“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education.” — Maria Montessori
THE
ongview Voice
Sharing the good news about LISD!
A publication of Longview Independent School District
Vol. 2 No. 7 September 2017
Complimentary Copy
W E L C O M E B AC K ! Teachers and staff are fired up...
D
uring convocation ceremonies Aug. 18 at Lobo Coliseum more than 1,000 Longview ISD employees were in attendance and inspired by speakers from the board of trustees, administration, and LISD Foundation, as well as 2016 LISD Secondary Teacher Of the Year Lisa Mize offered words of advice to teachers. “Get ready, they are coming,” Mize said. “Take a moment to appreciate and enjoy the privilege you have as educators.” Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox told teachers it is them who change the world. “What you do will change the life of a student,” he said. Citing the continued improvements in student performance, facility upgrades, and staff retention, Dr. Wilcox said the LISD is second to none among schools of comparable size. “We have reached a level of achievement to where now there are big city schools in Dallas and Houston, calling us for solutions and insight,” he said. “That is a testament to the caliber of people we have in this district.” The most inspiring words of the day came from speaker, Rev. Charles Foster Johnson, of Pastors for Texas Children. “You are not alone,” he said. “Let us help lift you when you feel low, let us guide you when you do not see the path, let us help when you cannot. We are here for you, the great educators and staff of LISD.” Johnson praised administration, teachers and staff hard work, reminded them to, “keep motivating, encouraging and pumping knowledge in the upcoming school year and the kids will fly.” Wilcox agreed. on page 9, seedo“Garden” “Together, we will allContinued help our young people great things,” he added.
District of Distinctions
Longview ISD earns 37 state academic distinctions, the most in East Texas
L
ongview ISD schools earned 37 total distinctions on accountability ratings, according to the Texas Education Agency. An increase from the 30 distinctions earned a year ago. Board members were given a presentation on the TEA report from Latitia Wilson, LISD Director of Research, Planning, and Accountability during Monday night’s regular meeting. Longview High and Foster Middle earned a perfect 7-out-of-7 possible distinctions, with Hudson PEP and Ned E. Williams both earning a perfect 6-out-of-6 elementary distinctions. “Overall our district is trending upward, we’re seeing measureable growth,” Wilson told trustees. “We are glad to see the gains we’ve made this past year, but we are not where we want to be. There is still a long way to go, and we believe we can get there.” LHS Principal James Brewer praised the support his campus receives from the administration and school board, “and the kind of leadership that makes this kind of accomplishment possible.” “It’s rewarding to see the results, but at the same time it’s a challenge. It’s like a football team that wins a championship, you get to enjoy it for a moment but then you have to get back to work,” he said. “I am so proud of our people — our students and staff — and I want them to celebrate this achievement, but then get ready to get back to work.” Foster Principal John York expressed great pride in his students “earning seven out of seven academic distinction designations,” “Our school motto is ‘Success and Nothing Less,’ and our students and staff rose to this challenge,” he said. “I also want to thank our wonderful parents and community for their support of our school.” Hudson PEP Elementary Principal Sue Wilson said her campus
THE
Longview Voice
Opinion Coming Events
2 3
emphasizes developing and maintaining positive relationships with the children and parents in order to help students reach their maximum potential. “Our goal for the 2016-27 School Year was to earn the six distinctions on the STAAR test. The teachers at Hudson PEP worked diligently every day to provide relevant, hands-on learning for our students,” she said. “I am so proud of the Hudson PEP team, our students and our fabulous parents who worked together to achieve our goal.” Ned E. Williams Principal Dr. Cynthia Wise said “this was a team effort from all stakeholders including our parents.” “I feel so blessed to be the leader of such a remarkable group of people,” she said. “This success tells us that our children are able to critically think and problem solve. As instructional leaders and teachers, we feel obligated to do this for our children.” Wise said that the campus theme last year “Accept the Challenge!” “I challenged my teachers to seek out new and innovative ways to reach ALL children and they did it,” she said. “Now we can we can feel the exhilaration of victory.” Distinctions are awarded to schools based on achievement in performance indicators relative to a group of 40 campuses of similar type, size and student demographics. The state accountability rating system was implemented in 2013 to assess districts, campuses and charter schools. Schools receive one of three ratings — met standard, met alternate standard or improvement required. Schools must meet the target for areas such as student achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps across all ethnic populations and income levels and post-secondary readiness. Campuses listed as met standard are those that met criteria for either student achievement or student progress, as well as meeting criteria for closing performance gaps and postsecondary readiness. Student achievement is a snapshot of performance across all subjects, while student progress measures year-to-year progress. Closing performance gaps emphasizes academic achievements of Continued on page 3, see “Distinction”
Montessori Opening Bauer Town Meeting
4-5 8
PE Fight School Schedules
10 18
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
Page 2
September 2017
OPINION
True friendship built on true loyalty
Dear Lobos, Loyalty. This month’s column is about loyalty. And if you remember nothing else, remember this: loyalty can never be bought. It can only be earned. It is yours to give, and it is yours to receive. But, once it is lost, it very seldom ever returns. You have been in school now long enough to have made lots of friends, and probably have lost a few as well. But, if you are lucky, you have made at least one or two who are your “thick and thin,” “ride or die” friends. You know the kinds, the ones who would answer your phone call no matter what time of night you call them. Those are usually the keepers. My first friend, other than my brothers of course, was Clay Mitchell. Clay was my age and his younger brother Ted, was my little brother Ben’s age. Our fathers were medical colleagues, so our families spent a lot of time together as well. From the first day of first grade at Mozelle Johnston Elementary School, when Clay and I met on the merry go round, we were inseparable. You see, Clay’s pants got stuck on the merry go round and ripped. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but yet when you are in the first grade, things
can seem bigger than they really are. And when the hole is in the seat of your pants, and you are 6 years old in a terrifying new environment, your world seems like it will end. Needless to say, Clay was not going to get up off the merry go round with a hole in his pants. I ran inside the school, found a large towel, and brought it out to Clay. He wrapped himself in it and a lifelong friendship was forged. Right there, in front of the merry go round at age 6. That, my friends, is loyalty. And until Clay’s untimely death, a few years ago, he would have given me the shirt off his back had I needed it. To cover any hole that I might have to cover. Who would have known at age 6 that this would define a big part of the rest of our lives? And yet at age 50-something I have that opportunity every day to define my life again. Seize an opportunity every day to make a difference. There have been many friends come and go in my lifetime. Sometimes, it has been disappointing to believe that someone was a “ride or die”
friend, only to find out that they really belonged in the “buddy” category. You know the saying, “Some people come into your life for a reason, some a season, and some a lifetime.” When friends have left out of my life, I have tried to embrace this quote. But, one thing that I think some people miss in their friendships is that when you find a friend that is a “ride or die” you better hold on tight. Because loyalty is not valued by everyone. Matter of fact, the more I am alive on this earth, the fewer loyal people that I come across. Most people would consider themselves loyal people. But, sometimes when other people, money, things, etc. come into the equation, judgment is altered. I am reminded by a principle from the Go Giver book – “always put the other guy first”. If you are always putting the other guy first when making decisions, then money or things will never enter your mind. In order to have loyal people in your life, you have to be loyal to other people. It is a reciprocal process. It always
surprises me when people say they are loyal, but as soon as they can make more money by being disloyal, their decision changes. You see, loyalty is easy to have when you are 6 years old on the playground, but sometimes hard when you grow up and other factors are involved. When loyalt y f luc tuates depending on your situation or outside influences, it is not really loyalty after all, is it? I prefer to have friends who are always the same no matter what. I read a quote by Oprah Winfrey that said, “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” I think the world would be a better place if we had more people in the bus with us. Study hard, have some fun, say your prayers,
Andy — Dr. Andy Mack is a 1978 graduate of Longview High School. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon for more than 25 years, he is currently owner-operator of East Texas Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Longview.
We must ensure the promises of democracy are upheld By Trevor O’Connor
For decades, politicians have bellowed that all are equal, that racial barriers are relics of the past and that anyone can be anything in the land of opportunity. The inauguration of our first black president eight years ago was a dazzling affirmation of such a promise; if there was ever a testament to the power of the American dream and personal ingenuity, this was the pinnacle. We had shown the world that through uncompromising grit and hard work, anyone can help lead our government — or so we thought.
Limit 1 per table, Expires 1/1/18
For millions of minority \ Americans, struc tural poverty and systemic issues still keep many from achieving the highest ideals of their dreams. Although there is no law explicitly barring minorities from running for office, the issues of campaign finance, gerrymandered districts and structural poverty foster an environment in which too many minorities are excluded from participating in our electoral process. The Obama outlier is not indicative of the reality many people of color face, and in fact, public office is still an elusive goal for many. If we truly believe the American promise that hard work and following the rules elicits success, then we must do better. Amid all the fanfare of the 2017 presidential inauguration, The United States welcomed the most diverse Congress in its history. However, such hollow proclamations of diversity fall flat once one steps away from the brush strokes and analyzes the whole painting.
