SCHOOL and SPORTS
Official Publication for the Norwalk Community School District
Norwalk Warriors
Page Eight
N/Warren Town and County News
NMS HOLIDAY VOCAL CONCERT
Thursday, December 20, 2012
NOTES FROM
MARK CRADY
Norwalk Schools Curriculum Director
As I mentioned in a recent newspaper article, a School "
Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC), made up of
parents and educators, have been working on how new
state and federal education requirements, as well as a
shifting economic landscape are impacting Norwalk
schools. During the SIAC sdy several things became
apparent. The two most prominent issues were that stu-
dent achievement in Norwalk is behind other metro area
schools and those schools who have higher student
achievement also have more professional development
time for their teachers. While we have made great strides
over the past 10 years to move above the state average,
limiting ourselves to that target may be placing our stu-
dents at a disadvantage in comparison to students in
other districts.
Below is a chart that compares the percent of stu-
dents proficient in Reading on the 2012 Iowa Assess-
ments to data from 11 Metro area schools within a 50
mile radius of Norwalk. Almost all of the districts that
are represented have more PD time per year than
Norwalk. Districts included are: Dallas Center-Grimes,
Adel-Desoto-Minburn, Ankeny, Johnston, Pella,
Indianola, Woodward-Granger, Carlisle, Waukee and
Urbandale.
Concluded p. 9
Norwalk Middle School 6th-8th grade vocal students performed in the Holiday concert Thursday, Dec. 13.
Lori Nielsen and Gerard Krupke direct the choirs. Cheri Hoyt and Jennifer Schaff are the accompanists. Photos
submitted.
Norwalk Opens Conference Play With Win
The Lady Warriors
faced conference foe New-
ton Friday, Dec. 7, with a
45-37 win. Hali VanVelzen
opened a big first quarter
for the Warriors with a
strong move to the basket.
The Cardinals matched
that with a bucket and then
Elyse Rice hit from short
corner to put Norwalk up
for good. Hali VanVelzen
would add a basket, as
well as Tori VanVelzen and
Calyn Thompson. Paige
Lammers knocked down a
three and the Warriors
were in control 15-5 after
one. Newton would
outscore the host team in
the second quarter 13-12,
for a 27-18 Norwalk half-
time lead. Scoring in the
second quarter would be
provided by Hali Van-
Velzen, Lammers, Rice
and Jenn Villegas.
The second half was
played a little move evenly
as Newton would outscore
Norwalk 19-18, but the
Warriors would hold onto
the lead for their first con-
ference'win. Hali Van-
Velzen led Norwalk with
13, Villegas had nine and
Rice eight. Lammers fin-
ished with five, Thompson
four, Tori VanVelzen three
and Devin Brown three.
Jaycie Owens made her
first varsity appearance
and came up with several
key defensive stops for the
Warriors. Morgan West-
vold also played. Norwalk
is now 2-3 on the season
and 1-0 in conference play.
LIBRARY HOURS
Monday - Thursday
10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunda}; 1 - 5 p.m.
Closed Sundays
(Memorial Day-Labor Day)
Norwalk Schools
will be on
Winter Break
Dec. 20 thru Jan. 2.
Classes will resume
Thursday, Jan. 3.
OVIATT ELEMENTARY
By Dr. Laura Sivdge, Principal
and
Rodney Martinez, Dean of Student:s
Effective and Appropriate Help With Homework
Parenting requires many judgment calls, including
numerous decisions related to schoolwork and school
projects. Principals and teachers are always stressing
how important it is for parents to be involved, but how
much is too much? For a start, put yourself in these situ-
ations:
• Your child's big science project is due tomorrow,
but her after-school schedule has been so busy lately
that she has not had time to finish it herself. Not want-
ing her to get a bad grade, you end up doing most of the
work with her so she can turn it in on time.
• Your son's math homework packet is a big part of
his grade, but he is having trouble with a few of the
concepts. Is it OK to help him with some of the answers?
• Your daughter must write a poem for a school com-
petition, but the verses she has come up with so far seem
pretty bad. After thinking about her theme, you sug-
gest different rhyming phrases that sound better.
When the awards are announced, your daughter
comes home excited an d says, "We won!" We all want
our children to do well in school. However, sometimes,
we might want it too much and end up giving them too
much assistance. The problem is, while their grades
might look stellar, their self-esteem can suffer:.
Children are smarter than we sometimes g;ive them
credit for. They know when thev have earned a grade--
and when they have not. Instead of helping them suc-
ceed, too much parental involvement can lead them to
failure. So what is a concerned parent to do? How much
help is reasonable? What kinds of suggestions or assis-
Concluded p. 10
