PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
Runnels has always been the school for all races, religions, and national origins.
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In this week's
Friday Focus
: Corporate Dinner Meeting; Cross-Country Team Wins State Championship; "Runnels on the Rowe" Dec. 1; Cookies for Heroes; Middle School Honor Band; Rounding Up Raider Spirit at Fall Raider Spirit Pep Rally; Third-Grade Letters to Author Bethany Barton; Investigating Owl Pellets; Jr. Beta District Day Events; Kudos and Notable Events; We Sincerely Thank; Weekly Photo Album; Athletic Corner; Friendly Reminders
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
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Corporate Dinner Meeting Held This Week
On Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 the annual dinner meeting of the members of the Runnels School Corporation was held. The administrative team and the members of the Board of Trustees were recognized.
Reports were given from the parent organization, PAR, and Booster Club. Board member Rob Parker presented an informative report on the upcoming (February, 2019) launch of the
Runnels Forever Foundation
(RFF). Similar to an endowment fund, the goal of the RFF is to ensure the perpetuity of Runnels School in the event of a catastrophe like the Great Flood of 2016.
A special thank you was extended to Business Manager Bill Golden, who worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other government entities to recover the remaining monetary losses sustained by Runnels in the Great Flood of 2016. Also recognized for his service to our school was local architect and retiring board member Ken Novak, who designed several of the buildings on the main campus. Elected to fill his seat on the Board was alternate trustee David Latona.
(At the annual meeting of Runnels Schools, Inc., are, from left, Assistant Head of School Conchetta Foshee, Vice President of Runnels Schools, Inc., Gladys Runnels, Founding Headmaster and President of Runnels Schools, Inc., Dr. L.K. Runnels, and Head of School Marcia Mackay.)
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Cross-Country State Champions!
Cross-country team seniors Micah Roper, left, and Daniel Mayeaux proudly present the championship trophies their team won at the LHSAA state meet to Assistant Head of School and Jr./Sr. High Principal Conchetta Foshee.
(
Read the full story in Athletic Corner.
)
"The trophies," said Cross-Country Head Coach Julie Fink, "represent the hard work of the 28-member cross-country team and the dedication and devotion of all who have supported our program as we blazed the trail for this success over the last 10 years."
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First Ever "Runnels on the Rowe" December 1
Be sure to make a stop at Perkins Rowe on Saturday, Dec. 1 for our very first "Runnels on the Rowe" shopping event in support of the elementary and junior and senior high libraries. Student artwork will be on display at Barnes & Noble and art teachers and illustrators Lee Randall (
Chicory and Roux
) and Sydney McGraw (
Joshua the Rescue Kitty
) will be doing a book signing from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
When you mention "Runnels" at checkout, a percentage of the sales will go to our library programs. Shop all day at Barnes & Noble Perkins Rowe and La Madeleine and from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at The Impeccable Pig.
It's a great way to check some items off your holiday shopping list while helping our school libraries.
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Special Delivery: "Cookies for Heroes"
To thank local first responders for their service to the community, members of our Jr. Beta Club hand delivered homemade cookies and thank you notes to neighborhood firefighters, police officers, and EMS personnel last week. The national event honors local heroes and commemorates 9/11. This is the 16th year the Runnels club has participated.
(Photo: Jr. Beta members, from left, Annie Garrison, Sela Basso, Rowen Basso, Carli Shay, and Mikalyn Shay deliver "Cookies for Heroes" to the East Side Fire Department.)
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Middle School Honor Band Musicians
Ten Runnels students have been chosen to play in the East Baton Rouge Parish Middle School Honor Bands, with four selected to 1st chairs.
Named to the Symphonic Band were Mason Pizzalato, 1st chair, electric bass; Harrison White, 1st chair, clarinet; Addie Watson, 2nd chair, clarinet; Lily Hayden, 5th chair, clarinet; Katherine Campbell, 6th chair, flute; Alyssa Oubre, 6th chair, percussion; and Mason Pentes, 7th chair, trumpet. Chosen for the Concert Band were Eddie Tunis, 1st chair, percussion; Jack Ezell, 1st chair bass clarinet; and Hope Oubre, 8th chair trumpet. The concerts will be held at
McKinley Middle School on Friday, Nov. 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Congratulations to these students and their Runnels band director Jill Swetnam.
(Photo: Runnels students performing with the EBR Parish Middle School Honor Bands.
)
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Rounding-Up Raider Spirit
We went a little bit country on campus Thursday as we dressed up cowboy style to support our teams at the Western Spirit Day Pep Rally in the gym. We celebrated the cross country team's big wins at state (
See Athletic Corner
) and were introduced to the players on the soccer and basketball teams. There were country-western themed performances by the cheerleaders and Raiderettes, an audience participation game involving faculty members "rounding up" student volunteers, and music provided by the "Pep Band" conducted by Jill Swetnam.
