A MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATORS ACROSS VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA’SEDUCATIONAL MARATHON

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March - April 2012

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Letter From the Editor

2

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Imagine running a marathon tiedto two other people. That is exactlywhat three members of my churchare training to do. The marathontrio hopes to finish in less than 3hours and 27 minutes, breaking thecurrent record. It will, no doubt, beextremely difficult. After all, theirpace will not be determined by thefastest or strongest runner, but bythat of the slowest and weakest. Ifone member falls, they all fall.

This scenario had me thinkingabout No Child Left Behind and thepredicament it has placed on teachers. The goals of NCLB arelofty: get all children up to par inmath and reading by 2014. Unfortunately, the standards usedto help students achieve thesegoals have damaged education. Instead of teaching a rich curriculumthat prepares students for the 21st

Century, students are now beingcoached to pass the test so schoolscan meet accreditation – or “winthe race.”

NCLB is flawed because it doesn’tsupport the same philosophy asthe marathon trio. Just as the threebound runners must adjust theirpace to accommodate the weakestrunner, teachers must adjust instruction in order to accommodatethe capabilities of their weakest students. Yet, today’s educators areforced to adhere to a “one size fitsall” approach to education, supported mostly by high stakesstandardized tests. All the while,they have the additional pressureof making sure these test scoresmeet the benchmarks set by NCLB.Teachers have no choice but tokeep “running”, forcing every student in the class to maintain thepace despite their ability or comprehension. Teaching to thetest has become the short-cut necessary to get every student to“cross the finish line” by 2014.

I have no problem with high expec-tations and striving for success. ButI do have a problem with who setsthose expectations and how success

is defined. It is simply impossible,and flat out not fair, to hold everyteacher across the United States accountable to the same criteria.Expectations and success are completely different for eachteacher because expectations andsuccess are completely dependenton the diversity of students eachteacher is “bound” with.

This issue of Virginia Teachersubstantiates that a departure fromthe “race” mentality is both possibleand necessary. You will find very viable solutions to help you andyour students escape from the exhausting, never ending marathon.

No matter what the outcome, themarathon trio will be winners in mybook. For in the process of trainingthey have learned the importanceof commitment, hard work, tolerance, cooperation, and sacrifice- all very valuable life lessons thatwill never be found on any standardized test.

Yours in Education,

Editor & Publisher

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ContributorsPublisher and Editor-in-ChiefDory Suttmiller

Production, Design and DistributionBreeger Media Group

WritersBrandy Centolanza Bud Livers, PhD Heather McGinley Colby Preston Kristin Vischer

Mission StatementThe mission of Virginia Teacher Magazine is to inform and inspire educators in Virginia by providing current and relevant information on career development, educational enrichment and personal growth.

DisclaimerThe views and opinions of writers andcontributors that appear in VirginiaTeacher Magazine do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of VirginiaTeacher Magazine’s publisher, editor, staff and affiliates. The information inVirginia Teacher Magazine is provided as a service to the readers of VirginiaTeacher Magazine for information purposesonly. Virginia Teacher Magazine is notresponsible for problems arising out ofreference to the included material.Information on a commercial product orservice does not imply an endorsement byVirginia Teacher Magazine. Reproductionwithout permission is prohibited. Allphotographs are property of and credited to Virginia Teacher Magazine, unlessotherwise noted.

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BRANDY CENTOLANZA

Brandy Centolanza is a freelance writer who covers education, health, parenting, travel and community issuesin Hampton Roads and Richmond. She has written for several local publications, including The Virginia Gazette,The Daily Press, The Health Journal, Next Door NeighborsMagazine, Richmond Family, and Virginia Teacher. She lives in Williamsburg with her husband, two children andtwo cats.

HEATHER MCGINLEYHeather earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Journalism from Christopher NewportUniversity. She continued her education at CNU earning aMaster of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in English 6-10 and an endorsement in Journalism.

She fell in love with Journalism in ninth grade while working on her high school newspaper. She is currentlypursuing her passion, freelancing for The Virginian-Pilotcommunity tabs and The Health Journal.

BUD LIVERS, PH.D.

Bud is the Learning Standards Officer at the Center forNaval Intelligence in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is senioradjunct faculty for Cambridge College, Chesapeake VirginiaCampus, in the M.Ed., Special Education program. Hetaught students with an emotional disturbance at a regional public day school, and was an Assistant Professorin the department of Teacher Education at Chowan Univer-sity in North Carolina. He headed the Jails Education Program in Virginia Beach, Virginia, tasked with providingspecial education services for incarcerated youth and young adults. Bud received hisBA from University of California, Berkeley, and his M.S.Ed. in elementary education with endorsement in special education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Planning, Policy, and Leadership, withemphasis in Special Education Administration from The College of William & Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Table of ContentsCompeting in Virginia’s Educational Marathon 6What is working, what is not and ways educators can begin to make changes to alter the culture and education as we know it

Lunch Room Topic 10The Lunch Room Renaissance: how schools across Virginia are improving school nutrition

Partners in Education 12Untamed Spirit Therapeutic & Educational Program: brings healing to special needs riders

Beyond the Classroom 16The Battleship Wisconsin: where science and history unite

Old School vs. New School 18Floating Classrooms: hands-on environmental learning with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Class Reunion 20Lanett Brailey, Hampton High, Class of ‘75

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Students and teachers seem to be ina race to nowhere. In schools acrossthe country and in our own backyard,students and educators are beingasked to compete to win grantmoney through initiatives like Raceto the Top and status through testscores and college admission.

