Holbrook Junior High School - Helping Unique Students Develop

Mrs. Manning’s 8th grade science students have submitted their names to be included on an SD card that will fly inside the Orion spacecraft when the Artemis II mission launches in 2026. Ask your child about it and see what they say

Students have been learning about Artemis II, the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis campaign. Four astronauts will travel around the Moon and back to Earth, marking the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft.

Our students are excited to be a small part of history as they explore science, space, and the future of human exploration

Congratulations to our January Students and Staff of the Month. From left to right: certified staff member Aaren LaRose, students Clarice Pack, Arianna Brown, Bicente Gurule, Michael Martinez, and Easton Carbbonneau, and classified staff member Stephanie Charley. We are proud to recognize each of them for their hard work, dedication, and positive contributions to our school community.

Students in Ms. Baloo's 7th grade science classes investigate Newton’s Second Law through a motion lab with multiple stations. At each station, they measure net force, mass, and acceleration.

In the Pulley and Pail station, students measure the mass of the cart and washers, time the cart over a fixed distance with different masses, and calculate speed and acceleration.

In the Massive Challenge, students measure the force of rubber bands using a spring scale, time the cart moving a set distance, and repeat the process while adding mass. Students then use their data to create a force vs. acceleration graph and analyze the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration.

Just a reminder that tomorrow is an early release day due to Parent Teacher Conferences. I hope that you are able to attend. We will have a break at 4:00-5:00 so our teachers can get some dinner before resuming their meetings.

Cadence Taylor was our only girl wrestler this year and she showed incredible grit and determination at the Copperstate Wrestling Championship this past weekend in Prescott, Arizona. After a hard fought loss in the first round, Cadence battled her way back through four more rounds of competition to earn a spot in the third place match. She came out hard and fast, scoring a takedown and nearfall just as time expired in the first period. In the second period, she wasted no time, firing again and securing the pin to claim third place.

Congratulations Cadence! We are so proud of your resilience, heart, and competitive spirit.

A huge thank you to Coach Farrel Yazzie for the time, dedication, and commitment you put into our student athletes. Your impact makes a difference every day.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to invite you to join us for Parent-Teacher Conferences this Thursday. This is a great opportunity to connect, ask questions, and celebrate the hard work and growth of your student.

When families and teachers come together, amazing things happen. Your involvement makes a real difference in your child’s success, confidence, and motivation. Conferences are a time to share progress, set goals, and work as a team to support every student.

We truly hope you will take time to attend and visit with our teachers. Your presence shows your child that school matters and that you are invested in their journey.

Thank you for being such an important part of our school community. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

Warm regards,
Connie Gover
Principal

A huge shout out to our incredible Robotics and AVID students for shining at the Native American Summit held at Indian Wells Elementary. Our students proudly showcased their skills, confidence, and leadership, and they did an amazing job representing our school. They presented to parents and community members along with leaders from the Navajo County Superintendent’s Office, Navajo County Supervisor, Winslow Indian Health, Winslow Indian Education Program, Arizona Department of Education, Navajo Nation Department of Education, and Navajo Nation Johnson O’Malley. We could not be more proud of the way our students stepped up and shared their talents. Way to lead, way to represent, and way to Be the One Roadrunner!

Get ready for a night of swing and soul!

Join The Commanders Jazz Ensemble from the Air Force Band of the Golden West for an unforgettable evening at the George Gardner Performing Arts Center. From big band jazz classics and contemporary charts to patriotic favorites, this high-energy performance is one you won’t want to miss!

📅 Event Details
When: Thursday, February 5, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: George Gardner Performing Arts Center
585 N 9th Ave, Holbrook, AZ 86025

Cost: FREE and open to the public!

♿ Accessibility
This event is wheelchair accessible, ensuring everyone in our community can enjoy the music.

