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nklings
Staples High School
September 29, 2017
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Volume 86, Issue 1 inklingsnews.com
MAKING A DIFFERENCE Westport residents collect items, such as food, clothing, toiletries and school supplies to donate to victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas.
Westport pitches in to assist Hurricane Harvey relief efforts Sophie Driscoll ’19 & Julia Rosier ’18
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extreme flooding in the aftermath of the hurricane, which they gave to AquaFence Director Adam Goldberg. On Sept. 9, Goldberg held a charity drive on Imperial Avenue in Westport. “AquaFence is a business that I’ve been involved in for five years, and we protect a lot of buildings in the northeast,” Goldberg said. “Being in the flood business, seeing disasters that happened, we wanted to figure out a way we could help, since we weren’t there to help before.” Goldberg and his team spent two-anda-half hours loading the provisions onto an AquaFence truck. That afternoon, Goldberg’s team drove the truck to Harris County in Houston, where Goldberg donated both the provisions he had collected and the truck itself. The next day, he hosted a barbecue for roughly 500 peo-
LOCALS PROVIDING AID WUSY members and their parents, including Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of The Conservative Synagogue in Westport, loading donations onto Adam Goldberg’s truck.
70 North Ave., Westport, Connecticut, 06880
ple. Goldberg then donated the barbecue grills, as well. Goldberg has been impressed by the concerted effort Westport residents have made to help Hurricane Harvey victims. “I just think Westport’s shown it’s an amazing town,” Goldberg said. “Just everyone pitching in, and seeing how good our town and nation is as a whole, just feeding through all of the negative news that’s out there, and just doing something good. It’s fun.”
Photos contributed by Dan Woog and Mili Cattan ’19 and Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19
tudents are working to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas. Westport groups and businesses such as the Staples music department, the Assumption Church Youth Ministry, the Staples Gender Sexualities Alliance (GSA), the Westport United Synagogue Youth (WUSY) and portable flood barrier company AquaFence organized charitable efforts. The Category 4 hurricane hit Houston on Aug. 25 and lasted until Sept. 2, bringing 130 mph winds and approximately 52 inches of rain, according to The Weather Channel. The Staples music department, led by Orchestra Director Adele Valovich, will hold a string concert at Saugatuck Elementary School at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 18. Donations will be collected at the concert, and the money raised will be used to replace Texas schools’ sheet music that was
destroyed by the hurricane. The freshman orchestra, the sophomore orchestra, the symphonic orchestra and the chamber orchestra will perform. “I thought it was a great idea,” Valovich said. Students involved with the Assumption Church Youth Ministry have raised money for Hurricane Harvey relief through a car wash. “People who got their car washed would donate $10 to Hurricane Harvey victims,” Assumption Church Youth Ministry member David Kalinowski ’18 said. According to Mariella Alderucci ’19, GSA members are working “to express our moral support to the LGBT+ community in affected areas, to show them that they aren’t discriminated against in relief efforts.” Additionally, since the hurricane hit, students involved with WUSY have been selling water bottles and donating the proceeds to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. “It felt good to help others,” WUSY member Mili Cattan ’19 said. Members of WUSY also collected items such as food, clothing, toiletries and school supplies for those affected by the
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News
Inklings
September 29, 2017
Staff offices relocated for student accessiblity Nicole Dienst ’18
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ver the summer, Principal James D’Amico and administrative staff moved several offices to different locations around the school, primarily due to the selling of the Westport Public Schools technology building and in an effort to be more accessible to students. In the front of the main office, there is a new reception area home to a large-wooden circular desk, where attendance secretary Ericka DeJesus resides. She
is primarily in charge of the attendance hotline, excusing students for absences and other activities. “This will make her easier to find for students who need her,” D’Amico said, “as well as create a friendlier environment in the main office, where there was no one to help visitors when they walked in.” Christian Myers ’18 agrees with DeJesus being more accessible. “I think that it’s important for her to be accessible so that kids who have an issue with their attendance can go talk to her easily,” Meyers said. “Moving her to the front of the office will definitely help make it easier.” One other major change was the relocation of the grade level assistants’
offices. The grade level assistants, Andrew Carroll, Dee Hychko, Jack McFarland and Jesse McCray, are now located across from the cafeteria, next to the student outreach counselor’s office and in the previous room used for academic study hall. “The new location is the most accessible for students because when they have an initial question or a problem, they don’t have to go all the way down to the main office to find us, and can just come to the cafeteria,” Carroll said. “It is also easier for us because most of where I interact with students is in the cafeteria. Now that my office is nearby, it is much easier and accessible for me.” The relocation of Maria Vailakis-Wippick’s office, who is in
charge of PowerSchool and data support, has been moved from the main office to the guidance department. “I’m like anyone else, I don’t like change. But now I get to interact with a different group of people including counselors, psychologists, parents and students,” Vailakis-Wippick said. D’amico believes that these changes will have a positive effect on students and is excited to see the impact. “Making room for the technology offices was an important factor in moving things along,” he said, “but moving the grade level assistants to a space where there is more interaction with students was the primary reason.”
