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THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
NEWS
Parents learn about their students’ classes at Back-to-School Night
Parents listen to
Paymon Zarghami’s, Math Dept.,
By Eileen Chen Feature Editor During the annual Back-toSchool Night on Sept. 2, parents, teachers and administrators had the opportunity to meet and learn about the students’ classes. The event began at 6:45 p.m. for zero period and ended at 8:45 p.m. for seventh period, with each class visit, except third period’s, lasting 15 minutes. The classes for third period were extended so parents could vote on the members of the School Site Council, the parents, faculty and administration who vote on the school’s budget and various projects. Also, Parent Club, Booster Club and Leland Bridge representatives set up booths to talk to the parents and recruit new members for the upcoming year. Other information desks were set up to hand out Parent Internet Viewer (PIV) passwords and distribute schedules. “It was a really smooth night, RODRIGUEZ PHOTO and there were lots of e-mails from presentation on Back-to-School Night. parents who were happy about
Furlough Week: Tough choice for teachers Although the district also intended the week as a vacation break, some students are concerned with the cost that comes with it. “On paper, Furlough Week seemed like a great idea, but after realizing that we still have the same amount of school days as we did last year, and how teachers have been unfairly punished for no wrongdoings on their part, it has lost its luster,” Sophomore Hareesh Iyer said. In essence, all school employees are being docked five days worth of pay for working the same amount of time as they did last year.
“I think it’s extremely unfair that our teachers are getting the short end of the stick for our government’s mistakes. Many people simply don’t appreciate how hard our teachers work, and it just adds insult to injury to lower their already diminished salaries,” Sophomore Prashant Madabhushi said. However, some students are planning on taking advantage of the break by catching up on work, such as studying for both the SATs and the ACTs. “It’s perfect for college [applications],” Senior Tammy Lin.
Students gain experience through internship opportunities
FLORES PHOTO Career Program Coordinator Peg Baker evaluates a business résumé as she advises a student. By Robert Huang Copy Editor In addition to an academically rigorous curriculum found at the school, students can always find real-world experiences through the business internship program, which is administered by Career Program Coordinator Peg Baker. The school’s program offers a wide variety of internships, meeting the needs of the diverse school population and allowing students to discover their inner passions and dreams. From technology companies to children’s hospitals, from engineering programs to assistant teaching, these internships give students a jump start and an inside look into the day to day endeavors of possible career choices. There are also other benefits from participating in an internship. Not only can these activities count for applied arts elective credits and provide an extra boost on college applications, some programs also provide monetary compensation, while others promise unique experiences. Since the start of the program, there has been an increase in private school acceptances from the school. “It’s an excellent opportunity for students to make informed decisions about their future college major and career. We are the only high school in the area that has such a program to offer to students,” Baker said.
In order to obtain an internship, students must first discuss their options with Baker and complete a hypothetical résumé as if actually applying for a position in their field of interest. Prior to the internship, a contract is signed, stating terms between student and mentor. Together, the two decide on the work schedule, student responsibilities and goals to obtain. During the actual employment, students are required to record their experiences in a daily journal and keep track of how many hours they have worked. For every 17 hours attained, one credit is achieved. “It was helpful because it helped me keep track of what I did and learned each day,” Senior Tammy Lin said. One of the more popular internships is through Services for Brain Injury (SBI), an organization that helps people with neurological disabilities rehabilitate. Many students have spent their summer helping clients regain lost skills through activities such as cooking, painting and exercising. “The internship was a very rewarding experience because I was able to strengthen life skills, such as communicating and working with other people. It was also fun as I had the chance to meet new people. Volunteering at SBI helped me realize how fortunate I am to live such a privileged life,” Senior Veda Truong said.
the event,” Assistant Principal of Activities Joe Reghitto said. While the Associated Student Body (ASB) sold school apparel, the Robotics Team used their robot to shoot shirts in the quad. Jennifer Oddson, Science Dept., also partook in some hands-on demonstrations for the crowd. One of the experiments consisted of covering books with rubbing alcohol and setting the alcohol on fire, so that the books appeared to be combusting (but, of course, were actually not). The Career Center was open as well, with flyers and packets of information stacked on the bookshelves. Joan Albers, Career Center, held discussions with parents about the students’ futures and answered college related questions. Teachers also enjoyed this chance to meet and talk to the parents in person and were happy to see the large turnout. “I love playing to a packed house,” Elizabeth Taylor, Drama Dept. said.
Top ten ways to spend your furlough week 10. Go to the beach. The weather is still nice even if it is October. 9. Work on college apps. 8. Read all your textbooks. 7. Make all of your friends jealous by visiting them at school. 6. Catch up on all of the school work you have been procrastinating on. 5. Catch up on the latest shows that you have been too lazy to keep up with. 4. Buy your Halloween candy in advance. 3. Take driver’s ed. 2. Have an exercise plan and see if it lasts for the whole week. 1. Watch Disney Channel reruns while reminiscing about your childhood. Compiled by Lauren Chang Staff Writer