Clothespin Dolls in Mrs. Hammel’s Class
Mrs. Hammel’s third grade language arts students just read the book Molly’s Pilgrim. In 
the book, the children were instructed to make a Pilgrim or Native American doll by using a clothespin. Mrs. Hammel assigned her students the exact assignment, and the product can be seen on display in Pod C! Mrs. Hammel stated, “We are in awe at the creativity that many children used when constructing the dolls!”
Mrs. Hammel went on to explain further that Molly’s Pilgrim not only discussed the traditional Thanksgiving, but it also introduced students to modern day Pilgrims. In the story, Molly and her family were from Russia, so Molly’s clothespin doll was dressed like a young Russian girl. Students learned that it takes all kinds of Pilgrims to make a Thanksgiving!
When asked what students enjoyed most about this unit, Mrs. Hammel said that the students enjoyed receiving a bag with a clothespin, a few pieces of cloth, and two pieces of yarn. Students were allowed and encouraged to use any supplies from home to construct the Pilgrim or Native American doll. Mrs. Hammel concluded, “Each doll is unique in its own special way, just like the clothespin dolls in the book we read.”
NaNoWriMo Takes Over Creative Writing 11-12
Have you ever tried to do something new for 30 consecutive days? It’s not an easy task, but it is exactly the challenge that the juniors and seniors in Mrs. Toflinski’s Creative Writing class have taken on in the month of November. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and people all over the world take on the challenge of writing a complete novel, start to finish, in the 30 days of November. Mrs. Toflinski explained that the adult goal is set at 50,000 words while the young writer’s goal is more flexible. For this year, the students have individual goals of completing 35,000 words each during November. That’s a total of 805,000 words for the entire class!
Students spent the entire month of October planning their novels for NaNoWriMo. Students completed various graphic organizers and writing activities to get them thinking about their protagonist, setting, and major conflicts. They even had a guest speaker, 2017 alumni of the year and published author, Sean DeLauder, who spoke to them about the rules of writing and how to successfully break them!
“Because NaNoWriMo is a month long project, all of our assignments 
are associated with NaNoWriMo. Students use the Schoology discussion board to update word counts and to answer exit slips. Writing assignments involve turning in about 500 to 1,000 words at a time,” said Mrs. Toflinski. She added that students have also been using FlipGrid to record video reflections regarding their NaNoWriMo progress. “It’s fun for the students because the videos only have to be about a minute in length and students can use SnapChat filters while recording the videos. Once the videos are uploaded to the grid, they can see everyone else’s video reflections.” Students were also able to use the Canva app to create their own book covers and back of the book “blurbs.”
Students have gone through an array of emotions through the first half of the month. “Some students started out very excited and some were very unsure of the entire project, but everyone has been writing!” Mrs. Toflinski added that she is very proud of the progress that students have made in the first half of the month. “It’s great to see their excitement when they reach a mini goal!” Mrs. Toflinski encourages everyone to check out the F Pod where the NaNoWriMo progress chart is located and to continue cheering on the Creative Writing students. A little encouragement goes a long way when taking on such a unique challenge!
Check out a sampling of the NaNoWriMo book covers below:
Fall Leaf Clean-up Assistance:
NHS School Guidance Website:
Did you know that our Rangers have access to the NHS School Guidance website? Be sure to check this site frequently for information regarding the ACT, scholarship opportunities, and more! NHS Ranger Guidance
5th and 6th Grade Holiday Concert:
Kevin Hines at BGSU:
Were you unable to attend the Kevin Hines presentation at NHS? Kevin Hines is returning to Northwest Ohio and will be speaking at BGSU!
NLS Dedication Ceremony:
If you are planning on attending this very special ceremony, please RSVP by Nov. 10th to Kelly Modlinski at either kmodlinski@northwoodschools.org or 419-691-3888 .
