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April 15, 2013 Issue 10, Volume 13
THISISSUE 915 lab to be outfitted with new computers this summer FEATURES
Senior Stephanie Mah to travel to St. Louis, Missouri for national robotics competition. Page 3
OPINION Senior Leandra Weinberg likes short naps and summer sundresses. Page 5
ENTERTAINMENT Sophomore Isabel Fajardo reviews the new smartphone app Vine. Page 6
SPORTS JV softball team places first in Clash of the Titans Tournament. Page 8
Pritchard takes over yearbook, Tiger Ink as a result of Cole’s early departure by megHAN JULIN meghan.julin@eyeofthetigernews.com
Following former yearbook and Tiger Ink adviser Michelle Cole’s leave, Amy Pritchard will be taking over the class, as well as her CP English 11 class. Cole announced she was leaving her teaching position on March 21, the Thursday before spring break, and did not return to her post when break ended. Pritchard was informed of her new position approximately a week before spring break and has been working with Cole to get insight on her classes. “I met with [Cole] right before spring break, and then I met with her again after spring break,” said Pritchard. “She’s definitely been very helpful with the transition.” Pritchard has also had experience working with Roseville High School in the past. “I was a long-term sub last year, so I worked with the department, and this position was for a full-time job,” said Pritchard. Pritchard believes it is a difficult time of year to assume the position, but has had previous experience and is up to the challenge. “It’s definitely challenging coming in now; however, it is towards the end, so it’s just a matter of cleaning things up for the deadline,” said Pritchard. “It is a challenging position, but I’ve done yearbook before, so I don’t feel too fish-out-of-water.” Junior Dan Reilly, an editor for the yearbook class, was surprised at the news of Cole leaving. “We were all shocked,” said Reilly. “We had no idea this was coming. It caught everyone offguard. The whole class was upset about it.” Still, Reilly believes everything will work out, as most of the year-
See yearbook| page 2
By Meghan julin
meghan.julin@eyeofthetigernews.com
Room 915 will be undergoing technological changes over the summer, as there are plans to update the computer lab with all new computers. “We are going to replace the 915 lab with updated computers, and then the old computers will be used for parts and other items this summer,” said Roseville High School site technology coordinator Marie Criste. The money for this project will be coming from next year’s site technology budget. The cost is estimated to be about $30,000. “Right now, we don’t enough to cover the entire expense,” said Criste. Additionally, all administration computers were updated with
Microsoft Office 2012 over spring documents from students because break, and all staff computers will [the students] have newer versions.” Science teacher Mike Purvines be updated over believes that the s u m m e r. T h e money for this “The newer com- staff computer updates, as well update will be puters will become as new computcoming from a more reliable, and ers for the 915 lawsuit reward would be exwith Microsoft h o p e f u l l y u s e d lab, tremely useful. from years prior, more often ... There “A computer rather than from the site tech budis a huge need to can be such a powerful tool for get. incorporate more the teacher in a According technology into the classroom,” said to Criste, teachPurvines. “Many ers had difficulty classroom.” teachers use the with the outdated — Mike Purvines work computer computers and for email and atthe computer programs. tendance only, since their work “It’s a step towards moderncomputer is too sluggish to get much izing the school’s old technology,” else done, although there are cersaid Criste. “It comes down now tainly other factors. The lab in 915 to teachers not being able to open
is avoided by most classes because of its unreliability.” Purvines believes that the site tech budget is being used effectively, but recognizes how difficult it is to balance such a small budget. “Managing the technology budget/plan is a very difficult thing,” said Purvines. “The actual budget amount is fairly small, and the needs are great. You have to balance so many things.” Purvines also thinks that all technology resources at RHS should be utilized. “I believe it is a very practical and useful move [to update the 915 lab],” said Purvines. “The newer computers will become more reliable, and hopefully used more often. I would hate to see a computer lab sitting there and not being used. There is a huge need to
Next year’s schedule to block Health and Safety with Freshman Seminars the current AVID classes. Some AVID students now find the college-age tutors helpful. With the new changes “I think it’s a good thing,” presented by the freshman said AVID 12 student Brandon pathways system, the Freshman Crisostomo. “There are things that Seminar pathway will provide you learn from these tutors that you a yearlong Health and Safety wouldn’t have had otherwise.” class. The class plans to In order to have this support all be blocked with the actual year long, administration decided Freshman Seminar class. to block this class with Health and According to principal Safety. Brad Basham, students in the “It’s tough to block a particular block will be math class like working on Algebra 1 because “I really miss the studying skills, some students traditional schedule. m a y b e t a k i n g critical reading and writing and Geometry and That was the main transitioning some students reason why I was from middle may be taking school to high excited for it because P r e - A l g e b r a , ” school. said Basham. “In I will get the kids “We want to PE, the difficulty from the first day of is that classes are meet students where they are school to the last day larger in PE, so at when they when you rotate of school.” are coming in, a class that has whether they 30 students with — Hank DeMello need extra a class of 45 support or they’re accelerating students, that is difficult to do, so and ready to go beyond the Health was the class that made the normal freshman curriculum most sense.” and make sure everyone is at According to Basham, all grade level or above by the Health and Safety teachers were time their freshman year ends, in agreement, especially Health so that they have a successful and Safety teacher Hank DeMello, sophomore, junior and senior who was willing to volunteer to be years,” said Basham. one of the teachers for this blocked In order to aid students even health course. more, the class will have access “I really miss the traditional to work with college-age tutors schedule,” said DeMello. “That was twice a week on subjects such the main reason why I was excited as math and science, much like for it because I will get the kids from
By MICHELLE IM michelle.im@eyeofthetigernews.com
Roundabout to be built downtown, construction expected to be finished by fall of 2014 by robbie short robbie.short@eyeofthetigernews.com
PHOTO BY MARIAN ABDELMALEK
Above, a Health and Safety class in session. Next year’s schedule will allow some freshmen to take the class year-round. the first day of school to the last day of school. You get to know the kids a little bit more because we see them their first year on campus and we see them as they grow up and it’s kind of nice to see those kids as sophomores, juniors and seniors.” DeMello believes that this idea is beneficial in every way., especailly
in building connections between students and teachers. “The previous schedule was more of a push-them-though-a-fastfood-service-than-a-sit-throughrestaurant is the best way I can see it,” said DeMello. “In a restaurant, you can see them and enjoy spending time with them.”
