Octagon 2018-19 Issue 1

THE

OCTAGON

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sacramento, CA Permit No. 1668

@scdsoctagon

VOL.42 NO.1 • Sacramento Country Day School • 2636 Latham Drive, Sacramento • September 18, 2018

Safety procedures in works after recent campus security audit

BY MEHDI LACOMBE

W

NOT SMOKE AND MIRRORS Learning specialist Kelley Brown defends herself against a dummy during the faculty’s campus safety training with Knowledge Saves Lives. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF EMILY ALLSHOUSE

ith the implementation of teacher safety training, more frequent lockdown drills and a campus safety evaluation, it’s clear that school safety is becoming a bigger concern at Country Day. In the wake of recent school shootings, other schools in the Sacramento area have also been amping up security, instituting new policies where all campus and classroom doors remain locked at all times.

“Keeping classroom doors locked is a procedure that I learned about from Homeland Security, FBI and regional law enforcement,” Gerry Lane, director of campus safety at Jesuit High School, said.

“The other subtle changes and suggestions we’ve instituted are actions that have been recommended to us by school safety professionals for mitigating potential on-campus assailant incidents.”

Past on-campus shooting incidents around the country have been the main cause for these new features, according to Lane.

“The lessons learned from Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland and others have been very difficult,” Lane said. “But they have also shown us what we need to be aware of for our students, staff and administrators safety across the country.”

With this added security also comes a need for more secrecy on school security matters, according to Lane.

“I would not want safety proce-

dures to be shared in public, as one of the lessons of Parkland is that assailants have begun to use school safety measures to exploit their reprehensible agenda,” Lane said.

The Parkland shooter was an expelled student, meaning he would’ve had access to any of the school’s previous public security policy, according to a CNN article on the event.

“Knowing how a school will respond to incidents allows assailants to plan how to defeat these measures and subsequently cause more damage or injury,” Lane said.

And Lane wasn’t the only one to share this concern.

St. Francis High School, which also started locking all campus and classroom doors at all times, refused to comment when asked about its security.

“We do not openly discuss security information outside of our school community,” Cynthia Cost, dean of students at St. Francis, said.

The email, though it contained no security information, was even followed by a confidentiality notice.

However, Roya Pahlavan, a former Country Day student and current senior at St. Francis, was willing to share some reactions about the new policy.

“During the first day of school, our teachers told us about the policy,” Pahlavan said.

Aside from that announcement, Pahlavan said the students weren’t told anything else other than a few joking complaints from teachers.

SAFETY page 3 >>

Oregon Shakespeare Festival sees $2 million go up in flames

BY CHARDONNAY NEEDLER

“unhealthy for sensitive groups” while AQI readings above 150 are The Carr fires in Redding, Cali- “unhealthy for everyone” - especialfornia, scorched over 220,000 acres, ly athletes and students in P.E. Myers said that the athletic deaccording to Vox.com. The Ferguson partment subscribes to an email fires ravaged almost 100,000 acres near Yosemite National Park, shut- containing the hourly air-quality ting down the park for almost two report from Sacramento Metropolweeks in late July and early August, itan Air Quality; she also said she forwards that email to other deaccording to the Incident Inforpartment members to ensure mation System (IIS). they receive it.

Most of these “suIn addition, laminated per fires” - the sheets reminiscent of stop new term some lights - with color-coded meteorologists indices (green for “good” are using to AQIs below 50, yellow describe such for “moderate” AQIs large and clibelow 100, orange for mate-altering “unhealthy for senfires - have been sitive groups” AQIs contained since below 150, red for mid- to early “unhealthy” AQIs August, accordbelow 200 and ing to IIS. crimson for But the dam“hazardous” age and inconvenience didn’t HOLY SMOKES! Breathing the AQIs above 200) stop with the worst air quality in Ashalnd - contain direcactive flames. during Nicole Wolkov’s, ’17, visit tions for what Data from was as bad as smoking 10 cig- to do with chilIIS show that arettes, according to Berkeley dren and how smoke from Earth. GRAPHIC BY LARKIN BAR- activities must be changed at those fires blan- NARD-BAHN the various AQI keted the entire West Coast, causing air quality indi- readings. For example, at an AQI of ces (AQIs) to shoot up into the 100s - 150, athletic department staff are inand in some cities, such as Ashland, structed to take students inside the Oregon, even the 200s - for days at a gym.

Myers said that the P.E. departtime in early August.

According to P.E. teacher Mi- ment has had to do this only twice chelle Myers, AQIs above 100 are in the 30 years she’s been at Country

Day. Senior Emily Hayes used a similar system while running a day camp last summer for 4- to 12-year-olds at Glen Oaks Swim & Tennis Club (4301 Paradise Drive).

Hayes said that because she worked in an old facility (built in the ’50s), the children couldn’t go inside and were stuck in the smoke.

“All we could do was just keep them from running around and keep them cool,” Hayes said.

“The kids were fine, but I got so tired from (the smoke) that my chest was hurting by the end of every day.

“I was coughing and wheezing.

The pollen from the trees - that’s always been there. But that and the ash from the trees really gums up the lungs.”

Echoing Hayes’s sentiments, Myers said that the AQI number doesn’t begin to describe smoke’s harmful effects.

AQI, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, combines ozone and particulate matter (PM) readings; smoke raises PM readings, of which there are two: 10PM (inhalable particles 10 micrometers and under) and 2.5PM (fine particles under 2.5 micrometers).

“2.5PM particles lead to increased hospitalization for respiratory issues; they’re so small that they bypass the body’s defenses,” Myers said.

“10PM particles are more likely to deposit in places in the upper respiratory system, leading to tissue dam-

age and lung inflammation.”

It’s these risks that made senior Eivind Sommerhaug’s summer even more painful than expected.

Sommerhaug underwent the nuss procedure (a nickel bar inserted near the lungs) to fix his pectus excavatum in mid-July, just as the fires began to increase.

“It is really tough to breathe,” Sommerhaug said.

“My lungs right now can’t expand to their full capacity, and I’ve had to exercise my breathing.”

The smoke exacerbated his already tired lungs, he said.

