EHS Bugle October issue

The Bugle The student newspaper of Eureka High School

4525 Highway 109 Eureka, MO 63025 www.ehsbugle.com volume 76 • issue 2 October 21, 2011

Beyond the Text SB-54 meets controversy and is revised in the Missouri Legislature...pg.3

Getting the right answers

Teachers and students talk about cheating in high school...pg. 6-7

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Loading the bases Varsity softball team excels in state championship run...pg. 2

photo by allison rhine

brittany kastner writer

2

Loading the bases Girls softball team excels in state contest run

news

Constant cheering from the dugout, eyes trained on the ball, and dust flying after runners slide into home plate.

A typical game for the varsity softball team who are taking names and making records all the way to the top.

At the district championship against Parkway South, who had already beat the girls twice this season, Eureka won 6-4, Oct. 7: the first time the team won Districts since 1999.

Then they beat Webster in a sectional game, 11-0, Oct. 12.

Most recently, the team beat Seckman, 5-3, Oct. 15.

The team is now headed to the state semi-finals.

But underneath all the excellence lies a team with a very unusual twist: out of 16 girls, nine are either freshmen or sophomores.

“I was trying out for varsity,” Samantha Witte, third base, said. “And it was just awesome that I got to be on varsity and start at the same time.”

Most varsity teams are made up of seniors, juniors, and maybe a couple of star sophomores or freshman.

It is rare to have a team made up of almost all underclassmen.

“There were a lot of other girls that are upperclassmen who have a great amount of talent at softball,” Casey Plank, catcher, said. “I was expecting to make the team, just not at a higher level.”

For having so many underclassmen on their team, the softball team has gone far in their season with a 23-5 record after their win at sectionals.

“This is my 2nd year as a varsity coach but if you just look at wins and losses we’ve now reached 20 wins which is the first time it’s been done in five years,” Mr. Mark Mosley, head coach, said. “For the second year in a row we went to the district championship game. We are playing really well. I feel like team unity is a lot stronger than it has been in the past.”

The team is deep with talent and players that are clearly making a mark on this season’s records.

Starters Jamie Fowle, short stop and Allie Craft, outfielder, both have a .431 batting average. One of the top players is Alana Hester, outfielder, the number one with 34 runs and 42 hits and a .442 batting average. With the team effort of 14 triples and 38 doubles and all their record-breaking wins, the girls have proven their talent.

“I just know that I have to start the game off and get on any way I can to help my team score first,” Hester said. “It’s been an adjustment to be the first one to face the pitcher, but it’s gotten better as the season has progressed. I just mentally have to be smart and calm.”

Working not only as a team but as a family seems to be getting these girls far. With constant cheering in the dugout and friendly, smiling attitudes on the field, the girls have proven that they have a passion for softball.

Constantly shouting encouragements and chanting loud uplifting cheers, the team makes sure every teammate is pumped up and ready for the next situation.

“We cheer to stay focused and so that everyone’s in a good mood,” Kelsey Tepen, outfielder, said. “You can’t be down or disappointed during a game so if you cheer people on, everyone’s happy and it’s just better for the team.”

After beating Seckman in sectionals, the softball team is on their way to State. But they didn’t make it there

Batting during the sectionals game, Jenny Weiss, first base, attempts to get on base and score an RBI toward a win against Seckman, Oct. 12. “We were humble,” Weiss said. “And we developed a bond with each other

that EHS softball hasn’t had in a very long time. Plus one big thing we didn’t have last year that we have this year is the ability to have fun at all times. We have a hunger for winning that wasn’t present last year.”

by chance. The team practiced hard and thoroughly to prepare for the competition they have faced throughout the season.

“Coach Mosley asks us ‘What do you guys feel you need to work on?’,”Jenny Weiss, first base, said.

“So we work on the things we were lacking in our last game. Before playing Seckman we worked every day on hitting inside drops and laying off of the rise ball.”

Being on the field is intense when it is getting down to the big games that could potentially make or break a team. But the girls have a lot of prior experience which helps them on the field.

“We are mostly all select players so we have a lot of experience with the bigger games,” Craft said. “So we are normally used to the pressure of high competition.

It really helps us a lot because we don’t really get that nervous. We know that this is a big game and we have to perform like we always do.”

It is a must for the team to be supportive of one another. Like most coaches, they set standards for the girls on the team about being loyal and encouraging to their fellow teammates.

“Supporting one another and being team players is

something we really stress a lot,” Coach Mosley said.

“If you can’t support the team then you won’t be on the team. It’s pretty simple.”

Support equals motivation. With districts blown out of the water and State in sight, the girls realize this is one of the main keys in being successful out on the field.

“We were playing some of the top teams,” Coach Mosley said. “We are getting used to some of the best pitchers in the state. Since then they’ve made adjustments and they’ve been doing a really great job.”

Supportive players are important, but talent is a whole other factor in being successful. And this team has a great amount of it.

“Alana Hester at the top of the lineup gets things going for us, and then there’s any number of girls you can name,” Coach Mosley said. “I mean you can rattle off Jamie Fowle and Jenny Weiss as being two big players, Kelsey Tepen is doing a great job. We’ve got a really strong defense. Syd Tockman has been our catcher for every game all year, and she’s been doing a great job.”

The softball team is now moving onto the state semifinals that will be held at 10:00 a.m at the Killian Sports Complex in Springfield, Oct. 21.

dane roper writer

3

Looking into the text

Senate Bill 54 threatens to alter communication

Is it legal?

After emailing Senator Cunningham to set up a time for an interview, I waited for a response when I received this text message at 11:44 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26. Upon arriving home I conducted the interview that began at 12:10 and lasted until 12:23 a.m. Interestingly enough, the form of communication that initiated the interview was a text message from the Senator to me.

Changes were made mainly because of the language that the law used not because of the law’s intentions.

