THE COUGAR STAR
AAPS cuts $25 million from 2024-25 school year budget
SAANVI KULKARNI STAFF WRITER
On Wednesday, March 13, Ann Arbor Public Schools interim superintendent, Jazz Parks, announced the need to cut $25 million from next year’s budget. Their fund balance, the district’s savings account which is an indicator of financial health, is predicted to drop two percent by the end of this year. Last year, it was at four percent, while five percent is required by the state and 15 percent is suggested by finance experts.
Part of the issue has to do with a $14 million accounting error that was only
discovered recently.
“This past November, as part of our regular budget review and audit process, the prior Superintendent made the Board of Education aware of a shortfall in our current school year budget,” Parks said in the March 13 Budget Update.
Another factor that contributed to the budget issue was that money received from the state for the pension fund was mistakenly treated as regular income, which hid the reality of the district’s precarious financial situation, according to the Detroit Free Press.
However, no one or two things caused this crisis— it was the combination of many
student disenrollment rate suddenly increased, as instruction continued to be on Zoom from March 2020 through March 2021. Statistically, student enrollment has decreased by 1,123 over the past four years.
with disabilities.
“In a blink of an eye, [children] lost their entire networks for education,
Ann Arbor doctors worked to have AAPS reopen. They explained how in-person education could take place safely through writing to the Board of Education in July 2020, December 2020, and February 2021. They warned
Jazz Parks named superintendent
AMELIA BAI EDITOR IN CHIEF
On March 20, 2024, the AAPS Board of Education named Jazz Parks, previously the interim superintendent, as the new Superintendent of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Following former superintendent Jeanice Swift’s departure late of last year, the school board
has been searching for a superintendent for nearly half a year. They had planned to continue, however, following the $25 million budget cut, the board ultimately decided on a cost saving measure to appoint Jazz Parks as the superintendent to a 4-3 vote.
Jazz Parks has been in the district for 16 years, and in education for even longer. She served as a building leader
of $9.6 million annually, and this decrease in perpupil funding significantly impacted the budget. Additionally, there has also been a rise in staff costs — in the past decade, AAPS saw a 29% expansion
exercise and socialization,” said Dr. Omkar Karthikeyan, a pediatrician from IHA, on Mid-Michigan NOW. However, AAPS remained closed. While some supported this decision due to growing apprehension about the global pandemic, other families began leaving the school district.
As the number of students decreased, the per-pupil funding ($9608 per student in this year’s state school budget) also decreased. To illustrate, losing 1,000 students equates to a financial burden
in their workforce: 480 new employee positions, including 417 teachers, and if that isn’t enough, the school district also raised salaries and benefits by $13 million, under $500 per employee.
Superintendent Jazz Parks stated in the March 13 Budget Update, “Despite our best efforts, the magnitude of the budget challenge we are facing will require us to make staff and program reductions.” As a result, AAPS has been authorized by the school board to start releasing layoff notices.”
at Tappan Middle School for almost a decade, before becoming assistant principal of Tappan Middle from 20072009. She served as Tappan’s principal from 2009 to 2016. From there, she was appointed as Executive Director, K-8 and Middle Years from 2016 to 2020, and then to assistant superintendent.
public commentary at board meetings.
comments on the program his child attends at
supports keeping teachers and finding other ways to cut from the budget.
GRAPHIC BY ANNABELLA MI
Support
Ann Arbor Teachers signs found around Clague and the surrounding community.
Left: Jazz Parks was named the superintendent in March. Below Left: After the budget deficit was announced, community members share their ideas at
Below
Right: Teacher Nathan Smead
AAPS. He
Ryan Bezas
Solar eclipse on April 8: recap and photo story
JAEWON LEE DESIGN EDITOR
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a solar eclipse came to the U.S. Ann Arbor at a 98.5% totality (the eclipse started at 1:57 p.m. and ended at 4:26 p.m.), which was the same brightness as a cloudy day.
