v90i13

Newspaper to move online

Ben Hills

Redesign: In the coming weeks, the Newtonite will launch a new website with improved functionality.

BY HILARY BRUMBERG, JAY FEINSTEIN AND PERRIN STEIN With the change in semester and in editorial board, this newspaper will discontinue its print issues and shift to an online-only publication.

Instead of producing a monthly print newspaper, the editors, managers and staff will produce and post articles and

graphics daily to TheNewtonite. com.

The editorial board determined that moving completely online will maximize the newspaper’s effectiveness as a means of disseminating information about the school community.

Other factors that affected the decision include English teacher Kate Shaughnessy’s decision to step down from her role as

adviser of this newspaper, the unsustainable cost and time commitment print issues require of both the adviser and staff and the migration of the journalism industry to online.

In its new format, this newspaper will continue to uphold its high standards of accuracy, consistency and quality. The daily website will allow this ◆ continued on page 3

Newtonite ◆ Friday, Jan. 13, 2012• Volume 90, Issue 13

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Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460

Faculty revise 9.0 GPA scale ALEX FEIT SAMANTHA LIBRATY In order to better meet the standards for college applications, this school will transition to a new grade point average system, according to College and Career Center counselor Brad MacGowan.

The new GPA system will run on a weighted 5.0 scale, with an A grade counting as a 5.0 for honors classes, 4.5 for curriculum I and 4.0 for curriculum II. “The 5.0 scale aligns us with South and other schools around the nation, and it makes the data we send to colleges, employers, scholarship organizations and college recruiters much more clear and understandable,” guidance department head Beth Swederskas said.

The new system, which will replace the current 9.0 scale, will be more in line with how colleges expect to receive college applicants’ academic performances, MacGowan said.

“Colleges are flooded with more and more applications every year. We have heard from some colleges that they love our school, but did not like our 9.0 GPA scale,” MacGowan said.

The revised 5.0 GPA scale will be used starting with the Class of 2013 and will still only include marks from grades 10, 11 and 12.

Administrative staff have been debating the topic of changing the GPA scale for over 15 years, MacGowan said.

Over the past few years, MacGowan worked closely with College and Career Center counselor Sarah Hoffman

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on revising the current scale, Swederskas said.

Hoffman has dealt with college admissions in past years and has seen the importance of a concise and understandable college transcript, Swederskas said.

MacGowan and Hoffman brought the proposal to the guidance department at the beginning of the school year, Swederskas said.

The guidance department unanimously voted to adopt the 5.0 weighted GPA scale, Swederskas said.

“It makes total sense to change to a 5.0 scale. With the 9.0 scale, there was no true conversion to see how a student was doing academically, and we had to make ballpark estimates on where a student would be on a 5.0 or 4.0 weighted scale,” she said.

After the vote, MacGowan presented the proposal to the Academic Standards Committee, a committee made up of teachers, administrators and counselors, Swederskas said.

The Academic Standards Committee then voted Wednesday, Dec. 21 to pass the revised 5.0 GPA scale, she said.

At a faculty meeting last Tuesday, principal Jennifer Price discussed the Academic Standards Committee’s proposal with the faculty. Price said she officially approved the GPA change at last Wednesday’s Academic Standards Committee meeting.

The existing 4.0 unweighted GPA scale will stay the same, Swederskas said.

Jacob Schwartz

Balance: Junior Rachel Vasilyev performs at a gymnastics meet Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Administration discusses design contest, new class JARED PERLO Student Faculty Administration members began the new year by reviewing the design competition for the development of a student union and hearing a proposal about the possible formation of a new class taught by students.

At last Wednesday’s meeting, principal Jennifer Price touched upon SFA’s largest accomplishment so far this school year, the

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creation of a design contest to further the development of the proposed student union.

The union, otherwise known as a “hangout area” for students, will be located in the cafeteria, adjacent to the College and Career Center.

Students, teachers and parents can submit design ideas to the SFA using a template developed by sophomore Liran Bromberg.

Designs, which should stay within the budget of $3,000, should have the same seating capacity as the current area because students will also have to eat lunch in the student union.

All of the proposed designs, which must be submitted by Wednesday, Feb. 1, will be reviewed by the SFA. Price, in conjunction with the SFA, will have the final say in picking the winning design.

The individual who creates the winning design will be rewarded with a $100 gift card, sponsored by Whistons Culinary Group, the PTSO and the SFA. Members also listened to a potential proposal brought to the SFA by sophomores Gina Ferolito and Ying Gao. They proposed a not-for-credit class in which students would teach their peers about topics of inter-

est to pupils instead of having a study hall.

Those interested would attend classes on subjects that that are not traditionally taught at this school.

“A lot of it would be educational and a lot of it would be fun,” Ferolito said.

The pilot, which would take place this spring, would allow the SFA to gague the class’s popularity.

See inside for Winterfest, Plowshares X-block and winter sports

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pages 11-16

opinion

2 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Honor soldiers, appreciate their admirable work There has not been a draft in this country since ’73.

Since then, we have had an all-volunteer military.

editorial

Gabe Dreyer

Fan Club: The senior 6th Man section celebrates coach Paul Connolly’s 200th win at the boys’ basketball game Tuesday at home. The Tigers beat Weymouth 62-37.

During World War II, when going into the military was obligatory for all qualifying men in the United States, soldiers were treated as heroes.

Old war films depict these men as the country’s saviors and capture how they were truly admired for their bravery. They are shown as being adored by the people and are displayed as courageous, tough and valiant.

But now, our soldiers are not recognized as much as they used to be. Sure, we may hang our country’s flag on Veteran’s Day and make donations towards our troops, but those are superficial gestures.

Our country does not generally express appreciation for our soldiers the way we did 70 years ago.

We take it for granted that our country does not need to have a mandatory draft. We should not downplay how huge that is––we should be thankful that enough men and women have volunteered to supply this country with a stable military and fulfill all of its military duties.

Let’s say you have always dreamt of starting your own business. But then, your country calls upon you to join the military. Your plans have just been derailed.

Imagine if all those people had not willingly decided to protect our country and how different your life might be.

It has tough to imagine living in a country where going into the army after high school is the norm.

Our troops are slowly returning home to us. And as they cross onto U.S. soil, each and every one needs to be treated like the hero he or she is. Do not take any soldier for granted––appreciate all they have done for our country.

Illegally downloading music takes toll on economy AMANDA HILLS That new song on the radio.

That obscure rap nobody has heard of before. That Hannah Montana tween-pop album you are embarrassed to admit you listen to.

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column They’re all on your iPod. One way or another, your iPod has become home to hundreds, maybe thousands of songs that you, at one point or another enjoyed listening to.

Let’s back up to the first time you heard said song and decided you wanted to have it on your iPod. Did you buy it on iTunes, or turn to an illegal music down-

loading site?

I’m willing to bet that an overwhelming majority would lay claim to the latter.

Illegally downloading music obstructs musicians and recording companies from the potential profit they could earn every time their song or album is purchased on iTunes.

According to music news discussion forum Side-Line, an artist earns 12 percent of the profit per download. That is not much for each song downloaded, but when millions of people are pirating music, that is a lot of money.

You might think that today’s musicians are wealthy enough as is and do not need the extra

Newtonite

gain from our iTunes purchases.

But what about all the people behind the scenes? The producers, songwriters, technicians and marketing specialists? You aren’t just hurting the artist, but all the people who put the song together.

The Recording Industry Association of America cites pirating as a growing problem.

Its website says, “Without any compensation to all the people who helped to create that song and bring it to fans, the loss is devastating.”

A recent study by the Institute for Policy Innovation estimates $12.5 billion in losses to the U.S. economy annually that can be credited to media

Editors in chief — Hilary Brumberg, Ben Hills, Perrin Stein Managing editors — Jay Feinstein, Jacob Schwartz Graphics manager — Gabe Dreyer News editors — Alex Feit, Samantha Libraty Sports editors — Gloria Li, Kristian Lundberg Arts editors — Malini Gandhi, Fatema Zaidi Features editors — Meredith Abrams, Julia Oran, Kayla Shore Freelance editors — Ryan Condon, Steven Michael News analysis editor — Amanda Hills Talk of the Tiger editor — Julia Moss Photography editors — Maliha Ali, Alec Mapes-Frances Production manager — Jordan Robins Advertising managers —Tiphaine Kugener, Evan Nitkin Business manager — Alison Berkowitz

Circulation manager — Michela Salvucci Online Editor — Henry DeGroot Adviser — Kate Shaughnessy Production adviser — Tom Donnellan News staff — Emmett Greenberg, Jared Perlo Features staff — Anna Clements, Jared Freedman Sports staff — Jesse Metzger, Infiniti Thomas-Waheed Arts staff — Ned Martenis, Noah Thompson News analysis staff — Kellynette Gomez Art staff — Arielle Conti, Rin Rogers Photography staff — Madeleine Aquilina, Emma Hanselman, Nina Kaplan, Jenny Lewis, Solomon Mercurio Circulation staff — Irene BettsO’Rourke, Eyob Gizachew, Sam Jones, Philippine Kugener, Matthew Soloman Production staff — Charles Attisano

The Newtonite staff does all the reporting, production work and photography to produce 10 issues a year for a circulation of 2,000.

To place an ad in the Newtonite or contact us by phone, please call 617-559-6273. Readers can also reach us at thenewtonite@gmail.com.

To find the Newtonite online go to www.thenewtonite.com.

vert your YouTube link into an mp3 or download from a free website, think of all of the people who worked to bring you that song and who are now being hurt by that one click.

Maybe that one purchase does not create a huge loss, but the decision you and millions of others are consciously making to ignore the iTunes icon on your MacBook’s desktop does.

If we take collective action and all decide to at least lessen our illegal music purchases, we can begin to dissolve the growing problem of pirating.

Stop hurting our recording industry––spend the 99 cents on iTunes the next time you want to purchase a song.

Hold on to New Year’s pledge AMANDA HILLS It’s January 13. Thirteen days ago, you made your New Year’s resolutions. You vowed to ignore your carb cravings, to cover your mouth every time you are tempted to yell at your younger brother and to cut down on the number of times a week you shop ’til you drop.

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The Newtonite, founded in 1922, is the newspaper of Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460.

pirating.

Pirating has punched our economy in the stomach. It has hit it hard and fast. The RIAA has produced staggering statistics. Between 2004 and 2010, there was a 31 percent decline in the global digital music market.

In 2009, only 37 percent of the music acquired by people in the United States was actually paid for.

And, most shocking of all, while seven percent of the Internet’s traffic can be attributed to music downloads, 91 percent of the links people use for those downloads are for copyrighted material, making those purchases illegal.

