Amboy Junior High ends school year with fun, strengthening bonds, relationships

AMBOY – Every year the last week or so of the Amboy Junior High School schedule looks a little different than it did the last nine months.

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Amboy Junior High ends school year with fun, strengthening bonds, relationships

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AMBOY – Every year the last week or so of the Amboy Junior High School schedule looks a little different than it did the last nine months.

Math is replaced with a trip to Maria’s Pizza to study pizza ingredients while eating them.

Science is replaced with VIP Day as students give their role models a tour of the school.

Social Studies is exchanged for Amboy Goofy Games, the title says it all.

English is substituted with a trip to Woodhaven Lakes.

“The trip to Woodhaven is something the kids look forward. They hype it up all year long. It’s not one of those trips that loses interest for them,” said Kaylee Jones, a AJHS sixth-grade math teacher and a program manager at Woodhaven. “Our eighth graders are excited to be here. Sometimes, the older kids aren’t excited because they’re trying to be cool. They like the Woodhaven trip, though. It’s fun for me to see them still have the little kid aspect of their life and enjoy the day.

“It gives us a chance as educators to take a break and enjoy the time with the kids. We’re bonding with them and they’re bonding with each other. We’ve spent all year building these relationships with them, and we’re very good about being professional with them.

“This is a fun setting where we get to see them be themselves more. The educators also get to show our personalities a little more as well. It’s really nice to bring them on fun trips like this and reward them for their good behavior that they’ve had all year.”

Jones and other AJHS staff took the fifth through eighth grade students to Woodhaven on May 21.

This trip came after chatting to Maria’s Pizza owner Joe Mazzarisi on May 7, VIP Day on May 16, and after Amboy Goofy Games on May 21, eighth-grade awards on May 23, AJHS eighth-grade promotion on May 23 and fifth-seventh grade awards on May 29.

Betsy Jones, AJHS fifth grade teacher, was thrilled with the VIP Day turnout.

“The reason we started VIP Day was because we had a survey go out. We wanted people to come see the new school and see how nice it is,” Betsy Jones said. “They asked, what could we do to get people in the building. I suggested a VIP Day where the students bring in someone who is important to them, doesn’t have to be a parent, and give them a tour of the school.

“This year’s VIP Day was awesome because we had all but one fifth-grade student bring in one or two VIPs like a grandma and grandpa or an aunt and uncle. It was almost 100 percent for fifth grade. Sixth grade was at 100 percent. Seventh and eighth grade didn’t have as many VIPs, but it was the most participation we’ve had in the three years we’ve had VIP Day.”