European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Nurnberg teachers assail cuts in classes by Ron Jensen Nurnberg Bureau Furth Germany a teachers at the Nurnberg Middle High school talk about their pupils in terms so glowing they would make Einstein Blush. Therefore it is not surprising to hear them howl when those pupils have their course selections Cut As they were for this school year and will be for the next one. \ a a a. A -.���", a v a we would stack our kids up against any High school in the world and we feel they Are being cheated a said Jim Mulder a 26-year Veteran of the department of defense dependents schools and a teacher of English for ninth and Lith graders a a Arlene East an English teacher in the ninth and 12th grades who has 28 years of service in Dodds said a your students Are a deserving  Mary Frank a librarian and 14-year Dodds Veteran travels the High Road and says the school system has a a moral and ethical obligation to provide its pupils with an excellent education. At any Cost yes she said she reasons that the parents of Dodds pupils have struck a Deal with the government of the United states they will serve their country anywhere and in any Ca parity with the understanding that their children will have an outstanding education. They Are being shortchanged however she said when foreign language programs Are Cut vocational classes Are eliminated and programs for those who Excel and those who need More help Are slashed All in the name of the ongoing draw Down. A if we re going to draw Dove to Fine a Frank said. A but we should maintain outstanding schools until they close the  the teachers Here Are not alone. Similar attitudes Are surfacing across the Dodds landscape in Europe As the Post Gold War readjustment continues. Schools close. Enrolments dip. And ultimately course offerings vanish. That Sall followed by unhappy rumblings from the faculty. Larry Philpot the superintendent of the Nurnberg pupils see ups Downs of rocketry by Joseph Owen Heidelberg Bureau Heidelberg Germany when several crash landings occurred last week at Heidelberg army Airfield nobody panicked. Nine year old Patricia Wilhelm remained unruffled when her airborne Craft went a a Bonk on the Tarmac driving its nose Cone Back into the fuselage. Of Well she figured the emergency systems just did no to work. A since the Parachute was stuck inside the body so far it did no to get out a she explained. Her Craft a 2-foot-Long homemade rocket constructed of thick sheets of paper and pre Cut pieces of Balsa Wood had stayed aloft Only six or eight seconds. It was enough time to drive Home a lesson last tuesday about How electricity ignites the rocket s solid fuel. And that was what teacher John Juenker wanted fat Ricia and 31 other Mark Twain elementary school fourth graders to learn. One by one the. Children threw a switch that sent their hand painted projectiles soaring some 100 Yards into the sky a or in some cases left them motionless on the primitive launch pad. When that happened four times in Michael Howard Scase Juenker trotted Over to adjust the wiring and the launch Effort resumed. And before each liftoff classmates stood behind a protective Phalanx of Orange rubber safety Cones shouting countdown numbers to the rocketeer. A decent experimental rocket of course is not something you just buy off Mulder Frank school District is aware of the dissatisfaction among his  thu teachers have a legitimate concern Here a he said. A their concern is our  in Nurnberg the Middle and High schools have been lumped together creating seven grades a sixth through 12th a under one roof Mike Thompson the principal said he expects an enrolment of 428 when school opens next year. He has 480 now he said Down from the 736 who started the school year. In putting together the curriculum for next year some pieces fell put. Although there is a dispute on exactly what programs and services will not be offered next year All agree that the school will offer less for example 23 teachers and staff members said in a letter to the stars arid stripes that there will be no program of English As a second language next year. However Philpot said the program will be offered but the teacher will be working in several schools. But both administration and faculty agree that there Are reasons to be concerned. The administration puts into effect the Best curriculum it can Given the directives it receives from Dodds. The faculty then must work within that curriculum. Thompson said he designs a curriculum based on the number of faculty he will have which is determined by Dodds based on the enrolment Thompson expects. He must by Law offer certain sub Jeris such As English in All grades once those arc established he can then look beyond thu required courses to electives. Philpot says decisions on what to offer Are  a Quot v a a a but Mulder said that a course should be offered even if it is asked for by Only one Pupil. A if Dodds is committed to excellence that a what it should do a he said. Philpot and Thompson said they wrestle with the choices they have to make. A a there a a lot of it where you say a hey we re going to lose things that Beri fit kids Thompson  school will keep its graphics program he said. Business classes will remain As will computer instruction. A a.  a a we think we have a plan that will allow us to offer the things that Are required and the electives that most kids choose a Thompson said. A but we do not deny a Philpot said a that there arc fewer electives in a smaller  in defense of their efforts both Philpot and Thompson said they have maintained All required courses and will be Able to meet accreditation standards. That a not Good enough Frank said. The Nurnberg staff members see a class system developing among the systems schools in Europe. While Nurnberg is losing enrolment and programs the staff members see schools in Heidelberg and Ramstein where the draw Down is having less Impact maintaining enrolment and programs Mulder said Dodds is splitting its schools into a a haves 3hd  Nurnberg pupils he said should have every Opportunity that pupils in Heidelberg will have despite the difference in enrolments. Victor Bell a child psychiatrist and Parent of a Niernberg Pupil Heads the school advisory committee. He said Dodds should look for innovative solutions. For example a Pupil should be Able to enrol in two schools if one does no to offer everything the Pupil wants. Dodds he said seems too rigid in sticking strictly to the rules. A a a a a. A amps Joseph Owen teacher John Juenker and Jessica Gardner watch a homemade rocket climb into the sky above Heidelberg army Airfield Germany a store shelf like a roman Candle on new years eve. You have to put out some Effort and build it. A it might have taken two and a half hours. I done to know. It took me a Long time a Ryan Sorensen said. A it was pretty fun. I Gorto see my rocket launch in the air and crash to the  the supposed aim is to prevent crashes. That s Why proper Parachute packing is important Jessica Gardner said. A you have to put powder on it because plastic if it s together for a Long time will stick a she said. Perhaps she did no to use enough. The heat from burning fuel forced the air in her rising rocket to expand popping off the nose Cone and ejecting the Parachute according to plan. But the Parachute remained in a clump and the rocket fell Back to Earth in a Corkscrew fashion. Rocket launches continued the follow ing Day with another group of Mark Twain fourth graders in All three classes took part in the project. The experience seemed to impress most pupils but in different ways. Patricia Tor example still wants to become an astronaut. A a in be always wanted to study the stars and just look at space a she said. But Kirsten Fahrner changed her career plans. A i wanted to be a Pilot. Now i want to be an author a she said. A i decided not to be a Pilot after coming Here. I done to know its too