VOLUME 52, ISSUE 5
Wrestling team hosts tournament
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Girls team places sixth
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2009
Unity at the Undivided Club
CV limits credits for online classes
Up to 20 credits are accepted
Principal Potato Head?
CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546
Bonding time for teens
P.E. truant found with knife, arrested By Lisa Carmack Staff Writer
Lindsay Oda / Business Manager
Principal Pete Alvarez (center) pretends to be one of the many Potato Heads in his collection. See page 3 for more portraits.
Fitzpatrick to retire as superintendent By Alexandra Gomes Sports Editor
Dr. James Fitzpatrick, who has been the Castro Valley Unified School District superintendent for the past nine years, announced his retirement late last November. Jan. 30 will be his last day before retirement. Throughout his term, Fitzpatrick has made numerous changes in this community, including some to the CVHS campus. Many CVHS students and teachers can remember a time when our campus was as not as attractive as it is now. Those who do remember will recall the red, ratty fence that bordered the outside of the old stadium and the tall pine trees that stood where the Center for the Arts does now. During Fitzpatrick’s term, CVHS acquired the CFA, Trojan Stadium, and the glorious new arch that welcomes all passersby. These changes, and many others, are some of his most notable achievements. “Seeing what our students have been able to achieve and what our teachers have been able to accomplish,” is what he takes pride in, said Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick started off as an elementary school teacher in the Brea-Olinda District and was promoted to principal and kept that position in the Lake Tahoe
District. He later served as the assistant superintendent and superintendent. Before his term as superintendent here in Castro Valley, Fitzpatrick served as the assistant superintendent of the Escondido Union School District. He came to Castro Valley in 1995 and became assistant superintendent then superintendent. All together, he has worked 14 years here in Castro Valley. Fitzpatrick has served a grand total of 37 years in education from his time as an elementary school teacher in 1971 until becoming our own superintendent. At the age of 59, Fitzpatrick wishes to spend his retirement with family and getting a “good night’s sleep,” but still intends
on being an active figure in the district and helping “make the world a better place” for everyone, anyway he can. After Jan. 30, Fitzpatrick will be temporarily succeeded by Jerry Macy, who was deputy superintendent and is now coming out of retirement. He will be the superintendent of CVUSD until June. All are certain that, after Fitzpatrick leaves, he will be missed terribly. In response to being asked what he likes most about his job, Fitzpatrick replied, “Being able to work with teachers and parents, making a difference, and being able to take dreams and turning them into reality so the students can learn.”
Alexandra Gomes / Sports Editor
Superintendent James Fitzpatrick has worked in education for 37 years.
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A CVHS junior boy was arrested on Jan. 9 on suspicion of possession of a knife on school grounds. He was suspended and faces possible expulsion. The incident began when a group of juniors cut class to go to Bonfare convenience store, said Sheriff's Deputy Timothy Vales. When they arrived there during school hours, a store employee reportedly called dispatch to inform them of the situation. Vales arrived at Bonfare to escort the students back to school. However, two of them resisted going with him, so Vales detained them in the back of his police car to return them to school. Vales took the two students to the office, interrupting an administrative meeting, where one was forced to empty his pockets. “One of the kids smelled like cigarette smoke, so he had to [empty his pockets],” said
Vales. The student had both a lighter and a five and a half inch knife that he had carried with him to school. Vales then arrested him. Punishment for bringing weapons to school is an automatic
“This could all have been avoided if they had just stayed in class.
”
Deputy Timothy Vales School Resource Officer
suspension and also automatic recommendation for expulsion. The student will have to meet with the school board for a decision on his possible expulsion. Vales lamented the incident, commenting, “This could have all been avoided if they had just stayed in class.”
Freaky students won't stop freaking By Isabel Chi
Business Manager With Winter Ball just behind us and Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we would all like to think about getting closer to that special someone. But how close is too close? The Castro Valley High school administration has a history of battling the issue of “freaking” at school dances when students get too close for others’ comfort. This past Winter Ball was the latest example of what the staff would like to think of as the epitome of inappropriate behavior at school dances. “Winter Ball was especially bad,” says Assistant Principal Jesse Woodward. However, when asked about future prevention or punishment, Woodward says that as long as there is no use of illegal substances, no new rules will be implemented. Assistant Principal Lorrie Barrera sings the same tune saying that the case of “freaking” is not severe enough for the administration to put into place a new set of more severe prevention
tactics and punishments. The administration seems to think that current prevention methods are still useful. However, the students at CVHS seem to think that the administration is already overstepping the line. Many students think that the flashlight-wielding members of the staff are a menace to the jolly good times at dances. “I think it’s unnecessary for teachers and administrators to wander around dances with flashlights, giving out warnings about the way kids dance. It’s all just good fun,” said junior Lindsay Poon. Other students think that prevention is impossible altogether. “You can’t stop it [freaking]. There’s always going to be someone trying to get freaky,” said senior Aaron Gelera. “Just as long as everyone’s clothes are on, everything’s all good.” Hopefully, the students and staff of CVHS can come to a consensus so that students can have fun in peace and administrators can enforce appropriate behavior without being intrusive.