For the second year in a row, I have created and submitted an entry for the Georgetown Super 8 Film festival. I am by no means a professional filmmaker, but I have had fun these past two years, going out into my community and creating a story to share with my friends. The purpose of this event is just that: to showcase amateur films in the lost medium of super 8 without juries or awards to dampen the creative spirit.

It’s not news that teenagers shoplift. Nova students however, always held a good reputation with the businesses surrounding our old location on Cherry street. This past year though has seen our school relocate to a new set of surroundings; including a new set of lunch-time options. The traditional place of patronage for Novites was Tana Market—an independently owned and operated convenience store, while now the closest store and seemingly the new favorite place to eat of Nova students is one of two neighboring Safeway locations.

The new-found disconnect between us and our snack food has seemingly added to the appeal of shoplifting. I interviewed a Nova student who has only begun to shoplift this year, and when asked if he would ever steal from Tana he responded, “I wouldn’t and I haven’t, because they’re [Tana] a small business and they need the money.”

The same very common initial conditions amongst teens were the reasoning behind this students’ lifestyle change. “I was broke, I was hungry, and I don’t like paying for tasty chicken” confessed the student.

In the mere months since he began shoplifting, he estimates he has stolen, “…$150 worth of food and drink from Safeway…”

When asked if his lifestyle choices are socially acceptable at Nova, he responded, “I’ve never really had any problem with shoplifting, especially from a large corporation.”

Whether this students story is a unique side note or the indication of a trend, it is a sure sign that the face of Nova is changing. You be the judge on if that change is acceptable or not.

The concept of curriculum alignment is simple. The district has created a specific curriculum for core classes that it wants all Seattle public high school teachers to adhere to and teach from. If put into action at Nova, it would severely limit the classes available and cut down many possible student-led classes. The variety of class choices and student-led classes are two facets of Nova that are big reasons most students are attracted to the school in the first place. But before I attempt to discredit the notion that could be the end of Nova as an alternative school, allow me to show you the districts’ reasoning for curriculum alignment, as posted on their website.

Our Commitment

Seattle Public Schools is committed to ensuring high expectations and high quality schools for every student.
As part of a system-wide effort to increase the number of Seattle Public School students who graduate from
high school prepared for college and the 21st century workforce, Seattle Public Schools has committed to
aligning curriculum in core academic subjects across all high schools. Our mission is to move from saying all
students will experience a highly rigorous academic experience, to providing, through our
aligned curriculum, that they do.

Providing every student with the same curriculum does not provide students with an equal learning opportunity. Different students learn in different ways, and the simple existence of alternative schools speaks to that. In a recent address made to the school board by a Nova student named Arianne Golding, she cited that in 2007 (the most recent available data) Nova students had the highest average SAT scores in both the writing and reading sections. This is an example of measurable academic success—a term often used by the district to describe what Nova needs to showcase to remain alternative.

What Curriculum Alignment is and is not?

An aligned curriculum is a coherent and consistent progression of content, instruction and
assessment within and across a course of study. In an aligned system, common rigorous
expectations for student learning in any one grade level are consistent across the district, grade level
expectations build on the prior year’s work and feed into the next year, and teachers
have the materials and training to teach the content to their students.

Curriculum alignment guides teachers in what to teach but not how to teach. Indeed, curriculum alignment
places a high value on teacher creativity and passion, and does encourage appropriate acceleration,
differentiation and curriculum integration.

Teachers are most creative and passionate when they are teaching what interests them most. I confess that I absorbed much more information about genetics as my biology teacher gushed over the subject last semester than I did when she skimmed over photosynthesis due to her general disinterest in the subject. Teachers reach students best when they themselves think what they are teaching is truly important and interesting. Our original courses allow all teachers to teach their passions, while an aligned curriculum would only provide the possibility of such a happenstance.

Why is Curriculum Alignment Necessary?

Presently, core academic high school courses with the same name do not adhere to the same content,
standards or expectations, even in the same school building. One could argue that students currently
are subjected to a lottery of sorts, in which the quality of their academic experience is, in part, attributed
to the chance of scheduling. As a result, some students have the experience of learning the same content
repeatedly in different courses that are designed to participate in a sequence.
And some students complete courses with gaps in their learning.

I personally, can attest to the problem of gaps in education being one I feel I have experienced here at Nova. But this is why the coordinator system is in place. Coordinators have seen how each core class prepares students, and recommends classes accordingly. At the beginning of this semester I felt that there was a gap in my mathematics credits, in that I had never taken a geometry class. My coordinator assured me though, that the majority of a geometry class would be review to me, and he assigned me to precalculus. I have thus far been able to understand all the concepts presented to me in precalculus, and I feel more challenged and better prepared as a result of my coordinator’s judgment. If you listen to your coordinator and trust in their recommendations, there should be no reason for gaps in your education at Nova.

