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HOW TO FIX BUFFALO’S SCHOOLS The dawn EMPOWERING STUDENTS of a new day for the Bills AT TAPESTRY CHARTER Ownership change kicks excitement level up a notch By Vic Carucci

NEWS SPORTS REPORTER Do you really need anything more than the in town and first place in the AFC East on the line to cause Stadium to shake with enough force to generate seismic activity today? Probably not, but the will have something else to create even more excitement for a sellout crowd of nearly 70,000: new ownership. Today will mark the first game with Terry and Kim Pegula as the Bills’ owners. They’re expected to be introduced on the field before kickoff. And they undoubted- ly will receive a rousing ovation, primar- ily for putting to rest uncertainty about the franchise’s future in Western New York since the passing of its founder, Ralph C. Wilson Jr., last March. “I’m excited for the people, the fans, the organization, the region,” Bills coach Doug Marrone said. “I’ve never looked at our fans as needing something to be electric, even as far as when I’ve been an opponent in this stadium. But to say it’s going up a notch, obviously, I have to recognize that. “I’ve always thought the fans have al- ways been a big part of our success when we play at home. They can make a dif- ference, and they did in” the 29-10 home- opening victory against Miami, only days Principal, teachers develop winning formula for bringing up to speed – and after the Pegulas’ agreement to purchase the Bills for $1.4 billion became public. sending on to college – teens from impoverished inner-city homes The Bills and Patriots share 3-2 records, giving the Bills rare equal footing with a

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Inmate deaths tied to private medical firm Photos by Derek Gee/Buffalo News State cites new hire

Sixth B Y S ANDRA T AN / NEWS STAFF REPORTER by Niagara County in a series ilton Sheehan holds up a lime green beach ball covered with numbers. Milton Sheehan, By Thomas J. Prohaska ¶ Sheehan is a math teacher at Tapestry Charter School in Buffalo. His top, wearing his NEWS NIAGARA REPORTER “tactical math short, spiked hair, olive-colored dress shirt and beige tie are secondary de- vest,” helps LOCKPORT – A state investigation concludes that two inmates died four days tails to his key accessory: a black tactical vest with reflective, fluorescent students solve Regents practice apart in the Niagara County Jail in 2012, Myellow trim. He resembles a well-dressed crossing guard. ¶ Sheehan tosses the beach ball exam problems. victims of “grossly inadequate” medical to each of his algebra and trigonometry students. Whatever number a student’s right thumb At bottom left, care and “patient abandonment.” Both inmates died two weeks after a lands on when the ball is caught is the question that student must answer from the Regents Jaquoine Fogan and Lisa Vidal Miami-based medical company took over practice exam booklet. ¶ “Who needs help?” Sheehan asks during the last week of school be- take notes; at medical care at the jail. The Niagara Coun- ty Legislature hired Armor Correctional fore the Regents exams. ¶ Whatever help his students need, there is a good chance Sheehan right, Janai Murray takes Health Services in hopes of saving money. carries a solution, either in his brain or in one of the 15 pockets and holders on his cheap, black part in daily Daniel Pantera’s death on Christmas vest. ¶ For a model of how to educate impoverished inner-city students, few schools beat quiet reading. morning 2012 was preventable, the state Commission of Correction’s Medical Re- Tapestry. The 13-year-old charter school’s | SEE SCHOOLS ON PAGE A6 view Board concluded, citing “grossly in- adequate medicalandmental health care,”

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HOW TO FIX BUFFALO’S SCHOOLS

English teacher Sara Dolloff asks her exiting ninth-graders to write a letter to Che Brown, 14, and all other Tapestry Charter High School students, cease themselves reflecting on what they’ve learned during the school year. regular school wook and read for personal enjoyment for 20 minutes every day as part an effort to raise student literacy.

