Blog by Lacy

For my blog I’m going to write about what I did over quarantine. So over quarantine I would wake up around 9 every morning to work on my school work and then in between if i wanted to take a break i would go make myself breakfast and then get ready and then work on school work again and repeat that for the week. Then on the weekend I would work on homework if I had any and then also focus on myself. Once my two weeks were up I didn’t have to quarantine but I couldn’t go back to school for another two weeks which didn’t make sense but for those two weeks I would do the same for virtual school days and also go to zooms. Then on the weekend I would hangout with friends and do homework, but i was tired of not going to school because I started to not have the motivation to do my work and I got too scared to ask questions or would forget to ask questions. So I’m glad that I’m back at school because that felt like forever.

Book Fair by Gavin and Lane

Book Fair by Addi

Book Recommendation by Lundyn

Pluto is a book written by R.J palacio about two young boys and their friendship. The book goes between their friendship and present day. The book is mostly about how they slowly drift apart. Christopher and August go through some hard times and realize that friendship is worth a little extra effort.

Book Recommendation by Willa

Maze Runner by James Dashner. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to just wake up in complete darkness, having no memory of your life? Thomas was faced with this fear, and when the box he was in opened, and tons of teen boys crowded him, he was shocked. Go on the adventure with Thomas as he is faced with the problem of being a newbie at the Glade, but on top of that a lot of strange things keep happening. Longing for answers, Thomas and the other Gladers try to live life as their world is turned upside down by Thomas, and the other newbie. Maze Runner by James Dashner is a book filled with great characters, great setting, and tons of plot twists. It is a fantastic book that I recommend to all. You can check out Maze Runner in the Learning Commons or Overdrive/Sora here at ESMS.

App Recommendation by Alexis

This is a drawing app, with many functions. There are different colors, textures, and brush sizes inside of this app, each one making it easier to do a specific task. This is perfect if you have an assignment that you need to draw something on your Ipad, or just want to draw for your own enjoyment.

School by Alexis

In school I am not doing too bad, and I have okay grades, though I am still not good with doing digital work at home. In school I like that there are different classes, instead of just one class throughout the day, and that the teachers are always there to help or explain a lesson to those who need it. I dislike that for those who already know the lesson, or for those who learn fast and do not need further explanation of the lesson, that they still have to pay attention, and are not allowed to either work ahead or do something for their own enjoyment to pass the time. Overall, though, I do like my first year of middle school, even if it is a bit strange with COVID going around.

Book Recommendation by Alexis

This book is Sci-fi and is set in a time where almost everyone has something called a Hylix, a mark that shows what genetic modification you have. If you have a red hylix, you have powers and are marked as dangerous and unstable. This book follows a girl with a red Hylix that is also a hacker named Cipher, showing what happens when she is found and chased after by multiple people.

Regan's Book Recommendation

I am recommending the book Unbound by Ann E. Burg. This book is about a family of slaves living in a cabin by the Big House. The main characters include Grace, Mama (Catherine), Uncle Jim, Aunt Sara, Thomas, and Willy. The story is told from Grace’s point of view. Grace is a 9 year old girl who is called up to be a slave in the Big House. When she gets to the Big House she meets Aunt Tempie, Anna, Jordan, Uncle Moses, Master Allen, and the Missus. They’re all slaves with Grace except for Master Allen and the Missus. In Unbound we learn how slaves had to live and what they had to go through daily. Unbound is a book that you don’t want to stop reading. Only half of the page actually has words printed on it so this is a very quick book to read. As far as I know, Unbound is a realistic fiction book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction books about slavery without the heartbreaking aspect.

Josie's Book Recommendation

The book The Body in the Woods is a book about a search and rescue team that just goes out for a normal missing person call that ends up being a murder investigation. A team finds the body in the woods and tries to figure out who and how the girl was murdered. The book is written from many members' point of view along with the murder. This book is a murder mystery so if you like murder story’s this book is for you. If you like “To Catch a Killer” or “Stolen Children” then you may like this book.

Josie's Blog

My Quarantine The last 2 weeks I had to quarantine. Not being able to come to school was a struggle. I was not able to come into school and learn part of the material because I was stuck at home. I also had a difficult time staying focused and motivated on my school work. It took me longer than I usually take to do my school work because I had no one to help me or keep me on track. One of the worst parts was that we could not have basketball practice, but we made the best of it and held practice over zoom. We got to learn many different plays and we still stayed in shape because we were doing conditioning over a zoom call. But, there were some positive things coming from quarantine. First, I was keeping everybody safe to reduce the spread of Covid 19. I also got to take some time off to focus on myself and relax from some of the everyday stressors. There were also scary parts of quarantine, I was nervous that I could get the virus or spread it to my family. In the end, everything ended up being perfectly fine and now we are back at school!