Alignment Among and Across Courses

Each course in the SPS curriculum will be aligned horizontally with identified course outcomes so
that courses with the same name across SPS high schools reach established goals and expectations.
Content courses will be aligned vertically to ensure students possess the knowledge and skills to be
successful in the next course in the sequence. Not only will the high school curriculum be aligned to
the college-ready standards but also to the middle school curriculum that precedes the high school
educational experience. Future alignment work will include backwards mapping down to Pre-K
with the goal of a fully aligned Pre-K-12 school system.

If you also feel that curriculum alignment will be detrimental to Nova and wish to voice your concerns, I highly recommend you attempt to speak at a school board meeting. Board meetings are generally held twice monthly on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, at 6:00 p.m., with some exceptions. The meetings are located at the John Stanford center at 2445 3rd Avenue South in the SoDo business district. You can schedule a slot on the agenda to speak beginning at 8 AM the Monday before a meeting by calling (206) 252-0040. There are only 20 slots available so don’t be discouraged if you are denied on your first try.

Nova students warm up for a game of Three-Way Soccer

The Nova Project is a name that has become synonymous with taking a unique approach to education. However, a little known fact about our school is how we bring the same unique approach to physical education. I’m referring not to the timeless answer to why the Nova student crossed the road… but to the Nova invention of Three-Way Soccer. I sat down with Stefan Gruber – the teacher that is in charge of Three-Way Soccer at nova – in order to get some answers about this creative and free-flowing sport.

When Was Three-Way Soccer invented, and Who Invented it?

It was started in 2001, and I started it. I played a quick test of it in La Jolla, California with my cousins and my uncle and didn’t like it. Then,  five years ago I brought it to Nova and said, “let’s shape this game democratically”.

What are the basic rules of the game?

The rules are mutable, but the immutable rule is to make rules that make the game more fun and more safe

What are some of the major rule changes that you’ve notice alter the gameplay significantly?

Well the first one that really changed it was that you could dribble the ball. the other one that i think improved the game quite a bit was that the goalie didn’t have to stop the ball from crossing the goal line, just change its’ trajectory. That increased the flow of the game and reduced stops in play.

Who are some of the greats to play the game, and what made/makes them so good?

Tristan Parker because of his analytical rule suggestions, Cedar for his enthusiasm, Kellen for his dribbling skills, Bob Greco for the Greco Grip (when the ball is grasped between ones’ legs), and there’s been some pretty fine signature moves from Wendell and Reed this year.

What type of ball when in play do you think makes the game the most fun and why?

I like the set up we have right now – a big Pilates ball and a peanut shaped ball.

If you wish to take part in this accepting and engaging passtime, Three-Way Soccer is currently played tuesdays at committee time, amd will be offered as a class for P.E. credit in the upcomming semester. Stefan, myself, and all the patrons of the game look forward to seeing you on the field!

In the recent meetings of Day-to-Day committee, a new issue has come up about the state of our student lounge. Students have not been: cleaning up after themselves properly; using headphones on computers, mp3 players, and other noise making devices; restraining themselves from PDA, sitting with the appropriate amount of people on couches; and, respecting Melissa and other authority figures when they’ve been asked to stop these activities. These are all very serious offenses and clearly examples of unacceptable student behavior, but if everyone’s being honest, these are not activities Nova students have engaged in exclusively in the lounge.

I’ve witnessed trash and disgusting leftover meals pile up around my ankles; my classmates engage in graphic PDA; and makeshift dance parties form around a speaker regularly as long as I’ve been here. All we do by shooing these offenders out of the lounge is force the problem to find a new home. Already this year students monopolizing the limited space in our narrow halls has been more of an issue than ever before, and if the lounge is taken away and another public space isn’t provided, we will exacerbate this issue to a boiling point. The lounge undoubtedly can become a disaster zone with the current social norms that are in place, but by turning it into a study space, we only shift the negative effects of the problem to a different and clearly wider audience. The lounge is currently the place in our school where it is easiest to step in and see the culture of entitlement and disrespect that exists in our school today.

This is a fact that was acknowledged by the members of Day-to-Day, and an unofficial proposal was put forth to bring back Respect & Responsibility committee as a possible solution. I brought this notion back to Adam’s coor where  it received a warm response. Two elder members of Adam’s coor – Travis Hare and Tony Sueiro -  attended Nova before R & R committee was disbanded, and they both believe Nova could benefit from the return of some form of the committee.

“I feel like in the time after R & R, discipline at Nova has fallen solely to the teachers, and it’s become a much more formal and ineffective system,” commented Travis.

Tony added, “I’ve tried to call out students when they’ve been disrespectful [a practice that is is supposed to be socially acceptable in our community] and I’ve been laughed at for even trying it.”

