First Week Supplement Volume 49

KANELAND

KR ER

IMPACTFUL CHANGES Improvements and new additions to our high school

Volume 49 • First Week Supplement • Kaneland High School • August 19, 2022 • Photo by Samantha Dunne

Feature | August 19, 2022

THE BENEFITS OF CLUBS ON THE STUDENT BODY

BY KEVIN SIGRIST

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Editor-in-Chief of Print and Production Executive

and not just the athletic piece,” Rohlman said.

Not only do clubs bring staff and students together, they are also a great opportunity for students to learn in a less traditional or conventional way.

“I think that any time a student is involved in anything outside of the classroom, they are learning life lessons that you Photo courtesy of Louis Blickem can’t get out of a text- Senior Finnegan Gannon (left) participates in a Super Smash Bros. book, whether it’s time tournament. Most of the Esports Team’s members went to the event. management or cooperation with people or creating a project and Some clubs have also become so succoming up with solutions,” Rohlman said. cessful that they have begun overlapping Students can also create opportuni- with sports. ties for themselves by starting new clubs.

“The biggest [example] I’d probably “Clubs provide a sense of friendship say, and this actually started even before to those uninterested in athletics. Through I got here, was lacrosse. Lacrosse started clubs like the Esports Team, I’ve learned as a club here, and it sustained itself and that you don’t need to be in [traditional] grew in numbers to the point where it besports to have fun after school with your came an interscholastic sport for us,” Rohlfriends,” junior Louis Blickem said. man said.

Blickem, along with several of his Conveniently, the process to start a peers, created a Kaneland Esports Team club, according to Rohlman, is relatively during the 2021-22 school year that has simple. competed in several different tourna“Anything that’s new that we start has ments. The club continues to compete to be student-oriented. It has to be someand hopes to bring in new members over thing the students are interested in. They time, as they continue to play games such typically have, depending on what the as Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate club is, around 10 to 12 people involved and more. already that are interested in doing it,” “All of the clubs are only going to Rohlman said. “After they write a proposdo good for the people that are joining al, the other thing they have to do is find them,” junior Aeryn Hwang said. “There someone to sponsor them, but the sponare only a few downsides of joining clubs, sor must come with the understanding but there are many benefits.” that they’re going to be a volunteer, and Hwang is a highly involved student, as we’re not going to pay them. We have to she is a mem- ber of the Student Impact see that club or activity sustain itself over Club, an athlete on the a period of several years. A lot of the time, girls golf team, the Vice we’ll have some juniors come in and say President of the Class of [they want to start a club], but when they 2024 and a participant in graduate, nobody wants to pick it up.” the spring musicals.

Clubs are an excellent way to bring Alongside some of students and staff together. They give stuher peers, Hwang hopes dents an opportunity to have some control to create a Women of Col- over what they do in school and allow stuor Club. dents to find peers who share their inter“The goal is that wom- ests, like the Esports Team, or peers who en of color have a chance are in similar social or cultural situations, to speak to others about such as the Women of Color Club. If they their experiences being a pick up enough traction, they can become something that, like lacrosse, not only lasts Photo by Katherine Pfotenhauer woman of color. It is a safe Student Council members work on a poster for Homecoming. Stu- and fun place where you but grows, and they are generally an indent Council is a great way to collaborate and bond with your peers. are accepted no matter credible opportunity for students to learn what,” Hwang said. more about themselves.

lubs are a very important part of high school. Almost all students have been involved in at least one club or extracurricular activity, and as the times change, new interests come and go and clubs form around these interests.

They provide a meaningful experience to those involved, allowing students to improve themselves as people while meeting peers with similar interests. Some new clubs here at Kaneland are working to provide these opportunities.

Clubs work to benefit both staff and students and work to deepen connections between the two groups. Director of Athletics & Activities David Rohlman discussed this in an interview with the Krier.

“I think it’s really good for every student in this building to be able to connect with at least one adult. The more students we can get involved in anything extracurricular is a great opportunity for them to see our teachers and our staff members outside that regular traditional classroom role, and I think it also works for our staff,” Rohlman said.

