CRYSTAL RIVER — A program in Citrus County is getting middle school students out on the water to learn how to protect the environment, but there’s a catch – other students are doing the teaching.
Elisabeth Veal is a junior at the Academy of Environmental Science in Citrus County, but when she’s out on the water, she’s the teacher.
Veal and some of her fellow high schoolers are teaching a group of middle schoolers about the human impact on water quality.
“It’s good that we get the chance to tell them what they are doing so they can help make a difference,” said Veal.
The students use scientific equipment to do their research, like the Turbidimeter and Nansen Bottle. They also take part in a few different workshops that take place out in the field and in the classroom.
I had an enjoyable visit to Crystal River Primary on Wednesday, October, 20, 2010. Crystal Primary is going through extensive renovation right now. In the next several weeks some students will move into newly renovated classrooms and others will move out of temporary class space. Principal Eddie Speight and the entire CRP Administrative team are doing an amazing job at keeping up with the many challenges this renovation program presents and minimizing its impact on the students. When completed, CRP will feel much like a new campus with the front of the school relocated to Crystal Street, the same as both the Crystal River Middle School and the Coastal Library.
“Rock Crusher Ready”, was the saying when I visited Rock Crusher Elementary (RCE) on Wednesday, October, 20, 2010. I always enjoy my visits to RCE and Wednesday was no exception. Principal John Weed and I talked about many of the great programs RCE is doing and the positive results so far this year. Then we went through many of the classrooms to see our students and educators in action. Outside , Mr. James Wellborn and his Reach class were flying specially made airplanes they had been designing and building in class. After airplanes the class will begin designing and building model rockets to fly. One of the first things I noticed as I came on campus was the new walking track that was being installed. The school district applied and receive grant monies to install a walking track at some of the elementary schools in the district. Schools that did not have the room for the walking tracks had their bus lanes stripped as a walking track. Many of our elementary schools had after school walking and running clubs and these tracks are a welcome addition.
I wanted to share with you a new show television show I recently had the opportunity of watching called “School Pride” on Friday’s 8:00pm on NBC or available free on demand at Hulu.com.
We have so much to be proud of in our Citrus County Schools. While we all know of the struggles we face in educating our students, we are blessed that our Citrus County Schools are not like those in “School Pride”.
“School Pride” is from executive producers Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Denise Cramsey (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and “True Beauty”), “School Pride” is a proactive, alternative series that tells the stories of communities coming together to renovate their aging and broken public schools. While transforming the school, the community also restores its sense of value and school pride.
The cameras follow students, teachers and parents as they roll up their sleeves and rebuild their own schools, concluding with the unveiling of a brand new, completely transformed school. They are motivated by a quartet of community organizers and personalities – SWAT Commander Tom Stroup; interior designer Susie Castillo (“House of Payne”); comedian and former substitute teacher Kym Whitley (“‘Til Death”); and journalist Jacob Soboroff (“AMC News”). Together, the team of experts will lead the community through the makeover process.
The schools and communities highlighted in the series include Enterprise Middle School in Compton, California; Lanier Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Kingston Springs Elementary in Nashville, Tennessee; Communication and Media Arts School in Detroit, Michigan; Needles High School in Needles, California; Hollenbeck Middle School in Los Angeles, California; and Los Angeles Center for Enrichment Studies in Los Angeles, California.
“School Pride” is produced by Horizon Alternative Television.
At the 2010 General election November 2nd, voters in Florida will be voting on Amendment 8, “Revision of the class size requirements for public schools”. The ballot will officially say:
Revision of the class size requirements for public schools
The Florida Constitution currently limits the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher in public school classrooms in the following grade groupings: for prekindergarten through grade 3, 18 students; for grades 4 through 8, 22 students; and for grades 9 through 12, 25 students. Under this amendment, the current limits on the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher in public school classrooms would become limits on the average number of students assigned per class to each teacher, by specified grade grouping, in each public school. This amendment also adopts new limits on the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher in an individual classroom as follows: for prekindergarten through grade 3, 21 students; for grades 4 through 8, 27 students; and for grades 9 through 12, 30 students. This amendment specifies that class size limits do not apply to virtual classes, requires the Legislature to provide sufficient funds to maintain the average number of students required by this amendment, and schedules these revisions to take effect upon approval by the electors of this state and to operate retroactively to the beginning of the 2010- 2011 school year. YES [ ] or NO [ ]
Personally I will be voting ‘YES’ on Amendment 8. In 2002 I agreed when the Voters of Florida voted for the Classroom Size Amendment because we needed to reduce the number of students in a classroom and bring it to a more manageable number. We have greatly reduced the number of students in a classroom but now , in order to meet the classroom level , a district must open a new classroom once one new student enrolls in school. As an example, if the cap is 22 students for third grade and you get a 23rd student , you must hire another teacher AND provide a new classroom space — all at the taxpayer ‘s expense. In order to meet this requirement, a school might have to add another teacher to the classroom making one classroom with as many as 44 or more students and two teachers. That is not a positive learning environment for our students. The Amendment would give schools and districts more flexibility at the school level to meet the cap on a school average rather then a hard cap.
Research for yourself but consider voting, YES on amendment 8. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