“I can see their intentions and where they’re coming from about why some people think private teacher-student communication is a bad idea, but if they restrict communication between Dr. McIlwee and I then it’s going to be a lot more difficult to keep NHS in good standings,” Chelsea Harris, NHS executive president, said.

Ninety-seven percent of students that participated in an online survey said the main way they communicate with teachers outside of the classroom is either through email or not at all.

“Usually I’m very busy and I only communicate with teachers if it’s about work that I need help with,” Matthew Schlittler (9) said. “If I have a problem I can just go to them before I leave for the busses or early in the morning.”

The main controversy of SB 54 resided in a small subsection of the law which disallowed private, direct communication between teachers and students.

A teacher friending a student on facebook?

Legal. Because of Senate Bill 1 being passed, teachers are still allowed to be on social media sights such as facebook.

What is illegal about facebook?

Nothing. If a teacher were to communicate with a student through an inbox message, this form of communication would have been illegal in the law’s original language because its content is not available for the student’s

“We found during the four years of work on this legislation that most of the inappropriate relationships started with innocent, hidden communications between students and teachers,” Sen. Cunningham said. “In numerous cases that hidden communication actually started appropriately and innocently with questions like on a math problem but ended in an inappropriate relationship with a very bad outcome.”

Defining hidden communication and controversy over specific relationships within the school district also drew much attention to the law. Under SB 54, communications with students via texting or facebook inboxes for teachers would not be allowed, even if that student is the teacher’s child.

“There was confusion about whether or not a teacher—even being the parent of the student—would have the ability to communicate privately with their child, like on facebook,” Mr. Beatty said. “So I think the law was written in a fashion that didn’t take into consideration things like parent-student relationships within a building.”

Practical applications of direct teacher-student communications were brought to the attention of lawmakers which also contributed to why the law has changed.

“The law would affect me greatly because my adviser and I communicate a lot via our cell phones,” Hannah Wischmeier, newspaper editor-inchief, said. “I’ll text Mrs. Strecker with questions, she’ll text me back with answers. If I have a problem, I’ll call her.”

If this communication were to be halted, there is doubt as to how well some school organizations would function.

“It would definitely make things a lot harder because StuCo always has something going on,” Erin Meyer, StuCo executive secretary, said. “There’s always something that needs to be done or something that I need to know about, and so Mr. Schulz sending a text message saying, ‘Hey remember to do this’ helps a lot.”

Rockwood email accounts have not been influenced by the original law or its revisions which is why some organizations will see little effects, if any, from the law.

“I have an awful lot of communication with the NHS officers via email,” Dr. Bill McIlwee, NHS sponsor, said. “Whenever the law becomes enforceable I don’t think it would affect us because I go through the school’s webserver for email.”

Nevertheless, some feel that the law is a hindrance and may be more damaging than what was intended.

“I think the law would have a crippling effect on communication with students,” Mr. Jim Schulz, StuCo sponsor, said. “One of the things you need to do as an educator is to change with the times and part of that is embracing social media; that’s where students are.”

Senate Bill 1 has currently been passed by the State Legislature and is awaiting signature by Governor Nixon. The governor has until October 21 to take action on the bill or it will automatically go into effect.

news

No one ever reads the fine print. In this case, though, the fine print holds far-reaching implications to the way that teachers and students are able to communicate.

“Texting is a lot easier because it goes straight to Coach Wasson and then it comes straight back to me.

You can usually get a response in a minute or two,” Christian Horn, swimmer, said. “Your team— including your coach—starts to become almost like your family and you go to them for things that you’re in trouble with.”

Some sports teams use texting as a quick and effective way to communicate updates in practice and game times.

“If practice was cancelled and I didn’t get an email that my coach sent out, then the easiest way would be to text them and find out when or where the practice is moved to,” Lexie Fallert, tennis player, said.

However, a law passed by the Missouri State Legislature in July, Senate Bill 54, threatens the way students and teachers are able to interact.

Mrs. Jane Cunningham, a Republican Missouri State Senator representing Chesterfield, was one of the law’s authors.

“The original intent of the law was to respond to the Associated Press investigation that found that sexual misconduct between educators and students was extremely prevalent in our country and in our state,” Sen. Cunningham said during a phone interview, Aug. 27. “Our goal was to keep those students protected from sexual misconduct and teachers protected with regard to inappropriate behavior.”

Ambiguities in the language of the law led to lawsuits, a court-ordered injunction filed against sections of the law and drastic changes being made through a special session of the state legislature held in September.

“We were all struggling to try to figure out exactly what the law meant and did not want to adversely impact the good things that go on with communication between employees and students,” Mr. Steve Beatty, Rockwood’s Chief Information Officer and co-facilitator of the district’s Senate Bill 54 Committee, said. “I’m not sure that all the folks in the Senate and the House are totally up to speed on all the current electronic communications and devices that are out there or knowledgeable on the types of communication that occur in school.”

Out of the special session came a revised version of the law, Senate Bill 1. Many of the specifics in the original Senate Bill 54 were removed in the revised bill and the deadline for school districts to have a written policy about teacher-student communication was pushed back from January 1 to March 1, 2012.

“The bill now really only talks about the policy including language that makes sure the communication is limited to proper use,” Mr. Beatty said. “I think the bottom line is that we need to have a policy that makes sure that any electronic communication between employees and students is appropriate and related to the educational services that we provide.”

parent or guardian to see. Senate Bill 1 has addressed this issue and currently allows this form of communication.

of the law completely so that teachers under the law are allowed to communicate with students via texting.

