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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 1982)
Portland Observer, August 25, 1982 Page 3 METROPOLITAN Eldorado Club Good Food Cocktails Advanced English classes give college credit Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Special Dinner Served on Sundays 5016 N.E. U nion When school begins in (he fall, se niors taking advanced English at Jefferson may earn college credit. T h rough an advanced placement o p tion being o ffe re d for the first time, students who pay a small fee and pass a year-end test w ill have earned a full college credit for their Jefferson English class. The advanced English classes arc offered to all four grades. During the ninth g rade,stu d ents concen trate on how to organize and write essays. They study a variety of liter ature including novels and Shake speare, learning to analyze charac ter, setting, p lo t, and theme. Th ro u gh o u t all fou r levels o f a d vanced English, students also prac tice test-taking skills readying them for the Scholastic Aptitude Test. At the tenth grade level short re search papers are added to the writ ing program. In the junior year the research paper in its fully expanded form is taught and students study American literature. “ Students be gin developing their own styles, and the lite ra tu re they study becomes more com plex," commented Jean ette Swenson, English Department head. By the time the students reach the fo u rth year o f the advanced p ro gram they continue to develop their writing, learning to write on an as signed topic much like they would be expected to do in college. The writing assignments are designed to give them practice for college. They study international literature. The department also offers a cre ative writing elective. Here students learn a variety o f lite ra ry w ritin g techniques in addition to producing a literary magazine. “ Rights o f Pas sage" was published again this spring by students who met a fter school durin g an a ctivity period. Advised by Linda Christensen, the s ta ff included Ruth James, a junior, as editor. The 53 page publi cation included literary c o n trib u tions fro m over 20 students and photography from students in Henry Sjoblom's photography clas ses. The cover was designed by Can- dec Deane, a senior. School district administrators were very impressed with the sophistication and quality o f the student work. Plans for next year include expanding the size and w orking more closely w ith the art department. In recent e nd -o f-thc-year meet ings, the English department met to evaluate the w ritin g c u rricu lu m . One conclusion is that next year both teachers and students will be held more accountable. “ T o be placed in a specific level, students have to be competent. T o move up they will have to demonstrate their competence," explained Ms. Swen son. The department uses language usage tests as well as a student writing sample to determine place ment. “ W e are fin d in g that many students come to us who have, in theory, passed their English classes clsewhrc but can’t meet Jefferson’s criteria,” said Ms. Swenson. The program, in its fourth year, is unique in design and is a multilevel program aimed at meeting (he needs o f a diverse student body. The first few weeks o f school are very im portant in assuring a student’s suc cess in English. Students are placed according to test data and teacher assessment of writing skills. In plac ing ninth graders, reading test scores on standardized tests given yearly by the P ortland schools are used. In ad d itio n , a w iritin g sample is col lected from the students as eighth graders. Theses two pieces o f infor mation usually result in appropriate placement for most students. H o w ev er, when school begins teacher administered tests are also given to determ ine correct place ment. These tests use reading sam ples fro m m aterials students are asked to read in their classes. The program, in conjunction with the Reading Departm ent, has been successful in helping large numbrs o f students pass the g raduation standards tests. It is also possible for students to move through the program at an individual rate since it is competency based. For many, two years o f grow th is possible in one. “ There’s definitely a change in the quality o f a student’s work as a re s u lt,’ ’ says M s. Swenson. She points to the depth o f thought and the ability to analyze more complex materials when they have completed the program. I f you listen to students, the pro gram has earned high marks. Many alert their friends to the high stan dards set by the department. So for the JHS seniors who opt for college credit next year and have proven themselves in the English classes, they have a good start on the skills needed for success in college. The animal that can run the fastest in the world is the cheetah, which can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. • A man named Count Volta, a member of Italian nobility in the 1700s, conducted experinments in elec tricity and it is for fum that the words “ Volt and “ voltage” are named. • A ten gallon hat actually holds only about three- quarters of a gallon. W e do n ot do business w ith South A frica. American State Bank AN INDEPENDENT BANK Head Office 2 7 3 7 N. E. Union Port.and, Oregon 9 7 2 1 2 Energy saving * ^ c e n te r offers loans ■ - - „ lii - Joe Brooks (left) and fath er. Jerry B rooks, h eft solar panels onto roof of N o rth east P ortland hom e w h e re a n e w solar hot heating sys te m is b e in g in s ta lle d th r o u g h a 4 34% lo a n p ro g ra m a v a ila b le through the C ity Energy Saving C enter by C. Eddie Edmundson Since it was approved a year and a h alf ago by the C ity C o u n c il, the Energy Saving Center has loaned ap proximately $2 million to homeown er and area businesses to im prove their energy usage. The