What happened this summer? Students and staff extend their learning through traveling and summer camps.p4Sophomore Amy Kase (left) attended the first session at Blue Lake for ballet instruction with her friend Brianna Eckel from Grand Traverse Academy.

The school gets an upgrade while students are away for the summer

5376 N. Long Lake Rd. Traverse City, Michigan, 49684

Vol. XVIII Issue 1

With a new twist to our traditional school colors added to both the walls and floors, many students

were shocked by the changes to the decor when they first walked into the hallways. “It’s brighter,” Morgan Mihalic ‘16, said. “It’s more happy compared to the old carpet.” Not every student agreed with Mihalic, though. “It’s awful!” Maria Fiebing said. “It’s nursing-home circa 1970s.” Regardless of how students felt about the new carpet and paint, the updates were long overdue. The transformation may have taken place over the summer months when students were away, but he updates were in the works for quite some time. “The carpet replacement was part of a long-term district plan to replace and update buildings, and therefore planned for years as part of bond work.” Principal Tibaldi said. “I can’t say how long but at least five years. Because of the age of the carpet and to make sure the halls were safe for the amount of traffic we have everyday, it was time to replace the carpet.” Tibaldi hoped that these new additions would help to improve the learning environ-ment throughout the building by providing a safer space for the students. “I believe safety is the most important factor,” Tibaldi said. He wanted to replace the older carpeting that students could trip on. Beautification has its price, and the funds

for the new carpet came from bond money voted on by the residents of Traverse City. “The money could be used for bus replacement, technology and the upkeep of buildings in the district,” Tibaldi said. “The carpet at West was projected to last around 13 years, and thanks to the excellent care from students, staff and the custodial staff, we were able to get 17 years out of the carpet.” The walls in the three neighborhoods

had not been painted since the school first opened in 1997. Since the carpet was be-ing replaced, Tibaldi thought it would be a great opportunity to repaint the walls to match. The different paint colors also help to define each wing -- Athens, Sparta, and Olympia, as unique, separate neighbor-hoods. “With the removal of all the carpet in

Wings get whole new look

TIANA SMITH

Above: Custodian Mark Rosa paints the wall near the bathroom in A wing. The custodial staff had a hefty load this summer. Besides cleaning all classrooms, offices, and common areas, they had to remove all desks, storage cabinets, and office dividers before the carpeting company could lay down the new carpeting. Many teachers came in over the summer to empty their desks and cabinets to help alleviate the heavy work load. Left: Matt Dalzell of Northern Floor and Title examines rolls of carpet-ing in the Commons area before choosing the right sample to move into A wing for placement. Photos: C. Hansen

School RULESIf you want to survive the year, you’ll always

keep these things in mind...

Bring your charged Netbook to ev-ery class, every day because many teachers use them in daily lessons. The tech department recommends charging Netbooks at the same time and place that you charge your cell phone. Students are not allowed to charge their computers at school.

Look down! Yes--That’s brand new carpeting. Teachers will be patrolling the wings and remind-ing students that food is not allowed in classrooms. Keep our school looking great by keep-ing food and drinks where they belong--in the cafeteria.

Class time is shorter with the new quarter schedule, don’t waste it texting. Be respectful of your classmates and keep your cell phone out of sight. The first time you are caught using a phone, it’s a warning. After that, it goes to the principal’s office and parents will be called to pick it up for repeat offenders.

Don’t allow your clothes to be a distraction. The dress code is the same as last year, and if you don’t follow it, your parents will be called to bring you a more appro-priate change of clothes.

Band students spent 10 days of their summer stepping up their sound and marching formations. Discover what

other students and teachers did over the summer months on

What’s Inside...Meet the principals for Athens, Olympia, and Sparta. p5

Sept. 2, 2014

Continued on page 2...

Mr. Ready’s Community Outreach Council Advisory set out to make a difference. The class of 15 students was committed to serving their com-munity through raising funds in an awareness campaign that included the Homeward Bound 5K run. Through careful planning and research, the group was able to donate $7,000 to Pete’s Place, a local homeless shelter that serves youth ages 14 to 17 in the area. The students researched different

community programs in need, includ-ing the Reigning Liberty Ranch that works with veterans with post traumat-ic stress disorders, Paperworks, a paper making company that helps people with disabilities gain independence through job training, and Food Rescue, a company that collects soon to expire perishable food and distributes it to hungry families in the area. Students on the council chose to work with Pete’s Place because it served home-less teens in the TCAPS district.

p6

Students give BIG at Board Meeting

Who counsels you? Find out where to go when you need academic advice.