Photos by Sophie Driscoll ’19 and Zach Horowitz ’19
NEW FACES, NEW SPACES
The semi-circular desk (left) is now occupied by attendance secretary Ericka DeJesus (middle). All but one ofthe offices in the main office corridor (right) are currently unoccupied.
Kaya Leitner ’19 PowerSchool is finally up and running! Wait what? Access was lost again? When is it supposed to open… tomorrow at 4 p.m.? In the opening of the 2017 school year, the significant technological renovation in the software systems from eSchool to PowerSchool left students anxiously waiting to check their grades. Similar to eSchool, PowerSchool dictates all functions from attendance and grading to scheduling. However, the release date wasn’t immediate, and the date for students to access the app was postponed from Sept. 4 to Sept. 20. The district’s contract under eSchool expired over the summer, requiring the administration to evaluate the advantages and flaws of the system. Ultimately, they decided in favor of the easy-to-use grading program, PowerSchool. “From my understanding the contract with eSchool was up, so the district had to make a decision whether to continue with eSchool or to look for another product,” Principal James D’Amico said. “We’re always looking for something better or something that runs smoother. Additionally, very few school districts use eSchool.” While D’Amico foresees a positive future with the new grading system, initial student reactions were unfavorable because of the multiple set backs in the applications release date. PowerSchool was initially set to release on Sept. 4 but was postponed on multiple occasions until Sept. 20. Staples is highly regarded as a blue ribbon school and students are notoriously concerned
with their academic success, therefore, setbacks in student accessing abilities resulted in notable student angst. “Senior year requires so much, so I need to be really on top of my grades. It’s so frustrating that we don’t have access yet,” Ella Jarvis ’18 said prior to the PowerSchool release date. “They’re tricking us. They’re never going to actually show us our grade,” Amanda Samuels ’19 added. Following the release date, student frustration remained due to the inability for students to constantly access GPA, a significant difference between eSchool and PowerSchool. While this might not have been by design, D’Amico believes it will be beneficial to the well being of students and school climate. “I’m hoping that we are re-training our brains a little bit to know you can do okay without having access to [GPAs] every couple of minutes. We hope to concentrate on the bigger picture,” D’Amico said. While administrators wish for stress to be reduced with restrictions to GPA, Christina Brittis ’19 believes it will be counterproductive “In the midst of my most important year at Staples, not being able to have constant access to my GPA is counterintuitive as it will add stress rather than remove it,” Brittis said. “Especially being new to AP courses, not being able to measure the weight of that course is incredibly nerve racking.” Student Outreach Counselor Ed Milton is in agreement with D’Amico and believes that the GPA restrictions will alleviate anxiety and better the school climate.
STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL | inklingsnews.com
“I’m really excited by PowerSchool. I think it’s going to be really emotionally and academically beneficial to students. It’s really user friendly and constantly watching GPA can be really destructive to a kids well being,” Milton said. Now that PowerSchool access is confirmed, Grace Roseme ’19 weighs the advantages and downfalls of the new application. “I think PowerSchool is a lot easier to navigate but the fact students don’t have access to their GPA’s can be really detrimental to a students stress levels,” Roseme said. Regardless of the obstacles that came with the transfer to PowerSchool, D’Amico anticipates the best for the new system in the grand scheme of things. “There will be bumps in the road throughout the year[…] [but] we need to figure things out and in the long run [PowerSchool] will be better for the whole district.”
