May, 2005
A look inside...
Dr. Hayes talks about new school year Editorial: Page 3
Change in latitude: London News: Page 5
Vol.80/Issue:7
Block scheduling confirmed for 06-07 school year Cory Stottlemyer Editor in Chief
For the 2006-2007 school year, Clear Creek High School will return to block scheduling. This decision was made at the April CCISD board meeting. “The district administration and the board with input from parents decided that the students at Creek would benefit from the implementation of block,” Dr. Fred Hayes said. “We will have additional instructional time for our teachers so that they can use different instructional and assessment strategies.” This past year, the construction on campus has caused excessive travel between campus, and teachers have lost instructional time to allow students to leave early. Dr. Hayes has been very adamant about correcting this problem, and has worked hard to find a solution to this problem. According to Dr. Hayes, block scheduling would help to improve these issues on Creekʼs campus by limiting the among of times students cross campus and would give teachers longer class periods to more effectively “The quality of instruction will be enhanced with the implementation of block,” Dr. Hayes said. “We will also see an improvement in student management with fewer class changes.” Next year, the problem of transportation across campus will be even larger. The new building will be opening, causing even more travel across the campus to occur. Creek is also expected to
have over 4,000 students next year, and the current schedule is not considered effective enough by Dr. Hayes to efficiently handle such a large number of students. “We anticipate that the scheduling process will hit some bumps,” Dr. Hayes said regarding whether there will be any concerns regarding a return to block scheduling. “[B]ut before our students get there in August, we will have it all worked out.” The school board initially voted against having block scheduling on February 27. This initial decision caused various other schedules to be created that included extending the school day and starting at various times. Now that block scheduling is in place, these schedules will no longer be considered. The decision to return to block scheduling has also raised some concern in the community due to the fact that Creek will be the only school in CCISD returning to block scheduling. Questions have been raised on whether the change in scheduling will raise issues with the surrounding schools and if any conflicts may arise. “We [at Creek] do share staff with some of the other campuses in the district, so we will have to make some adjustments,” Dr. Hayes said. “The other schools have been supportive and they want to give us all the support that we need, so that they can consider block in the future.” Questions have arisen as to how students will react to the change. While many would like to have the change to allow more time for homework and certain elective classes, others do not like the
idea of extended class periods and shorter lunches. “The students have taken a wait and see attitude,” Dr. Hayes said when answering the question of how students have responded to block. “Overall, they have been excited about the change.” Teachers and parents have given a lot of support for the change to block. Most teachers like the idea of having longer class periods to teach students more effectively, and parents agree that block increases the chances of having their students receive a better education. “The reception of the staff and parents has been very positive,” Dr. Hayes said. “[W]e always get such great support from our parents and teachers.” The idea of having block scheduling return to Creek has been tossed around for quite a while this year. This year has been especially difficult for students and faculty as they have had to adjust to the many changes that the campus is undergoing. Block scheduling is a way to help Creek get back to a normal state and decrease the amount of confusion caused by construction. “The quality of teaching at Creek is good now, but will greatly improve with block because of added time and flexibility,” Dr. Hayes said. “Flexibility is what will make this schedule perfect.” *Editorsʼ note: The faculty, staff, students and parents of Clear Creek High School wish to thank Dr. Sandra Mossman, the Board of Trustees and the administrative staff for seeing the need for block scheduling.
Invisible children are being revealed
Kelsey Wiley and Rachel Rodgers Editors
HiLife staff makes a difference Creek Speaks: Page12
Creek bids a good friend goodbye Sports: Page 15
traveled to the war-infected Africa. “What they found was a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them,” according to invisiblechildren.com. They discovered the plight of the Ugandan children and decided attention must be brought to the world. Through their documentary, “Invisible Children: Rough Cut,” they hoped
be no comparison of the actual hardships they face. Global Night Commute was an event held to show politicians that AmeriInvisible children. Children living cans DO care about what is taking place in millions of miles away that go unnoticed, other countries. unseen, and unheard. Houston sponsored its own Global The tragedy has been taking place in Night Commute. Over one thousand Uganda has been raging on for 20 years. Houstonians and residents of surThousands of children have rounding areas signed up at been abducted from their homes invisiblechildren.com to take a at night. stand and voice their concerns Once they have been capabout the long lasting conflict tured they are brainwashed and occurring in Africa and the lack desensitized to the atrocities of of government assistance. war by the LRA (Lordʼs ReParticipants were asked sistance Army), led by Joseph to walk, roughly two miles, Kony. The children are forced around the Rice University to fight a war that most are campus. They walked alongto young to even understand. side busy streets surrounded These rebels are trying to by skyscrapers and the everoverthrow the Ugandan Govbooming construction. People ernment because of complex brought the comforts of home religious beliefs of the Acholi with them like sleeping bags, people. coolers, ipods, pillows, and Unlike American children footballs. Compare that to who have the comforts of a the mountainous trek of the safe bed to sleep in at night, Ugandan child carrying with that privilege for the Ugandan them no more than a single, children is unattainable. They ratty blanket. Global Night make a nightly commute from Commute was a start to bringtheir homes to sleep in crowding awareness to the Ugandan ed, dirty, and unsupervised city crisis. shelters. At times the shelters Photo by invisiblechildren.com and HiLife staff The conclusion should start can be very dangerous, but the children to inspire the people of the world to take here but the story of the invisible children chose to take that risk rather than be taken action. is not over yet. Neither is the war. Until the In cities all around the world on April conflict is resolved there will always be as a captive, servant, and child soldier by 29,2006 people took action. For one night, people willing to stand up for what they the LRA. Three young American boys, Jason people attempted to experience what life know is right and to be the voice of the Russell, Bobby Bailey, and Laren Poole, was like for a Ugandan child, but there can unheard invisible children.