“People cough in smoke, which makes the metal bars hurt a lot, like a knife digging into my chest,” he said.

“The smoke triggered that.”

To minimize the coughing and accompanying pain, Sommerhaug’s parents kept the single-pane window in their house down. But as that wasn’t “fully protective,” the Sommerhaugs vacationed to Santa Cruz in pursuit of clearer skies.

Senior Sophie Naylor’s 70-yearold grandmother, a resident of Jacksonville, Oregon, was also one of those in the “sensitive group” category.

In late July, several southern Oregon cities, namely Jacksonville and Ashland, were announced as areas “unhealthy for kids and elderly,” so many residents were encouraged to evacuate, Naylor said.

ASHY page 4 >>

The Octagon got its yearly critique from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA).

It received a perfect composite score and five marks of distinction, earning the paper an All-American, the highest rating NSPA gives to publications.

For an in-depth look at the critique via editors and advisers old and new, go to www.scdsoctagon. com or use the QR code above.

INSIDE News....................1-3 Centerpoint..........4-5 Sports........................6 Opinion.....................7 Backpage................8

2

News • September 18, 2018

The Octagon

Faculty switch-ups in core classes mark start of school year Veteran teacher takes over all of junior English, including her first AP course

BY LARKIN BARNARD-BAHN

files fill a drawer in Bauman’s office. Since Bauman hasn’t taught the technique of reador the first time in her career, English ing rhetorically - evaluating a writer’s techteacher Jane Bauman will teach an AP niques, tools and organizational patterns - in class due to the retirement of former any of her prior classes, she said she is using AP English Language and Composition the abundance of tools Fels gave her. Along with gathering ideas from Fels’s lesson plans teacher Patricia Fels last year.

Bauman, who has switched between teach- and worksheets, Bauman analyzed the course ing English 9 and 11 in the past, will teach all of evaluation Fels sent to her students.

“It is daunting to follow in Fels’s footsteps,” junior English. Because of her experience with English 11, Bauman said it was “only natural” Bauman said.

“She had a great curriculum designed and that head of high school Brooke Wells asked always had good results. I would like to have her to take on the class. highly successful students, and I think I can In preparation, Bauman attended the “endo that.” riching” AP Summer Institute: English LanLast year, Bauman also returned to teaching guage course at California State University, English 11 from English 9, which consequently Sacramento, July 16-19. From 8 a.m. to 4:30 helped her prepare for this year’s classes. Simp.m., teachers discussed argumentation - the ilarly, Wells returned to teaching all of sophmain focus omore English this year after of the AP test recently teaching CURRICULUM These reviewed only one of two are the books teacher resources on classes.

Jane Bauman assigned reading and “I don’t see to her AP Language writing arguteaching an AP and Composition class mentatively, as a big, new over the summer and took sample change,” Bauschool year. PHOTO BY tests and studman said. “I just ELISE SOMMERHAUG ied the gradsee it as a shift ing rubric, - a slight shift. according to I don’t see teaching an AP as a big, “I’m taking Bauman. new change. I just see it as a shift - a what I taught “We really in English 11 slight shift.” got a compreand applying —Jane Bauman it to the AP hensive view of what the class, but (my test consists previous classof, how it’s graded and resources for teaching es) already shadowed what Fels did before.” the elements of the test. I’m pulling materials Her two classes will mirror each other exand ideas from that class already; in fact, today cept for in long period, when AP students will (Aug. 31) we’re going to do something from it.” study the AP test specifically. Because English Bauman also took notes from Fels, whose 11 will parallel the AP class, Bauman said that

F

CLASS IN SESSION English teacher Jane Bauman stands at her podium in the front of her period 3 AP Language and Composition class on Sept. 13. The students’ attention was directed toward a slideshow on Kate Choplin, the author of “The Storm.” PHOTO BY MICHAELA CHEN

English 11 students will be better prepared for the writing section of the SAT, as it overlaps with one of the AP essays. Following Fels’s lead, Bauman will teach literature as well as expository writing, although the AP test addresses mainly the latter, according to Bauman.

Bauman will use last year’s English 11 books - including two books from Fels’s curriculum, “All My Sons” and “Ethan Frome” - and her course is unified by the theme of an unusual narrator.

However, while Fels used a writing textbook, Bauman will draw from the nonfiction book “Life Stories: Profiles from the New York-

er” and other resources for essay models.

“I know the framework, and I’ve taught English 11 long enough that I can supply my own materials and not have to rely on a textbook, which saves people money,” Bauman said.

Go to www.scdsoctagon.com to read about more changes; Assistant head of school Tucker Foehl is teaching U.S. History, and seventh-grade history teacher Bill Crabb is teaching World Cultures.

Medallion loses adviser, eight staffers

BY JACK CHRISTIAN Traditionally, the yearbook has had about 15 to 25 staffers, allowing them to produce a 240-page, allschool yearbook. However, the staff was cut in nearly half this year, from 18 students in the 2017-18 school year to 10 currently. And on top of that, they have a new adviser: AP Art History teacher Liz Leavy.

Editor-in-chief Michaela Chen said a lot will change this year, as the staffers will have a much greater workload and more responsibilities.

“Last year, (former director of technology Tom Wroten) helped us with technology and communicating with our publisher,” she said.

“Since we have a new adviser, (editors-in-chief Kyra LaFitte, Yanele Ledesma) and I are going to have to be a lot more hands on and have to deal with the publication company directly.”

With the departure of Wroten in June, Leavy took over the position as yearbook adviser.

Because of the small staff and change of adviser, managing editor Luca Procida said this year will be a “learning curve for everyone.”

According to Leavy, who has no past yearbook experience, Wroten was the one who recommended her for the position.

“He explained the job to me and told me that he thought I would be really good at it since I tend to be a pretty artsy person,” she said.

“And he was right. I’m having a great time, and it definitely helps that the editors have everything under control.”

