JLab140

Here’s the live coverage of tonight’s School Board meeting. (We are currently moving JLab140 to its new address: http://jlab140.wordpress.com

This year, there will also be a competing dance at Club 112 in addition to the school dance, though not sponsored by the school.

The CHS student council attempted to work with Ryan Powell (owner of Formal Affairs and Club 112) to compromise, but according to Alyssa Vahala (12), in a conversation between Vahala, Colleen Finn (12) and Powell, Powell asserted that he would only hold his dance at the same night that CHS held their dance to “prove a point to the school.”

Powell, however, denies this claim, reasoning that because students will only buy tuxedos and dresses to attend one dance, whichever dance is held later will have a lower attendance.

Partnership

CHS and Powell once held separate dances simultaneously; In 2004, Powell talked with the administration about offering a dance at Club 112. According to Powell, he conducted talks with the student council, suggesting a ballot with possible facilities to use. The student council held the vote, but Club 112 did not come out on top. However, Powell suggested that the vote was not legitimate.

“Students brought in the ballot, and my name wasn’t even on it,” Powell said. “A revote was done, and Club 112 won in a landslide.”

Powell’s story, though, is not true according to Bryan Waltz (associate principal).

“[The administration] decided that we would have it there,” Waltz said. “There has never been a ballot to my knowledge.”

Originally, the CHS administration decided not to hold the dance at Club 112 but changed their minds after talking with some students.

Powell then agreed to provide Club 112 and other necessities for that year’s dance, only asking that all the money received from ticket sales went directly to the student council. Overall, 668 tickets were sold at $7 each that year, a total of $4676. Although some believe that Powell was attempting to receive a tax deduction, he denies the claims, only wishing to “return a favor to the community.”

Even with the donations, he would still be ineligible for a tax deduction.

“He presented the use of his facility, he provided the DJ’s, but he did not donate any money,” Waltz said.

According to Powell, he asked for recognition for his deed. He wanted a thank you and a recommendation to other schools.

Powell said that the school did not provide him with a letter, and yet he decided to repeat the dance the next year. The same terms were established, and 685 tickets were sold at $10. The money was once again given directly to student council, which wrote two checks for $1000 each on December 22, 2005, one to Faith Mission and one to Riley Hospital for Children.

“The rest of the money was used to pay for everything the student council does,” Heather Bohn (associate principal’s secretary) said.

Powell once again had to ask for a thank you letter, and according to Waltz, one was sent in the spring of 2006. The letter stated that the school “appreciated [his] generosity,” and explained the $2000 donations and that the rest was to be used for student council. The end of the letter also specified that Club 112 would not be used any longer, with no explanation provided. Powell denied receiving the letter.

“He did a nice thing for us for two years, we just don’t want to do business with him,” Dan Cunningham (principal) said. “If I buy a car from Dodge, I don’t have to apologize to Ford, it’s just how business works.”

Waltz provided various reasons for not working with Powell in 2006, the greatest coming from concerns for the safety of the students.

First of all, according to Waltz, holding the dance at Club 112 is very difficult to supervise. Although the owner has provided security and chaperones, many are not considered by the school to be credible enough for proper supervision of the students.

In addition, school administrators doubt the safety of the students in the area.  For example, there are two sex offenders that live down the street from the club and 37 within a one-mile radius of the club.

Powell believes that his club is safe, however, with 22 security guards and parent chaperones attending the dance. Although outside the facility he has no control, he is confident that the security watching the premises will provide protection.
Powell was disappointed in the choice of the administration and offered to hold a different dance. He suggested donating the profit made by ticket sales to the school, in addition to the profit made by the school’s dance. The administration disapproved, and Powell held his dance for free.

This year, Powell is once again offering a competing dance at Club 112. Conflicted between the two offerings, Justin Hayden (11) is wary of going to Club 112.

“Although my girlfriend wants to go for the ‘club atmosphere,’” Hayden said, “last year’s dance was very provocative…a lot of dirty dancing.”

