Welcome to
Wood River Middle School 
  We are the Wolverines...Positive Attitude with Action!______________________________________

Blaine County Schools are seeking community members to work with school personnel to research and discuss the expansion of accelerated curriculum for middle level education in our school system.  The advisory group will look at possibilities of expanding accelerated classes in Science, Language Arts and Social Studies.  Several parents or community members (2-4) are needed to assist this group.  Advisory group members will be required to attend several day time meetings and the group will work together for approximately six months.  If you are interested, please send a letter of intent describing why you are interested in participating to jblackman@blaineschools.org by February 9, 2012.

Each month, teams recognize a student as Student of the Month.  Students who embody the characteristics of the IB Learner Profile are nominated for their achievements.  The trait for January was Risk-Taker.  Risk Takers approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies, and they are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.  Congratulations to January winners:  Jett Erickson, Lucky Mendoza, Bennett Frayer, Bailey Holter, Michelle Casas (not pictured), Micah Barker, and Dee Jay McMurdo.

7th Grade Blue Team Teachers:  Bruce Clark, Jill Clark, Donna McKelvey, Jesse Neet, and Julie Nelson

Seventh grade students have been learning how they can make a difference in our community, both locally and globally.  They have been involved in an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme unit project that concluded with an art walk gallery where they sold ceramic bowls, designed and painted by the students, to support our local Hunger Coalition. 

The unit involved all their core subject areas, beginning with a motivating video about world hunger in Science class where students learned about sustainability.  Using www.freerice.com, students played online learning activities to earn grains of rice which the program then donated to the United Naitons Food Bank.  In Social Studies class, students learned about symbolism amongst different cultures.  They later used this knowledge to help create the designs they painted on their individual bowls.  To help them create their design strips, they learned about circumference and ratio of the bowl shape in Math.  In Language Arts, students explored the unit question, "Who Am I and How Can I Make a Difference?" through literature and writing. 

Due to the generous contribution from the Blaine County Education Foundation, and Bella Cosa Studios, proceeds from the Bowls of Hope Gallery Walk exceeded $1700.00.  All proceeds were donated to the Blaine County Hunger Coalistion.

Congratulations are in order to all of the classroom winners of this year's Geography Bee!  Demonstrating cultural and historic geography, thirteen students advanced to the third round of this year's Bee before narrowing the group to nine, and then the final four.  Winning this year's School Championship was Elliott Portillo from the Blue Team!

Congratulations to all of you!

Pictured are the 2011 National GeoBee Classroom Winners:  Nef Riegle, Dane Thompson, Carter Gerringa, Dakota HuttonKing, Wilder curtis, Nyle Prabowo, Mily Ryason, Noah Fishman, Jesse Cole, Adrian Martinez, Jubal Toothman, Emma Coulthard, Lily Worst, Tess Hollister, Nate Jones, Elliott Portillo, Leo Coralles, George Prekeges, Spencer Kragerud, harley Davis, Blair Radford, Nathan Lambert, McKenna Arial, Louie Mancera, Morelia Pedraza, Bennett Frayer, Metthew Minford, Derek Thompson, Kylie Roundtree, Poppy Vorse, Illiah Pfau, Joey Reidy, Arya Gibson, Yuri McClure, Carter, Ike Buxton, Dioceline Reyes




After written tests, the number of participants was narrowed to the final four:  Elliott Portillo, Kylie Rountree, Carter Ros, and Ike Buxton.




The winner of the 2011 National GeoBee for Wood River Middle School, Elliott Portillo, will compete against other Idaho school finalists for the State Title.  The state winner will receive $100, a globe, and a trip to Washington, D.C. where he/she will represent Idaho in the national finals at the National Geographic Society headquarters.  The national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.  Good Luck, Elliott!

Carter Ros placed second and Ike Buxton and Kylie Rountree tied for third place.

As part of our College Aspirations Program (CAP), Wood River Middle School is pleased to offer 8th grade students an opportunity to take ReadiStep, the middle school assessment from College Board, creators of the SAT.  The ReadiStep test helps focus middle school students on the possibility and excitement of attending college and gives them valuable practice at taking standardized tests such as the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT.  The multiple-choice, paper-and-pencil tests include three sections:  reading, writing, and math.  Learn more about the assessment and its benefits at www.readistep.com.

Test Date:          Saturday, March 10th
Time:                  9:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. -- Actual test time is two hours (40 minutes per section)
Location:            Wood River Middle School (Specific location to be determined)
Cost:                    FREE*

Parents need to register their child in person in the main office no later than 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 24th.  Students will not be allowed to take the test if they do not meet this deadline.

*Be aware that the school is willing to pay for the test for all 8th graders taking it.  However, students who are registered and do not show up will be charged $8.00 (which is the cost of the test).