If you wanted to go to the closest location near Ann Arbor that had a totality of 100%, you would have needed to go to Toledo, Ohio. Their total eclipse started at 3 p.m. and ended after one minute. 100% total eclipse also took place in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Tennessee. Only the southeasternmost corner of Michigan was included for the total eclipse.
There are two types of eclipses: solar and lunar. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, while a lunar eclipse happens when the Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and the Sun. They are both eclipses, but happen in different circumstances. The one that occurred in April was solar. During the total eclipse, the stars and planets will appear
as if it were nighttime; the sun will not be visible anymore.
However, total solar eclipses are quite rare (and in a place where people live is even rarer), as they only happen once a decade. The next solar eclipse in the U.S. will be in 2044, a gap of 20 years later. Therefore, such an event may not be seen in many people’s lifetimes.
glasses were worn when observing the eclipse, whether indoors or outdoors.
As Executive Director Liz Nowland-Margolis of AAPS stated, “Here in Ann
that is not blocked and we should only view the eclipse (all parts of it) while wearing our solar viewing glasses.”
She continued that “the remaining 1.5% of sunlight
when the eclipses take place by “using the latest physical models of the Earth, Moon, and Sun,” Edmister said.
not see a full eclipse (98.5% eclipsed).
Even though a lot of the
In Ann Arbor, solar eclipse
sunlight will be blocked at the maximum eclipse point for us, there will be some sunlight
“
I thought the solar eclipse was extremely fun I’m excited to do this again in two years when I go to Europe and see the eclipse with my family!
NOEMIE
certified eclipse glasses for staff and students from a donation from the Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union.
Assistant Director at the Detroit Observatory, Austin Edmister, said that there are a few eclipses per year, but rarely in a place where mass population is present. Scientists can precisely predict
Edmister mentioned as well that from the perspective of the Moon, an astronaut would see a round, dark shadow crossing the face of the Earth in only a couple hours. He continued that the shadow would have a dark core, representing the line of totality, and a radiating shadow from beyond that across the face of the Earth. He also stated that NASA has a fantastic simulation related to eclipses.
Even though we cannot go to the moon right now, the eclipse provided here in the United States was still enjoyed.
Some teachers were able to bring their students outside to check on the progress of the eclipse. SARA-BETH
Clague students gathered outside the front entrance to view the eclipse. JAY TAVANE
Seventh graders Yuri Kim and Sophia Alison Rustia watching the solar eclipse. JAY TAVANE
Clague seventh graders posing for a photo during seventh hour. JAY TAVANE
GRAPHIC BY ANNABELLA MI
Dear sixth graders: a personal narrative
ANNABELLA MI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dear sixth graders, From Kindergarten through fifth grade, I was convinced “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” was a cautionary tale for middle school. I confidently memorized the morals of this book series like it was the Pledge of Allegiance: don’t go searching for mounds of gum latching underneath the wooden tables or say “playdate” if you want to “hang out.” And like the gum under the tables, these philosophies stuck with me.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” approached the portrayal of a learning institution with each desk six feet away from another as if it were social distancing, and included the occasional bullies as well. Although I can confirm the rumors of gum underneath the tables, I can also debunk the myths that middle school is the start of your demise.
Although I can stand by this— elementary school does not prepare you for middle school, is a claim that does not require a persuasive essay to be proven. Transitioning from abstract playgrounds to concrete roads is the duty of an optimist— in
other words, my fifth grade teacher’s admirable attempt. She described the hallways like it was a battlefield: a hostile environment where efficiency and swiftness is fundamental when eluding a tardy. But despite her warnings, I was still not prepared. I was still not prepared regardless of ironing my “first-day of school” outfit that I had meticulously planned months ahead.
Because on the first day of middle school I was greeted with an intimidating maze of hallways and an army of backpacks marching to their next destination, with the additional detail that I was also late.
Nobody could prepare me for that, not even “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”
But I still related to this book series. During the initial months of middle school I often found myself most comparable to Greg Heffley, the “wimpy kid.” Like Heffley, I had a loyal yet modest friend group and a well-known older sibling. I was also unfamiliar with the law and ethics of middle school.