The Salvation Army Thanksgiving & Christmas Applications:
Farming, Oil, Ranching Bonanzas and the Railroad Boom. Students were divided into two separate groups, which were created based upon their expertise thus far in their studies. Both groups were tasked with creating a matrix of information that all students could use to determine the causes and the impacts of each Boom or Bonanza. The students in Group A, after reading more about each Boom and Bonanza, used their matrix to create an acrostic poem that highlighted all the positive aspect of the Booms and Bonanzas. Then, the small group took it one step further and created an acrostic poem that rhymed. Sophomore, Anthony Williams, even put his version to a catchy beat! The students in Group B took their matrix information and created billboards and commercials to draw attention to the West, giving the public information or to just entertain the public. These students created personalized scripts tailored for their billboard and recorded them. Justyce Luna’s farmer character was a big hit in the 8th period class!
read with purpose and take away meaning from any text.” She continued that the lessons learned by identifying themes in a text can be applied to real life, as themes should be universal. 
Students just finished a fun mini-project on theme. They worked in groups to analyze a Disney song and find a theme that was appropriate for the song. They also had to find evidence using the song lyrics to support their theme. Finally, students created a poster to illustrate their theme and evidence.
Honors Calculus students have begun studying limits and their connection to Calculus. Mr. Moore explained that students have enjoyed seeing the connections from Algebra to Calculus. He added that his class is very excited for a great school year in our new building!
This year we welcome a new school counselor in Mrs. Stephanie Huntley. Mrs. Huntley is originally from Napoleon, Ohio, and received her undergraduate degree from Ohio Northern University. She and her husband Shane then moved back to Northwest, Ohio, when she decided to pursue her Masters in School Counseling from Bowling Green State University. The Huntley’s currently reside in Perrysburg, Ohio with their puppy, Sonny. One interesting tidbit about Mrs. Huntley is that she was involved in throwing shot put for eight years (5th – 12th grade)! 
Students in Mrs. Elinski’s Honors Algebra 1 and CP Algebra 1 classes have been busy practicing various types of equations. In Honors Algebra, students are working on solving equations for a specific variable. In other courses, the students have learned how to solve basic equations, but these equations are more challenging because they contain more than one variable, making the answers more complex. These are helpful when working with formulas and will become very important when students begin working with linear and quadratic equations. The CP students are currently working on analyzing and interpreting data and graphs. They are learning how to read different types of graphs and how to properly use the information from these graphs. These are important skills for them to have outside of the math classroom for science class as well as real life applications. 
Taking full advantage of the new modified block schedule, students had plenty of time to learn the new material, and incorporate both group and individual practice! One activity involved students circulating the room to practice the various types of equations. While the students were circulating, they were able to ask each other questions, and ask Mrs. Elinski for help as well. Mrs. Elinski stated, “It is great listening to the students help one another and give detailed explanations in their own words.” Mrs. Elinski continued by explaining that students have enjoyed being able to get out of their seats for a while to practice their equations. They also seem to really like being able to help each other as they rotate. “Every student sees things a little differently, so it is great to be able to give them time to explain topics in their own way; both to their peers and to their teacher,” said Mrs. Elinski.
Elementary Art Teacher, Ms. Diamond, has been surrounded by rocks as she started the new year with K-6 Art classes! All students in Pre-School through 6th grade have painted a rock for a special installation to be placed outside in the flower beds alongside the gymnasium by the playground. Each student has their name on the stone, as well as their graduation date. Soon, the 7th – 12th grade student rocks will also be added. Each coming school year, the new Kindergarten class will add to the installation! 
The project was directed by NES Principal, Mrs. Lindsey Krontz. The project was inspired by the book, 
people. Ms. Diamond added that students love to paint! She added, “The excitement was palpable! They shared their ideas for creating the ‘fish’ stones!” Ms. Diamond concluded, “Many thanks to Mrs. Krontz for bringing an enjoyable experience to the children. All supplies were provided by her generously. Thank you also to the custodial staff for moving big bags of rocks!” Be sure to stop by our new Ranger rock garden soon!
