SPEAKOUT

Friday, January 11, 2002

Call 471-6636

I was recently informed that it is Sikeston Public School policy that the second quarter grade automatically becomes the first semester grade and the fourth quarter becomes the second semester grade, instead of the traditional method of averaging. I fail to see the logic behind this policy. A student could get a 99 percent (A) for the first quarter and a 89 percent for the second quarter (B). If these grades were averaged, it would be an A for the semester with a 94 percent. Under this policy, the student would be given a B for the semester. Another student could get a D for the first quarter and an A in the second quarter and be given an A for the semester. Making a note that the semester grades are the only grades that go on the student's permanent record, that could make a big difference on a high school student's efforts to go to college or to earn a scholarship. Is this truly a Sikeston Public School policy? If so, what can concerned parents do to change it?

We called Paul Kitchen, assistant superintendent for the Sikeston R-6 School Board. "The present policy states that it will be a running score from the beginning of the semester to the end of the semester. Grades are tallied throughout the first two quarters, so the score at the end of the second quarter and fourth quarter are actually a compilation of daily scores to make the semester grade - not the averaging of a first quarter and second quarter score. The quarters in the Sikeston R-6 School District do not stand alone. This is different from the way some other districts may do it." For more information, contact the principal of your school.

Daschle would rather give the stacks money to people having another baby, not married, and spend it all for having them delivered and to take care of them, than to give it back to the working people who work and have lost their jobs and have paid it in. I think the Republicans are trying to help things, but the Democrats just want to give it to people who don't work so they can get their votes.

Every time I see pictures in the paper of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, they're all fat. They're not just fat. They're extremely fat. The only one I saw who isn't fat is Dan Armour. He's put on weight in the last few years, but at least he's not rolling. The other guys, I don't see how they walk. They must waddle. What do they do? Sit in their police cars all day eating doughnuts and drinking coffee?