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May 2022 · Volume 27, Issue 1 · La Quinta High School · 79255 Blackhawk Way, La Quinta, CA 92253 · contact the editors at lqhs.journalism@myds.us
Reintroducing the Hawkview, La Quinta High School’s student-run newspaper Miranda Muir & Layla Freiberg Editors-in-Chief
Since 2019, the Hawkview has been publishing stories primarily online through our website and social media accounts. But now, for the first time in three years, we are back in print. This issue is a love letter to our community as everyone navigates life after the COVID-19 pandemic, and is a cumulation of stories from our staff throughout the 2021-2022 school year. During our time away from campus and our lack of print issues, the Hawkview still aimed to create change in the Coachella Valley with our Humans of LQHS project. The project consisted of vinyl banners placed around the
community, each telling the stories of those a part of the La Quinta High community, in an attempt to cultivate empathy during a time of isolation.
and teachers.
A total of about 50 banners were placed around the high school and local parks, and will remain until the end of the school year for the community to see.
Capturing the stories of the high HAWKVIEW STAFF school and This school year, the journalism staff is comprised of two class periods: the traditional Journalism I-IV This project b r i n g i n g class during first period and the CTE Intro to Multimedia Journalism class during second period. taught us awareness that there to the community of the di- These are stories that people is no one way to create or conversity of LQHS felt essential, wouldn’t hear otherwise— sume media, so full stories and especially at a time when the ranging from the freshmen to multimedia projects created building itself was closed, but senior students, cafeteria and by the Hawkview staff will all school was still in session—al- custodial staff to counselors be on our website. beit virtually.
Since this program’s founding in 1994, our goal has been to provide a forum that encourages authentic voices and discussion in our increasingly diverse educational community. Our goal this year and moving forward is to diversify our newsroom and coverage of events, without shying away from difficult topics on the national or local level. The world is diverse, unique, and full of nuance and we want our publication to reflect that. We believe there is no better way to do this than tackling it headon with transparency and authenticity to you, our readers. Despite road bumps and setbacks, we’ve all faced these past few years, the Hawkview is dedicated to these goals, and we can not wait for what the future holds.
Desert Sands Unified names Kelly May-Vollmar as new superintendent Lilli Koch Reporter
In early April, Dr. Kelly May-Vollmar was appointed Desert Sands Unified School District’s new superintendent by the Board of Education. Her first day will be on July 1. In the meantime, the 18-year DSUSD veteran is working with Superintendent Scott Bailey through the end of June for a seamless transition. At present, Dr. May-Vollmar serves as the assistant superintendent of educational and technology services. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Question: How are you feeling about and how are you preparing for the responsibility of being the district superintendent? Dr. Kelly May-Vollmar: I am thrilled. I could not be happier to be taking on this role here at Desert Sands. It wasn’t about just being a superintendent, it was about this job in this district because it’s such a special place because of the people, the staff, the families, the community and the students, who make it a truly wonderful place.
Q: For students who may not be aware of what the district superintendent is, can you please elaborate on what that role entails?
that we continue to focus on that [and] providing educational opportunities that are relevant. That is really preparing our students for what comes next, whether it’s college or career. [Coming out of COVID-19], we have a really great opportunity to ensure that we fill in those gaps, for every single student wherever
that’s going to be really important in shaping what our support for students looks like. We can try and guess what might be meaningful to you, but there’s a lot more KMV: “[Students’] interacwisdom in letting you tell us tions are primarily with your what would be meaningful to teachers, and rightly so. They you. I think it’s important that oversee you, really ensuring we’ve offer a lot of resources, that you get the curriculum, but I think that we can do a the learning, the unbetter derstanding and the job of growth that you need makto really graduate ready i n g for college and career in them life. At the district ofavailfice level, our primary able goal is to support the every school sites. As a suday in perintendent, I oversee every all of that, making sure class that everyone within and I LILLI KOCH VIA ZOOM d o n ’ t our district—whether Dr. Kelly May-Vollmar will assume her new role as DSUSD’s superintendent on July 1. they’re staff, a student, know they might be. a parent, or a community that we’ve done that yet, but member—has what they need again, I want to hear what the to help all of our students be Q: How do you hope to tackle students think and what the the mental health and aca- staff thinks before we finalize successful. demic challenges and pres- those plans. Q: What do you see as your sures put on students, as they biggest opportunity at DSUSD continue navigating through Q: What do you feel is the the ongoing COVID-19 pan- biggest challenge facing our as the new superintendent? demic? school districts today? KMV: One opportunity that’s really important is that KMV: One of the things that KMV: I think what goes along DSUSD has a great reputation will be really important is re- with [mental health issues] is for being an innovative dis- ally listening and giving stu- just school connectedness. trict and it’s really important dents a chance to talk and We all know that when you
Staff approves new bell schedule for next school year The new bell schedule will re-introduce two 40-minute periods of office hours a week William Franklin Reporter
The proposed bell schedule that includes two periods of office hours on both block days was approved by staff and passed for the 2022-2023 school year. It received 74% of the vote and 93% of eligible staff voted. Next spring, staff will need to vote again to make the bell schedule permanent.
