The newsroom of The Day Creek Howl has finally fallen silent. What was once a fast-paced room filled with clicking keyboards, shouted deadlines, and nervous excitement is now quiet. Groups of empty...

On a late Tuesday night, the words of “Oranges” by Gary Soto play through a student’s headphones as she crams for an ELA final. Normally, studying means rereading annotations, flipping through pages...

For millions of students across the country, the school day begins not with a textbook, but with a login screen. The i-Ready platform, which schools use for personalized reading and math instruction, has...

Under the heat of an April afternoon, a student steps out of the locker room wearing maroon shorts and a bright yellow shirt. Immediately standing out, he walks against the crowd of students dressed in...

This story was originally published on The Day Creek Howl on April 6, 2026.

Mario and Luigi are back, this time racing motorcycles across desert dunes and soaring through outer space. But while The Super Mario Galaxy Movie delivers bigger action and brighter visuals, its story...

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on The Day Creek Howl. It was originally published on March 9, 2026.

In a quiet Day Creek classroom, the silence is broken only by the subtle crunch of a NeeDoh Snowball or the gentle stretch of a Nice Cube hidden under a desk. What started as a simple stress-relief toy...

Duncan Public Schools teachers and staff had an opportunity to meet with their state legislators on Feb. 20, when the Association of Duncan Educators hosts its annual Legislative Breakfast at the Duncan...

As eighth graders at Day Creek Intermediate stepped into the MPR, they froze. The space that typically hosts cafeteria lunches and student assemblies had been transformed into a pop-up museum. Tables were...

For many young actors, the stage is a second home. However, as they gain experience, they might wonder: what's the difference between acting in a play like High School Musical at Day Creek or performing...

NOTE: The eighth grade yearbook staff from the Highlands Middle School will feature an article each quarter on the Hilltopper Online. Through tough times, science teacher Melissa Trimbach would tell...

After more than two decades shaping young lives through physical education, Mr. Nemecek is hanging up his whistle. The longtime Day Creek Intermediate School P.E. teacher is retiring to focus on his health...

The crack of a bat, the roar of the crowd, and the playful banter of Crazy J with a longtime fan, are just some of the things local fans have enjoyed for more than 30 years on summer nights at LoanMart...

For over a decade, current sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Brubaker, has been the mastermind behind an event that students eagerly anticipate every year on campus. On a typical  Friday in October, Brubaker works...

For Raleigh Woods, childhood in Ann Arbor wasn’t just a time of discovery — it was the beginning of a lifelong relationship with reading. Surrounded by creative opportunities and encouraged by his...

Michigan students’ access to counselors is one of the worst in the country. According to Ann Arbor School Parents Intent on Racial Equity (AASPIRE) co-founder and Slauson long-term substitute teacher...

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on The Cougar Star. It was originally published on April 11, 2025.

“Erm wassup chat, it's your sigma alpha male here,” is what seventh grade student Tucker Nobach recently exclaimed to his class. Everyone laughed, except for one student. Luana Hyla, an exchange student...

Valentine's Day came to Day Creek’s ACCESS (Accessibility in the Classroom to Create Equity for Student Success) special education program this year, with a little extra love and creativity. This celebration,...

Following her solo debut after nine years of success with Blackpink, the artist Jennie has returned with a long-awaited announcement of her first full album, set to release on March 7. To satisfy eager...

Supriya Kelkar is an award-winning writer and the proud author of 17 children's books, including "American as Paneer Pie," which tells the story of a girl discovering her voice as an “outsider” in...

Upon learning about the recent Shanahan v. IXL Learning, Inc. lawsuit in light of IXL’s potential violation of the Federal Wiretap Act, the Etiwanda School District has joined other districts across...

It was about 9:30 a.m. today when 107 students were absent from school. By 12:30 p.m., that number had grown to 120 students. These numbers were similar to Wednesday's absentee report, when the number...

Athletic injuries among students are a growing concern; as participation in sports continues to rise, so does the risk of injuries ranging from minor to major impacts. The physical side of recovery usually...

After being a math teacher at Roosevelt Jr. High School and our school, Jerry Koehle became the ninth grade assistant principal when his daughter Sydney Koehle was in ninth grade. When the junior high...

Tuesday, Nov. 5 was Election Day, and Duncan Middle School students got to vote. While the General Election was taking place, DMS students were given an opportunity to participate in a mock election,...

Halloween is reputable for its spooky surprises, but Clague teachers Meredith Pelchat and Abby Ruehlmann provided a different kind of surprise on Oct. 31 — their pregnancies. Being close confidants with...

When teacher Chelsea Brooks graduated from Pioneer High School as a first-generation student, she faced challenges that many might not understand. In a neighborhood where few pursued higher education,...

October means Halloween time, and rapper KSI definitely came up with some spooky stuff of our own. In early October, KSI (and Trippie Redd) took America by storm, releasing their notoriously new song “Thick...

Author of the very popular “Ascendance Series,” as well as the trilogies “The Traitor’s Game” and “Mark of the Thief” and several standalone historical fiction novels, Jennifer Nielsen is...

8 hours a day. 5 days a week.  But it’s actually even more than that. Teachers are constantly on their feet. Planning, teaching, helping students, and grading. Sometimes they are so focused on their...

Remember the repeated bounce of a rubber basketball, or the endless circling of yellow tether balls around steel poles, or that repetitive click as the jump rope smacks and drags across the concrete. These...

“A mother, once teary-eyed, shared with me at parent-teacher conferences that I was the father-like figure her son was missing.” This is a very good example of the stereotypes that people think...

Mr. Nemecek is beloved on Day Creek’s campus. He’s one of those cool, funny teachers that kids hope to have when they get their schedules in the fall. He is known for the fun and energy he brings to...

“Welcome to a transformative journey through the educational landscape, where artificial intelligence converges with learning at Cannon Valley Schools. In this exploration, we delve into the innovative...

"Spider-Man 2" for the PlayStation 5 swings into action, capturing the essence of everyone's favorite web-slinger in a spectacular gaming experience. Developed by Insomniac Games, the sequel to the highly...

Whenever we think of our teachers, our first thought usually isn’t their college life. But, not surprisingly, many of them were former college athletes in their days. They weren’t always the person...

North Vietnam intended to have all of Vietnam and to govern it under communism. South Vietnam had another plan. So did the United States and other free countries of the world that feared communist expansion....

Everyone knows what it’s like to be a student, being in the classroom for hours on end, dealing with constant studying and homework. But what about the kids whose lives have always revolved around...

Have you ever heard of Brown v. The Board of Education? This landmark decision by the US Supreme Court, labeled segregation in schools unconstitutional. Yet even after the ruling, non-white students still...

Have you ever been told that “failure is not an option?” This simple phrase has been Day Creek’s motto since the school’s inception in 2004. The original principal and staff instituted it the...

Imagine waking up at 6:45 a.m, going to school until 2:40 p.m., going home for just long enough to finish homework, then to track practice, working out, practicing basketball at home and finally getting...

Have you ever seen someone using AirPods in class? Have you ever used AirPods in class? Although they’re generally not allowed, many students argue that they should be. Can the privilege of this technology...

Read this article and you get a reward! If this was the app Habitica, it would definitely be true.  Many students of all ages wish for a world where chores and work would simply disappear. It may...

i-Ready. CAASPP. Two names the majority of Day Creek students dread to hear. It is the season of standardized testing, a time of long hours on a computer, forced silence, and teachers milling about watching...