Next time, before you con-

column But now it is 13 days later.

You had a piece of toast for breakfast, you just barked at your brother for taking too long of a shower and you are headed out the door to Bloomingdale’s for its post-holiday season sale.

New Year’s resolutions give people hope. Hope that circumstances will improve in the coming year, that they all accomplish that goal they have always dreamed of reaching and that they all make some sort of progress in their lives.

But these pledges are hardly ever kept. People give in to their wants and desires, forgetting the promises they have recently made to themselves. Some time after the ball drops, the diet-

ers stop dieting, the composed stop composing and the pennypinchers stop penny-pinching.

Making a New Year’s resolution can give you the opportunity to be introspective and reflect on your life.

Creating a goal for yourself means that you are making a commitment that you will be tenacious and strong-willed for as long as it takes to attain that target.

But, when you give up on that ambition, you are often right back where you started, if not several steps behind.

January 1 should be that time of year when everyone sits down, takes out a pen and a sticky note, writes down a goal and puts it somewhere he or she will see every day.

It should not be that time of year when everyone writes down overly ambitious and implausible promises to himself.

Thirteen days later, that sticky note should continue to represent hope and persistence––not a failed attempt at achieving aspirations.

Think of the feeling of accomplishment that comes with

completing a goal. Now compare that feeling to the knot you get in your stomach when you know you have let go of your intent.

Which would you rather have following you around all the time? The feeling of success or the feeling of regret?

Use New Year’s resolutions as a time to make a change in your life. Do not use New Year’s resolutions as an opportunity to write an impossible goal that will leave you even worse off than when you started.

Letters Readers are invited to submit guest articles and letters to the editor. Letters should be put in the Newtonite box in the Main Office or emailed to thenewtonite@ gmail.com. The Newtonite reserves the right to edit all letters, which must have the writer’s name, class and homeroom. The Newtonite serves as a forum for student opinion.

news

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

Junior lobbies to install hand sanitizers PETER DIAMOND SAMANTHA LIBRATY In an effort to limit the spread of germs at this school, junior Mike Safran initiated a plan to install hand sanitizer dispensers around the building, he said.

The dispensers were installed Friday, Dec. 23 and Thursday, Jan. 5 by maintenance worker Tim Harper, according to Safran. Four are in the cafeteria, one is in each house office, one is in the main office and one is in the fitness center.

Safran began the initiative last year in order to aid the school’s efforts to keep students and faculty healthy, he said.

“I started the project because I saw that the school wasn’t doing as much as I knew needed to be done to prevent the spreading of germs,” Safran said.

He first approached Barry housemaster Aaron Sanders, who directed him to principal Jennifer Price.

“Ms. Price introduced me to a member of the PTSO, and I went through the process to propose a grant to them for their consideration,” Safran said.

While he waited for the PTSO to approve the grant, Safran researched the benefits of hand sanitizers and wrote an informed letter to submit to vice principal Deborah Holman, the facilities liaison at this school,

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Jacob Schwartz

Installation: Junior Mike Safran installs a hand sanitizer dispenser in the cafeteria.

and Newton Public Schools’ facilities director Paul Anastasi.

The PTSO approve the grant, giving Safran enough funds to purchase and place 10 hand sanitizer dispensers around the school, he said.

After receiving the grant, Safran worked with Anastasi and Holman to further his initiative.

“Mike Safran has been tenacious about this project,” Holman said.

“He has not given up and has been very committed to getting the hand sanitizers up.”

Safran said, “I’ve been working closely with Mr. Anastasi and vice principal Deborah Holman for the past few months to decide the ultimate locations for the hand sanitizer dispensers,” Safran said.

“If the dispensers are working well, I may be able to receive more sanitizers to place around the school.”

The most that he can expect in the near future is an additional 15 dispensers, according to Safran.

If students use the dispensers effectively, it will prove to Safran with his effort was worthwhile because helped prevent the spread of germs in school, he said.

“The initiative doesn’t benefit me. It’s just my way of giving back.”

Language department revises French sequence SAMANTHA LIBRATY Beginning next year, the French honors sequence will be revised to include a fourth year honors course to precede French 5 Advanced Placement language, according to world language department head Nancy Marrinucci.

French 4 Honors will be a class primarily for juniors, who will take it after finishing French 3 Honors at the end of

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their sophomore year. In the 2013-2014 school year, French AP Language will shift from a course intended for juniors to one for seniors. That year, the advanced literature course, which is currently offered to seniors, will be eliminated.

“This change will allow students an additional year to prepare for the advanced work of the AP language course as well as the AP exam itself, aligning

the sequence with the honors/ AP sequence in the other languages we offer,” Marrinucci said.

The revision was initiated because the College Board cut the AP French Literature exam two years ago and the AP French exam was revised, Marrinucci said.

“At the time that the College Board eliminated the French AP Literature exam, due to student

interest, we deemed it important to continue to offer an advanced honors level literature course senior year, which thus kept our sequence intact,” she said.

Although the French Literature course will be eliminated, the new French curricula will incorporate several original French literary works, Marrinucci said.

Current freshmen and sophomores who take French 3 Hon-

ors will not be affected, she commented.

“However, we have six juniors who are currently taking French 3 Honors. Those students will continue on to take French 4 Honors next year,” she said. “If they are interested in taking the French AP Language exam in May, we are committed to offering them additional support to prepare them,” Marrinucci said.

Three sophomores win essay contest SAMANTHA LIBRATY Today, the three students who won the Martin Luther King, Jr. sophomore essay will their essays during an assembly C-block in the little theatre.

The four students who received honorable mentions read either a summary or a small section of their works.

For the annual contest, every sophomore wrote an essay about a hero whom they believe embodies the actions and teachings of the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., according to English department head Melissa Dilworth.

“Each year we are pleased by the effort that students put into this contest,” Dilworth said.

Winners were Julia Moss in first place, Dan Smith in second place and Steven Kelly in third place.

“All three of the winning essays remind us that we all have the potential to make a change

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if we are willing to stand up for what we believe in,” Dilworth said.

Moss wrote about her great uncle, Judah Folkman, a cancer researcher and surgeon at Children’s Hospital Boston.

Folkman helped save thousands of lives through treatment, and his tireless research continues to make an impact in the medical and scientific community today, Moss said.

“I admire his incredible perseverance and great compassion for his patients.”

Smith wrote about his mother, Maxine Sandra Hart, a civil rights activist who fought for equal rights for blacks under apartheid in South Africa.

Kelly wrote about Leonard Zakim, a civil rights activist and former director of the AntiDefamation League.

Honorable mentions were Alex Feit, Kristi Monahan, Isabel Wilker and Simon Wolfe.

Jacob Schwartz

Winners: Essays by sophomores Steven Kelly, Dan Smith and Julia Moss were chosen for the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest.

This newspaper transitions from print to online ◆ continued from page 1 newspaper to become a valuable source for breaking news and for keeping the community updated in all areas of the life of this school.

To ensure a successful transition, this newspaper has developed new editorial positions for innovating, expanding and publicizing the website. Students in

these positions will work to enhance the quality and ubiquity of TheNewtonite.com.

Currently, this newspaper is in a two-week transition phase.

During this time, the editorial board change the look of the website so it is more suited for the increased frequency in posting content.

This newspaper will also

work of the next couple of weeks to develop systems to ensure that the quality and quantity of its content are not lost in this shift. The migration to online will alter this newspaper only in terms of platform.

By the end of February, the Newtonite will produce and circulate a bimonthly one-page newsletter highlighting the

online content from the previous two weeks and previewing upcoming content.

This newsletter will be handed out on Fridays and will be available via email.

Community members can sign up for the free email newsletter on TheNewtonite.com.

Current subscribers to the print issue will no longer receive

newspapers in the mail. These subscribers are encouraged to sign up for the newsletter.

Although this newspaper is moving completely online, it will continue to produce a printed graduation issue because it is the most widely read issue and is steeped in tradition. Current subscribers will receive this issue in the mail in June.

arts

4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Conflict between sexes explored in ‘Big Love’ FATEMA ZAIDI Directed by seniors Caleb Bromberg and Katharine Norris, “Big Love” will go up Thursday, Feb. 2 through Saturday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the little theatre.

In a “radical reenvisioning” of the Greek classic “The Danaides” by Aeschylus, Norris said, “Charles Mee forces us to reconsider our definitions of love, gender and happiness.

Fifty brides-to-be escape their arranged marriages in Greece and seek refuge in a villa on the coast of Italy.”

“They are tracked down by their husbands and are forced to wage a pseudo-war of the sexes to preserve their own integrity and happiness.

“In this conflict between tradition and progression, honor and freedom, the characters struggle to make their voices heard on what it means to be a man or a woman,” she said.

Two characters who represent the struggle between the two sexes are Lydia, played by sophomore Emma Hanselman, and Nikos, played by sophomore Simon Wolfe. Although all of the characters are equally important, Lydia and Nikos “steal BY

the stage” with their forbidden love, according to Norris.

“They struggle to reconcile their obligation to their siblings and their affections for one another,” she added.

The play is full of stark contrasts, and Norris’ favorite scenes are on polar opposite sides of the spectrum.

In one scene, the three sisters, Lydia, Olympia and Thyona, smash plates and tear their wedding dresses into shreds in utter frustration, screaming about what it means to be a woman and the burdens their gender must bear, Norris said.

“On the other hand, we have one of my favorite monologues.

In it, Giuliano, the nephew of the owner of the villa, has a tragically beautiful speech about his missed chance at love and how that has affected him his whole life,” Norris said.

Costumes change from the beginning of the play to the end, she said.

“Throughout the show the costumes follow a pattern of modernization—in the beginning, the sisters are dressed in conservative, old-fashioned wedding dresses,” she said.

“As they start to break down some of the gender barriers and modernize in that respect, their clothes become more updated.”

The setting is an Italian villa, with Roman inspired columns surrounding a completely white gazebo, Norris said.

Directing “Big Love” has presented some challenges because it “is a really unique show that requires a lot of textual analysis,” said Norris.

“Also, we have many highly choreographed fight scenes and unusual props, such as real wedding cakes and chinaware, which add an extra challenge to our rehearsals,” she added.

Despite all the challenges, Norris loves everything about the directing process, she said.

“The show, although seemingly absurd and exaggerated, gets to the heart of how we look at love, gender and family. It beautifully frames the pressures we feel on a daily basis to fulfill the expectations set out for us, and it can really make you think about males and females and love in a different way.”

Tickets are $7 and will be sold on theatreink.net and at all lunches.

