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Inklings

June 18, 2015

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GRAPHIC BY CHANNING SMITH ’17

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Inklings

June 18, 2015 | News

Root and Sussman rise to the top of class Salutatorian challenges the meaning of learning at Staples Izzy Ullmann ’17

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very morning, Megan Root ’15 sets aside 40 minutes to enjoy her daily wake-up call: a nutritious meal, a cup of coffee and, most importantly, a Charles Dickens’ novel.

“I have basically been a geek since the day I was born,” Root laughed. She recalls learning how to read when she was 3-years-old and practicing math problems on kitchen napkins with her father.

“I was pretty annoying throughout all of elementary school,” Root said. “I was always that kid who was the know it all, and I insisted on being right on everything.”

Her ambitious and hardworking her freshman year and 10 AP classes throughout sophomore, junior and senior year. teacher Serena Tirado said. “She likes to be challenged and appreciates learning in a very mature and realistic way.”

“I never built my schedule around getting the highest grades,” Root said. “I always had a free and always took classes like journalism because I knew they would be interesting.”

One of Root’s closest friends and classmates, Madeline Schemel ’15, has always admired Root’s passion for knowledge. “She’s never worried about the grade,” Schemel said. “She is always focused on learning and understanding the material instead.” personality, she was also able to excel as an Inklings page editor, a member of the National Honors Society and a two year captain for varsity soccer.

She will continue playing soccer at Amherst College, a Division III school, and said she will savor every moment she can before it ends. “There’s a level of chemistry and communication in soccer that I really haven’t found anywhere else in life,” Root smiled. “If you feel lonely on the soccer wrong.”

Her assistant principal, James Farnen, has always been impressed with Root’s soccer skills. “She’s so humble and low key during the day, but then - she’s a totally different person,” Farnen said.

Root’s leadership on the soccer setting according to her AP Calculus BC teacher, Robin Sacilotto.

“She had a way of explaining concepts to her peers that truly showed how much she understood it,” Sacilotto said. “She was always one of the top scorers on the assessments but also knew how to make the class laugh and have fun.”

One of Root’s favorite memories from high school was in A.P. Language when they discussed racism in “Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain. “It was days like those that exposed me to different perspectives,” Root said. “Being the geek that I am, I actually consider that ‘fun.’”

Another one of Root’s friends and classmates, Siobhan O’Loughlin ’15, is also able to vouch for Root’s entertaining side. “Despite her busy schedule, she still keeps herself available and always makes me laugh,” O’Loughlin said.

Root is unsure what exactly she wants to study in her future, but there’s no doubt her determination will lead her to success. “I know this sounds like a cliché, but I really do mean it,” Tirado said and paused, “She is the type of student who gives me hope for the future.”

Valedictorian plays to his strengths in and out of school Jimmy Ray Stagg ’16 Whether you know him as Sweeney Todd, the Valedictorian of the 2015 class or just the guy with the huge smile and Hawaiian shirts, everybody knows Everett Sussman ’15. But how well do you really know him?

Nearly everyone knows that he has been an integral member of the Math Team since his freshman year, as well as a star on the stage with the Staples Players. Sussman was also voted “Most Likely to Brighten Your Day” in the senior superlatives, and his friends cite his exuberance as a reason for that.

“Everett’s the happiest guy I know,” fellow-Player Claire Smith ’15 said. “He’s never without a smile or a goddamn twinkle in his eye.”

“He has been as mature as an adult since before I knew him,” Bill Wilkes said.

Wilkes had Sussman in his class for two years and coached him on the math team for all four years.

Those close to Sussman see a side of him that many others don’t see. When asked to describe him, many people had trouble narrowing down his huge personality and uniqueness. However, Vig Namasivayam ’16, fellow-Player and friend of Sussman’s, summed up his innocence and enthusiasm by saying, “[Everett is] a very intelligent, very talented 7-year old who has fun doing everything.”

Sussman’s teachers are also impressed with both his versatility and his humility.

“As intelligent as he is, it is rare said. “He is so talented in so many different arenas, but he’s just so humble about it all.”

Sussman is also extremely goofy. Fellow Players have dozens of funny stories, including Sussman being so in character that he wouldn’t respond to his own name and only turned when his character’s name was spoken. Another time, Sussman tested his hearing ability by clapping to make sure he hadn’t gone deaf.