Graphic by Cat Graham ’19
Administration enacts PowerSchool, new grading system
September 29, 2017
Inklings
News
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LOCAL BRIEFS Ben Pearl ’18
Month of October
Breast Cancer Awareness All pink everything—the entire month of October is dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer. Many Staples clubs and athletic teams participate in the cause through fundraisers and events, including football’s annual pink-out game on Oct. 13 home against Darien in which all proceeds go to the Pink Aid foundation. Tickets will be on sale the week leading up to the game. Additionally, girls’ soccer is hosting a luncheon and fashion show at Mitchell’s on Oct. 5 to raise money for Pink Aid to improve breast cancer testing, treatment and recovery.
October 6 Homecoming The first week of October is dedicated to displaying school spirit. Each year students participate in pajama day, USA day, twin day, color rush and blue-white day. On Friday, the final part of the school day is dedicated to the pep rally which honors all of the fall sport programs on the football field. Each team creates an exciting entrance complete with music, dancing and candy. In recent years, this spirited event has included former Principal Dodig dancing with the cheerleaders and more than one promposal. The festivities continue well after the school day has concluded as girls’ soccer faces off at Stamford, girls’ volleyball plays away against Brien McMahon and football has a redemption game under the lights versus Ridgefield at Staples Stadium.
PINK OUT The pink ribbon connotes breast cancer awareness.
October 3
MOTORCADE: Seniors begin their Homecoming festivities with the motorcade, a
Jessica Bruder
October 7
Award winning journalist and Columbia University professor Jessica Bruder will speak Tuesday at the Westport Public Library from 7 to 8 p.m. Bruder’s talk will center around her new book, “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-first Century,” which was released in mid-September. As with her previous contributions to literature and journalism, this book focuses on the “dark underbelly of the American economy,” as stated on Bruder’s website. Prior to her library presentation, the author will be hosting a private question and answer session open to Staples students with a specific interest in writing and journalism.
fun drive from the beach to school, where they all arrive for the game together.
SAT On the second SAT date of this school year, Staples students will need to travel outside of Westport because Staples High School is not a testing site. The test will be offered in Weston, Wilton and Fairfield. SAT subject tests will also be offered on this date. Seniors look to get one last score under their belt before college and juniors and even sophomores will look to get a jump on the process.
Photos labeled for reuse under Creative Commons license
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News
September 29, 2017
Westport Public Library renovations aided by $1 million donation Olivia Foster ’18
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he Transformation Project for the Westport Public Library has been underway ever since the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved the $5 million necessary to start the initiative in January. This September however, the project was aided by a generous donation of $1 million made by Westporter Christian J. Trefz, owner of Fairfield County’s McDonald’s franchise. Isabel Handa ’19, a frequent visitor at the library, is looking forward to the new renovations and believes it will entice more students to use the library. “I think the plans are great. I’m always looking for a quiet place to study,” Handa said. One of the largest renovations will take place in what is currently known as the Great Hall. This space will be transformed into the Forum and named after Trefz. It will feature an open floor plan with room dedicated to research, studying and patron services. Its most boastful feature will be the 600 people venue for events and programs that the Forum can accommodate. The initial reason for the Transformation Project was due in part because of the shift towards a more digital age. In its current state, the library does not reflect the technological and cultural adaptations of our society, and Executive Director Bill Harmer is looking to change that by making the space
more flexible. “Spaces will be more functional and support more than one purpose. Places where education and recreation comes together. Places where you can dig into a book, socialize, get a coffee, collaborate on a project in the MakerSpace or attend a class or program. Libraries are shifting from places where information is used to places where information is created and shared. Today’s libraries are social and collaborative spaces.” Trefz has been a member of Fairfield County for a while and currently operates 45 McDonald’s restaurants in Connecticut and New York. His donation makes him one of the many donors in the community who make up the Library’s Cornerstone Society and have supported this project. Although the project will end up costing a total of $19.5 million, it has been substantially aided by a number of private donors, such as Trefz. The library has raised over $17 million so far and they received a grant for $1 million from the Connecticut State Library. Like Handa, Jacob Qiu ’19 frequently uses the library, especially around midterms and finals, and feels the upstairs portion of the library could be improved upon. “A lot of the times around finals or testing days, it would be too
crowded to find a seat to study at. I don’t speak for everyone, but more times than not, I’m going to the library to study, not to find a book to read.” The main goals of the renovation will include a main level with conference rooms and quiet areas, a larger cafe space, an art-recording studio, as well as a new and improved MakerSpace. On a more technical level, the Transformation Project will replace inefficient mechanical systems, specifically the elevator, which hasn’t been replaced since 1986. Another innovative feature that will build on the MakerSpace program in the library is the HackerSpace. This will become a workshop area where people can put their creative minds to action and use equipment, such as laser cutters and wood lathes. Students can look forward to a state of the art library the summer of 2019 with increased study space, window views of the river front and a more peaceful environment for all that midterm and finals studying. Harmer believes that the the vision for this project will positively change the community’s view of the library as a whole. “Libraries, as spaces, need to inspire communities to dream big and to think great thoughts,” he said. “I am looking forward to seeing how the creative minds of Westporters leverage the dynamic and flexible spaces in the new Library to discover, exchange and create new ideas.”