The biggest challenge so far, according to Leavy, has been learning the yearbook terminology and the

way the staff runs. bit of design time too, since we have “There is a lot of lingo and time such a small staff,” Chen said. tables that I don’t know, so the edThe Medallion will also take part itors have to constantly catch me in a new photo-sharing program up,” she said. with the Octagon to combat the Leavy said that her main job this staff shortage, according to Chen. year will be managing the budget “Last year, I suggested to (Octaand other administrative duties, as gon photography editor Jacqueline well as organizing the annual staff Chao) that the Octagon and Medalconvention trip. lion photographers work together But on top of the challenge of a and make a team Google Drive foldnew adviser, the Medallion is also er to share photos,” she said. dealing with reduction in their size.

“We’ve already started that folder The yearbook will thus have to and are currently sharing photos. change the way they split up their That will take a big weight off of the work and increase their teamwork, shoulders of our photographers.” according to Chen.

Copy editor Gabi Alvarado said “Last year we assigned individual that the staff has a “pretty good” people to spreads,” Chen said. grip on everything this year despite “(Now) we’re planning on having all the changes. weekly group discussions to go over “And since there are only two the work that needs to get done and new people, we can really stay on splitting that work top of everything,” among multiple she said. “The staff is different people.” pretty well balanced.

There is a Procida agreed, We just have to work a lot of lingo saying the staff will little bit harder.” and time tables have to delegate One advantage of that I don’t know, more than before. having a small staff is “People are go- so the editors the ease of teaching ing to have a bigger have to constantly class lessons, accordworkload because ing to Alvarado. catch me up.” we have so many “I was able to teach —Liz Leavy a lesson on grammar fewer people,” Procida said. during boot camp, The key to sucand everyone was focess, according to Chen, will be or- cused and listening,” she said. ganization.

Leavy also noted the staff is senior “We’re planning on keeping the heavy this year, with six seniors, two same number of pages but simply juniors and two freshmen. having better organization so our “Next year, there is going to be an staff can be more efficient and finish incredible loss of knowledge, as the by the deadlines,” Chen said. majority of our staff is seniors,” she The Medallion has also added said. two more design staffers, upping “I may have to take on a much the design staff to five people. more active role next year, so I am “Everyone will be getting a little trying to learn as much as possible.”

The Octagon

September 18, 2018 • News

3

Safety: Staff prepare for disaster scenarios (Continued from page 1)

TEACHERS BECOME STUDENTS Faculty and staff listen to a lecture by a Knowledge Saves Lives representitive in the MP Room. They were instructed on the appropriate procedures to follow in the event of a school lockdown as part of the safety class held this summer. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF EMILY ALLSHOUSE

“I think the chance that we have a school shooter is relatively low,” “Originally, I thought it was a bit sophomore Avinash Krishna said. over the top, but it’s just become a “With an open campus, if there is part of my everyday routine,” Pahla- a shooter, he probably won’t even be van said. from the school, so it’s more import“It’s not too inconvenient for me, ant the students know what to do.” so I really don’t mind it much.”

But senior Josh Friedman underHead of school Lee Thomsen also stood the nuances of the decision. said he was wary of sharing Country “Students probably shouldn’t Day’s security information with the know because chances are that students and public. during a school shooting situation, “(Knowledge Saves Lives, a group one of us would be the shooter,” specializing in campus safety train- Friedman said. ing,) recommended “But then again, it’s that faculty and staff risky because what if don’t train students Admittedly, the shooter isn’t the in procedures we the chance student? Maybe it’s learned,” he said. an alumnus; then we “The majority of that the shooter probably should be violent actors come isn’t a student able to know.” from within the com- and that a teachFriedman also said munity, whether a having all the responer doesn’t know student or a disgrunsibility on the teacher what they’re dotled employee.” can lead to dangerThis is why Thom- ing is pretty slim.” ous situations if the sen and the admin —Josh Friedman teacher forgets or is are keeping safety unreliable. discussions internal “Admittedly, the until new policies chance that the shooter isn’t a stuhave been chosen to be implement- dent and that a teacher doesn’t know ed. what they’re doing is pretty slim,” “(Knowledge Saves Lives) also did Friedman said. a complete audit of campus securiThomsen and the administrative ty,” Thomsen said. “They gave us team are waiting to make any ansome recommendations, and one nouncements until they’ve made a of the recommendations was to lock decision on which new security feaevery classroom door from the outtures to implement. side.”

“I think there is a happy medium However, not all students agree when it comes to how much inforwith Thomsen about keeping information to share with your students,” mation completely confidential.

Thomsen said.

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4

Centerpoint

The Oc

(continued from page 1)

MASK ON, MASK OFF Wearing surgical masks and dark glasses to keep out the smoke, Nicole Wolkov, ‘17, and mother Lauren look for local restaurants online while outside Umami Sushi & Asian Cuisine (62 E Main St.) in Ashland, Oregon. The air quality index was well above 200, but the Wolkovs still saw all their plays: “The Book of Will,” “Snow in Midsummer” and “Othello.” PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF NICOLE

moved as many outdoor performan summer as they have from 2013 to 2 Naylor added that this was the first time her they have postponed the Daedalus grandparents had been told to evacuate while Show to Sept. 17. living there.

While Cortez said it isn’t unusual After staying in Sacramento for about two high school theater to be used, this yea weeks, the Naylors made another exodus east the first time the organization has ha to avoid smoky Sacramento: Lake Tahoe. on live performances there; furtherm However, the sky didn’t end up being bluer been using it since June, the longest c on the other side. ous time period in its history.

“It was pretty bad up there too,” Naylor said.

“Last year we we did a few reading “The sky was orangey-grey, and we couldn’t high school, but this is the first yea see across the lake most of the time.” been doing full shows there,” she said Junior Rebecca Waterson, who also went to Former English teacher Patricia F Tahoe, experienced a similar situation. former history teacher Daniel Neuko “Everything was weird, orange- and two of the patrons whose Aug. 14 sho tan-looking, and the lake looked nasty, all “The Book of Will” was moved to t brown and bleh,” Waterson said. school due to the “very pleasant,” as N “I could feel the smoke in my throat when put it, air quality. (The AQI reached 2 swimming - so I swam for only 45 minutes unhealthy for all groups.”) those days, (and I usually swim for one hour Cortez explained that moving arou and 45 minutes).” locations is no easy feat.

