Sarah Jensen
SJHS Staff Writer

Mrs. Monica Linton is one of the eighth-grade counselors at Springville Junior High. Mrs. Linton has been a counselor at Springville Junior High for two years. “I first met the administrators and counselors here and thought it would be a great place to work.  I’m sure that this is the best place to be,” said Mrs. Linton

“As a counselor, I meet with students for all kinds of reasons. From schedule changes to problems with friends or school, to celebrating good grades and hard work,” said Mrs. Linton. Hayde Blanco, an eighth-grade student, said, “I have known Mrs. Linton from the beginning of the school year, she is really nice.” She also meets with teachers, parents and other counselors to see how she can help students be happy and successful.

Mrs. Linton loves children and animals. She has five children, a bearded dragon and two corn snakes! She spends her free time watching high school wrestling tournaments, dance competitions, football games and playing “Sorry” and “Uno.”

Mrs. Crane helping students with the prize wheel at lunch.

Morgan Bowser
SJHS Staff Writer

Mrs. Anne Crane is new to SJHS this year. She is an eighth-grade counseling intern. Mrs. Crane works with Mrs. Linton to keep an eye on kids with low grades and encourage them to do better. They also are there to listen when kids need someone to talk to.

Mrs. Crane has also worked as a substitute, French and geography teacher, and a tutor for home-bound students. Right now she is also teaching at Spanish Fork High School.

When Mrs. Crane has free time she enjoys camping, fishing, and taking road trips to scenic places. She just became a grandma on November ninth for the first time. She enjoys looking at pictures of my new grandson who lives in Dallas, Texas. “I wish he lived here so I could play with him,” she explained.

Out of everything about the junior high, Mrs. Crane enjoys the kids the most. “I’ve overcome the bumps in the road and want to share what I’ve learned with the students to help them be successful and happy!”

“Mrs. Crane is so willing to help and be involved in every activity,” said Sue Tarin, the counseling office secretary. “ We will miss her when she has to leave.”

Jacob Simmons
SJHS Staff Writer

Springville Junior High School is committed to excellence, it is in their “Knight’s Code.” One of the many people who help make the school so great is Mr. Shaun Blakey, counselor and boys’ basketball coach.

Mr. Blakey was born and raised in Springville, Utah, and graduated from Springville High. After high school he went on to get a bachelors degree in business marketing, and a masters degree in counseling from the University of Phoenix. He then came to SJHS to be a counselor.

Aside from being a counselor, Mr. Blakey coaches the boys basketball team at SJHS. He starts his second season as coach this September, although he has been involved with basketball even during the summer. During the summer, Mr. Blakey opened the gym for students to have a place to go to practice and play.  He is still involved now. After school each day except Wednesday, he opens the gym for students to go play and learn. “I’m looking forward to a fun and successful year,” Mr. Blakey said, referring to the ninth grade team.

Outside of school and basketball, Mr. Blakey enjoys spending time with his family, and going on vacations. Some of his favorite vacation spots are Disneyland and Park City, however, he likes going anywhere to spend time with his family.

Mr. Blakey has also worked in sales and retail management, and while in high school he worked at a daycare. Besides being a counselor, his favorite job was working at the daycare, “I loved working with the kids and going on the fun field trips with them during the summer,” he said. Obviously, he knew from an early age that he would like to work with children.

Kara Dunn
SJHS Staff Writer

This year, counselors at Springville Junior High decided that they would try something new in order to help new students succeed. “Peer Pals” is a program in which students try their hardest to look out for new students and make sure no one feels excluded or left out. Teachers recommended students who are good leaders and able to include others.

“Sometimes students notice things that teachers or the other councilors don’t notice,” Mrs. Monica Distefano, a counselor at Springville Junior High, said. Mrs. Distefano went on to say, “We’re going to try to meet with new students at least once a term to see how they are doing.”

Although there are a few selected students to be peer pals, Mr. Shaun Blakey, another counselor, said, “Students don’t need to be a ‘Peer Pal’ to help other students. We hope all students will look for anyone who needs a friend and invite them to hang out with them.”

Mrs. Monica Distefano, ninth grade counselor at SJHS.

Jose Martinez
SJHS Staff Writer

Throughout their junior high years, some students have personal problems big or small, and there is a group of dedicated people who are always there to help out with problems.  That group of people is the counselors.

