The Eagle | Issue 1 | November 2022

Plymouth North High School

Meet

As we travel further into the 2022 2023 school year, alongside fellow faces, old and new, there is one in particular that should be recognized

Mrs Jillian Furtado is one of the newest administrators to our school She has assumed the very important role of vice principal for the Freshman class This is a major role within the school community, which requires many skills to withhold this position

Born and raised in Taunton, Massachusetts, Furtado is a Bruins and Patriots fan She previously worked at both Taunton Middle and High school, and she has two children, Avery (3), and Casey (6 months)

In regards to undertaking the role as assistant principal, Furtado has always taken an interest in working in a school

Mrs.

Furtado

Get to know our new assistant principal

By Gabby Colorusso

Furtado said she has always found “climate and culture in a building” important, as she believes “it leads to, and aids in student connectivity, and success ”

Furtado works closely with grade 9 students, Freshman Academy teachers, and the freshmen guidance counselor Her role is to help students “transition from middle to high school, and from freshman to sophomore, and beyond,” said Furtado The adjustment for students as they transition to high school can be difficult, and having such a strong and supportive administration makes the process so much easier

Mrs Jennifer McWhirter, English teacher, has been at the Freshman Academy since 2011 McWhirter was on the hiring committee for the position, where Furtado stood out McWhirter said that Furtado will bring a positive “energy” to the environment, and “embodies the values that we hold at our school for accountability for all students ” “She has an opportunity to build the academy from where she started last year,” McWhirter said in reference to the pairing of teams for Freshman Last year the academy created paired teams so that each of the four teams was paired with another team

New Pass System

Plymouth North’s speedy adjustment to the new E Hall Pass

By Connor Jepson

AFreshman cademy

Furtado has enjoyed her time at North so far “It is full of energy so many opportunities exist for students to build positive relationships, get connected, and achieve success both academic and socially,” said Furtado

Furtado shared that she is focusing on “being friendly, organized, efficient, and valuing people’s feelings ” Furtado

placed emphasis on making sure all students have a sense of belonging and feel welcomed

All in all, Mrs Furtado is “happy to be here, and excited to see where the school year goes!” Although she works primarily with 9th graders, Furtado would love to meet new faces “of all ages!”

In the third week of the school year, Plymouth North was sent into a frenzy when administration introduced E Hall Pass

This school year, Principal Parcellin is holding students accountable for their time in the hallways In an attempt to prevent kids from taking advantage of time out of class, Plymouth North is one of many schools to instill the E Hall Pass This is an online system that students must fill out to leave the classroom and it is used to track every students’ time out of class

“With E Hall Pass being a success at Plymouth South Middle, we jumped on it,” said Parcellin

However, many students have not felt the system is successful “This is ridiculous, I shouldn’t have to wait for a pass to go to the bathroom!” said Plymouth North Senior Colin Raeke

For teachers, after a short adjustment period, the system has become beneficial

“It was stressful at first,” said history teacher Jeremy Hales “It has made a lot of things easier now that we’ve had time with it ”

That statement is the theme of E Hall Pass, now only weeks later, Plymouth North has nearly completely bought into the new system In a very short time, both students and teachers have found the most efficient ways to use the website, eliminating a lot of what both students and teachers were bothered by

Additionally, E Hall Pass has made certain scenarios easier for everyone “If I have to go somewhere during K Block, I can set an appointment before and my teachers will approve it I don’t even have to check in,” Senior Jesse Evans said

"I still don’t love logging onto my Chromebook to go to the bathroom But, it’s not as annoying as I originally thought,” said Colin Raeke

While some students may still dislike E Hall Pass, it is a system that helps administration keep students accountable while also helping out scheduling Guidance, special education, and clubs have all been using the system to context with students

Be sure to check your email and log in to E Hall pass so you don’t miss an important meeting

Several AP exams at North are facing the possibility of going digital this academic year, as well as in the years to follow

In the 2022 2023 school year, College Board has begun offering several AP exams in a digital format This includes AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, AP U S History, and AP World History: Modern

The format and the time given to complete the digital exam would be the exact same as for the paper exams The test would be taken using a program called, Bluebook that students sign into using their College Board accounts

“I think it’s very likely that most if not all AP exams will go digital,” said Ms Shari Kahle, the AP coordinator at North “For students, they prefer digital because they’re not really used to writing, so I think it’s a more accurate representation of how students prepare and the reality of their classroom experience ”

"We all live in the digital world, typing can be a very efficient way of responding to the questions, as well as feeling familiar," said Dr Roselyn Farren, the teacher for AP English Literature and Composition " On the other

Every year in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam evaluates students from the third grade through sophomore year Tracking students’ academic progress allows the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to assess curricula in school districts and prepare students for college

After the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education decision on August 11, 2022, students in the class of 2026 (freshmen) and beyond will have higher benchmark scores for passing the MCAS exam in English and biology Students must earn a scaled score of 486 on the English and mathematics MCAS exam and 470 for the biology exam Previously, the benchmarks were 472 for English and 220 for biology

