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By Terry Howell
McKenzie High School Principal |
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The Balfour representative will be at school on
Thursday, October 28, to talk with seniors about their
order for graduation materials. At this meeting seniors
will receive an order form and brochure about various
items that they may purchase for graduation. The only
necessary items that they need are the customized
diploma and diploma cover and the cap and gown.
Everything else is extra items that students often want
for graduation supplies and memorabilia including
invitations and envelopes, T-shirts and caps, memory
book, pendants, key rings, mugs, etc. I suggest that
parents sit down with their senior and determine what
they need to order. It can become a considerable expense
if a student orders everything. Balfour will require a
$60.00 deposit on the day that the representative
returns. This date will be Thursday, November 4, during
lunch. Parents are urged to become a part of the
ordering process as they often assume the greatest
financial responsibility.
Project Graduation will meet in the Theater at the high
school on Monday, November 1. This organization of
seniors and parents has already begun the fundraising
for the drug-free celebration following graduation. The
more involved seniors and parents are the better that
organizers can spread the responsibility for raising the
money for this memorable event. The event will begin at
6:30 P.M.
The State of Tennessee mandates that students currently
taking Gateway courses or end-of-course classes take a
standardized test for the state as part of their course
fulfillment. The Gateway classes are Algebra I, English
II, and Biology I. Students must pass each of these
exams to be in line to receive a regular high school
diploma. The end-of-course classes that the state
requires an exam are physical science, American history,
and Foundations II. English I end-of-course exams will
be given the second semester. For both the Gateway and
end-of-course classes the exams will count 15% of the
student's semester grade. The Gateway tests will be
given December 7, 8, 9 while the end-of-course will be
given in the last ten days of instruction in that class.
Teachers have stressed the objectives in these classes
all semester and will focus on them even more during the
last three-four weeks of the semester. So far the State
has not established the cut-off scores for the tests.
When it does, I plan to send a letter home to each
student's parents reiterating this and stressing the
importance of successful completion of the exam. All
Gateway exams affect graduation status and all
end-of-course exams affect a student's success in a
required class for graduation.
The cross country team competed in the Best of the West
meet at Dyersburg last Thursday. This meet is one of the
largest meets of the year in terms of participants and
schools. It is also the final meet before the Regional
Track Meet at Dyer County this Thursday. At the Best of
the West meet, Hannah Scruton ran a 23:43 for 28th
place. Caitlin Blackwell (30:11) and Chloe Cunningham
(30:39) completed the race in 59th and 62nd
respectively. For the boys, Caleb Owen again led the
Rebel runners with a time of 17:33 for a 13th place
finish. Other runners who ran sub-20 minute times
include Matt Blaylock (18:20, 22nd place), Brice
Priestly (19:0, 32nd place), and Lee Barham (19:56, 46th
place). Both the girls and the boys have continued to
improve their times as the season has progressed.
The Beta Club held its first meeting of the year on
October 12 at 7:00 P.M. in the library. The Beta Club is
an academic honor association as well as a service
organization. The club discussed several projects for
the upcoming year. They include a drive for any kind of
non-perishable items for the National Guard in McKenzie
which has been activated. Another project considered was
the continuation of the Angel Tree project at Christmas
for the needy. Members agreed to purchase gifts at a
$3.00 minimum to give to those people unable to buy
gifts at Christmas. Members discussed assisting at Webb
School with the Head Start Program. Specifically, they
talked about physical tasks such as painting and
maintenance. Finally, the club proposed sponsoring a new
project entitled "Books for Babes." This project would
provide books for newborn babies and mothers at the
McKenzie Regional Hospital. The program would include a
gift of a book plus a brochure about the importance of
reading to young children. After the business meeting,
state representative Mark Maddox addressed the club
about the importance of getting involved with the
community and in politics at a young age. Mr. Maddox
stressed how this involvement promotes leadership and
civic mindedness. The club minutes and news were
recorded in a professional newsletter created by
reporter Katya Kesterson. Other officers include Kelly
Fowler, president; John Kermit Laughrey, vice-president;
Carol Perritt, secretary; Renee Crawley, treasurer; and
Bethany Ellis, Student Council representative. The
club's next meeting is Tuesday, November 9. The club's
sponsor is Zia McKennie.
The football team played Martin Westview last Friday in
their final home game of the year. Westview had won six
games in a row and featured one of the premier backs in
the area in Markee Guy. The Chargers lived up to their
reputation and posted a convincing 41-14 victory over
the home team. Momentum played a big role in the
direction of the game. The Rebels squandered two
opportunities to score in the first quarter as they
drove inside the Westview 10-yard line. The Chargers, on
the other hand, posted two first quarter scores to take
an early 14-0 lead. The two teams swapped scores in the
second period to make the score 21-7 at halftime.
Westview tacked on three second half scores and the
Rebels one for the final margin of victory. The Rebel
record now stands at 5-4 for the season overall, 2-2 in
the region. This week the Rebels face our county rival,
the Huntingdon Mustangs, at Huntingdon. Game time is at
7:30. The playoff status of the Rebels is still up in
the air. Friday night's contests will determine if we
qualify and who we will play if we qualify. Come out and
support the Rebels in this last regular season game of
the year.
At the game last Friday, we recognized our senior band
members, cheerleaders, and football players with their
parents. I want to again thank them all publicly for the
hours of sacrifice and commitment that they have
provided to our school. The senior band members are
Bethany Ellis, Crystal Mann, Jessica Mitchum, Jessica
Reed, Sara Watson, and Whittney Wilson. The senior
cheerleaders are Brandi Burke and Rachael Clark. The
senior football players include Clint Anderson, Ben
Boyd, Cody Cook, Paul Edwards, Mark Ghyers, Justin
Gilbert, Jonathan Harris, Randy Lacey, Shawn Luna, and
Billy Poff. Thanks for a job well done!
The band participated in the Union City Invitational
Marching Competition last Saturday. The band placed
first in its class out of the five competing bands in
Class A. Field Commander Lauren Morris placed third
overall in the small division category out of eight
competitors. The percussion earned second in the small
division out of eight. This week the band travels to
Murfreesboro for the Division I State Band Competition.
Good luck to them.
This weekend marks the end of daylight savings time.
Remember to set your clocks back one hour.
As always, I hope everyone has a great week.
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