MARCH 2020 Issue two page spread

Nathan Vescio
webmaster/co-editor in chief
Toward the end of the first quarter,
several Advanced Placement teachers received
new resources and books to use in the classroom.
The books came in conjunction with changes to
the curriculum in their courses. These new
resources came as a surprise to AP teachers;
however, Northwest did not explicitly request
them.
That is not to say the new books and
materials have been unappreciated by teachers,
though. AP Statistics teacher Catherine
Brown was pleased to receive the materials
for her class despite being initially taken
aback by the news of their arrival.
“We didn’t know we were getting new
books until they said ‘you’re getting new
books,’ and we didn’t know they were coming
until they did,” Brown said.
The books arrived in mid-October, after
many teachers had already made lesson
plans and prepared to teach the year with
their previous materials. The late arrival of
the materials can be attributed to the lateness
of the changes made by the College Board
to the core material of the classes. The changes
were first revealed late last spring, so new
books weren’t able to be ordered to reflect these
changes until the summer at the earliest.
Further complicating matters was the difficulty
of coordinating transportation of the resources
due to the sheer quantity of new items being
delivered.
“The coordination between the county office is
where some of the hold up happened,” curriculum
facilitator Susan Orr said.
This late arrival proved to be an obstacle in
immediate usage of the new materials. English
teacher Scott Walker, for example, has not yet
been able to take advantage of the books for his
AP Language class.
“While already balancing six classes, it’s hard
for me to read the texts,” Walker said. “It’s a good
resource; I just don’t know how to use it yet.”
Even though the absence of the book prevented
Walker from making use of his texts this year, he
does not bare resentment for the holdup saying
he “doesn’t blame the timing.” Walker also plans
on making use of his book in future years after he
has had time to study it and evaluate how to best
incorporate it into his teaching.
As for why the textbooks were received by
Northwest at all, the school has Guilford County
at large to thank. In the interest of distributing
the county’s resources fairly among all schools,
the county doesn’t exclude schools from receiving
requested materials just because that particular
school didn’t explicitly request them.
“County-wide, there was a need and a request,”
Orr said. “There needs to be equity in the county.”
A whole semester passed since receiving the
books; however, the question arises if the materials
have proven useful in the classroom. In some
ways, having a hard copy version of the textbook
as opposed to online materials already available
only saves on inconveniences.
FEATURES
Changes to curriculum gets teachers new textbooks
Photo by Megan Harkey
New textbooks were provided for some teachers of AP classes due
to College Board curriculum changes. Many teachers have not been
able to integrate them in their classes yet.
“I already had access to a teacher version, so
they were basically saving on copies,” Brown said.
Walker also notes that having an updated book
will be a boon to saving on copies. Saving on
having to photocopy extra materials alleviates
the physical workload of teachers, so it follows
that they would enjoy having the amount needed
reduced.
“I won’t have to make as many copies,”
Walker said. “They’re good for sustainability.”
In some ways, it wasn’t necessarily the
books themselves that proved to be the source
for positive change, but the teaching resources
developed alongside of them.
“Now we have additional teaching resources
like Powerpoint and more (math) problems,”
Brown said.
Brown’s statistics classes found themselves
in a particularly unusual scenario, as
the College Board originally only sent them
partial textbooks that had not yet reflected the
changes made. The reason for this decision being
that the books simply weren’t printed yet.
The need to send partial textbooks didn’t
interfere with the delivery of the rest of the
books, however. The resources Brown enjoyed
were updated efficiently once the books were
printed with the changes in mind.
“They were very good at making sure they
sent the the teachers’ resources twice,” Brown
said.
Additionally, the partial textbooks, which don’t
need to be sent back, proved useful as a means of
easing the makeup of work when students were
not in class.
“I’ve had a lot of kids out with the flu, so I’ve
been able to send them home with (the partial
textbooks) to stay caught up,” Brown said. “It’s
kind of like having a workbook.”
Regardless of whether the new classroom
resources have fulfilled their original intentions,
they have been positively received by teachers and
have been met with gratitude.
“We’ve wanted updated textbooks for a while,
and now we have them,” Orr said.
Northwest alumna survives biking accident
Kaylen Ayres
fractured vertebrae, broken clavicle, The cycling community has come Steve. Currently, she uses a speaking
valve on her trachea tube to
sports editor
broken jawbone, broken cheek together to help pay for Rebecca’s
H
bones, internal bleeding and more. medical and legal expenses through talk.
er life changed in the blink Ron Booker is part of a 20-to-30 a “GoFundMe” page organized
With a
long recovery to go,
of an eye.
person cycling group with Kefer and
by Monte Brackett. They are
the Kefer
family appreciates
Northwest alumna Rebecca Kefer her father, Steve. He heard about
nearing the goal of $20,000
everyone
who has supported
was hit by an oncoming car when the accident through another member
in the group.
page, Brackett posts updates
“Everyone has been
to help the family. On the
them.
she was cycling on Bunker Hill Road
on Dec. 22, 2019. Kefer graduated “Most drivers just don’t look at a from Steve on Rebecca’s condi-
so helpful and caring,”
three years ago and was a junior cyclist as someone’s father, daughter
or whatever they are,” Booker Train” to help the family through
on the GoFundMe page.
National Honor Society member said. “They’re just trying to get the rough time.
“It brings tears to my
and the president of the Interact around them, not paying that much
Rebecca has endured plenty of
eyes when I think about it.
Club.
attention to the fact that they’re struggles—multiple surgeries, feed-
Thanks so much for all the
Due to brain bleeding and many on the road. I think it’s something ing tubes, practicing walking and
prayers and support. We’ll
pain medications, Kefer does not all of us need to be—a little more swallowing again, doing arm and
get her through this.”
remember anything from Dec. 20 patient.”
hand exercises and intense pain—in
The GoFundMe page for
through Jan. 8 and is thankful for Kefer knows how important road the recovery process. However, she
the Kefer family can be
that.
safety is through her experience. is back home from the hospital and
found through this link:
“I feel fortunate to not remember “This has highlighted how much resting. She is still getting visits
https://www.gofundme.
the trauma,” Kefer said. “I believe power drivers have,” Rebecca said. from doctors including the ENT and
com/f/kefer-family.
I would have been completely “When you drive a car, you have orthopedics.
Photo contributed by Rebecca Kefer
tion. They also provided a “Meal
Steve said in a message
marshal, cross country member,
surprised by the car because I had tremendous power over others’ lives.
They are planning for her to un-
Kefer poses after winning fi rst
ridden that route so many times. It One driver has altered my life and drergo tracheotomy to allow her to
place at a biking event. She
was the middle of the day, and that the lives of my family so much, speak better. The procedure involves
was the number one girls’
road is usually very safe.”
almost taking my life. A traumatic creating an opening in the neck to
runner for Northwest crosscountry
in 2018.
Kefer was placed on a ventilator
for four days. She faced life-
does shake the confidence of me and the “most painful and scary” part
threatening injuries including three many cyclists in the area.”
of the recovery process according to
March 2020 www.northwesthorizons.com
event like what happened to me place a tube into the windpipe. It is
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