🎙️ About the Host
The Air Force Band of the Golden West is dedicated to honoring our nation and connecting with communities through the power of music. The Commanders Jazz Ensemble brings together 20 world-class Airmen-musicians to deliver a professional, rousing, and patriotic musical experience.

Great girls basketball action tonight with our student athletes giving it their all. We saw excellent sportsmanship from both teams and truly appreciate all of the Roadrunner fans and our St John visitors who traveled to support their team. A big congratulations to the Roadrunners on another exciting victory.

Wow what a night! HJHS swept the district spelling bee taking 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th place! It was an exciting evening filled with hard work and school pride from our students families and staff.

Congratulations to our amazing spellers
1st place Bicenti Gurule 6th grade
2nd place Arianna Brown 7th grade
3rd place Tatum Manygoats 7th grade
4th place Keaira Bachtell 7th grade

We also want to recognize Ryker Shank 7th grade for competing with confidence.

We are so proud of all of our Roadrunners and thankful to everyone who came out to cheer them on!

Come out and cheer on our amazing district spelling bee contestants. Representing the junior high are Keaira Bachtell, Arianna Brown, Tatum Manygoats, Bicente Gurule, and Ryker Shank. These students have worked hard and are ready to shine and we wish them the very best of luck. A special thank you to Ms. Estridge for dedicating her after school time to support and prepare our spellers. We are proud of you all.

Prizes arrived today for our winners of the Homeland Cyber Security Calendar Contest. We are proud of our student winners: Jessica Lerma, Clarice Pack, Starla Harragarra, Mr. Tucker (Art Teacher) Not picture is Tatum Begay.

Boys and girls basketball pictures will be taken on Monday, January 26, 2026. All picture orders must be placed online. No money will be accepted on picture day. Please use the following website to place your order: https://v2.myproimages.com/www.spanglerpics.com/54290/search?code=GNCHU

Thank you to all of our parents for coming out and cheering on our students who received awards for grades and attendance. We had a large number of students recognized, and parents, give yourselves a pat on the back for encouraging your children to complete their schoolwork, study for tests, and attend school daily. Your support truly makes a difference.

Congratulations to all of our students who were recognized for Being the One Roadrunner. We are proud of your hard work and commitment to excellence.

Thank you to our staff for their dedication and hard work in supporting, encouraging, and guiding our students every day. These successes would not be possible without you.

There will be no school on Monday, January 19, as we will be observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Congratulations to our boys basketball teams. Both of our boys teams won tonight. The boys played at home while the girls team traveled to Mogollon to take on the Mogollon Mustangs. Thank you to the parents of all teams for your continued support and great sportsmanship..

We would like to remind parents about our upcoming Academic Awards Assembly. Students who are receiving an award were given an invitation. If you are unsure whether your child is receiving an award please ask them. The assembly will begin promptly at 9:30 am on Friday and will be held in the gymnasium. We look forward to celebrating our students’ achievements with you.

Come out and pack the HJHS gymnasium to support our boys basketball team. Our Roadrunners will take on the Mogollon Mustangs in what is sure to be an exciting matchup. Bring your energy, cheer loud, and show great sportsmanship as we encourage and support our young athletes. Let’s make it a great day of Roadrunner pride.

The feathers were flying between the Roadrunners and the Eagles. It was a great home opener with an outstanding crowd and fast paced action from both the girls and boys basketball teams. The energy in the gym was amazing. Thank you to everyone for showing great sportsmanship and for being encouraging and supportive of all players. What a fantastic night for junior high basketball.

Friday marked the Grand Opening of the BIJOU (Bee zhoo) Teen Center located at 1002 W. Hopi Drive and HJHS is thrilled to partner with our community to support our students. This exciting new space offers a welcoming place for students to connect and grow whether they are making new friends, playing shuffleboard or board games, finding a quiet place to study, participating in a group, communicating through a podcast, or enjoying activities that make use of the beautiful kitchen.
Opportunities like this strengthen the bond between our school and community and create positive spaces for our students to thrive. Be on the lookout for more information.