Chalk Talk — Sequim Gazette, Dec. 7, 2016

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, December 7, 2016

DISTRICT

For the most up-to-date information on school events, go to the district website at www.sequim.k12.wa.us and click on the Calendar button.

The last day of class for all schools before winter break is Dec. 16. Winter break is Dec. 19-Jan. 2. School resumes Jan. 3.

The next school board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3 in the boardroom, located in the auditorium building, 533 N. Sequim Ave. To view the agenda for this meeting, go to www.sequim.k12.wa.us and click on “Board of Directors.” Time is set aside at every board meeting for public comments.

Director of Food Services Laurie Campen announced that Sodexo Food Service has awarded a $1,000 grant to the Sequim Food Bank to assist with the Sequim Schools Weekend Food Backpack Program. The program provides weekend meals for over 100 students throughout the district. Campen presented a check for $1,000 to Sequim Food Bank President Stephen Rosales and Executive Director Andra Smith on Nov. 30.

GREYWOLF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Teacher Carmen Merring reports that fourth-graders are collecting pajamas for Scholastic Reading Club’s eighth-annual Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive for orphans and foster children. Anyone wishing to donate a new set of any size pajamas should drop them off at the school office by Dec. 15.

Greywolf cares! To help families in our community this holiday season, Greywolf students are holding a Twelve Days of Giving food drive to collect non-perishable food items through Dec. 14 for the Sequim Food Bank. Each day a certain item from the food bank’s wish list is being collected and donated: Dec. 7, boxed cereal; Dec. 8, oatmeal; Dec. 9, canned tuna; Dec. 12, boxed macaroni and cheese; Dec. 13, bags of rice, and Dec. 14, pancake mix.

The class that brings the most items in each day earns bonus recess time. For more information about this program, call the school office at 582-3300. Food donations may be turned in at the school office (171 Carlsborg Road). Feel free to substitute any other non-perishable item.

HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Here are some examples of personal narratives written by Eric Danielson’s fifth-grade students:

“The Foursquare Fumble Foot Fracture” by Danielle (Dani) Herman

I was exactly 10 years and 1 week old on Tuesday April 19, 2016. That day I was at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club playing foursquare outside. I was running around in the second square waiting for my friend, Kika to serve the oversized, red, foursquare ball. When I wasn’t paying any attention, Kika served the ball. I was running in the square so I tripped. I was crying like my foot had been chopped off, so Riley (a staff member) came to help.

Why was I crying? My hands were dirty, that wasn’t it. My knee was scratched and bleeding, but that wasn’t it either. My foot felt like it was broken. Yes, that was why indeed. Two of my friends had to be my “human crutches.” At least that’s what I called them. Once I was inside I sat down in the cafeteria area. About 10 minutes later I got picked up by my mom.

By Wednesday, my foot was fatter than a cucumber is wide. On Wednesday I also limped around all day long, so after school, my mom brought me to her work (Jamestown Family Health Clinic) to get an x-ray. Wesley and Keaton Stromberg’s (from Emblem 3) mom did the x-ray! I even met Keaton and Wesley’s younger brother.

On Thursday night, my mom got the news, my foot was fractured! Whoopee. My mom called me to the couch where she was and told me the news I wasn’t allowed to walk on my foot for the rest of the night.

On Friday morning I was late to class because my mom and I had to go Rite Aid to get crutches for me.

Later, when my class went to specialist, I had to go to the office (still on crutches) so that my mom could pick me up for a doctor’s appointment. At the appointment, my doctor said that I couldn’t go back to school that day. The doctor also said that at 2 p.m. my mom and I had to go pick up a walking boot for me.

So my mom and I went back to Helen Haller Elementary (my school) to get all of my stuff. Then at 2 p.m., we went to pick up the walking boot and I was extremely happy to walk again!

Eight long, stressful weeks later, I was out of the boot and finally walking on my own two feet! Now I am healed and a dumb little walking boot isn’t holding me back from chasing my dreams (and my younger, 6 year old brother).

“A Big Project” by Lars Wiker

It was about 9:15 in the morning. It was a Friday at the end of the summer. I just opened my eyes when I heard a growl. It came from my stomach. So I got out of bed, put some clothes on and walked to the bathroom but then I heard it again but this time it was louder, way louder. I thought it might have caused a 7.5 earthquake.

So I turned around and ran to the pantry. I grabbed the Honey Bunches of Oats. I took a bowl and put it on the counter top, then I snatched the milk out of the refrigerator. It was about half full. When I was pouring my cereal I made sure I got a lot. That was good and filling, I thought.

My older brother Sven just walked out of his room when he said, “You want to watch TV?”

“Sure,” I replied.

So we went to the couch and watched TV.

“What time is it?” I said.

“About 12:30,” Sven answered.

“Wow! It felt like an hour. Man we should get off our lazy butts and do something,” I said.

“Well, if you want to do something, Frank is outside working on a project. I think he said he wanted your help,” my dad said

“OK, I’ll help him,” I answered. I got up ran to my shoes and put them on.

