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Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Teacher Feature: Madame Gregory

By Katie Benjamin & Katie Budinger

Q: What subject do you teach?
A: French

Q: How many years have you been teaching at Wood Hill?
A: Since 2002, when the school opened.

Q: Is it fun working with your husband (Mr. Gregory)?
A:I hardly ever see him, so it's like I don't even work with him. Only at home do we talk, and we talk about school then.

Q: What's something we'd never guess about you?
A: I had one of the best three times for the 60 yard dash in France. I also won a writing award, medals for track and was a hurdling champion.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: I like to garden, run, ride my bike and also do crafts like paint.

Q: Where did you go to school? What was it like?
A: School in France was hard, says Gregory. The days were from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There was lots of work involved and doing well in school was important in life.

Q: Where have you traveled?
A: I have been to Africa, all around Europe, across America on a bus at age 22, and Hawaii.

Q: Is French your first language?
A: It is my first language.

Q: When did you come to the U.S.?
A: I came to the U.S. in 1978 or 79.

Q: What was the same in France and the U.S? What was it like moving here?
A: It was very, very difficult, leaving friends, family, culture, habits, you have to learn everything. I miss my sisters. This country is very different. In size, the U.S. is a new country, and France a small, old country.

Author Soman Chainani speaks to Wood Hill, High Plain students

By Vincent Candela

On March 3, author Soman Chainani visited students at Wood Hill Middle and High Plain Elementary schools. The popular author has written two books in his The School of Good and Evil series and a third is set to come out this spring.

The audience in the Wood Hill auditorium was full of excitement at 9:30 a.m. to hear what Chainani was about to say. He first started off by saying that he wanted to create fairy tales where the heroes don’t always win. He said that when he was a kid he watched the whole collection of Disney movies but he eventually became allergic to them.

In Disney movies, most of the time the villains are the funniest and the most exciting characters. The problem is, they are the ones who die in the end but instead the boring heroes take their place and the story ends with a happily ever after. The only problem with that is that is boring and its not really fair for the "smart" villains.

Students are encouraged to check out Chainani's books at their school library. Learn more about the author and his books on his website.

WHM parents learn more about technology and online safety


By Miss Menesale

Wood Hill parents gathered in The Hub on Friday, Feb. 27 to learn more about keeping their teens safe online. The talk was hosted by School Adjustment Counselors Patty Casey and Hillary Brooks. More than 20 parents came to hear Andover police officers Kevin Aufiero and Steve Gerrior and WHM Digital Learning Specialist Sarah Menesale discuss issues of online safety, technology use, various apps and programs, and resources for parents. 

Parents shared tips with each other and had an open and honest discussion about online safety and use. Discussion topics included types of accounts students had, privacy settings, access to usernames and passwords, cyberbullying, examples of students being exclusive posting pictures, friending each other.

To learn more about Andover's district resources,  read A Middle School Parent's Guide to Social Media written by the middle school digital learning specialists, check out the Wood Hill health curriculum and internet awareness resources.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Fitness room gets an elliptical trainer

by Lekhya Sathi

In November, Andover High School donated its old elliptical machine to Wood Hill after getting a new one. Right now it’s placed in the fitness room of the gym. According to Physical Education teacher Mrs. Rogers, it’s a really good piece of equipment for cardiovascular strengthening, and a great addition to use for the fitness unit. 

Many people are really excited to have the new equipment to work on, and even Mrs. Casey and some of the other teachers have been coming to work out on it.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Teacher Feature: Ms. Desjardins

By: Gazette staff

Q: How long have you worked here?
A: I've been here for 7 years, since 2007.

Q: What do you teach?
A: Sixth grade English and Social Studies.

Q: Do you have any pets?
A: Yes, a cat.

Q: Why did you become a teacher?
A: I had a really great eighth grade teacher, who inspired me.

Q: What was you favorite subject when you were in school?
A: English.

Q: If you weren't a teacher, what would you do?
A: Publish children's books.


Q: What's your favorite movie?
A: Braveheart (It's rated R, guys!).

Q: What's your favorite book?
A: A Separate Peace by John Knowles.

Q: What's your favorite TV show?
A: Once Upon a Time.

Q: What's your favorite food?
A: Indian food.

Q: What's your favorite tool?
A: A screwdriver.

Q: What's your favorite holiday?
A: Christmas!

Q: Do you like pie?
A: Yes.

Q: If you could be any animal, what would you be?
A: A giraffe.

Q: Do you believe in unicorns?
A: No.

Q: Microsoft or Apple?
A: Apple.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Poll of the Week

By: Rohini Josh

Number of bumper stickers on your parent's car
Zero was the winning number out of 23 votes

What manufacturer is your parent's car
Honda was the winning manufacturer

Donkeys versus Camels
5 to 4 donkeys win

Cake versus Cupcakes
7 to 2, everyone loves cake

Plain M&M's versus Preztel
5 to 3, plain is the winner

Owls versus Hawks
7 to 3

Rock and Rock versus Rap
Rock & Roll wins 9 to 0

Violin versus Viola
7 to 1, violin wins!

Dogs versus Cats
29 to 5, dogs win by a landslide!

Short sleeves versus long sleeves
Short sleeves win 25 to 7

Pizza versus Pie
Pizza wins - 20 to 13

Middle School versus Elementary School
17 to 3, Wood Hill students prefer middle school!

Instagram versus SnapChat
Instagram wins by 7 votes, - 10 to 3

Ice Cream versus Frozen Yogurt
13 to 10, Ice Cream wins by 3

Granny Smith versus Fiji apples
7 to 3, Granny Smith wins!

Fiction vs. NonFiction books
Fiction wins 8 to 3

Early bird vs. Night owl
3 to 8, Wood Hill student are night owls

Chocolate cake versus coffe cake
10 to 6, chocolate wins!

Wendy's versus Burger King
Wendy's wins by 2 votes - 8 to 6

Coke versus Pepsi
Coke by more than 13 votes - 18 to 5

Frozen movie versus Big Hero 6 movie
Frozen wins by 1 - 13 to 12


Teachers win Turkey Bowl 2014

By: Abby Chou and Gazette staff 

Teachers dominated once again during the 2014 Wood Hill Middle School Turkey Bowl on November 26, 2014. They won 20 to 14. The flag football sporting event was created to bring students and staff together and create a fun school tradition. It was a rainy and chilly day, but that didn't stop the rest of the school from cheering on their classmates from the sidelines. 

"I thought it was fun, it was quite enjoyable," said eighth grader Matt Allen. "We had a pretty good team this year. It's a great tradition and I hope we keep doing it."

The annual event has been held since 2002, and teachers have won all 13 years. It originated as an after-school activity but has since become a fun part of the day before Thanksgiving break. Typically about a quarter of Wood Hill staff play and three quarters of eighth graders join teams to take on their teachers. 

"The eighth graders are bound to win," said Principal Patrick Bucco. "They haven't won yet but it may be because they let their differences on the field affect their play and don't work as a team."


Images courtesy of Abby Chou and Emme Pitts