Netbooks stay with students for four years, and some paid fees before picking theirs up at registration.

Traverse City West Senior High

Members of the Community Outreach Council gath-er for a group photo after donating a check for $7,000 to a homeless shelter at a Board meeting in August.

page 4

p6Mentors get trained, meet their mentees at Freshmen Orientation.

12th Grade mentor Kieran Cyzyk gets ready to meet her freshmen mentees outside of the A109 classroom.

p3

Teachers and students adjust to six hour schedule each day, many hope for deeper understanding.

The new school year may have stu-dents scratching their heads when they look at their schedules. The

switch to a four-quarter schedule means that students will have six classes each day, one more than what they had on last year’s schedule. In the fall of 2008, our school intended to increase the credit load students could take by making the switch to trimesters. However, there was some concern that both Central High School and West Senior High School have seen an increase in students failing courses since the switch was made, prompting both schools to return to semes-ters. It is hoped that the transition to the new quarter schedule will allow for extended time in each class, and will also provide time to cover material more deeply as

Switch to new schedule

students will have some classes all year, as opposed to 2/3 of the year that came with trimesters. “We felt that a number of core depart-ments--Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts, needed more time for stu-dent mastery,” Principal Joe Tibaldi said. The switch was also made to better align the schedules for students who dual enroll at NMC and to better accommodate the Career Tech Center schedule. The addition of zero and seventh hours should increase flexibility and maintain the range of elective options the trimester system provided. “Students were coming into the high school with credit from middle school, so meeting graduation requirements is now easier, [and] there are so many options now with online classes that graduation require-ments can again be more easily met,” Tibaldi said. The online class system used by the district, E2020, is organized in semesters also. The program offers credit through online learning, which allows students more freedom in choosing electives. The switch to semesters will better align with the online classes and make it easier for students to accomplish what they need in the time provided. Another bonus to switching to the semester schedule is that the change back to semesters could potentially save the district between $100,000 and $250,000 a year, money that can be better spent on student resources that serve struggling leaners. In addition to the logistical upsides of switching to the new quarter schedule, students will also be more likely to have the same teacher all year for core classes. This will facilitate closer connections and build relationships between the students and

staff, which are key components in student learning. “I think it is great,” Tibaldi said. “We were able to keep the wide variety of classes we have always offered and give core classes more time.” Not all students were seeing the benefits to the schedule switch, however. “I think it’s kind of a bad idea,” Adam Kallioinen ‘15 said. “Everything needs to change for it to happen and it seems like it will make classes that wouldn’t normally be a full year harder for teachers. They’ll

have to drag them out more and will have to change their curriculum.” Most teachers were in support of the switch to the semester schedule. Many felt that the trimester schedule didn’t allow for enough time to teach the material required by the curriculum to the depth they wanted to reach with their students. The full-year courses would change that, however. “I think the change to semesters will give all students an equal chance to access the state’s core skill standards,” Language Arts teacher Brian Guiney said.

the halls, now was the most cost efficient time to also paint,” Tibaldi said. The art teachers, Mrs. Clone, Mrs. Keck, and Ms. Peoples, worked with the carpet company to select the paint colors and trim. Teachers and administrators will be monitoring the halls and classrooms to ensure the new carpet has a long life, free of stains. Students will only be allowed to carry water into the wings and will not be allowed to eat in the hallways during lunch. Besides the obvious benefit of beautify-ing the school, the changes would make for a better learning environment. “The nicer the school looks the more respect students demonstrate toward the school facilities,” Tibaldi said. “We have been fortunate to have great student respect and care for the building, and the students deserve a facility to have pride in.”

Producing a quality yearbooks requires a full year of work. To get a jump start on templates and cov-

erage ideas, members of the Occidentalist yearbook staff traveled with their adviser, Mrs. Hansen, to Grand Valley State Univer-sity to take advanced classes in design. “My students already had a really good idea about this year’s theme,” yearbook adviser, Mrs. Hansen said. “When they got to camp they were exposed to new trends in design so our students can expect a whole new look with the 2015 yearbook.”

