Our Cool School
So long Mr. Bredehorst
By Maddy Fitzgerald
Do you know that there is a math teacher at this school who has been teaching math for 40 years? If you guessed Mr. Bredehorst, Math Enrichment teacher, then you are correct!
He said that his teaching career started in the Bronx in New York. He has taught in many places, including New York, Bristol, and Meriden. He has taught at five schools, in Meriden, including Washington Middle School, Israel Putnam and Maloney High School, he explained. He also taught in Bristol at Immanuel Lutheran School, and last but not least he taught in the Bronx at Saint Mark’s, he said.
Mr. Bredehorst is a what many students describe as a "fun" teacher, he told me. He has many hobbies; he loves to play chess, work with his model railroad and of course he enjoys coaching girls basketball, he said.
Do you want to hear a fun fact about Mr. Bredehorst? Mr. Bredehorst told me if he could add any sport to Washington it would be tennis! Also, he explained that as a math teacher, he often taught without using the book. Another interesting thing he shared is that he has always taught in a classroom without windows at Washington, he said. He said he has worked in both an A or E room, which do not have any windows.
This year Mr. Bredehorst will be retiring from teaching. In his retirement, Mr. Bredehorst said he will be going to Florida and doing a lot of traveling to see his family. He told me that he will truly miss his students, colleagues and of course coaching basketball. He added that he really liked that he got to teach the Math Enrichment course to some 6th grade students this year, he said.
Many students and staff alike say thank you to Mr. Bredehorst for everything he has given to education and for his years of service as an educator at Washington.
Do you know that there is a math teacher at this school who has been teaching math for 40 years? If you guessed Mr. Bredehorst, Math Enrichment teacher, then you are correct!
He said that his teaching career started in the Bronx in New York. He has taught in many places, including New York, Bristol, and Meriden. He has taught at five schools, in Meriden, including Washington Middle School, Israel Putnam and Maloney High School, he explained. He also taught in Bristol at Immanuel Lutheran School, and last but not least he taught in the Bronx at Saint Mark’s, he said.
Mr. Bredehorst is a what many students describe as a "fun" teacher, he told me. He has many hobbies; he loves to play chess, work with his model railroad and of course he enjoys coaching girls basketball, he said.
Do you want to hear a fun fact about Mr. Bredehorst? Mr. Bredehorst told me if he could add any sport to Washington it would be tennis! Also, he explained that as a math teacher, he often taught without using the book. Another interesting thing he shared is that he has always taught in a classroom without windows at Washington, he said. He said he has worked in both an A or E room, which do not have any windows.
This year Mr. Bredehorst will be retiring from teaching. In his retirement, Mr. Bredehorst said he will be going to Florida and doing a lot of traveling to see his family. He told me that he will truly miss his students, colleagues and of course coaching basketball. He added that he really liked that he got to teach the Math Enrichment course to some 6th grade students this year, he said.
Many students and staff alike say thank you to Mr. Bredehorst for everything he has given to education and for his years of service as an educator at Washington.
Meet Mrs. Zeiser our WMS head secretary
By MollyAnn O’Malley
Recently, I interviewed our head secretary Mrs. Zeiser. As the head secretary of WMS Mrs. Zeiser, oversees all school business and communication between our school and our community. Her role is to make sure our school day runs smoothly and boy is she busy!
Q: Who or what made you want to work at Washington?
A: Started out working as a paraprofessional. This was my first career. Then, I looked into the clerical opportunities here and started to work at WMS.
Q: How long have you worked in the office?
A: This year is my 9th year in the office.
Q: Do you enjoy your job?
A: Yes. I enjoy seeing the students everyday and I enjoy her co-workers.
Q: Do you have kids or pets?
A: I have has two kids, my daughter is 30 and my son is 26.
Q: Where do you like to spend your vacations?
A: I like warm tropical beaches and my vacation goal is to go to the US National Parks.
Q: Have you always worked in Meriden? If not where else have you worked?
A: I have always had a job in Meriden.
Q: Who is or was the student you will never forget?
