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Around The House

Take Care Of Each Other ~Manvel Schauffler

Contents
January Birthdays Did You Know Ask the Counselor Just For Fun Snowman Supplies Climb Club Interview Reviews Cooks Corner Kindness Matters Gift Ideas Short Story Prompt Meet The Teacher Murder & Mayhem Comics 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 9 10

Hyla Students Beg For A Snow Day!

Dear Head Of School, We respectfully ask that you allow us a snow day. Although the weather does not seem to want to cooperate with us by providing a real snow day, we wanted to show you that even without the fluffy white stuff we think the Amphitheater would be a great place to sled! We have our warm hats, mittens, and scarves and we are wishing for snow! What do you say, Vicki, ready for some fun!?

Upcoming January Birthdays

Please help wish the following students and faculty a happy birthday in January! Gianna, Jack, Lila, Aidan, Olivia, Paul, and Andrew We apologize if we inadvertently missed anyone.

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DECEMBER 2013

Note from the Editor: Dont forget that you can submit any type of question to our Ask The Counselor column by simply leaving a note under Kris Rogers office door.

Ask The Counselor

With Kris and Julia There is a boy I really like but he kind of stopped hanging out with me to hang out with his guy friends. How do I know if he still likes me without asking him?~Anonymous
Dear Anonymous, It sounds like you feel uncomfortable asking him and we understand that its a hard thing to do. Lots of times people want to have a friend ask for them which never turns out very well because you rely on a third person to tell you what he says. Something to consider is that you never know if what the person is telling you is 100% accurate. Something to remember is that guys in middle school like to hang out with their guy friends and that doesnt mean that he doesnt like you. Some options are 1. You could invite him to do something after school like just hang out or go to a movie or just something fun that you both like to do. You could either invite just him or you could go with a group of people. 2. You could just wait and see what happens. Just because hes a friend with them now doesnt mean that he doesnt want to be friends with you later. Good luck Dear Anonymous and thank you for writing!

Did You Know?

By Declan According to the Guinness Book of World Records, on January 28, 1887, a 15-inch wide and 8-inch thick snowflake fell in Fort Keogh, Montana.

The coldest temperature ever recorded in the world was -128 degrees Celsius, in Vostok Station in Antarctica in 1983. Snow can be yellow, orange, green, and even purple. This is because tiny algae that live in the snow in some places of the world can be those colors.
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DECEMBER 2013

Just For Fun

This Sudoku puzzle is rated as a medium challenge for all you willing solution-seekers! We had quite a discussion about this puzzle at the ATH office! We all agreed we didnt want to make it too easy and yet if it proved too challenging then our readers might not bother to play! The rules are simple. Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain one instance of each of the numbers 1 through 9. When you have your answer submit it to Jill. If your answer is correct we will place it in a basket and draw ONE winner from all correct submissions and you will be rewarded with a candy treat. Game ends January 15, 2014.

Snowman Building Supplies

By Kaia
Here at the ATH offices we are hoping for snow! Hoping and getting it we know are two different things, but we are going with positive thinking! Our ATH staff believes it is important to be prepared to build your greatest snowman, so have these things ready and at hand!