A lthough black A mericans make up around 13.2 percent of the total U.S. population, there are only three black Senators, or 3 percent of the U.S. Senate. Likewise, Hispanics make up 17.8 percent of the U.S. population, yet only 7.8 percent of representatives are Hispanic. Similar compositions are found around the country in state legislatures, city halls and in courts. One may argue that such is the nature of the beast, and that we should not worry about the demographics of our legislators; however, if we believe that representative democracy’s role is to properly reflect the people, it is clear that we are falling short. Why don’t we have more minority legislators? One key factor is finances. The average cost of a Senate race is $10.5 million per candidate, and in 2016, key races in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire cost more than $100 million each. In the House, the average race costs $1.5 million. Most Americans do not have such financial resources or networking at their disposal, and these matters are further compounded by the fact that decades of unequal opportunity and systemic discrimination have economically disadvantaged minority Americans. According to a recent Forbes article, “the t ypical black household now has just 6 percent of the wealth of the typical white household; the typical Latino household has just 8 percent.” It is
clear that a system that gives an advantage to those with financial resources harms communities of color. These barriers are further entrenched by gerrymandered districts, which consistently disenfranchise minorit y populations. This is evidenced by a host of Supreme Court decisions, most notably the 2016 decision to strike down North Carolina’s redistricting map for suppressing the minority vote. Incumbents in Congress also have more resources to fundraise, network and have free name recognition, meaning that those in power tend to stay in power, in fact at an average 90 percent re-election rate. Solving these problems will not be easy, but it is necessary. We must address the underlying issues: investing in our public schools to increase social mobility, improving our public safety net, restoring the 1965 Voting Rights Act and reforming our campaign finance and congressional districting laws. A lt hough hav ing more minorities in Congress is not the be-all, end-all for racial justice, it is one step we must take toward truly having a representative democracy. If we tell our children that with hard work and determination, anyone can become anything in this country, then we must ensure that such a promise is upheld. — Trevor O’Connor is a 2016 graduate of Longview High, and was his class Salutatorian. O’Connor is currently an honors student at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. where he is majoring in government.
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
It’s always a great day to be a Lobo By Matthew Prosser Here we are Lobo Nation, the start of another school year. Another year of learning, growing, trying, and achieving great things. It’s going to be great. But before we get too caught up in what’s coming, I’d like to invite you to stop for a moment and reflect on a few things you might’ve missed... If you’ve read the front page of this newspaper you’ve already seen our 37 academic distinctions (the most in East Texas!) but did you know our students also surpassed statewide STA AR passing percentages? Hey, no one who works in education likes standardized testing, and neither do parents. But since they aren’t going away anytime soon, it’s good to see that our students are rising to the challenge. Over the summer our high school TSA students competed in Nationals, placing in various events of engineering, technology, and innovation. I lose track of how many years in a row that our kids have made it to Nationals because they do it practically every year, and
it looks to continue: a number of students from Foster Middle School made the trip as well. You don’t have great student performance without leaders setting the agenda, and we’ve got that in abundance at Longview ISD. Just look at our trustees, they were named 2017 Region VII Outstanding School Board Award for their commitment to our students and communit y. Evidence of that can be found in how our board takes care of our educators by unanimously approving another pay increase last month. LISD teachers are among the highest-paid in the region! On a state level LISD was one of just 10 districts statewide recently honored by The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) with a Risk Management Fund Excellence Award for the student nutrition program, and for the fifth straight year we received the Transparency Star Award in Debt Obligations from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. But don’t take my word for it... talk to our students, our staffers, our parents, and our civic leaders. Not a day
Page 3
Coming Events
September 1 4:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball at Tatum p.m. Varsity Football hosts Lufkin goes by where I don’t get an 7(Lobo Stadium) encouraging word from the Lobo Nation. Teachers thrilled about September 4 the amazing things their kids Labor Day are doing, parents raving about (no school, all LISD offices closed) the educational opportunities af forded to our children, September 5 government officials expressing 4 p.m. Varsity Tennis hosts Tyler Lee thanks for partnerships and (Lobo Tennis Courts) projec t s that benef it our 4:30 p.m. Freshman Volleyball hosts community. So many emails and Henderson (Lobo Coliseum) phone calls. So many members of 5 p.m. LISD Foundation Green Out (Chick-Fil-A) the Lobo Nation who are proud Night 5:30 p.m. JV Volleyball hosts of what we are all accomplishing Henderson (Lobo Coliseum) together, ardently seeking to get 6:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball hosts better and do more. So many Henderson (Lobo Coliseum) amazing people doing amazing things. September 6 If you walk around the 4:30 p.m. LHS Cheer Practice (Turf administration building, you’re Room) bound to cross paths with LISD 5 p.m. Lobo Band Parent Meeting Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox. (Mickey Melton Auditorium) Whenever I see him he always asks me how my day is going, and September 7 p.m. JV Tennis at Kilgore High often I respond, “Hey, it’s a great 4School day to be a Lobo.” 5 p.m. 7th Grade Judson Middle Dr. Wilcox doesn’t miss a beat School at Forest Park Middle School before responding: “It’s always a (Forest Park Gym) great day to be a Lobo!” 5 p.m. 7th Grade Foster Middle And so it is, my friends. It’s School hosts Boulter (Foster Gym) always a great day to be a Lobo. 5:30 p.m. Freshman Football at Marshall (Maverick Stadium) — Matthew Prosser is an award- 6 p.m. 8th Grade Judson Middle winning journalist and photographer, School at Forest Park Middle School currently he is Communications (Forest Park Gym) Specialist for Longview Independent 6 p.m. 8th Grade Foster Middle hosts Boulter (Foster Gym) School District and a born-again School 7 p.m. JV Football at Marshall Lobo. (Maverick Stadium) September 8 4 p.m. Varsity Tennis at Rockwall 4:30 p.m. Freshman Volleyball hosts John Tyler (Lobo PE Gym) 4:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball hosts John Tyler (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. JV Volleyball hosts John Tyler (Lobo Coliseum) 7:30 p.m. Varsity Football (Green Out) hosts Marshall (Lobo Stadium)
Distinction|Continued from page 1
September 9 7:30 a.m. ACT Testing (Longview High School) 8 a.m. Mini Majorette Camp (Lobo Coliseum and PE Gym) 5 p.m. Class of 1997 LHS Reunion
economically disadvantaged students and the two lowestper for ming rac ia l /et hnic student groups. Post-secondary readiness focuses on the importance of earning a high school diploma and providing students with the foundation for success in college, job training programs, the workforce or the military. In addition to rating districts and individual campus on whether they are meeting standards, the accountability system also hands out distinctions to schools that excel in the areas of English lang uage ar t s /reading, mathematics, science, social studies, top 25 percent student progress, top 25 percent closing and performance gaps. Horace Williams, Assistant Superintendent of Campus *20 word ad Accountability, told board members that, while these results represent quantifiable
improvement, “ L o n g v i e w ISD has higher expectations, and we’re going to continue to work hard to raise the standard.” “Our teachers have worked hard, our students have worked hard,” he said. “As a district we’re working not just harder but smarter.” Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said this continued upward academic momentum, “illustrates just how special Longview ISD is, both in our students and staff.” “To look at a school district of our size, our socio-economic diversity, and the challenges facing public schools, and see the progress our students and staff are making year-in and year-out ... it’s really remarkable,” he said.
Teachers... Receive an extra week FREE when you place an ad in Longview’s Thifty Nickel! Buy 1 Week, get the second week free with your faculty ID!
September 11 9 a.m. Tennis at Midlothian/Lindale Quad (Tyler) 1 p.m. Tennis at Midlothian/Lindale Quad (Tyler) 5 p.m. Judson 7th Grade Football hosts Lufkin Purple (Judson Middle School) 6:15 p.m. Foster 7th Grade Football hosts Lufkin Gold (Judson Middle School)
Board president Dr. Mark Camp and vice president Dr. Troy Simmons echoed this sentiment. “I’m so proud of what our district has done, is doing, and will continue to do,” Simmons added. Trustees meet each month in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center, 1301 E. Young St. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 18, 2017.
September 12 10 a.m. LHS Junior Class Meeting - Class Ring Presentation (Mickey Melton Auditorium) 4 p.m. Varsity Tennis hosts North Mesquite (Lobo Tennis Courts) 5 p.m. Forest Park 7th Grade Football hosts Gilmer (Judson Middle School) 5:30 p.m. LHS Freshman Volleyball (Middle School Night) hosts Rockwall (Forest Park Middle School) 5:30 p.m. LHS JV Volleyball (Middle School Night) hosts Rockwall (Forest Park Middle School) 6 p.m. Forest Park 8th Grade Football hosts Gilmer (Judson Middle School) 6:30 p.m. LHS Varsity Volleyball (Middle School Night) hosts Rockwall (Forest Park Middle School) 5 p.m. Judson 8th Grade Football at Lufkin Purple (Lufkin Middle School) 5 p.m. Foster 8th Grade Football at Lufkin Gold (Lufkin Middle School) September 13 4:30 p.m. Lobo Cheer Practice (Turf Room)
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
Page 4
September 2017
OPEN FOR BUSINESS! East Texas Montessori Prep Academy opens doors for public celebration By Dr. Joycelyne Fadojutimi/East Texas Review
“I
t is not true that I invented what is called the Montessori Method. I have studied the child. I have taken what the child has given me and expressed it, and that is what is called the Montessori Method.
“
– Dr. Maria Montessori
W
ith a new school year approaching, there will be something fresh and exciting in the Longview Independent School District. This will be the first semester for the new East Texas Montessori Prep Academy. Even more thrilling, it will be the largest Montessori school in the country, with a 149,581-square foot building. An enrollment of approximately 1100 students is anticipated.
Last month’s ribbon cutting brought together city, county, and state officials as well as local dignitaries and members of the public from the greater Longview area. They were on hand to witness the opening of this massive, state-of-the-art establishment. The implications are promising and prodigious. The district will use Montessori education for Head Start, pre-K and kindergarten pupils from throughout the school district except for those enrolled in Hudson PEP and Johnston-McQueen elementary schools. Children in the Montessori program work and learn at whatever pace best suits them, and emphasis is on individual instruction. This pre-K Montessori campus is located at the intersection of U.S. highways 259 and 80. Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox can hardly wait to get started. “This is a dream of quality education for all students come true for parents and our community,” he said. “We always talk about doing what is best for students, however, often we do what’s best for adults, but not this time.” Wilcox hopes to see additional Texas school districts follow the LISD example of striving to meet the needs of all their students. The Montessori academy may be the genesis for a statewide overhaul in preparatory education. This is part of Wilcox’s vision of continuously improving student instruction, college and workforce readiness. “Our students deserve the best opportunities. We just have to get our government leaders to lift up every student the best way they can,” he said. “But they consistently refuse to do so.” Another perk is that all East Texans are invited to enroll at the Montessori academy. Wilcox points out that decades of research shows Montessori is the fastest method to accelerated academic excellence for all students, especially low-performing ones. Moreover, Montessori method gives students access to and the ability to complete the international baccalaureate program.