In the law’s original language, this would have been illegal. Texting is a form of private communication that was specifically forbidden in the law. Texting was found to be a major culprit in the blossoming of inappropriate student-teacher relationships in a nation-wide investigation by the Associated Press. Senate Bill 1 has excluded this aspect

Legal. Emails can be viewed by a third party if absolutely necessary. “Rockwood email accounts are publicly viewable. If parents ever want to come in and see it they’re more than welcome to,” Dr. McIlwee said. Senate Bill 1 allows for this form of communication to take place without any complications.

A teacher texting a student?

Teacher emailing student using Rockwood email accounts?

Pick up applications in the Guidance Office.

Deadline: Nov. 22 at 4 p.m.

Senior portriat scholarships available Don’t miss out!

If you want your portrait to appear in the 2012 Eurekana Yearbook, you must have your senior yearbook portrait taken

by Prestige Portraits, by Dec. 2. Call immediately to set up your appointment before all the sessions are booked: (314) 963-1414.

Plan ahead for your future, 0pen a savings account today!

Bremen Bank and Trust Company 16024 Manchester Rd. Ellisville, MO 63011 (314) 446-3100

Member F.D.I.C.

haley short writer

5

Changing with time Mr. Mike Schweickhardt’s teaching evolves with his classes

Working on the computer, Kala Poirrier (11) designs a game using different softwares, Oct. 6, “It’s an easy A because you have to use your brain and I have one,” Poirrier said. “We make awesome games. Right now we are making whack-a-mole. You program the buttons and the form and the timer and you put it all together. Then you click on the button and it turns a different color. In my program, if you click on it and it’s not the mole, you get two points subtracted from it, and if you did click on it them you get a point, it goes really fast.” of innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education curricular programs used in high schools across the U.S., according to www.pltw. org.

“You can actually get college credit for these classes.,” Mr. Robert Spellmeyer, technology teacher, said. “In regular technology classes, such as woods and metals, you focus on making things and the processes that go into that. But for Intro to Engineering and Design it’s about problem solving.”

With Project Lead the Way, students are pushed more into the fundamentals of engineering at a fast pace, like an AP course. The class focuses on engineering principles that can prepare students for college engineering.

“I am interested in engineering so that is why I chose digital electronics,” Alex Ranney (12) said.

“We are getting a basic understanding of electronics: binary translation and how that impacts circuits. We have already created some circuits and program them using electronic circuitry.”

Project lead the way has comtributed to the rise in students taking Mr. Schweickhardt’s classes.

“Last year enrollment was lower than it is this year,” Mr. Schweickhardt said. “Project Lead The Way has helped, so that’s one period that’s full.”

The evolution of technology has added more difficulty to the classes Mr. Schweickhardt is teaching.

“The classes have become much more complex,”

Mr. Schweickhardt said. “I think, the curriculum is much harder. It used to be just BASIC, but we’ve gone from BASIC to more difficult languages like Java. We have an AP course. We have weighted grade digital electronics which is more low level. It’s going deeper. It really gets into the nuts and bolts.”

The depth of learning in new technology classes has opened educational doors for students.

“I have definitely learned a lot more in his class.

I have learned a lot of stuff that I wouldn’t have even thought about before, especially about digital electronics since that is what the class is called,” Chris Novatny (10) said. “In the class we do a lot with digital electronic circuits and virtually design them on the computer.”

Schweickhardt’s technology classes provide a new insight into a whole world of electronics.

“I think kids should take this class because it’s cool to learn about things on the computer besides Microsoft and PowerPoint,” Perez said.

Mr. Schweickhardt, however, does not let the magnitude of his courseload frustrate him.

“I don’t juggle classes; I just drop the ball and pick it back up,” Mr. Schweickhardt said.”It’s not hard, there’s enough disparity between classes that I can part my classes well. Computer science, I’ve been doing it for so long that I can do it in my head.”

The technology changes, however the expertise of Mr. Schweickhardt and the value of the courses he teaches remains stellar.

academcis

In the revolving door of technology, nothing is ever static. When one advancement is made, an even better solution is discovered.

However, Mr. Mike Schweickhardt, computer science teacher, has proven that evolving technology can be mastered with an open mind.

“I think he is really helpful, he really knows a lot of what he is talking about,” Olivia Perez (11) said.”Whenever you ask him a question he can always answer it right away, and he is just really helpful. He can help you see what your exactly messing up with and what you can fix directly to make your page better.”

After majoring in philosphy in college, Mr. Schweickhardt picked up computer science on a whim.

“Well I thought it would be fun,” Mr. Schweickhardt said. “I played with computers a little and got the hang of it. And I have taken a lot of courses over the years.”

Mr. Schweickhardt has also changed his mindset to keep up-to-date with information.

“As I’ve gotten older I have to think about the assignment, at least my upper level classes have become pretty complex, and I have to remember that there is more than one way to shell a nut,” Mr. Schweickhardt said. “There may be a better way than another, and I try to direct them in the right way but I don’t remember sometimes.”

However, the beauty of technology is that there is always something upon which to build.

“The big thing about programing is, if you know how to program in one language, if you give me two hours, I can have you programming in another language,” Mr. Schweickhardt said. “The only thing that you need to learn is syntax.”

And Mr. Schweickhardt has learned. Five classes have been added to the roster in the past 10 years, according to Mr. Schweickhardt. With so many classes, Mr. Schweickhardt can’t teach them all after he introduces them to the curricula.

“They asked us a couple years ago if anyone would be willing enough to teach web page design, and I said absolutely especially since Mr. Schweickhardt was the other teacher,” Mrs. Stacey Bevill, math teacher, said. “In college, I took three or four classes that dealt with computers, and I’ve always been pretty handy with Photoshop and Dreamweaver. “ Not only do the classes change, but the technology changes along with it. Developing over the years, the technology offered to teachers and students has changed significantly since the beginning of Mr. Schweickhardt’s career at EHS. “There is newer and more technology now,” Mr. Schweickhardt said. “When I first started, we had these old IBM machines that were no good. Now we’ve gone to decent computers. Rockwood is really good about staying on the cutting edge. They give me what I need. I have good machines and good software.”

