Students, schools cope with new uniform policy

Monday spelled back to school for area students as summer vacation drew to a close.  New this year is the county’s public school uniform policy which requires polo shirts, khaki pants and shorts, solid color jeans and school sponsored t-shirts.

Students were back to the book Monday morning, kicking off a new school yer after one of the hottest summers in the record books. There were the usual traffic congestion issues, students having trouble finding their first class and hugs and high fives as they reunited with their friends.  Unlike the usual start to school years in Alachua County, however, this first day was a bit different as the students donned a new look to comply with a new rule.

At the end of the last school year, the School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) implemented a public school uniform policy.  The highly contentious discussion of uniforms has been making its way around School Board meetings for years.  But this time it made its way all the way into the rule book, allowing students to only wear certain types of clothing that fall under the uniform policy.  The decision to implement the policy was met with both supporters and opposition, but ultimately the new dress code was instituted.

The policy, which can be viewed at www.sbac.edu, the school board’s Web site, provides for stricter dress guidelines, including the wearing of polo shirts, khaki pants and shorts, solid color jeans, and only t-shirts that are school sponsored, among other requirements.

Jackie Johnson, public information officer for the Alachua County School Board offered her insight on how the new dress code was being received as the new year got underway.

“The implementation of this new dress code has gone over very smoothly.  Principals across the entire district are reporting either 100 percent compliance or just a handful of violations at their schools,” Johnson said.

Johnson said it was much too early to know if the new policy will have an impact on disruptions in the school.

“Anecdotally, we know that the superintendent and school board members are finding in their visits to the schools that the policy seems to be going quite well,” she said.

While the uniform policy affected all public schools in Alachua County, it is likely impacting high schools the most, where freedom of expression appears to have a louder voice. 

Santa Fe High School Principal Bill Herschleb knows all too well the ways in which students wish to express themselves through clothing.  Herschleb was one of many principals in the county who publicly opposed the proposed uniform policy prior to its adoption, but is now tasked with ensuring its enforcement.

“Student compliance has been remarkable…We’ve had a very high degree of students following the new code,” Herschleb said. 

In fact, Herschleb said he was, “pleasantly surprised by student response.”

“Some kids have actually come up to me and told me about how good they feel about the way they’re dressing.”

Of the few students not meeting the new policy, Herschleb said, “The vast majority have been students who haven’t had access to the appropriate clothing.”

Only time will tell if the school board’s revised dress code will be effective or not.  In the meantime, students are sporting polo shirts and khaki pants to comply with the new requirements. 

School is back in session and Herschleb said, “So far, so good.”

Christ Central Ministries' Maureen Rodriquez helps students pick out their school supplies.

Central Ministries recently conducted its ninth annual Operation Backpack at Mebane Middle School.  Local students received a variety of school supplies and backpacks in preparation for the start of the new school year.

Photo special to Alachua County Today

Andrew Jenkins, 16, is proud of his Eagle Scout project at Skinner Park, where he refurbished bleachers and built two new benches.

The wooden bleachers at Alachua's Skinner Park baseball field look as good as new thanks to Andrew S. Jenkins’ Eagle Scout project.

Jenkins, along with fellow Troop 88 Boy Scouts, spent the better part of Saturday refurbishing the bleachers from which numerous ballgames are watched every year.  Jenkins also constructed two additional smaller benches near the field.

“I think it turned out pretty well.  I like the finished project and I think it will benefit my community for years to come,” he said.

While the crew put in dozens of man-hours collectively on Saturday, Jenkins, just 16 years old, says he spent about 56 hours in pre-planning for the project.  The project is just one requirement that Jenkins must meet to earn the rank of Eagle, Boy Scouting’s highest honor. 

“There is a lot more paper work yet to go and additional presentations to make to the Eagle Review Board,” said Jenkins.

The 11^th grade Santa Fe High School student is well on his way to reaching the Eagle Rank with 31 merit badges already completed, 12 of which are required.  Additional merit badges earned beyond his Eagle rank will be credited toward Eagle Palms, an award distinguishing Eagle Scouts for their ongoing commitment and involvement in scouting.

Jenkins is also a member of the Order of the Arrow, an auxiliary scouting organization that focuses on service to scouting, including maintaining area camps.

