ISSUE ONE VOLUME 53
CRIER
8808 Columbia Ave. Munster, IN 46321
Continuing the Cycle
August 23, 2019
KEEPING OUT The Fieldhouse has been closed due to the floor needing to set after renovation.. Gym classes and practices have been forced to find space elsewhere. “(The Fieldhouse) will be accessible by the end of the month,” Mr. Mike Wells, Principal, said.
(Starting at top, and going clockwise) FLORAL FUN Flowers were put in the newly painted front of the school. PHONE IN Mrs. Ally Novotney, attendance secretary, answers the phone at her new desk in the Main Office. ROLL STANGS A mustang wall decoration before it was hung up in the Main Office. A FRESH COAT The media center’s windows and roofs were painted red over the summer. POINTING TOWARD THE FUTURE Mr. Mike Wells, Principal, directs construction workers in the main office. HANGING OUT Students wait outside after school at the main entrance. photos and graphic by Charlie Hofferth and Robert Young
The school continues using Referendum funds to make improvements Alexis Lindenmayer Editor-in-Chief
Last week, students returned to school to find it looking a little different than it did in the Spring. Just like last year, various renovations and changes were made over the summer in order to improve school safety and unify the school under a Mustang aesthetic.
Attendance
After getting called down to Attendance, students were probably surprised to learn that the office is no longer located in Student Services. Mrs. Ally Novotney, attendance secretary, now has a desk in the main office. “It makes so much sense to move attendance to the main office,” Mrs. Novotney said. “There are over 1,500 students at Munster High School and this way I see them arrive and leave from the main office.” Along with the relocation, the school is saving trees as tardy passes are no longer being written for students who come in late in the mornings. They will simply sign in at attendance, and head straight to class. If a student is more than five minutes late, it is counted as an unexcused absence. “It really took up a lot of time as far as writing all these passes if you have 50 kids and they get there within five minutes anyway,” Mr. Brian Clark, Assistant Principal and now in charge of Student Services, said. “It doesn’t matter if they have a tardy as an excuse, so it really doesn’t matter if they have that pass or not.”
Fieldhouse
The once crowded Fieldhouse now sits empty after a summer’s worth of renovations. There are now
seven total locker rooms, new floors and additional lines on the courts for an added badminton unit in gym classes. The red banners are also coming down to soon be replaced with pennants that will go on the walls instead. State runner-up banners and state championship banners will stay up. The closed Fieldhouse has caused hassles for gym classes and fall sports since no one is allowed to enter the locker rooms or walk on the gym floor. Gym teachers are forced to find different activities that don’t involve a gym or changing into gym uniforms. “We’ve been doing a lot of low impact activities such as walking the track and team building,” Ms. Charity Schmidt, physical education teacher, said. “Walking the track does get old because you are still sweating in the clothes you wore to school, which is not ideal.” Along with gym classes, sports are also feeling the effect of no access to a gym. Volleyball normally plays on the Fieldhouse courts, but they have been relocated to the Wilbur Wright gym for the time being for their practices and upcoming games. According to Mr. Mike Wells, principal, the gym floor will be ready for Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 7. However, the pep rally will have to be outside due to the concern of scratching the floor with the heavy bleachers.
Construction
The most defining renovation done this summer is the bright red paint that now coats the schools’ exterior and parts of the south pod’s door frames and trim. While the outside may not be completed now, painters are currently working on covering up all the old burgundy paint. According to Mr. Wells, the out-
side painting should be done in the next three weeks. Less noticeable changes were also made this summer like roofing and air conditioning. “(Roofing) is something that they spent a lot of time working on,” Mr. Robert Snyder, Assistant Principal, said. “There are all these units that are up in the ceiling that help to deliver the air conditioning and heating. They replaced 100 of them or something like that. They had a whole pallet of them, so that’s not something that you guys necessarily look down a hallway and see.” Mr. Wells explains that this is far from being the end of renovations and improvements. “The south part of the building, where S115 and S117 are, they’re painting those walls and they painted all the world language (hallways) within the last week,” Mr. Wells said. “They’re finishing up all the painting in the south part and then they’ll be working their way north as the months progress.”