When he was initially hired at Kaneland, Rohlman was only the director of the athletics department. However, his two daughters were very involved students.

One had been very involved in fine arts, and one participated in sports. Eventually, due to his connection to both departments, he agreed to become the director of both athletics and activities.

“It’s bounced around and been in a couple of different offices over the last decade or so here, and when we transitioned around two years ago for [activities] to come into our hands and go from an athletic office to an athletic and activities office, [it was] a natural progression because we’re overseeing all the extracurriculars

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Feature

Page design by Kevin Sigrist

August 19, 2022 | Opinion

NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO FIND GREATNESS

BY ZOEY POZEN

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Co-Sports & Activities and Co-Social Media Manager

oing into a new year can be tough for anyone. With new classes, students, clubs and teachers, it can be both exciting and overwhelming. However, no matter how ridiculously challenging or fun a new year can be, it is important to stay committed to what matters to you most and to make something out of every opportunity presented to you.

As a student in high school, you are typically either thinking about what is coming next or trying to live in the moment. Both perspectives have their own benefits and drawbacks.

While living in the moment can be fun, there are times when you have to figure out what comes next in your life.

Cartoon by Lilliana Bobe

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

A new school year provides a natural time for a fresh start. Throughout the pandemic, students faced many challenges and had a lot of opportunities taken away from them. As we go into this new school year, it is up to us to find opportunities that we now have and commit to them. It is a chance for us to become determined to find anything that will help us take that next step in our lives.

For some, this next step might be grinding hard in the weight room to show a college recruiter that they are worthy of a spot on their team, or it could be staying on top of all their AP classes so they can get accepted into their dream school. For others, it could just mean hanging out with friends as much as they can to make up for any lost time during the pandemic.

Any of these approaches, along with so many other routes a person can go, are ways to move into this year with the right kind of mindset.

It is also very important to stay aware and on top of your own mental and physical health while working to accomplish your goals. Many students tend to spend so much time working on their various obligations that they forget to take care of themselves. Taking occasional breaks, talking to friends and trusted adults about anything that you’re struggling with and making sure to set a well-rounded schedule for yourself are all ways to relieve stress and make the challenges of the school year more manageable.

Getting through the past couple of years was tough with one crisis and tragedy occurring after another and so much lost. We are heading into this year with a clear opportunity to compete in sports seasons, see and be able to talk to our teachers every day, participate in clubs and spend time with our friends five days a week.

New beginnings can bring uncertainty, but they are opportunities for greatness.

Defining your goals, maintaining good health and finding a balance between living in the moment and focusing on the future will allow for a successful and enjoyable school year.

FIGURING OUT WHAT MATTERS TO YOU By identifying your core values, figuring out what path you want to take in life becomes easier. Dr. Tchiki Davis, a writer who specializes in helping people find happiness, shared her perspective on this topic in an article from Psychology Today, a website dedicated to assistance with mental health issues.

“When we go through life without following our personal values, we can lose ourselves and our ability to generate real happiness,” Davis said. “By identifying our values, we can begin to design a life that is in better alignment with our true self.”

Identify your core beliefs and passions Define what your top priorities are and what it would mean to live by these values. Recognize who you want to surround yourself with, and keep them close to you while also prioritizing your own wellness.

Eliminate factors in your life that could hinder you Determine what is stopping you from accomplishing your goals. By getting rid of obstacles in your way, whether that is a toxic relationship, an unhealthy habit or any other negative factor in your life, it becomes easier to move forward and succeed in what you aim to do.

Live your values Each day, remind yourself what you aim to achieve, whether that is on a short- or long-term basis. Acknowledge what brings you happiness and incorporate it into your daily routine. Keep your mental and physical health in mind while still pursuing your goals.

Opinion

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Centerspread | August 19, 2022

BY ASHLEY VANDERHOFF Design Executive and Ad & Business Executive

GROWTH

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CHANGES EXPLORING THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO OUR SCHOOL

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ith the start of the 2022-23 school year, there are some notable changes that have taken place at Kaneland High School. One change that caught the attention of the district was significant damage to the East Gym roof. The partially blown off roof was very noticeable and raised speculations as to whether or not the building would be ready for the year. Director of Athletics & Activities David Rohlman assured that the building is not only safe, but significant progress has occurred since the first images of the sheared off roof appeared on social media.