Mrs. Monica Distefano is a very well-known and loved counselor at  Springville Junior High. Throughout the past three years she has helped many teenagers who either have personal problems or are just feeling unhappy about life. Whatever the reason, she is always prepared to talk to them.

“I have enjoyed counseling because I get to know a lot of students very well,” said Mrs. Distefano. A lot of people are not familiar with the fact that these were her first three years actually counseling full time, whereas before she was only counseling half time.

“There has not been one thing I have not liked about these kids,” said Mrs. Distefano.  Students are at times shy or aggressive when they have to talk to a counselor, but she has liked all of the students that go in and out of her office, looking for advice or to transfer classes.

“I didn’t really expect a certain thing from any of the students,” said Mrs. Distefano. With every new set of kids a counselor gets, some expect great others expect not so great things, but Mrs. Distefano did not, and that’s why she learned to get along with all the students.  She talked to them and also grew to be loved by all of them.

Sariah Morris
SJHS Staff Writer

Mrs. Monica Distefano, one of the Springville Junior High counselors, is amazing. She does so many things. Mrs. Distefano said, “In the counseling office we do a big variety of things, which is kind of nice because we’re not always doing the same thing.”

Mrs. Distefano has four kids and has been a counselor for five years.  She has spent all five years at SJHS.  Mrs. Distefano said, “I like being a counselor because I like teens a lot, and when I was in junior high felt like there wasn’t really any guidance.”

Some of the things Mrs. Distefano does are grades, student concerns, SEOP’s, goals for the future, presentations for seventh graders, and a friendship group. A friendship group is a group of ten or maybe twelve students, that teachers suggest to the counselors because they think they need help in school, or are having a hard time in their life. “This group really builds them up mentally and socially,” said Mrs. Distefano.

Autumn Hathaway, an eighth grade student, said, “She’s really nice and helps students effectively. She’s really good at helping students understand where to go and what to do.”

Mrs. Distefano is currently counseling eighth grade students, and next year she will be counseling ninth graders. Mrs. Distefano said, “I really like moving up a grade because then you stay with the same students you’ve known for the other years, and you can work with them more closely.”

Mrs. Distefano also said, “I’m definitely excited for summer,  but I am really looking forward for next year because the group of students that I counsel rock!”

Kaydie Kerby
SJHS Staff Writer

Every student here at Springville Junior High School either has a favorite teacher or counselor. Many students think that one of the coolest faculty members here is Mr. Shaun Blakey, the ninth grade counselor and one of the track coaches. Susan Watson, a ninth grader at SJHS, explained her feelings about Mr. Blakey, “He is very nice and helpful for every student here at this school.”

Mr. Blakey went to the University of Phoenix and got a Masters in counseling.  Mr. Blakey grew up in Springville and graduated at Springville High School in 1996.

Mr. Blakey became a track coach last year, and he said, “I’m glad that I did it because it gives me an opportunity to work with student’s one on one and to get to know the students better. I enjoy doing it.”

Mr. Blakey is a great counselor here at SJHS.  Susan also said, “I’m very happy that he is a counselor because he’s kind, helping, wonderful, willing to listen, and he is all around fun.”

Kara Dunn
SJHS Staff Writer

For the next few weeks, students, parents, teachers, and the faculty at Springville Junior High and High School will be busy preparing for registration for the upcoming school year. Students will have the opportunity to meet with their counselor and go through a class in which the counselor explains classes that are available for them next year. Parents are welcome to attend these classes.

Seventh graders at Springville Junior High will have their SEOP’s during their CTE class on February 9th and 10th; their registration forms are to the counseling office on February 12th.
The eighth graders will have their SEOP’s during their history class on February 13th; their registration forms are due to the counseling office on February 18th.

Mrs. Monica Distefano, a counselor at Springville Junior High, gave her advice on choosing classes, “I recommend that you should explore your interests and not just go into the classes that you think all of your friends will be taking. Think of you.”

New seventh graders coming into SJHS next year are required to take English, math, science, history, PE, and CTE. They will also be given 1.5 credits in which they can choose from a selection of electives such as music, art, creative writing, reading for enrichment and physical education classes. They will also be given tours of our school in April to learn their way around.

Seventh graders going into eighth grade are required to take math, history, science, PE, health, and English. They will be given two credits in which they can choose from a selection of different electives including foods, sewing, creative writing, reading for enrichment, journalism, woodshop, and more.

