Issue 1, 2015-2016

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talisman

September 11, 2015

Rutherford B. Hayes High School

Issue 1

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Ohio removes PARCC from standardized testing roster I

t was the signature that shook the state; PARCC was removed from the list of Ohio’s standardized testing. In the 2014-15 school year, many Ohio students and others around the country contributed to the assessments from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, tests. However, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Governor Kasich signed off on the removal of PARCC from Ohio schools for this testing year in early July. “I’m glad they decided to get rid of it, because there was nothing beneficial,” sophomore Ceci Clark said. “What they tested over wasn’t stuff we had learned over the year, so what was inconvenient was that I didn’t know any of the info. It made it really complicated to take the test.” Clark was among many of the freshmen who took the math and English PARCC last year. She said the English covered subject matter that she never learned, and math problems that were above the required skillset. “Math was really hard, because they were asking questions you needed a calculator for, and we weren’t allowed to use a calculator,” Clark said. However, while many students disliked the test itself, not everyone seemed to mind the testing schedule. Some students enjoyed the variety that the PARCC schedule provided.

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The advantage of going from PARCC to AIR is that they will be shortening testing windows. - Paul Craft

Changes to

Akron Beacon Journal. Last year, it cost the state $26 million alone just to adapt the PARCC system into Ohio, and additionally cost individual districts millions of dollars to adapt software to the testing systems and some thousands hours of time in training and preparation for these tests as well. Craft also mentioned how, as a district, it was frustrating that results from the tests earlier in the year were not expected to be in until November or December. He said that Hayes will always use testing to see how the school and the district is doing as a whole, but it will “never be what we’re all about.” “Testing came about for a reason,” Craft said. “There were kids that were graduating...in society… who couldn’t read and they were walking out with high school diplomas, and so the whole idea of some standardized testing [is] to see how schools are doing... I’m not opposed to those things, [but] I’m absolutely opposed to testing every student every year in every subject.” Overall, Craft said he will respond to the legislation requirements accordingly, but also promised that the best interests of Hayes and its students will always be the first priority. “I think the pendulum has swung far too much toward testing,” he said, “and I’m encouraged that we’re starting to see it swing back to something that I hope is much more reasonable.” v

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ABBEY JONES managing editor

“It was a little less convenient, but I still liked it because it was a change of pace,” junior Colin Prindle said. However, Prindle also said that he is glad that the younger grades don’t have to test so much this year. “It was another standardized test that [freshmen] had to focus on passing rather than learning the material and actually absorbing the information,” he said. Getting rid of PARCC

an

does not completely rid Hayes of all standardized testing though. The American Institute of Research (AIR) tests, which were used last year for science and social studies, are now going to be used for math and English testing as well. The tests are meant to measure students’ college readiness skills based on the Common Core standards, which were adopted by Ohio in 2010 and are quite controversial among students, teachers, and parents. “The advantage of going from PARCC to AIR is that they will be shortening testing windows,” superintendent Paul Craft said. In addition to shorter testing windows, the elimination of PARCC also saves the state millions of dollars, according to the

New driving laws for teens in Ohio EMILY METHENEY staff writer

Ohio

During the summer, many laws in Ohio have passed that will affect teens. Here are some changes to be aware of: No more PARCC

changing to AIR Test (same test company as last year’s science and social studies)

Driving Laws Laws affecting all drivers under age of 18 New curfew: No driving from 12 a.m. - 6 a.m. Technology: No use of handheld communication devices Laws affecting drivers under age of 18 who’ve had license < 1 year Passengers: Only one (other than family members)

New Area Code (220) (began April 22)

s of July 1, 2015, drivers under the age of eighteen are required to start following a new Ohio driving law that seems to have mixed reactions. The new curfew time is midnight to six a.m. This is due to the fact that during these hours, more accidents and fatalities occur among teenagers, according to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. With the new law, the curfew time has expanded by two hours. For kids under eighteen, some believe this could keep younger drivers safe. “I agree with the passenger restrictions law … I think that’s good,” said Changes to teen driving laws in Ohio now affect students’ everyday driving Derric Dennis, Ace Town and Driving behaviors, including using technology and carpooling to school.

photo by CHLOE FLESHMAN

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Bolden joins school community

Football rivalry propped up by off field antics

All public schools must give students oppurtunity to receive 15 to 30 college credit hours

Images courtesy of Creative Commons

the

Reduced training hours to receive concealed carry permit from 12 to 8 hours

compiled by MADI HUCK

Summer jobs are productive use of time

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