When I went outside Frank was mowing the lawn. My mind was blown. I mean mowing the lawn, just amazing, such a cool project. Before I had the chance to turn back and go inside my stepbrother Frank said, “Hey Lars, want to help me?”

“Sure” I replied.

My insides were boiling. Why did I have to come out here?

After five minutes of watching Frank mow the lawn I asked, “What are we making?” He didn’t hear me so I cleared my throat and repeated, “What are we making?”

“What?” he said as he turned off the lawn mower.

“What are we … ?” I started but then I realized my brothers were racing toward us.

“I won.”

“No, I won.”

“Whatever. What do you want us to do Frank?” my older brother Taig asked.

“Well, let’s see. You can get all the spray paint you can find. It doesn’t matter what color,” Frank replied.

“OK,” my brother said. And when he was running away Frank said the answer, “We’re gonna make a football field.”

“What?” I said amazed. “We’re making a football field?”

“Yeah,” Liam said.

“We’ve been talking about it for weeks,” Frank said.

“Oh,” I said, confused. “Well, what you do want me to do?”

“I don’t know.”

“I found some paint. It’s blue,” Taig said.

“Good. See the wire?” Frank asked.

“Yeah,” Taig replied.

“OK, well that’s going to be the sideline. So just paint over that,” Frank said.

When we were done with the paint we only had two sidelines and one end zone. So we had to go to Walmart to get more paint.

“To the Frankmobile,” Liam said.

When we got there I unbuckled my seat we all got out of the car. I was last because I was in the middle. We went through the garden section. We all started walking toward the back. The spray paint was next to the video games and my little brother knew that.

“Can I go check the games out?” Liam asked.

“Yeah, go with Taig,” Frank said. Liam ran faster than the Flash and Taig was walking like a zombie.

“Well let’s get nine of these,” Frank said pointing to white spray paint cans that cost 97 cents.

When we got home we went straight to the field. We made little hashes on the sideline. Every five yards we made a line that goes across the whole field. We only had one end zone. The field is about 15 yards wide and 30 yards long.

“Well, we did it. We made a football field,” Taig said.

“Yeah, we did,” I said.

“Well, after a long day of work we should go to the bratcave,” Liam said. That’s what he calls our game room.

“My Pet Popcorn” by Ava Pettett

My family has more than one pet. But I’m going to talk about just one pet right now. And that one is my puppy, Popcorn. He is a brown and white Shiatsu. He is a cute little guy. But every day I must clean him because he gets so dirty. I wish he wasn’t such a messy pup. We let him out and he runs outside. When he comes in I have to wash him in the bath.

Having a puppy is a lot of work. You need to wash and clean them, which is messy when they jump out of the tub. Also you must feed and water them, but my puppy doesn’t eat the dog food. He eats the cat’s food, which is strange, but that’s a different story.

Oh, I almost forgot. You need to clean up your pup’s “accidents” if you know what I mean. Always be prepared with garbage bags because you never know when your pup will strike.

Oh, one more thing and then I’ll leave you alone. Always let your pup get exercise by giving them a great big space to play. I don’t know about yours, but my pup is healthy as can be by following these steps. And that’s my pet Popcorn.

“The Fourth of July Tradition” by Isaac Turner

Quick! Pack the bags! Get the dogs! Grab the food! Why you ask? Well, we’re going to Ocean Shores on the Fourth!

Well, we go five days before the Fourth of July, but we have lots of fun while we wait for the Fourth. By racing go carts, swimming, going to arcades, watching movies, eating ice cream, drawing, wait a minute, sorry but this could go on forever so that’s all I’m going to say.

Anyhoo let’s get to what we were waiting for the holiday in the title *drumroll*… the Fourth of July! Once we get to Ocean Shores beach it’s like literal bombs are being dropped. BOOM! CRACK! The bombs burst as my uncle (this is true by the way) with his electric guitar plays the national anthem in the back of a truck.

After the “nuclear war is over” we eat juicy hot dogs and greasy burgers. And now it is time for the best part MARSHMALLOWS! As I roast the tiny little fluffy pillow and it turns perfectly yellow, I eat it all at once with one giant melty bite. And once it’s in my mouth I can feel it ooze through my mouth causing everything in my mouth to be a liquid.

The next day I awaken to an ocean of tears and wails shouts and cries, and saddening goodbyes. Demanding kicks and punches wanting to stay forever. And then comes the roars of the dark. Eventually someone tells them to stop. Soon we get ready to go and before we go I always eat some ice cream because I just like ice cream and mostly because my aunt offers me some. And that was my family tradition.

“The Chinese Gift Exchange” by Kika Oldham

I wake up wondering if I should wake up my family, but instead I decide to snoop around and look, shake and even smell the presents. Once I hear either my brother or mom getting out of bed, I take cover and hide. If they are going in the kitchen, I try to get to the closet and hide in there. If they are going to the bathroom, I hide until I hear the bathroom door close and then I quickly tiptoe to my room and pretend that I am sleeping.

How I know that my brother is awake is he usually goes on the computer and I hear his fingers clacking the keyboard and I hear him swearing and cussing when he loses or dies. While he’s doing that, then I go on my computer and play games, but never cuss or swear when I do that.