Special thanks go to the cheerleaders and their coaches, Sherry Wilks and Rachel Hart, for planning and organizing this spirit event.
(Photo: It's was all about the boots for high school students, from left, Natalia Tooraen, Janie Schlotterer, Grace Sandefer, Rachel Hargrove, Jaidyn Procell, Karli Hebert, and Kissa Nicholas-Whitt.
)
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"Dear Bethany Barton"
Students in Alice Aucoin’s and Candace Ortlieb’s 3rd-grade composition classes have been learning how to write friendly letters. For practice, they decided to send some to Bethany Barton, author and illustrator of
I'm Trying to Love Spiders
, which won the Children’s Choice Award as Book of the Year for 2016.
After visiting the author's website to learn a bit more about her, the children were ready to take pen to paper.
“They wrote thoughtful letters,” said Mrs. Aucoin, “posing some interesting questions like "What animal will you write about next?" "Does your son help you come up with ideas for your books?" and "Can you come to visit us in Louisiana?" They also sent along a picture of the whole third grade so Ms. Barton would know what her correspondents looked like.
When Ms. Aucoin emailed Ms. Barton to ask for an address where she could send the letters, the author was thrilled. "She was so excited to be getting them!"
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Owl Pellet Investigation
Parents joined their kindergartners in science class this week to help them dissect owl pellets and examine their contents. Using special tool kits that included flashlights, tweezers, brushes, picks, and other intricate implements, the kindergartners dug through the pellets to see what the owls had eaten. Using a bone chart, they were able to identify rodent skulls, ribs, spinal columns, shoulder blades, pelvis bones, and even bird beaks.
(
Photo: In kindergarten this week, Kristin Kennedy helps her daughter Lillian explore and identify what's in an owl pellet.
)
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Jr. Beta District Day Events
On Nov. 10, the Runnels Jr. Beta Club traveled to East Ascension High School in Gonzales to compete in a variety of events at Jr. Beta District Day. In the Special Talent competition, Harrison White, grade 7, played the piano and sang an original arrangement of a song to earn third place and advance to the state convention coming up in Lafayette Feb. 20-22.
The Raider Robotics Jr. Beta Team (Arthur Donaldson, Alexa LaPlace, Caroline Pousson, Parker Wright, Zeb Tate and coach Jennifer Leeper) took part in the "Reduce, Reuse, Refine" robotics event. By doing research, the team discovered that oceans now are estimated to contain more plastic debris than fish. In response, the team built an Edison robot for the competition and programmed it to separate trash from recyclables. (
Photo: At the robotics event at Jr. Beta District Day are, from left, Caroline Pousson, Arthur Donaldson, Jennifer Leeper, Parker Wright, and Zeb Tate.)
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Great American Smoke-Out
In Julie Fink’s science class, 6th graders have been learning about the dangers of tobacco use. According to the World Health Organization, tobacco-related disease is the single largest preventable cause of death in the world today. Smoking kills approximately 5.4 million people around the world each year -- an average of one person every six seconds.
To make this number relatable to students, Mrs. Fink organized an exercise. She asked all of the students in the class to stand up as she counted off the seconds on her watch. Every six seconds, she pointed to a student and he or she fell “dramatically” to the floor. One by one, the students dropped, powerfully illustrating the health risks associated with smoking.
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"Fruit Face" Stamp Paintings
The pre-kindergarten students have been creating “food portraits” this week inspired by the work of Renaissance painter Giuseppi Arcimboldo who is known for his wildly fantastic paintings of human faces made of flowers, fruits, animals, and other objects.
After looking at the book,
Hello, Fruit Face!: The Paintings of Giuseppe Arcimboldo
, the pre-kindergartners in Laura Russell's art classes made stamps out of an assortment of fruits and vegetables to create their own human face paintings. Broccoli was used for hair, a banana did duty as a forehead stamp, a mushroom was used for eyes, with the stem stepping in for pupils, brussels sprouts made good ears, a potato stamp created the perfect nose, bell peppers shaped the jaw, and a stamp made from a red pepper formed a winning smile.
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LMEA All-State Orchestra
... Congratulations to Runnels String Orchestra violists
Andrew Schacht
and
Ryan Roper
for being selected to the 2018 All-State Orchestra.
Emily Schacht
, also a viola player, was named an alternate. To get into the group, they competed against high school students from all across Louisiana. The All-State Orchestra performance will be on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1:30 p.m. at the Louisiana Music Educators Association's Conference (LMEA) in the Crowne Plaza Executive Center in Baton Rouge. Jennifer Cassin is their orchestra director at Runnels. (
Photo: Andrew Schacht and Ryan Roper.)