For other students, the decision between the school’s option and Club 112 more straightforward.

“I really didn’t give the school’s dance a thought,” Jon Rowe (12) said. “I’m going to the Club 112 dance because everyone else is going.”

In the end, Powell’s decision to hold his own CHS Christmas Dance means that students can choose to go to multiple Christmas dances

“We had no obligation to continue with Club 112,” Waltz said. “Mr. Powell has chosen to become a competitor to our Christmas dances.”

§Kareem Albaba
§Spencer Roach

7:08 - I just got on after having some difficulties.  The meeting has not started though.  There are a lot of people here though.

7:11 - Everyone is identifying themselves.

7:14 - There are a lot of supporters for the Potter’s Marathon here tonight.

7:20 - Right now, the Potter’s Marathon team is being recognized.  Bob Bieber discusses how the Potter’s Marathon started: at an intersection when he was at an intersection and saw a Marathon gas station.  Special recognition for Rachel Bollero (12, president) and Tracy Nissley (12, vice president) and to six members who individually raised over $1,000 each.

7:26 - Now all Potter’s Marathon participants are being recognized in front of the school board.  According to the check, they have raised $23,000 this year and $85,131 in the nine years of the Potter’s Marathon. The majority of the students that have been called are not present at the meeting.  After a long streak of absentees, Amy Kline (12) receives thunderous applause. 

7:30 - I just realized that I forgot to bring a camera.  There really should be someone else here to take some pictures, though.

7:32 - The Potter’s Marathon recognition part is complete.  About half of the team was present to receive their awards.

7:33 - Four-minute break for the Potter’s Marathon participants to leave, then back to business

7:37 - George Dyer (superintendent) gives a restructuring update.  Moving from K6, 7-8, 9-12 structure to a K4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12 structure.  There are nine committees working to answer critical questions.  Doesn’t touch on the critical questions during this meeting though.

7:44 - Review of Section 1000 of school board policy.  Dyer notes that board policies can be found on the Concord district website.

7:48 - Dan Cunningham (principal) gives an update to the community about Rich Matteson (resource officer).  Matteson has served to answer questions for students and staff.

7:55 - The AED committee (Automated External Defibrillator) makes a presentation.  The members of the committee unanimously support the use of AEDs in the Concord district.

Their rationale:  to conform with the law (P.L. 129-2007: the owner/operator of a health club to have AEDs present - according to the committee, CHS qualifies since the school serves as a community rec program), 21 other area school districts use at lteast one, and to make the school safer in program.

The committee recommends purchasing two AEDs:  one by the swimming pool and activity center and a mobile AED.

Ideally, according to the committee, an AED should be accessible within a 3 minute round trip from the location it is needed (22 would be required for this).

7:58 - Eight employees are trained to use it right now, but they would like more to be trained.

Funding:  Units are available for under $2,000 each.

8:00 - The policy is being presented.  Larry Jackowiak just mentioned that Concord schools is the only district out of all schools that responded to the survey that have not implented an AED program.

8:04 - The risk involved with AEDs is low since the AEDs verbally walk the user through the process, according to the committee.

8:05 - Dan Cunningham (principal) begins to present the CHS A+ Plan.

8:07 - Goal Area #1 - Reading comprehension - Students should become better readers (presented by Bryan Waltz [associate principal]). One implentation - students using reading strategies (SQ3R, KWL, etc.)

8:08 - Goal Area #2 - Students will improve writing skills.

Students do writing prompts, teachers use Simple 6 rubric.

The data says that most teachers have used the reading and writing strategies.

8:10 - An interesting note:  Cunningham says that committee wants to emphasize reading nonfiction (newspapers, magazines, etc.).  The A+ board is focusing on E/LA standards 1-3 (emphasis on 2).

8:12 - School has not meant 2% improvement on ISTEP scores, but Cunningham notes that this does not mean that students aren’t improving.

