Students enjoy interim week activities

The end of a school term typically means students cramming for tests, completing big projects and stressing about making honor roll.

Sisters Middle School students got a dose of that the week before the end of the term, but in the actual final days of the second trimester they got to spend time in a wide variety of elective classes during Interim Week.

Interim Week is designed to give students exposure to course offerings beyond the electives available during the regular school day, according to Principal Lora Nordquist.

“It’s refreshing for students and staff alike to have a change of pace at the completion of the trimester,” said sixth-grade teacher WesEstvold.

Interim Week is offered at the conclusion of the first and second trimesters.

Estvold taught two sections of “Amazing Physical Activities and Games” that included a range of P.E games, board games, card games, and creating marble mazes from wood.

Some other courses offered included beginning knitting, clock making, cheerleading, childcare basics, cooking, digital photography, golf, quilting, skiing, and snowboarding, theater games and creative writing.

“We try to offer something for everyone,” said Nordquist.

A few of the courses are service-oriented, such as “Furry Friends” taught by Marion Harrison. Students learned some basic sewing skills and created toys and collars for cats and dogs at the Humane Society. The kids delivered their creations to the Humane Society on a field trip the last day of class.

Sixth-grade teacher Carol Packard’s “Roots and Shoots” team spent the week learning more about Dr. Jane Goodall who founded the Roots and Shoots program for school children around the U.S. in order to pass on her commitment to the care of the human and animal world through education and environmental conservation.

The students visited the Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School in Salem one day and took part in a presentation by the staff from Chimps Incorporated from Bend another.

Chimps Inc. is a recuperative and retirement sanctuary for chimpanzees that have spent much of their lives in zoos, the entertainment industry, and in biomedical research.

During the twelve weeks of the regular trimester students have one elective class and five academic classes. Interim Week broadens the experiences of the students and, in many cases, helps them to start hobbies for life.

“I’m pretty sure we have some newly committed knitters,” said middle school health and PE teacher Julie Patton, who taught both beginning and intermediate knitting along with math teacher Tricia Biesmann.

“It also gives the students a chance to see us doing things out of the regular routine, which connects us in different ways.”