“We had to bring a structural engineer to the building to make sure it was safe. Once they okayed the building, they opened it back up. In the meantime, they put a temporary roof on. So it’s not a tarp up there or anything,” Rohlman said.

The permanent roof will take time to go up, and the process is predicted to take a few months.

“The district’s architects are working right now, and by the end of September or October we should see the permanent roof go back on,” Rohlman said.

The tennis fence was also partially damaged due to the storm. However, the fence has since been repaired.

“We’ve actually ordered a new tennis windscreen, because [the storm] tore portions of our windscreen that had ‘Kaneland High School’ printed on it,”

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Centerspread

Cartoon by Ashley Vanderhoff

Rohlman said. “We could have ordered just two of the five [sections of the fence], but because the tennis fence sits outside most of the year, those new sections would have been one color and the old ones would have been faded, so we’re ordering the whole thing.”

While some new changes to the school were the result of an untimely and disastrous event, other changes have

“

The district’s architects are working right now, and by the end of September or October we should see the permanent roof go back on.

-Director of Athletics & Activities David Rohlman

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been in progress well before the storm.

One change students can expect to see are brand new windows as they walk into the school’s main entrance.

“All of the windows were planned.

There were some safety issues because of the metal frames that surrounded the windows; they were all disintegrating from wear and tear. They took all of the old windows and doors out, as well as some of the wood framing out. They

found glass behind those, so when it’s all done, everything that can be seen [from door one] will be all glass,” Rohlman said.

The windows, while originally planned to be done before students arrived for the first day of classes, may take more time to be completed.

“We thought [the windows] would be done by the start of the school year, but we haven’t seen the product show up yet.

It was supposed to be here [by the week of July 18],” Rohlman said.

Other changes to the school involve some minor remodeling. While some alterations, such as outside paint jobs, have been ongoing for years, other improvements have taken place this summer.

“In C110, while there is still some work to be done, all of the flaking paint on the walls has been redone, and the old chalkboards were all taken down,” Rohlman said. “Eventually the school will probably replace all the ceiling tiles, lights and carpeting in that room, but it is a slow process. The school has also been doing painting to outdoor buildings; they are starting to repaint the track garage.

The ticket booth is eventually going to be repainted; we are switching over from gray paint to black with white trim.”

While some work has been planned and other alterations have been the result of problems beyond anyone’s control, our school has changed quite a bit while we were away.

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

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s we have returned to school, there are a number of departments that have undergone staff changes.

While the departure of so many teachers can be sad, all of the new faces can also positively impact students. New perspectives, passionate teachers and different student opportunities all lay the foundation for growth.

“A lot of people are switching careers right now, especially teachers and nurses,” incoming band director Tyler Brooks said. “It's definitely a nationwide thing. I don't necessarily think that it's a coincidence. A lot of teachers are new, especially to the field. Over the past two years, just with all the different changes that have happened, [many teachers] decided that they want to [move on from teaching]. I have a lot of teacher friends who just wanted a change of scenery. I don’t think we can necessarily pin it to one thing, however the pandemic definitely had to do a lot with it.”

Assistant principal Carri Oslager also noted the number of staff leaving not due to disliking the job, but because of family or personal reasons.

“There are quite a few teachers leaving due to personal reasons. [Science and agriculture teacher Brooke Heinsohn] took a job in Sycamore, which is closer to her family. [English teacher Joshua Maurice] took a job at Joliet Central High School, which is closer to his girlfriend and where he is establishing his life.

[Band director Aaron Puckett] found a job for his family [in Florida]. We haven’t really had anyone walking out the door and saying, ‘I hate you,’ or, ‘I hate this place.’

They just found better places. Honestly, it’s harder to leave when you’re happy and okay with your [profession]. It’s sad to leave [so much behind],” Oslager said.

Regardless of the reason a staff member decides to leave or apply for a job, the impact it can have on students is evident. Emily Saunders was recently hired as a new English teacher, and she recognizes the challenges students can face when taking a class with a newly hired teacher.