Students are on the go 24/7 with extracurriculars to pad their collegeentrance applications while teachersfind themselves hyper-focused onstate and national standards–over-testing and lacking time to review the basics and teach charactereducation and problem solving skillsthat will help students in life afterhigh school.

According to Vicki Abeles’ film, “Raceto Nowhere”, the never-ending competition steals childhood, family time and creativity from its participants and awards stomachcramps, headaches and sleeplessnights to its champions.

Abeles, educators in Virginia schoolsand two educators in Californiaschools where the “Race to Nowhere”movement first caught on cash in onwhat is working, what is not andways that educators across the country can begin making changesto alter the culture and education aswe know it.

COMPETING IN VIRGINIA’SEDUCATIONAL MARATHON

By: Heather McGinley

We really need to be mindful that these kids belong to a community… We are part of that, so we have to be very careful about what we do and how we do it and of the relationships we have with our students.

Nowhere” to launch discussionsabout the need for a work-life balance.

“This is a conversation that needs tohappen in the work place,” Abelessays. “Why wouldn’t we expect thesame from our kids?”

In the same way that vacations and downtime promote productivity and innovation in businesspersons, vacations anddowntime inspire productivity andinnovation in students and teachers,Abeles explains.

“Our children need to develop in allkinds of ways,” Abeles says addingthat there are opportunities for children to learn outside of schooland structured time. “We are limitingthe ways they are developing.”

“There are many factors which havecome together to create what I’ll callthe perfect storm,” Abeles says.

Among those factors are over-involved parents who have a difficult

WHAT CAUSES THIS IMBALANCE?According to Vicki Abeles, writer anddirector of “Race to Nowhere”, a cultural shift is necessary to end the race.

“Our schools are a microcosm of ourlarger culture,” Abeles says. “[Thefilm] is an inside look at our students and teachers in this sooner,faster and more culture.”

As demonstrated in the film, studentstoday compete in highly competitive,professionalized sports activities beginning at a young age. Highschool students, often encouragedby their parents, participate in aplethora of extracurricular activitiesthat look good on college entrance applications, but take away fromnecessary downtime and social time with family and friends.

Advances in technology have createda 24/7 working culture, Abeles says.

Companies like Google and Pixarhave hosted viewings of “Race to

Fourth and fifth grade students complete meaningful homeworkand review activities involving flashcards and activities their teachers post on-line. Fourth andfifth grade teachers assign a minimalamount of homework to preparestudents for the SOL tests and themore rigorous homework patternsof the feeder middle schools. But forthe most part as Scott explains,“Books don’t go home.”

Students at Watkins complete projects and practice activities atschool. When Watkins took homework out of the equation, students became more engaged and motivated to complete schoolwork,Scott says.

Going against the flow has beenchallenging, Scott explains. Althoughshe has the support of the schoolsystem and her colleagues at otherschools, who have dubbed the edu-cators at Watkins, “pioneers,” everyone is waiting to see Watkins’SOL scores.

“We feel it is more than just thequantitative data,” Scott says. “Arethey happier?”

PUTTING THE STUDENTS’NEEDS FIRSTThree years ago, when HeadmasterTrenton Stinson recognized atremendous decline in his students’quality of work, Southside BaptistChristian School (a private urbanschool in the heart of Richmond,Virginia) established a no homeworkpolicy for grades K through twelve.

Before implementing the no homework policy, he saw parents arguing with teachers about homework, parents unable to monitor their children’s completionof homework because their workschedule prevented it, students’grades suffering because they didnot complete homework and

VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | MARCH • APRIL 2012 7

Teachers and parents need to teach studentsstrategies to manage their anxieties and workthrough failure, so that they can become stronger.

time letting go, ineffective nationalinitiatives like Nation at Risk and NoChild Left Behind, rankings, competition surrounding college admission, high stakes testing, inequity in resources, the pressurecooker culture, outdated educationalstrategies, a one-size fits all approachto education and teachers voices notbeing heard in educational reform.

“When everyone is waiting for policyto change, we can start makingchanges today that can maybe influ-ence the culture,” Abeles says.

HOW CAN WE CHANGE THECULTURE OF TODAY’S EDUCATION SYSTEM?“If all you nurture is the academicside, you are going to get a lopsidedkid” says, Joseph Ianora, Principal ofSan Ramon Valley High School inDanville, California.

Ianora says he has met students whoare highly literate but cannot hold aconversation or shake hands. “It’sour job to educate the whole child,”he says.

Much of “Race to Nowhere” was filmedin the San Ramon Valley United SchoolDistrict where San Ramon Valley HighSchool is one of four high schools.

Devon Marvin, the thirteen-year-oldgirl who killed herself after receivingan “F” in her math class—discussedin the film–was from that community.She would have attended a school afew miles from SRVHS.