Mrs. Hansen was also teaching at the camp and Tiana Smith, Editor-in-Chief for the Odyssey, attended with Heather Heiges, Sabrina Eisner, and Rebecca Brown, who will all take positions on the editorial board. “I loved learning from the top designers in the industry so our book will be the best it can be,” Heiges said. At the workshop she majored in advanced yearbook and minored in photography. She will be the Events Coordinator for the Odyssey staff. Besides helping to win the Bronze award for their theme packet, she won an award for know-

ing her yearbook terminology and com-peted against other schools from around the state in an intense game of Jeopardy. “I am so impressed with my students who went to the journalism camp this year,” Mrs. Hansen said. “It was very intensive and they worked from 8 a.m. to midnight or later every day. They stayed profes-sional and really applied what the learned to their theme packet. This will be a terrific book this year because they worked so hard. They are giving Mrs. Clone [the new adviser] a lot to work with.”

Four students traveled to GVSU to study advanced design at a five day Herff Jones summer workshop. They came away with a Bronze award, beating out dozens of schools form around the state.

Yearbook takes a high award

Got YOUR YEARBOOKyet?

123

New Schedule02

From left to right, Heather Heiges, Tiana Smith, Sabrina Eisner, and Rebecca Brown work with an artist from Herff Jones at the YBKickstart workshop at GVSU in late June. Together they designed the cover for the 2015 Odyssey yearbook and took a high award for their theme packet. Photo: C. Hansen

Send us an email with questions, story ideas, concerns, or requests to:wshnewspaper@tcapsstudent.net or drop your letter to the editor in the main office. Please contact Mrs. Han-sen with requests to purchase ad space in the Occidentalist newspaper at the phone number or email listed above.

Editors Julie FooteAlyssa OhanesianTiana Smith

Adviser Catherine Hansen

5376 N. Long Lake Rd., Traverse City, MI., 49684 231.933.7500

This edition was produced by the editors who await the new staff to produce their first, full-length publication. The Occidentalist is printed by the Record Eagle.

JULIE FOOTE

Yearbooks sell out every year before they are delivered in May. If you did not order at registration, it’s not too late. All guaranteed orders must be placed by December 15.

Bring a check made out to TCAPS for $65 to Mrs. Clone in the art room. Include your name in the subject line.

Bring a check to the yearbook class during all three lunches in A116.

You can order a book using a credit card from our school’s website. Go to the “School Information” tab, then click on “Yearbook”.

New Look, continued from page 1...

The switch to semesters means more classes for students. Instead of taking five classes each day, the students will take six classes, with options of adding a Zero and Seventh hour to accommodate more elective choices. The semester schedule means shorter classes, too, but students will have more time to cover material because many of the classes that only ran for two trimesters will now run for an entire year. The advisory schedule will only run on Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate state mandated anti-bullying programs, to help students prepare their electronic portfolios for the Students Led Conferences in May, and help students complete paperwork for the counseling department.

Spanish teacher, Señor Ranke de-serves a standing ovation for his summer performance. Between his

work at the Suttons Bay Migrant Program and starring in the Miracle Production’s performance of “Catch Me If You Can,” he worked close to 20 hours most days. “The most challenging part was memoriz-ing my lines and planning for the migrant school,” he said. “I would plan for the migrant program during my downtime at rehearsals.” Mr. Ranke played the lead role of Carl Hanratty in the musical, but since he wasn’t in every scene, he used 20 minutes “here and there” to grade exams and prepare for the next day’s class. To help memorize his lines, Ranke down-loaded the app Line Learner so he could practice while driving to Suttons Bay for

the migrant program. The app allowed him to record all lines of the musical for play-back, and when it came to his own lines, the recording would go silent, prompting him to say his lines out loud. A graduate of the class of 2008, this will be Mr. Ranke’s second year teach-ing at West, but his first year as a full-time Spanish teacher. As a West student, Ranke performed in the school musicals, “The Mikado”, “Les Miserables”, and “Me and My Girl.” He was assistant director for last year’s performance of “Modern Millie.” “I am looking forward to teaching Span-ish all day in my own classroom,” Ranke said as he prepared for the upcoming school year. He also looked forward to taking students to Costa Rica in November and working with the cast for the next spring musical.