“I can see [staff changes] being a challenge [for students]. I know that when some students go from one teacher to the next, they may go from loving a subject to hating a subject," Saunders said. "Sometimes, it all depends on the teacher. I also feel like high school students are pretty flexible because they go through so many teachers [over the course of] four years. I think that it's good for them in the long run because once they become adults, that's just how life goes."

Although it is normal for students to go through school and meet new teach-

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

August 19, 2022 | Centerspread

Photo courtesy of Dr. James Horne

The significantly damaged roof hangs over the side of the school following a severe storm that occurred during the 4th of July weekend. A temporary roof has since been put in place.

ers, a teacher leaving for good can be Something that I did experience was distressing. Brooks, for example, noted [attending] school during the remote that the sudden resignation of former learning times. I think that I was able to band director Puckett was disheartening get an idea of how it worked and how I to many of his long-time students. There would teach through that,” Saunders said. are positives, though, that can come of “I definitely think [I would teach well bethe situation. cause I was in school during the pandem“Everyone’s sad to see Mr. Puckett ic] because I was able to observe how all go, but in the [student] leadership meet- of my professors dealt with remote learnings we had I was surprised to see that ing." everyone saw this as an opportunity for While change can be deflating, it is growth. We’re going to miss Mr. Puck- important to keep in mind that there is alett a lot, but thankfully I have been here ways room to grow and learn from past for a while so I’ve tried to make things experiences. as [normal] as possible.

Everyone is sad, but I’m impressed to see [older students] really take this opportunity to really grow from it,” Brooks said.

New teachers may also bring new perspectives. Saunders, who recently finished student teaching at Aurora Central Catholic High School, is able to relate to the struggle that students went through during online learning as she was also a student during that time.

“When I was student teaching, it was post-pandemic. If we ever do have Photo by Samantha Dunne to go back to remote learning, it would be a New District 302 teachers meet in the Kaneland High School library. new experience for me. The meetings ran from Monday, Aug. 8, through Wednesday, Aug. 10.

Centerspread

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Profile | August 19, 2022

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Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

August 19, 2022 | Profile

KANELAND WELCOMES BACK NEW PRINCIPAL

BY ASHLEY VANDERHOFF

Design Executive and Ad & Business Executive

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r. James Horne has been a leader in education long before becoming a principal and is an advocate for creating the best learning environment for students. Early in his career, he worked at Kaneland High School for 10 years, teaching English and then also serving as the department chair before working as an instructional coach. His work ethic and diverse interests led him to many roles in education throughout his career, right up to his first day back at Kaneland, this time as the new principal. He recalled it being a bright day as he was driving in for his first official day on the job when he received a call from Associate Superintendent Dr. Julie-Ann Fuchs. “‘There’s no power,’ she said. ‘Because the power lines are down,’ she continued. ‘And the roof is off,’” Horne recalled. He more distinctly remembers the second phone call he received.

“I got a call and was told to leave the building because it was thought to be structurally unsound. [The building] is fine, but they didn’t know that at the time.

And so I was like, ‘Oh well, I guess I’m going home.’ Then they told me, ‘You can’t come back until next Monday,’” Horne said.

He supposed if there was a story about his first day as Kaneland’s principal, the headline would be: “Kaneland High School blows the roof off to welcome principal back.”

Horne is no less excited to be here despite a near catastrophe on his first day back. His family supports his decision to return to a place he feels at home, and he has no intent to be here temporarily.

“I am thrilled to be here, and this is not a stepping stone. I have no desire to be short-term. It is a place I see myself staying for a very long time. I am happy I’m here; my family is happy I’m here,” Horne said.

Growing up, Horne’s love of reading, writing and analytical thinking provided several possibilities. Surprisingly, he had no early plans to teach. “[Education] was something I discovered I wanted to do later in life. I was not the elementary school kid playing school, trying to be a teacher. It wasn’t until I was in college that I decided education was something I wanted to do. I had different thoughts about what I wanted to go into,” Horne said.

