Volume 37 - Issue 4
Thursday, November 29, 2012
A National Blue Ribbon School
Gym renovation ends Students, staff give back during CHS’ Day of Service By Tiffany Trankiem Staff Writer
PHOTO BY EMILIE PLESSET.
Students made over a thousand bagged lunches during the Nov. 16. Day of Service. By Emilie Plesset Online Editor-in-Chief Students gathered in the cafeteria Nov. 16 to give back to the community on the CHS Day of Community Service. Students and faculty met after school to make sandwiches that were donated to Martha’s Table, a local non-profit organization that helps at-risk and less fortunate individuals and families. The Day of Service was sponsored by the PTSA Character Education and Student Life Committees. “I am totally impressed with the number of kids who came and how enthusiastic they are,” said Claudia Steiner, parent and chair of the Character Education and Student Life Committee. “We had way more students show up than even signed up. We think we’ve made at least a thousand, probably more
than a thousand bagged lunches.” According to senior Johnny Franceski, a student member of Character Education, the event’s attendance far exceeded what had been anticipated. About 20 students were expected to help out, but almost 100 students showed up. According to senior Ben Harris, a student member of Character Education, hosting the Day of Community Service at school made it easier for students to gain student service learning credit and see friends after school. “I came because I needed more community service hours,” freshman Tatiana Hewitt said. “I have enjoyed knowing that people are going to be fed and that I am donating my time to do that instead of watching television.” TheDayofServiceispartofanew year-round Character Promotion and Awareness Initiative the PTSA
Character Education and Student Life Committees run. “One thing that Character Education does is provide students the opportunity to be model citizens and in the Day of Community Service activity, to give back to the community,” said assistant school administrator Brandi Richardson. In addition to the Day of Service, the committee also publicizes the initiative through the Character Education bulletin board outside the cafeteria and by having quotes from influential people read on the Daily Dose. The selected quotes are then displayed on the flat screen televisions throughout the school. “I find that all the parents and students involved in the committee are dedicated to providing experiences and exposure to all students with the intent to make them better people,” Richardson said.
The main gym floor renovations were completed Nov. 12, after causing conflicts with sports teams, community activities and physical education classes. “It is good to have the gym back because before we would have class outside,” freshman Alexandra Derechin said. “Now we get to be inside, and it’s a lot warmer,” The damage was a result of the summer derecho. Water damage throughout the main gym caused areas of the wooden floor to buckle. “The time choice was very poor,” athletic director Dave Kelley said. “We made numerous requests to have the floor fixed over the summer, but MCPS refused to do anything about it.” According to Kelley, after CHS requested multiple times to have the floors redone, MCPS stated that the floors were fine and refused to repair any damages. “Parents did write Superintendent Dr. Starr and other executives in the school system, complaining about the quality of the floor,” Kelley said. Kelley and the CHS Booster Club made an appeal, pointing out that if the gym was going to
be closed down, the whole floor should be replaced. The gym closed mid-September, putting restrictions on instruction, community recreational use, sport practices and games. “At the beginning of the season, we would fight over the gym with football,fieldhockeyandvolleyball, especially when it rained,” senior cheerleading captain Paige Brody said. “We could not practice for our upcoming competition.” Physical education classes were affected as well. Classes like basketball had to be held outside. According to Kelley, physical education teacher Donald Higgins devised a rotation between classes, alternating between the dance studio, lower gym, wrestling room and the weight room. Cheerleading uses the main gym regularly for practices, but had to accommodate for the shortage of area. “Cheerleading has been very flexible,” Kelley said. “They used the cafeteria or went outside, weather permitting. Between varsity and junior varsity teams, they had limited space to accommodate.” When the renovations were complete, activities were able to resume normal schedules. “We’re just glad to have our gym back,” Kelley said.
PHOTO BY MATT RAAB.
Achievement gap subject of Starr’s ‘State of the Schools’
After two states’ referendums, the case for legalization is stronger than ever.
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COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.
Opinions Marijuana
Features Blast Blast from the Past is back and focusing on the oldies.
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Sports Winter Preview The Observer takes a look at how CHS’ winter sports teams are shaping up.
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Still, he believes that some of the testing and initiatives brought forth by the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) are not realistic and must be discontinued. “A strong academic program is the bedrock of our system,” Starr said. “However, one learns to solve problems by solving problems, not by being tested on the theories of problem solving.” Elected MCR Treasurer
See Starr, 3
COURTESY OF OFFTHEWALL.COM.
USED WITH PERMISSION OF MCPS.
Starr credited the high graduation rate to rigor, performance.
Superintendent Joshua Starr gave a “State of the Schools” address Nov. 12 to update the community on MCPS’ progress. The theme of this inaugural address was “Building the Future Together.” The slogan was intended to encourage the community and schools to work together to improve education for MCPS students.
“This is an excellent opportunity to showcase MCPS as the best district in the country,” Starr said. According to Starr, MCPS is leading the way for large school districts because it has had the highest graduation rate in the country among large school districts for four consecutive years. Starr attributes this success to the rigor of the curriculum and high academic performance.
PHOTO BY EMILY BIRNBAUM.
By Dana Youngentob News Editor