ADVOCATE 2, 1985
October
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22nd and J St.
Vol. 84, No. 1
Lincoln, Nebraska 68510
October 2, 1985
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ID
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by Angie Westland ·:t. '
During the 1984-85 school year students found ample parking with approximately 300 student parking stalls available in the Municipal and front lots and the lot south of PSAB. This year the situation has changed since some teacher parking has been moved from the lot east of the building to the first 100 stalls of the front lot. Some questions have been raised by students as to whether or not the change is fair and as to why the change occured. Principal Sanford Nelson said that moving.the teachers to the front lot was necessary because of the new addition being made to the school this year. The stalls where teachers had previously parked will be used as places to pl.it equipment, supplies, and other things the builders will need. Nelson also said that it seemed logical to have th.e teachers park in the front lot from the first day of school so· they would be used to it and would not have to suddenly change when· the builders -start. Nelson anticipates the remodeling to begin in late October or early November and be finished in approximately eight months. In a survey of 227 Lincoln High students. 26 percent believed that the new wing is more important than student or faculty parking. However. 63 percent of the students either did not care about the issue or thought that the parking situation was more important. Yet, of the students only 15 percent actually drive to school. This means that only a small fraction of the students actually park in the available spaces and are directly affected by the change.
The biggest controversy, according to the survey, seems to be over the front lot where the faculty receives half of the lot and the students the remaining half. Students were 1not the only ones with opinions about th,e change in parking arrangements; some teachers also have comments about the changes. Jeff Bayer, who teaches Psychology and Modern U.S. History, was one teacher placed in the front lot. Bayer said he feels the parking situation, though hectic, is worth the inconvenience because of the new wing. "This year's parking is crazy and insolvable but definately for the better of LHS since it was done for the new wing," he said. Nancy Sand, a :speech therapist, had a slightly different view point. Sand said that she was a little disappointed about the parking situa1tion this year and felt that teachers sha>uld get more parking privileges and spaces than students. About half of the students surveyed shared Sand's view and felt that faculty parking was more important than student parking. The other half felt that the reverse was true. !In a survey of 75 faculty members and adrministrators, 51 percent agreed that facullty parking i5 more important; the remaining 48 percent held . . opposing views. Regardiess of ,which is rnore important, Nelson explained that the situation is only temporary,. "The present situation is only temporary. After the wing is completed we will regain most o,f our parking slots," he said.
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IBM system saves time ~ ·
"We are startinfil slowly with one thing at a time," said S,chrage. by Tammy Ortega Still, Schrage estimated that time spent processing1 this year's schedule changes has beern cut in half. lt is the first day of a new semester. In addition to1 the time saved on You arrive at school and pick up your schedule change:s, Schrage also said schedule. You glance over it casually; records should be more accurate. lst--French, 2nd--gym, 3rd--Calculus "The system should eliminate a lot of 1-2, ... CALCULUS!!!! Oh no! You are errors," she said. signed up for calculus and you haven't Schrage was quick to point out, even had geometry yet. So it is off to the counselor where you stand for hours however, that records will only be as acwaiting to get the problem fixed. Then curate as the origiinal information the ofyou are off to the teachers to get drop- fice receives. Debra McKinney, another member of add signatures. What a mess! Seem hopeless? Never fear the IBM the office staff enjoys working with the System 36 is here! computer. "I love it," she said. "It's a real big time The IBM System 36 is a computer system currently being piloted at Lin- saver and a joy to work with." Electronic maill, which sends mesages coln High. The system, which can proalmost instantly tlhroughout the building cess schedule changes among other and to PSAB, is another advantage of things, has already helped speed things the IBM 36 according to McKinney. up according to Kathy Raymer, assistant "It will eliminate a lot of time on the principal of instruction. phone," she said. · "lt has already speeded up teacher McKinney said the system will cut the notification of drops and adds," Raymer amount of paperwork too. said. Of course the system has a backup in Althought the system is not being used tojts full capacity now, Raymer said case of a system shutdown as both Schrage and McKinney points out. Only she has high hopes for it in the future. Ideally, a student will be able to have a the data that was being entered at the change processed immediately if time of the shutdown would be.lost they said. enough sp.ace is available in the class There are also devices to prevent said Raymer. unauthorized use of the computer accorRaymer also said she expects that the ding to Raymer. The devices are very system will eventually be used for ingood she added. structional purposes. Some instructional "In fact, one of the system trainers features might include a complex word could not break someone else's code," processing unit for making handouts Raymer said. and a test question reserve for make up No matter how much computers inexams she said. however, Raymer All of this is i'n the future, however. In crease efficiency, the meantime, the system is being used · believes they will never replace teachers. "They will be used to facilitate instrucfor other purposes. One person working tion but not to replace instructors," she with the IBM 36 is Jane Schrage of the Lincoln High office staff. said.
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THE ADDITION BEING made lo the school £his year necessilaled firs£ I 00 spaces of the north lol were roped off for lhis purpose.
Until the wing is completed, however, parking will continue as it is, Nelson added. "I have concern for student parking, but we had to look at the greater concern when deciding teacher parking. Not necessarilv that teachers are more important, but they were our greatest concern." said Nelson. "As I said, this is only a temporary situation. Student needs and feelings are considered, but we needed the space. We still do not have sufficient parking for teachers, and PSAB is out of the question since they are short on parking spaces also."
a change in teacher parking.
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Nelson went on to explain that student concerns are looked at and are not just disregarded. He is convinced that if more parking space is need that students can park south of the south parking lot. .A.nother issue raised on the survey was the total amount of parking available in the three student lots. Eighty percent of the students responded that there was not enough parking. During a three day time span, however, and average of 30 parking spaces were available after all students were in school. Nelson said LHS will try to solve the. problem when and ·if they can.
Attempts to make ''better''
Schoo says schools good • Philip Schoo, Lincoln's new superintendent, said that he feels that despite current problems in education, Lincoln has a good educational system. "My first task is to learn all I can about Lincoln and to make an already good program better," said Schoo. Schoo is an experienced teacher who has taught in California and New York. In New York he did social work in the Harlem area. He said that the social work confirmed his desire to help others. Schoo stated that although Lincoln has a good educational system, it does have its problems. Though he wouldn't pinpoint any, one general problem he mentioned is how teachers deal with student differences. Schoo said teachers must "recognize the fact that every student is an important person." With the advent of the state's increase in the number of school hours required per year, Schoo stated that though it may not be the best solution to the problems facing education, the additional five minutes per class can help is used properly. "lf it's busy work, I don't think it's needed. Busy work doesn't accomplish anything," Schoo said. "The additional five minutes, if used can make a difference. It depends on how it is used. A good teacher will change the pace (so the class won't get boring)." The additional hours also will mean that the we~ther policy will change. Schoo stated that during a heat emergency, classes will begin .one hour earlier. As for winter, Schoo would not state anything specific. He did say that any announcement about weather would not be made until six o'clock that morn. Ing.
Overall though, Schoo said Lincoln is a good place to work. "Lincoln is a quality place. It has a fine reputation, and the schools are a part of that. People want to work here," Schoo said. "People are concerned about education in general."
"'MY FIRST TASK is lo learn all I can about Lincoln and lo make an already good program better. "said new superinlendenl Philip Schoo.
nside ------... Students Step into September Spotlight see page 4-5