But I knew this: the behavior of middle schoolers
corresponds to how a robot is arranged. It is as if they were programmed for generating a snarky remark to a question, comment, or concern, within seconds—a blueprint that codes actions and words. It was also instilled that when you begin middle school, this software is automatically installed, wired into your mind. But strictly from my experience, I think there might’ve been a malfunction in the system.
The sky may be the limit, but for me it was my limited understanding of social cues. With this restriction, I asked friendly faces in a candid manner: “Do you want to be my friend?”
In my defense, I was never discouraged from enunciating these seven words, though I was ultimately pronounced guilty of committing this “crime.” But now a privileged few possess the bragging rights for being asked such a question during their middle school years.
My experience was also strictly algebra, HOSA, and an assortment of afterschool activities. But finding a place for myself in each of these pursuits took time, especially cross country.
I have never been
AAPS extensions: Are they really necessary?
JAEWON LEE DESIGN EDITOR
You have probably noticed some extensions that we do not use on our AAPS Chromebook. What is the use of these? As we go through middle and high school, we may normalize the sight of this feature on our Chromebooks, but these so-called “helpful” extensions may cause many problems in our learning.
When a student’s AAPS Chromebooks is first set up, some extensions that require logging in randomly pop up a new tab out of nowhere, such as Protractor and Read&Write. This can create some frustration, as it is sometimes hard to close those tabs. This is also time-consuming, as some Chromebooks are slow and will take a long time to complete the task of closing specific tabs. While it is true that Read&Write does help with creating dictionaries on Google Docs, this extension does not help if you do not know how to use it.
As for Protractor, I find it really helpful to have a built-in digital protractor on my computer, however, there is no specific reason for Protractor to ask you to log in. To enable this function, all you just have to do is push a button, and then it pops up— this is very inconvenient. These extensions also take up huge amounts of memory. Adding up all the memory from the extensions, they consume more than 664MB of our computer! Now that is just only 2% of the memory of an average Chromebook (32GB), that 2% can make a huge difference. According to Simpletivity, just one Chrome extension can greatly slow down your browser. Imagine 16 of those internetbreaking applications. And so we therefore see extensions as a pain. Extensions can cause headaches. Headaches are hugely
bestowed the genes that constitute an olympic athlete, or a cross country runner. Additionally, Lululemon leggings and Nike sneakers were never my designated attire, yet I still joined cross country. People can speak, smell, and amble, but running is a verb that many struggle with. And as the daunting name suggests, running is cross country’s forte— though it was not mine.
But something that was mine was a slip of paper, handed out at the end of cross country practice, that conveyed an imperative message: “Cross country meet approaching.” Out of dread, I created a variety of excuses to intercept my inevitable attendance. I could’ve declared that I had torn my ACL in eight places or announced that I had contracted the flu, but as the more dignified alternative, I said I’d be there. And there I was in the race, at the edge of a 1.8 mile route woven with hills and side stitches. If you were spectating from the crowd, you would have seen me sprinting to the end, somehow managing to persevere. Though many can boast
about finishing with ease or receiving a high ranking, I can boast about crossing the finish line.
And although stepping over the finish line does not guarantee an admirable ranking like others, it did achieve the most valuable placing of all: a place for myself in cross country. Now as a seventh grader, I am convinced that “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” is a fictional— albeit realistic fiction—book series intended to entertain, not educate. And as a 7th grader too, I have confidently memorized the morals of this series as if it were my locker combination: middle school can not be prepared for or warned about, only experienced. And it took sixth grade to realize that.
Best regards, Annabella Mi P.S. Get the snickerdoodle cookies from the snack bar— they’re the best.
connected to stress. Ever get a headache after your Chromebook breaks down? That is because of stress. Computers slowing down can create tremendous stress for many people in this world. Therefore, the “helpful” extensions can become a headache trigger. However, we know that AAPS puts
extensions on our computers for a reason as it would be futile to have these features for no reason. For example, Clever is a very helpful extension that AAPS provided, as when you click the extension, Clever just pops out, preventing you from typing out “Clever.com” on your browser. Even though
shouldn’t be focused on just one extension.