The same thing can be said about his time with the Math Team. Wilkes mentioned several “you had to be there” moments, and teammate Arun Soni ’16 said, “I could go on and on about Everett.”

Sussman’s quirkiness was evident in his choice to be interviewed over a milkshake at Shake Shack and his digression

Teletubbies.

Sussman also has other hobbies that keep him occupied. For instance, he loves to draw and brags about his drawings making it on to the fridge in his house. He also loves to hike, with his biggest goal in life to one day hike the mountains of Arizona.

For now, Sussman will attend Harvard in the fall and going to a pre-college Arts program there in the summer, where his focus will be a bit different.

“My goal for college is to be as much of a sponge as possible because I really have no clue what I want to major in,” Sussman said. “I’m just going to keep as many doors open as possible, accept all the opportunities that come my way and have a good time doing it.”

When asked to give advice about how to maintain a positive attitude, Sussman had no hesitation in his answer.

“I just think it’s an outlook. You have to not take yourself so seriously, not take things going on around you so seriously PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ’16 and just realize we’re all in the same boat,” Sussman said. “If you take a moment to TOP OF THEIR CLASS Salutatorian, Meg Root (left), spoke at Baccalaureate last night on June look outside at how beautiful the day is, 17 in the auditorium. As valedictorian, Everett Sussman (right) will speak at graduation in the and just take a deep breath every day before school, I think that can really help with everything.”

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June 18, 2015 | News

Class of 2015 remembers biggest news stories from their four years Jack Zeldes ’16

FRESHMAN 2011-12

Occupy Wall Street

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n September 17, 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement started in New York. It soon spread from coast to coast. People felt indignant over the social and economic inequalities that existed and looked to protest against the 1 percent in this country: the richest class in America.

SOPHOMORE 2012-13

Sandy Hook Shooting

2012 Election

On November 6, 2012, America

On December 14, 2012, while Staples students were in class on a cold, winter morning, Adam Lanza went into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and took the lives of 20 children and six staff members. This massacre sparked controversy and debate over the use of guns and led to Connecticut becoming one of the most progressive states with its gun laws in the country.

black president, for a second term. Even after being outspent by his opponent, Mitt Romney, Obama was able to utilize a strong get-out-to-vote campaign and eventually win the election with 332 electoral votes and about 5 million more votes than Romney.

JUNIOR 2013-14

Malaysian Airlines Mystery

The class of 2015 was witness to a television-esque-drama mystery that occurred in March of junior year. A Malaysia Airlines Flight Beijing and has yet to be found over a year later.

While there is still worldwide intrigue and many conspiracy theories, the plane and its missing passengers and crew have yet to be found.

World Cup and Winter Olympics

The year 2014 was a year in sports to remember for the class of the 2015. With the World Cup in Brazil and the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, students didn’t have to look far for some world-class athletics. A roundof-16 appearance for the U.S. soccer team paired with 28 total medals from American athletes in Sochi had patriotic students extremely proud.

“Watching the world cup was a complete blast,.

With all of the top class players, there was a buzz among

SENIOR 2014-15

’15, a varsity soccer player, said.

Police Brutality

With notable killings by police in Ferguson, Staten Island and Baltimore, the class of 2015 have seen unprecedented modern-day riots and tension between citizens and the police.

These killings and the controversy have provided the country and the class of 2015 with the opportunity to examine society’s view of law enforcement and the stereotypes that exist for African American people.

“I think racially motivated police murders show society that racism has not been eradicated,” Jess Shaw ’15 said. “In fact, it is still a big issue in society today. Hopefully, this awareness will move us one step closer to erasing all forms of racism in society.”

TOP STORIES (from top) President Barack Obama takes the inaugural Oath of

Russia. Rioters clash with police during protests in Ferguson, Missouri, in late ALL PHOTOS VIA WIKIPEDIA UNDER THE CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

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June 18, 2015 | News

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o s f s 2 a l 0 c h 1 t i 5 w s e t a u d a r g dig GRA

Jimmy Ray Stagg ’16

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hen John Dodig came to Staples as the interim principal, he was expecting to stay for a year while a search for a long-term principal was conducted. That search was canceled and now, 11 years later, he is stepping away from his position at the helm.

