By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
From the highest mountain passes in the world to ice caverns deep within the earth’s crust, the stories of exploration, adventure and exotic lifestyles come to the screen in the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, scheduled to hit Laramie on Saturday and Sunday.
One man tightropes high above the red earth, practicing his rock climbing balance. A team of snowkiters slide like an above-ground school of fish across the glass of a frozen lake. A woman pauses high atop a Norwegian fjord, taking one last breath before taking a running jump. A badger rolls over in his burrow, waving away the bright camera lights. Skiers explain their respect for the mountain and for the cultures they cross. These are examples of what could appear on screen.
As one of the most widely recognized events of its kind, the Banff festival is held throughout 10 days in Banff, Canada, showing upwards of 60 films along with other events including a book festival. “It is one of the first,” film festivals centered around mountain activities, said Jill Sawyer, media and communications officer at The Banff Center in Banff, Canada. “But there are now many around the world.”
After the festival, which is held in late October, the world tour staff makes a selection of the most well-received films, the award-winners and a handful of others that ensure variety in the presentation. This collection immediately hits the road.
“It will be a collection of high-action, high-energy films,” said Dan McCoy, coordinator of the University of Wyoming outdoor adventure program. He plans to show the award-winners and choose shorter cultural and environmental films to create variety. The university is one of two Wyoming locations to show the film. The other is in Jackson. UW is in its ninth year of hosting the event.
The event should be held in the arts and sciences building auditorium. Seating begins at 6 p.m. both nights and show time is at 7. The event is free and open to the public, but seats are limited.
Friday, February 22, 2008
SMART boards are parting gift
Times staff report
SMART boards are the parting gift of Carbon County School District 1’s Director of Technology Marc Stauffer.
As the man versed in business technology steps down after three years of building District 1’s hardware and software infrastructure, he hopes his efforts will last for the next five or 10 years.
As part of the overall plan, district officials purchased 12 SMART boards at the beginning of this school year, Stauffer said. They are white boards that connect to a computer, making them interactive. “It gets students interested in learning,” he said. The plan is to purchase 15 more this summer, and the new elementary schools should come equipped with them.
Teachers can use SMART boards the same way they would use a black board, but it also doubles as a projector for movies or a screen for Internet browsing. Teachers can even design quizzes to appear like a game show on screen and students can press buttons for the correct answers.
Students and teachers benefit from this type of learning, Stauffer said. Students are attracted to it because it tends to mirror their after-school activities. When teachers use certain SMART board capabilities, they can get instant statistical feedback on their students’ progress. For instance, 50 percent of the students answer a question wrong in the quiz. The teacher sees this and can ask why that particular question might pose a problem.
Stauffer’s technology plan has two components: reliable technology and teachers who are capable of using and teaching it. The update was necessary in order to match the district’s capabilities with state and federal standards. Stauffer said the hardware update, which goes far beyond SMART boards, is nearly complete and is designed to support itself for at least five years.
The second part should be turned over to Duane DeWald, manager for grants and data analysis for the district, who will use surveys to try to assess what teachers need in terms of technology training. Curriculum developers then try to close the gap.
SMART boards are the parting gift of Carbon County School District 1’s Director of Technology Marc Stauffer.
As the man versed in business technology steps down after three years of building District 1’s hardware and software infrastructure, he hopes his efforts will last for the next five or 10 years.
As part of the overall plan, district officials purchased 12 SMART boards at the beginning of this school year, Stauffer said. They are white boards that connect to a computer, making them interactive. “It gets students interested in learning,” he said. The plan is to purchase 15 more this summer, and the new elementary schools should come equipped with them.
Teachers can use SMART boards the same way they would use a black board, but it also doubles as a projector for movies or a screen for Internet browsing. Teachers can even design quizzes to appear like a game show on screen and students can press buttons for the correct answers.
Students and teachers benefit from this type of learning, Stauffer said. Students are attracted to it because it tends to mirror their after-school activities. When teachers use certain SMART board capabilities, they can get instant statistical feedback on their students’ progress. For instance, 50 percent of the students answer a question wrong in the quiz. The teacher sees this and can ask why that particular question might pose a problem.
