13 JUNE 2007 • VOLUME 22 ISSUE 7 SMALL SCHOOLS Just how did it all get started and how are things going as the first class graduates this week • 16-17
• ‘Arcadia’ – time travel, mystery, lust. Read the review and solve the mystery • 13
HAWKEYE
HAPPY LIGHTS Light that boosts your well-being? Get illuminated • 7
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Screamin’ horns
Staff votes overwhelmingly in favor of return
‘D’s back in action By Kathryn Goddard HAWKEYE staff
MTHS is reinstating the “D” grade policy starting next school year. The new policy would mean that students with a 60 to 69 percent would pass a class, rather than the average 70 percent grade now required. For more than 10 years Terrace’s grading policy has not consisted of a “D” grade. This change in the grading policy will be a permanent one that affects all students. About a month ago the MTHS staff voted in favor to bring back the “D” for many reasons. Those in favor of the change in policy, such as The Renaissance School counselor Colleen Egger, claim that it gives students “more of an even playing field.” This is because every other school in the Edmonds School District follows a “D” grading policy. Running Start and transfer students with “D” grades are also accepted as passing at MTHS. Some teachers raise grades from a “D” to a “C“ minus in order to not fail students, creating “unfair grading,” Egger said. With the “D” grade implemented, more students would graduate and unfair grading would not happen. The policy will also save fresh-
men and sophomores from failing if they are not quite on track yet. According to Principal Greg Schwab, it is “necessary for the ‘D’ grade to be an option for some students.” The new grade policy grade gives students a chance to pass their classes who are struggling. Students who put great amounts of effort and for some reason cannot meet course standards will now receive credit. Schwab also said that a downside “is that the [policy] lowers the bar for students.” However, some of the MTHS staff opposed reinstating the ‘D” grade. Former Discovery School teacher leader Vincent DeMiero said, “If we are trying to increase student performance and hold students to a higher academic standard, then why would we accept anything less than a ‘C’ grade?” Some question also goes into how thorough the investigation of bringing back the “D” was. “If you compare the amount of research, thinking, and debating that went into eliminating the ‘D,’ it was about 50 times greater than the amount of research, thinking, and debating that it took to bring it back,” DeMiero said.
OMG! No Internet? >:-( By Kathryn Goddard HAWKEYE staff
Colin Diltz/A&E Editor
Allen Vizzutti (left) plays a duet from “A Night in Tunisia” with senior Bryce Call (right) at last Thursday’s instrumental concert in the Theater. For more on Vizzutti, see page 15.
Durango, here she comes By Sharon McClintock News Editor
Assistant Principal Diane Lashinsky will not be returning to MTHS next fall but instead is moving to Durango, Colo., where she will become principal. A team is working on hiring her replacement. A decision may be made this week. The two finalist candidates are Erin Murphy Diane Lashinsky from Poulsbo Junior Assistant Principal High School and Joyce Scott from Lakewood High School. Lashinsky will be the principal of Durango High School, host of about 1500 students. “I’m attracted to the challenge of helping that school become a better school.” They are “struggling to make a good school better,” and are interested in the work of small schools, she said.
She started working at Terrace four years ago and has been very active in the district drop-out prevention team, the Innovation and Discovery schools, and the master schedule work last year. Lashinsky is a big supporter of small schools and in the Innovation School she has helped to establish Project Lead The Way, a program instated in Innovation math, science and technology classes. Also, she has helped with the creation of humanities, which is a block social studies and English class. Lashinsky has been a part of a district high school drop out prevention group that researches the reasons for high school students dropping out and tries to work with those factors to avoid further loss of students. “I’ve learned so much from so many different people here. I will be a better person in my next job because of it,” she said. “I’m still curious and interested in the work that’s going on here. I will miss many people here. I will miss people here who would be surprised to know that I would miss them.”
Edmonds School District No. 15 and any district connected to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) K-20 lost Internet access for nearly the entire day on Monday, June 11. K-20 is an ISP company that services Internet to most schools from kindergarten to graduate school in the Puget Sound region, as well
as most of Washington. Early Monday, all connected costumers lost Internet access. K-20 worked to fix the problem, and MTHS Internet was restored around 6 p.m. The lack of Internet access disrupted many classes. Without the Internet, teachers and students could not complete work or access information outside of the district. Loss of Internet resources
did not, however, completely disrupt access to in-district functions. District Internet resources such as email, the district Web site, and Skyward Family Access could be used – although sometimes Skyward could not be logged on to. Internet outside of the district was mainly affected. All outside email, Web sites, and programs could not be accessed.
Student loses fight with cancer By Sharon McClintock News Editor
A Terrace sophomore died last weekend from cancer. Nazar Budzinskiy, 16, died Saturday, June 9. He had been struggling with cancer for more than a year. Services will be at 7 p.m. Friday at First Ukrainian Pentecostal Church, 3811 NE 21st St. in Renton. James Ogren, MTHS science teacher, was home tutor to Budzinskiy because he was not always able to come to school. “Even though I am very saddened by this loss, I still feel privileged that I got to know
Nazar and I enjoyed the conversations we had. I also have a lot of admiration for Nazar,” Ogren said. “I think he showed a lot of courage. I never once heard him complain and he was always very cheerful,” he said. A letter from school officials was shared with 6th period classes on Monday stating in part, “This news will be upsetting to everyone in our Terrace community. We know this is very difficult for Nazar’s family and friends and our hearts go out to them.” “He always met me at the door with a smile,” Ogren said. “Even though I was the tutor, I think I learned also. I think Nazar taught me a lot about courage.”