Raider Echo » News

8-period block schedule will remain

vkeomisy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:39:15 +0000

The school will stick to an 8-period block schedule for the next school year and upcoming years due to a stable financial status per Dr. Fergraeus.

New Wing

ecoleman — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:04:40 +0000

This summer, construction will begin on a new wing that will house 42 classrooms, eliminate portables, and accommodate the riding student population. This is the newest addition to the school since the administration area was renovated 10 years ago. Sachse and Rowlett will also receive new additions to decrease the high number of portables.

Dr. Susie Fegraeus said the wing will also house an HST center, which will be used by the entire district. Students from other campuses in the HST program will no longer have to go through the building to enter the classrooms.

The wing will be built in the area near the cafeteria, demolishing the courtyard. During construction, the cafeteria will be extended outwards to the portables but will not interfere with traffic in the student parking lot.

Construction is expected to end at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.

Extreme Extension Makeover

ltran — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:51:09 +0000

The district plans to add a new permanent extension to the building. The extension will consist of new classrooms and a two-story medical complex for the HSTE program. The construction will be built at the back of the school where the portables currently are. The new building was confirmed in December at a school board meeting and is still in the beginning draft phase. The funds for it will be allotted from the 2002 bond election.

Recognized by State

ltran — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:32:32 +0000

NG, one of two schools in the district, made the list of 2010 National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) Higher Performing Schools for Texas, proving that the school has consistently outperformed its peers that serve similar student populations. The school was also recognized for an achievement in bringing more students to college and career readiness than expected. The Social Studies department was recognized for their performance measure of growth and the science department was noted for their commended performance. Schools on this list are identified by one of two measures: academic growth of students at the school and/or absolute achievement of students at the school using the TAKS Commended Performance Level.

Pulsing with Positivity

ltran — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:28:41 +0000

English teacher Megan Victor has founded a club, Positivity Unifying the Lives of Students and Educators, or PULSE, to increase optimism and decrease negativity at the school. In order to fulfill the club’s goal, PULSE does various activities. For example, they have themed weeks like Wave Week, High-Five Week and Smile Week, and they also select teachers of the month. Also, if a PULSE member sees a student doing something good in the halls or classrooms, that student will be handed a red ticket. If the student fills the ticket out and returns it to Mrs. Victor’s room (228), the student then has a chance to win a prize.

Sleeting snow moments: Bad weather ceases school, causes curriculum issues

adviser — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:12:11 +0000

For the first time in 50 years school was canceled for four days in a row and a fifth day the next week. Due to the missed days, the district extended the grading period by one week and made an in-service day for staff a mandatory instructional day. Both students and teachers were alarmed by the “unexpected” break but made the most of the days off as best they could.

“Tuesday was miserable because I was really caught off guard,” science teacher Dustin Barth. “I had no food in the house, so I ate cereal all day.”

Teachers made the most of their time off in various ways. Some teachers such as, foreign language teacher Kristen Nowlin and science teacher Jody Gerber, spent their time playing with family. While others, like Barth, went shopping and spent time outside enjoying the rare snow.

“I absolutely loved spending time with my family,” Gerber said. “Everything was canceled (church, college, practices, games etc…) so we stayed home and enjoyed each other. For six days we played games, Phase 10 and dominoes, in front of the fireplace.”

Most students slept in and some braved the cold weather for snowball fights, sledding and other snow-related activities.

“I spent most of my time in my coat sliding around in my tennis shoes,” junior Brittany Smith said. “Who needs ice skates? I improvised.”

Other students thought it was too cold and stayed inside for most of the time off either preparing for the Super Bowl, hanging out with family or finding ways to kill time before they could return to routine.

“I worked out all day and night in my room like I was a prisoner in solitary confinement,” senior William Briscoe said. “I missed talking to the people I like to talk to in person, not just over the phone.”

Another reason so many faculty and students alike stayed in was fear of venturing out onto the roads and risking other drivers losing control.

“The roads were icy and slippery with a slight chance of crashing into things,” art teacher Lee McBride said. “So I made a few trips to the grocery store, but mostly stayed home.”

After six days off from school, including weekdays and the weekend, students and teachers both agree that getting back into the routine of school was difficult. Teachers are behind on curriculum and students are annoyed by the problems the break caused, as well as worried about getting caught up in classes.

“Coming back to school was painful,” Barth said. “Trying to get in the right mind-set of working again after such an impromptu vacation was rather difficult. I was worried my students would reflect my ‘I don’t want to do anything attitude’, but I think some of them were actually secretly glad to be back and have something to do, which made it so much easier.”

MST Program adds new requirement for juniors

adviser — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:02:19 +0000

The MST program has been updated with brand new requirements that only apply to the junior class. In the past, the MST requirements mainly focused on the student body. The sophomore class is required to complete project observation hours while the senior class engages in competition.

Along with the old requirement of participation in projects, the MST juniors must now have three assist hours in total by next semester on May 27. Students should complete two hours of personal service to the school, such as asisting a teacher or administrator.The other hour goes toward outside community service related to school organizations (see sidebar). The assist hours count for 10 percent of the MST grade.

