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The graceful walk to the high school
Pool construction, pg. 2
Laptops impact, pgs. 4-5
School evacuated, pg. 2
Pattonville High School 2497 Creve Coeur Mill Road Maryland Heights MO 63043 l Vol. 77 Issue: 1 September 2012
Rain doesn’t wash out football stadium opener A
Pirates drop first game 48-0 against Lafayette By Taylor Holmstrom
s the remains of Hurricane Isaac brought periods of soaking rain to the St. Louis area on Aug. 31, the Pattonville Pirates played their first football game at the new football stadium; a homestand that concluded with a 48-0 loss to the Lafayette Lancers. The game that was originally scheduled for a 7 p.m. start was moved up an hour as precautionary action against Isaac, although heavy rain still came through in the Pirates’ opening defeat. “It was slippery,” Pirates tight end/linebacker Nick Coffey said. “But the fact that it was raining made it more fun. Wet or dry, it doesn’t matter.” Pattonville Activities Director Bob Hebrank estimated about 400 fans attended the game. “The fact that everybody showed up in the rain was nice,” Coffey said. The stadium’s completion meant a return home for the Pirates, who played every game including their Homecoming game on the road last season while Pattonville Stadium was being built. According to quarterback/ linebacker Emanuel Tesfamariam, “The new stadium was way better. It was easier to play with more support, it gave us some energy.” The stadium had its ribbon cutting on Aug. 10, three weeks before the varsity team’s home opener. Pattonville Stadium includes a live-motion video screen on its scoreboard, three concession stands, bathroom facilities for spectators, and locker rooms for both the home team and visiting school. The construction of the stadium began after the passing of Proposition K in November 2010. v
Parking complications cause students to park at Grace By Brady Bell
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aking up in the morning and going to school is almost never fun. But add in having to walk a half a mile after parking at school makes it even worse. This school year, some juniors have had to walk from Grace Church where they have had to park their cars due to limited spaces on the school lot because of the construction on the pool and stadium. As constuction is completed, students are being moved from Grace Church to the school parking lot. “The order that the students are being brought down is based on a criteria of things,” Assistant Principal Gene Grimshaw said. “Things like the year they graduate, order of arrival at registration and having at least 35 hours of community service.” Junior Sam Wellman is one student who has to park up at the church. “It is very tiring walking up the hill in the afternoon, especially when I have to bring my books home to study. I really wish they had some kind of bus or cart to drive us up there. I think if the school has enough money to pay for a new stadium, then they can at least foot the bill for maybe one bus or something.” There won’t be a bus to shuttle the students from Grace in the morning due to the bus not being used last school year, according to Grimshaw. Some juniors are being moved down because the construction in many areas is being finished. Work includes landscaping and completing the football stadium. Andrew Morlen is one student that got moved down from Grace earlier this school year. “The best part of getting moved down is it being easier to get my soccer stuff out of my truck after school,” Morlen said. He admitted to moving his truck down after school before he was formally reassigned so he could leave school after practice instead of walking up the hill after practice. v
Stepping up from teachers to assistant principals Grimshaw and Fitzgerald have had easy, enjoyable transitions from teaching to leading By Erin Leventhal
T Because of construction on the stadium and pool being completed on the main parking lot at Pattonville High School, many juniors are not able to park on campus. Instead, students are able to park at Grace Church and make the halfmile walk to and from school every day. Students are being moved down to the main lot as construction allows. Photo by Brady Bell.
