Pioneer Press

Volume 4, Issue 1 Pioneer Press

November 22, 2021

Should We Get a New Playground?

By: Ben Olson

Have you ever wondered what Sevastopol would be like with a brand new playground? It would be
glorious! With ideas of a new playground coming, here are some details you should know.
Many kids at Sevastopol want new equipment on the playground and according to Mr. Luedtke, on
the new playground there will be taller slides and new swings. The new playground would contain
four square, basketball hoops, and Mrs. Krueger will be painting a picture of the USA.
Many kids are probably wondering why we need a new playground? Some people say that our
playground is just fine and the addition of the new GaGa ball pits are enough to hold them over,
plus equipment would be expensive. However, many kids beg to differ. Many kids
say that the playground is outdated and are frustrated with the current set-up.
Over the summer, the school sold old furniture and the money that was made was put towards a
playground fund. Overall, let's hope that this playground comes soon!

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Get Ready to Run!

By: Connor Lardinois

Are you a speedy runner? Are you somebody who enjoys running? If you answered
yes, you will be interested to know that Sevastopol has a new track! This is good news
for those who do track at Sevastopol School. The new track has new material and
bleachers for families. The new track is similar to the old track too.
Mr. Luedtke shared more information on how they are alike and different. Mr.
Luedtke said that the new track will not be bigger or smaller, it will be the same size.
He also added that the pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, and discus area
have improved in size. He went on to say how the new track is made out of an asphalt
base, which is better for your joints when you're running, as it provides some bounce.
It also will reduce injuries.
The new track is almost done and is guaranteed to help the track team in preventing
injuries. If you haven't had a chance to go check
out the new track you might want to.
It will be an awesome addition to the new school.
Not to mention it looks nice too!

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What’s Happening Around the School?

By: Breiah Newton

Have you ever experienced what having a new school is like? Do you think you’d like to be working or

learning, as a student, in a new building? With the new sevastopol building there are many things that

have improved from last year.

Even though we’re learning in the new school, it is not done yet. Construction workers finished the staff

parking lot. They are also still working on a certain door, getting flooring in the lunchroom and

hallway.

The elementary school is bigger than the old building, and also has wider hallways. There are new

chairs and tables in the hallways that students can work at. The school also offers sinks, that are

automatic.

In an interview with a few fifth grade students. Four out of five

students think that the new school is nicer than the old school. They

thought this because the new building has more room to work, and the

bathrooms are a lot nicer. The new building also has air conditioning.

Some of the kids in 5th grade like the new school better because they

think it is cleaner and new, so it makes a better learning environment.

The middle school teachers moved into the old kindergarten and pre- K rooms this year. One middle

school teacher, Mr. Newton likes his room this year more than last year. Mr. Newton likes his room more

this year because he has new carpeting. He also has a bigger room than his old room. He has a window

that faces directly toward the sun, so a bunch of sunlight comes in.

Mrs. Chier, a seventh and eighth grade teacher, on the other hand, has an awkward-shaped room. The

sixth grade teachers are now closer to the seventh and eighth grade classrooms too. The

new school has improved quite a bit. Some students,

elementary teachers, and middle school teachers seem to agree.

The new school is big, clean, nice and almost done!

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Annual Trees for Tomorrow Trip

By: Olive Goettelman

Imagine you that you get to go to a camp and
learn how to build a fire, work on team building
skills, and learn to canoe. Well, that's what the
we, the 5th graders, got to do!
5th graders go on a yearly trip to Eagle River,
Wisconsin. About 3.5 hours northwest of
Sturgeon Bay. On the bus ride there there was
talking, reading, and so many other things too.
Lulu said, “Some things I did on the bus ride
were drawing and looking out the window.”

One activity we did at Trees for Tomorrow was learning how to use a compass. Todd, one of the
staff, taught us how to use a compass. After we learned how to use a compass, we got dropped off
in the woods and had to find our way back to the bus, using only the compass.
Another activity we did was learning to build a fire. We were split up into seven groups to see if we
could successfully build a fire; using only kindling, a match, and whatever we could find in the
woods.
We also went to the bog, the marsh, and the forest. Which are all places where wildlife makes their
habitats. Brooklyn Ayer’s favorite activity was the bog. She said, “The bog was my favorite
because it was a learning experience and we got to be out in nature.”
We saw some pretty cool animals also. Almost every morning we saw wild deer running in the
woods. Some animals that were in captivity at Trees for Tomorrow were a snake, a turtle, and there
was also a red tail hawk that was behind the education hall.
The night hike was another activity, where we went hiking at night with no light! Even though we
couldn't see we used our other senses like hearing, to hear an owl. One group was able to talk to it.
We stayed at Trees for Tomorrow for three days and two nights; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
It was so much fun staying overnight in a different place. We want to say thank you to all the
chaperones and staff that helped us have a fun time; Mrs. Rikkola, Mrs. Ayer, Mrs.Marggraf. Mr.
Frank, Mr. Schauske. Thank you chaperones for dedicating your time to help us have a fun learning
experience.