Waterson also said she became “a little dizFirst, six days a week, the “smok zy” and got “dehydrated really quickly.” made up of company members meet Waterson and Naylor weren’t the only ones noon to discuss “current climate con affected in Tahoe; the Lake Tahoe Shake- predicted climate conditions and how speare Festival felt the smoke’s have been for the p effects as well, according to Wadays,” Cortez said. terson, who volunteered there.

Then, after having Even the “We were supposed to be ated and decided on w vegetation sold out in the open theater; to run outdoors or mov we were expecting 630 people,” in the median was school, the call is set Waterson said. burned. The whole less of improving condi But around only 200 people Finally, the team rec place was encame, she said. in the evening to ma However, the festival didn’t gulfed.” conditions are as pred —Daniel Neukom not, and the smoke suffer monetarily, as all tickets were prepaid, and the refund after deciding to keep policy states that “shows will outside, it has to be ca always perform no matter the weather condi- The final verdict is then posted on th tions.” site.

But the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in “It can be a tough call some days,” Ashland, where juniors and seniors go each said. “People invest a lot of time and re year for their class trip in October, was not as to get here, and we always want the lucky. run.”

According to Julie Cortez, the festival’s diHowever, because of the time and rector of public relations, the organization has it takes to transfer props, costumes lost at least $2 million as of Sept. 10. occasional set pieces to the high sch Additionally, 17 outdoor showings have midday decision is “key.” been moved from the Allen Elizabethan TheBut even when plays are moved to t atre to the Ashland High School’s theater, school, crisis isn’t always averted. most recently a showing of “The Book of Will” Even after the play’s relocation, F on Sept. 7. Nine plays have been fully can- Neukom still didn’t attend. This was celed, according to Cortez. the high school theater seats only one According to emails from the Oregon the 1200 people that can fit in the Alle Shakespeare Festival, they have canceled or

Late firefighter alumnus had ‘defied all traditional notions of SCDS success’ The 2018 fire season has already claimed 68 firefighters’ lives as of Sept. 10, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Sixteen years ago, alumnus Craig LaBare, ’84, was among the firefighters killed in the 15,000-acre Cannon fire in Walker, California; while dropping the flame retardent, his crew’s C-130A air tanker crashed due to the model’s faulty wing structure. LaBare was 36.

Kelley Taber, ’84, who spoke at LaBare’s funeral, reflects on his life.

Q: Where did Craig go for college?

A: He went to (the University of California), Berkeley, but he didn’t finish there. He left - partly because he

was a bit of an iconoclast and wasn’t concerned with traditional notions of success. When he got to Berkeley, he realized he had an adventurous spirit.

Q: Where did he go after he left?

A: After Cal he went to Kirkland, (California), and he became a firefighter in the summer. Then he ended up moving to Hawaii and took a job as a high-rise window cleaner.

He was in Honolulu cleaning lavish high-rises, and it was so expensive to live in the city that he lived in a cave outside the hills of Honolulu.

He’d clean windows and save the money to train as a pilot. While he was doing that, he flew a volunteer mail

run to a leper colony in Saipan (the most populated of the Northern Mariana Islands). Eventually, he got more advanced and became an aerial firefighter and a co-pilot of C-130A. Q: That’s the plane in which he eventually died, correct?

A: Yes, unfortunately. And he had just gotten married, bought a house - he was just embarking on a new era of his life.

But he died doing something that he loved doing; he lived life on his own terms.

In the end he ended up putting his skills toward something very important for everyone and for the state - an incredible public service.

Q: What was he like while at Country Day? A: One thing that stood out was that he knew a lot more than just books. He came as a junior from Mira Loma (High School), so he was here for only two years.

But in that timespan, he exposed his world to the sheltered kids at Country Day. He had fun, practical skills

September 18, 2018

ctagon

& other smoky summer stories

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According to Neukom, “to get a seat (in the high school), you had to line up once at 5 o’clock in the filthy air, and then again at 11 you had to scramble for seats.”

So, at their request, Neukom and Fels’s $85-apiece tickets were refunded.

According to Cortez, that is not an uncommon case.

“We have been seeing drops in August because of the uncertainty, and this summer we’ve had a good chunk of canceled trips and refunds,” Cortez said.

But the festival isn’t the only one with financial damage: Restaurants and local businesses have suffered too.

Fels and Neukom both said they had talked to restaurant owners who said they had half as many clients as they should during the summer - which is peak tourist season.

Additionally, 19 of Flagship Inn’s 61 rooms weren’t occupied the week of Aug. 13; restaurants that typically require reservations days in advance weren’t incredibly crowded. And according to Neukom, locals said those conditions had been going on for five to six weeks.

While the food and theater industries were on the decline, there was one product that was selling better than ever: surgical masks.

Nicole Wolkov, ’17, went to Ashland with her family the same week as Fels and Neukom did but left two days after them.

Not only did the entire Wolkov family wear surgical face masks and thick sunglasses to keep out smoke, Wolkov said that “at least half” of the people she saw were wearing them too.

“My mother was bothered by the smell and affected by the smoke,” she said.

“It definitely wasn’t pleasant. It smelled smoky; it was harder to breathe; and smoke stung my eyes. So we wore the masks to prevent smoke particles from getting into our lungs and sunglasses to keep our eyes from burning.”

Wolkov, who has also been to Beijing, said this was “definitely the worst” quality air she’s been in.

“Things were so bad that we couldn’t even see the mountains that surround the town,” she said. “They weren’t visible in the slightest.”

However, unlike in Beijing, the nor-

mally crowded summer streets of Ashland were “surprisingly empty.”

Wolkov, who saw “Othello” in the Bowmer Theatre and “Snow in Midsummer,” noted that for each performance, two or three rows in the back of the theaters were “totally empty.”

Wolkov, unlike Fels and Neukom, attended her Aug. 16 viewing of “The Book of Will,” which was also held inside the high school theater.

But one thing that all three saw was the aftermath of the fires as they were heading up to Ashland.

“When we crossed the bridge of the Klamath River, where people do white water rafting, we noticed massive damage on both sides of the I-5 freeway,” Neukom said.

“There were burned houses and burned cars along the side of the freeway for about five miles from the Klamath Fire that had happened around July 5.”

“Even the vegetation in the median was burned. The whole place was engulfed.”

Both Wolkov and Fels repeatedly said that they could not see Mount Shasta.

Cortez said that one of the greatest obstacles hasn’t been the logistical or biological issues but, rather, the emotional exhaustion.

“Being here in these conditions for a couple of months has taken a mental toll,” she

said.

“We take precautions - like masks, avoiding spending time outdoors when it’s bad, etc. but since it’s not the usual beautiful summer with all the beautiful lakes, mountains and hills (and) since we’re stuck indoors all the time, it’s tough.

“Even going to and from work is stressful.”

Fortunately, though, both Cortez and Kellie Whited, Ashland coordinator and biology teacher, said they are optimistic.

“I can optimistically say we are past the worst of it,” Cortez said.

Ashland temperatures are now in the 70s, and fall conditions will bring relief to the smoke, she added.

And Whited, who is in charge of the juniors’ and seniors’ field trip to Ashland this year, said she has few worries.

“There’s plenty of time left for people to get a handle on these fires and for the air quality to improve,” she said.

And improved it has. The air quality was 45 on

that shook things up here.

Q: What can we learn through him?

A: First, we need to keep his memory alive at Country Day. There’s nobody like him there anymore and seems unlikely there will be anyone like him there again.

I wish (Country Day) were the kind of place where people like Craig could come and make a difference, where kids weren’t uptight about their grades but instead happy to learn, where students had non-academic interests and skills that were actually useful.

That’s the great thing about Craig: He didn’t care about the grades, but I know he got more out of classes than people like me. He was in it for learning’s sake, intellectually curious, not just checking a box but actually learning.

I was very focused on getting the grade and memorizing things, but the people who didn’t give a crap about the grades but who applied the information and kept it and used it thoughtfully - those people, like Craig, got more out of classes.

5

Sept. 13, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

But Whited and others are still “praying for rain.”

“Just one rainstorm - that’s all it’ll take to clear up the air and put out the fires,” she said.

Nevertheless, this summer jolted the festival’s organization into necessary action.

Cortez said that the organization is currently in the process of reforming the schedule.

“The Board was looking for years for upgrades to the outdoor theater, which is overdue for an upgrade anyway,” she said.

“But now, everyone is ramping up the feasibility to make (the theater) more flexible to climate conditions.”

Among other changes to the the 2019 season is a schedule change: The season will start two weeks later while the outdoor season is pushed a week forward to maximize attendance, she said.

Other unconfirmed changes are underway, according to Cortez.

Q: How can we actively remember Craig’s carpe diem mentality?

A: Who you are when you’re 16 or 17 is not who you will be when you’re 30. He was not anyone who let any definitions of success define him; he, in fact, defied all the traditional notions of SCDS success. He didn’t bow down to society’s ideals.

Life can be short - for him it was, incredibly so.

Follow your dreams and ignore the pressures that the school, society and your parents put on you.

—By Chardonnay Needler

IN MEMORIAM Then-senior Craig LaBare triumphs after his team’s win at the 1983 Ancil Hoffman Picnic. PHOTO FROM THE 1984 EDITION OF THE MEDALLION

Scan this QR code or go to www. scdsoctagon. com to read the complete Q&A online.

6

Sports • September 18, 2018

The Octagon

Boys’ soccer falls back to fall after two years in winter

A

fter two years of playing in torrential rain storms and 50 mph gusts of wind througout winter, the coed soccer team’s season has been moved back to the fall.

BY ANNA FRANKEL According to athletic director Matt Vargo, the boys’ soccer season was originally changed from fall to winter because a large portion of California schools play in the winter, and the state wanted to have an all-state championship during the winter season.

Last season, there were two different championships, one for northern California, which had the majority of its schools playing in fall, and one for the southern California, which had the majority of its schools playing in winter. However, this winter there will be a statewide championship, according to Vargo.

“Since we moved back to the fall, we are unable to participate in a (winter) state championship game,” Vargo said.

However, he said that getting to states is difficult for any small school and that the team would have an even smaller chance of winning because there is no state title for D7, the division that Country Day plays in.

“They actually only have up to a D5 championship,” Vargo said. “So to get through (northern California championships and also) play up

mm

two divisions would be very tough.”

The switch to winter was not received well by many of the schools and coaches who made the change, according to Vargo.

One of the major problems for Country Day was the conflict that winter soccer had with other sports, like basketball.

Vargo said that although bigger schools would run into this same problem in the fall because of football, Country Day doesn’t have that problem, as it has no football team.

Making the transition back was not a simple process, according to Vargo. It took collaboration with the whole CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, which includes around 200 schools.

“A lot of schools weren’t happy with soccer in the winter, so we lobbied enough votes amongst all the leagues in our section meeting to have a vote on it,” Vargo said.

“We voted to allow schools to choose to either go back to the fall or stay in the winter.”

He added that the soccer team has directly benefited now that the season has been switched back. “(For example, junior) Aaron Graves chose basketball in the past but is playing soccer this year,” Vargo said.

Vargo also noted that in the past two years, many of Country Day’s former athletes had to choose between the winter sports, so this change would have been significant to them if it had been made earlier.

“Aidan Cunningham, (’17), would have played basketball. Jesus Galin-

FACE OFF Senior Yelin Mao fights a Leroy Green Academy player for the ball, while freshman Jordan Lindsay awaits a potential pass. The Cavs lost 0-2 agaisnt the Lions on Sept. 11. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

do, (’17), would have played soccer,” Vargo said.

However, the team faces a similar problem this year because it is coed, which it became last year.

Vargo said that if there were a girls’ team this year, it would have been in the spring. However, the team remained coed because of the concern of not having enough female players to fill a whole team.

“Their opportunity to play need to be now,” Vargo said. “Because if we waited, and there weren’t enough girls, then someone like (senior) Abby LaComb wouldn’t get the chance to play in her last year.”

Due to the decision to keep the team coed, this is the first season that girls are playing in fall, causing conflicts for volleyball players.

“Volleyball is the only sport (we lost players to),” Vargo said.

