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S E P T E MBE R 2012 Volume XXV Issue I
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MH S T HE UNION.NE T For the latest updates
STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL
CA L EN DA R October 1 University of California and California State University applications open October 6 SAT testing day October 15-19 Homecoming Spirit Week
New weighted GPA system implemented retroactively
BY YING LUO
Weighted Grade Point Averages (GPAs) are to be implemented retroactively for the 2012-2013 school year, Principal Kenneth Schlaff confirmed. The decision was finalized at a summer board meeting to reward students who have challenged themselves by taking the most rigorous course load available, Schlaff stated.
The new system will be out of a 5.0 grading scale as opposed to the previous 4.0 scale, according to Schlaff. He continued to say that Advanced Placement (AP), Honors, and college courses will be considered weighted so that an A in any of these classes will give students five points as opposed to four points in an unweighted class. “Each course that is Honors, AP, or outside college is given an extra
point,” Schlaff explained. “So therefore, we don’t modify that; IT does.” Pluses and minuses will also be considered and weighted in the new system, according to Schlaff. However, A pluses will not be weighted because it would skew the 4.0 unweighted grading scale, Schlaff continued. “It’s a greater delineation of what somebody has in a particular class, and there is great difference between
whether somebody gets an 88 or an 81 [percent] in a class,” Schlaff said. “You’re almost dealing with two different grade designations.” The weighted system will also ensure that only one valedictorian will be chosen from each graduating year, Schlaff added. The title of MHS’s highest ranked student will now consider the rigor of his or her academic record as well, Schlaff concluded.
October 20 Homecoming Dance October 27 ACT testing day October 29 Talent Show October 31 Halloween November 1 No school November 3 SAT testing day November 6 Election Day November 12 No school November 22 Thanksgiving Day November 22-23 No school November 30 University of California applications deadlines
Student response to CLOG Rush greater than previous years BY CINDY WU
Club and Organization (CLOG) Rush was held from Sept. 4-6 on the green during lunch, according to Activities Director Joanna Butcher. CLOG Rush was held to promote the 59 CLOGs on campus, Butcher said. Similar to previous years, half of the CLOGs campaigned on Tuesday, Sept. 4 while the other half advertised on Sept. 5. All the clubs came together on Sept. 6 for a final day of promoting CLOGs. “Sign-ups were much higher this year,” Butcher said. “There seems to be an overall greater interest in belonging to a CLOG.” Many CLOGs are qualified to use the theater for their meetings this year due to the large numbe of signups, Butcher continued. Eight CLOGs are now in a rotation for sharing the theater every other week. “Everyone should have the right to access the theater if they have enough members,” Butcher said. “It’s called fair and equitable practices.”
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The Milpitas Xtreme Robotics Club of�cers advertise their club during lunch on the green. A total of 59 clubs and organizations participated in CLOG Rush, which was held from Sept. 4-6 in order to promote club membership.
Wi-Fi to be installed at MHS BY CARYN TRAN
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Security Guard Supervisor Kenneth Inman places cones around the school’s perimeters in the mornings to block off a passageway in order to help regulate traf�c. Inman works for the Admiral Security Services company.
New security guard team hired for school year BY ARTHUR TRAN
New security guards have been hired to patrol the MHS campus for this school year, according to Assistant Principal Cheryl Rivera. They replaced last year’s security guards, Rivera said. There are four security guards in total with a supervisor who acts as the lead guard, Rivera said. The security guards, who are from Admiral Security Services, send in a daily electronic report to administration
in order to document everything they see on campus, Rivera said. “The security guards have handled situations exceptionally well so far this year,” Rivera said. “They have been doing a good job.” The decision to hire new security was made at the end of June, Rivera stated. The entire administration participated in the interview process so the final decision was unanimous, Rivera continued. “[The security guards] started at the end of July, close to the begin-
ning of August,” Rivera said. “They went through training, and two were even here for registration.” All current policies on campus are being enforced, and new policies could be in place in the future, according to Security Supervisor Ken Inman. His job is to ensure the guards are properly trained, Inman said. “We’re not here to be bullies,” Inman said. “We’re just here to enforce the rules of the school. This seems like a good school, and it deserves security that cares for its students.”
Wi-Fi will be available at MHS campus starting this year, according to Principal Kenneth Schlaff. The target date has not been confirmed by tech services, but 80 percent of the Wi-Fi modems have been installed on campus, Schlaff confirmed. Wi-Fi will enable students to have access to multiple sources of information during class and to contribute and interact more in the classroom, Schlaff said. It will also move teachers towards utilizing multiple sources as opposed to depending on one textbook or being the source of information, Schlaff continued. “For example, the stuff in the history textbooks: even if it was four years old, what does that have to do with [the conflict in] Syria right now? There is absolutely nothing in there. Nothing. Zero,” Schlaff reasoned. “This stuff is of the moment and I’m just saying you can’t get everything in a hard-bound textbook.”
You can’t get everything in the hard-bound textbook. ������� ������� Wi-Fi will probably be turned on for the G building in early October to initialize the process of connecting the Digital Business Academy (DBA) online, Schlaff said. The school plans for the DBA to receive Chromebooks, which have already been ordered. “So far, probably 250 [Chromebooks] will be bought. 220 [Chromebooks are] for DBA, and then prob-
ably 30 for the school as a whole,” Schlaff said. “So if you’re in a class with a teacher who checks them out, and then you could work in groups. While in DBA it’s one-on-one, so every kid would have a Chromebook. They wouldn’t have textbooks since there’s open-source textbooks and other things that could be used in lieu of a text book.” Wi-Fi coverage will eventually reach all of the campus, according to Schlaff. It may extend to the field, though there is no knowledge on how far, Schlaff said. “We will get full coverage of this campus,” Schlaff said. “As for the external areas within the boundary of MHS, I can’t tell you, but all classes will have Wi-Fi.” With the availability of Wi-Fi, parents will need to be informed and advised on how to manage usage of electronics at school, according to Schlaff. One reason why the school has chosen to buy Chromebooks is the manageability of it, Schlaff added. “If it’s a Chromebook, we’re able to manage those particular devices because they have to link to our system,” Schlaff stated. “So it’d be like when I log on to Google and I do stuff through Google it doesn’t go through [just] Google, it goes through MUSD then Google,” he explained. Wi-Fi will be an important instrument for moving the school forward in technology, Schlaff said. It will encourage a different mode of teaching and a different way for students to interact with their learning environment, Schlaff concluded.