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14 | May 3, 2018 | The frankfort station school
frankfortstation.com
Student reporter
A running tradition:
Hickory Creek Middle
School’s spring musical
Maddie Clark
Hickory Creek Middle School
sixth-grader
“A fiddler on the roof.
Sounds crazy, no?” Not if
you’re a cast member in
the Hickory Creek Middle
School spring musical. The
students at HCMS have been
working very hard for four
to five days a week to give a
highly polished performance
of “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Rehearsals include learning
the songs, dialogue, choreography,
and blocking. There
were several days of auditions
in January to select the
cast members and auditions
were open to all students at
Hickory Creek. Around 100
students have various roles
in the cast for this year’s
production. “Fiddler on the
Roof” is a fun show that features
songs for soloists such
as “If I Were a Rich Man”
and “Far From the Home I
Love,” as well as full group
pieces such as “Tradition,”
“Anatevka,” and “Sunrise,
Sunset.” HCMS’s “Fiddler
on the Roof” will be performed
for audiences on May
18, May 19, and May 20.
The fiddler is the title character
of Hickory Creek Middle
School’s spring musical,
directed by Mrs. Leslie Walton
and Mrs. Cindy Heath.
“Fiddler on the Roof,” with
music written by Jerry Bock
and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick,
highlights the life of a
poor Jewish milkman named
Tevye who clings tightly
to his traditions. As things
change in his small village
of Anatevka, Tevye struggles
to hold on, especially when
faced with a choice: his beliefs
and traditions, or accepting
his daughter’s choices.
Ultimately, his beliefs and
traditions win, which is a
clear look into how seriously
Tevye takes his beliefs. The
fiddler in this musical’s title is
the representation of the lives
of Tevye and the other Jewish
villagers. As times change
in Anatevka, it becomes difficult
for the villagers to hold
onto their traditions and live
a normal life, just as it is for
the fiddler to play a simple
tune and still maintain his
balance on the roof.
HCMS’s spring musical
is important because it gives
students a chance to show
their musical talent through
singing, dancing, and acting.
The musical program accepts
all kinds of students, whether
they be shy or outgoing. Being
in the musical is like being
on a large team because
everyone has to work together
in order for the scenes and
songs to fit together. Many
hours of hard work and dedication
by the students, the
directors, and parent volunteers
will guarantee that this
show is a big hit. As a cast
member in “Fiddler on the
Roof,” I recommend the joining
the musical next year to
anyone who wants to be in
a fun activity in which they
can showcase their talent,
and I hope many community
members attend the show and
support the talented and hardworking
musicians at Hickory
Creek Middle School.
District 157-C program sets kindergartners on path to success
Submitted by Frankfort
School District 157-C
An innovative program
in Frankfort School District
157-C welcomes incoming
kindergarten students and
their parents prior to the
beginning of their classes
in the fall. The first session
of “Kindergarten, Here We
Come!” was held on April
3. Additional sessions will
be held on May 1 and May
22, 2018 from 1:15 - 2 p.m.,
with the same session repeated
in the evening from 6
- 6:45 p.m. at Grand Prairie
Elementary School at 10480
West Nebraska Street in
Frankfort.
During each session, the
incoming kindergartners and
their parents are welcomed
into Grand Prairie to see the
building and meet some of
the staff and teachers. The
children will experience activities
with teachers, while
the parents take a tour of the
school and hear pertinent information
to help them prepare
for next year. The goal
is to help orient the children
to staff and the building
while giving parents information
about how to help
support their child at home
as they get ready to send
them off to school in August.
The program was implemented
when Principal Eileen
Nelson joined the staff
seven years ago. She had
used it in her previous district
with great success.
She stated, “Kindergarten
is such an exciting time for
parents and children. It’s
also a time of anxiety; stepping
into the unknown.The
original brainstorm was how
to answer parents’ questions
about what to expect and
ease their fears, while giving
them tools to help prepare
their child throughout the
summer for that big day in
August.”
She found a side benefit of
the program was the children
acclimating to the building.
Incoming kindergarten students engaged in activities in small groups while parents met
with administrators during “Kindergarten Here We Come!” at Grand Prairie Elementary
School. Photo submitted
She said a few might be tearful
at the first one or two sessions
separating from their
mom, but in August the new
kindergartners are smiling
and waving goodbye.
“The only tears are from
the moms and dads because
the children see familiar
Grand Prairie faces and they
know the building, so they
are ready to come right in
and begin learning,” Nelson
said.
On April 3 the topic for
parents was “Creating Mathematicians.”
On May 2 the
topic will be “Literacy Strategies”
and on May 22 the
topic will be “Growth Mindset/Student
Assessment.”
Each of the three sessions is
different with opportunities
to gain knowledge of Grand
Prairie, kindergarten expectations,
and get questions answered.
Parents may attend
each of these programs since
staff will be covering a different
topic each day. There
is no need to pre-register,
however, school administrators
ask that parents sign in
when they come. While the
parents are attending their
session, the children will be
welcomed by teachers and
staff to enjoy participation in
activities with favorite stories
and nursery rhymes such
as “Pout Pout Fish,” “Ants
Go Marching” and “The Itsy
Bitsy Spider.”
District 157-C Superintendent
of Schools Maura Zinni
stated, “I commend Mrs.
Nelson for creating this program
to make the transition
for the kindergarten students
go smoothly. I think it is
such a remarkable program,
both for the students and the
families. It takes a lot of time
to implement a program like
this, but that is the beauty
of it – it is best for the students.”
Nelson agreed, stating, “It
is a wonderful, purposeful
program that I hope continues
long after I’m gone.”
Additional opportunities
for the kindergarteners at
Grand Prairie will include
activities at the school for
parents and students over
the summer and a chance
to check out books to take
home from the library. In
addition, a kindergarten curriculum
night and a “Meet
and Greet” will be held prior
to the first day of the new
school year.
All children who will be
five years of age on or before
Sept. 1, 2018 are eligible for
entry into kindergarten in the
fall. Kindergarten round-up
and registration were conducted
in early March, however,
incoming kindergarten
students or students new to
the district in any grade may
register by making an appointment
with the District
Office at (815) 469-5922.