MDA Muscle Walk Volunteers
... Kudos to Jr. Beta Club members
Olivia Brunner, Ashlynn Harper,
and
Jordynn Osborne
for serving as volunteers at the MDA Muscle Walk of Baton Rouge at Highland Road Park on Nov. 10. The event supports research and treatment for muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other muscle-debilitating diseases.
Lucky Winner
... Congrats to music and piano teacher
Johnice Thoms
for winning a $10.00 Starbucks gift card in the Western Spirit Day teacher drawing on Thursday, Nov. 15.
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... The
Runnels Advanced String Orchestra
and director
Jennifer Cassin
for performing at Broadmoor United Methodist Church last Sunday morning. The orchestra played at the two morning services to show our continuing appreciation to the church community for providing a "home" for our school (grades 4-12) when the Great Flood of 2016 left us temporarily "homeless." (
Photo provided by Laura Roark.)
...
Alpa
and
Nilesh Patel
(parents of Shaylen, grade 6) for visiting the main campus Nov. 15 to share their knowledge of Hinduism with the 6th graders. They have been learning about the religion in Gina Golda's social studies classes.
... Class sponsors
Christine Pousson
and
Amy Taliaferro
for organizing a "Friendsgiving" feast for the seniors on Thursday. The group dined on brisket, dressing, sweet potatoes, beans, rolls, cookies and cake. Many thanks to parent and grandparent volunteers
Jean Griffin, Susie Chiasson, Wendy Worsham, Rachel Evans
, and
Stacy Doucet
for providing the feast and serving it up.
...
All of the wonderful
PAR volunteers
who gave so generously of their time to help make the
Elementary Library’s Scholastic Book Fair a success.
Special thanks go to
Meredith Wartelle, Alecia Tate, Wendy Dolan, Wendy Worsham
, and
Blake Stevenson
. We also appreciate our student volunteers from
Jr. Beta
and
Mrs. Harbin's 8th-grade morning classes
.
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Tales of Heroes and Villains
... The 4th graders in Michele Barnett's reading classes made puppets for their October book reports. The genre for the month was fairy tales, which lend themselves well to theatrical productions.
The assignment included making at least two puppets -- a hero and a villain -- then using them to act out a scene from the book. "This week," said Ms. Barnett, "they took their show on the road" and presented their scenes to very appreciative kindergarten audiences.
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Kindergarten Friendship Soup
... The kindergartners celebrated Thanksgiving by pitching in to chop potatoes, carrots, and cabbage for "Friendship Soup" (Cooked in an Instapot!), painting paper feathers with berry juice they made by mashing and straining blueberries and blackberries, popping popcorn, and decorating Native American style headbands. Teacher Julie Horridge labeled each headband with an American Indian-sounding name such as "Friend To All," "Leaps Like Stag," "Gentle Wind" and "Crackling Fire" to perfectly fit in with the character of each child.
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In This Week's Photo Album:
Kindergarten Owl Pellets, Jr. Beta "Cookies for Heroes," Jr. Beta District Day, Scholastic Book Fair, Band Field Trip to Tigerama, Western Spirit Day Pep Rally, Kindergarten "Friendsgiving," Math Olympics, 4th-Grade Puppets, Preschool Thanksgiving, and Candids.
Click here
for a video of the Preschool 2s Thanksgiving Parade.
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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE ... STATE!!!
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Members of the cross-country team celebrate their victories on Nov. 12 at the LHSSA state meet in Natchitoches.
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CROSS COUNTRY
The varsity cross country team came home champions of the LHSAA Class B division state meet held Monday at NSU, Natchitoches with 3 titles, 7 top-10 finishes and several honors. The girls team took home the honor of State Champions, placing 1st out of the 14 teams competing, while the boys team placed 2nd out of 20 teams to claim the honor of State Runner-Up.
Junior Annie Fink earned 1st place and the title of State Champion. Placing in the top 10 from the girls team were: senior Micah Roper, 4th; and freshmen Sydney Worsham, 6th, Blaiklee Guillot, 8th; and Ryan Roper, 9th. On the boys team, freshman Dawson Latona placed 4th and senior Daniel Mayeux was 9th.
Head coach Julie Fink said it was an “amazing day for both the boys and girls cross country teams.”
Runnels girls had the #1 average time for Day 1 of the competition and earned All-State Girls Team Honors. All-State Girls Individual Honors were awarded to Annie Fink, Micah Roper and Sydney Worsham. Dawson Latona earned All-State Boys Individual Honors.
At the conclusion of the meet, Daniel Mayeux was recognized for his 4.0 GPA and his selection to the Cross Country All-State Academic Team.
