Elmwood Cemetery in Norfolk holds many lessons untold as fifth graders from Ghent School explored the graveyard seeking answers to its past.

Two dozen fifth graders accompanied by Rebecca Walter, a science teacher, walked in the wintry weather to Elmwood Cemetery to share observations regarding the cause and effect of weathering and erosion of the tombstones, the topography and the landscape.

Bobbette Nelson of the Bureau of Cemeteries guided the students around the cemetery and shared the cultural history of famous Norfolkians interred at the gravesite.

Ivy covered graves and smooth stones placed at particular gravesites yielded many questions from curious students to its purpose and history. A large mausoleum with doors adorned with butterflies and beetles drew the students’ attention as they learned the backstory of one of Norfolk’s most prominent businessman.

Students took notes as they used mathematics to calculate the age of graves and the relationship between age and the amount of weathering and/or erosion of each tombstone. As part of the lesson, students also investigated the different types of stones such as fieldstones, granite, marble, limestone, portland stone and sandstone during their assessments of the graves.

Click here to view WVEC TV-13’s video web story.

A mouse-like voice squeaked out from beneath a tousle of brown and blonde ringlets as delicate fingers fluttered over the day’s work. Kristiana Barnard wiped beads of sweat from her brow and adjusted her yellow-tinted goggles before grabbing a ratchet and diving back into her work.

“My dad was worried I wouldn’t be able to handle getting dirt under my fingernails and thought this might not be the right class for me,” Barnard said from behind a workbench littered with crankshafts, pistons and alternators. “I think I’m doing pretty good though and the grease on my hands doesn’t bother me at all.”

At the Norfolk Technical Center Barnard is one of only three female students currently enrolled in the auto mechanics program which has more than 60 young men turning wrenches.

Norfolk Public Schools principals came together on Thursday, January 27, for a powerful discussion about how they can improve student achievement, and how they can help all students graduate on time.

“This is not a high school issue,” said Dr. Andrea Tottossy, principal of Maury High School. “It’s a preK-12 issue. Twelfth grade is too late.”

Improving the on-time graduation for all students is one of the school division’s top three goals, which are called “Achievable Results.” Norfolk’s on-time graduation rate for 2010 was 74 percent.

The two other Achievable Results are ensuring that all schools are fully accredited, and improving the climate of support for student achievement.

This year, principals have worked together in five teams made up of the schools that feed into each of Norfolk’s five high schools. The teams have been charged with scrutinizing their PreK-12 student achievement data, identifying problems and coming up with strategies for meeting the division’s goals.

On Thursday, the Maury and Norview high school feeder teams presented the work they have been doing over the past several months.

After looking at its students’ achievement data, the Norview team realized that math performance for special education students was a problem at elementary, middle and high school, and that working together to solve it could help all the schools on the team meet federal standards for Adequate Yearly Progress.

The Maury team focused on student attendance, and showed that for each high school team division wide, dropouts began demonstrating chronic attendance problems as early as kindergarten. Their attendance issues accelerated in fifth grade, continued to creep up in middle school and skyrocketed in high school.

“Chronic absenteeism has a tremendous impact on on-time graduation,” said Blair Middle School Principal Jeanne Kruger.

The Maury team has begun looking at contributing factors to attendance problems, such as health issues for students, lack of transportation to school, and lack of family engagement in education. Absenteeism among students who graduated on time was significantly lower.

“We have to make sure our students have a sense of attachment to their schools, because if they don’t, they’re going to disengage, and then they will drop out,” said Dr. Doreatha White, principal of Berkley/Campostella Early Childhood Center.

Chronic absenteeism also is a barrier to student performance on state Standards of Learning tests, which then can cause schools not to meet state and federal standards for accreditation and Adequate Yearly Progress.

The issue is so important, the school division has devoted a week from February 7th to 11th to brainstorming sessions with students, teachers, division leaders and community members about the barriers to student attendance. From the brainstorming sessions, an action plan will be developed, designed to bring the entire community’s resources together to solve chronic attendance problems.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Superintendent Richard Bentley reminded principals how instrumental they are in securing Norfolk’s future.

“If we don’t lead the change, who’s going to do it?” he said. “You have to believe, or no one else will.”