In the school year of 2021 2022 Plymouth Public Schools earned an average score of 496 in English, 493 in mathematics, and 491 in biology With average scores so close to the benchmark, many students question how well prepared they will be for the exam, especially with higher standards

Although the mathematics exam’s passing score didn’t change, teachers at North are still concerned about student preparation in the years to come Mathematics Department Head for Plymouth North, Keisha Nielsen, believes that students need an outlet for extra MCAS practice

“Before the pandemic, students had access to after school tutoring and resources for extra help in the subjects they test on the MCAS exam,” said Nielsen “However, we are unfortunately unable to offer this because of changes in the after school schedule ”

Teacher availability has become a concern for Nielsen, who has spent time trying to find a way to include an extra help tutor “Teachers need to focus on their own classes, so it’s unfair to ask them to spend more time after school without any extra pay,” said Nielsen “If the district could find a way to allocate funds for an additional program, then I believe that both students and teachers could benefit from the addition of an MCAS prep program ”

School News

Some AP Testing is Going Digital

By: Riley Dever

hand, the ability to read and annotate a hard copy is a much deeper form of reading, so the drawback of the digital exam would be that you’re trying to process digital text ”

Despite the variety of tests being offered, Plymouth North may still see several tests in the traditional paper format

Last year, the AP English Literature and Composition exam was digital, the first AP test to be administered digitally at PNHS.

“Because year over year things have been so different, it’s hard to compare them,” said Farren With the pandemic impacting the last few school years, it has changed the way AP testing is administered, making it difficult to compare the results of digital and paper testing Most students are more familiar with answering open responses in a digital, typed format Despite this, reading from the computer screen can lead to a much less

English exam benchmarks rose by fourteen points for the sophomore exam and the biology exam by 250 points A 250 point increase in the biology MCAS troubles students who wonder why DESE decided to change its standards

Among those concerned is Freshman Paige Robertson, who aspires to become the first person in her family to pursue a high school diploma Robertson questions why DESE would vote to change MCAS scoring, even while the COVID 19 Pandemic still has effects in public schools “I really want to ask the people who made this decision why they would do something so drastic after the effects of a pandemic,” said Robertson

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in depth understanding than when students are able to annotate a hard copy One of the AP exams that could potentially go digital this year is the AP U S History exam

“If scores rise and the task of writing is made easier by practicing doing digital exams in school and then doing it on the exam then that’s really all that matters; if it’s easier for students so their scores improve because it buys them more thinking time by taking away from the writing time,” said Mr Steven Moore, the AP U S History teacher

Students also have opinions on the formatting of AP tests AP U S History student Victoria Parent believes that the digital test will prove to be easier and more efficient

“While the difficulty level, content wise, will most likely stay the same, it will be much easier for the students timewise,” said Parent “Writing by hand, especially doing essays or DBQs, are extremely time consuming and are very stressful to complete in the little time we have, so I believe typing these are a much better alternative ”

There are pros and cons to AP tests going digital While the digital format may allow students to complete responses in a way that they are more familiar with, it can also make it more difficult for students to gather a complex understanding of the material

“I just can’t help but think that they’re moving too quickly trying to catch up for the lost time that COVID made us lose,” said Gillette “My class doesn’t even know what a real night’s worth of homework is We didn’t get the middle school experience that most people go through ”

Despite numerous student concerns over MCAS standards, the Plymouth Public Schools are optimistic about their student’s futures Although the raising standards of the English and biology exams may seem untimely, teachers believe that students target success throughout their academic careers Dr Lisa White, English Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator for grades K 12 in the Plymouth Public Schools, oversees the

North Responds to New MCAS Requirements

New MCAS Requirements Have Changed Testing Outlook for Students and Staff

Robertson worries about her ambitions to pursue a college career and receive her diploma “I hope to graduate from Plymouth North, but I don’t see why that should be made harder by a decision by people that don’t even know me,” said Robertson “I would challenge [DESE] to spend even a month in students’ shoes If they saw how difficult life has been during the pandemic, they would not be rushing to decide on people’s futures ”

Anxiety surrounding standardized testing isn’t new But, for students like Lyla Jones, who feel stressed during the testing season, MCAS adds another problem to an already stressful period in a teenager’s life: “I know I’m not the only person who feels lost during MCAS months I start losing control of my schoolwork and my extracurricular activities I don’t understand why [DESE] is adding more stress to students when they are coping with the effects of COVID and their adolescence ”

“I just don’t understand how MCAS scores can rise immediately after a global pandemic that literally shut down the entire world’s education systems,” said Kasey Gillette, a freshman in the class of 2026 “We didn’t even have MCAS for half of middle school, so a lot of my class doesn’t even remember what the test looks like anymore ”

By: Parker Maslowski

literacy instruction for MCAS students, developing their reading and writing comprehension skills and strategies for the exam Through the department curriculum students learn to evaluate and synthesize sources: a skill set needed for the exam