Rockwood now offers some high-claiber classes, as well, some worth college credit.

Project Lead the Way is the leading provider

Classes Mr. Schweickhardt has taught: Classes Mr. Schweickhardt has taken: • QBASIC

• AP Java

• AP training

• Java

• JavaScript

• Intro Java

• PLTW training

• Visual BASIC

• HTML

• Web Page Design

• C++ courses

• Networking

• Visual BASIC

• Principles of Networking

• Javascript

• Dreamweaver

• C++

• Digital Electronics

• AP C++

Teachers and students talk about cheating

Teachers vs. Students

6

Getting the right answers

photo illustrations b

One of the easiest and most common ways of cheating is texting ot for answers. “Everyone has a phone,” Erin Reed (12) said. “Peo in class and it doesn’t matter what hour it is. If you want to look off person’s paper, it has to be timed, but you can use your own phone you want.”

What’s the punishment?

1st offense

spotlight

“All of our policies were written prior to us going towards a standards based grading system,” Mr. Dan Thoman, senior principal, said. “It still states students will receive zeros on things they cheat on, but if a student knows how to do those things and can demonstrate they can do it later on they should receive the grades.”

“Almost always when I contact parents, they’re surprised, and it’s because most of the time this is a good kid that just made a really quick poor choice,” Mrs. Ann Gilman, freshman principal, said.

“I typically call a parent with a student in the room so that all three of us can have a conversation about what we can do better next time.”

“Most kids learn after the first time if you handle it properly,” Mr. Thoman said. “We’re responsible for reporting to colleges what caliber of student someone is. We’re reporting to a university that this kid knows this material, but we’re also reporting that they’ve had behavior flaws like cheating multiple times.”

2nd offense 3rd+ offense

photo illustrations by m

No credit

Phone call to parents

No credit

Phone call to parents

Teachers require that phones are put away to prevent cheating.“Kee phones out of sight and in their backpacks and constant monitoring the period is the best deterrent to any of those situations,” Mrs. Dia FACS teacher said. “We talk about academic dishonesty in class, it’s not getting you any further by using those devices.”

No credit

Phone call to parents

iss oss Up to 3 days of in-school suspension

Up to 3 days of out-of-school suspension

Why do people “I think people cheat because they’re lazy, they took too hard of a class, they didn’t study, they didn’t know the material, or they needed a better grade,” Logan Buness (9) said. “I also think so many people cheat because it is so much easier than studying themselves.”

“I think people cheat because they’re not prepared for what they’re about to take,” Ashlee Boettge (11) said.

“They’re nervous because they didn’t study, nervous from the stress of the fact they might fail and nervous because they’re cheating themselves by not learning.”

ther people ople can text f another e whenever

ryan mcbride

7

by ryan mcbride

ryan mcbride

If there isnt’t time to study or learn the information, students also cheat easily by writing answers for tests or quizzes on their hands or arms. “Your hands are closer to you, so it’s easier to hide notes you write,” Daniel Roesch (11) said.

“You write with your hands anyway, so it’s a lot harder for teachers to pick up on.”

Perhaps the most spontaneous way of cheating is looking at someone else’s paper. “It’s not a planned cheat,” Chanel Mullen (9) said. “They go in the class thinking that they know everything, and then realize they don’t know the answers. They don’t feel like it’s a deliberate cheat, but a pointer in the right direction.”

maddie sanden

maddie sanden

Though its hard to prevent, teachers try their best to make sure students don’t bring in outside information for tests. “The best way to prevent it is just constant monitoring through the class while they are taking a test to make sure that no one is using any outside assistance that they think will help them because ultimately, it does not help them,” Mrs. Lucas said.

In order to prevent such actions, teachers may separate desks or set up screens.“I think a proactive measure you could take is to make sure students desks are separated enough that it would be difficult for a student to look off another students paper without it being pretty obvious that that’s what they are doing,” Mr. Andy Gensler, Language Arts teacher, said.

maddie sanden

eping the g throughout ane Lucas, , about how

“I think people cheat so they can get further in life,” Kyle Gardner (10) said. “People are too lazy to study for their tests and quizzes themselves and would rather be doing other things in their free time, so they will rely on other people instead of studying on their own.”

“I think people cheat because if they don’t have time to study at night they can easily rely on the people next to them for the grade they want,” Amanda Dierkes (12) said. “Sometimes before a big test you have other things going on so you don’t really have any time to study.”

Number crunching 36.7%

40.6%

40.8%

46.2%

30.6%

51.0%

39.6%

100%

83.7%

of teachers said copying someone’s homework is the most common way of cheating.

of students said copying homework is the most common way of cheating.

of students see someone else cheating once every week.

of students know 12 or more people who have cheated.

of teachers have caught 1-5 students cheating in their teaching. career of teachers have caught a student cheating during their teaching career.

based on a poll of 106 students and 49 teachers

of teachers catch student cheating once every month.

of teachers said they punish a student once per school year for cheating.

of teachers walk around the room while testing to prevent cheating.

spotlight

e cheat?

    

    

jessica meszaros writer

9

Word play Speech and Debate Program expands

Student Congress members Deidra Hall and Madison Hurst (11) attend Speech and Debate and research on laptops in preparation for future discussion with other Congress members regarding future bills and laws to be sent off to the Senate and House of Represenatives and possibly placed on a future docket in Missouri. “There are a lot more people on Student Congress,” Hall said. “It used to be around four but now it’s probably around 10 members.”

Insider knowledge Some Speech and Debate event options

have begun to realize that Speech and Debate is not a club. The program is actually a MSHAAA-sponsored athletic where members can compete with one another and against other districts and move up in regional and national status, much like a sports team.