Stauffer’s technology plan has two components: reliable technology and teachers who are capable of using and teaching it. The update was necessary in order to match the district’s capabilities with state and federal standards. Stauffer said the hardware update, which goes far beyond SMART boards, is nearly complete and is designed to support itself for at least five years.
The second part should be turned over to Duane DeWald, manager for grants and data analysis for the district, who will use surveys to try to assess what teachers need in terms of technology training. Curriculum developers then try to close the gap.
Panthers win first round
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
It’s been a long haul for the Saratoga High School boys basketball team this last month, but practice made perfect as the Panthers took one more step toward the regional title on Thursday.
The Panthers beat Normative Services 88-59 in Torrington during the first round of the 1A east regional tournament.
However, it wasn’t all a cakewalk. Thursday’s game was a challenge only because Saratoga made it one. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was an overwhelming desire to do well or maybe it was a lack of focus, but the Panthers made too many turnovers, Saratoga coach Rex Hohnholt said.
The Panthers need to sharpen their minds and bodies as they go into Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game against Midwest. Saratoga’s tallest player stands at 6 foot 2 inches tall, 8 inches shorter than one of Midwest’s posts and six inches shorter than the other.
“It’ll be defense by committee, not individually,” Hohnholt said. “We’ll do the job.”
Midwest has speed, but relies mainly on planting the two redwoods at the base of the net. The plan is to try to make Midwest play defense as much as possible and keep the ball away from its end of the court.
Times staff writer
It’s been a long haul for the Saratoga High School boys basketball team this last month, but practice made perfect as the Panthers took one more step toward the regional title on Thursday.
The Panthers beat Normative Services 88-59 in Torrington during the first round of the 1A east regional tournament.
However, it wasn’t all a cakewalk. Thursday’s game was a challenge only because Saratoga made it one. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was an overwhelming desire to do well or maybe it was a lack of focus, but the Panthers made too many turnovers, Saratoga coach Rex Hohnholt said.
The Panthers need to sharpen their minds and bodies as they go into Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game against Midwest. Saratoga’s tallest player stands at 6 foot 2 inches tall, 8 inches shorter than one of Midwest’s posts and six inches shorter than the other.
“It’ll be defense by committee, not individually,” Hohnholt said. “We’ll do the job.”
Midwest has speed, but relies mainly on planting the two redwoods at the base of the net. The plan is to try to make Midwest play defense as much as possible and keep the ball away from its end of the court.
Surveys to show the way
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
When Carbon County School District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune takes on the superintendent role in July, he wants to know where the school sits in its goals for creating an educational environment, where it is headed and how everybody feels about it.
Toward this end, the district is in the midst of a series of surveys to establish a panorama of viewpoints. In three phases, the district’s manager for grants and data analysis Duane DeWald is surveying parents, teachers and administrators, and students.
“We want to get a picture from all sides,” DeWald said. He is issuing, tracking and analyzing the data from the surveys. “Parents, teachers and students is our 360 degree evaluation,” he said.
In October 2007, the district kicked off the survey series with phase one, directed toward parents. Phase three, to be issued in March, should incorporate student input on how they view their participation in education.
Currently in phase two, DeWald has teachers and administrators taking three surveys. The set is designed to provide insight into the effectiveness of educational measures, the integration of technology in education and quality of life for teachers.
The first teacher survey is Robert Marzano’s “What Works in Schools” survey. DeWald presented its results at last Thursday’s school board meeting. According to his findings, District 1 teachers and administrators often have different opinions about teaching methods that work. These, DeWald said, are areas for improvement. But the survey also shows marked success in areas that were already targeted for improvement.
Marzano’s survey is based on 35 years of educational research. This is one of the reasons it was chosen. Since the district is currently using Marzano’s theories of how students learn to better design its curriculum, it makes sense to use surveys that relate.
“We want to use surveys that are well-measured and accurate,” DeWald said. “And we need to know the results are applicable.”