“Our approach to MCAS has always been to expand questions and formats into our curriculum,” said Dr White “I’ve been involved in administrator capacities for placing questions on the MCAS exam, and so I try to encourage teachers to incorporate the tactics I’ve used for formative assessments ”

The English curriculum integrates reading complex passages, non fiction comprehension, and technology enhanced questions into what is required for sophomore students

“DESE has changed and raised the bar, but that doesn’t mean we cannot include what they have always tested on the exam into our everyday curriculum,” said Dr White

“As a school system, we provide students the collective atmosphere and balance required to focus on both their standardized education, and individualized learning,” said Dr White “Our goal is to prepare our students to utilize their abilities to a capacity that helps them grow as students and learners ” By targeting students’ goals, Dr White hopes to streamline and strengthen student achievement in education

The curriculum will not change in response to raising MCAS requirements, and teachers’ attitudes toward standardized testing will not change either Teachers and administrators are adamant in their belief that students will succeed regardless of MCAS benchmark scores

“The raising of MCAS standards will not change my teaching philosophy; teachers go into every year thinking about the skills that we want to teach our students,” said Ms Brittany Hildebrand, an English teacher for sophomores “We want them to take what they learn and apply it to their lives and MCAS The exam generally takes the skillsets we teach students throughout the years and evaluates them on those skills ”

Hildebrand’s students prepare for the MCAS through the streamlined curriculum of the Plymouth Public Schools Since the coordination of student skills optimizes for development across a student’s academic journey, students carry the skills they learn in one year and subsequently practice and involve those skills in their assignments and standardized testing

“As long as teachers are focused on how their lessons can bring the most amount of learning to their students, there is nothing that should stop students from succeeding on the MCAS ” said Hildebrand “Raising the bar on standardized testing is going to come down to how well the individual student takes the skills that they learned and applies it onto the MCAS ”

Teachers at Plymouth North are confident in students’ ability to include the lessons from their classes in standardized tests Despite this confidence, however, comes a worry about the implications of the MCAS on students’ mental health

“Standardized testing, in general, is very overwhelming an anxiety ridden experience for most kids I don’t anticipate any of that changing for most students,” said Hildebrand “I may be confident that my teaching will prepare students for the MCAS but I cannot prepare a student to handle the stress that they might feel surrounding a standardized test ”

An organic reaction for students has been to question the decisions of DESE, and teachers have reacted similarly Although raising criteria for students is not an inherently flawed measure for some students and teachers, the timing of DESE’s decision confuses many educators

I question the timing of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education,” said Hildebrand “From a teacher’s standpoint, as someone who has to prepare her students for these exams, I just don’t see the justification behind changing the scoring at this particular time ”

As the school year moves towards the MCAS season, students and teachers anticipate the effects of the changes to MCAS scoring standards Regardless of how the modifications of MCAS may influence their teaching, teachers focus on the importance of their students: “The best thing that we can do is teach our students to the fullest extent possible Students are our future, and we should look towards their best interests ”

The 2022 school year marks the return of many clubs, previously shut down at North due to Covid While North has had its share of new art, game, and engineering clubs, nothing has ever been offered to students interested in medicine until now The Medical Career Club, started this fall, will finally fill this void “Medical Career Club is to introduce students interested in some type of medical field to a wide range of jobs,” said Nancy Rozak, Biomed Teacher and Club Advisor

This new club is the outlet science driven students have been looking for “For the past few years I have been doing career projects in the Senior Biomed class, so it just seemed like a natural transition to go ahead and start an after school club,” said Rozak

The club is filled with many familiar faces to Rozak She has seen a trend in a lot of her Biomed and Human Anatomy students being participants

CLUBS

Plymouth North's New Medical Career Club

A club offering insight into future careers

in Medicine

By: Maeve Campbell

“Anybody who thinks they are interested in anything along the lines of the medical field is more than welcome

come,” said Rozak Junior, Bella Piekarski, is one of Rozak’s many Biomed students who is a part of this club She had been wanting to

her Biomed class last year

Senior Yuna Yi echoed Piekarski’s sentiments “I think it will definitely be a guiding point for me to be able to see what my options in medicine are As I stated earlier, there are so many sub fields of medicine, and it’s interesting to learn about what I can become as someone interested in the medical field,” said Yi

This club offers hands on experience for students like Yi and Piekarski Rozak plans to offer CPR training and skills practices, like doing a stitch on fake skin graphs She also will be bringing medical professionals to future club meetings to talk about their careers

Rozak is holding these meetings every other Tuesday after school in room 312A She plans to eventually expand the club beyond the medical field into other STEM related careers Contact Mrs Rozak if you are interested or want to learn more

PlymouthNorth PingPong

The students of Plymouth North High School find many different ways to pass their time after school Some play a sport, some play an instrument, some do community service However, there is one after school club at PNHS that has a unique combination of competition and fun you won’t be able to find anywhere else: Ping pong club with Mr Escobar