“I want to send out a special thanks to Alachua Farm and Lumber, Alachua County Today, Alachua Properties Inc., Hitchcock’s Market, and Mrs. Lillian Jenkins for their generous donations.

“And also thanks to Mr. Hal Brady and all of Troop 88 for their help and support of my project,” Jenkins said.

Mebane's new principal sets sights on 'A' grade

Although Mebane Middle School experienced a drop in its state rating to a 'C', improving to a 'B' this year, Mebane's new principal is determined to use her passion and position to restore the school to its full potential – as an 'A' school.

Principal Manda Bessner, 40, has been a teacher in Alachua County for 17 years. Although she loved teaching students directly, she felt she could have a bigger impact as a principal.

“I love history, and I loved teaching it,” she said. “But I saw the potential impact I could have as an administrator, and I knew this is what I wanted to do. In this position, I can work with the teachers to help our kids be successful.”

Bessner first came to Alachua County at age 17, when she started school at the University of Florida. She has not left since.

Her first teaching job out of college was at Lincoln Middle School. Bessner taught there for three years before moving to Kanapaha Middle School, where she taught for seven years and took over as assistant principal for another seven years.

Bessner went straight from her assistant principal job at Kanapaha to her position at Mebane Middle School.

This is the highest position she has held at a school, and Bessner said she is excited, nervous and anxious about the school year, which begins Monday.

Bessner said the biggest challenge she has faced yet is trying to comply with the strict class size rules that go into effect this year. The rules allow only 18 students in grades K to three; 22 students in grades four to eight; and 25 students in high school classrooms.

Mebane has 450 students this year, with 26 teachers on staff, all for whom Bessner is ultimately responsible.

Even with the school's recent grade struggles, Bessner said she is optimistic and is determined to bring the school back to its 'A' glory days.

“Of course we are going to be an 'A' school this year,” she joked. “The state has all this criteria, and they tell us what they want us to teach, but in the end, it's the teachers' personalities and creativity in the classroom that will really make the impact. That's what gets the kids excited and ready to learn, and I'm here to help us get back to where we can, and should, be.”

Teachers play a great role in the educational process, but Bessner said she wants families and the community to be involved with the process to make it the best it can be.

“Our parents should know that we are here to help them, we want them to be involved, and we want the community to be involved,” Bessner said. “We are going to have a lot of people out there in the community letting them know we care about these children. We have a lot of good people and lots of great teachers who are going to be here to help out.”

Predator...or prey?

The Alachua County Health Department (ACHD) has detected mosquito borne diseases in the County.  "Our sentinel surveillance system indicates that disease transmission is occurring," said Anthony Dennis, Environmental Health Director at the ACHD.  "Taking a few simple steps can drastically reduce the chances of contracting a mosquito-borne illness."   

Symptoms of West Nile virus (WNV) infection and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) may include headache, fever, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, and confusion.  Physicians should contact ACHD if they suspect an individual may have a mosquito-borne illness.  Florida Department of Health (FDOH) laboratories provide testing services for physicians treating patients with clinical signs of mosquito-borne diseases.

The ACHD continues to advise citizens to remain diligent in protecting themselves from mosquito bites by following the "5 D's," which include:

• Drainage - Check around your home to rid the area of standing water, which is where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.  
• DEET - When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes, repellents containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide)are recommended.  Picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are other repellent options. 
• Dress - Wear clothing that covers most of your skin.
• Dusk and Dawn - Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active.

For more information on mosquito borne illnesses, visit the ACHD Web site at www.AlachuaCountyHealth.com, the FDOH Web site at www.myfloridaEH.com, the Center for Disease Control Web site www.cdc.gov or contact the ACHD at 352-334-7930.

Middle schools students attending any Alachua County Public School are eligible to sign up for free after-school programs available at four local sites.

The district is offering the programs through a federal grant called 21^st Century Community Learning Centers. The grant, totaling about $700,000 for this school year, is aimed at improving the academic performance and behavior of adolescents and pre-teens when school is not in session, and to increase the overall engagement of students in school and in learning activities.

The free programs will be available at Mebane, Bishop, and Lincoln middle schools and Hawthorne Middle High School. They will provide students with tutoring, homework assistance and a credit retrieval program that gives them a chance to make up any credits they’ll need to move on to high school.