Kayla Wood, right, cuts loose with a classmate to re-enact the “Friday chicken Photos by Derek Gee/Buffalo News Andrela Wilson, 15, works with classmates in science class. She stands a better dance” each week in Milton Sheehan’s 11th-grade crew. All Tapestry high school students meet daily with a “crew” of 12 classmates who become their in-school family. Hillary Kelkenberg’s 10th-grade crew trades stories about student drinking. chance of passing the Regents exam now that her reading scores have gone up. STUDENTS KNOW HOW FAR THEY HAVE TO GO, AND WHY

egated to a large trailer in the backyard. SCHOOLS • from A1 Alongside student artwork and exhib- By the numbers / Tapestry Charter High School and Buffalo district high schools its, images of the Tapestry Compass pop 4-year Asian/ English student population mirrors the city up everywhere. That compass is a star Graduation 2013 Pacific Students with language Economically schools: three of every of four students with four long points, each compass tip HighSchool rate Enrollment White Black Hispanic Islander Multiracial disabilities learners disadvantaged poor enough to qualify for a free or re- pointing to a quality needed for a suc- Tapestry Charter High School 93% 327 23% 61% 9% 2% 5% 13% 5% 75% duced-price lunch, the majority start- cessful future: Perseverance, integrity, re- ing high school with reading skills below sponsibility and respect. Buffalo Public Schools (high schools) 56% 8,804 23% 51% 16% 8% 1% 17% 12% 65% grade level. Tapestry’s values tend to squeeze out Source: 2013-14 demographic data from Tapestry Charter School, Buffalo Public Schools and New York State Education Department. Graduation rates are for August 2013. Yet Tapestry graduates 93 percent of deception. Students typically know exact- its students on time, and 80 percent of ly how they are doing in school, how far graduates go on to college in the fall. they have to go, and why. and other perks. About the series her daughter painted at age 5. The secret to Tapestry’s success starts In Sarah Dolloff’s English class, the Students who fall behind in their Near the door hangs a graduation pho- with the flexibility it has as a charter walls explode with words both printed schoolwork – particularly freshmen – How to Fix Buffalo’s Schools is an occasional series highlighting to of her son, the reason Bass got involved school, free from school system bureau- and handwritten. The wispy ninth-grade have built-in time to meet with teachers urban schools across the country that have made outsized progress in Tapestry. Her son enjoyed his early cracy and many state and local regula- teacher, who has built her career at Tap- and catch up. One former freshman de- on some of the seemingly intractable problems plaguing inner-city years at Buffalo’s Olmsted School 64 until schools. The successful schools were selected through statistical analy- third grade. tions. It can adjust its schedule to meet the estry, seizes on this last day of class be- scribed the experience as being “hunted sis of data on academic performance and demographics. The schools needs of students, teachers and parents. fore Regents exams to drive home how far down” by the staff. chosen are some of the best examples of successfully educating students After her son’s miserable, tear-filled The administration can select and hire each student has come since the fall. Rites of passage are common. All soph- with backgrounds similar to those in the Buffalo Public Schools. experience with his third-grade teacher, staff who embrace Tapestry’s mission and Anna Burton works on a project in English class. Students are told their Lexile She passes out light blue paper to every omores must assemble and present a “pas- Bass took a chance on Tapestry because model of teaching. scores, measuring reading comprehension, and encouraged to improve them. student and tells the class to look over all sage portfolio” to apanelof adults –includ- To read the first five parts of this series and for online-only features, she knew the founder of the school, Joy The teaching model is nontraditional. the work they have done for class this year, ing their parents and professionals from On the Web: go to BuffaloNews.com/FixingSchools. Pepper. Back then, Tapestry was not a Students are pushed to regularly reflect College-bound Tapestry students reflect on what they learned, then write a the community – defending their right to News reporters host June 22:In the Bronx, a school for at-risk boys succeeds. high-demand school with a long waiting on their own achievements and face their letter to their past selves – “the one just move to the higher grade. Seniors must a live chat about July13: In Brooklyn, a model for teaching