For instance, since Clever is essential to all AAPS activities, it could be still kept as mandatory. But other apps, such as Read&Write and Protractor could be useful but not necessary for all students, so these extensions could be left as optional. However, AAPS sets up our Chromebooks so that everything is mandatory, so you do not have the option to choose which apps to or not to load and use.
Extensions can be beneficial but overall create bigger blocks to getting work done. By recognizing the diverse needs and preferences of students, it would be more effective if AAPS could offer a choice in the selection and use of these extensions, allowing for a more personalized and efficient use of our Chromebooks. This flexibility could greatly enhance our learning experience, helping us to focus on what truly matters: our education.
GRAPHIC BY AMELIA BAI
After-school clubs: Business Professionals of America
AKSHANTH JAYAKUMAR STAFF WRITER
Business Professionals of America (BPA) is a club that is mainly focused on entrepreneurship and financial knowledge. Members actively attend meetings and prepare for events such as “Financial Literacy,” “Digital Game Design Team,” and “Entrepreneur Exploration” at the SLC (State Leadership Conference), which is coming up soon this year. If they do well at the SLC, it propels them to the National level. The founder of the Middle Level Chapter at Clague is Huron High School senior and Huron BPA president, Anirudh Venkat.
The Chapter at Clague is brand-new, having started only last year. Venkat initiated the chapter because he noticed a severe lack of business related opportunities and exposure for K-12 school students in Ann Arbor.
“For science, you know, you have all these Science Olympiads, but there’s nothing really that talks about business and gets students involved in that,” said Venkat. “And as you get into college and beyond, that starts to become a huge thing. And I feel like the earlier you develop a business acumen, I feel like that positions you to be that puts you at a bigger advantage going forward.”
When asked about what the members of Clague BPA are doing to prepare for their events, Venkat stated, “We have a list of competencies
for each event provided by the National BPA. Students are reviewing each competency, and we’ll conduct mock tests in the coming weeks.”
Vihaan Sharma, a member, shared, “I prepared using the competencies on the guidelines for my event. I studied for the mock tests this way, and identified areas to improve in.”
Venkat elaborated on their preparation methods, saying, “For presentations, we’re
going to have them give mock presentations sometime within the next few weeks. For practical events like video game design team or prepared speech, I’m having them submit their work early for feedback.”
Priyam Chowdhury, another member, explained, “I prepared for my event, Prepared Speech, by writing it out and memorizing the key points. I submitted my speech to Venkat beforehand,
and he gave me feedback on what to improve on.”
With many members having already gone to Nationals and dominating the competition because of their extensive practice, their expectations are already higher than from last year.
“In Video Production Team, I hope we can properly present to the judges, and in my other event, Financial Literacy, I hope to get to
Nationals,” said Sharma. Amit Vuppala, a fellow member, shared, “In my first event, Graphic Design Promotion, I hope to do well and impress the judges, as I have been practicing for months. In my second event, Prepared Speech, I studied really hard so I have high hopes for the SLC.”
Should kids use reusable or recyclable water bottles?
NOAH DAVIDSON MANAGING EDITOR
need to clean them. Long term, recyclable water bottles bottles are quick to grab, refillable to your content, but
Business Professionals of America (BPA) is a club that is mainly focused on entrepreneurship and financial knowledge. HEMANTH TAVINE
Spiderman Across the Spiderverse : An amazing movie
JAY TAVANE FEATURE EDITOR
You’ve probably heard of Spiderman. Spiderman is one of the most recognizable characters in all of Marvel movies. There have been many interpretations of him in TV shows and movies alike. Spiderman Across the Spider-Verse is a must-watch movie for all Marvel fans out there. This movie is a sequel to the first Spiderman Into the Spiderverse and does not disappoint. The animation is stunning, and the storyline is captivating.