Addi's Book Recommendation

I recommend Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It’s Harry’s 5th grade at Hogwarts and things couldn’t be worse. There’s a new defense against the dark arts teacher who uses pain as a punishment, as you see the students rebel you see her punishments get worse. He’s been having weirdly realistic dreams. One dream in particular shows his godfather getting tortured will he save him in time he doesn’t know. I liked this book because you get to see more character development and character emotions. And it’s very long so you get more details of everything happening. You should really read this book. I promise you’ll like it

Addi's Blog

I’ve had to quarantine from the 6th-19th. Being in quarantine was really hard. I couldn’t go anywhere and I couldn’t have basketball practice. We had practice but it was a zoom. We would learn plays over a zoom. Then condition on another. It wasn’t bad but it was very different. School was hard because instead of instead of going at least two days a week I went zero. I had no motivation from teachers and I missed Mrs. Ivan a lot. I also missed being with friends at school. I’m very glad we went into quarantine though just because we needed ourselves to be safe and others.

Book Recommendation by Brice

My book recommendation for this quarter is Twilight by Stephenie Mayer. Twilight is a wonderful book if you are into fantasy, romance, and also a little bit of mystery. For me reading that book was like not being able to stop watching a really interesting tv show. I’m not usually a reader and I can never find any books that spark my interest but I really enjoyed twilight. Twilight comes in a series containing 4 books each with its own interesting plot and twist. If you are really interested I'm pretty sure some of you have already seen the movies but the books have a lot more detail than the movies and the movies are missing some important details that the books mention. This is one amazing book and I will continue on with the series that follows it. I hope some of you can find interest in this book like I do. If you are interested in the twilight saga you can find it in the library here at the middle school. By Brice

Brice's Blog

Even though we have had a very weird year, we have managed to do a lot more than we thought we would be able to do. This 2020-21 school year has been tough to find what we can do safely without risking anyone of exposure. So far we have still had some difficulties. We have managed to continue with the science Olympiad, both girls and boys basketball, football, cross country, and lego league. Our middle school team has done a magnificent job at keeping their students safe from this pandemic. So far we have not had a spiraling amount of cases at our school. Looking at our next quarter agenda we have a week long thanksgiving break but we still are doing virtual on Monday and Tuesday, so make sure your kids are getting their work done before 2nd quarter ends. Teachers will still be taking in grades on Monday and Tuesday so please look at it as a normal virtual day. I hope that you guys have a wonderful break and stay safe during these awful times. Your teachers will be looking forward to seeing you all come back safe and healthy.

School Year by Lundyn

New school year This new school year is very hard but not impossible. A way that helps me stay on task is writing down everything I need to do that day in a notebook. Once I have finished the activity I highlight it with a bright highlighter. I love to listen to music in the background so that the sounds outside aren’t too distracting. If you are having trouble with school I would recommend trying these things! Lundyn

Our virtual book fair runs fromNovember 23 until December 6. Hope you fihd books that will improve your reading skills! More information to come! #esmsbestyearever #thebookisalwaysbetter

Book Recommendation by Mack

Book recommendation: Lately I have been reading a book called “Dear Martin” by Nic stone. This book is about racism. The main character is named Justyce. When helping out a friend he is profiled by the police and handcuffed. After that he becomes more aware of his surroundings and starts to keep a journal that he calls “Dear Martin.” each day he writes to Dr. King and explains his day and the things he has encountered, always asking the question “What would Martin do?” In this book you see Justyce’s daily conversations and how he overcomes racism in his community. If you are interested or have read this book I know of a second part called “Dear Justyce” I have yet to read. I’m also aware the author is having a reading with the mid continent library through zoom.

Middle School Wrestling

Right now we are going through a lot, and it is very hard to control but we are still having middle school wrestling. We have to be very cautious when at wrestling practice. We have to have our temperature checked before we can get on the mat. We also have to stay with the same partners every practice and when wrestling practice is over you have to sanitize and wipe yourself down with a wipe. Wrestlers don’t have to wear masks on the mat but when we are not on the mat we have to keep our masks on. Coaches and managers have to have masks on at all times. I choose to wrestle because I like the challenge and trying my best to beat my opponent. Wrestling is a lot of conditioning but it’s worth it. If this sounds like something you would like to do try it out! Just remember to always try your best and try new things. by Rylee

Second Quarter

Second quarter so far Second quarter has been good so far. It has been going by fast and it's been a little stressful a few times.But other than that it's been really fun and virtual has been a little fun because there’s a lot of projects you get to do and it's kinda fun. Also being virtual kinda has some perks because you can do your work early or kinda late (besides tests) Also if you have to go do something you can sometimes get half of the work done the day before and finish it for the next day. I can't wait until the virus is over to be able to go back to school. Gaige

