Vol. V, Issue V
February 3, 2011
1,050 students. Only 2 guidance counselors. The solution? Advisory.
Advisory will transform the high school experience when it is introduced next year. It will give students more hands-on mentoring. But just what does it mean for students and teachers? Morgan Carne investigates.
What Advisory will mean for...
Students
Teachers
85-minute classes versus 95-minute classes 40-minute Advisory periods on Red Days 40-minute study hall periods on White Days Red Days end at 3:35 p.m. White Days end at 2:15 p.m. A deeper sense of unity throughout the entire school More preparation for post-high school life Study skills and make-up time for everyone so that there will be more time to enjoy life after school hours Continued PSAT, SAT, ACT, etc. reminders Fresh Start-type activities throughout the year
by Morgan Carne Ashland High School is particularly dedicated to nurturing the atmosphere of community that makes the school unique from other high schools. For the past two years, AHS staff have been planning the implementation of a program called Advisory that will provide a route for each and every student to navigate high school and life after it. Advisory is “So your big questions get answered because your big questions keep changing,” AHS principal Michelle Zundel explained. The AHS Research and Design Committee has been working at
developing the Advisory program since 2009. Composed of teachers, district staff, parents and students, the committee’s primary aim is to personalize education for each student. “I believe that our students are consumers of education, and I want to provide valuable opportunities for them,” Zundel said. AHS Dean of Students Glenna Stiles agreed that “We need to support our kids more.” For the rest of this school year, Stiles and Zundel will meet whenever they feel it is necessary to continue refining next year’s plans. On Nov. 18, an allday meeting was held on campus
20 students per advisor Stronger relationships with a select few students Full 85-minute class periods – counseling office anouncements, assemblies, etc. will occur during Advisory periods instead of class More focus and direction from students towards future education Less stress due to after-school hours given for students to make-up work being changed to White Day study hall period
for students, administrators and guests who have studied education to go through each month and decide what each grade level
At every grade [...] you need to reassess, ‘Who am I, and where am I going?’ will be doing in Advisory. Nov. 30 was an open meeting for parents of the community to come and share their thoughts. Most recently, on Jan. 13, Stiles and Zundel finished the schedule of
activities for every Advisory class of next year’s first semester. Additionally, teacher training sessions will be held once a month for two hours on White Days after school from February through May, along with two more in the fall of the 2011-2012 school year. “I think it’s going to give us the opportunity to really form some relationships on a deeper level than we’re used to,” AHS teacher Matthew McKinnon said, who is in favor of the changes soon to take place. Over the summer, all AHS teachers will be trained for the new responsibilities involved in being an Advisory teacher and
counselor. “Advisory has more thought behind it,” McKinnon commented when asked how it compared to past advising programs like Guide. “Information is power. Advisory is where you’re going to get information,” Zundel emphasized. Advisory is more than just a class – it’s a comprehensive program that will reinvent what high school is about. “At every grade what we found is you need to reassess, ‘Who am I, and where am I going?’” Zundel said. From the looks of it, next year is gearing up to be a time for change and growth to rival any previous year in the history of AHS.
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto The Ashland High Robotics Club is off to a great start! by Sarah Kasiah The Ashland High Robotics team is off and running on making its 2011 competition robot. On Jan. 9 robotics clubs from all around Oregon were given their basic robot-making kit (including a $4,500 programming system for the designers) as well as the requirements for this year’s robot. The members of the club Wyler McAninch-Ruenzi, Dylan Schink, Julian Jones, Megan Huggins, Joshua Majchrzak, Ari Falkner and Sam Cowan meet almost every day. They meet in Eli Schless’s shop, a metal fabricator who has volunteered to let them use his shop. This year’s state-wide robotics conven-
tion will be held in Portland at the Memorial Coliseum from March 24-26. Day One: members unpack the robot and fix anything that is broken. Day Two: the robots compete. “Starting around midday on Day Two, you lose all memory and perception of time and start working in a sleep deprivation induced delirium. By the end of it no one knows what happened, The first stages of robot construction. but we seem to remember that it was fun,” Dylan Schink, a key member of the club, aluminum tubing and motors. The club has many sponsors, includsaid. This year’s robot must hang tubes on pegs at the edges of the arena and avoid ing Modern Fan, JCPenny, Les Schwab, other robots. A miniature robot must also Evogeneao, Denny from Ashland Forge, be able to climb up a pole. The Ashland and Bruce Smith from Ashland FabricaHigh School robot will be mainly out of tion. The sponsors all donated their time
Photo by Laulel Sager
and expertise to the club. Last year the team placed 20th out of 65 teams at the convention. They are hoping to create an even better robot and place higher this year. Good luck to the Ashland High Robotics team!