he bell rings after first hour, and the halls of Pattonville immediately fill with students. Some rush to their next class on the opposite end of the building, while others stop to talk with friends. But no one is walking into the classrooms of Gene Grimshaw or Jon Fitzgerald. That’s because this school year, two former history teachers are new administrators at the high school. It seems as if it has taken students longer to adjust to this change than the administrators themselves. “The transition was easy because I’ve been here and the staff has been supportive, as well as the students and other administrators,” Grimshaw said. Becoming a principal was anything but a quick decision for Grimshaw,
who comes from a family with three previous generations of educators. “Even before I came to Pattonville, it was my long-term career goal to become an administrator,” he said. Completely the opposite of Grimshaw, Fitzgerald just recently decided that he wanted the opportunity to move out of the classroom and into the halls. When asked if he had always planned on being an assistant principal, he said, “No, I decided when I interned during summer school.” Both Grimshaw and Fitzgerald said there are hardly any downsides to being a principal as opposed to an educator but both agreed they wish they had the opportunity to interact with students more often. “It’s different,” Grimshaw said. “A new set of rules and work days. I’m trying to be visible and I’ll try to con-
nect with students and teachers.” For this reason, they have both been walking around the halls as much as possible, making sure students and teachers know they are around. Grimshaw confessed what he really likes about his new role is the job has not been the same two days in a row. Consistency was something he was very used to when teaching the same history class multiple times a day for years. While Grimshaw likes the inconsistency, Fitzgerald enjoys “being able to walk around and help students and teachers with anything they need.” The change from educator to principal seems to not have affected the teachers at Pattonville who were used to seeing Grimshaw and Fitzgerald on a daily basis. Beth Moritz, English teacher, had
Gene Grimshaw talks on the phone in his assistant principal’s office. Photo by Erin Leventhal become accustomed to these two administrators coming into her room daily and said both assistant principals frequently visit, and she likes they are both so visible to the staff and student body. On Grimshaw visiting, Moritz said, “My classroom would not be the same without Grimshaw visiting, so I hope he will continue to grace us with his presence.”
>>See PRINCIPALS, page 2
SEPTEMBER 2012 l PIRATE PRESS l 02 News Pool construction delayed as football stadium finishes on time Students, staff, and swimmers weigh opinions on the significance of the new pool By Kyleigh Ambrosecchia and Abby Kieffer onstruction on the pool and football stadium started August 2011. The football stadium had its ribbon cutting on Aug. 10, and the pool is still a work in progress. Ron Orr, chief financial officer of Pattonville School District, said, “The pool will be ready in time for use around early or late December.” Last year, Pattonville students where told both the pool and the athletic stadium would be finished by Fall 2012. “There’s always delays in construction, whether it’s permits, material delays, or workers getting moved from one job to another,” Bob Hebrank, athletic director, said. “You can always figure delays with construction. Delays are caused by a sequence of events.” Evan Collins, a sophomore on the varsity boys swim team, said the football stadium creates revenue for the school. “People actually have to pay to get in,” Collins said. “So, it makes more sense for them to finish it first. People think about football
C
>> PRINCIPALS continued from pg. 1
Educators do not want to give their students referrals or send them to the principal’s office. Now that Grimshaw and Fitzgerald are assistant principals, there is a chance that
Jon Fitzgerald works on his MacBook Pro in his office. Fitzgerald is the principal who oversees technology. Photo by Erin Leventhal.
with high school more than swimming with high school.” Some students believe that football is a sport more associated to high school than swimming. Sophomore Laura Tisone believes this is the case. “Football has always been an all-American high school, jock sport,” Tisone said. Although football is the more high school sport, others don’t agree that there was any particular reason the football stadium opened before the swimming pool. “I believe all sports are equal, but football brings more people and revenue,” Hebrank said. The new pool will be beneficial for many students, especially those who plan on swimming or playing water polo. One of those students is sophomore Katie Harris. “I like water polo,” said Harris, “because I like to swim and I’m good.” Now that the pool is going to be on campus, the crowd at the water events will be greater. Tisone said, “I was planning on going to more swim meets to support everyone.” v one of their former students will end up sitting across from them at their desk one day, awaiting punishment. Grimshaw tries to find the bright side in having a former student being sent to his office. He said he would love having a former student come to his office because he knows the student personally, and afterward, they can move forward and get things back on track. Fitzgerald said, “I [would] feel lucky because I have a good relationship with them, but I hope I don’t see them.” As administrators, Grimshaw and Fitzgerald will miss out on personal relationships within the classroom in exchange for the benefits of being principal. “I’ll miss the content and I’ll miss the world’s greatest social studies department in the known universe,” Grimshaw said. Fitzgerald sighed and said, “I’ll miss the relationships; in a few years I won’t know any students here personally.” v
Top: The view outside of the construction on the pool shown while standing in the main parking lot shows there is still a lot of progress to make before it is complete. Below: The construction team works on completing the stands for spectators and digging out the dirt to form where the swimming pool will be built. Photos by Abby Kieffer and Kyleigh Ambrosecchia.
Bomb threat forces evacuation First bomb threat in seven years required special precautions from the school
By Jessica Vargas
“W
hat is going on?” That was the frequently asked question students at Pattonville High School were trying to get answered on Sept. 12. The school got an anonymous phone call with a threat that there was a bomb in a student locker. Students were evacuated from their third hour classes and sent to the football field while both police officers and fire fighters arrived at the scene to investigate. In order to make sure every student was out of the building, Gene Grimshaw, assistant principal, organized teachers on the football field and in the bleachers to meet up with their students and to take attendance. If any student was missing, teachers were to immediately let an administrator know. “I thought the evacuation was very organized and it also made me
reevaluate and restock our emergency kit,” Heidi Lanham, nurse, said. While at the stadium, Principal Joe Dobrinic told the students and staff that bomb-sniffing dogs from St. Louis Lambert Airport had been brought in to search the school. No bomb was detected and the building was cleared for reentry. “What we are doing to figure out who exactly [called in the threat] is kind of personal to get out there, but the Maryland Heights Police Department and its detectives are doing everything possible to figure out who did this,” said School Resource Officer Chris Silliman. “When we find them, they could possibly receive some jail time and be expelled from school.” An email and phone call was sent out to parents of the students notifying them of what was going on and how it was resolved. A copy of those messages can be found on PattonvilleTODAY.com. v
Pattonville students evacuate the building and head toward the football stadium after a bomb threat was made to the school on Sept. 12. Photo by Janelle Bryant. v To read the full letters sent to parents about the incident, go to bit.ly/S2qJbW
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03 lPIRATE PRESS l SEPTEMBER 2012
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Moodlin’ around with t MacBook Airs at Patto
Teachers, students making use of the Moodle in the classroom The website can be accessed in different ways, giving the teachers a new way to keep assignments updated for students By Tom Sarsfield
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he Moodle gives a wide array of resources for the teacher to use to augment their lesson structure. Jamie Richter, technology specialist for Pattonville, describes Moodle as, “A one-stop shop for teachers.” This web-based program gives teachers the ability to disseminate resources that they would not otherwise be able to share with their students. Among other things, the
Moodle allows teachers to create forums, glossaries, Wikis, online tests, assignments, quizzes and polls. On the official Moodle website, it describes itself as a “social constructionist pedagogy.” Effectively, this means that the Moodle aims at creating an environment to be used by teachers, for the purposes of building onto the existing classroom activity. What makes the Moodle better is that teachers are doing all of this for free. “There is no cost for Pattonville
to use the Moodle,” Richter said. Pattonville’s Moodle resides on a separate server operated and maintained by Moodle. So, it is not entirely dependent on the school for support, with the exception of the Internet server, which is needed for students to log on at school. Richter said the Moodle is designed to make it easier on students. “They have everything in one place now. There is no need to go to a bunch of individual teacher websites.”
Not everybody in the school agrees with using the Moodle. History teacher Leslie Scoopmire feels it’s easier to have everything on her website. “I don’t think that [Moodle] is dependable enough yet,” she said. Sophomore Warren Li does not have a problem with the Moodle, but just how the teachers are using it. “It’s a cool idea, but the teachers aren’t utilizing it enough yet.” Laptops were only recently handed out to students from Aug. 27-29, and while teachers received
training on Moodle during their professional development last year, they are still undergoing the transition of using the Moodle in a classroom setting. Pattonville isn’t the only school using the Moodle. Over 67,000 organizations and 59 million people across 221 countries use Moodle in their professional settings. Not all of these organizations are schools, either. For example, the Filipino Army uses it to complement its forces.v
the onville
Top: iLearn technician Travis Harder helps a student with a login flaw in Room B114. The iLearn Help Center was not completed in time and the technology department is using the vacant classroom as a headquarters until the construction is completed. Bottom Left: Junior Michael English uses his laptop to help him with his studies in history class. Bottom Right: Sophomore Ryan Stoeckel was given his laptop on Aug. 29 during the computer roll-out at Pattonville High School. The time student’s were given their MacBook Air was determined by their last name. If students were not able to attend the roll-out during their scheduled time, a make-up day was offered on Aug. 31.
Four Places to get Free Wi-Fi away from Home and School By Joey Schneider
The truth is, not every single student has Wi-Fi access for their computers at home. However, they can travel to a few close places to use Internet for their work. Here are four places, all less than four miles away from the high school that students could benefit from using the place’s free Wi-Fi.
By Joey Schneider
Laptop Distribution
S
ince 2000, Pattonville has been putting money into a fund in order to afford laptops at a 1:1 ratio for students. Because of this fund and the fact that the school was on contract to replace the older computers for this current school year, all students finally received a chance to use a new technological tool: the MacBook Air. Although the school laptop distribution didn’t take place the first week of school, all Pattonville students have finally received their MacBook Airs. Students were given their laptops over a three day span (Aug. 27-29) at designated times based on their last name. “The logistics of distributing laptops required us to do a certain amount of division,” explained assistant principal Jon Fitzgerald. The process of distributing MacBook Airs took 30 minutes to an hour for most students, and required an insurance payment of $40 and visual instructions. “It was easy,” said junior Joe Model about getting his laptop. “We received the laptop fast, and watched a video that informed students on how to use them in classes.” All students were also given a presentation from a technology specialist and reviewed social media guidelines before the laptops were officially distributed to them. Now that the distribution has taken place, there is a wide range of educational and technological opportunities for the students to explore.
Insurance and Fixing
I
n order to obtain the laptops, students had to pay an initial fee of $40 for insurance, unless they were on a plan for free or reduced lunch. This insurance plan guarantees that accidents, errors and malfunctions on the student laptops can be repaired to an extent. There is a tech shop, which is currently being built by Gallery G in the C Wing, that will be able to fix most problems and make sure the laptops are up-to-date once it is completely finished. “We’ll be able to set up tools which will allow us to more efficiently work with the computers,” explained technology specialist Ray Braun. While Braun and iLearn Service Manager Travis Harder are repairing the majority of computer flaws, some students are also taking a class that allows them to work on computer problems. “We are training a few students as a team to help us with repairs and solutions,” Harder said. The student members and technology specialists are able to help other students with a variety of issues. These include software, login, Wi-Fi, keyboard, and battery flaws. “If it gets to the point where it is beyond these simple problems, [the computer] gets sent to the Apple repair shop,” Harder explained. If the problems with a student’s computer are very difficult to fix or take a while, the student is given a loaner laptop to use until it is fixed completely. There are a few ways to make sure some of these problems are prevented. Keeping the battery constantly charged is vital; however, Harder and Braun also suggest to restart the computer if one encounters a problem. These two solutions prevent many possible issues.
Student Use
McDonald’s
12499 Natural Bridge Rd. The McDonald’s in Bridgeton has had some updates over the years, but the place is consistently cleaner than other fast food chains within the district. Students could enjoy buying an item off the value menu, then use the restaurant’s Wi-Fi after they are finished eating.
Saint Louis Bread Co. 12252 St. Charles Rock Rd.
Known as a popular hangout spot among Pattonville students, Saint Louis Bread Co. can get pretty crowded from time-to-time. However, the atmosphere is very friendly and cozy, which allows student minds to work with the free Internet successfully.
Bridgeton Trails Library 3455 McKelvey Rd. Bridgeton Trails Library is a reasonable option for a student to go. The place has a variety of books that students can use for resources, along with Wi-Fi that students will find beneficial.
T
he laptops serve many purposes around the school, but the main focus among the staff is being able to teach in unique ways. “[The computers] should allow students and teachers to learn and teach in more open ways,” Fitzgerald said. The MacBook Airs get access to wireless Internet which allows the students to connect to most school-appropriate websites and the Moodle. The Moodle is basically an online database, which Pattonville teachers use to post assignments for each class. It is intended to help students remember their homework and have all the resources they need for projects and studying. Since the laptops can connect to the Moodle, students are now given a little more responsibility. It gives everyone the liberty of polishing out of class assignments, learning how to use educational programs, and even taking notes in a different way. Although many students have found the laptops to help out their studies, others think they can take away from the learning environment. “Sometimes it becomes a distraction,” noted junior Khoa Trieu. “Some kids aren’t paying full attention and have no idea what they’re learning in class.” Overall, the whole Pattonville High School population is learning to become more equipped to technology and education because of the MacBooks. “If you use the computer correctly, you get a pretty unlimited amount of freedom with it,” Model said.
Tony’s Donuts 12218 McKelvey Rd. The only problem among this popular Pattonville hotspot is that it is only open from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. However, morning people may find it as a beneficial place to eat a delicious breakfast and connect to Wi-Fi before school begins.
Sports
New place to run around
Cross country team finds a new homebase at O’Connor Park, will host first meet next year By Tim Vleisides
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or the football team, it’s a multimillion dollar stadium, topped off with an artificial turf field. For the basketball team, it’s a hardwood floor surrounded by rows of loyal, cheering fans. There are plenty of high school teams that don’t have a home field to call their own, but more and more these days, a home field is viewed as less of a commodity and more as a necessity. It’s only natural that, in a year with no shortage of changes for Pattonville High School, the cross country team should find a stadium of its own. The team has found a new homebase at O’Connor Park, a wooded arena located in Bridgeton, on which they can make a name for themselves. “We finally have our own place,” junior Rachel Murphy said. “It’s like our homebase now.” Accompanying this new arena for the cross country team will be a multitude of changes, from the change in scenery to the change in terrain. Before this year, the cross country team had become accustomed to taking practice runs through venues like Pattonville’s nearby neighborhoods,
the high school track, and Creve Coeur Lake. Although the team will continue using these practice grounds after school most days, there are some factors O’Connor Park will provide that are unique to itself. Its quiet, isolated location in the old Carrolton neighborhood will offer minimal distractions for the Pirates, while being just a 5-minute drive from the high school. Junior runner Will Chaney, who’s entering his third year on the varsity squad, notes that the terrain throughout the park may be very beneficial for the team. “[The course] is very hilly,” he said. “Hills provide excellent training.” Chaney also identifies another incentive to running in O’Connor Park: having more free rein. “It’s isolated, but we’re not limited to just the park,” he said. There would be more restrictions and limitations at locations such as Creve Coeur Lake and the high school track as to where the team would be allowed to run and train. However, the greatest incentive will be the experience of having their own course.
Swimmers plan to use motivation this year to win competitions and overcome obstacles
By Elizabeth Ferguson
M The hilly course in O’Connor Park located in Bridgeton, Mo., has many back routes, and gives the cross country an isolated place to run. The team will host its inaugural meet next fall on the course. Chaney said the team has become “very familiar with the course” which possibly gives them an upperhand when it comes time for O’Connor Park to host its inaugural meet next fall. Until then, the runners are excited to utilize every inch of the course as they continue improving for the remainder of the 2012 season. v
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06 Boy’s swimming team to face challenges SEPTEMBER 2012 l PIRATE PRESS l
any new adjustments have been made at Pattonville High School, and with that comes a brand new indoor pool. The pool will be used for many different things such as swim team, water polo, community swimming and PE classes. Unfortunately, considering the progression of the construction on the pool, it will not be finished in time to be used by the varsity boys swimming and diving team. Their meets and practices are still held at Bridgeton Community Center, just like in the past. “I’m upset that I don’t get to use it, but I understand that the football stadium had to be done first,” senior Brandon Van Buren said. Along with Van Buren, senior Zach Lambros and junior Kyle Masek all agree that it’s disappointing that the pool will not be finished but are still looking to using it for water polo season. Despite the slow progress, the boys still put forth as much effort as possible to make this year a good season. “We’re a little low on swimmers but we have a lot of new kids as well,” Van Buren said. Lambros added, “It’s just going to be harder to actually be competitive.”
Although swimming is an individual sport, it’s just as much a team sport. “We have a strong freestyle team because they’ve been swimming all four years,” Lambros said. Each swimmer may not be great at every stroke, but they must do well on their personal bests to bring their cumulative score as high as possible. “Sometimes the Olympics can cause a misconception because they make it look really easy but it’s one of the harder sports,” Masek said. “People just don’t realize how hard it is.” The swimming team set goals at the beginning of the season, and are now starting to win points in competitions. v How are meets scored? “There are individual races and individual events that are worth six points for first place, four points for second, three points for third, two points for fourth, one point for fifth and zero points for sixth place. There can be six swimmers, three from each team normally during a dual meet, and relays are worth double those points,” senior Brandon Van Buren said.
07 lPIRATE PRESS l SEPTEMBER 2012
Sierra’s Scoop Changes from last year to this year
Jessica’s Jabber
comfortable with. The person who they can laugh with, tell everything to, have fun with, and be their best friend. Maybe it’s just a girl thing… Defending my women here, girls don’t look for much in a guy. Guys think girls look for their “Knight in Shining Armor” or “Prince Charming.” Most of us don’t live in fairytales. There’s no such thing as the perfect guy, but there is such a thing as the perfect guy for every individual girl. Girls look for simple traits. Such as a guy who is funny, outgoing, charming, and caring. The most important is honesty, trustworthiness, and loyalty. That’s not so hard to follow, right guys? We don’t look for the impossible, like “Superman” or “Captain America.” Personally, guys seem to be looking for the same important qualities, sometimes: Honesty, trustworthiness, and loyalty. Why is it that guys and girls misunderstand each other?
Both females and males want the same things when they want to find love. Recently in my English class, we’ve been reading this book called “Ragtime” and it has a little love in it. A love that isn’t so fair though. One day we talked about relationships and love, and I remember my teacher saying one specific thing that I will probably never forget. What she said is that people in relationships can either be givers or takers. Givers are people who give and give to their partner. For example, they make them breakfast all the time, write them notes, and show more emotion toward their lover. A taker is someone who takes. Takes, takes and takes, but never gives. Someone who takes the love that their partner gives to them, but could care less about them. She said that in order to have a healthy relationship, you couldn’t have two takers because then you’re just playing games with each other and being together for no reason. The worst type of relationship
is the one which you have a giver and a taker. That is not a healthy relationship. The best kind of relationship is one if you have two givers because they both care about each other, love each other, are honest and loyal. That is the kind of relationship you want to have. Relationships shouldn’t be that complicated. In reality, we teenagers, make it a lot harder than it really is. To have a successful relationship, stay positive. The more negative you think in a relationship, the more problems you’re going to have in the long run. Be honest with your partner. Being honest with each other is a very important thing to follow. If there is no honesty, there is no trust. If there is no trust, there’s no respect. If there is no respect, there’s no love and if there is no love, there’s no relationship.v
feel they should earn the most, if not, a little more than they make now. Also, why is it so important to athletes? For example, Albert Pujols played for the St. Louis Cardinals, making $12 million a season. Now, I know if I was making that kind of money, I might be the happiest person in the world. But I can’t blame Pujols for taking the Angels $254 million offer. Who wouldn’t? Pujols obviously thinks he’s worth more money, maybe because of his skill level or maybe he just wanted the money, and never really cared for what team he was on. Another famous athlete, Mike Tyson was also extremely well-paid and probably the most well-known boxer. He made $300 million over his career. A question I have, that makes me wonder about some athletes, is does it bring stress to them or their families? When I came up with this question, I immediately thought of Tyson. He was doing
great, making lots of money, and all of the sudden, he became broke, went to jail, and now he is performing on Broadway. But, back to talking about teachers, doctors and lawyers; like I said before, they shouldn’t be making millions of dollars either. The only problem I have is that I feel they are the ones who contribute to society, and help others in any possible way they can, and they should get more recognition than an athlete. I’m not trying to go off on athletes for what they make, I’m simply trying to state that I feel athletes shouldn’t make as much as they do, and that people who are more of a help to society (doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc.) should. The money that athletes make is too much for them to handle. v
obtain with the computer, and even though some websites are blocked at school through the Firewall, students must remain wise about what they do online from other Wi-Fi supporters. Overall, the fact that Pattonville students have these
computers adds a unique twist compared to other schools. The main point that students should remember through all of the benefits and hardships of computers is simple: Have fun with the computers, but be smart and use it responsibly. v
Editor-in-Chief Jessica Vargas Managing Editor Sierra Peerman Copy Editor Allison Leventhal
Staff Writers Kyleigh Ambrosecchia Katherine Bahr Brady Bell Taylor Holmstrom Abby Kieffer Allison Leventhal
Guys and gals trying to find love in high school
By Jessica Vargas igh school relationships are, I think, complicated. In high school, it seems like there are two different types of relationships. The first is where two people are all about each other, almost attached to the hip. The couples that everyone talks about and says they are the cutest thing and predict they will never break up and will always have a future together. There are also the couples that show lots of emotion, both positive and negative. They fight, get back together, fight again, and get back together again. It’s a big rollercoaster, I know. However, you’d be surprised of how they grow with each other, fix their problems, and stay together for years. That’s possible sometimes. It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen next. Everyone wishes they could find that one person they can be themselves around and feel very
By Sierra Peerman ast year there were several classes chosen to be part of the pilot for the MacBook Airs and iPads. I was one of the students that had a MacBook Air. I am glad that they chose to use the laptops instead of the iPads but there is a big difference in how the administration and technology department distributed the devices this year and the guidelines that go with them. During the roll out this year, students and their parents had to watch a video on how to use their laptops and also had to sit through a lecture on how to use them properly. I did not have to do either of those last year. We did not get any kind of formal training when we received our devices. I also was not able to change my password to get on my computer and the Moodle. The school assigned us one and that was what we had to use. Another difference was that we did not pay insurance to keep our computer throughout the year. Pages was the only document writing program we had on the computers last year and it posed a lot of problems. We were unable to open those files on anything other than a Mac. It also took a long time to get used to something other than Microsoft Word. Therefore, this year they put Microsoft software on our laptops after hearing our feedback about Pages and Keynote. The school took our feedback and used it to make these things easier this year. Having my MacBook my junior year was very beneficial, especially for English, which was the pilot class. Even the students that think they will not use the laptop will end up finding a reason to use it.v
