Tag Archives: teachers
FC faculty, IB students provide more feedback on IB Diploma
[slideshow]
The above charts represent the results of an anonymous Bagpiper survey given to Floyd Central teachers and faculty members.
How would IB classes be laid out?
The following is a sample schedule provided by principal Louie Jensen:
9th Grade
English 9 Honors
Geometry 9th
Biology Honors
Spanish I
AP World History
Career Info / PE I
Performing Arts elective
10th Grade
English 10 Honors
Algebra II
Chemistry AP
AP / IB US History
Spanish II
Health / PE II
Performing Arts elective
11th Grade
AP / IB English (Literature / Composition)
Pre-Calculus
IB Physics
IB European History
Spanish III
Computer Apps / Theory of Knowledge
Performing Arts elective
12th Grade
AP / IB English (Language / Composition)
AP / IB Calculus
AP / IB Biology
Ap Government / IB International Relations
AP / IB Spanish
Theory of Knowledge / Economics H
IB Performing Arts / choice of AP Art studio or Music Theory
Diploma candidates must complete the following:
> Three subjects for High Level (HL) examinations
> Three subjects for Standard Level (SL) examinations
> Extended Essay
> Theory of Knowledge class (100 hours)
> Creativity / Action / Service (CAS) requirement 200 hours, 3-4 hours a week
The following are the rest of the anonymous comments from FC faculty members from the Bagpiper survey on the International Baccalaureate Diploma:
“IB will be a detraction from our AP and dual credit programs…The IB curricula consists of mountains of busy work of no demonstrated educational value.”
“$”
“We need to keep moving on.”
“How will this be accomplished with reduced staffing?”
“Given current budget problems I don’t believe the timing is favorable to introduce the IB diploma.”
“[Benefit the students] some certainly, all depends on class size. [Right now time for diploma] funding, class size.”
“Because of the severe budget issues I feel the additional time will be overwhelming and its implementation will be less than ideal.”
“I believe it is not affordable right now.”
“Need more info.”
“?”
“Not enough info on this–too many diplomas just to get out of high school. Why? What’s the benefit?”
“WAIT until the school is in better financial shape.”
“With teachers being laid off I do not see how we could implement a new program.”
“As long as it doesn’t pull funds that are needed to keep jobs in the District.”
“Adding the program (which costs money) is not appropriate at this time when our corporation is getting rid of 50 teachers.”
“[There is] too much money involved that could be used for helping with budget crunch. Private donations would help the current cause. Then IB could be added later with other monies.”
“I don’t know what this is. I know it’s been talked about, but [I] have no information upon which to make decisions. I want to know more.”
The following are additional responses from students at other high schools concerning the International Baccalaureate Diploma:
Why did you take the [IB] Program?
Janaki Patel – Fishers High School: “I took the program because it offered the most challenging courses in high school and looked like it would help [me] get into college as well as get more scholarships for college.”
Irene Gibson – Carmel High School: “Ironically enough, our history teacher asked us the same exact question in the beginning of junior year. Two out of 19 people had a good answer. The rest of us didn’t really know why we took IB. However, after two years with the program, I can tell you why I stayed with IB. The IB style of learning is higher level, prepares one for college, and actually teaches the information it contains, unlike AP classes, which ask specific questions that are often obscure and unrelated to main points. IB asks general, broad questions that require deep analysis and understanding of the material provided. You don’t just memorize useless facts to spit them out. You learn things. IB students also tend to be very educated and involved with learning, which helps the class progress.”
Taylor Kelsey-Zia – Ben Davis High School: “I wanted to be apart of an unique and challenging program. The way the program was presented was exciting and pretty extraordinary given the monotony of past school experiences.”
Nick Heitkamp – Fishers High School: “There were several reasons why I chose to become a part of the IB program. First and foremost, I had always taken accelerated classes and IB was the next step in that progression. I felt that if I had not chosen to take the IB route then I would have been taking steps backwards. Another reason I took this path was because of the academic benefits. Just from statistics, those who take IB have a higher rate of college acceptance. And, finally, I wanted to be challenged. It is very hard to be excited and motivated about school if the classes you take are boring and do not stimulate you.”
How has it helped you?
