What a great day to be a student and staff member of Evanston Middle School! Several of the staff began the day bright and early as we prepared to feed pancakes, bacon, juice, fruit and milk to all 320 of our students. What a blast! Our students enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in order to begin their day on the right note, so that they would be thinking about placing the correct answers on the WY-TOPP rather than focusing on their empty stomachs. After a good breakfast, they were then allowed to go into the gym and shoot around or just sit and converse with one another. Now, they are all in their classrooms and working hard on the Reading portion of the test. We will serve breakfast for the next two days, so make sure your kids get plenty of rest and are ready to do the best they can possibly do on their test. Students will be testing on April 30, and May 1 & 2 in the morning, then going to classes in the pm. On Thursday, student will celebrate the end of testing by participating in various games, projects and playing on the bouncy houses in the gym. Let’s celebrate success!!!

It is sure nice to see some sunshine and for the snow to be melted. Can you believe there are only four more weeks of school after this week? Time flies by when we are all having fun, learning lots and taking part in all the wonderful activities that our school has to offer. As many of you are well aware, spring is the time for all three grade levels to be involved in track. The EMS track team has around 120 participants, and despite the snowy and cold start of the season, has participated in several meets and done extremely well. Evanston High School hosted the largest middle school track meet in the state of Wyoming last Friday and despite the wind, a bit of rain and some lightning at the very end, all the competitors had fun and enjoyed the camaraderie of their fellow teammates as well as their competitors. A big thanks goes out to the EHS track team and all the other teachers, staff and volunteers for hosting a great track meet!

Well, being that it is the end of the year, there are a lot of events, concerts and activities that are happening this month. Our last three music concerts of the year are as follows: EMS Band Concert-May 14 with the 6th performing at 6 pm and the 7th/8th beginning at 7pm, EMS Choir Concert--May 16 at 7 pm and the 6-12 Strings Concert on May 23 @ EHS at 7pm. Both the band and choir will also participate in the Lagoon music festival on May 18. Track also has 3 more meets--6th grade conference @ Jackson on May 2, Rock Springs Invite. on May 4 and Best of the Best in Rawlins on May 7. Some other events going on are: 8th grade trip to DATC on May 3; Teacher appreciation week May 6 -10, with a special catered lunch for the staff on May 8; High school musical for 7th & 8th on May 6; fifth grade transition visits on May 7; Hispanic Dance @ all school May 9 & 10; Parent Teacher Conference on Wednesday, May 15 from 4-7 pm (scheduled mtgs. from 4-5 pm and arena style in gym 5-7 pm); 8th grade transition to EHS on May 17.

Evanston Middle School will be conducting an emergency Bus Barn School Evacuation drill on Monday, May 20 between 10-12 pm. This is only a practice drill, so parents do not need to come and reunify with their kids at the bus barn. We will practice leaving the school, gathering at an emergency location, loading the busses, traveling to the bus barn, unloading the busses, and gathering in the building to wait for reunification with their parents. Again, this is a drill, so you are not expected to come pick your kids up as parents/guardians. This same day in the morning, we will hold an assembly to celebrate with the entire student body our Million Page Challenge. Students and staff began reading in September and finished reading a million pages by Early April. Way to go EMS!!! After the bus evacuation drill, there will be another celebration for our students with no referrals from February--May. We will have several activities including sports, dance, games, puzzles and more! Make sure your students come on May 20!

To finish off the year there will be a few more activities mixed in with the regular classroom activities. On May 23, Mr. Collin Kartchner will be at EMS to teach our students about rising above the negative effects of social media in today’s society. He brings a good message, so I hope that students take note and apply his warnings and advice. There will be no school on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day, then on Wednesday May 29, our 8th graders will be provided a BBQ and then a Recognition Assembly at 2:00 pm. Please come and support our 8th graders as they are celebrated for their accomplishments and for moving on to high school. The next day, May 30, the students will go to Lagoon, then be done. The last day of school will be a half day for students who will be released at 11:35 am. Thanks for a great year with your students! I hope they have good memories of EMS and are determined to make even more after they return from the summer. Have an excellent summer and enjoy your kids!!!

Eric Christenot EMS Principal