NWE Downs Chumuckla 13-8
May 17, 2008
The Northwest Escambia Hammer Heads beat Chumuckla on the road Friday night. NWE came out on top 13-8.
Click here for more photos from the game.
Submitted photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com
NWE Cheerleading Registration Will Be Each Saturday This Month
May 17, 2008
NWE Cheerleading registration will be held every Saturday in May, including today, from 10:00 until noon at the Ernest Ward/NWE football field.
The registration is $25 for the first child and $20 for siblings.
Registration is being held early this year because new uniforms will be purchased.
Volunteer coaches and assistant coaches are also needed. For more information, or to volunteer, contact Jennifer Peebles at downsouth28@hotmail.com or call 327-3053.
Bratt’s XII Gates Rocks The Block In Flomaton
May 17, 2008
XII Gates “Rocked the Block” Saturday evening in Flomaton.
The band, from the First Baptist Church Bratt, took to the stage for a free outdoor contemporary Christian and Christian rock concert at the First Baptist Church of Flomaton for “Rock the Block”.
The members of XII Gates have grown up together, learned music together and have been playing in the band for about three years.
NorthEscambia.com caught up with the band at a recent practice session for the concert in the “Youth Loft” in the First Baptist Church of Bratt’s Family Life Center.
“The band is a chance for us to glorify God and have fun doing it,” lead guitarist Jeremy Bardin said.
Bassist Mathew Wilson agreed. “We get to rock people and get the Message out,” he said.
XII Gates play Christian music, and other rock songs that have a clean message. But they are not the traditional Sunday night singing Baptist church quarter. They rock. There’s just no other way to say it. And it’s loud, as good rock music should be.
Their list of musical influences is a Christian rock Top 10…Skillet, Red, Toby Mac, Sanctus Real, Kutless, Hawk Nelson, Disciple, Reliant K, Building 429, Casting Crowns and the like.
While many in the Bratt congregation have never heard of those bands and do not listen to Christian rock, they understand that XII Gates is spreading the Gospel to the next generations.
“You can worship how you want, even though there is that generation gap sometimes,” Wilson said. “I enjoy the old hymns just as much as bands like Skillet.”
“I’m thankful for the congregation and their support of XII Gates,” Bratt’s Youth Minister Tim Hawsey said. “We’ve got such a good church, and they understand that they get a little loud for the Lord sometimes.”
Sometimes XII gates goes “unplugged”, taking their contemporary sound and making it “more mellow” for congregational performances.
But for Saturday night’s “Rock the Block” in Flomaton, that was not the case.
“This is a good opportunity for a lot of youth that don’t have an introduction to Christ to come out and find out that we can play loud, have fun, just rock and still say that we are Christian,” drummer Denver Hawsey said.
Besides spreading the word about God, having fun is perhaps the most important part of XII Gates.
“We want all the youth in the area to attend,” Tim Hawsey said, “whether or not they are in church, they will enjoy the music.”
For a complete photo gallery from the Saturday concert in Flomaton, click here.
Pictured above: XII Gates at “Rock the Block” in Flomaton Saturday night. Pictured below, first photo: XII Gates from the First Baptist Church of Bratt performs in Flomaton Saturday night. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Molino Youth In Sectional Pitch, Hit and Run Event Today
May 17, 2008
Ryan Cocker of Molino will be competing in the sectional competition of the Aquafina Pitch, Hit and Run Event at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City today.
Cocker swept the seven and eight year old category in the recent local Aquafina event that was held at the John R. Jones Athletic Park on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. He was named the Pitch Champion, Hit Champion and Run Champion in the competition’s youngest category.
Thursday McDavid Storm Was Not A Tornado
May 16, 2008
The storm damage Thursday in McDavid was the result of strong straight line winds, not a tornado.
The National Weather Service said preliminary reports indicate that the damage was a result of straight line winds estimated at 80 to 85 mph. Most of the damage that occurred was along North Century Boulevard, where seven structures were damaged with roofs off two homes. Power lines were also down in the area.