LMC goes to its quiet placeThere have been many changes to the LMC over the years, but librarian Gen-evieve Minor has always tried to keep the space focused on student learning. “Any changes we make in the LMC are influence by patron needs,” Minor said. “Sometimes it is through requests and sometimes we can see that something needs to be done better.” For several years the LMC side rooms have been used as classrooms, academic assistance labs, and a place for the Greek Squad to assist with tech support. Mr. Car-mien taught his 12th grade ELA courses from the side room that once served as a computer lab in the library. When Mrs. Minor found out he was moving to a room in the gym wing, she jumped at the chance to get back the library space. With some careful planning, the Greek Squad and Academic Assistance were moved, too, opening up a “quiet study space” that students can reserve as needed. “Even though we encourage students to work together, other students have re-quested somewhere quiet to work,” Minor said. “We tried to accommodate them in the back of the LMC last year, but it wasn’t a good solution. This year, we have created two quiet study area rooms.” Minor has kept her focus on keeping the library a place of learning, and these new changes support her agenda. “The notion of a quiet library is very 20th century,” she said. “In preparing students for college and the work force, we stress ‘The Habits of the Mind’ and common practices found in society. Col-laboration is something that every one will need to do and be expected to do in just about every job. Therefore we encour-age students to do this in their classes and when they are working in the LMC. The LMC is a busy place and there is no way we can expect students to collaborate and be quiet.”

Students lined up in the library at registra-tion to check out their Netbooks, and many were surprised to discover they had fines to pay before they could be re-issued the same laptop they had the year before. “We completed over 250 repairs for WSH Netbooks alone,” Technology Sup-port Specialist Donna Olendorf said. The tech department put a lot of time into getting the Netbooks ready for distribution day. Over the summer they re-imaged more than 5,500 computers, updating software packages from the ground up. They even went one step further to help alleviate the inevitable backup that comes with distribut-ing more than 1,600 computers to students. “We logged into each computer with the student’s user name and default password so their profile would be cached and they would not have to login at school during registration,” Olendorf said. Of course, technology does fail, and when problems arise, the Greek Squad has a new space in the library to work with

students who struggle with login issues, or have software or hardware problems. Olendorf wants students to know that they can ovoid fines by reporting problems to the Greek Squad immediately. “If you notice a problem with your hardware, get it fixed right away,” she said. “Delaying repairs often results in additional damages.” The One2World laptop program was first started via voter-approved bond from 2007. With the high school and middle school laptop purchases taken together, the cost was approximately $2.2 million, an invest-ment that will pay off as students graduate ready to compete in the digitally enhanced world that surrounds them. Whether college or the workforce, students will be expected to know how to use the technology tools that are available to them. “One of the great benefits of students hav-ing access to technology is the opportunity to work collaboratively in an atmosphere that employers are looking for.,” Technol-ogy Curriculum Coordinator and language arts instructor, David Noller said. “The new model of the work place is one that is collaborative and connected, not of people standing by themselves on an assembly line.” When in the classroom, Noller regularly gives his students the opportunity to choose the online tools they want to complete their assignments. “We’re striving not only to give students the technology to use, but also teaching them to be more independent thinkers and learners by using it.” Students can find suggestions for proper care of their Netbooks and problem solving tips at the TechSource Wiki page at http://web2.tcaps.net/techsource.

Media and Technology Support Special-ist Donna Olendorf checks IDs and distrib-utes computers to cousins, Taylor Witkop ‘14 and Alexandra Witkop ‘17 on the first day of registration. The library was transformed into a maze on August 18 and 19, as students maneuvered through lines to get their pictures taken for their IDs and collect their Netbooks. There were even some students on board to lend a helping hand, although many were there to work off fines they accrued the previous year for turning in damaged Netbooks. With more than 1,500 students coming through, the lines were moving quickly because the technology department worked over the summer to log each student in to their computer and set their new password so they didn’t have to do it at registration. Photo: C. Hansen

Above: Spanish teacher Mr. Ranke works with students to develop their English writing skills in the Suttons Bay Migrant Program. This was his 3rd year working with the program, but his first year working there as a teacher. Photo: E. Guesno. Top right: Mr. Ranke performs as Mr. Hanratty in the summer performance of “Catch Me If You Can” at the Millikin Auditorium in July. Ranke’s first intent was to study music when he first started college at Central Michigan University, but within his first year, he switched his major to Spanish. He teaches Spanish I, II, and IV, and often incorporates music and singing into his daily lessons. Photo: E. Mikulski

NetbookNeeds

03Netbooks

Spanish teacher takes the stage

1. Charge your computer at home. Swapping batteries at school short-ens their life and results in damages to the battery and the motherboard.2. Change your password at school where you are connected to the TCAPS servers. Changing a pass-word at home will cause your com-puter to get out of synch with your cloud.3. NEVER carry an open Netbook by its screen. This will weaken it, resulting in a broken palm casing and broken bottom casing – and a $100 fine for the student.4. If you are having trouble connect-ing to your Z drive or the internet, try a hard reboot. Restarting your com-puter will solve an amazing number of software problems.5. You have the same computer for four years. Don’t leave it in a cold car, treat it with respect.6. If you notice a problem with your hardware, get it fixed immediately.7. If you have a computer question, come visit the Greek Squad in its new location – D136 in the LMC.

