Class A Basketball Blog: Top teams make big statements
February 9th, 2012
By S. Thomas Coleman
For the AJC
The top teams in the state made statements this week, heading into the weekend’s regular season finales.
GIRLS
Wesleyan. The top-ranked Wolves (21-3) still haven’t lost to a team in Georgia after downing No. 5 St. Francis, 62-50, Tuesday night. Wesleyan won the first meeting with their top competitor in Region 5, 67-54, back on Jan. 20. In that game the Knights and senior forward Keyona Hayes dominated the boards. Wesleyan made the adjustment in the rematch, outrebounding St. Francis 54-28. Holli Wilkins, as she did in the first game, led the way for the Wolves with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Wesleyan will close out the regular season at home on Friday against Pinecrest Academy.
Southwest Atlanta Christian. The Warriors (20-3) think they are ready to take on Wesleyan. They might be right. After beating Landmark Christian and Tech High by a combined score of 163 to 14, SACA picked on a team its own size on Tuesday, Paideia (17-7), and won 53-30. The game decided the Region 9 regular season title. SACA will end the regular season with a solid test on Friday when the Warriors host Sandy Creek (16-8), one of the top teams in Region 4AAA
Look out for: Calvary Day (21-2). The Savannah private school is ranked No. 3 and the Cavaliers haven’t loss to a team in Class A, after advancing to the Final Four in 2011.
BOYS
North Cobb Christian. The Eagles (24-0) finally got a stern test, albeit from a team outside of Georgia. They passed, downing McCallie of Chattanooga, the top-ranked small school in Tennessee, 61-56. NCC will look to finish a perfect regular season when it hosts Bowden (12-11) on Friday.
Whitefield Academy. The showdown with No. 6 Landmark Christian Academy (18-3) for the Region 9 regular season title was virtually over after the first quarter. The Wolfpack (20-3) jumped out to a 27-8 lead and cruised to an 84-61 win. Whitefield guard Kenny Gaines scored 35 points to lead all scorers. The Wolfpack will host Pace Academy (9-14) on Saturday.
Look out for: Wilkinson County. The defending champions were thought to be in rebuilding mode this season with just two players who logged significant minutes returning from last season. But the Warriors only losses this season have been to No. 5 Turner County and to Northside-Warner Robins of Class AAAA.
Tags: Statements, Top Teams
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How to Choose the Right Preschool
February 8th, 2012
The decision to send a child to preschool is a big step and is typically done when a parent decides their child is ready. If you live in a large city or have specific schools in mind, you may need to apply once a child has been born.
Set Priorities
When you are determining a preschool for your child you need to make a list of needs. This can include the distance from your home or near your place of work. Determine the activities that your child should enjoy such as show and tell or storytelling. The schools’ approach to learning should also be a consideration.
Do Your Research
Part of the selection process for preschools is to research your options. This includes talking to friends and family with the same age children about their experiences. They can give you the names of schools that they prefer to send their kids. You can also research various schools online to see comments left by other parents that have enrolled their children.
Arrange a Visit
Contact various schools that you have considered and see arrange an interview. This allows you to meet many of the teachers and principal. Obtain a schedule of the daily activities for the children. Tour the school and take notes about the facility and any fees or prices. Meet with teachers face to face to get a feel for their personality and the number of children that are in each class.
Talk to Parents
Visit with parents of enrolled students to hear their opinions. Ask various questions about their favorite aspects of the school. Make a note of any specific area or program that they prefer.
Tips
Finalize your selection of preschools and then inquire about any waiting list requirements. Apply to multiple schools in case one does not work out.
Tags: Preschool
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Vanderbilt’s Two-Stepping Town Hall
February 7th, 2012
Vanderbilt’s crack-down on religious groups has captured headlines and ignited controversy on campus. Chancellor Zeppos’ recent “message” on “nondiscrimination” announced a town hall to explain everything. At this meeting, the dean of the divinity school served as a religious stage prop while Provost Richard McCarty and General Counsel David G. Williams filled three hours with double-talk.
