Robert E Lee High School - Leeway / Record Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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Steve Davis (front), Eric Thompson and David Ballurio for a drama class assignment took over Mr. Delmer Botkin’s job of making announce- i eee, = MICHIS CUINS Second period. Katie Gerringer puts a parking tag on her rear view mirror before coming in to school. Many students objected to this change because of the fee charged. f someone said they saw your mother in One of the greatest changes to come about was school, they could be right. Ina new project vol- — the addition of a salad bar in the cafeteria. For inteers like Mrs. Martha Sieck, were used — only two dollars students Could pile up a gigantic hroughout the school to assist teachers and salad for lunch. secretaries. | CHANGES — 19

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With a new principal came new rules, two new schools and for everyone a Different Way of Life Changes. Lots of people ask for change. However, there are also many people who do not adapt well to change. For the students who loved the idea of changes, big Changes, this was the place for them. The office was rear- ranged. The whole school was made into two Sub schools with separate principals and guidance personnel. How did students accept these Changes? After the initial confusion mos t students liked the change. How- ever, it did take teachers at least one month and students six months to learn the Sub school procedures. That part was easy. The hard part of the changes was in dealing with park- — ing permits. The opposition was strong against paying two dollars for a permit that students felt was useless. If that was the bad part of the changes the new Salad bar in the cafe- teria was a good change. Three lunch Shifts were readily accepted by everyone except those who were not on the same lunch shift with at least 50 of their. friends. Matt Hartsook, Wesley Woods, and Jay Smith were varsity players during the fall season who were treated to a special training table lunch complete with a five-foot Sub sandwich. - Renae Fridley reports to Sub School Il to get an excuse from Mrs. Mary Lou Parkins. It didn't take long for everyone to get used to by-passing the main office for the sub school office. 18 — CHANGES Staying in the cafeteria was not ac- cepted very well, but after awhile the Commons Area was not thought of as the place to hang around at lunch time. Teachers got a duty free lunch period out of that deal. No homeroom was another change that got mixed approval. Students who needed a few extra minutes to wake up found first period class a little hard to handle. Those were the big things. Little things like announcements at the end of second period, absentee lists at the end of the day, activity periods during second period and the extra minute between classes were all accepted without fanfare. The biggest change was the new principal. When he took over, the Chain of changes began exploding like fire- crackers. It was a different Kind of year. For those who liked the changes there was another reason for happiness. Those who didn't like Change found a reason to gripe. No homeroom meant a new time to be in first period class, alert and ready to learn. At 8:40 it was time for class. No homeroom to wake up, get ready for class or do homework.

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Paper clips, tissues, St. Bernards All became important tools for Training Leaders Making a school out of a rubber band, band aids, paper clips, a tissue and some paper isn't very easy. Trying to figure out if you are an Owl, alion ora St. Bernard could put a Strain on you, too. In August a group of students had the chance to work on these problems at a Leadership Conference. Charles Rembold, the new principal, said he held the conference because, “I wanted to Know the students and to - find out who the leaders were. I also wanted to build a trust relationship be- tween faculty and students.” At the conference students partic- ipated in activities and discussions. They were asked to construct a model school out of an envelope filled with paper clips, tissues, candy and band aids. Although it seemed absurd and im- 4 20 — LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE = possible to everyone, the thought of making a school out of Such objects became fun. The participants figured out that the objects had to be symbols of things in their model school. Another fun activity required students to explore their personality. When asked to choose between a lion, an Owl and a St. Bernard, most students rushed to the lion area, totally sure that they were brave, tough an strong. On the last day there was a pizza party, and everyone knew what to do with pizza — eat! Although the projects were Strange, there was a point to be made. It is nec- essary that we first know who we are before we can take our place in life and begin to come together with other people. Ms. Carla Watson, prevention specialist for | Fairfax County Schools, led the Leadership Con- ference which was modeled on one used in Western Europe. Mr. Charles Rembold opened the Leadership Conference by telling the students that it was de- signed to help them assess themselves, their school and “empower them as change agents.”