Avoid Charges with Simple Steps

Teachers use Netbooks to help students think independently in classes, so they can compete in

the digital world. These Netbooks stay with students for

four years, and need to be cared for in a way that will

ensure their longevity.

Summer

When it comes time for a student’s final year, it is monumental for most. Seniors spend their year

focusing on planning for the future, filling out college applications, and making every moment count. Graduating high school is a right of passage, and most seniors and their families want a quality photo to com-memorate this special time in their lives. “I chose to get my pictures done profes-sionally because you only get one chance to take your senior pictures, so why not go all out,” Jodi Turnquist ‘15 said. “My favorite part about the experience was for sure the day when you actually got the pictures back to see how well they turned out.” Besides the yearbook photo (one of the most important images you can ever take as it is the one that everyone will always remember you by), there are other reasons for having a professional photographer capture your best you. Families will hang the images on the wall next to baby pic-tures, adding to the collection of memories that define one’s life. The photos are given to friends and family members as memen-tos, and students leave them with teachers as a way to remember their true personali-ties. Seniors will place them on resumes, upload them to Facebook, and send them off with college portfolios. Pictures will be glued into graduation announcements, too. As technologically advances, it has become easier for students to take their own senior pictures. For some, it may be about saving money, or not wanting to

take the time to schedule an appointment. Still, there are good reasons for going to a professional photographer; they have the equipment needed to take the photos that meet certain standards to be used as a yearbook picture and the photographers give seniors the royal treatment during their session. Windborne Studios photographer Mike Drilling has been in the business for 37 years. He understands the challenges to capturing the perfect image that will be shared and viewed throughout a lifetime. “The toughest part about photographing seniors is finding something different for everyone,” Drilling said. “No one likes to do the same thing over and over, even if it’s just one new thing every session.” Drilling takes approximately 150 senior sessions each year, offering students the option for photos taken inside his studio, outdoor shots around the studio, or he is willing to meet at favored locations around the Traverse City area. His clients get the full “senior treatment” when they come in

for their photo sitting. “I thought the experience was super fun, being able to go to different places and change outfits,” Madeline Chung said. “Mike made it a super fun environment and who wouldn’t want their picture taken for two hours...I was pretty tired towards the end and it was pretty cold but besides that I thought it was an awesome experience.” When it comes to placing an image in the yearbook, quality matters. “When you put a photo taken by an un-trained photographer next to a professional photographer’s photo in the yearbook, it really stands out as being substandard,” past yearbook adviser, Mrs. Hansen said. “Un-less you have access to professional lighting and a camera that shoots at 300 DPI, the photo will look overexposed or will have shadows. The photo may look good to the average person, but once it is flowed in with photos from professionals, it will look low quality.” Mrs. Hansen was the yearbook adviser from 2003 to 2014 and worked with a committee to develop photo standards that

Getting a senior portrait taken is a right of passage, something that will be cherished for a lifetime

Mike Drilling at Windborne Studios takes an outdoor picture of senior Madeline Chung. His studio specializes in creative senior portraits, both indoor and outdoor. His packages also include a senior portrait for the yearbook that meet the Herff Jones publishing specification. He takes his subjects to unique sites like the historic State Hospital grounds, The Sleeping Bear Lakeshore National Park, and the shores of Lake Michigan. Other service offered by Windborne Photographic Studios include full commercial and aerial photography. Photo: D. Chung

Seniors Say Cheese

“The photo may look good to the average person, but once it is flowed in with photos from professionals, it will look low quality.”