Jacob Schwartz

“Big Love”: Senior Sam Bell-Gurwitz practices a scene.

Winterfest will feature new Chamber Ensembles MALINI GANDHI Winterfest, a two-night concert, Wednesday, Feb. 8 and Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m., featuring this school’s vocal and instrumental groups, will be a celebration of both long-held traditions in the music department and new, exploratory beginnings, according to fine and performing arts department head Todd Young.

The new, “very exciting” aspect of the concert is the introduction of the Chamber Ensembles, which will be performing along with Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band during Winterfest I, Young said.

According to Richard Labedz, the director of both Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, the Chamber Ensembles’ performance is “something that has never been done before.” Their part of the evening will feature short presentations by each section of the Wind Ensemble.

According to Labedz, each week the Wind Ensemble students have the opportunity to break up into Chamber Ensembles to learn music and to perfect technique.

The brass ensemble has had a coach brought in from outside for a while who has contributed to small performances at past concerts, Labedz said.

But, while the practice of splitting into ensembles during class is well-established, the other four ensembles have typically been nothing more than

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Hilary Brumberg

Winterfest: Sophomores Luisa Donavan, Maddie Waters and Shani Yavin rehearse with the rest of Concert Choir and Family Singers for the Ray Smith Memorial Concert. practice groups, and “we’ve never had a big performance by individual Chamber Ensembles,” he said.

“We’ve always thought it would be a great experience to feature each group at a concert, and we decided to carry out the idea for Winterfest. The new Chamber Ensembles will open the concert,” Labedz said.

Young said that playing in small Chamber Ensembles are

a “very important” opportunity that provide students with “a different playing experience.

“Playing in a small group means that everything is exposed,” he said.

Following the Chamber Ensembles’ performance, the Wind Ensemble, as a whole, will tackle the piece “Arabesque” by Samuel R. Hazo, a challenging piece that features Middle-Eastern scales, according to Labedz.

Symphonic Band will then conclude Winterfest I with “Into the Storm” by Robert W. Smith, as well as “Divinum Mysterium”

by James Swearingen.

The next evening, Winterfest II, this school’s celebrated Ray Smith Memorial Concert, which features about a hundred students performing a piece that spans over 25 minutes, will mark the continuation of an established tradition.

During Winterfest II, Concert Choir, Family Singers and Orchestra will each give short performances before they join together for the Ray Smith Memorial Concert.

According to Young, this year ’s Ray Smith Memorial Concert piece is “Frostiana” by Randall Thompson, which consists of seven poems by Robert Frost set to music.

Young said that the music department selected the piece because for the past few years it has performed a sacred work, such as large Requiems and Masses, and this year he tried to find a secular piece.

Young said this search was a challenge, because “while there are tons of sacred works, once you move outside this sphere, the pieces become either very short or frighteningly difficult.”

But Young said “Frostiana” has proven to be rewarding.

“It’s not heavy and dark, but it’s serious in a contemplative sort of way. It’s a slower, thoughtful work, with a beautiful final movement called ‘Choose Something Like a Star.’”

Adam Grossman, director of Orchestra and Family Singers, said that the piece is “well-suited for high school students.” According to Grossman, drawing on the talents of so many musicians in one place is “very nice.”

“To put on something like this requires a full orchestra and a large chorus, and not many schools can do this.”

Jubilee builds group, prepares for performance MALINI GANDHI When director Sheldon Reid sits down and lays out potential pieces for Jubilee Singers, a group that performs spirituals, gospel music and traditional African pieces, he said the songs he selects from the stacks of music never catch his eye for quite the same reason.

Sometimes, according to Reid, it’s “all about the solo.”

“We have very talented soloists, and sometimes, there’s a particular voice I know would fit a certain part. That can become

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the deciding factor,” Reid said.

Other times, Reid makes an effort to select standard gospel and spiritual music that “every Jubilee singer should know.”

“I think these standard songs provide a sense of continuity.

Alumni can come back and join the group on the stage, or a Jubilee singer can hear the song in the crowd and sing along. It binds the group together.”

Yet most of all, Reid emphasized that he tries to find “songs that are moving and entertaining that will teach the current

group as well as the audience.”

For their annual concert with South’s Harambe Choir, which will take place Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium, Reid said the mixture of spirituals and contemporary gospels that he has selected are aimed, as always, towards “both educating people about the music we sing and making sure everyone has a good time.”

A highlight of the group’s performance will be “Everybody Clap Your Hands” by Joshua’s Troop, a song Reid said he chose

because it is “just so fun.”

“Joshua’s Troop is a youth choir, which is cool because they are also kids,” Reid said.

The group will also present Richard Smallwood’s wellknown contemporary gospel piece “Total Praise,” as well as the spiritual “There is a Balm in Gilead,” arranged by Moses Hogan, whose pieces are “always beautiful and well-arranged,” according to Reid.

Reid said he is looking forward to the concert and mentioned that this year’s choir is

“extremely talented.”

Jubilee Singers graduated many seniors last year, including the entirety of the group’s band, which accompanied the singers as instrumentalists during some songs.

“We had a slow start and had to build up a new band from scratch, but the group is very talented,” Reid said.

According to Reid, the group now consists of many younger singers that will stay on for a few years, and he is “looking forward to the future.”

feature

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Faculty send their children to Plowshares HILARY BRUMBERG PERRIN STEIN It is 7:35 a.m., and, as usual, a group of exhausted students is exiting a bus parked outside the theatre entrance. These students shiver in the cold January weather, too tired to speak as they enter the school and begin to migrate down Main Street.

Intermittently, boisterous toddlers wiggle from their parent’s grasp and dash down the hallway, filled with enthusiasm for the day ahead.

Students greet some of these parents, commenting on how adorable their child is and asking about a project or homework assignment.

These parents are teachers at this school, and their children are among the 34 preschoolers that attend Plowshares, a private, non-profit childcare center that partners with the Newton Public Schools.

Through this partnership, this school is able to offer courses in Early Education and Care, and Plowshares offers City employees enrollment preference and locational convenience, according to Plowshares director Jo Carpino.

Currently, 14 of the 34 children in Plowshares have a parent who is a faculty member at this school. A few others have a City employee as a parent, Carpino said.

to come in and teach a lesson.

Foreign language teachers read stories in the languages they teach, science teachers conduct basic experiments and art teachers lead projects. Carpino said this fosters a relationship between students, teachers and children.

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Teachers’ perspective Physical education/health and wellness teachers Courtney Albert and Lauren Baugher send their 2-year-old daughter Ashlyn to Plowshares. Students love to see Albert and Baugher with their daughter, and the opportunity the play with Ashlyn might have influenced some to take Early Education and Care, Baugher said.

“I would say Plowshares defi-

Confidentiality

Hilary Brumberg

Block tower: Senior Mark Gately plays with Yasmeen Elley, daughter of history teacher Subheen Razzaqui, and Nora Hamel, daugher of science teacher Peter Hamel. nitely helps with connecting me more to my students,” she said.

Although there are some disadvantages to Plowshares, such as students swearing in front of Ashlyn, in general, high school students are great role models, Baugher said.

History teacher Subheen Razzaqui sees high school students much the same way Baugher does. “I was initially concerned, but when I saw how much the high school students do for the kids, I feel that it is a great combo,” she said.

In addition, Razzaqui said

she enjoys seeing her 2-year-old daughter Yasmeen playing outside during recess or during the annual Plowshares Halloween walk around the school.

Science teacher Peter Hamel, who has sent his 3-year-old daughter to Plowshares since September, said he finds the benefits of sending Nora to Plowshares outweigh the disadvantages.

The preschool allows “my students to see what’s important to me, and when I come in looking exhausted because Nora woke me up in the middle

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of the night, they’re a little more understanding,” he said.

Spanish teacher Ana Tellado sent her oldest daughter Catia, who is 6-years-old, to Plowshares until two years ago. She loved having her daughter in the building because it reduced separation anxiety, which was a factor for her first child. Sometimes during lunch, Tellado would go down to Plowshares and look in the window to check on Catia, she said.

Benefits for faculty Plowshares director Carpino said that in addition to the advantages detailed by Baugher, Hamel and Tellado, there are benefits in enrolling faculty’s children in the program. Consistent with the agreement formed in 1976, which was when Plowshares started its partnership with the NPS, City employees are given priority spacing in enrollment based on availability, she said.

All the Plowshares locations accommodate faculty members’ unique schedules. Plowshares’ normal hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m or 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but faculty members are given the option to shift the block to 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to work around the school day.

Plowshares also cares for teachers’ children for an additional half hour on Tuesdays, when the teachers have faculty meetings, according to Carpino.

Another benefit for teachers is that there is an option to enroll their children in Plowshares for the 10-month academic school year, as opposed to the full year.

It gives faculty the flexibility of taking the summer off and still having their space when they return in the fall, she said.

Many faculty members who have or had children in Plowshares are given the opportunity

Early Education and Care instructor Michelle Ramsdell said that students often find it funny caring for the children of their teachers in the Early Education and Care courses.

Upon entering the classes, many students exclaim, “Oh my gosh, is that so and so’s child?

It looks just like him!” Ramsdell said.

Although she acknowledges that spending time with a teacher’s child creates a unique bond between a student and that teacher, Ramsdell encourages students not to talk about their experiences in Early Education and Care outside of class.

She encourages confidentiality to ensure that students do not accidentally misinform teachers, which can happen when students do not have the whole picture, Ramsdell said.

For example, if a child acts poorly during the block a student has childhood development, the student might tell the parent that the child is having a bad day.

However, the student only saw a small part of the day and does not have a point of comparison, so what may seem like bad behavior could be part of a normal day.

When students refrain from talking about Early Education and Care outside of class, no misinformation is shared and the parents will not become alarmed unnecessarily, Ramsdell said.

She also tell students not to let experiences with teachers influence how the students treat teachers’ children.

The rules detailed by Ramsdell help keep the interactions between students, children and teachers positive, she said.

Student’s perspective Senior Mark Gately is an Early Education and Care major and works at Plowshares after school.

Because Gately spends so much time working at Plowshares, he has come to know most of the children there. “I have a personal and sacred relationship with each and every one of them,” he said.

When working with the children of his teachers, Gately said he has gained a new perspective on his teachers.

“When you are in class with teachers, you forget that some are parents, and not only do they have to deal with rowdy high school kids, but they also have to deal with their little children,” he said.

“I now know that even though some teachers may seem strict or difficult, they will always have a soft side because they need to care for their little, vulnerable children.”

feature

6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Faculty explore uses of X-block SAM JONES For students, the end of the school day means that they are now free to do what they please.

