Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School opening smooth; Science camp extolled

This has been one of the best openings for school most local teachers have experienced.

This is what Willie Wilson, dean of students at Prescott High School, told the Prescott School Board at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Aug. 26.

The first week, he said, went smoothly with few discipline problems or infractions.

One of the things done in the summer to help insure a smooth start to the new year was PHS Principal Carroll Purtle and PHS Counselor Paula Cossey "hand selecting" students for classes. This, Wilson said, was done to make sure those students who "fed off others" when they broke rules would be separated as much as possible.

However, he said, the students are doing what they're told.

The freshman class, he said, is a good one overall, with the majority of the students being what is termed "good students".

In updating the board on the Benchmark Exams, Wilson said the overall scores were near the state average, though the tests are being analyzed to determine on which subgroups the district needs to focus on for improvement in the future.

All students, he said, have been furnished a copy of the handbook, which covers the 2003-2004 school year.

While the year began smoothly, it wasn't without problems, as some underclassmen showed signs of behavior problems. Their parents have been contacted and home visits made to nip this situation before it gets out of hand.

The visits, Wilson said, are designed to be pro-active to prevent serious problems from developing.

The district, he said, has a parental involvement plan, developed at the Arkansas Leadership Academy in Hot Springs. The plan was created by local teachers while attending conferences there.

State law requires districts across Arkansas to have such a plan in place by Sept. 1, 2003.

Most of the components of the Prescott plan deal with community meetings to help residents and patrons keep abreast of what's going on in the district.

The meetings, Wilson said, will be held at different locations in the district where there is limited participation by parents.

The mission statement for the plan, he said, is "Prescott High School will prepare students for success by developing a Professional Learning Community with NO parent left behind."

The core beliefs in the plan are:

* all parents should be involved in their children's education;

* parents are untapped resources that need to be utilized;

* there is a need for an effective parent organization;

* parents want to be involved;

* parents and teachers attitudes and perceptions toward parental involvement are crucial;

* parents have the right and responsibility to question and be informed;

* students will benefit from parental involvement;

* there is a need to determine parents and teachers attitudes and perception of parental involvement in the school; and

* businesses are an integral part of parental involvement.

The action plan for PHS includes creating a parent center; buying materials and providing parents the opportunity to use the resources; scheduling a parent day; scheduling two parent/teacher conferences a year; using technology in the parental involvement program; providing a parent involvement facilitator who is a certified staff member; welcoming parents to school; and preparing family kits to distribute to the community.

Robin Nygaard, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, spoke to the board about the sixth grade Science Camp.

She said this camp is a community-based educational opportunity for the students now in its fourth season. The camp is only for those in the sixth grade, though, and is held at Camp of the Pines at Lake DeGray State Park.

Those who attend the camp have to earn it, she said, as it's not a right but an opportunity. The idea is to provide the students the chance to expand their education and have fun at the same time.

State agents are used as teachers, while the other adults supervise the children there. The rules, she said, are rigid and any student caught breaking them or causing trouble is sent home immediately. Parents have to sign off on the rules before their children can attend.

In addition, the students must have insurance in order to attend the camp. Nygaard said this is good, because, in many cases, the students from lower income households are then enrolled in the ARKids First program.

While state agencies provide the curriculum, all geared to the sixth grade level, students from PHS's EAST Lab also help out, and are given credit for junior leadership training. The EAST Lab students are paired with an adult and assigned to work in the cabins.

Students at the camp are required to keep journals of their experience and do writing assignments and other homework, while all of the "learning" is done outside.

The cabins, she said, are not air conditioned, but the camp is normally held within the first two weeks of October.