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December 11, 2015

Rutherford B. Hayes High School

Issue 4

Teacher receives birthday surprise from ‘Today Show’ MALLORY KING editor-in-chief

Many students were surprised to hear about the experiences Vicki had while in New York. “I felt that it was cool because she was kind of like a celebrity,” sophomore Tracey Sumner Jr. said. “My teacher was one of the coolest people at Delaware Hayes now because she had the experience of... being on the Today Show.” According to Vicki, one of the of the most unforgettable experi ences during this trip was reuniting with former student Will Novak. Novak now works at the Cameron Mitchell restaurant chain.

photo by SIOBHAN KAY

ood and Nutrition teacher Vicki Koogler was a celebrity for the weekend when her husband Mark Koogler and the “Today Show” surprised her with a trip of a lifetime. “I thought we were just going to go [to New York] and have family time,” Vicki said. “[Mark] told me he was going to have a few surprises here and there... I had no idea that this was [going (Continued on page 5) to] happen... my mind is blown, I can’t believe this really happened to me.” During the trip, the family had the opportunity to stay at the Plaza Hotel in a 4000-square-foot suite overlooking the city. The “Today Show” also planned a shoe shopping trip for Vicki at Saks Fifth Avenue with TV personality Hoda Kotb, and a reunion with a former student who is now a chef. Mark wanted to give Vicki a once in a lifetime trip for her birthday. “We’ve been together for 44 years, and Vicki’s my best friend...,” Mark said. “I told the producer that Vicki is kind of a superwoman in terms of working full time... When I come home from work, I’ve got this fully cooked meal, and she is always doing something for someone else, but never for herself, and so I wanted to give her a birthday that she would always remember.” But creating this extra special trip proved to be time intensive. Mark worked diligently in order to give this opportunity to his wife. “My husband, he had been working with the producer of the Today Show for two and a half months...,” Vicki said. “He wrote a letter to Hoda on the ‘Today Show’ and told her that he was bringing me to New York City and it would be awesome if I could meet her because I love the show; I really love Hoda and Kathie Lee... They loved the story that he told about how my students still contact me and I guess what an impact I’ve had over these years at Hayes on students, and within a week, my husband heard back and they said they want to do this story for the Vicki Koogler talks to an interviewer from NBC4 about her Today Show experience. Today Show.” Koogler spent time with her television idol, Hoda Kotb, while she celebrated her birthday in New York City.

Construction to provide more learning space for students

Sherman said. Beginning in the north academic wing, several science rooms will be moved down in the basement. From this point, all split level classrooms will be redone, making the floor even ave you ever received a $50 million present for Christand adding a few new improvements. The basement will hold mas? temporary classes while improvements happen in the actual During Christmas break, renovations will be starting at rooms. Hayes High School. Due to the growing number of incoming Luke Krohn, a science teacher who has already spent all of students, the decision has been made to add on to the school. the year with his class in the basement, will be joined by three These renovations include 26 new classrooms, a widened walk other teachers after Christmas break. space, and additional space in the cafeteria and parking lot. “I should get to stay in my room, but the space will most likely be cut in half with another teacher in the other half,” Krohn said. “I have already heard all the noise and seen how it affects the room. With another teacher just on the other side of a flimsy wall, lots of sound will travel back and forth and I think it will make it hard to concentrate.” With the temporary classrooms, there are A construction worker is hard at work fixing the basement so science classes many concerns that the can move in during Chirstmas break. The district has recieved $50 million to students’ learning will be renovate the schools. affected, but Sherman is confident that students will still be able to succeed in the Jason Sherman, Director of Facilities and Transportation, classroom. said there will be some 330 seniors graduating but around 450 “When I was in school we were under construction all the incoming freshmen. time and that didn’t make me any dumber,” Sherman said. “Basically, there is going to be 100 more kids next year than Science teacher Tracey Codding is optimistic about the we had this year… so we need to account for an extra 100 transitional stages of the construction. students in the hallways and classrooms starting next year,”

ALYSSA STOUT AND ETHAN WATTS contributing writers

photo by SIOBHAN KAY

“The school has done a really good job at equipping the [temporary] classrooms, and making them feel so much like a normal science room that it is not going to affect the learning at all,” Codding said. “I believe actually, in some cases, it even positively affects [the learning] because the rooms are a lot bigger.” Once the renovations to the science wing are finished, the next step will be to move the Family and Consumer Science rooms so renovations can be made. At the end of the 20162017 school year, these rooms will be ready to move to the newly renovated space in the 2000 wing, which will be their permanent rooms. The shift of classrooms will continue as the 6000 wing adds 4-6 more classrooms, and other wings begin their renovations. Once the weather warms up this spring, external renovations will begin, including a new STEM wing added on the northern side and additional parking space by relocating the tennis courts. When the STEM wing is complete, the temporary classroom space in the 6000 wing will be converted into additional cafeteria space. But all of these renovations cannot exceed the bond amount. When Delaware City Schools received the bond for these new additions, they thought there was plenty of money, but now Sherman is worried about making the budget. “The bond was for $50 million, but we could have easily spent 60 or 70 million even,” Sherman said. “The numbers seemed right in 2013 or 2014, but now with the high economy, things needed for the project cost more.” Regardless of the cost, many people are excited for the outcome of the construction. “I cannot wait for the new rooms being built,” sophomore Brody Kanally said. “I’ve noticed crowded rooms all over the school. I think making Hayes bigger was inevitable, the student body just keeps growing and growing, so the schools are going to have to keep growing and growing.”

Athletes commit to colleges Buddy bench to solve loneliness at Schultz

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Timing of Christmas music debate