“Our kids were really gettingstressed out over stuff that was manageable,” Ianora says. “This hasbeen something that has been stewing for quite some time. We justneeded to do something different.”

San Ramon Valley High School hasspent the last four years developingstudent services, student life groupsand programs to make sure studentsfeel connected to the school.

“We really need to be mindful thatthese kids belong to a community…We are part of that, so we have to bevery careful about what we do andhow we do it and of the relationshipswe have with our students,” Ianora says.

REVISING HOMEWORKPOLICIESAfter reviewing research on effectivehomework strategies; viewing “Raceto Nowhere” as a school; and hold-ing several strategic meetings involving the teachers, school psychologist, gifted coordinator, school social worker, child study coordinator and parents, the

administration at J. B. Watkins Elementary in Midlothian, Virginiadetermined that the best course of action was to revise the homework policy.

“From what the teachers were sayingto us, we felt that it was time tomake a change,” Principal MarleneScott says. “The emotional psyche ofa child is so fragile.”

Teachers at each grade level developedtheir own homework policies, whichthe administration approved. Home-work for students in grades K throughthree is no longer mandatory.

Parents, who want additional practicefor their students, can complete on-line, standards aligned activities withtheir children, which promote criticalthinking and problem solving ratherthan just regurgitation of facts.

highly achieving students stressingout when they failed to completetheir homework.

Although Stinson made changesprior to viewing “Race to Nowhere”and has only recently become familiar with the film, he has viewed homework as “the secondshift” for years.

Stinson does believe, however, thatstudying at home is important, andencourages parents to read withtheir children for 20 minutes eachnight and help them study. He directs parents that want to provide additional help to certainon-line tutorials.

Having served as a volunteer educator and mentor in the localpublic school district, Stinson has aunique and broad perspective.

He describes three major areascausing teachers and students stressin the private and public school arenas: placing too much of an emphasis on standardized testing;ineffective initiatives such as NoChild Left Behind which ask forequal results when there are too

8

many variables involved; and a lackof character education and effectiveparental involvement.

“Kids don’t know how to processfailure,” he says. “Unfortunately,that’s part of life.” Testing itself isnot problematic. It is a “necessaryevil;” administration needs testingand benchmark scores to establishgoals and help students.

Teachers and parents need to teachstudents strategies to manage theiranxieties and work through failure,so that they can become stronger,he says.

Educators need to look at how theway they prepare for tests affectsstudents psychologically and theyneed to look at how those strategiesalign with the students’ culturalbackground, he says. “If we have thebest teachers and the best facilitiesand kids’ scores are still goingdown, there’s a bigger problem.”

“Assessment has its place,” he says.“I don’t believe assessments givethe total picture of the students’abilities.”

ALTERING THE SCHOOLCALENDARInspired by the film, meetings with staff and the results of a student stressor survey conducted by an outside agency,Saint Mary’s College High School in California not only changed their homework policies to include homework-free holidaysand 20-30 minutes of homeworkper class on a regular basis, but theyalso altered the structure of theirschool calendar.

By switching to a trimester blockschedule, Saint Mary’s reduced thenumber of classes students had tojuggle and the number of papersteachers had to grade. Now students take five classes at a time

and teachers have two planningblocks two of the three trimestersand one planning block during oneof the three trimesters. “Teacherscan’t do better assessments if theyhave over 100 papers to grade on aregular basis,” says Peter Imperial,principal of Saint Mary’s.

Imperial reduced classroom interruptions by stopping schoolonce every trimester for two daysduring which time teachers and students are able to participate inco-curricular learning activities thateducate the whole child--lecture series presented by local universities,spiritual retreats, grade-level fieldtrips and more.

Saint Mary’s has also incorporated a 45-minute period at the end ofeach school day for what Imperialcalls “high school office hours”. During this time, students can askteachers for additional help, complete make-up assignments andretake quizzes. Students are not required to participate in the highschool office hours, but Imperialadds, “We are trying to really shiftthe culture so kids can see an opportunity to do better.”

The school uses high school officehours to help develop self-directedand curious learners.

When developing a new educationplan for your school, Imperial advises, consider what is best for the child.

“If policy drives any position, youare creating an impersonal machine,” he adds. “What are we expecting of them? Is it reasonable,and is it balanced?” VT

THE LUNCH ROOM RENAISSANCE

As part of the continuing effort tocombat childhood obesity and promote healthier eating, the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture(USDA) announced new nutritionstandards for school lunch programsin January, though school divisions in Virginia have been working to improve their menus for years now.

Some of the new guidelines for schoolsparticipating in the National SchoolLunch and School Breakfast programsinclude requiring schools to servemore fruits, vegetables and wholegrains and limit sodium and calories.

In the Norfolk Public Schools Division,“There has been a huge effort to improve the nutrition quality as wellas the food quality,” says HelenPhillips, the division’s senior directorfor school nutrition and president ofthe School Nutrition Association.Among the strides Norfolk has madehas been switching to “whole musclemeats” and offering whole grainbreads, pastas and rice, as well as fat-free flavored milk containing nohigh fructose corn syrup.

