Volume 51 Issue 5
Downers Grove South High School
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March 11, 2016
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New superintendent announced for 2016-17 school year By Asma Zaman, Co-News Editor After numerous years of serving as the superintendent for District 99, Dr. Mark McDonald will be retiring from his post come the end of the 2015-2016 school year. The position will be filled by Hank Thiele. Thiele explains how he feels about starting his new job next year. “This is a great school district, so my first year is really about finding out what makes the district great, [getting] to know the kids, [getting] to know the teachers and the families and [to] understand what Downers Grove is all about,” Thiele said. Thiele currently works as an Assistant Superintendent for Technology & Learning at district 207 in Park Ridge, IL. Over the course of his career, Thiele explains that he has had numerous experiences within different fields of a high school. “Before [Maine West] I was [at] Conant High School where I taught physical science and was a band director. [In addition], I coached badminton for ten years [and I] was in a few clubs as well as being involved in the variety show [and] musical. So I’ve done a lot of different things,” Thiele said. With a diverse background of different areas of education such as music, teaching and sports, Thiele describes how these have all come
together to shape him as an educator. “I think I have a broad view of what happens. I want to give students the full experience for what it means to be in high school. There
that Downers Grove recently just launched their 1:1 Chromebook program. Although this new program may be unfamiliar to many other school districts, Thiele describes how he’s prepared to take on the
work out. In 2013 we went 1:1. We piloted for six years a variety of 1:1 tools and then went all in with Chromebooks. Before [District 99] launched their program, [the District 99 representatives] came to visit us a bunch of times,” Thiele said. Senior Lizbeth Alcantara describes what she thinks a new superintendent may mean for the district. “If we have someone who is more technology oriented, it may help the integration of Chromebooks into the learning experience. There are still a lot of issues with it, and I don’t think that we are totally one hundred percent in the clear with getting them to work,” Alcantara said. Junior Lydia Walsh-Rock offers her take on the new superintendent. “I think that having a new superintendent is going to mean that the school is under someone else’s overarching direction, but I think Dr. Mark McDonald will be resigning from his superintendent post at the end of this school year. He will be replaced by Hank Thiele (pictured) who currently works as an Assistant Super- that those who have appointed intendent for Technology and Learning at District 207. him have definitely thought a lot about their decision and made sure Photo by Asma Zaman that the school will be under the isn’t an area of the school that I technological transition. best possible direction. Honestly, haven’t tried to work on, so as a “We [Maine 207] were the very the new superintendent’s influence superintendent I have a very wide first ‘Google apps for education’ can change a lot, and/or continue to perspective on students’ lives,” school in the world. When we went keep extended school functions in Thiele said. with Google we actually had to call order,” Walsh-Rock said. A major distinguishing factor them on the phone, and we were of the Downers Grove school dis- the first school to ever partner with Contact Asma at trict can be attributed to the fact them to test them and see how they azam2301@csd99.org
Sneak peek into Hoops for Heart school fundraiser By Tessa Brown, Co-News Editor For the first time ever, DGS will be holding a Hoops for Heart fund raising event. This event will be organized by the junior and senior P.E leaders in order to raise money for the American Heart Association for their programs and research. The American Heart Association is the oldest organization dedicated to fighting heart disease. PE teacher Nathan Terry described the event. “The event is very similar to events that many students have participated in the past like Jump Rope for Heart. This event just happens to be a basketball event. In addition, there is an understanding that not everyone would be interested in a basketball event,” Terry said. “The [PE] leaders are coming up with additional events that will be taking place during this time so that all of the students can be involved.
Ideas that they have thrown out are Jump Rope for Heart and Hula Hoop for Heart.” As well as organizing the event, P.E. leaders will be responsible for generating interest, organizing registration, and communicating between the student body and the AHA event organization. The leaders are split into
DGS PE leaders Junior Emily Berryman and Junior Vivian Pierropoulos are helping organize the “Hoops for Heart” fundraiser. Photo by Gina DeCarlis
committees such as social media dona- be taking place similarly to previous tions, alternative activities and more. years in which students were able Each committee is in charge of one to make a donation and then shoot a specific thing for the day to help free-throw to try and win a t-shirt make things run smoothly. or a small prize. With someSenior Griffin Overbeck thing completely differshared what it’s like to ent, PE leaders are be one of the PE leaders hoping for more parorganizing the event. ticipation from the “Being in charge of student body to leave something like this is a a bigger impact on great opportunity. It is the DGS community. taking place of Wellness “Hopefully this will Day every other year be an event that genand is good for the PE erates a great deal of leaders to show their interest and one that [leadership] abilities. I students can take part in believe we are committed to order to raise some money for hosting a great event and a great program as well as Graphic by Kirsten Gard show how great out school have fun in activity,” Terry is,” Overbeck said. said. This is the first year that DGS is Hoops for Heart will be taking place doing an event like this, so the lead- on Tuesday, May 3. ers are still in the process of generating and coming up with new ideas Contact Tessa at in order to make it successful. It will tbro0122@csd99.org