2 What’s coming up? Guest Speakers Today
Mr. Charles Rhodes and Ms. Diane Rhodes, GHS alumni, will speak in Mrs. Janet Cox’s Career Planning classes today about their successes after graduation. Mr. Rhodes works as the Senior Staff Engineer for Google search engine while Mrs. Rhodes has worked as an accounting product manager and a marketing analyst for Apple Computer.
ISTEP+ Sept. 18 - 20
Istep testing starts on Sept. 18. Juniors and seniors will have time out of the building from 7:30-11:10 a.m. complete out-of-class assignments. Sept. 18 - 19 are regular hour school days. On Sept. 20, dismissal is at 10 a.m.
Parent Teacher Conferences Sept. 19 - 21
Parent teacher conferences start on Sept. 19. Wednesday and Thursday parent teacher conference hours are from 5:30-9 p.m. On FSept. 21, parent teacher conferences will run from Noon - 3 p.m.
Powder Puff Football Sept. 26
Powder Puff will take place on Sept. 26. Freshman, sophomore, junior and senior girls will be divided into football teams based on class.
Homecoming Sept. 28
The Homecoming game will start at 7 p.m. The parade will take place at a time and date to be announced later. After the game, the Homecoming Dance will be in the gymnasium.
Senior Personals Oct. 1
Students and parents who would like to send messages to May graduates through the yearbook have a final Senior Personal deadline of Oct. 1.
Attendance (continued from Page 1)
I really just don’t feel like it,” junior Tyler Mills said. “I just don’t think I can go without missing five days. Sometimes, I accidentally sleep in, and with winter coming up, I might catch a cold and miss school.” Some students with good attendance see fault with Mr. Mullen’s pay-to-attend idea. “It’s not fair because I go to school everyday, but they aren’t giving me any money,” junior Scott Handley said. To freshman Caleb Tatlock, the attendance plan also seems unjust. “While those people get paid to go to school, I pay the school,” Tatlock said. “I should stop going to school; that way I’ll get paid when I do go.” Members of the school’s Attendance Committee met with students nearing the 10 absence minimum last year to encourage improved attendance; however, the committee was not involved in this pay-to-attend plan. Mr. Mullen is confident in its success. “History will tell if it’s effective. I believe it is focused where it should be. There are some kids who won’t care if I offer them $1,000; others will respond,” Mr. Mullen said. The junior class is now in first place followed by the seniors, the sophomores, and, finally, the freshmen.
News
Air of change heads towards A-line
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By Courtney Brinkers
tudents entering the cafeteria on the first day of school were bomb shelled by the lack of an a la cart line. But, the power of the press came to the rescue. When researching the Timberlines story and asking key questions during interviews, reporters sparked meetings between decision-makers. The result was a re-established a la cart line. Plus, Student Council is getting involved in a student survey to improve the quality and variety of food served. “Were looking into bringing back old things in lunch, and maybe get old distributers back.,” said Student Council President Brad Newbold. An uninformed Principal Kaylor had not been notified of the strict guidelines which prohibited students to purchase extra sides. “I had no idea this was happening,” Mr. Kaylor said. “I thought the students were buying an entrée and either a fruit or a vegetable and then if they wanted they could
purchase an extra side of fries separately. I didn’t know the fries were considered a vegetable. I will look into it because I’m very concerned.” Instead of purchasing their usual french fries, cookies, nachos or Arby’s sandwiches, they had to buy full meals. The theory behind the change was that students would eat healthier if forced to purchase full lunches. In reality, students were purchasing lunches with two orders of french fries as their side items, purchasing vending machine items or skipping lunch. “I was really upset that they took out the a la cart line, because I am a picky eater and the only thing I like at school are the fries,” said sophomore Shelby Denton. Questions arose as to whether the situation and the food were healthier. “We have to fry the foods because all three lunches are back to back so there is no time to bake the food,” Mrs. Susie Stevenson, cafeteria manager, said. “The state considers the fries a vegetable.”