This year, NES welcomes a new sixth grade Intervention Specialist, Ms. Chelsea James. Ms. James is an alumna of Northwood High School and Bowling Green State University. Ms. James has taught at Toledo Public Schools for the last three and a half years. When asked what she is most looking forward to this year, she stated, “Encouraging a new group of students to be the best they can be!” Ms. James explained that the students can count on her being around to help them when they are in need. When not in the classroom, Ms. James enjoys volunteering at the Humane Society and fostering animals! Ms. James concluded by saying, “I am very excited to be back at Northwood as a teacher after attending school here!” 
NHS also has a new face in Health and Physical Education teacher, Mrs. Laryn Wheeler. Also a Ranger alumna, Mrs. Wheeler received her bachelor’s degree from The University of Toledo. Mrs. Wheeler stated that she is looking forward to getting to know the students and being able to share with them the joy of the Northwood community that she had when she was a student at NLS. 
During her time at NHS, Bhakti has made sure to keep very busy with extracurricular activities. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club (serving as Key Club President this school year), and Teen Institute. She has participated in musical, Student Council, volleyball, basketball, prom committee, and the “Northern Lights” Acapella Choir. Outside of school, she has participated in YiPEE (Youth in Philanthropy Encouraging Excellence). 
Tim Hall, having ranked second in his class, will serve as this year’s Salutatorian. During his time at Northwood High School, Tim served as an active member of our Ranger Football team. He too, will attend the Ohio State University this fall. Tim plans to study Health Promotion, Nutrition, and Exercise Science. In the future, Tim hopes to have a career in Orthopedic Surgery. 
Terrie Smith has worked for NLS for 17 years. She started out as a Northwood parent who spent a lot of time volunteering within the schools. She explained that she started out as a playground aide at Lark and then moved into a library aide position at Lark until the Lark building closed. Most recently, Terrie can be found serving as the high school library aide in the high school media center. 
Robin Gallaher has been an employee of Northwood Schools for 22 years. Mrs. Gallaher explained that while her kids were attending Northwood High School, she was asked to sub at the schools occasionally. When the study hall position opened up, Mr. Szabo encouraged her to apply. The rest she said, “is history!” 
NES Secretary Karen Donegan, also started her NLS career as both a parent and a substitute. She explained that she left AT&T after 20 years due to some of the changes in the company. She started subbing at Northwood that fall. She served as a substitute in the cafeteria, study hall, playground, and as an office secretary. She reminisced, “I remember walking into the high school office one day and told the secretary that I was available to sub anytime. From that point, I worked in the high school for a steady few months. In March of that year, I was asked to cover Lark while Mrs. Everett went to the high school. That June I was hired for the upcoming year.” 
Lori Kamelesky, the head cook at Olney Elementary, will also be retiring at the end of this school year. Mrs. Kamelesky has worked for NLS for 23 years. She explained that her sister-in-law worked at Lark and Olney and told her to apply. The people that she works with have been the best part of her career at NLS. She added, “I will miss the laughter with my co-workers.”
District Calendar Reminders:
discussions, and hands-on experiments during this unit as they begin describing physical and chemical characteristics of matter. Mrs. Sheets explained that during a chemical reaction, students look for evidence of a change in matter. For example, they might notice changes in light, heat, or gases being produced. They might see a whole new substance being formed during a chemical reaction. Students often see that such changes are often irreversible. 
Students have really enjoyed participating in Science experiments during this unit. For example they were able to see the reactions when vinegar and baking soda are combined (a gas is produced) or when steel and wool are combined (gas, light, heat, and color changes), as well as what happens when sugar is heated (gas is produced and color changes).