immigrants. list. It was a new elementary school re- shortcomings with honesty. They meet Percentage of Tapestry high school graduates from the Class of 2013 starting out ninth grade” – and tell that write letters of advice to the freshmen and charter schools at July14: Buffalo’s Lafayette High School struggles to teach immigrants. cruiting families. daily with a “crew” of classmates who who enrolled in college the fall immediately following graduation person what to expect. present an “apologia” to an adult panel, noon Tuesday at Aug.17: Newark’s jobs training is a model for urban schools. Bass,aschool psychologist whoworked stick together for all four years, facing the 2-year college 34.7% Many essay responses are remarkably reflecting on their high school experience BuffaloNews.com. Oct.5: CSAT Charter School graduates most students in county. for 10 years in the Buffalo Public Schools, ups and downs of life as an in-house fami- 4-year college 45.3% honest. and why they deserve to graduate. was one of the people who pushed for the ly for kids who don’t always have that kind “Dear Me,” writes Malcolm Powell at “Have you ever felt hopeless, truly school’s expansion and wound up leading of support at home. The faculty immerses Total: 80.0% his binder-cluttered desk. “This year was hopeless?” says Oscar Wilson, an emotion- the high school. students in projects that give their learn- Source: Tapestry Charter School and National Student Clearinghouse just like last year. It wasn’t hard, you just ally fragile senior whose voice rings with family at school – a “crew” of 12. says,“and he lost everything he hadon him.” With short, straight, blondish-brown ing a purpose and instill kids with the be- never did your homework.” tear-inducing sincerity. “As if you have Those 12 freshmen will stick togeth- In an 11th grade crew led by math hair andunassuming glasses, Bass exudes lief that they have the power through edu- The serious-minded 14-year-old goes tried every possible solution and all has er and meet daily for their entire high teacher Sheehan, Alexandria Johnson and both interest and warmth. But get her cation to shape their world. on to tell himself that he is writing more, failed? You’re waiting for an open door, school careers. This is possible at Tapes- Kayla Wood spring to their feet, bending, started on the “unfair” advantages Tap- And Tapestry students read. It’s built Eliminate public schools that have ad- focusing on his grammar and thinking but nothing is happening … That is how try because even though the school year stepping and gesturing wildly to the “Fri- estry has over traditional public schools, into the daily schedule. Students may not missions requirements to filter out low- about poetry. After he’s done, Malcolm my life has felt.” isn’t any longer than at traditional public day chicken dance song” that Sheehan and all that changes to hard conviction. always like it or be good at it,butthey come achievers, and high-performing charter leans back in his seat. He talks about his Dressed in a deep-blue shirt buttoned schools, Tapestry’s school day is roughly callsup on hislaptop. Earlierin theyear,he “It’s a mistake to assume we just take to school knowing just how good or poor a schools stand almost unrivaled. Expectations and reflections poetry. all the way up, he reads his apologia, us- an hour longer. had called up a YouTube video to show his kids who are easy,” she says, “because we reader they are, and challenge themselves Not all charter schools work. Some apestry Charter School began as “Before, I wrote the bare minimum,” ing the metaphor of driving a car down Daily crew meetings are led by a teach- students an example of the stupid things don’t.” to become more literate every day. do worse than traditional public schools. a conversation in 1999 among five he says. dark roads, negotiating traffic, and deal- er who also serves as the main contact for people do when they’re drunk. Alex and People who say that haven’t seen her For two decades, charter schools like Charters like Tapestry also have a leg up T synagogue friends whose own This kind of self-reflection isn’t a class- ing with shiftless passengers and back- these students’ parents. But students do Kayla were so amazed by the drunk guy’s pick up the phone and call Child Protec- Tapestry have been a political divider, pit- because they enroll fewer special-educa- children were attending Buffalo Public room whim. It’s built into the workings of seat drivers. He talks about how he nearly most of the talking. What they learn in dancethat they studiedhiseverymove and tive Services, she says. ting accountability-minded conservatives tion students and English language learn- Schools. As educators and