“A misconception is that we show up, debate for a few hours, and go home, which is not true,” Mr. Paul Stanley, head coach, said. “It’s more of a competitive sport, but without the athletics. We compete in a district against other teams, just like in a sports team.

Speech and Debate’s status as an athletic and not a club has made students begin to pay more attention to the program considering the responsibility that comes as a member.

“Speech and Debate is a lot more work that I’d thought it would be,” Vaughn Davis (11) said. “You have to put a lot of thought into what you’re doing. You can’t just decide to argue a topic; you have to research everything beforehand.”

Events involved with debate require months of research for a proper argument.

Speech and Debate’s success in 2010 is another factor that has allowed more members to choose to participate in the program. The team surpassed the Greater St. Louis District, which is the equivalent of state regionals in the realm of sports, and word spread of the success. These successes have brought the program attention and earned it recognition.

“I think the reason we’ve grown so much is because we had teams that did really great last year,” Alex Branchfield (11) said. “We all placed highly and went on. We started doing really well, and ended up

Poetry A member must read from a work of poetry. The reader must be standing the entire time and may not move outside a small box of space.

The time limit is eight minutes for the entire piece, including a 30 second introduction. Theatrical clippings are not allowed.

Duo-Interpretation Two performers act out a scene from a published literary work. Multiple actors are allowed, but movement is limited.

The scenes can be comedic or dramatic. Performers may only look at each other during the skit. The performers are allowed to play multiple characters. The time limit is ten minutes.

getting second place. It was huge. That was really memorable.”

Advertising and past success have combined to bring in new members.

“I think after the success last year, the club really became more well known,” Andrew Hosna (11) said.

Members made it a mission to spread the word about the program, recruiting students.

“We’ve made an effort to look for kids who may have a good radio voice or may be good at storytelling,” Mrs. Schoellhorn said. “We want to look for kids who maybe don’t have a niche, so this could be their niche instead.”

As the program expands, so does it’s reach.

“Last year, we didn’t have a lot of people in [the program], but now there’s more,” Hurst said. “I’m glad to be a part of the growth.”

The program even offers access to a group, Student Congress, which creates possible future bills, allowing students the opportunity to impact the community.

“I like being able to create arguments on something that people actually have an intelligent argument about,” Hall said. “You actually have to look it up and gather facts.”

Speech and Debate meets every Monday after school in rooms 442 and 439, with Student Congress, poetry and story-telling, Lincoln-Douglas and public forum divided between the two rooms.

From combatting anxiety over speaking in public to theatrical presentations to shaping the laws that govern society, Speech and Debate has something to offer everyone.

Public Forum Involves a team of two people that research a different topic each month and prepare research to debate against another two-person team from a competing school. It consists of multiple four minute speechs for each team, equaling a forty minute debate and ending with a crossfire round, which allows the teams to question the other’s argument.

clubs

In America, the number one reported fear among adults as of 2011 is public speaking.

EHS has a club dedicated to giving students with the opportunity to participate in a program that offers public speaking assignments, story-telling, radio broadcasting, duo interpretation, public forum, Student Congress, poetry and more. The Speech and Debate Program continues to grow with every week, adding more members to the roster.

“I like to argue, I’m a very outspoken person, so it was a perfect fit,” Umme Arif (12) said. “Friends recruit friends. Those friends recruit even more friends.

Speech and Debate was relatively unknown for a while, but then people found out about it and began to join.”

Members and sponsors focused their energies on growing the program.

“I think we had a lot of success last year and people talked about it,” Mrs. Lauren Schoellhorn, assistant coach, said. “We’ve put a lot of work into our posters this year to try and let people know that the club isn’t just talking and arguing. There’s so much more.”

The program has expanded by the word-of-mouth from students and teachers.

“When I first joined three years ago, I kind of had to track it down myself with all my other friends,” Jill Haake (11) said. “It was really small and now we have a lot more. It’s exploded. I think it’s grown because people are starting to realize that it’s more than just debate. I also think that our wins last year really help to draw in more members.”

The Speech and Debate Program has experienced a huge increase in members as of this year. Students

slyvia weiss writer

10

Over the years The teams groups together to listen to Coach Schneider at the halftime of their Lindbergh match-up, Oct. 11. “I think there would be a lot less unity with the team if he wasn’t

our coach all four years because he keeps it that way,” Jake Jackson, defense, said. The team ended up losing the game in the last three minutes, 0-1.

In high school sports, players must be accustomed to the idea every year teams get switched around and new coaches are gained.

Players must learn to adjust to their new coach and learn new expectations as they move up in the ranks.

But the 2011 boys varsity soccer team hasn’t had to live through that adjustment.

Most of the upperclassmen have now had Mr. Gary Schneider as their head coach for three to four years.

Knowing what the coach wants and what he expects from the team gave the players a head-start on the season.

“I like having the same coach because you get the same style every year and you don’t have to change your styles because of the new coach or anything like that,” Jake Jackson, defense, said.

Since the players have had Coach Schneider for the past couple years, they know what his attitude in the games is.

“Schneider is both a laid back and intense coach,” Parker Levy, midfield, said. “His demeanor during games all depends on how we’re playing. He knows we know how to play our own game, but when it comes to the point where we need help, he will let us know what we’re doing wrong.“ Coach Schneider has been coaching for 12 years, and has been varsity’s head coach for the past two seasons.

This team has been the first time he has ever gotten the opportunity to work with the same boys for four years straight.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group of kids to be around for four years in a row,” Coach Schneider said. “The seniors have stepped up and are really trying to lead the team. They’re doing a really good job.”

Coach Schneider’s impact on the team has helped win games and set the team in the right direction.

“Schneider has made us the players we are today because he knows our limits and he really pushes us, but he also knows how to calm us down and help us relax,” Levy said. “He knows our personalities and knows how we work best together.”

