The Crittenden Purple Press

Almost 100 cougars got their H1N1 flu vaccine during school today. The office divided students up into groups and called each group down to the gym to get their shots. Remember the vaccination forms that went out a long time ago? Cougars who got vaccinated today turned their form in with their parents’ signatures. The Virginia Health Department gave the vaccinations, and our school was just a good location.

The H1N1 vaccine is recommended for people 6 months old all the way up to 24 years old. It’s also recommended for pregnant women, people who work with kids, doctors, and people who are sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The students who go the H1N1 vaccine will also have to get the seasonal flu vaccine if they haven’t already. Our school held an after school flu shot clinic earlier in the fall, and many people got vaccinated then along with their families.

The breezeway is blocked with plywood and caution tape

Cougar staff and students returned to school today and found some changes because of the explosion on Sunday.  Mr. Banks’ classes moved to the blue kiva because his room was the most damaged by the accident.  Mrs. Cook’s classes didn’t move as far, only going a few doors down the hallway.

The end of the 7th grade hot shots hallway is different.  The window is covered in plastic sheeting and duct tape and a large blower keeps the air clean of the dust and debris.  The administrators say that Students in the eighth grade hallway saw the biggest change.  At the end of the hallway, a large black wall blocks what used to be the display case and entrance to the living skills and tech classes. You can’t use the breezeway as a shortcut anymore either.  It’s blocked off with a plywood wall and caution tape.

Mrs. Barnett told students that the building had been carefully inspected and was “structurally safe” for everyone to be in right now.  The blocks will stay up until Mr. Banks’ room and the wall are back to normal. 

Blocked window and blower in 7th grade hallway above a quote about obstacles.

Cougars continued classes normally today.  The science fair will continue as scheduled and Mrs. Carmean and other staff set up for the science fair in the library early this morning.

Firefighters work on Mr. Bank's room (photo by Marina Matislovic)

–Morgan Ryan

Sunday, November 29th, 2009 an explosion occurred due to a renovation accident at Crittenden Middle School just around 7 a.m. There were said to be 8 workers injured who had to be rushed to the hospital. Staff and administration met at Hines Middle School on Monday, November 30, 2009 at 11:30 a.m.  Administrators had decided to reopen Crittenden Middle School on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009. Seventh grader Ashley Johnson described the explosion as “shocking.”  She said she found out when “my grandma called me to tell me that it was on the front page of the newspaper, and on tv.”  Kinley Caffery, another seventh grader said the explosion was “sad because people got seriously injured.”

   The explosion created a huge hole in Crittenden Middle School, destroying the breezeway, computer lab 301, the living skills classroom, and the technology classroom.  While it is fortunate it did not happen while school was in session, I bet students were excited about getting an extra day to their Thanksgiving break, but staff and administration may have been feeling the complete opposite.  Staff had to worry about getting the school back together to allow all the students to come back to a safe environment. 

   The fire department made the decision that Crittenden Middle School is safe enough for students to attend school again. They determined whether Crittenden is safe enough on Monday afternoon by doing basic tests.  These tests consist of circulating the air to make sure there are no more toxins, checking the pavement throughout the building, and making sure the walls are sturdy, so the roof wouldn’t collapse at any moment.

   Prior to the roof collapsing, maybe the construction workers could have prevented the explosion from happening by checking out the structural foundation of the roof by noticing some concrete from the falling on a group of 6th graders during a concert on Friday, November 20th, 2009.

   Although it was a horrific event, something positive came out of this, our Crittenden family pulled together, along with members of the community, to swiftly put back together CMS.  Teachers met at Hines Middle School yesterday at 11:30 to learn more about what happened and whether or not the school is safe.  Mrs. Barnett went on the morning show to explain further.

According to the news, roofers were working above the Living Skills and Tech Ed rooms early this morning when there was a huge explosion.  Firefighters came to the building at 7:00 and put out the fire.  Eight of the workers went to the hospital, and several are still in critical care. Our administrators will decide this afternoon if we are going to have school tomorrow or not.  We will let you know.