1442 MCCANNROAD LONGVIEW, TX 75601 903.553.0050
218 N. HENDERSON BLVD 704 W. MAIN ST KILGORE, TX 75662 HALLSVILLE, TX 75850 903-981-0010 903-668-2636
Principal Dr. Jacqueline Burnett gave tours of the campus to attendees. In addition, she described her journey to her new position and facility. “When Superintendent Culver gave me the opportunity to teach elementary school, my mother Jackie Burnett, said, ‘When you have a sapling you can mold it. When it is a tree you have to uproot it.’” Dr. Burnett chose to mold saplings and is certain to be doing plenty of positive molding in her new capacity. Furthermore, District 7 State Representative Jay Dean can see this coming, and has no doubts as to the future scholastic success and how many more educational successes can originate in the state capital. “I am very proud of our Lobo family and what they are doing for education,” he said. “Dr. Wilcox did a fabulous job helping me in Austin. My Lobo family was there lending their help as we were crafting the legislation on how to properly fund education. We are not done yet. We hope to find the answers to school finance reform. I appreciate all their help.” The plaudits just kept coming from all the highest places. “I cannot think of a better program and state-of-the-art structure to have than this one in Gregg County,” said the Honorable Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt. “This is phenomenal. I appreciate the school district, Dr. Wilcox and his team.” LHS alumnus and devoted Longview Lobos supporter Mayor Andy Mack repeated Dr. James Wilcox’s declaration that this school will give every student an excellent chance to succeed. “I am so proud of this momentous occasion and so proud to be a Lobo,” Dr. Mack said. “I am thankful for this forward-thinking school. This is a piece of the education puzzle we need.” Longview ISD trustee Ginia Northcutt is herself a Montessori graduate, and delighted to be a part of the Montessori campus grand opening. “Montessori education teaches peace, self-control, love, patience and task completion,” she said. “Best of all, students become lifelong learners.” Another trustee, Dr. Troy Simmons, called the new school, “The best
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
thing that has happened in public education for 25 years.” Burnett pointed out that pre-K admission is decided by income and language. She can hardly wait to get started. The role of teacher is unique and priceless. In Montessori method, teachers are mainly overseers and supervisors as their students learn via a natural process that develops spontaneously in every young scholar. It does not include listening to lectures, but educates with experiences every child has in reaction to the surrounding environment. Teachers are tasked with presenting and arranging for cultural activity and interaction in a learning atmosphere tailored for each child. “A room in which all the children move about usefully, intelligently and voluntarily, without committing any rough or rude act, would seem to me a classroom very well disciplined indeed,” said Dr. Montessori. For this reason, teachers gently steer their students in the right direction. From their learning processes develop on their own. Teachers cannot prepare themselves for such a procedure through mere study. They must unlearn any preconceptions based on convention, and resolve to adapt to this novel mode of learning. Teachers must realize and accept that pupils will reveal themselves through work. In this scenario, children achieve classroom success through the fruition of their own natural gifts. By removing all obstacles to learning, teachers will uncover the true nature of every child prior to assisting student to achieve normal development. This low-pressure, non-time-oriented approach will convince children to cry out, “I want to do it” while also revealing children’s inner needs. There is a new definition of what is normal. The normal, well-adjusted child is one who precociously intelligent, who has overcome himself, lives in contentment and leans toward an industrious, fruitful life rather than unrewarding, unfulfilling sloth. In this capacity, a child’s positive development via the Montessori system is more accurately called “normalization,” not “conversion.” Students can achieve stunning achievements through their frenetic absorption of information from their environments, even though they are still incapable of putting this constantly accumulating data to significant good use. By age three, a child will have perceived numerous concepts by exploring his surroundings. His activities and investigations have enabled him to mentally assimilate numerous facts and concepts. The Montessori method maintains that to merely dictate details is confusing to developing young minds. Establishing relationships between things, however, brings knowledge and comprehension. There is also however, a further point to be considered. Montessori concept teaches there is no limit to learning. The entire universe is available for exploration. The volume of universal knowledge is imposing, but investigating it provides access to information on everything. The truth is out there, and every question can be answered. As a result, by walking the path provided with proper teaching methods, there is nothing that cannot be learned. Wandering aimlessly in response to the universal need to know is like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. This is the reason why, this quest
t o learn gives access to laws governing the universe, and these truths are fascinating and delightful to a child. Even as he drinks in information, his thirst does not slacken as he asks, “What am I? What is the task of humanity in this wonderful universe? Do we merely live here for ourselves, or is there something more for us to do? Why do we struggle and fight? What is good and evil? Where will it all end?” Contemporary education is a field whose importance has never been so great and vital. Its significance can be summed up in one sobering statement–Education is the best weapon for peace. To this end, Dr. Montessori said it best, “An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking. It involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual and the preparation of young people in times in which they live. Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.” Dr. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician and educator. She is the architect of the Montessori method, a scientific pedagogy that is named after her.
Mary Hagler
5200 Judson Rd. North Longview, TX 75605
We Support The Longview
Independent School District
September 2017
Page 5 September 14 4 p.m. JV Tennis hosts Texarkana (Lobo Tennis Courts) 5 p.m. Foster 7th Grade Volleyball at Judson (Judson Middle School) 5 p.m. Forest Park 7th Grade Volleyball at Lufkin (Lufkin Middle School) 6 p.m. Foster 8th Grade Volleyball at Judson (Judson Middle School) 6 p.m. Forest Park 8th Grade Volleyball at Lufkin (Lufkin Middle School) September 15 4:30 p.m. Freshman Volleyball hosts Mesquite (Lobo PE Gym) 4:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball hosts Mesquite (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. JV Volleyball hosts Mesquite (Lobo Coliseum) 7:30 p.m. Varsity Football (Homecoming) hosts Dallas South Oak Cliff (Lobo Stadium) 5 p.m. Mini-Majorette Night September 16 8 a.m. Foster Middle School Intermediate and Advanced Band All-Region Lock-In (Longview High School) 8:30 a.m. Varsity Tennis at Cascades (Tyler Quad) 1:30 p.m. Varsity Tennis at Cascades (Tyler Quad) September 18 5 p.m. Forest Park 7th Grade Football hosts Moore (Judson Middle School) 5 p.m. Foster 7th Grade Football at Lufkin Purple (Lufkin Middle School) 6:15 p.m. Judson 7th Grade Football hosts Three Lakes (Judson Middle School) September 19 11 a.m. LHS Junior Class Ring Sales (Mickey Melton Foyer) 4 p.m. Varsity Tennis at John Tyler 5 p.m. Foster 8th Grade hosts Lufkin Purple (Judson Middle School) 5 p.m. Forest Park 8th Grade at Moore (Rose Stadium) 5:30 p.m. Freshman Volleyball at Rockwall Heath 5:30 p.m. JV Volleyball at Rockwall Heath 6:30 p.m. Judson 8th Grade at Three Lakes (Rose Stadium) 6:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball at Rockwall Heath September 20 8:15 a.m. ASVAB Testing (LHS Little Theater) 4:30 p.m. Lobo Cheer Practice (Turf Room) September 21 5 p.m. Judson 7th Grade Volleyball at Lufkin 5 p.m. Foster 7th Grade Volleyball at Three Lakes 5 p.m. Forest Park 7th Grade Volleyball hosts Moore (Forest Park Gyms) 5:30 p.m. Freshman Football at Mesquite Horn (Berry Middle School Stadium) 6 p.m. Judson 7th Grade Volleyball at Lufkin 6 p.m. Foster 7th Grade Volleyball at Three Lakes 6 p.m. Forest Park 7th Grade Volleyball hosts Moore (Forest Park Gyms) 6:30 p.m. JV Football hosts Mesquite Horn (Lobo Stadium) September 22 5:30 p.m. Freshman Volleyball at Mesquite Horn 5:30 p.m. JV Volleyball at Mesquite Horn 6:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball at Mesquite Horn 7:30 p.m. Varsity Football at Mesquite Horn (Hanby Stadium) September 25 5 p.m. Foster 7th Grade Football hosts Nacogdoches-Moses (Judson Middle School) 5 p.m. Judson 7th Grade Football at Lufkin Purple (Lufkin Middle School) 5 p.m. Forest Park 7th Grade Football at Lufkin Gold (Lufkin Middle School)
Page 6
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
Meet The Teacher Nights 2017 grad ready to take skills to next level get students excited about the new school year With the start of school there have b e en n u mer o u s “Meet The Teacher” night across Long v iew ISD campuses.
Students and families have been greeted by Longview High cheerleaders and Viewettes, as well as a host of vendors.
Hudson PEP tries new approach to ‘recess’ One school is doing things differently with recess.