Patel: “I have made so many great relationships with my IB teachers and also my IB class; we are more like a family now than a class. I feel like I was able to have the best of both worlds because even though it is challenging, I still hung out with my non-IB friends a lot and am actively involved in the school. Academically, it has changed the way I look at subject material because it helps connect the subjects and apply what you know rather than just knowing it, and it has helped me look better on paper for colleges as well.”
Gibson: “IB has helped me broaden my perspectives on the world and open my mind to various cultures and ways of thinking. As an IB diploma candidate, I can say that I regularly apply what I learn in IB to my every day life. IB has also pushed me to volunteer more, as it requires 150 hours of [community] service for diploma candidates. I believe the IB program is part of the reason I want to pursue international relations.”
Kelsey-Zia: “I’m sure the scholarships I’ve received have had something to do with my involvement in the IB program. In terms of skills, I’ve learned to appreciate everything I learn, rather than just memorize the facts that will eventually leave my head.”
Heitkamp: “It has helped me on both a small and large scale. On the smaller scale, the rigor of the material has truly helped me to be a better student by mastering material in many different subjects (my favorite being Spanish, anatomy, and psychology). On a larger scale, it has led me to realize that I really can move on from high school and become anything I want to be. It has opened up both opportunity as well as my own eyes.”
Do you think you are more prepared for university?
Patel: “I have friends from previous IB classes and when they started college and even now, I hear them saying how easy college is and how much IB prepared them, so I know I am well-prepared for college. Also, most of the IB work is projects that are long term and have many deadlines that are farther away, so it helped me learn how to manage my time better.”
Gibson: “Yes, undoubtedly. IB has assignments called Internal Assessments, which require its students to conduct their own projects with little to no help from their teachers.”
Kelsey-Zia: “I definitely think I’m more prepared for university life. The courses are no doubt very similar to the structure seen in college.”
Heitkamp: “I think that I am definitely more prepared for college. Several of the courses that I have taken are, in fact, college courses themselves. The textbooks that I have been using for Spanish for the past two years have been college textbooks. Actually, just two days ago, I received an e-mail from the assistant chair at Purdue University. She sent me the reading, vocabulary, and homework from a Spanish 300 level class that I will be sitting in on this upcoming week during a college visit. After quickly reading the story and looking at the vocabulary, I realized that a Spanish 300 level class is far too easy. I understood the story with ease and I had previously learned the vocabulary two years ago.”
Is it worth the cost and time/rigor?
Patel: “I would definitely say IB is worth the cost and time. If you can’t pay, the school helps you pay at my school. Junior year is difficult, but everyone’s junior year is difficult because that’s when you are trying to prove to colleges that you’re good enough. Senior year, however, has been great. Almost always, I have less homework than my friends that are taking AP classes and there are even days when I come home and watch T.V. and sleep with no homework.”
Gibson: “Honestly, the cost of IB is dependent upon which college you’re going to. Colleges can accept some IB classes, all IB classes, or none, depending on the colleges you go to. So, depending on the college, IB can enable one to skip over prerequisite classes in college or perhaps skip over the entire freshman year. It just depends on where you go. Internationally, IB is beneficial because it was designed to be international; all colleges across the world who participate in the IB program teach the same things and take the same tests. For me, even though I am staying in America, IB was still worth the cost. I personally loved the program.”
Kelsey-Zia: “This is absolutely dependent on the individual’s experience. For me, it was worth it. There are definitely sacrifices, but they’re not terrible and they’re almost equivalent to the sacrifices most AP students make.”
What do you like most and least about the IB Diploma?
Patel: “I love the personal relationships that I have formed through IB as well as how it has changed my thinking into application rather than rote memorization. I am much better at making connections and understanding concepts, which is great. I really don’t dislike anything about IB, except maybe the cost.”
Gibson: “The IB students make the class, and they are amazing: nice, smart, funny, and easy to get along with. In my two years of IB, diploma candidates have come from India, England, Switzerland, France Nepal, Canada, and Australia. That’s just out of the 30 people in our program. My least favorite part of IB, and I know many of my friends share the same sentiment, is the fact that some of our classes are IB/AP hybrids. Some of our teachers teach AP classes, then add just a little bit of IB to them. This does not work; IB and AP are not very compatible, so it is not the type of learning or teaching we appreciate. The two classes that are generally agreed upon as the best are history and English, the two classes that are purely IB with no AP.”
