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Falling Apart at the Seams If the student body and staff could agree on one thing, we are sure it would be the condition of the school buildings. The bathrooms are a disgrace. Some of the classrooms have cracked windows and the possibility of mold in the ceilings- it is more noticeable in some rooms than others. The high school is the oldest building of all of the Madison County Public Schools, and also in the worst shape. It still contains nearly all of the original equipment it was built with, such as doors, windows, and the plumbing, according to Mike Sisler, principal of MCHS, who agrees that the schools are in need of a tune-up. This may be because of the fact that our school barely meets health and safety requirements. The building was “grandfathered in,” said Sisler, meaning that the building was built before most of the current health and safety laws were created. Our school is far from able to meet the requirements for the handicapped and disabled. The building has nearly no ramps and no automatic doors. The only concession to the federal mandates is the elevator, which is necessary for wheelchair-bound students who need to travel up and down stairs. Another alarming issue with the building are the bug, and rodent infestations. There was even a snake found! The snake
predicament was mainly in the gym and nursing classroom, however. Mice have been occasionally spotted the building in classrooms. There is a hole in the wall in the nursing room that wasps enter the school through. This could be hazardous to anyone who is allergic to bees. Ironic for the nursing room, right? Also, have you ever noticed the extreme temperature differences in the building on any given day? Over winter, the central air to the school is switched onto heat. And early spring, it is switched back to AC, despite the weather or temperatures. This is a problem on cold spring and warm fall days. The middle school, however, has newer AC/heaters in the classrooms where it can be adjusted to each individual room and changed between heat and AC whenever needed. The high school does not have this. If there happened to be a warm day in the late fall, there would be nothing the school could do because the air would have already been changed and the students would suffer. Does this not seem unfair? Even though a new wing was added to the school years ago, there is still not enough space for every single teacher to have their own classroom. For two years, Stephanie Jones, a math teacher for MCHS, has had to move between rooms for her different classes. She is not alone in the math department, nor the
McSherryism
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school as a whole, as most of the foreign language department enjoys no permanent classroom. There has been talk between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors about renovating the Primary, Middle, and High schools just to meet health and safety codes. The Capital Improvement Plan also is requiring the schools to renovate. Lastly, concerns about the safety of students and teachers have been expressed by multiple teachers. It is possible for someone to enter the front doors of this school without being seen. If an intruder were to enter our school, we’d be toast. None of the classroom doors in the school lock from the inside, that’s why during lock downs teachers have to open their doors to lock them, allowing a gunman easy access. If we were to be faced with an intruder in the school, the classrooms in the older sections of the school do not have panic buttons that could be pressed for help. Teachers would have to call the front office on their cell phones. And perhaps we should be doing lock down drills a couple of times a year if we can’t fix these safety issues. As you can see, our school is not the safest or healthiest environment. There is no one to blame for this- our janitors do a wonderful job- it is just old and worn out. This building does its job for now, but we will need a new one before this place gets anymore crippled. Let’s just hope it’s soon.
“I’ll let ya’ll.... imagine.”
Sketch by Clare Moretz MCHS Senior AprilMay 5, 2011 The •Mountaineer 19, •2011 The Mountaineer
Perry McSherry MCHS English Teacher
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Changes in the Curriculum: Earth Science for Environmental Science? Maggie Vaillant MCHS Mountaineer
As spring makes its entrance with a stream of severe thunder storms, changes make their own debuts in Madison County High and Middle Schools. First, there are the usual changes to be found in any school as the closing of the school year draws near. Seniors are preparing for their summers before college, and college itself. Juniors are making the transition from “one more year” to “I only need two classes to graduate?” Sophomores are preparing for the years they have left, while realizing that they’re no longer the “lowest of the underclassmen.” The biggest of changes, however, is to the high school science curriculum. As of the 2011-2012 school year, next year, Earth Science will no longer be available as a course. Instead of the previous usual freshman year science class, a new course will be implemented, as well as a whole new set of possible science paths for the students to follow. In fact, the Earth Science SOL will no longer be required for any students. Instead, MCHS is offering Environmental Science, not as a required course, but as an elective science course, similar to Bi8
ology II or Chemistry II. Also notable is that the requirements for graduation have changed in the area of Science. Formerly, three verified credits, or the passing three SOLs, were required for an Advanced Studies diploma. Students aiming for it would take the Earth Science, Biology, and Chemistry SOLs. Now that there is no Earth Science class to be taken, since it has been folded into the Environmental Science class the SOL is no longer required. Just like now however, only two verified credits will be necessary to graduate with the Advance Studies diploma. Chemistry and Biology will fulfill these re-
quirements now, though the Earth Science SOL will still be offered for those taking Environmental Science. Director of Instruction Renee Honaker said in a phone interview Friday, April 15 that these changes are being made to ensure that there is space in MCHS for more advanced courses. AP Biology, for example, will also be offered as of next year. This change and shift in curriculum marks Madison County’s growing emphasis on making Advanced Placement courses available. According to Honaker, the administration would like to see other AP courses, like AP Chemistry, be added to the curriculum, however, she states