activists, the school and into the school calendar. failed freshman year,howhe straightened crew has nothing to do with grades and re-create the dance each Friday. Only 30 percent of Tapestry’s high against more liberal-minded champions ers than the district average. Some crit- including one who ran a preschool, they Instead of parent-teacher conferences up sophomore year, how he reached a new everything to do with life. As the period winds down, Sheehan school students come from Tapestry’s el- of traditional public schools. ics also argue that charter school parents dreamed of building a school focused on at every grade level, the school reserves low point in his senior year but managed In one 10th grade crew meeting, the takes a last look at his crew. ementary school (though that percentage But in recent years, those lines have tend to be more proactive and invested in arts, community and social responsibility. two full days for “student-directed” con- to find the strength to recover. day before prom, students sit in a circle “Be safe at prom,” he tells them. increased this fall). The rest are chosen by blurred. Charter school successes have their children’s academic success. Tapestry opened as an elementary ferences where kids spend an hour shar- “I have stuck to the road that I am on,” and pass around Bobo, a stuffed elephant, lottery, and the majority enter at least a shifted the discussion from principled po- But parents are voting with their feet. school two years later. It expanded into ing specific examples of their work with he says, “and I refuse to turn back.” and talk about drinking. year behind in school academically. litical philosophy to practical parent pref- High-performing charter schools like the high school grades in 2006, again their parents. If it’s poor work, it’s obvious, Oscar nowattendsSUNYFredonia State. Melanie Norris, who was struggling at “It’s the game of taking what just is, erence. Since 1999, the number of char- Tapestry are flooded with student appli- spurred by strong parent demand. The and there’s nothing left to do but explain. Buffalo Academyof theSacred Heartbefore and making it work,” Bass says. “Just be- ter schools nationwide has grown from cations. In the high school alone, Tapestry school now serves children in kindergar- A teacher sits in to promote honesty. she transferred to Tapestry, recounts how Tapestry’s advantage cause people have a bad circumstance 1,500 to 6,000. The number of children at- typically wait-lists 200 students a year. ten through 12th grade in a building be- Climbing the ladder to graduation is a girlfriend got drunk at a dance at St. Jo- rincipal Bass sits in a lived-in office doesn’t mean they can’t learn.” tending charter schools has grown from “All parents are looking for quality op- hind the North Buffalo Marshalls plaza in no mystery. Grading formulas are clear. Crew is family seph’s Collegiate Institute, threw up in the filled with posters and paper piles. She notes that even though Tapestry 300,000 to more than 2 million. tions for their children,” said Principal a space once occupied by a grocery store And students aren’t just graded for their bathroomandgotthrown outof school. P Accountability reports, math plan- enrolls 13 percent of students with dis- It’s easy to see why. When ranking the Lynn Seagren Bass, “and when they hear and call center. academic knowledge. They receive a he administrators and teachers at Another crew member in a Lincoln- ning folders, bookshelves and plastic abilities – compared with 17 percent in the highest performing schoolsin Buffaloand of options that are working well for their The school received a $14 million separate “habits of work” grade for con- Tapestry don’t assume that their like top hat recalls a drunken friend who crates of documents cover almost every Buffalo Public Schools – those students New York State – particularly those serv- neighbors and friends, they want their makeover in 2010 to hide its drab origins. scientiousness, participation and effort. T studentshave strong familysupport foolishly challenged another group of flat surface. Images of the Dalai Lama, still graduate at a decent rate – 22 percent ing high percentages of poor students kids to be there. I have a lot of faith in the It’s a packed place, with storage spaces Students with good work habits get first at home. Instead, Tapestry makes sure kids at 2 a.m. Albert Einstein and W.E.B. Du Bois hang – charter schools claim many top spots. judgment of parents.” converted to offices and a music room rel- choice of fun school activities, field trips everyhighschool student hasasupportive “He got jumped and broke his arm,” he overhead,alongwith awatercolor of abird See Schoolson Page A8

