Wednesday, January 30, 2008
West Fairmont Middle School Interview
Students please interview a student, a teacher or administrator, and a community member. Include questions regarding the changes in academics, physical facility, social changes, changes in behavior as they relate to moving into the new WFMS. Your findings will be in a five paragraph format following the West Virginia writing rubric.
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The Physical, Academic, Social, and Extracurricular Transfer to West Fairmont Middle School
My school is one of the best ever constructed. I bet when ever you walk into our school, you will think how much of an improvement it is; compared to the original two separate schools they used to be. Moving into the new school, West Fairmont Middle, on February 21, 2007 has brought about many positive changes for the students. Some such changes have occurred in areas such as the Physical, Academic, Social, and Extracurricular aspects. By the way, this school is much more advanced in technology than the older schools, but we’ll get into that later. In the following essay, you will read some testimonials from the students, faculty, and administrative officers of the school. Some of their answers to my journalistic questions are so diverse. That’s what makes this essay so different from my other compatriots.
The first change that occurred in the school is in the academic field. For instance, the two older schools, Miller Junior and Dunbar Middle, didn’t have the greatest academic department. I say this because; both schools didn’t have any sort of technology. That’s what runs our school life today! Some new things that West Fairmont has over the older schools are: More technology for us to learn in 21st century learning, French classes that are taught through a pod-cam from the high school, and a relatively new class called Technology Education, which is basically Shop class. All we basically do in that class is learn the fundamentals of how to fix pluming and other subjects like that. Then there are some other new things about the school, like: new teachers like Mrs. Constable, newer books to aid in our learning process; we have to blog every week in Mrs. Constables (see I have never blogged until I have entered Mrs. Constable’s class). In contrast to the older schools which had very little technological equipment. 8th grade Health teacher Mat Keener said, “It is a much better environment for students to learn their 21st century learning skills”. And Principal Rockie Delorenzo, “I’m glad with how the students and teachers both use technology in the same ways.” So from those testimonies, you can probably analyze that the two are pleased with the new school.
But in all of this talk of change, I’ve ignored the true people I have to put in a testimony for, the students. Student Connor Haberland said,” I think the school looks cool on the inside”, and fellow student Meghan Haskiell said, “Its cool.” So in the final analysis, the school’s academic changes have impacted the students and faculty on so many levels.
The second change that occurred in the school transfer is the change of physical surroundings. In comparison, the older schools had smaller classrooms, filthy windows, out dated equipment, and dust bunnies the size of golf balls. Yet WFMS has none of those kinds of problems. See at Dunbar, when you wanted to park near the school, you had to go behind a creepy alley way to park. Not at West Fairmont, we have a larger more efficient parking space for a lot more occupants. West Fairmont also has a lot larger classrooms for the greater student population. And one of the biggest changes in the school is the progression of sports. Ever since the school opened they have take pride in our football and basketball programs. Students Meghan Haskiell and Jordan Dublin both belong to a basketball program, and both of them said, “We think the sports are cool.” I know that last testimony didn’t seem like much; but coming from those two that is a real complement. There are several other physical changes such as: central heating/cooling, new televisions, smaller lockers which is a bit of a put down, sanitary, no rodents, and the best one of all, more room for us to move in the hallways. When we were in the older schools, the hallways were always so cramped and you weren’t able to maneuver at all through all of the crowds. After all, the physical changes are what make the students feel good about their learning experiences.
The third change that took place in the transfer is the growth of extracurricular activities. Now there weren’t many extracurricular activities at Dunbar to begin with, however at Miller we had extracurricular activities; just they weren’t all that great. Ever since we moved to West Fairmont, the extracurricular activities hit a boom-point. Some of the activities that came about were: the Student Council which I’m a chair member of, and the Science Honorary which I am president of. But in all seriousness, there are a few other activities like: the Bible Club, Step Team, 3 Pillars, and the whole plethora of sports that arose during the growth. I also asked Connor Haberland about if he was apart of any sort of sports or activities. And he replied, “No, I don’t participate, I thought of it, but I just never got around to it.” In other words he actually meant that he wanted to but just never got around to it. Some of these activities reach beyond the school itself; some of them could possibly give you the opportunity for a good scholarship for high school or college. Either way participating in an extracurricular activity will have some potentially high advantages to it. I guess that’s why they decided to hold off with the expansion of activities until we reached the new school. In summary, the expansion of extracurricular activities has made the school atmosphere a little friendlier.
