Santa Rita Times: Volume 3

Santa Rita Times

Monday May 2, 2022

About this publication

Students in Journalism Club collaborated, designed, and created the first ever Santa Rita newspaper. We hope you enjoy Volume 3.

STAAR Test: Tips and Tricks To Doing Your Best on the Test

The Results Are In!

Written by: Farrah Browning

Are you stressed for the upcoming STAAR test? If you answered yes to the previous question, don't worry because I am to! But have no fear! I have some tips and tricks for you to do your best. I have tried some of these tips and they do work.

"According to a recent study, 100% of Santa Rita Teachers believe in YOU! You can do hard things!"

1. Get plenty of rest the night before. The STAAR test is 4 hours long and you'll need to be alert and ready to work the whole time.
2. Remember that you know how to do this. Your teachers have taught you everything you need to know for the STAAR test. Don't get frustrated if you forgot how to do something. Just mark it, move on to the next question, and come back to it later.
3. Study with different methods. You could try learning your multiples with flash cards, that way you feel more confident and don't have to spend so much time figuring out your facts on the test.
4. Believe in yourself and do not over think. You are so smart!
5. Always try your hardest. No one is perfect. Your teachers just want to know that you are trying your best and growing.
6. Take your time. The math tests are anywhere from 45-50 questions long. So if you take 240 minutes (that is equal to 4 hour) and divide it by 45, that is about 5 minutes for each problem. Some might take longer and some may be shorter, but that is a good idea of how long you can take on each problem.
7. Take breaks! After each reading passage and question set, take a moment to reset and think of "starting over" at each new passage. That makes it feel like the test is just 4-5 shorter tests instead of 1 big test.
8. Bring a snack and water to eat and drink.
9. In reading, always highlight or underline your evidence. In all subjects, SHOW YOUR WORK!
10. Wear comfortable clothes. It's always a good idea to bring a sweatshirt incase you get cold you can put it on and take it off if you get hot.

You should definitely try out some of these tips to see if they work for you! Some people also say gum and mints help them to focus. Regardless, always try your hardest. You can do it!

News & Current Events

A Poem to Our 5th Grade Graduates

LEAVING

Elementary School is over now with Middle School coming fast,
I have to tell you this last year has simply been a blast.

Shortly you'll be moving on to somewhere fresh and new,
The school will feel so different when we don't have you.

We'll watched you grow and turn into the person that you are,
To read and write and count with ease, you simply are a star.

We want you to remember a message from us all,
Live your life and chase your dreams, whether big or small.

You are unique and wonderful and sadly, will be missed,
So grab life and forever hold it tightly in your wrist.

Goodbye from us and thank you as it has been so much fun,
Remember you are special and you're simply number one.

Lone Star Middle School in San Angelo, Texas

Moving On Up

"5th graders, how do you want to be remembered?"

Interviews by: Kaitlyn Perlas and Ella Soto

With graduation only a few weeks away, here is how some of our 5th graders are feeling about the upcoming transition to Middle School.

What are you going to miss about Santa Rita?
A1: The memories and my teachers and friends.
A2: Mrs. Scott
A3: My teachers.
A4: P.E.
A5: How close everyone is.

How do you think it will go in middle school?
A1: I think middle school will be pretty easy and I’m excited to be in band.
A2: Different with so many teachers
A3: I might have trouble with school in general, carrying things around from class to class.
A4: I think I will get to make new friendships.
A5: Harder at first, but once I learn everything, it will be easy.

Are you excited for middle school? Why or why not?
A1: Yes, because I get to start a new opportunity with education and friends.
A2: Yes. I look forward to athletics in 7th grade.
A3: Yes. I hope I get the music choice I wanted.
A4: Yes. It’s a big school and I love to walk.
A5: Yes. I'm excited to meet new people.

What do you think middle school will be like?
A1: Fun
A2: Boring
A3: Exciting
A4: Easy
A5: A fresh start

Current Events

Journalist Kamryn Daniels shares some positivity for the upcoming STAAR Test and end of the year assessments.

I <3 You

Dear Falcon,

How are you? Can you believe it's almost the end of the school year?! The year has flown by and soon, it will be SuMmEr TiMe. Then it will be on to the next grade or new beginnings in Middle School!

Before this year comes to a close, I wanted to let you know something. You. Are. Amazing. Yes, YOU! Look at how much you have accomplished this year and all that you have learned! I have always known that you can do amazing things but wow! You have done more than I ever could have imagined.