The automotive industry is not what it was 20, 10, and even five years ago. Some say mechanics of this generation are more like computer technicians than the previous generations of auto specialists. Certifications like the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) are critical for employment. So what does that mean for our up and coming automotive technicians? The earlier you can start, the better chance you will have of creating a long, sustainable career for yourself. That is exactly what CTE and dual-credit 2017 LHS graduate, Doug Noe did. Noe’s love for cars goes back to his childhood when he started helping his dad work on lawn mowers. “My dad worked at a shop and they were nice enough to let me come and watch so I could learn,” he said. “My dad would take a part what needed to be fixed and let me help him. After that, I wanted to learn more so it was on to cars.” Noe didn’t think of his love for cars as a career option until his junior year at Longview High School when he discovered the dual credit program. Once he passed his certification test, he knew it was the direction he needed to go in. He even purchased an old truck to work on with his dad. It spent much of last school year sitting in the LHS Auto Shop for some of the students to help with. Noe has the student certification for ASE and will be taking his adult ASE certification to become a ASE Master. He says working on cars and studying for his master certification keeps him “out of trouble.” Instead of doing something he is not supposed to, he said he had a purpose. He has also been a leader for the Automotive Competition team. They placed in various SkillsUSA contests this year and placed in the top 5 teams in Texas. Paul Bouis, Automotive teacher at Longview High School, says Noe is a great student and leader. “Anything you ask of Doug, he will take care of.” Bous also said Noe is a great spokesperson for their automotive team. He has a plan in place for his next steps after graduation. Noe is currently employed with Patterson Nissan and has been going there after school to jumpstart those next steps. He plans on becoming a Nissan Master Technician and wants to pursue a degree.
Men of the Hour
“If they arrive between 7:15 and 7:20, we were giving them a 15 to 20 minute recess before school started,” Principal Wilson of Hudson Pep Elementary said. That along with a 15 to 20 minute recess around lunch, splitting the times to allow for two recesses. Principal Wilson says there are many benefits of getting kids active in the mornings. “What we did see was an increase in the amount of students getting to Continued on page 7, see “Recess” John King, Athletic Director and Head Coach of the Longview Lobos, was the guest speaker at the August 15th Longview Rotary Club meeting. Pictured with him is former Lobo Head Coach (and Longview Rotarian) Doug Cox.
e
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
In memoriam...
September 2017
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this beloved former Lobo.
Christopher Shane Cox (1976-2017) Christopher Shane Cox died unexpectedly on Tuesday August 15 in Tyler, Texas at the age of 40. A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, August 19, 2017, at the First Baptist Church of Longview. Burial followed in Lakeview Memorial Gardens under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview. Chris was preceded in death by grandfathers; Wayne Hutson, Charles Cox, Billy Ray Tarver and grandmother Eunice Cox. He is survived by his wife; Monique Cox and two children Sydney and Kipton of Mansfield, parents: Lola and Don Beard of Hideaway, Mike and Tammy Cox of Wills Point; brother Ryan Cox and wife Andrea Cox and two children of Flower Mound, brother in law Cody Satterwhite and wife Laura Satterwhite and daughter of Tyler, step-sister Katie Adams and husband Trevor Adams of Tyler.; Grandmother Elsie Marie “Reekee” Tarver of Wills Point, Aunts and Uncles: John and Ti Laster of Longview, Mark and Brenda Cox of Tyler, Randy and Rose Cox of Trinity, Kathy and Reid Hall of Longview, and numerous loving cousins. Chris was born on December 16, 1976, in Longview. He graduated from Longview High School in 1995. While at Longview he excelled and set records in football, basketball, and baseball. He received honor of first team all-state in baseball during his senior year. Chris continued to play baseball in college at Tyler Junior College, 1996-1997 and Northwestern State University, 1998-1999. While playing at TJC he earned a third place ranking nationally as a hitter in Junior College National Rankings. While playing baseball at
NSU he helped the team earn multiple conference titles and national ranking. Chris received and Masters degree in Psychology while attending NSU. After College Chris married his high school sweetheart and love of his life Monique. He and Monique are the parents of two beautiful children Sydney Marie and Kipton Shane. Chris had a love for his family that you could see pour from him when he was interacting with them or talking about them. All he did in life he did to provide his family with a fulfillment of memories and happy times. He found his joy in life by seeing his family’s happiness. Chris was an exceptional person with a personality people were attracted to. He had a natural leadership quality that was demonstrated by example in all walks of life. Chris excelled in every aspect of his life with an ability to fix every situation that was presented to him and also have the unique ability to teach others to help them achieve their goals. Professionally and personally he was someone that you could always depend on. During his personal time he loved to play golf with friends. He looked forward every year to a trip to Palm Spring, California with Brooks Bishop and friends. He excelled in golf and always silently wished for the chance to compete on a professional level. Chris was an avid sports fans, cheering for the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks, and Dallas Stars and always looking for the next championship coming home to his Dallas franchises. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Recess|Continued from page 6
school on time,” Principal Wilson said. Trying out this new protocol last year, she says they will keep their new way of doing recess. “If you try to shove too much into the academic day and forget about recess and forget about movement, then I don’t think the students would be quite as productive as they are.” A doctor says recess has many benefits beyond just the physical activity. “It’s important to develop those motor skills, develop their social skills, communication with their peers,” Dr. Clem, with UT Health
3&3 Plate, 3 tenders, 3 wings, & 2 dipping sauce, toast & fries
Hours 10:30am - 10pm, 7 days a week 204 East Loop 281 • Longview 903-236-2909
‘Maker’ movement growing to public schools
Northeast, said. “We as pediatricians want to promote schools to provide that recess time for children.” And as for the kids, of course they agree. “We can play anything, sometimes we play tag or hide and go seek,” Hallie, second grader, said. “A lot of people like to talk and play and there’s swings and slides, and people like to play soccer and football,” Kylie, fifth grader, said. “We just have fun.”
Page 7 September 26 4 p.m. Varsity Tennis hosts Rockwall Heath (Lobo Tennis Courts) 5 p.m. Forest Park 8th Grade Football hosts Lufkin Gold (Judson Middle School) 5 p.m. LISD Foundation Restaurant Night (McAlister’s Deli) 5:30 p.m. Foster 8th Grade Football at Nacogdoches-Moses (Nacogdoches High School Stadium) 5:30 p.m. Freshman Volleyball at North Mesquite 5:30 p.m. JV Volleyball at North Mesquite 6:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball at North Mesquite 6:30 p.m. Judson 8th Grade Football hosts Lufkin Purple (Judson Middle School) September 27 11:30 a.m. Board of Trustees Special Session 4:30 p.m. Lobo Cheer Practice (Turf Room) September 28 4 p.m. JV Tennis at Texarkana 5 p.m. Judson 7th Grade Volleyball hosts Three Lakes (Judson Middle School) 5 p.m. Forest Park 7th Grade Volleyball hosts Hogg (Forest Park Middle School) 5 p.m. Foster 7th Grade Volleyball hosts Hubbard (Foster Middle School) 5:30 p.m. Freshman Football hosts Tyler Lee (Lobo Stadium) 5:30 p.m. JV Football at Tyler Lee (Tyler Lee High School) 6 p.m. Judson 8th Grade Volleyball hosts Three Lakes (Judson Middle School) 6 p.m. Forest Park 8th Grade Volleyball hosts Hogg (Forest Park Middle School) 6 p.m. Foster 8th Grade Volleyball hosts Hubbard (Foster Middle School) September 29 4:30 p.m. Freshman Volleyball hosts Tyler Lee (Lobo PE Gym) 4:30 p.m. Varsity Volleyball hosts Tyler Lee (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. JV Volleyball hosts Tyler Lee (Lobo Coliseum) 7:30 p.m Varsity Football hosts Tyler Lee (Lobo Stadium) September 30 8 a.m. LHS Z-Club Induction Ceremony (Mickey Melton Auditorium) 8:30 a.m. Varsity Tennis at Dallas Quad 2:30 p.m. Varsity Tennis at Dallas Quad
NEW YORK CITY — Take a look inside some of America’s garages, museums and libraries and you’ll see that the “maker movement” is thriving. This hands-on, DIY culture of inventors, tinkerers and hackers is inspiring adults and children alike to design and build everything from sailboats and apps to solar cars. And more of these chaotic workspaces, stocked with glue guns, drills and hammers, will be popping up in schools, too. But the maker movement faces some big hurdles as it pushes into classrooms. Here’s the first big one: Schools “are not thinking about it as an instructional tool,” says Chris O’Brien, a former teacher who helps schools create maker and project-based learning spaces in New York City. He says schools make a big mistake if these programs are merely a popular elective with
Continued on page 19, see “Maker”
Page 8
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
LHS seniors named to prestigious board
Texas Bank & Trust announced the selection of 32 seniors from Longview High School to serve on its 2017-2018 40th anniversary Student Board of Directors Monday, August 21. The TB&T Student Board is a prestigious program recognizing outstanding high school seniors in the community.
Seniors Kamri Alexander, Madeline Archer, Tatyana Bauer, Matthew Boles, Morgan Butler, Felisha Cowan, Isabella Cowart, John Earnest, Cassandra Garcia, Savannah Goram-Welch, Stephanie Guck, Gabrielle Hall, McAndrew “Mac” Henderson, Caitlin Victoria Johnson, Madison Johnson, Chris Kessler, Sean King, William
Langston, Rachel Lin, Olivia Lorenz, Justin Melendez, Ashley Mendenhall, Hannah Miller, Chloe Pliler, Hayden Rice, Abigail Stahl, Carter Sorrels, Logan Kyle Spence, Sophia Steelman, Kindra Taylor, Ramon Williams, and Suzanne Zeid will join with 26 other seniors from Trinity School of Texas, Pine Tree, Spring Hill, and St. Mary’s High Schools to make up the 40th senior class to participate in the TB&T program in Longview. Three of the Longview High School Seniors will serve as the student board chairs. Suzanne Zeid will serve as the Chair of the Student Board, McAndrew “Mac” Henderson will serve as Vice Chair, and Kindra Taylor will serve as the board’s Secretary. The Student Board program will be designed to introduce students to banking and money management at a critical point in
their lives, and provide them with the essential economic building blocks to earning, spending, saving, and investing money. The students will be challenged this year to test their money management and time management skills with a program, entitled The Real L.I.F.E. Experience. This innovative Living Institute for Financial Education TBT program will take the students through a real world simulation of their first year of college. Students will also serve as advisors to the bank on bank products and services throughout the year. “This is the most socially conscious group of students to serve on the student board,” CMO Karen Partee said. Since its inception, the Student Board has introduced more than 2,100 high school seniors to banking and money management.
