Carbon School District Press Release
Helper RAMS are off to a great start to the new school year. Our students are excited to be back in school and participating in all of the great activities that make Helper unique. We will kick off the fun activities with the annual color dance on August 30. Students will also be traveling to Kingsbury Hall on October 24 to watch Duck Pond performed by Circa.
Students have also started their campaigns for student government and the creativity of our students in their campaign efforts is incredible. We have some fun activities planned to incentivize academics as well, including the honor activity and Breakfast of Champions, just to name a few.
Helper Middle School would like to give a warm welcome to three fantastic new teachers. Saylor Minchey is our new 7th and 8th grade Math teacher, and she has shown a deep passion for our HMS students even before officially starting the new school year. She spent countless hours learning from and observing Belinda Oliver, a rock star teacher herself. Saylor spent time with the students, served as a substitute teacher, and prepared herself and the classroom for the upcoming year. One student mentioned that the pink decorations in her room make him feel less stressed about math.
HMS student Joelle Frandsen stated, “I like Mrs. Minchey because she’s really organized and helps me. I also like that she gave us a paper at the beginning of the year to get to know us and how we are at math.” Allison Anderson, another HMS student, stated that Mrs. Minchey “Is very kind, and if you don’t understand she walks you through it. She is a great teacher and she knows what she is doing.”
Samantha Weihing transitioned from librarian to the Family and Consumer Sciences teacher. However, her role is much bigger here at HMS as she also teaches Health and College and Career Awareness. Sami, as she is affectionately known to the HMS staff, will also take the lead for FCCLA and Breakfast of Champions, which is a breakfast provided to students who earn a 4.0 GPA and straight H’s at the end of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarters. Sami has a deep connection with most students at HMS partly due to her previous position; however, she has a wonderful disposition and is ALWAYS smiling. Sami has been able to jump into her new role and added her fun touches to the FCS lab as evidenced by posters of Spiderman cooking and Winnie the Pooh sewing his little heart out. 8
th grade student, Chelsey Mills-Bishop, said “She is organized and fun. I have never had such a fun class, she knows how to make the subjects fun and really interesting. She is nice and really knows how to make people feel loved. She is very easy going and all about having a good time.” Joelle Frandsen, seconds this opinion and states, “I like Mrs. Weihing because she makes learning fun.”
Last, but certainly not least, HMS gained an exceptional flutist and percussionist, Sophia Kerr. Sophia is joining the HMS family as the new Music teacher and will be teaching Choir, Beginning Band, and Advanced Band. She is also eagerly awaiting the chance to show off her Guitar Hero skills and challenge a few students during interventions if they dare. Her prior experience includes teaching rhythms and drumming at Let’s Play Music, a paraprofessional, and a youth mentor for the Boy’s & Girl’s Club. Sophia’s energetic disposition and love of music radiate through to her students and the engagement that she has already been able to show is impressive, to say the least. She has already pitched the idea of starting a pep band at HMS which will only add to the energy of games.
Phil Carlile, a student in Advance Band, said “Mrs. Kerr knows a lot about band and is really nice to us. She’s always energetic and happy.” Allison Anderson also stated, “Mrs. Kerr is so fun and so good with the kids. She is there to help all of us improve.”