North Pointe-54-3-Dec. 2nd 2021

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

Rethinking thinking

Teachers consider updating grading philosophies Pages 6 -7 SAVANNAH SEABROOKS

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

News Editorial Sports

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InDepth OnPointe Reviews

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Life 10-11 OnCampus 12 VOLUME 54 | ISSUE 3

2 — Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 — North Pointe

NEWS

District hosts open house amid enrollment decline

By Sophia Dragich SECTION EDITOR

Grosse Pointe Public School System held their These tactics of bringing students back into annual open houses at each school on Sunday, Nov. the district may engage families who still live 7. At North, the event allowed families interested in the area, but Dean says they are unlikely to in enrolling their children to go on a tour of the bring back families who had to leave the district school led by student volunteers and to speak with because of job relocation or moving. However, for principal Dr. Kate Murray. Among the many staff students that switched to another school outside members who attended this open house were history of GPPSS while still living in any of the Grosse and English teacher Dennis Pascoe, foods teacher Pointes or Harper Woods, district administrators Michael Viviani and biology teacher Susan Speirs. have reached out to families to find why they left, According to Speirs, families who visited her room and how they could draw them back to the district. were able to watch a scientific experiment about grip Former North student senior, Morgan Smith, strength and learn about the different opportunities who left GPPSS last school year and now attends and classes North’s science Michigan Online School, department has to offer. believes one of the “Families were invited main reasons families to join in grip strength chose other schools data collection using [a was due to the district’s technology called] Vernier policies surrounding sensors and the f latscreen,” the pandemic.

Speirs said. “The [National] “We are living through Honors Society student a pandemic, and a lot of guides also talked about people have underlying their experiences in issues,” Smith said. science classes at North “Since [we were] online [and] the expectation[s] last year, a lot of for collaboration, problem [people] don’t want to go finding and data analysis.” back face to face after According to they’ve experienced superintendent Dr. [v i r t u a l l e a r n i n g ].”

Jon Dean, around 82 Dean agrees with prospective students Jon Dean Smith that COVID-19 attended the open houses SUPERINTENDENT was a factor that across the district. Dean impacted district believes that this number, enrollment. In addition while slightly lower than to the pandemic, Dean previous years, which ranged up to 120 students, also believes a possible reason for the decline in was likely negatively impacted by the warm weather enrollment is due to a demographic change in Grosse experienced on the day of the open house. Dean Pointe that signifies families are having fewer believes many families chose outdoor activities children. This results in an aging community and instead of attending the district-wide event. consequently a smaller number of kindergarteners Dean believes one of the main reasons for entering the school system each year. Despite these holding the open houses was to respond to a changes, however, Dean believes the district will decline in enrollment in the district over the past continue its efforts in increasing enrollment once few years. In addition to drawing in new families, again and bringing back families who recently left.

Dean hopes the open houses serve to hopefully “We have a conversation with [the families] to talk about draw back families who have left the district. what we could do differently to get [them] to come back “We have reached out multiple times to every to Grosse Pointe schools,” Dean said. “We’re working family that has left the district with surveys as well really hard to encourage those families to return.” as invitations,” Dean said. “All the families that have left in the last two years received a personal email Contributing: Jami Townsend inviting them to come to the open house [on Sunday].”

“

We have a conversation with [the family] to talk about what we could do differently to get [them] to come back to Grosse Pointe Schools.

JAMI TOWNSEND

THE DOORS ARE OPEN | According to superintendent Dr. Jon Dean, one way for the district to bring in new families in response to the declining enrollment was through the annual open house. "In all of our buildings, including North, we [held an open house] for any community members or prospective students that wanted to come through," Dean said. "[Families] were given a student leader, who then walked them around the building and visited high points."

“

JAMI TOWNSEND

EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES | During the Nov. 7 open house, students and families at North were able to engage in data collection in biology teacher Susan Speirs' classroom. Speirs believes interacting with the families in this way allows them to see what North's science classes involve. "Engaging the brain in an activity that requires some risk like seeing one's Newton force emerge on the big flatscreen is empowering, engaging and an excellent way to 'talk science' with potential Norsemen and North families," Speirs said.

NEWS

Woods Branch Library closed for improvements

By Kaitlyn Barr & Allie McIntyre SECTION EDITOR & INTERN Beginning this fall, residents of Grosse Pointe Woods are going to have to find an alternative way to rent books. The Woods Branch of the Grosse Pointe Public Library will be closed starting Nov. 21 for the next six months in order for renovations to take place.

Jessica Keyser, director of Grosse Pointe Public Libraries, strongly supports all of the renovations of the library. These renovations include new paint, carpet, LED energy efficient lighting, new seating, improvements to the restroom area and a Makerspace — an area with equipment for different creative projects — are being added to the Woods Branch where the Friends Down Under Bookstore used to reside.

“We heard from the community that they wanted more flexible spaces to sit and use the library,” Keyser said.

“There was also a big demand for a dedicated Makerspace.”

The new Makerspace will include many new features to the library such as a recording studio, sewing machines, surgers, 3D printers and cooking stations.

The Friends Down Under Bookstore will be moved upstairs and be available to visit when the library reopens. The DVD room will be converted into a lounge area, and the courtyard will be renovated as well.

North librarian assistant Renee Borowicz supports the revamping of the library.

“I think [the renovation is] a good idea,” Borowitz said. “ I think it’s always a good idea to keep the library up to date.”

The upgrades planned are all based on community feedback, and aim to create a more welcoming space for patrons.

As much as the Woods Branch will be changing, students who frequently visit the library will subsequently have a change in routine. Junior George Mina visits the Woods

Branch library three to four times a week, typically from when school ends until the library closes.

“I will have to find a different location to meet up with friends, to do work, and it won't always work out because we don’t have any good locations as of right now,” Mina said. “I might not be able to stay focused on my work if I can’t work with friends.”

Students who need access to resources the library offers, like free connection to the internet and access to computers, will also be impacted by the closure. However, citizens of Grosse Pointe Woods will be able to go to the Central or Ewald Branches of the GPPL if they so choose.

Nonetheless, the North library book borrowing process will remain unchanged, according to Borowicz.

“It won’t really affect us because we can still get the books we need from Central or Ewald,” Borowicz said.

Students will continue to have the opportunity to order books, and are able to visit the North library after school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until 4 p.m.