They are trying to get teachers to score writing prompts consistently.

Cunningham said that the English 9 and Algebra I ciriculums have been rewritten.

Freshman academy:  Positive impact of 4.3% on overall E/LA ISTEP scores (16 students who passed didn’t previously pass)

ESL academy:  ENL in English, Spanish, Biology, and Algebra I

Honors humanities academy:  English 9H and AP World History

Honors math/science academy:  Geometry H and Biology H

8:18 - Nick Cocanower (11) endorses the freshman academy program, saying that it has helped him catch up and improve grades.

Note from me:  In the freshman academy for math, nine less students passed the 2006 ISTEP in Grade 10 than in the 2005 ISTEP Grade 9.

8:20 - AP courses - CHS now has 10 AP courses; AP has approved the courses so that CHS could call it an “AP” course

Renee Cocanower (director of student services) presents AP test results to the school board.

They mention Chris Judson (AP English Language teacher) as someone who reads AP tests (care to elaborate Mr. Judson?)

8:26 - ISTEP GQE updates - last test = Fall of 2008.  Now students will have to pass end-of-course assessments in Algebra I and English 10 in order to graduate.  A Biology I test is also given but not required to graduate.

8:27 - A+ presentation plan is complete.

8:32 - To answer Mr. Judson’s question, I don’t remember anything specific besides the general “to help students become successful.”

8:33 - Problem with ESL academy program:  many students do not stay for all four years.

8:37 - New CHS course proposals coming up.

8:39 - Actually, CHS student trip proposal will be first.

8:43 - Proposing trip to gain greater language fluency and cultural experience.  In the past, trips have not been school-sponsored.

The tour next summer:  Paris, France to Spain.  Students will be supervised at all times throughout the trip.

8:46 - One transferrable high school credit will be given for coursework accomplishedduring the tour.  Cost: about $2500

8:48 - For students who cannot afford the trip, the nine fundraisers will not quite cover the cost of the trip, according to Eric Haffner (Spanish teacher).  The school board has approved the trip.

8:49 - Now, CHS course proposals… 

8:53 - 1) Video II - Extends Video I - instruction to create movie montages, movie reenactment/remakes, and analysis

2) Art department Honors courses - Ceramics IV & V, Drawing III, Photography III, Computer Graphics II and III, Painting III, Mass Media Video II.  Courses will require a research paper, interviews w/ professionals in the field, comparison of college programs and a speech to the class, reflection on a visit to the museum, and 5-7 additional pieces/projects in the area of concentration.

8:54 - The classes will include both honors students and non-honors students with students opting to choose the honors portion at the beginning of the school year.  Students will be tested over the same material; the honors portion are justified by the extra projects.

8:56 - Waltz notes that since the extra work is over a 12-week period, it will have a significant impact.  Some board members seem skeptical.

8:59 - 3) Speech will no longer be a required course in the 8-semester graduation sequence; the class is proposed to be added as an elective.

4) Pre-Algebra - Will function as preparation for the Algebra I course; could serve as a GQE tutorial.  Could be a 3-trimester course.

9:03 - 5) Music - Jazz ensemble - offered first trimester that will provide a foundation for existing two trimesters of jazz instruction - for students who are not in the current jazz bands.  Could also be taken by non-instrument students.  Will not be a performing group, according to Gay Burton (director of music).

Intermediate Chorus - Boys - Provide foundational skills specific to the male voice.  Would require the addition of an accompanist for one period.  This would mean that 2 choir classes would meet first period.  According to Brittany Gableman (choral director), the course will enable students to receive specific instruction on pitch matching.

Advanced Chorus - Girls - Would extend foundational skills provided in beginning and intermediate choruses for girls.  Course would also require the an additional accompanist for 1 period, so the accompanist would work for 2 periods total.

Overall, this will split one choir into two choirs.