Gary Beeler from the National Weather Service office in Mobile surveyed the damage Friday in McDavid.
For another story about the storm with more photos, click here.
Magnitude 3.1 Earthquake Just 70 Miles From North Escambia
May 16, 2008
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 3.1 earthquake was centered just 70 miles northeast of the North Escambia area Friday afternoon.
The earthquake occurred at 1:39 Friday afternoon near Thomasville, Alabama, in Clark County. That’s about 70 miles northeast of Davisville, FL.
The USGS says the earthquake occurred at a depth of about 3.1 miles below the surface. There were no immediate reports of damage. A 3.1 on the Richter scale is often strong enough to be felt by persons near the earthquake center, and rarely causes any damage.
Proposed School Time Changes Would Not Apply In North Escambia
May 16, 2008
New money saving school start and dismissal times proposed by Escambia School Superintendent Jim Paul would not apply to North Escambia schools.
Paul’s staff presented the proposed time changes at a Thursday School Board workshop, but said the changes would not apply to Bratt Elementary, Carver/Century K-8 School, Molino Park Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle or Northview High School.
For the rest of the county:
- Elementary schools would start at 7:30 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.
- Middle schools would start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m.
- High schools would start at 9:30 a.m. and end at 4:35 p.m.
But there could be some time change for North Escambia elementary students, Shawn Dennis, assistant superintendent of operations, said. The district is proposing adding an additional 30 minutes per day to the elementary schedule. Northview High students could see a minor time change next year as well, as one period is dropped from the daily schedule.
Paul’s plan would save the district an estimated $1.2 million per year by allowing a more efficient use of school buses.
Carver/Century Leadership Questioned; Principal Reacts
May 16, 2008
He’s given away hundreds of dollars in cash as an FCAT incentive to Carver/Century students. He’s literally burned a wooden “F” in a symbolic gesture. He’s walked in a prayer walk in a pouring rain, and, almost in tears, turned Carver/Century K-8 school over to God. He’s given up retirement to serve as principal for Century’s only school. All in an effort to improve what is, to be practical, about the worst school in the county.
But Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite said he would give it all up if he knew it would improve the school.
“If my leadership is a detriment to Carver/Century, I will be out of there tomorrow.” Garthwaite told NorthEscambia.com in an exclusive interview Thursday afternoon following an Escambia County School Board workshop that saw Superintendent Jim Paul call for Carver/Century’s closure. And it saw some question the school’s leadership.
“But I would love to have another year; we can make progress,” he said. “It’s very disheartening with all the things that are being said about the school.”
“Are we really a failing school?” he asked. “That’s a tough question.”
Garthwaite said that due to the low attendance numbers and the high number of ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students, the school’s average test scores are quickly brought down, painting an inadequate picture of what is really happening at Carver/Century.
At the school board workshop, the leadership of the “F” rated school was questioned several times.
“Who measures how the administration of the school is doing,” Century resident Jack Moran asked the school board, adding that the FCAT grades the students but there does not seem to be any system for grading a school’s administration.
“We have not exhausted all possibilities to change that school,” school board member Claudia Brown-Curry said. “Sometimes you have to change leadership.”
“I just don’t know. It’s really disheartening,” Garthwaite said.
Pictured above: Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite (right, yellow shirt), Century Mayor Freddie McCall (foreground left) and Council Member Sharon Scott (foreground right) listen to the Escambia County School Board Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Paul Calls For Closure of Carver/Century K-8 School
May 16, 2008
Escambia School Superintendent Jim Paul recommended the closure of Carver/Century K-8 School at a Thursday school board workshop, a workshop attended by many supporters of the school.
Paul’s plan says that closing Carver/Century would save the district $680,439 in the first year and send 205 students to Bratt Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle and possibly Molino Park Elementary. The closure could be approved by the board as early as July, and could take effect for the 2008-2009 school year that begins in August.