Upcoming Break by Sydnie

We will not be attending school on November 25 through the 27 because of Thanksgiving break. Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24, we will be all virtual, so please work from home and do not come to school!!! Stay safe on Thanksgiving break, wear your mask, and social distance!! By Sydnie

Book Recommendation by Emma

The one and only Ivan I recommended the one and only Ivan, if you like a sad, funny, but cute book I definitely recommend it. The one and only Ivan has a lot of different things in it and it's a really good book. There are some sad moments, there are happy moments and caring moments. If you wanna read this book you can come check it out in the learning commons.

Upcoming Online Book Fair

Student of the Week by Jameson

Student of the week Hey Students at ESMS There is a new reward that you can earn by being nominated for the P.A.W award by your teachers. You can earn the P.A.W award by being Perseverance, Attitude, and Working hard or having a good work ethic. This award is not just for top of the notch students, its for students who get their work done and who have a positive attitude while doing it even if it is hard to do. There are some rewards that you can earn by getting student of the week you can get Pencils, Erasers, Bookmarks, Buttons, etc. You will also take a picture with your reward so you can be recognized by other students throughout the school. This project is still in its beginning stages. We might be doing some edits here and there.The Student of the Week officially started on October 30. Remember to be on your best behavior and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Stay safe. Bye! By:Jameson

these series of book are one of my favorite book series they   are goosebumps books that allow you to choose your own path it lets  You choose your ending what you do is read the first page then read  The two options at the bottom and the go to the page that it says to go To and keep doing that until you get to the end then restart. I have not  Read this book “tick tock, your dead!” but i have read other one and it is  Good. I would recommend you read them.

Blog by Gavin

This time i have been here i have enjoyed all the fun things i have done. But due to the COVID we have had to have these uncomfortable masks that we have to wear in this pandemic. Make sure we are all being safe and we reign our masks PROPERLY because I have seen people wearing their mask on the head, forehead, and even not on at all. Make sure we all are following all the COVID safety rules such as masks, keeping 6 feet away from one another. I have seen people not following their guidelines by being super close to one another and even worse I have seen people close to each other and not wearing their mask. By: Gavin

Book Recommendation by Jameson

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone By:J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a fiction book. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes fantasy type books. In this book you read about harry’s journey to hogwarts and what secrets are there. If you would like to know more about this book it is in the learning commons, Overdrive, and Sora. Book recommendation by: Jameson

Book Recommendation by Cameron

Prisioner B-3087 is a historical fiction book by Alan Gratz. A boy named Yanek Gruener is a 13 year old boy who gets captured by Nazis and has to survive the harsh work and punishments of the concentration camps. He has to survive 10 different concentration camps. Will he be rescued or will he die before he can make it out? I recommend this book to whoever likes book over the holocaust or people who enjoy historical fiction.

Virtual Learner by Mack

This summer I got a dog. She is a Great Pyrenees so she is a big fluffy white dog we named her Yuki because it means snow in Japanese. It seemed pretty fitting because her breed is made for the cold weather. Yuki is exactly a year old now and one of her favorite things to do is bark! If she is not doing that she is begging for human food and yes we give her plenty of dog food but she instead chooses McDonald’s chicken nuggets. I have to walk her quite frequently so to keep her entertained we bring along our neighbors dog Max who is an old black lab.

Book Recommendation

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children By: Ransom Riggs Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a story about Jacob Portman, a boy who grew up with quite a boring life. It was all boring except for his grandpa, who loved to tell him stories about the strange kids he lived with during the war. Everybody told him it was all made up, but when his grandpa calls him freaking out about the monster coming to get him, Jacob starts to question what his grandpa has gone through. Jacob went on the journey of a lifetime, searching for the children’s home where his grandpa claimed to live. Strangely, Jacob seems to be seeing a familiar thing, people with no pupils in their eyes, and people wearing sunglasses everywhere. If you read this beautiful book you will meet the kids Jacob’s grandpa grew up with, and you will learn so much about September 3rd 1940. Read Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children to find out about the children’s home, the monster, and the people with white eyes. This book is located in the Learning Commons here at ESMS. by Willa

Helpful

Because of corona our way of life has changed so much. We wear masks everywhere, some restaurants you can’t sit down and eat anymore, and some stores only allow so many people. School is different too. We wear our masks just like any other place we go to school two days a week and some of us don’t go on the same days as our friends. But I want you to know that is going to be ok. Corona isn’t a forever thing and you’ll see your friends soon. A big thing I've been struggling with is algebra and online school. I very much dislike online school. I have no motivation to do my work. There’s no teacher there telling me what to do and exactly how to do it. I know you the reader is probably struggling to. I just want you to know everything will be ok, relax, take a break and email your teachers when you need help. by Addi

Virtual Learning by Gaige

My virtual learning experience so far My school year so far being a virtual learner is good. It’s pretty fun being a virtual learner but it's also kinda sad because you can't see your friends, but other than that it's pretty fun because there’s not a time limit you have to be done by or be in the class (unless there is a zoom meeting) you can get done at 7pm or even 10am. I hope the year gets back to normal and everyone can go back to school because sometimes it gets a little boring not being able to be at school. Hopefully the year gets better from Covid-19.