Some choose to leave, eager to get home to unwind after a hard day of work.

However, many students choose to stick around for a while longer during a period known as X-block. From 2:25 to 3:20 p.m. Mondays and from 2:40 to 3:20 p.m.Thursdays, students can stay after school to see teachers for extra help, to make up tests or to attend educational team meetings to prevent them from struggling.

In addition, students can attend club meetings.

There is a wide variety of uses for X-block, which has resulted in mixed messages and conflict for students, according to counselor Matthew Ford.

“X-block is great in theory, but it’s very complicated to put into practice without more established communication about what it is,” he said.

To better define X-block, Ford and Spanish teacher Daniel Fabrizio are facilitating the Use of X-block Vision 2013 Group.

The committee is made up of at least one faculty representative from every department and meets the fourth Tuesday of every month to explore the “diversity of thought about Xblock,” Ford said.

Over the last two weeks, the group distributed surveys to students, teachers and administrators asking them to define X-block and to explain their uses of it.

Next, the Vision Group will

BY

meet Tuesday and on the professional half day Thursday, Jan. 26 to pool the findings and prepare a presentation for the February faculty meeting.

Ford said that although he does not expect “radical change to come quickly,” he hopes that the Vision Group’s research and discussions will result in “flexibility of the expectations for X-block.”

Currently, some students use X-block to meet with teachers. During this time, science teacher Tatyana Osipenko’s classroom bustles with students who gather in groups, finishing late assignments and studying for an upcoming test.

Students constantly ask Osipenko questions, and she never fails to answer them. As a result, students return to their desks with a relieved smile and an improved knowledge of what had once confused them.

“A lot of my students take advantage of X-blocks,” she said.

“I think it fulfills its goal, but I think we do not have enough time during two X-blocks.”

One of the students who regularly spends X-blocks gathered around a table in Osipenko’s classroom is sophomore Rafi Razzaque.

“I go to chemistry the most for help, as Ms. Osipenko is very open to help students in need of help,” he said. “I try to go to at least one X-block session a week, but I can’t always make it as I do a sport and other afterschool activities.”

Sophomore Haberley Kahn’s situation is similar to Razzaque’s. She said, “I usually try to go to X-block at least once

a week, but sports sometimes prevent me. I usually go to chemistry to get help myself and to help others,” she said.

While both thought that Xblock fulfills its purposes as a time for extra help, they did think there were some flaws.

“While I think that most teachers make themselves available for X-block, sometimes, there are so many kids that some cannot get help because there’s just not enough time,” Kahn said.

She said she thinks the solution might lie in adding more time to X-block.

“I might even add a smaller period of time for a third Xblock so that some people who need to get help can always get help in all of their classes. This is because sometimes people need to go to more than one class.”

Osipenko had similar feelings. “I am not sure if it is possible, but I would increase extra-help time: longer X-block and/or additional teachers in the help lab. Right now, we have a few teachers on the help lab schedule,” she said.

Razzaque said, “There are people who do not take the time to use X-block, but others have the time and simply don’t bother to take advantage of it.”

“The big issue is that not enough emphasis is put on Xblock as a part of the school day.

“Teachers should put emphasis on the fact that X-block is just as much a part of the day as C-block chemistry, and that taking advantage of it is beneficial to performance at this school,” he said.

Maliha Ali

X-block: Science teacher Tatyana Osipenko gives extra help to senior Young Guang and sophomore Adam Goffstein.

2011-2012 Student Handbook definition of X-block X-blocks are part of the school day. On Mondays, X-block is from 2:25 to 3:20.

On Thursdays, it is from 2:40 to 3:20. During both X-blocks, you can meet with your teacher to receive extra help. A teacher may require you to come to a conference or make up a test during an X-block. Academic responsibilities take priority over sports, activities and most out-of-the building commitments.

You can also attend meetings of clubs and organizations during X-block.

All clubs and organizations welcome all students. graphic by Hilary Brumberg

Habits for a Lifetime of Health Newton-Wellesley Hospital encourages you to develop healthy habits.

Eat a balanced diet • Keep active • Stay smoke free Y

www.nwh.org Advertise on our website TheNewtonite.com!

Email thenewtonite@gmail.com for more information.

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

feature

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

Newtonite spring calendar January Under the direction of seniors Emily Paley and Jon Paul Roby and junior Anna Nemetz, Cabaret Troupe performs tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

The Martin Luther King Essay Contest Assembly takes place today during C-block in the little theatre.

There will be no school on Martin Luther King Day, Monday.

Sophomore Parent Night is Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 7 to 9 in the auditorium.

The Huntington Lecture Series continues Thursday, Jan. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the film lecture hall. Neuroscientist Glenn Rosen will presentation.

Term II ends Friday, Jan. 20.

Term III begins Monday, Jan. 23 There is a professional half day Thursday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. That evening, there is an All-City Music Concert in the auditorium from 7 to 9:30.

Jubilee Singers perform Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m in the auditorium.

Junior Parent Night is Monday, Jan. 31 from 7 to 9 in the auditorium.

February MCAS retests for Biology are Wednesday, Feb. 1 and Thursday, Feb. 2.

Under the direction of seniors Caleb Bromberg and Katharine Norris, Theatre Ink presents “Big Love” Thursday, Feb. 2 through Saturday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

Deaf Culture Day is Wednesday, Feb. 8.

Winterfest Concerts I and II are Wednesday, Feb. 8 and Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

ACT testing is Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 a.m.

Auditions for next year’s music ensembles are Monday, Feb. 13 through Friday, Feb. 17.

The Citywide Strings Concert is Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. This school’s Orchestra and the All City Orchestra will perform.

ToBGLAD is Wednesday, Feb. 15 in the little theatre and the auditorium.

Auditions for “Pippin” are Friday, Feb. 10, Monday, Feb. 13 and Tuesday, Feb. 14 in the auditorium.

Asian Culture Day is Wednesday, Feb. 15 After a full day of classes Friday, Feb. 17, school closes for vacation and reopens Monday, Feb. 27.

BLAC Day is Tuesday, Feb. 28.

MCAS retesting for English Long Composition is Wednesday, Feb. 29.

March

MCAS retesting for English Reading Comprehension is Thursday, March 1 and Friday, March 2.

The Sophomore Event is Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m.

Winter Athletic Awards Night is Monday, March 5 from 6 to 9. Math MCAS retests are Monday, March 5 and Tuesday, March 6.

The Close Up trip to Washington, D.C., is Monday, March 5 through Friday, March 9.

Warnings for Term III are due Tuesday, March 6.

Eighth Grade Parent Night is Tuesday, March 6 from 7 to 9.

SAT testing is Saturday, March 10 at 7:30 a.m.

The PTSO meets Tuesday, March 13 from 7 to 9 a.m. There is an all day field trip for music students who qualified for States.

Registration day for next year is Wednesday, March 14.

There is a professional half day Thursday, March 15 at 11 a.m.

This year’s all-school musical, “Legally Blonde,” goes up in the auditorium Thursday, March 15 through Saturday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee Sunday, March 18 at 2 p.m.

Spring sports begin Monday, March 19.

MCAS testing for English Reading Comprehension is Tuesday, March 20 and Wednesday, March 21.

MCAS testing for English Long Composition is Thursday, March 22.

The Huntington Lecture Series continues Thursday, March 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the film lecture hall. Math department head Brenda Keegan will give a presentation on Jane Austen’s novels.

Under the direction of senior Nicole Bunis and junior Sam Raby, Theatre Ink presents “Spontaneous Generation” Wednesday, March 28 in the little theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Term III ends Friday, March 30.

Asian Culture Night is Saturday, March 31 from 7 to 9 in the auditorium.

April Term IV begins Monday, April 2.

School is closed Friday, April 6 for Good Friday.

Springfest I and II are Wednesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 12 in the auditorium at 7 p.m.

School closes for vacation Friday, April 13 and reopens Monday, April 16.

ACT testing is Saturday, April 14 at 7:30 a.m.

Improv Jam II is Wednesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the little theatre.

The Jazz Ensemble will perform at Jazz Night Thursday, April 26 in the auditorium.

May The College Admissions Panel is Wednesday, May 2 in the auditorium from 7 to 9 p.m.

SAT testing is Saturday, May 5 at 7:30 a.m.

AP Exams start Monday, May 7 and end Friday, May 18.

Term IV warnings are due Tuesday, May 8. In the evening, Senior Parent Night is held in the auditorium from 7 to 8.

North and South students perform Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night Thursday, May 10 through Saturday, May 12 in the little theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Senior Scholarship Night is Monday, May 14 from 7 to 9 in the film lecture hall.

Senior Year Project informal presentations are in the little theatre Tuesday, May 15.

Math MCAS testing is Tuesday, May 15 and Wednesday, May 16.

The PTSO meets Tuesday, May 15 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Senior Year Project formal presentations are Thursday, May 17 through Wednesday, May 23 in the film lecture hall.

Pops Night is Thursday, May 17 at 5 in the cafeteria.

The Junior Semi-Formal is either Friday, May 18 or Saturday, May 19. The location is to be determined.

History Awards Night is Tuesday, May 22 from 7 to 8:30 in the film lecture hall.

English Awards Night is Wednesday, May 23 from 7 to 9 in the film lecture hall.

The Freshman physics final is during A-block and B-block Thursday, May 24.

Directed by seniors Pamela Chen and Sonya Maria Douglas, “Pippin” goes up Thursday, May 24 through Saturday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

School is closed for Memorial Day, Monday, May 28.

Spring Athletic Awards Night is Tuesday, May 29 in the auditorium from 6 to 9.

World Language Awards Night is Wednesday, May 30 in the cafeteria from 6:30 to 9.

Theatre Ink Awards Night is Thursday, May 31 from 7 to 8.

June

SAT testing is Saturday, June 2 at 7:30 a.m. In the evening, the Jubilee Concert is at 7 in the auditorium.

Physics MCAS testing is Tuesday, June 5 and Wednesday, June 6.

The proposed date for graduation is Wednesday, June 6 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

The Playwright’s Festival and Nitrous Oxide, under the direction of junior Jack Reibstein and senior Graham Techler go up Wednesday, June 6 through Saturday, June 9 in the little theatre.

Eighth Grade Athletic Orientation is Thursday, June 7 in the gymnasium from 6 to 9 p.m.

There is a professional half day Friday, June 8 at 11 a.m.

Step Up Day starts at 12 p.m.

ACT testing Saturday, June 9 at 7:30 a.m.

The Theatre Ink Banquet is Friday, June 15 in the cafeteria and the auditorium from 5 to 9 p.m.