The final change that made a tremendous impact is the large immigration of students from other schools. When the two old schools they had a combined total of about 500 students; but when some new students came to our school, there was a combined total of over 600 to 700 students in the school. Now I don’t know about you but that is a lot of students to handle. When I asked Dean of Students Mason Neptune, what does he think of the student population, and he replied; “Without a doubt the majority of students are well behaved.” Now I think that is a pretty well said remark from a guy who is responsible for 600 kids. I think I would go crazy if I had to do such a thing. But with the larger population comes some better advancements. For example: more people to make friends with, larger overall population, more social events like dances, and more people to talk to when you think you have no one else to talk to. On balance, the growth rate of students is far greater than what the teachers and I have anticipated it to be.
In conclusion, you have read all of the positive changes that occurred in the transfer from the older, last century schools; into the newer, 21st century School. All of the changes that occurred in my opinion were all for the better. Yet there is a feeling inside that makes me want to miss the older schools. I did attend Dunbar, and Miller, and even though they were both dust filled, and vermin ridden. They both had a certain atmosphere that made it my home, for however long I was there for. I believe that the changes that I truly thought were great were how we gained new faculty members to the school. Some of those great people are: Mrs. Constable, Mr. Neptune, and Mr. Mileto. All three of those new faculty members add on the significance of my year at West Fairmont. And even though this is my second and final year a WFMS, I will cherish the time I spent there for the rest of my life.
Randy Stickley
Mrs. Constable’s Reading/Language Arts Class
February 14, 2008
Moving into our new West Fairmont Middle School (WFMS), on February 21, 2007, has brought many changes for students. Everyone was very excited to be one of the first classes to attend the school. Some changes include physical, social, academic and extra curricular activities. The school has much larger classrooms. It is air conditioned and has a cafeteria in the same building. There is a brand new gym as well. It is much larger than the gym’s in Dunbar and Miller. Everything is new and clean.
There is much more technology. There are computers to work on school work. Thumb drives were donated by Anthony Chevrolet to help students download their projects. There are several new teachers. Another foreign language is offered to students. French is taught through the Distance Learning Lab. The class is taught by a teacher from the high school at the same time. The students and the teacher can talk to each other through the lab.
There are many extra curricular activities for students to enjoy. There are not only sports like football, basketball, track, and cross country, but many clubs to join too. There are Y-Teens, Step Team, Bible Club, Three Pillars, Student Council, and Science Honorary.
The new school is a big improvement from Dunbar Middle and Miller Junior High School. And, the school just keeps on growing. New students have come to WFMS from Rivesville, Barrackville, Fairmont Catholic, and East Fairmont Junior High.
The students love the new school. We are all very proud to be Bear Cubs at WFMS.
I had done some interviews with some of the schools students and administrators and this is what they said about the new school. Jackie Constable, a reading and language arts teacher, said, “This school is beautiful! It’s more crisp and clean, brand new.” Student, Mehgan Haskiell, said, “This school is much nicer than other schools I’ve been in, but there are too many rules.” Student Jordan Dublin, an 8th grade student at West Fairmont Middle School, said, “More people keep coming from different schools.”
In conclusion being a Polar Bear Cub is a terrific experience for the teachers, administrators, and students. We have a winning football, basketball, and wrestling team!
Rachel Waskis
5-6th period
West Fairmont: The Academic, Physical, Extra Curricular, and Social Changes.
The move to West Fairmont Middle School from Miller Junior High School has, been terrific. In the following paragraphs, you will read my opinions, and the opinions of students, administrators, and teachers. Every outlook has actually been positive towards the school, and I have received no negative feedback.