Both the complete footage and the highlights above expose Vanderbilt’s policy change for what it is: a purge cloaked in a nondiscrimination guise that targets religious students who make the mistake of taking their faith and freedoms seriously. And it is lead by people who do not understand the role of religion in students’ lives, who have little regard for basic freedoms, and who refuse to put their policy in writing.
For example, a student eloquently explained that just as it is impossible for religious students to separate their faith from the rest of life, so religious groups necessarily make faith-based decisions. Provost McCarty replied, “Everyone isn’t as fortunate as you are to be firm in their faith.” So what? When students want to become stronger, whom do they seek? People who are firm in their faith? Or groups engaged in false advertising (e.g., Jewish groups run by Hindus, Mormon groups run by Baptists)? Vanderbilt mandates the latter. But this is not surprising, seeing how the Provost emphatically declared that his faith does not and should not affect his decisions at all. That is, of course, his privilege. It would be nice if he would allow others to choose differently.
Nor did the administrators fare any better at Freedom 101. Mr. Williams announced that if a group does not accept everyone, it discriminates. Actually, this is called freedom of association, which—as the Supreme Court has repeatedly declared—includes the freedom not to associate. But then again, Mr. Williams has a strange view of this freedom, one that tells groups: “Either you let everyone in, or you won’t exist.” This may be many things, but free association it is not.
So what exactly is Vanderbilt’s new policy? Well, no one knows—not even the administrators. Mr. McCarty announced an “all-comers” policy. But fraternities and sororities exclude people for all sorts of reasons, including sex. Mr. Williams waffled on whether they would be exempted, but not on how this policy would apply to religious groups: “What we’re against is you basically saying, ‘The only people who can run for leadership—or the only people who we will establish as leaders—have to share that belief.’” Despite the overall fog of Vanderbilt’s “fire, ready, aim” approach to creating policy, one thing is clear: religious groups will not enjoy the freedom of religious association.
This shifting double-standard irritated students, who repeatedly asked for a written policy. But this was too much to ask of Provost McCarty, who explained that “it is virtually impossible to put down in a single document all of the permutation that we have talked about tonight in one tightly written policy.” Somehow, the thousands of universities that dot the American landscape from sea to shining sea have all managed to create such a written policy. For that matter, the countless elementary, middle, and high schools have too. But it is too daunting a task for Vanderbilt. In fairness, though, it is difficult to concoct a policy that protects favored groups (like the Greek system), targets Christians, and also appears even-handed.
However, to the Provost, all of this is much ado about nothing. After all, as he announced to the students: “You’re saying to me, ‘I’m making you do something that you don’t want to do.’ And I am telling that’s not what I am asking you to do.” Really? Then why change the policy? Such obfuscation cannot conceal the reality. Vanderbilt demands that Christian groups consider Jewish leaders, that Jewish groups consider Hindu leaders, etc. (thus exposing them to discrimination complaints if such students get voted down). Students rightfully object to this violation of religious freedom. And the University says, “Do it anyway, or go away.”
Regardless, the Provost assured students that he saw no danger that a group would be “subverted by a couple of dedicated individuals that want to somehow divert the group from its original intent.” Mr. Provost, meet Christian Legal Society. It exists, among other things, to hold Bible studies. But when it said that it expected its leaders to lead these studies, “a group of dedicated individuals”—all on Vanderbilt’s payroll—“diverted the group from its original intent” by denying CLS the recognition it needs to meet freely on campus.
Fortunately, Provost McCarty accentuated his absurdity with his solution for students serious about their beliefs and their freedoms: “We’re asking you—oh, my gosh—to take a leap of faith for one year and give it a try.” Christians, of all people, exercise faith, but it is in the Rock of Ages, not in an administrator who articulates such a vacillating, incoherent, and dangerously unwritten policy.
He also offered some advice to students who simply want to maintain the integrity of their group and its teachings: “You will benefit greatly from being maybe a little bit more open on this issue.” Here is a better idea for Vanderbilt: “You will benefit greatly from being maybe a little bit more open to religious freedom. It has grown in these parts since the Pilgrims. Just try it.”
