The Black & White Vol 53 Issue 4

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volume 53, Issue 4 February 11, 2015

Walt whitman High school

7100 whittier boulevard

Bethesda, maryland 20817

theblackandwhite.net

Superintendent Joshua Starr steps down

photo by MICHELLE JARCHO

COO Larry Bowers to fill in, Board hopes to find replacement by June 30

Nearly 300 runners sprint off the starting line at the Red Rush 5k at Whitman Feb. 8. All proceeds from the event, which was put together by the leadership class as part of LLS month, will go to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

Arcadia cast pushes acting abilities to convey complicated plot, subject matter by sophia higgins Quick! Explain everything you know about string theory. Just kidding. Have no fear— you don’t have to be an expert in theoretical physics to enjoy Whitman Drama’s winter play, opening February 26. Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia is a complex and sophisticated piece, often called one of the most significant theater works of the 20th century. Whitman actors, however, are ready to face the challenge of making the show comprehensible and entertaining for the audience. “The Whitman community has come to expect complex theater,” director Christopher Gerken said. “And after the success of Lord of the Flies I wanted to continue with producing complex works, but this time really focusing on the text of a piece and the true strength of our acting talent.” The plot of Arcadia flip flops

between two timelines—one in an 1809 house and another involving a present-day group of researchers in the same house. The 1809 storyline follows teenager Thomasina Coverly and her tutor Septimus Hodge, with whom she discusses advanced theories in mathematics and physics. The modern day story concerns researchers who aim to uncover what happened in that household during the 1800s. “It’s a murder mystery, it’s about gardens, it’s about quantum physics, mathematics, literature, and there’s a romance part too,” said junior Kaycie Goral, who portrays Thomasina. “It has everything in it. It’s just a piece of art.” Arcadia’s dual timeline offers the audience a unique perspective, senior Erin Craig said. While the audience watches what occurs in the 1800s, they can also see the different and sometimes erroneous ways the present day researchers interpret it.

Many cast members had not heard of the play before it was announced at last year’s drama banquet. As part of the audition process, they were required to read the script and analyze a character from the show. “It’s a story, at its surface level, about mathematics and chaos theory, but underneath it’s really about human interaction and the struggle between thinking and feeling,” Craig said. While the cast was excited and prepared to go into rehearsals, the show’s plot and sophisticated writing require a different approach for the actors. “It’s a very challenging piece because in other plays we have lots of lighting and a big set, a lot of intricate things that go into it,” junior Eli Wasserman said. “For this, it’s just dialogue.”

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by julia gilman and margot dionne The Board of Education will begin a nationwide search for a new superintendent after Joshua Starr announced his resignation last week. Starr, who left under pressure, will step down Feb. 16. “The message is not one of quitting,” Starr said. “The message, I hope, will be don’t get into a fight you know you’re not going to win.” Chief Operating Officer Larry Bowers has been approved by Maryland State Superintendent Lillian Lowery to serve as interim Superintendent through June 30. “He knows the system inside and out and I can think of no one who is more suited to provide the stable, even-handed leadership we need in this time of transition,” said Patricia O’Neill, President of the Board of Education. The Board began to deliberate Starr’s future recently after he interviewed for the position of Chancellor of New York City Public Schools in late 2013, causing Board members to doubt his commitment to MCPS, the Washington Post reported. “After much discussion, the Board and Dr. Starr agreed it would be in the best interest of the district to appoint a new leader to carry forward the Board’s vision,” O’Neill said at a press conference. “We wish him nothing but the best in the future.” Starr will still be financially compensated as if he had served the remaining five months of his term. The county has set a tight deadline of July 1 to have a new superintendent in place.

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Mild punishment for Breck trip sheds light on rule changes by adam simon On the night of Dec. 10, 2011, a party in Carderock Springs was busted by the police. While many kids fled and escaped without punishment, about 35 Whitman students were given citations. Then, the school took action. Administrators questioned students who were involved and, through word-of-mouth and confessions, they identified the students who were cited. Principal Alan Goodwin worked with coaches and club sponsors to penalize those who were cited—students on sports teams received two-game suspensions while others faced varying punishments in other extracurricular activities. Back then, Goodwin took the matter of enforcing punishments into his own hands, but now, it’s not that simple. This year, during the annual semester break ski trip to Breckenridge, Colorado, chaperones caught students in possession of marijuana and alcohol. Two weeks after returning, the students met in the auditorium to learn their “punishment”—10 hours of recommended community service. In addition to bringing alcohol in their luggage, students bought marijuana and more alcohol in Colorado. Most of the partying occurred on the Saturday and Sunday night of the trip. On Monday, the last night, the eight chaperones called a meeting of all juniors and seniors.

Inside Look

Crowdfunding inspires

donations for personal causes page

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inconvenient ouster

Pro/Con: the Good Samaritan Law

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Staff Editorial: Starr’s

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APES teacher Garton

rocks out with students

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Continued on page 2

Former student becomes ninth best Chinese racecar driver

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