This paragraph will focus on the academic changes, and compare and contrast academically Miller to West Fairmont Middle School. The technology of our new school is severely different from our old school, Miller Junior High. The technological changes include our brand-new computer lab. Our old computer lab had about 20 computers, enough for a small class. The new computer lab has about 40 computers, enough for our large English Class; it even has enough left over! When I asked Administrator Rocky Delorenzo what he thought was the best part of WFMS, he replied with "My favorite part of WFMS is the Technology." See even administrators will agree. Although Miller offered Spanish class in Miller, students now have the choice for a new Academic class, French Class. I don't take French or Spanish, but my friend Randy does, and he told me, not under interview, but under casual conversation, that he liked the Distance learning lab, which has two flat screen TV screens and cameras so the students can talk with their teacher who is in the Fairmont Senior High School. Base was already offered in Miller, but in WFMS we have a much better, cleaner, and high tech kitchen, and Base room. In Mrs. Constables Class, we now have to do weekly blogs, an assignment were Mrs. Constable writes a blogs were we have to respond to the questions she asks us in our own opinion. I also asked another administrator, Mason A. Neptune, what he thought was the best part of WFMS, he replied with "Without a doubt the teachers and the students."
WFMS has physical strengths in comparison to Miller. The classrooms of WFMS are much bigger in comparison to Miller. Millers classrooms were made of hard wood flooring and had small desks, WFMS's classrooms are made of floor tiles, and their desks are much bigger. When Randy Stickley, student of WFMS, was asked the question, "What did you think of the transition from Miller to WFMS?" to which he replied "The transition was very nerve racking." I then proceeded in the interview to ask him what he thought was best about our new school, he answered “I think the best part is the larger atmosphere." Another good thing about WFMS is the fact that it does not have an outside cafeteria like Dunbar, one of the schools that was combined with Miller to make WFMS, did. One of the downfalls to WFMS is the fact we were promised two gyms, but instead got only one. Our school is much more sanitary then Miller, in fact Miller had Cockroaches running around. Another down fall is the fact that we have very small lockers in comparison to Millers "Colossal" lockers. To top everything off, our hallways are a lot bigger than Miller's and Dunbar's hallways. I asked Jackie Constable, 7th and eighth grade reading and language arts teacher, what she liked the best about WFMS, and she said “I like being in a new clean 21st century environment.” I also asked Mrs. Jackie Constable if there was room for more improvement, to which she responded with “There will be room for more improvement as long as we keep up with the changing technology.” When asked this question this question, everyone responded with “yes”. As you can see from the responses, many people have high, unbreakable hopes for the future our school. So as long as new technology is advancing, so too will the school keep up with our ever changing amenities.
Our new school has an extracurricular advantage too. We now have a revival of the formerly defunct Bible club. In addition to the Bible club's revival, the step team has been brought back. The three pillars club has been helping around the school too. The three Pillars club is an organization of volunteers who help students do better in school. The next organization is the Science Honorary, a group of students who are academically ahead in science. The group offers tutoring, and discusses scientific issues. My friend Randy, whom I interviewed, is the President of this club. I asked him if he was involved in any clubs, to which who came up with the reply "I am the chair member of the Student Council, and the President of the Science honorary club, you can call me a bureaucrat." Last but not least on the extracurricular club list is the student council, they have group meetings in which they decide how they will plan dances and other social events.
The final is the social attitudes at WFMS. We have more students in this school, which means more people associating with each other. Along with more students we also more dances, we have Halloween Dances, Formal Dances, Valentines Dances, and at the end of the year a themed dance.
In conclusion, we have many reasons why WFMS is better than Dunbar and Miller. From the above passages, we have academically, physically, extracurricular, and socially. I think the strongest reason for academically is technology. Technology is important to education because almost assignment revolves around it. We usually have computer assignments in Mrs. Constable's class, and Mr. Patrick's class. The most important reason for physically is Bigger classrooms. Bigger classrooms are important because the bigger the classrooms, the more students that can fit into one class. In Extracurricular, all reasons are important. All the clubs help students with their school work. Socially, students make more friends; some can even help them improve their schoolwork. These have been the views of me, students, teachers, and administrators.
By: Connor Haberland.
“Who are, who are, we say we are, we are the, Polar Bear Cubs”. If you were to define West Fairmont Middle School, you would discover that our definition is much more deep and enrapturing than any other schools in the state. Instead of bleeding red, we bleed red, blue, and white. School spirit lingers within all of us, and we have so much pride, that no other school can dig into our skin and make us fail. In the next paragraphs, I will be giving you examples of how much we really care about our school, and how much pride we actually have. A series of questions have been asked to the staff members and the students about what they feel about our new school. They answered in the following.
