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Show OREM TIMES Page 5 NEWS AND IDEAS FROM CLASSROOMS AND EDUCATORS s Thursday, September 21, 2006 note - n It's fun to be able to see kids as a whole school ... not as their teacher, but as 1 an observer, to see how well they're doing." Erin Thomas, NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT SUNCREST ELEMENTARY ; Admmsttratoir leads pupils Michael Rigert NORTH COUNTY STAFF ' aised in Johannes-jj Johannes-jj J burg, South Africa, mJJ Erin Thomas, the new assistant prin-I prin-I II cipal at Suncrest U U Elementary School, brings a wealth of experiences and excitement for learning to the position. Her father's employment took the family to South Africa in her youth and she returned to the United States periodically periodical-ly to visit family and friends. Yet it wasn't until pursuing an higher education that she returned re-turned to America to stay. A competitive gymnast in South Africa during her formative forma-tive years, Thomas worked as a coach in Davis County while attending Weber State University Univer-sity and discovered she had a passion for teaching and working work-ing with children. "I loved teaching gymnastics and thought, man, teaching school would be great," she said. In 2001, she earned a bachelor's bach-elor's degree in elementary education from Weber State University and began teaching first grade at Suncrest Elementary. Elemen-tary. After five years of teaching, Thomas was hired to be the school's assistant principal, a role she said gives her a different differ-ent perspective on the school and the students. "It's fun to be able to see kids as a whole school ... not as their teacher, but as an observer, ob-server, to see how well they're doing," she said. John Patten, Suncrest's principal, prin-cipal, said he became aquainted with Thomas's leadership and organizing skills while serving on the school's professional development team. "She's a go-getter, a completer complet-er and she loves the school," he said. In a special arrangement, Thomas even gets to keep a foot in both worlds. Half her day is spent as the school's assistant as-sistant principal, while during the remainder she works as a reading recovery specialist with four students reading below be-low grade level. "It gives me the opportunity Biology teacher loves teaching life Ben Carter - NORTH COUNTY STAFF Considering his upbringing, Richard Glassford's career choice is not terribly surprising. surpris-ing. The biology teacher at Lak-eridge Lak-eridge Junior High school was always interested in animal and plant life. When he was a kid his parents let him have almost al-most any animal he wanted. He had dogs, cats, spiders, chameleons and pigeons. There was only one animal his parents objected to despite his persistent pleas. "No pigs," he said. Glassford credited his interest inter-est in plants to his parents, too. They encouraged him to experiment ex-periment with plants, creating mutant variations, which he continues to do today. However, Howev-er, they weren't the only influences influ-ences on his career in biology. "When I took the beginning 3 www.heraldextra.com yellowpages www.heraldextra.com yellowpages . i t i , - r 1 ? ll 'i i xfiZv ,'''-- Erin Thomas is the new assistant ... to keep some of that classroom class-room aspect," Thomas said. As an administrator, she frequently has to play the part of a disciplinarian and work to correct unacceptable behaviors. be-haviors. That part of the job, Thomas said, isn't easy. "But in a positive note, you want the kids to change," she said. "Making those changes is When I took the beginning biology course at BYU it just turned a light on in my brain. Richard Glassford LAKERIDGE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEACHER biology course at BYU it just turned a light on in my brain," Glassford said. Glassford met his wife while going to Brigham Young University Uni-versity after serving as a missionary mis-sionary for The Church of Jesus Je-sus Christ of Latter-day Saints. MICHAEL RIGERTAssociated Press principal at Suncrest Elementary School in Orem. difficult for some kids." Though Thomas has looked at openings at other schools, she just can't bring herself to leave Suncrest because of its friendly and supportive atmosphere. atmo-sphere. The unity and camaraderie camara-derie among Suncrest's faculty isn't something found at every schoolhouse, she said. When asked about her His wife says he is obsessed with biology and botany. He has brought that enthusiasm en-thusiasm to his students at Lakeridge where he has been teaching for 16 years. He got the job right after student teaching at the school with the help of his cooperating teacher. "I just haven't turned back," Glassford said. "I'm addicted." Glassford is one of the teachers teach-ers recently chosen to use new laptops acquired by the school as a result of a technology grant. He has a full class set for his students to use for taking tak-ing tests, creating