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Errecart employs family and friends with newly purchased snow truck Page 6
Junior Wafeeq Ridhuan and senior Jake Littlejohn evaluate AP class priorities Page 7
Junior Emily Botnen and sophomore AJ Welker star in community theater Page 9
Jamie Bateman’s CVC preview names Antleope as RHS’ toughest competition Page 14
EYE OF THE TIGER Roseville High School’s student-produced publication
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1 Tiger Way, Roseville, CA
SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 ISSUE 1, VOLUME 15
Intervention schedule rolls out ROAR period designed to help struggling students BY MEGAN ANDERSON
m.anderson@eyeofthetigernews.com
Roseville High School changed its schedule at the beginning of the year to include academic support time after first period each day. Under the name “ROAR,” the intervention schedule
features a 30-minute priority period that corresponds to the day of the week. If a student has a D or F in a class, they are required to attend their designated priority period until they raise their grade above a D. If not, they may spend their times in the common areas – Patti Baker Theater, cafeteria or library – or work in other classes with teacher approval. RHS principal David Byrd researched similar successful programs prior to implementing the priority pe-
riod. “We went and researched [the other schools] and what they have been able to do is help kids who are failing or in danger of failing a class,” Byrd said. According to Byrd, RHS is committed to the priority period program and hopes the program yields successful results in the near future. “I think we have to try it out for a couple of years in order to start see some of the benefits, but we’re defi-
ROAR | Page 2
MEGAN ANDERSON EYE OF THE TIGER
During ROAR Support Time, administration opens the cafeteria as a common area for students to tie loose ends on their work. The Patti Baker theater and Julie Estridge library are also common areas.
AP exam results vary
SAM MAILEY EYE OF THE TIGER
First-year band director Matt Koutney practices with the Tiger Band (above). As part of his efforts to emphasize Student Government’s student-driven and feedback-focused nature, first-year activities director Brent Mattix rearranged RM 606 to aid productivity (right).
SAM MAILEY EYE OF THE TIGER
First-year directors tackle band, SG Tiger Band transitions under new leadership BY ANILA LIJO
a.lijo@eyeofthetigernews.com
The Tiger Band is transitioning under new leadership. In his first weeks, band director Matt Koutney wants to push the limits of his students. “I took the first month or so to get to know the students and what the situation was,” Koutney said. “My goal right now is to up the potential of everyone here and kind of push their limits of what they think they can do.” Senior drum major Amanda Lopes feels like Koutney is fully committing to the program. “He is a great guy overall and he is trying his best to make us successful this year,” Lopes said. “There is definitely a lot of change which we are still getting
used to.” The band, under previous director Mark Toffelmier, practiced Monday nights but now meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. “At first we found it difficult because he said he would keep Monday as rehearsal nights,” Lopes said. “But then later he explained that he is trying to get ARC and Sierra College to work with us.” According to Lopes, the change in practice schedule resulted in some students dropping the class. “We definitely had some people drop the class and miss a rehearsal or two,” Lopes said. “But for the most part we try and get people to work together and come for the rehearsals.” Both Koutney and Lopes believe that they are still adjusting to the swapping of the band directors. KOUTNEY | Page 2
Mattix applies “a little TLC” to SG enviornment BY BRIAN NUEVO
b.nuevo@eyeofthetigernews.com
First-year activities director Brent Mattix hopes to lead this year’s Student Government class as a student-driven and feedbackfocused classroom. Mattix has made changes from the rearranging the classroom to adding new events. ASB secretary Alyssa Crawford, who has been enrolled in Student Government for seven semesters, said that her fellow classmates are going through a small culture shock between previous teacher Lindsey Parker and Mattix. “I feel like he has been doing a good job of getting used to the traditions that has already been there in Student Government, but
he is also changing a lot of things which is making it a little difficult for the seniors and the people who have been in Student Government for a long time,” Crawford said. “Slowly we are fixing things together.” ASB president Parker Crews said the new activities director, classroom setup, and Student Government attitude is a welcome refreshment to the program. “I think Mr. Mattix is a great addition to the Student Government class,” Crews said. “Having a new flare to the class is definitely something we look forward to.” Along with the new walls and other changes to the class, Mattix welcomed special needs students to Student Government in an effort to involve more of the student body. “The special needs kids are definitely an upgrade in the class MATTIX | Page 3
Faculty copes with student population spike
BY WAFEEQ RIDHUAN
w.ridhuan@eyeofthetigernews.com
Roseville High school’s student population exceeded 2000 students at the beginning of this school year, bringing larger class sizes and additional class sections to a campus built for 1600. The growth in enrollment overshot district administration’s projections early last year and was “unexpected,” according to Roseville Joint Unified High School District superintendent Ron Severson. “All of our schools experienced some unexpected growth over the summer,” Severson said. “The impact for us is in class sizes. We have added
staffing at most of our campuses because of the influx of new students.” Roseville High School received their projections from the district for the next school year in January and used the projections to begin preparing their master schedule. Although initial projections predicted an increase in enrollment from the previous year, a wave of students registered late. “You kind of get hit the last couple of weeks before school starts with a lot of people coming and registering for school,” principal David Byrd said. “About where we’ll be in January is about where we’re staffed at. So that means every school
FILE PHOTO ROBBIE SHORT
Due to a larger-than-expected wave of registration over the summer, student population rose above 2000, driving more course sections and larger class sizes.
year starts really full, things start to kind of attrition and we start to kind of settle ... By the end of the year, class sizes in many places feel really light and really small.”
RHS had an enrollment of around 2030 to 2040 students at the beginning of the year. As of September 14, enrollment POPULATION | Page 3
Social science pass rates decline as exam participation increases BY ALEXX DOOLITTLE
a.doolittle@eyeofthetigernews.com
In recent years at Roseville High School, an increasing number of students have been enrolling in AP courses. For the 2015-2016 school year, out of the 1363 students enrolled in AP courses, 862 students attempted at least one AP exam. This increased participation has lead to mixed results – as school administrators feel students are becoming better prepared for college, but AP exam pass rates decline. The increasing amount of support that both administration and students at RHS are giving the AP program is an important factor that contributes to the increasing participation, according to assistant principal Jason Wilson. Wilson believes that the AP program is a beneficial catalyst that has the potential to improve students’ success during their high school career and in the future. “All the research shows that the classes that prepare students the LARGEST PASS most for RATE CHANGES college are AP courses, AP US HISTORY because it’s ‘15: 48% ‘16: 37% the skill AP HUMAN GEO sets that ‘15: 73% ‘16: 62% you learn, AP EURO and it’s ‘15: 58% ‘16: 51% not always necessarily the content,” Wilson said. “I hope every student on our campus would, at some point, challenge themselves with at least one AP course.” AP Club vice president Delaney Strong believes that encouraging her peers to challenge themselves with AP rigour is having a positive impact on overall enrollment since the club was founded in 2015. “We have been encouraging students to take AP classes by showing them that while the coursework may be rigorous, there are always people around to help them, AP | Page 4
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