Rachel Waskis, a devoted eight-grade student says, “I like the new school and how it prepares us for our high school years, I think that without teachers like Mrs. Constable, we wouldn’t be prepared for our freshman year at all. That’s what we like about this school, its fun, and it’s educational.” Mr. Neptune states that he “enjoys the student body and this new school is a hit.” There were very many good comments on this new school of ours, but there were also many bad. For example, Jordan Dublin, a student at WFMS, quotes that “the rules here are much too strict, the food is always terrible, and the discipline point system is outrageous and unfair. The color in this school is plain, and the spirit during school hours, can be the same.” Anya Taylor, states that “there are no color or happiness in this school, the walls are all plain, the rooms are the same, and the bells, they sound like hospital bells, it basically feels like prison.” Those are only some insulting opinions of the students though; the majority of the student body compliments the school on its pride, spirit, education, and teachers.
There are few bad things that I think about this school. In my person opinion, I think this school has an overall feeling of new and fresh. Who wouldn’t want to have a new and fresh start off in education and advancing into their life and jobs? I think that the school has a decent staff, and a pretty good educational system. My favorite teacher is Ms. Constable, and my favorite principle is Mr. Neptune. I can see why everyone likes him, because he’s nice, funny, smart, and a very amazing principle and is good at running our school. If he wasn’t, we wouldn’t be were we are as Polar Cubs today. So thanks to him, we have all come together, and called ourselves the “West Fairmont Middle School Polar Bear Cubs”.
In determination, this school has everything a school should be made out to be, and we still will never fall, because as the Polar Bear cubs, we are strong. We are strong in many parts and weak in few. With the power of our education, and the power of our schools spirit, we can defeat any other school and lead others that follow us into victory. We want other counties to shiver when they hear about us, we want them to be jealous and in need of something that we already have. But the only way they can be true Polar Cubs, is if they get a school like ours, and to do that, they will just have to come here wont they? So to top our school off, we have something to say. “Who are, who are we say we are, we are the, Polar Cubs.”
By: Mehgan Haskiell
The new West Fairmont Middle School has been a big success. We are going out with the old and in with the new the past year here. The next few paragraphs are about my opinions about this school. Also you will view a couple students’ views too.
This school has improved academically because the new school has newer books, we now have the smart boards. In our English classes we use wikipedia sites, blogs and pod casting. This new school is more advanced than most schools, and more organized. This new school has much more technology than other schools in the state. We now have new tech-ed equipment in our school. The new WFMS was a big success academically. There is a lot more technical rooms in the building for example the distance learning lab is very helpful to our French classes, a fellow student Nicole McCauley said “the distance learning lab and the computer labs use the most technology in the school”. Those are only some of the ways West Fairmont Middle School is improved academically.
West Fairmont Middle has changed physically because, the locker sizes are different, a student Carey Morris says, “The lockers are much bigger”. Also the parking lot is much bigger than the one at Miller. The new desks are much bigger and cleaner. We now have a weight room in this school unlike the other one. The locker rooms for the gym are terrific and they have also improved, the showers in the locker rooms are very nice as well. The new school is a lot more sanitary than Miller and the other schools here. You no longer have to walk outside to the cafeteria to eat. There is a new bell system and new office phones. The clocks are now built into the walls here. They now have heating and cooling systems in the school.
This school has changes socially because now we have students coming from Schools from the surrounding cities and towns. We have students from East Fairmont, Barackville, and even Morgantown .Therefore, we have many more students here than other schools. The school is much larger than the other schools around here. There are more dances is this school also. The extra curricular activities have increased. Some newer activities are 3 pillars, bible club, y-teens, multi-cultural club, step team, student council and also science honorary.
This school is overall one of the best. There are some bad things about moving into a new school but this school has changed a lot of things, it’s not a bad thing though it’s great.
Thank you for reading.
Brittany Matheny
5th and 6th period
February15th, 2008
Todd Branham
5/6th period
We are the Polar Cubs. I am an eighth grade, male student who plays basketball. In the following paragraphs the opinions of teachers, administrators, students, and community members will be presented. Every opinion I heard was very positive about West Fairmont Middle School. In the first paragraphs I will state the differences between Dunbar, Miller, and West Fairmont Middle School.