Purple Press decided not to send a photographer for safety reasons, but you can see photos and learn more at the following local news sources:

• Virginia Pilot Online
• News Channel 3
• Daily Press
• WAVY 10

–Lucio Gutierrez
Wow! Can you believe it’s been forty years since Sesame Street has been airing on television? It all started out in November 10, 1969 a show called Sesame Street.

Sesame Street is one of the most loved show by kids. Children all over the world have been watching this show for a long time. There have been over 4,160 episodes of Sesame Street, which is amazing. There are over forty characters on Sesame Street like Big bird, Elmo, and the cookie monster and much more.

I interviewed my sister Joanna on what she thinks about Sesame Street fortieth anniversary. “It’s my favorite show even though I’m eight years old, I still watch sesame street everyday, so I’m happy sesame streets having a fortieth anniversary.” I

also interviewed Radborne Lakin on what he thinks about Sesame Street fortieth anniversary. “I love Sesame Street especially when Elmo comes on about like the last fifteen minutes and talks to his pet fish, I love the show but I don’t really care about the anniversary, but they have been on television for a long time.”

Finally but not least I interviewed my brother Miguel on what he thinks about sesame streets. Fortieth anniversary. “I love Sesame Street I use to watch it all the time when I was younger and I think its great that it Sesame Street is having a fortieth anniversary…” So as you cans see Sesame Street is a great show for everybody. Anybody can watch this show kids, teens, adults hey even aliens could watch this show. So happy fortieth anniversary Sesame Street I wish you another forty years on television.

–Morgan Ryan
Crittenden Middle School held a dance on Friday November, 20^th, 2009, and everybody had a good time! The November dance was from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the cougar café. Cougars were dancing with the lights off and with a disco ball that showed different colors.
The D.J. was also having a great time playing the music that we could dance to, music that we could have a great time with, and boy I’ll tell you, he sure was doing his job! Seventh grader Austin Bortell commented “it was awesome because at the last dance people weren’t dancing as much, but at this one they were all dancing. The music and circles of people dancing were awesome.” Even the teachers were dancing, and having a great time, Mr. Kiley raised the roof! Seventh grader, Joshua Mateo said “it was fun. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was fun dancing with all your friends. It was funny watching the teachers dance.”
The cougars were having a great time, and if you got thirsty from all of that dancing, you were able to go to the concession stand and buy snacks, or something to drink for $1.00. They also had glow sticks available for students to buy, in colors of green, and purple
One problem was that it was really, really, hot inside that cafeteria. With all of that body heat, and all of the dancing, it was sure to be really hot. The chaperones finally opened the windows, and sure enough, everybody rushed over to get some air.
After the dance was over all of the cougars lead outside to catch a ride home from their parents. There was also to be heard that there would be another dance on December 11^th, 2009, so cougars stay tuned, and keep getting that cougar cash!

–Briana Bradham
On November 17, 2009, the 7^th graders of Crittenden Middle School went on a field trip to the Virginia Living Museum.  The students got to take a break from school and have some fun at the museum. 

When the students first got there they were told that Mrs. Miner’s group was going to go to the classroom first.  And Mr. Culverhouse’s and Mrs. Sparrow’s group was going to be able to look around the museum. Then at around 10:30 the students were going to eat lunch.

When the students got to look around the museum at all of the exhibits, they saw fish, chipmunks, bats, bees, and a lot more.  They had even more fun when they went outside.  They saw the sea otters from upstairs where you can look down on the big fish tank. When they were finished there they walked on the very long bridge that separated them from the water beneath them to the bird cage.  They left out of that exhibit pretty fast because they were afraid that the birds would poop on them!  As they walked on they saw many different animals like Bald Eagles, Deer, and Raccoons. 

At 11:25, the students who were looking at the exhibits went into the classroom.  The students sat at four tables and those were the groups that they had to work in.  There was a big box at the center of each table.  The box contained bones, skins, eggs, and skulls of mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and birds.  Once they took everything out of the box, they had to put the objects into four categories.  The categories were Skulls, bones, skins, and eggs.  After that they had to use a key to determine what category that the different objects go into. Mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, or birds. 