Shan Bauer hosts town meeting with Kasha Williams
South Longview residents, city officials, Longview ISD employees and school board members came together Aug. 23 to discuss what is on the horizon for Longview. LISD trustee Shan Bauer said she was thrilled to invite the public to get more involved with LISD by attending the monthly school board meetings. “We are excited to work together with this townhall and future projects,” Bauer said. “Town meetings, construction projects, and expanding our workforce and mentoring efforts are just the beginning to a more sustainable relationship between the city and LISD district.” Bauer started the meeting off with a presentation discussing roles of a school
board member, the opening of the new Montessori campus, teacher salaries, and the district’s dual credit program. Bauer also shared some exciting news with the attendees regarding the district’s 37 distinctions, STAAR scores, child nutrition recognition, and being named the Region 7 ESC School Board of the Year, as well as the the board’s goals for the year and partnership with the Boys & Girls Club. District 3 Councilwoman, Kasha Williams, gave a very informative presentation and shared about new safety programs they can attend. She also discussed some technology advances like the City Send app and Interactive Crime maps. She gave updates on their
comprehensive plan for downtown Longview, the demolition projects, and street traffic reports. The attendees were able to let their concerns be heard and asked important questions. Some of those inquires included; speeding on MLK, continued partnerships with city and LISD, safety at the new Montessori campus, lighting on certain streets, and town clean up efforts. “I just feel like even bringing the two together in this public setting is starting
something that can possibly grow,” Bauer added. “Because we work so close as far as the community and our children are involved. It was just a matter of time before we began doing this and more things.”
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
Page 9
Page 10
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
Parents fight against cuts to recess, P.E.
SEATTLE — Last year in Seattle public schools, low-income kids won an equal right to play, thanks to a fierce coalition of Seattle teachers and parents who set up an unbeatable campaign to bring recess back to the school day. Similar efforts are taking place across the U.S., as educators and parents take note of how the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)-era of high-stakes, high-stress testing altered their children’s school day, lengthening the hours that students stay in their seats and squeezing the minutes they swing across playgrounds. It’s time, they say, for the school day to return to a healthier state of play. In recent years, mandatory-recess legislation has been introduced in at least four states, including Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Meanwhile, one Texas school has jacked up its daily allotment of recess to four times a day. Recess supporters point to the health benefits of exercise and movement, the way that physical activity supports cognitive development, plus the critical social and emotional learning that takes place when children have unstructured, free time to play. “It’s been alarming to see the way that No Child led to less recess. Recess has cognitive, emotional, social benefits, and lots of research to support it,” says Terri Drain, a National Board certified physical education teacher in Alameda County, Calif., and a member of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) board of directors. “I would call it a crime, actually, to deny physical activity to kids…. We’re just not designed to sit still.” With the passage of the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and its welcome focus on l o cal-and state-designed standards, “it’s a great time to spark conversations around what a well-rounded child looks like. It’s not one who sits and takes tests all day,” says Collin Brooks, a National Board certified physical education teacher from Bend, Ore., and the president of Oregon SHAPE. (To find out how you can get involved in those conversations in your community, visit Get ESSA Right.) At Brooks’ school, the younger kids get three recesses a day, while the older ones get two. But not all kids are so lucky. In Florida this year,
COMING SEPT. 8-16th 68th Annual Gregg County Fair Fun, Food & Friends Bring the Whole Family! Pig Races, Camel Rides, Petting Zoo, Jump Houses, Eating Contests & Much More!
parents complained to state legislators that some schools had zero. (Their mandatory-recess bill passed almost unanimously in the Florida House, but stalled in the state Senate.) Overall, in 2014, about two out of 10 U.S. elementary schools had no daily recess, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Generally, middle and high schools have even less. Making matters worse in Seattle, where there was no district policy on recess, whether students got a healthy break in their day often depended on whether they went to school in a wealthy community, notes Michael Tamayo, a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher and a member of the Seattle Education Association bargaining team. In fact, a 2014 National Public Radio investigation of recess in Seattle found stark divisions between wealthier, predominantly White schools and those serving more students of color and more low-income families. While the more privileged group would get upwards of 45 minutes of recess a day, poorer, Black students typically had no more than 15, and sometimes none. “Parents started the conversation, via social media, about equity in recess. They were the real catalysts, first engaging with individual schools,” Tamayo says. But when the union surveyed its members in 2015, as a precursor to contract negotiations, they found equal concern among Seattle educators. “The one question that got everybody was, ‘Do you think your students get enough unstructured time in the day?’ And everybody said no.” The Value of Playtime What Seattle parents and educators understood intuitively is this: Play is not a break from learning. Play is learning. Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers, called play “the work of childhood.” What happens on the playground as kids negotiate games and navigate their world gets to the heart of social and emotional learning (SEL), another casualty of the NCLB era. “They need to be able to make up their own rules, to learn to get along with each other, to solve problems—and they don’t do that at an organized soccer practice,” points out Drain. In fact, one study found that six-year-olds who engage more in unstructured play are better decision-makers, and more capable of social relationships. “If we’re really walking the talk about 21st century skills, creativity is one of them, and it goes hand-in-hand with play,” says Drain. “Think about those high-tech companies, like Google, and how they provide their employees with opportunities for play. They know it’s how to get the best productivity out of them.” It’s not just Silicon Valley. This is yet another lesson on effective schooling that we could learn from Finland. Over there, Finnish teachers and students typically break for 15 minutes every hour. Similarly, in much of East Asia, it’s 10 minutes after every 40-45 minutes. In the early 1990s, University of Minnesota’s Anthony Pellegrini, the wise elder of recess research, proved the wisdom of brain breaks. By measuring students’ attention before and after recess, he found students were significantly more attentive to schoolwork after the foursquare balls were stashed. He also found that the more delayed the break—in other words, the longer a lesson dragged on—the worse students’ attention was. “In a perfect world, students would be getting out of the seats, getting physically active and increasing their heart rate, every 20 minutes,” says Brooks. Meanwhile, even as headlines acclaim the relationship between exercise and brain function in aging adults, an expanding body of research shows that children get the same benefits. While one study showed students score better on math tests if they go for a walk first, another
Continued on page 17, see “P.E.”
Good Clean Entertainment! See you there...
903-753-4478 1123 Jaycee Dr.
www.GreggCountyFair.com
.
. a t . h
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
SPORTS
Page 11
John King hoping experience can carry the Lobos
y - By Tony Venegas/TexasHSFootball.com There are only a few days until Longview’s season opener against Lufkin on Sept. 1, but John King is ready to see his Lobos get back on the field. After jumping up to Class 6A in the latest realignment, 2016 saw King’s team adjust well to the upgrade in competition and finished with an 8-2 mark and a share of the District 11-6A title with John Tyler. But for the first time since 2005, his second year as head coach, the Lobos ended their season in the first round losing to Beaumont West Brook in the bi-district round. “We just came up a little bit short in that bi-district game,” King said, “It’s been an unusually long offseason for us and one we n don’t want to have a repeat of.” , - It was a disappointing end to a season that had shown promise l of another playoff run for the Lobos. That said, King was pleased - how much the team had grown despite the relative youth of the n 2016 squad. , “We dressed 13 sophomores on varsity last season which is uns common for us,” King said, “But even with that inexperience, I feel e like we got better as the season went on as we went on to win a share of that district title.” The relative inexperience of his team last year was something that King noted was pretty unusual during his time as the head : coach. As one of the traditionally top programs in East Texas, . Longview has maintained a high level of consistency and despite , p - By Mike Graham/ETSN.fm s All photos by Ginger Elder Cannon/Shot By Cannons e f It takes a lot of guts to voluntarily schedule Longview. It takes a lot y of moxie to challenge Lufkin. k It takes even more confidence e for two of East Texas’ most pret miere large-sized schools to face each other in the season-opener e knowing they’re on a crash course - for each other once again in the n postseason. Lufkin at Longview is our eighth e choice as we count down the top y 25 games of the upcoming regular - season. - The Sept. 1 contest could easily e be a playoff preview. - It will be the fourth consecutive season the two programs open - against each other. The Lobos and ” Panthers went on to face each other in bi-district rounds of 2014 and a t h - 2015. letes, and Malik Jackson is one of h Since the programs are in ad- the area’s best receivers. A Housd jacent districts, and since both ton commitment, Jackson is eyeing schools are the smallest in their a 1,000-yard season after recording districts and automatically go to 916 yards and nine touchdowns as the Class 6A Division II playoffs, a junior. there’s a 50-50 chance of anothBreylon Garcia and Ja’Lynn Polk er Longview-Lufkin meeting in the are other threats to Longview’s opening round of the playoffs. secondary, part of a mostly intact The Lobos are 3-2 against the defense that held opponents to a Panthers the past four years and District 11-6A best 26.8 points per have the experience edge this sea- game. son with 12 returning starters to The only thing missing for Lufkin Lufkin’s seven. That doesn’t tell the is an established quarterback, but whole story, though. we’re talking about the program The Panthers are never short on that produced Reggie McNeal and just sent Kordell Rodgers to Texas State this past February. Run-oriented Longview is looking for a new leading rusher and a new quarterback as fall camp begins. Without diving further into the nitty gritty of this year’s game, let’s just appreciate the prestige of the matchup. These programs are always near the top of
the early playoff exit, King believes that his 2017 team can maintain that high level. “I think that we have a lot of continuity here within the program,” King said, “We’ve also got a lot of talented kids who are hard workers and they grow up wanting to carry on the Lobo tradition. Lobo football sells itself to these kids and it makes these kids coming in hungry and wanting to win.” King and his staff believe they’ll see that same mindset from his team 2017 as they look to replace a few key starters on both sides of the ball. On offense, leading rushers D’Crayvan Polk and Kendrevian White along with starting quarterback Gaylon Wiley all leave but King is also looking to address his biggest concern for the Lobos’ physical run-first offense. “My biggest concern is replacing that offensive line,” King said, “We lost four very good players up front and a fifth guy that didn’t play due to an injury. They were the heart and soul of our football team.” As for the defensive side of the ball, the Lobos return seven starters but they’re losing one of their best defenders in Traveion Webster, who signed with Louisiana-Monroe. King says they should have guys ready to step up in those positions. Ultimately, he hopes that the experience of his underclassmen from last year can make an impact this season. The Lobos are in a tough district with Tyler John Tyler, but King believes that the work his team puts forward in the spring will go a long way as to how far his Lobos can go. “We have to get after it during spring football,” King said, “There’s always going to be surprises that step up and we’re going to go out there with the 180 guys we have in our program and find out who’s the toughest guys that step up.”