Although community members won’t be able to check out books from the Woods Branch for several months, Keyser encourages them to visit the other branches of GPPL. “They should come either to the Central or Ewald Branch,” Keyser said.

“Their library card will work in either place, in all locations.”

The construction will finish in May of 2022.

Although many changes will be made and the process will be long, Keyser is optimistic about the upcoming renovations to the library.

“We’re really grateful to the community for their support,” Keyser said. “We’re excited about moving forward in this new phase of the library.”

North Pointe — Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 — 3

Keepin g it Brief

By Jo Jackson WEB EDITOR

Change in lunch setup After North made its full return to face-to-face learning last March, some changes surrounding how lunch seating operates were made in order to abide by COVID-19 guidelines. For example, the lunchroom tables were separated and had clear shields over them. However, on Oct. 29, changes detailed in an email from administration took effect. Students are now able to choose between a “family-style” seating arrangement and seating that is spaced six feet apart.

Junior Grace Korkmaz says the new community seating has persuaded her to want to sit inside more often as she can interact with more of her peers.

“I'm encouraged to sit inside more often because it's more family style seating so I can sit with more people,” Korkmaz said. “I'm more in tune to sitting inside instead of going out.”

Central office administration moved into building On Nov. 8, district administration officially moved their offices into North. This was part of the district’s reconfiguration process, and administration was moved from their building so that it could be sold.

Community Relations Specialist Rebecca Fannon says that district administration being in their own building separated them from staff and students, but is now excited to be able to see them more often.

“When we were in a separate building we didn’t have daily opportunities for interaction with students and staff like we do now,” Fannon said. “This builds relationships and leads to better collaboration and teamwork.”

Temperature fluctuations in the building

COURTESY OF JESSICA KEYSER

REFRESHING THE OUTDOORS | All areas of the library will be getting revamped during construction, according to Grosse Pointe Public Library Director Jessica Keyser. “ It's really an overall refresh of both the interior and the exterior,” Keyser said. "Outside, we’re going to be making improvements to the courtyard. [We're] making it a more useable space, [and] putting in a little grassy area along the windows of the children's area."

COURTESY OF JESSICA KEYSER

CHANGE IS COMING | Despite the inconveniences that the construction may cause, Keyser feels optimistic about the changes.

"We’re really hoping that it’s an even more bright and inviting space," Keyser said. We've really come to know ourselves as part of the community.”

Some teachers have been reporting frequent temperature changes in their classrooms this year. Fluctuations and temperature extremes can serve as a distraction from learning for both teachers and students.

Social studies teacher Kevin Shubnell says that there have been days with significant variations in temperature in his new classroom, but it has since seemed to level out.

“There was one particular day, it was extremely cold, it was almost unbearably cold, because the air was on,” Shubnell said. “Other than that, the only issue I’ve had is that it was too hot at times, so there was a little bit of f luctuation there between hot and cold, but most days, it's been not too warm in here.”

4 — Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 — North Pointe

EDITORIAL

Stop the sti gma a round feminine hygiene Most people who menstruate would designate it as nothing but a chore. However, feminine hygiene products are labeled as luxury items, making them more expensive and less accessible to everyone that deals with menstration. With the recent removal of the tampon tax in Michigan, feminine products are becoming more accessible, but still not everyone has access to them.

Though North does provide supplies for anyone in need, students are generally unaware of where they can go to retrieve feminine hygiene products in times of need. Along with not knowing where to go, with the stigma surrounding the topic, many are embarrassed to even ask for help when they need it. Unfortunately, students can’t control when they start their menstrual cycle, and are not always prepared during school.

Currently the only places to find feminine hygiene products are the front office, union, counseling center, the ARK and select classrooms that choose to provide their own supply. All feminine supplies are on the first f loor, with the exception of some teachers throughout the school. If a student is unprepared at school, the current standard is that said student has to travel from wherever they are to the first f loor or test their luck and hope that a teacher on their f loor has a stash. Though some teachers go above and beyond to provide feminine products, most students don’t know which teachers provide this basic necessity, and are not comfortable asking.

Ignorance mixed with misunderstanding has led to a society in which menstruation is embarrassing and private, rather than seen as a basic human function. As a result of this ignorance, menstruation has become a taboo topic when in reality it is completely normal.

Now that feminine products are more affordable, it should be easier to make products more accessible to girls that need them. We have masks and sanitizing stations in every classroom available to all students, and though that may be a little excessive for feminine hygiene products, there should be more designated spots on every f loor that students can easily access feminine hygiene products when they need them. If a student is on the third f loor, it may take them close to 10 minutes to retrieve a product and go back to class. Administration rightfully stresses the importance of being in class, so students should have necessary items in a closer vicinity.

Additionally, information on where students can go should be readily available without them having to ask.

Menstruation is stigmatized in society which leads to discomfort of the topic in schools as well, but this can be changed if we choose to have the difficult conversations. Along with destigmatizing the topic, Michigan has taken the first step in making feminine hygiene products more accessible to everyone, and this change should be ref lected in schools.

COURTESY OF CHLOE HARB

Calendars are not “one size fits all” MY TURN

By Julia Liagre

INTERN Christianity isn’t the only religion. Christmas, Easter and Good Friday aren’t the only religious holidays. Yet, each year we get these days off of school, and even get over a week’s rest during Christmas. The school disguises this by giving it the title “winter break”, but it’s no coincidence it falls over Dec. 25 each year.

Many schools fail to acknowledge the several students who celebrate holidays the academic calendar doesn’t recognize. One of my closest friends in Muslim, and multiple times per year she is faced with a decision when an Islamic tradition falls on a school day. Should she turn away from her religion and attend school instead of practicing the sacred holiday? Or should she miss school for several days, get left behind, and then have to make up the work and teach herself the material she missed? It’s a choice so unfair, she shouldn’t even have to consider it. It doesn’t make sense that she’s forced to make this hard decision when it’s already been made in our favor for the rest of us. Just because she doesn’t fall in the majority doesn’t mean her beliefs aren’t just as valuable. Days missed for religious holidays should not be counted towards absences, as none of the rest of us have to worry about showing up to North on Christmas. Additionally, proper assistance should be given to students when they return to school to catch them up to speed—it’s not as if they wanted to fall behind.