When they finished the activity in the classroom, the instructor brought out live animals.  First she took out a snake.  It was blackish and yellowish, but it was non venomous and many of the students touched it.  She also took out a bird, but the students couldn’t touch it because the bird was just taken in by the Living Museum and it had a permanently injured wing.  And while the students were walking out of the door of the classroom, the instructor was holding a very cute ferret that the students could touch if they wanted to.

–Briana Bradham
This year at Crittenden Middle School the teachers give out cougar cash. There are many reasons for a teacher to give students cougar cash like good behavior, getting a 100% on a quiz, and getting started on the work that they have to do when they first get to class instead of talking or waiting quietly for directions. It is very important to get cougar cash because now the staff are planning fun event for the students and it usually costs a certain amount of cougar cash to go. Different events are movie days and dances. Usually the movie day would cost ten cougar dollars to attend and the dances are usually ten to fifteen cougar dollars. So, you should try your best to be good in class and follow the teachers’ directions and you might get some cougar cash!

What is cougar cash? Cougar cash is a yellow piece of paper that has the Crittenden logo in the middle of it. The words “Property of Crittenden ESD” are at the bottom of cougar cash and on the top of cougar cash it says “Cougar Cash.” To the left of the Crittenden logo is the word “PAWS” going diagonal and there are words coming off of each letter. They are Prepared, Accountable, Wise, and Safe. And on each corner on the cougar cash there is the number one.

When interviewed, Ms. Hager said that giving out cougar cash was something that the school used to do. Tia White who runs ESD decided to bring it back. They intended to have students go to dances, movies, and getting prizes with their cougar cash. Ms. Hager says that teachers should give out cougar cash when students are following directions and when they are doing really well in class. Some teachers only give out cougar cash to the students that are doing very well in class and the students that are not doing well in class but are following directions won’t get any cougar cash. And when asked about how much cougar cash she gives out and how often she said “It depends on if I run out because I run out a lot. I try to give cougar cash to at least ten students per class.”

Rains caused a ceiling tile to fall in the hallway

Newport News schools were open today despite a large storm.  Crittenden was open but dismissed early at 12:55.  Cougars made it to school despite high winds and rain, and many were even on time.  When they got here, Cougars found hallways closed because of flooding, ceiling tiles down, but a building that was lighted, warm and safe.  The workers who have been fixing the roof for the last month were in long before anyone else dealing with leaks and damage from the wind and the rain

Many teachers didn’t make it to work because of the rain so classes were split up and there was no IE class. 

Student Dominic D’Amico reported that his area was starting to flood, and that his sister was moving her car to higher ground today while he is at school.  Some students saw the logic in coming to school today.  Seventh grade students Diquan Lucas said “it was a smart thing to come to school, rather than stay home and not learn anything.”  After admitting that he hated being the only school in session, Terry Everett said  “  I think they did that because Newport News is not close to the coast like other districts.” 

The roofers were in early to deal with storm damage.

Other cougars had many reasons why coming to school today was not a good idea.   “I noticed that every town in Virginia had schools closed except Newport News.” Desean Moore, a 7th grade student.  “Coming to school today really really sucks because somebody could get hurt because of the tiles falling down.” says Josh, who preferred that we not use his last name.    “It would be bad to take a day in the summer, but it would be better than coming to school and walking to the bus stop in weather like this,” said  Zach Frey.

It seems like someone was listening because school was closed early and cougars went home after lunch at 12:55.

Many of us don’t realize it, but we need to honor staff here at CMS when we’re honoring veterans today.   Veterans in our building include Mr. Gardner, Mr. Oliver, Mrs. Maine, Mrs. McCloud, Mr. Bunch, Mr. Hall, Mr. Goodrich and Mr. Holden.

The Purple Press spoke with some of our veterans to discuss their experience and what they gaineed from serving their country. 

