The AWL: September 2008

Sep 2008The Machinist’s Pencil Vol. 8.2

The New School Year - The New School :

Small Learning Communities

Hollywood High Starts Small

Learning Communities

Hollywood-As the new semester begins the metal program entered into a new era. To be effective in handling changes in our school system and our students, small learning communities were developed. From LAUSD description of SLCs:

When LAUSD began its efforts to define and create effective Small Learning Communities (SLCs), it looked within its borders for evidence of where students were attending, learning and prospering in smaller, more personalized learning environments. The criteria for an LAUSD Small Learning Community. Career Academies contain the following attributes of SLCs:

· Individualized learning environments within larger school settings

· Themed instruction to engage youth and give them a context for academic learning

· "Cored” classes where the same students spend most of their school days together and provide and

receive peer support

· Teachers who plan together and integrate the instruction and provide coordinated adult support

· Business partners whose involvement expands the students' world to include the whole community.

This reform measure is an effort to stop certain factors or other government bodies from breaking up the district or using take over maneuvers to their own likings. The SLCs have worked at other schools and there is really no reason why it will not work at Hollywood High. The Metal Shop is in the Media and Technology SLC, which is designed for student interested in developing their skills through comprehensive programs with an n emphasis on communications and computers.

The New Guys:

Hollywood-There is a new sheriff in town and he brought a new deputy. New principal Jamie Morales and assistant principal Joseph Nacorda will help turn Hollywood High around as the new school year is ushered in. We, The Scratch Awl look forward for to a new begin as they begin a new year.

Awl The Story

Sheet Metal Tools: Chisels

The work to be cut will determine how the chisel should be sharpened. The diamond-point chisel is ground with a square end and a cutting-edge at one corner. It is used for cleaning a sharp bottom groove. The roundnose-end chisel is used for cutting grooves or for moving a drilled hole that was started wrong.

The cutting edge of a chisel is grounded at an angle of 60 to 70 degrees, with the edge at a slight arc. The body of the chisel is softer than the cutting edge and the head will therefore flatten or mushroom after it is used for awhile. This mushroom is dangerous and mush be grounded off to prevent chips from it flying off.

Next month: Screwdrivers

the 2nd Column:

And Now The News...

(The Political Football Game)

Opinion-Oh here they go again. The education system is being use as that weary old political football again. (Well...it is football season.) Those that we have given charge of the state by way of our vote have not figure out a better system on how to better issue and spend money to educate our children. After all these years of tossing the students to and flow, those who we voted for from president to city councilperson can not let budget overruns or pork barrels have our children used in high stake poker games The Scratch Awl would like to our government to use the 'this is why we voted them into office pledge' to regulate our monies for education and give all the students a fighting chance to succeed. If you are running for office or you feel like you want to run for office, you should not (again…should not) campaign for what you want to do for education and fall flat on your promise. Please don't use education to get you into office. Why? Because education is your pork barrel. From the old WHO song: “meet the new boss...same as the old boss."