MMSD Today

News and information for staff members and the Madison community

Vol. II No. 4 - January 29, 2007

The Hawk Reporter – Black Hawk MS

The idea for a school newspaper was started by Gabe Sachsenmaier Brodowy in 5th grade with teacher Janice Bartholow at Mendota ES. Bartholow allowed her students to organize a student newspaper. Soon the kids realized they needed adult guidance. Gabe's mom, Susan Sachsenmaier, offered to guide the students.

The Hawk Reporter staff members work together to plan, research, write, illustrate and take photographs to create their student newspaper at Black Hawk Middle School.

The newspaper was a fantastic success, supported by principal Sandra Gunderson and all the teachers and parents. At the end of the year, everyone was sad that their newspaper, The Weekly Prophet, would end, but the idea persevered.

When Gabe advanced to Black Hawk Middle School, he and his mom thought they might organize a student newspaper, but didn't know if it could be done for three grades and 400 kids.

Mary Hunt, Learning Coordinator for Black Hawk, caught the excitement and stepped right in, creating the liaison needed with the teachers and providing resources. The structure needed for the student meetings came from MSCR coordinators Jennifer Peters and Don White, who set it up as an after school club. Then, they recruited students and got started!

Each student reporter learns about writing, illustrating, research, photography, computer skills, and all the other things to make a great newspaper. The student reporters brainstorm new ideas at every meeting. One idea was to do an advice column; another was to include student poetry; another was to serialize a student's novel; another was to do short articles on unique teachers. Teachers have been wonderful, agreeing to be the subject of the "Hawk Spots" feature.

The reporters stay on top of current events at school. They talk to other kids to find out what the students would like to see in their own newspaper. They figure out what kinds of things would involve more students and grab their interest.

The journalists work together, one writing and a partner illustrating, or one interviewing while a partner photographs. They figure out what to write about, what to draw, and how to answer the "Dear Hawkie" letters.

Joanne Cardarella provides her computer lab for the student reporters. All the articles, illustrations, poems, and photographs go to Susan Sachsenmaier, who edits, formats, and publishes the newspaper. Then Mary Hunt takes over, providing enough copies for the students and promoting the paper within the school. Principal Mary Kelley gets the newspaper to school officials outside the school.

Then the student journalists start all over again, brainstorming and working toward the next edition! As you can see, a lot of people get really creative and work really hard to make The Hawk Reporter a stupendous success! We are glad we can share it with you.

The Hawk Reporter – Black Hawk MS

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