Ernest Seaholm High School - Piper Yearbook (Birmingham, MI)

Page 156 text:

Greg Olson and Shelley Foley listen enthusiastically as Marci Papineau gives an animated reply in Flex teacher Peter Shaheen s English class. While taking a break from notes, Aaron Simpson listens with a look of disbelief as his teacher, Miss Heckenhauer, finishes the lecture-

Page 155 text:

During independent study yearbook, senior staffers Elissa Sard and Liz Krebs discuss important yearbook matters over the phone. Senior Bob Matz, a photography independent study student, processes and develops his film in the Seaholm darkroom. photo by Paul Donar Sophomore Stephanie Spellman practices the piece In Rank and File during her classical piano independent study. ACADEMICS 151

Page 157 text:

Jenny Christman, Robin Celmer, and Erik McCor- mick all appear deeply engaged in the assignment they have received for Flex Writing Group. ' Tm excited about Flex. Fm continuing to grow and learn. ' ' -George MUler Flex Demonstrates Enthusiasm by L- Ament and K, Andreae Flex is an outstanding program, stated Flex teachers Swid Kirch- hofer and Marge Rabideau. There ' s more freedom in Flex; you get to do more of your own thing, said senior Tiffany Newgeon. Flex offers a chance to meet students from all grades and learn from them, attested senior Lori Mattutat. All of these individuals were referring to Flexible Scheduling, a twenty-year-old program founded by Dr. John Blackwell Smith, a former superintendent. Flex, combining English and history, meets first through third periods. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are core days, which consist of a movie or a lecture, followed by a discussion group. Tuesday and Thursday are elective days. Flex studied colonial America this year, so the electivcs offered included U.S. Consti- tution and Colonial Women, emphasizing this American unit. Flex students are also required to take a writing group each year, and freshmen must take speech class. Flex also offers special activities such as the Chinese visitors who spoke in Flex this October. Flexmas is another Flex tradition, where students give a talent show and a cake auction, with proceeds used to fund Flex activities. Enrollment this year rose to 243 students, and two new teachers, Peter Shaheen and Elizabeth Heckenhauer, were hired. Typical Flex enthusiasm is shown by Mattutat who said, I think Flex is great and I would never switch back to normal classes. Stressing a personal benefit of the program, George Miller, who has taught Flex since its second year asserted, I ' m continuing to grow and Charles Johnson becomes involved in his assignment and Deep in thought, Rebecca Kaplan attempts to come up with separates himself from the group to perfect his concen- a topic for the Flex paper that Sara Ferryman and Janis tration. photo by Mike Rafleriy Shen have already begun. ACADEMICS 153