West Fairmont Middle School is very different, than Miller and Dunbar. West Fairmont Middle has a large, indoor cafeteria, other than Dunbar and Miller. After that I interviewed some students and administrators. The student that I interviewed was Ryan Ayers, an eighth grade student; I asked him do you play any sports. His response was “Yes, I wrestle.” The second question that I asked him was, “What do you wish that this school had?” His response was “I wish that this school had a pool and a wrestling room.” The last question that I asked him was, “Is this school better than the other school that you have been to?” He responded “Yes, this school is the very high tech and is the most outstanding school in the state, West Virginia.”
I also, interviewed a few administrators. I asked Mr. Mason A. Neptune, the dean of students, how is this school doing academically. His response was “Excellent, our school is second to none, the best ever.” Then I asked him how is the school doing socially. He responded that “Our school is doing very well. We, the school, are not fighting or vandalizing any thing in the school.” In the next paragraph I will state the answers to my questions.
I interviewed Mr. Coleman, the assistant principal, and I asked him how is our school doing socially. He responded “This school socially, our atmosphere is a lot better than any other year. The kids are blending in together better.” Then I asked him how is our school doing technologically. His response was “This school is meeting the 21st century goals and we have more equipment, for example the computer labs.”
As you can see, our school has a very good reputation. West Fairmont Middle School is the future. Every school should be like this one. I hope that from this essay you will decide that this school is the best school in the state of West Virginia.
Moving into West Fairmont Middle School has been a great improvement in several things of the school. Some things that have changed are academically, physically, and socially. Also, we have acquired more extracurricular activities. The date Miller Jr. High School and Dunbar Middle School moved in was February 21, 2008. Since then the school has become one of the greatest schools in Marion County. Students and the Dean have been interviewed to see what they think of the new school. Nothing has been negative, just all positive.
The school has changed academically because grades of all students have become much greater. Mr. Neptune, the dean of students, said, “We’re second to none.” The school has also obtained new teachers, which are better at teaching than some of the old ones. Of course, the school has gotten much better computers; the computers of this school have become up to date compared to the older schools. There are classes that now teach how to use the new technology of today. Students have learned how to use podcasts, and how to use Microsoft publisher. Also, smart boards were bought for the school; smart boards help teachers show children different things from the internet in an easier way than from over head projectors.
Of course, the school has become immense compared to the older schools. Students Shelby Sawyer and Nichole McCauley both said, “My favorite part of the new school is the gym.” The classrooms of this school have become much bigger than the ones from Miller and Dunbar; rooms are more open, making it easier to work in. When students were at Dunbar, they had to walk outside to get to the cafeteria; while in Miller, students had to go to the other room to eat lunch because the cafeteria was too small. Now, students can all eat in the same cafeteria, and also have Café tables that add a neat touch to the room. The bathrooms are much cleaner than the old ones. The school has also acquired a security system, keeping students safer than at the old schools.
The school has changed socially because it has obtained many more students. Students from Barrackville, Riverville, and many other schools have come to WFMS. In extracurricular activities, there have been so many more things to choose from. Students can now go into Y team, step team, or go into a Bible club. Also, if students have excellent grades, children can be a member of the Science Honoraries. All of these choices have many students, and will probably gain even more! There is also the varsity basketball team. Student Nichole McCauley says, “Being on the varsity basketball team is very enjoyable.”
In conclusion, the new school, West Fairmont Middle School, has improved immensely in academics, physical appearance, students, and extracurricular activities. The school changed academically because of higher grades. Physically the school has changed because of bigger rooms, and a bigger gym. The school has acquired many more students, and has gotten more choices for extracurricular activities. As the dean and the two students have said, this school has become a great place to learn. The cafeteria is much bigger, along with the gym; and also the school has become much cleaner.
Ryan Wilson 5th period.
Ryan Ayers
2-15-08
5th-6th
The reason I am writing is to show you what people think about our move to the new school. The move to West Fairmont Middle School took place February 21st 2007. There were a lot of changes. Down through the paragraphs I had interviewed many different people. I asked them questions on what they thought about the move and everything that happened.