Lobos host state-ranked Lufkin in season opener the list when it comes to the likelihood of winning a district championship, the likelihood of contending for a state championship and are at the top of the local chart when it comes to producing NFL’ers. You always know you’re in for a talent-loaded game when Longview and Lufkin get together.
Free EKG testing benefits Lobo heart health Thanks to The Brandon Goyne Foundation and Wimbledon Health Partners for sponsoring free EKG tests for freshman Lobo athletes on Aug. 9 at the athletic training room. Goyne, a college baseball player from East Texas, died suddenly in 2013 from Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia, a condition undetected by a standard physical and only discoverable by EKG tests. At $15 a test with 1,100 student athletes in the school district, the cost can skyrocket quickly but that’s where foundations like the Goyne’s come into play. “It’s something we hope to do every year,” said LHS Athletic DIrector John King. “We hope to offer it to every student athlete in Longview ISD. There is a cost to it but through donations and these wonderful foundations, we hope to offset that cost. If you can save one life, there’s no cost that’s not worth it.” For more information go to TheBrandonGoyneFoundation.com
Page 12
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
Longview-Marshall rivalry featured nationally
September 2017
One of the oldest rivalries in all of Texas high school football is getting more national exposure. The Longview and Marshall rivalry game will be featured on the Great American Rivalry Series this upcoming season. This year’s matchup will be the 107th meeting between the two East Texas
rivals. “It’s a special game between two towns with a lot of blue-collar people who love their high school football,” King told TexasHSFootball.com, “We’re both one high school districts and with us going for over 107 years, there’s not much love lost. But there’s a lot of respect between two teams that get after each other once they get on the field.” As part of the series, Longview will also be honoring former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee as the school’s nominee for the Great American Rivalry Series Hall of Fame. Scobee was a kicker for the Lobos from 1998-2002 and announced his retirement back at the end of March. “We’re fortunate to have a guy like Josh Scobee who has been part of this rivalry from Longview High School and it’s a great chance to recognize him on this stage,” King said of the former Lobo. Just 23 miles up Highway 80, new Marshall Mavericks head coach Claude Mathis will get his first taste of the rivalry this upcoming season after being hired in March from SMU. Even with being a newcomer, Mathis understands how important the game is to both communities and is glad for the extra spotlight. “It’s huge for us. When I first got here to Marshall, the first game I was told about was the Longview-Marshall rivalry and they wanted to make sure I understood just how crazy it was going to be when we played them. I’m very excited about to go up against Coach King and Longview because it’s going to a great ball game between two great teams. ” The game also provides from motivation for the Mavericks given the fact that the Longview Lobos have dominated the series in recent years, winning 15 of the last 16 meetings. Where has Mathis turned to? Watching the 2015 game, where Marshall won a classic 28-25 game and it marks the last time the Mavericks have taken a game in the series. “I went back and watched that 2015 game and I saw Coach (Harper) high-stepping on the sidelines after they won that game and I know Coach King hasn’t forgotten about that and I can tell there’s no love lost in this rivalry.” This is not the first time that the game will be featured on the Great American Rivalry Series. The game was featured back in 2009 where Longview came out on top 47-30. The two teams will duke it out again on Sept. 8 at Lobo Stadium in Longview.
Lobo Cheer earns hardware during summer camp Best All Around in Cheer: 1st place; Voted as Most Traditional and Spirited Program; Superior Ratings and 2nd place on game day performances both squads; 3rd place for Pep Rally; Best in Show with Superior Rating for “Bo,” and many new friends to call family! Great sweep Lobo Cheer! Way to make our community proud! “Stacks for Real”
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
It’s a ‘SNAP’ for Lobo Band
September 2017
Page 13
Great time at Snap Competition on Aug. 17 at the stadium. A big THANK YOU to all who came out to support the Majorettes Silent Auction and to get a glimpse of the Big Green Marching Machine. Big shoutout to the Clarinet Section for winning Snap Competition!
Thank you chaperones! Lady Lobos start volleyball with a splash
A special Thanks to the Band Camp Chaperones for the 2017 Lobo Band Camp. It was fun!
Lady Lobos racked up two more wins on the young season to improve to a 4-0 record. Defeating Palestine and Pleasant Grove. They also won the Bronze Bracket at the Berkner Tournament!
Page 14
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
B d
m s a
a
s
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
Page 15
S.A.S.S.I. is ‘calling all survivors!’ By Brandis Jamerson
S.A.S.S.I. Longview is a 501(c)(3) Women’s Organization making notable strides to become a support system to the women and families of Longview and the surrounding areas. We take pride in our efforts to promote available resources, and raise awareness to issues that directly affect women and their families. We are currently looking for women 18 and older to join our efforts to encourage positive relationships among women and support one another by celebrating personal growth. October serves as an awareness month for two very important issues in the female community. Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness are two major issues that we all need to be educated in! Please consider joining our organization! S.A.S.S.I. Longview, in collaboration with The Faces of Beauty Foundation, will host our first “Faces of Survival” Breast Cancer & Domestic Violence Awareness event at the Longview Mall on Saturday, October 7 from 11- 3 pm. We will promote awareness in our community with an exciting program filled with resource information and empowerment through the arts. We are invite any related businesses and organizations to join us in sharing beneficial information regarding Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness. During the program we will celebrate the women who have survived these issues, encourage the women currently battling these issues, and remember those who have lost the fight against these issues. Please consider joining us in this effort to connect with the hundreds of women and families expected to participate from Longview and the surrounding areas. Please visit www. facebook.com/sassi903 for updates! This will be a one-of-a-kind experience! Vendor booths will be available for a minimum donation. With your assistance, we can share HOPE with the women of East Texas. I am personally excited about the impacts we can make! If you would like to have a discussion about being a sponsor, volunteering, or promoting an event/service, you may contact Brandis Jamerson directly at 903-445-9480 or email me at sassilongview@gmail.com.
Benefits of fidget spinners differ among student groups By Jamey Boyum, KLTV
Some educators think they help concentration, others think they are a classroom distraction, but either way, fidget spinners don’t seem to be going anywhere. They’ve been popular less than a year. We spoke with an LISD employee, who also happens to be a mom, about the spin zone. Elizabeth Ross, Communications Specialist for Longview Independent School District, says they don’t have a district-wide policy about fidget spinners right now. “We leave it up to the individual campuses to regulate,” Ross said. At this point in the game, they are considered personal property, much like a: “Cell phone or a tablet. A fidget spinner would be okay as long as long as it is not a distraction if it is allowed on that campus,” Ross explained. LISD campuses haven’t reported any big problems with the spinners. “And as long as it’s not a distraction for the general classroom education, it should be fine,” Ross pointed out. Ultimately it’s up to the teacher. If students are just sitting there spinning them and not paying attention: “She might just outlaw it in her classroom, before that campus even makes that rule, just to keep it on the safe side,” Ross relayed. As a mom of school-aged children, Elizabeth has an opinion about the spinners. “As far as ADHD and ADD, just knowing about those situations for kids, I don’t see how the fidget spinner would help them. If anything, I feel like that might be a distraction,” Ross observed. But, she thinks a spinner might do some good for a child who is on the autism spectrum. “And that can be a way to kind of bridge that gap, and relax them and help them pay more attention. Or if a kid on the spectrum is getting upset and on their way to a meltdown situation, playing with something like that can really soothe them and bring it back because a lot of kids on the spectrum don’t have coping mechanisms,” Ross stated. Elizabeth would know about that, since she has a child on the spectrum. But she also has another child who just wants one because they’re cool. I think it might be a good tool to teach angular inertia in science class. The jury is still out on the fidget spinner’s actual effectiveness, since there have been no studies released on the topic.
Would you like to help sponsor scholarships for our students?