Student Book Recommendation

The Hate U Give By: Angie Thomas Recommended by Mia I recommend The Hate You Give by: Angie Thomas. It's about the girl named Starr Carter constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black neighborhood where she lives and the wealthy, mostly white prep school that she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is soon shattered when she witnesses a shooting of her childhood best friend at the hands of a police officer. Facing pressure from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and decide to stand up for what's right. I recommend this book because there are people in real life dying because of the color of their skin and it's not right and we need to stop it and we should stand up for our right to.

Student Book Recommendation

Book recommendations “A Wrinkle In Time” This book I’m writing about is called “A Wrinkle In Time” and I’ve read it before but it was quite a bit long ago and i just started reading it again. But i can kinda recall what has happened in the book, so a short story about what the book is about is there’s this girl named Meg Murry and her little brother Charles Wallace, and they lost their father, Mr. Murry, about five years ago and people are just saying he ran off but that’s not what Meg thinks. Their father was an intelligent scientist and went missing when finding out a new planet and using a tesseract to get there. On the way to finding their father they group up with one of Meg's classmates named Calvin O'Keefe and he wants to help them. They also find three mysterious people named, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which, and they help them a lot with things like getting them to the dangerous planet to save their father. But you should read it to find more because there’s a lot of information you don’t know yet and it's really good. Also I’m pretty sure that’s it's in Mrs. Travis library but the one i saw in her library had a different book cover so I’m not for sure that it's the same book. Sincerely, Lacy

by Mia

This school year has been interesting because, 1 we have the corona virus on the loose so we have to wear uncomfortable masks everywhere and it's kinda annoying, but it keeps us safe. 2 I’m A day and that means I go on Mondays and Thursdays to school, but I’m virtual Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. 3 I’m a Techspert so usually there is about 5 or 6 people but that was last year, now it’s split into teams of 2, like 1st hour I’m the only one because idk what happened to the other person, but 2nd hour has 2 people and tomorrow which is B day probably 1st and 2nd hour has 2 people in each group to. 4 in gym we can’t even use lockers because we’ll be too close to each other even though there’s like 9 people in gym with me and in computers well it’s innovators now but we don’t get to use computers we have to uses our iPads.

by Gavin

The pros of having a hybrid schedule is we get 3 days off in the week. Another pro is we get to have more time to do things we like because we can do our work in the morning and then we would have more time in the afternoon to do things we like. A con of having the hybrid schedule is that we don’t do it when we have assignments to do without looking at it. One more con is that we won't learn all the things we would if we were on a normal schedule.

by Lane

The way I feel about the school year is I feel like this year is confusing like having a and b day electives. Some of what I am feeling is because I did not get to come to the Middle School before I started. A good thing about the year is that we can still go to school. Another thing I am happy for is that we get off school early. I am learning what I need to know to have a successful year.

by Makenna

by Josie

This next week of school September 28th to October 2nd is homecoming! So, that means that it is going to be spirit week! Monday September 28th will be Fan Fest! Wear your favorite sports team gear! Tuesday September 29th is Hawaiian Day! Wear your Hawaiian shirts, leis, grass skirts, and imagine you are relaxing on the beach in Hawaii! Wednesday September 30th is comfy cozy day! While you are at home doing your school work wear your comfiest attire! Thursday October 2nd will be Team Spirit Day! Support your team by wearing your team's colors! In case you don’t know your team colors we have a list just for you! Hippogriff- White Kraken- Red Dragons- Black Thunderbirds- Blue Phoenix- Purple Gargoyles- Grey Narwhals- Burgundy Finally Friday October 2nd is going to be Tiger Pride! Wear your Tigers gear and support to support our football team in their game! If you have a school appropriate picture of yourself in your spirit week gear make sure to send it to Ms Travis at ktravis@ga.essd40.com. Go Tigers!

by Rylee

ello my name is Rylee Smith and I’ve been a techspert since 6th grade. I’m excited for this year because it’s our last year in middle school but this year is different from all the other years cause for COVID-19 but we are making it work!

by Lacy

At the beginning of the school year I thought that like this school year is going to be crazy but we can get through it and if you are struggling or having trouble focusing at home and getting your work done, don’t worry you are not alone because I’ve had some trouble with that too. Some pros and cons about this year is that when your home you don’t have a teacher right there by your side helping you understand what is going on, another con about this year is that not everybody goes on the same day and half of my friends go on a different day than me so I don’t have a lot of people to talk to. That’s why I’ve started talking to new people and also that’s why you should always be nice to people and talk to new people. Some pros are that you can always email your teacher and you can go to zooms. Also never feel afraid to ask questions or ask for help you are not alone.

