Time to “Hit the Books” - January 6, 2012
Submitted by Debbie Leggett

Finally, it is back to school time. The Christmas holidays have passed while winter weather has remained. Most assuredly, teachers at Joaquin Elementary were prepared to get all the students back into the learning mode. Kindergarten through fifth grade students are reviewing, discussing, learning, memorizing and totally preparing forMid Year Testing and End of Year Testing. Reading, writing, science, social studies and math are at the top of each list with a goal of making every student at JES motivated and successful. Many strategies are being used. In fact, one can even hear a teacher singing the problems and answers. Now, that is a new technique but one can clearly see it seems to be working. Back to school in art class brought other cross curricular projects. For example, each class learned about, discussed and literally drew idioms.

To refresh ones memory, an idiom is a group of words put together whose meaning is very different from the dictionary meanings. Once the students understood the meaning of idioms they had fun illustrating them. One that they discussed was “it is raining cats and dogs”and they found it to be quite funny should it be taken literally. Thus, the following artworks, among many, were created to be displayed and used interactively on the hall bulletin boards.While strict and serious learning is imperative it is also important to make connections across the curriculum and have interesting and fun learning situations as well. Everyone at JES is happy to be back to school! It is now easy to understand why this article is titled “Time to Hit the Books”! See if you can guess the idioms illustrated in the photos!

“Snow”Secret… It’s Winter at Joaquin Elementary - December 7, 2011
Submitted by Debbie Leggett

The students of JES are bundled up and ready for Frosty to make his appearance. The second and third grade hall of JES has been transformed into a shimmering winter delight. There are math fact family rocking snowmen from the second grade math classes, a village of snowmen created thru imagination and poetry in reading and writing as well as the second graders study in science as they created various individual snowflakes.

Too, the third grade students created dressed up chilly penguins also inspired by winter poetry. Another project from this hall included cards and letters written by third grade students which fly through the air to a huge mailbox labeled United States Armed Forces. To be sure, these letters will be sent off within a week. Finally, there are even more snowmen who happily greet all visitors. In summary, it is “snow”secret education is fun at Joaquin Elementary!

Joaquin G/T Studentes Participated in Robotics Competition - November 17, 2011
Submitted by Kathy Cockrell

The Joaquin High School G/T students participated in the Region 7 Fall Robotics Competition in Lufkin on November 15th. We had three teams that participated from the Region 7 area. The teams consisted of:

Team RamRod: Patrick Schmutz, Katelyn Cockrell, Kain Yates and Austin Bloodgood; Team Prototype Version 2: Shawn Lonergan and Jace McDaniel; and Team Pink: Elisabeth Patrick, Morgan May, Jimmy Smith and Saul Ruiz.

Team RamRod won 2nd place in the competition and Team Prototype Version 2 won honorable mention for engineer design.

Mrs. Monica’s Second Grade Art Contest - November 2, 2011
Submitted by Debbie Leggett

Mrs. Smith’s second graders at JES where allowed to enter a coloring contest in her room. Seven winners were chosen from all three classes. The students are in first thru seventh place as pictured. Those winners are Humberto Romero, Jacee McNaulty, Ryan Dickerson, Trinity Brice, Angel Fults, Avery Prnka and Guillermo Martinez. Great job students!

 Quilt Given Away as JES Enjoys Texas Folk Art Away - October 31, 2011
Submitted by Debbie Leggett

Students at Joaquin Elementary School art classes for the past two weeks have been looking back in time at Texas culture and Texas folk art. They have seen that it was a time without video games, cell phones, computers, etc.  Too, they looked at and discussed items such as raccoon and mink hides, longhorns, spinning wheels, homemade kitchen utensils and wooden bowls. The boys especially enjoyed seeing the hunting bow and arrows .The girls favored the handmade dolls and the quilts. Then, they looked at how children entertained themselves by being creative and using their imaginations. The students enjoyed making real corn husk dolls, and pieced scrapbook paper quilts as well as looking into different quilt patterns. Much fun was had by making real sock dolls and clothes to go with them. Everybody also had fun making hornbooks and chicken callers from plastic cups, string and sponges. The older students chose to watercolor Texas scenes and Texas life. Without a doubt, they created some awesome paintings. Texas music was listened to and sung by all classes. Names were put into a hat and one lucky person, Caleb Harvey in second grade, had his name chosen to win a quilt. This quilt was hand pieced by Mrs. Lorene Ross from Joaquin and machine stitched in Carthage. Congratulations Caleb Harvey!

Joaquin FFA Selling BBQ Pit at Poultry Festival - October 6, 2011
Submitted by Shane Vance

The Joaquin FFA will have several Ag Mechanics projects for sale at the East Texas Poultry Festival this year. We will sale a trailered BBQ Pit, Ultimate Hog Trap, Two Picnic Tables, Hay Ring, and a Maple Chop Block. The BBQ Pit is picture with Zack Cheatwood, Patrick Schmutz, Holden Cummings, and Wesley Griffin. These young men as well as others have spent countless hours this year building these projects. Come support the Joaquin FFA and the youth of Shelby County by placing your bid on these quality projects. The final bid on projects will be Saturday evening before the Broiler sale starts at 7:00 pm, and bids start today on the Square in Center. For any questions on how to bid or any other infromation please call the Joaquin Agriculture Department.

Let's Help our Joaquin PTO! - October 5, 2011
Submitted by Debbie Leggett

This week the Joaquin PTO met and was treated to a performance by second graders. They performed a Readers Theater for the crowd and did a great job under the direction of Mrs. Debbie Moore! PTO President, Amanda Parker, said that the meetings will vary from mornings to afternoons and evenings this year trying to give everyone a chance to attend and to be involved.

PTO announced that it will host our 4th Annual Trunk or Treat on Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 from 5:30 - 7:00PM. Please note that no trunks will be ready until 5:30 PM. There will be a costume contest open to JISD families. There will even be a family category this year along with Best Decorated Trunk. PTO asks that all children be accompanied by a parent, guardian or sponsor adult at all times. No unsupervised children will be allowed. Parking needs to be in the bus lane, by the gym or by the high school ag building.

PTO will also host its 2nd Annual Chicken Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser that same night. The dinners can be promptly picked up at 5:00 PM from the school cafeteria. Plates are on sale for only for $7.00 which will include dinner, drink, and dessert. One may purchase tickets from Elementary students. The deadline to purchase tickets is October 21, 2011. As an added incentive to help raise money for the PTO they will give the hallway who sells the most plates a popcorn party.

All proceed from PTO Fundraisers benefit the staff and students of Joaquin ISD. If anyone is interested in donating items to be used for the Chicken Spaghetti Dinner such as: spaghetti, green beans, rolls, cheese, or manpower, it would be much appreciated! Please contact: Amanda Parker at joaquinpto@gmail.com. We look forward to another fun, festive Trunk or Treat and Chicken Spaghetti Dinner! Hope to see you there!

Joaquin Homecoming 2011 Week Begins - September 22, 2011
Submitted by Debbie Leggett

Well, to be sure, Homecoming activities have begun in the Joaquin ISD schools. Monday was Beach Bash Day and everyone in town knew it. There were even signs posted throughout town and many dressed in beach attire. Tuesday was Identity Theft Day and the students and staff were allowed to dress like a particular celebrity, local person or super hero. Obviously, one of our own coaches, Coach Prnka, is a much sought after idol as proved true by the number of Prnka’s we saw on Tuesday. Decade Days on Wednesday was well represented by the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s,90’s. Thursday will be change your age day  followed by Friday which, of course, is show your spirit day!!! Let’s go Rams !!!!!!