Shady Side Academy - Academian Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

Page 25 text:

X fi Confusion or perhaps more likely dis- gust covers the face of Nina Coslov as she and her lab partner, Haroon llyas, perform a chemistry experiment. First level chemistry courses usually spent at least two days per cycle in the labora- tory. The computer is a nf-ressary tool for students Nlatt Majewski, AJ Eiiglan, and Phil Joyce, as all three work hard at the keyboard. NYT I 41 unctions and i 6 hangs-s was a de- ! r partrnental word , y M -this year for both the ,mathematics and computer science sections pf SSA's curricu- luma ongoing addition of new teachers and betterment and modi- fication of facilities helped to make these-fftwo departments. stronger than ever brefore, Mrs. Danielle Meyer, a comput- er sdiedce instructor, agreed, The factfthdt there are more computer basic and advanced to choose from, and the increased use of the word processors has en- ticed people into the computer lab. f'lfhis..year we had our first indepen- A deny study ini computer scienceg Jordan Karp, a sixth former, stud- ied spreadsheets and other busi- lnteptly studying the screen, Linda Wei worylts on a programwduring a paced Pascal class, ness related programs. I think we are going to see a lot more of this interest and initiative in computers at the Academy in future years. Senior David Riley who was en- rolled in the Advanced PASCAL course taught by Dr. John Sutuia, department head of computer sci- ence, stated, A definite improve- ment in the computer department has been the addition of the lBM's. Cory Jacques, a junior tak- ing the same class, added, The computer department has satis- fied my needs. l know that l am getting a college level PASCAL courseg it's really helped me to think logically. . The math departments impact on the school was equally impres- sive this year. Approximately fifty' five students, more than ever be- fore, were enrolled in Advanced Placement Calculus courses. Ms. Christine Czapleski, an instructor, said, Our school has a great AP record for its size. Although i have only been here for two years, l am truiy impressed. This year also marked Shady Side's best record for the math team, advised by Mr. Meier. At the fourteenth annual Westminster Colleges High School Mathemat- ics competition on October 3, 1987, Shady Side finished first and second in Division One schools in New Wilmington. The winners were Benjamin Wu, Rondal Evans, Matt Steffora, Jerry Lynn, Linda Wei, Valia Djafari, and Owen Rescher. However, senior Darah Himmel- hoch thought that the department could be improved, and she of- fered some advice for the teach- ers, l think the system needs to be more personalized. l'rn not too lll'S sure why i'm taking BC Calculusl do not understand what the appli- cation of advanced mathematics to life reaiiy is ... Chris Foster, a sixth former in Calculus A agreed that the system is run pretty well and that, There were some major changes this year. Things occurred on a cosmic scale. The differences were like black and white, night and day, east and west, and Mrs. Mathis and Mr. Pavlovichf' Overail, students found that they were challenged by both de- partments this year. Most acade- mians felt that as long as additions and improvements are continuous- iy made, Shady Side Academy wiil continue to produce young people with a good conceptual under- standing of mathematics and a strong foundation in the increas- ingly complex computer field. Mathematics!Computer 21

Page 24 text:

Feathers . . . he science department un- derwent relatively few changes this school year. The most obvious was the expan- sion ofthe science office engulfing the purple couch area. Even with this added space, Mr. Weill, a chemistry instructor, felt that there must be a more efficient classroom layout. The courses offered by the de- partment ranged from general biol- ogy up to organic chemistry, giv- ing the students a wide spectrum of sciences from which to choose. As Mr. Diehl put it, The courses are designed to respond to student needs. Smaller class sizes this year enhanced student-teacher in- teraction, thus making up for what teachers believed to be insufficient lab time. The students and teach- ers also enjoyed outside activities in their courses. This year, the physics classes went to Kennywood for amusement park experiments utilizing the princi- ples of physics. The Birds of the Shady Side Campus taught by Mr. Sayles was a highly successful course involving students directly with the oftentime unutilized Shady Side natural environment. Students met during the day to look for and identify different birds in the area. Upcoming changes include a new introductory course and the departure of Ms. Sines. According to Mr. Reiland, chairman of the sci- ence department, the new intro- ductory course is still in the plan- ning stages and won't appear in the curriculum until 1990. lt would be a mixture of no specific science with an emphasis on methods of problem solving. Mr. Reiland also added that This program would serve as a stepping stone into any of the disciplines. With Ms. Sines' departure, the science department will lose one of its precious, committed teachers. This gap, however, will not present a large problem. Mrs. Meyers, with her expertise in biology, will take over Ms. Sines' responsibilities. ln the far future, look out for more changes in the curriculum and a restructuring of class time geared for more personal experi' mentation rather than book learn- ing. Be prepared to think like a sci- entist! Enjoying a combination of fresh air and aca demics are Birds of the Shady Side Cam JG Scigucw pus students Darah Himmelhoch. Matt Braidic and Andy Howat as Mr Sayles in st ucts in the background

Page 26 text:

nd p nd nee War any students exper- ienced brief periods of confusion this year due to the unusually large turnover of Social Studies teachers. There were many additions to the faculty as a result of former department head Robert Kirkpatrick becoming Director of Admissions. As he was responsible for many demanding duties, he was no longer able to carry his heavy Social Studies workload. Two new faculty, Mr. James Blitch and Ms. Laura Peder- sen, were hired in order to take over many of Kirkpatrick's classes. These new and relatively young teachers were unknown quantities to many students who already approached their new classes with trepidation. Students no longer had the security of being familiar with the teachers' reputa- tions and expectations. Adding to the initial confusion of facing the unknown for some students, other students had to deal with a sudden change of teachers in the middle of the year due to Dr. Sauer's and Mr. Hench's half year sabbaticals. Mr. Bruce Jordan took their places in their absences. The changes in the Social Studies Department were unsettling to say the least for the brought refreshing insights and perspectives to the material. lt was a time of growth not only for the students but also for the new teachers. Mr. James Blitch felt that he had grown along with his students. While he had observed the development of potential in his own students, he also had found his own abilities as a teacher bene- fiting from the experience. Students next year will also be facing a degree of uncertainty as the change in department organi- zation will again cause new faculty to join the department. Mr. Robert Veto will give up his position as head of the department to become the Dean of Students. Dr. Sauers will return to the position of De- partment head, and a new teacher, Mr. Wilson, will take the place of Ms. Judy Bell. Another new face on campus will be intern Ms. Doer- ing who will be working with Mr. Hench. Changes in faculty are not the only exciting developments as a new history course will be of- fered: Advanced Placement Euro- pean History and an updated Mod- ern European History. lt is hoped that these new devel- opments will result in the same growth undergone by both faculty l students, but out of this confusion came an unexpected bonus. The new faces and new personalities 'iii B 1 'N and students of the 1987-1988 school year. 3 Q . We t Nm. 22 Academics Qs Letting his mind wander from presidents and politics, junior Jason Kushner looks away from the board during Mr. Veto's Ll.S. History class. ln a quiet corner of Rowe Common, used to working on her own, having Mindy Gottfried uses the solitude to completed an independent study in get some work done. Gottfried was analytical writing.