A NEW LOOK The athletic complex is being named after John Friend, former athletic director and hall of fame inductee. photo by Robert Young
N E W T E AC H E R S
August 23, 2019
N E W T E AC H E R S
August 23, 2019
Name: Mrs. Sarah O’Brien
Name: Ms. Anne Copp
Name: Mr. James Michalak
Education: Double major in Psychology and Sociology at St. Ambrose University. Masters in professional school counseling at Governors State University
Education: Special Education at IU Bloomington
Education: Computer Science undergraduate was at IUN, M. of Educations at Calumet College
School Counselor for MOSA
Who is your role model? “My grandma is my role model. Her positive attitude and faith never faltered.”
What do you like the best so far about MHS? “I think the kids are awesome so far, I like sitting down and seeing everyone’s different personalities. I think there is an awesome culture here where people are really invested in the school and that’s really what I wanted to be apart of.” Name: Mrs. Lisa Oommen Education: Undergraduate Childhood Education at Georgia College and State University, Master’s for Counseling at Mercy University School Counselor for Sc-Z What is your favorite thing about being a counselor? “My favorite thing about teaching is when I see my students grow and learn information that they didn’t know before they came to my class.” Name: Keleher
Mrs.
Elizabeth
Education: Hotel Management at Purdue Northwest Masters degree in School Counseling at Valparaiso University School Counselor for HjMn What’s your favorite thing about being a counselor? “I think my favorite part is helping students navigate where they want to go with their college education. I didn’t have a lot of help like that and that’s why my undergraduate degree and my graduate degree are completely different, because it took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up.”
Name: Mr. Dillon Pierie Education: Math Education at IU Classes: Probability/ Stats, ISTEP Lab, Algebra 1, MRT Enrichment Did you always want to be a teacher? “Nope. Still hoping the Bears might give me a call if they need a defensive end.” What is a fun fact that you want students to know about you? “While I was a student at Munster (four years ago), I ran for class president and lost. I was also on the prom court and lost that as well.
Classes: Resource lab/ Credit Recovery, Geometry s, Algebra 1i D
Name: Mrs. Alicia Lasky Education: Undergraduate double major at Ball State in General Education and Special Education, and IU for Masters Classes: STEP (Student Transition Education Program) Who is your role model? “My first year, mentor teacher back in 1986 Without a doubt, she was so enthusiastic and I learned so much from her in every way of teaching. So I was blessed to have a mentor my first year. That was amazing.” Name: Mrs. Juliann Acevez Education: Secondary Education at Purdue University, Masters in Instruction and Curriculum at Olivet University, Masters in Special Education at Western Governors University Classes: U.S. History (S), English 11-s Whats your favorite thing about being a teacher? “I like everything about it. In fact, I used to teach here from 2000 to 2009. I taught some AP and honors classes. I couldn’t wait to come back. I just really like everything about the school. My kids go to school in this school system.”
Name: Ms. Julie Clayton Education: Double major in Special Education and Elementary Education at Louis University Classes: ASPIRE (formerly functional skills) What is a fun fact that you think students should know about you? “I often get mistaken as a student. When I’m walking in the halls, a lot of teachers ask if I have a pass and I’m like, ‘Well no, but I have an ID that says I work here.’ I’m so short, and I’m young, so people mistake me for a student.”
Name: Ms. Amanda Rak
Name: Mrs. Bhavani Venkataramanan (Mrs. V.)
Education: Special Education Major at Illinois State University
Education: Major in Geography and Minor in Math at a University Calcutta, India
Classes: PASS (Positive Approach to Student Success)
Classes: Math 10, Algebra 2
Did you always want to be a teacher? “Ever since I was like a little kid, I always did. I would come home and how I would do my homework is, that I would practice on a white board, teaching my class.”
What is your favorite thing about teaching? “I enjoy teaching math and the ‘aha’ moment when my student understands the concepts.”
A teacher a day keeps the bad grades away
Name: Mrs. Christina Rogers Education: Major in Secondary Education/Biology at Calumet College of St. Joseph
Classes: AP Computer Science Principles
need, they have.”
