BARB TAKAHASHI
MIKE WILLIAMS
KATHY TANG
PHOTO CREDITS (LEFT TO RIGHT): ARUL GNANASIVAM — EPIC, USED WITH PERMISSION OF BARB TAKAHASHI, DIANA XU — EPIC
Lynbrook recognizes exceptional faculty members BY DIANA XU
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t the annual FUHSD celebrational board meeting on Feb. 26, Lynbrook was revered for its excellence. Social studies teacher Mike Williams and College and Career advisers Barb Takahashi and Katherine Tang received awards for the Certi�icated Employee of the Year and Classi�ied Employee of the Year, respectively. Every year, students and staff nominate potential award recipients that are later voted on by the School Site Council, a group of elected staff, students and parents. Lynbrook’s Certi�icated Employee of the Year, Williams, not only teaches government and U.S. history, but is also involved in other aspects on campus, such as being an adviser for the Class of 2020. “I am very blessed with good family and friends, many of whom are on this campus, as well as a great job and great students,” Williams said. “Teaching is extremely rewarding. Life is about balance, and I have always believed that if you are going to do something for 40 or more hours a week, you should love it.” Williams believes in being able to identify with students as young adults, not only holding them to high standards but also introducing the curriculum through entertaining assignments and lectures.
“[Mr. Williams] makes every student feel noticed and appreciated,” junior Mia McCormack said. “He �inds a way to make all of his lessons fun and different. Even when we do something that may seem boring, like a lecture, he makes it engaging by telling jokes. He is a staff member I can trust.” Takahashi and Tang both received the Classi�ied Employee of the Year award for their work in the College and Career Center. In the fall, they work with the FUHSD College Fair. Takahashi and Tang also work with seniors, helping them with essays and building college lists. In the spring, they hold workshops for juniors, preparing for college applications. With many things in common, such as each having three kids that all graduated from Lynbrook, Takahashi and Tang’s dynamic is seamless: the pair work half the days of the week, overlapping on Wednesdays. “When I �irst came to Lynbrook, [Takahashi and Tang] made me feel really comfortable,” senior Jason Dong said. “I have talked to Takahashi about colleges, summer camps and even places I should visit when traveling to other countries. [Tang] is always really happy when I see her. I think their dedication is inspiring.” Having worked at Lynbrook for six years, Takahashi was �irst inspired to go into education because of her love for working with students and visiting colleges; her role as a college counselor allows her to do both.
Tang, originally a computer science major, started working as a college counselor because of Takahashi, who knew Tang was interested in the �ield. Tang, who has been at Lynbrook for three years, says her favorite part of her job is helping students de�ine what they are looking for in their college experience and opening their eyes to different possibilities. “Sometimes students will come in and we will answer their questions, and sometimes they will write a note afterward thanking us,” said Tang. “You feel like you did not do that much, but to them, it meant something. That is really touching when they write a really sweet message about how we helped them in some way.” The 2019 FUHSD board meeting and celebration was �illed with sentiment and congratulations as students, parents, teachers and other community members proudly watched their deserving loved ones accept their awards.
Scan here to read more about the teachers, staff, class and students that were honored at the FUHSD celebratory board meeting.
Student survey responses modify Homeroom BY RISA MORI
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he new bell schedule, including time allotted for Homeroom on most Fridays, was unveiled at the start of this school year. More than halfway through the school year, a change has been announced: while some Fridays remain as Homeroom Activities, others are set aside for quiet study time. These changes were brought about in part by responses to the results of a schoolwide survey that 1,457 students took at the end of �irst semester. When the Homeroom Pilot Program was created, administrators planned to survey students and staff mid-year. The survey results were then reviewed at staff meetings on Jan. 15. In addition, Principal Maria Jackson met with Student Voice, a group of 12 students with representatives from each grade level, to discuss issues on campus such as Homeroom. These discussions and the results of the survey Jackson emailed to students revealed that many students overwhelmingly preferred time to study on Fridays rather than Homeroom. Before the school-wide survey, some teachers personally surveyed their
Homeroom classes and implemented their feedback. Art teacher Matthew Reynolds’ Homeroom already had periods dedicated to study time to support students’ needs before the change was announced. “After surveying my students, I realized I had people with quizzes on Friday after homeroom, and they were expressing that they were pretty stressed by the fact that they no longer had that period of time to study,” Reynolds said. “Part of Homeroom is about stress relief, so if I'm creating stress, then that's kind of counterproductive.” Data from the Mid-Cycle Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Survey presents another perspective. In response to a question asking how effective students think their Homeroom has been at building connections between students and an adult on campus, 78.52 percent of students answered “a little” or “none at all,” and 78.45 percent responded “a little” or “none at all” regarding its effectiveness at stress relief. These and other responses prompted staff to consider Homeroom Study, and since 64.45 percent of students preferred to have Homeroom on a Friday, it remained on that day.
Even though students have concerns about Homeroom’s effectiveness, some agree that the intentions behind Homeroom make it worthwhile. “When I look at Homeroom with a more open mind, I understand the purpose behind it,” said senior and Student Board Representative Indali Bora. “Something I have noticed a lot in Lynbrook students is that there’s a con�lict: you want to be less stressed, but stress has become part of the culture. That’s where Homeroom comes in: to make sure students are focused on thinking about themselves.” Another student survey will be sent out in the spring to measure any progress following the second semester modi�ications to Homeroom, and the information from this survey will help staff determine whether they are moving in the right direction or not. “Maybe it didn't go perfectly, but not everything does the �irst time,” Jackson said. “It doesn't have to go perfect to learn, and what you have to take from that process is to move forward. You don't stop and quit because something wasn't perfect the �irst time: if it doesn't work, we're going to �ind something that is. Nothing is set in stone.”
GIRLS BASKETBALL // PG. 14 The road to CCS qualification