Government teacher Tak Ready spent part of his summer break traveling through Europe. He was

in Spain for one week, Denmark for four days, and Sweden for four days. “I always enjoy traveling to new places because I have a sense of curiosity and want to learn about and experience new places first hand,” he said. Mr. Ready has a friend or relative who has lived in each of the countries that he visited, which not only gave him a place to stay, but also offered him some insight to the cultures he was eager to learn about. “Since my friends Alvaro and Jennifer have lived in Madrid, they helped me understand the culture of Spain in ways I could never have experienced without their help,” he said. “ Because my cousin Per was raised and lives in Denmark, he helped me experience how the Danes live.” He also visited math teacher, Mrs. Uhler-Chargo in Sweden and she helped him understand Swedish history and gov-ernment. ”I will use these experiences to help me

become a better government teacher,” Mr. Ready said. “I will now be able to help my students understand the difference be-tween the Spanish, Danish, Swedish, and American systems of government. Plus it was really fun hanging out with wonderful people, eating different types of food, and exploring new places.” Teachers weren’t the only ones to set out on adventures. While camping in the U.P. and Wisconsin, senior Suha Au-genstein took the opportunity to test her diving skills on the cliffs at Presque Isle in Marquette. Suha has been diving for three years and also went to MSU diving camp for her fourth summer. She started the Traverse City Springboard Diving Club with Sam Neddo and planned to be back competing on the board with the girls’ swim and dive team this year. Eleventh grader Jake Draper headed to Colorado where he hiked four miles one way to an elevation of 9300 feet to see St. Mary’s Falls. He also went to Brecken-ridge and walked around the Continental Divide.

The summer months providedstudents and teachers time to explore their interests.

Summer is the time to learn through living

meet the specifications of the Herff Jones printing company. For students who do not wish to have senior pictures taken by a professional photographer, there is the option to use their

student ID taken at registration by Timeless Image. It will be digitally retouched and use the traditional senior background. Timeless Image will be back for retakes on Oct. 6, and students can order from a number of photo packages. Students and photographers can find a list of requirements for senior yearbook photos on the school’s website.

04

Top left: Eleventh grader Jake Draper hikes to St. Mary’s Falls in Colorado during a family vacation over the summer. Photo: Submitted by K. Humphrey, Top Right: Senior Suha Augenstein dives from a cliff at Presque Isle in Marquette. Over the summer she also went to MSU diving camp where she had the chance to platform dive. Suha is also a lifeguard and a USA diving certified beginning coach. Photo: K. Augenstein, Bottom: Government teacher Tak Ready checks out the view of Toledo, Spain. Over the summer he toured four different countries throughout Europe, including Spain, Denmark and Sweden. Photo: Submitted by T. Ready

ALYSSA OHANESIAN

KATE HANSEN

--Yearbook Adviser, Mrs. Hansen

We tend to need more time during enrollment...

Meet thePrincipals

Simply put, there isn’t enough time to do it all. From the first day of school to the

last, our “student plates” are full, overflow-ing in fact, and students need extra time to work through all that is required of them. The Advisory class is set up to give stu-dents, counselors, teachers, and administra-tors time to collaborate on important topics like student led-conferencing, enrollment, grades, and discussing school rules and upcoming events. It is also time to register for major tests and tackle important issues like cyber-bullying. Student mentors are as-signed to the freshmen Advisory classes to help the newest student work through it all. “The purpose of Advisory is to take care of school business, enrollments, handing out forms and surveys, to get information on MEAP tests, school business and coun-seling needs,” Advisory Council member Dave Noller said. Michigan schools that receive federal funding are required by federal law to address discrimination. This prompted TCAPS to adopt the Olweus Bullying Pre-vention Program. The Advisory classes will

meet twice a week -- once to discuss issues related to academics; testing, grades, and graduation requirements, and another day to work through the state mandated anti-bullying curriculum. Even with added Advisory classes, there may not be enough time to get everything done. “We tend to need more time during enrollment for the following year, and during the run-up to student led con-ferences,” Noller said. The Advisory Council expects to add additional Advisory classes as needed to guarantee students get time to complete their required SLC portfolios. Besides working through the Olweus Bul-lying Prevention Program, the main focus of the Advisory class will be to help students complete the student-led conference (SLC) graduation requirement. To meet this

State requirements, testing, anti-bullying talks, and relationship building only get one hour each week

Advisory may not be enough time to get it all done

requirement all students will lead their parents (or approved adult) through a 20 minute presentation of their work, mostly electronic in an online portfolio. Included in this presentation will be a three page autobiography that discusses their academic growth throughout the year, as well as their high school career. Teachers will assign

digital work in classes for students to use in their portfolios, too. During the SLC stu-dents will take owner-ship of their work, discuss their triumphs and struggles, and consider the best path to reach their future goals.

