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Show Thursday, January 25, 2007 OREM TIMES Page 5 miss NEWS AND IDEAS FROM CLASSROOMS AND EDUCATORS notes i -' ' i I fit V:I3 'X y il ;tJ rs j ':- 11 '"""7 n C ? O' 1 h4ti TRIXIE WALKERNorth County Dallin Vance, an eighth-grade student at Mountain Ridge Junior High, is scoring his essay online with the program, MY Access.'. Alpine School District adopts online writing Trixie Walker NORTH COUMTY STAFF A two-year pilot program of MY Access!, an online writing program, has proven so successful suc-cessful that 19 schools in the Alpine School District are now using it. An English teacher at Mountain Moun-tain Ridge Junior High School in Highland, Kate Ross, was instrumental in bringing the program to the school district. "In the school year 2003-04 1 was department chair, and I wrote a proposal to get the program here," Ross said. "I then went to Pennsylvania and was trained by MY Access." The program was first used by about 3,500 students at Lakeridge, Lehi Junior High,' Pleasant Grove Junior High and Mountain Ridge Junior High. Test results showed large improvements in English skills, and increased enthusiasm enthu-siasm among participating Participating Schools: American Fork Jr. High Alpine Summit Canyon View Jr. High Cascade Elementary Freedom Elementary Grovecrest Elementary Highland Elementary Lakeridge Jr. High Sharon fifth Melissa Mayntz NORTH COUNTY STAFF School field trips are nothing new, but this month Sharon Elementary fifth-graders are venturing outside museums, libraries and theaters for an interactive winter excursion: cross-country skiing. Fifth-grade teacher Vanette Skabelund has helped organize the ski trips the past five years. Skabelund has downhill skied since she was 12 years old, but admits that her cross-county skiing experience is only slightly more in depth than the students she supervises. At the same time gaining familiarity with different activities is a great benefit to students, she said. "This field trip gives them an opportunity that many of the students may not have otherwise," other-wise," Skabelund said. The annual trip to Soldier Hollow is a January tradition at the school. Three separate trips are planned, which Skabelund Ska-belund said gives students the opportunity not only to learn about cross-country skiing, but to practice their new skills and enjoy the experience. During the first trip on Jan. 10 the students were Save! Trailer Trailer Jack w Wheel Trailer "D" Rings i2" - $5.95 Sl 58" $7.95 Stnigbt MElALJfiaf Call 181 Sooth 1200 East LeN 60 students, so the program was expanded. "Orem High School (the only high school using the program) has found that the school's UBSCT test scores went from being near the bottom bot-tom to second or third," Ross said. The program is funded by the individual schools with Trust Fund moneys. Most of the high schools do not participate, partici-pate, as they have access to another program provided by the district, Ross said. Since the school year began, be-gan, 31,078 student essays in the school district have been completed using the online program. Jane McGill, an eighth-grade student at Mountain Moun-tain Ridge, said the program has helped her learn to write better. "The program scores my writing in six different areas ar-eas and gives me examples of suggested revisions," she Mountain Ridge Jr. High Oak Canyon Jr. H igh Orchard Elementary Orem High School Orem Jr. High Pleasant Grove Jr. High Sharon Elementary Shelley Elementary Suncrest Elemntary Timberline Middle School Willow Creek Middle School - graders go introduced to the basics of cross-country skiing, including includ-ing being fitted for boots and skis, getting their trail passes and learning how to stay in the groomed tracks and to stop. During the second trip on Jan. 17, students continued to practice and refine their skills, and Skabelund said that during the third trip on Jan. 24 students will have the opportunity oppor-tunity to try more challenging trails and to stretch their new abilities. "By the third time, most of them are very proficient," Skabelund Ska-belund said. The opportunity to try new experiences is a critical one for students as they develop self confidence, Skabelund said. By experimenting with new skills, students can discover new areas of talent and interest as they overcome the fear and anxiety of the unknown. "It's important for students to learn to take risks and move outside their comfort zone," she said. "It boosts their self confidence in all areas of their life." This set of field trips is one of the most expensive organized orga-nized by the school, despite the superb group discount rates offered of-fered by Soldier Hollow as part Accessories! Ready To Install - Hitcb Receivers 6" & X2" $9.95 $14.95 Drilled - Painted - Save $ Trailer Couplers Lowest Prices Many Sizes A-Fran . Stop in and browse! Todayl C3 7 - OOOZ said. Essays are scored in the areas of focus and meaning; content and development; organization; language use and style; and mechanics and conventions. These areas correlate cor-relate with the "Six Traits of Writers" taught in the Alpine School District. Essays receive a score from one to six in each of the