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DECEMBER 2013

Climb Club An Interview with Andrew

By Bryan and Beck
BB (Bryan and Beck): What is your plan for climb club? Is there an overarching goal? AL: The goals are pretty student-driven, for the most part. We spend some time during our first session making a list of goals that people have for their time in climbing club. Some of the top answers were: have fun; get better at climbing; learn some new knots; and set new routes. BB: How many people can join climb club? AL: Theres no limit! Anyone and everyone whos excited about climbing is welcome. BB: What is the $25 going to once students pay the signup cost? AL: Mostly the money goes to a stipend that Jeff and I get for our time running the club. If theres extra, it will probably be used for some new climbing gear (shoes, harnesses, chalk, or whatever we need most). BB: Will there be snacks at climb club? AL: We dont plan on providing snacks, so climbers should plan on bringing their own it they think theyll need it. BB: What do you think about your first year teaching climb club? AL: Weve only had one session so far, but Im very excited about it! Its great to see kids excited about climbing, and we had a really good turnout that first day, so I think were going to have a lot of fun. BB: How many people have joined so far? AL: I think we had 16 people for the first session. BB: Do you climb in your free time away from Hyla? AL: Occasionally, but very little over the last several years. Climbing club might motivate me to get on the wall a little more, though! BB: Will you be teaching your son to climb? AL: If he seems interested in it, of course! BB: Where do you think the best place to climb is (or the most exciting)? AL: I actually havent done a lot of outdoor climbing. Ive heard great things about a place called Smith Rock, down in Oregon. BB: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview.

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DECEMBER 2013

By Sawyer and Emerson

Assassins Creed System: PS3, PC, Xbox1, Xbox360, PS4 ESRB Rating: M ATH staff rate is as: M Review: This rather controversial game brings out the assassin in Assassins Creed. With its humongous open world and seamless gameplay it makes you feel like a true swashbuckler of the open sea. It has a new character, yet again a Kenway clan member, whose name is Edward. This particular pirate is more of a scallywag as opposed to the last one Conner who had far too many morals for my taste. The game offers three main ports to explore Nassau, Kingston, and Havana. With over 70 uncharted islands plus DLCs you'll have a jolly good old time. In my opinion, Assassins Creed Black Flag brings out the true aspects of the series, which is to kill people in an exciting and cinematic ways. This game may not be for everyone. (By Sawyer)
Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Systems: N3DS ESRB Rating: E ATH staff rate it as: E Total Game Time: 50 Hours Review: As the successor to the 1991 Zelda game, A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds takes place in the land of Hyrule. More importantly, the same landscape and similar dungeons and enemies appear. This game goes back to the ! top down perspective of its previously mentioned counterpart, which hasnt been used since. With new foes and another whole world to explore, this game will surely keep you busy for hours, just as it has me. Similar to most other N3DS titles, this game uses the Streetpass feature, however I have yet to see a Spotpass or Nintendo Zone feature. Fan Fact: To give the perspective of A Link to the Past, the entire game is slanted away from the screen. (By Emerson)

Review News

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

Chains is a heart-warming story about two young girls, Isabel and Ruth. The book is set in the time of slavery. Isabel and Ruth are sold to a horrible family, the Locktons. With the Locktons, the girls are abused, worked hard, and screamed at constantly. During the time Isabel and Ruth are working for the Locktons, a war is going on between the Loyalists and the Patriots. Isabel flits between both sides, trying to get help, so that she and her sister can be free. Along the way, Isabel makes friends and is betrayed by people she thought were her friends. All Isabel wants is for her and her sister to have the freedom they were promised. Submitted by Grace

Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron

Sixteen-year-old Boy has never left home. When youre the son of Frankensteins Monster and Bride its tough to go out in public. Boy and his family live in a secret community hidden under Times Square. Under the guise of a theater troupe they perform a popular creature-feature show, their human audience blissfully unaware that the stage is populated by trolls, sirens, and monsters. Boys only interactions with the larger world are through the Internet, where hes a hacker-genius. On the Internet, Boy can hide his oversized body and stitched-together face from people. But Boy and his parents arent fully accepted by the theater troupe so Boy decides to run away and join the human world. But life in the human world is harder than Boy thought and when one of his Internet programs goes haywire he flees his new home looking for a way to fix things. On his cross-country journey Boy meets and befriends the granddaughter/s of Jekyll and Hyde. With Sophie/Claires help Boy hopes to stop what he accidentally started before humanity pays the price for his foolishness. (By Jill) 5

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DECEMBER 2013

The Cooks Corner!