“You cannot have a community that does not have a school,” New Life Baptist Church Pastor Irvin Stallworth (pictured left) told the board. “I am asking that you take this opportunity to look at the total picture.”
“The town of Century has been through a lot,” he added.
“We are ready to take a stand, and we are ready to stand up for our school,” Brenda Spencer said.
“Century does not ask a lot,” she said. “Is it logical to close our little school…have you considered the physiological effects this will have on our children?”
One board member, Claudia Brown-Curry (pictured left), repeatedly spoke out against the closure.
“When you are talking about closure, you have got to look at more than money,” Brown-Curry said.
She then asked numerous questions of Paul.
“Have you given up on the school,” she asked the superintendent.
“No m’am, I have not given up” he responded. “It has been frustrating for me.” He said that perhaps he had tried harder to improve Carver/Century during his tenure as superintendent than any other school in the district.
“They didn’t qualify for an assistant principal; I sent one up there anyway. They had a curriculum coordinator up there anyway,” Paul said. “I personally don’t know what else I can do in regards with that school.”
Brown-Curry questioned whether Carver/Century’s attendance zone could be redrawn, and if another North Escambia school could be closed. Paul said that would not be a possibility, because if the district forced for students to attend Carver/Century, those students would simply transfer back to their original school. Since Carver/Center is a state rated “F” school that does not make adequate yearly progress, students would be allowed under state law to request a district funded transfer to another higher performing school.
“We have not exhausted all possibilities to change that school,” Brown-Curry said. “Sometimes you have to change leadership.”
“You have got to look at the community. You are taking the life out of the community,” she said. She even suggested that perhaps the district had not done all it could do to improve Carver/Century.
But board member Patty Hightower said the district and many, many volunteers had attempted to improve the school over the past few decades. She said that her church, Trinity Presbyterian in Pensacola, had partnered with the school, providing volunteers and mentors, for the past 27 years.
“What has changed in those 27 years? Not much,” Hightower said. “We’ve tried different leaders…you cannot fault the Carver/Century faculty at all. I don’t know what the right answer is.”
She said perhaps improvement would come “If we put them in a place where there are more opportunities, in a larger school…That is what I am leaning toward.”
“We can work hard, but we’ve got to work smarter,” Brown-Curry said. “Just to give up on some children…I just can’t buy that.”
“The reality is we have too many schools,” board member Jeff Bergosh (pictured left) said. Bergosh has openly called for Carver/Century’s closure. “We have to make tough decisions in the face of this budget crunch.”
“When you throw dollars at a school over and over,” he said, “it does not guarantee success.
“We’ve got to motivate them,” District 5 board member Pete Gindl said. He suggested that perhaps taking the failing students from Carver/Century and putting them with higher performing students at another school would serve as that motivation. “But there’s nothing wrong with those children.”
Board member Gerald Boone, who sat quietly during most of the Carver/Century discussion, said that perhaps the closure could be delayed for a year to fully look at other options.
“But little by little, the hurt goes away,” Boone said. “That will happen in the event Carver/Century goes away.”
“It is not about the people that live in that town,” Bergosh said. “It is about that school.”
He said nearby Bratt Elementary is consistently an “A” rated school, while Carver/Century is consistently a failing school.
“Bratt is 10 to 14 miles away, but it is a world away in performance,” Bergosh said. “If you look at a student going from an ‘F’ school to an ‘A’ school, I don’t see that as a negative.”
Pictured top of page: Century Mayor Freddie McCall addresses the Escambia County School Board, asking that they save Carver/Century K-8 School. Pictured below: Many Century residents were among those in attendance at Thursday’s school board workshop. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Northview Holds Performing Arts Concert
May 16, 2008
Northview High School Performing Arts presented a “Farewell Concert” Thursday night. It featured both guitar and chorus students.
The show included some folk, some jazz, some blues, some country and lot of 90’s rock, under the direction of Scott Slay.
It was called a “Farewell Concert,” Slay said, as a farewell to the seniors and to school for the summer.
Click here for a photo gallery from the concert.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
