8/20/2008 – News
Volume 125, Number
Warwick School implements Plato, other new programs
BY RICHARD PETERSON A new program at the Warwick School has the teachers and administrators looking forward to the start of school August 19. The program is called Plato and it will be fully implemented for grades 7-12. Grades K-6 will experience partial implementation.
The program utilizes the Internet to provide interactive learning experiences in math, science, language arts and social studies. The school is committed to trying Plato for six years, because, as Supt.
Charles Guthrie states, "Traditional education methods don’t work well with Native American students. Students just ‘tune out’ rather than listen to a lengthy lecture. Today’s kids are interested in technology and we should take advantage of that." About 99 percent of the students at Warwick are Native American.
Students will be evaluated to determine their abilities in the four major subject areas which will allow teachers to individualize their learning plans. Teachers can identify areas where students need improvement and focus on those areas. In addition, students who excel at certain topics will be able to move ahead and learn at a faster pace. More advanced math and science classes will also be available on the Internet through Plato.
The students will be evaluated on a regular basis. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate the Internet into their teaching methods.
Software can be used to produce lessons and homework assignments. Each student in grades 7-12 will be given a laptop computer that will remain in the school. But those students who have access to the Internet at home will be able to utilize the Plato program there.
Plato is not new, but it’s new to North Dakota. The Fort Totten School District is considering implementing parts of it. The program is endorsed by Dr. Wayne Sanstead, ND Superintendent of Public Instruction.
"Warwick is really embracing the Plato program," said Shane Dennison, an educational consultant from Plato. "You’d have to go to Florida or some other place to find the program as integrated as it is in Warwick. No school in North Dakota is as advanced as Warwick is in implementing the program."
Dennison added that the Warwick School uses eight active boards (sometimes called smart boards), which project the computer’s screen onto a large screen, which almost takes the place of a blackboard. A pen-like stylus is used to touch the screen to control the computer much as a mouse does. "The addition of these active boards underscores the commitment of the Warwick School to utilizing as much technology as possible," Dennison said. He will be spending 30 days as Plato’s educational consultant at Warwick during the school year.
Members of the school board which has endorsed the move to technology are Johnny McKelvey, Eleanor Cavanaugh, Kay Gravdahl, Larry Thiele and Joan Black. Carol Walford is the business manager.
One of the new teachers is Kevin Bennefeld, who will teach social studies. "I’m excited about the Plato program. I think it’s going to be excellent because the technology is likely to motivate the students to become more involved in learning."
The entire school has wireless Internet capability, says Jana Jensen, the school’s technology coordinator. She teaches a couple classes, but her primary job will be keeping the computers running. She’s liable to be busy with all those laptops and many other computers in the building.
There was a lot of turnover in the teaching staff last year and Supt. Guthrie made certain the new teachers he hired were competent in computer technology. He also hired Charles Fredrickson, who worked with the Plato program in South Dakota last year. Fredrickson, who was originally hired as high school principal, had his job description changed to that of curriculum director, including the implementation of Plato. Guthrie will also serve as high school principal. Steve Jacobson is the elementary principal. Jacobson has been at the Warwick School since 1985.
Supt. Guthrie came to Warwick for the 2006-07 school year. He spent three years as principal at Fort Totten and 10 years as superintendent there and more than two years as superintendent of the Sheyenne School before coming to Warwick.
He hasn’t been at Warwick long, but he’s made some major changes. The first change he instituted was beginning a pre-kindergarten program last year. There was a lot of demand for this and the school had to limit the number of students to 19. "This was a very successful program and we’re going to have to limit the number of students again this year," said Jacobson. "We’re forced to limit enrollment in pre-K and K to students who live within the district," Guthrie said.
They’re also limiting the number of students who can enroll at Warwick. Although the building is huge, there’s a shortage of space and no lack of students. In 2006-07 there were 186 enrolled. In
2007-08 there were 252 enrolled. Guthrie figures that’s close to the maximum number of students the school can handle. The school district constructed a new gym, computer lab and administrative offices in 2004.
Another new program is an industrial arts program which will be located in the old Warwick Memorial Hall about two blocks south of the school. The program will be geared to the construction industry, working with wood. The hall has been worked over to provide an excellent environment to learn how to construct with wood. Wayne Hooey will be in charge of teaching construction technology.
All kinds of new tools have been installed in the former hall, including scroll saws, a large table saw, disc sander, spindle sanders, miter saw, surface planer, drill press and many hand power tools.
The school plans an open house on September 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. for parents and guardians to meet the teachers and staff and receive information on Plato and demonstrations. A free meal will be served.
Supt. Charles Guthrie
There are 11 new faculty members at the Warwick School this year. Eight of them are pictured here. Seated, left to right, are Stacy Luehring, kindergarten paraprofessional; Kevin Cartwright, high school English; Marlo Byberg, science; and Don Senger, in-school suspension coordinator and bus driver. Standing, left to right, are Traci Helm-Sjoquist, third grade; Rita Kaeding, math; Kevin Bennefeld, social studies; and Ron Jacobson, grades 7-12 learning disabilities teacher. Not pictured are Laura Robertson, special education and Wendy Church, 7th grade special education. Construction technology instructor Wayne Hooey appears in another photo at his headquarters.
Elementary Principal Steve Jacobson, left, and Plato educational consultant Shane Dennison, right, are looking forward to implementing the Plato program in the Warwick School.