Virtual Techspert

Hi my name is Gaige, I'm in 7th Grade and I’m doing virtual schooling and things that I do is I’m a gamer and I like to draw. I’m hoping that the year gets back to normal so I can go back to school.

The Bright way back to school

I know school is kind of weird right now but it's gonna be okay because we are in this together. Personally I don’t like the idea of you being home and having to do school but it's okay. A struggle I have is paying attention to my school work and not something like video games. I do like how I get to wake up later when I have school at my house by Jameson

by Cameron

The 2020 school year started but it's not like any other year that we’ve experienced before. Due to the coronavirus, we have to take safety precautions to make sure you're safe. Don’t worry, we all have our struggles. You aren’t the only one. For example, we all have to wear masks and none of us like them, especially if you have glasses on. Online school can be confusing and you can't raise your hand for the teacher if you aren’t there. But we can find solutions to all of our problems this year. You can think positive and find solutions to problems. This year is going to be okay and we can all get through it together! Remember, think positive.

by Brice

So far this year is off to a great start, isn’t it? If you said no to that question you are not alone. So far things have been a little tuff and very confusing. I have been struggling a lot too. Not being able to have your teacher right there to ask a question or struggling on a math problem. It’s been a real struggle but don’t worry we are all in this together. I have had a lot of trouble with math but thanks to Mr.O’leary and Mr.Travis I was able to get my assignment done. Even though we have had some negative things happen, think of the positive things like being able to sleep on the weekday and having great teachers that will do anything to help each and everyone of their students to succeed. So don’t you worry just think of the positive things that have all come out of these situations and don’t forget #ESMSBESTYEAREVER.

September 28-October 2

by Regan Bishop

We finally got to go back to school 2 weeks ago! The staff and administrators have everything organized extremely well. In the mornings each grade has their own door that they will enter through. On the inside every student has their temperature checked and there is the option to get a grab-and-go breakfast to eat in their homeroom. Students walk to their homeroom immediately and wait for school to begin. At the end of class students help the teacher clean off their desks with a cleaning spray and paper towels, then they go to their next class. The teachers have come up with great seating charts, they have half of the seats with students and half empty. Every student is also at least 6 feet away from everyone else. Some teachers have also put tape on the floor to make sure that the desks stay in the same spot and so we continue to be 6 feet apart at all times. In core classes students stay in the same group to minimize the spread of germs and in case someone were to get the coronavirus there would be a much less likely chance of everyone getting it. If everyone continues to wear their masks properly and stay socially distanced we can recover from this and eventually go back to school full time. Staff and administrators have done amazing with their plans to make everything as normal as possible and we all appreciate what they have done. We’re so glad to finally be back even though it's only two days a week and let's hope that we can go back full time very soon

With the CoronaVirus pandemic going around the US, many kids have to still go to school and get an education. This whole situation has been crazy and chaotic, but we have pushed through it. Now that school has started again, things have been different though. Excelsior Springs has decided that the middle and high school kids will have a hybrid schedule. We got to school in person two days a week, Monday and Thursday for kids whose last names start with A-K, and Tuesday and Friday for the kids whose last names start with L-Z. The other 3 days we use our IPads to do virtual school at home. The start of the school year has been very new, and a little crazy. So many new rules have been applied such as wearing a mask the whole day, social distancing,reapplying hand sanitizer, and more. But together we can persevere and get through this year together. Virtual school is very new, and we spent our first day learning about how to learn from home. It is hard to sit at home and try to do class work with no teacher there to help you, and no real way to get help at that moment. Teachers are very busy, and this is all new and hard for them too. They don’t have time to respond to our emails immediately, which makes it hard for students to finish their work. Personally, working at home makes it hard to focus, and allows me to procrastinate. I would love to be back in the classrooms every day, and that is why we have to wear masks everywhere to slow the spread and help students get back in the classrooms. In person school is very different too. We have to wear masks all day, which isn’t the fun thing to do. Masks also make voices muffled, so it is harder to hear teachers. Hand sanitizer also has to be reapplied before most classes, which honestly should be done anyway. We also have to follow the social distancing rules by sitting at desks 6 feet apart, and trying to stay apart in the halls. At lunch, there are only 3 people at a table. With all the new rules it makes it hard to talk to friends, which is many students favorite part of school. But these rules are necessary to the process of getting back into the classroom 5 day a week. The school is doing their very best to keep us safe and healthy, so we can’t really complain. If a student catches the virus that class, or grade, or the whole school might need to shut down. Our high school football team has already had to quarantine once, and many others will probably eventually have to as well. School is going to be a little difficult this year, but the school is doing its best to keep everybody safe, and trying to keep us in the classrooms. I love coming to school so that is why I am begging you to wear your masks, sanitize, and social distance while going to stores and sports events too. This is hard and not fun for everybody, and everybody is struggling during this time. That is why we need to follow the rules, and get through this together. We have to look at the positive side though, at least we can still go back 2 days, and school sports. I’m excited to be back for half of the week, and excited to make the best of this year. by WIlla

