Q&A: Principal Pam Bylsma
Pam Bylsma is now several weeks into the beginning of her first year as the principal of Riverside Brookfield High School. In an exclusive audio interview, Clarion took some time to hear about her background, her philosophy of supervision, and her first impressions of RB.
How did you prepare for your first year as principal at RB?
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How was it working at your old job and preparing for this job at the same time?
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Why did you decide to make the switch to RB?
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What initiatives and changes have you made this school year?
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Are there any changes which you are planning on making in the near future?
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How is the school year going both academically and personally?
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Is there a motto you live by?
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Is there a personal goal you wish to accomplish by the end of your time at RB?
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17 Things to Chew On
Seventeen Things to Chew On is a program where teachers try to use web 2.0 products in their classroom. Web 2.0 tool’s main theme is to use the three C’s: Collaborate Communicate and Create. Some of the tools used included blogs, Twitter, wikis, creating websites, cloud computing, and social networking.
This is the first year that RB has done this program. Media specialist Alicia Duell brought this idea to RB from Helene Blowers learning 2.0. This program kicked off November of this year and went all the way to March. There were fifty staff members to start, but only eleven finished. These staff members are: Daniel Mancoff, Jessica Mauritzen, Brigit Riordan, Bridget Wilmot, Melissa Gordon, Patty Sarkady, Kellie Dean, Kristi Sterling, Allison Cabaj, Doreen Fritz, and Deb Friedman. All of these eleven finishers received an MP3 player, but one of them won an additional Sony e-reader. Daniel Mancoff was the winner of this prize and is very pleased with it.
Duell is very happy with this year’s outcome with this program. She said,”17 things to Chew On was a great way for teachers to learn new technology to help their students excel in the 21st century”, She wants this program to be continued out through years of RB. Different staff members will join each time to learn how to incorporate these tools in their everyday teaching.
Participant Patty Sarkady said,” I loved it! This program was offered to us in a creative way that allowed us to tackle these tools with our busy schedules. There is no way I would have put aside time to find these tools or explore tools I already knew about on my own. Because there was a set structure, I was able to learn about them at any hour of the day.”
If you have noticed one of your teachers using new tools in class, now you know why, RB is trying to take a step into the use of newer technology to benefit students learning. Web 2.0 tools are a way to be interactive in the classroom. If you are interested more in these tools, you can contact Dull through the RB library one of our RB librarians.
SEE Team charters plane for Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands are wonderful national parks and they are full of natural beauty. To be able to go there would be the experience of a life time. For current and former see team students and eco club members, this can become their own personal memory to look back on when they’re older. They are eligible to go on a ten day trip to the Galapagos Islands, where they will see a lot and do a lot of amazing things.
The trip will last from June 13th – June 22nd. The cost of the rip is 3,500 dollars, but will be well worth the money when they have the time of their life. The price of this trip will also go down with fundraising and grants.
Here is a rundown of the itinerary for the trip:
Day 1
- Meet your Tour Director and check into hotel
Day 2
- Sight seeing of Quito
- Independence Plaza
- Government Palace
- San Francisco Church
- Mitad del Mundo
Day 3
- Fly to San Cristobal Island
- Turtle Center visit
- Local farm barbeque
- Excursion to Junco Lake
Day 4
- Lobos Island Excursion
- Full day excursion to Lobos Island
- See sea lions, Kicker Rock, boobies, and frigate birds
- Snorkeling Adventure
- See rays, seals, iguanas, and multicolored fish
- Lobos Island beach time
- Dinner at a local fisherman’s house
Day 5
- San Cristobal Island–Santa Cruz Island
- Transfer to Santa Cruz Island via boat
- Primicias Ranch visit
- See Giant Galapagos tortoises
- View lava tunnels
- Darwin Research Center guided visit
- Enjoy Tortuga Bay beach
Day 6 Santa
- Cruz Island–Isabela Island
- Guided sightseeing tour of Punta Estrada
- Transfer to Isabela Island via boat
- Wall of Tears visit
- Enjoy Puerto Villamil beach
Day 7
- Sierra Negra
- Volcano Excursion
- Full-day guided Sierra Negra Volcano hike
- Chico Volcano visit
Day 8
- Cape Rose Excursion
- Full-day excursion to Cape Rose via boat
- Lava tunnel walk, sea turtles, penguins, rays, snorkeling & swimming
- Giant Tortoise Breeding Center guided visit
- Flamingo Lake walk
Day 9
- Isabela Island–Quito
- Transfer to Santa Cruz Island via boat
- Twin Craters visit
- Fly to Quito
Day 10 End Tour
Volley for life
Breast cancer attacks over two hundred thousand woman every year. Though it’s 100 times more likely for women to get breast cancer, guys can get it to. This is one of the reasons why RB takes part in The Volley for the Cure. Elizabeth Fredlund, the head coach of RB’s girls freshman volley ball team said,” Volley for the Cure is an important event to raise money for the Susan G. Komen foundation. The volley ball program is raising funds for cancer research & awareness. The girls are enjoying participating and working together to help this worthy cause.”
This is the second annual Volley for the Cure RB has taken a part of and they plan to do this for many years to come. The actual game is on Wednesday October 21st at Morton East. The admission is five bucks for the game and all proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The game starts at five o’clock and all levels of RB and Morton girls volleyball will be participating. Though they may be the only teams in this tournament they are not the only high schools who do Volley for the Cure.
The main reason for Volley for the cure is to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. This foundation is helping trying to find the cure for breast cancer. “I think women with breast cancer should be helped an collaborated to: and I like helping a cause like Volley for the Cure,” said Freshman Stephanie Lanbruschin .
RB is going to raise money by doing a few things. They are going to sell long sleeve and short sleeve t-shirts. The long sleeves will be thirteen dollars and the short sleeve will be ten dollars. The shirts are going to be black with pink writing on it. You can buy one from Mr. Bonarigo at room 208 staring on October 19th.
RB is also having a bake sale form October 19-21 all lunches. They will be selling cookies, brownies, cupcakes, rice krispy treats and puppy chow. So bring some extra money to school on the 19th through the 21st. not only are you helping out breast cancer your also getting something yummy.
We are also doing pledges for serves. This is when people donate a certain amount of money per every serve the girl does. They are going to have every girl serve so they can all help raise money.
So come show your support to this worthy cause and to the RB’s girl volleyball teams on October 21st. To learn more about either breast cancer or the foundation go to www.komen.org.
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