- By: Dan Rogers, Principal, Minico High School
Fire drills and earthquake drills are common within schools. At Minico High School we have updated our lockdown procedure. The practice and execution of this drill has become a reality at Minico. I hope this article will inform the public of our efforts to keep our students safe at all times.
The Crisis Management Team has enlisted help from law enforcement officers and the fire department. The team updated the crisis plan and posted it in each room of our school buildings. The plan contains a list of potential situations and procedures. All staff members have been instructed of their duties.
During a lockdown, teachers are instructed to lock their classrooms and secure their work areas. Any student in a hallway is to go to the nearest classroom. Students caught outside are to remain on the ground until given instructions by the administration. Students in the cafeteria are instructed to drop and crawl over to the wall. Only the principal can declare an "ALL CLEAR" once a lockdown has been initiated. Once law enforcement arrives on the scene, they will take over command and control of the situation. Administration and law enforcement will work together to remedy the situation as quickly as possible…
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- By: Bob Alverson, Administrative Intern, West Minico Middle School
Drug use among teenagers in the United States has gathered much attention over the past several years, most of it on the negative side. We hear all of the horrible stories of teenagers who get hooked on drugs or alcohol while still very young and then in an effort to feed their habits turn to even more serious crimes where other people get hurt or killed. We are also inundated by the news media on a consistent basis of stories regarding people injured or killed in automobile accidents when either the driver of their vehicle or the other is high on drugs or alcohol.
There is some very good news on the horizon though. Based on 2006 data from National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Monitoring the Future survey, illicit drug use among 8th graders has dropped 37% and 25% among 10th and 12th grade students since the peak years of 1996 and 1997 respectively. Marijuana use has also dropped among these three age groups. Past year prevalence of abuse fell by 36% for 8th grade, 28% for 10th grade, and 18% for 12th grade…
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- By: Kevan Vogt, Principal, East Minico Middle School
Parent Teacher Conference is a time when parents can meet with the teachers to see how their student is doing in their classes. Parent Teacher Conferences are a vital part of the student’s education. But, there are other ways parents can keep involved in their child or children’s education. Here are a few simple suggestions:
- A school or personal planner: This is a simple and easy way to keep track of your child’s daily work and performance. The teacher and student list or record the daily work each day for each week. The teacher may report the grade, attendance, behavior and assigned activities done each day for the parents.
- Planned parent/teacher meeting: The parent simply calls the teacher and sets a time when they can meet.
- Phone calls: Parents may use the phone and set weekly checks with the teacher to discuss how the child is doing in the classroom.
- Computers: With the increasing new technology that is expanding, parents have the ability to contact the teachers on a daily basis through e-mail.
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- By: Laurie Copmann, Principal, Rupert Elementary
It has been said many times that it takes a whole community to raise a child. Community involvement can help students develop a closer relationship to real life situations. A friend of mine recently shared a true story with me about a teacher in Little Rock, Arkansas. In September of 2005, the first day of school a high school social studies teacher, did something not to be forgotten by her students. With the permission of the superintendent and the building supervisor, the teacher removed all of the desks from her classroom. When the first period students entered the room they discovered there were no desks. The students looked around the classroom confused. They asked the teacher what happened to the desks. She replied, "You can't have a desk to sit in until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit in a desk." They thought, "Well maybe it's our grades that earn us the right to sit at a desk. "No," she said. "Well then, maybe it is our behavior." The teacher told them, "No it's not even your behavior."…
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- By: Colleen Johnson, Principal, Paul Elementary School
Rarely does one think of October as "back to school," but for educators across the state of Idaho, the first week of October provides an opportunity for teachers to become students again. Professional educators from around the state gather during state in-service days to collaborate, share, and grow as professionals.
Just as doctors, bankers, and farmers attend training and seminars to increase productivity, educators must also have opportunities to increase their knowledge about teaching techniques. In-service offer educators opportunities to learn new strategies and information that can be incorporated into their daily teaching. Collaborating with other educators takes on an increased importance for educators…
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