“The trend has been moving moretoward whole grains and more fruitsand vegetables,” Phillips says. “We arereal excited about the changes we’vemade. We think it’s evident with thestudents and the parents.”

Cathy Alexander, executive director ofchild nutrition services for NewportNews Public Schools, says she andher staff have also begun incorporatingwhole grains into their menu, includingpizza with whole grain crust.

“We try to offer the kids foods thatwe know they will eat in a healthier

10

Lunch Room Topics

form,” Alexander says. “We try to offermore options so that kids will try dif-ferent things. That is the goal. We areoffering a lot more choices than weused to. We offer a vegetarian optionevery day in every school. We offerdifferent salad options every day.”

Over in the Williamsburg-James CityCounty Public Schools Division,“Items have not been eliminated, butrestructured,” shares Jane Haley, supervisor of child nutrition. “Thepizza is a whole grain pizza, burgersare low sodium, canned fruits are innatural juice, and all cereals arewhole grain. Manufacturers have reduced or eliminated trans fat inmost products.”

Fryers are gone from cafeterias inChesterfield County Public Schoolsnear Richmond, and everything thereis now baked, including french fries,which are now served less frequently.Improvements there have been slow but steady, due in part to thehesitation of some students to trynew menu items.

“It’s hard for students to accept hugechanges all at once,” points out SandyStokes, a nutritionist with the schooldistrict. “We are trying to find thatbalance with nutrition and what isgood tasting and acceptable to thekids’ palates.”

Many school divisions offer free samplesto students as a way to introducethem to new foods.

“We try to encourage taste-testing,” saysPhillips. “There are a lot of our fruits andvegetables that may be new to students.If you have never seen fresh asparagusbefore, it might be scary.”

We try to offer more options sothat kids will try different things.That is the goal.

Thanks to grant money, six schools inNewport News offer fresh fruits andvegetables to students as a snackthree times a week.

“I’ve had students who don’t knowwhat things like pears are becausethey aren’t exposed,” says Alexander.“The idea is to get them to pick up anapple or a banana as a snack insteadof a bag of chips or a piece of candy.”

A similar program is in place inChesterfield County. “The studentsget to try a new fruit or vegetable andthen also learn a lesson about thatfruit or vegetable,” says Warren Grigg,food and nutrition services director.“It’s a real learning experience. Somestudents take pineapple chunks fromthe cafeteria but never knew what awhole pineapple looked like. It’sbeen a great program. The teachersand students get really excited aboutit and have a lot of fun with it.”

At Matoaka Elementary School inJames City County, a healthy lifestylecommittee of parents has partneredwith Kelrae Farms in Toano to bring

By: Brandy Centolanza

I’ve had students who don’t know what things like pears are becausethey aren’t exposed. The idea is to get them to pick up an apple or abanana as a snack instead of a bag of chips or a piece of candy.

VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | MARCH • APRIL 2012 11

in fresh fruits and vegetables to sharewith students during their lunch houras part of the Local Produce Initiativestarted by the school district’s SchoolHealth Initiative Program (SHIP).

“Many children and parents have expressed appreciation for the program as it allowed students to beexposed to a variety of food itemsthat they might not have otherwiseexperienced,” explains Tryna Fitzpatrick, healthy lifestyle committeeco-chair. “This was most evident a fewmonths ago when fresh, local kalewas offered in the cafeteria. Parentsreported that children really liked thedish and requested that it be madefor dinner at home.”

Teachers are role models too andit’s important that they view ourfoods positively. It means a lot tothe kids to see teachers eating theschool lunches too.Though expense does factor in whenplanning school menus, school officials have gotten creative in orderto boost sales. The added costs have“created some challenges,” admitsAlexander, but, in addition to thetaste-testing, “We work on eye appeal,”she says. “We try to make foods lookmore appealing, and we ask our serversto think about how they are presentingtheir fruits and vegetables, how theyare presenting their line. Presentationmakes all the difference.”

Adds Phillips: “Whole grain foods docost more, and fresh produce doescost more than canned or frozen. It ishard to balance nutrition integritywith the bottom line. We try to makethe menu kid-friendly to get them inthe cafeteria. I also believe strongly inrole modeling. Teachers are rolemodels too and it’s important thatthey view our foods positively. Itmeans a lot to the kids to see teacherseating the school lunches too. Thatreally helps our program.” VT

12

Siblings Jonathan, 20, and Morgan,7, love to play Red Light GreenLight during their lessons at theUntamed Spirit Therapeutic & Educational Program in VirginiaBeach. The race begins at the farend of the indoor arena. Side-by-side and mounted on their horses,the riders get ready. Executive director, Barbara S. Ford calls out,“Green light!” Surrounded withtwo volunteers each, the racersmove forward until Barbara calls,“Red light!” Just as dramatically, the pair gets their horses to freeze.This continues until one of the rac-ers reaches Barbara first. This time,the older brother won by a nose.

Challenged with autism, Jonathanhas been taking lessons with Barbara for more than 14 years.Morgan, a traditional rider, hasjoined in on the fun for a year.“Jonathan has been learning patience,” commented his father Allen Pulley. “Riding is therapeutic for him. He’s all about jumping on the horse and riding.”