Not only does the school calendar ignoring other religions pose questions in regards to attendance, but it also raises moral concerns. Children growing up knowing their holidays get disregarded as they watch 10 days off of school be granted to their peers during Christmas, could likely be made to feel that their traditions aren’t as worthy or important. We wonder why people are so hesitant to express their differences, but at the same time, force them to grow up in a society where it feels like you’ll be penalized for those same differences.

Students who celebrate holidays like Yom Kippur, Eid or Pavarana should be granted the same leisure and feel equally as seen as those who celebrate Christian holidays like Christmas.

YOUR TURN: What changes in the grading system would you like to see?

By Lauren Veitengruber INTERN

SENIOR JACOB CRAWFORD: “I think teachers

should be a bit more understanding when students turn in late work and give full credit on late assignments because it takes the pressure off of students, and allows them to complete their work to their best understanding rather than turning in work they completed, but don’t understand.”

TEACHER JENNIFER WEISBRODT: “I think that with any grading system there needs to be hope, and when we have a grading system that doesn’t provide that, I think that needs to be changed.”

SOPHOMORE RUBIN MCBRIDE-WILLIAMS:

“It would be nice to have our assignments weighed more so if we were to do bad on a test or quiz it gives us more cushion and it will not tank our grade.”

SENIOR ANNELIESE LECHNER: “A change that I would make would probably be to give students the option to increase their grades if they scored poorly on a test and have the opportunity from their teacher to make up some of the points they lost.”

SPORTS

Keeping up with the coaches

By Olivia Dodenhoff & Mia Stephanoff INTERNS Goodbyes have been said to various coaches, and it is now time to say hello to the new ones at North.

Senior Clare Ramsdell is welcoming not only one, but two new coaches this year, having both a new field hockey and assistant ice hockey coach.

Although getting new coaches in her last year on the team isn’t ideal, Ramsdell has a positive outlook.

“It would’ve been nice to finish out the seasons with our old coaches,” Ramsdell said.

“But I don’t think it’s a bad thing because it pushes us all to learn in a new way, and learn a sport from someone new, which is always good to have [that] new perspective.”

The transition to a new coaching staff was difficult for Ramsdell since it took some getting used to, but she says that the change gave a nice balance to practices.

“I think our new coach has been beneficial for us because she has a lot of drills prepared when she comes,” Ramsdell said. “She makes us get right into things. It helps balance out our other coach.”

Athletic Director and Vice Principal Michelle Davis says that finding these new coaches isn’t an easy job. Interviews have to be set up and carried out, and mini practice sessions can even occur.

“Current coaches also help and are part of the interview process along with GPPSS staff, parents and student athletes for the mini sessions,” Davis said. “We are always searching for the best possible candidate for any open coaching position.”

As new coaches come to North, Davis says it may leave some wondering why past coaches have left, but the answer is actually quite simple.

“The coaches who have recently left North have decided to leave for family reasons, accepting new teaching jobs closer to home, or were sub level coaches and are left for upper level coaching positions at other schools,” Davis said.

Davis expressed her positivity towards them as they move from this chapter in their lives. She then looks towards the future of sports coaching and creating an uplifting environment for the community.

“I am happy for the coaches who have left,” Davis said. “We just do our best to

adjust and make the athletic experience at North safe, fun and the best it can be.”

One of North’s own teachers, Robert Johnson, has taken it upon himself to become the new Junior Varsity boys basketball coach. Even with the troubles of the low numbers in the coaching staff, Johnson is using it as a chance to head in the right direction.

“It’s affected me in a positive way,” Johnson said. “We did have some turnover in the basketball program this year with a new freshman coach and a new JV coach, which led to an opportunity for me.”

Although the transition for athletes to new coaches may be strenuous, Johnson seems to look past that. He oversees the downsides to the lack of coach retention, and, instead, notices the upsides.

“The more turnover, the more changes that come,” Johnson said. “I don’t necessarily think that turnover is a bad thing either. It’s nice to have younger coaches starting to come up and some fresh faces, fresh ideas.”

Because of his new position, Johnson wants to lay down foundations of trust between him and the players. As a teacher, Johnson is surrounded by his players in a school environment and is excited to further their unique bonds through basketball.

“I'm excited to make those connections with the guys that I see,” Johnson said. “It’s just fun seeing the guys everyday in the hallway and making those connections. Being able to be with the guys and get ready to play.”

While Johnson filled in to make the JV boys basketball season possible, help is still needed to sustain North’s coaching staff. Johnson believes that teachers in the building have the potential to bring what it takes to do just that.

“If you recruit from within the building, that could be a solution of how to retain teachers and coaches for a longer time,” Johnson said.

Although it was hard to leave her past coaches, Ramsdell says that ultimately, the situation was handled in a proper and thoughtful way, and it came together in the end.

“I think it caused a lot of us to work together. There was definitely a switch, but it worked out,” Ramsdell said.

Wednesdsay, Dec. 1 2021 — North Pointe — 5

Student athletes react to COVID-19 mask mandates

By Jami Townsend STAFF REPORTER DUNK IT | Senior J’Shun Foster is on the basketball team and understands that masks are to keep players healthy, but can make it harder to perform.

“I feel it is for our safety, but you’re going to get tired wearing a mask running up and down the court,” Foster said.

JAMI TOWNSEND

KAITLYN BARR

KEEP AN EYE OUT | Senior Sammy Lucido, a member of the gymnastics team, thinks that wearing a mask can make her sport more dangerous.

“I definitely think it’s dangerous while doing the sport because we are constantly flipping around,” Lucido said. “Masks will often fall over our eyes making skills very tough considering we can’t see.”

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME | Junior Sophia Borowski says that the physically demanding nature of basketball is exacerbated by wearing a mask. “Definitely playing basketball, it’s a lot of running,” Borowski said. “So wearing a mask, you have to breathe out your mouth more. It's a lot harder.”

GABBY MILLER

SAVANNAH SEABROOKS

Contributing: Gabby Miller

6 — Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 — North Pointe

IN-DEPTH

Out with the old

In with the new

Pandemic causes teachers to revisit grading methods

By Farrah Fasse, Annabelle Julien, Bella Yoakam & Elly Meteer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SECTION EDITORS & INTERN The primary focus for administration and faculty this year is to “optimize learning,” according to Principal Dr. Kate Murray. Due to the pandemic’s effects on the education system, there have been many nationwide conversations about how to support students and their learning. Along with those discussions, additional topics such as reassessments and late work, and how they can benefit the students on both grades and learning became important issues discussed throughout the faculty.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic was that it allowed teachers to rethink grading and learning.

