Volume 38 - Issue 4
By Emily Birnbaum Editor-in-Chief Ana Faguy Production Editor Junior Jackie Spang emerges from the bustle of the World Language hallway after sixth period, phone in hand. She surveys the area around her and, not detecting any nearby security guard, she proceeds to send a text to her friend. When she looks up after hitting “send,” she finds herself face-toface with security guard Jerry Combs, who is known to be the school’s most notorious anti-
A National Blue Ribbon School
Monday, November 25, 2013
phone activist. The two go through the familiar steps: he confiscates her phone and asks her to write down her name, grade and ID number. Because this is her first offense, she is able to retrieve her phone from the security office at the end of the day. If this had been her second offense, the security office would have held on to her phone until her parents came to pick it up. If it had been her third offense, she would have been required to have a conference with administrator John Taylor. The process is a hassle to student, parent, administrator and security officer alike. Fortunately, students no longer need to worry about being caught using their cell phone in the hallway between classes. “I’m glad the new cell phone
policy is in place because it was really unnecessary,” Spang said. Thanks to CHS’s revised electronic devices policy, which went into effect Nov. 4, students are now permitted to use electronic devices in between classes as well as before school, after school and during lunch. “We’re not confiscating cell phones between classes,” security team leader Terry Bell confirmed. This new policy will remove a huge point of contention between security guards and students: the fight over phone use. “I am elated; it’s fantastic,” Combs said. “Now, I don’t have to be the brunt of attitude, excuses, whining, inappropriate behavior and sometimes belligerent verbal abuse by those who feel they are above following policy and rules.” This new policy was formed based on feedback from the Leadership Team, resource teachers and departments. “We decided there wasn’t a reason not to have it in the hallways,” Taylor said. The new policy also states that teachers and instructional staff may authorize the use of electronic devices during class time, whereas before, the rules banned any cell phone use in class.
Quantitative Literacy teacher James Collins plans to use this opportunity to his advantage. “In my Quantitative Lit. class, this opens up the opportunity for me to creatively show students how to use mobile devices to access mathematical calculators and information,” Collins said. According to English teacher Haroot Hakopian, this new policy may cause confusion: students may question if they are allowed to use the cell phone in the classroom as long as the bell has not rung yet, or if they have to put away all electronic devices before entering the classroom no
To identify each grade level more efficiently and keep the instructional program cohesive, the new building is divided into three floors: sixth grade classrooms are on the top floor, seventh grade classrooms are on the lower floor, and eighth grade classrooms are on the ground floor. “The teachers can all plan together and the kids feel more like a team,” Kim said. “It really helps with supporting the students this way. ” A large part of the school is also dedicated to promoting health and fitness for students. “We have our own section of the school now, which helps us be less disruptive when going outside to the blacktop and fields,” physical education teacher Christopher Bowen said. “We now have bigger outside basketball courts, more tennis courts, a brand new weight room with a new rock wall, a dance room and a wrestling room. We also have an archery net in the gym so that we can do an archery unit with real arrows. One of the best additions for the students in physical education is built-in locks
on the gym lockers: no more lost or ‘stolen’ locks.” The school media center also saw an upgrade. “Our media center is very open,” Kim said. “When a school wants to encourage reading and literacy, I think it’s very important to make sure that the hub of it is open and inviting.” The biggest change, however, may be that the new school is now Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified, meaning it advocates going green and being environmentally friendly. According to Kim, a company is blowing dirt onto the roof in order to grow a self-sustaining tray garden with small plants. “The plants help in terms of keeping the heat in and the cold out,” Kim said. “Our heating and air conditioning is generated by a geothermal unit, so we’re not using a lot of power.” The school also helps keep local waters clean. “All the rain water runs off and goes into the ditches located around the school,” Kim said. “Under the ground, there are multiple layers of
matter what time it is. However, he believes that as soon as each teacher clarifies how he or she plans to enforce the rule, there will be no problem. Some teachers will not consider allowing electronic devices during class time. “I’m not allowing students to use cell phones in my classroom,” math teacher Curtis Southworth. “I think it’s too confusing to the students if sometimes you can, sometimes you can’t.” According to Taylor, the administration is simply trying to take advantage of the resources that students have access to.
PHOTO BY ADAM ANDERSON.
Students are now able to text fearlessly between classes.
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material that filter the water so that when the water goes out into the stream and into the Chesapeake, it’s as clean as possible.” While many are enjoying the new school, some staff members are not happy with the way the architecture accommodates their department’s needs. “There are many parts of the design that were not carefully thought out,” said an arts teacher at Hoover, who wished to remain anonymous. “Our performing arts classes—band, orchestra, chorus, drama—are all looking for alternate venues to hold our performances since the stage built into the cafeteria is extremely small.” According to Ajamian, the building’s larger size helps unite the school and make it feel more like a family, but his favorite part of Hoover will never change, regardless of the school’s newest features. “It has never been about the building,” Ajamian said. “It has always been about the wonderful students, amazing staff, and incomparable community that work together to make Hoover ‘A School of Excellence.’”
Sports Athletes Commit Athletes agree to play for the colleges of their choice.
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PHOTO BY SAMMI SILBER.
Construction workers knocked Herbert Hoover Middle School to the ground back in June 2011, leaving only a single atrium standing. Now, two years later, the reconstruction is finished, and the middle school students finally have a new building to call their own. Former Wayside Elementary School principal Yong-Mi Kim replaced current Rockville High School principal Billie-Jean Bensen as Hoover’s principal this year. The opening of the school has led to many new changes, including a larger
building, more modernized architecture and a new environmentally-friendly plan. “The size of the building allows us to have all our students and teachers under one roof,” assistant principal Paul Ajamian said. “Staff and students are no longer required to go out to the portables during cold and rainy weather, and the computer labs, once fully operational, will be a tremendous upgrade.” According to eighth grader Hana Mangat, the new Hoover is very modern but still has a comfortable feel to it, and settling in to the building was quick and easy.
PHOTO BY FIONA ASBURY.
By Julia Heimlich News Editor
PHOTO BY D ANIELLE KIEFER.
Community settles in to upgraded Hoover building