Being able to read his players’ emotions has helped Coach Schneider toggle players in and out of games.

“The main thing about Schneider is he knows how we act when we get frustrated,” Dane Roper, keeper/forward, said. “If he sees that he’ll take us out of the game to calm our nerves. Once we’re calmed down, he’ll know and will put us back in.”

Since Coach Schneider has worked with the same players for years, he has had the opportunity to see how the boys have developed.

“The boys have definitely gotten a lot bigger,” Coach Schneider said. “They came in as little, scrawny freshmen. They were also very immature freshman and some of them still are. But, they’ve grown so much academically, physically and emotionally. They’re a lot more fun to be around, and they’re so receptive to everything. I wish them nothing but success coming this year and beyond.”

Coach Schneider’s coaching has led the team with an overall combined record of 59-16-5 throughout the seniors high school career as of Oct. 18.

“Schneider has pushed weaker spots of our games,” Mike Lawrence, defense, said. “He’s made us stronger in areas we were weak. We would definitely not have as good of a coach-player relationship if Schneider hadn’t stayed our consistent coach all four years.”

Schneider’s emphasis on technique has helped the team’s overall skill.

“Defensively, one thing that Coach Schneider always emphasizes is to get back every time we don’t have the ball,” Roper said. “It’s an on-going process, and he will always keep reminding us.”

The players would not be who they are today without the consistent presence of Coach Schneider.

“Schneider has made me the player I am today because he makes us work hard in practice as well as in the games,” Brian Klopf, midfield, said. “It wouldn’t be the same if Schneider wasn’t the coach because we’re so used to his coaching styles.”

Coach Schneider’s successful work ethic has left its mark on his players.

“Schneider has taught me a lot about working hard and has really showed me that if I out-work everyone else then good things will happen,” Jake Schoch, forward, said. “If Schneider hadn’t been our coach for all four years I feel a lot of the seniors would have gotten

caught up in a senior-itis kind of thing with school and with soccer.”

Coach Schneider pushes the team to keep them focused and driven.

“Normally we will just run at half time to warm us back up but lately he’s been having us do short sprints at half time as a team so that we can have that mentality of ‘we need to go out and win this game’,” Roper said. “He pushes us to either get ahead or come from behind in the second half” The close coach-player relationship is an obvious factor of the team.

“I usually think it’s a good idea to get a couple different coaches, but stepping in this year for the first time and seeing the way the group gets along with Schneider, it seems like it worked out pretty well for all of them to stay with him throughout the years,” Mr. Michael Hanna, assistant coach, said. “Everyone is extremely close. The boys usually know what Schneider is going to say before he says it, which is really helpful during their games.”

Not only has the team been accustomed to the same coach, but also the team has grown use to the same teammates their high school soccer experience.

“Chemistry is a big part of playing on a team, and we’ve been able to work around our difficulties which has helped us succeed,” Eric Hartsfield, midfield, said. “We have a lot of inside jokes and we have a really good team overall since we’re all so close.”

The team’s inside jokes are plentful but not appropriate for publication.

The closeness of the players has results.

“Playing with the same teammates for so many years helps them just know what they’re doing overall,” Schneider said. “They know who’s going where and are able to adjust and read each other without even talking.”

Coach Schneider ensures the ties extend beyond the field.

“For the past two years, towards the beginning of the season, Schneider creates team events for us to grow closer,” Roper said. “Last year it was paint-balling and this year we went to Sports Fusion and played lazer-tag and dodgeball. Stuff like that has just helped us build our relationship as a team.”

With seniors graduating and moving to college, they must prepare themselves for a new experience.

“I’m going to miss Schneider next year,” Schoch said. “In college you kind of lose that relationship with the coach, especially if you go to a bigger school. That’s something I’ll miss with Schneider a lot: the relationship.”

“Schneider has pushed weaker spots of our games,” Mike Lawrence, defense, said. “He’s made us stronger in areas we were weak.”

sports

Coach Schneider brings consistency to boys soccer

The Bugle Staff

outlook

Whether it be rules about the dress code or regulations about standing on chairs, Rockwood most likely has a policy for it.

With all these policies it seems like a school district’s guidelines should be foolproof by now.

Surely there must be some sort of policy that sets boundaries and limits on the contact that teachers have with their students inside and outside of the classroom.

Just to name a few: • District Policy 4810 addresses sexual harassment that includes teacher-student relations, adopted on August 3, 2000.

• District Policy 4843 on staff conduct includes the phrase employees at all times must “conduct oneself in a professional manner so as not to engage in conduct that is likely to bring discredit to the district,” and was also adopted August 3, 2000.

• District Policy 6320 specifically states, “Students and staff shall not use technological systems to transmit material that is threatening, obscene, disruptive or sexually explicit…” and was most recently revised August 12, 2002, according to the District website.

Therefore, Senate Bill 1, the revised version of Senate Bill 54, which requires schools to construct a policy that defines “proper communication” between teachers and students outside of the classroom, is new legislation to an old problem.

The hiring process for Rockwood teachers includes four thorough steps while the interview process alone requires in-depth analysis.

The first steps: an online application, fingerprinting/background checks, and a gallup survey, which assigns the applicant a score. A minimum score is required in order to editor-in-chief hannah wischmeier production editor madison sanden writers kelsey fairchild brittany kastner ethan lambert ryan mcbride

move on in the process.

Interviewing begins with principals selecting candidates for building interviews. “Building interviews may include a committee, a team of teachers, counselors and other certified staff in addition to the building principal,” according to the District website.

Once an applicant has been chosen, the building principal sends a recommendation to the Human Resources Department. The Director of Human resources then sends a recommendation to the Board of Education for approval, according to the District website.

The bottom line is hiring teachers is not a job that is taken lightly. Many steps are taken to ensure the success and safety of students from the very beginning.

