THE COUNTRYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
PAW PRINT 3000 SR 580
Friday, September 8th, 2006 - VOLUME 28, Issue 1
Clearwater, Florida
Cougar Courtyard gives Countryside a new look alessandraYOUNG
staff writer
At the beginning of last year the Parent Teacher Student Association, the art club, and two Boy Scouts were brainstorming on the Cougar Courtyard project. Patti Humberstone, the PTSA president, had the idea to beautify the area of the flag pole. The person in charge of the project and contacting the Boy Scouts was Sarah Butz The Cougar Courtyard project began at the beginning of last year and it wasn’t a fast project to accomplish. First it was up to the art teacher, Jay Titus, and the art club. Because they only met once a month, Mr. Titus’ ceramics I and II class jumped in to the project. They started by cutting and molding 128 tiles. Then they carved a school related design, such as books on them. “After a while the students got bored of just carving books or school related design and decided to make all sorts of designs,” said Jay Titus. “People should stop and look more closely at them, and they would be surprised on what they can see,” said Titus. After the tiles were carved and painted they had to go in the kiln for an entire day at 200 degrees. Another coat of under glazing was applied, then it was put in the kiln again and a coat of glaze was added. It took 3 days to a week to have all the tiles ready. Two Boy Scouts were in charge of putting the mural together and used this as their Eagle Scout project; Junior Kevin O’Leary and sophomore Brandon Scholet. The PTSA told the boys what area they wanted them to work on and then it was all up to them. The Eagle award is about leadership and creativity, clearly this was the project they needed. The funds came from everywhere, the PTSA donated around $500 to each scout, but that was not enough, so Kevin and Brandon had to do fundraisers. Brandon went to supermarkets Publix and Wal-Mart; he
managed to raise $2,000. While some people might have been at the beach or in a room with air conditioning these two boys were working outside in Florida hot weather for two days, twelve hours each day with the help of 15 people on day one, and 17 on day two. Kevin built the frame and then glued the tiles. He spent two days gluing and after three to four days came back and planted the plants which were donated and applied the mulch, which he bought. The boy’s troop leader told the boys that they didn’t meet the requirements for the Eagle Scout positions, and needed to add benches to the courtyard, which they did. The Cougar Courtyard not only has the 128 tiles, two benches, plants, mulch, and flag pole, it also has 144 bricks. These bricks were sold for $50 by the PTSA; this included three lines each up to fourteen characters and a logo. “You could write anything you wanted on those bricks,” said Sarah Butz. The
PTSA goal was to beautify the school main entrance, and leave a great memory for people to look back on. Mr. Titus didn’t work with the boys but he said that they sure worked really hard. He added, “When I leave for the summer, I don’t come back, but I was so curious to see how the Cougar Courtyard looked that I had to come back!”
Photo courtesy of Rick Amstulz
The dedication ceremony of the Cougar Courtyard occured August 24th, 2006. The courtyard features bricks purchased by students and alumni to make a permanent mark of their existence at CHS.
Pinellas County School Board seats up for grabs after accumulating several detentions. During this four and that in the very near future changes will be made to a half hour period, a student sits in the cafeteria with fellow eliminate FCAT.” staff writer repeat offenders, where they have the option of working Kaplan also faces serious criticism under Scofields Every two years, an alternating half of the seven members on homework or staring at the wall. There is no talking, sharp eyes. “Kaplan is a huge waste of our money. It doesn’t help the students. of the school board hit the re-election period. This year sleeping, or text “ think it’s important (teamwork) because we’re going through a It doesn’t help the at-large Districts 2 and 3 and single-member Districts 6 messaging. Silence lot of changes right now in Pinellas County.” teachers. It’s useless and 7 are all up for election. With elections around the is mandatory. “It’s miserable for the -Mary Russell, School Board Candidate to parents.” corner and sixteen candidates all vying for the same four kids,” O’Flannery Scofield urges positions, this year’s race will prove to be interesting. At large District 3 is the only district without a current said. “Discipline in North East High went from 400 the school board to “start working in advance for the end of the Choice Plan.” The court order expires in 2007 board member. Out of the five candidates, each has reasons suspensions a year ... to under twenty.” As the Choice program ends in 2007, ideas of what to and Scofield would like to see the board “working ahead why they are most fit for the job. Three are citing their experience in the school system, while the other two are replace it with are arising from many of the candidates. instead of waiting till the last minute to implement the pronouncing the need for diversity on the board and claim O’Flannery favors a cluster-schooling plan where students new system.” She has a plan to solve the transportation and alternative their business background will provide exactly that. All could choose between two to three schools within a tenmile radius of their home. to Choice issues. Scofield created the Community have new and inventive ideas that they hope will win voters “ f I was on the school board during the recent If for some reason they find Cluster plan that would work in collaboration with her their surrounding schools Revolutionary Transportation Plan. Students would and put them ahead of the budget crisis I would have cut Kaplan.” unsatisfactory, they may choose register to attend a school within their communities that game. -Sean O’Flannery,School Board Candidate a school farther away, to which would become their home school. Each school within the Sean O’Flannery, 38, is a they would then provide their Cluster would house particular programs in which they former student of Countryside own transportation. would specialize in order to attract students. Students may where he helped bring home the first swim team state Anne Scofield, 51, works in the professional attend one school all day, or they may attend one school in championship in 1985. He has taught for the past ten years at various schools including Countryside High, North development department in Pinellas which works to train the morning and transfer to another in the afternoon for East High, BayPoint Middle, and currently he teaches and Pinellas teachers and staff. Scofield has strong opinions one of the magnet programs using the RTP. The Revolutionary Transportation Plan builds upon the coaches volleyball at Lakewood High. He believes that about the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and teachers do not receive the level of respect they deserve Kaplan. Speaking of FCAT, Scofield said, “I think FCAT idea of using neighborhood schools for bus stops. “I think our way of thinking how and would like to confront that issue. Concerning Kaplan, is a corrupt test from the we transport students is O’Flannery said, “If I was on the school board during the beginning to the end. The “ think FCAT is a corrupt test from the beginning entire system is corrupt. outdated,” Scofield said. recent budget crisis I would have cut Kaplan.” to the end.” She believes the RTP O’Flannery draws his beliefs on discipline from North It’s a way for legislatures -Anne Scofield, School Board Candidate would provide safe spots East High School where he witnessed changes brought in Tallahassee to move for the students to wait on by the Alternate Bell Schedule. ABS is a program that money around. It’s unfair for their bus. School runs Monday through Friday; 2:00 to 6:30 p.m. ABS is to the students. It’s an alterative to suspension caused by tardiness or behavior putting too much burden on the teachers and detracting buses would pick up same level students, and take them problems in the classroom. A student receives ABS only time from allowing them to teach. And I certainly hope Please see SCHOOL BOARD page 3 missyWILLOUGHBY
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