Tags: Hall, Town Hall
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Teachers rally around geography as proposal floated to replace the freshman course
January 25th, 2012
Saying too many freshmen are struggling, Oxnard Union High School District officials want to add a course to help students make the transition to their campuses.
But doing so has sparked debate about how to fit such a course into the curriculum. Initial plans have focused on replacing freshman geography, a course teachers say should not be eliminated.
“While some of our new freshmen do need help in making the transition to high school more effectively, eliminating an academic course is not the way to achieve such a goal,” said Ben Todd, a social science teacher who has taught geography at two of the district’s schools.
Geography covers all continents and the physical, cultural and political aspects of the subject, Todd said at a recent board meeting. “Geography gives teachers a venue to talk about cultural sensitivity and understanding the diversity of our world.”
District administrators said they find geography valuable and are a long way from deciding on the issue.
“What we’re looking at is trying to develop a course for our freshmen to take that would provide what we call 21st-century skills,” said Assistant Superintendent Bill Dabbs. Those skills include creativity, collaboration, technology and a background in how to prepare for college and careers — “a lot of issues in terms of the transition from the eighth grade to the ninth grade and what we can do to increase graduation rates, increase college-going rates.”
No one wants to lose the semester-long course in geography, Dabbs said, but the number of periods in the school day is limited.
“We want to make sure that the students have as much access to core academic learning as we can,” Dabbs said. “But at the same time, what do we do in terms of getting kids to see career pathways and those types of things? Is that really integrated into every class, or do we need a specific class for it?”
District officials said they are still in the first stages of the process and that a lot must be explored before they decide.
Once a proposal is made, it would have to go to the district’s curriculum council and the school board. Because geography is a graduation requirement in the district, the board also would have to decide whether to remove the requirement.
Teachers said they don’t think a class teaching freshman skills for high school should replace geography.
“I think we all acknowledge that there are different needs and some serious needs throughout this district for our freshmen,” said Josh Chancer, an instructional coach. “But does that mean that we take away a program? Is that going to solve that problem? I don’t think it is.”
He suggested having the transition skills taught in all freshmen classes, instead of one dedicated course.
“A lot of our kids, they’re not going on summer vacations around the world. They’re not taking those summer trips to Europe and to Asia and doing the wonderful things that we would all wish they could do,” Chancer said. “Geography is that opportunity for them to see the rest of the world, to get out of Oxnard and Ventura County.”
Tags: Course
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State football regional semifinals set
January 23rd, 2012
The regional football playoffs kick off next weekend, and MPSSAA officials announced the schedule this morning. Here are the matchups involving Baltimore-area teams:
Class 4A North
4 Perry Hall at 1 Poly, Friday, 7
3 Paint Branch at 2 Catonsville, Friday, 7
Class 4A East
4 South River at 1 Old Mill, Friday, 7
3 North Point at 2 Arundel, Friday, 7
Class 3A North
4 Digital Harbor at 1 North Harford, Friday, 7
3 Franklin at 2 Aberdeen, Friday, 7
Class 3A East
4 Stephen Decatur at 1 Atholton, Friday, 7
3 Howard at 2 River Hill, Friday, 7
Class 2A North
4 Dundalk vs. 1 Edmondson at Poly, Saturday, 6
3 Lake Clifton at 2 Chesapeake-B at CCBC-Essex, Friday, 7
Class 2A South
3 Gwynn Park at 2 Glenelg, Friday, 7
Class 2A East
4 Patterson Mill at 1 Kent Island, Friday, 7
3 Fallston vs. 2 Wicomico at Wicomico County Stadium, Friday, 7
Class 2A West
3 South Carroll at 2 Walkersville, Friday, 7
Class 1A North
4 Lewis at 1 Overlea, Friday, 7
3 Northwestern vs. 2 New Town at site TBA, Friday, 7
Class 1A South
4 Southside vs. 1 Dunbar at Poly, Saturday, noon
3 Surrattsville vs. 2 Du Bois at Poly, Saturday, 3
Class 1A East
4 Havre de Grace at 1 Perryville, Friday, 7
To see the regional matchups for the rest of the state as well as the final points standings, go to the MPSSAA website.
Tags: Regional, Regional Semifinals
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