Numerous new teachers flood Millard South

* Kristi Palik Staff Reporter

- Art teacher Theresa Carroll helps with art club. She was a long-term substitute at Millard South last year.

sophomore Katie Elwer said.

“I don’t have anything to worry about. School isn’t that hard,” sophomore Stephanie Vanicek said.

Probably the most widely known rule change has been the banning of pajamas. Students are now prohibited from wearing anything associated with bedtime, from slippers to bathrobes.

“We are trying to increase productivity. School should be a business-like environment and sleepwear doesn’t fit that,” Lopez said.

“I don’t like the rule at all,” sophomore Marisa Cuvelier said. “It makes no sense.”

“I don’t even care about the pajama tule,” sophomore Matt Wagner said.

Whatever the opinion, all three of these rule changes are now in effect.

This year Millard South has an ‘impressive number of:23 new teachers inthebuilding. The following areshort biographies onsome ofthenew teachers.

* English teacher Jill Prochaska is in her first year of teaching and considers Millard South an “encouraging environment.”

* Social studies teacher and debate coach Scott Wike is in his first year of teaching, and, as a graduate of Millard South, finds it nice to work with all the teachers he had.

English teacher Tessa Adams taught previously in Pierce and is a freshman cheerleading sponsor.

Spanish teacher Paul Grant previously taught in St. Louis.

Business teacher Lynn Hill isa DECA sponsor.

Business teacher Greg Fearday previously taught at Bellevue East and is the Freshman B Boys Basketball Coach. Special Education teacher Kate Savas previously taught in Lincoln.

* English teacher Sarah Martin previously student taught at Kiewit Middle School and Millard West High School and looks forward to “getting involv at Millard South.

- New Frontier social studies teacher Michele Stogdill previously taught in LaMonte, Mo.

* Spanish teacher Juan Villaseca previously taught in Madrid and Murcia, Spain.

Online grades enlighten performance

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Jill Strominger Managing Editor

Beginning this year, parents of Millard South students are able to access grade reports through the internet. The printout includes information such as the grade received on homework and tests and whether or not they were tumed in on time. Because advances in technology have mage this capability available, the administration felt it was time for Millard South to make use of it.

“Technology has put us in a position where that kind of communica[instant access to grades] only makes sense. We're living in an era of instant access to information; information is power,” principal Jon Lopez said.

Already 545 Millard South families have taken advantage of this new power by signing up for accounts. The administration hopes this kind information will help parents intervene when their students are doing poorly causing students to perform better in school and raise academic standards.”

“T take a look at the big picture of how kids are doing, the percentage of the kids passing; I only get to look at grades as a big group. What I’m hoping is that as parents track the progress of the kid they can intervene and help them do better. Right now 95% = kids ~ at Millard South are passin sir classes, but those 5 percent that aren’t belong to somebody,” Lopez said.

Allowing parents instant access to grades does raise some concems about a decrease in student’s responsibility. Relying on parents to help their children achieve adequate grades inevitably increases the role of the parent in their child’s education in a way which does not parallel the workplace, however, this is anational trend present not only at Millard South.

“I think the responsibility has shifted more towards the parents over the past 10 years. However, I think this will help the pendulum swing back the other way if expectations are raised and students are held accountable to their parents,” Lopez said.