projects and he hopes to start using Adobe Dreamweaver so students can publish their work online. He said the computers will be really helpful in the classroom class-room because they can give students instant feedback. "Kids would rather take their tests on the computer than with pen and paper," two philosophy about teaching, management and edcuation, Thomas exudes dedication and determination. It's her desire to create a safe and friendly atmosphere for students where they can expand their minds. "To get those skills they need to have in our society to cope and do well," she said. Glassford said. Right now Glassford and his students are working on a project on the grounds of the school. Their planting milkweed milk-weed plants to help monarch butterflies survive their winter migration. The monarchs eat the milkweed, but many people kill the plant because they see it as a weed. As part of the project students stu-dents are trying to spread the word about the importance of milkweed and are planting it in their own yards. Glassford will probably continue con-tinue trying to instill his enthusiasm enthu-siasm at Lakeridge, where he teaches seventh grade science and physical education in addition ad-dition to his biology class, for quite a while. "I've really enjoyed Lakeridge," Lak-eridge," he said. "It's just fun. It's a good educational experience, experi-ence, but you have a lot of fun there too." Daily Heri MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL Homecoming events The Homecoming assembly will be presented Friday at 7:45 a.m. The Homecoming dance is Saturday at 8:30 p.m. LAKERIDGE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Photo re-takes Friday is school picture retake re-take day. Earn and Learn The student council is collecting col-lecting Smith's Earn and Learn registration at the Smith's store Friday. Midterms Midterm is Friday. CHERRY HILL ELEMENTARY EL-EMENTARY i Rre drill The school will hold a fire ill Sept. 28. iM w ' 'H wsrvgr ' j brums BRAYDEN SANTO So Bruins, this week has been a good one. Everything Every-thing has been building up this week, for the Homecoming Home-coming Dance on Saturday. I never really understood how hard it was to get a date, so when the girl on the intercom inter-com would say, "Get your dates, guys..." I didn't think it would be that hard. I was wrong. When I started thinking about who I wanted to take, I had visions of what we'd look like together. But they were all false. When I asked her, she already had a date. After asking around, I finally found a date with a nice girl that I really like. I'm glad that I'm going with her, too. By the way, what is the buzz about Homecoming? Annie Seeley said, "Homecoming "Home-coming is a very good excuse for young men, and young women to associate with each other in a formal setting." Emma Pitts said that, Reliable Delivery itomer Service Great Cu; Your Town. Your Neighbors. Your Newspaper. - m-mini- -mi xameritech tyy COLLEGE 1-800-377-2907 PrOVO and Draper, IT Campuses u'U'ip.ameritech.edu SUNCREST ELEMENTARY ELEMEN-TARY School carnival The annual school carnival will be Sept. 29 from 2:304 p.m. at the school. Come for food, games and lots of fun. And if the school meets its fundraising goal. Principal John Patten will kiss a pig. WESTM0RE ELEMENTARY EL-EMENTARY Kindergarten parade The Kindergarten classes will be dressed up like nursery nurs-ery rhyme characters and parade through the school Friday from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Student assemblies Friday is the Cat-Walk Kick-off Assembly at 9:30 a.m. Students will get information infor-mation about the fundraising event where students earn money by pledging to walk so many miles around the school. Tomorrow is also the Way-to-Go Assembly where one student in every class will be honored for something great they've done. Parents are invited. "Homecoming is a dance or a football game." According Accord-ing to Wikipedia (on online encyclopedia), Homecoming is "to welcome back former residents and alumni." That's surprising, because I've never even heard of Mountain View alumni doing anything on Homecoming. It just shows how much things change over time. And the price ... holy cow. I mean, I don't mind spending spend-ing that much on my date, but when I'm 16 years old and jobless, it's hard to come up with 56 bucks. For paying pay-ing $30 to get into the dance, $25 for photos and a bit more for some type of food andor date, it had better be good. But then again, it all depends de-pends on who you're going with. If your date is awesome, then the whole experience will be better. My date is awesome, awe-some, and she even knows how to dance. This is good because be-cause my friend all complain that the dance isn't even that good, an opinion with which I beg to differ, because its only boring if you don't know how to dance. So with that, I'll close up, and wish everyone an awesome awe-some Homecoming. Don't forget Bruins, live it up. Br i lilt JIMS V OPY |