School Climates
December 18, 2009
It seems as if Neuqua’s temperatures are always to the extreme. As the school year starts out in the middle of the summer, the temperature inside the school feels like winter. Read more
Trashing Neuqua
November 24, 2009
Many students may not have noticed, but three weeks ago, Principal Bob McBride made the decision to show Neuqua Valley High School students just how messy they are. Read more
There’s a Party at Neuqua
October 30, 2009
There’s a buzz among many of the main building seniors, and this time it has nothing to do with the usual ailment—senioritis. A handful of students have started what they call the “Party Planning Committee” or “Double P C of Neuqua Valley,” in hopes of creating a more interesting senior year. Read more
Saved By the Bell…Or Not?
October 1, 2009
The answer lies in the effectiveness of advisory at the main campus. “There is a general consensus among the faculty that advisory at the gold building is meaningful and it’s purposeful,” Principal Bob McBride clarifies.
For freshman acclimating to the massive campus and student body of Neuqua Valley, advisory provides structure, mentorship, and a way to connect with their peers. The senior advisors program is another way for younger students to connect with upperclassmen and avoid any traditional hazing that comes with a school as large as Neuqua. Advisory at the main campus is a different story. Since McBride’s rise to Principal, rumors have swirled over whether Neuqua would give up the 20 minute third period in order to have a schedule more uniform with Waubonsie’s. Although this was not the case, it was clear that advisory was causing as many problems as it was helping.
Advisory was created in 2002 with the purpose of encouraging interactions between students and adults beyond the traditional student-teacher relationship. “The whole idea behind advisory is that its good to get to know adults outside of the classroom- the only relationship we should have shouldn’t just be grades,” McBride said.
Over the years, however, the purpose of advisory has been morphed into simply a free period for the majority of advisories and when an advisor attempted to begin a discussion, most students resisted. This has caused a number of teachers and students to question how necessary advisory is.
Advisory also created problems with scheduling and resource rooms. Teachers must devote at least one period a day of supervision to their schedule. This can include advisory or resource room.
Faculty members and especially McBride are great supporters of resource room and getting help in between classes. Advisory was limiting the amount of staff in the resource room, making it harder to get help during option.
The new schedule was designed to solve all of these problems. Two days of advisory encourages a more meaningful use of the period, while maintaining it’s original purpose. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, more staff is available for the resource rooms, and on Wednesdays students can revel in those 20 extra minutes of sleep, while teachers can plan lessons and review student results in Professional Learning Communities.
Although there has been speculation on a complete discontinuation of advisory for next year, McBride assures students this is not true. The fate of advisory lies in the feedback from students and teachers, as well as a gpa-correlated improvement seen, and this will take at least another two years.
Molly Leger, News Editor
NO STUDENT PARKING
March 27, 2009
You never miss something until it is gone. This will certainly be the case when the students of Neuqua Valley return from Spring Break. As of April 1st, construction crews will descend upon the Main building parking lots to tear up the existing asphalt and replace it with the latest environmental innovation: the Aqua-Bric. Read more
Fighting for the Environment
March 3, 2009
As the environmental crisis of the natural world continues to grow, the fifteen committed members of the environmental club come together to confront the issues at hand. They meet every other Tuesday in room C101 for the main purpose of educating themselves on the dangers to the environment and to educate others on these dangers. Read more
Bad Economy Hits Home
January 30, 2009
The bad economy, the credit crisis, bail outs, automobile crises, gas prices, and retirement funds are all over the news. But the influences on the younger generation are not always mentioned. There are over 21 million high school students in the United States and almost five thousand just at Neuqua Valley who may not be worrying about their retirement funds but are certainly affected by the economy’s dip. Read more
Sweet Chocolate Festival
January 23, 2009
For the past 6 years, the NCO has been putting up a now well known event. An item used for centuries has a thing of healing or for pure enjoyment. To the many different kinds and versions, this is something that well deserves such a day. A delicious treat that has been passed down for generations, chocolate is finally getting its day. This years Naperville Chocolate Festival is being held to bring around the best in chocolate, to those who make it, and those who enjoy it. Read more
Applications’ Final Frontier
December 18, 2008
Senior year is plagued with the dreaded disease of Senioritis. It is characterized by apathy and laziness towards school work as a result of already being accepted into college. Yet many seniors must still stay busy, motivated, and stressed during first semester just as the lower classmen due to one thing: college applications. The degrees of stress vary between every senior. Those who apply to as little as one college may not feel the rush and amount of work as one who decides to apply to sixteen to twenty, but the pressure and anxiety to get accepted can be overwhelming. Read more
Martin Luther King III Takes Charge of His Own Dreams
November 25, 2008
Being the eldest son of a legendary civil rights activist is not an easy job, and are tough shoes to fill. Many have accused Martin Luther King III of lacking in following his father’s image. King III’s fight for equality has been deemed inadequate and minimal. His early career paths constantly ended in disappointment for those who thought he would pick up right where his father left off. Read more
