Notes From Mr. Snell's Office

State Reflections Award

Congratulations to Paige!  She won the PTSA State Reflections award in the category of Dance Choreography for 7th grade!  She accepted her award at the Atlanta History Center this past Sunday.  She is pictured with her 1st place ribbon and certificate in the photograph.  Way to go!

Regional Science Olympiad

Student members of the Dodgen Science Olympiad (pictured at left) accompanied by their coach Deborah Amodeo, and a host of parent volunteers, traveled to Georgia State University last week to participate in the regional competition.  Dodgen MS fielded two teams for the event.  I am proud to announce that our students placed 2nd and 5th in the region!  The top six teams advance to the state competition to be held in Augusta, GA, at the end of March.  Although both of our teams placed well enough to advance, the guidelines only permit one team from each school to be represented.  Way to go ladies and gentlemen!

Dodgen Pond Project

Twenty students in Judy Cox's 8th grade science class traveled to Zoo Atlanta this morning to present their research project to a panel of judges.  Earlier this month they were selected as the 2006 Outstanding Outreach Award Winner from Georgia Adopt-A-Stream.  Ms. Cox's students have been utilizing the pond on Dodgen's campus as their very own outdoor classroom/research lab for years.  Their outstanding presentation today was the culmination of hours of hands-on research and experimentation as they monitor life on the pond.  Dodgen is one of only nine other schools in the state of Georgia selected to be honored as finalists.  On March 26, these exceptional young ladies and gentlemen will officially be presented with an award from the State Coordinator of the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.  I will be sure to post a group picture of Ms. Cox and her students at that time.  Great job!

Mardi Gras!

How many schools can boast a real Mardi Gras parade?  We had one pass through our halls just this morning!  Marlo Gonyea (pictured at left with the lovely hat) teaches French and Origins of Language at Dodgen.  Her students assembled in the cafeteria at 10:00am and treated the entire school to a taste of Mardi Gras - Dodgen style.  They paraded through the halls as students lined up to watch.  Great job Ms. Gonyea and foreign language students!  

Just Another Saturday At Dodgen

How did you spend your Saturday?  Did you choose to take a VERY difficult math test (several times)?  Did you choose to spend your day defending scientific research to a panel of judges?  Well, I am proud to say that fourteen young ladies and gentlemen who are students at Dodgen Middle School chose to do so.  I wrote about these outstanding students in two prior posts (Feb. 7 and 9).  Today, I visited Wheeler High School and Southern Polytechnic University to catch just a bit of the action.  Both events started at 9:00am.  I am so proud of each of you for having taken the time and effort to represent Dodgen Middle School.  If you look closely at the picture above, you can find our Math Team seated in a crowded auditorium at the university.  Math teacher and coach of the team, Vicki Mullis, is pretty much in the center of the picture.

Math Competition

Good luck to Kevin, Tyler, Warren, Kelsey, Dami, Alexander, Sneha, Swetha, and Lei as they travel to Southern Polytechnic University on Saturday to compete in the Mathcounts District Tournament.  We are proud of you!  Special thanks to Dodgen MS teacher Vicki Mullis for sponsoring the students.  Also, a great big thank you to Walton High School teacher Tom Fulton for the hours he has spent helping to coach our students!

Science Fair

Congratulations to all of our students who participated in Dodgen's Science Fair!  Six of our 8th grade students (pictured at left) will advance to the Cobb Paulding Science Fair.  8th grade teachers, Joan Jackson and Marilyn Pope, are proud of their students.  These teachers are to be commended for thier efforts as well.

Spring Production Prep

The Dodgen MS Spring Production crew has been busy preparing for their upcoming performance of Guys and Dolls.  They met this weekend in the Dodgen theatre to work on the set design.  Director Julie Allison (may as well be a staff member) and teachers Fred Veeder, Deborah Tubbs, and Brian Wilson were on hand to assist.  Well known mural artist, Scott McIntyre, supervised the project.  As you can see from the photo album, the art work alone will be worth the price of admission!  The production is scheduled to take place March 15-17, 2007.

8th Grade Orchestra

I am proud to have accompanied Ashley Culley, Director, and our 8th Grade Orchestra students on a recent trip to Savannah, Georgia.  This outstanding group of students performed under Ms. Culley's direction on January 25, at the Georgia Music Educator's Conference.  There are only a few schools invited to attend each year, and only after they have auditioned to do so.  What an accomplishment for our students and teacher!  Way to go!  The group is pictured above as they perpare on stage for their performance, and also under more relaxed circumstances.

Academic Bowl Team - 1st In Region!

Wow!  Dodgen Middle School students placed 1st in their division today in the Regional Academic Bowl competition!  They did not lose a single match!  The competition took place today at Cartersville High School.  Does this sound familiar?  If so, it is because I wrote these very same words this time last year!  Check out the posting entry from the Archives dated January 7, 2006, on this web log!  Our students went to Cartersville again this year to compete in the regional Academic Bowl where they did not lose a match!  This same team recently took the Cobb County trophy in a sweep as well!  The team will travel to Macon later this year to represent Dodgen in the State event!  Congratulations students! 

Thank you to Ms. Stevens, 6th grade science teacher, for coaching the team.  Thanks also to Ms. Corey, 6th grade social studies teacher, for assisting in Cartersville.  Other coaches who work hard with our Academic Bowl Team include Ms. Barzegar, 8th grade language arts; Ms. Blakely, 6th grade social studies; Ms. Eaton, 6th grade science teacher; and Ms. Pruitt, 6th grade social studies teacher.  Thank you all!

Wow!  Dodgen Middle School students placed 1st in their division today in the Regional Academic Bowl competition!  They did not lose a single match!  The competition took place today at Cartersville High School.  Does this sound familiar?  If so, it is because I wrote these very same words this time last year!  Check out the posting entry from the Archives dated January 7, 2006, on this web log!  Our students went to Cartersville again this year to compete in the regional Academic Bowl where they did not lose a match!  This same team recently took the Cobb County trophy in a sweep as well!  The team will travel to Macon later this year to represent Dodgen in the State event!  Congratulations students! 

Thank you to Ms. Stevens, 6th grade science teacher, for coaching the team.  Thanks also to Ms. Corey, 6th grade social studies teacher, for assisting in Cartersville.  Other coaches who work hard with our Academic Bowl Team include Ms. Barzegar, 8th grade language arts; Ms. Blakely, 6th grade social studies; Ms. Eaton, 6th grade science teacher; and Ms. Pruitt, 6th grade social studies teacher.  Thank you all!