Ms. McCloud was a supply sergeant in the Army for 22 years.  She said “the most meaningful experience I had was meeting President Clinton and working in Bosnia,” because “I met children who were homeless and did what ever it took to survive.”  Mr. Hall was in the Marine Corps for six years, and said that the most meaningful part of being in the military was “seeing numerous countries and meeting the people who lived there.”

Mr. Hall said that he uses his experience every day, “the thing I use the most is that a mistake is a learning experience, not a failure.”  Ms. McCloud also uses her “military experience everyday.  I like structure and am very firm when it comes to taking orders.  I can handle constructive criticism.” 

Mr. Gardner was an officer at verious levels of the Army and Department of Defense for 24 and a half years.  He explained that he “commanded soldiers and managed equipment and civillian personnel.”  For him, service meant “working side-by-side with military and civilian personnel in different countries to better their country.”

Ms. McCloud honors November Eleventh every year.  She said “Veterans day is very important to me, I think about all the soldiers before me and their families.  I still have friends who are serving and how their life is the wars.  Once you become part of the Armed services, you are a close family.  I will not forget all the soldiers, and the people from other countries I met along the way.  I am proud to have served in the United State Army”

Mr. Hall says that Veterans Day is “a day that I use to remember the men and women that I served with and what an incredible honor it was to be one of them.”

Mr. Gardner says that he uses his military experience “every day, dealing with individuals (young and adults) while using my interpersonal, communicative, organizational skills to manage, train, motivate, lead and teach not only my ocntent subject, but life-long experiences.”  That’s a huge impact!   For Mr. Gardner, veterans day is a chance to spend time honoring those who gave their lives for this wonderful country!  Our American Citizens.”

Students, parents and staff at Crittenden can now follow the school’s updates on Twitter in two ways.  Since summer, the middle school has been putting out announcements using twitter.  As of today, this newspaper will have all of its headlines posted to Twitter as well.  Both functions allow you to find out what’s going on without going to the website unless an article or issue interests you. 

If you don’t have a twitter account, join us at http://twitter.com.  The newspaper is “PurplePress” and the school is “CrittendenMS.”

Today is a teacher work day.  Students have the day off while teachers prepare your grades for report cards.  A Purple Press poll shows that most Cougars plan to sleep in  Monday.  Watching TV is tied with going online for most popular day off activities.  Many cougars can’t sleep in because they will be babysitting on Monday for little brothers and sisters who also don’t have school.

No matter what you plan to do, enjoy your day off Cougars!

On Monday at 5:00 pm, Crittenden will compete against track teams from other middle schools in Newport News at Todd Stadium.  The cougars have had a great track season so far, and they’ve competed against Huntington, Booker T, and Achievable Dream.  But the All city meet will be the biggest challenge they’ve faced because they will have to beat the schools they’ve already run agains as well as Passage, Hines, Gildersleeve and Dozier.  This week, they practiced running distances and sprints after school to prepare for the meet.  Yesterday, Coaches Harris and Carter pushed the runners to move faster and to run hard for the meet. 

Runners practice with Coach Harris

Coach Harris says that we’re ready for All City competition.  “I think we’re going to go all the way to first place!  The girls and boys have worked hard and we have a definite chance of coming in first place.  But we’ll see.”  She said.

Come support us on Monday!

–Brittany Riffle

November is reading month! This means that you will hear about a lot of good books to read, there will be people coming in to the school to read to you, and that your English teacher will be going crazy with books everywhere!  This reporter asked the Librarians, Ms. Nichols, and one of the eighth grade English teachers Mrs. Manning, what will be going on. 

Mrs. Nichols didn’t have any specific books to recommend reading for reading month.  She said, “Well just books that you’ve never read, a different variety.”

The Librarians explained the activities they have planned for reading month:  “There will be lots of things going on, but the funniest would have to be that Mrs. Crittenden coming to our school.”

Lastly, this reporter interviewed Mrs. Manning about activities she’s doing in her classroom.  She told the Purple Press “we will be reading books all month long, and doing lots of short stories, but it will mostly be reading books.”

Want to know more? Just ask your English teacher to find out, or stop by the library to find out when famous authors are coming in to talk about reading!