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SHAKEN TO THE CORE
highlights
The idea behind CCSS is to unite as many states as possible under common expectations, rather than have a patchwork of mixed standards for different locations. The standards are made to be concise so that parents, students, and teachers alike are able to understand them. They are designed to help students prepare to enter the next phase of their education or the workforce. The National Governor’s Association and
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On July 27, 2010, the Florida State Board of Education approved the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English/ Language Arts and Mathematics. Florida has been slowly phasing out the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) and full implementation of the CCSS test is expected led the CCSS initiative and governors to take place for freshmen and sophomores in and education the 2014-2015 school commissioners year. I think the transition is continue to lead New curriculum probably going to be very the initiative. The is already in smooth. Common Core federal government development, but there Standards is all about good was not involved in will be no actual testing teaching. the development of changes this year in CCSS. There has Assistant Principal, Florida. Several states been backlash and Nestor Diaz were chosen this year arguments among politicians about was not one of them. whether the test is a good idea for the state. This past summer, seminars were held for “It’s a shame that the state is politicizing teachers to learn about the new curriculum. the concept of Common Core education “I think the transition is probably going because all it really is is a set of national to be very smooth. Common Core Standards standards. We’re the only western is all about good teaching,” said Assistant industrialized nation that does not have Principal Nestor Diaz.
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national standards,” said Science Department Chair Orestes Mayo. The issue presented by CCSS is that the testing period is approximately 20 school days long. It also coincides with Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate testing, as well as End Of Course (EOC) assessments. Implementation of the new standards will cost the state an estimated additional $67.7 million, according to an analysis by the Thomas Fordham Institute. For students this year, there will still be FCAT Reading for freshmen and sophomores, FCAT Writing for sophomores, and EOCs for Algebra I, Unites States History, Geometry, and Biology. “I’d rather it be harder than the FCAT,” said sophomore Evan Caldwell. For high school math, CCSS cover numbers and quantity, algebra, functions, modeling, geometry, and statistics and probability. For English/Language Arts, it covers reading, writing, speaking, listening, language, media, and technology. and four territories have fully adopted CCSS for English/Language Arts and Mathematics. The only states not to do so yet are Alaska, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia.
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CAVALIER FAMILY
news IN OUR THOUGHTS: Late highlights
donation. They expect these details to be worked out shortly after the school year begins, and once they are, contributions in her name will be welcome.
PG. 13 The Band of Distinction takes the
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PG. 11
Room 504 was known as “her room” and it was in that very classroom that she inspired so many of her students through her passion and dedication to teaching and the school. Shortly after Adams passed away, her family, through her husband and son, asked for donations to be made to both the American Diabetes Foundation and the school’s library. It was a request from Adams herself to have these contributions made, especially to the school’s library because she knew the money would go to good use.
the scene
On July 12 former highlights adviser, Marlene Adams, passed away due to diabetes and heart disease at age 73. After her passing, her family chose to donate to the school’s library. Adams began working at the school in 1962, and besides being the adviser for both highlights and yearbook, she was the coach and sponsor for the school’s chess team. She worked as an intern for The Miami News and brought her journalism expertise to the classroom as she continued to teach journalism at the school until she retired in 1995. “She was a spirited Cavalier,” said Adams’s son Robertson Adams, “she took me to many of the [football] games when I was a boy.” STAFF WRITER
PG. 15 Tropical Chinese offers an affordable array of Dim Sum