The formal disconnect that has been created by teachers handling discipline is the backbone of this epidemic of disrespect at our school. If a committee is formed that stresses dialogue and solutions for students instead of straight up punishment, we create the opportunity to inspire more personal accountability amongst students. The main concern that was raised by Adam’s coor was what most governing committees end up turning into – the same five to six people deciding the fate of all the offenders at Nova. However, a brilliant solution to this problem was proposed.

In a system similar to jury duty, each nova student could be required to attend R & R on a rotating schedule. There would obviously need to be some permanent members of the committee, but to avoid bias, voting privileges would be restricted to non-permanent members. If we as a school can successfully return to a healthy environment where students are able to hold each other to a higher standard than what we’ve come to expect in the lounge, then we should all be able to use the lounge as a study space without making any policy changes. Taking drastic measures like banning students from the lounge and designating it as a study space are defeatist steps that don’t acknowledge the true root of the problem. The face of Nova has changed for the worse, and a new and reformed R & R committee may be the answer.

For a different take on this issue, read Pro: Why the Nova Lounge Should Also be a Study Space

In our world here at Nova, we’ve grown comfortable with the idea of self discipline. We have been allowed the freedom at school to make our own choices in so many facets of our daily lives, one of those choices being how we use our cell phones. This topic has become a point of conflict with the teaching staff. We have never been a school where the practice of confiscation of personal belongings has been instituted, but now that students have brought socializing into the classroom in a way that is proven to detract from their learning, teachers have requested an adjustment. At what point is it okay to be lead by a minority like this? While our teachers have an undeniable case for change, is it their right to enact it?

In the most recent meeting of day to day committee, our principal opened the discussion to bring an end to this cell phone use. Mark Perry  has suggested that the topic initially be broached in coor, with a culminating all-school vote on the subject looming. Chances are good by the tone of Mark’s argument and the general agreement by at least the teaching staff present at the meeting, that privileges as they are now will not be an option. Teachers present claimed they’ve often taken the interruption of cell phones in their classes to be a disrespectful slap in the face, and there was total agreement that they are always a distraction.

Joe Szwaja commented that, “I don’t take it as a sign of disrespect, but when you’re multitasking with your phone and your work, I don’t believe you’re producing at the same quality you could be otherwise.”  There is certainly plenty of evidence to back up Joe’s theory. In fact, such topics have been the cover article of Time magazine (see the online article), and the consensus opinion is that multitasking produces mediocrity.

Students at the meeting, were not willing to simply accept the validity of these concerns at face value. Isobel Bradbury proclaimed that “I use my cell phone in class, and I don’t think its ever been a big deal.” She however went on to say that, “while I can think of a bunch of reasons I need texting for myself, I don’t see a good reason for the school as a whole.” Personal reasons have been cited in the past as an invalid argument when advocating change in Nova’s policies.

Mark’s goal is that we can get behind the idea of turning our cell phones off before every class. This strong stance was not well received, but a chord of compromise was struck with some students. “I leave my phone on vibrate when I’m in class,”  shared Shaniquequa Eakin, “It isn’t a distraction, and I can be discrete about it.”  This option, and adopting a policy of setting phones to the “all sounds off” setting were sacrifices students seemed willing to make.

This issue is deeply controversial and represents a monumental step in changing the lifestyle of the 21st century student. the deteriorating attention spans of a generation are the result of this multimedia multitasking, but with each personal freedom our school takes away, we become more and more like the authoritarian mainstream education institutions we avoided by coming here. In the end, our school is still a democracy, and you the students will have the final say as to how this topic is resolved.

My evening began in a stylish blue suit, waiting patiently for my comrades in taste evaluation on the doorstep of the Stumbling Goat. We had a 7:15 reservation, but the unreliable transportation systems I was forced to depend on had caused my 6:50 arrival time. After basking in the twilight for several minutes, my friends – obtaining transport from the same non-exact system – arrived and we entered the bistro.

Our hostess greeted us with no more than a request for the validation of our reservation, and whisked us to our table in silence. Despite this immediate curt display by the staff, I couldn’t help but feel at home in the warm ambiance the lighting created.

Our attendant however was far more sociable, greeting us with enthusiasm and selling the specials with such poise that it influenced my decisions in ordering. Her performance was truly worthy of a gracious tip.

We began our culinary expedition with their cheese platter – a sampling of truly high quality and enjoyable cheeses – the most impressive of which being the unpasteurized French goat’s milk. Its earthy taste and melt in your mouth sensation was a level of perfection unreachable by the traditional American cheeses my pallet is used to.

There was one type of cheese on the platter that my taste buds didn’t find attractive. It was a washed rind cheese, and frankly I found the taste to be pervasive and gamy. However one of my friends thoroughly enjoyed it, so I took this initial misstep to be a matter of personal taste.

