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The daily traffic snarl in front of the school is a menace, Superintendent Tammy Berg-Beniak told the Pine Island School Board at its Nov. 1 meeting. “The bus drop-off zone is in the front of the school, parking is in the front and parents are dropping students off.”

Somebody counted: In seven minutes, 70 cars pulled up to drop off students.

Berg-Beniak has a plan in which cars will deliver students to the back of the building. It’s a one-way arrangement, with all cars to drive north behind the school building.

“Officers and staff members will have to assist with the process until it becomes the expected practice,” she said, and signs will be needed to point the way.

Board members voted unanimously to initiate the Berg-Beniak traffic flow plan after the holiday break.

Tag-team teaching

Jodi Jacobson and Josh Westphal chose a team approach to tell the board about their team approach to teaching.

The two co-teach a first-grade class. “It works well: 33 students with two minds teaching them,” Westphal said.

He and Jacobson took turns explaining co-teaching’s methods and advantages. In fact, taking turns – team teaching – is one of the methods. In team teaching, both teachers co-present the lesson. “Some teachers refer to this as having one brain in two bodies,” said the co-teachers’ PowerPoint presentation. “Others call it tag-team teaching.”

Another method, one teach, one assist, allows a teacher to instruct and the other to move around the classroom and help students as needed. “Our goal is to have everyone absorb the same amount of information in one lesson,” Westphal said.

Co-teaching advantages? “Our students future jobs will require them to work collaboratively,” Jacobson said. “This is setting an example to them. And it’s beneficial to have both male and females teachers.”

“It’s great having two minds planning one lesson,” Westphal said.

The board listened with enthusiasm and urged Jacobson and Westphal to inform their fellow faculty about co-teaching.

Senior Leadership Day

High school senior Sophie Langworthy reported on Senior Leadership Day, a Sept. 12 field trip to the Twin Cities.

The busy day began with a visit to the State Capitol where, said Langworthy, “Sen. David Senjem talked about nothing political, but about education after high school.”

Then the students toured the University of Minnesota. “That got me excited to go to college,” she said.

At North High School in Minneapolis, students from both schools discussed bullying and other issues.

Then the Pine Island seniors attended a Twins game. (Twins lost.)

109 colleges, “Anything Goes,” Roots and Shoots

Ben Bauer, junior class representative to the school board, covered student activities, including a visit by 11th-graders to RCTC where reps from 109 colleges were on hand to answer questions.

Pine Island High School will present the musical, “Anything Goes,” on Nov. 9, 10 and 11, Bauer said, and the Student Council is working on its Toys for Tots project.

And Roots and Shoots, the environmental club, has set up water bottle filling stations.

Bauer also remarked on the Panther pride pennants, newly on display along Pine Island’s Main Street. The student body approves and appreciates those banners, he said.

MCA science scores

The recently released 2012 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) science test scores show Pine Island better than the state average but are disappointing compared to the outstanding MCA reading and math test results that helped place Pine Island Middle School among the highest-performing 15 percent of Title I schools in the state.

“The emphasis has been on reading and math,” said Superintendent Berg-Beniak. “Now we know our emphasis has to stay on reading and math – and science.”

Some of the problem was timing, said high school principal Kevin Cardille. The test included questions on genetics, and the students took the exam before they’d studied that subject. Next time they’ll take the test later, post-genetics.

Other business

•The board voted 6-0 to add a fourth gymnastics coach at a cost of $2,000 and to spend another $2,000 on equipment. Participation in the sport rose from 22 last year to 32 now, and two or three more girls are considering joining the team. The state recommendation is one coach per eight gymnasts.

• Superintendent Berg-Beniak announced that the entire staff of K-12 paraprofessionals has achieved highly qualified status. Highly qualified criteria are either (1) two years’ study at an institute of higher education or (2) an associate’s or higher degree or (3) a passing score on the ParaPro Assessment.

•School board meetings are going cyber, at least on a trial basis, and starting soon. The next meeting (7 p.m. Nov. 19) or the one after that (7 p.m. Dec. 6) will be presented online.