specific spe-cific areas, and the scores are illustrated with a bar graph. Student Kendra Knudsen, Mountain Ridge, said she likes the "tons of examples." "For example, I can look at a specific area and read sample essays es-says that would receive a score of one, two, or four," she said. Ross said the program provides pro-vides several benefits for students, stu-dents, parents, and teachers. "Students can access it from home," she said. "Parents can see their students' writing with feedback. You don't have to be an English teacher to help your kids to write a good paper anymore." The program is also a good method for tracking long-term long-term progress, and builds an electronic portfolio for each student, Ross said. However, she emphasized that it does not replace teachers. Although the program scores each student's essay, she still grades them. "The computer is an impartial impar-tial partner to help me with grading," she said. "It's nice for the students to have instant cross-country skiing of the Olympic Legacy program. pro-gram. The cost is a suggested donation of $20 per student for all three trips to cover the ski equipment, bus transportation, trail passes and instruction. Parents are informed about the trip during Back-to-School Night in August and Skabelund Skabe-lund sends repeated reminders home throughout the year. She encourages students to earn the money for the trip, but she stressed that no student is denied the opportunity to participate par-ticipate based on their ability to pay. To prepare students for the field trip, Skabelund and the other fifth grade teachers discuss dis-cuss proper behavior and respect re-spect as well as what students can expect to learn. After the trip, Skabelund has her students write brief reflections reflec-tions about the experience, including what they enjoyed most and what they hope to learn on the next trip. In addition to the support and encouragement from Soldier Sol-dier Hollow, Skabelund said the field trip would not be as great a success without the parental pa-rental support she receives. Between two and 10 parent volunteers have assisted the teachers each year, helping 6oWStolt1)0!. 1 ""S " f , ml if MY Access! MY Access! is an "innovative "inno-vative instructional writing program that allows students stu-dents to practice and revise their assigned essays via the Internet," according to Vantage Van-tage Learning, developer of the program. "We're excited at the prospect of helping many more students throughout Utah to improve their writing skills," said Harry Barfoot, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Vantage Learning. Learn-ing. "The program grades students' essays instantly and provides targeted feedback, feed-back, freeing teachers from grading papers by hand and giving them more time to conduct differentiated instruction and curriculum planning." feedback, and I individualize classroom instruction according accord-ing to the feedback. For example, ex-ample, I can work on capitalization capital-ization if I see several students need it. I have more time for one on one instruction." Summing up her experience using MY Access! with her English students, Ross said, "My students finally understand under-stand what it means to revise. I am now receiving final drafts from my students." students become accustomed to their equipment and encouraging encour-aging them to try new skills. With approximately 60 students stu-dents in this year's fifth grade classes, that assistance is especially espe-cially valuable. One of the biggest challenges challeng-es Skabelund and her fellow teachers face during this field trip is the range of proficiency students demonstrate. Some students have never skied before, be-fore, while others have been skiing or snowboarding for years. The teachers urge all students stu-dents to stretch their new skills on different trails at the same time staying together in groups for safety and encouragement. encour-agement. The most rewarding part of the trip is seeing students discover new skills and enjoy a new activity, Skabelund said. Seeing those feelings of accomplishment ac-complishment and excitement make each trip memorable, a feeling shared by all the fifth grade teachers. "To watch these kids in a different setting and to watch them succeed with something they've never done before is very exciting," Joey Rino, another an-other of the school's fifth grade teachers, said. Light Her Fire. 