What about teaching at MHS do you like so far? “The opportunity here are great. The school is wonderful —everything you
Classes: AP Environmental Science, Chemistry, ICP What is a fun fact that you think students should know about you? “I love to go camping and hiking with my husband. We did a 25-day road trip to the west coast and back for our honeymoon, staying at all the national parks.”
Name: Mr. Ryan Popa
Name: Ms. Jennifer Bullard
Education: Majored in finance at Butler University
Education: Majored General Studies at IU Bloomington and Indiana University Northwest, and Urban Teacher Education Program
Class: Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Principles of Management, PCC illustration by Mercedez Williams
Name: Mrs. Kara Terpstra Education: Secondary education with an emphasis in Biology. Minor in Chemistry at IU Bloomington Classes: Chemistry, Biology What is a fun fact that you think students should know about you? “I don’t know if (students) should know this, I used to do Combat Submission Wrestling and Moi Thai kickboxing in college. Did you always want to be a teacher? No, I originally started out pre med, I was going to be a doctor. But I knew that my personality would not be good for that. And this was kind of what I thought I would love.
Name: Mrs. Dawn Vidt Education: Master’s degree in education administration and leadership. Masters degree in Chemistry Classes: Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Honors Chemistry Who is your role model? ““In terms of finding my passion of science, it would be the professor from University of Evansville, Louis P. Winterheimer”
Name: Ms. Laura North Education: IU Northwest Classes: Earth-Space Science What are you most looking forward to this year? “I really like the kids so far and I really like being here.”
Reporting by Alexis Lindenmayer, Alyssa Bass, Mercedez Williams, Lilia Brunetti, Adam Klaich, Atarah Israel, Erianna Sims, Robert Young, Lana Salahieh, Maddy Leimbach, Lauren Morris, Cali Peterson photos by Mercedez Williams, Chloe Lambert, Lilia Brunetti, Adam Klaich, Atarah Israel, Erianna Sims, Robert Young, Lana Salahieh, Max Lindenmayer, Cali Peterson, Lauren Morris, Maddy Leimbach. Todd McKechnie
Twenty-three new staff members were hired for the 2019-2020 school year
What’s your favorite movie or show? “I was a big Game of Thrones fan.” Since you graduated from MHS, what would you say to students? “The first student who can tell me what I’m wearing in our senior class photo on the wall between guidance and the main office will win a prize.”
Name: Boruff
Name: Mr. Keegan Whitney Education: Music Education at North Park University Classes: Intermediate and Advanced Orchestra What is your favorite thing about teaching? “My favorite thing is getting a hard concept or a hard piece of music, and watching the students finally grasp it and perform it at a high level. Seeing their eyes light up and these big smiles on their faces because they’re happy with what they’re doing is really cool to see.”
Name: Mrs. Diane Wilson
Benjamin
Classes: English 10 and Composition What is a fun fact that you think students should know about you? “I have no fingerprint on my middle finger of my right hand because when I was in middle school, I accidentally sanded it off on an electric sander in shop class.” Who is your role model/ who inspires you? “My dad he does non-profit management and he helps out a lot of people.”
Education: Bachelor in Music Education at University of Illinois Classes: Band, teaches Music at Elliott Elementary
CRIER
Did you always want to be a teacher? “I did always want to be a teacher. My mom worked at a school growing up, so I was always at school early and stayed later until she was done with work. Being in a school is where I feel most comfortable.”
Education: B.A. in French from the University of Illinois at Chicago and MBA from Loyola Marymount University
Education: English education at IU Bloomington
Name: Mr. Ian Marcusiu
What is a fun fact do you think students should know about you? “My favorite animal is a beaver. I have a lot of little beaver trinkets. In third grade I was asked what my favorite animal was and everyone else was saying ‘Cat! Dog! Horse!’ and I wanted to be unique and it’s has just been beaver ever since.”
Mr.
Classes: Zoology, Biology
Classes: WWMS French 1, MHS French 1-5 Favorite movie or show? “Deadpool and Hitman’s Bodyguard. (I am) a little bit of a Ryan Reynolds fan.” What is your favorite thing about teaching? “Making a difference in someone’s life. There’s nothing more important or special than that.”