Kelsey-Zia: “I’d have to say the teachers are the best part. It’s very rare that you talk about Bob Dylan with one teacher and discuss Voltaire’s mindset when writing Candide with another teacher on the same day. The worst aspect of being in IB is the social setting. The people I’ve met in IB are wonderful, but after having every class with them for two years straight, I find myself yearning for new people and new experiences. I’m not saying it destroys a person’s social life, but it does test your ability to balance friendships/ relationships with commitments and school work.”
Heitkamp: “The thing that I enjoy the very most, with the exception of the knowledge that I have gained, is my IB family. We have created a solid group of 21 that is constantly supportive and caring of one another. Because IB requires you to take certain advanced classes during certain years in high school, you end up taking classes with the same people – your IB class! But you learn to love it and cherish it. The part that I like least is the misconception about the program that turns potential students away.”
Kalmey settles into FC
By Kara Beard,
Staff Reporter
As we continue to proceed through the 2010-2011 school year, we welcome new teachers into the building. During the past few weeks the most recent addition to the English class has been a sub filling in for English teacher Jenny Adams. Her name is Camille Kalmey.
Born and raised in Louisville, Kalmey started her education at an all-girl Catholic school called Sacred Heart Academy. With the strict rules and dress code, Kalmey still found interest in many of her regular studies.
“I was a little bit weird in school because I found a lot of my subjects interesting, I loved math and solving the problems but I also loved English and science. Most kids usually take a liking to one of those subjects but that was never the case for me, I liked them all,” said Kalmey.
After graduating from Sacred Heart Academy, Kalmey went on to college at IU in Bloomington. Not knowing that she wanted to be a teacher, Kalmey went on to pursuing a major in science.
“I didn’t really enjoy science as much as I did in high school but my counselor and others realized I was really good with kids so they are the ones who encouraged me to get into teaching.”
Once Kalmey graduated from IU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English, she started to pursue more and reach higher goals. She went on to getting her master’s degree in journalism education and to receive her specialist’s degree.
Moving forward in her career Kalmey started teaching at Scribner. She taught 7th, 8th and 9th grade English for one year and then transferred to New Albany.
“I never taught freshmen at New Albany, except Journalism 1 and yearbook since those classes had a mix of all grades. I did like it at New Albany, except some of the students at New Albany tended to act out, whereas Floyd Central students want to learn and try to explain things to you if they don’t get it,” said Kalmey.
After 11 years of teaching at New Albany, Kalmey’s husband, who works with Kindred Healthcare, got a job offer located in the south end of Florida.
“I don’t work because I’m being forced to,” said Kalmey. “I like working with students and seeing them develop,” said Kalmey.
It wasn’t long after Kalmey and her husband settled in their house, she started looking for a job and came upon a job offer at Saint Andrew Catholic School. Being Catholic and having attended a Catholic school when she was younger, Kalmey accepted the offer.
“Students, no matter where you go, tend to be similar in a lot of ways. They all seem to want to learn. But this school just seemed to be disorganized and it would get very frustrating trying to deal with it all as a teacher and that would have to be the biggest difference between Saint Andrew and Floyd Central– it’s nice working in a school that is organized.” said Kalmey.
It was not long after accepting the job offer at Saint Andrews, that she wanted to return to the New Albany/Floyd County area.
“The school wasn’t my reason for wanting to return, the community in general wasn’t what we wanted to raise a family in, so that’s one of the reasons we came back. The bright and sunny weather was nice, but I will not miss it,” said Kalmey.
However, she did not know that once she returned she would already have a job waiting for her at FC.
“One of my friends found out I was returning, and they told Mr. Jensen, so he contacted me saying Ms. Adams wasn’t coming back, and that’s how I ended up at Floyd Central. But, I really love it here, the teachers are great and they really look out for each other along with the students,” said Kalmey.
Yet, even though Kalmey has only been here a week and a half, she still sees a bright future ahead of her working at FC.
“The administration is on the ball, the teachers have respect for other teachers and the students are awesome and wonderful to teach and learn from as well, so I would definitely love to work here for many years to come.”