Your teachers have worked hard to prepare you for all the challenges that are to come and you have taken on each challenge they have handed to you. Up next? The STAAR Test and all the other end of the year assessments. The thought of it may make you nervous, but try to remember that I believe in you. It may, at times, seem hard, frustrating, and time consuming, but always remember that you can do hard things.

You are capable of anything you put your mind to. Trust in yourself and know that you are destined for greatness. You are a ROCKSTAR!

Love,
Your Future Self

You are capable of ANYTHING!!!

Mad Libs

Grab a piece of paper and a pencil to fill in a word for each space. Then skip to the last page of the edition and plug in your answers to enjoy a funny End of the Year Madlib!

Mad Lib #1

Mad Lib #2

Noun:_____________________
Subject:______________________
Adjective:_______________________
Verb ending in -ing:______________________
Noun:_____________________
Noun/Plural:______________________
Noun/Plural:______________________
Adjective:_______________________

Adverb:____________________
Adjective:____________________
Noun/Plural:_____________________
Adjective:____________________
Verb:_______________________
Noun:_______________________
Number:____________________
Verb ending in -ing:____________________
Noun:_______________________

Entertainment

Key:

Noun= person, place or thing (Mrs. Scott/school/pencil)
Noun/Plural= more than one noun (teachers/classrooms/markers)
Adjective= describes a noun (red/fuzzy/hot)
Verb= something you do; action (sing)
Verb ending in -ing= something you are doing right now (running)
Adverb= describing a verb (quickly)
Subject= something you study (writing/reading/math)
Number= a digit (1/24/965)

Would You Rather...
Created by: Kayleb Crawford

Be the richest person in the world but be hated by everyone or be the poorest person in the world but have everyone love you?

Have shorter weeks and no summer or have a regular week and summer?

Have a field day or go to the movies?

Take the STAAR Test on the computer or take the STAAR Test on paper?

The Great Debate:

Year-Round Schooling

Year Round Schooling

Year Round Schooling. Does the sound of it make you cringe? Or does it sound like something that might make learning easier? Many people have their own strong opinions about this topic. We gathered some facts and opinions on this very topic and had two of our journalists share their thoughts.

Don't Take Away Our Summer

Written By: Erik Bowman

Why are people out to take away our summers? I believe we should stick with our current school schedule of having long summers off. Here are some of the reasons you should agree.

With summers off instead of shorter weeks, all of our days off would be at the same time so we could go visit friends and family who live far away. Another thing is, without summer off, summer school would have to fall on weekends and breaks.

I also believe that it is more expensive to have school year round. Schools will have a hard time because they will have to pay for the school to cool down year round instead of not having to worry about it during the summer months.

Many businesses that are meant to be used during the summer would have to close because kids would have school and couldn’t use them as often. Water parks and beaches would have less visitors and the towns would not make as much money. Summer is also what gets kids through school. Knowing we will have a 3 month break motivates us to do better!

Canceling summer would result in kids not being able to see as much of the world. So any principals out there reading this: DON’T CANCEL SUMMER!!!

Image borrowed from Simplyrecipes.com

Which would you choose?

Written by: Harper Schmickle

Have you ever experienced going back to school after a long summer and have forgotten everything you've learned the year before? Having to start over in learning things you should have remembered from the previous year and waisting very precious school time? Well, you’re in luck. May I present…Year Round Schooling! (Trust me, it’s not as scary as it sounds.)

Year round schooling is like having summer, but having it split up into smaller breaks and having those breaks all year round. See, I told you it’s not that scary! Surprisingly, there are actually a lot of benefits to year round schooling.

First of all, parents can save a lot of money compared to traditional schooling. They don't have to try to find child care over the entire summer. Many parents work all year round, so it is difficult for them to have to find support over the entire summer that their kids have off of school.

Students can also benefit from not forgetting what they've learned the year before. "Summer Slide" would be a thing of the past. Plus, that is something that teachers would appreciate as well.

Speaking of teachers, another benefit is that year round schooling also prevents teacher and student burn out! With breaks more often, it allows everyone to have some mental breaks and step away from school responsibilities more often.

The last benefit I am going to share is how helpful year round schooling is to student absences. When given year round schooling, parents have more of an option for vacation time and don't have to take their kids out of school so much. Appointments, vacations and family time can all be done without the added stress of missing class.

Year Round Schooling: It just makes sense.