Blue Springs High School - Campus Cadence Yearbook (Blue Springs, MO)

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EWS BREAKER Lewman Takes Charge of B-SHS 'wr I Old! 2-2-2 plan initiates by Chrlsll Dillon ue to the increasing size of the city of Blue Springs and its high school's enormous enrollment, drastic measures were re- quired to reorganize the school district. ln order to achieve this. the school board enacted a plan called the 2-2-2 Plan. The 2-2-2 Plan is one of many steps that will take place until a new high school can be built and enrollment numbers decreased to a controllable amount under the Phase 2 Program. When the 2-2-2 plan goes into ef- fect at the start of the fall of 1988. the current high school will consist ol only juniors and seniors. This building will be called Blue Springs High School Ashton Campus. The freshmen and sophomores will go to the current junior high building which will become the Blue Springs High School Vesper Campus. Eighth graders v l be moved in with the seventh gta e at Hall- McCarter. These moves are temporary until a new high school can be built Currently. construction is underway for a new iunior high which will be called the Butler Dwyer Junior High Many problems are left unanswered in this situation of half high 16!Mini Mag changes schools. One ot the biggest of these problems is students failing. Students who fail classes or accelerate don't have options available to help them. The current solution to this problem is to have commonly failed classes such as English and Biology offered at both campuses. A feasable proposition for the future is constructing a road to cross the land and railroad tracks between the two campuses. The original railroad allowed us fthe school disttictl to build a road across it any time we felt we needed it and right now we're going through the red tape to start the proiectf' said Dr. Robert Blaine. director of the 2-2-2 plan Students who end up taking courses at both campuses will then take a shuttle bus similar to that of the ac' tivities buses 'iThe whole purpose ofthe plan is to not let some of the kids fall through the cracks. said Dr. Blaine. The school board projects that through the 2-2-2 plan. which is in- evitable. the academic program will be restructured From these changes and the smaller class sizes. the academic programs are expected to improve and have better facilities. transaction from a three year t0 B two year high school smoothly and he -T e's back! Only this time he's the principal, Who is this person? He's Dr Ted Lewman. Dr Lewman came to the high school from Hall-McCarter where he was principal for two years. He took over for Dr. Robert Blaine. who became coordinator of the 2-2-2, Before becoming a principal, Dr. Lewman taught seventh. ninth and tenth grade social studies and was the football and track coach at William Chrisman for lour years. He then took the job as assistant principal at the high school which he filled lor 11 years before going to Hall-McCarter. Dr. Lewman didn't think that he would ever return to the high school after leaving to go to Hall-McCarter. Future goals Dr, Lewman would like to see lor next year are making the would like the changes to be a positive one for the students, so that they can feel good about the new change. Besides the new school plan. the science department will also be undergoing new changes. They plan to reconstruct the science labs to make science learning easier. At the end of five years. Dr Lewman would like to have the student ratio down, so that teachers can devote more time to inf dividual help. According to Dr. Lewman. one of the most important characteristics of being a principal is that you must like people, His parents were a big in- fluence in helping him be the principal he is today. My parents taught me about caring which was verV important. The thing Dr. Lewman likes best about being a principal is being able to go through the halls and tease kids! I f D w Tl in D 'KI at pm T4 W. sa li si S t f

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Peopl nr to a two y and he E a positive t they can ange. -l plan, the also be ltey plan to s to make the end of uld like to n, so that ime to ine one of must like a big in- principal me very es best able to kids! by Girl!! Dlfon any students in Blue Springs are interested in politics and what the effects will be on their lives. So when Mr. and Mrs. Galen Ericson, campaign coordinators for Blue Springs. heard Senator John Danforth would be in the area, calls were made to schedule an appearance. The most logical place with the greatest impact was the htgh school. Senator Danforth came to Blue Springs for a press conference on January 13 in the Media Center. The Junior Statesmen. debaters and any other student interested in politics, could sign up to attend. Dr. Ted Lewman, prtncipal. felt that it would be more appropriate to have a select group rather than an open house. We felt it was important to have politically interested students. said Lewman. Senator Danforth came prepared to answer almost any question that could be asked about his experiences, ranging from being the Missouri at- torney general for eight years to acting as a U.S. Senator for twelve years, He fielded questions on SDI. the Persian Gulf, trade policies, Supreme Court nominations, Judge Clark, the ClA and the homeless, After the conference many com- pliments were mentioned by Danforth concerning the students' manners and questions. l was greatly impressed with the students. said Danforth. lt was by far one of the best experiences l've ever had with a high school audience. .00 a picture with Dr. Ted Lewman and school board ofllclals Watson by Lisa Belcher tudents scurry to the center of the gym to hold their candles in a Christmas tree design, The lights are dimmed. a voice rs heard singing i'Srlent Night to a guitar Students begin to loin in and sway to the music. and the Christmas spirit is felt by everyone rn the gym This tradition was started seven ugraduatesvfrom BSHS years ago when Dr Blaine asked Gene Watson if he would like for the student body at Christmas time Before moving to Blue Springs. Gene. his wife. and two kids were on a religious radio pro- gram which Dr Blaine had listened to one time and this led him to ask if Gene would like to sing for the students and faculty Gene Watson moved from Clarksville. Arkansas, to Blue Springs in 1976 He has worked at the high school for ten years and commented that he has a great time with the kids l love young people and love to talk to them Muddy-buddy. which means A-1, is a name Gene gives to all of his friends. He got this name from a club his son used to be involved in during high school Gene has made a lot of friends while working at the high school and said that graduation is always a sad time of year because he will never see most of those kids again He does, however, keep in touch with many kids whom he's met over the years, and commented that he still receives letters from kids who graduated as lar back as 1980 from Carrie Hubbard and Lori McDaniel. Even though Gene enjoys working at the high school and being around the kids. he plans to retire after the IUXT-88 school year Gene ts still un- sure about what he will do after he leaves his job at the high school He may return and do sub work or go back to Arkansas When asked if there was one thing that he would never forget. he replied tts all been wonderful Gene will be missed not only by teachers and admtmstration but also by many students