Advertise with us! 903-758-6900
Page 16
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
Judson teacher helps students with t-shirt program
Brian Ross has a whole closet full of branded college gear at home. From T-shirts and caps to polo shirts and jackets, he amassed quite a collection over six years working in college sports. In his new career, as a teacher, he’s still collecting college athletics apparel, but for a completely different purpose. Ross, an eighth grade inclusion teacher at Judson Middle School, has tapped his network of friends and former colleagues to build a stockpile of T-shirts branded with a variety of university names and logos. He uses the shirts as an incentive for students at his school, giving them away to students who show academic improvement, hard work or good citizenship. Both Ross and the T-shirt program — hesitantly named the College Colors Co-Op — are in just their second full year at Judson. The idea started as a way to help more students participate in the occasional “free dress” days periodically declared by school administrators. On these days, usually Fridays following a week of good behavior school-wide, students are allowed to wear Judson or Longview High spirit shirts, or T-shirts sporting a college name or logo, instead of the standard uniform polo. “I remember what it’s like to be a kid,” Ross said. “You jump at any chance to show a bit of individualism, and free dress day is one of the few times our students can choose clothes that let them stand out a little. Not everybody has a spirit shirt or a college shirt at home, and I wanted everyone to have the chance to participate.” Ross says he didn’t really know what to expect when he hatched the idea last year. He put out some feelers via social media and got a strong response from his network, gathering shirts from several different departments at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he and his wife worked for several years. Former colleagues at Sam Houston State also contributed, as did family friends from his hometown and even a former high school teammate, who shipped a box of Midwestern State shirts from Wichita Falls, Texas. “When I was working at SFA, we used to joke about how college kids would do anything for a T-shirt,” Ross said. “It didn’t even have to be a cool design. ‘Free shirts? We’re there!’ I didn’t know if middle schoolers would feel the same way, because I didn’t have many shirts from the major programs that they see on TV every Saturday.” As it turned out, young teens have at least one thing in common with college students. “Any student who came into my room would ask about the stack of shirts in
September 2017
the back,” Ross said. “I didn’t have real solid criteria for who got shirts and who didn’t. If I see you working hard in class and treating people well, then yeah, go pick one out.” Ross says he gave out about 40 shirts, mostly to eighth-graders, last school year. For 2017-18, he wants to expand his reach, taking nominations from sixthand seventh-grade teachers, for deserving students in classes that he doesn’t see every day. Based on the initial response to his first request of the year, he expects to have plenty of shirts to go around. “I’ve already gotten a box of shirts, bags and earbuds from a good friend who is director of the alumni association at Mississippi State,” he said. “And I got a bunch of shirts and fidget-spinners from TSTC, thanks to a teacher friend in another district. If all the people who committed to donating this year come through, we should have more than a hundred shirts to work with.” The requirements are still loose, more about attitude and effort than grades and achievements. Ross wants to reward students for going the extra mile in their academics as well as their citizenship. This year, students receiving shirts will write thank you notes to the person who donated their shirt. “If your teacher tells you that you need to come to a study group before or after school, and you make it five days in a row, working hard, that’s worth a shirt,” he said. “Same thing if a teacher or administrator sees you go out of your way to be kind to a fellow student. I want to encourage positive behaviors in all areas.” Ross also has a more subtle, long-term goal behind the program. “We’re all, as teachers, trying to change the students’ expectations for themselves,” he said. “Both here in this building, with how they work and how they treat each other, and also for after they leave here. I want them to believe that they can go to college and be successful. Will wearing a shirt with a logo on it help that? Maybe not. But it can’t hurt.” If you would like to contribute to this program, contact Brian Ross at bcross@ lisd.org.
2017 ‘Green Out’ shirts still on sale!
The all new Green Out t-shirts are on sale now, and you better get them while you can. Supplies won’t last long! Shirts are available in sizes Youth extra small through Adult 3XL. All shirts are $15 each. The Longview ISD Foundation will accept cash, check, and credit card. At the 16th annual Green Out Night at Lobo Stadium on Friday, Sept. 8, when the Lobos host their oldest rival, the Marshall Mavericks. Everyone wearing a 2017 Green Out t-shirt is invited on to the field before the game to form the Big Green Victory Line for the Lobos! Green Out Night at Chick-fil-A will be from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, with the team arriving at 7 p.m. to meet the fans. KYKX will broadcast live from Chick-fil-A starting at 4:30 p.m. Mark your calendar now for the Lobo party of the year, and let’s show the Mavericks that the Lobo Nation owns East Texas! Since 1995, the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. has returned $720,000 to Longview ISD classrooms and campuses through the annual Great Reward for Great Ideas grant program and the Campus Initiative Grant Program to maximize the quality of education for students. For more information contact the Longview ISD Foundation at (903) 452-7015 or (903) 663-4732.
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
Page 17
September 2017
Ag students earn John Denson recognized state FFA honors for achievements in Ag Education
Rhianna C o o p e r , Jonathan Nelson, and Addy Todd of the Longview FFA Chapter, were awarded the Lone Star FFA Degree in at the 89th annual Texas FFA Convention in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Lone Star FFA Degree is the highest degree bestowed by the Texas FFA. The Lone Star FFA Degree recognizes FFA members who have received the Chapter degree, been active FFA members for at least two years, completed at least four semesters of agricultural science at or above the ninth grade level, maintained a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program, demonstrated their leadership skills, and have shown a commitment to the FFA through involvement at the chapter level and above. Rhianna Cooper, Jonathan Nelson, and Addy Todd were three of more than 2,400 FFA members to receive this esteemed degree. “In the last three years, Longview FFA Chapter has had six students get this degree and two of those six earned their American FFA Degree which is a national honor,” said FFA Advisor, John Denson. “These students work extremely hard through their four years in high school and into college to receive these honors. FFA is not just building a farmer any more; it is an organization that helps build leaders, run businesses, and build skills that will help these students beyond their high school years.” The 89th annual Texas FFA Convention recorded approximately 12,000 members and guests. Members of the state’s largest agricultural youth leadership organization spent the week attending leadership workshops, participating in events and activities, being recognized for their achievements, and serving as the legislative body for the Texas FFA Association. The Texas FFA is the nation’s largest state FFA association with a membership of more than 119,000. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state and national competitions. P.E. |Continued from page 10 found that the areas of the brain devoted to learning are bigger in kids who exercise more. In 2014, a University of Illinois study invited 100 children to participate in an activity-based, after-school program, while 100 other students kept to their usual routine of TV and PlayStations. One year later, the well-exercised children showed more improvement in cognitive scores. And then, there are the benefits to physical health to consider, too. In 2012, more than a third of U.S. children and adolescents were obese, and every one of them faces increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, bone and joint problems, and social and psychological issues. “That alone should encourage schools and school districts to incorporate more physical activity during the day,” says Brooks. They’re probably not getting it at home. Concerns about neighborhood safety, coupled with the multiplication of video game technology, means a whole lot of kids sitting around for a whole lot of hours. “When kids sit in front of a screen for three, four, six hours a day, you can figure out what’s being taken out of their day—it’s play and physical activity,” says Drain.
Bringing Recess Back to Seattle So what did Seattle educators and parents do? They got organized! In late 2014, parents, students, and teachers first rallied for recess at a school board meeting. Petitions were signed by the thousands. Then, during the summer of 2015, equitable recess became a driving issues in SEA’s contract negotiations with Seattle Public Schools. With so much community pressure on the district to even the playing field, and invest in children’s minds and bodies, recess turned out to be an easier issue to settle, says Tamayo. “There was no back-and-forth on our proposal, it was just ‘we accept this,’” he recalls. Specifically, the new contract
Longview High School FFA program had another successful year, but not just for the students or the meat processing plant. Ag teacher and FFA advisor, John Denson has made 2016-2017 his own personal success story. Armed with his “Without AG this would be empty” koozie from Stephen F. Austin State University, he shows pride in his students, their achievements, his profession, the school he represents and the universities he has attended. All his hard work and pride culminated this summer at two different conferences, The Vocational Agriculture Teachers
Association of Texas (VATAT) and the 89th Annual Texas FFA Convention, both of which he was honored. The VATAT awarded him with the 2017 Area VI Outstanding Media award, which honors agriculture science teachers who successfully publicize and promote their program and agricultural education through the media. Denson published two works in 2016. His first was an article in The Journal of School & Society called “Looking at the future of Vocational Education: Vocational Agricultural Technology.” The second was his Ph.D dissertation, on diversity in the AG profession. He was also instrumental in being a voice for his students in the district paper, the Longview Voice, and the Longview NewsJournal. At the 89th Annual Texas FFA State Convention, he was honored with the highest honorary degree given by the Texas FFA, the Honorary Lone StarFFA Degree. According to Texas FFA Association “this honor recognizes individuals who have rendered outstanding service to agricultural education and the Texas FFA.” Denson was one of 43 individuals receiving this esteemed honorary degree. “The experience and knowledge I gained from getting my Ph.d is starting to shape what I do outside of the classroom,” Denson said. “I know the importance of experience in the field and continuing education, always staying current, and not only relying just the skills that got me and my students where we are. Our Ag profession is growing in many different ways and our students have the opportunity to learn skills that will take them into professions after graduating and in a college classroom if that is their path. I feel fortunate to be able to help with whatever path these students take.” ensures every Seattle student gets the opportunity for at least 30 minutes a day of unstructured recess— “no matter your school, your income level, or your background,” says Tamayo. How those 30 minutes are allocated is up to the classroom teacher. Nor does the contract bar educators from using recess for academic or disciplinary reasons. If a teacher wants to use that time to tutor a student, or do some problem-solving around discipline, she can. “There are only so many minutes in the day to develop those relationships,” says Tamayo, adding, “we see it not so much as an opportunity for punishment, but for relationship-building.” (In 2012, the practice of withholding recess to punish students was condemned by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It also has been forbidden by law in at least 11 states.) At Tamayo’s school, students now enjoy a 15-minute break before lunch, and another after
lunch. His school also has a new activities coordinator, who organizes lunch-time games like tetherball or kickball. Having options is good for kids, says Brooks. His school also has a kickball league that competes during recess, plus a jogging club, and “lots of kids who create their own games.” As recess returns, schools should make sure to have adequate physical equipment, “stimulating stuff,” says Terri Drain. “Things like rope ladders or climbing rocks will get students developing skills and moving competently in different environments,” she says. At the same time, educators also need to equip students to resolve playground spats and model inclusive behaviors. “You need to establish a really positive school culture where students understand inclusion, that we play with everybody, and where they’ve learned the skills to resolve conflict,” says Drain. Most of all, classroom teachers shouldn’t consider recess to be time lost for instruction, says Brooks. “Don’t look at it as taking something away, but as giving something to our students, and increasing the likelihood they’ll be successful in the classroom.”