“With the way they’ve got it set up for their [Palm Desert’s] campus, it does look very successful. I think there’s going to be some tweaks necessary for it to work as well here,” Miller said. Miller also addressed some
La Quinta campus. Due to LQHS’ larger campus size, the staff will struggle to make sure all students are attending classes during this period. Despite the issues present, Miller still has an overwhelmingly positive opiion of office hours. “I’m all for it. Office hours are ideal because now students don’t have to stay after school or come in early to make up work, and I don’t have to be here at lunch too often,” Miller said.
M u l t i p l e groups of LQHS can also look forboth students ward to a new app—deand staff vissigned by a Palm Desited various ert High teacher—that schools to can be used on phones view their or Chromebooks to help model of ofstudents and teachers fice hours. schedule their office Paul Miller, a HAWKVIEW STAFF CP and IB HL Next year’s bell schedule will include two 40-minute periods of office hours. Biology teach- hours on both block days. The app will help stuer, visited of the issues Palm Desert’s dents choose where to Palm Desert High School office hours model would go or help them find out in late January. have if it were used for the where they need to go if
they’ve been requested to visit a teacher. “You can scroll through and look at all your teachers and see what they’re offering and choose accordingly. Then, you can either sign up or teachers can invite you, and the app helps organize it all,” Stephanie Smith, an English CP teacher, said. It will be modified to LQHS’ needs and will be facilitated by Dan O’Grady, who teaches math. As for students who don’t need to catch up on work, enrichment opportunities will be offered. Though, it has not yet been confirmed how students will qualify for enrichment. “Say a student has a lot of anxiety from all the work that they’re doing, they have enrichment classes to help with anxiety and to help them cool down,” said Pablo Aguiar ‘24.
feel connected to your school and you feel like you’re in the presence of adults who support, care and are there for you, that makes that process of learning and being your best and getting through day by day with all the stresses that you encounter that much easier. Q: Do you have any long-term goals? KMV: Our focus for the next few years is ensuring that every single one of our students reads by third grade. It’s going to take more than five minutes to accomplish that. We have some great plans in place; we’re taking a multiple pronged approach for that. We’ve just started the work and the planning, but we will get there. Q: How do you plan to be accountable and accessible to students, teachers and families? KMV: I’m available to people and so just continuing to lead the way I always have. I have to be accessible to spend time with the people, and listen to the people. Q: On a light-hearted note, what is a personal interest or passion that people might be interested to learn about you? KMV: One probably wouldn’t be surprising, but I love to read. That’s one of my favorite things to do. One that might be surprising is I love to go fly fishing with my husband. It’s therapeutic. A little camping and a little fishing will do wonders. Q: Is there anything that you would like the students to know about you? KMV: One of the things I would like the students to know is, I understand how stressful things can be. High school students have a lot going on. There’s sports, hobbies, clubs, friends and then, of course, school. It is the platform that you need to be able to tend to do anything that you can do in life. As much as we want to show up every day and give our very, very best to you so that you can be successful, I would encourage every student to show up every day and give their very best to ensure that they’re successful as well.