News
NCSSM
ETC promises new
technology
by Magda Kotek
As technological advances become more and more prominent,
education plays a bigger role in a student’s success in the future. In its
goal to “accept the greater challenge”, the North Carolina School of
Science and Mathematics will construct a high tech laboratory/class
room complex to better serve the needs of its students, teachers, and the
North Carolina community.
The Education and Technology Complex will house classrooms
and labs that will combine current technology with educational methods.
These technology labs will consist of the most modem forms of technol
ogy such as robots and computers and will be completely dependant on
funding.
Labs will be adaptable to all classes through the use of roll-away
carts. These carts will store this technology and will be rolled into and
out of each lab area.
Along with the labs, four classrooms will be constructed to expand
the distance-learning department. In this program, courses not available
in some North Carolina schools are broadcasted to students and teachers
around the state with the use of satellites and television sets. After
construction of the ETC, NCSSM will be able to reach every part of the
state through this program.
Also in the ETC will be ten music rooms for private practice and a
650 seat auditorium equipped with electronic connections to a 125 seat
lecture hall and to the PEC. This electronic connection will provide a
needed graduation rain-out sight for the expected 3,000 (from 1994
figures) graduation guests. The auditorium will also be able to transmit
and receive performances through the North Carolina Information
Highway.
The $8 million complex will hopefully be completed by August of
1996 and will be located across from Bryan Residential Hall, facing the
Science Department. It will cover part of the parking lot between Bryan
and the Maintenance Facility Center, though this will not cause a
shortage of parking spaces on campus. One problem may arise with the
disruption of classes because of the noise created by construction.
Along with the building, restoration of Weich Hall is planned.
The hall will provide 8,000 square feet of dormitory space to house
visitor students and teachers during special learning programs on
campus. Main computers will be linked to the library and student
computers to form an information triangle, and if private funding is
obtained, a student recreation center may be added under the ETC.
With the addition of 43,000 square feet of teaching space, ten
teachers will be added to the teacher faculty and revision or addition of
academic courses will occur. These course revisions will vary with the
types of technology available in the labs.
The addiUon of the ETC will hopefully continue a process of
construction and development intended to further the education of
students at Science and Math and around the country.
NCSSM adopts
new schedule
by James T Wallace
“The purpose of the Curriculum Council is to facilitate the development of the best possible curriculum
for NCSSM students and of excellent curriculum products that provide North Carolina educators with what
they need to improve teaching and learning in the state.” And, so, the Curriculum Council was chartered. It
was to be co-headed by the Principal and the Director of Student Activities with other members of the
community as voting representatives. One of the hottest topics on the agenda was the class schedule. Many
things were considered, from looking at schedules of other institutions like NCSSM to creating a custom,
tailor-made schedule from scratch. No matter what the case, the growing sentiment among council members
urged for a new or modified class schedule. This was due in part to a survey of faculty in which many said
our current schedule does not allow for “innovative” teaching methods. Onward the snowball rolled... Soon
into the Council discussions arose the possibility of allowing current students to SCTve as voting members.
The Council felt students “lack the experience” of staff and alumni and that serving on the Council “would be
perhaps too big a burden.” The Council decided it would be better to try to better encourage students to
attend the open meetings, but not to have them as voting members. However, a student was allowed as a
member of the subcommittee which evaluated the schedule options and presented recommendations to the
Curriculum Council. As for the schedule, surveys were given concerning aspects of a new schedule, such as a
class free day, as well as aspects of the current schedule to see what the faculty would like and what they felt
would best suit NCSSM. Council members went to some classes and followed students’ schedules for a few
days to take notes on improvements and good qualities of the current schedule. Outside consultants were also
hired for input in coming up with a new schedule. The discussions continued. All School Assemblies were
held, along with several evening input sessions for students. The Council kept working and soon came up
with a proposal: the 10.50. It would be evaluated by the community through a think-through which included
surveys and question forms. The ‘TASTE the New Schedule” forms would be useful in the evaluation
process since they promoted organization. Basically, for a week last fall, the NCSSM community went
through the normal class schedule, but occasionally stopped to reflect on the current schedule and imagine the
activities of the proposed schedule. The evaluations were used to improve the 10.50 to make it “right” and
also involve more student input in the matter, as their attendance at meetings had steadily increased. A couple
nxinths later, the Council had come up with two new drafts: Proposed A and Proposed B. These drafts were
posted around campus for the community to see. The Council decided to suggest Proposed A to the Adminis
trative Cabinet for implementation next year. The Cabinet heard concerns and voted on and ^proved the
implementation of Proposed A for next year. The Executive Director, however, expressed concern that
students needed more input and urged for students to be allowed as voting members of the Council. So,
Proposed A will be in full swing next year. Also, two students shall act as voting representatives of the
Cuniculum Council. As for the specifics of the schedule, it will include a loosely stmctured Alt Day along
with common lunches, seven periods, and Flex time. It will be evaluated by the Curriculum Council next
year, yet no major changes ivill be made to the schedule during the school year. It is obvious NCSSM has a lot
of work to do next year. We must acquaint ourselves with the new schedule and use it to its fullest potential to
make next year successful. We must also rigorously evaluate it in facilitating the process of making it better.
Many surprises will spring up, some good, and some bad, but we will have to work with them in fulfilling our
obligation to NCSSM to make next year the most rewarding year possible.
Graduation news
by Jason Slajich
Graduation for the class of 1994 will be held on Saturday May 28,1994. The speaker for the
graduating class will be Orson Scott Card, a science fiction writer who lives in Burlington. The writer is
known for his many science fiction novels including Ender’s Game, Speaker for the Dead, and Xenocide.
The student speaker for the graduation will be Sheryl D. Mebane. Sheryl, a Morehead scholar from
Coleridge, NC, was chosen to speak as closing speaker for the graduating class.
The class of ’94 is the 13th graduating class of NCSSM, with 268 seniors.
A change of ponds?
by Carl Leitner
The Biopond on campus was established many years ago for research purposes. Today, its fate is
changing, moving from behind Hunt dorm to another part of campus. With this change in location will come
a change in size, as it is reduced to a much smaller version. Through years at NCSSM, the pond has become
progressively containimated, and a move of the biopond will necesitate careful watch of the life. One reason
for the move is that it does not receive enough shade during the summer causing the water to get too hot for
the life, and also to make way for new sports facilities.
Currently, the biopond serves several purposes. It is used as a small track, for fishing and canoeing
practice, and math projects. Over the years it has been drained, slid upon when frozen and served as a great
way to celebrate birthdays on the soccer team. When drained last year, a large unbroken glass jar of sodium
was found. If the sodium reacted with the water would have caused a sizable explosion. With the move of the
biopond, much of the history will be lost, yet the change will help to establish new u-adilions.
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