Council Votes 5-0 for New Police Station Classroom Heads Outdoors
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
We Insure HOMES Jane DiLoreto Agency Tigers, Eagles get shutout 215-2121 wins at Jamboree 3701193-01 – Sports THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013 WWW.CLAYTODAYONLINE.COM VOLUME 44, NO. 21 75¢ Council votes School board 5-0 for new nixes training, police station keynote speaker By Pete Geiger plan in works Correspondent By Eric Cravey GREEN COVE SPRINGS – After weeks of Managing editor wrangling and debate during the city’s re- cent election cycle, the planned Green Cove FLEMING ISLAND – Although a proposal to Springs police station received unanimous bring a corporate trainer and keynote speaker support from city leaders on May 21. to Clay County was shot down at last week’s The Green Cove Springs City Council’s PHOTO BY AMANDA RUHL School Board meeting, two planned June ve members voted 5-0 to award a $3.9 mil- Wilkinson Elementary students took to their school’s eld recently to celebrate a unit training seminars for principals and teachers lion contract to Batson-Cook Inc. of Jackson- about ancient Greco-Roman culture. will go forward. ville, cutting the project by some 30 percent “Plan B is me,” said Emily Weiskopf, su- and saving taxpayers $1.7 million. pervisor of professional development and Planned to be built on three city-owned Classroom heads outdoors school improvement for Clay County Schools, acres at Idlewild and Melrose avenues, who is preparing her By Sarah Wake eld Rosser Tuesday’s vote won over the support of coun- June keynote address. Staff Writer cil members Ray Braly and Van Royal, both “This is not about me. of whom had voiced objections not to build- MIDDLEBURG – Raven Brianna Schro- I’m disappointed for the ing a new police station but to its projected er palmed the discus, closed her eyes leaders and the teach- size and cost. to gather her thoughts, side-stepped to- ers who won’t have this Royal said at a city council meeting that ward to line, spun her body towards the opportunity.” he didn’t want to be “a y in the ointment” of eld and sent it ying. After traveling Since joining the the police station project. high into the air, the discus fell to the county school system Emily Weiskopf “But I’m concerned about the value en- dusty ground with a thud. administration in April, gineering changes that brought the cost Schroer and her fellow sixth graders Weiskopf had been working to put together down,” Royal said. Construction plans have at Wilkinson Elementary transformed a set of summer training programs for each not yet been drawn to include the changes. old riding mowers and bicycles into Ro- of the district’s 41 principals. Each principal Royal said awarding a contract without man chariots, hurled make-do javelins was to also invite three leader teachers from rst having construction plans could tempt and participated in other track and eld their school and, together, they would take a builder to draw plans for a structure de- events on May 17, a celebration of hav- their new knowledge back to their schools. signed to cost less than the contract amount. ing just completed a unit about ancient The goal – empower them to lead their fac- The councilman added, however, that he had Greco-Roman culture. ulty through the sea change known as the new con dence in Batson-Cook. “We still see some of their culture Common Core State Standards. To offset his concern, Royal asked that a today,” Schroer said. “We have lots of To achieve that goal, Weiskopf had invited SEE COUNCIL, 5 Greek words and our alphabet comes SEE LESSON, 2 SEE SCHOOL, 8 The best deals! INSERTS USA WEEKEND •New Vehicles NEWS AMERICA COUPONS •Pre-Owned HOME DPEOT •Service & Body Shop CLAY COUNTY TAX SALE SAVE gordonchevy.com • 1166 BLANDING BLVD. $176 2 CLAY TODAY • May 23, 2013 COMMUNITY CLAYTODAYONLINE.COM immediate experts in the events. Seventh Lesson and eighth grade track and eld athletes from page 1 from Wilkinson Junior High volunteered at most stations to show the younger students from Latin.” how to throw a javelin properly or toss Not only do root words such as “cene- the shot put without dislocating a shoul- tri” meaning “center” exist because of Ro- der blade. Kiana Heard and Alex Bar eld man culture, but food and sports. The fun helped students set their feet, tuck the on the eld transformed classroom learn- shot put and push away from the body as a ing in practical understanding. means of preventing injury. “Romans used to race chariots in the “I’m naturally built like this,” Bar eld Colosseum