Every Thursday afternoon after school, Mr Luis Escobar opens up his classroom to the table tennis talents of Plymouth North Students of all skill levels and backgrounds come to participate Escobar is seemingly the perfect man for this operation, as he has a lifetime of ping pong experience to help him lead the way “When I was a teenager, my brother and I would just play and play and play When I came to school, something I wanted to do was opening up a club that relates to the skills I already had,” said Escobar Having years of experience under his belt, Escobar acts as not only an administrator of the club, but also an i “Wh I d h ll i h b sic l hit t bar s

Some may say crocheting is a difficult task, but at Plymouth North, students are up for the challenge Ms Jenkins Brown, alongside seniors Caitlin Reynolds and Maeve Campbell, has started up crochet club again for another year But, to Campbell and Reynolds, crocheting is more than just the club

Campbell and Reynolds have priorly held this hidden talent, and are even able to make a business out of their carefully crafted pieces Caitlin Reynolds, a skilled student leader of the club, found herself crocheting a plethora of items such as bags, hats, scarves, and blankets, in her free time because it is a beloved hobby of hers that can be done while watching TV, or listening to music

“I figured other people might want to buy them By selling things I make, I can profit off of my hobby while also sharing my pieces with my friends and family,” said Reynolds Not only does the skill of crocheting give people an enjoyable hobby and fun new items like bags or blankets, you could eventually be able to make a profit on your art Reynolds has made over hundreds of dollars making bags, hats, and blankets for her peers

An inside look at the competition and fun of ping-pong club with Mr. Escobar

By: Seeger Creane

This means that the club is perfect for even the least experienced players Students who’ve never picked up a paddle can go weekly and develop their skills

However, the meetings aren’t just instructional Students who participate get the opportunity to play and compete with their friends and classmates, making for a very fun way to spend a Thursday afternoon Participants will often tally head to head results or track win/loss records to get the best of their friends

“The best part of being in the club was honestly playing against my friends Even though I could always play them outside of school, it was always fun playing after school with everybody laughing and having a good time It’s so fun to compete in that environment ” said former club member Robby Cooney

As great as ping pong club is already, the future is only bigger and brighter, as potential inter school play could be coming soon

“My idea is that in the future we’ll compete with a team of students against other high schools That’s the long term goal,” said Escobar

Students at North are able to use their talent of crocheting to sell their pieces and make a profit off their favorite pastime

Written by: Lucy Woomer

Campbell has also used her talents in her favor, accidentally! “I wear the couple of bags I made for myself around everywhere so people would come up to me and ask where I got it and I would say I made it and they would ask me if I sold them So I started selling them to my friends and coworkers,” said Campbell

She did not purposefully start selling them, but by displaying her own creations, it led people to want items just like she wore Customers privately ask her to construct items for them, and choose the color scheme they want, and then she uses her expertise to create the items

Campbell said bags take her around “5 10 hours” proving the hard work and dedication that goes into carefully crafting sellable items She also buys her own yarn, which, with multiple different colors and patterns, can add up Because of the lengthy time exerted and materials provided, she said bags are around, “35 50 dollars ”

“They also make for a great personable gift,” said Campbell, who has taken the time to gift 3 bags to her family members and friends

The two girls have been able to create a business out of something they truly enjoy

Inter high school ping pong has been done by other schools, so this is definitely an achievable goal for Escobar and the rest of the ping pong club

“The meetings are already super fun, and it would only be better if we were in a league or something like that I think it would be cool to up the competition by playing other schools,” said club member JJ Wilson

Even if it’s still just within Plymouth North, this idea of competition seems central to the club It’s unique in that aspect; few other after school activities, outside of sports, offer the competitive aspect that ping pong club does “I think my favorite thing about being in the club is the competition I love going there after a long day at school to just duel it out with my buddies,” said Wilson

Whether they’re the most beginner of beginners, or a seasoned veteran with years of experience, the members of the ping pong club certainly have a good time every Thursday in Mr Escobar’s room, paddle to paddle

HobbyTurned toBusiness?

want,” said Reynolds

Joining crochet club can help you grow this talent, and even lead you to profit off of this skill

“The club meets twice a month, and it is an excellent place to make new friends, learn a new skill, eat some treats, and create something beautiful,” said advisor Jenkins Brown

“Crochet club is open to all students and staff and we love greeting new faces at each meeting,” said Ms JB She hopes to encourage students who may be hesitant to join the club because they have never picked up a crochet hook in their life

Although it can be difficult to get the hang of it, pushing through those setbacks will gift you a beautiful new skill

Not only do new students get to learn a skill they haven’t been taught before, students who already know how to crochet are given a space to bond and do it with friends

All students and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend future crochet club meetings for snacks, fun, and to learn a great new skill in a healthy and calming environment Eventually, you could build your talents, and make a profit just like these wonderful girls

Members of Plymouth North's Medical Career's Club

Photo Credits: Ava Galindo

to

join since the idea was brought up in

“For me, it has given me the opportunity to learn more about nursing My goal is to go into a nursing program for college, and this club is letting me learn more about what that could mean,” Piekarski said

"I think crocheting is a skill that you can continue to use throughout your whole life It’s easy and efficient; you can basically create whatever you