H
By Samantha Madden hen we’re little, we are asked what we want to be when we grow up. Most children respond with a teacher, firefighter, police officer or an actor/actress. I’m just now figuring out how to manage my own money, and make monthly payments for my car. I’m only 17; I have a part-time job working at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, and am currently trying to find another. Being a senior in high school, I am supposed to make the biggest decisions of my life: What career will I choose, and where will I go to college? There are so many different professions I can choose. Most admirable professions, like teachers, social workers and paramedics, are important to me. They have a big part in contribut-
ing to society. But, since money is so important to everyone these days, why should I stop there? Maybe I could become an astronaut, a senator or even president. Or even become an athlete! Athletes are probably the people who get paid the most. Money is one of the biggest issues in our economy these days. Albert Pujols, Tiger Woods and Mike Tyson are some of the most well-known, and best-paid athletes in the world. Albert Pujols signed a $254 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels and Tiger Woods gets paid about $59 million a year. But, the question I have is: Why so much? I understand they are very talented and have incredible skills, but in my opinion, I feel that people who contribute to society (lawyers, doctors, paramedics, etc.) should receive the most money. I’m not saying they should receive millions of dollars, but I
Staff Editorial
are given a little more responsibility to be on top of their studies since they can simply look on their classes’s Moodle page for updates and links for assignments. When looking into how the laptops benefit other classes, they appear predominantly important for the core classes. Students can thrive in math and science classes by using the computer for good interpretation of data. The laptops now become an accessible tool to research background and write effective essays for history and English classes as well. While there are endless ways that the laptops help in both core classes and electives, it makes students more accountable to complete assignments by the specific due date. It will
be difficult for students to pull away with excuses of ‘I didn’t know’ or ‘ I couldn’t do it.’ Moving away from educational purposes, students can also use the laptops for recreation. Although, Safari and Firefox can be used to let students browse appropriate websites, there are other apps that give students a chance to mingle with technology. FaceTime and iChat are apps that let students connect with their friends and keep a close social life. The computers also have a suite of Apple programs that can help students look at media with a lot of detail. However, there are precautions that students must remember to take when using the MacBook Airs. The Internet is a priveledge that students
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It is the opinion of the Pirate Press staff that students should be careful of how they use their computer in and out of school.
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bviously, these devices are powerful for both the Pattonville faculty and students. In a sense, the students now have a wide amount of power and freedom. But after a few weeks with the MacBook Airs, one question swirls around many minds of students here at the high school: How should the laptops be put to good use? The teachers expect the tool to enhance student education and productivity outside of class, especially since each laptop can connect to the Moodle and other websites for learning. Students
PIRATE PRESS
Sam’s Side
Athletes should not be paid more than they can handle
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Opinion
PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 2497 CREVE COEUR MILL ROAD MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO 63043 The Pirate Press is the public forum newspaper of Pattonville High School. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists, is part of the school curriculum and recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. Student editors make all decisions regarding content. As the members of the 2012-2013 staff, we dedicate ourselves to the accurate and objective dissemination of information to all readers. The viewpoints of all staff members are to be regarded as being separate from those of our administration, faculty, peers and adviser.
Design Editor Joey Schneider Photo Editor Elizabeth Ferguson Web Editor Timothy Vleisides
Samantha Madden Bionca Maldonado Thomas Sarsfield Phillip Scherer Leroy Taylor Adviser Brian Heyman
Feature/Entertainment
SEPTEMBER 2012 l PIRATE PRESS l
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A field guide of surviving freshman year Band travels to Hawaii over summer; performs in parade, on USS Missouri By Katie Bahr and Bionca Maldonado
As freshmen take their first steps in high school, it can be difficult to make a smooth transition. To help out, here is a Freshman Survival Guide made possible by freshmen and seniors: Tanisha Felton: “Does the homework get easier after freshman year?” Charles Rauh: “Homework does not get easier speaking from personal experience. [As a] freshman, you have all your required classes and it may seem like a lot but it’s the basics. So just because there’s less homework in your upperclassmen years doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it seriously.”
By Allison Leventhal
O Cole Mansell: “What is the most stressful part of high school?” Candice Baty: “The most stressful part of high school is starting out. It’s a big change from what you knew to something totally different. A lot of freshmen I know slack off because they think freshman year is easy, but you need to take it seriously.”
Tyler Long: “How do you stay organized?” Zac Gray: “By keeping different folders and notebooks for different classes.” Andre’a Hammond: “What is a great class to take?”
ver the summer, Pattonville’s marching band made the 4,095 mile trip to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, for the “experience of a lifetime”, said Junior Angela Lindner. The marching band spent six days in Hawaii, for the main purpose of marching in the King Kamehameha parade. King Kamehameha was the man who united all of the Hawaiian Islands together. Numerous band students were functioning on only a couple hours of sleep because of flight delays when the day came to march in the parade. Junior Lauren Artelt said, “It was extremely difficult to march close to five miles when I only got two or three hours of sleep the night before.” The parade, known as the longest parade in Hawaii, took Pattonville’s marching band through the Waikiki area, starting at Iolani Palace and ending at Kapiolani Park. The marching band also made a stop at Pearl Harbor where they performed aboard the USS Missouri. Being in Hawaii for six days, the marching band filled their free time with lots of activities like taking a bus tour of the island, swimming in a bay resort, going to a luau, and just walking the streets of Hawaii. Artelt says, “We never slept and we were always busy, busy, busy!” Lindner and Artelt both agree Pattonville’s trip to Hawaii was one they will never forget. Artelt believes, “All the kids that went have grown closer together, because the trip was an overall bonding experience.” v
Did you see these Hawaiian stereotypes?
Jessica Vargas: “Pirate Press (newspaper) and ECHO (yearbook) because they’re fun and you get your name printed in the newspaper and yearbook. It’s not hard because all you have to do is get your stuff in by deadline. Start by signing up for Journalism I early.”
When Olivia Barrett, marching band student, was asked what Hawaiian stereotypes she saw, here is how she responded...
a
Grass skirt
aa
Drinking out Tiki torches of coconuts
Leis
“Hello, my name is...” - Meet some of the new Pirate staff members By Phillip Scherer Name, Subject
High School
College
Other Teaching Jobs?
Mr. Kyle McFarland, Science
Greenville High School (Ill.)
SIUE (B.S.) and Washington University (M.A.)
One year at Parkway Not until I volunteered at St. South High School Louis Public Schools.
Enjoyed student interaction and excitement I gave to students while volunteering.
Ms. Michelle Wedig, English
Stuttgart American High School (Germany) and Hazelwood Central
Missouri State for undergrad and UMSL for master’s degree
12 years in the Fran- No, I did not always want to be a cis Howell School teacher. District
Loved and exceled in English in high school.
Ms. Susan Richmann, Math
Rosati Kain High School
Fontbonne University
Taught 5 years at Kirkwood High School and 2 years at Parkway North High School
I always wanted to be a teacher, especially after 5th grade when I loved my teacher.
I wanted to be just like my 5th grade, lefthanded teacher, because she was so cool.
Ms. Vicki Schaeffer, Science
Hazelwood Central
Mizzou for undergrad and UMSL for graduate
Yes, I have taught in the Francis Howell District and at Hazelwood West High School
Originally, I was going to be an A God spoke to me and told me I should be a economics major, but I realized I teacher and it was a perfect fit. was too much of a people person.
Ms. Lisa Shah, Math
Parkway South
Mizzou for undergrad and UMSL for masters
I taught at PattonThought about engineering in ville from 2000high school, but knew I wanted 2006 and at Deerto be around people more. field High School (suburb of Chicago) from 2006-2012
I love being able to help people understand topics that are usually found to be complicated.
Mr. Victor Fink, Social Studies
Pattonville High School
Illinois College
Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, Ill.
I could think of few other jobs where I could talk about history all day and be involved in high school athletics.
News Sports Features Opinion
Always Wanted To Be A Teacher? Reason For Teaching
I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I entered college, and then decided to teach history.
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