escalating costs for gas, oil, electric and solar, as well as the peak demands on en ergy suppliers, has made saving en ergy an im portant governm ental function to ensure there is an ade quate suppy to meet the demands. As a result, said Dolores H u r tado, public in fo rm atio n coordin ator for the Center, area homeown ers are urged to take advantage o f the new 4'/« per cent loan money available to reduce their energy con sumption. "Y o u need an energy a u d it,” she said. “ T h a t’ s the most effective thing do to ." It is also the first step the Center takes when they are asked to provide assistance. The 434 per cent loan program has been operating since March, she said. Thus far $ 3 1 2,0 0 0 has been loaned under the program. What the energy auditors do is in spect your residence for insulation, air leaks, caulking and the various ways energy is used in the home. Be sides the Center, energy audits can be done by the P o rtla n d D evelop ment Commission, and the various energy utilities in the city, she said. The audit covers things that most homeowners or residents can do for themselves for very little money. Even if someone is contracted to do the work the savings in the energy bill generally will pay for the cost of the loan, Hurato said. For apartm ent dwellers or ren t ers, H urato said that there is still a way to take advantage o f the low money. The renter who is responsible for paying the u tility bills can request and receive the energy audit. O r, if the landlord pays the u tility bills, the rentor can request that the land lord have the audit done if he has not already decided to do so. In this way the landlord, whether or not he or she is a resident o f Portland, can secure an 8 per cent loan to have the audit recommendations carried out, Hurtado said. The only requirement is that the building be in the city lim its. Qualifying for the cheap money is easy. “ For a family o f four with an income o f $29,700, or a fam ily o f two whose total income is $23,750, both q u alify for the low-interest loan,” she said. For those few who might not qualify for the 4'/« per cent, there is an H per cent weatherization and en ergy im provem ent loan available, loo. Apartment owners generally fit in this category. For area businesses, Hurtado said that there is a zero per cent loan “ to purchase an energy audit by a quali fied auditor to identify cost effective techniques that businesses can take.” The audit is done by, say, an a r chitect or someone qualified in this field. "T h is is our technical assist ance p ro g ra m ," H u ra to said. “ Most of the suggestions arc not ex pensive to do. And if the businesses implement the suggestions (hen the loan is forgiven." Businesses use more energy than the average home owners, she poin te out. And the auditor looks at the way (hat the building is lit, the equipment is operated, or whatever energy requirements and usages are presently in operation. The operation and maintenance energy audit, as it is called, gener ally results in an instant payback to most businesses that follow the rec ommendations, Hurato said. Those who want to make more extensive im provem ents in their home energy consumption, such as solar hot water installations in the home, can take advantage o f the 4 34 per cent loan program, Hurato said. Besides the low interest loans to go solar, there are several federal, state and u tility rebate and tax advan tages that make (his program very attractive. Not every home can go solar—de pending on the shading and south ern exposure o f your residence— but it is a long term savings that cannot be overlooked. Besides the type o f space heating in a home, hot water heaters are the most expensive ener gy user in the home. 287-4755 Yiu’ve probably heard about I’NB’s upcoming sepuation from its pirent oompiny, AT&T A separation that was prompted by’ the U S Department of Justice. Whitt you’ve probably little idea of, is how exactly, the changes will affect you. First, w ed like ¡<> dispel any fears you rn;iy hive. It hasalw aysbeen, ;uid will always be, our primary concern to nne vide you with quality. ;ifford;tNe tele phone service. 11 IF. REASt )N R )R 'H IE CHANGE In die developing days of the tele phone industry, die overriding goal was to provide every home with a phone. Tidiiy, more thin 96",'. of .til households in Ariterica enjoy die use of a telephone. With die advent of near-universal service, the philosophy of regulating dx- industry is changing. Regulators and legislators are now k x »king tt i competition in the market place h »decide what services will be provided at what price and by’ whom. WHAT W ill, IT COST ME- Telephone service will continué to be a g xid value. In fact, we've recendv ■ idded two new low-cost services called Basic .and Budget Measured Service. With these new services, you'll be charged for your phone service on the basis of how much phone service vou use. If you're a light photx- user, vi xi can expect to pay less than a h e a w phone user .And visa-versa. ¥ iu will still, lx iwever. have the option of flat-rate premium service in vour hi m ix *. as well as the new measured services. While these chuiges mav nxvui increases to some, they will me;«i de creases to the majoritv. IF ÍÜ L HAVE ANY QUESTIONS^ L E T S TALK. .At I’NB. we realize th « the ex change of ideas and comnxmts is mvalu- ;ble. In fact, it’s die very founckition of communicatxm. T hat’s whv we want you to know that w ere ready to talk about the exiling chuiges any time you are. List call 1800 555-5000; Well answ er any questions and pro vide vou with more information. In short, do everything p issible to ensure that the transition to new ways of doing business is as snxxith as p ssible fur you. Pacific Northwest Bell HOW COMING CHANGES IN THE TELEPHONE INDUSTRY WILL AFFECT YOU. W » ----A* ■M il J J J J J 11 555-5000 • X . .»■ x I'M. A K» h >1