Elementary Schools
Silver Street Elementary
Pineview Elemantary
Ruth Retires
| Veteran employee retires after 48 years of teaching in the school system
By Jon Ferguson, online director First-grade teacher Ellen Ruth will be retiring at the end this school year after 30 years of teaching at Pine View, and 48 years of teaching overall. Though she said she is excited to end her career, she will be missing out on a lot. “I will definitely miss the kids. I love getting to know them and their personalities. I’ve always loved children and I love being around children,” said Ruth. She started teaching at age 21, just a year after graduation. “I was teaching at Galena when Floyd Central was first being built,” she said. After a long career of teaching, Ruth said that it was just time to retire. “After 48 years I think I needed time to myself. Everything is getting more complicated towards computers, and I am not very computer literate,” said Ruth. Thirty years of teaching at Pine View has given Ruth a chance to see what the school is all about. She said that the school is definitely a large family. “They are number one for the kids. They really take care of their kids and their families,” she said. Ruth said she has also noticed how children are reacting to the school closing, and how teachers’ reactions affect kids. “It’s not the excitement of going somewhere new, it’s ‘I’m going to miss Pine View’,” said Ruth Almost five decades of teaching has taught Ruth something about how the children learn. “Always try to be as positive as you can be, and when you find something they are having trouble with, work with it as much as you can. Do things over and over,” she said. |
Children’s Academy
Program feeds children
Children’s Academy feeds New Albany through Blessings in a Backpack
By Chelsey Carr
According to Blessings in a Backpack website, in the United States one out of every six children is at risk of going hungry. This is almost 12.4 million children.
Children’s Academy of New Albany (CANA) is an early education school which consists of students in grades preschool through third grade. Founder of Kentucky Harvest and USA Harvest Stan Curtis started a branch of the program Blessings in a Backpack in 2005. It is an organization that sends home food in a backpack over the weekend with impoverished kids. He had been told that CANA’s surrounding area was extremely needy. CANA principal Terri Boutin was called to former superintendent Dennis Brooks office to discuss the Blessings in a Backpack program with Curtis after he ran the idea by Brooks.
“Stan told me he wanted to send canned goods home in backpacks on weekends. He gave us the backpacks and food and we provided every kid with one,” said Boutin
Out of the 300 children that attend CANA most live in some form of public housing. Also, three percent of them eat lunch and breakfast at a reduced price and 93 percent eat for free, according to Boutin.
Blessingsinabackpack.com informs that hungry children are sick more frequently and have lower academic achievement, as well. Poor nutrition early in life can impair neural development, leading to lower IQ. Before Blessings in a Backpack many of the students at CANA were underfed over the weekends because they did not have the school to provide a meal for them.
“People plan their weekend meals around the backpacks. They will get the backpack Friday and go to the store Saturday and fill in the missing holes,” said Boutin.
Stan Curtis founded Kentucky Harvest and USA Harvest to combat the hunger that plagues America as a nation. He wants to help future generations and those suffering in our own country,
“I can’t tell you how many people have told me ‘We as Americans need to take care of our own. These programs are a way to take care of our own children without spending a lot of money,” said Curtis.
CANA includes one seventh of Indiana’s population involved in the Blessings in a Backpack program because only seven schools in the state of Indiana are participating in this supportive program.
This important program has received substantial support from Kentucky Harvest and its affiliates. However, locating funding has been an issue in Southern Indiana.
“It has been really rough finding funding in Southern Indiana. If it weren’t for Horseshoe Casino we would be bad news. I wish more people cared. The program is so simple. All you need is a backpack and 80 dollars. That will feed one child for an entire year,” said Curtis.
In order to aid the program, Horseshoe Casino raffles off guitars when a band comes to the casino to play a concert and the money earned from the raffle tickets is donated to Blessings in a Backpack. If Horseshoe did not help fund this program, it would be unavailable to the hungry children in Southern Indiana.
There are two main ways to help support the program. The first is to hold a backpack raiser, where many backpacks are collected to give to the children. The second option is to raise money and donate 80 dollars at a time to feed children one at a time. Blessings in a Backpack has received support from local high schools as well as major corporations, such as Meijer. The high schools will fundraise for the program with what they call “jeans day.”