The last of the three teacher surveys should finish on Friday. DeWald plans to analyze the data and present his findings to school board members in March. The board members should see the “quality of teacher work life survey” on March 13 and the “level of technology integration survey” on March 27.
After DeWald finishes gathering data, the information should fall into the hands of each school’s development teams so they can design plans for correcting problem areas.
Times staff writer
When Carbon County School District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune takes on the superintendent role in July, he wants to know where the school sits in its goals for creating an educational environment, where it is headed and how everybody feels about it.
Toward this end, the district is in the midst of a series of surveys to establish a panorama of viewpoints. In three phases, the district’s manager for grants and data analysis Duane DeWald is surveying parents, teachers and administrators, and students.
“We want to get a picture from all sides,” DeWald said. He is issuing, tracking and analyzing the data from the surveys. “Parents, teachers and students is our 360 degree evaluation,” he said.
In October 2007, the district kicked off the survey series with phase one, directed toward parents. Phase three, to be issued in March, should incorporate student input on how they view their participation in education.
Currently in phase two, DeWald has teachers and administrators taking three surveys. The set is designed to provide insight into the effectiveness of educational measures, the integration of technology in education and quality of life for teachers.
The first teacher survey is Robert Marzano’s “What Works in Schools” survey. DeWald presented its results at last Thursday’s school board meeting. According to his findings, District 1 teachers and administrators often have different opinions about teaching methods that work. These, DeWald said, are areas for improvement. But the survey also shows marked success in areas that were already targeted for improvement.
Marzano’s survey is based on 35 years of educational research. This is one of the reasons it was chosen. Since the district is currently using Marzano’s theories of how students learn to better design its curriculum, it makes sense to use surveys that relate.
“We want to use surveys that are well-measured and accurate,” DeWald said. “And we need to know the results are applicable.”
The last of the three teacher surveys should finish on Friday. DeWald plans to analyze the data and present his findings to school board members in March. The board members should see the “quality of teacher work life survey” on March 13 and the “level of technology integration survey” on March 27.
After DeWald finishes gathering data, the information should fall into the hands of each school’s development teams so they can design plans for correcting problem areas.
Saratoga can't take a step forward
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers were still shaking off the dust Thursday night after their time off, and it cost them a forward step in the regional tournament.
Losing 52-38 to Hulett in Torrington, the Saratoga High School girls basketball team seemed to not see each other on the court, coach Amy Davis said. They played tough defense, but were slightly outmatched in size. The girls also turned the ball over a few too many times.
“(Hulett) didn’t beat us as much as we beat ourselves,” Davis said. “It just means we have to play more games to get to state. The girls seem to like to take the hard way.”
Channing Love was the high scorer with nine points, followed close behind by Allison Young and Kelsey Jones, who bucketed seven each. Other contributors were Katie Clegg, Brooke Forster and Chelsea Collver.
Facing Upton on Friday at 10 a.m., the Panthers should face great outside shooting from a team that plays up close and personal. They are smaller girls, according to Davis, but play a tough game. “(The Saratoga girls) will have to come with an offense,” she said.
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers were still shaking off the dust Thursday night after their time off, and it cost them a forward step in the regional tournament.
Losing 52-38 to Hulett in Torrington, the Saratoga High School girls basketball team seemed to not see each other on the court, coach Amy Davis said. They played tough defense, but were slightly outmatched in size. The girls also turned the ball over a few too many times.
“(Hulett) didn’t beat us as much as we beat ourselves,” Davis said. “It just means we have to play more games to get to state. The girls seem to like to take the hard way.”
Channing Love was the high scorer with nine points, followed close behind by Allison Young and Kelsey Jones, who bucketed seven each. Other contributors were Katie Clegg, Brooke Forster and Chelsea Collver.
Facing Upton on Friday at 10 a.m., the Panthers should face great outside shooting from a team that plays up close and personal. They are smaller girls, according to Davis, but play a tough game. “(The Saratoga girls) will have to come with an offense,” she said.
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