Thursday, November 3, 2011

Neoga Team Competes in Eco Meet



by Becca Warfel

11/3/2011

Students from Neoga Jr./Sr. High School got a chance to show off their environmental science skills recently by competing in this year’s Shelbyville Eco Meet. The junior high and high school teams, coached by Mrs. Brown and Mr. Ballard respectively, traveled to Lake Shelbyville in September to participate in the competition. Each team member took a series of tests on various subjects pertaining to ecology and the environment. Subjects tested on included the importance of prairie, fungi, glaciers, nuts and berries, Illinois waterfowl, and pond ecology. This year Neoga’s junior high team placed second out of 33 teams, earning them an acorn shaped plaque. Congratulations, Neoga teams!

PBIS Rewards at NHS





by Mrs. Jennifer Bridges

11/3/2011

When the school year began, the Neoga Jr.-Sr. High students encountered numerous changes. One of the modifications made this year is the introduction of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports). With PBIS the school set three universal expectations: Respect, Responsibility and Success. Within these universal expectations more targeted goals were set for students: reduction in tardiness and more consistent homework completion. In an effort to encourage and help students manage working toward these goals, criteria for quarterly rewards were developed. The criteria for these quarterly rewards are: no major offenses, no office detentions, no unexcused absences, no in-school or out of school suspension and no more than two zeros in any class. Students that successfully met all these criteria during the first quarter were treated, by grade level, to a pizza party over the course of the past few days.

In addition to students being eligible for the quarterly rewards, such as the pizza party, all Jr. and Sr. High students were issued a red rewards card at the beginning of the year. The reward card has 10 spaces for teacher signatures. If a student is caught doing something sincere then a teacher will sign the reward card. Once all 10 spaces have been signed, the student may submit the reward card to the library to redeem for an immediate prize (i.e. free replacement lunch card) or take their chances at winning a $25 gift card. At the end of the first quarter, 48 high school students and 85 junior high students had redeemed their reward card. And on October 28, the end of the first quarter drawing was held and Morgan Miller (Jr. High) and Joseph Goldstein (Sr. High) were the winners of $25 gift cards.