Junior Michael Wood purchases his lunch in the Aline. Student Council will survey students to expand school lunch appeal. Macey Moreland photo
Corporation rethinks school security
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By Natalie Graves
o protect students from intruders, Greenwood School Corporation plans security makeovers for all schools. The School Board began discussing the idea in November. Conversations and contractor bids continued until April. “What got the idea started was the situation in Pennsylvania where an intruder went into an Amish school and killed seven children,” Dr. David Edds, superintendent, said. Similarly, Greenwood Schools have been in lock-down due to police actions in the community. New security will help ensure student and faculty safety in such circumstances. Remodeling the high school office doors is scheduled to be completed at the end of first semester, but design consultants suggest the job will be finished around Thanksgiving. The corporation’s budget allows $700,000 for improvement in each school. “With the system we have now, anyone could walk in from the street,” Dr. Edds said. “We need a system to deter that.” Guests will be required to state their names and business to a secretary stationed at an office window. With school doors locked, secretaries will push a button to unlock doors and admit visitors. “The secretaries will be immediately able to notify either of the vice principals or myself if someone goes other than where they
said,” Principal Jim Kaylor said. The office staff aims to keep the system simple for students arriving late and parents picking up their kids for appointments. “We do not want to inconvenience anyone or make them feel unwanted,” Mr. Todd Garrison, assistant principal, said. “We want to be accommodating. Often, people come in and don’t know where to go.” Instances when disruptive guests have entered GHS support the change. “Six years ago when I was a vice-principal, two girls who didn’t go here came in during another girl’s lunch and started a fight,” Mr. Kaylor said. “I rushed down there to break it up.”
The office walls are currently comprised of glass and the secretary’s desk is set far back into the room. After the security changes occur during second semester, workers will remove the transparent walls and bring the secretary’s desk closer to the front of the room. Macey Moreland photo
first chair flutist, said. This year the band is further along in the show, according to Mr. Sutton. They also have more music to learn. “We need to sound as good marching as we do sitting (in the band room),” Mr. Sutton said. The show consists of classical, rock, and jazz music, with the title A Day Out of the Ordinary, which incorporates songs depicting an entire day. It starts off with the morning gradually waking up and, then, continues throughout the day. It ends with a slow, sleepy song. “It’s not perfect. I think that we need more emotion into it and more run-throughs for endurance. Overall, the chemistry is good. We get along and try to make it work.. We’re giving it all we’ve got,” Hainley said. There are approximately 175 students in the band, including Irish Guard. This number is approximately 30 more than last year. “We usually go above and beyond what Mr. Sutton’s expectations are,” Westercamp said. The first competition will take place tomorrow at Franklin Central. After that, competitions will take place six Saturdays in a row. If the band makes it through RegionJunior Cassie Rehmel leaps while performing her part in A Day out of the Ordinary. The band’s first contest als, the State competition is scheduled for is tomorrow. Eric Newton photo Nov. 5. “We realize we have competition betheir focus becomes more concentrated. “We just go out and perform our very cause he compares us to other bands to best at that time and try not to worry about help encourage us and to boost our efforts,” the competition,” junior Laura Westercamp, Westercamp said.
Marching Woodmen ready for competition
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By Taylor Eckert
ith a 2006 State win under their belts, the Marching Woodmen are buckling down with competition season starting tomorrow. “Expectations are always the same. It has nothing to do with winning State last year,” said Mr. Jon Sutton, director. The band has plenty of leadership from the upperclassmen, which includes the largest class: juniors. “We all push each other and keep each other motivated,” said junior Danielle Hainley, who plays the flute. Although this is a new year, many sophomores, juniors and seniors carry the memories of last year’s victory still fresh in their minds. As the competition season nears,
Mrs. Susie Crecilius greets visitors at the front door and directs them to the office. After the change, visitors will be directed by office workers. Macey Mo-