Grandma Priscillas Award-Winning Party Punch
Submitted with courtesy of Nats Mom, Jenny
2 cups Roses lime juice 2 cups light corn syrup 2 quarts apple juice 2 quarts club soda Stir the lime juice and the corn syrup together. Add the apple juice to the lime mixture. If you add the club soda right when you are ready to serve, your punch will be bubbly! Pour into a big bowl with an ice ring or mold. Enjoy!

Kindness Matters
By The Random Acts Of Kindness and Books For Burma Electives

Kindness (n): going out of your way to make someone smile

Nelson Mandela was a South African peace activist. He was thrown into prison for over twenty-seven years. Despite this, when he was released, he continued to fight for equality in a peaceful way. He died on Thursday, December 5, 2013. He was ninety-five years old. He will always be remembered. Over the holidays, try to do something nice for your family or community. It could be as simple as doing the dishes one night or holding the door for someone. Happy Holidays!
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DECEMBER 2013

Top Holiday Gifts This Season For Your Parents

By Kaia and Jill
1. A box of relaxing tea. The hidden powers of tea will help calm your parents nerves in the holiday season! Prices range from $5 to $30. 2. A Contigo water bottle. In an effort to be more environmentally friendly everyone should own a great refillable water bottle. Prices range from $15 to $50. 3. A Biolite wood-burning camp stove, because we know some of your parents enjoy spending time on outdoor adventures with you! Makes cooking on wood safe and easy and converts the heat from the fire into electricity. Prices range from $59 to $159. 4. A Ravensburger 1000-piece puzzle. This company prides themselves on being a family company, whose rich history has shaped core values. The products we create are not only fun, but also designed to engage the mind and promote togetherness. Available in many puzzle themes. Prices range from $18 to $150. 5. A Halo pocket power charger for cellphones. Charges mobile phones, gaming systems, Bluetooth devices, and more. Make getting ahold of your parents easy to do by always having their systems charged! Prices range from $20 to $75. 6. A wood cookbook stand. A slim, sturdy accessory that helps prop your cookbook at an ideal angle. Make time in the kitchen, family time! Prices range from $14 to $130. 7. A rowboat salad bowl. Make eating salad fun; complete with wooden oars as the salad servers. Price $65 8. A spa day voucher. Give the gift of relaxation. A relaxed parent is a happy parent! Prices range from $50 to $150 depending on the treatments.

Calling All WritersEnter Your Short Story

Working collaboratively with the soon-to-be Literary Magazine that Melissa and students will be publishing, we would like to offer a short story prompt in each ATH publication. Please submit your finished stories to melissad@hylamiddleschool.org for publishing consideration. This months prompt is: Although the night had turned frigid and dark, the desperate young woman pulled the heavily laden cart behind her with grim determination. I must, I will, I have to. she repeated to herself as she kept her eyes focused on the road ahead of her. It had begun to snow almost three days before and it didnt appear to be letting up anytime soon. Glancing skyward at the softly falling snowflakes, the woman silently gave thanks for the warm clothing that she had borrowed in preparation of this journey.
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DECEMBER 2013

