From the Hawk’s Nest

By Nannette Mills
Special to the Pioneer Times
    Summer vacation is over and back to school schedules have begun for staff and students at Hodgdon High School. A new school year elicits feelings of wonder and excitement. Schools across the country open their doors to fresh beginnings and intellectual journeys that ignite curiosity and creativity in this latest generation of learners. Let’s take a brief look into some classes from the halls of Hodgdon High.
    Art I students in Stacy Ramsey’s classes are wrapping up their creative name tiles and will soon be starting printmaking. Student artists will be using linoleum print blocks to create a series of five identical prints. Students are currently focusing on the brainstorming and sketching part of the relief printing process. This opened project leaves the artist to pursue a subject matter of their choice.
    Advisory students with Barb Mooers are anxious to support the newly established “Food Pantry for Pets” as part of the Community Helpers Program. “Food Pantry for Pets” is sponsored by Lorraine Monfils, who is affiliated with the Houlton Humane Society, and is located at the Hollywood Pet Salon on Main Street in Houlton. Lorraine told the advisory students in Mrs. Mooers’s class that many people are feeling the crunch of a strained economy and they are enlisting the help of volunteers to keep an emergency supply of pet food available for low income owners. The goal of the program is to keep pets at home rather than have their owners forced to surrender them to the local shelter.
    Students at Hodgdon High School will be collecting funds and pet food items. Some students will be taking orders for homemade frozen ready-to-bake apple pies. If anyone has any extra apples to donate please call 532-3663 or leave apples at Hodgdon High School. The smell of warm apple pie will be wafting in the hall.
    World History and Geography students are traveling the world in Sharon Chase’s room as they start the year with a review of the parts of the world they will be studying as the course unfolds…Economic students with Ms. Chase are becoming familiar with the terminology and ideas that will be used often throughout the year.
    Elizabeth Connor’s “After School Program” meets Monday-Friday from 2:30-4:00 in the library. This is an incredible opportunity for students to receive one on one tutoring…free of charge! Don’t struggle alone with your school work; come to the program and get the extra instruction needed to make your year a success.
    Dee Hutchinson’s yearbook students are discussing themes for the book and began selling business ads locally on Sept. 5. Mrs. Hutchinson’s Chemistry students are learning about lab safety and AP Chemistry students are using technology to take the class with other students around the state, even though their teacher is here in the building. Anatomy students are learning some of the terms they will use throughout the course this year.
    Mrs. Bushey’s ninth-grade students are writing letters about the three most important things in their life or about themselves. Next the students will be doing mini autobiographies in the form of name banners which they will present to the class. The banners will continue to be displayed in the English classroom for the remainder of the year.
    Students at Hodgdon High School will be taking the NWEA tests this week. This is an assessment program from Northwest Evaluation Association used to determine students’ instructional levels and to measure academic growth throughout the school year in the content areas of Reading, Math and Science.
    For more information on the NWEA and resources for parents, visit www.nwea.org and browse the Parent Toolkit. You can also visit HHS online at www.msad70.net.