The first person I interviewed was fellow student Randy Stickley. His thoughts were he likes West Fairmont Middle School a lot better than Miller. His favorite things were the school’s larger atmosphere. He is in student council. He is also the president of Science Honorary. He likes the classes better because there is a lot more technology in them. What he thinks about putting the school together, “There are too many little 5th and 6th graders around. But that is the only complaint I have had.
Dean of students Andy Neptune thinks it is the best school in the county. He also said the best thing about this school is the students. He said that we have the best technology, sports, and clubs in the state. He also stated that putting the schools together was a good idea. The reason being is that all the schools needed a school.
Another student, Todd Branham, stated that his favorite thing about this school is the girls and gym. He thought that putting the schools together was a good idea. He said that because it lets us get back to our roots. He definitely likes this school better than Miller. The reason he likes this school better is because he uses a lot more technology. Some of the technology that he uses were thumb drives; computers, and now we have televisions.
These are all the things that people like about West Fairmont Middle School. A lot of people liked this school better than Miller. They use a lot more technology than at anywhere else. I can say that I like this school better and this school is the best.
Moving into the new middle school on February 21, 2007 has made changes academically, physically, and socially, with extra circular. The school has changed in many ways. I went around the school and asked teachers and people around the school about what they thought about the new school and the changes. I think that the school has changed academically, because we are the strongest in the county. There are new teachers involved; new books to read out of, and to learn from, new research resources, new bathrooms to change in if you have gym, also new locker rooms to go into for basketball games, and cheerleading practice.
I think that the school has changed physically because we can cheerlead now in the gym, and have games here and not at the armory. There is a new basketball team that has a lot of amazing players on it who transferred here when the new school was built. There is also a new football team they are the Polar Cubs. There are over twenty kids and they are also really good. There is going to be a softball team and there are about 20 girls trying out. There are multiple technology rooms in the building. There is a nurse’s office if you get hurt you can go there for free. There is also a security system so no one can come in the school and it will keep the kids safe.
I think that the school has changed socially with extra curricular activities. There is more respect during school; kids act more mature. There is an intercom system to say the morning announcements. There is a computer lab for the kids to come and do there projects and homework, and benchmarks. There is a distance learning lab in the school now so that you can interact with the high school to take French and Spanish. There are new people to meet in the school now and you can interact with the kids in the different grades. There are more dances to go to we have a dance for fun, a Valentine dance, and a May dance which is formal where you wear a long dress.
I interviewed some teachers and principals. The principal that I chose to interview was Mr. Neptune, the Dean of Students. He said that he “thinks that the school has changed academically because we are the strongest in the county.” He said that “he thinks that the school has changed socially because the kids are being more respectful to the teachers.” He thinks that “the school has changed physically; He said that we have some work to do in this area especially outside.” He thinks that the school has changed technologically because we are going to grow in this with technology.” He thinks that the school has changed with extra circular activities, because the students can now participate at our own school instead of the armory.” “He thinks that the school has changed in other ways because the teachers seemed happier and everyone seems to be working for a better WFMS.”
I interviewed a teacher Mr. Kenner; He quotes that “the school has changed academically because of all advanced 21st century learning tools.” He said, “The school has changed socially because there are more areas for students to interact with each other.” “He thinks that the school has changed physically, because it has a nicer gym, new locker rooms, new cafeteria, and the distance- learning lab.” He states that “the school has changed technologically because we have more updated technology like the mobile lab, smart board, and the distance- learning lab.” He thinks that the school “has changed with extra circular activities because there is more room for the school and you have the East West stadium.” He says, “The school has changed in other ways because it has brought Dunbar and miller together to have unity.”
I interviewed a student Meghan Haskiell; she thinks that the school has changed academically because we have more computers, teachers, and the books. She thinks that the school has changed socially because of the new people, more church clubs, and new rooms. She says, “The school has changed physically because of the new building, more computers, Intercom, and more desks.” She tells us that the school has changed technologically because we have more computers, more technology; there are blogs now, and wiki’s. She thinks that the school has changed with Extra-Circular Activities because we now a volley team, basket ball, softball, football, track, and cross country. She says that “the school has changed in other ways because we have more rules, violations, and more principals.”