LOOKING FORWARD Computer-generated images display plans for the future of the Westport Public Library, including new stairs (above), a forum that holds up to 600 people (bottom left) and a study area with a view of the Saugatuck River (bottom right).
Graphic contributed by Westport Public Library
STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL | inklingsnews.com
Inklings
Consumers reconsider purchase of new iPhones Brett Franklin ’18 The late Steve Jobs stood on a stage to unveil a device that combined a mobile phone and a music player on Jan. 9, 2007. “An iPod. A phone. And an internet communicator,” Jobs said. “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.” On Tuesday, Sept. 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater, Apple launched the muchanticipated iPhone X that Chief Executive Tim Cook called “the “We remain biggest leap positive on Apple forward since the original and expect strong iPhone.” demand for the Tamikah new iPhone X, the Boyer ’20, who has an new Apple Watch iPhone 7 and associated plus, would not “pay that Services revenue.” much” for the $999 iPhone -Macquarie Group X. “[The iPhone X] is the same thing as the iPhone 7, but with a different shape and no home button,” Boyer said. “I am not going out of my way to buy it.” The iPhone X has wireless charging, an enhanced camera, augmented reality features, hardware for facial recognition replacing Touch ID and no home button. Users instead swipe up from the bottom of the device to wake it up. Without the home button “nothing has ever been simpler or more natural,” Phil Schiller, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, said. Back in May, Apple reported a sudden fall in iPhone sales for the second quarter. Apple sold 50.76 million iPhones in its second quarter, while the year before 51.19 million iPhones were sold in the second quarter. Apple attributed the drop in sales to customers delaying making purchases in anticipation of the iPhone’s 10th anniversary. Despite the high price tag and a drop in recent iPhone sales, many analysts, like the Macquarie Group, are bullish after Apple’s event on Tuesday. “We remain positive on Apple and expect strong demand for the new iPhone X, the new Apple Watch and associated Services revenue,” Macquarie said to Business Insider. Victoria Cao ’19, who does not have an iPhone, does not have plans to change phones after Tuesday’s announcement. “I’m really happy with my current phone and the Android operating system,” Cao said. “iPhones aren’t worth the price and often times push improvements that aren’t necessary.” In addition to unveiling the iPhone X, Apple also introduced the iPhone 8, a new generation of the Apple Watch and an upgraded Apple TV. At the iPhone 8’s $699 cost, some might consider purchasing the iPhone 8 over the iPhone X. However, Sarah Maybruck ’18 values the iPhone X’s upgrades over its $999 cost. “[The iPhone X] is the phone with the most advances,” Maybruck said. The iPhone 8, along with the new Apple Watch, became available on Sept. 22. According to Apple, the iPhone X will be available on Nov. 11.
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September 29, 2017
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OPINIONS
6 Editors-in-Chief
September 29, 2017 Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19
Amelia Brown & Anay Simunovic
Managing Editors
Max Appell & Ian Bernstein
Creative Director Melanie Lust
Associate Managing Editors Izzy Blansfield & Alex Reiner
Web Managing Editors Megan Doyle & Tori Lubin
Breaking News Managing Editors Emma Greenberg & Julia Rosier
Assistant Public Relations Manager Cate Casparius
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Outreach Managers Bri Zeiberg & Hannah Bolandian
Broadcast Directors Jack Caldwell & Jonathan Kaner
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Jack Beck & Zach Horowitz Sophie Driscoll & Dan Harizman
Opinions Editors
Izzy Connors & Alexandra Sprouls Kaya Leitner & Layla Wofsy
Features Editors Bailey Blaikie & Lili Romann Jonathan Kaner & Liv Ronca
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Allie D’Angelo & Olivia Foster Audrey Bernstein & Anna Rhoads
Sports Editors
Jack Caldwell & Erin Lynch Jackson Daignault & Amanda Kaplowitz
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Nicole Dienst & Adam Wenkoff
Web Opinions Editors Kaela Dockray & Arin Garland
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Constant comparison creates unnecessary stress
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ith PowerSchool finally up and running, students experience greater ease in accessing their grades. However, the influx of text messages as soon as an assessment is posted has also started again. “What did you get?” “How did you do?” “Good or bad?”