Catherine Arnette teaches Earth Science to her student Mariely Rolon. Kim Thomas/MCHS Mountaineer
May 19, 2011 • The Mountaineer
Josh Walton, Assistant Principal of MCHS, is excited by the changes being made to the curriculum in Science, Foreign Language, and possibly CTE. Kim Thomas/ MCHS Mountaineer
that these things need to be done, “One step at a time.” According to MCHS VicePrinciple Josh Walton, the only significant difference between Earth Science and Environmental Science will be less of an emphasis on geology and more of an emphasis on Ecology. In the interview, Honaker assured that MCHS is not the only school within the state to make this change. She states that three other schools will be joining us in the shift, though was unable to give the names of those schools at the time. The eighth grade science curriculum will not change as a result of this shifting of classes. One thing that will change in the Middle School is the computer class. Though many of the specifics are unknown, Honaker stated that the ninth grade computer class of Computer Information Systems will be moved to the middle school. According to Honaker, May 19, 2011 • The Mountaineer
Above: An outline was provided by Assistant Principle Josh Walton in explanation of the possible paths MCHS students could take to fulfil the science requirements. Maggie Vaillant/ MCHS Mountaineer
this change, like the changes in the science department, are to make room for higher level courses in the high school. In the Madison County Public Schools 2011-2016 Long-Range Plan draft presented to the School Board of December 12, 2010, the school system outlined its mission to make Madison County Public Schools “a student-centered and community supported school division,” that “insures a superior educa-
tion in a changing world.” This changing and shifting of the schools’ curricula and methods is in line with this plan, which states in its goals sections that they wish “to provide the highest quality education for all students.” One of the other goals outlined is “to employ and retain highly qualified staff.” What will this mean for the staff of Madison County Public Schools? Only time will tell. 9
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Falling Apart at the Seams If the student body and staff could agree on one thing, we are sure it would be the condition of the school buildings. The bathrooms are a disgrace. Some of the classrooms have cracked windows and the possibility of mold in the ceilings- it is more noticeable in some rooms than others. The high school is the oldest building of all of the Madison County Public Schools, and also in the worst shape. It still contains nearly all of the original equipment it was built with, such as doors, windows, and the plumbing, according to Mike Sisler, principal of MCHS, who agrees that the schools are in need of a tune-up. This may be because of the fact that our school barely meets health and safety requirements. The building was “grandfathered in,” said Sisler, meaning that the building was built before most of the current health and safety laws were created. Our school is far from able to meet the requirements for the handicapped and disabled. The building has nearly no ramps and no automatic doors. The only concession to the federal mandates is the elevator, which is necessary for wheelchair-bound students who need to travel up and down stairs. Another alarming issue with the building are the bug, and rodent infestations. There was even a snake found! The snake
predicament was mainly in the gym and nursing classroom, however. Mice have been occasionally spotted the building in classrooms. There is a hole in the wall in the nursing room that wasps enter the school through. This could be hazardous to anyone who is allergic to bees. Ironic for the nursing room, right? Also, have you ever noticed the extreme temperature differences in the building on any given day? Over winter, the central air to the school is switched onto heat. And early spring, it is switched back to AC, despite the weather or temperatures. This is a problem on cold spring and warm fall days. The middle school, however, has newer AC/heaters in the classrooms where it can be adjusted to each individual room and changed between heat and AC whenever needed. The high school does not have this. If there happened to be a warm day in the late fall, there would be nothing the school could do because the air would have already been changed and the students would suffer. Does this not seem unfair? Even though a new wing was added to the school years ago, there is still not enough space for every single teacher to have their own classroom. For two years, Stephanie Jones, a math teacher for MCHS, has had to move between rooms for her different classes. She is not alone in the math department, nor the
McSherryism
n
school as a whole, as most of the foreign language department enjoys no permanent classroom. There has been talk between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors about renovating the Primary, Middle, and High schools just to meet health and safety codes. The Capital Improvement Plan also is requiring the schools to renovate. Lastly, concerns about the safety of students and teachers have been expressed by multiple teachers. It is possible for someone to enter the front doors of this school without being seen. If an intruder were to enter our school, we’d be toast. None of the classroom doors in the school lock from the inside, that’s why during lock downs teachers have to open their doors to lock them, allowing a gunman easy access. If we were to be faced with an intruder in the school, the classrooms in the older sections of the school do not have panic buttons that could be pressed for help. Teachers would have to call the front office on their cell phones. And perhaps we should be doing lock down drills a couple of times a year if we can’t fix these safety issues. As you can see, our school is not the safest or healthiest environment. There is no one to blame for this- our janitors do a wonderful job- it is just old and worn out. This building does its job for now, but we will need a new one before this place gets anymore crippled. Let’s just hope it’s soon.
