The Red Bank Gators Swim Team By Isabella

Do you want to be a Gator and swim and have fun this summer? Well, at the Red Bank pool you can! It is located right by Red Bank Middle School, on Tom Weathers Drive. There are different groups according to your skill level. For example, if you aren’t very good at swimming, you would be a beginner. If you are good but do not know all the strokes, you would be an intermediate swimmer. And last, if you are a great swimmer, can hold your breath for a long time, swim fast, and know all the strokes, you will be an advanced swimmer. Swimming is so much fun and a great way to stay active over the summer!            

The first day of the swim season is April 25, 2017, at the downtown YMCA. We call these Tuneups. Swimming is great, and you meet so many new people! The website and the address are below.

Registration will be held on May 7 and 21 from 2-4 pm at the Red Bank Community Center on Tom Weathers Drive.

   

The Red Bank Community Pool is located at 3620 Tom Weathers Drive, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37415. For more information go to redbankgators.swim-team.us/.

Wonder Book Review By Elly

Wonder is a book by R. J. Palacio about a guy named August (Auggie) Pullman. Auggie has a major facial deformity. Auggie is a really great kid. He is very normal on the inside. He plays around and rides his bike, likes video games and ice cream! But, he looks different than other people. Auggie is very smart. This book shows the story in different viewpoints. You get to see how things are perceived differently which is really cool! Auggie has always been homeschooled, but this year, he starts school at Beecher Prep. He is going into 5th grade which starts middle school there. You get to experience the viewpoints of different characters throughout the story. Wonder is full of humor, sadness, kindness, happiness, and more!

   My favorite character is Summer. Summer is a girl at Beecher Prep. She is very nice. Summer sits with Auggie on his first day. She stands up for herself and August. She is very caring. An example is when kids make fun of Auggie even if he's not there, she says, “Auggie is my friend, he is nice, funny, and a normal kid. Stop saying that!” I think she is very nice and considerate, so that is why she is my favorite.

   Finally, I give Wonder a 5 out of 5 stars. I thought it was funny when Jack and Auggie joke around. It takes you through this journey of Auggie Pullman at school. Wonder shows you the real meaning of kindness. I think everyone should read Wonder by R.J Palacio. It will change the way you treat people who are different than you!

Red Bank 6th Grade is Now Doing Demerits! By Elly

What is a demerit?

        A demerit is a system where, at RBMS, you get a chance to be rewarded for doing the right thing! You will get rewarded for having your materials, putting in effort, having good behavior, not being tardy, and respecting the rule of no gum or candy in school.

How does the system work?

         The teachers post a spread sheet in the hall, with every students' name on your team in grade 6. If you get a demerit, the teacher that gave it to you will take their specific color pen, and write the letter that tells you what it was for. If you have less than 5 by Wednesday, (on Dreamweavers) you get a reward! If you have less than 5 by Thursday, (Blue Angels) than you get a reward too!

What is the reward?

        The reward is a fun day during an assigned time. Dreamweavers has Terrific Thursday. Blue Angels has Fun Friday. You will get to play in the gym, do something fun in the library, or if it is nice, your teachers might take you outside!

What is this for?

        It is to help the kids who might need some reminders to improve their behavior. It is also to reward kids who have gotten on track. I hope we will see more kids wanting to improve, because with some determination they can achieve those daily goals!

What do you get a demerit for?

                      •Missing Materials (M)

                      •Lack of Effort (E)

                      •Gum or Candy (G)

                      •Behavior (B)

                      •Tardy or Absent (T)

                      •At Locker without Permission (L)

What Is Right With RBMS: Reading By Jadah

Mrs. Donna Williams is leading the book club. Wonder by R.J. Palacio is what they're currently reading.

Reading is very important at RBMS, but how important do you think? According to RBMS librarian Donna Williams, “Research shows that people who read more lead more successful lives, and they are better able to empathize with  different people.” I asked  RBMS teachers to tell me what they are doing to motivate their students to read.  “I try to find books that appeal to the students” Ms. Lacey Wallace stated. “ I am giving them rewards because it helps motivate them,”  says Ms. Jennifer Kerns.  7th grade language arts teacher Mrs. Pound says, “ We require book talks twice a week to help motivate them to read on their own.” Both 7th grade language arts teachers stated that they believe reading helps with the mind and they believe in some rewards. Now as we are going into 8th grade things are different. “We don’t give rewards,  but we have book talks and write summaries. We do not give out treats because we are preparing them for high school. Bribing is not always going to work. Students just need to get their work done, no questions asked. Because when you are in high school it’s the same way,”  according to 8th grade teacher Mr.Mckeehan. “Students write summaries to show if they read the book or not”  stated Mrs. Katie Bowman. RBMS reading is spot on.