English teacher Paul Golm believes that the pandemic helped him and many other teachers develop new policies that best support students.

“I think we were really kind of shown during the pandemic that holding really strict philosophies about grading leaves a lot of kids behind,” Golm said.

Furthermore, senior Sophia Graham says she thinks many teachers’ flexibility is beneficial following an unstable school year due to the pandemic.

“For right now, after the craziness that was last year’s Zoom, school, hybrid, everything, flexib[ility] is basically what students want and what’s going to be most effective right now while we transition back into a more normal school year,” Graham said.

Another way for teachers to help provide meaningful feedback is with formative assessment, according to Murray. Overall, this allows teachers to check progress and understanding before a summative assessment, such as a test or quiz.

“A formative assessment system, combined with meaningful feedback, has been shown to drastically increase student learning,” Murray said. “Meaningful feedback for a student should be able to, one, restate what the goal was, two, specify where the student is in relationship to the goal. Then, three, explain to the student how to close the gap between the two.”

Learning how to learn

During Monday morning faculty meetings, teachers have been gathering in subgroups called Application Teams, or A-Teams for short. These groups cover different forms of meaningful feedback for students,

such as social emotional learning, alternative forms of assessment and grading. Science teacher Colleen Byrn is a part of an A-Team on metacognition, which focuses on helping students self-reflect and analyze their own thought patterns, in order to better understand not just how to do their work, but also how to approach it.

“Metacognition is, it sounds weird, but it's thinking about your thinking,” Byrn said. “It’s the idea that if you can recognize how you think about things, you can better how you think and/or change how you think, which really impacts learning and students doing better.”

Byrn says she, along with the other members of her group, is working on formulating self-assessments and reflections to help students hone these skills. “[We are] trying to figure out what students are aware of in terms of their learning habits and what they aren't,” Byrn said. “That's not like ‘I do my homework, I don't do my homework’ but, ‘when I'm doing work, how do I think about it?’ We're strategically trying to figure out ways to ask questions, just to see where students are, so that we can better address navigating through that.”

In A-Teams this year, staff has also been utilizing a 2021 guidance report from the Educational Endowment Foundation entitled “Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning.” The report, based on educational research, contains six recommendations for upholding the principles, methods and implementation of meaningful feedback. Murray hopes that what staff learns from this will help them as they ensure all their practices and policies best support students’ learning.

“I think that we continue to learn as we read and discuss together the impact of these different strategies,” Murray said. “I would like to see us continue to learn, grow and change in ways that are holding students accountable for the learning, and not just the date on which they learned it.”

Balancing the scale

Currently, the Grosse Pointe Public School System utilizes a non-equidistant grading scale for secondary students within the learning management system, Schoology. Passing grades, As, Bs, Cs and Ds, span 10% increments while an E, a failing grade, makes up 60% of the grading scale. This is a typical procedure within many school districts across the country, and is something that is currently being questioned as a part of a national conversation about equitable grading in education.

Schoology automatically assigns zeros when teachers mark assignments as “missing.” Some educators, including Golm, have taken to overriding automatic zeros and giving students a 50% for missing assignments.

“The lowest score I would like to give students on [tasks], especially big tasks, is a 50% , because a zero doesn't adequately reflect [a student’s ability] when it calculates their full grade for the quarter,” Golm said.

“It doesn't adequately reflect where they actually are.

When you look at the mathematics behind choosing to be more lenient, or trying to assign grades that better reflect the skill, the actual tools we use need to actually support [their grade and growth].”

However, when calculating a student’s final grade for a quarter or an exam, GPPSS uses an equidistant grading scale, with the lowest possible percentage being a 50. If a student scores lower than 50%,

inue to t n o c s u s that e to see y k a i l w d n l i “I wou hange c d le for n b a a t n w o u r o g learn , ents acc d ate on u t d s e g h n t i t d not jus are hol d n a , g d it.” in e n n r r a a e e l l the they which y e Murra Dr. Kat al Princp

IN-DEPTH balance between in school and out progressive “The ideology for my of school issues. es around “I feel like especially after last grading system revolv year where deadlines were basically and g in ad gr at th ea id completely flexible I know a lot of people e th s n appreciated the extended due date a mea assessment should be policy,” Graham said. “I know a lot of friends that have had family issues, or jobs, or other toward learning.” conflicts that make it hard to get work in on time.”

Byrne acknowledges the difference in student

Don Pata science teacher

the grade is automatically rounded up to a 50%. Murray believes teachers should have the freedom to assign a 50% on missing assignments and will be meeting with GPPSS’ Schoology representative to discuss the ability for teachers to adapt their gradebook to their philosophy more easily.

As a proponent of a more progressive and flexible grading system, science teacher Don Pata believes that the traditional, non-equidistant grading system is antiquated. In addition to this, Pata believes grades calculated based on the non-equidistant grading scale do not accurately reflect a student’s true knowledge and ability in a course. Because of this, Pata allows students to retake assessments and accepts work at all times in his courses to make sure a student actually sees their academic progress when looking at their grade.

“The ideology for my progressive grading system revolves around the idea that grading and assessment should be a means toward learning,” Pata said. “This necessitates two focuses: connecting grades with learning targets and creating multiple opportunities for students to show what they know and are able to do.”

Revisiting policies

Flexibility caters to the students' benefit when it comes to teachers’ work policies such as assessment retakes and late work. Sophomore Jaden Laster believes that the current non-equidistant grading system sets an expectation for students, but also recognizes that learning tools like retakes help students improve understanding and show growth.

“I think [retakes] give students the opportunity to improve and study more,” Laster said.

Retakes can come in different forms, including an entire new assessment, test corrections, or sometimes even a conversation between a teacher and student about a lapse in understanding. English teacher Jonathan Byrne thinks retakes help ensure that a student’s grade reflects student progress, as opposed to only giving one attempt and then moving on.

“I always offer a student opportunities to show me that they have done more learning,” Byrne said. “I do always offer opportunities to show growth.”

Teachers should consider flexibility for student’s late assignments, according to Graham. She also states that it’s beneficial to students who need to maintain a

North Pointe — Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 — 7

changing her policy because she believes the quality of work goes down after a week, and thinks that equity involves more than leniency and understanding.