Dodig started out as a math teacher at Troup Middle School in New Haven, Connecticut and soon became assistant principal at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut. He then served as principal at both Cheshire High School and Wilbur Cross High School before spending 11 years as the School (before the school was of fact, Dodig actually came out of retirement for his position at Staples.

For the 11 years that Dodig has been here, he has taken a special interest with the students he presides over.

“I believe it’s important for a principal to have a relationship with his or her students, and you can’t do that without a plan,” Dodig said. “My plan is that

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also helped Dodig create an exceptional sense of community within Staples. “[Dodig] doesn’t come off as being above his students,” Jack Baylis ’15 said. “I’ve had great conversations with him about ever ything from sports to theater, and he talks to you as an equal.”

And now after his tenure with SHS, Dodig is re-retiring, having forever left his mark on Staples.

He cites two reasons for his stepping down, saying, “It’s getting more

ever y morning I’m out there [in the lobby], and I go to lots of events, and I ask kids what their names are and [the relationship] develops itself.”

This has been extremely noticeable and ap pr e ciat e d by the students that Dodig has worked with.

“On one of school, Principal Dodig walked up to me, introduced himself, asked me what my name was, and he’s always been very supportive,” Nick Massoud ’15 said. “He’s always in the front row [at shows and concerts] and he made me feel like I always had someone in my corner.”

Nick Kveitaia ’15 feels the same way, saying “[Principal Dodig] is always very interested

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in every student, no matter who they are, and he genuinely cares about us.”

These relationships

in my whole life to leave the house after dinner to see a concert or go to a game or all those things a principal should do,” and then adding, “Education has changed so dramatically that it’s sort of foreign to me. With everything data driven and evidence based

I feel it’s better to have someone more steeped in that area.”

However, when asked about what he wants his legacy to be, Dodig answered without a moment of hesitation.

“Everyone here at Staples has bought into the idea of acceptance,” Dodig said.

“Teachers have come up to me and talked about how amazed they are to see students in the hallway being nice and knowing that they won’t get ridiculed or bullied for anything they say. I think that mindset will be my legacy.”

Kveitaia agreed with Dodig, saying, “Hopefully large shoes, but he leaves behind a legacy of care and love between everyone at Staples.”

Massoud concurred with Kveitaia and added that Staples is going to lose a bit of its “family feeling,” that Dodig created.

Dodig, however, is not sad to be leaving but rather is happy to have had the chance to work at Staples.

“As I told the seniors at our last assembly,” Dodig said, “it’s better to have loved and lost than to never to have loved at all.”

End of an era...

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John Dodig ’15

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Attending Players Production of ‘Cabaret’ while I was the Interim Principal. Being a music and theater person, I left the auditorium saying to myself that this cannot possibly be a public high school. The performance was something I would expect from Julliard School of Music.

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Shortly after that experience I believe we won the State Championship in football and boys’ soccer. It was then that I realized that EVERY program at Staples is expected to be at the highest level.

GRAPHIC BY CHANNING SMITH ’17

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A female senior who, earlier this year, came to see me at the end of the day that the well-liked principal candidate for Staples had spent the day at our school...She asked me “Are you OK?” What an extraordinary thing it was to have a high school student worry that I might be feeling bad because she and others liked the candidate. It was an example for me of why it is important to be true to yourself at all times and to build relationships with people.

Sitting in a church in Southport listening to a concert of our Orpheneans sharing what they sang in San Francisco. It was at that moment that I realized that my dream of having a college-quality choir in my high school had been achieved. I can say that for our entire music program.

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Meeting my administrative team and sharing with them that I wanted to be up front with all of them by telling them that I am a gay man living with my partner of, then, 11 years. We are now married and it has been 22 years. It was the expression on their faces that said clearly ‘we don’t care.’ It was a moment of liberation.

Inklings

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June 18, 2015 | News

Westport 2025 prepares students for the real world

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Jen Gouchoe ’16

he poster of the Westport 2025 Initiative Student Lens can be seen in almost every classroom at Staples.