Inklings
EDITORIAL
Molly Mahoney & Maddie Phelps
Web Sports Editors Elliot Kaufman & Ben Pearl
Advisors
Mary Elizabeth Fulco, Joseph DelGobbo, & Matthew Bohn Crown Finalist for Inklingsnews.com from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2015 Silver Crown Award for Newspaper from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2014 Pacemaker from National Scholastic Press Association 2013 All the opinions, news and features in this paper are those of Staples High School students. Inklings, a curricular and extracurricular publication, has a circulation of 1,800 and is uncensored. All letters to the editor must be signed. The editorial board reserves the right not to publish letters and to edit all submissions as it sees fit. The editorial board determines all editorial opinions, which are authored faithfully by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings reserves the right to not publish advertisements that promote products that could be harmful to student health. The paper is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Law Center.
Rarely do peers ask about the content or what they need help understanding. Students are more preoccupied with the grade they receive on an assessment rather than what that says about areas in which
they need to improve. Instead of focusing on our own academic achievements and growth, we have developed the tendency to compare ourselves and our grades. We have even created apps such as MyHAC and PowerGPA that calculate an unreliable “live GPA,” serving as another form of constant comparison. Wanting to know where you stand in a class is inevitable; it can be helpful in determining if a class is the right level of difficulty. Yet, many students feel uncomfortable when asked to share their exact grades with peers for fear of being ashamed. Still, the fear of not having any way of knowing where they stand is even worse. We need the help of teachers and the administration to keep students from comparing themselves with others. In order to solve this dilemma, teachers should present the class average
[INKLINATIONS]
on an assessment prior to handing it out. By doing so, students will be able to understand where they stand relative to the whole class without having to directly compare letter-grades with the person sitting next to them. Furthermore, even just a brief statement in which teachers formally express their dissatisfaction towards “grade talk” can be helpful in dissuading students from engaging in this competitive behavior. Ultimately though, we are the ones asking about grades, telling about grades, creating GPA apps and using GPA apps. Measuring success based on our own expectations and abilities is what will really change this culture. Learning for the sake of learning is what will really change this culture. High school is hard enough as it is. Comparing ourselves to others doesn’t make it any easier.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT POWERSCHOOL?
Photos by Ellie Kravetz ’18
70 North Ave. Westport, CT 06880 Phone: (203) 341-1994 Inklingsweb@gmail.com Decisions of Inklings and Westport Public Schools are made without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other discriminating basis prohibited by local, state or federal law.
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Sam Effman ’18 “It made me super stressed because first quarter grades get sent to colleges so it was stressful not knowing what they were for the first few weeks.”
inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL
Arshjott Bhangu ’21 “I think we should have stuck with Home Access because it is much easier to navigate and it showed you your GPA.”
Matt Hirschler ’19 “I think the school was not being efficient. They should have kept it open to students and let us see our GPAs. I think PowerSchol has really not been working well.”
