Academy Weekly Newsletter - 11/21
From The Academy at Sturgis Brown High School
Dear parents, guardians, and students,
**Every week a different Academy student will act as a student ambassador for the weekly newsletter. Their message will feature some information about the student, The Academy, and what happened throughout the week.**
Hello,
My name is Aveon Howard. I like to play sports including football and basketball. I like to watch the Minnesota Vikings and the San Antonio Spurs. When I am older, I hope to play college sports and maybe make that my profession. I plan to be great at whichever sport I select and succeed at it!
This week in The Academy we have done many interesting things. One of the main things that we did was read the book Night by Elie Wiesel. We have also watched a movie about what happened to the Jews before and during WWII. In Government class we learned about how the amendments and constitution were made and why. We are also working hard on our Edgenuity classes, so that we can leave early (when all of our work is done).
The Academy has taught me many things about working hard and not giving up. I have made friendships in The Academy that I thought I would never make. The Academy teaches students to do their work on time - even if they don't want to. The Academy has given me a second chance to graduate on time and not fall too far behind!
English Notes by Ms. R
English students write a journal entry, practice a spelling word, and learn a new vocabulary word every day. They also practice grammar. This week students reviewed the building blocks of English grammar by studying common nouns, proper nouns, verb phrases, and pronouns. They also learned how to spell commonly misspelled words such as conscience, consensus, and conscious; they also studied the root word vert as well as words like vertigo and introvert.
The students are beginning this trimester by learning about the events that led to Hitler's Germany and the Holocaust. They are also reading Night by Elie Wiesel. The students are also working in groups to research a genocide that has taken place since 1945 (the year the Holocaust ended). The groups are also researching a current country that is at risk for genocide using the website genocidewatch.com. Ultimately, the groups will write a lesson plan and teach the class for a day so that their peers can learn about the genocide they studied as well as the country that is at risk for a genocide.
Students are also reading an independent reading book throughout the course of this trimester. This trimester they are reading books that focus on genocides such as: The Slave Dancer, Girl at War, Surviving Auschwitz, Number the Stars, and Braveheart . Students were able to select a book from 20 different books that focused on a variety of genocides including but not limited to: the Middle Passage, the genocide of Native American tribes, and The Holocaust. The students read this book every day and write a paragraph about what they read. At the end of the trimester, they will complete a final project about the novel they selected.
If you would like to know what is coming up in Academy English, please feel free to review my trimester lesson plans. They can be found here.
Governement Notes by Mr. Fasso
This week in class, students explored Chapter 8: Civil Liberties AND Civil Rights, focusing on the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. Using our presentation materials, we discussed topics such as individual rights, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and press, symbolic speech, due process, rights of the accused, and protections under the 13th–14th Amendments. Students analyzed real Supreme Court cases and historical examples to deepen their understanding of how these rights have been interpreted and protected throughout American history.
To wrap up the week, students participated in a fun and competitive Jeopardy-style review game covering the major concepts from the Chapter 8 Presentation. This activity helped reinforce key ideas and allowed students to demonstrate what they learned in an engaging way.
We also continued our daily routine of staying informed by watching CNN10, giving students a quick, student-friendly overview of major current events happening around the world.
It was a productive week full of lively discussion, hands-on review, and strong student engagement. I’m proud of the effort students put into learning these important constitutional principles!
School to Work by Ms. R
Academy students continue to benefit the community through their work in many ways and are employed by a variety of companies such as (but not limited to): Sturgis Brewing Company, Bridger Construction, Magnolia Soup Company, Solid Construction, the United States Post Office, and Taco Bell.
Edgenuity/Online Learning Notes
SBHS Academy Building
Coleen Keffeler, Assistant Principal
Wayne Sullivan, Assistant Principal
Website: Sturgis Brown High School
Location: 12930 E. Highway 34, Sturgis SD 57785
Phone: (605) 347-2686