Hello, my name is Lundyn and I am an 8th grade Techspert. This year has been crazy because of the coronavirus. All though it is hard we all need to think of the pros of the situation. We all are staying safe and still get to see each other! Although we only get to go to school two times a week, we get to learn in the order of subjects we want. We all need to be strong and stick through this together!

Hello my name is Josie and I am in 7th grade and a Techspert at ESMS. Even though it is tough only getting to go to school 2 days a week it is best for our health and safety for the students and staff. On virtual days I know it is hard because you can’t always get help from your teacher or a classmate right away. We just have to know that it is what is best for everyone's health and safety and that’s our number one priority. Just remember that we are all new to this new style of learning and that we are all in this together!

Techspert Introductions Group B 7th Hour Lane Hi my name is Lane

and I am a sixth grader here at ESMS. I am a 7th hour Techspert. I am a Group B student which means I will be in class on Tuesday and Friday. I love playing baseball and hunting. I will be available to help out with your iPads issues. Let’s have a great year!

Techspert Introductions Group B 7th Hour Gavin Hi, my name is Gavin

I am a 6th grader at ESMS. I am a 7th hour Techspert at this school too. Some things about me are that I like baseball, basketball and other sports. I will be able to help all students in class. A fun fact about me is that i have a leopard gecko named Leo.

Techspert Introduction Group A 7th Hour Alexis Hello, my name is Alexis

, and I am a 6th Grader in 7th hour techsperts. I am here to help if needed during that time.

Techspert Introduction Group B 4th Hour Willa Hello! My name is Willa

and I am a techspert for the 2020-2021 school year. I am 12 years old and in 7th grade. I will be in the Learning Commons 4th hour every Tuesday and Friday. I can help with any of your technology, and book needs. I love being a techspert because I enjoy writing, and love to help with technology. I also love books, and helping others find books to read. I am so excited to start this school year, and help everybody with what they need as this first semester is going to be tougher than usual. I am here to help this a year be as easy as possible though. I play competitive softball for the ES Cyclones. I love playing softball, and that it was I spend most of my time doing. In my spare time I love to read. My favorite books series is Harry Potter by J.K Rowling. My favorite book genres are realistic fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy. I also love to watch movies in my spare time, specifically holiday movies like Halloweentown, Hocus Pocus, Home Alone, and The Grinch. I love holidays. My favorite subject is Social Studies because I love learning about different cultures, and learning about what life was like in Ancient Egypt, and Ancient Rome. One thing I love about going to school here at ESMS is that all the staff create such an awesome learning environment, they are so kind and so helpful. This year is going to look very different so we need to do our best to stay safe, and keep others safe by following all the rules. If you are looking to check out books you can check a couple out on Sora or Overdrive. I can’t wait to help and have such an amazing school year!

Techspert Introduction Group A 4th Hour Cameron Hello! My name is Cameron

. I’m in 7th grade and I'm a 4th hour techspert. I can help you with iPad troubles or your Library troubles. Some issues I can help with are where a book is or how to do something on your iPad, etc. I like to play video games with my friends in my free time.

Techspert Introduction Group A 4th Hour Jameson Hello I am Jameson.

I’m a 7th Grader on the Dragons team. I am In 4th hour Techsperts I can help you with IPads and books. I like to play video games in my free time, I also play football for the 7th grade team here is a picture of me.

Techspert Introduction Group B 3rd Hour Josie Hi my name is Josie

and I’m in 7th grade and I’m a Techspert in 3rd hour. I enjoy playing sports such as softball and basketball and I like to bake. I am so excited for this year and if you need any help ask me anytime in class or in the Learning Commons.