My entrée was a braised rabbit pasta, and while the rabbit meat was moist and tender -bursting with robust flavor – its brilliance was toned down by the sub-par red sauce it was drowned in and the small bits of bone I found in the process. While the dish had novelty and well cooked meat, the combination of all parts didn’t flow and left me slightly disappointed.

For dessert, the special of the night was too divine to pass up, and the decision was a wise one. The concoction began with a lovely chocolate pastry base, was then enriched with a layer of creamy decadent mouse, topped with a rich caramel sauce, and completed with a crisp candied orange peel and what must have been whip cream made on site. This dish single handedly saved my dining experience and sent me into a sugar induced coma all in one stroke of my fork. Fantastic desserts have always been a trademark of fine dining in my experience, and this creation exemplified that point.

As I embarked with my friends to continue our enjoyable evening, I thought that while the Stumbling Goat had its ups and downs, I would certainly be willing to return. I give this goat a wary recommendation, for those who wish to roll the culinary dice.

(picture courtesy of seattle.net)

Food in Seattle is culturally diverse and steeped in variety – as is the trademark of food in America. But at heart, America is a fast food nation, and Seattle is no exception. From Chinatown to the Ethiopian restaurant – dotted First Hill, to the authentic taco trucks of South Park and White Center, there is certainly plenty of room to eat ethnically. But more than anything the people of Seattle feel comfortable sliding a burger and fries past their lips, and there is no better place to find these delicious American staples than at Dick’s.
I find myself comfortably walking right up to the window and placing my order at the usually bustling Broadway location of this successful franchise. Thankfully I’ve arrived at around 2:30, effectively waiting out the massive lunch rush caused by Dick’s extreme popularity. I place an order or two deluxe cheeseburgers, a small fries (their only size), and a small strawberry shake (again, small is the new regular).
As my food is delivered within mere seconds of placing the order, I contemplate that the vast majority of the fast food industry in America has slashed quality to bring enhanced service, larger portions, and lower prices. I can’t help but admire the way Dick’s is still able to package friendly, prompt service, competitive prices (8.93$ for my small feast), and portions that have not swelled in size to accommodate excess empty calories. While Dick’s like any fast food is not the healthiest meal you can find, at least they take pride in doing what they do the right way.
I’ve now returned to my vehicle and I am prepared to start the feasting. I begin with a teaser of the greasy, limp fries that from appearances I would judge to be disgusting. But to the surprise of many first – time Dick’s patrons, the fries pop with a unique savory flavor that isn’t ruined by the unusual slick texture. Once I’ve enjoyed a few spuds I move on to the main event, saving some fries for desert.
I unwrap the trademark reflective orange burger shield to reveal the masterpiece that put this local chain on the map. The magnificence that is the deluxe begins with two sweet, lightly toasted to perfection buns. With just the right mix of soft and gooey and toasted and buttery, these buns do their part to make the sandwich.
The journey continues inward with two slices of American cheese, and while this type of cheese has never come close to my favorite, there’s something special about American cheese on a burger. Call me ridiculous, but the feeling’s strangely patriotic being satisfied with this cheesy addition.
The next stop on the tour of this brilliant creation is the so-amazing-we-hade-to-protect-the-public-from-the-greatness-of-it’s-recipe secret sauce. Like any secret sauce I am fairly certain it contains mayo. But beyond that and a clear hodge-podge of lettuce and relish, your guess is as good as mine as to what makes that special sauce so special. One thing’s for certain though, its taste is as delicious as it is mysterious.
Finally, the illustrious star of this burger is none other than two juicy, succulent, 100% beef hamburger patties. These patties are revenge for all the dry, tasteless burgers you’ve had at the cookouts of the past. But trust me, after you’ve sunk your teeth into a single bite of these spectacular patties, you’ll never be able to choke down another burger disaster.
After steamrolling through my two perfectly concocted deluxes, I finish with a fry chaser and retire to my luscious milkshake. While it may disappoint some that only the Neapolitan flavors are available for milkshakes at Dick’s, trust me it is only because they are able to craft the basics so well that adventurous flavors would pale in comparison. I have always been a strawberry man given the choice between the three, but each flavor has been mastered equally well at Dick’s, and it shows. Each shake is handmade from an old fashioned milkshake mixer, unlike Dick’s competitors who pump theirs from a soft serve tap. With each sip I embrace the rich creaminess of real ice cream whilst frolicking in the deep sensation of strawberry. This is surely the perfect way to cap my experience.
My experience was and always has been a satisfying one at Dick’s, and I recommend it to fast food lovers and health food buffs alike. Fast food should be an occasional treat, and I can’t think of a better way to splurge in this city than with a white paper bag full of steaming hot Dick’s.

(photo taken by elisiveone at igougo.com)