Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

The 'Mighty Fighting Pine Beetles' head back to MMS

The first two weeks of the 2006 school year didnt start exactly normal for fifth and sixth grade students of McRae Middle School in the Prescott School District. But faculty and students have made the best of the situation and some even say they arent anxious to return to their traditional classrooms.

David Maxell, Director of Services for the district, said he found out on Aug. 17 that classes couldnt meet at McRae because of ongoing construction. The decision was made to hold classes in the Potlatch Building of the Nevada County Fairgrounds instead.

We found out we were going to do this on a Thursday afternoon, Maxwell said. On Friday, I met with the teachers and we moved in Sunday.

Both grades are meeting in a large, open room with classes in clusters throughout the building. Maxwell said officials from the Arkansas Department of Education have visited and given their approval. He said all the curriculum is being taught with the exception of computers because none are available at the Potlatch Building.

Each teacher began her time at this alternative campus with tables arranged in a horseshoe shape facing a central point from which the teacher addressed students.

There are no dry erase boards so teachers are using large tablets of paper for demonstrations. There are also no bells and no absolute times for meals - facts that have simply required a little adapting, according to Maxwell. He said students are simply dismissed for meals when the arrived from the main campus and that theyve learned to look for signals that its time for class changes.

Ive enjoyed it, said teacher Agnes Morrow. She said students have adapted. They just molded into the situation.

Maxwell said there were some initial reservations, but that the teachers and staff quickly worked past the issues.

Not a lot of groups of teachers could have pulled this off, Maxwell said.

His job, Maxwell said, has been relatively easy.

I can look out and see all the teachers teaching at one time, he said. And the fact that all teachers and students have been conscious of the need to work together means that hes actually been needed very little.

I just stack tables and carry ice, he said, motioning to the coolers of ice water that stand in the place of water fountains.

The room could be noisy, considering the number of students and teachers inside at any given time, but Maxwell said the fact that voices carry across the room have just been another factor to adjust for.

Everyones learned to use their inside voices, he said.

Maxwell said buses drop students off at the campus and pick them up in the afternoon. Students who were picked up by parents were released a few minutes early for those parents who were also picking up children from other campuses. He said there has come to be some pride in the alternative campus to the point that hes become know as principal and a mascot has been chosen, making the fifth and sixth graders the Mighty Fighting Pine Beetles.

The Beetles will officially be taken back into the fold of the Curley Cubs on Sept. 5. Most are ready to be back to the regular campus, though theres no doubt there were at least a few advantages of holding class at the Potlatch Building.

Its been a really good classroom, said Jo Ridling, a sixth grade science teacher. Were going to have to go back to walls next week.