter than a Map Tester activity.

Mrs. Linda Weaver, Mrs. Clara Ervin and Mr Jarrett Cook entertained the assembly with a skit.

Coverage from Are You Smarter than a Map Tester will be posted later on East Middle School Roundabout.

East Middle School Site Council formed

The first meeting of the newly-formed East Middle School Site Council was held Thursday night in the library.

The Council, which features a combination of parents, school employees and East's Bright Futures business partners, will be involved in a number of activities including tutoring, mentoring, helping with school activities, and providing leadership, fundraising, speakers, and anything else that will help improve the education and lives of the children who attend East Middle School

The meeting, which was attended by more than 50 people, began with an introduction by principal Mr. Bud Sexson, and included a brainstorming session, in which ideas to help get the Site Council off to a successful start were shared.

The Site Council will meet the first Monday that school is in session each month.

Encore classes discuss censorship

Each week, Encore classes at East Middle School discuss a different issue as part of the Word Generation program. This week, the issue was book banning and censorship In the accompanying video, students in Coach Kasey Pliler's eighth grade class debate the topic, ranging into areas such as the dress code, enlarging the topic to things that adults will not let children do. (Video by Jessica Crabb)

EMS Roundabout interview: Rylee Hartwell and the East Middle School Dispatch

In this interview, East Middle School Roundabout Staff Writer/Photographer Jessica Crabb interviews eighth grader Rylee Hartwell about the school newspaper he started, the East Middle School Dispatch:

Mrs. Simmons' class does reports on foreign countries

By JORDAN JENSEN
Staff Writer

Mrs. Lisa Simmons'sixth grade social studies class is taking a trip around the world today, through the courtesy of the internet.

The students have been in the computer lab for the past couple of days, doing research and reports on foreign countries.

Beast comes out on top in second annual Dodgeball Tournament

The Beast from East clawed its way to the top during the second annual East Middle School Dodgeball Tournament Feb. 18.

Beast, Laffy Taffy Crew, Ghetto Smurfs,and Pretty Girl Swag were the top four teams and will compete in the citywide tournament in May.

)From left, Jace Braker, Zac Figueroa, Jamie Rhoades, Delshaun Garth, Tamerik Branham, and Corey Ball)

Now playing in Mrs. Weaver's classroom: The Outsiders

By ALEXIS GIFFORD
Staff Writer
A fond tradition at East Middle School, and before that at the old South Middle School, continued today as students in Mrs. Linda Weaver's seventh grade reading class celebrated their reading of S. E. Hinton's classic, The Outsiders.

The students read the book, which is set in the 1950s and dress like one of the characters. A group picture of students in all of Mrs. Weaver's classes who participated today will be posted later at the East Middle School Roundabout.

(Photo: Mrs. Weaver's second hour class)

Spelling bee rescheduled

The sixth grade spelling bee, postponed due to weather, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 22, after school.

Parents can pick up their children at 4;15.

For more information, see Mrs. Nina English.

Tryouts held for Disney's "The Aristocats"

Tryouts for the first East Middle School musical production, "Disney's The Aristocats" were held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, after being postponed for two weeks due to weather conditions.

East Middle School Roundabout will print the cast list when it is available.