Roseville city to hire two new youth service officers short on patrol and a few other units, but the other officer will probably After a unanimous vote among the be working in the elementary Roseville City Council, plans to hire and middle schools depending on two additional youth service officers how our staffing is at the time.” have been approved. A recent The officer who will be working at long-term recession prohibited Adelante is being paid for by both the new officers from being hired, and city of Roseville and the RJUHSD. Roseville Joint Union High School The second officer is being paid for District saw a decline from seven solely by the RCSD. It is unknown youth service officers in the past to which middle school or elementary only three this year. school will receive the officer. This move will allow Roseville Currently, Cortes works with High School youth service officer students and staff at Adelante Carlos Cortes to work at RHS five High School one day every week. days a week. However, when the new officer One officer hired will be begins servicing Adelante, Cortes assigned full-time to Adelante will no longer be spending time there. High School, the other to a yet“I’ll be able to focus on keeping to-be-determined elementary or this campus and the students here middle school in the Roseville safe,” said Cortes. “I’m planning City School District (RCSD). on it giving me more time to According to Cortes, a shortage dedicate to the problems and in Roseville Police Department staff concerns of the students and staff.” could determine whether or not the According to RHS principal officer will be assigned to RCSD. Brad Basham, the addition of a “One of the officers will definitely new officer will help better both be at Adelante,” said Cortes. “We’re the Adelante and RHS campuses.
incorporate more technology into the classroom.” Many students around campus also believe that updating the 915 lab would be a very effective move. Senior Justin Young believes that upgrading the lab will help students in the long run. “I definitely think that it’s a good thing to update all the computers, just because it’s going to let the students expand their opportunities on campus since they’re having all these new computers,” said Young. “It’s a great way for them to do research for their projects and type up their essays.” Senior Tayler King also believes that the updated lab will help students out. “It’s going to make it really convenient for all the students,” said King.
By BRODIE MAY brodie.may@eyeofthetigernews.com
PHOTO BY DANIEL WETTER
Above, Roseville’s current youth service officer Carlos Cortes working. comfortable talking to the officer “Adelante may be a smaller about an issue, or a concern.” school, but they need a resource According to Roseville Police officer who can work with the Department spokeswoman Dee Dee students there,” said Basham. “In Gunter, the decision to hire an officer the past they’ve had officers coming for the school was very fortunate. from different sites sharing time “We’re really excited to hire new there, which is very inconsistent. officers,” said Gunther. “But we’re It’s about building relationships, very picky and we have to make sure building trust, building a bond both officers are a healthy, good fit with students, so that they can feel for Roseville.”
After a vote by the Roseville City Council on March 20, the proposed building of a new roundabout in downtown Roseville at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Oak Street has been confirmed, and several Roseville Joint Union High School District bus drivers are worried about its maneuverability. Construction is expected to start this summer and should be finished by the fall of 2014. The proposal originated as part of the 2009 adoption of the Downtown Specific Plan, which designated the downtown area as a pedestrian district and encourages the development and implementation of pedestrian-friendly measures. The roundabout itself was approved last April by the Roseville Transportation Commission, and funding for its construction was then approved by the City Council in May. Money for the project will come out of the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds, which are available to cities to fund projects meant to reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions. The Oak Street Improvement Project, which the roundabout is a part of, is expected to cost $2.8 million in total. The project also includes provisions for the construction of new traffic signals at the intersection of Oak and Grant Street and the intersection of Oak and Lincoln Street, landscaping improvements and improvements to the curbs, gutters and sidewalks. According to Roseville public works director Rhon Herndon, the roundabout will improve traffic flow at the intersection. Herndon also said, at the meeting, that the building of roundabouts results in lower accident rates and increased pedestrian safety due to the inclusion of islands and the need to look in only one direction when crossing. “The primary reason for fewer vehicle and pedestrian accidents at roundabouts is due to slower traffic speeds … drivers simply have more time to react to other drivers and pedestrians,” said Herndon. According to information presented at the meeting, research
See roundabout| page 2