The idea of additional legislation being passed to pile on more policy is by no means necessary.

In fact, the only thing such legislation contributes to is an incriminating feeling in all teachers because of a select minority that crossed the boundaries of proper communication.

Inappropriate teacher-student relationships are never acceptable, but adding more policy into a rule book isn’t going to stop those who are intent on harming students.

For some incomprehensible reason, having a little faith in the employment processes and policies that public school districts put into place seems too difficult to fathom.

Afterall, policy can only stretch so far when teacher-student accessibility has taken on numerous forms due to the countless advances in technology.

Legislators should let public schools’ policies on this topic remain as they are because more policy, in this case, does more harm than good.

jessica mezaros forrest nettles dane roper haley short brendan vogel casey walker sylvia weiss video production editor-in-chief erin mikel

video production nick hoeflinger kalin preston stats manager gabby adams ads manager ryan whanger adviser elisha strecker

hannah wischmeier editor-in-chief

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SB54 and SB1 The Wisch List Out of focus new legislation Rockwood must for old policy think of students first

I moved when I was 14 years old. I came from a Parkway school into the Rockwood School District. And I was blown away by both the academic environment and the school environment. However, I am relieved that I am graduating with the class of 2012.

I am relieved because of a string of events that have turned our district leadership and our patrons seemingly against each other.

I have enjoyed the advantages of the Rockwood School District: current computers, teachers who are more than willing to put in extra time to help and a community that has given me some of the best friends I could ever ask for.

However, I fear that the EHS that I know today is being threatened by a lack of focus on what is really important.

On June 19, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an article ‘revealing’ the hiring of two new employees of the district. This was the first of many controversial articles the Post has published between June and October.

As a journalist, reading the pieces gave me a lot of ideas on what I want to avoid once I enter the professional realm. The pieces all seemed to lack any sense of context. The pieces seemed to be for the purpose of creating a stir.

If Elizabeth Holland were a writer for my paper, her pieces would need work before I could allow them to be printed. If she were on my staff, she would need to speak with more parents, students, and teachers to get a more well-rounded opinion of the district.

She would need to inject the truth of the Rockwood School District into her work.

Here is the reality: Every weekday 3,368 staff members and 22,480 students walk the halls of Rockwood Schools. Every weekday, teachers in the Rockwood School District give lectures, grade papers and conduct help sessions, all to ensure that each student receives an excellent education.

The primary obligation of The Bugle is to create a quality publication to inform its readers about events in the school and community and of issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population.

The Bugle, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment and strives to establish and maintain standards outlined by the Society of Professional Journalists.

The Bugle is a public forum.

Student editors apply professional standards and ethics for decision making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper.

While the student staff encourages constructive criticism of any part

Every weekday, students in Rockwood, at all educational levels, work hard to stretch their minds and better themselves.

The future of Rockwood students depends on the integrity, strength and unity of this Rockwood community, myself included.

However, our community is getting lost in clouds of controversy and anger.

Our community is losing sight of what is important: students of our District and the teachers who serve them.

Arguing back and forth via the letter-tothe-editor page of the Post-Dispatch will not solve problems in our District. And relying on the Post-Dispatch will not provide adequate information to our patrons.

And while filing audits may pinpoint the sources of our District’s problems, the price of it is the further division of our community.

We need to find answers, not pick fights and make irrational demands.

Rather than playing the victims in this soap opera, our community needs to put down their anger, frustration and pride to do what is best for the students.

The District should be working to keep as many beneficial programs in our schools as possible.

Our communities main focus should be the betterment of Rockwood students, first and foremost.

If we fail to do so, I fear the Rockwood Advantage will fall below the standards that I have come accustomed to.

With the ugly face of budget cuts staring us down, I worry about the future students of Rockwood and the opportunities that they will miss out on. I worry about the incredible teachers that may look for jobs elsewhere.

And I worry about the quality of education that Rockwood must uphold.

In order to save our District, our community must stop looking for problems, and instead start coming up with answers.

of the newspaper, authority for content rests in the hands of the student members of the newspaper staff.

Students will not publish material considered to be legally unprotected speech, or libel, obscenity, material disruption of the school process, copyright infringement or unwarranted invasion of privacy.

Letters to the editor are encouraged by students, faculty and the community. Letters must be signed but names can be withheld upon request. Letters must not exceed 250 words and The Bugle reserves the right to reject, edit or shorten as necessary.

Opinions expressed on the editorial page do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or official policies of the school administration. All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority

opinion of the Editorial Board.

Members of the Editorial Board include all staff editors. Signed editorials, columns, editorial cartoons and reviews reflect the views of the author and not those of the editorial board.

The Bugle reserves the right to refuse any business which seeks to advertise any product which is illegal or generally considered unhealthy or undesirable for students as determined by the Editorial Board. The Bugle may choose to publish public service ads at the discretion of the Editorial Board. The Bugle will print political ads which comply with federal, state and local campaign laws.

The Bugle is a member of Sponsors of School Publications of Greater St. Louis, the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

The Peabody Opera House salutes the Kiel

entertainment

Downtown St. Louis welcomes a new music venue that exudes history and charm. Off of Market Street with the arch dominating the view, the Peabody Opera House is attracting young music lovers and appealing to seasoned concert-goers.

The Peabody is a large opera house that presents the allusion of being brand new but is actaully a revamped building.

The Kiel Opera House closed in 1991 leaving behind a jumble of scattered memories across it’s marble floors. The Kiel sat idle for 20 years and stayed closed until 2011 when it reopened as the Peabody Opera house.

Many legendary bands preformed at the Kiel: Bob Dylan, Cream, David Bowie, Greg Allman, Journey with Van Halen, The Clash, R.E.M, etc.

