Tiger Hi-Line The
Volume 48 Edition 10
http://hi-lineonline.shorturl.com 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Correction Last week’s article regarding the Cedar Falls Community Schools Foundation incorrectly stated that the Foundation benefitted only Cedar Falls High School. The Cedar Falls Community Schools Foundation is for the benefit of all of the Cedar Falls community schools. To avoid any confusion, the news editors of the Tiger Hi-Line would like to clarify that the Foudation’s director, Floyd Winter, was also misquoted in stating that the Foundation is only for the benefit of Cedar Falls High School. We, the news editors of the Tiger Hi-line, apologize for our mistake and for any confusion that may have resulted from it. For more information on the Cedar Falls Community Schools Foundation Floyd Winter may be contacted at 319-266-5825 or fgwinter@cfu.net.
Business teacher takes job Robotics Team as consultant for Dept of Ed drafts year’s plans Arelene Freudenberg Staff Writer
For 20 years, business teacher Kelli Diemer has been coming to Cedar Falls High School and teaching a new set of students every year. Recently, however, Kelli Diemer has found a new job that sparks her interest, and will be leaving us on Dec. 14. “I don’t want to leave the classroom hating it. This position will allow me to keep working in education, but I get to create a flow between high school business education and college,” Diemer said. Diemer has taken a job in Des Moines, as a consultant for Buisness and Marketing Education for the Department of Education. “I heard about it on the web, and individuals that know me told me about it,” Diemer said. After Diemer heard about the new
job offer, she thought she’d take the chance and interview for the job. “My interview involved a six person team. The interview took about an hour and a half. Then the Divisional Chief interviewed me for about a half an hour,” Diemer said. Several months passed by and Diemer still received no notice. “It took the Department of Education a long time to make a decision. I applied in the summer and they contacted me in the middle of the year,” Diemer said. Although Diemer was ready to leave for her new job mentally, complications here arose. Diemer is a different case among teachers leaving. She isn’t retiring or taking a new teaching job in the middle of the summer. She’s leaving right in the middle of Cedar Falls’ school year. “It’s very difficult to leave in the middle of the year. I do teach a duel credit course,” Diemer said.
Diemer has taught many different students and seen many different faces. Many of whom she will miss dearly. “I like seeing the growth of my students and the different energy levels they have,” Diemer said. Diemer will also miss the walls of her classrooms because she has been in them for so long. “I student taught in this same classroom, but when I started it was filled with typewriters. So I saw the evolution of the classroom for the past 20 years,” Diemer said. Diemer’s fellow co-workers have been interviewing people for her position on the staff. “I’ve only sat in on one interview. They have done the rest. I think it’s important they do it because they’re the one who will have to work with her, not me,” Diemer said. A long-term sub has been hired to temporarily replace Diemer.
Jakob Zierer Staff Writer
While robots are often classified as the enemy in science fiction, to these enterprising CFHS robotics students— who are known as Team 525—they are an exciting challenge of science, math, technology and fun. The 40 members of Team 525 meet every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in room 227 to hone their science, math and technology skills. “This fall we are trying something new,” Kenton Swartley, physics teacher at Cedar Falls High School, said. “We have these little VEX robotics kits, and we split the team into four little groups. We teach them how to work with the robots and learn about robots,” he said. Students enjoy many different aspects of this club. “I think it’s fun to have a task in mind, working with
people to accomplish and in the end to be successful,” Kevin Hancock, committed team member, said. The students enjoy working with the VEX Robotics Design System. The system is a build-it-yourself robot creation kit, like an electric erector set. Hancock is excited about the planned spring activity when the team will start building a big robot together. “I am looking forward to building big robots instead of just building small ones,” Hancock said. “And all working together on one robot as a big team.” The robotics team is training for a big competition coming up on March 27 to 29 in Minneapolis. The team has to design and construct a robot that will carry out commands. “Of course I like to win, but the main goal is for students to learn about engineering,” Swartley said.
NCLB up for reauthorization, current staff opinions mixed Nadia Honary Staff Writer
The “No Child Left Behind” act has stirred up many different reactions in students and staff. Soon, Congress will vote on whether it should be reauthorized or not. CFHS Principal Dr. Rich Powers feels that it has strong redeeming qualities. “Accountability for all students is a good thing. The focus is on making sure every student is adequately prepared,” Powers said. Biology teacher Marcey Hand agrees that No Child Left Behind is good at making sure to stay student focused. “It pays attention to the success and the population of the students. It draws attention to kids who need the extra help,” Hand said. While the idea of No Child Left Behind focuses its attention on success for
all students, CFHS staff still sees problems with its effectiveness. “It’s unrealistic because not everyone has the same capabilities. Also, we start paying attention to the lower achievements, and we stop noticing the higher achieving students. So the reauthorized law should maintain the focus on all students, not just on the ones in need of help,” Hand said. Some aspects to the act can be improved upon, such as the amount of support from the federal government. “No Child Left Behind is big on penalties and short on support, but I’m not worried about our district because we are aggressive at targeting students in need of extra help. We just need to continue down that path. We don’t stop at the minimum preparation,” Powers said. Hand said she feels that the standards need to be more down-to-earth. “It would be good if there was less
emphasis on standardized tests. The expectations aren’t very realistic because not everyone is the same. I don’t like it (the act) in its present form. It’s good to have a common goal with the students in mind, but it’s hard to do from a realistic standpoint. But we can learn from this,” Hand said. In theory, most staff feel No Child Left Behind is a good concept, but its policies could use some revision. Powers said, “Whether it’s reauthorized or not, our district will continue to focus on preparation for the next step. It’s like what Dr. Reid (Principal of Hansen Elementary school) said,‘No Child Left Behind is like watching a NASCAR race, but everyone is focusing on who finishes last.’ Everyone can’t win the race, but everyone can improve.”
Jakob Zierer Photo Working diligently, seniors Arthur Burle and Kevin Hancock put the finishing touches on their robot built from a VEX robotics kit. Robotics team members used the groupbuilt robots to better understand robot mechanics and hone their manipulation skills. Last year’s robotics team, affectionately named the Swartdogs, placed third overall at regionals.