Construction technology instructor Wayne Hooey has his own building in which he works. The former Warwick Memorial Hall has been turned into a superior learning environment. Hooey stands in front of a state-of-the-art table saw. In the background are several scroll saws.
City receives US Flag
The city of Minnewaukan received a US Flag from Sen. Kent Conrad which flew over the nation’s capitol. Mayor Curtis Yri and City Auditor Laura Weed hold the flag. Seated, left to right, are members of the city council, Connie Ambers, Rita Staloch, Mark Motis and Steven Huffman.
A trip Down Under reaps many rewards for Maddock School trio
BY SARA J. PLUM
As parents we make promises to our children and try the best we can to keep them. Unfortunately not all promises can be kept and sometimes our children become disillusioned with an "adult" promise.
In 2003 Ryan Wiberg was teaching 6th grade at Maddock and coaching boys’ basketball. He was contacted about the Down Under Sports program and decided to become involved. While telling his class about the program he promised three young boys that someday he would call them about playing basketball in Australia. This year he kept his promise.
He contacted Beau Buehler, Tyler Sears and Levi Slater and asked them if they would like to take a trip and play some hoops. Their response was an unqualified "Yes!"
The boys sent applications to International Sports Specialists, Inc. (ISSI) and received fund-raising packets and all the information needed to begin planning the trip.
They left for Grand Forks July 6 and traveled by plane to Minneapolis. From there they flew to Los Angeles where the whole team joined together with their coaches, Wiberg and Charles Burks of Santa Cruz, Calif., for the last leg of the trip. The team got to know each other during their 14 hour flight to the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
After a few days of practice and a day off to explore, the team got down to business in the two-day tournament.
Games in the Down Under Hoops Classic are played in four 10 minutes quarters. There is a five minute warm-up, a one minute break between quarters and a three minute halftime break. The officials are Australian and FIBA International rules apply.
The boys said the tournament is set up similar to the Class B state tournament. Nine other teams competed, with a total of five from the US and the others from Australia and New Zealand. Each team consisted of 10 to 12 players. When asked what their team name was, the boys mumbled, "The Ballers," then quickly explained that the assistant coach picked the name.
The name didn’t keep them from winning all 11 games and earning gold medals along with a championship trophy.
Wiberg said this was the best bunch of kids he’s had the pleasure of working with in the Down Under Sports program. Winning the championship was something they deserved.
"There were no prima donnas. As a matter of fact, at one point we had to yell at them to shoot the ball!" Ryan laughed. "No one wanted to be considered a ball hog, which none of them are anyway."
Beenleigh Arena Indoor Sports Centre has five basketball courts and all of them had games going. The girls’ basketball tournament went on the same time as the boys and volleyball and football games were also being played those two days.
Their one day off consisted of a trip to Dreamworld Theme Park, supervised scuba diving and a tour of the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
One of their most memorable times in Australia, besides winning the championship, was tasting kangaroo. Does it taste like chicken? "No," replied Buehler, "it’s hard to say what it tastes like. Like kangaroo, I guess!"
On the way home the team also spent three days in Hawaii where they visited the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor and enjoyed an authentic Hawaiian luau. Neither will be forgotten — the memorial for its significance in American history and the luau for a teammate’s dance on stage with the other dancers.
Besides gold medals and memories, 10 young men from Montana, South Dakota, Oklahoma, California and North Dakota also brought home friendships that will be with them forever.
Beau, Levi and Tyler brought home one more thing — the knowledge that sometimes, when least expected, a childhood promise is kept.
Members of the Down Under Hoops Classic championship team for the July 12 and 13 tournament are pictured. Standing, left to right, are head coach Ryan Wiberg, Cody Harris of Montana, Trevor Greger of South Dakota, Andrew Mosgrove of California, Kyle Chase of South Dakota, Spencer Smith of Oklahoma and assistant coach Charles Burks.
Front row: Beau Buehler, Levi Slater, Tyler Sears, Michael Sangrey of Montana and Cody Freidenfelt of California.
From the left are Tyler Sears, the son of Ann Sears of Maddock and David Sears of Minnewaukan, Levi Slater, the son of Clark and Liz Slater of Maddock, and Beau Buehler, the son of Todd and Nadley Buehler of Oberon. All three are seniors this year at Maddock School.
Volunteers at camp
Genie Smith of Minnewaukan was a volunteer during the Summer Art Camp at the Cando Arts Center August 4-8. She is pictured with her grandchildren, Laney Trottier of Belcourt and Ashley Welander of Rolla, who she brought to the camp. She was lunch time monitor during the week. Her help gave instructor Ali LaRock and organizer Shelley Lord a chance to take a break. Ninety-eight students were enrolled.
This is the fifth year of Summer Art Camp. Some of the children of former students who had attended the high school for the performing arts during the 80’s and 90’s in Cando brought their children to be at the camp for the week. The out-of-town students came from Montana, Norway, Leeds, Rolla, Belcourt, Grand Forks, Fargo and Bismarck.
Bleacher fund
Flo Kallenbach, left, receives a $1,000 donation for the Maddock School Bleacher Fund from Kaaren Duren, right, a representative of the Active Women of Maddock. The AWM will be serving lunch at an auction sale in Maddock on September 13 and all proceeds from that lunch sale will also be donated to the bleacher fund.