It was his high school English teacher

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

who pointed out characteristics in Horne that would make him a good educator. “[The teacher] kind of tapped me on the shoulder and pointed out that I had a real gift of summarizing complex ideas and explaining them in a way that everybody in the room understood. She was the one who suggested I might want to think about being a teacher,” Horne said.

After finding an interest in education, Horne joined AmeriCorps, an independent government service organization.

This experience was the reason Horne decided to get his teaching credentials.

“I worked in a very impoverished, rural Washington town in the mountains. An endangered spotted owl came through and stopped all the logging. So the entire town of Sedro-Woolley, Washington, went bankrupt. Basically, they couldn’t afford to pay teachers and were struggling,” Horne said. “So, to get federal relief, they brought in AmeriCorps. In my first job, I worked at a fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school teaching reading. I liked that so much that I did it for two years and decided to go back and get my master’s [degree].”

After earning his master’s at The Evergreen State College, in Olympia, Washington, Horne and his wife, Amanda, decided to move back to the Kaneland area - Horne attended St. Charles High School - for more opportunities.

“I chose English as what I wanted to teach because that’s how I loved making sense of the world. It was also trying to get kids to be in conversation with each other about various topics, stories or current events,” Horne said.

While Horne did find happiness in the classroom, becoming a principal wasn’t something he pursued simply because it seemed like the next step; he truly cares about making his school, students, staff and community better.

“I liked participating in and influencing the way schools develop. It was about always being an active participant to help make meaningful change, and that just got me to the different roles that I was in,” Horne said.

Horne spent five years at DeKalb High School as the principal and three years prior as the assistant principal. He looks back on his time at DeKalb most fondly for the connections he made with students and the work he did to give teachers time to collaborate; this is something he plans to continue at Kaneland.

Assistant principal Carri Oslager has worked closely with Horne during his first few months in his new role.

“He is very caring and is always willing to listen and learn so he can figure out what the environment is like. He is then willing to take on whatever it is that he sees needs to be done,” Oslager said.

Because Horne previously worked at Kaneland, he recalled the earliest conversations about standards-based grading.

While the system was in its beginning stages in the English department, it was nowhere near as developed as it is now.

While it has advanced, Horne is still happy and comfortable being a part of it.

“It’s more about establishing why we’re working on it. We’re working on it because it provides clarity on what the objectives are and the focus for assessments, and it is a great opportunity to provide feedback to students so they can improve their learning,” Horne said. “The outcome of standards-based grading is individualized learning with the student, and that’s the challenge of education.

You’ve got 13, 14 kids all coming from different backgrounds, interests and abilities all sitting in an English 11 class all trying to make sense of it.”

Senior Ethan Yost recognizes that change could benefit the standards-based grading system.

“I would like to see all of the teachers in the school, if not at least in the same department, doing standards-based grading the same way. Although I do not prefer standards-based grading, if it’s what the district decides to use it becomes even more difficult to understand when the grading techniques and formatting are inconsistent,” Yost said.

Horne would like students to know that he aspires to not only be present for them but to always try to understand them.

“One of my goals is to be present in the hallways and at events and to look for opportunities to get out. When we went to remote learning [at DeKalb], we set up task forces where kids could show up and let their thoughts out. I’ll be looking to do similar things based on the needs here,” Horne said. “My favorite part of the day is standing by the main doors and seeing how many kids I can get to say, ‘Good morning.’ I believe the best communication is frequently informal, every day. It is so much more powerful than any email I could craft and send out to people.”

Profile

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August 19, 2022 | Voices

WHAT WAS THE MOST FUN THING YOU DID DURING THE SUMMER?

BY PAIGE WHITESIDE

Editor-in-Chief of Web and Copy Editor

KALEY BARSIC - SENIOR “I took a road trip to Wisconsin with my sister. We went tubing and spent a lot of time together. It was a lot of fun.”

NICKLAS STEFANIK - JUNIOR “I went to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, with my family this summer. I went on my first roller coaster there, which was a really cool experience.”

MACKENZIE SIDMAN - FRESHMAN “I saw the band Stray Kids in concert at the United Center this summer. My mom took me, and we had a really nice time.”

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