“It is an easy grade,” MST Coordinator Sherry Hansford said. “It will also help them [the juniors] after graduation. For instance, for a job interview or a college resume, they will ask you if you have done any community hours. It will give students the opportunity to say yes, even if it is only three hours.”

After a student completes an assist hour, a teacher simply sends an email to Mrs. Hansford and 33 ½ points get added to their grade.

“For Mrs. Richey last week, I helped her clean up her [Biology] lab,” junior Hiba Sapullai said. “I also might help out Mrs. Olsen with organizing papers into folders. For my last hour, I will probably help out at Halloween Bash with Student Council.”

Juniors no longer have to create a portfolio compiled of their past MST projects and be interviewed by a MST teacher by the end of the year. Mrs. Hansford feels that the students need to put more effort into helping out the community and school instead. She wants the juniors to focus more on assisting the teachers.

“It gives students a new attitude of going in and helping someone,” MST geometry teacher Mr. Dan Turner said. “It shows someone the spirit of cooperation. It carries on into adult life as well and helps them [later on in their life].”

The assist hours are a MST project that focuses more on the community and helping others, rather than relating to a Math, Science, or Technology subject. It branches out beyond academics and learning.

“I mean, why do I have to do it anyways?” junior Terrence Winter said. “It seems like it does not have anything to do with Math, Science, or Technology. I do not mind it but I do not know why we have to do it.”

The idea to add the assist hours was inspired by the P.A.L. Mentors, a group of upperclassmen who tutor other students. Mrs. Hansford praised the organization for doing valuable services and wants MST students to do the same. The assist hours, according to Mrs. Hansford, help students reach out to different types of interests and to gain the opportunity to become better as a person.

“For people who are not in extra-curricular activities, the assist hours are good in that it pushes them toward helping out more and maybe even joining a new club they never would have joined,” junior Vincent Naidoo said. “It keeps me away from slacking off and keeps me busy.”

Clashing Courses: AP, Regulars far too different

adviser — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:59:27 +0000

A large group of hands fly up into the air as the teacher questions students over a lecture. The classroom is dead silent. A majority of the students’ eyes are glued to the PowerPoint, eager to learn. Across the hallway, few hands are raised. In the corner of the room, students are slouched over their desk with their eyes shut. The other students ramble and daydream as the teacher tries to get them to focus.

The pace and work ethic of regulars’ classes pales in comparison to the more rigorous Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement (Pre-AP/AP) courses. Another difference is the curriculum that the district enforces in the two classes. The objective of a regulars class is to cover the state standardized testing material. In a Pre-AP/AP class, students are expected to know the information covered on state tests beforehand; therefore, their main focus is to prepare for the AP exam.

“I don’t think regulars will prepare me much but honors will,” sophomore Misseal Romano said. “In regulars, you can turn your work in late and in college, I don’t think you can do that. You have to turn it in when it’s due. So, honors is helping me with that.”

The demographic of a regulars classroom setting vary. Most students’ method of learning differs, ranging from auditory, visual or kinesthetic. There is also a wide gap of individuals from ones who have dropped out of a Pre-AP/AP course to students with special needs.

“We have to give equal educational opportunities to every kid,” World History teacher Jared Sibley said. “It’s not a bad thing at all. But it does create a challenge when you’re trying to plan lessons and keep everybody up to speed.”

If a Pre-AP/AP class becomes too difficult for a student, they have the option of switching into a regulars course. With an expansive diversity of students in regulars, teachers have to try and achieve a style of teaching that reaches out to each student in order for them to learn and understand the material taught in the classroom.

“The most frustrating part of a regulars class is that you do have kids who can be in AP classes and can be challenged,” MST and Pre-AP Biology teacher Jody Gerber said. “Since you have such a wide variety in regulars, you have to target a middle portion. You can’t challenge them because you’ll lose the others.”

The information required to learn in regulars and Pre-AP/AP has reduced compared to the previous decades. The material taught in school provided students with a critical knowledge of a narrow extent of subjects. According to World History and U.S. History teacher Bruce Nowlin, at present, education gives students an opportunity “to learn a larger variety of subjects but with basic information and details.”

“What’s happened over the years, the bar has gone down and down,” AP U.S. History teacher Jason Gray said. “It’s hard to raise the expectations and the students aren’t willing to do it.”

A Pre-AP/AP course sets up an individual to prepare for college. In regulars, the main focus required by the curriculum is to have students pass their classes, so they will be able to graduate high school. These separate ideas create very dissimilar learning environments.

“They’re [students in regulars] really rude obviously and they talk back to the teacher,” sophomore Abigail Martinez said. “It bothers me. The honors classes, they respect more of the teacher’s authority.”

The atmospheres of the two courses are opposites. In a regulars course, the majority of the lesson plan presented in class is brand new to the students. For a Pre-AP/AP class, students are expected to be prepared to ask questions and know the material covered in a lecture.

“The biggest attitude difference is the maturity that honor kids know they want to go to college,” Mrs. Gerber said. “The regular kids, they don’t have the mindset of ‘I can be in college’. It doesn’t matter if you’re in regulars, honors or AP; everyone can go to college.”