The Valley View Voice
7th Grade Student Wins Spelling Bee
By Josefina S.
One display shows economic differences between races. Photo by Karen Waters.
Photo by Josefina S.
Valley View Middle School now has a new spelling bee champion. Claire Anderson-McElligott is the official winner of the spelling bee that took place on Wednesday, January 13th, and will be moving on to the next competition.
Anderson-McElligott has shared her her feelings on winning and her preparation techniques with the Valley View Voice. She studied for about an hour every day, and says “Yeah, I studied a lot with the list that they gave us. It was hard, but some of the words were harder than others.” She was really happy when she won, and says, “I did not expect to win, and I was really happy. I went to regionals in fifth grade, but this was really a nice surprise.”
She will be moving on to the regionals which will take place in Fitzgerald Theatre on March 20th. She is looking forward to the next spelling bee, and thinks it will be very fun. She still, however, needs to memorize the lists.
VVMS Launches GSA
By Annie Fernandez
Valley View is one of few middle schools that has a gay-straight alliance, or GSA. Led by Mr. Mollick, Valley View’s orchestra teacher, GSA started this year in October, and now has about twenty-five members. Anyone in eighth or ninth grade can join.
Three members of the GSA were interviewed. Evan, an eighth grader, likes it because it offers a safe place for students regardless of sexual orientation. His friend got him a permission slip, and he joined. They have conversations about their lives and problems, as well as listen to guest speakers talk about a range of things. When people join, they don’t have to walk in and say their sexuality.
“A lot of people don’t really identify”, says Mr. Mollick.
Amelie and Reham, also in eighth grade, have been in the GSA since October. When interviewed, Reham said that gay isn’t represented as the typical girl/girl, boy/boy stereotype; there are many types of gay.
The member’s favorite things range from the discussions to cookies. The fact that you don’t have to walk in and say your sexuality is much appreciated. A typical meeting is mostly discussion but they have guest speakers and get to know each other, too.
Anyone interested in joining need only ask for a permission slip.
Beloved Teacher Announces Retirement
By Elise K.
Race: Are We So Different?
By Akanshka M.
In the academic year of 2015-2016, Valley View students participated in a field trip to the Science Museum for a very interesting topic…… RACE. There were 6th, 7th and 8th and 9th graders for this trip. We had two teacher volunteers, Mrs. Waters and Mrs. Zenner.
According to a 6th grader who asked not be named said that, “It was a very fun experience to be in the Science Museum. I even learnt a lot of stuff about my own race! I also discovered some other stuff about human body and world history.” Our teacher volunteer, Mrs. Waters said that, “There were nearly 50 students going. I got to know many different facts about different cultures and I was surprised by finding out the economical conditions for all the races. Overall, I had a great time!”
The Student Equity Team says, “We are going to have many more programs and activities for creating awareness within the people here at VVMS. The dates are to be declared.”
Photo by Elise K.
Surprising news was delivered on Friday, January 22, 2016. Mrs. Weller, who has been teaching for 38 years will be retiring from her job as a 7th grade social studies teacher at Valley View Middle School at the end of the 2016 school year.The decision for retirement for Mrs. Weller was extremely difficult, and she is still struggling with the thought of not going to school next year. She says she will definitely not be able to be in Edina when school starts in August.
Her love for kids, and how they become so interested and suddenly understand things has kept her on the job for many years, as well as her wonderful partner in teaching social studies, Ms. Swanson.There are many reasons for Mrs. Weller’s retirement, and she continues to waffle with the decision, but she is now 65 years old, is getting frailer, which she saw at the beginning of the year when she was confined to her wheelchair. She also wants to spend much more time with her husband, who is currently retired.
“I was... I was waffling, okay. I wasn’t sure.. I really don’t like leaving, because I love teaching, but on the other hand I’m getting a little more frail, and being in a wheelchair for nine weeks kinda showed me I maybe should….like go. I’m also turning 65 and so.. and my husband’s already retired and so I feel bad when I’m away all the time and we can’t go do things,” said Weller during a recent interview with the Valley View Voice.
Mrs. Weller’s replacement is not yet determined, but she says that she believes that the next social studies teacher will have it easy because of Ms. Swanson. Weller also says that the hardest thing for the next sub will be to be able to cover all of history that keeps growing while continuing to let kids learn in their own way. Weller has many plans for her retirement. She plans to spend much of her time with her husband and her mother, reading, listening to the music she has collected over the years, work in her garden, and continuing to lobby and be vocal in the state legislature, especially to help kids and improve education. She will continue to live in Bloomington and plans to visit Valley View Middle School and sub whenever needed for Ms. Swanson, and would love to keep hearing from her students.
Photo by Annie Fernandez
