Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Student Governors
After Harry and Amy did such a good job as student governors last year, the Governors have decided to have another election so other pupils can get a chance to voice their opinion and make a difference. The pupils who wanted to run for student governor needed to fill in an application form explaining why they wanted the role and they needed a pupil and teacher to second them. Then during June everyone in the school got a chance to vote for the candidates they think should be student governor. The job of student governor is to attend the governors meeting and represent the views of pupils at DSMS. Joe Clark, year 9, and Annie Park, year 9, got elected to be the student governors. Their responsibilities will start in September. Joe says I cant wait to attend the meetings to share my opinion, I feel privileged that Ive got this opportunity and I will not let people down. By Liam Pape
Newspaper
Wyvern Shines
The train journey began at the Darlington station at 7:30am where there was a painstaking two and a half hour journey which was filled with thoughts of the tough competition this year. With around 32 schools attending the award ceremony, no one could predict the outcomes of any categories and nothing was guaranteed. By 11:45 we were at Stationers Hall, awaiting the award ceremony which would follow (after lunch.) Stationers Hall was littered with stylish wall carvings and stained glass windows depicting important scenes of the Liam, Ben and Jack at the Shine Awards history of the awards. After the train hall. During the award ceremony between 1:00 at 4:30 and an arrival at 7:00 in Darlington and 2:30, the atmoswe were tired, beaten, phere was tense as the slightly disappointed, categories rolled out but a very exciting and and winners were anfun day was had on the nounced. There were whole. several schools who did More here: http:// not win an award as goo.gl/SOxiG there were only 14 categories, however the By Ben Maclean school who fared best won a total of three
TV
Online
PAPERMAIL
State for Health) and Jenny Chapman (MP for Darlington) asking them what they were doing to help the push for plain packaging. For writing this letter I got interviewed by the Northern Echo and Radio 1s Newsbeat so I could tell them what I was doing. Not everyone agreed with what I was doing though. A group for plain packaging who think that it wouldnt make a difference got hold of the letter and wrote quite a lengthy blog post questioning some of my points. There were also a few dozen comments agreeing with the blogger and asking if the writer of the letter was even a real teenage boy or if I was just a name Fresh NE used to write letters to important MPs. I can give you a Wyvern Exclusive now that although I share some qualities of Pinocchio, unlike him I am actually a real boy! To conclude, although it is not going to be happening in the near future I think that by this time next decade plain packaging will just be accepted and there will be no complaints about it.
During March 2013 some people from Fresh North East came into DSMS to ask selected pupils about their opinion on the tobacco industry, cigarette packaging and smoking in general .The film was shown at their conference on March 20th where there were various other speakers talking about how bad the tobacco industry is and how theyve been lying and deceiving people. I also made a short speech at the conference presenting a teenagers point of view of the tobacco industry and the damage they are doing. When writing the speech I was told numerous times that I need to be anti-smoking not anti-smoker. This means I couldnt have big rant putting down everyone who smokes because, quite frankly, it is their decision if they smoke or not.
One thing I heard many times throughout the day was Plain Packaging. This is what most people at the conference (including MPs and Doctors) wanted. Plain Packaging is where cigarettes are packed in a mouldy green colour and have graphic health warnings instead of fancy, attractive and colourful packaging which is currently on sale in the UK. So during May I wrote a letter to David Cameron (Prime Minister), Nick Clegg (the deputy Prime Minister), Anna Sousbry (Department of Health), Jeremy Hunt (Secretary of
As more of the younger generation get Twitter and mobile phones it is inevitable that they are going to start using text language sooner or later. In some countries it is accepted and you are even allowed to write exam it the short version of English however in most places it is a language that is only allowed to be used on the Internet. In my opinion, text language is the most annoying thing in the world. Doing smiley faces is fine however when people start sending you stuff like OMW and BRB, it just gets confusing. I suppose text language is OK if it stays on social networks however when people are in a conversation in real life and say LOL, it just makes me cringe. Facebook doesn't cause this as you don't have a character limit when posting a status however on Twitter, you have constant limitations. You can only post a tweet 140 character long and you can only use 160 character to describe yourself in your 'bio'. This causes people to start using abbreviations and text language. It's not good English and you're not allowed to use it outside of the Internet so why bother with it in the first place. I suppose when you're texting/messaging friends it is easy to give a quick reply however if they are friends, you could at least spend a minute or two giving them full words.
