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PAGE 12A
. FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, February I,IWB
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Big Creek scores higher than state, county
By Laura Lavezzo
istaff Writer
Students at Big Creek Elementary School scored
higher in all areas of academics than in the county or
state during the 1996-97 school year, as evident in the
Georgia Public Education Report Card published in
January.
On the lowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) given to
third and fifth grade students, third graders at Big
Creek scored an average of eight percentage points
higher than the county’s average composite score, and
20 points higher than the state’s scores in reading com
prehension, reading vocabulary, mathematics, language
arts, social studies, science and sources of information.
Fifth graders also performed exceptionally well on the
norm-referenced tests. They achieved an average of 10
points higher than the county’s score, and 23 percent
age marks over the state average.
All fifth graders are also required to take a writing
test, which assesses the average developmental stage of
students at the school. The six stages, from lowest
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Photos/Tom Brooks
Big Creek Book Buddies
Book Buddies are important at Big Creek
Elementary School. Several grade levels
work together to read to one another
throughout the year. Above, a third grade
class works with their kindergarten book bud
dies. Left, Chelsea Crumpton and Samantha
Qualls read together.
development to highest, are Emerging Writer,
Developing Writer, Focusing Writer, Experimenting
Writer, Engaging Writer and Extending Writer.
According to the report, the majority of fifth graders at
Big Creek are at the first, second and third highest lev
els of writing ability, with 21 percent who are
Extending Writers, 35 percent who are Engaging
Writers and 30 percent who are Experimenting Writers.
No Big Creek students tested at the lowest two levels of
writing ability.
The statewide report, prepared by State
Superintendent of Schools Linda C. Schrenko, breaks
down scoring from state to counties to individual
schools. In addition, a Georgia Education Report Card
for Parents is available with explanation in public
libraries, at the school system’s Central Office, or on
the Internet.
Each Forsyth County school’s individual report card
will be covered in the next several issues of the
Forsyth County News. For information about any
school in the state, visit the Georgia Department of
Education’s web site at www.doe.kl2.ga.us.
EDUCATION
Eagle debaters try for state win.
/ *s
By Laura Lavezzo
Staff Writer
The South Forsyth High School
Debate Team, newly formed this
school year, has won the 7AA
Regional Debate Tournament and is
headed to Dublin for the state com
petition this Friday.
Sophomores Brian Baird, Matt
Mastin, Brian Semulka and junior
Lindsay Hebert have committed
themselves to the rigorous schedule
of researching, planning and pre
senting arguments on both the affir
mative and negative sides of a
debate.
Coaches Beth Hebert and Diana
Birch were pleasantly surprised
their students could be such a suc
cess in the school’s first year of /
organized debate.
“We really hope more kids will
join for next year,” says special edu
cation teacher Hebert. “It’s a real
commitment of time and effort in
research, but it’s rewarding for
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South Forsyth High School’s regional-winning debaters. Left to right, Matt Mastin, Brian Baird,
Brian Semulka and Lindsay Hebert. The group will compete at the state level Feb. 6-7.
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them, andit looks great on a college
application.”
Each year, the National Forensics
League (NFL) decides on a topic
for debate. At every tournament
throughout the season, every
school's team must be prepared to
aigue for or against that issue - stu
dents don’t know which side they’ll
be on until the competition begins.
This year’s NFL statement is:
“That the federal government
should establish a policy to substan
tially increase the use of renewable
energy in the United States.”
Students argue for or against the
notion by establishing evidence.
The topic is researched, and materi
als are gathered that would “hold up
in court.” Global warming, pollu
tion, and U.S. reliance on the
Middle East for oil are issues that
have been debated at this year’s
tournaments.
In addition to the debate team,
Semulka and the younger Hebert
have also participated in mock trials
and extemporaneous speaking. »
For this individual event, each stur
dent draws a topic and is given 3b
minutes to prepare a two to fiv£
minute speech about it. English arri
Speech teacher Birch helped pre 4
pare students for such competition
when they took her Speech class in
their freshman year. Birch hopes the
class will eventually become a
mandatory part of the curriculum.
At one of the bigger tournaments
last fall, held at West Georgiy
College, there were 31 schools rep»
resented. Semulka and Hebert wop
second place after five rounds ot
debate.
Other areas of competition include
oratory, dramatic interpretation and
humorous interpretation. Thomas
Brendall, Amanda Gray and Travis
Atkins are SFHS students who have
competed at the tournaments in
these areas.
For information about the Debate
Team at SFHS, call Beth Hebert at
(770) 781-2264, ext. 212.