In support of block schedule
The schedule change that occurred in my school has completely changed the experience of high school. I believe all high schools should adopt the block scheduling. It has helped me have more time to do my homework. I am a football player who would have practice for almost 3 hours and then I would go to weights for another 45 minutes. I would get home by 7 p.m. each day however with block scheduling I easily finished my homework that would be due the next day. I am also able to finish homework early and I can be ahead in school with that. There's also academy which is a genius idea. It allows students who have missed school days due to sickness or other important matters to be able to take missed tests or learn material they missed. Academy also allows kids to take a break from constantly listening to lectures and allowing for people to meet and talk with friends. It also lessens the weight of backpacks for everyone. Imagine having to carry around a bunch of textbooks, notebooks, and a computer around. With block scheduling, you only have to bring some books for a couple of classes. Many students say that the worst day of the week is Monday. People hate Mondays in general but with block scheduling Mondays are even worse. That's because Mondays are like old school days where all the classes are on one day. People hate Mondays because people don't like the old school days. Block scheduling may be downgraded by some teachers however this actually helps the learning process for kids. Kids can't take in different types of information all in one sitting. With block scheduling, kids are able to learn all the subjects more efficiently. Another great aspect of block scheduling is that on Thursdays and Tuesdays, kids with no 7th periods are able to leave school at lunch. They can go out to lunch or go home and rest before practice. Block scheduling has nothing but benefits and, I believe, all students should be able to have block scheduling.
Jake Leuteneker
Moraga
Gas pipeline safety
Lafayette's City Council and City staff have historically done an excellent job of representing and serving its citizens, and for that we should all be thankful. I find it difficult to understand, however, why Council and Staff have historically ignored the high-pressure gas pipelines that line our trails and traverse our neighborhoods.
Residents reported exposed pipeline along the Lafayette-Moraga Trail and Beechwood Drive to the City decades ago. Only after hundreds of Lafayette citizens raised the red flag of safety did PG&E begin the work of installing newer and deeper pipeline in that area, as evidenced by current construction. And just this fall, PG&E finally installed new cathodic protection stations and legally-required gas signage.
Unfortunately, the City continues to battle its own residents by defending a lawsuit around tree removal on pipelines. Why aren't City officials demanding inspection of 70-year old, untested pipelines? Or addressing the 27 gas dig-in accidents the last two years? And why is a lawsuit demanding the City do its legally-obligated duties being defended so fiercely when tree removal on pipelines will do nothing to make us safer?
My sincerest wish is that the new City Council members join Councilmember Anderson who suggested on Sept 10th that the $530,000 tree payment be returned. It should instead be applied to identify and implement pipeline safety concerns in our community, and our new Mayor should help make this happen in 2019.
Michael Dawson
Lafayette
The schedule change that occurred in my school has completely changed the experience of high school. I believe all high schools should adopt the block scheduling. It has helped me have more time to do my homework. I am a football player who would have practice for almost 3 hours and then I would go to weights for another 45 minutes. I would get home by 7 p.m. each day however with block scheduling I easily finished my homework that would be due the next day. I am also able to finish homework early and I can be ahead in school with that. There's also academy which is a genius idea. It allows students who have missed school days due to sickness or other important matters to be able to take missed tests or learn material they missed. Academy also allows kids to take a break from constantly listening to lectures and allowing for people to meet and talk with friends. It also lessens the weight of backpacks for everyone. Imagine having to carry around a bunch of textbooks, notebooks, and a computer around. With block scheduling, you only have to bring some books for a couple of classes. Many students say that the worst day of the week is Monday. People hate Mondays in general but with block scheduling Mondays are even worse. That's because Mondays are like old school days where all the classes are on one day. People hate Mondays because people don't like the old school days. Block scheduling may be downgraded by some teachers however this actually helps the learning process for kids. Kids can't take in different types of information all in one sitting. With block scheduling, kids are able to learn all the subjects more efficiently. Another great aspect of block scheduling is that on Thursdays and Tuesdays, kids with no 7th periods are able to leave school at lunch. They can go out to lunch or go home and rest before practice. Block scheduling has nothing but benefits and, I believe, all students should be able to have block scheduling.
Jake Leuteneker
Moraga
Gas pipeline safety
Lafayette's City Council and City staff have historically done an excellent job of representing and serving its citizens, and for that we should all be thankful. I find it difficult to understand, however, why Council and Staff have historically ignored the high-pressure gas pipelines that line our trails and traverse our neighborhoods.
Residents reported exposed pipeline along the Lafayette-Moraga Trail and Beechwood Drive to the City decades ago. Only after hundreds of Lafayette citizens raised the red flag of safety did PG&E begin the work of installing newer and deeper pipeline in that area, as evidenced by current construction. And just this fall, PG&E finally installed new cathodic protection stations and legally-required gas signage.
Unfortunately, the City continues to battle its own residents by defending a lawsuit around tree removal on pipelines. Why aren't City officials demanding inspection of 70-year old, untested pipelines? Or addressing the 27 gas dig-in accidents the last two years? And why is a lawsuit demanding the City do its legally-obligated duties being defended so fiercely when tree removal on pipelines will do nothing to make us safer?
My sincerest wish is that the new City Council members join Councilmember Anderson who suggested on Sept 10th that the $530,000 tree payment be returned. It should instead be applied to identify and implement pipeline safety concerns in our community, and our new Mayor should help make this happen in 2019.
Michael Dawson
Lafayette
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA