theOctagon
Sacramento Country Day School
VOL. XXXIX, NO. 6
March 15, 2016
2636 Latham Drive, Sacramento
POI: New dance introduced due to popular demand By Jack Christian Reporter Girls will ask boys to the Sadie Hawkins the MP Room. The Sadie Hawkins dance is named after the Li’l Abner comic strip by Al Capp, a car toonist from 1935 to 1977. In this comic, the women chase after the men, including the character Sadie Hawkins. held in 1938, and by 1952, Sadie Hawkins danc es were held in schools across the country. The Student Council decided to have a fourth dance as many people have been re (Photo by Kevin Huang)
cording to Serajh Esmail, Student Council president. “We know people love dances, and this year we found a time allotment that worked with the master calendar,” Esmail said. He said they also decided to have a Sadie
New Head’s Priority: New buildings Students identify fine arts facility as primary need
ed one in the past. “In my four years at Country Day, we have never had a Sadie Hawkins dance,” Esmail said.
By Alexa Mathisen Reporter
“It is hard sharing the space with so many programs, which forces
good to change things up for once.”
In a Nov. 2 Octagon poll, high schoolers were asked to rank their priorities for arts building so the band and orchestra have a better space to practice and perform.
popular choice.
F
sen, new head of school, should concentrate on constructing new buildings on campus.
Junior Avi Bhullar, who has participated in drama since freshman year, said the drama program is limited by a lack of space, both on stage and backstage. “Our green room, which is the only ‘backstage’ place we have, is super small,” Bhullar said. “Plus our changing space is just a sheet over some PVC pipes, which, needless to say, is rickety and inconvenient.” According to drama teacher Brian Frishman, updated lighting
the concerts into two nights, which is really inconvenient,” Gupta said. “One time, it was so crowded to get up onto the stage that some one dropped their instrument on the way up to perform!” Orchestra teacher Felecia Keys called the performance space “an absolute embarrassment.” “We are the ones who are least thought about when it comes to building all these new lovely buildings,” she said.
Page Editor A recording studio is being built in mem ory of Connor Burns, a seventh grader who died last year.
new dance and plan on asking people. “We’re pumped,” said freshmen Brandy Riziki, Alice Kellie and Yanele Ledesma. Junior Elizabeth Brownridge said she’s also “Country Day students have never really asked people to dances, so this is encourag ing,” Brownridge said. “It’s nice to have a dance where girls can ask guys.”
around to move all the instruments across the pavement, rain or shine.” Freshman Heidi Johnson, who has played clarinet in the band since
Music studio to be erected in memory of seventh grader
By Adam Dean
not covered by Cavalier Club. The theme is Miami Vice, so the dress is casual. “Think ‘80s, in Miami,” said Patricia Jacob sen, Student Council adviser.
And, Connor often recorded himself to im prove his ability to play and sing, Burns said. Connor’s interest in the middle school’s History of Rock ‘n’ Roll elective was another driving force in choosing to build the music studio.
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To audition for honor orchestra, students now record themselves in band teacher Bob material to The Glass Knife record there too. isn’t very good, Keys said. More importantly, the music studio will al low Keys’s musicians to improve. Right now Keys records her students so she can study their performance. “With the studio a group of kids can go record and listen to themselves while I’m in
to recognize what they need to improve by themselves.” After the remodeling, the current mid
people gather to share resources and knowl
students in the future, Repsher said.
teacher Brian Billings said. “He loved Led Latin room. The construction project, which began on
likely be “The Connor Burns Music Studio,” according to headmaster Stephen Repsher. The building is being redone by Ken Dyer Construction. Dyer is a close friend of Ste phen Burns, Connor’s father. Initially, many families donated to a fund set up by the school for a project to honor Connor. That’s when the Burns family came up with the idea of a recording studio. “Connor taught himself to play both the acoustic and the electric guitar,” his father said. “He would listen to rock songs, and pick along.”
To raise money for the studio, a fundrais er was held on Dec. 10 at the Track Shack, a recording studio owned by parent Chuck Hansen. Nevertheless, the project hasn’t been fully
sive,” Burns said. Repsher said the recording studio will be Students in band, orchestra or chorus, or even students who want to form their own rock band, will be encouraged to use the fa cility. Felecia Keys, orchestra and choir teacher, said she will have multiple uses for the studio.
(Image used by permission of Stephen Burns )