HBRMS welcomes seven new and one returning student
As our 2nd quarter is in full swing we want to take this opportunity to welcome our new and returning students. We all know how hard it can be to start somewhere new. Each year our teachers and students make it a priority to build and maintain a school culture that is welcoming to all students. We hope our new students feel part of our HBRMS community. The staff all look forward to having our students continue to grow socially and academically throughout the school year as we continue to return to normalcy this school year.
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| Left to right, Chloe, Sofia, Eden, Leila, Analaya, Isis and Skyler aka Spencer |
Chloe Popelka (8th grade) returned to HBRMS from Ottawa Shepard this year. Chloe's dad, grandma and great-grandparents all attended schools in the HBR district.
I really like the way all the staff and students welcomed me back to middle school. It did take some time getting used to a smaller school once again. I am thankful I have the opportunity to cheerleading once I return. My classes seem to be going well and I look forward to more dances and the rest of my 8th grade school year.
Sofia Martinez (8th grade) comes to us from Durango, Mexico where she attended Quetzalcoatl public schools.
The hardest part of coming here for school is being far away from my dog and best friend since I was little. I am looking forward to learning in an American school and learning about the culture. My favorite class is Language Arts with Mrs. Biletzky and reading independent literature books. My most difficult class so far is math and getting used to the day to day learning. I am very happy to not have to wear a uniform. I also like the idea of having a locker all my own. In Mexico, I did not have a locker. The bus ride to school has also been a learning new experience. I can't wait to continue to learn and I'm looking forward to high school. I also want to thank Mrs. Clark ELL teacher for helping me transition too.
Eden Yankle (8th grade) and her twin sister Leila (8th grade) came to us from Rotolo Jr. High in Batavia.
One thing I really like about this school so far is definitely the people. They all accepted me right away and they made me feel like I was actually part of the school. Everyone here is just so kind, including all my teachers. I have to admit at first HBRMS took me a while to get used to because of its size. My old school Rotolo was a lot bigger and we had more exploratory classes to choose from, like Spanish and French classes. I miss not being in an orchestra where I was able to play the violin. I like my sister who had some classes that reviewed some of the classwork that we did at the end of last year. Hopefully this quarter this will change and I look forward to the new information. - Eden
One thing I had to get used to from this school was meeting new people. It was honestly really easy making friends since this school is way smaller than my old one. Although it was really hard leaving some of my closest friends I've known since I was little. I miss playing the trumpet at my old school that I played for three years. One of the things I am still getting used to is reviewing some of the same school work as I did last year. It is starting to change and I look forward to learning new information the rest of the school year. The Halloween dance was a blast. - Leila
Analaya Clark (7th grade)
This year is my first year in public school ever, and to this district. So far everything has been going great and I know so many people here, so that has helped me to fit in and made everything a little easier. But on the down side, there is way more homework than homeschool and most of what we are learning in math I don’t understand yet but I am getting some extra help during exploratory time. I know I will eventually get the hang of it though. I have always lived near HBRMS my whole life. We moved to Hinckley seven years ago. Before that we lived in Big Rock at the Crossroads Cristian Youth Center. Public school is different, but I'm getting used to everything now and looking forward to the rest of the year.
Isis Estrada (7th grade) comes to HBRMS from Stevenson Middle School in Maywood, Illinois.
I miss my old school and all my old friends and my teachers because I went there since I was in kindergarten. I like this school because I do not have to wear a uniform. I like my new teachers and was able to make friends quickly. My favorite class is science. Mrs. Stanislao makes it fun and I am learning new material. I like the special events we have had throughout the year like Hawaii day. I am looking forward to getting good grades and getting better at both social studies and language arts.
Skyler Janeski (8th grade)
This is my first year at Hinckley Big-Rock School District. So far everything has been good. I’ve made some friends already. I used to go to Indian Creek. HBR is so much different than there. I like HBRMS more than IC. I still have friends at IC and am able to see them some. I’m getting used to everything here, and school seems to get better all the time. My favorite class right now is PE, especially the pacer and the fitness days. I also enjoyed the Stem exploratory also with Mr. Sidman learning about programing robotics. I had a great time at the Halloween dance seeing everyone having a good time and dressed up. So far the hardest class I am still getting used to is Language Arts with Mrs. Biletzky.