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PIRATEER
November 2, 2012
Carlson takes the lead New drama teacher NataliePena
“I’ve participated in the
Englewood summer shows. I have also worked with former director, Bill Ambron, so I know how everything works. I believe that will help me help the kids.”
When the Fisher Auditorium curtains open on November 15, it will not only be the debut of Alice in Wonderland, but also the debut of Englewood High School’s new Theater Director, Dan Carlson. In the year to come, Carlson hopes to bring the department back to how it was in the “old Ambron days.” In the spring of 2011 Bill Ambron retired as director after 30 years of contributions to the department. In the fall of 2011 a new teacher took his place. Unfortunately, she was forced to resign due to a scandal. Consequently, Photo by Sannah Pham Englewood High School was forced to find yet another director. Carlson plans on using his open-arms attitude and love of the theater to get students interested in participating in can plays again, just as his theater belong.” In teacher did when he was in doing this, high school. he also wants With this experience being to pass on his inspiration, Carlson the message to has moved into Englewood students to “do Theater with the hopes what they love, of creating a family like and do it as well as atmosphere. they can.” With only weeks “When I was a until Carlson’s first freshman in high performance, the school, I was very shy cast is feeling and didn’t really fit in confident about with a crowd. My step the new director. “I mother made me go do think Mr. Carlson tech stuff in the musical, is a positive and I finally felt like I found change for a place where I belonged,” the theater Carlson said.
NataliePena
JacobHughes Although freshmen are not allowed to go off campus, many leave the school grounds despite the possible consequences that they might face. Some walk off campus without ever being noticed by teachers, while others get rides from upper classmen. It leads to the question, whether this school policy is being enforced or if this is one of the regulations that are not taken seriously. “There are three reasons for this rule. The first reason is most places to eat are too far to reach by walking. The second reason is that we want Englewood students to earn responsibility rather than giving it to them all at once. Finally, many parents requested it,” Vice Principal Brooke Davis said. Some students believe that this rule is fair, while other students believe that this rule is unjust. “I think that the school made this rule in order to make the freshmen more responsible and mature,” Trevor Willson (9) said. “The teachers don’t really care whether freshmen go off campus or not, just as long as they get back to class on time.”
In addition, Wilson believes this rule should be kept in order to keep the students of Englewood High School safe, and on task for a successful future. Other students believe that this rule is not needed. Some feel that freshmen have earned the right to leave campus after eight years of eating cafeteria food. “This rule is a very unimportant rule. There is no real need for this rule seeing that many of last year’s freshmen went off campus and never got in trouble,” former freshman Ethan Mounts (10) said. Although some disagree with this rule, there are consequences for freshmen leaving campus. “The consequences that a student might face depends on the choices that student has made. Students with more referrals will receive a larger consequence than those who haven’t previously received any referrals,” Davis said. “There are 97 doors that lead to the outside of the school, so it is impossible for us to properly keep freshmen on the school campus, but all students who leave the campus will eventually get in trouble for what they do,” Davis said.
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Freshmen question EHS lunchtime regulations
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New Theater Director, Dan Carlson, is looking to build a strong drama program at Englewood High School in the 2012-2013 school year. After being involved in the performing arts for the majority of his life, he feels as though he has a lot to offer the students at Englewood. After being a technical assistant in Arapahoe High School’s productions, Carlson moved on to the University of Colorado at Boulder to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Theater. He then moved on to obtain a theater teaching degree at the University of Northern Colorado.
Now working as a teacher, Carlson hopes to build Englewood’s drama program further than simply being productions. “I am looking to have more theater classes offered at the school. Ideally, there would be two acting classes: stagecraft, and film study. Now there is only one acting class and I would really like to see more added,” Carlson said. When not participating in theater activities, Carlson enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with his wife. Carlson wants to make an “atmosphere where everyone
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A closer look at
department. He knows what he is doing and wants to see us succeed. He also gives rehearsal a more fun and laid back atmosphere, which makes it more enjoyable,” cast member Shelby Moore(10) said. Although rehearsals under Carlson have a more playful and fun atmosphere than those controlled under Ambron, hard work still gets done. “Mr. Carlson actually gets on stage and shows us what to do, it is very helpful,” Moore said. Along with the idea of a family like atmosphere, Carlson has more ideas to enhance the theater department. One thing he is trying to do is bring more of a “thespian society” to Englewood. “This year, I am working to make it possible for the cast to go to other theater productions whether they are performances from another community or another school,” Carlson said. “I am also making is possible for students to letter in theater.” Despite the new ideas Carlson is bringing to Fisher Auditorium, he plans on keeping some of the old theater traditions as well, “One thing I want to keep is circle; it’s simply part of the theater. It encapsulates everyone together to create one great show,” Carlson said. With the combination of old traditions and new innovations, Carlson is looking to bring the department back to its glory days; however, he is not planning on doing all by himself. “I am looking forward in using the large freshman class and strong upperclassmen core to bring the program’s strength back,” Carlson said.
McLean heads to trial Former EHS English teacher pleads not guilty TaylerSearcy Almost a year after allegations of sexual assault were made against Englewood High School’s rookie drama teacher Alexandra McLean, she entered a not guilty plea on October 22. The arraignment took place in the 18th District Judicial Court and followed multiple requests for continuances since the investigation first began during November of last year. Mclean took over the theater department upon the retirement of longtime EHS teacher, Bill Ambron in 2011; however, she was put on administrative leave on November 28 after the complaints were brought to the District’s attention. McLean officially resigned from the Englewood School District December 8. “Once she resigned [and was not] in front of our kids, she is at the whim of the justice system,” Principal Jon Fore said. On January 4, McLean turned herself into authorities, and later was released after posting a $25,000 bond. She faces two Class felony counts
Photo by T.C Scaggiari
of Sexual Assault by a Person of Trust. Charges were filed after a complaint that the new teacher was having sexual relations with a seventeen-year-old male student at Englewood High School. “The school has a sense of closure, because she is not longer near our kids, but she has a long way to go with the court system,” Fore said. Her trial is set to begin on April 9, and is expected to last three to four days.