Advisory classes will meet for a half hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students should always bring a charged Netbook as they are often required to complete forms for testing and enrollment, and to work on SLC portfolios and complete Career Cruis-ing surveys for the counseling office.

New Advisory 05Members of the Advisory Planning Committee met in mid-August to go over the calendar of events that need to be scheduled for the advi-sory classes. Advisory classes will meet twice per week, but with so much to accomplish, the committee feels they will need to add in extra class times to accommodate enrollment and standardized testing periods. Advisory classes are also used to meet state mandates for ant-bullying lessons, so students will work through the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program each week. Photo: C. Noller

Students can’t miss the iconic symbols of the school when they enter through the west facing entrance. The painted rock greets them each morning with announcements from student groups, and the metal globe serves as a reminder that our school is an international one. “We hope this globe will encourage stu-dents to take advantage of all the opportu-nities we have around school; exchanges, hosting, classes, that will help them appreci-ate and respect other cultures,” Principal Joe Tibaldi said. “The purpose [of the globe] is to help promote that we truly live in a global world and it is critical that we understand, appreciate and value other cultures to truly be successful in the 21st century. We also hope this understanding will lead to great peace and prosperity around the world.” The globe was made by students in the welding class at the Career Tech Center. Student Senate members are usually the first group to paint the rock. Their annual “first day of school” message greets anxious students who are not ready to come back from their long summer vacations. They are often the last group to paint the rock in the last weeks of school, too, leaving a hearty farewell message to graduating seniors. For the rest of the year, the rock is fair game. Student groups paint their messages to announce upcoming events, and sports teams paint it to create a fan frenzy before a big game. Of course, our biggest cross-town rival, Central High School, has sent students to paint over it in their school colors, and even tried to bury it over the summer. Even so, like the West community, it stands solid.

First greeting is solid as a rock (Or is it steel?)

“

Mr. Noller, Advisory Council

“

KATE HANSEN

Main Principal: Joe Tibaldi Where to find him: Main office, in the CommonsWhat he does in his free time:“I love to read, be with family and friends and work out.”His advice for getting through the year:“I hope you always remember to try your best and to treat people the way you would like to be treated.”

Olympia Principal: Joe Esper Where to find him: H106, office in the Commons What he does in his free time:“Besides going to Titan sporting events and performances, I enjoy running, biking, hiking, guitar, cards, watching college football and spend-ing time with my family.”His advice for getting through the year:“Success is choice. There are so many staff, students and programs at West that are set up to help with whatever needs students may have. Regardless of where they are starting from, any student that is willing to work hard and ask for help when needed, will be successful at West.”

Sparta Principal: Charles KolbuszWhere to find him: D159 office across from LMC, behind the counseling office.What he does in his free time:“I very much enjoy going to my own kids’ West sport competitions, 4-H, and working on “stuff” at home.”His advice for getting through the year:“Hard work will pay off. If you want to be successful, the teachers, classes and support here at West can help you to be successful.”

Athens Principal: DanOberski Where to find him: D203, office at top of staircase from Commons. What he does in his free time:Running. Video games. More run-ning. Then some running.His advice for getting through the year:“Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow and be like water.” Bruce Lee

Insert: Staff members come out to help put the globe in place last spring at the student entrance to the school. Photo: J. Esper. Main photo: The globe sits behind the iconic rock that has been a symbol of our school’s strength since it was first put in place almost 15 years ago. Photo: A. Hansen

freshmen as well.” Erik went on to say that the Kick-Off program taught him that freshmen year is the most crucial year for students, a time when they first make up their minds about their success in school. He felt it was im-portant to mentor to help the freshmen feel more positive about school. “I see us serving as role models,” he said. “Besides helping with the transition, our goal is to get the mentors so close that the freshmen aren’t afraid to approach us,

in or out of school. The mentors are there to guide them along the way… so they don’t make mistakes.” Each men-tor will work with four to five freshmen and mentors will

work closely with the Advisory committee to plan lessons that can be led by student mentors. “We’re giving more of a workload to the mentors because we know they can handle it,” Anton said. He will not work as a men-tor, but will work as the Sparta neighbor-hood facilitator, along with seniors Mario Cassim, (for Athens) and Ashely Miller (for Olympia).

Know YourCounselor

Her students: A and W-Z, students with 504 plans. What she loves about West:“I enjoy working at West because, I too went to high school in Traverse City and feel that TCW is a great school in many ways. We have great staff, great students, a lot of op-portunities for students with various interests, a lot of support for students and an overall welcoming environ-ment full of people who care.”