“I’ll let ya’ll.... imagine.”
Sketch by Clare Moretz MCHS Senior AprilMay 5, 2011 The •Mountaineer 19, •2011 The Mountaineer
Perry McSherry MCHS English Teacher
3
3
Changes in the Curriculum: Earth Science for Environmental Science? Maggie Vaillant MCHS Mountaineer
As spring makes its entrance with a stream of severe thunder storms, changes make their own debuts in Madison County High and Middle Schools. First, there are the usual changes to be found in any school as the closing of the school year draws near. Seniors are preparing for their summers before college, and college itself. Juniors are making the transition from “one more year” to “I only need two classes to graduate?” Sophomores are preparing for the years they have left, while realizing that they’re no longer the “lowest of the underclassmen.” The biggest of changes, however, is to the high school science curriculum. As of the 2011-2012 school year, next year, Earth Science will no longer be available as a course. Instead of the previous usual freshman year science class, a new course will be implemented, as well as a whole new set of possible science paths for the students to follow. In fact, the Earth Science SOL will no longer be required for any students. Instead, MCHS is offering Environmental Science, not as a required course, but as an elective science course, similar to Bi8
ology II or Chemistry II. Also notable is that the requirements for graduation have changed in the area of Science. Formerly, three verified credits, or the passing three SOLs, were required for an Advanced Studies diploma. Students aiming for it would take the Earth Science, Biology, and Chemistry SOLs. Now that there is no Earth Science class to be taken, since it has been folded into the Environmental Science class the SOL is no longer required. Just like now however, only two verified credits will be necessary to graduate with the Advance Studies diploma. Chemistry and Biology will fulfill these re-
quirements now, though the Earth Science SOL will still be offered for those taking Environmental Science. Director of Instruction Renee Honaker said in a phone interview Friday, April 15 that these changes are being made to ensure that there is space in MCHS for more advanced courses. AP Biology, for example, will also be offered as of next year. This change and shift in curriculum marks Madison County’s growing emphasis on making Advanced Placement courses available. According to Honaker, the administration would like to see other AP courses, like AP Chemistry, be added to the curriculum, however, she states
Catherine Arnette teaches Earth Science to her student Mariely Rolon. Kim Thomas/MCHS Mountaineer
May 19, 2011 • The Mountaineer
Josh Walton, Assistant Principal of MCHS, is excited by the changes being made to the curriculum in Science, Foreign Language, and possibly CTE. Kim Thomas/ MCHS Mountaineer
that these things need to be done, “One step at a time.” According to MCHS VicePrinciple Josh Walton, the only significant difference between Earth Science and Environmental Science will be less of an emphasis on geology and more of an emphasis on Ecology. In the interview, Honaker assured that MCHS is not the only school within the state to make this change. She states that three other schools will be joining us in the shift, though was unable to give the names of those schools at the time. The eighth grade science curriculum will not change as a result of this shifting of classes. One thing that will change in the Middle School is the computer class. Though many of the specifics are unknown, Honaker stated that the ninth grade computer class of Computer Information Systems will be moved to the middle school. According to Honaker, May 19, 2011 • The Mountaineer
Above: An outline was provided by Assistant Principle Josh Walton in explanation of the possible paths MCHS students could take to fulfil the science requirements. Maggie Vaillant/ MCHS Mountaineer
this change, like the changes in the science department, are to make room for higher level courses in the high school. In the Madison County Public Schools 2011-2016 Long-Range Plan draft presented to the School Board of December 12, 2010, the school system outlined its mission to make Madison County Public Schools “a student-centered and community supported school division,” that “insures a superior educa-
tion in a changing world.” This changing and shifting of the schools’ curricula and methods is in line with this plan, which states in its goals sections that they wish “to provide the highest quality education for all students.” One of the other goals outlined is “to employ and retain highly qualified staff.” What will this mean for the staff of Madison County Public Schools? Only time will tell. 9