Enrichment and recreational classes will also be offered through the program, including art, photography, sports, music, culinary arts, technology, service learning, dance, gardening and other activities. The 21^st century staff is even working on providing horseback riding lessons.

“We’ve got a wide range of activities that will engage any student, no matter what their interests,” said program coordinator Melissa Montgomery. “And absolutely everything is free…not a nickel out of parents’ pockets.”

The 21^st Century Community Learning Centers will begin this year on Sept. 7 and will continue to operate through next summer. The district plans to continue offering the after-school and summer programs throughout the term of the grant, which means they’ll be available through the next four years. Transportation is available for students who live at least two miles away from a site but are still within the site’s attendance zone. Afternoon snacks are provided free.

“Students do not have to financially qualify,” said Montgomery. “As long as a student is enrolled at a school in Alachua County, they can attend one of these sites.”

The hours at each site vary from school to school. Three of the sites, Lincoln, Bishop and Hawthorne, will also have morning programs available from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. that focus on technology and credit retrieval.

Parents are encouraged to register for the program as soon as possible, while slots are still available. They should contact the site they’re interested in and ask for a registration form.

For more information, parents can contact the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers staff at 352-262-4401.

Archer Mayor Roberta Lopes accepts a plaque from USDA Rural Development State Director Richard Machek, representing a $98,000 grant the city received for completion of the historic building's restoration.

Restoring the historic Archer Gym to its original 1937 condition has long been the vision and dream of Archer Mayor Roberta Lopez.

For the better part of the last decade, Lopez has lobbied for the gym’s restoration, tapping every resource within reach, and many more believe to be beyond her grasp.  The result is shaping up to be a dream come true, not only for Lopez, but for many who remember the gym’s glory days.

The gym, which has as many memories for former students as it does bricks, will someday soon be the site of the Archer Community Civic Auditorium.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced Thursday that it is awarding a $98,000 grant to complete the building’s restoration.  In all, a little more than $900,000 has been raised for the project, Lopez said.

Phase 1 of the center’s restoration was recently completed and dozens of area dignitaries and residents celebrated the project’s success with a ceremony Thursday morning.

On hand for the ceremony was USDA Rural Development State Director, Richard A. Machek who said, “Mayor Lopez and the residents of Archer are to be commended for their perseverance and hard work to secure the multiple funding sources for this important community facility.”

Also celebrating the Phase 1 completion Thursday were Lopez, City Manager John Glanzer, Alachua County Commissioners Lee Pinkoson and Cynthia Chestnut, State Representative Leonard Bembry, longtime supporter and committee member Perry McGriff as well has several other players key to the project’s success.

At a cost of about $375,000, Phase 1 included roof replacement, securing and strengthening brick walls and pouring a new concrete floor.  The process has been intricately handled, Glanzer said, noting that the original rafters from the building were taken down, sandblasted, repainted and reinstalled.  The windows were replaced, chimneys were reconstructed and the entryway at the front of the gym was rebuilt.

The freshly poured concrete floor is a significant improvement over the asphalt floor upon which students once played ball.  But Lopez has even bigger plans for the historic facility, and those plans seem to be falling into place.

Currently in progress is the construction of a stage, which will be available for community plays.  On one side of the stage will be a lift to make it accessible to those confined to a wheelchair. 

Among the other amenities being built into the center are restrooms, a concessions room and window, a small office, and audio and visual electronic accommodations on a second floor accessed through a spiral staircase, Glanzer said.  Unlike the days of old, the renovated gym will also include an air conditioner.

Over the last several months, Lopez said she’s been approached by numerous passersby who believed the restoration of the gym was complete because of the vast improvements made to its exterior.  Inside, however, the framework for the various rooms remains to be completed.

Once attached to the now demolished Archer High School, for years, the gym was a dilapidated eyesore along a busy state highway, but in recent months, the nearly 75-year-old red brick building has become a centerpiece around which the community is rallying.

Lopez knows there is much work to do, but took a few moments Thursday to look back at what has been done.  Lopez’s persistence in seeing the gym’s restoration to fruition goes without saying among those who have had anything to do with it.  But Lopez also gives considerable credit to friends of the restoration project including those in the construction industry and on the committee who have helped with the completion of Phase 1.