'Itu r..i, !. f 1 e ' 9 uugcMjewaer) ' oiiuwruuiii ia ?w, university e. itovo jyjiai wwgoldTOthjewlers.com All Schools I School's out Friday There will be no school for students Friday due to a teachers' professional development devel-opment day. Orem High School Dance today The OHS Student Council is sponsoring sponsor-ing a dance today from 8-11 p.m. Call the Main Office for details. I Batting cages available The batting cages are available avail-able to all softball players on Mondays and Wednesdays after school. Contact Coach Jarvis for additional information. informa-tion. I USBCT study session There will be a UBSCT study session for the reading portion por-tion of the test Tuesday from 2:25-3:25 p.m. A study session for the writing portion will be held Wednesday during the . same time period. Call 227-8765 227-8765 for more information. I Blood drive There will be a blood drive in the New Student Lounge on Wednesday. Wednes-day. All community members are welcome to participate. Contact the Main Office for details. I Student play The winter win-ter play "Don't Drink the Water" opens Feb. 1 and continues con-tinues through Feb. 6. Contact Pam Peterson for times and pricing information. Canyon View Junior High School I Spelling bee This year's preliminary spelling bee test is Wednesday during homeroom classes. Interested students can sign up and receive re-ceive lists of words from their English teachers. The top 25 spellers will compete in the final round on Feb. 21. More information is available on the school's Web site, www. cvjh.alpinedistrict.org. I Val-O-Grams Val-O-Gram sales will begin Monday Mon-day and are a great way to show someone how special they are. Call 227-8748 for details. I School play Canyon View's production of "Beauty and the Beast" opens Feb. 1 with shows continuing through Feb. 7. Contact the Main Office for details. Foothill Elementary School Nursery Rhyme Olympics tiger CONNIE WAGNtFi If you had attended the Orem High School annual Preference Dance on Saturday Satur-day you would have observed a room of ball gowns and up-dos, up-dos, tuxes and ties. You also would have seen enter the scene four undeniably gaudy characters, one dressed as a flapper, one as an '80s prom queen, one as a Hawaiian farmer, and one as a sheriff. Yes, flanked by my three accomplices, I deliberately defied de-fied the unspoken rules a high school formal. Preference is one of three yearly formals at Orem High. Girls ask guys on the date, plan it, and pay for it. The asking usually includes balloons, bal-loons, popcorn, candy, or a scavenger hunt, and the answering an-swering is expected to be just as elaborate. How did I ask? I walked up to my date, and said, "Who are you going with to preference?" prefer-ence?" He answered, "Nobody," "No-body," and I hopped in with, Utah County Mews www.heraldextra.com Rebecca Johnson, DryCreek Family Prditke Certified Family "JCC AO'IA Nurse Practitioner OO'HA IH 3300 N. Running Creek Most insurance Plans Accepted v - ? . ) W, :tf, . The Kindergarten Nursery Rhyme Olympics are tmlay in the school gym. Parents should contact their child's kindergarten teacher for more information. I Box tops still needed Parents are urged to continue con-tinue collecting box tops to raise money for Foothill Elementary. El-ementary. More information is available online at www. boxtops4educt ion.com. I Golden Apple nominations due Nominations for this year's "Golden Apple Award" are due by Wednesday. Nomination Nomi-nation forms are available in the Main Office, or contact Nancy Henson for details. Hillcrest Elementary School PTA needs volunteers for next year Several positions posi-tions are available with the Hillcrest Elementary PTA for the 2007-2008 school year. Interested individuals should contact Debbie Lamb for more information about board positions and volunteer opportunities. Scera Park Elementary School I Knowledge Bowl volunteers volun-teers needed Volunteers are needed to help with this year's Knowledge Bowl. Contact Con-tact Shari Brown for more information. Sharon Elementary I Science fair today Sharon Sha-ron Elementary is proud to present the Science Fair today in the gym. Parents are welcome to view exhibits from 12:30-2 p.m. Call 227-8733 227-8733 for more information. Noah Webster Academy t Report cards Report cards will be sent home Friday. Fri-day. Parents should contact their child's teacher with any questions or concerns. I Volunteers needed Volunteers are needed to help laminate b(xks for the school library. Books must be laminated before students can check them out in order to keep them in good condition for many years. Training is provided and volunteers can choose to work on books at home. Contact Margo Gais-ford Gais-ford for more information. "Okay, go with me," followed by an, "Okay." The "day dates" the morning morn-ing of the dance are planned for weeks, and can be sledding, sled-ding, laser-tagging, or board-gaming. board-gaming. I skipped this tradition tradi-tion completely, and went to work from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For dinner, while other groups attended fancy restaurants, restau-rants, we two girls prepared a lovely meal of Ramen N(x-dles, N(x-dles, black olives, crackers, and marshmallows (which we roasted in the candle light). After dinner, the two couples cou-ples competed in a cookie-baking competition, in which each cbuple invented their own cookie recipe. Sounds boring, bor-ing, sure, but when the only measuring instruments are an assortment of slotted spoons and spatulas, things got a little more interesting. Plus, we ended up sabotaging sabotag-ing each other's recipes, with cream of wheat, and barbecue sauce. Needless to say, we did not eat our inventions. Then, we showed up at the dance, in our flagrantly different differ-ent attire, and we had a blast. The moral of my story? As far as I'm concerned, dates should be cheap, spontaneous, and unexpected. RN, MSN Now Accepting New Patients way k , Ji mr if VI, |