“In terms of equity, one thing that I think is that there are different ways to approach equity,” Tabor said. “That is, sometimes it requires mercy and grace and leniency and extra support. Sometimes it requires holding high expectations, so that students can learn to meet that standard. I am veering stronger towards that this quarter, because I felt that students needed to remember what real school feels like. Since [during the] pandemic, we gave so much grace, which we needed to.”

technique and pace. He says that he wants students to reach his expectations, and one of the many ways he can do that is by offering retakes and encouraging additional learning.

“English is largely a skill class, not a knowledge class,” Byrne said. “I have goals for each of my classes A growth mindset in school allows for students about what I want the students to be able to do by to view their own abilities as malleable, and able the end of the class. Those are the things that I to improve through effort. This perspective causes grade — their progress towards those goals.” students to view school as less of a competition, and Graham believes that teachers who more of a means towards broadening their knowledge. offer different forms of reassessment Tabor believes that many students currently don’t and who have more lenient late work focus on learning and that they are still attempting to policies positively influence student make this switch. learning. She says that teachers’ “It's not their fault,” Tabor said. “That's the way compassion and understanding they've been trained to think of school — as a game. is important to students.

Like, ‘What can I do to get x points?’”

“I don’t see a problem Pata believes retakes and other chances for with retakes,” Graham improvement create a supportive and fear-free s a i d .

“I know a lot more environment to learn. teachers have been offering “Retakes lead to deeper learning, students are able to them this year and people analyze their mistakes, learn from them and improve have really appreciated their understanding,” Pata said. “They promote a that, because if you got growth mindset.” questions wrong you can do Although grades are traditionally seen as feedback it again and apply what y o u for students, Murray believes teachers should be want.” cognizant of their impact on student learning, and use Along with offering grades as a way to inform their methods. retakes, Byrne says that h e “We know that the teacher is the most influential doesn't deduct points for late factor in the room, and that they are a powerful catalyst assignments, instead grading solely based for student learning,” Murray said. “The students' on effort and quality. grades or class grades are a reflection of where what “I don't mark the assignments late. I mark them for students know and are able to do, therefore that would quality,” Byrne said. “I believe that the grades should tell me as the teacher, what skills my students have be reflective of students’ abilities and not behavior. acquired and where they are missing some skills I don't offer any extra credit in any of my classes should ultimately drive my instruction.” because of that.”

Pata believes the non equidistant grading system is also often harmful and leads to students disengaging in their learning, but he believes that his more forgiving ike approach will spark students' interest in learning. This st year ly I feel l a l “ r e is especially true for his due date policies. lly aft ere basical a i c e p “We want to turn ‘due dates’ into ‘do dates’ so es lines w ow a lot of d that students see the value in the assignment a e d and create their best products,” Pata said. e I kn where l b i x e tended x fl e “It really shouldn't matter when this y l e e h t t e happens, as long as it is quality.” iated compl c e r p cy.” p i a l o e For the first quarter, English l p p e o t pe teacher Erin Tabor allowed students to due da m turn in late assignments up until the end of Graha Sophia ior the marking period with no penalty. However, sen this quarter, Tabor says she will be implementing a stricter policy, and will allow students to turn in Contributing: Gabby Miller work up until a week after the due date. Tabor is

Adopting a growth mindset

North Pointe — Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 — 8

POINTE

ON

IDEAS

What’s buzzing this month?

By Grace Cleary & Katie Madigan

INTERNS

FORD HOUSE

Throughout the whole month of December you can see the Ford House decorated for Christmas. A $10 ticket includes a self guided tour through Edsel Ford’s VISITDETROIT 1927 mansion and access to the grounds of the property.

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"EMILY IN PARIS"

The second season of the Netflix original series “Emily in Paris'' comes out on Dec. 22. The show is about a young woman who receives a new job opportunity in Paris. She has to learn to adjust to life in the city while facing challenges and meeting new people.

TVLINE

"BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND" On Dec. 7, Juhea Kim will release her newest book, “Beasts of a Little Land”. This book will contain an epic story of love, war and redemption, taking place during the Korean independence movement.

AMAZON

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DAN + SHAY

American country pop duo Dan+Shay will be taking on Detroit on Dec. 3 at Little Caesars Arena. Dan+Shay are best known for their top hits “Tequila”, “10,000 Hours” and “Speechless”.

The duo’s most recent album, “Good Things”, was released on August 13, and fans are excited to see them perform.

ORLANDOWEEKLY

"CALL US WHAT WE CARRY"

AMANDAGORMAN

On Dec. 7, “Call Us What We Carry” by Amanda Gorman will be released. Her compilation of poems will express grief, hope and how the pandemic has affected mankind. At the age of 22, Gorman read at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, which made her the youngest poet to ever read at a Presidential Inauguration.

GREENFIELD VILLAGE Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village will be hosted on Dec. 3-5, 9-12, 16-23 and 26-28. Tickets are $32, and include free carousel rides, ice skating and Model T/ carriage rides. Holiday pictures relevant to the time period can be taken, live music and carolers will be performing and fireworks will end the night.

LIVINGHISTORYARCHIVE

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA On Dec. 28, the American rock group TransSiberian Orchestra will be performing at Little Caesars Arena. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster starting at $44.

CONSEQUENCE

"SPIDERMAN" The newest installment of the Spiderman series, “Spiderman: No Way Home” will be released on Dec. 17. This movie will entail a full circle experience for viewers as villains from the previous “Spiderman” franchises will be appearing, and Peter Parker will step up to save the multiverse.

MARVEL

"TOYING WITH THE HOLIDAYS" “ Toy i ng Wit h t he Hol id ays", a new L i fet i me C h r ist m a s mov ie w i l l b e r ele a s e d on D e c. 18. T h is C h r ist m a s t a le t a ke s pla c e i n t he sm a l l t ow n of Hol ly P i ne s a nd fol lows a mot he r br i ng i ng he r son t o he r homet ow n so he ca n exp e r ienc e d i f fe r ent C h r ist m a s t r a d it ion s.

HIP HOP NUTCRACKER The Hip Hop Nutcracker will be coming to the Detroit Opera House on Dec. 5. This production puts a twist on the original story of “The Nutcracker.”

