Today is Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Today is Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Last year, through the collective efforts of students and staff, the school was able to raise 30,000 pounds of food. It is important for the school to continue setting high goals and seek improvement, as these donations make a huge difference in the lives of families that rely on SHFB.
As the Occupy movement spreads rapidly across the nation, it has become increasingly important for students to understand current events.
By educating themselves about the reality of recent social struggles, students can make their own judgments and actively participate in shaping the movement, which may have significant and immediate impacts on the current generation such as cuts to education.
Every six years, the school is thoroughly evaluated by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) as part of an accreditation process. Schools are required to complete a self -study report with an action plan.Since the last self-study report, which was compiled in 2007, the school has demonstrated focus in reaching its goals and should be commended for its dedication to improving the quality of education and building the school community.
For many students, completing their online Health course is a race to the finish. Some get through the entire class in as little as two days.
Since the end of last week, students enrolled in AP classes may have lost motivation to learn new material and review for finals—particularly when teachers have been “teaching around the test” all year. With the big tests already taken, reviewing for finals feels like busywork.
In response to student and staff requests for a more lenient cell phone policy, the administration announced in March that cell phones will temporarily be allowed during brunch and lunch. Fourth quarter will be used as a trial period to determine the effectiveness of the new policy. The administration will be paying attention to whether or not cell phone usage in classrooms increases.
For years, students have heard that America is founded on democracy. And while they are poring over Holt and Houghton Mifflin, the fight for democracy is ongoing outside their textbooks.
For the past 26 years, Writers Week has thrived because the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) has worked to bring professional poets, novelists, journalists and songwriters to the school. Thanks to the collaborative effort between PTSA members and the guest writers, students have the opportunity to explore writing with a professional backdrop.
We are fortunate to have many dedicated teachers at the school—but almost all students can agree that there are moments when a poster-making activity takes up too much class time or a bland Powerpoint entices the sleepy.
In passing Measure A, voters have done their part to green the school. But new gadgets can only go so far; environmentalism should start with smart use of existing resources. While the implementation of Measure A is estimated to save the school 50 percent of its electricity costs, the faculty can still do more to lower resource use.