Members of Plymouth North's Crochet Club

Photo Credits: Brooke Finlay

Plymouth Public School’s Focus on Diversity and Inclusion

creating an inclusive and safe school environment for all students

“The Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will support the implementation of the District's strategic diversity initiatives aligned with the District’s mission and long range plans,” said Dr Christopher Campbell, superintendent of Plymouth Public Schools “This person will assist us in leveraging best practices and resources to promote a culture of inclusion and belonging where all students and families in our district can thrive ”

at we create safe, validating, and inclusive services for all

This position is a step towards ensuring that spaces for students,” said Hattab

This is incredibly important as PPS wants to make school a more inclusive and equal place for all students no matter what In order to do so, the school community will need to take the steps necessary to see where they can improve the experience of students in schools across the district

Across the district, shiny vinyl “You Belong Here” posters can be found hanging up in almost every classroom, serving as an important reminder for students For the Plymouth Public School district, this school year’s theme could not be more crucial and come at a more appropriate time

The importance of making every student feel safe, accepted, and heard is a major foundation for learning this year and with the new school year rolling in, Plymouth Public Schools has made some big changes This past July, Plymouth Public Schools hired Breyaunna Hattab as the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion coordinator to implement these initiatives in the district

This impactful decision to have a Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Coordinator for Plymouth Public Schools was decided last March by the School Committee The School Committee wanted to emphasize making students feel safe, accepted, and included at school, no matter what age level The PPS School Committee decided that creating this position would be the best step forward in

Hattab, a California native, has an extensive background in social work, as well as dedicating the last ten years of her life to advocating and working with minorities in Flagstaff, Arizona before moving here During this time she worked extensively with at risk youth, POC and LGBTQIA individuals, college counseling, first generation students, individuals with disabilities, and more

Her focus on social justice, anti racism, anti bias, mental health, and public health shaped her community for the better, and she continues these focuses today as the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator for the Plymouth Public Schools This background has made her very qualified to thrive in this position

Her role was created with the goals of creating new professional development opportunities that focus on making learning more reflective and inclusive to the overall student body, as well as aiding curriculum coordinators in choosing more diverse subjects and educational experiences for students at every age “This position is important for PPS because we have students, families, and staff of ll backgrounds, and we need to provide equitable and inclusion

Teachers Leaving the Classroom

Teachers around the country have been leaving the profession at a staggering rate From the emotional troubles they go through every day, to being underpaid, teachers have a lot to think about when it comes to either staying or leaving for another, higher paying, less strenuous job

Around the country, teachers are finding their jobs becoming more and more intense According to the Teacher Career Coach 38% of teachers report their work as being stressful

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, over 300,000 public school teachers left the profession between February 2020 and May 2022 and according to a poll conducted by the National Education Association, 55% of teachers say they will leave teaching earlier than they originally thought

This national issue has hit locally at Plymouth North as teachers have been leaving at a higher rate than usual

“In the past year, we have had 6 staff members leaving in the middle of the school year, and 12 leave over the summer,” said Plymouth North Principal Peter Parcellin

This high rate of teachers leaving has brought new challenges for administration as they work hard to find replacements to fill teaching positions

By: Brenna Guiliani

is exceptionally significant and crucial to all students in Plymouth Public Schools It is essential that all students feel safe, welcomed, supported, and accepted, as all ability to successfully learn and make connections stems from those basic needs,” said Hildebrand

This role comes at a crucial time for Plymouth Public Schools as the world continues to be marked by acts of hate, which means creating an environment of inclusion and safety at school is more important than ever Plymouth Public Schools is focusing on doing better at making schools a safe and peaceful environment for all students, and wants to make each student feel seen, safe, and accepted

Hattab’s passion for community and helping others feel valued is sure to be noticed as she begins her transition into this position She is eager to get to know the community and bring her expertise and experience to help make the changes necessary to improve the climate in Plymouth Public Schools

Ms Brittany Hildebrand, an English teacher as well as the advisor of the Equity and Justice committee at Plymouth North High School, is a major supporter of these initiatives She is excited that Plymouth Public Schools is making changes in the right direction in creating a more safe and welcoming environment, and is eager to see what Hattab will bring to the school community

“Work surrounding diversity and inclusion

With this focus, Plymouth Public Schools will use the new position as a tool to identify strengths, as well as areas that can be improved to create a student focused climate of positive outcomes and achievement

“This is a work in progress: Achieving equity and inclusion in our schools requires patience and urgency, resolve and resilience, courage and compassion We aren’t perfect and there’s a lot for us to learn and figure out together,” said Dr Campbell

Although this journey to making these goals possible is ever changing, it is agreed that teamwork from administrators, staff, and students is extremely important in making these changes possible

“I believe we have the potential to create an amazing future for our scholars if we all work together This work is not solely on me, it takes collaboration and investment from everyone associated with and in Plymouth Public Schools, I am here to guide everyone in the work,” said Hattab