Students’ last day is Friday, June 22.

Teachers’ last day is Monday, June 25.

–COMPILED BY FATEMA ZAIDI

Izzy Rosenblatt

8 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Jan

Celebrating 90 year Volume 21

Volume 1

Newton High enters first wartime session

The origins of the Newtonite “Modern journalism has become so important in its civic and educational influences as to make necessary its recognition by the high schools,” said principal Francis Bacon of Newton High School in the first ever issue of the Newtonite in 1922.

In the issue, Bacon is quoted, saying the school newspaper serves as a “practical medium of communication for pupils, faculty and school community.”

Also, he said he hopes that the Newtonite “proves a great advantage in developing school spirit, pride and loyalty.”

Bacon concludes that the Newtonite would “become an outstanding success.”

Originally, the name “Newtonite” was to be only a temporary name, at least until someone came up with a better title, said the article.

Some of the suggestions included “The Tiger,” “Newton High Light” and “High Life.”

In addition, in honor of the new principal Bacon, some students proposed “The Baconian” or “Bacon and Eggs.”

However, the name was never changed, and the newspaper continues to be called the Newtonite today.

The Newtonite initially came out every week, but was only about four pages long.

Students could subscribe to the Newtonite for a year by paying a dollar in homeroom.

1922

1923

The cover story of the first issue of the school year describes changes the school is making to prepare for World War II, including course changes and a push for students to take more math and science courses, which the article says will be useful to future soldiers. The story also mentions that the Physical Education department planned to physically challenge students more during gym class in order to maximize wartime preparation.

Charles D. Meserve Scholarship Fund The Newtonite reports that the Board of Trustees has been chosen for the Charles D. Meserve Scholarship Fund.

Alumni from Newton High School collect funds to memorialize Meserve’s time as a teacher at the school.

A scholarship is awarded to a boy in each graduating class to aid the student in “obtaining a high education,” said the article.

1925

1929 Volume 8

Garden City forms new poultry club

Series on dangers of hitch-hiking

Formed in 1924, the Newtonite said that potential members of the Garden City poultry club are required to own at least five birds. The club initially has only four members, but is looking to expand. The poultry is entered in contests and judged. Some members place very highly in the poultry shows.

In one issue, the Newtonite dedicates a full page to fashion, not only for humans, but for pets, too. One headline reads, “Doggies go stylish; Fido wears a raincoat.”

The article starts with, “(Perhaps you didn’t know it, but) pooches all around us are becoming clothes-conscious, so it’s up to this fashion page to give them a break,” and goes on to name some articles of clothing a dog could be dressed in.

1930 1934

Volume 2

Volu Tigers shock B

Volume 13 A guide to clothing for men, women, dogs

1936

The back page of the New the Tigers’ 8-0 upset over Broo Game. Brookline was undefe The story concludes, “At a down to a very tasty turkey th of Brookline had very little to

Volume 24 Stadium unsafe The Newtonite runs a front page story reporting on changes being made to the old Dickinson Stadium, which had recently been condemned as unsafe. The article explains changes from stands made of wood to those of concrete, among other changes.

1942

1946

Volume 15

The Newtonite covers an assembly on “bumming rides” or the dangers of hitch-hiking. This is only one of a series of articles on this subject. Students even act out what could happen and publish pictures of it.

Volume 9

Volume 4

Streamlines in steel: New cars of 1937 The Newtonite runs a full page on the new cars from companies such as Ford, Buick and Chevrolet that were to come out in 1937.

The articles include facts about the interior design, the engine and the mechanical features.

Famous graduates Starting at the beginning of the school year in 1925, the Newtonite features famous graduates from Newton High School.

One notable person is Katherine Lee Bates, Class of 1876, who wrote “America the Beautiful.”

Three years later, the Newtonite publishes an article announcing her death and commemorating her life.

Stadium honors football coach Coach Alfred Dickinson died suddenly in February 1927 at age 42. He was a football coach at Newton High School from 1910 to 1927. A new field was built for the school and dedicated in his honor in 1930.

Volume 32 Advertisements An advertisement on the second page for a new record store in Cleveland Circle offers “20 percent off on all LP records.” Another on the fifth page, for Driben Footwear in Newton Centre, advertises loafers for $6.95.

1953

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 9

n. 13, 2012

rs of the Newtonite Volumes 41-53 War protest follows high school trend The Newtonite carefully covers student reactions to the Vietnam War, beginning when the war first gained public attention in 1964.

A look at the Newtonite archives reveals the shift in opinion over time.

Not only are there polls revealing the divided opinions of Newton students towards the war, but also correspondence with soldiers in the midst of war and powerful coverage of a veteran that had returned to this school.

From the late ’60s through the early

’70s, student protests were an important part of the political culture of this country.

Perhaps the most powerful protest was in May 1970, following the Kent State shootings and the Cambodian incursion.

“The NHS strike [was] part of a national student movement which has closed universities throughout the country,” according to this Newtonite article.

These protests also closed this school for several days.

ume 40 Brookline 8-0

Volume 42 Newtonite changes to bimonthly issues

tonite features a game review of okline in the annual Thanksgiving ated going into the game. any rate, all of Newton could sit is Thanksgiving, while the Town o be thankful for.”

3

Volume 67

1962

Supreme Court’s Hazelwood decision limits students’ freedom of expression School administrators were given the power to limit student expression through the Hazelwood descision, one of the Supreme Court decisions that most directly affected students.

According to this article, some of the reasons for which “school administrators may censor or refuse funding for a play or a publication” are if it “takes a political position that is other than neutral,” “is ungrammatical” or is “vulgar,”

Volume 80 School carries on after terrorism This school faced a doubly shaking experience during the September 11 attacks. The student body was informed of the attacks over the loudspeaker by principal Jennifer Huntington, who also revealed that her brother-in-law, who worked at the World Trade Center, was missing.

“Reactions have ranged from disbelief to numbness to pure anger,” said counseling department head Carol Kerrissey.

The day following the devastating and terrifying attacks, this school fielded a bomb threat, forcing an already shaken and fearful student body to evacuate the school.

The paper’s front page story features an interview with new editor in chief William Alford, who reveals plans to change the Newtonite to a bimonthly paper. The paper began printing bimonthly in 1965 and stayed this way until the fall of 2011.

1964

1945 1965 1945

1973

Volume 51 Helen Smith starts 35-year term as newspaper adviser To Helen Smith, who advised this paper from 1973 to 2009, the element of the unexpected is the most exciting part of being a journalist.

“When you walk into school in the morning, you never know what’s going to happen,” Smith said. “You have to know that there’s a lot you don’t know, and that never changes.”

Smith said she is proud of the students who became professional journalists.

“I just tried to teach kids to be honest in communication and take responsibility for their own expression,” she said.

“I hope my students learned to care about accuracy and to care about balance, among all different points of view—it’s never just pro and con. It’s all different opinions.”

The use of multiple types of media forms is important in journalism, said Smith.

“It would be a disservice to students to stay only in print,” she said. “But, in terms of journalism education, kids need to learn to write for print.

“I think over the years the print paper has been an important part of the school culture,” Smith said.

“Going online is something that should be developed, but it doesn’t preclude a print newspaper.”

among several other reasons.

Principal Marya Levenson expressed solidarity with students and assured them that she does not want the decision to negatively affect the student body.

“It gives principals absolute power, and when one has absolute power, one sometimes abuses it,” Levenson said.

“It is important to find ways to limit this power.”

1988

2001

2010

2012

Volume 89

Birth of Newton North High School “Some say it only marks the birth of the new North High School; but for others, ‘The Newton High School’ can never be fully replaced by the steel and concrete of the new school. Few appreciated the old campus, until Maher Demolition returned it to the ground,” wrote editor Mike Mitrano in 1973.

The Newtonite coverage of the move from Newton High School to the new Newton North High School building bears a lot of similarities to the Newtonite coverage of the recent transition to this building. The cost, too, was thought to be astronomical at $25 million.

“The building itself is marvelous,” lauded 1973 principal Richard Mechem– something some students that have passed through the old building have emphatically disagreed with. Another familiar problem the new school faced was student parking.

New building offers resources Newton students make their second big move less than 40 years after transitioning to the building that was once lauded as “marvelous” by former principal Richard Mechem. (The school was warned in 2006 by NEASC that it was in danger of losing its accreditation status due to the

poor condition of the building.)

To many, the new school seems too sterile and hospital-like, and it lacks the character of the old school. Though many students felt nostalgia for the old building, they also appreciated the technology, the many windows and the straightforward layout.

Volume 91 Check us out online at TheNewtonite.com.

Look for the interactive timeline with more highlights from the Newtonite.

TIMELINE COMPILED BY M EREDITH A BRAMS , J ULIA O RAN , K AYLA SHORE AND JACOB SCHWARTZ

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10 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

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sports

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 11

Boys’ swimming maintains high morale JAY FEINSTEIN Despite inexperience, boys’ swimming and diving, 1-3, is committed to making this season strong, said senior Ben Salwen, a captain with senior Ryan Chan.

“Our strength is definitely that there’s a bunch of hardworking, dedicated kids on the team,” he said. “I guess you can say that we don’t have a huge amount of experience, but it’s definitely building as the season goes on.”

The Tigers have not had too many struggles, Salwen said.

“We’re a tight knit bunch of guys, and we’re working really hard.”

They are looking forward to competing in upcoming conference meets. “I’m not exactly sure how we compare, but we’ll try to be competitive and we’ll go from there.”

Salwen credits the new coach, Ryan Rich, for the team’s positive attitude. “He’s been really, really great,” Salwen said.

“He came in and got us working hard. He got us on the right track from the beginning.”

The Tigers are still adjusting to Rich’s coaching, though, Salwen said. “It’s definitely a different style.”

Some team members have

BY

Jacob Schwartz

Freestyle: During practice, sophomore Shane Kerr works to improve his technique.

yet to fully adjusted to Saturday practices, he said.

“Different things work for different people. A lot comes down to the individual swimmer and how much he is willing to push himself.”

Though, Salwen said that Saturday practices, along with some of the Rich’s other changes, are beneficial overall.

“I think it’s working because this is a really great group of kids who are really willing to push themselves.”

The team has improved as a whole since the beginning of the season, Rich said. “Our guys care a lot about getting better and take pride in what they do,” he said.

According to Rich, this is a rebuilding year, and the Tigers are doing the best that they can. “Our guys are embracing the challenge and improving steadily. Some of our swimmers are on the cusp of qualifying for postseason competition.”

