Schools Step Up Technology
By BETHANY A. ROMANEK Education WriterArticle Photos
WHEELING - Local school systems this year are offering new ways for their students to learn including online courses and programs to help them land local industrial jobs after graduation.
In Hancock County Schools, 21st century technology will be a focus in each of the 10 schools' classrooms. Superintendent Suzan Smith said the Smart Board interactive, electronic whiteboard will be installed in all of the elementary schools and filtered into the middle and high schools. More technology training and staff development with technology is planned, as both students and staff will utilize different software programs on updated computers.
For students wishing to enroll in advanced placement courses they will have the option of taking those classes online."In an effort to offer as many advanced placement classes as we can in high school, one teacher at one high school can teach it to other students in real time with interaction through a computer," Smith said. "Students can take their advanced classes via the computer and participate in video conferences."
Smith said offering classes online was an effort started within Hancock County's two high schools to make available more classes to the students.
"For instance, if there is a shortage in Spanish, if we need that we can do that in addition to advanced placement classes online," Smith said. "Our staff each year does a tremendous job. They use a lot of their initiative and are a very dedicated and talented staff. We have a tradition of producing excellent scores on tests, and we want to exceed in 21st century skills so our students are successful in a global world."
Hancock and Wetzel county teachers are to report to their schools on Thursday. The first day of class for students is Aug. 26.
In Marshall County Schools, a $35.9 million project to modernize eight school facilities, construct a new athletic facility and build a new elementary school started in 2007 and is continuing to keep the school system busy.
Superintendent Alfred Renzella said there will be some big changes this school year in Marshall County.
"The sixth-graders will be going to Moundsville Middle School - which is no longer a junior high - and the sixth- graders from Sherrard will go to Sherrard Middle School which is new," Renzella said. "Four new rooms have been added to the Moundsville Middle School in order to hold the influx of students. Both of those facilities were in our bond package."
At John Marshall High School, a large addition has been added to the back of the school which will provide a new industrial maintenance program preparing students for jobs that are available in the community at coal mines and power plants, Renzella said.
"We relocated the horticultural program and remodeled classroom space for technology," he said. "We intend to offer more dual credit opportunities for our students from West Virginia Northern Community College, and will also be open for adult learning opportunities. For example, someone at the coal mine who wants to work their way up in ranks to management will have the opportunity to take classes at John Marshall High School, as if they were at West Virginia Northern Community College."
Finishing touches on renovations at Central Elementary School will conclude this month as the school will open to grades three, four and five this fall. McNinch Elementary School will be closed for remodeling this year. Next year, grades pre-kindergarten through second will attend McNinch.
Other progress in Marshall County Schools includes the remodeling of the Moundsville Field House. Renzella said workers broke ground Sept. 5, 2007, and each project was completed in less than a year. The school system is also in the process of requesting funds to build a new Cameron High School.
School will resume for teachers on Thursday and students will be in class on Aug. 25. An open house will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday for high school students.
"It's truly an exciting time," Renzella said.
In Brooke County Schools, Superintendent Mary K. Hervey DeGarmo said the school system was busy trying to fill last-minute teaching vacancies. The job openings stem from recent retirements and resignations within the school system. DeGarmo also said workshops and training sessions to help educators prepare for this year will take place prior to the first day of school.
"We have a principals academy to provide them additional training and time to meet together to review procedures and polices," DeGarmo said.
Regular principal opening meetings took place Aug. 14 for the principals to get new information to start the school year.
With 3,523 students attending 10 schools in Brooke County, DeGarmo said school officials are continuing to expand the use of technology in the classrooms. To keep up with changing technology, DeGarmo said the school system relies on an excess levy to fund various needs.
"Our excess levy expires at the end of this school year, so the board will be setting the levy date in August," she said. "That will be critical to our county system. The voters of Brooke County have always supported the schools. It will be very critical for us to pass our excess levy - it's our local operating money. We do get state money, but our county depends on operating money to provide free text books and to try to keep up-to-date with technologies, supplies and instructional materials for students."
Brooke County teachers are to report to their schools on Thursday. The first day of classes will be Aug. 26. As the first day of school nears, DeGarmo said she looks forward to another great year and wants to welcome back the students and the staff.