Dr Campbell is also looking forward to the future of Plymouth Public Schools as this focus continues through the year “I’m excited about what lies ahead We must stay together on this road to equity and inclusion As the year progresses, we will be sure to provide forums and updates related to this important work ”

Teachers around the country leaving profession due to increased stress in workplace

By Ethan Hogan

One teacher who left in the middle of the year, former Plymouth North math teacher Kate Thompson, would deal with the problems at school and then head over to another job after the school day ended

“I felt like I was working harder in that job than I could handle on top of dealing with behavioral problems in the classroom that had an impact on my mental health, only to then have to leave work and show up to my second

“I was a teacher for 5 years and during that time the demands and pressure being put on teachers has only increased,” said Bechtold

Teachers' struggles are becoming harder as each year passes Obstacles that are out of teachers' hands have been put in the way of their actual goals when they became teachers

“Many teachers don’t feel respected Their

“I loved working with my students, but I felt like the responsibility of their education was shifting more and more onto me as opposed to being a partnership where both the teacher and the students work together to learn,” said Bechtold

Another obstacle is that teachers in Massachusetts need to receive their master's degree to teach in a public school within five years of starting And in order to get a pay raise you need to take advanced college courses

“In order to climb up the pay scale, many teachers end up getting the equivalent of three master's degrees,” said Thompson

This means that while teachers are already working beyond the school day to plan, write college recommendations, and grade they then need to take courses during the school week and on weekends

Even with this added education, according to a study done by Edweek, teachers earn 23 5% less than comparable college graduates

job to make ends meet it ended up feeling like a thankless job,” said Thompson Through all the work these teachers put into teaching these students and at the end of the day some feel like nobody appreciates them

Belinda Bechtold, a former Plymouth North science teacher, also left the teaching profession and agrees that teaching has become more stressful since the time she started

time isn’t respected Their effort isn’t respected And lots of times teachers are spoken to by people as if they are a scientist reciting a formula Teaching is an art form, not a science Teachers in this building are constantly trying to perfect their craft,” said Parcellin

Bechtold enjoyed many parts of teaching, but a few obstacles got in the way of what she really wanted

Many reasons are the cause for such a large group of teachers across the country leaving the classroom and moving to another industry, including Bechtold

“My new job is in biotech, and it’s better in some ways than teaching I am able to manage my own schedule much more, and I work on a team where I am trusted to put in the work I need to do and get my job done,” said Bechtold

It will be interesting to see how many teachers across the country leave the profession in the next few years

Plymouth Public Schools hires its first diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator

Breyaunna Hattab Plymouth Public Schools' Diversity

Coordinator Photo Credits: Emily Goonan

College Touring: Worth It or a Waste of Time?

College touring can help alleviate the stress of choosing by providing upperclassmen with in depth information they wouldn’t otherwise get online

By Avary Bond

As seniors start to apply to colleges, many have found that college touring helped them figure out where they want to go and why Attending college tours can be an eye opening experience for upperclassmen figuring out what they want in a university or college because it can narrow down their list of prospective schools

It alleviates the stress of applying because it provides students with the tools they need to decide if they like a school's undergrad programs, clubs, and athletics

Jordan Sherman, a current senior at Plymouth North who is applying to 17 schools, said, “Going on multiple tours allows me to compare and contrast my likes and dislikes so I can narrow down my choices I like being there so I can see if I would like living there I can't do that online.”

Gaining an in person experience of a school adds an extra layer of depth to the decision making process that is harder to achieve purely online The more colleges one visits, the more easily their list can get narrowed down

As application deadlines approach and futures after high school are being considered, the prospect of college can be overwhelming or even frightening Going on tours dispels a lot of anxiety because it provides students with clarity they might not have had before

Mrs Lewison, a French teacher at Plymouth North and alumni of Providence College, said, “I think what drew me to PC was exactly what I remember hearing when I started touring schools ’you will just be able to see yourself there and it will feel like home’ This is what it was like for me when I toured ”

Just seeing a school in person can indicate whether or not someone can truly see themselves going there Deciding to not tour a college can result in never finding out or finding out too late

One aspect of picking the right college is about personal preference and finding schools catering to that

Touring a campus can downsize a potentially large, overwhelming list of potential schools

Adam Halperin, a current Senior at Plymouth North who is applying to 12 colleges, said, “I went to Rutgers and absolutely loved it because it showed you the community you’d be a part of and what life would be like on campus I also toured Seton Hall, but it was very small and everyone knew each other which I didn’t necessarily enjoy The tour really showed me what I want in a college ”

College Preparation: What Should Juniors Be Doing Now?