As many living with autism do,Jonathan has a very structured daybeginning with breakfast at a specifictime and then attends school. Heenjoys the computer and attendsoccupational therapy. The familylives in Suffolk, but Allen continuesto see the benefits of lessons at Untamed Spirit and is committed in making the drive every other Sat-urday morning.

Untamed Spirit’s Barbara S. Ford hasincorporated many fun resourcesinto her saddlebag of learning. Withmore than 30 years in the therapeuticindustry, she is nationally known ashaving founded Virginia Beach’s EQUI-KIDS Therapeutic Riding Program in 1989 and served as its’Executive Director until 2010. Atthat time, she, Ashley Ford and ShaunGayhart established Forward MotionFarm, LLC. Barbara soon after formedthe not for profit Untamed Spirit Therapeutic & Educational Program.

The program is dedicated to enhancing and enriching the livesof individuals with special needs

Partners in Education

UNTAMED SPIRITTherapeutic & Educational Program Brings Healing to Special Needs RidersBy: Kristin Vischer

Barbara tells Angel, 15, that it’s time to play the Circle Name game in the indoor arena

Angel, 15, rides Piper with the help of volunteers Kaitlin and Emily

through a partnership with horses.Professional instructors, which include Barbara, daughter Ashleyand Volunteer Coordinator, EllieHardnack, have more than 48 yearsof combined experience. All ofthem are certified by PATH, Int’l(Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) and are individualmembers of the Therapeutic RidingAssociation of Virginia (TRAV).

In 2005, Barbara was awarded theJames Brady Professional Achieve-ment Award, one of the top honorsin the therapeutic riding industry.The Northern Virginia TherapeuticRiding Program (NVTRP) honoredher with the Community LegendAward in 2010.

DID YOU KNOW? ■ Each year the PATH Intl network supports

more than 42,000 men, women and childrenwith special needs through equine-assisted activity and therapy programs (pathintl.org).

■ Ten point six percent of students registered inVirginia Beach Schools during the 2010-2011academic year were challenged with a disability (vbschools.com).

■ Children and youth ages 3-21 receiving specialeducation services in the United States was 6.5million in 2008-2009, corresponding to about13 percent of all public school enrollment(nces.ed.gov).

VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | MARCH • APRIL 2012 13

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Goats and miniature horses add to the farm’scalming atmosphere.

Eleven horses and ponies, goats,rabbits and cats provide a therapeutic environment for children and adults with challengessuch as Attention Deficit Hyperac-tivity Disorder (ADHD), Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Stroke,Autism as well as anxiety disordersand behavioral difficulties. The benefits of weekly lessons includean increased self-confidence andself-awareness; gross and finemotor skills and muscle tone; andenhanced verbalization.

With a goal of providing a holisticlearning and outdoors experiencefor all of her riders, Barbara is currently pursuing a Master of Artsin Counseling with an emphasis inCommunity and School from Regent University. Yes, this mom of college-aged twin daughters hasa very full plate!

“Over the past year, Untamed Spirithas expanded its’ riding program ata tremendous rate, serving numbersof clients that you typically see inyear three of a new nonprofit organization,” shared Barbara. “Weare looking forward to many moreexciting and productive years serving the special needs community in Hampton Roads”.

Martin and Diana are the parents ofUntamed Spirit rider Angel Shue.“Angel really looks forward to herlessons,” said Martin. “This is

added therapy for her. She’slearned how to clean horses. Miss.Barb works on her speech. It’s likephysical, occupational and speechtherapy all in one.”

Each Friday Angel is quick to remindher mom that they need to buy twoapples for the horses. WhenAngel’s parents ask what Saturdayis, she replies, “Piper. Horse.”

The 15-year-old is a typical teenagerexcept she can’t go out by herself.Angel is challenged with CerebralPalsy. Her mom shares that whilepregnant with Angel, she devel-oped a blood clot and had to havean emergency C-section threemonths before her daughter wasdue. Angel was 1 lb. and 10 oz. But,this hasn’t stopped the NorthsideMiddle School student from enjoying cooking classes, swimmingwith the Special Olympics, playing

14

Challenger Baseball, reading andlistening to artist like Lady Gaga,Lady Antebellum and Journey.

“Miss. Barb is wonderful,” com-mented Diana. “To me this programis wonderful for children and adults!”

Rebecca Goldbach has also seen apositive difference since her sonHunter began riding last summer.The 7-year-old has MitochondrialDisease. Mitochondria exist in nearlyevery cell of the human body, producing 90 percent of the energythe body needs to function. Eachyear, 1,000 to 4,000 children in theUnited States are born with a typeof Mitochondrial Disease (umdf.org).Hunter’s mitochondria are failingand cannot convert food and oxygen into life-sustaining energy.Developmentally, Hunter is 3-years-old, experiences cognitive delaysand severely depleted energy.

But this little boy is all smiles whenit’s time to ride at Untamed Spiriton Saturday! “He has a great attach-ment to me,” shared Rebecca. “Butwhen you get him near a horse, it’sopposite. Being on Piper gives him a lot of confidence and buildsmuscle tone. Coming out to thefarm is wonderful for him. He takesa lot more initiative now.”