Feature on a Teacher
Name: Miss Bloomer Subject: English, Media and Drama Years at DSMS: 2 Most memorable moment: Passing my Masters Degree is definitely a big one and also working abroad in Norway it was great to experience a different culture (a much more relaxed atmosphere than the UK) and see new places. Pets: A 2 year old Springer Spaniel called Brax (pictures are available) and a Leopard Gecko called Oscar. Funniest Moment: Falling head first into a recycling bin while teaching a group of 32 Year 7s in my first year of teaching. Advice (Words of wisdom): Dont let other people get you down if you believe you can do something/ believe in yourself that is whats important.
Teachers Pet
Name: Smoke and Otis (They are brother and sister, named after the soul singers Otis Redding and Smokie Robinson) Age: 18 months old Mr (and Mrs) Chapman's pet lurchers (Bedlington whippet cross) They love to run and play hide and seek in the long grass in south park where they have met Amber Whitby who walks her dog in her pyjamas. They have beaten (and scared the life out of) Akhi Islam in a running race in north lodge park. Otis can play the violin. They are currently getting to grips with the new experience of being tormented by a frantic crawling toddler.
Sahima on Stereotypes
Lets say you were sat on a bench at school, your hood was up because its cold and you just so happened to be listening to rock music. A group of people walk past and stare, you hear them whisper what an emo, theyre so negative and depressive, why dont they just hang around in a graveyard, how would you feel? Exactly! Why should people judge you without knowing who you really are? Many people have different opinions of one or another but just as the wise saying you should never judge a book by its cover. Everyone has judged someone without getting to know them at least once, stereotyping someone is something which society cant help but it should not become a habit. People are often judged form the way they look, the clothes they wear, the music they listen to and so much more. Appearance isnt even half of a person. If you dont understand them as a whole, both personality and appearance you have no right to judge them. All it does is make that person feel insecure about themselves. Teenagers often argue
Yes we all have around- an inspirational quote flaws and differences walk from Harper Lees To Kill a MockingThese simple words have a big but that just means bird. message; Stereotyping is a bad habit one can stop but we still need to we are human no put an end to it because people get
that people judge them without knowing them, but even those people at one point have judged someone by what theyve heard from others. You never really know a person until you step into their skin and hurt and judged in a negative way: Yes we all have flaws and differences but that just means we are human. We have our own personalities. We are unique. The world would be a boring place if we werent.
Over the last 5 years, thanks to advances in technology and science, exploring Mars has been made possible. The Rover The Mars Curiosity rover is a vehicle built to travel over tough terrain and document everything it comes into contact with. It was sent up to the Red Planet by NASA to try and gather evidence to answer the question of: has there been life on Mars? Since its launch in November 2011 it has drilled into the surface of Mars, snapped some amazing HD photographs of Mars (unfortunately showing no Martians) and even played one of Will.i.ams songs! Curiosity will continue its amazing journey over the next
Bingo Arrests?
On the 25th June 2013, 28 English and Irish citizens were fined for holding a bingo match in Portugal with the top prize being biscuits and bottles of alcohol. A fine of 700 Euros (595) was given to landlady of The Yorkshire Tavern in Albufeira, Portugal on Friday 21st June. Ms Pittaway, a woman aged 34 was given a 4 month suspended prison sentence. She said she was "still in shock" and that the country's regulations were "wrong in a lot of aspects". Ms Pittaway (the landlady of The Yorkshire Tavern) said that her bar would not be hosting bingo after Fridays shocking events. Was It Just A Joke? Ms Pittaway announced before her court appearance that they only held a game of bingo for a bit of fun. First we were all having fun and the next minute 3 of us were being bundled away in police vans! she stated. Among them were Lee Williams and Claire Fairhurst, from Wigan, who were not involved in the bingo. The couple were allowed to go back to the UK.
