tjTODAY
THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312
FEBRUARY 18, 2015
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VOLUME 30, ISSUE 5
cracking UNDER pressure SMARTR goals, possible JLC elimination pose problems by Stav Nachum and Lindsay Williams News Editor and Online Editor-in-Chief Students think of teacher workdays as a welldeserved break after a stressful quarter, while teachers have quite a different view. But at the end of this semester, teachers had even less time for scoring assignments and finalizing grades, due to a scheduled Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) “strategic planning” day. Some teachers feel that their workloads are becoming a growing problem. With the onset of strategic and specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, time-bound and rigorous (SMARTR) goals assessments, teachers now have to grade three additional high-intensity assignments every year, which are not always directly relevant to classroom material. “An experienced teacher watches his or her students and can see the progress they’re making, and a good teacher is constantly adjusting what they do in the classroom to bring each student to the next level,” chemistry teacher Hadan Kauffman said. “Under SMARTR goals, to artificially group students into three categories to show that you’re extending the range for some and closing the gap for others simply doesn’t match the reality of the classroom. Students change categories from topic to topic; it’s not how we teach.” The increased quantity of assessments and decreased amount of grading time also affects Integrated Biology, English and Technology (IBET) teachers, most of whom have approximately 20 more students across their IBETs this year. “Outside the classroom, 20 more of everything means hours longer in terms of grading,” English teacher Emily Orser said. “This makes it harder to stay on top of grading when you are attempting to prepare the freshmen for scientific and analytical writing and give detailed advice and notes on their papers.”
This problem does not have an easy solution. FCPS requires teachers to record at least one grade per week and encourages them to have two. Jefferson teachers also have to maintain rigor in their curriculum. “It’s a very tricky situation because you have to consider all of the factors and all of the colleagues in any decision you make,” Orser said. Unfortunately, the IBET situation is a result of budget cuts, meaning the Jefferson administration has very little flexibility. According to Principal Evan Glazer, teachers are compensated for the extra students, but the additional workload is still difficult to manage. “Any teacher who feels overwhelmed by workload is encouraged to speak with their supervisor to develop some strategies.,” Glazer said. “These may include, but are not limited to, cutting back on assessments and labs to grade, asking students to peergrade small assessments before they are submitted, grading fewer homework assignments, etc. In essence, teachers still give feedback on work, but focus on what matters most.” Next year, teachers may receive even less planning time. FCPS has proposed to take away modified start times, in response to the elimination of half-day Mondays for elementary schools. This would include taking away Jefferson Learning Community (JLC), which teachers use for collaboration with other team members. Teachers are not the only ones who factor JLC into their weekly plans; students also use the hour to study and sleep in. Just as teachers face increasing demands, students have a plethora of responsibilities for every day. For example, the average Jefferson student must juggle homework, sports practice, extracurricular activities, chores and other tasks in a typical week, in addition to the long commute that plenty of students continued on p. 2 photo illustration by Ellen Kan
Commmunity grieves loss of Class of 2013 graduate by Sandy Cho and Ellen Kan Online Editor-in-Chief and Print Editor-in-Chief An Ton, a Jefferson Class of 2013 alumna, passed away on Feb. 5. Ton was a sophomore at Wellesley College, where she was majoring in biological sciences. Ton was known for her musical talent and artistic spirit, and her death left many Jefferson students, teachers and alumni to look back on the cherished memories they made together. “She was so creative. She learned to play the piano, ukulele and guitar on her own. She composed music, wrote poetry and could sing,” guidance counselor Sean Burke, who was also Ton’s counselor at Jefferson, said. “She
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was comfortable in her own skin, unafraid to be herself. I admired that and it motivated me to be more authentic.” Many of Ton’s younger friends remember her as a steady support figure and mentor. Class of 2014 alumna Lauren Mostrom first met Ton when they played on the junior varsity (JV) soccer team in 2011. Ton later gave Mostrom a warm welcome when the latter decided to join the Wellesley College Class of 2018. “An always made me feel as though I wasn’t alone - that was a talent of hers,” Mostrom, now a freshman at Wellesley, said. “What I’ll miss most was the way she smiled with her eyes, gave a small nod, and said, ‘Don’t wor-
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ry, it’ll be fine’ whenever I felt nervous about any of the problems that seem insurmountable when you’re 15.” For junior Cheryl Mensah, another close friend of Ton’s, Ton inspired her to channel her energy in Mental Wellness Week, which was hosted by the Active Minds eighth period club from Feb. 9-13. “People I had never talked to before reached out to me right after An died, and it makes me happy to know how supportive the TJ community is,” Mensah said. Both a viewing on Feb. 11 and the funeral on Feb. 12. incorporated traditional Buddhist themes. Presented in Ton’s native language, the events focused on how
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life is transformed. Teachers and ber Ton for her involvement in alumni attended both events to activities such the Gay Straight pay their reAlliance (GSA) spects to Ton. and French Honor “An taught Society (FHS), but us how to what many friends have courwill miss the most age in being about Ton is her who you are caring nature. and not hid“She always ing,” Burke, made time for who attended people, and she these ceremowould remember nies, said. everything I would “She lived life tell her,” Class of on her terms 2014 graduate Sib and never setShewit, a freshman tled for anyat the University of thing less.” Notre Dame, said. photo courtesy of Techniques The Jeffer“I always felt like son community will also remem- she really listened to me.”
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