In Jennifer Weber’s interpretation of the classic story, Maria-Clara and the Prince go on a wild adventure, and encounter all types of different people. Weber also takes a more modern approach to the story through the inclusion of urban sets and fun choreography.

LIFETIME

PBS

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 — North Pointe — 9

REVIEWS Lost in the Sauce: There's nothing like Mom's Spaghetti

By Bee Bielak

SECTION EDITOR There's no place else quite like Mom's Spaghetti. A partnership between rap singer Eminem's team and a local restaurant group resulted in this hit restaurant based off of a lyric from Eminem's “Lose Yourself.” One bite of this pasta had me wanting to stand up with the real Slim Shady.

After looking over the website, I was skeptical of Mom's Spaghetti. With only three things on the menu, and a tiny location, I had set the bar low. Finding it was a bit of a struggle. Being wedged in an alley right next to The Fillmore in Detroit, it is quite easy to look past this establishment. However, once you do find it, it's quite the sight. The walk up window was surrounded with a mural of twisted noodles, and a bright heart logo with the name of the restaurant on it and a fork through it.

I can see this alone being a hot spot for Instagram photos with the iconic restaurant in the background.

I chose to use the walk up window to order, as the inside of the eatery was full. There is very limited seating, but the entire place has a homelike quality, with checkered tablecloths and comfortably spaced out seating. Outside, I waited by the window for an awkward three minutes before being noticed. When the worker did acknowledge me, she had a bit of an attitude taking

my order. Nothing too intense, but it really felt like she couldn’t be bothered to serve me. I got their spaghetti with rabbit balls, the vegan option. I was pleasantly surprised to see this even being offered, although it was a bit pricey at $14, with the cost of their standard

NPR

spaghetti with meatballs falling at $12. For a quick walk up place, this felt pretty steep. But, my food was ready remarkably fast, and I left excited to dig in. Despite the poor service, and high cost, my interest was piqued.

When I got home and peaked into my bag, I was a bit surprised. The spaghetti came in an open takeout box, topped with the rabbit balls and a piece of warm garlic bread. A quick warning: consider closing the box before loading into your car. I can see this easily becoming a disaster of spaghetti all over the bag. The bread was nice, but very mediocre. It was nothing to write home about, but not bad. The spaghetti itself was delightful.

It was nothing fancy or unique, but it tasted impeccably homemade. They somehow nailed the taste of a mom's spaghetti. The rabbit balls were surprisingly good as well, a nice blend of proteins and veggies to top my spaghetti. The portion size was huge, making up for the price. One order can easily feed two people, or leave enough for leftovers the next day. I went with the second choice, and it reheated quite well for lunch the next day.

Overall, Mom's Spaghetti is perfect for quick food if you're in the area after a concert at The Fillmore next door, or a baseball game across the street at Comerica Park. It's definitely worth experiencing at least once for any Eminem fan. It may not make my knees weak, and my arms aren't heavy, but I give a soft recommendation to Mom's Spaghetti, and give it 4/5 stars.

Not “Everything Has Changed”: Taylor Swift re-releases 2012 album “Red”

By Sophia Dragich

SECTION EDITOR Taylor Swift’s album "Red" came out on Oct. 22, 2012, making the Billboard list for seven weeks and gaining nominations for awards such as the Grammys in 2014. This album was under Big Machine Records and, for legal reasons, did not entirely belong to Swift. Nine years later, Swift decided to release her own version of the album, titled “Red (Taylor’s Version),” in order to secure the rights and money from her ground-breaking album. The two hour and eleven minute masterpiece includes the songs that were originally in Red, just rerecorded, additional versions of two original songs, and nine new tracks “From the Vault,” essentially songs that Swift wrote in 2012 but never released to the public. Now, with 30 songs to choose from, Swifties everywhere are getting back into their “Red eras,” just as they were when they first listened to the album in 2012.

Swift brought justice to her old album both through the music and vocal aspects of her songs. Although she kept the beats similar and vibes intact, she demonstrated a fuller, crisper, and more mature voice. Hearing her 31-year-old voice sing about breakups and love stories she wrote about almost a decade ago brought much nostalgia and memories to fans everywhere. "Red (Taylor’s Version)" perfectly captures the heartbreak and emotional response Swift experienced years ago with the same anger, urgency, and innocent desperation.

In addition to the re-recordings, Swift also released a ten minute version of her personal favorite track “All Too Well.” This song, originally only five minutes long, was regarded by Swift fans as a mournful and angry breakup track about her ex-boyfriend, actor Jake Gyllenhaal. In the ten minute track, Swift combines the lyrics of her original song with new lines that unlock another level of anger and resentment towards Gyllenhaal, exposing more information about their

relationship and how he broke her heart so severely. In the line “I was thinking on the drive down, any time now // He's gonna say it's love // You never called it what it was,” Swift expresses the disappointment she felt after confessing her love for Gyllenhaal while he never fully reciprocated the feelings. Swift also nods at Gyllenhaal when she compares his desire for secrecy about their relationship with the loyalty she promised to him in the line, “You kept me like a secret but I kept you like an oath.” Additionally, she makes a reference to the age gap between her and Gyllenhaal, as he was 29 and she 20 when they dated. This final insult came in the line, “I was never good at telling jokes but the punch line goes: I'll get older but your lovers stay my age,” essentially mocking him for having a tendency to date women much younger than him. Besides the addition of comically slandering lyrics, Swift’s ten minute version of “All Too Well” differs from the original song because it is explicit and contains a line of Swift swearing, something she has only begun to do in her music recently. To top it all off, “All Too Well (Ten minute version)” was paired with a short film released on Nov. 12. This evermore emotional film starring actors Dylan O’Brien and Sadie Sink made fans feel like they were “The Lucky Ones.” It recounts the sad but powerful Gyllenhaal-Swift relationship by confirming rumors and displaying the famous red scarf, which Swift has made references to in several songs throughout the album.

Not only did Swift re-record her famous hits with great success, she a l s o released nine unreleased songs from the original Red album. “Nothing New” features fellow singer

Phoebe Bridgers, an up-and-coming artist enjoyed by many Swift fans. In one line, Swift and Bridgers reminisce about innocent teenage love and high school experiences, singing “It's a fever dream // the kind of radiance you only have at seventeen.” The song “I Bet You Think About Me” features Swift singing with her Nashville twang and country accent. This song also has a music video, which was released on Monday, Nov. 15 after Swift surprised fans with an announcement on Instagram on Sunday afternoon.

