August 8, 2008

Evergreen SchoolScene

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No really, it’s a bird, and it’s attacking students!

By Ibiza Medina, student
Special to the Times

What has red eyes, attacks students and teachers alike, and lurks in the shadows? It’s Mr. Cooper and his family. The Coopers are actually two Cooper hawks that have decided to nest in a tree outside of L building.

Cooper Hawks are large-sized birds that range from 30-50 cm long and are characterized by their red eyes, round bodies and brown coloring. A male’s wingspan can be over two feet, and a female’s is even longer. They eat other small birds, insects and mammals such as mice.

Although students are not usually in danger from Cooper Hawks, they (the hawks) will attack anything (or anyone) whom they consider a threat to their young. These birds will actively chase off or dive at these enemies, including the innocent students who just happen to walk too close to their nest.

This has already happened twice. Senior Chris Custodio, was walking past the math building when the hawk swooped down and struck him. The two-inch scratch on his forehead is a reminder that the birds are, in fact, a danger to us.
In order to avoid further attacks, the area around the tree at the end of the L building has been roped off. Students are advised to use caution when walking around the nesting site. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because you cannot see the birds flying around.

Reprinted from the Raider Review, with permission of Silver Creek High School

Math Enrichment ends in success

By Helen Hong
Staff Writer

The Math Enrichment Summer Program held at Quimby Oak Middle School ended its second year of academic success on July 31. The WASC-accredited program, the same organization that accredits public schools in the West Coast, has been running for seven years, two at Quimby Oak and one at Leland High School in San Jose.

The program provided an opportunity of summer advancement for students in preparation of material they would cover in the regular school year. All teachers were credentialed, most with teaching careers in neighborhood school districts. Every class also had aides who were high school students or graduates with experience in the subjects taught.

Doug Fung, a staff member of the Math Enrichment Summer Program at Quimby Oak, said, “It is quite an impressive show for a mixture of school and fun. During the workday, kids were given breaks to play with balls, jump ropes and other equipment. There was also a Wii room with multiple Nintendo Wii systems installed. Teachers had the choice to take their students to the computer lab where there was a brand new set of Apple computers.”

The goal of the program is to give students a learning environment during summer, a time when students are liable to lose what they learned. Students who achieved a high overall grade over the past school year could choose to skip to the next higher course. Ninety-six percent of students who took higher courses in the past seven years have received a letter grade of an A or B in the following school year.

Between the two sites, Quimby Oak and Leland, there was a total of approximately 1,500 students. The program started at 9 a.m. and ended at 3 a.m. every Monday to Friday for a cost of $900. The fee covered tuition, books and supplies such as new backpacks and binders. Morning and afternoon care was also available for an additional charge.

Math Enrichment looks to continue its success in ensuring students a strong academic foundation for the coming school year.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

An Open Hearing is scheduled for the September 18 Evergreen School District Board of Trustees Meeting, at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room, 3188 Quimby Road, San Jose. Re: the availability of textbooks and instructional materials for the 2008/2009 school year.