Opinions
September 29, 2017
Inklings
We have the power to make America great again Anay Simunovic ’18
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n President Trump’s pursuit to “Make America Great Again,” he has attempted to rip apart a fundamental pillar of American democracy:
independent press. By calling professional journalists “enemies of the people” and referring to facts that challenge his reality as “fake news,” Trump is making Americans lose trust in the news media. In fact, a 2016 Gallup poll found that only 32 percent of Americans have trust and confidence in the mass media “to report the news fully, accurately and fairly.” Americans no longer know what to believe or what sources to trust. It is true and unfortunate that the news media is not perfect. Critics say we are too cynical, others say we are too elitist. Conservatives believe that we are too liberal and people on the left claim that corporate-owned media institutions like The Times are too centrist. We are not flawless; however, the Trump administration’s reference to the
media as the “opposition party” is uncalled for. Contrary to Trump’s beliefs, we are not treating him with “dishonesty, total deceit and deception,” as he stated in an interview with David Brody. According to the L.A. Times, the role of a media institution is to be, “independent and aggressive in pursuit of the truth — not to take sides.” N e w s media is and always will be an essential component in the democratic process. The media serves a huge role in ensuring
unpopular it may be, has the chance to be heard and understood. The ability to form an opinion based on information is what makes a democracy a democracy. Trump’s bullying of the media should not stop us from being anything other than objective, fair and open-minded. I hope that journalists across the country, no matter how discouraged they may be, will continue to persevere in their pursuit of the truth. “Jou r n a l i sm shouldn’t measure itself against any one campaign’s definition of fairness,” Jim Rutenberg, the New York Times’ media columnist, said. “It is journalism’s job to be true to the readers and viewers, and true accountability to the facts, in a way that will in not only stand up to history’s judgment. individual politicians To do anything less would be but in institutions untenable.” across the country. As journalists, we have Furthermore, it the power to make America makes sure that every Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19 great again. opinion, no matter how
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PolitiFact maintains list of over 100 FALSE statements made by Trump. There is “no system to vet” refugees from the Middle East. -Donald Trump on Monay June 13th, 2016 FALSE. SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1980
“We’ve signed more bills — and I’m talking about through the legislature — than any president ever.” -Donald Trump on July 20th, 2017 FALSE. SEVERAL MODEN PRESIDENTS HAVE SIGNED MORE
Wages “haven’t gone up for a long time.” -Donald Trump on August 17th, 2017 FALSE. THEY HAVE BEEN RISING FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS
New schedule; new struggle
Why I think this year’s schedule is lousy
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The new rotating schedule is not accommodating to many students at Staples High School. Athletes, drama fanatics, Inklings writers, the freshest freshman and the seasoned seniors — the whole bumbling bevy is getting swindled. First, let’s consider the “rotating” aspect of the new schedule. Every four days it restarts, so no weekday is the same as the last. For example, this Monday will have different classes than next Monday. This may not seem like a big deal to the administrators, but for students working after school jobs, it’s a huge inconvenience. For instance, I work at a restaurant in town on the weekends, and I would like to pick up weekday shifts. My boss is particularly vexed with me at the moment because of my inability to commit to a specific weekday. But the shifts are from 4 to 9 p.m., certainly not an ample amount of time to work and also finish my homework. Last year, I would’ve been able to say, “I can work Mondays because I have extended free and last period free so I’ll be able to finish all of my homework before I go to work.” But, due to the fact that each week is different than the next, I can no longer allocate certain days to take shifts, hindering my position at that
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needs to consider the concerns of every company. Fortunately, my family’s financial student, this issue isn’t widespread. In position does not require me to have a job. fact, he admits himself that it’s only a But, for the students at Staples who need minority of students who require a nonto work, the schedule makes it difficult rotating schedule. For instance, students involved in to set aside the perfect day. The school is essentially forcing them to choose sports have to miss thirty or more minutes between schoolwork and money. And I of the last period for away games. This is a problem because now that the afternoon assume most would choose the latter. The schedule has also changed so it no classes have been condensed to four, the longer rotates class periods. Now, periods likelihood of them missing the same class one, two, three and four are always in multiple times is much higher. Last year, the chances of missing the morning, and My proposal to the same class was one periods five, six, five, and now it’s one seven and eight the administration in in four. are always in the In addition, the is feasible: simply afternoons. Yes, new schedule negatively I do realize that revert back to affects teachers. Their some periods were the same last year, the old schedule. assigned classes might obligate them to teach like periods two Newer doesn’t periods five through and three, but those are the exception. necessarily mean eight, so they’ll have no classes in the morning, I w a s n’t better. but have to teach straight completely sure why through the afternoon. the administration And vice versa for would change this, so I asked Principal James D’Amico for his periods one through four. Similarly, some students have a input. “In the old schedule, because all the harder time working in the mornings. This periods rotated throughout the day, it made new schedule may affect their ability to it really difficult for us to look at a school learn, as their more difficult classes might day and come up with an alternative plan always fall in the morning. My proposal to the administration for students that the eight-period day may is feasible: simply revert back to the old not work for,” D’Amico said. With the new schedule, D’Amico schedule. Newer doesn’t necessarily argues, some students are able to fill mean better. I may not be here next year, up their morning periods with core but I know that my freshman sister and classes, and then go to work, meetings or many other students will benefit from the replacement of the old schedule. internships in the afternoon. Although I understand D’Amico