The first movie follows the story of Miles Morales, a 16-year-old Brooklynite who is also Spiderman. Miles faces different challenges as he tries to balance his superhero life and his personal life. The movie is action-packed and filled with humor, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults.
The second movie is about Miles who becomes Brooklyn’s favorite hero. He has starred in TV shows, songs, and even baby powder ads! The story follows him as he tries to follow Gwen Stacy (Spider-Woman) into a portal after she gets a call from someone, one thing leads to another and Miles finds himself in India with no idea
of what he’s doing. And that is when the story begins! The movie is so fun and the end made me scream “NO!”
One of the things that make this movie stand out is the introduction of new Spiderman characters from different universes.
The movie features new Spidermen/women such as Spiderman 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) who Oscar Isaac voices. There is also Spider Punk (Hobie Brown) who is voiced by Daniel Kaluuya.
One of my favorite characters, Spiderman India (Pavitr Prabhakar), is voiced by
The chemistry between the characters is great, and it’s interesting to see how they interact with each other. There are many funny duos like Hobie and Pravitr and Miguel and Peter B. Parker.
Spiderman India is especially fun for the Indians watching this movie, when Miles goes to India, there are many references to Indian culture. This includes four people on a motorcycle seat and “Chai Tea” instead of “Chai”. The first time I watched the movie was with
some of my friends, my brother, and my mom, we were all dying of laughter when they referenced some Indian stereotypes. Such as Pavitr’s girlfriend being called Gayatri (which is the most Indian name), and an officer called “Inspector Singh,” and the fact that the city in which Miles is stuck in, and that Pavitr lives in, is called “Mumbattan” (Mumbai and Manhattan).
I adore the music. I could talk about it for hours and hours. The music is a mix of hip-hop and electronic beats, which adds to the
overall vibe of the movie. All the songs are made by artist Metro Boomin and other singers. They sound amazing, and you should listen to them sometime! Some of my favorite songs from the album are “Calling” by Swae Lee, NAV, and Metro Boomin, “Am I Dreaming?” by A$AP Rocky, Metro Boomin, and Roisee, “Home” by Don Toliver, Lil Uzi Vert and Metro Boomin, “Self Love” by Coi Leray and Metro Boomin, and a lot more!
Review: Bewitched, a bewitching album worth the listen
AMELIA
BAI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
“Bewitched,” ChineseIcelandic singer Laufey’s sophomore album is far from being groundbreaking or revolutionary. And that’s okay. Because to some, “Bewitched” instead, offers something much better: An escape.
The 24-year-old artist Laufey (pronounced “lay-vay”), has gone viral for her beautiful, deep voice, and mixing old classical music with modern lyrics. Known for her bossa nova hits “From The Start,” and “Valentine,” Laufey is hailed as Gen-Z’s musical prodigy revitalizing the genre of jazz.
Growing up in Iceland, music was the backbone of her childhood. Her mother was a classical violinist, her maternal grandparents were professional musicians in China, and her father had a taste for jazz. Laufey started
playing the violin as soon as she could walk. Then came piano lessons, when she turned four– and cello, later on at eight years old.
In September of 2023, she released her much anticipated second album, “Bewitched.” Although the album contains the same themes as much of Laufey’s music– love, heartache, unrequited feelings, etc., “Bewitched” is bolder and more mature than her previous music. Still, the album is unmistakably about love.
The album opens with the jazzy track “Dreamer.”
The track focuses on recognizing self-worth and self-love, something that is certainly more enunciated in “Bewitched.” Laufey promises, “No boy’s gonna kill the dreamer in me.”
The second track, ironically named “Second Best,” talks about regretting loving someone who never felt the same way. Laufey sings
softly to the hum of strings and piano– “I loved you so much that I settled for less / Oh, you were my everything / I was your second best.”