drawn by horses,” said Amber said, who shuf ed his feet to the line be- Warriner, 12. “They put on plays about the fore launching the shot put at least 12 gods and only men were allowed to be on yards into the eld, causing both teachers stage. Even if the character was a woman and students to gawk in amazement. or child, they were played by men.” Teams distinguished themselves by Instead of olive wreaths like ancient wearing different colors and rotated to ve Rome, Wilkinson’s top three teams won a stations, including a refreshment tent, be- members pushed the chariots around the with PVC pipe, spray paint and glitter. The faux gold, silver or bronze medal mirroring fore competing in a massive game of tug- course. kids named it Scorpus.” the modern day Olympics. of-war and chariot races. “It probably took seven hours to make Throughout the afternoon, the stu- For Teah Ramirez, participating in a The chariots looked similar to home- my son’s team chariot,” said parent Aman- dents celebrated school camaraderie with modern version of ancient sports made her made soap box derby cars, made of shop- da Ruhl, whose son Cody participated in high- ves and cheers. Elevated from the feel connected to the past. ping carts or bicycles and painted to re- the games. barbaric competitive practices of ancient “To me, all this feels like I’m going back semble a modern day chariot. Dressed in “The two back wheels were taken from Romans, students fairly and respectfully in time,” Ramirez said. helmets and goggles, each driver sat in a broken down lawn mower, and we used a competed without the threat of being The students were not expected to be the main compartment while other team bike tire on the front. We put it all together mince meat for the lions. Pre-summer pruning: Beat the heat, bring on the owers Summer is just around the corner and size, then the best bet for a healthy plant is already temperatures have started to rise. to prune before new growth sets in. Prune Despite having grown up in South Florida them too late, and you’re cutting yourself I don’t seem to have the stamina for sum- short on blooms for next year. mertime yard work. Ideally, you’ll prune early owering I know many shrubs and trees such as Azalea, Camellia, Clay County gar- Cherry family (Prunus species), Dogwood, deners are tough and Spirea as soon as they’re done bloom- – you can take the ing for the season. If you’ve been putting heat and humid- off this task, then do it now before the ity without batting weather warms. an eye – keeping “Don’t prune past June” is a great rule- weeds and pests at of-thumb for your early- owering land- bay in the most ex- scape plants – and to get heavy work done treme weather that Seasonal concerns before things heat up in the garden. Florida summers from gardeners Some summer bloomers, on the other have to offer. For AMY E. MORIE hand, can be encouraged to bloom again those of you who Environmental Horticulture Agent ll with pruning. The roses you pruned in mid- wilt in the warmer Clay County Extension Office February area a great example – by now second round of owers. The same holds beat the heat – a win-win for enjoying your months like I do, you likely have had a magni cent display true for other shrubs that will bloom again, garden. Want someone to answer a spe- here’s some heavy work to get out and take that’s starting to fade. Deadheading (prun- such as hibiscus and oleander. Prune light- ci c plant question for you? Go online to care of now. ing off spent blossoms) will encourage a ly and selectively to encourage an extend- http://clay.ifas.u .edu and under the head- Pruning early owering shrubs as well new round of blooms for you to enjoy later ed season of color. ing “Horticulture” (left hand side of page) as warm-season repeat bloomers now will in the season. Like any job, the right tool makes all left click on “Ask a Master Gardener” and help you enjoy the blooms for the rest of Other plants that will give you a second the difference when pruning. Make your a reply will be sent plus a hyperlink to the year – especially once the tempera- show – or more – if deadheaded include work easier with the right tool for your the appropriate University of Florida Fact tures soar. If you haven’t yet tackled prun- crape myrtle, as well as many perennial pruning job – see the illustration for de- Sheets. ing for your winter and early spring bloom- and annual owers. Make sure to only re- scriptions of the uses for common pruning Please send us a digital picture of the ing shrubs, now is the time. move the spent ower heads and no more.