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Lewiston High School
Lewiston, Idaho
Oct. 25, 2013 Vol. 87 No.1.1
New administrators step up to the plate
Superintendent Dr. Robert Donaldson
Donaldson accepts permanent position mcKennaanderson web cordinator
Members of the Lewiston No. 1 District Office welcomed Dr. Robert Donaldson, previous Assistant Superintendent, as the Superintendent Monday, Sept. 9. “The Board of Directors is delighted to officially announce that Dr. Donaldson has accepted a threeyear contract effective July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2016,” Brad Rice, President of the Board of Directors, stated in the email sent by Katherine L. McPherson, business services director, Tuesday, Sept. 9. Dr. Donaldson also addressed the rumor about future freshmen attending LHS in the year 2014, in an email he sent to all faculty members of the district less than 24 hours after he accepted the position. He provided this clarification on Sept. 10 around 12 p.m: “The administration will not consider a recommendation for a move of either ninth or sixth grade until facilities are addressed in some manner.” Although Dr. Joy Rapp, former superintendent, left her mark on the school district, Donaldson’s promotion as new superintendent allows him to leave his own mark.
LHS Principal Kevin Driskill and Athletic Director Corey Williams
Driskill faces new challenges mcKennaanderson web cordinator
Kevin Driskill, former athletic director, accepted his new position as principal at LHS, an act officially announced during the 2013 summer “There’s so much going on, we have so much to offer our students, and keeping everything in line, moving forward is a really big challenge,”Driskill said. He said he plans to steer LHS smoothly through the transition of the current academic curriculum to the Common
Core Standard (a new curriculum used throughout the United States) along with changing from the Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test. Driskill occupied a temporary position. It remained unknown if the school board planned to keep him as the school principal. He hoped to bring LHS to a new standard and build on past principals’ legacies.
Williams takes one for the team breederry editor in chief
Corey Williams, former LHS physical educational and health instructor, recently accepted the position of interim athletic director for the 2013-14 school year. Williams said he plans only to hold the position for a year and that the plan for a permanent athletic director after that one year remained un-
known to him. New responsibilities upon Williams included planning of the sports schedules and arranging details concerning games. Previously he taught here for four years. “I’m learning…every day,” Williams said. “I’ve really been put outside my comfort zone.”
Interim Assistant Superintendent Lance Hansen
Hansen supplies assistance breederry editor in chief
Lance Hansen, former LHS principal, accepted a one-year interim contract to act as the Lewiston School District Interim Assistant Superintendent until spring of 2014. Hansen served as principal here for two years before the promotion. “When Donaldson moved to superintendent, it created a hole in the system,” Hansen said. As a result, Hansen moved up to fill the empty assistant superintendent position, while Kevin Driskill, former LHS athletic director, filled Hansen’s old position. As interim assistant superintendent, Hansen helps ensure that every school receive supplies they needed. “I see much more of the business side of it,” he said. As principal, Hansen oversaw roughly 1,000 students and 125 staff members. With the promotion, Hansen directs nearly 5,000 students and 500 staff members. As of Sept. 21, the school board planned to choose an official assistant superintendent in the spring. Hansen stated that whatever the school board decided, he felt content to remain assistant superintendent or move back to LHS as principal.
News 2
Friday, October 25
LHS welcomes new teachers with a cheerful tune jessicaclausen reporter
This year at LHS, administrators hired four new teachers to fill the space of five teachers who said goodbye. While counselor Tammy Hasenoerhl took a one-year leave, Matt Fries found his calling to be a counselor. “I am very impressed with, not only the students, but the faculty as well, with being so welcoming,” Fries said. Previously living in Klamath Falls, Ore., he taught as a substitute teacher in Klamath Falls County. Formerly a school counselor at Mazama High School, administration in the county laid Fries off due to budget cuts. “I was drawn to the counseling job at Lewiston High School by the respectable students and staff and the high dynamics of the school,” said Fries. LHS also welcomed Rochelle Dietz as a new teacher of algebra, probability and statistics. Dietz replaced Rebecca Snider. “I went to school here as a high school student, so I thought it would be nice to come back,” said
Dietz. Beforehand, she worked at Potlatch No. 1 Federal Credit Union and attended LCSC in order to receive her bachelor’s degree in math. She later attended Washington State University for her master’s degree in math. Saying goodbye to Gary Gemberling, LHS incorporated Chelsey Caldwell into the family as the new band teacher. “The kids are great! They are super helpful when I A. Cox don’t know something. They are also really nice,” said Chelsey Caldwell views the percussion group’s position at Vulmer Bowl,Oct. 15 during class. The LHS band performed during the half-time show for the Oct. 18 varsity football game. Caldwell. Before teaching at LHS, Egland Caldwell attended The University ty (Thompson) Egland came on staff of Idaho, majoring in music educa- as the new journalism and Spanish taught English and Spanish at Lapwai Middle/High School. She stattion (instrumental and vocal), before teacher. “This is the kind of job that is my ed that she felt drawn to the job student teaching in Millcreek, Wash. here due to her interest in teaching She felt drawn to teach music after end goal,” said Egland. Egland graduated from LHS and students at such high academic being in the band at Genesee High served on the Bengal’s Purr staff as levels, and the chance to manage School. a student newspaper. Replacing Patrick Shannon, Chari- a copy editor.