“The students have to pay one dollar to wear a pair of jeans to school on a Friday. They make around 800 dollars, which will feed 10 kids for a whole year. The food makes a difference in attendance and grades,” said Curtis.
The program has had so much influence and success that it is anticipated every week. For some, it is the highlight of their week.
“Our kids look forward to Blessings in a Backpack. It’s such a wonderful program. New parents [new to the school] are so surprised when they see their children with these special backpacks every weekend,” said 21st century community learning center project assistant Denise Barber.
However, CANA will be closed at the end of this school year.
“Unfortunately, Children’s Academy will not be a school serviced next year. We are going to have another school take place of it next year. We want to expand it to another school next year and feed another 300 children,” said Curtis
How has the Blessings in a Backpack program helped your students?
Galena
Veteran teacher remembers Galena
After spending 39 years of teaching in one building, a person learns many names and faces. Galena Elementary fifth-grade teacher Steven Smith has many memories from the years he has taught at the school.
Teaching for so long takes a lot of effort to remember one memorable event.
“I remember one year, I don’ remember specifically, but the Becht boys rode their horses to school on the last day,” chuckles Smith.
The boys had to tie the horses to a tree in front of the building.
Smith said there have been various physical changes at the school as well. Before Galena was remodeled, the cafeteria was also the gym.
“The school was being remodeled, and everything was connected by ‘hamster tubes’. There was this guy, Jack Skaymel, building a new wing for the teachers. Then the cafeteria was filled with empty boxes, so this guy Jack decides to make a classroom. He stacked all the boxes in the cafeteria and we called him ‘Jack in the box’,” laughs Smith.
Throughout renovations, new teachers, and new students, Smith has remained in the exact same room in the building.
“I have been in this room for 39 years,” said Smith, “they told me I couldn’t rearrange things because I may get a new room. I have been here for 39 years. I’ve never moved!”
Smith’s classroom has never changed location; which makes it easier for former students to locate him.
“I had a former student come into a job at my house. He was in his early 30’s, and told me he had a funny story from my class. He told me he had his first kiss while we were watching the science channel. We had those old-time projectors where you had to turn off the lights, and he told me he was kissed in the dark,” giggled Smith.
Former students of Smith remember his bubbly attitude and positive outlook on teaching. Staff members at Galena also place the same feelings toward him.
“He is Galena! He has been here forever, and he always gives 110 percent. He is always helping, and truly cares about everyone,” says kindergarten teacher Amy Shanks.
“Mr. Smith is a great guy. He is very hardworking and dedicated. He always keeps us going and a positive way with a smile on his face,” said fourth-grade teacher Tammy Fancher.
The reactions from students and staff to the question: ‘What do you think of Mr. Smith’, tend to have the same outcome of buoyant comments.
Smith has built many relationships over his course of teaching. He can recall the younger years of his teaching career with a clear memory.
“It was my third year teaching, and we were all lining up to go on a field trip. I had told one student if he couldn’t behave then he needed to have a seat. So we arrived at the field trip, and on our way back I took attendance: I was one count short. So I had to walk around to find a phone to call the school, because we didn’t have cellphones, and I asked the secretary to check my room. She told me he was sitting there at his desk. He really sat down and stayed there because I told him if he couldn’t behave himself he needed to have a seat,” reflected Smith.
Any person who has witnessed the character of Smith knows he is a humorous individual. Every Friday, Smith has a ‘happy Friday’ song that he sings before students load the buses. Smith always has a smile on his face and jokes waiting to be told.
“I like to think of myself as more of a serious teacher,” joked Smith.
While Smith may joke of having a serious personality, there are former students who would disagree.
“Mr. Smith was an awesome teacher. He always had something fun planned for class, and he was also pretty funny. My fifth grade year was great and I’m glad I had Mr. Smith as a teacher,” stated sophomore Brittany Murray.
Smith will always hold title as ‘king of Galena’. The passion Smith carries for teaching has been seen through the countless years of his profession. He shows that 39 years of educating students has not yet come to and end in the form of retirement. Smith plans to continue teaching and continue to make memories.
“I’m not gonna retire when they close the building, I am gonna show them. I love teaching too much to quit,” said Smith.