At Springville Junior High there are many different electives. There are music classes, art classes, a Spanish class, and a Seminary class for ninth graders. There is however, a ten dollar fee for a few of the art classes, as well as music.

Mr. Shaun Blakey, another counselor at SJHS, gave seventh graders a few tips. “Don’t be afraid of the different classes or of the eight and ninth graders. Try your best to have fun and engage in school activities.”

Shelby Anderson
SJHS Staff Writer

If there is someone you needed to talk to or just someone to hang out with, Mrs. Joy Maughan will be at her desk waiting for you. Mrs. Maughan is the Springville Junior High counseling secretary. Mrs. Maughan has been at Springville Junior for seven years. “I love my job; it’s a great job to have,” she explained.

Mrs. Maughan is married and has five kids, and lives in Salem. Mrs. Maughan started with her job as a part time in elementary schools and really enjoyed it, so she wanted to work at Springville Junior.

Mrs. Maughan has the responsibilities of enrolling students, withdrawing students, report cards, and scheduling SEOP’s. As you can see, she has a lot of responsibilities. “Mrs. Maughan is the nicest person in the school,” Ms. Miley, an English teacher, said. “Mrs. Maughan is someone you can talk to easily, you can talk to her about anything and not have to worry about being judged,” stated ninth grade counselor Mr. Shaun Blakey.

“Mrs. Maughan is an amazingly kind, helpful, and patient person,” said Mrs. Monica Distefano the eighth grade counselor said. Mrs. Linton, the new seventh grade counselor, said “Since I am new here, Mrs. Maughan has been so helpful and patient with me as she teaches me how to use the computer programs and how everything works at SJHS.”

Whether it’s at home or at work, Mrs. Maughan is always 100% nice. Whether she’s having a bad day or not, she always shows that sense of fun, loving and caring person she is.

Whitney Norman
SJHS Staff Writer

Springville Junior High has a new counselor this year. Mrs. Monica Linton lives in a small town called Mona (close to Payson) and comes to SJHS to be a 7th grade counselor. She moved to Mona because of her husband. He loves Mona, and she does too. Mrs. Linton grew up in the small town Kanesville, UT, and was a proud Weber High Warrior!

Since she moved around so much during the time she was in college, she ended up going to four different colleges, (Weber State University, Mt. San Antonio College, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal State Stanislaus), to get her four year degree. Thirteen years later, she got her Master’s at Utah State University.

She has taught math at elementary level, kindergarten through 6th grade. One of her most favorite classes that she was able to teach was a 7th grade class called The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Aside from her counseling job here at SJHS, she also used to help an after school program for disabled youth, teaching them how to swim.

Since she has come to SJHS, she has been very pleased. “I have been so impressed with how the students and faculty at SJHS really care about and watch out for each other. I love the atmosphere at this school and the people I’ve been able to associate with,” Mrs. Linton enthused.

She likes being a counselor because she gets to know the students. “There are so many people with individual personalities, strengths, and abilities. I can always see something I really appreciate and admire in each one.”

Welcome to Springville Junior High, Mrs. Monica Linton!

Beginning on Monday, September 22 and running through Monday, September 29, 2008, all eighth grade students at Springville Junior High will take the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. The Iowa test measures achievement in reading, math, language arts, science, and social studies.

Students will be tested during their U.S. History classes. The Counseling Office would appreciate it if parent could avoid scheduling appointments for their students which would take him/her out of school during these times. If for some reason students are unable to attend all days of the testing, make-up days will be held.

These tests will not determine a student’s class placement, nor can students pass or fail these tests. Test results yield information which enables comparison of individual students to that of other students nationwide. Such information can assist parents in planning to meet a student’s individual needs. We anticipate that the test results will be available in November, and a copy of 8th graders’ results will be sent home with the term 2 report card.

To have a great testing experience, students should:

• Get a normal amount of sleep before the test.
• Eat a good breakfast on the morning of the test.
• Listen carefully to the directions that are given for the test and follow them exactly. If the directions are not clear, ask the teacher to repeat them or to explain the directions again.
• Do your best. Even if some questions seem hard, carefully consider the possible answers and make your best choice.

Parents can assist their student by doing the following:

• Help your child understand that an achievement test provides an opportunity to show what a student knows about particular subject areas. The test results can help parents and students identify both academic strengths and weaknesses.
• Encourage your child to get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and maintain a positive attitude.
• Reassure your child about the test-taking experience. Students who are calm and sure of themselves do better on tests.