All in all, Taylor’s Version of "Red" perfectly recreated the tracks from 2012 while also introducing fantastic new songs and evoking emotions Swift fans are still coping with. Although many things have happened in Swift’s career and the world since the original "Red" album was released years ago, the nostalgia and memories brought back by this re-release have shown that not “Everything Has Changed,” and I give it 5/5 stars.

FINANCIAL TIMES

LIFE Beyond the beads: Student takes on the jewelry business

10 — Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021— North Pointe

By Madi Lucido & Christina Shea INTERNS

COURTESY OF GRACE COLOMBO

FINISHING IT UP | After finishing one of her pieces for Handmade

by Grace, junior Grace Colombo always makes sure to nicely package it. "Once it's completed, I put it in a bag, or something to transport it in. And then I put a little note that says “thank you for shopping with me and supporting my small business.”

In search of a creative outlet, junior Grace Colombo has made her dreams a reality by starting her own jewelry brand, Handmade by Grace. Ranging from beaded necklaces to wire rings, Colombo designs a variety of pieces.

“I'vealwaysbeencreativeandIstartedwantingtomakethingsthat I could wear myself,” Colombo said. “So, I started making jewelry.”

Keeping the jewelry both on trend and unique is important to Colombo. She looks for inspiration in her daily life, whether

it is on social media or in her peers. She also adds a little bit of her personal style when crafting the pieces.

“First, I look for inspiration online, on Pinterest, or I pick something out that I think that other people around me would wear and that I would wear,” Colombo said.

The jewelry making process is not always easy for Colombo. Each piece of jewelry varies in the length of time it takes to produce. Rings can take less than 10 minutes, while necklaces can take up to 40 minutes.

Despite how tedious they are to bead, necklaces remain Colombo’s favorite piece to create and wear herself.

“I feel like necklaces add a lot to your outfit,” Colombo said. “I think they're aesthetically pleasing.”

With Handmade by Grace only being a few months old, Colombo is focused on getting the word out about her business.

She uses various social media platforms to advertise, posting pictures and videos to showcase her products and prices.

“Instagram is the main way that I advertise,” Colombo said. “I have my Instagram account linked to my Facebook account, and I have a small TikTok account.”

Colombo has high standards for her jewelry and continuously puts in the work to keep her customers happy. She creates, packages and hand delivers her orders. By delivering the items face-to-face, she gets to experience seeing the reactions of the buyers.

“Everyone seems overjoyed when they receive it,” Colombo said. “I think I would be overjoyed to also receive a piece of my jewelry because I try to make it as creative, colorful and aesthetic as possible.”

Colombo believes this is only the beginning for Handmade by Grace. As she enjoys the creative aspect of designing and producing practically anything, Colombo plans to expand her brand to include more than just jewelry.

“I definitely see more clay pieces being incorporated and more possible custom pieces,” Colombo said.

Colombo not only designs and creates the jewelry, but she also manages the financial aspect of her brand. She has found a balance between her prices and the money she spends on supplies throughout her time managing Handmade by Grace.

“I usually try to make a good amount of profit,” Colombo said. “I have some spreadsheets that I use to calculate the overall profit.”

Throughout the process of running her business, Colombo has learned about not only finances, but also a multitude of other real-world applications. She mainly has come to the realization that it is a challenge to produce and successfully continue a business.

“I've learned that it takes a lot of focus,” Colombo said. “That it is not necessarily easy.”

Colombo’s love for jewelry has motivated her to overcome these challenges and continue Handmade

by Grace. She believes that jewelry is more than just a product and can serve as a confidence booster, as she has experienced this personally and seen others notice this.

“I think it's a way to express yourself, express the way you feel,” Colombo said. “It (also) adds an aspect of fun.”

The gift that keeps on giving: Facebook group shows appreciation for staff

By Alyssa King & Ella McCarthy STAFF REPORTER & INTERN Spreading kindness never loses its importance and there is strength behind its spread. The Facebook group, Gratitude and Gifts for GP Teachers and Support Staff focuses on creating acts of kindness directed at the school system's staff. With around 600 current members, the group is constantly finding more ways to support teachers and staff. Whether it’s receiving a gift basket or even a small snack, the Grosse Pointe Public School System teachers and support staff are getting their share of the community's gratitude.

Creator and co-admin, Joyce Wagner, established the Facebook group with the wellbeing of the teachers and staff in mind.

“My original goals for the group were just to spread kindness and boost our teachers’ and staffs’ morale,” Wagner said. “I wanted our teachers and staff to know that they were appreciated, and do what we could to make things easier for them and lift their spirits.”

Student activities director Peggy Bonbriscis one of many staff members in the district who has felt appreciated by the group’s kind doings after receiving a gift of her own.

“The Facebook group does so much for teacher appreciation, especially with last year being so hard for all

the staff and students,” Bonbrisco said. “I especially love the idea of the community filling a Starbucks card with money and letting teachers stop by at their leisure and receive a complimentary cup of coffee when the time is just right."

Junior Paige Spence, and her mom Amy Spence, joined the group to give back to the teachers that impacted them throughout their years within the district.

“This group definitely has a positive impact on the community,” Spence said. “It's a way of giving back to the teachers who we love so much and have formed relationships with over the years.”

According to Wagner, the group has become a reminder that kindness is more important than ever before.

“For teachers and staff, I think it’s been really nice for them to know that there are so many in our community who stand behind them and who support them,” Wagner said. “For everyone else, I think it’s been great for us to have clear avenues on how to directly help our teachers. There are so many people out there who want to help, but may not know how best to do that, and this group has been helpful in making those connections.”

Spence has participated in one of the most wellknown aspect of the group, the teacher coffee fund.

She and her mother donated money that goes into a Starbucks card available for any teacher to use.

“We've participated in the Facebook group by providing art supplies for classrooms and donating to the teacher coffee fund,” Spence said.