Rich said he has enjoyed working as a coach, and he hopes to lead the team to success. “I love showing up to work every day, and that tells me I’m in a good place.”

Today, the Tigers host Wellesley, and Tuesday, they host Needham.

Wrestling suffers from injuries, strives for success GLORIA LI Despite being on its way to its first losing record in 10 years, wrestling members are not deterred from putting in their best efforts, according to coach John Staulo.

Shaking his head, Staulo said, “Sadly, there’s not much that can be done about our losing record at this point in the season.”

The Tigers, 3-7 Wednesday, continue to strive for personal success, Staulo said.

Tomorrow at Woburn, JV will compete followed by varsity in a series of three matches, he said.

According to Staulo, tournaments, such as these, are beneficial for multiple reasons.

To him, they allow “healthy kids to strive for potential seeding in States.”

Additionally, he said he likes how “there are multiple matches per day, and coaches aren’t faced with match-up burdens that can occur at individual school team meets.”

The Tigers will wrestle at Wellesley Wednesday.

Senior Jordan Long, a captain with seniors Zach Ferguson and Pat Preston and junior Nick BY

Mariano, said, “We’re expecting to win against them.”

According to Long, “last year there was one tough kid there, but the rest were scrappers.”

Throughout the season, members have left due to illnesses and injuries, Long said.

Staulo said, at Braintree, Wednesday, Jan. 4, for example, the Tigers lacked six experienced starters from the lineup.

“They were all injured, and many of them are supposed to be out for the entire year,” he said.

Staulo said the situation forced him to have a younger, more inexperienced set fill in the vacant spots. The efforts of the wrestlers who competed, however, impressed him, according to Staulo.

“We had an evenly matched set, with seven victories on our side and seven on theirs,” Staulo said.

Nevertheless, the Tigers lacked a sufficient number of pins, Staulo said, which contributed to their 40-23 loss.

Still, Staulo commended the upperclassmen for their solid leadership and contribution to the team.

Jacob Schwartz

At practice: Freshman Dylan Kelley and freshman Brendan Helgason wrestle in the dance studio Monday.

Boys’ track prepares to race in ‘challenging competitions’ RYAN CONDON Boys’ indoor track, 2-0 Wednesday, expects to face tougher meets after a good start to the season, according to senior Young Guang, a captain with seniors Justin Keefe, Swardiq Mayanja and Nate Menninger.

Guang said that although the team’s first two league meets were easy wins, it has challenging meets at Brookline and Weymouth coming up.

In its last league meet against Framingham, Thursday, Dec. 22, Guang said, “A standout performer was Justin Keefe, who ran an amazing time in the mile to get a close second behind the best mile time in the state right now.”

BY

Jacob Schwartz

Warm-ups: Juniors Dan Swain and Matt Bressler jog in the SOA at the beginning of practice Friday.

Guang also noted exceptional performances by junior Ryan Lucken in the 300-meter and the shot putters, who swept their event.

However, “Other than that, most of our performances were subpar,” Guang said.

The team competed in the Boston Holiday Challenge Tuesday, Dec. 27, a regional competition with athletes from all over New England.

“We had some pretty outstanding performances. That was the first meet where we had state-caliber competition, and we also performed well at that level,” Guang said.

The team’s strength is in the shot put event, according to Guang, an event in which they

took first, third and fourth places in in the Holiday Challenge.

“Our weakest events right now are the 55-meter hurdles, the long jump and the two mile,” he said.

“They aren’t bad, but they pale in comparison to the other events. Overall as a team, we hope to get better in sprint and distance.”

The team was to have competed against Brookline yesterday, in a meet coach James Blackburn said would be one of the toughest of the season.

“They’re probably the second best team to us in the league,” he said.

The Tigers will host Weymonth Thursday and Needham Thursday, Jan. 26.

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sports

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 13

Girls rebound from tough start KRISTIAN LUNDBERG Finding his team in a corner after wobbling out to an 0-3 start, girls’ hockey coach Bob MacDougall felt the need to address the Tigers’ early-season performance.

“At practice, I told them, ‘We’re not a bad hockey team; we’re just not playing very well,’” he recalled.

Whatever MacDougall said, it’s pretty evident that his speech yielded some positive results.

The Tigers bounced back immediately after their three-game skid, clobbering crosstown rival South 4-1 to earn their first win of the season Monday, Jan. 2.

Although they followed up that victory with a close road loss to Milton and a tie at Weymouth, positive performances in both games give the Tigers a reason to be optimistic.

“There’s a steady improvement happening, and we’re starting to see some positive results,” MacDougall said. “I think now we’re steadily improving and working towards our goals.”

Yet in the process, the Tigers, 1-4-1, will have to overcome their inexperience. Many of the players on the Tigers’ top two lines are underclassmen, leaving them with an uphill battle against veteran Bay State Conference foes.

According to senior Katie Caruso, a captain with seniors

BY

Gabe Dreyer

At Fessenden: Senior Katie Caruso, a captain with seniors Courtney Leahy and Stephanie Vitone, handles the puck at practice Monday.

Courtney Leahy and Stephanie Vitone, the Tigers’ youth created “a little bit of a struggle at first, because we’re so young.”

“In the beginning it was tough, since we have a lot of young girls, but now, I think we’ve shown that we can hang in there,” she said.

Although the Tigers are very much a work in progress, MacDougall stressed the players’ positive mindset.

In that not-so-far away game against South, the Tigers put this positive energy on display.

The Tigers entered the third period knotted at 1-1, but they came out firing on all cylinders, scoring three consecutive goals in the final frame to seal the allimportant first victory.

“One thing that impresses me, win or loss, is that there’s no quit in these girls,” MacDougall said. “If they go down 4-0, they keep pressing. You can’t coach that—it comes from the athlete.”

In upcoming games, the Tigers will face a stretch of teams that “are easier than what we started with,” MacDougall said.

“I wouldn’t say they’re easy, though. We need to focus on what we need to do, because it’s not like we can kick back and take the intensity level down,” he added.

The Tigers host Wellesley tomorrow and travel to Dedham Wednesday.

Tigers’ sudden hot streak fosters new optimism KRISTIAN LUNDBERG Before the season, boys’ hockey coach Tom Ryan had an inkling that this year’s squad would be stronger than any of the others he had previously directed.

But eight games into the season, even he was surprised by just how well his team has fared.

After falling into an 0-2 hole to begin the year, the Tigers responded emphatically with points in four of their next five contests, catapulting a program that had missed the postseason for the past 13 years into contention for a rare State Tournament bid.

“My expectations have changed, mostly because of how well we’ve played,” Ryan said.

“For the first time in four years, I feel we can compete against and beat anyone we play, but more importantly, the team is feeling that as well.”

As of Wednesday, the Tigers stand at 3-3-2 close to the midway point of the season, but their record doesn’t do justice to the team’s recent hot streak.

Since mustering only one goal in each of their first two contests, the Tigers have not scored fewer than three per

BY

game, posting seven in a rout of Plymouth North Tuesday, Dec. 27 and tallying four in Saturday’s narrow win over Weymouth, a perennial Bay State power.

In conference play, the Tigers have won or tied four of their past five, with their only loss coming in a 5-4 squeaker to Milton Wednesday, Jan. 4.

According to senior Ryan Fanning, a captain with senior Michael Bradley, the Tigers’ recent success is due to their hard work.

“This team works hard and comes in ready to play,” he said. “Once we put a few more wins on the board, I think we’ll have a chance at making the postseason.”

In addition, Ryan pointed out the play of the Tigers’ rotating crew of goaltenders to explain the team’s scorching run.

“We’re getting very good, consistant goaltending from all three of our goalies,” Ryan said. “The other strengths of the team have been the ability to score goals and generate quality chances.”

Such an accomplishment would be quite the reversal of fortunes from recent history.

Gabe Dreyer

Offensive rush: Senior Ryan Fanning follows the puck during a drill Tuesday.

Since making the State Tournament in 1998, the squad has never qualified for a return trip and struggled in a very competitive league, according to Ryan.

As the former captains put it succinctly in the 1999-2000 yearbook, “If losses were wins,

we’d be the best in the Bay State.”

At long last, the Tigers are looking for a light at the end of the tunnel. Still, Ryan warned against overlooking the Tigers’ conference rivals.

“All the Bay State teams are

strong, seasoned and good,” he said. “For us to beat anyone, we must compete hard for 45 minutes, and we need to play better team defense.”

In upcoming action, the Tigers host Framingham tomorrow and Brockton Monday.

JV hockey teams set goals to learn, enjoy playing Boys aim to play hard, minimize turnovers PETER DIAMOND J V b o y s ’ h o c k e y, 1 - 4 - 1 Wednesday, is working to improve its skills on the ice so it can win more games and prepare players for varsity, according to junior Jimmy Guariglia.

The team’s strengths include “working the puck in the offensive zone,” according to Guariglia. “Some weaknesses are not playing hard the whole game and turning the puck over in the neutral zone.”

Guariglia cited an unex-

BY

pected tie in the team’s first scrimmage against Watertown as the highlight so far this season, noting that it was the Tigers’ first game. “No one was very confident because we had so few practices before, but we went out, worked hard and brought home a solid tie against a tough team,” he said.

According to coach Vinny Galvagno, the team is full of hard workers.

“We’re short on players, but our dedication is very strong.

Everybody is, improving and striving for success,” he said.

Girls stress teamwork SONIA KHURANA For JV girls’ hockey, 0-4, “It’s not about whether we win or lose, it’s about how we play the game,” said junior Gina Bueno, a captain with seniors Shoshana Fleischmann and Evie Golden.

Wi t h a b o u t h a l f o f t h e 24-player team new to the game, the main goal of the JV program is to “teach the girls how to play hockey, to improve their skills and to have fun in the process,” said coach Victoria O’Connor.

The Tigers are often less experienced than other teams,

BY

because most of their players have either never played hockey before or only have a couple years of experience, O’Connor said. “We are what you call a ‘learn-to-play’ team,” she said.

Though the team faces a lack of experience, its greatest strength is “the girls’ impressive understanding of teamwork,” said O’Connor. “Our returning players are excellent role models to our new players, who, in turn, are really eager to learn the game.”

Even though the new players don’t have many skills yet,

Fleishman said they are improving and “take each game as a new experience and learn from it.”

The team sets specific goals for each of its games, but a continuous goal is to “have fun and enjoy playing,” said Golden.

“We want the new players to become more confident in their abilities on the ice and to be more aggressive.”

Though the main focus of JV is to improve the players’ hockey skills, “we’re going to work hard for some wins,” said Fleischmann.

sports

14 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Tigers progress, build on depth out over more events” and EMMETT GREENBERG Boys’ gymnastics coach “tightening up our routines.”

