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aNsunSOlC Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
Planning ahead fo·r parenthood:
Ne.w curriculum conceived
149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367
Largmann to retire in. 2001
by Lauren Paley will inevitably bring change, will also Principal Malcolm Largmann shared bring opportunity. "A school is a living his plans for retirement next year at a organism," he explained. "It's good for Although parenting education al- last minute staff meeting held Wednesan institution to change and have new ready exists at Townsend Harris, for day, May 30. The announcement came ideas contributed." many schools it will be new. Keith three days before the Queens High A selection process for a new princiHanson, health teacher, feels this re- Schools Superintendent John Lee offi- pal will begin over the next few months. quirement will be beneficial because it cially posted the position opening in the Applicants will be interviewed by a New York Times. Dr. c: Largmann will con~ Oil tinue his work as prin~ ~ cipal, a position he has ~ gj' ::a:::s held since the opening :::s ~J ~ ~ c: of Townsend Harris in .g 1984, until the end of ~ 1%1 ' >. January 2001. ~ 0 ~0 "I love this job, I 0 6: S: · love the people, I love the students and I love the interaction," Dr. Largmann said during an interview a day af- Barely having time for lunch, Dr. Largmann answers phones and ter his announcement. keeps appointments a day after announcing he will retire next year. "This was a very hard decision for me." School Based Organization Committee, While it is difficult for the principal consisting of representatives from the to leave a school whose opening he cam- assistant principals of the departments,
by Bosede Adenekan The New York State Education Department has decided that all students, starting with those entering the ninth grade in the fall of2001, will be required to take parenting education in order to be graduated. Parenting education may be a segment of the health or family living classes or may be a separate course . . The NY SED Is currently proposing strategies for implementing the program and will distribute a parenting education resource guide to aid school districts during the 2001-2002 implementation. The resource guide will contain a curriculum as well as sample exercises and assessments. Parenting education is currently taught as a part of Family Living class by health teachers Ellen Schwartz and Robert Holding her baby boy carefully, Senior Teresa Liu displays her Bloom. "Parenting eduparenting skills. Toy babies have been distributed in Family cation is extremely imLiving classes and such parenting education will be implemented throughout New York State schools in 2001 as a portant because we keep separate course or as part of health or Family Living classes. reading about child abuse and teen pregnan<:ies," said Ms. Schwartz. One aspect of the class which leaves will teach students the responsibilities an impact on many people is taking on of being a parent. "Parenting education the responsibility of caring for a life-like is necessary in schools where pregnancy baby doll. "The baby is annoying. For rates are high. Students will learn that those who think they're ready to have parenting deals with not only having a kids , it'll prove that they're not," said baby but raising a child. They don't stay babies for long;" said Mr. Hanson. Maureen Raphael, senior.
paigned for nearly 17 years ago, ·be acknowledges that his departure, which
the teachers, the Parent-Teachers AssoContinued on p.14
New leaders to head by Allison Slotnick After several weeks of campaigning and debating by candidates, approximately 720 Harrisites voted in the annual Student Union EJections on May 26. Once the results were tallied, the n~w S.U. executive board for the 2000-2001 school year was announced. The winnef# of the election were juniors Eric Trager for S. U. President; Liana Binij's, who will take the position as the ftrst ever S.U. Vie~ Ptesi-
S.U~
dent; and Diana Escuder, who ran uncontested for the position of Senior Vice-President. SGpbomore Marc Florrnan win become the next Junior Vice-President, and fresl\man Jaime Sackett is the new Freshman/Sophomo-re Vice-President. Juniors Melanie Diaz and Shelley Diaz will take on the positions of Treasurer and Secretary, respectively. Junior Brian Cooperman will take on Counsultativ·e CouncV, and Continued on p • .14
History in·the making: Another AP course offered by Andrew Goldberg Starting in September, a new pilot project will provide select students with the opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) American History. This course, which-initially will only be open to juniors, will be offered in lieu of American History 1. "Students will take both the Regents [in American History] and the AP test," explained Sheila Orner, Assistant Prin-
cipal of Pupil Personnel. According to Assistant Principal of Humanities Lynne Greenfield, out of those who apply for the two sections of the class, students will be "selected on the basis of teacher recommendations, as well as on their records in history,· social studies, and English." Although the AP class curriculum is similar to that of the American History course already taught to juniors at
Townsend Harris, "it is more intensive because it's more document based," said Ms. Greenfield. Ultimately, the Humanities department is aiming to implementAPAmerican History as the standard curriculum for all eleventh graders, and is hoping to do the same with AP European History for all sophomores. "We think the AP curriculum is what we should be using for all our students," said Ms.
Greenfield. "It's more challenging and more stimulating," she said. "We're trying to introduce more AP classes," said Ms. Orner. "If this pilot project is successful, we'll make, [AP American History] into a class in the future." If added permanently to the list of AP courses currently offered, American History would become the fifth, joining Spanish, Calculus, European History, and Computer Programming. 1-
Talent Show p.3
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Reading Day pp. 8-9
Dreams p.13
Sports pp. 15-16