It is now 2 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. The bright blue sky haswarmed the farm’s outdoor arenaenough for Barb to conduct theday’s last lesson outside. Taylor, 14,meets her instructor at Roxy’s stalland proceeds to get the mare ready for an hour outside. Theteenager has Muscular Dystrophybut with six years of lessons behindher, Taylor mounts the horse without hesitation.

Barbara walks alongside the independent young rider askingher to go left, right or straight. At

one point the three stop as Taylornames the parts of Roxy that Barbarapoints to. Then she names tackitems including the bridle, bit andreins. Towards the end, Taylor dismounts and leads Roxy back tothe stall all by herself. The lessonconcludes with the teenager brushing her down.

“The lessons have given her confidence,” commented momKara Russell. “It’s been a great formof exercise. She loves to come. It’salways, ‘Are we late? Are we late?’We love coming to this farm be-cause Barb gives the full experienceversus ‘here’s your pony’.

Over the years, Taylor has completedin numerous shows including thestate show in Lexington, Virginiasponsored by the Therapeutic RidingAssociation of Virginia and received1st and 2nd place in Equitation andDressage classes. Kara continued,“It’s the highlight of Taylor’s week.It’s been invaluable to us. I can’timagine riding anywhere else.”

Seeing the progress of specialneeds riders like Jonathan, Angel,Hunter and Taylor motivates Barbaraand Untamed Spirit’s small team ofstaff and volunteers to do theirbest. Maddie Dubinsky, 16, beganvolunteering in June 2010. “I volunteer at Untamed Spirit be-cause there is no better feelingthan walking away knowing thateven if it’s just for 15 minutes or anhour, you have helped someonewho struggles day to day, with simple life tasks to be completelyfree of all the struggles, of all thehardships…these individuals havea place to go where they aren’tjudged by disability. They aren’tturned away because they are different. They are accepted andloved as people, and free to be theperson God made them! This iswhy I do what I do.” VT

EXPERIENCE THE FARM!■ Psychotherapy and speech therapists are

invited to visit the farm with their students during the week. Contact for more info.

■ Schedule a field trip experience for your tradi-tional and special needs students this spring.

■ Lessons are $40 per hour for traditional andnontraditional riders. Each lesson is tailoredto meet each rider’s needs and includesgrooming, tacking, leading and riding.

HOW CAN I HELP?■ Volunteer to assist Barbara with lessons

and care for the animals during the week or weekends.

■ Donate. It costs $350 to care for each of theprogram’s 11 therapeutic horses and poniesevery month. One time and monthly gifts areappreciated!

■ The Golden Bridle Fund is an exclusive fundset aside to care for the aging therapy horsesand ponies who require additional medicalcare and supplements as they head into theirtwilight years but have so much still to offerUntamed Spirit clients.

CONTACT INFO:Untamed Spirit Therapeutic & Educational Program3943 Dawley Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23457barb@untamedspirit.orgwww.forwardmotionfarm.com

VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | MARCH • APRIL 2012 15

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THE BATTLESHIP WISCONSIN:Where Science and History UniteOffering a fun and exciting educationalexperience for visitors of all ages,Nauticus features a variety of excitinghands-on exhibits that explore thenaval, economic, and natural powerof the sea. Since 2001 it has shared acampus with the Battleship Wisconsin(BB64), one of four Iowa-class ships,as well as the largest and last battleshipsbuilt by the U.S. Navy. The ship wasconstructed in the midst of WWIIand went on to serve in the KoreanWar and the Persian Gulf conflict before being “mothballed” by the Navy.

Battleship WisconsinPrior to 2010, visitors could only explore the outer decks of the ship, but once the City of Norfolk officiallyassumed stewardship, Nauticus immediately began the process ofexpanding public access to previouslysealed off areas. The Wardroom andOfficers Quarters, as well as a smallWardroom exhibit, For All Those inUniform Who Have Served are nowincluded in general admission;groups have the option of adding aguided tour that explores the maindeck of the Battleship. By thisspring, a new family-orientedguided tour of the second and thirddecks will focus on how sailorslived, literally, aboard a “City at Sea.”Visitors will be able to experiencesome of what daily life was likeaboard a warship with almost 2,000other men during WWII. Scavengerhunts can be provided for schoolgroups as well.

Education ProgramsRich in history, the Wisconsin haslong been a popular choice for fieldtrips. Nauticus educators are

16

Beyond the Classroom

developing some exciting new STEM-related programs and cross curricularactivities for grades K-12. As part ofthe hands on activities, students willget a chance to take part in scienceexperiments. Also coming soon is anew scavenger hunt emphasizingsimple machines, plus programs exploring magnets and corrosion.Need help planning your field trip?Call our Group Sales office at (757)664-1021 and we will make a specialitinerary for your groups visit tomake sure we include all the ex-hibits, movies and programs thatyou would like your group to see!