By the time I’m starving, I go and get some breakfast. Sometimes my mom would have the energy to get up and make breakfast. When I’m about to go to my room, I look at the tree and see presents. Then I start to think to myself and wonder if I should finish my mission. I say to myself, “Yes!” After I’m done with that, I go to my room and wait for my mom to come home for lunch.

After she comes home from work for the rest of the day we go to the store and we pick out one present without anyone else seeing. Once we are all done we go home and wrap them. Then we put them under the tree with no name.

When it’s about 6 p.m. my family from Seattle comes over and we play games and eat dinner. After we are done with dinner we open presents. After everyone’s presents are open we take the presents with no name and start the Chinese gift exchange.

How you play is everyone buys a present that’s not made for anyone, so we pick a name from a hat or go youngest to oldest or do oldest to youngest. So you pick a present but you don’t open it yet. When it’s another person’s turn to pick they can either pick another present or steal someone else’s present. That means that the person has to pick a different present. After all the presents are gone we open them and see what we have. When everyone’s gift is open the game is over.

So that is my family tradition the Chinese gift exchange.

“The Lake” by Sage Younger

One night my dad told me we were going to Lake Crescent with our friends. Well, I love going to the lake because of all the tubes. When we got there the two tubes available were a couch-like tube and a holeless donut. I never did manage to fall off the couch but I fell off the holeless donut twice.

My first fall-off happened when the boat we were being towed by towed us into our own wake. Well, the wake was so big that I bounced off the tube onto my back, skipped on my back like a rock twice then I landed on my back and from the impact got pushed into the water, but at the time I was wearing a life jacket. The second time I fell off a tube was when we were only going about seven miles an hour. It may seem like me and my friend fell off on purpose but that’s only half true.

When we started to accelerate we were laying on the tube like normal when it started to SUBMERGE! We didn’t know what to do and before we knew it we had popped off the tube into the water.

At the lake there is a floating dock with an old slide on it. Back in its day the slide had little sprayers on it to keep it wet, but now you have to climb up the ladder with one hand carrying a bucket of water. Since the slide is relatively short it is designed so you can get the full experience, therefore it is very steep. When you go careening down it the whole thing jiggles around and feels like it’s about to fall over. When you hit the water you are traveling at about the speed of a rocket.

Unfortunately, we only went to the lake once this summer but it was a blast!

“The Time I was Two” by Charley Sturm

It was about 1:00 in the afternoon and I was wanting to play in my play room. I played for a little bit but then I found a plastic stool. Then I stopped for a moment and sat and thought, what could I do with this? And then it popped right in to my head, I have to balance on it. Trust me it didn’t really turn out the way I wanted it to. So I stood on it for about a half a second and crash!

I sat and cried and Mom rushed straight in to my play room. She said to me over and over, “What happened?” Hello I’m two. You think I’m going to talk? Anyways my mom tried giving me some candy to make be quiet but I didn’t take it because my arm hurt way too much, and when I mean way too much, I meant to say it hurt A LOT!

Later my mom and dad thought for a little bit. They took me to the E.R to try to figure out what was wrong. The first thing the doctor did to me was give me a checkup just to see how I was doing, and just saying I wasn’t really doing that good.

After my checkup they took me into a different room and gave me an X-Ray. And it was probably what you were all thinking: I did have a broken arm. But all I cared about was my pretty pink cast. Once they put that on me I was not even thinking about my arm, I was just constantly looking at my cast.

We went down some stairs and paid at the desk and the lady gave me a sling and my face turned red as lava. My pretty pink cast was now getting covered. But my mom forced me to put it on.

After they paid, we went out for dinner and ice cream and my face went back to normal if you were wondering.

Later after food we went back to our house and I went to bed with my pretty, pretty, pretty, covered cast.

And that was definitely a day to remember because I went to the E.R. and ended up coming home with a cast and a sling. THE END.

SEQUIM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Parents, family members and community members, please mark your calendars to attend a band concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 in the gym and a choir concert at 7 p.m Dec. 13 in the cafeteria. (Please note 7 p.m. is the start time for both concerts, not 6:30 p.m.)

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL

The Senior Class Play Holiday Variety Show has performances at 7 p.m. Dec. 9-10 and Dec. 16-17 in the auditorium. Featuring skits, songs and dances, this show is a holiday celebration! Tickets are sold at the door and are $8 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens. For more information, call director Robin Hall at 460-7860.

Dec. 12-16 is the last week this year to pre-order yearbooks. They are $55 and can be purchased in the main office.

Don’t miss the choir concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in the auditorium. The choir program is under the direction of John Lorentzen.

Three students gave an outstanding presentation to the school board during the Nov. 21 meeting. “Tech Buddies” Cathy Dao (12th grade), Kyah Fukunaga (ninth grade) and Erin Dwyer (ninth grade) informed the board of the $10,000 iGrant for the AP Computer Science Principles class, and explained how critical technology is in the infrastructure of every classroom. Ann Renker, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, said, “Thanks to teacher Mark Knudson and the Sequim High School administration for helping us establish the role of technological integration in our classrooms.”