(Photos: Above, Annie Fink and below, Dawson Latona.)
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SWIMMING
The Runnels swim team made a splash this week bringing home top honors at the LHSSA Division 4 state meet. Overall, the boys team placed 11th while the girls team of two finished 15th.
Senior Spencer Spivak led the team as the high point winner. Spencer finished as a finalist in both the 50- yard Freestyle, taking 7th, and the 100-yard Breaststroke, placing 8th. In the 200-yard Freestyle Relay, the boys team, consisting of Spencer and Steven Spivak, Seth Miller and Ian Lansing, were state finalists, taking 8th. The boys 200 medley relay members, Seth Miller, Hudson Hillman, Steven Spivak and Ian Lansing, were consolation finalists, placing 13th.
Junior Erin Oehrle finished as a state finalist taking 6th place in the 50-yard Freestyle. Erin also placed 9th as a top consolation finalist in the 100-yard Freestyle with a new personal record of 59.71. Sophomore Kate Oehrle was the top consolation finalist, finishing 9th in both the 200-IM and the 100-yard Breaststroke.
(Photo: Varsity swim team members are all smiles at the state meet on Nov, 15 in Sulfur. From back left are Ian Lansing, Seth Miller, Spencer Spivak, Steven Spivak, and Coach Matt Kiggans. On the front row from left, are Coach Leighanne Kiggans, Erin Oehrle, Kare Oehrle, and Hudson Hillman.)
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VARSITY BASKETBALL
The Runnels varsity basketball team won three more games this week. Last Friday, the Raiders defeated JS Clark again at home 68-57. Cade Tate led the team with 32 points, 5 rebounds and 7 steals. With five minutes to go, JS Clark was up six points, but Runnels stormed back to take the lead late in the game and iced it with free throws.
On Tuesday night the Raiders broke the century mark with 103 points against Catholic Pointe Coupee. Scoring in double figures were six players including: Collin Coates, 25 points and 12 rebounds; Ben Holliday, 14 points; Wesley Stevenson,14 points; Griffin Kennedy, 12 points and 11 rebounds; Phillip Lukinovich, 11 points; and Collin Bueche with 10 points. The Raiders also connected on 13 three pointers in the game with a final score of 103-59.
Last night, Runnels took on 5A Fontainebleau in the opening game of the Runnels Tournament. It was a close game throughout, but Runnels was victorious when Collin Coates made a free throw with 2.9 seconds left that gave the Raiders the lead and the win (70-69). It was back and forth the whole game, and again Runnels connected on 10 three pointers. Cade Tate had 22 points, Collin Coates had 19 points, and Ben Holliday had 14 points. The Raiders are now 6-1 on the year, and will take on St. Michael tonight at 6 pm in the Runnels Tournament.
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GET RUNNELS APPAREL AT THE BOOSTER CLUB SPIRIT STORE
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WHAT'S UP OVER THE BREAK...
TONIGHT
Runnels Basketball Round Robin Tournament
– Runnels vs. St. Michael – 6:00 p.m.
SATURDAY
Runnels Basketball Round Robin Tournament
– Runnels vs. Lakeshore – 11:30 a.m.
Varsity Girls Soccer
vs. Brusly at Burbank – 11:00 a.m.
OVER THE BREAK
Varsity Boys Basketball
at Thanksgiving Classic Tournament at Team Sportsplex –
Monday, Nov. 19th – 7:00 p.m.
Varsity Girls Soccer
vs. West Feliciana at Burbank – Monday, Nov. 19th – 6:00 p.m.
Varsity Boys Basketball
at Thanksgiving Classic Tournament at Team Sportsplex –
Tuesday, Nov. 20th – 2:30 p.m.
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RAIDER FANS ARE THE BEST —SEND US YOUR FAN PICTS!
Email game and fan photos to
n.latiolais@runnels.org
. Please include the event and the name of the student pictured
.
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Nov. 19 - 23 /
Thanksgiving Holidays
Nov. 26 /
School Resumes
Nov. 28 /
Around the World in Eight Plays
/ Jr. High Drama Performance, Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre, 2:00 p.m., Free and Open to the Public.
Nov. 29 /
Open-Eyes Presentation
/ by former Baton Rouge Police Chief Jeff LeDuff and his son, Kelly LeDuff, Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre, Grades 7-12 Attending , 11:20 am
Nov. 30 /
Jr./Sr. High Dance Performance
/
Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre,
Grades K-6 Attending, 8:45 a.m.
Through Dec. 7 /
Toys for Tots Drive at Runnels
/ Collection barrels are located in the foyer of the Elementary School. All donations will go to children in the Greater Baton Rouge area. New toys that are not gift wrapped are welcome.
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