ExhibitsStudents can learn a great deal moreabout the Wisconsin and WWII history,not only aboard the battleship, butwithin Nauticus’ walls. A six minutedramatic film, Forward for Freedom,brings the Battleship to life throughthe stories and commentary of thosewho served aboard her. On the thirdfloor, Guns, Sweat, and Gears:Anatomy of a Battleship containssome of the ship’s enormous gun

devices, tools and personal mementos,as well as a 2,400 pound military analog computer, a 12-foot long optical range finder, WWII racks(bunks), galley equipment, shell sledsand cradles for moving the Wisconsin’s16 inch gun ammunition, a 48-starU.S. flag, and dozens of never-before-seen archival images. Nauticus admission also includes movies in ourlarge screen hi-def Theater featuringthe academy award nominated LivingSea movie, aquariums including ourtouch tank and shark tank and ourScience on a Sphere exhibit whereyou can see the earth from 22,000miles away!

Coming Soon!Opening in Spring 2012, Nauticuswill be opening a new exhibit focusing on the tremendous impactthe port has on our daily lives. Thefocal point of this exhibit will be a24-foot long tug that guests canpilot via a state-of-the-art simulator.Guests will better understand imports/exports, identify ships fromour Elizabeth River Observation

By: Colby Preston

VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE |MARCH • APRIL 2012 17

Deck and track maritime trafficthroughout Hampton Roads.

Scout ProgramsFor several years Scouts of all ageshave had fun-filled adventures andearned commemorative patches onNauticus’ special Scout days. Nowthey’ll also be able to experiencethe Wisconsin after hours by takingpart in our brand new Battleshipovernights. Scouts will spend anevening learning all sorts of Navyskills, including knot tying, MorseCode and signal flag procedures,then pitch their tents under thestarts on the battleship’s fantail.This year overnights will be heldonce a month from March throughMay, with plans to add more for2013. All proceeds from theseovernights benefit the National Maritime Center Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization.

Outreach ProgramsCan’t come to us? Nauticus willcome to you! Consider booking ascience outreach in your school.

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For more field trip information,please contact Group Sales Manager,Colby Preston at (757) 664-1021 orat colby.peck@norfolk.gov. VT

18

FLOATING CLASSROOMS:Hands-on Environmental Learning withthe Chesapeake Bay FoundationBy: Bud Livers

There once was a day when studentswere expected to come home fromschool almost as clean as they werewhen they left in the morning. Theysat in rigid rows and listened asteachers dispensed the wisdom ofthe ages. Aside from the occasionaltrace amounts of finger-paint remaining under the fingernails, oreven more frequently, the sweatstains on an athlete’s tee shirt, schoolwas basically a “neat” environment. If a boy came home from schoolmuddy, it probably meant he hadbeen scrapping with a classmate during recess.

Today, however, thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Environmental Literacy partnershipwith Virginia Beach City PublicSchools, all that is about to change.Kids can be expected to get muddy,play with squishy sea critters, andlearn about how to protect the environment and the precious resource of the Chesapeake Bay aspart of the bargain.

A “WIN” FOR STUDENTS AND THE ENVIRONMENTThis pioneering environmental educational initiative recentlylaunched in Virginia Beach could become a model for other divisionsin Virginia and around the country.Don Baugh, CBF’s Vice President of

Old School vs. New School

“It was probably the best time I had in a long time!We were canoeing and learning at the same time.We learned about the Chesapeake Bay Watershed,how the oyster reefs purify the water, and what wecan do to protect it.” ~ George Woodruff, student

Chesapeake Bay Foundation's boat returns with students from Ocean Lakes High Shool.

Todd Tarkenton, Director, K-12 Instructional Services Virginia BeachCity Public Schools notes that thecore objectives embedded in thisprogram will meet several of the 6thgrade science objectives, in additionto some of the biology and oceanography objectives in the high school curriculum. Andrea Moran from the CBF Staffnotes that “Rather than providing anexperience that select students notes that “Rather than providing anexperience that select students benefit from, under the new

program, every student in particulargrades in the Virginia Beach publicschool system would receive high-quality, high-impact watershed experiences every year, year afteryear, because it would be part of thescience curricula.”

NO CHILD LEFT INSIDEThis program compliments the current Congressional legislative initiative “No Child Left Inside”. Themain goal of the proposed legislation is to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left BehindAct of 2001) with emphasis on environmental education. The Federal NCLI act of 2011 proposesthat “appropriations be provided totrain teachers for such instruction,provide innovative technology, and todevelop studies assessing the worth

Education notes, “This partnershiprepresents a long-term and visionaryinvestment in Virginia Beach that willhelp the next generation turn 21stcentury challenges into opportunitiesfor jobs and healthy waterways andcommunities.”

As a result of some strong supportfrom sponsors including $120,000grant from NOAA, and a $55,000grant from CSX Transportation, andworking with a coalition of outdooreducation partners including Virginia Aquarium and Marine Center, Lynnhaven River NOW, theElizabeth River Project, Oyster Reefkeepers of Virginia, and FirstLanding State Park, 12,000 VirginiaBeach sixth graders and high schoolscience students will be able to participate in these enhanced environmental studies classes.

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of these programs in elementary andsecondary school curriculums. Whilemainly addressing environmental literacy, this legislation also seeks totouch on healthy living programs encouraging outdoor recreation and sound nutrition.”