LIFE

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021— North Pointe — 11

Shop 'til you drop: Local businesses to support this holiday season

By Grace Rossman & Natalie Babcock SECTION EDITOR & INTERN

Whistle Stop

- Saint Clair Shores

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Whistle Stop, a toy store located in St. Clair Shores on Harper Avenue, has many different options for shoppers to choose from. The whole store is filled with great Christmas gifts for kids of all ages. The variety of toys and games they provide is fun for everyone. They already have their pretty and pleasing Christmas decorations up and are ready for the holiday season. The atmosphere in the store is very welcoming and quiet, and they have just about any toy you could think of.

Chocolate Bar Cafe - Grosse Pointe Woods

B EE B I EL A K

The Chocolate Bar Cafe is located on Mack Avenue in the Woods and is a great place for holiday desserts. The inside is old fashioned with a nice sitting area for customers. Their desserts are perfect for the holiday season, with many options to choose from like ice cream, cake, cupcakes, chocolates and some more sweet treats. The variety of desserts is great for gift giving or just a night out with family or friends. The store may be a little small, but it has lots of character within.

Neighborhood Club Thri ft - Grosse Pointe City

Neighborhood Club Thrift is located on Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe City and it is a great local thrift store. They have nice antiques there for those interested and are full of other items like clothes, toys, jewelry and more. Although the store is not very spacious, it holds a lot of items at reasonable prices. It is definitely a great local place to go to and really feels like home. Scan the QR code to listen to "A Secondhand Christmas", a podcast about the benefits of shopping sustainably.

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Taylor Reese - Grosse Pointe Farms

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A Secondhand Christmas

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The upscale boutique Taylor Reese located on the Hill has hundreds of deluxe items to give as holiday gifts this season. Their impressive Christmas display is complete with colorful reindeers, decorative Christmas trees and ceramic figurines. They also offer quality clothing, a wide variety of accessories, stunning jewelry and a wall full of different candles and scents. As well as a boutique, Taylor Reese’s second floor features a Beauty Bar, with services such as manicures, pedicures and massages.

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Small Favors - Grosse Pointe City

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Small Favors located in The Village of Grosse Pointe is filled with holiday gifts for all ages. The store features hundreds of ornaments for any activity or interest imaginable and other Christmas decorations for indoors and outdoors. For the holiday season or any other occasion, there are gifts such as candles, bath products, candies and chocolates, “Scout” brand bags and toys for children and babies.

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Coreander’s Children’s Bookshoppe - Grosse Pointe Park

Coreander’s Children’s Bookshoppe, located on Kercheval in the Park, opened on Sep. 28.

The new bookstore features an immense selection of children’s books, young adult books and a collection of other gifts for the holiday season, such as advent calendars, toys and crafts.

The gorgeous interior of the store inspires a warm and mystical environment. Murals across the walls, a tower of books from the floor to the ceiling and the stunning bookshelves create a magical shopping experience. A cup of hot coffee or tea can also be enjoyed in the attached cafe, or in the wondrous garden outside of the store.

ON CAMPUS

NORTH

Wellness Fair: Students navigate self-care

By Robert Maddox & Thomas Jones STAFF REPORTER & INTERN

POINTE

707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 northpointenow.org “Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers are responsible for encouraging and ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of the press for all students, regardless of whether the ideas expressed may be considered unpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless or offensive.”

PETTING STRESS AWAY| Bringing joy to those in need, Barklee and his helper Mrs. Lambert came out to assist s t u d e n t s a t t h e w e l l n e s s f a i r.

“When you sit and pet a dog, or just interact with a dog it lowers your stress level, and lowers the stress hormones in your b o d y ,” L a m b e r t s a i d .

ROBERT MADDOX

ROBERT MADDOX

WELCOME TO WELLNESS| Helping to bring the wellness fair to North, Jennifer Sherman wanted students to have multiple opportunities to learn about personal care. "We thought instead of talking about wellness in a presentation we could make them experience it and we could open up to the whole school," Sherman said, "Each station is open up with a different selfcare strategy and our hope is that someone finds the right fit for them."

OUR STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Farrah Fasse MANAGING EDITOR Grace Cueter PAGE EDITORS Kaitlyn Barr Bee Bielak Sophia Dragich Annabelle Julien Grace Rossman Bella Yoakam WEB EDITOR Jo Jackson

ROBERT MADDOX

MO V ING I T | Keeping things happy in the libra r y, s enior B ella S tephanof f is exci ted to help make her peers feel more c om for t able. “A ll of thes e s ophomores a re c oming up, and a t f irs t they a re shy, they don' t nec es s a rily v ibe w i th i t ,” S tephanof f s a id. “ T hen you have three of us , t r y ing to ge t them to have f un and the k ids le t their gua rds dow n and then bec ome more c om for t able.”

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Arei Swain

ENOUGH TO GO AROUND| General education social worker L auren Klein aims to help s tudents discover the various ways to resolve mental s tress. “A lot of s tudents might not realize all the dif ferent things that they can do to take care of themselves and help their mental wellness,” Klein said. “ This is an oppor tunit y for them to see what they're already doing that could be really helpful like lis tening to music or playing THOMAS JONES games or coloring.”

MENTAL HE ALTH ABOVE ALL | Sophomore Marisa Licavoli expressed that her want to work at the wellness fair was fueled by her desire to help people. “Mental health is really impor tant to m e a n d I t h i n k i t ’s i m p o r t a n t to reach out to my peers and make them know that their voices are heard and they do have safe places here a t N o r t h ,” L i c a v o l i s a i d .

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Kyleigh Egli STAFF REPORTERS Alyssa King Robert Maddox Jami Townsend

INTERNS Natalie Babcock Kate Bania Grace Cleary Olivia Dodenhoff Gabe Goode Thomas Jones Julia Liagre Gabe Loper Madi Lucido Katie Madigan Ella McCarthy Allie McIntyre Robb McIntyre Elly Meteer Gabby Miller Parker O'Neill Savannah Seabrooks Christina Shea Lauren Shipe Mia Stephanoff Lauren Veitengruber

The North Pointe is edited and produced by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published once a month It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review.

Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board. Members who have a conflict of interest with an editorial topic do not partake in that meeting or vote.

Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions. The views expressed are solely those of the student authors of the editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe Public School System.

We are a member of the Michigan Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center.

One copy is available free to all community members. Additional copies may be purchased. Our editorial policy and advertising rates are available online.

THOMAS JONES

CONTACT US Email: gpnnorthpointe@gmail.com Phone: 313.432.3248 Twitter: @TheNorthPointe

FACULTY ADVISER: Allison Dunn