Mrs. Krystal Phillips, language arts teacher, remembers seeing many concerts at the concert hall when it was still the Kiel.

“In ‘78 I saw the Rolling Stones,” Mrs. Phillips said.

“In ‘80 I saw Bruce Springsteen, which was a great concert.”

The Peabody salutes the Kiel by using all of its original furnishing-- the only thing that’s brand new inside of the concert hall is the carpet. Everything else in the Peabody is completely refurbished from the marble flooring to the lighted dome inset inside of the theatre, with $79 million being spent on renovations.

“The carpeting and the seating are the only things that are all new,” Ms. Lizz Hill, director of marketing at the Peabody, said. “The new seating was done by the same company that produced the original theatre seats back in the 1930’s. It’s a nice factor. Everything else is original just repainted and refurbished, better than ever.”

The inside of the Peabody looks like a dream with the red velour seats and Art Deco décor.

The large concert hall includes an orchestra and mezzanine levels with a maximum holding capacity of 3,100 people.

“There’s not a bad seat in the house,” Ms. Hill said.

“You can see and hear everything from every seat in the theatre.”

Mrs. Phillips along with Mr. Gary Baumstark, language arts teacher, both attended the Wilco concert at the Peabody, Oct. 4.

Wilco, an American alternative rock band, filled the sold out concert hall with songs from their newest album “The Whole Love.” They enchanted the audience with trancey-light show song endings reminiscent of Radiohead’s Kid A. “I like Peabody a lot, it’s a very nice venue,” Mr. Baumstark said. “It was not my favorite type of venue.

I like something more like the Pageant where you can move around. At the Peabody you kind of have to stay in a seat, but otherwise it was really nice.”

The Peabody is not only a place to reminisce; it is also a place to create new experiences for a younger generation.

“I think experiencing all different genres of music is important because it’s a way to express yourself,” Peter Plank (11) said. “Going to a concert is an awesome experience that everybody should have.”

The Peabody is a great place for first time concertgoers because it creates a classic concert experience without all the smoke and pushing.

“I think its important for high school students to attend concerts because the arts are extremely important,” Ms. Hill said. “It allows creativity, and it gives you a better respect of the arts, culture, music and with a nice social aspect as well.”

Upcoming concerts at the Peabody include Demi Lovato, Widespread Panic and George Lopez with ticket prices ranging from $30-$50.

The Peabody also includes four beautiful side venues and/or party rooms. These rooms can be used for weddings, plays or special parties. They rent out for anywhere from $3,000-$5,000.

The Peabody not only offers a new experience for the audience but also for the performers.

“As a musician, it’s cool to have as many venues as possible to play because playing in different places

Casey Walker writer

12

Old charm, new memories

A couple enjoyed an overlook view of the the Peabody’s main stage from the mezzaine level before Wilco came on, Oct 4. The red curtain that lines the stage weighs 80,000 pounds to make sure it’s as sound proof as possible. is a new experience every time,” Plank said. “The venue is really important because that determines what type of music you play and whether it’s acoustic or full band. It always gives musicians more options which is always a good thing.”

The Peabody will be enjoyed for years to come by St. Louisans, just as the Kiel was.

“It will always be the Kiel in my heart,” Jeff Tweedy, front man from Wilco, said while exiting the stage.

Staff picks of the month

What: “Up All Night” When: Wednesdays 8/7c Where: NBC One of the newest comedy series on television is “Up All Night.” The show centers on new parents Reagan Brinkley (Christina Applegate) and Chris Brinkley (Will Arnett). After an unexpected pregnancy that results in an infant that doesn’t sleep, the couple tries to combat the clichés of parenthood and attempt to staying ‘cool.’

Reagan is the assistant to a needy and ambitious talk-show host, Ava (Maya Rudolph). The efforts of the couple to stay cool while being good parents to their daughter Amy, result in hilariously reluctant compromises and even a pair of baby cowboy boots. With both the creator and executive producer being “Saturday Night Live” veterans, the comedic writing is fresh and hilarious.

With strong comedic performances from Maya Rudolph (‘Bridesmaids’) and Christina Applegate (‘Samantha Who?’), Up All Night is an upbeat comedy with a lot of laughs.

What: “The Sing Off” When: Mondays 8/7c Where: NBC The traditional singing competition is tired. So, NBC has come up with a fresh spin on ‘American Idol’-esque talent shows. “The Sing Off” is in the midst of its second season. The show is a completely a cappella competition that starts with 16 groups. Each week, new members of the groups take the spotlight and are main singers while they are supported by percussionists, or beat-boxers. The beauty of this show is that each group has a very specific style, image and background. The performances are complete in this competition with choreographed dances to go along with the music. The judges, recording artist Sara Bareilles, ‘Ben Folds Five’ frontman Ben Folds and former member of ‘Boyz 2 Men’ Shawn Stockman do not follow the good-cop, bad-cop pattern that seems to plague American Idol. And there is no ridiculous audition process to begin the season. Overall, “The Sing-Off” is a breath of fresh air in talent-competition television.

What: “Prime Suspect” When: Thursdays 10/9c Where: NBC “Prime Suspect” is labeled as a cop drama. However, one could easily argue that it’s a comedy, cop drama.

The new series focuses on New York homicide detective, Jane Timoney (Maria Bello). Detective Timoney receives her position in the New York Homicide Department after the former detective passes away, causing the coworkers in Detective Timoney’s office to resent her. The series follows Jane’s struggle to gain respect in the office, child visitation at home and a handle on her smoking addiction. What truly makes “Prime Suspect” unique is the legitimate humor infused into the writing. Unlike CSI or Law & Order, humor does not come in the form of punny one-liners. The humor comes from the plot itself and is side-splitting. Adapted from a British television show of the same name, “Prime Suspect” is a new breed of cop drama. “Prime Suspect” promises a laugh and suspense all together in one.