Meet The Teacher

An Interview with Jeff By Nat
NL: What is it like being a new teacher at Hyla? JS: Being a new teacher at Hyla is like being an announcer at a bullfight, like telling a story backwards, like working on climate change and like reading Calvin and Hobbes comics. A bullfight because of the mental flexibility it takes to keep up with swirling plans and responsibilities, like telling a story backwards because of the seemingly limitless amount of detail, which is both written and unwritten about Hyla culture. Like working on climate change because at times the scope of what were trying to do here seems impossibly large and of course like reading Calvin and Hobbes because everything is laced with a sense of profundity and ridiculousness. NL: What other occupations have you had? JS: A paperboy, a gymnastics coach, a birthday party entertainer, a janitor, a shoe stock boy, a shoe salesman, a line cook, a restaurant manager, a commercial fisherman, an actor, a reading & math tutor, an after-school teacher, an outdoor education teacher, a kayak guide, a ropes course facilitator, an assistant director of environmental programs and Teen Wilderness Expedition Director for Camp Orkila, an English language tutor in Spain, a telemarketer and Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher, a High School Physics teacher and a middle school teacher. NL: What made you decide you wanted to teach math and science? JS: Well, I really want to teach people not subjects . . . but . . . Im an insatiably curious person and for some reason the world of non-fiction has always sparked that curiosity. Math and science are what gives my thoughts energy. NL: How did you hear about Bainbridge Island all the way out in Wisconsin? And why a job here? JS: I grew up in Edmonds, WA and so Ive always kept my antenna up for signals about great jobs in the Pacific Northwest. Hyla belongs to a regional organization of schools called NWAIS Northwest Association of Independent Schools and they post notices about job offerings. I happened to be looking when they started signaling. I got very lucky. NL: Approximately how many Google drive items are there in your drive? The sixth grade knows that you use Google drive A LOT. JS: Ive never counted - 167 items :) NL: What do you do outside of Hyla in your free time? JS: These days I spend an incredible amount of time playing with Legos. :) NL: Is there anything else you would like to share with the Hyla community? JS: A collection of people decided many years ago to try to do what matters in education, to trust their instinct and to learn from experienced teachers who had devoted their lives to bringing about a place where people get to develop their humanity to its fullest expression. I need to thank the history of parents, teachers and students who have given so much of their lives to bring about such a beautiful, unique and welcoming community. I want to extend so much gratitude to the history that I get to build upon. NL: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview!

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DECEMBER 2013

Murder and Mayhem Breaking News: A Murder On Soldier Island

And Then There Were None!
The trial of retired police investigator, William Henry Blore, ended today in a mistrial. Months ago, Blore was arrested for the murder of Mr. Rogers. This became a high profile case because the crime took place on the mysterious Soldier Island. Sticklehaven police found the victim dead with a gash in the back of his head. The defendant, Blore was quickly arrested. In Justice Wagners absence, Justice Trick proctored the trial. The prosecution, Mrs. Russell and Mr. Staff, put up a relatively damning case against the defendant; the physical evidence was strong. Unfortunately, they lacked credible witnesses. The defense had technical difficulties, one of the attorneys, Mr. Carter Hall, was unable to attend. Co-counsel, Mr. Wolff pulled together the case and Mr. Blore testified on his own behalf. After a thorough trial, the twelve jurors receded to their Deliberation Room. The jury members discussed things like motive, personality, and physical evidence. Although the majority of jurors were leaning towards a not guilty verdict, the vote was not unanimous. Justice Trick was forced to call a mistrial. Will the prosecution retry the case? Who killed Mr. Rogers? The mystery continues. On the spot reporting by David

Mr. Staff Prosecuting attorney show to a brings in evidence to witness.

, I got this. Thumbs up taff and Mrs. r. S Reported M Russell.

Mr. Wolff c on represented fidently Mr. Blore (Pierre)

Murder and mayhem on Soldier Island!

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DECEMBER 2013

Comics
By Declan and Sawyer

True Breaking News:

Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the injured students at the most recent school shooting that took place at the high school in suburban Denver on Friday, December 13th. Our thoughts are with you in this time of tragedy.

Around The House Staff-Winter 2013

Editor in Chief: Emerson Advice Column/Photography: Julia Sports: Bryan and Beck Comics/Did You Know: Declan Comics/Reviews: Sawyer Journalist/Cooks Corner: Nat Journalist: Kaia Layout/Design: Zeya Project Supervisor: Jill
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Credits: Google images, Clipart, Amazon.com, Livewire Puzzles, Random Acts of Kindness and Books For Burma Electives Disclaimer: ATH staff makes every effort to provide accurate, true and up to the minute information. Any errors are ours and we accept responsibility for them with our apologies.