Page 18
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017
Is it time to rethink school schedules? By Brenda Iasevoli, Education Week
Much of a teacher’s day is devoted to instruction, with precious little time set aside for collaborating with colleagues, planning lessons or reflecting on practice, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress. The authors of “Reimagining the School Day” point out that U.S. educators spend far more time teaching lessons and less time planning them than educators in other top-performing countries. In a typical work week, U.S. teachers spend about 27 hours delivering lessons, compared with their counterparts in Singapore, who teach 17 hours each week, or to teachers in Finland, who log 21 hours a week. The authors cite a survey of 120 U.S. school districts that shows that just 45 minutes of a typical teacher’s 7.5-hour workday is dedicated to planning. What’s more, the authors say, teachers could benefit from observing each other, but there’s no time built into the school day to do such observations. Unless, that is, schools begin to rethink the school day. The report highlights five schedules that aim to revamp how teachers spend a typical school day. All the schedules include more time for teachers to work together to plan lessons, flexible instruction blocks that allow teachers to tailor instruction to students’ particular needs, and opportunities for small-group instruction and student-directed learning. One of the schedules highlighted comes from Guilmette Elementary School in Lawrence, Mass., where officials added more than 260 hours of instruction time to the school year. The longer school day allows grade teams time to get together and plan lessons. For two hours on Fridays, teachers get training and time to plan lessons, while students participate in enrichment activities—dance, yoga, robotics, for instance— delivered by community partners. The schedule overhaul seems to be working for the school, which is located within a struggling school district that was taken over by the state in 2011. According to the report, Guilmette’s ELA and math scores have risen steadily since the school revamped the daily schedule. But the improvements come at a price: Teachers get $2,500 extra each year to account for the longer day. The enrichment programs offered on Fridays also cost money, but the report says the school seeks out affordable community partners to deliver the programs. To read about a school that provided teacher planning time at no extra cost, check out Stephen Sawchuk’s article on the Brooklyn Generation School. There, teachers instruct only three classes a day, get two hours of common planning each afternoon, and have a reduced student load—as few as 14 students per class. Yet the restructured scheduling costs no more to operate than a traditional schedule.
Does the Legislature hate our kids? With their actions as well as inactions, state lawmakers fuel the perception that they do not care about our children or Texas’ future. By Dr. Robert Sanborn
The regular Texas legislative session has ended and a special session is about to begin to focus on work judged incomplete by Gov. Greg Abbott. Incomplete is a good term because one has to ask: Aren’t we forgetting about our future? Aren’t we forgetting about the children?
We hear from legislators time and time again about how much they care about the most vulnerable residents of our state. But if actions speak louder than words, then the inaction on the part of our elected leaders is deafening. Do they not care about children? One in 10 children born in America is born in Texas. Sixty percent of all of Texas public school children are growing up in low-income households; indeed 440,000 Texas children are growing up in households where the average annual income is less than $9,000. What is clear to me as a researcher is that children who grow up in low-income households need help in the form of good schools and good health to break free of the cycle of poverty. A quality education and adequate health care are necessary for children to thrive, grow up and contribute to a vibrant economy. In the regular session, a few significant proposals to improve public education appeared on the legislative slate. One was school finance. Last year, the Texas Supreme Court ruled our Continued on page 18, see “Legislature”
THE LONGVIEW VOICE — Legislature |Continued from page 18
state education finance system constitutional, yet broken. After a session where n education was argued about in terms of vouchers and bathrooms, the core of the o system (finances) remained unchanged, unfair and unhelpful to the 6 million children d in our schools. The other key education issue was high-quality pre-K. High-quality pre-K, which e was a priority for our conservative governor, is an evidence-based, essential ingredient — for success for low-income students, and a real benefit to working parents and to our future economy. Last summer, a major research project in Texas funded by the n Meadows Foundation showed the dramatic positive impact that high-quality pre-K o programs have on our children. It represents a big bang for the taxpayer buck and t is the best dropout prevention and college prep program our state could have; yet, e our Legislature elected to cut funding for pre-K programs. Our Legislature also bungled better child health through misguided legislation , around immunizations. I understand that bringing up the documented science around t immunizations means that I need to be prepared to be harassed by a core group of activists who have foregone any belief in science. But since when did science and evidence become the enemy of our Legislature? Several brave Republican legislators gave impassioned speeches calling for sensible belief in the power of medicine, only to be shouted down, resulting in policies that will hurt the health of our children. Cost-neutral bills that would have significantly improved coordination, efficiency and transparency in early-childhood education fell to the wayside. Legislation that would have provided parents, policymakers and educators with clearer information about the quality of child care paid with state and federal funds failed. Good public policy like this would have allowed public elementary schools and local child care providers to work together to get kids school-ready. We saw inaction when it came to school recess, which has been eliminated by many elementary schools. We witnessed the failure to enact policies around parenting, such as creating a task force on parent education and engagement to strategize best practices, giving parents the tools they need to do the most important job they have. These issues had support on both sides of the political aisle, but nothing was passed. As Texans we value parents and personal responsibility. We must also understand that children can’t be expected to succeed on their own. Quality schools, quality childhood programs and quality health care give parents the support they need to ensure that every little Texan can grow into a strong, economy-building Texan. No doubt if asked, every representative and senator at the Capitol would be aghast at the mere suggestion that the Legislature “hates” children. But when the Legislature neglects crucial children’s issues, when the money for vital kids programs is used as a bargaining chip, when political games are played with the programs and taxpayer money meant for children and when a session ends with things actually becoming worse for many of our most vulnerable children, this conclusion is not only logical, it is inevitable. Children represent the future of Texas. No, children don’t vote, children don’t contribute to political campaigns and children don’t mobilize public support. But don’t we elect our Legislature to fight for these very same children? Maybe it’s time for our state lawmakers to cowboy up and put on their big boy and big girl pants and do the work we elected them to do. This includes understanding that a fight for a strong future for our state and fight for our children are one and the same. — Dr. Robert Sanborn is the president/CEO of Children At Risk, a Texas-based research and advocacy group. He also serves as executive editor of the Journal of Applied Research on Children and the Journal of Family Strengths. Maker|Continued from page 7
the hip teacher, or the place to go after school to play with wood, cloth or a 3-D printer. Schools that embrace making, he says, need to find a thoughtful place for maker projects in the school’s curriculum. Otherwise, he warns, maker spaces could “go by the wayside and become an after-school program.” Linking maker-based projects to classroom curriculum and academic standards, he says, will help “ensure that students will learn, but also that the maker movement won’t become just another educational trend.” One school that’s trying to get it right is the Lighthouse Community Charter School in
September 2017
Page 19
Oakland, Calif., located in an otherwise bland industrial area out near the airport. In Lighthouse’s maker space, called the creativity lab, one student has just accidentally glue-gunned a large piece of wood to a table. Oops. Another student is working on a drone prototype made of Styrofoam. There’s also a disco ball made with LED lights and paper cups. Seventh-grader Blanca Hernandez is working on a cardboard doll house with lights and furniture. “You can make whatever you want, and no boundaries — only, like, not setting things on fire,” she explains. “No boundaries on your creativity.” Well, the other boundary is that Lighthouse has worked hard to try to link its maker space when possible with what teachers are doing in the classroom. Tanya Kryukova teaches physics here. Her hands-on projects, with help from the maker lab, include a mini electric house project to explore circuits, and cars made from mousetraps and rubber bands. She says she’s always asking: How can we apply physics concepts to make these projects work better? “I think for me, the true learning comes in when a learner is curious and asks questions,” Kryukova says. “They’re trying to find out and they say, ‘Oh, so it’s like this. This is how it goes.’ “ But there is a tension. That gets us to the second challenge: As maker space expands into more schools, there are fears it will be corporatized — and watered-down with demands for tests, Common Core alignment, accountability and structure. That’s disturbing to a movement that’s been marked by largely unstructured creativity and exploration. There’s that nagging question: Will a pedagogic approach to “making” suck the joy and soul out of it? Thirteen-year-old Khalil Roberson’s take: Remember to keep it a little weird, free-form and fun. “This is just a spring coil,” he tells me. “So I’m going to solder right now. I just love making, exploring different things.” I ask him: What’s the coolest thing you’ve made in here so far? “I’d have to say the hovercraft. Of Styrofoam, rubber bands and glue gun.” Another solution to that challenge, at least for Lighthouse, is to make tinkering, at times, a more deliberate, human-centered activity. For example, one assignment requires students to design and build something for a friend or the wider community to use.
Lighthouse’s creativity lab director, Aaron Vanderwerff, says this requires students to interview the prospective user of the project “and think about what they are interested in.” Then, they “prototype different possible solutions to a problem. Then you can get feedback from your user before you create your final product or process.” While they’re using the lingo of tech (Focus on the user! Human-centered design!), these students aren’t wealthy kids from Silicon Valley. Lighthouse’s population is nearly 90 percent African-American and Latino and 84 percent lower-income who are eligible for free and reduced lunch. “Every kid at this school knows what making is and knows what maker fairs are,” says Lighthouse’s creativity lab teacher, Amy Dobras. “I think this school does a really good job of really ‘browning’ the maker movement in a lot of ways.” And that gets to the third big challenge for maker education: making it not just the purview mostly of middle- and upper-middle-class white kids and white teachers whose schools can afford laser cutters, drones or 3-D printers.
Page 20
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
September 2017