Name: Ms. Celeste Lattanzi
Name: Mr. Grunewald
Education: Psychology and FACS at Eastern Illinois University
Education: P.E. Education at Valparaiso University Classes: P.E., Health
Classes: Intro to Culinary Arts 1
What is your favorite thing about teaching? “My favorite thing about teaching is when I see my students grow and learn information that they didn’t know before they came to my class.”
Crier, Munster High School’s official student newspaper, may be reached via mail at 8808 Columbia Ave, Munster, IN 46321; via phone at 219-836-3200, ext. 3443; or via fax at 219836-3202. Crier is published through the Honors Newspaper Advanced Writing and Editing classes and extra-curricular involvement. •The newspaper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for the school and community. •Crier is a source of information, entertainment, advertising and opinion for the student body, faculty, administration and community •Published material will stress objective reporting except on the editorial page where opinion writing will be featured. All published material will stress accuracy, integrity, honesty, responsibility, objectivity, fairness and independence. Corrections, when necessary, will be published on page 2. •Opinions expressed in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the School Town of Munster, faculty or administration. •Letters to the editor and reader suggestions are welcomed, but should be limited to 250 words. All letters
What about teaching at MHS do you like best so far? “Munster is an outstanding school district with remarkable students.” Who is your role model? “My parents are my role model. They definitely shaped me to be the person I am today.”
must be signed and should be either emailed to the editor (alexislindenmayer@gmail.com), given directly to any staff member or delivered to the Publications room, N155, one week prior to publication. Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and grammatical errors. Crier will accept letters from anyone, provided that the content pertains to school or school issues. Feedback may also be submitted on Twitter @munstermedia. •Mailed subscriptions cost $25 per year. Digital issues can be found on issuu.com. Crier is published 13 times a school year. Ad rates and policies are available to anyone upon request.
Our Staff
Jason
Executive Editor Mercedez Williams Design Editors Lilia Brunetti, Adam Klaich Copy Editor Atarah Israel Page Editor Erianna Sims Director of Photography Charlie Hofferth Head Photographer/Graphics Editor Robert Young Chief Photographer Lana Salahieh Photographers Max Lindenmayer, Maddy Leimbach Lauren Morris, Cali Peterson,
Editor-in-Chief Alexis Lindenmayer
Business Manager Jack Stork
Managing Editor Alyssa Bass
Adviser Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman
HALL OF FAME
August 23, 2019
H A L L O F
If you were inducted into a Hall of Fame, what would it be? “I would be in a Hall of Fame for procrastination.” Thomas Ashcraft freshman “Cheerleading, because I have been cheerleading since third grade, and I’m still on the cheer squad.” Estella Ozment freshman “Most stupid decisions made in a year.” Morgan Bottiger sophomore
F AM E
graphic by Lilia Brunetti
A CLAIM TO FAME Top row; Nina Bilimoria Angelo, Second row; Victoria Bussert, Major David Daniels, Danielle Dellorto, Third row; David Franklin, John Friend, Renee Kouris, Paula Malinski, Robert Shinkan, Fourth row; David Young.
Meet the 2019 Inductees of the Alumni, Staff Hall of Fame John Friend Faculty from1964-1980 P.E. Department, Athletic Department Q: What is your favorite memory from coaching at MHS? A: “I was the first football coach, the first basketball coach, and the first athletic director, so my early memories were starting out the football program. We didn’t even have a home field and the basketball program was the same. We played all our games on the road because we didn’t have a home fieldhouse, as it was under construction at that time. My first memories were quite challenging, trying to start those two teams up and coaching both of them the first three years.”
Victoria Bussert Class of 1975 Professor of Music Theatre, Theatre Director Q: What would you tell your senior self?? A: “Ask yourself what it is you love to do, what is it that you really are willing to put in the time and the education to pursue and then do it. And it’s also fine to change directions. You may think, this is what you want to do within two years or it’s like, this isn’t what I thought it was going to be. That’s okay, too. But don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to step into opportunities as they present themselves.”
