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Month: March 2014
Women’s 2014 soccer schedule
| Date | Result | Time | Location |
| Wednesday, March 12, 2014 | cancelled | 5:30 p.m. | Vance |
| Tuesday, March 18, 2014 | L 9-0 | 5:30 p.m. | Butler |
| Friday, March 21, 2014 | W 4-1 | 5:30 p.m. | Rocky River |
| Tuesday, March 25, 2014 | L 9-0 | 5:30 p.m. | Porter Ridge |
| Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | L 9-0 | 5:30 p.m. | Vance |
| Friday, March 28, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | Independence | |
| Tuesday, April 1, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | East Meck | |
| Friday, April 4, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | Myers Park | |
| Thursday, April 10, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | Butler | |
| Tuesday, April 22, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | Rocky River | |
| Friday, April 25, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | Porter Ridge | |
| Tuesday, April 29, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | Independence | |
| Friday, May 2, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | East Meck | |
| Tuesday, May 6, 2014 | 5:30 p.m. | Myers Park |
Pratt to leave the Wildcats
By Dre’Quan Gibson and Kelly Gonzalez
On March 11, LeDuan Pratt opened up another chapter in his occupational career.
Pratt has accepted the leadership role as principal of Math, Engineering, Technology and Science at Olympic High School.
Since 2010, Mr. Pratt has been a part of the Garinger family. When he first began at Garinger he was Dean of students; then he soon transferred to the assistant principal position.
Mr. Pratt had this to say about leaving Garinger: “At this point in my career I felt it was time to make the next step and become principal.”
Olympic will be his third school in CMS. West Charlotte was the first school, where he was a math teacher. He also worked in Union County schools during the period of 2002-2006.
Pratt received a bachelor of science in business management from North Carolina State University and a master’s in school administration from Gardner-Webb University.
New building for an old school
By Hydeia Wilfong & Dre’Quan Gibson
In the past year Garinger students may have noticed some significant differences in the school’s large campus, such as the gym or the science building.
The construction was part of the 2007 Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools bond of $516 million that was used to renovate and build new CMS schools. The 2007 bond allowed for Garinger to get 16.3 million dollars to build the new science building, renovate the gym, and to spruce up the track and field.
The new science building, which is the 600 building, was meant to be used for all of the sciences at Garinger, mainly biology classes. Workers began construction on the building in May of 2013 and the building was finished by the second semester of the 2013-2014 school year. The layout of the building is completely different from the rest of the buildings at Garinger. The innovative building has different mirrors in the larger bathrooms, it includes work rooms instead of lounges for teachers, and includes an elevator.
Also the school has decided to do away with promethean boards. “All classrooms will now have projected laptops and students will use laptops instead of desktops” said assistant principal Mr. Pratt, with a total of 17 laptop desks being present in the building.
Even students are responding positively to the new building.
“It’s big, [Garinger] needed a new building…it brings out the pride in our school” said 10th grader Deng Barac.
The building’s pristine floors and fresh paint smell is a different feel for the Garinger campus, which hasn’t had a new building in awhile. Many of the students in the building are enjoying the new bathrooms especially.
“My favorite part is the bathrooms because they are clean,” eleventh grader Alicia Medina said.
Though the new building added more classrooms to the Garinger campus, it will not affect the amount of students enrolled in Garinger High School or the number of teachers employed, which all depend on the total population of students and the student teacher ratio.
But these renovations – the building, the gym, and the track & field – are only the beginning to the new changes that will be coming to Garinger.
With the new 2013 bond, Garinger will be granted more money to reinvent its campus, making Garinger even more appealing to incoming students and teachers.
The start of FBLA
By Hydeia Wilfong
Garinger High School offers many clubs to students, including the Future Businesses of America Club (FBLA).
The club held its annual induction ceremony for the 2013-2014 school year on Dec 9.
FBLA has been around since the late 1940s. It is a nationwide program with over 215,000 high school members. By joining FBLA students have the opportunity to learn about themselves and to become better citizens.
Two years ago, in 2011, Ms. Sanders, a computer teacher here at Garinger, opened up a chapter at the school.
Ms. Sanders said that when she worked at E.E Waddell she had opened a chapter there, so once she left and came to Garinger she took the initiative to open a chapter here.
Ms. Sanders is the primary advisor of FBLA while Ms. Grosse, Ms. Thompson, Ms.Lassiter, and Mr. Drye are all co-advisers.
FBLA is meant to prepare and develop competent business leaders; it also works to facilitate the transition from school to work for students.
At the induction meeting eight students were given officer positions. The students inducted included Nubia Jackson, who became the FBLA president; Yasmin Medina, who was elected Vice-President; Katende Mwakeba, who is the parliamentarian; Damius Nickles, treasurer; James Middleton, secretary; Vichra Heng, historian,; Viviana Hernandez and Hawani Adugna, reporters; and Brianna Geddis, assistant secretary.
There are 23 members of FBLA and they plan to compete in a state conference competition in March 2014, which will test their skills in business and career development.
Senior Spotlight: Tony Lieu
By D’asia Jackson
Tony Lieu is a 17 year old student who has attended Garinger High School for four years.
Throughout that time at Garinger he has accomplished and overcome a lot. The result of all his success and accomplishments is shown in his college acceptance letters to two North Carolina colleges: North Carolina State and University of North Carolina.
Tony says he expects to receive more in due time. I sat down with tony in an interview to talk about his plans after high school. Tony told me that he is excited about college and ready to go on to be successful in life. I asked him about certain schools, scholarships, and even his FAFSA.
Tony said he’s excited about getting into UNC Chapel Hill. He also said that he’s applying for a scholarship known to many Tarheels as the Carolina Covenant, which entitles recipients to a full ride.
Qualifications for the scholarship include being from a low income family but having a amazing academic profile, in which Tony says he’s “good so far.”
Tony has a 4.5 G.P.A and says he’s worked very hard to accomplish everything. He doesn’t plan on stopping. When asked if he has applied to any other schools he said he’s waiting on Duke but won’t be “too disappointed “if he does not get in.
Tony summarized his years at Garinger in this way:
“It’s been very challenging, fun, and a thing to remember,” adding that he hopes that his class has helped to “change the face of Garingerand how people view it. ”
Do you want to suggest a senior to be featured? Contact The Rambler staff in room 118.
Coffee with the superintendent
By Emnit Dejene and Lejla Ademovic ⁄ The Rambler
Dr. Heath Morrison visited our very own Garinger High School Feb. 11 to speak with parents, staff, and students about weather, budget and teacher salary issues. He stated that it was very important for him to communicate with the public as well as get different perspectives on changes that they believe should be made.
He confirmed that the city, county and district leaders are communicating and collaborating more than they have been in the past, therefore more changes will be accomplished.
Dr. Morrison also assured parents that he will do the right thing when it comes to weather cancellations.
“Having to decide whether to close school because of the weather is the worst part of my job,” he said.
He understands that having too many school cancellations may result in some days of spring break being taken away but “I must do the right thing to ensure the safety of staff and students.” He also explained that having 180 school days is a state law so having make up days is necessary.
This time of year, Dr. Morrison and his staff are putting together the budget, which includes negotiations to boost teacher salary. As openly discussed, teachers are not getting paid enough, which is causing them to leave; therefore, he said that pushing for a higher salary to “support quality teachers” is important.
By supporting teachers who are willing to make a change, this district is on its way to growing, and Dr. Morrison is behind it all. Even though sometimes words are lost in translation, Dr. Morrison said that he tries to think of himself as a colleague rather than a boss to the principals in the district.
The Rambler 