Barrios 1

Vanessa Barrios
Professor Shkorupa
EDU 202
4 November 2015
Field Observation Assignment #1
When observing Francis H Cortney Junior High School I learned about the schools
procedures and expectations for the students. When school was ending I noticed that the
teachers presence was always around when the students were heading to the bus. When the bell
rang, I saw that the majority of teachers would be outside their doors watching as the students
headed to their next class. Especially during lunchtime the teachers were always around keeping
an eye out for students even when it was time for them to go to lunch as well. The students
during lunchtime were of course very happy during that time and it was a loud atmosphere, but
the students were not going crazy either. The halls are of one way and there were three building
which split the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. The halls were the 600, 700, and 800 hallways so it is not
hard for anyone to get lost. I personally love the design of the school. The library was an average
and basic library; students were expected to be quiet when in the building. I also observed that
some students would go to the library during lunch break or after school.
Each classroom has a phone. When parents want to take their child home early the office
would call the classroom and the teacher would notify the student to go to the school office.
During fire drills there is a protocol that must be followed. Each class knows their own fire
escape route and there should be a poster sharing the procedures and diagram of where the class
meets up. The teacher would also take attendance of the students to make sure everyone was
there and then wait for the drill to be over. During a shelter in place drill a teacher would lock the
doors and windows and seal the seams of the doors and windows with tape. The teacher would
then resume with the class and wait for any further instructions. What I found interesting about
these procedures were that they were just about the same when I was in school.
The school has a bowling club which the school librarian is the supervisor of. There was
a partnership with the bowling alley for the students who were in the club. There is also the
Global Explorers Club and the club is trying to go to Italy during the summer. The club has a
partnership with channel 13, ABC Action News. I know that some parents do show up for the
sport games and it is a great way for the community to get together.