Techspert Introduction Group A 3rd Hour Emma Hey! I’m a 7th grader, I’m in 3rd hour Techsperts and I’m an A day so that means I am here Monday and Thursday. I can help you with iPad stuff/electronic issues. My name is Emma, and I’m interested in tumbling, swimming and cross country. I also love to hang out with family and friends and I lovvvvveee to swim! Hey if you need something look me up!!

Techspert Introduction Group A 3rd Hour Regan My name is Regan

and I’m in 7th grade this year. I like to read, bake/cook, and do art. My favorite books are the Harry Potter series, The Thing About Jellyfish, and the Fault in our Stars. I come to school on A days, which is Mondays and Thursdays. I’m in the Learning Commons in 3rd hour on the days that I’m at school. I can help you with electronic/tech issues.

Techspert Introduction Group B 2nd Hour Rylee Hey, my name is Rylee. I’m an 8th grade Techspert at Excelsior Springs Middle School. I've been a Techspert since 6th grade. I do wrestling for the school and gymnastics for a sport outside of school.

Techspert Introduction Group B 2nd Hour Lundyn Hi, I’m an 8th grade Techspert at ESMS. I have been a Techspert for 3 years now and can help you with almost anything! I play volleyball and hopefully basketball this year. If you need help I will be in the Learning Commons 2 hour. To the new 6th graders I hope to see you all in WEB! I know it is hard and can be aggravating to be a student in a pandemic but we all wear masks and stick threw it. Hope you all have a good year!

Techspert Introductions Group A 2nd Hour: Brice Hi, my name is Brice. I’m in 8th grade, a 2nd hour techspert, and a WEB Leader. A fun fact about me is I play the ukulele and I am a competitive dancer. I have been a Techspert since I was in 6th grade so you could say I’m a professional at this point. I’m always on the run and helping others out with iPads, books, or anything tech related. If you have any questions never hesitate to ask any one of us techsperts, I’m the one with the pink hair. If you are new to the building, you could also ask us WEB Leaders any questions too! We’re so glad to have you guys back and hopefully this 2020-21 school year is successful.

Techspert Introductions Group A 2nd Hour: Lacy Hi my name is Lacy

and I am an 8th grade techspert. I’m usually in the Learning Commons during second hour to help out Ms. Travis with anything she needs me to do and I can also help you out to if you are having trouble with anything. I’m also a WEB Leader so don’t be scared to ask me for anything because I am always happy to help.

Introducing 1st hour Techsperts.... B Day Sydnie Hi my name is Sydnie

, I am a techspert if you ever need help you can find me in the Learning Commons. I am in the Learning Commons for the 1st hour. I am also a WEB Leader so I am here to help you if you need any help or I can talk you through anything that you need talked through. I do sports like volleyball, wrestling, track, and softball. I am in 8th grade and my favorite class is probably all of them because the teachers make the classes fun but you're still learning. I love to go hunting, fishing, and riding horses. I have worked with horses before and I love doing it but it takes a lot of work and time.

Introducing 1st hour Techsperts.... B Day Addi I’m Addi, an 8th grader at ES middle school. I played basketball in 7th and I’m a football manager this year. I’m also a WEB Leader. I’m really looking forward to WEB this year. I know it won't be like all the other years but I would still be for it to happen. Because of COVID, the days are spilt and I go on B days. Everything this year is different. We wear masks everywhere, our desks are separated, and classroom sizes are smaller. Social distancing is a very big thing. For football me and my other manager wear masks and can’t get close to the players. But it's a very important thing and everyone needs to be part of it. I hope everyone has a good year whether you’re in 6th, 7th, or 8th in person or online.

Virtual Techspert: Mackenzie

Hello, my name is Mackenzie and I am doing virtual school this quarter. So far I think it is going okay. I’m excited to see what my new teachers come up with and how creative they are especially during these times. The only thing I have really struggled with is figuring out where to find my zoom meetings. I have to remind myself that I’m not the only one struggling and this is all very new but with the help of my teachers and the administrators I think everyone should be fine. Stay safe everyone!

Techspert 1st Hour Group A Mia Hello I’m a Techspert. A Techspert is someone that helps Ms. Travis with iPads, books, Web, or anything that Ms. Travis needs. You will find me in the Leaning Commons in the 1st hour and I will always be here on Mondays and Thursdays (A days). It was split in groups by 2 people but I’m just the only one in the 1st hour and the 6ft apart rule. I don’t think you will be checking out books this year because of covid but I guess you’ll see. My favorite class is Math because I like solving problems. I don’t do any sports right now but I hope I will get into color guard.

Spirit Week

Homecoming week is right around the corner, from Monday the 28 of September to October 2nd! So we are celebrating with spirit week! Monday is Fan Fest day, so don’t forget to dress up in your favorite sports team gear. Tuesday is Hawaii Day. Come to school in your favorite Hawaiian shirt and lei! Wednesday is a cozy day. So do your virtual day right and just stay in your PJ’s. Thursday is team color day! Support your middle school team by wearing the colors below: Kraken- Red Hippogriff- White Thunderbird- Blue Dragons- Black Phoenix- Purple Gargoyles- Purple Electives- Burgundy Friday is Tiger gear day! So don’t forget to support your E.S. Tigers by wearing your black and gold! Let’s all dress up and have a great week no matter if you are at school or virtual! Go Tigers!

Book Recommendation by :Mack

Spill Zone volume 1

By Alex Puvilland

Spill Zone is a graphic novel, the main character Addison was deeply affected after a nuclear 
power plant test went wrong killing her parents. She and her sister managed to escape, but the 
spill zone remains a broken world that is abstract and very dangerous. Addison is paid to take photos 
of the mysterious site. After her buyer explains to Addison she would pay her a million dollars just to 
get something from the hospital inside the spill zone. But it is not that simple. Figure out how Addison 
and her sister escape the damage done from the spill zone. There is a part two to this series as 
well.  By Mack

Book Recommendation by Katie

The Tea dragon society is a great book! It has glorious art that gives off a sweet gentle touch. 
The story is sure to get you entranced in it with the cute dragons that it has and its storyline. 
We follow a girl named Greta who works as a blacksmith with her mom. She finds a Tea dragon 
and saves it from some hungry animals. She takes the Tea dragon to the original owner, Hesekiel, 
who offers for her to help take care of the dragons. Greta agrees and she meets a mysterious girl 
named Minette. She introduces herself and even though how rare and wanted Tea dragons are, 
Greta tells her that she just wants to help take care of them. Minette soon leaves and from then on
 the first chapter ends. I gave a short version of it but if you want to read a little bit of it the link is 
here,
 https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Tea_Dragon_Society.html?id=boA6DwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button

If you want to read the full series then it is available as a webcomic and the link is here,

https://teadragonsociety.com/

This book/webcomic is really great and it is also great if you could read and experience this 
magical piece of art too!

Book Recommendation Showcases by Addi

In the showcases in front of the Learning Commons, we have book recommendations. One side is 
student recommendations and the other side is teacher/staff recommendations. If you are looking for a 
good book to read, stop by and see what is being recommended.  We would also like to see more 
students and staff recommend books, so come by the Learning Commons, grab a recommendation 
slip and we’ll put it up

Book Recommendation by Audrey

A book I recommend is Cinder by Marissa Meyer. This book is full of suspense and action! 
Cider, is a cyborg girl who’s only desire is to escape her owner, Andri. Until one night, she
 discovered that Andri volunteered Cider as an experiment to find an antidote for the plague. 
Cinder doesn’t consent to this, but she is soon sent off to a lab where scientists figure out 
something strange about her. On the other side of the story, Prince Kai, the Prince of the 
Eastern Commonwealth, worries about his father's (the emperor) death of the plague. Will 
Cinder be able to solve the one thing that’s bringing fear and pain to her kingdom? Read
 to find out how it all turns out!

                                                                                      E

Book Recommendation by Braylissa

A book series I want to recommend is “a series of unfortunate events” by Lemony Snicket. If 
you are a fan of surprise endings and books in a series I think that you would like the series. 
The book is located in the paranormal section in the learning commons right next to ms. 
Travis’s  desk.

This book is about the baudelaire siblings and their mother and father perished in a fire. 
They kept having unfortunate events happening to them including a cruel man named 
Olaf trying to steal their parents fortune that they left behind. All they had was each other 
and they tried to survive living with Olaf and a couple other people that they have met in 
their life.

College Awareness Contest by Brody

Attention ESMS students! 

Starting March 23rd, we will be holding a college awareness contest. Students will be asked to 
find a staff member that went to a certain college(s) such as UCM, MSU, etc. The college mascot is 
on the name plack outside each staff member’s door.  The student will come to make a guess to 
Ms.Travis what staff member went to the college(s). If they are right, they get to pick college 
memorabilia, but be careful, you only get one guess. If no student guesses which staff member, 
that staff member gets to pick a prize. This contest will go one until we run out of staff members.  

Good luck on finding out what staff member went to what college!

Book Recommendation by Josie

The Testing

The Testing is a science fiction book by Joelle Charbonneau. In The 
Testing a girl named Cia from 5 Lakes Colony and some of her friends 
get chosen from their graduating class to go to Tosu City to be tested to 
go to the university. But, what will the test be like? Just paper tests? Or 
something else….. I recommend you read this book if you like science
 fiction or mysteries. If you have read the series The Hunger Games and 
enjoyed it I also recommend you read this book. By Josie