9:06 - Honors concert band, honors orchestra, honors concert choir (will meet for 2nd and 3rd trimesters only), honors dance performance B (dance team - 3rd trimester)

Honors music courses will require auditioning for all-state ensembles, taking a Group I solo (most advanced) to contest, performing in an honors recital, and also may include a research project.

9:10 - 6) Social Studies:

Modern World Civilizations - required extension of Freshman Humanities Academy.  It’s not weighted, but the course will allow the curriculum of AP World History to be stretched over 3 trimesters instead of 2, including a focus on Chinese culture - after the AP test in May.

Topics in History - Not weighted; will provide an optional extension of the curriculum completed in AP US History and will allow for enrichment and further test prep for those who elect to take the course

9:11 - As I understand, it will provide more flexibility, meaning that the AP courses will not be three trimesters anymore

9:15 - 6) Basic skills - transition & social - Will provide a basis for strengthening special ed students’ social skills and interactions

7) Tech Ed department - Civil Engineering & Architecture - A Project-Lead-the-Way Course - Will replace Architectural Drafting I

Will be a dual-credit with Purdue University (weighted as AP)

World Language Department - American Sign Language III - will extend ASL instruction to a third year, which will fulfill academic honors requirements

Chinese, Levels I-IV - Depending on enrollment, this course could be taught by locally hired staff or through distance learning

9:16 - Will not add any more AP courses for now - they want to stabilize the courses before adding more (will probably happen in the future though)

9:19 - Dyer says that new courses will have very little impact on staffing

9:20 - New courses have been approved by the school board

9:22 - Meeting is about to end; Dyer is going over the next meeting times (Dec. 3, 7 p.m. at West Side Elementary; Dec. 27, 7:00 a.m. at Education Center)

9:25 - Larry Mast (school board president) notes that meeting was “very meaty;” meeting has ended.

9:26 - Burton announced that Wicked has been cancelled but they have alternate plans

heard_in_the_halls_teachers

Originally uploaded by jlab140

The second trimester begins with a rough start for Bryce Knight (10). Knight sits with the school magazine while he waits for his schedule to be changed. “I hope they don’t change my schedule, I like sitting here, though it’s boring,” Knight said.

Tardiness is one of the top three problems of students here at CHS. Having tardiness as a top three is not such a bad thing. There are many things that are worse than tardiness that could be a major problem. Though things could be worse as a problem, the tardiness level is growing.

“Tardiness is really bad this year,” Shawn Angel (dean’s secretary) said. “It is the worst I think it’s ever been.”

At the end of every school day, Angel writes down a report of all the tardy students. Last year, she would be able to put down all of the tardy students on about four pages. Now, it takes around seven pages.

It is not only the students that will be punished for their tardiness, but teachers will suffer also. If a student is tardy to the extent of an after school detention, the teacher of the class t will have to stay after with that student. They may discuss things and try to build relationships.

Some teachers have a stand up policy. This is where a tardy student has to stand up in the class for a period of time. The period of time is up to the teacher of that class. Tim Dawson (dean of students) is hoping to come up with new consequences in the future. He is hoping to have the option of suspending driving privileges for students that are late to school because they drove themselves. It is not necessarily that he wants to, but he needs something that he thinks will be more effective.

“It all has to do with maturity,” Dawson said. “Students that are more mature think that they should just go to class. I know that the freshmen are tardier than the seniors and like I said, it all has to do with maturity.”

Being on time is a responsibility. It is a choice. If someone wanted to get to class on time, they could. Unless there is a legitimate reason for tardiness, teachers will not take excuses. The same goes for a job. Teachers have to be on time also. If teachers are repetitively late, they will receive the consequence of being fired. It is a responsibility for teachers to be here on time.

The carelessness and unawareness of students may be a reason for so much tardiness this year.

“I think that students just don’t care about the consequences, or that they are unaware of the time,” Angel said. “They may think they have a couple of minutes when they really have a minute.”