A: I will always remember the students I taught as a kindergarten paraprofessional and then I got to see many of them again when they became students here.
Q: Who was the teacher that inspired you most?
A: There were many teachers, but John Phostole stood out. He was her DECA teacher at Platt High School because he taught her a lot of job skills and preparation.
Q: What is your favorite memory of you career?
A: When I earned the Starfish Award from our staff.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from middle school?
A: The Catholic school I went to closed at the end of my 7th grade year and then I went to Lincoln for 8th grade. This is where I met many of my friends, and I am still close with many of these people today.
Recently, I interviewed our head secretary Mrs. Zeiser. As the head secretary of WMS Mrs. Zeiser, oversees all school business and communication between our school and our community. Her role is to make sure our school day runs smoothly and boy is she busy!
Q: Who or what made you want to work at Washington?
A: Started out working as a paraprofessional. This was my first career. Then, I looked into the clerical opportunities here and started to work at WMS.
Q: How long have you worked in the office?
A: This year is my 9th year in the office.
Q: Do you enjoy your job?
A: Yes. I enjoy seeing the students everyday and I enjoy her co-workers.
Q: Do you have kids or pets?
A: I have has two kids, my daughter is 30 and my son is 26.
Q: Where do you like to spend your vacations?
A: I like warm tropical beaches and my vacation goal is to go to the US National Parks.
Q: Have you always worked in Meriden? If not where else have you worked?
A: I have always had a job in Meriden.
Q: Who is or was the student you will never forget?
A: I will always remember the students I taught as a kindergarten paraprofessional and then I got to see many of them again when they became students here.
Q: Who was the teacher that inspired you most?
A: There were many teachers, but John Phostole stood out. He was her DECA teacher at Platt High School because he taught her a lot of job skills and preparation.
Q: What is your favorite memory of you career?
A: When I earned the Starfish Award from our staff.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from middle school?
A: The Catholic school I went to closed at the end of my 7th grade year and then I went to Lincoln for 8th grade. This is where I met many of my friends, and I am still close with many of these people today.
The 2016 Geography Bee
By Scott Angilly
On December 20th and 21st Washington Middle School in Meriden hosted the annual National Geography Bee. Over 150 students participated in the preliminary competition from grades 6-8. Student competitors participated in 7 rounds in the preliminary competition and were narrowed to just ten finalists. The school champion was eighth grader Joshua Goodman of Cluster 3, and the school runner up was seventh grader Scott Angilly of Cluster 4.
Students were asked trivial style questions to test their knowledge of the social studies. Other finalist include eighth graders, William Barton (Past school champion), Gehad Saleh, and Ryan Zamboni all from Cluster 3. The seventh grader finalists included, Samuel Hurlburt of Cluster 4, Brayden Haag and Christopher Bartlett of Cluster 6. There was also a sixth grade finalist, Jaedan Curcio, of Cluster 7. The teacher monitors Mr. Langlois and Ms.Stolfi would like to thank all the contestants and school Principal Mr. Ray Southland for hosting this special academic event. We look forward to our champion qualifying to participate in the state level competition in March 2017.
On December 20th and 21st Washington Middle School in Meriden hosted the annual National Geography Bee. Over 150 students participated in the preliminary competition from grades 6-8. Student competitors participated in 7 rounds in the preliminary competition and were narrowed to just ten finalists. The school champion was eighth grader Joshua Goodman of Cluster 3, and the school runner up was seventh grader Scott Angilly of Cluster 4.
Students were asked trivial style questions to test their knowledge of the social studies. Other finalist include eighth graders, William Barton (Past school champion), Gehad Saleh, and Ryan Zamboni all from Cluster 3. The seventh grader finalists included, Samuel Hurlburt of Cluster 4, Brayden Haag and Christopher Bartlett of Cluster 6. There was also a sixth grade finalist, Jaedan Curcio, of Cluster 7. The teacher monitors Mr. Langlois and Ms.Stolfi would like to thank all the contestants and school Principal Mr. Ray Southland for hosting this special academic event. We look forward to our champion qualifying to participate in the state level competition in March 2017.