In Ohio County Schools, educators are preparing for the start of the academic year as 13 schools are set to begin classes at the end of August. Teachers will be back in their classrooms on Thursday. Students in grades first through sixth and grade nine will start school on Aug. 26. Seventh and eighth graders will return to school on Aug. 27. Tenth, 11th and 12th-grade students will begin classes Aug. 28. And on Aug. 29 every student from pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade will be in school.
"We have done over the course of the summer a lot of building maintenance across the county as we usually do with upgrading and improving," said Ohio County Schools Deputy Superintendent George Krelis. "We take pride in preparing not just in July and August. It's an ongoing process to keep the direction of the curriculum up-to-date. We are excited and anticipating another great year for Ohio County.''
Krelis said the school system is keeping up with technology by adding Smart Board interactive whiteboards to all elementary schools. The Smart Board is an interactive, electronic whiteboard which can enhance instruction and learning. Krelis anticipates each whiteboard will be installed before students return to their schools at the end of the month.
A newly constructed turnaround at WPHS is set to be used by buses and motorists for the first time when school begins. The turnaround was added to the school as a means to help with security and more efficient loading and unloading of students and equipment.
"It's almost completed," Krelis said. "We are hoping within the week the lights and security bollards will be set. It will add something very significant to the front of the building both appearance wise and security wise. All of our buses are also ready to go - clean and inspected. The custodians worked hard over the summer and the buildings look fantastic. The students are pretty much ready to come back and we are definitely ready to have them back."
In Tyler County Schools, Superintendent Jeff Hoover said the way children learn in Tyler County continues to change to meet the demands of the world economy and the demands brought about by new technology.
"More and more information is but a keystroke away for the modern student," Hoover said. "Knowing how to access that information is a key to a competitive education. For that reason Tyler County Schools continues to focus on technology education in all areas of the curriculum, and at all levels; elementary, middle and high school."
Except for kindergarten and pre-school students classes in Tyler County will begin Aug. 26.
|
Mom2Four
|
|
|---|---|
|
08-19-08 8:13 PM
|
Ditto mom. I called about the open house Friday and the school didn't know anything about an open house! Does anyone have a clue what is going on in Marshall County? Apparently Fast Freddy doesn't.
|
|
EllisWyatt
|
|
|
08-19-08 7:04 PM
|
chemengineer I detect a note of sarcasm in your voice. I stand by my statements. We can whine and cry and so on but it will do nothing to make our children more competitive. It is ridiculous to say "other kids are trying too hard" and "what about kids' feelings?" The world doesn't care about your feelings and you can never try too hard. We need to stop spoiling our children, boosting their self-esteem and sending them to the shrink for drugs every time they fail a test. If we don't fix things, other countries we dictate our destiny for us. Do you think that China cares about our kids' feelings? Will India dumb it down out of sensitivity? Down with the feel good, up with the do good.
|
|
IMDMom
|
|
|
08-19-08 1:36 PM
|
re: Marshall County. Its pretty bad when your school superintendent doesn't even know when the first day of school is!
|
|
chemengineer
|
|
|
08-19-08 12:30 PM
|
I agree Ellis. I think that what we need is a system of punishment for children who can not grasp simple concepts like 2k factorial experimental design or the underlying messages in "Lord of the Flies."
|
|
atoddh
|
|
|
08-18-08 9:03 PM
|
Ellis is correct. As it stands there are few opportunities: although there are some excellent machining operations in the Wheeling area(eg Mull). There is,however,great potential for future aircraft-related development at the OC Airport.
|
|
EllisWyatt
|
|
|
08-18-08 7:18 PM
|
"Land local industrial jobs after graduation"? WHERE? Whatever happened to schools imposing discipline, hiring people who were not working as a teacher by default, teaching students how to read, write, do math, learn civics and history and study science? Why can't we make kids learn? Have you ever watched the Discovery Channel, etc. and seen the almost military like effort put into teaching in China, Japan and India? It is frightening to watch 12 year olds in China doing speed calculus with slide rulers while our own 12-year olds are failing basic math and being told how special they are, on the way to the shrink for more Ritalin. Without an educated society, we are lost.
|
|
UNCOMMONSENSE
|
|
|
08-18-08 1:51 PM
|
Careful! Taxpayers are liable to put 2&2 together and see that with this new online learning system, they no longer need teachers. And no need for teachers means no need for Administration. ;)
|