In conclusion, the definition of polar cubs is that we have a good environment to come to and learn. A good educational program that helps us advance in our much-needed education and our future lives. “I think that everyone loves this school especially the students that go here.
Gabriella Constable
West Fairmont Middle School differs a lot from Dunbar Middle and Miller Junior High. The students and faculty at this school seem to be happy with the changes, physically, socially, and academically. Most think that the transfer was a good idea, because more room and technology came with it. The different types of clubs are so numerous here and there are new sports at this school. In the following paragraphs, I will describe my opinions as well as others: from faculty to students.
Academically, the school is different than the others because it has so much more technology. 8th grade health teacher Matt Keener says “The tools we use in this school are a lot better to teach the kids their 21st century materials. It’s great that we can have things like laptops, more computers, smartboards, and the Distance Learning Lab”. The kids use Flash or USB drives to save their computer-oriented work home. The Distance Learning Lab is a room that is connected to Fairmont Senior once a week via live video so that the students can take their French class. Most kids enjoy this, including student Randy Stickley. He says, “I love being taught through a T.V.!”
There are also more extra curricular activities and sports at the new school. At Miller, the basketball players used to have to go to the Armory to play, which is a high school sized court. Now, they have a big court of their own to play on, right in their school. There is also Multi-cultural club, Three Pillars Club, and Science Honorary. “Wrestling is a lot better at the new school” says Ryan Ayers. “I love that we have a bigger gym” says teacher Matt Keener. I think that the better equipment will encourage more kids to play sports and the more options to join clubs.
Not only is the school different academically and socially, but physically as well. It is a lot cleaner, brighter, and looks like it’s been taken better care of. The classrooms are bigger and more organized. The floors and wings are color- coordinated: the fifth grade floor is orange, the sixth is purple, the seventh is green, and the eighth is red. The cafeteria is a lot bigger at West Fairmont than at Miller, and there is a lot more space. The students don’t have to go outside the building like they did at Dunbar. I think that all the students and faculty agree: this building is a lot better!
In conclusion, you see how the move from Miller and Dunbar to West Fairmont Middle has affected the students and staff. We have different teachers, more students, and a better learning environment. The students and Faculty at this school seem to be happy with the changes, physically, socially, and academically. Most think that the transfer was a good idea, because more room and technology came with it. There are more possibilities for clubs and sports for this new building, and the new rooms give us more technology. The school is cleaner and has more room. Even though we have all this new facility, anyone will tell you that they will always remember Miller and Dunbar.
carey morris
Brooklyn Little said:Who am, who am I, say I am, I am the # 23 varsity basketball player. I play varsity basketball for West Fairmont Middle School. I just recently transferred to West Fairmont my 8th grade year. I was very nervous about coming to this new and improved school. Before I came to West Fairmont, I attended Barrackville Elementary and Middle School located in Barrackville, West Virginia. When I used to attend Barrackivlle, I did everything in a ritual. I really never stepped out of the box or tried anything new. I used to wear my hair the same way, eat the same lunch, talk to the same people ect. When I came over here, I realized that there are many cool and interesting things to do with yourself rather than doing the same thing everyday. Over at West Fairmont Middle School, I talk to a lot of people, and I do different things with my self and my personal style. So that’s one reason I am so happy that I made that dramatic change in my life.
Well I’ve never attended Dunbar Middle School, or Miller Junior High, so I really can’t give my two cents on that topic, but I know that West Fairmont is so much better than Barrackville Middle. Over here at WFMS they have more people, better food, more technology, and better teachers. The teachers here actually help you with the things they expect you to turn in or do the next day. The people over here are fun and excited; they don’t just sit there like sticks on a log. People over here actually try new things rather than to stick to the same old rituals.
Academically, the report cards are different. At my old school, they sent your grades home in a yellow envelope and it had to be returned and signed the next day. The homework, and the class work is much harder, but it is fun and interesting at the same time. Over here, the work is very serious. You can not goof off and mess around and expect to get the grade you think you deserve.
Socially, there are bigger classrooms. At my old school there were only about 9 or 10 students in a class at one time. There are way more people. Better and cooler teachers. The teachers at my previous school were kind of stuck up if I can say that. They had their noses to high in the air to realize they actually had students to teach. There are more clubs and groups that you could be in such as the 3 pillars, step team, y teen, bible club, multicultural club, and many more.