CHS staff has come up with things to try to lower the tardiness rates.

“We’ve allowed students to keep with them the string book bags,”
Dawson said. “That way the students won’t have to go back and forth to their locker as much.”

Tardiness levels are growing rapidly since previous years. Students are frolicking and socializing, rather than making their way to class. Tardiness is a choice and this year, it is the choice of many.

Kate Kilgore

Sociology test

Originally uploaded by jlab140

To add to the already drerry idea of having three finals tomorrow, the weather isn’t looking too exciting. The high for tomorrow is 40 degrees with a 50 percent chance of showers throughout the day. The overnight low will be 29 degrees with a 30 percent possiblity of snow showers. And on top of all of that, the sun is going to set at 5:24 PM.

The answer to yesterday’s riddle is because they are fish.

Study hard for the finals tomorrow! Good luck!

Cleaning Showcases

Originally uploaded by jlab140

The answer to yesterday’s riddle is four men in a dance band. Jack and Jill are lying dead on the floor inside a house. There’s a puttle of water around them, as well as shattered glass. Why did they die?

The high for tomorrow is 54 degrees, with a low of 35 degrees. In the morning it will be cloudy, but that should all clear up by the afternoon. Overnight, there is a 30 percent chance of showers.

On Monday, there were two lockdowns. Every month there is a lockdown drill. The first lockdown occurred because of the monthly drill and there was a drug search. There were dogs to sniff out any forbidden substances. It is confidential whether or not the outcome of the lock down was good or bad for some students.

“I thought that the drug search lock down was unnecessary,” Josh Westlake (11) said.

“I don’t understand why they couldn’t just say that they were doing a drug search, instead of saying that it was a lock down,” Matt Doering (12) said.

The lockdown that followed the drug search was not a drill. As some may have read in the papers or heard on the news, the TCU (Teachers Credit Union) office was robbed. That is the reason for the second lock down. Our resource officer, Rich Matteson viewed the scene.

“I went outside of the school area during the lock down to see that things were secure,” Matteson (resource officer) said.

The security and technology at CHS is very heavy. It would be difficult for the robber to come into the school unnoticed. Students know the procedure for a lock down because of all the drills. The officer tops it all off. CHS is prepared for something of these sorts.

The countdown to the end of the trimester marks the coming of finals. This is the time when all of the teachers tell the students that they should eat a healthy breakfast and get plenty of rest. This is very true because a healthy breakfast and plenty of rest can result in a better focus for the student. Taking exams all day is exhausting.

“They’re so brain draining,” Kris Baker (11) said. “Having to recall everything you’ve learned during the trimester can be pretty hard.”

Getting ready for finals consists of a lot of reviewing and studying. Students have to cram everything they have learned inside their mind and try to keep it there until the finish of the finals. After a lesson is learned, the students are tested over what they have learned.

“I hate finals because we already took tests on the stuff we learned,” Abby Torok (11) said.

“I don’t understand why we have to retake the same stuff in one big test,” Andrea Sierra (11) said.

The final exams are next week Exams for class periods one, three, and five are on Thursday. Period two and four finals are on Friday. School will end at 12:30 pm due to the ending of the first trimester.

Break out your microphones everybody. CHS is hosting its first annual talent show. The talent show will be held Wednesday, November 14 in the Community Lecture Room.

The talent show is being conducted to raise money for Elkhart’s Studebaker Park that has just recently been vandalized. Studebaker’s playground had been set on fire, according to Beaney Lopez (student).

“The money that we raise will be used to buy trash cans and benches to help the park”, Lopez said.

Beaney, along with her classmates Yandelhi Gomez and Yanet Gutierrez wanted to do something to help their community.

“Yanhi mentioned this to me and Yanet,”Lopez said. “She wanted to do something to help the community”.

They were prompted to do this when their U.S. Government teacher, Mr. Furfaro, assigned them a service learning project at the beginning of the trimester.