This issue of the TMS Times focuses on custodians at Taylor Middle School who work hard to keep the school clean. It profiles two custodians, Virginia and Magdalena, who have worked at TMS for 9 and 18 years respectively. They enjoy serving the students and feel respected when students pick up after themselves. The issue also highlights a riddle contest and poetry writing contests in celebration of upcoming holidays in April.

1. April 8, 2010 Taylor Middle School, Taylor, Texas
Volume 1, Issue 4
TMS Times
Staff Spotlight: Caring Custodians by Diego Villarreal
Artwork by Felix Rodriguez
Did you ever notice that no that our sparkling floors we get respect from peo-
matter what, the school is and clean classrooms are ple.”
Did you know? spotlessly clean when you due to the hard work of our
April is National Poetry Both staff members have
arrive in the morning ? custodial staff. worked in schools for many
Month and National
Card and Letter Writ- Even if the evening before Recently, we interviewed years, with Virginia working
ing Month? It is also there was sumo wrestling two of them and found out for 9 years and Magdalena
the month we cele- in the gym during Day of more about the people for a whopping 18 years.
brate Earth Day on the Duck… “behind the scenes” who
April 22nd. So next time you drop
Even if that weekend, there keep the school running. something in the hall, pick
So write someone a
card in the form of a was an Odyssey of the TMS Times report Diego it up and throw it away.
poem, but be sure to Mind Meet... Villarreal asked Virginia You’ll be giving our caring
use recycled paper Or a Regional Band Com- and Magdalena what they custodians respect and
and save a tree! enjoyed most about work- making their day!
petition...
ing at a middle
Or a Power Lifting Meet… school. “I like
Or a Valentine’s Dance…. working for and
serving the kids,”
Or just a very rainy day
said Virginia.
which led to over 700 hun-
dred of us tracking mud Magdalena
everywhere! agreed, and added
Inside this issue:
that it really makes
I’m sure you have noticed,
their day, “when
but you might not realize
Ask Mr. Moo and Mrs. 2
Shirley
Advice from Drama Hat- 2 Riddle of the month: by Heather Steffek
ers
Survey Says... 2
What can be seen in the middle of the months
Poetry Page 3
of April and March that cannot be seen in the
Birthdays 4
beginning or end of either month?
Put your answer in the can located in the li-
Spring Maze 4 brary by May 3rd and you could win a large
pizza and 2-liter soda to be delivered to you
April Fools 5
during lunch! See Mrs. Krupala for details!

2. Page 2 TMS Times Volume 1, Issue 4
Ask Mr. Moo & Mrs. Shirley
Dear Mr. Moo, Moo-Dude, Mrs. Shirley,
My boyfriend has been acting weird around me. I have a crush on a girl in my class. How do So...lately I’ve had this really nagging
He hasn’t been hanging out with me as much, I let her know I like her when I’m too shy to feeling, and I guess it is that I told my best
and when I say “Hi,” he ignores me. What tell her? friend a really big secret about me & now I
should I do? - Love is Hard think she told somebody. What do I do?
- Feeling Invisible Dear Love-Dude, TMS Kid
Dear Invisible, OK dude, if you’re too shy to Dear Kid,
Have you changed your ask a crush out, think how If you don’t ask your friend,
looks or personality? Be- hard it’s going to be to get you will never know, and it
cause, if so, he may be un- with someone you know and may ruin a perfectly good
comfortable with the situa- really, really like. So, I say, friendship. So, be honest
tion and not know how to be a man and get it over with your friend and ask her.
tell you. You may have to with. If she says “No,” But don’t accuse her, just be
take the first step and start a that’s OK. There will be nice about it.
conversation with him. other crushes.
An Open Letter of Advice!
Dear Girl Reading, away from the bad people, from guys, just make sure
never give up on your you hear good things about
You may think coming in
dreams. Another thing: be them first. Again,
this school would be
outgoing! If you’re shy, it’s DRAMA is for haters! So
fun...Ehhh! Wrong! I’m not
not going to work! The stay away from it girls, just
saying it’s really bad, but it’s
guys here fall for shy girls, stay away…
pretty bad. Jealousy, back-
but it’s only because they
stabbing, wild emotions, Sincerely,
have a plan. Boys do:
and everything else can
cheating, breaking your DRAMA HATERS
ruin your year. Advice:
heart, stealing forgiveness!
pick friends carefully, say
I’m not saying stay away
25
Survey Says….by
20
Kirmesha Thompson
This month we asked you on Survey-
15
Monkey which of these “lucky” and
10 magical creatures you’ve seen.
5
Here are the result by percentage.
0 But all of you should have said
you’ve seen a Russian-speaking li-
A pot of
A garden
A unicorn
A dragon
A talking
Leprechaun
A Russian-
gnome
speaking
librarian
gold
dog
brarian, because that’s Mrs. K!
Prize Winner: Beatriz Molina!

3. TMS Times Volume 1, Issue 4 Page 3
Luck
lucky me!
oh! lucky me.
‘twas lucky for me
Poetry Page!
i looked upon he
looked into his
brown eyes of wonder….
Artwork by Lorena Sanchez, poetry by Shelby Roby
Madness
When you’re mad you scream, shout and go to the darkest place
in your mind,
You hurt people you know and love, even people you don’t know,
But the truth is you are hurting yourself,
Slowly the anger turns into tears,
The tears turn into hatred,
It’s like the sands of time,
Slowly one by one each grain falls to the bottom of the hour glass
of life,
When your dreams become nightmares,
WAKE UP!
Maybe we should all wake up
Artwork by Savannah Leslie, poetry by Frankie Cantrell. Spring Poem By Kierston Mitchell.

4. What did U do 4 your
BiRTHDAY??
with my BFF!”
“I Hung Out
I went camping!
Arwork by Mary Rose Fagan

5. Wake up from a fantasy view,
And stare reality in the eyes,
Live the way you want, Who
And be who you are,
And let’s see how far you will go, are
these
Poetry Page (cont.)
Artwork by MaryRose Fagan

6. Page 6 TMS Times Volume 1, Issue 4
Doodle4Google Contest
a trip to Washington DC,
For the first time ever, two Both Kylan Wiley and a laptop, and the top
TMS Students will be compet- Diego Villarreal completed winner will receive a
ing in a national Doo- all the forms and turned in $15,000 scholarship.
dle4Google Contest. In the drawings (see below) Wish them luck!
contest, students had to create a Regional winners will receive
Google logo with the theme of, a t-shirt with the logo, while
“If I could do anything I national finalists will receive
would....”
Artwork by Diego Villarreal
Artwork by Kylan Wiley

7. TMS Times Volume 1, Issue 4 Page 7
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