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Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, Al• 35406
December 30, 2013 • Volume 11 • Issue 4
Search for principal starts in February Safe and Sound Renu Pandit Editor-in-Chief
D
r. Isaac Espy, principal, announced that he would be returning to his alma mater, Tuscaloosa Academy, at the end of this school year, causing the board of education to search for his replacement. Espy said that the superintendent will identify a process for selecting a principal. “This typically involves a committee that includes parents, teachers, etc., to provide a short list of candidates from the applicants, usually 3 or 4. [The superintendent] will ultimately make the final selection,” Espy said. He said the plan is to advertise the position in February, interview in March, and select in April. “My guess is that if the principal is selected in April, the board of education will act on the recommendation at the early May board meeting,” Espy said. Espy said a successful principal “should have positive experience in leading another school, be a leader in academics, have a plan to address the challenges we face, understand athletics and work well with people.” “I am not sure of the exact role that I will play in this process, but from all indications, I will participate,” he said. Brittany Johnson, senior, said she hopes the new principal will carry many of the qualities Dr. Espy has. “Dr. Espy did a great job of encouraging and recognizing students’ successes through awards ceremonies and the All Academic Team, and I just hope the new principal continues that,” she said. “The new principal should be a great leader with a clear vision for how to run the school. Dr. Espy is both determined and kind, which is a great combination that I would love to see the new principal have.” She said the new principal should also continue to take action on some of the problems the school faces. “Northridge has a few issues including school cleanliness and a drug problem, and I would love to see the new principal continue to deal with it,” Johnson said.
She said that ultimately students need to have a say in deciding the next principal “because students are directly impacted by the principal every day.” Kailey Bissell, senior, disagrees. She said she thinks that students do not need to have a say in deciding the new principal. “We can’t really understand what’s truly best for the future of our school and community,” Bissell said. She said principals should be both reliable and lenient and should be flexible to the needs of students and teachers. “They should focus on meeting the graduation requirements and getting more students to pass their classes and should be involved in the school by getting to know the student body like Dr. Espy did,” Bissell said. “If we could just clone Dr. Espy that would be great.”
New security measures enforced; mixed feelings about practicality
Sumona Gupta Infographics Editor
The new security measures planned at the beginning of the school year have now been put in place. Students may now notice the large gate at the bus entrance, and that parents and visitors are required to present their driver’s license at the front office. Jessica Ballard, sophomore, said she feels like the gate is more of a hindrance than a help. “Every day after sixth period, people coming from TCT are locked out. We always have to wait for someone to See editorial on page 2 come open the door for us,” she said. Seth Gipson, sophomore, said however that the gate secures the campus better. “I feel like I’m protected better now,” he said. Dr. Isaac Espy, principal, said the gate has worked well. “We were exposed with an open entrance in the back of the school,” he said. Espy said that since events like the Columbine shooting in 1999, schools have made extra precautions in order to protect those inside. “The days of open campuses are over. Buzzer systems, locked entrances, and school officers are now standard in most schools,” Espy said. The school’s buzzer system is soon to be completed. The new check in system in the office has been in use since the beginning of the year, but it will be mandatory to check in once students return from Winter Break in January. It allows all visitors to check in and prints an ID badge for visitors to wear. Espy said that students play an important role in keeping the school safe. “The single most effective and important component of school safety and security is not cameras, locks, police officers, or buzzer systems. It is the students who share their concerns, observations, and information with school administrators and other personnel. We 82 students polled. Information always take action on information that is provided,” complied by James Niiler. Designed he said. by Renu Pandit.
What quality is most important for a principal to have?
Leadership
19
Attentiveness
42
Personality
21
Common Core initiative makes ACT test mandatory for juniors James Niiler Feature Editor Beginning this school year, all eleventh grade students will be required to take the ACT. Shannon Bogert, Secondary Reading Specialist for the Tuscaloosa City Schools, said, “The ACT will be used as a state assessment for Alabama students.” However, juniors won’t have to worry about making a certain premeditated score. “‘Passing the ACT is not a requirement,” she said. Elizabeth Tiley, counselor, said, Common Core, the newly adopted interstate education standards, prompted this change. “Part of the Common Core is that we will start administering the ACT to eleventh graders. New tests will replace many that have been previously taken, [even in middle and elementary school]”, she said.
The ultimate motivation for the requirement for juniors to take the test was for their productivity later in life, Tiley said. “I believe [the testing requirement was adopted] because when our students graduated high school, they didn’t have the necessary skills to be successful in college or the workforce. [The State Department of Education] is wanting to increase the standards and rigor of education to prepare students,” she said. Tiley said taking the ACT will provide several benefits for juniors. “[Juniors] get to take the ACT once for free [during the school day,] she said. “The ACT may encourage them to apply for college or move in a similar direction.” However, accommodation policies have changed as well. “It’s going to be different than it was in the past,” Tiley said. Instead of requesting
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special accommodations from the school, students will now have to appeal directly to the ACT management. Erin Green, junior, said he knew of the new policy and is prepared to take the test. “[I’m taking] ACT prep classes, and some of the teachers are practicing with us,” he said. Green said taking the ACT will be beneficial for him and others. “I like it because they’re paying for it, and it’s an easy way for us to raise our ACT scores,” he said. “It will give us a better chance to get a scholarship for college.” Not all juniors, however, are as confident. Mary Long, junior, said that although she is prepared for the test, only “a few” teachers have discussed it during classes. “They haven’t really gone over it a lot,” she said. Both the multiple-choice and writing portions of the test will be administered to the eleventh grade on April 23, 2014.
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Do you think making the ACT required is a good idea? 40 30 20
10
No
Yes
50 students polled. Information complied by James Niiler. Designed by Renu Pandit.