The Tigers lost a scrimmage, Steve Chan is pleased with his team’s progress after its first 144-94, Tuesday, Jan. 3 at Atmeet Friday, Jan. 6, against Low- tleboro. However, there were ell, an opponent he said would plenty of positives to take away from the scrimmage, Chan said. be “a good test for us.”

“Our returnSize is a coach ing gymnasts strength for the returned to team this year, Steve Chan form, and our Chan said. new gymnasts “This year we “We’re not as polished as picked up their have a bigger we could be, but I am very routines quickteam and more encouraged with our ly enough to depth, so we can progress.” compete,” he have more people said. compete and conChan said that the newcomtribute toward the team score,” ers are exceeding his expectahe said.

The Tigers, 0-1, are strongest tions.

“They are learning ahead in floor events, but need more depth in the high bar, which is of schedule,” he said. “The learning curve is greater than a “difficult event,” Chan said.

According to senior Curran I expected.

“We’re not as polished as we Ferry, a captain with senior Isaac Feinhaus, the team is fo- could be, but I am very encourcusing on “spreading ourselves aged with our progress.”

BY

Hilary Brumberg

Parallel bars: Sophomore Fabrizio D’Angelo competes against Lowell Friday, Jan. 6.

Nipmuc skier’s death cancels Alpine’s first meet GLORIA LI Athletes face all sorts of difficulties, but death is rarely expected.

Thursday, Jan. 5, an 18-yearold high school student at the slopes in Shrewsbury, where the Tigers were to ski, “was about one-third of the way up the chair lift when he fell and sustained a head injury,” according to the Associated Newtonian Press.

Parker S e n i o r Veroff Parker Veroff, a captain with senior Katie Regan, said that the team was “at the same mountain that night, the night when it happened.”

BY

Instead of being at the scene, however, the Tigers were in the ski lodge at the time, he said.

Veroff said the skier, who was also to race that night, was being sent to the hospital as “the reporters came to interview my co-captain and athletes from other ski teams.”

The Nipmuc Regional High School ski team member “died after suffering a seizure and falling about 30 feet,” according to the Associated Press.

The death of this athlete, in turn, caused the slopes to close at the mountain and officials to cancel the race.

Regan said that she was shocked by the occurrence.

“It’s the first time something like this has happened around me,” she said.

So far, the Tigers “only had

a couple of practices, but no races,” so Regan was expecting “varying levels of achievement at the first race.”

Alpine was to have had its first meet of the season at Shrewsbury against the entire league yesterday.

Regan said she believed that the race at Shrewsbury would have constituted as “more or less of a trial race.”

According to junior Mark Vrahas, there have been numerous improvements this season.

Last season, the Tigers only practiced twice a week. In addition, they did not practice on Wednesdays.

The team practiced only Mondays and Thursdays last year, and when they had their Thursday races, there was only one practice per week, he said.

The team practiced for the first time on the slopes Wednesday, Jan. 4, at Ward Hill.

“We’re lucky to be having three practices this year,” he said.

At these practices, Veroff said that the members were all preparing for their first meet.

“We don’t have any freshmen this year, but there are still many new, inexperienced skiers who we’ve been working with, running gates and taking runs at practice,” he said.

According to Vrahas, “there has only been snow on half the hill,” which led to skiers being forced to glide down most of the way on ice. This year, the lack of snow has made practice hard.

The Tigers have been practicing drills such as skiing on one leg.

“We’ve also had some free skiing fun,” Vrahas said.

In addition to more training and practice sessions, this season the Tigers were, for the first time, provided with transportation by the school.

“Having a bus this year has been extremely helpful for us,” Vrahas said.

“It’s nice because last year, we had to organize carpooling every time, which was a hassle,” he said.

Overall, according to Regan, the Tigers, “having gone through these experiences, feel more like a team unit now.”

The newcomers, she said, “have been starting to feel more connected with the rest of us.”

The Tigers will be at Blue Hills Thursday, Jan. 26, for their second race this season.

Girls’ gymnastics, 3-0, hopes to avoid injuries STEVEN MICHAEL Avoiding injuries remains a priority for girls’ gymnastics, 3-0, according to assistant coach Alyssa Howe.

Last year, several gymnasts suffered from injuries, limiting the potential of the team.

To keep healthy, the coaches are vigilant in observing each athlete. “When someone does have an injury, we are aware of what they do,” Howe said.

For injured gymnasts, the coaches limit the number of meets in which they can participate and sit them out from less competitive meets, Howe said.

This year marks Howe’s first season as assistant coach under head coach Jim Chin.

“Having two coaches is a great advantage for us, so we can maintain a larger team,” Howe said.

With a larger team, the Tigers boast a diverse group of gymnasts with varied specialties and levels of experiences.

BY

“We have girls who are strong club gymnasts and girls who are strong in a specific event,” Howe said.

“Because we have a bunch of cheerleaders on the team, we have a lot of great floor routines and tumbling.”

Howe noted the balance beam as an area of improvement for the team. Falling off of the beam results in the loss of a half point, which Howe calls a “meet breaker.”

Even for talented gymnasts, this pitfall proves a significant obstacle, she said.

Nonetheless, the Tigers continue to score higher in competitions than they did at the end of last year, Howe said.

Because the team is young this year, the Tigers expect to perform well in upcoming years, Howe said.

Against Natick Tuesday, Howe noted that freshman Amara Lutwack performed particularly well on floor and bar.

Junior Lili Margolin, a captain with senior Lena Golick and junior Allie Hurwitz, said, “I think we are the best we have ever been.”

Last year, the squad made it to SecNewtonian tionals. This year, Margolin Lili hopes for the Margolin squad to advance to Regionals.

As the Tigers continue to improve, they aspire to complete an undefeated season, Margolin said.

Tonight, the Tigers will compete against Framingham at home. Howe said Framingham is “not one of our top competitors.”

Tuesday, the squad looks to stay undefeated when it hosts Walpole.

Jacob Schwartz

Posture: Freshman Amara Lutwack performs a routine.

Dance team builds stamina, learns choreography RYAN CONDON Winter dance is preparing for competitions later in the season by practicing choreography and performing at home basketball games, according to senior Hanna Stubblefield-Tave, a captain with senior Maura Quinn.

The team will compete in the Bay State Conference Winter

BY

Dance and Cheer Championship Thursday, Feb. 9, as well as the Andy Yosinoff Cheer and Dance competition Sunday, Feb. 12, according to Stubblefield-Tave.

Coach Stephanie Hubbard said, “The girls’ strength is their energy, their ability to learn choreography and their stamina.

They love to express themselves

through the choreography and music.”

According to Hubbard, the team is working on its synchronization, which is to be expected, she said.

“Synchronization always takes the most time to develop, and the more they dance together, the better their timing

will be,” she said.

The team’s strength, according to Stubblefield-Tave, is that “We have amazing energy and come into practice ready to work hard. At the same time, we always have fun,” she said.

“Right now, we’re working on building up our strength,” she added.

Hubbard said she creates the team’s choreography by creating a music mix and including “the most up-to-date hip hop moves” in the performance to excite the crowd.

The team will perform at home basketball games the next four Friday nights, according to Stubblefield-Tave.

sports

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 15

Despite snowless winter, skiers improve JAY FEINSTEIN This Christmas definitely was not white. In fact, aside from a couple light drifts, it has not snowed all winter. To an average student, this might mean nothing more than a lack of snow days. But for skiers, it can affect practice.

For weeks, practices consisted solely of runs and workouts because there was not any snow at the Weston Ski Track, where the team practices and competes.

“Luckily we’ve had manmade snow consistently for the past couple weeks, but the course has been really small,” said senior Abby Dalzell, a captain with seniors Tiphaine Kugener and Isabel Meigs. “It can be boring when you’re going in circles on the small loop.

It’s not as good of a practice.”

The past couple weeks nordic members have tried to look past the lack of real snow and have been focused on getting into “the skiing state of mind,” Dalzell said.

Experienced members are getting used to skiing again, and beginners are just learning the ropes, she said.

“More experienced members have been teaching newer mem-

BY

bers, and it’s been working out really well.”

Although there are veteran and rookie skiers for both the girls and the boys, in general, there are more experienced members on the girls’ team, Dalzell said. “The boys don’t have many returning skiers and are having a re-building year, but the newer guys are showing a lot of promise,” she said.

Soon, Dalzell said, the team is going to pick up the pace on practices.

“It’s going to be more intensive, but it’s going to be good now that we have more of a basis of knowledge on skiing,” she said. “It will prepare us better for our meets.”

New assistant coach Drew Messinger will make sure that it all runs smoothly, Dalzell said. “He will be great for the team,” she said. “It’s really great to have another addition to the coaching staff.

“He clicked with the team really well, and we are really excited to have him coach us for the rest of the season.”

Nordic’s next two races are Wednesday, Jan. 18 and Wednesday, Jan. 25.

The team does not have a record.

Nina Kaplan

At Weston Ski Track: Senior Isabel Meigs skis during the Tigers’ first meet Wednesday, Jan. 4.

After early-season success, Tigers refine fundamentals KRISTIAN LUNDBERG For girls’ basketball, the honeymoon period of acclimating to the new coach has ended. Now begins the retooling phase for a team in the hunt for a postseason berth.

After starting out with two impressive wins, including a 53-40 road stunner over Lincoln-Sudbury in their season opener, the Tigers, 6-3, struggled through a tough stretch of three losses in five games before righting the ship with road wins over Milton and Weymouth.

In recent practices, coach Linda Martindale pinpointed turnovers and rebounding as the two key areas on which the team was trying to improve.

“Whenever you give up offensive rebounds and turnovers, you give the other team more chances to score,” Martindale said. “It’s hard for us to come up with wins if we turn the ball over so much.”

Senior Gracie Rolfe, a captain with senior Kayla Farina, agreed with Martindale’s analysis. “I think she’s totally right,” Rolfe said.

“There’s not much skill to rebounding—it’s just about being in good position and doing

BY

Gabe Dreyer

Dribbling: Senior Nayomi Cawthorne practices Monday. In practice, the Tigers are focusing on rebounding and limiting turnovers.

the little things—so it comes down to who wants the rebound more.”

Rolfe attributed the Tigers’ struggles in rebounding and possession to their lack of experience. “We’re young, and we only have three seniors on the team,” she said. “Sometimes we don’t realize where we are in the game, and we make those kinds of mistakes.”