BUFFALONEWS.COM/FIXINGSCHOOLS A8 The Buffalo News/Sunday, October 12, 2014

HOW TO FIX BUFFALO’S SCHOOLS ‘TAKING WHAT IS, AND MAKING IT WORK’

Regents review book, then head to the SCHOOLS • from A7 white boards that cover most of the verti- cal space in Sheehan’s room. earned a Regents diploma and 56 percent “Who needs help?” Sheehan asks. earned local diploma in 2013. He quickly gets a taker and reaches Tapestry may have some advantage into his vest pocket for a red marker be- over other schools because of its char- fore approaching the board where one of ter status, she says, but the school’s char- the students has written out her equa- ter status isn’t the entire explanation for tion. As others complete their equation why her students succeed. assignments, Sheehan reaches into a dif- Bass spent 10 years processing stu- ferent vest pocket for a stamp to mark dents with special needs in the Buffalo their sheets before he tosses out the Public Schools. Too often, she recalls, she beach ball again for the next student. ran into students and parents who were Some mock Sheehan’s “math geek treated with pity, condescension and low vest.” He calls it his best idea ever. In past expectations. years, he was forced to make repeated She referred to the school district’s re- trips back to his desk because students cent history of graduating only a quar- weren’tpreparedwith basics like pencils. ter of its black, male students (the figure “I finally decided I wasn’t going to let is 45 percent now). Would anyone have them distract me any more,” he said. the gall to suggest that the parents of the Sheehan went to Amazon.com and failing 75 percent just didn’t care about Derek Gee/Buffalo News bought his math geek vest for $30. His their kids’ education? she asks. vest holds: a ruler, pencils (he started out “Don’t make excuses for your gradu- Tapestry Charter High School Principal Lynn Seagren Bass says Tapestry is with 500andnowhaszero), astar-shaped ation rate by just saying you’ve got the about community. “The magic of all this is just relationships,” she says. hole punch, a pencil sharpener, Wite-Out, wrong kids,” Bass said. “How disrespect- astapler, acamera(tosnap photosof nap- ful to parents.” Spending per student: a comparison ping kids), dry-erasemarkers, aniPadsty- Tapestry prides itself on getting more Spending per student, 2013-14 lus, tissues, Band-Aids and a clipped-on than 90 percent of its parents to attend Tapestry Charter School $13,332 scientific calculator holster. student-led conferences and complete But he’s not blind to the difficulty of surveys. Most parents gush about the Buffalo Public Schools $22,977 his work. Like his colleagues, Sheehan school culture and staff, though a few Note: The per-student expenditure figure for Buffalo Public Schools students excludes enrollment often stays at school until dinnertime, say students here get way more second and spending for charter school students. working to get his students up to speed. chances than exist in the real world. Sources: Calculations based on expenditure and enrollment information from Tapestry Charter School If he were teaching in the suburbs, he Bass doesn’t apologize for that. She and the Buffalo Public Schools said, that effort would be rewarded with says it speaks to the school’s message of exceptional results. But here, he strug- perseverance: “You’re going to get better. WhyTapestrywaschosen gles to get students who are below grade Don’t ever give up.” level up to speed. When he sees many students’ trigonometry scores are “below In selecting the highest-performing local charter schools, The Buffalo News reviewed mediocre,” frustration washes over him. three years of graduation rates for Buffalo’s district schools and charter high schools that “I’ve put hundreds and hundreds of draw the majority of their students from Buffalo. hours into getting them where they need Promoting literacy The News then reviewed state and district attrition data to eliminate charter schools with to be,” he said. “So that’s what’s tough.” ou may not know what a Lexile high percentages of students leaving and returning to district public schools. This was done to Although the school day at Tapestry score is. But every high school ensure that the charters’ high graduation rates were not the result of the school counseling out most days starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at Y student at Tapestry does. or expelling difficult or low-achieving students. 3:36 p.m., students do not come to school A Lexile score is a three- or four-digit Finally, The News looked at the demographics of students enrolled in the charter schools to until 10:20a.m. on Mondays. From 8a.m. number designed to help teachers assess a identify schools whose student populations resemble the district’s enrollment in terms of race to 10 a.m. on Mondays, teachers get to- student’s reading comprehension. At Tap- and poverty. Based on that analysis, both Tapestry Charter High School and the Charter High gether to meet, plan and learn. estry, teachers share those numbers with School for Applied Technologies clearly ranked at the top of the list. The Charter High School Teachers, not administrators, deter- their kids and throw down the challenge: for Applied Technologies was profiled last week. mine what additional professional train- Thisisyourscore.Let’sseeifyoucanraiseit. ing they need. They also limit class sizes Without strong reading skills, the to 21 students or fewer in all major aca- likelihood of a student graduating from demic subjects. high school is low. That’s why Tapestry Andrela learns her Lexile score now “It was disgusting,” says ninth-grad- Tapestry teachers aren’t unionized, teachers try to develop a love of reading stands at 1,002. A proud grin creases er Kim Bostic, wrinkling her nose. “My though some other charter schools are. In- among their students. both corners of her