The intricate drawing of the brain contains four lobes titled “Creative Thinking,” “Critical Thinking,” “Communication”

agreed with this sentiment, noting that, “In English and

it more because I feel like the students lens is shaped more towards those subjects.”

Patterson also noticed that sometimes the goals of the initiative can be overshadowed

by A.P. classes and other standardized methods of methods of thinking represent teaching.

“I think overall, in our high the goals of the initiative that was strung academic environment and with rushed curriculums ago.

Westport 2025 was teachers are just trying to get after a great deal of research, through the material more than professional development they are trying to teach us critical and collaboration with the and global thinking skills,” Teachers College at Columbia Patterson said.

Despite the fact that there University. When the initiative was established, they hoped that is still work to be done, teachers the current Kindergarten class, and the administrators believe which will graduate in 2025, they have made great progress would have all these necessary in encouraging students to think skills to thrive in the real world. deeply in their academic subjects.

“I think it would be hard on the changes that have been implemented in accordance with the initiative.

Social studies teacher Sara Pinchback noted that the initiative encourages students to learn about relevant issues, “not just memorizing stuff to memorize stuff to pass a test.”

Although the initiative has helped students learn skills that are applicable to the real world, there are still some subjects in which the core skills of the initiative could be enhanced.

“In some ways teachers try to apply these values in a sort of unnatural way,” Jenna Patterson

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hasn’t heard their teacher talking about the thinking skills named above or seen the language of the Lens on a rubric,” James D’Amico, Director of Secondary Education said.

Pinchback also noted that through the initiative, students now “do stuff that matters.”

As the initiative continues to

of teachers at Staples, students are learning to become critical, creative, communicative and global thinkers.

“Moving forward, students will see clearer expectations for growth in their classes, the creation of more interdisciplinary and social studies courses there is programs of study and becoming more natural discussion of global stronger citizens of Staples, Westport, our country and the thinking.”

Maya Namasivayam ’18 world,” D’Amico said.

Superintendent Landon announces his retirement after 2015-16 school year Max Bibicoff ’16 Just months after Staples principal John Dodig announced his plans to retire, another school system, superintendent Elliott Landon, has announced his intentions to retire as well.

Landon announced via email earlier this month that the upcoming 2015-16 school year will be his last.

In regards to Landon’s future replacement for the job,

2001, when he hired me as a social studies teacher at Staples,” he said. “He has always been very supportive of changes to our programs that will help students develop skills and attributes that they will need for life beyond high school.”

Landon, who spent 16 years as superintendent, was recently named Superintendent of the Year by the Connecticut PTA. Landon was also recently granted a 2.6 percent raise, which made him the highest paid superintendent in the state.

members including students and parents.

“The [BOE] will be doing thorough planning for the search over the next few months, and I expect that we will kick off formally early in the fall,” took on the role of Chairman this year, has served on the BOE for several years and has experienced the impact that Landon has had on the district.

“In Elliott’s 16 years as superintendent, our schools and students have achieved in every subject area, and our offerings in and out of the classroom have increased

“...our schools and students have achieved in every subject area, and our offerings in and out of the classroom have increased dramatically...”

-Michael Gordon, BOE Chairman the Westport Board of Education [BOE] said that it will “engage scope that has worked with high performing districts such as ours.”

Director of Secondary Education, James D’Amico, whose job it is to oversee curriculum and programs in grades 6-12, described the interaction he has had with Landon throughout his years as superintendent.

“I’ve only been in this position for this school year, but I have known Dr. Landon since

On the aspects of the job that he will miss, Landon said, “[I’ll miss] the interaction with my professional colleagues at the administrative, teaching and support levels throughout the school system as we have worked together to provide the optimal educational experiences.”

He added that he will have no part in the search for a new superintendent, as it is exclusively a function of the BOE. Chairman, explained that in the search process, the BOE will seek the input of all community

Current Staples sophomores will be seniors when a new superintendent replaces Landon. Although the impact on the school year might not seem direct,

expressed how things could feel different.

“It could potentially change some major events,” he said.

“Who knows what new rules the person might bring with them.”

While Landon might be saying goodbye to his job as superintendent, he isn’t necessarily hanging up his coat for good.

Exploring potential job opportunities in labor relations and governmental relations, Landon said, “I have a number of

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