Nina Bilimoria Angelo Class of 2000 Education Technology Strategy & Marketing Leader Q: What experiences do you attribute to your success? A: “You don’t realize how much your parents impact the way you think, feel and act until you’re much older. I attribute any of my success to hard work, my values and tremendous good fortune, all of which I wouldn’t have without my parents. They were smart enough to put me in the Munster school system!”
David Franklin
Faculty from1979-2013 Science Department Q: What is the most valuable skill or lesson you learned while teaching at MHS? A: “To have a sense of humor, to be flexible and to be honest with the students. What you plan for the day may not actually be what happens in the classroom.”
Paula Malinski
Faculty 1978-2015 Class of ‘73 P.E. Department, Swim Coach Q: How did your time at MHS help you achieve success? A: MHS offered so much through academics and extra-curriculars. I truly enjoyed my classes and chose to get involved and participate in as much as I could. Success was inevitable. The rest was up to me.
Renee Kouris
Faculty From,1975-2008 English, Theatre Arts and Speech Department Q: What is the most valuable lesson you learned while MHS? A: “The most valuable lesson I learned while teaching is ‘listen to each student.’ Everyone is different and has unique needs. I also learned to demand much from each student, and I tried to set the proverbial bar high.”
Robert Shinkan
Faculty 1975-present Class of 1971 Math Department, Baseball Coach Q: Any favorite memories from teaching here? A: “Everyday, I just enjoy teaching. I love coming here everyday and just being a part of the atmosphere. I’m just really proud of the munster schools and of Munster High School. My kids were educated here (and) my wife is from here, so I’m just very, very proud.”
Danielle Dellorto
Class of 2000 Journalist, Producer Q: What was your first thought when you found out about being inducted? A: “I was humbled and excited, that the high school that meant so much to me (while) growing up, where I started getting my confidence and I really went after my own ambitions, was recognizing me. Sometimes you do not see yourself as successful. At first you are like, ‘Wait, am I really in the Alumni Hall of Fame?’”
Major David Daniels Class of 2001 U.S. Army Experimental Test Pilot Major David Daniels graduated West Point in 2006 for his Undergraduate degree. After graduating from the Military Academy, Major Daniels was commissioned to the Aviation Branch and has served 1,171 hours in combat in 21 different military and civilian aircraft. In July 2016, Major Daniels was assigned to be an experimental test pilot and now serves as the Assistant Product Manager for Development and Modernization for the Apache Attack Helicopter program. He has also won 21 military awards and decorations.
David Young
Class of 2001 Writer Q: What is your greatest accomplishment? A: “Everything I’ve done has been a step closer to the goal of just feeling comfortable in my work life. So it’s a pretty ambiguous accomplishment. You know, I can definitely say that, personally, an accomplishment is my family, my kids and my wife, and being able to balance that with a career that I’m proud of. It is not always easy, but I would say that I am most proud of that balance.”
“It would be for holding the high school chicken wing eating contest if we had one because I could eat like 70 hot wings in a sitting.” Randal Harper Jr. sophomore “A Hall of Fame for giving really dumb Backtalk answers.” Becky Jones junior “Hall of Fame for the amount of hours I’ve put into my Animal Crossing town.” Abbey Gorny junior
“I’d be in the School Cafeteria Nacho-Eating Hall of Fame.” Ben Blaesing senior “Coolest Jeep Hall of Fame.”
Joey Burns senior
“I would be in the Hoarding Hall of Fame, because I just found a bin with (my) assignments and papers from grade school, middle school, high school, and college. ” Ms. Leigh Ann Westland English teacher “If I could be in any Hall of Fame, I would want to be in a Percussion Hall of Fame for drummers (because) I play the drums.” Mr. Mike Coil science teacher
Roadto
F A M E Will you meet the requirements to be inducted in the MHS Hall of Fame?
Munster High School graduate (of 10+ years) Must exhibit exemplary citizenship and rare achievements Must be a role model and have given back
By the numbers Various statistics of the Hall of Fame
It began in
2015
50th
for the anniversay of MHS
50
There are currently inductees both faculty and alumni source: mhs.munster.us