Economics and school

We've hit mid-term of the 2nd quarter and are cruising straight to the end of the sememster.

A long and successful football season, a great musical, a firery volleyball team, concessions and all that surrounds a young high schooler has many students waiting to exhale as they begin winter sports season, speech and the rest.

Not to mention a long harvest season and work committments. Now is the time many are looking at the 2nd semester, looking at their schedule and wanting to make their lives easier.

Seemingly one way to ease the pressure is to drop challenging courses like spanish, chemistry and others in favor of less rigorous classes.

While there are students who need to prioritize work and extra-currirular activities higher on their lists than other, most should keep academics at the top.

Our country is lossing jobs by the second. My kids and yours need to be ready for jobs we can't even imagine yet AND more importantly become more creative and innovative and possibly create their own careers.

We have to prepare students for 4-year, 2-year institutions as well as for working immediately out of high school. The old models of high school, college and work are starting to change and change at a rapid pace.

Instead of dropping rigorous classes students need to take more. Instead of making excuses like "I have to work" they need to worry less about buying, or maintaining their car and more on academics.

Period. No argument.

Anything less is failing to prepare them for..... I truthfully can't answer that question.

Wow, it's been that long

Blogs that don't get updated, don't get read.

I'm guessing no one is going to read this post as it's been 10 weeks since my last entry. But I'm going to finally post again.

Subject...too many to even start. There's the end of the quarter, the sports season's playoff runs, the good statistics on many fronts.

There's issues in education, the world and the election.

I certainly could be writing about something, but alas, it seems I've let it go too long.

I will stop back soon and post about something.

Night before the first day of school

Summer is over. Well, it's been over for teachers for three days and more for most as they were in last week making preparations.
We will be handing laptops out Tuesday night, August 26th. Students and parent(s) will have to sit through three 20 minute sessions focusing on acceptable use, Internet safety/cellphones and a bootcamp on the basics about the computer.
It is very important that you understand the value and importance of having the computers and caring for them. At the high school level the expectation is clear - they will be responsible for carrying, having the computers and bringing them to school each and every day.
Teachers will be expecting students to have them in their possession and will be doing lessons and daily activities out of them more and more as the year progresses.
There will be times of difficulty and students we will have some bumps in this process, but we will move forward and the staff is committed to learning and applying new instructional processes. Ones that focus on 21st century skills and learning.
Please call with any questions and see you at the parent-student meeting August 26th. Freshmen parents do not have to attend.

Registration is set, freshmen orientation

Registration for school has been set for August 12th from 1 - 7 p.m. at all buildings both in the Anita CSD and C & M.

Forms will be provided online and will be sent out in the monthly newsletter.

Freshman orientation will be held Monday night, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. There will be a 30 minute presentation on CAM's one to one computer initiative that every parent and student must attend before your student will be issued a laptop.

Meetings for sophomores through senior classes will be held later and dates announced soon.

Summer's moving right along

Baseball and softball have officially ended and state tournaments have started or are upcoming soon. Summer is starting to move towards Fall.

School registration is tentatively set for August 12 and there will be some different things about this year's version of registration.

Remember, this year your student will be lugging around a MACbook with the latest operating system and programs on it including a school-only email address. This will come WITHOUT the $20 fee we charged last year.

With that said, we will have to meet and talk about the student and parent's responsiblities and what would happen if something DID happen to your student's computer.

Also, we'll have a drastically different cell phone policy. No we will not be banning cell phones, but we'll come to an understanding. The board has to approve the policy, but I can say now we will exercise ALL options given to us by law for those students who do not comply with the new policy.

In today's economy and climate high schools have been asked to step it up and it starts with the learning environment. To say cell phones distract and disrupt that environment is a stark understatement.

We will respect the student's right to have them if they respect our right and need to provide ALL students with an environment suitable to prepare them for life after high school.

School's out for the Summer

The school year, formerly known as 2007-2008, is officially over.

Everyone is a year older and hopefully wiser. I know we learned a lot about each other, especially this year with the triumphs and tragedy we endured together.

We introduced new computers, policies and met a new administrator in Mr. Brazell. And now we say goodbye to Mr. Kuempel and Mrs. Bucey, two important cogs in our special education program.

Conference championships in volleyball and golf as well as a winning streak in football highlighted athletic accomplishments.

All-state musicians and speech performers as well as state and national FFA convention participants were a few activity highlights as well.

Look ahead we have added Project Lead the Way, a new program for students who want an active learning experience.

And for all of CAM schools we will be one-to-one computers to students at the start of of the 2008-2009 school year.

Have a great summer everyone! Remember - "A goodbye is not forever!"

Schedule for your future

Schedule for your future. Public education works...for those who choose to challenge themselves, take advantage of the opportunities offered and who attended regularly.

But it all starts with the schedule, one that follows the student's chosen pathway and one that pushes the student each year.

We have our materials on our website this year and are offering online registration. Students and parents can sit together at home and register for classes. Then they can review them and make changes themselves or call the school.

We have new programs, dual credit opportunities, IWCC classes all to consider.

Schedule for you and not to have an easy senior year or to be with your friends.

Today's economy will demand a lot from you when you leave high school

Get all of the free education that you can now.