There are four girls playing on the soccer team, according to Vargo.

“I didn’t want to poach anyone from volleyball,” Vargo said. “The girls could choose, and most of them chose volleyball.”

Senior Lia Kaufman is one of the girls who wasn’t able to be on the soccer team this year.

However, Kaufman said that she is not upset about it because she’s already playing soccer outside of school.

“Every time I played soccer at school, I was playing club as well,” Kaufman said. “So school soccer was more just cross-training for me.”

Due to this, she said that the change hasn’t affected her in any major way.

“I think the team is still strong and is playing really well and having fun,” Kaufman said.

According to Vargo, another big advantage of fall soccer is the significantly better weather.

LaComb agreed, saying that play- used to be one of the Cavs’ main ing in the winter was very cold and competitors, chose to stay in the rainy and that games would often winter. get cancelled because of weather The change back to fall also alconditions. lowed some schools to form new “Right now it’s kind of hot, which soccer teams because of the increase is not super fun,” LaComb said. “But in available players, according to as it cools down, it will get better.”

Vargo.

Vargo said that another benefit of “Some leagues had a bunch of having the games in the fall is that schools drop (when soccer moved to they can be held later in the day be- winter) because they couldn’t field cause it stays light outside for longer. their teams,” he said.

This keeps the players from miss“But now they can.” ing too much school and allows According to Vargo, this increase more parents to attend games. in participating schools allowed Senior Nate Jakobs agreed that leagues who previously didn’t have later games are “a huge bonus.” enough teams to compete to now “Now we only miss, at most, one re-open their soccer programs, class for a game,” Jaso teams that had kobs said. temporarily joined “In the past we Country Day’s league Now we have had to miss two. are now returning to only miss, So it’s a big plus.” their own.

According to Var- at most, one class Another adjustgo, not all the leagues for a game. In the ment of the fall seamade the same deci- past we have had son was starting pracsion. tice before school beto miss two. So it’s “A lot of the big gan, Vargo said. a big plus.” schools (like Jesuit “We started a little —Nate Jakobs slow because people High School) didn’t go back to the fall,” were still on vacation Vargo said. during our summer According to Vargo, this was due practices,” he said. to a fear that few teams would make But despite the downsides, junior the change, so those who did would Garrett Shonkwiler said he liked not have enough competitors. summer practices.

“I think that if a couple would “Starting soccer at the end of the have gone, the dominos would have summer was a good way of easing fallen,” he said. myself into school,” he said.

In the end, three small-school And according to Jakobs, the team leagues in the section, including is still looking to do well this year deCountry Day’s league, had most of spite all the changes. their schools go to fall, Vargo said.

“We have a lot of good players, However, because some teams in and if we put it all together, we could the league did not make the switch, make a run for (championships),” the schools that Country Day will be Jakobs said. playing this year have changed.

“It would be nice to have the playFor example, Vargo said that ers we lost, but we are playing well Buckingham Charter School, who as it is.”

Sports Boosters’ Athletes of the Month Nate Jakobs, soccer

Tori Van Vleck, volleyball Van Vleck is a strong leader who supports her own success and that of those around her. She is one of the first to say “shake it off,” helping the team get back in focus. Van Vleck protects the net with great timing on her blocks and won’t let a ball drop without giving it her best.

Jakobs shows leadership by showing up to practice early, working harder than anyone during the drills and being positive and lifting his teammates’ spirits. Jakobs is unselfish, playing on the field where the coaching staff feels he is needed, whether in the goal or up top.

For information, please see SCDS homepage under the Quicklink “Parents.”

Paid for by our generous Sports Boosters.

The Octagon

OCTAGON STAFF

September 18, 2018 • Opinion

“Early dismissal” by Emma Boersma

My Angle

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

BY HÉLOÏSE SCHEP

Jack Christian Mehdi Lacombe Chardonnay Needler Mohini Rye Allison Zhang

Sorry, Mother Nature paper rules forever!

NEWS EDITORS Jack Christian Allison Zhang

SPORTS EDITORS Jack Christian Allison Zhang

FEATURE EDITOR

Chardonnay Needler

A&E EDITOR

Mehdi Lacombe

OPINION EDITOR Mohini Rye

BUSINESS MANAGER Larkin Barnard-Bahn

PAGE EDITORS

Larkin Barnard-Bahn Jack Christian Anna Frankel Mehdi Lacombe Jackson Margolis Chardonnay Needler Mohini Rye Sarina Rye Héloïse Schep Allison Zhang

REPORTERS

Keshav Anand Sanjana Anand Arjin Claire Jackson Crawford Hailey Fesai Carter Joost Dylan Margolis Ethan Monasa Miles Morrow Arijit Trivedi Arikta Trivedi

GRAPHIC ARTISTS Emma Boersma Jacqueline Chao Mohini Rye

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Mehdi Lacombe

PHOTO EDITOR

Jacqueline Chao

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jacqueline Chao Elise Sommerhaug Shimin Zhang

MULTIMEDIA STAFF Harrison Moon, editor David Situ, assistant Ming Zhu, staffer

ADVISER

Emily Eustace The Octagon is Sacramento Country Day School’s student-run high school newspaper. Its purpose is to provide reliable information on events concerning the high school and to inform and entertain the entire school community. The staff strives for accuracy and freedom from bias. The Octagon aims to always represent both sides of an issue. Errors in stories will be noted and corrected.

The Octagon shall publish material that the staff deems is in the best interest of the school community.

The staff recognizes the importance of providing accurate and reliable information to readers. The Octagon does not represent the views of the administration nor does it act as publicity for the school as a whole.

The Octagon will publish timely and relevant news, subject to the following exceptions: obscenity; slanderous or libelous material; and material contrary to the best interests of the school community, as judged by guidelines between the newspaper staff, adviser and school administration. Editorials are approved by an editorial board. Columns/commentaries shall be labeled as such and represent only the author’s opinion.

In the interest of representing all viewpoints, letters to the editor shall be published, unless otherwise requested. All letters must be signed and conform to above restrictions.

The staff may change grammar and punctuation or abridge letters for space. Comments may be made online to address all stories run.

7

EDITORIAL: Tell students about safety procedures - it’s worth the risk

W

hile efforts from the faculty to prepare Country Day for a lockdown are worthwhile, the same students whom faculty is trying to protect are left in the dark about the changes made to our emergency procedure.

Before school began in August, Country Day’s faculty participated in school-wide training, receiving instruction on how to act in the case of a school shooting or another violent act in a school setting.

On Aug. 24, just a few days before school started, Knowledge Saves Lives (an organization that trains schools on emergency procedures) visited to explain how to keep students safe until first responders arrive.

A new emergency plan is currently under evaluation, and last spring, the school had its first lockdown drill in three years.

But, as students, we still don’t know what to do when a school shooting occurs. What if we’re outside or in a restroom? What if we can’t find a staff member for help?

And because the lockdown drill has occurred only once in the past three years (in 2017), students who participated in it know the safety protocol for only the one classroom they were locked down in and not the rest of the campus.

The chance of them being in that same classroom during a shooting is very minimal; students need to know where to hide on campus at all times.

Furthermore, we need to be aware of where safety materials - like fire extinguishers or objects to ward off attackers - are and

how they can be used. If there is an active shooter threat, having to read a safety pamphlet would be a waste of time.

However, we understand that the administration might be hesitant about revealing security policies to students.

Over the past year, The Washington Post has studied gun violence during school hours since the 1999 Columbine High massacre (using data from the U.S. Education Department, including the Common Core of Data and the Private School Universe Survey).

According to the Post, 7 in 10 school shooters are under the age of 18, and the median age of school shooters is 16.

In total, 123 school shooters - about 56.7 percent - were old enough to be in high school.

So, yes, there is a risk of students knowing about procedures and exploiting that knowledge when shooting up schools.

But currently, students don’t know what to do during school shootings, which is dangerous - especially if they aren’t in a classroom. And in the case of an emergency, teachers are wasting valuable time by having to explain the most basic procedures to students.

And while such emergencies are rare, they still happen frequently enough that we should be as prepared as possible There was even an unofficial lockdown on Sept. 7 due to a robbery at Loehmann’s Plaza.

Plus, teachers and admin don’t have to reveal everything.

They can even change lockdown drills to have a slightly different procedure each time so

that potential student shooters won’t know where people hide.

And since students are such a large percentage of school shooters, we can also use students’ knowledge to our advantage by educating high schoolers on not just what to do during a school shooting, but also how to prevent one.

Instead of two classes on sex ed and drugs, why not replace one with a class on how to recognize signs of a peer showing signs of deteriorating mental health or violent tendencies?

The issue is just as relevant as drug addiction. This year’s Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey of drug use and attitudes stated that 9.4 percent of 10th graders said they used illicit drugs other than marijuana.

To compare, the National Mental Health Institute reported that 15.25 percent of 14- to 17-year-olds said that they had at least one major (longer than two weeks) depressive episode.

And if the administration wants to educate students on sex ed and drugs all four years, the life skills class’s curriculum can be expanded to include mental-health education instead.

Another option would be to have students learn about self-defense, like seniors did last year during their senior seminars, so that teachers aren’t the only ones responsible for defending others.

Finally, educating students about the measures taken to protect them might decrease the level of unease students and parents may currently have about the policy.

In the end, it’s worth the risk to protect the community.

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS FOR KEEPING US IN THE BLACK! Anand Family, Anonymous, Bahn Management Company, Christian Family, Frankel Family, Impact Venture Capital, Lacombe Family, Monasa Family, Needler Family, Schep-Smit Family, Situ Family, Zhang Family

In the midst of a sea of Google Drive folders and subfolders and sub-sub folders, an Octagon staffer has (understandably) lost the document containing the draft system for stories.

“Can’t we just print it?” she asks.

But our classroom walls, once filled with paper, are now empty, not a single Octagon document in sight.

“Just open it in the Drive,” someone says.

It seems like every year, technology bleeds further into my life. If it’s not on CavNet, it’s on Google Classroom, Google Drive or a class website.

And while doing everything online may be efficient or neat or better for the environment, I still love paper the most.

I’ve always had an aversion to technology. I didn’t even find out about the internet until fourth grade - not because my parents didn’t want me to know about it but because I was purely uninterested in anything technological.

Need more proof? I have a paper planner. (I’ve never once used Google Calendar.) I print all my notes and assignments. I write and make cards by hand. I read books only in print.

Finally, my rolling backpack, which is already so large it can barely stand upright, has reached its monstrous size partially because I refuse to read my textbooks online.

Sorry, trees.

While some claim my adoration of print is because of my “unique” typing habits (I type with only my right index finger), it’s actually because paper is just better - especially since it helps your memory.

According to Scientific American, modern screens and e-readers fail to adequately recreate certain tactile experiences of reading on paper.

This can prevent people from easily reading long texts and may even impede comprehension.

Also, the physical act of highlighting, writing notes in the margin, putting sticky notes in my book and turning the page forces me to understand what I’m reading.

And no one can deny that the smell of books is unrivaled to the cold, metal touch of a Kindle.

Furthermore, you can be so creative with the design of books. I once read about a copy of “Fahrenheit 451” that included a real match, and its spine was made out of a matchbox.

“But what about the indestructibility of technology?” you might be thinking. “A book can be lost or burned or torn apart, but my device will last forever!”

Tell that to my iPhone, which, after getting a few droplets of water on it this summer, displayed a beautiful rainbow of colors and then went black forever, causing me to lose all my contacts, photos and notes.

Plus, even the smartest computers can be hacked or break down.

However, I do understand that printing takes time and kills trees.

To all the technology lovers, I’m not asking for you to stop using your devices; I myself can’t go a day without my laptop or my phone. Society has to move forward, even if it means leaving some (paper) things behind.

But kindly move out of my way while I lug my 50-pound backpack and five textbooks around - it’ll take some time for me to adjust.

8

Feature • September 18, 2018

The Octagon

CRAZY RICH ASIANS Rom-com shows Hollywood’s push for cultural representation T At this time period, there’s a lot of support for the movement for racial equality.”

—Ted Zhou

Rom-coms are kind of a niche film, but (“Crazy Rich Asians”) is something that hasn’t been done in a long time with an all-Asian cast, and the acting is incredible.”

—Luca Procida

It’s increasingly normalized to give different groups their moment, and (now) that’s happening with Asian-Americans.”

—Jason Hinojosa

BY ALLISON ZHANG

here are nearly 21 million Asian-Americans living in the U.S., roughly equalling the total population of Florida, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Yet it’s been 25 years since the last Hollywood film (“The Joy Luck Club” in 1993) to feature Asian-Americans in lead roles.

But now that movie has arrived.

“Crazy Rich Asians,” adapted from Kevin Kwan’s 2013 novel of the same name, follows Rachel Chu as she travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young, to visit his uber-rich family.

The catch? She has no idea how wealthy they really are.

In his novel, Kwan describes scenes with Asians frolicking in their opulence, jetting around in private jets (named Tall, Grande and Venti, obviously) and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on clothing and jewelry. And in the film, the families are described as “so snobby and posh, they’re ‘snoshy.’”

Released by Warner Bros., “Crazy Rich Asians” is the first romantic comedy since 2015’s “Trainwreck” to earn $20 million in its opening week, according to Variety.

In a Sept. 5 poll of 115 high school students, over a third said they had seen the movie.

Another third said they hadn’t but wanted to.

And of the 40 students who had seen the film, 25 rated it five stars.

The movie’s widespread popularity is due partially to its advertising. Warner Bros. spent over $11 million on televised promotions, not counting other forms of advertisement.

The wide appeal of “Crazy Rich Asians” can also be attributed to its cast, which pays homage to traditional favorites. Say “Michelle Yeoh,” the matriarch in the film, to middle-aged Chinese women, and they’ll immediately start raving about how much they loved her in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” The film also introduces its audience to film newbies such as Henry Golding, who stars as the lead male role.

“While the two lead characters are in their early 30s, a lot of the supporting cast characters are older and broaden the demographic appeal,” alumnus Manson Tung, ’16, said.

“This is the first movie that me, my sister, my mom and her siblings have all seen. It’s a rare treat to see people that look like you in an American movie.”

Another factor that played into the wide demographic of audience members is the soundtrack, which celebrates famous Asian singers. “(In) the background music,

the singer is (Teresa Teng), one of the most famous singers in China back in the ’80s,” junior Ted Zhou said.

“I loved (the soundtrack) because it really represents Chinese and Asian culture. The music hit me because it represents my roots.”

Tung agreed, saying that his sister and mother recognized all the songs immediately as “jazzified” versions of classic titles.

But while Tung said he loved the movie and thought it portrayed Singapore well from a visual standpoint, his chief complaint was the way people talked.

“Most of the actors have American or British accents, but in reality, Singlish (colloquial Singaporean English) is everywhere in Singapore,” he said.

Despite the speech inaccuracy, Tung said that he was able to relate to the movie.

“I really resonated with Rachel Chu (in that) she may look Asian, but in her soul and her heart, she is American,” Tung said.

“I’ve been told by my relatives, ‘Oh, you look Chinese, but the minute you open your mouth or the minute you think about something, you think about it in an American way.’”

But while “Crazy Rich Asians” grew immensely popular and even had the most successful Labor Day weekend box office in 11 years, not everything was set for success.

“Not a lot of people go see rom-coms,” senior Luca Procida said.

Regardless, Procida said he thought the film was done well.

“Rom-coms are kind of a niche film, but (“Crazy Rich Asians”) is something that hasn’t been done in a long time with an all-Asian cast, and the acting is incredible,” Procida said.

Tung agreed, adding that it’s rare to find a good movie that’s not an action film.

“I’ve noticed that a lot of movies these days just throw in a token mainland movie star,” he said. “(But) one of my friends went to see (“Crazy Rich Asians”), and he thought it was hilarious - just good, clean drama and fun.”

Procida added that another distinction of “Crazy Rich Asians” is that it adds a modern and relatable angle that older, traditional movies with Asian cast members couldn’t capture and that more recent films don’t have.

Furthermore, he said he believes that, in general, representation and appreciation of Asian culture is increasing.

“Look at K-pop’s growing popularity,” he said. “Even here

at Country Day, it’s apparent.”

But “Crazy Rich Asians” hasn’t been the only culturally significant moment for Asians these past months.

In July, Sandra Oh was the first Asian woman to be nominated for an Emmy as a lead actress in the drama series “Killing Eve.” Then at the end of August, the Justice Department publicly announced its support to students who are battling with Harvard University over its affirmative action policies, which allegedly discriminate against Asian-Americans.

Around the same time, two movies starring Asian-American actors were released, “Searching” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

The reason behind this influx of attention on Asians, Tung said, is the gradual push from the current generation of Asian-Americans.

“We don’t feel like waiting another generation for our stories to be told and for our faces to be shown,” he said.

“Asian-Americans are beginning to coalesce and bond together. We’re beginning to see the fruits of a lot of efforts of a lot of groups to get together.”

Zhou agreed, adding that, much like “Black Panther,” which was immensely successful as both a movie and a symbol of African-American culture and talent, the success of “Crazy Rich Asians” stems from people pushing for more racial representation.

“At this time period, there’s a lot of support for the movement for racial equality,” he said.

Procida agreed, citing that while the film industry still has a long ways to go, “it’s showing the steps that Hollywood is taking to encourage more diversity in films.”

English teacher Jason Hinojosa drew a parallel between “Crazy Rich Asians” the #MeToo movement.

“It’s not a new conversation so much as it is newly spotlighted,” he said. “People have always been aware, but now, people are talking about it.”

He added that “Crazy Rich Asians” is a part of a shift in the entertainment industry that places a larger emphasis on diversity and inclusion.

“I think there are more voices being heard,” he said. “It’s increasingly normalized to give different groups their moment, and (now) that’s happening with Asian-Americans.”

However, senior Harrison Moon isn’t so optimistic.

“I was talking to a friend, and he was saying how ‘Black Panther’ isn’t going to mean anything for the black film community right away,” Moon said.

“It’s going to take a lot more time for audiences to adjust (to racial minorities in movies).”