Extra-curricular, the sports are better. They have more sports over at this new and improved school. They have football, track and field, basketball, cheerleading, softball, and more. The players have way better attitudes and perspectives on the way the do things as a team. They don’t come out with their heads held way up the air; they come out knowing that they still have to prove to themselves as well as their fellow students and coaches, that they are a good thing for the team.
Physically, the classrooms are cleaner. They don’t have spider webs or coach roaches. They keep their bathroom clean and well sanitized. They don’t have old toilet paper on the seats, and over flowing toilets. The lunch room is bigger. They serve food without hair in the pizza, and old bugs in the salad. More classrooms, they actually have a computer lab with working computers in it.
The things listed above, were just a few things in how West Fairmont Middle School differs from the old schools we have went to in the past.
Sincerely yours,
Brooklyn Little
I am an eighth grader at West Fairmont Middle School, We are the polar cubs! West Fairmont Middle school has brought many changes like academically, physically, and socially. The school has brought many changes academically like with new technology, new teachers, more computer learning experiences, and more staff. The schools changes are different physically like bigger classrooms, a bigger gym, and elevators. The school has changed socially such as we now have the step-team, multi-cultural club, six pillars and y-teens. These are just a few examples of the changes, and these affect the teachers as well as the students. The staff also has to learn how to use the equipment, before they can teach the students. I will get into more of the changes in the next few paragraphs.
The schools changes academically consist of more technology like Microsoft publisher, pod-casts, and blogging. There are also more staff and students, but along with that the behavior is still easier to handle. The schools technology makes the school’s learning systems more interesting. In West Fairmont Middle there are also nice boards to use. These boards are called smart boards and they help you demonstrate something from the board to all the students. The smart board allows you to highlight things, and to help the students understand easier. The technology can be very helpful, but there are some problems that occur once in a while. The internet may be down, but the school has many back-up plans. These are just a few academic changes in the school.
The school also has many physical changes too. A few of these changes are bigger classrooms, a bigger gym, and students don’t have to cross the road like they had to whenever they were at Dunbar Middle. The school has elevators, new bells, and a security system. The school also contains new bathrooms and locker rooms which is probably a good thing; because the bathrooms and locker rooms at Miller and Dunbar were covered in graffiti everywhere .The bathrooms were also really dirty and gross. The two other schools didn’t contain any security system. Many people think that the security system is helpful because the staff is very aware of who comes in the school. West Fairmont Middle is on a lock-down the whole time the students in school; the security system keeps the staff and students safe.
Next, I will tell you about the students interviewed and explain to you what they said. I asked fellow student Ryan Wilson “Are you playing any sports or in any clubs at the new school?” Ryan said, “No, I’m not interested in playing sports, but I love to watch them and have a lot of school pride!” I then asked him,” What class do you use technology in the most?” Ryan replied, I use technology the most in my reading and language classes because we do blogs, online-essays, and we use Microsoft publisher a lot. I then asked Ryan how the technology is different from his previous schools and how. Ryan said, “The technology and very different the computers are more up-to-date, we have smart boards, more computer labs, and a security system.” Next, David Bartholow was interviewed. “Is West Fairmont Middle different than your previous schools, if so how?” David answered,” Yes, the teachers are more helpful, and the school is cleaner. “Was it a better idea to put the two schools together?” “No, because the little kids and bigger kids shouldn’t get treated the same”, David replied. “What is your favorite thing about the new school?” David said, “the gym, because it is bigger than the others in my old schools.”
West Fairmont Middle School has gone through many changes since the move February 21, 2007. In this paper it explains some of the basic changes associated with the move from Miller Jr. High School and Dunbar Middle School. Another, interesting fact is West Fairmont Middle is almost the only full middle school, fifth through eighth grade, in Marion County. The community donates a lot to help the school and staff is thankful for that. The students appreciate the community helping to make the school a better place to learn too. In our art class we have a Kiln room also that helps us make pottery; this was not in the old schools. There are many new things in this school that were not in the other schools. Technology is important part of school too so keep it in mind!
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