Most readers I hope will know that both my kids attended Northwood High School in Irvine. It was listed as a “Newsweek Elite Public High School” and it certainly is because of an excellent faculty, staff and administration. As a parent, this high school excels at teaching critical thinking which I really liked.
And it’s been a challenging year for OC’s high schools and students due to the COVID19 pandemic and perhaps the most challenging thing was to put out a Yearbook. The kids at Northwood High managed to do just that.
The Yearbooks at Northwood are terrific; produced by students which feature good quality photos, excellent layouts and good writing. And what happens in the world that school year is fodder for the Yearbook which includes a page on elections (not politics, but elections). Take a look at the image published above and let me know a single point that isn’t accurate.
Yet some right wingers went to the Irvine Life Facebook Group, which is administered by Irvine Republican city commissioner and former council candidate John Park, after he posted the image with a question: “This was included in Northwood High School’s yearbook this year. Not appropriate? Perfectly fine?”
The post generated significant commentary about how inappropriate it was and how any faculty advisor ought to be fired, public school indoctrination, suggestions for home schooling kids (where right wing indoctrination will happen and the prom will really suck) and the like. Left out were similar pages of Irvine’s city council election. The Pandemic was certainly referenced. Pretty hard core whining from the “f*ck your feelings” crowd.
We reached out to IUSD regarding Northwood High’s policy on Yearbook and they sent us this (let me know if you find something unreasonable):
Yearbook is a class designed to give the student experience in all aspects and techniques utilized in the production of The Element, the Northwood High School Yearbook. Students are selected for this class on the basis of interest, good writing skills and art and/or photography experience. Yearbook is structured to give the student an understanding of the role of print media in society. Students will develop through training and practical use, the skills of writing for publication, page layout and composition, the use of artwork and photography in a publication, and to gain a historical awareness of print media. The student will develop the ability to search out information, organize, edit, and prepare it for publication. Students will work individually and in groups in the preparation of these materials. Each student will be responsible for a particular section of the yearbook. In this section they will determine the content, layout of the spread, utilize necessary art and/or photography and check proofs for correctness.
Understanding and Knowledge
- Commonly used tools and terms used in yearbook production.
- The artistic and historical uses of a yearbook.
Skills
Students will be able to:
- Complete many yearbook pages/spreads utilizing and applying media, techniques and processes of publication production.
- Utilize input from a wide range of sources and disciplines to complete the yearbook.
Assessment & ESLRs
Students will:
- Effectively collaborate with others on group projects.
- Develop, create, support and evaluate artistic projects.
- Students will demonstrate complex thinking in the completion of their specific yearbook duties.
- Acquire knowledge regarding publication techniques and vocabulary and demonstrate this knowledge on written tests and quizzes.
- Prioritize and use time effectively in the completion of yearbook pages and spreads.
Reasonable? Yes or no?
The students at Northwood High should be proud of their publication and will enjoy pulling this book out of a box in their garage in 2051. Nicely done kids and nicely managed by the NHS faculty.
and Fox News picked up the story. https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-high-school-yearbook-bash-trump-praise-biden