A step by step look at the college process as it pertains to Plymouth North juniors

By Nicole Ryttel

Juniors: it’s time It’s time to start preparing for college, and it’s actually not as daunting as you think The first step in any important decision is introspection Before even thinking about college, it is vital for students to understand what they want They must know their strengths, interests, and values to begin identifying colleges that will work for them

“Looking inward and saying ‘what do I care about?’ is a really hard thing as a junior and the only way to really do that is to expose yourself to things,” Mrs Shari Kahle, guidance counselor, said But what are these ‘things’? They can be clubs, sports, volunteer opportunities, classes; anything that helps a student discover their strengths and passions as an academic

“I decided to really look into what I wanted to be doing,” Isabella DiAngelo, senior, said “I dabbled in everything I could my junior year to see what I really liked ”

It’s that simple Once you have a foundation of interest and skill, you can begin to identify which colleges will satisfy your needs and desires as a student There are many ways to do this, one of which is by using the Naviance platform

Naviance is a website designed for college and career readiness, and it is available to all students at Plymouth North High School On the PNHS Guidance website, there are numerous tutorials on how to use the platform For high school juniors, Naviance’s SuperMatch tool is arguably the most useful in the college process

The SuperMatch tool allows students to plug in qualities that they need or want to have at their future college These qualities fall under categories like location, academics, and student life Once juniors fill out their personal college criteria, they are given a list of schools that match their preferences This list includes not only school names, but also what they offer to potential students, such as financial aid packages

Once juniors have identified schools that align with their values and passions, they are ready to begin touring schools Pre recorded virtual tours are located on Naviance for most American universities If physical tours are preferred, juniors can visit college websites or call admissions offices to schedule a visit

“Each student [at PNHS] gets three excused absences per year to tour colleges,” Kahle said “A big part of college decisions is to feel the culture, community, and vibe ”

Not only is touring important towards feeling the ‘vibe’ of a college campus, it is a necessary step in expressing interest in a potential school. Colleges look for students who are seriously considering applying to their school, for they are the ones most likely to accept an admission What else do colleges look for? A well rounded student, with good grades to back it up

“Eleventh grade is a big year for finalizing a solid GPA If you can, get involved in opportunities; any clubs, sports, and volunteering would be great to be doing,” said Mrs Andrea Norton, guidance counselor

Preparing for college is an overwhelming, tedious process for many It may seem early to start thinking about college and career paths during junior year of high school, but this early preparation can ease stress later on in the process

“It’s really not a stressful process, as long as you stay on top of everything that you are able to,” DiAngelo said

It takes energy and thought to make the decision of where to attend college, but it helps to start as early as possible No time is better than the present

Beyond North

Band Spotlight: Stringhead

Bobbing Heads For Stringhead

Local Plymouth Students form a band and perform all over the commonwealth

By: Liam Husband

The pulse of the bass, the beat of the drums, the tunes of the guitar and the melodies of the singer That’s what people go out to hear on their Friday and Saturday nights and that's what String Head provides

Local Plymouth Students Angus Watt Jack Fox Josh Carmichael Willow Cooney and Ryan Francis have joined music forces and created the band Stringhead Stringhead isn’t your typical high school band performing in their parents’ garage for an empty crowd These musicians have gone all over the state to spread their music

“We played at the New World Tavern in Plymouth the C note in Hull and soon to be The Jungle in Somerset ” said Carmichael What helps the band's success is the way everyone's talent is blended together to form the perfect sound

“I play guitar Jack sings and plays guitar Willow plays guitar and keys Ryan plays the drums and Josh plays the bass ” said Watt

Stringhead is known for its originality and fun new sounds the audience gets to hear

“When I record stuff there isn't really a genre in mind, I just kind of do what sounds best for the song and whatever sounds go together to capture the idea I want, I’ll use and record,” said Fox

It’s hard to imagine life in Plymouth being the same without the intrinsic nature of its role in American history Our history has shaped many aspects of how we think and act, from holidays to traditions to travel destinations One YouTube creator has taken it upon himself to envision an alternative American history, where famous locations and monuments house monstrous anomalies

The YouTube channel MISTER MANTICORE is responsible for constructing this sci fi history series, known as The Monument Mythos The channel has over 204 000 subscribers and 14 million total views and spanned 3 seasons, each with 11 episodes and a teaser

“I really like history, I think that's pretty evident, and I had never seen Alternate History done as Analog Horror,” said Alex Casanas, creator of the series and owner of the MISTER MANTICORE channel He leans heavy into a mix of history and horror, though of course, adding some supernatural twists

The term Analog Horror refers to a genre of YouTube projects and series revolving around VHS stylized or otherwise low budget short films Despite his videos being considered analog horror, Alex didn’t initially set out with the intention to apply the format to history

“I wasn't even aware of Analog Horror until a few episodes in I think really I just wanted to try my swing into Alternate History, and by the time I made AIRFORCEONEANGEL and DEANDEMOCRACY

Rebels and Rods of Plymouth raises money for those in need.