In Martindale’s first year at the helm, some growing pains were expected for a team that graduated four of its five starters last year. On the other hand, the Tigers’ youth offers a cache of potential, which Martindale said she is eager to tap into.

Coming in from her previous coaching stint at Weston, Martindale brought a new team-first mindset to the program, and, according to Rolfe, the team responded positively.

“She really emphasizes the idea of having a team goal and winning and losing as a team,” Rolfe said. “Everyone’s on the same page, and it feels as if there’s a clean slate.”

Perhaps the juxtaposition of inexperience and growth was most evident in a close loss to Walpole Tuesday, Jan. 3. The

Tigers hobbled out of the gate and fell behind early to a quick Rebels squad, but they still had a feasible chance of sending the game into overtime with under 15 seconds to play.

However, Rolfe and sophomore Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, who led all scorers with 24 points, narrowly missed threepoint bids, and Walpole barely escaped with a 45-40 road win.

Immediately after the game, Martindale pulled her squad into a separate classroom and scrawled two numbers on the white board: 17 and 25. The first number indicated the amount of turnovers the Tigers committed, the second represented Walpole’s offensive rebounds.

To her, those two statistics summarized the loss.

“Any time you give up 25 offensive rebounds, you give the other team an opportunity to score 50 more points,” Martindale said.

However, she quickly shifted her focus to the positives. “We have a lot of great players, and we’re very optimistic for the rest of the season,” she added.

The Tigers host Brookline to day and will travel to Framingham Tuesday.

Freshman, JV girls’ basketball improve defense JV basketball shoots for a winning record CONNOR VASU JV girls’ basketball is “lucky enough to have a roster full of good players as well as nice people,” said sophomore Caitlin Howley, a captain with sophomores Athena Lyons and Hannah McInnes.

“One of our strengths is definitely the fact that we all bonded and became close early in the season, which makes for great chemistry on the court,” Lyons said.

The team is currently 3-5, but the Tigers’ hopes are high.

“Once we figure everything out, we’re in for an amazing season—hopefully with a winning record,” said Lyons.

BY

Coach Maura Hamel said that the team’s main goal is to try “to help the players learn to play the game at the level of a varsity athlete.”

However, the team does need to work on some things before it can achieve its goals. Lyons said that one weakness “is sometimes our intensity, and effort isn’t where we need it to be.”

Hamel said that the team is working on “constant tough man to man defense” in practices.

“This is a team full of young ladies who all deserve to have their names bolded in the headlines—making it very difficult for me to single out any one of them for recognition,” said Hamel.

Tonight, the team hosts

Brookline. Tuesday they travel to Framingham.

Freshman girls hope to keep good habits DOUGLAS ABRAMS Freshman girls’ basketball has gotten off to a slow start this season with a record of 1-5. But, with a long season looming on the horizon, the team has time to improve.

Coach Laurie Arcovio will be instrumental in the implementation of these improvements.

Specifically, the Tigers must improve “boxing out on defense,” said Julia Lindsay, a co-captain with Leah Braunstein.

According to Arcovio, one weakness of the team is “taking care of the ball and looking out to make plays happen.” How-

BY

ever, she noted that the team excels as “hard workers and learners.”

Arcovio also said that the team plans on setting two types of goals, those for individual games and those for the whole season.

“For the season, our goal is to establish good habits. We are working hard to have proper footwork, to have good shot form and also to make strong passes.

“We set goals for individual games as well to help us monitor our progress and to measure our success.”

The Tigers’ hard work and goal-setting has already paid off—Friday, the team faced off against Milton, winning 52-50 on the road.

“We played a fantastic game against Milton to take home our first victory with an overtime win,” said Arcovio.

She noted that along with Braunstein and Lindsay, Daniella Hannelin, Kaila Hatcher, Anne Malloy and Erin Phinney led the game offensively, defensively and at the post.

“This was the first time our defense and offense came together,” said Arcovio.

As the season continues, the team will have to keep up the hard work to succeed against their rivals, which include Brookline, Framingham and Weymouth, according to Arcovio.

The Tigers host Brookline today and travel to Framingham Tuesday.

sports

16 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Tigers, 7-0, boost intensity on offense

JV, ’15 teams work hard BY

’15 gains experience DAVID KWARTLER Friday the 13th is known for being a day of bad luck. Freshman boys’ basketball can only hope that will prove to be the case for Brookline today.

The Tigers, 3-5, will face the Warriors, their rival and one of their toughest opponents, this afternoon.

Over the holiday break, the team played in a “difficult” tournament at B.C. High, said Jonny Levenfeld, a captain with Darien Clay. “Our win over B.C. High would be the highlight so far,” he said.

According to coach John McNamara, “We played really well together, shared the ball and everyone contributed.”

The team is focused on working as a group, Levenfeld said.

“Our goals are to get used to the speed of the high school game and to improve each day,” he said.

“Because Newtonian we practice six Jonny days a week, Levenfeld they’re adjusting to the level of commitment it takes to play high school sports,” he said.

“Everyone is meshing well together and we could always get better defensively, but we’re making strides already towards that,” he said.

The team is beginning to grow into a strong group of players, according to McNamara.

“Even though you like to win, it’s not the end all be all, it’s about coming together as a team and learning,” he said.

BY

JACOB SCHWARTZ Boys’ basketball, 7-0, likes to switch things up every once in a while.

Especially when it comes to its strategy during practice and play, the team is frequently making adjustments.

The team spent its preseason trying to increase versatility and to tighten up on defense, according to coach Paul Connolly, who earned his 200th win in a 62-37 rout of previouslyundefeated Weymouth at home Tuesday.

This defensive mastery was more than evident when the Tigers crushed Milton 66-31 Friday in their home opener.

The Tigers were completely in sync defensively, knowing where all the players on the court were at all times throughout the game and challenging every single Milton shot. Their airtight defense held the Wildcats to only 12 first-half points.

“It was a convincing win, and our defense played well,” Connolly said. Milton, however, gave the Tigers room to do their thing on offense, and the Wildcats sure paid for it.

But, according to senior Mike Thorpe, a captain with seniors Jared Masinton and Luke Westman, the Tigers know it won’t always be that easy.

Now, after getting their defense right where they want it, the Tigers have made offense their top priority in practice, according to Thorpe.

“It’s really the time for us to gear up on offense,” Thorpe

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JV improves skills SAM JONES JV boys’ basketball, 3-5, is working every day to improve its skills and its understanding of the game, according to coach Joe Siciliano.

The team’s biggest strength has been its work ethic, said Siciliano. “Players come to practice everyday willing to work hard and learn.”

All the players are also benefiting from ample playing time.

“Because we play everybody in every game, everybody has been contributing,” he said.

Junior Kevin Fitzgerald, a captain with juniors Andrew Leaper and Anthony Shaw, said that the team has good guard strength but added that the squad needs to work on rebounding.

One of the high points of this season was how much the Tigers improved over the course of the B.C. High Tournament, according to Siciliano.

Fitzgerald pointed out the team’s win against Walpole as another highlight. “We came back to beat Walpole when we were down most of the game,” he said.

The Tigers will travel to Brookline to take on their rival today.

“Brookline is always a tough team, but we want to beat them.

It will be a good game,” Fitzgerald said.

The team will then face Framingham at home Tuesday.

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012

Gabe Dreyer

Long-range: Senior Jared Masinton takes a three-pointer during the Tigers’ home game Tuesday. The Tigers hammered Weymouth, 62-37.

said.

“Our practices used to be 70 percent focused on defense, and 30 percent on offense, but now, it’s, for the most part, the opposite.”

The time to spend the majority of practice studying and executing defensive fundamentals has ended, at least for now, he said.

“We’ve been doing a lot more shooting and passing drills during practice,” Thorpe said.

The team has also been scrimmaging a lot more in practice, in order for teammates to get more of a feel for each other on offense, he added.

According to Connolly, today’s road game against Brookline could be an opportunity for the Tigers to showcase their hard work on offense.

“We have games coming up against teams, such as Brookline, that know how to shoot well, and we’ll have to show we can match them on offense,” he said.

Thorpe echoed Connolly’s sentiments, saying that the Tigers’ offense could make a difference, but he added that the team never focuses too much on its opponents.

“Our work on offense will make the game more fun for us, because we’ll be able to compete with them offensively. We’ll be much tougher than before,” he said.

After the road test against Brookline, the Tigers will return home to take on Framingham Tuesday.

Girls prepare for Weymouth meet GLORIA LI Having won its first two meets of the season so far, girls’ track, 2-0 Wednesday, is looking forward to its Thursday meet against Weymouth, its greatest rival, at the Reggie Lewis Center.

We y m o u t h , c o a c h J o e Tranchita said, “has always been one of our key opponents.”

Typically, the Tigers are able to claim victories against Weymouth, and they have managed to do so for the last two years.

“We usually win, but the victories are pretty close ones when we’re competing against Weymouth,” said senior Maggie Heffernan, a captain with senior Kayla Wong.

Heffernan said she expects the team to match up well, but that “it looks like it’ll be close again.”

She has confidence, though, and said she believes the Tigers “will be able to beat them, but will most likely have difficulties in distance running.”

According to Tranchita, the Weymouth meet “will be the showdown for the league title, as it has been for the past several years.”

Saturday, Jan. 7, at the Dartmouth College Relays in Colonie, NY, the Tigers remained high scoring.

“Last year we won, but it was fairly close. It came down to 4x400,” Heffernan said.

The team was expecting to win again, according to her.

Senior Steph Brown said, BY

“we came in second this year with 60 points and strong performances all around.”

Junior Carla Forbes’ record long jump of 40 ft. 11 in. “was amazing,” senior Kayla Prior said.

Heffernan said, “We’re still very strong, and I think it would have been awesome to have placed first two years in a row.”

According to Tranchita, “developing confidence in each member’s competitive execution will be a main area of focus for us over the next few weeks.”

According to Heffernan, the Tigers are stocked up this season with “exceptionally good sprinters and jumpers” who will prove advantageous against Weymouth.

The Tigers currently have outstanding members including Wong, Forbes, and junior Madison Nadeau, Heffernan said.

Wong competes in the hurdles and the 50-meter dash while Forbes runs both the 50-meter dash and the 300-meter. Nadeau runs the 300-meter as well.

“They’ve all been hard-working members of the team for multiple years,” Heffernan said.

Tranchita also acknowledged Wong as one of the team’s key performers after the first few meets.

“All of our members have been putting in an outstanding effort though,” Tranchita said.

The Tigers were to have run against Brookline at home yesterday.

courtesy Jack Prior

At Dartmouth: Senior Becca Trayner competes in the Dartmouth Relays Saturday.