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Megan Doyle ’18
STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL | inklingsnews.com
8 Opinions
September 29, 2017
The Artichoke Inklings Satire *
Inklings
Elimination of planners hinders students’ organization and learning Emma Rojas ’18
New parking rules have awful drawbacks* Emma Greenberg ’18
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he new parking r u le s at St aple s , pla i n ly put, are horrible. They’ve been met with widespread criticism at every level of the Staples community, and I wanted to share some of the hardships I face. Administration, please take note of the atrocities that just one student out of the many now faces during her morning commute. For one thing, there is the decrease in traffic in the morning. All of a sudden there are only seven minutes of traffic as opposed to the normal 13. This is very bad for me because now when I walk in late to my first period class, with a Starbucks
coffee in hand, I can’t blame it on the traffic anymore. Now my teachers will know that I just wanted to go to Starbucks and blow off their class. Secondly, I feel badly for juniors. I really do. They have to get up an extra 15 minutes earlier every morning to walk a quarter mile to and from school. I can’t actually imagine what that’s like, being as I had what many historians are now referring to as “junior parking.” The administration fails to understand the schism this decision has created between me and my friends in the junior class. It seems as though every conversation they have is about their parking hardships, something to which I simply cannot relate. Now I know how in “Mean Girls” Cady feels when Regina George talks about the size of her pores. Don’t even get me started on the numbered spots. The fact that the administration is trying to be accommodating to the senior class by
Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19 & Photo by Charlie Colasurdo ’18
inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL
giving them their preferred spots has absolutely backfired. I used to look forward to aimlessly driving around the vast parking lots looking for a space when I would come in late to school. It was another great excuse to miss class. And having a spot right next to the school entryway has left me deficient in Vitamin D. I used to rely on my twice daily walks to and from my car to soak in those sweet solar rays, before I began my afternoon ritual of huddling over my computer to watch Netflix in the dark until 3 or 4 a.m. Principal James D’Amico, expect my medical bills in the mail next week. As you can see, these new parking installments are no bueno. I can’t believe this is what the administration is choosing to spend their “valuable” time and resources on. We have real issues that need to be addressed. For instance, the cafe always runs out of California rolls by third lunch on Sushi Mondays, and I’ve heard rumours that one of our kayaks has a hole in it.
In my four years at Staples, there has never been so much change than there was this school year (i.e. parking, daily schedule, PowerSchool, etc.). With the state cutting the budget, the school needed to cut back on “unnecessary” purchases; I just didn’t expect that to include cutting the purchase of our planning handbooks. The administration has spent years telling students that planners are important tools that we should use. While none of these changes will hinder my education, having the planners back would most certainly help me and others stay on top of schoolwork. They were specifically helpful to me because writing down my assignments helped me remember them better. There have been many studies that show writing Whatever it information d o w n may be, not i m p r o v e s m e m o r y. relying on Accordi ng a PBS technology to a r t icle made doing “For More Effective my homeSt udying, Notes work a little Take With Pen and Paper,” less of a “St udents hassle. who write out their notes by hand actually learn more than those who type their notes on laptops.” When I look online to see what is due, I often get sidetracked with other notifications coming through on my computer and lose focus on my work. Not to mention, technology can fail us. There have been many times when my computer died or didn’t have internet access, or the assignment simply was not posted. Whatever it may be, not relying on technology made doing my homework a little less of a hassle. The handbook helped me stay organized with my assignments because there was a full month calendar and a week-by-week calendar helping me plan long term projects. Each day had a designated row for subjects and a space for students to write down homework. If used properly, there really was no way to forget what’s due and when. A study skills teacher told me that she ordered Staples planners for her students because it is a better way to stay on top of assignments. I’m pretty sure the rest of us want to stay on top of our assignments, too. Therefore, having the planners back, or at least having the option for those that want them, would be beneficial. Even so, some students, like Matthew Bidgood ’18, believe that “Planners are a waste of money and paper.” It is true that not all students use a planner and that there are many other ways of keeping track of assignments. However, for those of us who learn best by utilizing a planner it seems unfair to be denied them. It would not have been a waste if the planners were provided only to the students who wanted them.