By: Jordan Melville

For those living in Plymouth, the weekly car show by East Bay Grille has been a weekly occurrence since 2019 Rebels and Rods, which started just as a car meet up, has since transformed into a community support system in Plymouth

The group began 4 years ago, and the founder and president of the group, Joe Fratus, is a local Plymouth resident

He began the group in hopes to create a social event for people that are interested in similar things: hotrods From there the group took an unexpected turn and began raising money for charity

“We’re going to continue to grow and going to continue to do a lot of charity stuff, veterans, kids, kids fighting cancer, families in need, anything at all like that, that's what we do,” said Fratus

The group raises the money almost entirely via donations, but they also sell merchandise at the event every week to help promote their name

The group's Facebook page, which has amassed a grand 5,300 followers in the two years since it was started, also helps to get their name out there and spread the word about the different things that they are supporting within the community

“ We don't play covers, all of the songs are originals, if we play covers it’s for jokes,” said Watt

They have made their own vibe and ambiance to their performances With the lines that are carefully crafted by the band members it provides them with original songs to perform

“I’d say we’re like post punk hyperpop bluegrass vibes,” said Cooney Although being at their concerts gives you a rock and roll feeling

The Stringhead members have been playing music for over ten years and for some since they can remember

Some members even have a history of music production prior to Stringhead Jack, Ryan, and Josh were all members of the band Pillowcase before joining with Angus and Willow Cullen Murphy, a Senior at Plymouth North has attended a Stringhead concert at the New World Tavern

“My favorite part about seeing Stringhead definitely had to be the environment they created Even though they perform original songs it felt like we all knew the words by heart,”

The Monument Mythos: A Historical Horror Story How an American conspiracy series was constructed

By Dylan Capozzi

said Murphy

“I would recommend for people to go and see Stringhead because they sound great live and you will have a great time,” said Murphy

Stringhead members look forward to continuing their passion of music by playing for the rest of their lives, and every couple weeks around the commonwealth

“I hope when I’m on break next year I can synthesize with these lit dudes once more,” said Carmichael

So be on the lookout for future Stringhead performances, new songs and be sure to follow their instagram @stringhead

When Alex sought out a voice to capture the historical figures seen in the series, such as The Nixonverse’s titular figure, Richard Nixon, he found a Welsh voice actor that goes by the pseudonym Lev

I realized that the only way to keep the narrative believable was to establish it as an alternate world,” Alex said

The analog horror style is one used extensively across internet platforms, far beyond the MISTER MANTICORE channel Despite being in an “analog” style, nearly all work in this genre is made using digital programs, and the same goes for The Monument Mythos

“I went through a couple things,” Alex said “Mister Manticore was entirely made on Windows Movie Maker Most of The Monument Mythos was made on Adobe Premiere up until STARRYSPHINX and from then on, I used HitFilm Express And for The Nixonverse I used almost exclusively HitFilm ”

Editing software is not the only change made for season 3 of the series Dubbed “The Nixonverse”, this season involves a separate storyline that focuses on a theme of free will

“I auditioned to a voice forum to play Dean and Nixon and that's how I met Alex, I got both roles,” Lev said Another collaborator, Eliana Gallagher, had a dual role in voice acting and participating in filming for various episodes Her role in the project made her responsible for filming segments in episodes such as MAIZEMOVIEMAKER, but also voiced original characters created for Alex’s series

“From what I recall, it was fun filming with Alex He’s very strict with getting footage done, but then we also goofed around afterwards,” said Eliana

It’s through the collaborative efforts of these team members, along with rotating groups of participating artists, that the works present on the MISTER MANTICORE channel get brought to life Despite the series’ conclusion, Alex heads into creating new work in a similar historical style with the Trinity Desk Project

While Plymouth, Massachusetts doesn’t have any role in the series, The Monument Mythos is still a fascinating watch for both student fans of horror and staff fans of history With carefully crafted storylines, menacing characters and horrific twists on familiar landmarks, the series serves as a striking reminder of how unsettling our own American history can be

In addition to raising money, they also hold a yearly food drive, accepting non perishable goods annually for local veterans in early November

In mid November they organize a toy drive to local kids whose parents may not be able to afford Christmas gifts

“They do a veterans' drive in November, they do a toy drive in November too for Blessed Kateri Church, and have a benefit going on for a little boy with burns that's gonna be on Halloween it's all local,” said Kim Burns, group member

They recently worked with the local liquor store Pioppis' and raised 10,000 dollars for veterans in the community In addition to the financial relief they provide, the group also makes an effort to help with other local needs, such as their donation of dishwashers and lawnmowers to veterans last month ince 2021 the group has raised and donated over 35,000 dollars

“I think the group has honestly done a great job providing to every group, wide spread, they've done this multiple years now,” said Mia Sacco, a younger participant

Local Car Meetup Benefits the Community

To help with the logistics of their organization, the group has mandatory monthly meetings every Thursday for official members At these meetings, they discuss which organizations they will be donating to for that month and who will be taking the lead on their various fundraisers These meetings are year round, unlike the Sunday car meets that end in mid November The specific date of their last car meet of the year is dependent on weather and can be found on their Facebook when it gets closer

For those looking to be a part of this group, their weekly meetups are 8 10am in the East Bay parking lot, every Sunday and open to everyone Check out their Facebook page @reblesandrodsofplymouthma to connect with them and also for ways to donate

Photo Credits: Jordan Melville

Stringhead performing at The C Note in Hull, Massachusetts earlier this year