9
perspectives
Meridian Notes a powerful tool only if used as supplement
18
entertainment
Jazz band’s catchy music enwraps audiences
19
centerspread
sports
Badminton enters CCS with undefeated record
Modern Families vol
may22 2006
An art legend commemorated
XXXVII
edition
08
Students await CAHSEE verdict by Steffi Lau, editor-in-chief
photo courtesy of El Valedor
M
MURAL Gary Post (right) and a fellow staff member paint a mural to grace the school’s walls in 1985. The murals that Post painted still remain today on MVHS’ buildings. TEACHER Post shows off his student’s work in 2003. As the ROP art teacher, Post worked hard to promote art as a career. SUNGLASSES Post was a generally happy person who always had a smile on his face.
by Radhika Chandrasekhar, entertainment editor
“G
ary Post took great ownership in MVHS and teaching of art. He took even more ownership in the importance of art and having art as a part of your life as a student. His ability to communicate and transfer art to students was unbelievable. He just had a knack with engaging students, creating a wonderful environment for them to be in and then supporting them in their artistic development,” said Assistant Principal Brad Metheany. It was with such commitment and enthusiasm toward his job and students that Gary Post has made such an impact on MVHS. On May 16 at 4 am, Post passed away
of esophageal cancer. Diagnosed last April, Post was forced to reconsider a lot of things, including whether to continue teaching this year. “I hadn’t made a decision, but when they started telling me how serious it was and what I was going to have to go through, it was obvious that I wasn’t coming back to teach this year,” said Post, in an interview three weeks before his death. In July, he underwent surgery and dilation and began a rigorous six-month long chemotherapy process in August that required a lot of his time and energy. Despite such an unexpected setback, Post still retained a care-free, positive, and lighthearted attitude about life. “You know, I worked real hard on not thinking about [the cancer] and not dwelling
on it, which isn’t always easy because I live alone. But I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I was always inclined to live life and take it a day at a time,” he said. What also helped Post get through hard times were his friends. P.E. teacher Dave Vieira, one of Post’s best friends for about 30 years, often visited him at the hospital and even helped him move last month. Through these tough times, his sense of humor never wavered. “[At least] I didn’t lose my hair! They told me I’d lose my hair by the second session. So I got a crew cut so I didn’t plug up the shower, but I didn’t even lose my mustache! So that was pretty cool,” he said with a
see POST on page 24
ost of MVHS’ students knew by the summer of their sophomore year that they were going to graduate with no problem. 220 credits? Check. Exit exam? Check. But even though only 1.5 percent of the MVHS upperclassmen do not pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) the first time, for 10 percent of the students in this state, one of those boxes still remains glaringly empty. “In this system, the test looks like a joke to many students,” said Assistant Principal Dennis Plaza, this year’s administrator for the exit exam. But for many, including those who are learning English, those who have special needs and those who have not been in the California school system or even the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) for all of their school years, the test is not an easy task to complete. This year is the first year that the state of California has required students to pass the exam in order to graduate. Those who did not pass the exam were barred from receiving diplomas. However, on May 12, this rule was reversed when California Judge Robert Freedman suspended the exit exam as a graduation requirement. He claimed that due to imbalances in the California education system, not all students are adequately prepared for the test. But the ruling may not be permanent: State Superintendent Jack O’Connell plans to appeal as soon as possible. Because this is the first year the exam has been required in order to graduate, FUHSD’s Board of Trustees granted a one-year exemption prior to the recent ruling: students in the Class of 2006 who did not pass the exam would be allowed to participate in the graduation, but instead of receiving diplomas, they would receive certificates of completion signifying that they had completed the necessary 220 course
see CAHSEE on page 4
Fire alarm during AP test may mean retake for seniors
Seniors wait on decision while staff offer varied opinions on possible second test by Rachel Lui, back page editor
A
s the end of the school year quickly approaches, students are beginning to simmer down. Finals will quickly come and quickly go, and the summer awaits two whole months of relaxation. Advanced Placement (AP) tests will not have to be thought of for another whole year, but seniors that took the Macroeconomics test in the field house may have to go through just one more AP test before they go off to college. On the morning of May 11, a startling fire alarm at Monta Vista High School disrupted classes on campus. Normally, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal; students would have to file out of their classrooms and wait for about 20 minutes before they return. This fire alarm was different because it was during an AP exam, specifically Macroeconomics for
students with last names beginning with M-Z. The College Board, the organization that administers AP exams, has tightened their security regarding tests over the past few years. Students are prohibited from bringing cell phones anywhere near the testing site and may not leave the room during any part of testing. There are many strict instructions students must follow while taking the test, including sealing all multiple choice books and sitting at least 10 feet apart between two students to ensure that there is no cheating. Furthermore, College Board prohibits students from ever discussing multiple-choice questions, and they can only discuss free-response questions two days after the test is administered. When the fire alarm went off, all of the students were instructed to go outside and were in an open area outside of the field house for six minutes. They were still in the middle
of their multiple-choice section. The only supervision that the students had were the proctors for the AP exam. The fire alarm, which led all students to evacuate, turned out to be due a large dust cloud. “The smoke detector that went off was in an enclosed area where there was construction. Some smoke detectors are heat sensitive, and some are particle sensitive,” Principal April Scott said. “The smoke detector that triggered the fire alarm was smoke sensitive, and sometimes when a dust cloud is very big, it will cause the smoke detector to be triggered.” One concern that has been expressed about this emergency fire alarm is the likelihood that all of the Macroeconomic tests will be invalidated. If this occurs,
see RETAKE on page 24