Mr Williams said: "When we tried to leave three of the police -who were armed- actually made a barricade in front of us and told us were not allowed to leave; we actually had to go to the police station to be read our rights as we were being arrested as part of an illegal gambling group. Is the law in Portugal strange and bizarre? Or do we just think that it is because we do not reinforce these restrictions? Keep reading and watching more editions of The Wyvern to get more of the latest news. By Adam Plumb
Scientists at Boston University have recently discovered that about 8% of the population have feet that bend in the middle, which is similar to the flexible feet found in tree climbing apes. Scientist had once thought that human feet were rigid and this is how we were able to walk upright. People with bendy feet dont actually notice anything different but when walking around barefoot it was clear that their feet bent at the ball of the foot as well as halfway between the heel and the ball. So next time youre walking around barefoot or just aping around have a look at your feet and see if you if you still have feet like your ancestors. By Miss Kelly
The oldest form of aboriginal art is bark painting which has unfortunately been lost over time. Although aboriginal art is very beautiful and cultural, they hold some concern when it comes to ancient stones especially one concerning sacred information which is meant to be secretive, This means an artist needs permission before to paint an aboriginal inspired story. Australian aboriginal painters cant paint stories that hadnt been passed down to them through family lineage. Hopefully, the inspiration and majestic work of aboriginal art will continue, it allows culture to spread around the world, bringing people closer together with it. By Sahima Begum
Controlling Robots at QE
On Monday, March 29th, six year ten pupils from DSMS went to the Queen Elizabeth college to take part in a STEM Lego challenge. The aim of the project was to programme a robot to manoeuvre around an obstacle course. It was not complicated programming however it took great determination and skill to precisely move the robot through the gates. One student who went said It was a very good experience to try something that could be a job opportunity on later life. This was one of several other trips to the QE with DSMS pupils that involves engineering and science. By Ben Maclean
Patrick Monahan, comedian, came to our school to talk to the 21 students that have been picked to go to Kenya. The reason he came into school to talk to these pupils was so he could give an idea of storytelling to the students. The reason he did this was so he could give the students inspiration for storytelling when they are in Kenya so
that they can tell stories to the children. This visit to our school also brought some publicity for the trip to Kenya which included ITV news and The Northern Echo. So now when the students go to Kenya they can have an idea of telling stories to the Kenyan children. By Lauren Hebden
Dog Poem
The dogs I love are as soft as clouds, They are as loyal as closest family, Their moods can change like the weather, Sometimes unsettled then bright and breezy, My Labrador Ben was naughty but also cuddly and playful, He was curious about everythingin life just like me. By Ellie Ryde
but isnt that the point of a sad ending? To move the audience?
point of a sad ending? To move the audience? Although, without keeping to the main points, the film was well loved by everyone and is still a classic today.
As you can see, there are mixed views on the movie. Some wanted more gore and tragedy whereas others were happy with the humour and enjoyed the movie. Either way, our drama cast this year will be putting on a performance of Little Shop of Horrors, but which ending will they choose? To find out ask Miss Loughlin for details of the performance and order your tickets! By Roxanne Wood
The Wyvern
More articles, reviews and videos on the Wyvern Website: www.wyvennews.blogspot.com Follow us on Twitter: @DSMS_Wyvern If you would like to contribute an story, join the paper or have any ideas/criticisms/ advice, you can e-mail us at: wyvern@dsms.org
Sports Day
More DSMS sport at www.wyvernnews.blogspot.com
On Tuesday 18th June 2013 it was the biggest sporting event since the Olympics at DSMS. It was Sports Day where pupils of all ages, genders and academic skill were joined together to compete for their house. The day saw over half a dozen school records being smashed - most of them by year 9 pupils. Ronnie Park, year 9, achieved the triple jump record by hop, skipping and jumping to an outstanding 9 meters 60! The weather reflected the attitudes on the day and because of this the day was a huge success. Mr Tierney, house leader of the Topaz Tigers said Sports Day has been brilliantly organised by Mr Hillary. The enthusiasm and effort of the pupils is excellent. Its been a good day. Matthew Currey, Year 8, says Sports Day is great because it gets pupils to do things they wouldnt normally do.
RESULTS 8 BOYS 8 GIRLS 9 BOYS 9 GIRLS 10 BOYS 10 GIRLS 11 BOYS 11 GIRLS MASCOT TEACHER TOTAL SHARKS 13 20 12 29 27 24 19 9 3 1 157 TIGERZ 33 33 30 28 30 33 35 32 1 3 258 EAGLES 25 9 34 16 23 36 11 13 4 4 175 RATTLESNAKES 33 28 26 0 36 18 38 40 2 2 223
More Sports Day coverage... Town Sports Videos, Pictures & More http://goo.gl/ziBYG
Once again it was that time of year when Town Sports came around where all year groups from all schools in Darlington compete to see who is the best at field and track events. DSMS did better than ever this year finishing at a very high 4th overall. All the competitors from our school did extremely well and did their best to win
as many points as possible for our school. Matthew Currey, 13, competed in the 800m and long jump, he said The atmosphere was depressing because everyone expected Carmel to win. Nether the less everyone tried their hardest. The whole day was a huge success for all and was a highly enjoyable day. By Sam Hutchinson
The only way to do great work is to love what you do. ~ Steve Jobs