WATER PROGRAMSWith a variety of programs and approaches to educating students,CBF can help students develop a newappreciation for the environment. Inthe Boat Program, students ride“floating classrooms” to get a uniqueperspective on environmental issuesin the Chesapeake region. They conduct biological, physical andchemical investigations and use critical-thinking skills to create actionplans to help improve water quality.

In the Canoe program, students explore some of the local tributariesin a more intimate, close setting.These students learn how to use thescientific method and inquiry-based,hands-on activities to determine thehealth of the aquatic ecosystem.George Woodruff, a sixth grader atKemps Landing Middle School says ofhis recent CBF canoe field trip, “Itwas probably the best time I had in along time! We were canoeing andlearning at the same time. Welearned about the Chesapeake BayWatershed, how the oyster reefs purify the water, and what we can do to protect it.”

A “WIN” FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTYNot only will the students benefit fromthis partnership, but faculty and administrators as well. CBF will providetraining in environmental educationfor 24 principals and administratorsin Virginia Beach. Teachers will alsobenefit as they receive training underthis program. Lead teachers will beestablished at each high school, who will in turn help other trainedteachers at middle and high schoolsdevelop and design their own modelresearch and service projects. Participating teachers will maintain a portfolio of their projects which willbe reviewed annually for effectiveness.

Joe Burnsworth, assistant superintendent for curriculum in Vir-ginia Beach said “This unique part-nership provides a one-of-a-kindopportunity for our teachers and administrators to become immersedin this facet of our science curriculum.Participation in this program will giveour staff the skills necessary to provideour students with the opportunity toplay an active role in restoring andprotecting the region’s most important natural resource.”

For further information on Chesapeake Bay Foundation environmental literacy programsavailable for use in your school district go to www.cbf.org, or emailchesapeake@cbf.org. VT

Floating classroom disembarks with students from Ocean Lakes High School.

Thinking about your days atHampton HS, what was your favorite class/subject?

I enjoyed being a member of the Debate Team. I remember Mr.Charles Johnson, the debate coachwho truly believed in the debateteam and taught us all about the importance of preparation.

Who was the teacher you remember most and why?

I had the benefit of having so manygreat teachers! I especially remembermy third grade teacher who taught atPhenix School. It was a segregatedschool that no longer exists, with thelast graduates leaving in 1968. What Iremembered most about her wasthat she would read great literatureto us every day. She had us spell-bound imagining the places,and experiences she read about. Itwas she who introduced me toLangston Hughes, an early innovatorof “jazz poetry”. Taking geometryunder Mrs. Weeks was probably theone class that I remembered morethan all. She really made geometrycome alive! She believed in active engagement. Math was never mybest subject and I must admit that Ihad a phobia. But Mrs. Weeks madeit relevant and fun! I actually stillhave the notebook from that class.

What made you want to become a teacher, and why Special Education in particular?

I think it was my teachers in the 1stand 3rd grade. They were held insuch high regard and they seemed to

Class ReunionHAMPTON HIGHSCHOOL, CLASS OF ‘75

20

know so much! I wanted to be justlike them... I wanted to know as much asI could about everything and to shareit. They instilled that desire in me.When I was in high school I wasworking with an elementary schoolchild who wanted to know whyteachers “liked smart kids better”. Iknew he had a disability, and it wasthen I knew that I wanted to workwith kids who needed some extrahelp – teachers who knew and un-derstood what these kids were goingthrough in a traditional classroom.

If we opened your locker atHampton High, what would we find?

Pictures of the Jackson 5, books andmore books.

If you could do high school over again, what would you do differently?

Not a thing! I really took advantageof everything high school had to offer.From being active with the studentgovernment, working on the year-book staff, being a part of the debateteam, Keyettes, Girls’ State, andthe Y-teens. I really enjoyed the highschool experience.

What one thing did you learn inschool that has served you well inyour post-school years?

I learned three important things:preparation, setting priorities andtime management. In all of the manyexperiences I’ve had throughout theyears, these three things have servedme well. Whether getting ready toteach a class, or to attend a school

By: Bud Livers

Lanett BraileyVIRGINIA COMMONWEALTHUNIVERSITY T/TAC

board meeting, or to work with parents - you simply must be prepared. Accountability and personal responsibilities make it necessary that you set priorities andmanage your time well. You can’tburn the candle at both ends. VT

BIOGRAPHY:Lanett Brailey graduated from HamptonHigh School in 1975. After earning a BSin Special Education from Virginia UnionUniversity in 1979, and her MA in Clinical& Remedial Reading in 1980, she earnedher Administration and Supervision endorsement from Virginia Commonwealth University. With over 30years of experience in the field of Education, her strength is in communicating information and ideas effectively. Her experience is diverse inboth special and general education inthe areas of teaching, professional development training, and administrationin correctional, secondary, and highereducation settings. Currently at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)Training and Technical Assistance Center(T/TAC), Lanett participates in VDOE priority projects aimed at increasingpost-secondary outcomes and access tothe general education curriculum forstudents with disabilities. Lanett enjoysreading and traveling. She has two sons– Philip, who graduated from VirginiaState University and Kenneth, who attends Virginia Union University.

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