Creek Family Fun Run Pg. 9
Battle of the bands Pg. 8
Creek Baseball Pg. 23
March 2009- Volume 84, Issue 6 Clear Creek High School
2305 E. Main, League City, TX 77573
Possible scheduling concerns addressed affect their GPA if they are involved in Policy changes over the past few years other elective classes, many of which rehave affected the way students choose ceive fewer GPA points than AP and PreAP their classes each spring. The end of block classes. Larsen said that he felt it would be scheduling, the enactment of the 4x4 harder, for instance, for a student in priplan, the transition to a 6.0 grading scale, marily AP classes and one regular class to and other factors have caused students to maintain a higher GPA if their grade were change their plans to meet their high school to drop in the unweighted class, which can goals. While these new requirements may earn a maximum of 5.0 GPA per credit. Junior Sarah Johnson, a band member daunt some, students, teachers, and administrators at Creek and across CCISD currently ranked number four in her class, are finding ways to balance schedules said that initially, she was concerned that and allow for maximum student success. if she didn’t take all AP classes, her rank One recent transition is the movement would drop. However, she continued to from a 4.5 to a 6.0 grading scale. This new take her chosen elective classes. “I decided that I’d GPA format has been phased into CCISD schools over the last three years, and will rather take what I want be fully implemented next year. This new to take than worry about system removes the grade capping that was it that much,” she said. Students have in place on the old scale by breaking down a student’s GPA on a point by point basis. also said that Although students may like the new they believe method, there are some concerns. A num- their exber of top-ranking students have said that t r a they prefer the elimination of the shared GPA and the fact that a point by point system differentiates between students who make different scores within the same letter grade. “It’s more fair because it shows the difference between an 89 and an 81,” Shatavia Collins and Kendrick Rhem sophomore Christopher Larsen said. ponder their course selections. Those same students, however, Simulated photo by Dakota Sinks have expressed some concern about Photo illustration by Allie Hinga how the more competitive scale may
Allie Hinga
curricular activities will help them on their college applications. CCISD staff members have also been working to make sure that the 6.0 scale allows students to set attainable goals, maximize their GPA, and still follow their other passions. In consideration of high achieving students, the necessary GPA to be Summa Cum Laude, one of the highest graduation honors, is 5.0. Creek head counselor Marshall Ponce said that the number of students with this designation in the current junior class is comparable to the number of students with this ranking in the senior class.
“That shows us that that’s the right target,” she said. Ponce said that
she felt that the new scale is extremely fair , and she preferred the elimination of the shared GPA among students. She commented that on this system, students will actually know who has the highest GPA and know that, for those students, everything counts to stay in a number one ranking. Counselors are also working to make provisions to allow students to maintain a rigorous course load and still take elective classes. Their recommendation to the Board of Trustees to follow House Bill Three within CCISD would eliminate a technology credit, a health credit, and a semester of PE from the graduation requirements for students on all degree plans. CCISD counselors developed a model illustrating how this change will allow students to take weighted classes as well as an elective class for four years of high school without having to complete courses such as summer school or correspondence courses. According to the model, students can take five advanced credit classes and an elective class each year, as well as meet other graduation requirements. At its regular meeting on March 22, the School Board decided to implement House Bill Three in the district, which will allow students to follow the modeled schedule.
Students demonstrate their “Hearts for Haiti” Jordan Little
Only two months ago, the people of Haiti were devastated by a catastrophic earthquake that left many dead, injured, or without a family or home. In the past weeks, Haitians, with help from other nations and individuals, have been trying their best just to survive. In light of the natural disaster, Allie Hinga and Catherine Uong, two seniors at Creek felt the need to reach out to those suffering. Uong, who is President of National Honor Society, wanted to organize a project in which NHS members could help the people of Haiti. As editor of the newspaper, Hinga wanted to involve the Hilife staff as well. Both knew that with the help of students around Creek, they could raise money to help Haitians in need. After talking over the possibilities, Uong and Hinga came up with their ongoing project, Hearts for Haiti. The project’s goal was to raise awareness about those in need in Haiti and to encourage Creek students to help out by donating money. The two felt
that it would be even more meaningful if students were to write messages to the Haitians that could be sent with the money. Any student who donated a dollar could write a message of
encouragement to the people of Haiti on a pink or white slip of paper. Uong and Hinga decided that the best way to get people to donate would be to ask for donations during lunch for two weeks. In order for the process t o work, stu-
dents would need to volunteer during their lunch to collect money. The two invited other Creek organizations to help with the project. “I was amazed by the response we got from some of the students and some of the groups who volunteered,” Hinga said. Spanish Honor Society made flyers and a giant heart that originally was planned to display the letters to Haitians. Health Occupations Students of America, or HOSA, helped raise money for the project. Other organizations, including JSA, NHS, Christian Club, and the Clear Creek Volunteers, contributed as well. In the end, the students raised $350.00 for the victims in Haiti. Uong and Hinga are still working on getting the money and notes into the right hands. The girls have decided to give the money to Partners in Health, an organization that would use the money to help send more doctors and nurses to victims in Haiti. The two are also working to find the most effective way to send the notes to Haitians. Photos by Allie Hinga Photo illustrations by Allie Hinga