As the School Resource Officer, Officer Sabo’s responsibilities include helping to ensure that students and teachers are in a safe environment. Additionally, she is another resource for teachers and students to talk to when in need. She added, “I work the lunch duties at the high school and NES, often times eating with students at NES and answering questions they have about me and what I do. Next year, in the new school, I will be in the classrooms teaching D.A.R.E. to 5th and 7th graders!” 
invited into classrooms to discuss who I am, what my uniform consists of, what I do as a police officer, and what my police cruiser looks like on the inside.” 
class. NLS preschoolers attend classes for two full days per week, either on Tuesday/Thursday or Wednesday/Friday. These Rangers are ages three, four, or five-years-old. Currently, preschool students are working on their “Community Helpers” unit. Within this unit, the preschool students explore various jobs such as mail carriers, firefighters, police officers, and park rangers. Mrs. Johnson added that while dramatizing the mail carrier’s job, “we wrote notes and pictures to each other, focusing on writing and reading our friend’s names.” 
Our School Resource Officer, Officer Sabo, and several members of the Northwood Fire Department, came to visit the preschool classrooms and to tell about their jobs in which they work to keep our community safe. The preschoolers got to sit in the police cruiser, as Officer Sabo showed them her computer and other equipment. Mrs. Johnson added, “We marveled as the firefighters showed us the 102 foot ladder extension!”
preschool room. She explained that students are growing plants on the windowsill, examining animal artifacts, and using the Smartboard to keep tabs on the eagle nest located in a tulip poplar tree at the national Arboretum in Washington D.C. Also, Mrs. Johnson has turned their loft into an eagle’s nest, which just happens to be a new favorite spot for the preschoolers to play and read! 
This year, the NHS squad consisted of 22 athletes. Additionally, this is the first time that NHS has had two males on the squad. Of the 22 athletes, 16 of them cheered both seasons and 21 of the 22 competed at the state competition. Twelve of the 21 athletes had never competed at the state competition before. Furthermore, this year’s squad is a relatively young squad, as there are only two seniors this season. Coach Smith returned as the cheer coach after a very short hiatus. When asked if there was anything difficult or stressful about returning, she responded that there was nothing stressful about her return. In fact, she stated, “I felt like I came home.” 
much about cheerleading that many do not realize. Coach Smith explained that cheerleading is a very physical sport. Practices usually run about three hours long, with the student athletes working on stunts. Junior Taylor Hawkins explained, “It takes a lot of hard work and dedication; most people think it’s really easy because you just throw some girls in the air and catch them, and that’s that, but it’s not.” Freshman, Kylee Peart added, “A lot of hard work and dedication goes into making a routine and getting everything to look the way it should. Hours of practice goes into it. It takes a lot more work than the average person might think it does.” Finally, junior Madison Mahoney explained, “It’s not as easy as it looks. Many believe cheerleading isn’t a sport, but it takes a lot of athleticism to throw/lift a girl in the air and catch her and do it properly on the right counts.”
When asked about the best part of being a Ranger cheerleader, junior Delaney Genson, explained, “The best thing about being a Ranger cheerleader is the support we have from our school. Not everyone thinks cheerleading is a sport or even hard. The staff and student body give the cheerleaders so much support. It really makes our team want to be on the sidelines at the games and show everyone what we are capable of because they want to see it, not because they have to watch.” Sophomore Isaiah Bolyard added, “The best part is being in front of so many people and being able to do something unique. Also, for a small school, it’s really great to have such a vast and skilled team. Our team has a lot of potential.” Junior Rashalle Jeffries concluded, “The best part is being able to get the crowd pumped up for football games, basketball games, and also being with the group of girls. We bond; we’re like our own little family and it’s going to be one of the best memories I’ll ever have.”
the obstacles we have passed. We had some injuries this season, and we had some people leave the team. We had to change some stuff around multiple times, but it all came together in the end with a great outcome. That great outcome being runner-up at the state competition.” Sophomore, Ariel Heise added, “I am most proud of how I’ve seen everyone grow so much from start to finish. Many new girls (and two guys) had never cheered before, but they came into the team and learned lots of chants and techniques. Also, our team as a whole did a great job being flexible and adjusting to the many changes that were made to our routine during nearly every practice. I’m very proud of our team growth.” 
Ranger Roundup 