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Field Trips in Elementary

By: Brooklyn Ayer & LuLu Roedl

Have you ever been on a field trip? How many have you been on? Field trips are important because
you are learning outside of the classroom. Field trips add to learning in science, social studies, and
you can also learn life-long skills along the way. And to think, some people think field trips are just
a day off of school! For example, 5th-grade goes to Crossroads to help learn about invasive species,
which is also taught in science class. This year we learned how to pull buckthorn and phragmites,
both invasive species to Sturgeon Bay. 4th-grade goes to Potawatomi State Park where they learned
about the historic Ice Age Trail, as well as how state parks do blazing, which is the term used to
describe marking trails for hikers. 3rd-grade goes to Crossroads, where they learn about the history
of Door County! Elementary classes do many of the same field trips every year so that all kids get
to experience the fun and learning that the teachers plan. Everybody enjoys field trips. Teachers
and kids love to be away from school learning, especially when they get to be outside!

Check out where you could be going this year!

3rd-grade at The New Zoo

4th-grade at Potawatomi
Park

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3rd-grade at Crossroads 5th-grade at Crossroads pulling buckthorn

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Sports in Elementary

By: Reid LeClair

Have you ever wanted to play sports at a young age? Well at Sevastopol you can!!! The Mighty
Pioneers Foundation was created because they want kids to be able to begin teamwork at a young
age, be able to get to know their teammates and coaches, and be able to work on skills.
Our school offers sports from grades 4K-12, and you can play any sport.In 4K you can play in a
baseball/softball league called Rootie Toots. Thanks to Mighty Pioneers, kids can start playing
sports in elementary, and not have to wait until middle and high school. In elementary school, kids
can play sports like tackle football, volleyball, basketball, and soccer. These sports are open to
anyone in the school, so if this interests you, keep an eye out for these sign up forms.
Sports are super important because they keep you physically fit and you can socialize with
teammates. Consider trying out for a sport!

Sports: Elementary Grade When It Starts: When It Ends:
You Can Play:
Football 4th & 5th August October
Volleyball 4th & 5th November March
Soccer 5th October
Basketball 4th & 5th August Girls: November
Girls: August Boys: December
Boys: October

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Peer Mentors

By: Viv Tanck

Have you heard of peer mentors? Peer mentors are high schoolers
who are assigned to elementary students. The kids get assigned to
a peer mentor for either academic, social or emotional help that
teachers think kids might need.
Do you know what peer mentors do? Once the peer mentor and
mentee meet, they can play board games or sit and talk.
Sometimes teachers give work to the peer mentor and mentee.
They have a special day each week that they meet. You may think
peer mentors take time away from kids’ learning but they really
don’t, instead they help each other. They are teaching the kids how
to socialize, work together, and even enjoy school!!
Would you be able to guess how many high schoolers get assigned
as peer mentors in just one year? There are thirty-five high
schoolers who got assigned to one or more students this year.
High-schoolers spend anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes each time
they meet with their mentee.
This year, the peer mentor teachers, Mrs. Ayer and Mrs.
Vanderhoof, are trying to really match mentors and mentees based
on similar hobbies, such as art and music. They think this will
really help build relationships within our school!
Peer mentoring sounds easy, and it can be! Sometimes it can also
be a lot of work for the high schoolers. High schoolers are always
happy to work with a younger student so the student has an older
companion to trust!

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Free Lunches? Bus Buddies

By: Caralee Fellner By: Evelynn Kelsey

Have you noticed that the school lunches When you get to fifth grade we get to do a fun
are free? The federal government wants thing called bus buddies. We have bus buddies so
kids to have free lunches because they we can help our buddy get to their bus.
want every kid to have meals. There are a few reasons we have bus buddies. First,
This has been a huge help to the parents 4K students don’t always know which bus they are
and students so they can enjoy a good supposed to go on and they might not see the bus
lunch. The school lunches were also free number. Plus, it is not safe to let four or five year
last year for the students. old kids walk to the bus alone, they might walk
Will the lunches be free in the future? It all into the parking lot or get lost. There are a lot of
depends if the federal government thinks 4K students, so it could be hard to make sure each
that we should continue the free lunches. student gets on the correct bus. Bus and pick up
Do parents appreciate free school lunches? schedules can change, so the teachers and parents
Some parents do appreciate school lunches need reliable people, like fifth graders, to get the
being free. It allows for parents to not little kids on the right bus. Last, but not least, the
have to worry about packing a lunch for bus buddies are fun! And it is good to get to know
their child. the 4K students and let them get to know an older
Free lunches can benefit us and our kid so they feel comfortable around older and
parents in many different ways. Hopefully much taller kids.
these free lunches will continue.

