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GLENBROOK SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 4000 W. LAKE AVE., GLENVIEW, IL 60026
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MARCH 11, 2013 ISSUE 5 VOLUME 51
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South poised to switch to block schedule in 2014-2015 Inaara Tajuddin
staff reporter
What’s your take?
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On Feb. 28, a committee of 39 instructors and administrators decided to recommend to the Board of Education that South switch to an AB block schedule for the 2014-2015 school year. Principal Dr. Brian Wegley originally said that Feb. 28 was a tentative date for making a decision on the AB Block Schedule because he was not VXUH LI D Ă€QDO GHFLVLRQ FRXOG EH reached. “Our goal [was] to run the process and set up for this discussion, which [was] a consensus building process with individuals that [included] two members from every department and the instructional supervisors for every department,â€? Wegley said. According to Anne LePage, chair of the Schedule Evaluation Committee (SEC), the group revisited major implications surrounding the AB block schedule during the Feb. 28 meeting. “We decided when we were looking at the schedXOHV WKDW WKHUH ZHUH UHDOO\ WKUHH Ă€OWHUV WKDW ZH VKRXOG think about,â€? LePage said. “One would be what impact does time have on student growth, and we certainly don’t want to change anything that might imSDFW VWXGHQW JURZWK 7KH VHFRQG Ă€OWHU ZH ORRNHG DW was what might the change in schedule do to our culture here and who we are. And the WKLUG Ă€OWHU WKDW ZH ORRNHG DW ZDV ZKDW WKH schedule would do to social [and] behav-
ioral issues here at Glenbrook South.â€? In order to gain information prior to the Feb. 28 meeting, surveys were handed to teachers in department meetings, according to English teacher Catherine Klahn. 6KH VDLG WKDW HDFK WHDFKHU FKRVH RQH RI WKH Ă€YH RSWLRQV presented, ranging from complete support of the change to a block schedule to no support for the change. According to Terrence Jozwik, Social Studies instructional supervisor, the Social Studies Department was leaning in favor of the AB Block Schedule, where students have 90-minute classes every other day and a built-in lunch period. “We have 25 members in the department, and I think out of those 25, I would say 18 were leaning towards being in favor of the AB Block Schedule,â€? Jozwik said. “[...] So taking a look at those numbers, Social Studies seems to be fairly strongly in favor of the AB Block [schedule].â€? Jozwik mentioned that one of the major reasons the Social Studies Department teachers leaned toward the AB Block was the longer periods. “They were leaning towards deeper engagement in whatever subject of social studies [they] taught and [in] the lesson of the day so that we can continue on instead of start and stop, start and stop,â€? Jozwik said. Phil Gartner, Math Department instructional supervisor, mentioned some aspects of the
See BLOCKS page 2 What’s your take?
What’s your take?
sophomore
science teacher
social studies teacher
Benedict Hussmann
Emily Sonneborn
Diane Dillon
“When Glenbrook South considered the blocks in 1999-2000, I was opposed to it, and I think partially [because of] my frustration with the choppiness of our eightperiod day, of feeling that I fall behind consistently and [of] the Glenbrook North teachers’ satisfaction with their day, I came to favor the AB block [‌] so I was pleased with the outcome.â€?
“I’m optimistic that it will be a good change. I think it’ll be a better day for students. I continue to worry about the content loss, but I hope XLEX [I GER ½RH [E]W XS QEOI ?MX YTA - LEZI taught on the block before when it was piloted at GBS. [...] Although [the pilot block classes were]105 minutes, so it is a little shorter [at] 90 minutes, so we’re going to have to work really hard to make every minute count in class.â€?
“I’m not really excited about it. I think that it’s better if we have 50 minutes classes every day because if you have questions, you’re able to go and see your teacher the next day instead of waiting another day to clarify. I feel like I’ll procrastinate much more because I’ll have an extra day to do work. I’m just not excited.�
National movement for STEM curriculum to be introduced at South sign. However, the opportunities Hall envisions for students will fully arrive during and after the 2014-2015 Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a Science, Technol- VFKRRO \HDU DW ZKLFK SRLQW VL[ VSHFLĂ€F FODVVHV ZLOO EH ogy, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-intensive unveiled. These courses include Aerospace Engineerprogram, will be introduced to South next school ing, Biotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering and year with two new courses. Architecture, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, According to Dawn Hall, the instructional super- Digital Electronics, and Engineering Design and Devisor of the Applied Technology Department, the velopment. PLTW initiative was originally designed as a solution “In truth, [PLTW] is a pre-engineering program to a problem the entire nation faces. That problem is of study that is really designed to support a student D GHFUHDVHG LQWHUHVW DQG SXUVXLW LQ WKH 67(0 Ă€HOGV [...] after high school [...] to be more successful,â€? Hall during a time when society needs to increase interest said. “Engineering is such a broad area that one of and the number of careers in these different sectors, our needs and challenges will be to [...] create a seaccording to Hall. quence that is well-known and looked for by schools With the program’s debut next year, students will of engineering.â€? be able to enroll and participate in Principles of Engineering along with Introduction to Engineering DeAaron Ach
92% of PTLW seniors plan
staff reporter
See PLTW page 3
NEWS
2
OPINIONS
8
FEATURES
15
to pursue four-year degree
70% plan to study STEM in college
90% of seniors are confident in college major choice
According to PLTW-conducted surveys of PLTW seniors across the nation
A&E
17
SPORTS
20