06 Mentor Program

Making the jump from middle school to high school can seem more like a huge leap. To help

the ninth graders settle in, more than 100 upperclassmen stepped up to help them find their place at West through the Mentor Program. Juniors and seniors met on August 15, for extensive training to serve as mentors. They will help the freshmen navigate their first year at the high school by serving as role models. “The program is designed to guide students through the transition from middle school to high school,” French and history teacher Mrs. Kelly said. “The main components are training the mentors during the orientation in August, assisting with freshman orientation, providing every incoming freshman with a junior or senior student mentor who interacts with them throughout the year, and then maintaining consistent connections between mentors and their freshmen all year.” Mrs. Kelly will work with teachers Tim Wooer and Brian Guiney as Fresh-men Mentor Advisers. They will oversee the student mentors in the three different neighborhoods – Mrs. Kelly in 0lympia, Mr. Wooer in Sparta, and Mr. Guiney will

work in Athens. The mentor program is facilitated through the Advisory class and has had great success since it was first started. “The goals of the program are to train mentors and then support them in tak-ing ownership in the successes of their freshmen in a few key areas: grades, attendance, behavior, and involvement in school activities,” Mrs. Kelly said. “Ad-ditionally the program provides additional leadership opportunities for upper-class students and I’d like to think that it leads to an improvement in overall school spirit and school climate.” Senior Erik Anton had good memories of working with his mentor, Monica Ida-luca, as a freshmen. His positive experi-ences from that time are what prompted him to get involved as a mentor. “She really helped me out so I wanted to do the same thing,” he said. “I feel like the transition [from middle school to high school] is a big deal, and the men-tor program really helped me and a lot of kids out. Kids are nervous and edgy about high school, and I wanted to help out other

Juniors and seniors work to make the freshmen feel more comfortable as they transition into their new school

Jackson Hanna ‘15 had a pretty typical summer that involved working, consid-ering his college choices for the next

year, having fun, and putting time towards getting his driver’s license. There were also a few things about his summer that weren’t so typical. First off, he worked at Stardust Memorials, a factory that packages and ships cremation urns. Hanna has worked at Stardust Memorials since he was fifteen years old, putting in eight hours a day a couple of times each week. Most wouldn’t consider a job with urns a normal starter job for a high school student, but Hanna enjoys it. “I’m glad I have the job because it’s easy and it pays well, despite being tedious and time consuming,” he said.

A senior’s summer takes an urn

Aside from working most of the summer, Hanna also had time to go on a college tour with his family to Ohio, where he visited The College of Wooster, Denison Univer-sity, and Case Western Reserve University. He plans to study gene therapy after gradu-ation. While work and considering one’s future are not uncommon summer activities for a senior, Hanna was sure to work in some fun, too. He practiced playing the ukulele, an instrument he’s been playing for over a year. The ukulele helps him practice his singing too. His class schedule includes singing in the Choral-Aires, and he hopes to perform in the musical this school year, too. He sang in the chorus for “Beauty and the Beast” (2013) and in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (2014).

Senior Jackson Hanna plays the ukulele to relax over the summer break. Jackson spent most of his summer working and checking out prospective universities that he may want to attend the next year. For seniors, summer was about fun, but also getting ready for their futures as they entered their final year of high school.

ManiaMENTOR

Mentors make the newbies feel more welcome

Hanna gets busy with memorials and making music--mixing work with summer fun.JULIE FOOTE

Her students: B - DWhat she loves about West:“The best part of my job is getting to know each and every student on my caseload and helping them transition from middle school to high school and then on to college and other post-secondary choices.”

His students: E - JWhat she loves about West:“I enjoy working with the students of West Senior High. I also like the fact that I never know what is going to happen from day to day.”

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Her students: K - OWhat she loves about West:“What I love most about being a counselor at West is getting to meet all of the wonderful students, staff and families with whom I will be working. I look forward to being part of the team.”

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His students: P - VWhat she loves about West:“The thing I love most about working with students is being able to posi-tively contribute to a student’s deci-sion making process at an important time in their lives.”

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“Besides helping with the transition, our goal is to get the mentors so close that the freshmen aren’t afraid to approach us.”

--Mentor Facilitator Erik Anton

Student mentors work through strategies at the Mentor Program Kick-Off event in mid-August. Photo: C. Kolbusz