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Grace King High School Volume 43 Issue 1 Thursday, September 30, 2010 4301 Grace King Place, Metairie, LA 70002 inside News........................... Features....................... Centerspread................ Sports.......................... Opinions..................... Entertainment............. 2 4 6 8 10 12 By Jessica Parker Managing Editor Centerspread 6-7 Academics, athletics, or spirit Upcoming Events King vs. Easton Joe Yenni Stadium 6:30 p.m. September 30 October 6 Lady Irish vs. Sarah Reed Gym / $2 4:00 p.m. October 9 Homecoming Dance Gym / 8-11 p.m. $8 w/class card $10 w/o class card October 11-15 Penny Wars Report cards issued October 20 October 28 King vs. Ehret Joe Yenni Stadium 6:30 p.m. October 8 Homecoming Pep Rally Homecoming game vs. Bonnabel Gym / $1 1:00 p.m. Joe Yenni Stadium 7:00 p.m. October 7 Lady Irish vs. West Jefferson Gym / $2 4:00 p.m. October 19 Lady Irish vs. Bonnabel Gym / $2 4:00 p.m. See BP oil spill, News 3 See Education, News 2 According to the Louisiana Department of Education, Jefferson Parish ranks 64 out of 70 public school districts in the state for district performance score (DPS). This year, King was placed under School Improvement Level I as a result of its failure to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in one or more subgroups, including English Language Proficiency. In order to be removed from School Improvement Level I, Grace King must show a growth of 5.2 points in its School Performance Score (SPS). King’s SPS growth in 2008-09, however, was 0.2 points. Principal Alfred Johnson said numerous steps are being taken in order to improve student performance at King, including tutoring, supplemental educational services, and more job-imbedded professional development and adjustments in the curriculum. According to new Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction Suzan Serigny, keeping track of academic progress is one other approach under consideration. “We will be monitoring students’ progress very carefully where we suspect difficulties lie, trying to motivate students to do more, trying to help them academically and provide [tutoring] services,” she said. In 2006-07, 29.3 percent of King students scored at the King forced to address low test scores BP well officially dead, long-term effects uncertain What defines a school? The April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also known as the BP oil spill, is the largest marine oil spill in history, releasing about 4.9 billion barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Bob Bea, professor of engineering at the University of California, Berkeley was asked by the White House to analyze the disater. According to Bea the explosion was caused by high pressure methane gas from underneath the well that was undetected because of a broken gasket. The methane gas reached the platform and killed 11 rig workers and injured 17 others. During late May and early August, two relief wells were drilled and the well was officially capped and stopped from the flow of oil on July 15, 2010. In the now infamous statement,Tony Hayward, former CEO of BP, had the follwing assessment: “The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total volume,” and “We’re sorry for the massive disruption it’s caused their lives. There’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back.” Many felt that Hayward’s statement failed to grasp the impact of the spill. Life was brought to a halt for people whose lives depend on fishing, beaches or seafood companies. Individuals and businesses were able to file for claims related to the Deepwater Horizon incident and are processed by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF) administered by Ken Feinberg. As of Aug. 26, close to a billion total claims were paid to the public. The cleanup is an ongoing process and may take years to get the coast back to normal. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) has had a leadership role in the monitoring of oil reaching the wildlife and fisheries. The spill has caused extensive damage to marine habitats and habitats along coastlines, estuaries and wetlands. An area of 2,500 to 68,000 square miles was made off-limits to the gulf’s fishing and tourism industries. The methods of the cleanup included skimmer ships, floating containment booms, anchored barriers and sand-filled barricades along shorelines in an attempt to protect hundreds of miles of beaches ranging from Louisiana to Florida. BP sent out thousands of cleanup crews to Gulf coast beaches such as the most polluted beaches like Biloxi and Pensacola beach. BP is reimbursing the coastal tourism with incentives. If a tourist brings their receipt to a welcome center, in return they receive a hundred dollar check. Senior Jacqueline Madrid went to Pensacola beach this past summer. “Parts of the beach were closed due to tar balls coming ashore. It was a very depressing sight,” she said. By Ashley Guillory Editor-in-Cheif Principal Alfred Johnson meets with the faculty Monday, Sept. 20 for a professional development meeting. As a result of declining test scores, King has been placed in “School Improvement I.” Jessica Parker Breast Cancer Awarenesss Month October P&J’s oyster shucking warehouse is currently closed due to lack of oysters available. Owner Al Suneri does not know when they will resume business Sean McGuire Prior to BP’s oil rig explosion April 20, P&J’s shucked over 30,000 oysters a day at their warehouse downtown. Courtesy of Al Sunseri
