Unscannable? You have to wonder how we got the report cards in the paper.
Dexter High School - 2200 N. Parker Road Dexter, MI 48130
November, 2005 Volume XVI, Issue 3
photo illustration by Brandon Mayotte
New report cards don't make the grade Classroom use of films debated hilary mccown copy editor
“The watermarks are meant to stop as many as we can, but there are ways around everything.” • Gina Newell Secretary
A
kyle muse news editor
the word “void” was easily eliminated and did not show when the card was printed. “It’s not rocket science,” senior Spencer Ryan said. “I could see how if the ‘voids’ showed up how it would be hard because the ‘voids’ blend in with the background, but they don’t show up when you scan them.” But Newell said even watermarks aren’t necessarily going to stop people from cheating. “Students will always attempt to change grades on their report cards,” Newell said, “The watermarks are meant to stop as many as we can, but there are ways around everything.” Senior Josh Bahm said Newell is right. “I changed my grade once in third grade and that was the last time,” he said. “If I was going to change my grade, it would be because I would want to prove to the school that I could, not to actually change my grade.” by n de io at oo tr l g us al ill nd ke
lthough report cards have a new color, the watermark that was supposed to show up when the paper was scanned, faxed or copied does not work the way it is supposed to. Secretary Gina Newell ordered the new report card paper at the end of last year in an attempt to prevent students from altering their report cards. No administrators were involved because she said they were either out of the country or out of a job. “Mrs. Glynn was in Germany, (former interim principal) Mr. Little was done,” she said. “I was the only one left. So I made the decision.” Newell said the school spent $300 for 10,000 copies of the new watermarked cards, which the company guaranteed could not be faxed, scanned or copied without the watermark seal “void” showing up all over the paper. Newell said the only research she did in her search for watermarked report cards was on price comparison, adding the company that makes the paper guaranteed that it could not be faxed, scanned or copied without the watermark showing up all over the report card. When The Squall tested the validity of the watermarks using a Canon scanner and Adobe Photoshop,
The “voids” did show up when Newell photocopied a report card however. As far as the paper company’s response, Newell said, “When I called them and told them about how some kids had found a way around it, they told me, ‘Oh, they must just be painting over the watermark,’” she said. “The thing is, students can get around the void, but they do not have access to the paper that we use that has the pink color.” Principal Jim Bannan, seemed surprised that the paper didn’t work as advertised. “We were told they work,” Bannan said. “It’s something obviously we will have to work on.” So while there doesn’t seem to be a way around stopping counterfeiting of report cards Newell said the school is not ready to abandon the 10,000 copies of the paper they currently have. She said, “We are going to stay with this paper until it is brought to our attention that there is a way around it.”
While many teachers see movies as valuable classroom tools, some people have begun to question the necessity of the number of films used at DHS. Eastern Michigan University professor and Dexter parent Dr. Sandra Rutherford said showing movies in class should be done in clips and only if they help to give a better understanding of the curriculum. “We do not have enough curriculum time to cover all the current Michigan content standards and benchmarks,” Rutherford said, “so showing any film for a whole period is a waste of time.” Rutherford is not against movies in general. But too often, in her opinion, “Films (are stuck) in the VCR when a substitute shows up or during the last five minutes of class because the teacher has five minutes to kill.” Her suggestion is to only show films as part of the Learning Cycle Model: engage, explore, elaborate or evaluate. “When showing a film there needs to be an objective so it is not constructed as killing time on the teacher’s part,” Rutherford said. English teacher Andrew Parker agrees to some extent but said students can benefit from a whole Hollywood movie. “Films can help reinforce themes of books and material that might otherwise be difficult to understand,” he said. “There is a definite value in showing films that tell stories.” In addition, the English department is working on a proposal that will allow certain R-rated films to be shown in class. Under the district’s current policy, R-rated films are prohibited. If the new proposal were adopt• Deb Marsh ed, R-rated English teacher movies could be shown if approved by a movie review committee. However, parent permission would be required for all students even after the movie was approved. English department chairperson Deb Marsh wants people to understand that movies are not always rated R due to offensive content. “There are reasons that movies are rated R for other reasons than content,” Marsh said. She used “Schindler’s List” as an example of a film that is R-rated but should be seen by a wide audience. “Films give students a great connection to the literature,” Marsh said. “(They help them) to identify with literature in a deeper and more meaningful way.”
Films give students a great connection to the literature.”
Wylie Pool causes breathing difficulties for swim, dive members nicole st.pierre staff writer
Air quality problems at Wylie Pool have resulted in health difficulties for many student swimmers. According to building and grounds supervisor Don Price, there are too many chloramine compounds in the air. “Chloramine compounds include a chlorine atom and something else,” Price said, “and too much of it causes smell and irritation.” According to a report given to the Dexter Board of Education on Oct. 24 by Sharon Hubbard, mother of junior swimmer Adrienne Woods, the womens swim team has been experiencing coughing, sore throats and burning eyes due to problems at the pool. The problems grew even more extreme when sophomore swimmer Alyssa Robinson had a full-blown
on the inside
asthma attack on Oct. 12. “I was in the amount of chloramine in the air afternoon practice and the air that through more ventilation and make day was really hot,” Robinson said. sure the equipment has no leaks in “I just couldn’t breathe.” its refrigerant system. Leaks were repaired on Nov. 4, On Oct. 24, freshman swimmer 5 and 6, but Price said Taylor Bartscht experienced what doctors are these are only intermedicalling hyperventilation. ate steps. “I’ve never had an asthma “We are in a position where equipment has attack before, so it was rerun for 14 years,” he said. ally weird,” Bartscht said. Price witnessed “The pool might require more than the intermediBartscht’s hyperventilation. “Even with the mediate steps, like a change in its equipment.” According cal mask she couldn’t get control of her breathing for to Price, the intermedia few minutes,” he said. Af• Robinson ate steps are reasonably priced, but replacing the ter doing a focused breathing exercise, Bartscht was system would be in the rushed to the hospital. $350,000- $500,000 range. Price says there are three ways On Oct. 28, the womens swim to reduce the chloramine present in team moved all of its practices to the the pool: lower the amount of chlo- high school pool. ramine in the pool water, reduce Price and Hubbard agree, though,
Music runs in the family: Choir teacher Beth Patterson teaches while her brother sings for a local rock band. Page 3
that it’s hard to directly link health problems to the poor air quality at the pool. “In my opinion, swimmers are subject to this since they’re doing heavy exercise in the pool,” Price said, “but it’s complicated and filled with shades of gray.” Hubbard agrees. “The doctor can’t look in someone’s throat and see Wylie there,” she said. “There just have been an abnormally high amount of incidents.” Price and Hubbard also think that something must be done about the air quality problems. “My gut feeling is if we can make it better, make it better,” Price said. Hubbard doesn’t want to see Dexter’s strong swim programs and strong athletes impaired by the problems at the pool. “The health of the kids is the most important thing,” she said, “above money and everything else.”
Drinking decisions: Dexter students share the bad decisions they made under the influence of alcohol. Page 7
photo by Brandon Mayotte
Breathe that air: Sophomore Kimme Melinsky swims at Wylie Pool. The swim team currently practices at the high school due to Wylie’s poor air quality.
State champs times four: The cross country team wins their fourth state title in a row. Page 11