mouth as she says it, eyes burned.” stead, theschool hasanInstructionalLead- One approach is sharing Lexile scores as if she wants to smile bigger but self- They tracked the spread of disease in ership Council, representing teacher lead- like video-game rankings. consciousness won’t let her. math class, and talked about the birth of ersof each gradelevel anddepartment. The school also schedules 20 minutes the Protestant Reformation, the print- Dolloff, the ninth-grade English of quiet reading time across the build- ing press and the spread of information teacher, remembers when she was in her ing every day, a feat made possible by the in global studies. In the end, all students fourth year at Tapestry Charter High charter school’s longer school day. had to develop cancer communications School in an old building near Days Park. At 10:14 a.m., all classrooms fall still. Expeditions and engagement campaigns and present them to six staff- The building was packed, and the stu- Some teachers dim the lights as students long one Tapestry hallway ers from Roswell Park. dents seemed exceptionally difficult. pull out their latest favorite book and read stands an image of ninth-graders Because these themed expeditions “There were times when we were at their desks. This isn’t homework catch- A wrapped in blue-and-yellow life are interwoven among the students’ sub- thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can do this,’ ” up time. It is intended as a time when all jackets as they sail the Spirit of Buffalo. jects, Tapestry doesn’t offer Advanced she recalls. kids read what they want –forfun. “We are crew, not passengers” reads Placement classes. That’s a trade-off ev- As a result, all the teachers took a step Some students, though, are not ready the motto beneath the ship. eryone lives with for the sake of keep- back and worked with administrators to for that independence. Tapestry isn’t the only school to have ing all students engaged and growing as change the schedule, regroup the kids. Andrela Wilson isn’t with the other this motto. So do a number of other “whole” people, Principal Bass says. They reorganized the entire ninth-grade kids in her class. The quiet, 14-year-old traditional public schools and charter The message to students: “Be good program and created aspecial supportpe- freshman with dark-framed glasses par- schools who subscribe to the “expedi- citizens. Create a world that’s going to be riod at theendof theday. It helped. ticipates in a book club for those who don’t tionary learning” model. better.” English teacher Geoff Schutte re- want to, or aren’t ready to, read alone. The motto emphasizes the idea that calls teaching eighth-graders at Fred- She’s into “Catching Fire” from the Hun- students participate in their own learn- erick Douglass Prep, a low-performing ger Games series. Asked if she likes read- ing and are not simply recipients of infor- Rochester public school on the verge of ing, sheresponds“yeah,”before sheepishly mation. To promote this, teachers create closure seven years ago. The first year he shaking herhead amoment later. themed projects or “expeditions” that stu- Teacher support was there, he worked tirelessly. “Itrytoread,” sheexplains.“Igetbored.” dents dive into across all major subjects. apestry’s teachers face constant By his second year, he could feel the When Andrela left the city’s Martin It might mean a “Here I Stand” expe- pressure to keep classes engag- eroding of his commitment to stay late Luther King Multicultural Institute and dition that focuses on ways students can T ing and make sure no one falls far and push, despite administrator admo- enrolled in Tapestry as a ninth grader inspire reform in their community. behind. To balance this, teachers receive nitions to “get scores up.” The lanky, last fall, her Lexile score was 832. To be Three ninth-graders eagerly walk a lot of autonomy and peer support. This once-enthusiastic teacher felt more considered reading at grade level, high along a long display of seven case stud- translates into a staff more willing to stay burned out in Rochester despite doing school students should have a score of ies associated with this expedition over late anddo “whateverit takes” to graduate less work there than he does here. roughly 1,000 or greater. the past several months. They talk about students on time. “I’ve been given incredible profes- Bass noted that students are almost studying medical ethics and consent by This requires two things that come sional autonomy,” he says of his seven guaranteed to fail the Regents Living reading about the infamous Tuskegee easier to charter schools: Hiring staff years at Tapestry. “That’s why I love it.” Environment science exam without a syphilis experiment and the Henrietta who believe in the charter school’s mis- Bass says she doesn’t require any of Lexile score of at least 900. Lacks immortal cell line in English class. sion and work ethic, and creating a her staff to stay late. But as a charter Of all students entering ninth grade They talk about researching cancer schedule that allows built-in time for school principal, Bass does have control in the fall, 60 percent arrived read- and conducting experiments, compar- teacher training and peer support. over who joins her school’s staff. ing below grade level, according to the ing healthy and cancerous cells under a Back in Sheehan’s algebra and trig- “I can’t order them to stay,” she says. schools’ 2012-13 assessments. That fig- microscope in Roswell Park Cancer Cen- onometry class, the lime green beach “I want to hire people who want to stay.” ure dropped to 43 percent by the spring. ter’s Pathology Department, as well as ball is making the rounds. One by one, Shortly before the school day ends, about dissecting a pig in science class. students catch the ball, pick up their email: [email protected]

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