17-year Purr adviser passes the torch to 1998 alum angelyncox art manger
Patrick Shannon, former Bengal’s Purr adviser, resigned from the student newspaper in order to teach history and English during 20132014 school year. During 17 years of his advising, Shannon’s students obtained numerous awards. Most recently, the 2012-2013 Purr staff received first place internationally in the Quill and Scroll Journalism Honor Society. Not only that, but the staff also achieved fourth place for Best in Show at the National Scholastic Press Association. The first award granted to the Purr during Shannon’s jurisdiction took place in 1997, his second year teaching at LHS, achieving first place for Small Schools in the Idaho Journalism Advisers’ Association competition.
A. Cox
Patrick Shannon and Charity Egland discuss details of a student newspaper design.
“What I will miss the most [is] the ever-growing Purr family,” Shannon said via email. “Now, I will become the distant uncle who was once the dreaded relative, came to stay for a day and
[left]17 years later.” With his newfound spare time, Shannon said he plans to write a novel, fly fish, and possibly golf. Meanwhile, he passed the Purr on to new leadership. The new adviser, Purr copy ed-
itor alum of 1996-1998, Charity (Thompson) Egland, said she plans to “carry on the Purr’s tradition of excellence.” She also said she plans to launch the paper further into the 21st century by using digital media, creating a new website, and eventually teaching audio and video news production to students. “Having [a student] that is following in your footsteps is the ultimate compensation,” Shannon said of Egland. “It is priceless!” Other former student-journalists visited Shannon frequently. Caitie Hites, managing editor from 20102011 continued to be one of them. “Even if [the newspaper] looked good, if [Shannon] knew we weren’t doing our absolute best, he would get worked up about that,” Hites said. “I’m glad he did now, looking back.”
Sports 3
Friday, October 25
Fall spor ts seasons come to an end
Football faith evans sports editor social media editor
Lewiston Bengals defeated Lethbridge, Alberta Canada Friday, Oct. 18 at Bengal Field, 51-21, in non-league game. Before the game, Purr reporters found that many differences exist between Canadian and American football. The Canadian field length measures at 110 yards long by 65 yards wide, rather than 100 yards long by 53 yards wide, as in American football. Ten yards deeper than American football end zones, the Canadian Football League uses 20-yard-deep end zones. However, the Canadian field occasionally shortens the end zone at the corners so that the field fits in the infield of a track. Differences continue beyond field size. American teams use
Bengal varsity football defense prepares on the line of scrimmage against the Lethbridge Rams Friday, Oct. 18 at Bengal Field.
11 players, while Canadian teams use 12 players on the field, per side. Both the CFL and NFL require the same number of players at the line of scrimmage, so the twelfth player in the Canadian game plays a backfield position. Finally, the CFL rulebook provides a maximum of only three downs, while the NFL provides up to four downs.
Soccer
To learn about Canadian players’ pre-game rituals, Bengals’ Purr reporters Dakota Everett and Hailey Sorenson met with Lethbridge Collegiate Institute sophomores, quarterback Mitchell Boychuck, running back Liam Hyland, and wide receiver Tevin Hall.
Boychuck: “We always have a pre-game prayer.” Hyland: “Seniors give a pep talk.” Hyland and Hall: “Always ram it!”
Cross Country
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Bengal cross country runners compete in the Lewiston Invitational Saturday, Sept. 28. The team also competed at the district level during the week of Oct. 21. At districts, the girls team came in second, qualifying them for state competitions. Freshman Austin Byerer also qualified for state as an individual, according to LHS Athletic Director Corey Williams. The Lady Bengals’ soccer team high-fives the Post Falls Tojans in Post Falls, Wednesday, Oct. 16, before the game. The LHS girls ended their season with a 3-3 IEL record and the boys ended with a 1-5 IEL record.
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