Other than being classically trained in music, Laufey also holds talent in lyricism. Her songs burst with vivid imagery, something that amplifies the experience of listening. She sings of “Nightingale singing halfhearted lullabies,” in “Second
Best,” at the scream-worthy chorus of the track “Promise,” and the lyrics “When the gold rays fell on your skin,” in “Lovesick.”
The only upbeat song on the album is “From The Start,” breaking the pattern of rainy days and melancholy scattered across the album. Coined as a song for the “delulu girlies” (from both Laufey’s fans and Laufey herself), the track speaks of
unrequited love. “From The Start” is an instant favorite for many listeners, whether it is the relatable lyrics (“Listening to you harp on ‘bout some new soulmate / ‘She’s so perfect,’ blah, blah, blah”) or the snazzy instrumental. Laufey’s arguably best track on the album, “Letter To My 13 Year Old Self,” is one also one of the least recognized. The track reflects on Laufey’s childhood, and her worries. She sings, “I’m so sorry that they pick you last / Try to say your foreign name and laugh.” Laufey encourages herself to pursue her “silly” dreams, because “One day, you’ll be up on stage / Little girls will scream your name.”
Growing up biracial wasn’t always easy for Laufey– she often felt that she was living in multiple worlds. In her hometown in Iceland, she felt different and strange.
Karan Soni.
Escape with Laufey’s lyrics and sounds in her new album. GusPhillipas under CC license
Spiderverse rises above all Marvel movies. Deviantart under CC license
Announcing the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra’s
Open to all Michigan students in grades 7-12
1st Prize: $1000 and a performance as soloist with the A2SO in our Link Up Youth Concert
2nd Prize: $500
All applicants receive written feedback from the jury panelists
Applications open Aug 1, 2024 Visit a2so.org/yac-2024
Clague students and teachers’ favorite books of 2023
“
There was a new plot twist every chapter, and it was constantly exciting. There were so many details and clues to be unveiled and discovered. It never gets boring, and there’s not really a low point in the book. I really liked the fact that it wasn’t hard to follow, and the writing style was really nice.”
MORGAN CHEN, 8
“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?” by Holly Jackson
“I read it at least 100 times (toddlers really like repetition), but it remains a favorite because it’s easy to have the kids read it with me rather than just me reading to them. They can look at the pictures and say the words with me. It’s a classic. Never gets old.”
MS. INABA, Science teacher
“Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?” by Bill Martin Jr.
““It’s a great satirical piece, an allegory to the soviet union at the time— the animals represent it very well.”
ANDREW LONG, 7
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell
“““It’s suspenseful and exciting. The main characters go through an adventure around the world to gain power, [and] they fight competitors in a contest.”
EDWIN LIANG, 7
“The
39 Clues” by Peter Lerangis
“
“I liked this series because the plot was well written and planned out. It’s about a group of people who track down serial killers. It was intense and thrilling.”
KANISHKA GUPTA, 8
“The Naturals” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
“It makes me think about my future and relationship with my family. This book is about a girl and her family. Her family makes her do homework, clean, wash the dishes, and take care of her older brother. But her brother doesn’t need to do anything, and the girl wants to say something about it.”
HIKARU IIDA, 7
“Iitai Koto Ga Arimasu (I Want to Say Something)” by Utumi Nanoko and Natusima Tuthika
““Honestly, I can’t tell if it was really badly written or really well written. I liked it though, because they make this elaborate love story, then something happens at the end– which is a plot twist. I would recommend this if you like romance novels.”
SARAH HOFFERT, 8
“If He Had Been With Me” by Laura Nowlin
“It’s very mysterious and it is written by a good author. It’s basically a book about a 12 year-old that is almost smarter than Einstein.”
RIHIT GIDDU, 6
“Charlie Thorn and the Lost City” by Stuart Gibbs
Courtesy of Annabella Mi
Courtesy of Annabella Mi
Courtesy of Anoushka Prasanna
Courtesy of Amelia Bai
AMELIA BAI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Courtesy of Annabella Mi
Courtesy of Annabella Mi
Courtesy of Hikaru Iida
Courtesy of Annabella Mi