Volume 76 No. 4
Grimsley High School
801 Westover Terrace
Greensboro, NC 27408
Tuesday, December 14,1999
Blocks for scheduling written in stone
By Regina Sechter
Staff Writer
As of the 2001-2002 school year,
Grimsley, along with the other 13
high schools in Guilford County,
may operate on a modified block
schedule. Freshmen and sopho
mores must hrace themselves for a
major change.
After four long years of debate,
the Educational Program Service
Committee of the Board (EPS Com
mittee of the Board), as well as other
members of the community and the
Guilford County School System Ad
ministration have reached a consen
sus. If money allows, beginning in
the 2001 -2002 school year, students
will take 5 classes each day. First,
third, and fifth periods will be 95 min
utes long and second and fourth
periods will be 50 minutes long (pe
riod configuration is subject to
change).
This new schedule has its advan
tages and disadvantages. What all
the different committees involved
with block seem to stress is that no
schedule will perfectly fit the needs
of all students. The county needs to
have a system-wide schedule that
will work for the majority of kids.
From the view of classes at
Weaver Center, the modified, sys
tem wide, block schedule is benefi
cial. With the schedule Weaver can
be utilized more efficiently. With all
fourteen Guilford County schools
beginning and ending at different
times, it is difficult for Weaver to of
fer its courses to all kids in the
county and thus give all kids equal
opportunities. If all the schools be
gin and end at the same time, sched
uling Weaver classes will be a much
easier process.
Not only would operating on a
system wide schedule benefit the
■
Kris Cooke and Dot Kearns discuss plans for block scheduling at a community meeting on December
7,1999. The school system hopes to implement block scheduling in the 2001-2002 school year.
Weaver program, but it would im
prove the lives of high school ath
letes as well. Many students active
in sports often have to miss their
fifth and sixth periods in order to
participate in a game held at a school
that gets out earlier. If all the schools
dismiss at the same time, this sched
ule conflict is eliminated.
The new schedule also offers op
portunities for a student to mess up
yet still bounce back and graduate on
time. This is because students would
be earning eight credits per year, ver
sus the 6 to 7 credits (depending on
whether or not the student takes a zero
period) they should be earning on the
present schedule. This chance to make
mistakes will hopefully decrease the
drop out rate. On the present sched
ule, if a freshman fails two classes he
or she is out of luck and will be in high
school for an extra year. This discour
ages students greatly and explains why
50% of students who drop out are
freshmen.
However, the schedule has its down
falls. Dr. Kee, the International Bacca
laureate coordinator at Grimsley, IB for
short, is concerned with the fact that
his Advanced Placement and IB stu
dents will be at a large disadvantage.
Continued on pa^e 2
New bond will benefit Guilford County schools
By Ashley Kelly
Reporter
For several years, Grimsley, as
well as many other schools in
Guilford County, has gone
without numerous learning
advantages due to lack of money.
A new bond may bring an end to
this.
Each year, as more students
enroll in Guilford County
schools, there is a decrease in
learning space and a growing
need for better technology. Mrs.
Sandra Frye, the Director of
Communications of Guilford
County, says, “ There is a
tremendous need for this bond,
because our schools are in
desperate need of renovations.”
Major construction in Guilford
County schools has not occurred
since the late 1970’s, and, for this
reason, Mrs. Frye says, “ New
renovations are long overdue.”
If this bond is passed in May
of 2000, Grimsley will receive
$12,181,000, which will go
towards air conditioning,
technology, and expansion. A
certain amount of the money will
also go towards technological
improvements in the Cultural
Arts and Vocational departments.
Mrs. Teague has long awaited
such a change but says, “ I’ll
believe it when I see it.” “ These
new proposals are strategies to
encourage parents at Grimsley
and students to vote for the
bond.”
The school bond will affect 24
elementary, middle, and high
schools. Other high schools that
will benefit from this bond are
Page, Dudley, Andrews, and
High Point CentraI.Each school
will be given money to enhance
classroom space. As far as
Continued on page 2
Veterans
receive honor
By Dina Ackermann
Editor-in-Chief
Tom Brokaw has dubbed them
"the greatest generation." Just as
the ceremony for them at Grimsley
took place quietly, leaving many
Whirlies unaware of its occurrence,
so does their .sacrifice frequently go
unnoticed.
There was something special
about these men and women, some
thing different as they congregated
on the day after the 58“’ anniversary
of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Be
cause of the efforts of Joe Noah and
the Preddy Foundation, this group
was able to unveil a plaque in the
main hall, to honor the memory of
their classmates who died in World
Warn.
Following the recitation of the
Pledge of Allegiance and the pre
sentation of the colors. Walker
Rucker, class of 1941, addressed the
assembled crowd. Those present
included Greensboro High School
graduates, mem'aers of the ROTC,
and distinguished members of the
Grimsley community, such as Lody
Glenn, who was principal of Grimsley
from 1969-1981.
Mr. Rucker said, “We entered
Greensboro High School under the
ascendant star of Franklin Delano
Roosevelt. We thought if he can
make it, we can! By striking out three
letters he changed the word Depres
sion to press on.”
As Mr. Rucker reminisced, he
evoked images that transformed
these men and women in their sev
enties and eighties into young teens
who at one time “considered a
Whirlie trip to Winston-Salem an
adventure and the graduation jaunt
to D.C. a dream fulfilled” but “who
saw the four corners of the earth,
obscure places with names like Aleu
tian Islands, Port Morsly, Point Hoc,
and the Zugspitz,” said Mr. Rucker.
Mr. Rucker added humorous sto
ries recalling the metamorphosis of
his classmates from students to sol
diers. “Pernell ‘Pinkie’ Kennedy
might have had trouble finding his
model Ford in the school parking
lot, but he was unerring in locating
the Herman Goering works in Lintz,”
said Rucker. Unfortunately, many
men like Kennedy, graduates of
Grimsley, did not return.
Continued on page 2
Featured
Tis the Season
Millennium Mania
Men's Basketball
News
1
Buying presents, reading wish
Students express fears and
Whirlie basketball heads into the
Editorial....
3
Inside
lists, fighting crowds, and no
expectations for the year
Little Four Tournament with
Features....
4
snow. But why?
page 3
2000.
pages 4-5
strong hopes.
page?
Sports
7