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Reading Buddies

By: Olivia Baier & Reid LeClair

Have you ever gotten read to by an older kid? Reading
buddies are when 5th-grade and 3rd-grade classes go to 4K
and kindergarten to read and build relationships. All
students involved look forward to Friday, because every
Friday you get to read to a younger kid! It is a great way
for the little kids to start learning how to read, and let the
3rd- and 5th-graders practice their reading skills too! Plus,
the older kids get to be role models for the younger kids.
We also do reading buddies because it is a great way to
build relationships with older kids, so the younger kids can
start to feel more comfortable at school. Sometimes we
even do other activities with our buddies, like math games,
holiday activities, and even going outside and playing!
Reading buddies are fun and enjoyable for 3rd- and 5th-
grade as they are helping their buddies learn to read at a
young age. Mrs Horvat shared that, “Ye, they love it, they
love having an older kid to read to them.” We asked Mrs.
Huehns if she wants more days and she said, “Ya, I would
do that. If I had a lot of extra time.” We asked some
Kindergarteners and 4Kers for their opinion on reading
buddies and this is what she said. Lulu said, “I like how
every Friday they come to read with us.”
Overall, reading buddies are a great way to build
relationships and make memories.

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Future Pioneers Meet the Babies of
Sevastopol
By: Olivia Baier & Evie Deviley

Oh baby it's cold outside! Sevastopol School has been welcoming Jayda Leo
future Pioneers a lot lately. Baby Kruger will be joining us in just Neuman Ayer
a few months Mrs.Ayer, Mrs. Neuman, and Mrs. Horvat already
had their little bundles of joy. Each of these babies are only days Coming Corra
apart! soon! Horvat
Their names are Leo, Jayda, and Corra. They are all around five Baby
months old. Mrs Ayer says, “ Life with a newborn is not that Krueger
hard, but does have it’s pros and cons.” One of the pros is having
every Wednesday off to spend with baby Leo. One of the cons is
lack of sleep. Mrs. Ayer is always doing work either really early in
the morning or very late at night. She also loves having all the
firsts again, for example the first steps or first words. She says it
also helps to have her daughter, Brooklyn, who is in fifth grade.
Mrs. Neuman says “Life with a newborn is great!
Jayda is a really good baby. We love her!” She also says that she is
adjusting well. She has two big brothers that are great helpers.
Mrs. Neuman is still on maternity leave so she is not in a big rush.
She loves to get all the baby snuggles that she can.

Mrs. Horvat also has a new baby named Corra. She says, “Life with a newborn can be exhausting, but
so rewarding. Corra is a wonderful addition to our family, making us all smile each day!” The hardest
thing she says about having a baby around is, “. . . is that I cannot slow time down. I want to pause
time and cherish all the precious moments! However, it is also so wonderful to see her grow and learn,
right now she is laughing and it is the best thing!”
rs. Kruger is expecting! Her due date is super close to Christmas, December 23. The gender of the baby
is a surprise. She was thinking of naming her baby Kris Kringle, Santa, Rudolph, or Mrs Claus .Just as
a joke of course.
We are all looking forward to meeting all of these little bundles of joy. Welcome, Future Pioneers.

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Holidays at Sevastopol

By: Kaylee Manson & Mason Haen-Lauder

Did you know that Sevastopol does fun activities for the holidays throughout the school
year? Well, they actually do, and they do a LOT of preparation to make these holiday
activities happen! We suggest thanking the teachers and administrators!
For Halloween, Sevastopol has a variety of activities. Last year the 2nd-grade team started
the EcoLab Halloween activity that is now becoming a tradition. At the EcoLab for
Halloween we get to trick or treat and we get to do physical activities with our class.
Different grade levels also do different activities in their classrooms. For example, fifth
graders dissected pumpkins to work on estimating and circumference.
For Thanksgiving, the PTO does an annual Turkey Trot where if you take first in a race
you get a frozen turkey. The Turkey Trot is a fundraiser for PTO, which raises money for
the school and the things around it. The kindergarten also does a feast, where the kids
volunteer to bring in all the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and even dessert! They get to share
all this yummy food together and enjoy a Thanksgiving feast before leaving for break.
The week before Christmas break, each classroom does different activities, but many are
similar. Kids get to play holiday games and even watch a movie! Did you know that the
teacher even do Secret Santa? For the week before Christmas break, the teachers
exchange fun gifts with each other, and then the day before break, they get together for a
breakfast before school starts and exchange one final gift and get to know who their
Secret Santa was!
Before we leave for the holidays, make sure to thank a teacher for all the hard work they
do so that we can have fun holiday experiences at school!

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Meet Our Newspaper Staff

Front Row: Olive Goettelman, LuLu Roedl, Breiah Newton, Evelynn Kelsey, Olivia Baier,
Brooklyn Ayer, David Rosales
Back Row: Mrs, Thomas, Ben Olson, Kaylee Manson, Connor Lardinois, Reid LeClair,
Caralee Fellner, Vivienne Tanck, Mrs. Ayer
Not Pictures: Evie Deviley

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