In This Issue FRIday june 3 2016
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GSA leaders frustrated by missing posters by Kevin Sabeti-Oseid staff reporter During the current school year, a majority of the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) posters advertising meeting dates have been torn down and vandalized. Although GSA is a school-sanctioned club under Diversity Council, club members believe Mounds View has done little to address the problem. Last month, after replacing a stolen poster in the commons stairwell, GSA captains noticed that all of the posters were missing. Once the new posters were put up, four out of the six were taken down again on May 6. After contacting the deans to check the security cameras, the captains say they were told that the school was unable to find the vandals. Because the posters were taken during passing time, the large number of people and the cameras’ poor quality meant that none of the perpetrators could be identified. GSA members said the administration told them nothing more could be done. Brian Peloquin, a dean who advises the Diversity Council, would not comment. Principal Jeffery Ridlehoover said he was not aware of the issue. Frustrated with the way administration is handling the issue, members of GSA ask that more will be done to resolve the situation and find the perpetrator(s). Many GSA members are disappointed with the situation after putting so much work into creating the posters. “We’ve put hours of time, love and care into creating the posters only to have them torn down in a few days,” said Madeline Pape, 10. “It’s really disheartening.” Co-captain Isabel Bailey-Seiler, 10, is worried that the lack of attention given to the vandalism could lead to an unsafe school environment. “Ripping down these posters isn’t just making people angry, it’s hurting people. If posters are being torn down now, later it can lead to a school that accepts homophobia and transphobia, which then leads to bullying,” said Bailey-Seiler. “And honestly, it makes me afraid.” However, GSA members acknowledge that the school is unable to do much with the situation. “The main problem is that there isn’t much [the school] can do,” said co-captain Julia Sacay, 11. “Better cameras that work would help a lot and [gain more] respect from the students.”
Volume 63 Issue 13
School board rethinks start times for 2017-18
by Emily Moses and Emily Ruan features editor and editor-in-chief ’15-’16
Minnesota, researchers observed a significant improvement in attendance and grades at eight high schools located in Minnesota, Wyoming and After last reviewing start times in 2014 and Colorado after the high schools pushed start time concluding that it would be economically unback to at least 8:35 a.m. In addition, the schools feasible to change them, the School Board has noticed a decrease in substance abuse and use of announced new plans to review the issue in the caffeinated beverages after the change. fall of 2016. “I think that later start times will be better. “Since we reviewed it last time, a number of I know that I personally am addicted to caffeine things—pretty big things—have changed in the because I wake up at 5:30 to take the bus at 6:15,” district,” said Board Chair Amy Jones. said Elizabeth McElyea, 12. “Even pushing it Although District policy calls for a routine back 30 minutes would help.” review of start times every three years, this year’s This fall’s discussions will aim to gather comreview has been moved munity feedback on up six months in rethe issue—especially Should school start later? sponse to recent develfrom middle and opments. elementary school According to Jones, parents, who have not increased enrollment been as vocal as high numbers prompted reschool parents on the evaluation, as the new issue. The Board will start times would affect evaluate the posNo: 37 a greater population of sibility of having all students. Additionally, schools start between the District recently 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. diversified its transporta“We do not tion contract for more have any plans at flexibility and is curthis point about who Yes: 63 rently conducting facility would go to school evaluations. first. We want to pay “We’ve always attention to the fact agreed with the fact that somebody goes that there’s medical to school first,” said and scientific evidence Jones. “What does it 100 people polled that start times that are mean for after school Infographic by Eva Hoffman jobs? What does it later are better for high information compiled by Ben Yoch mean for after school school kids,” said Jones. “But we needed to pay sports?” attention to all the other pieces around that which Starting in September, the Board will hold impact our ability to change the start times.” public forums, conduct phone surveys, organize According to the National Sleep Foundation, meetings with district schools’ Parent Teacher teenagers undergo a shift in sleeping pattern durAssociations and set up other community outreach ing puberty, causing them to go to bed later and programs to assess opinion on the issue. They wake up at a later time. Later school start times expect to reach a decision in early winter. work better with their sleep rhythms and help If people want to provide feedback, they may them perform their best. contact Jones directly at amy.jones@moundsIn one study done at the University of viewschools.org.
Students can check bus delays online by Ben Yoch staff reporter
photo by Eva Hoffman Isabel Bailey-Seiler, 10, puts up a GSA poster.
“When will the bus be here?” thought Xavier Zengue, 9, as he waited for 15 minutes in the pouring rain. Launched in April, the district’s Bus Status app aims to help students like Zengue check on the status of their buses. Available as both a link on the Mounds View website and on the district’s mobile app, Bus Status uses colors to indicate predicted arrival time. A green icon indicates that the bus is on time, yellow means it’s running
10 or more minutes late and red means the bus is 30 or more minutes behind schedule. “We will continue to call and text parents when the buses are running late, but… this bus status lets students take control and find out if their bus is running on time or not,” said Public Relations Director Colin Sokolowski. Although the app was originally intended to be a GPS bus tracker, the district scrapped the idea for practical reasons, instead switching to the current time frame system. Though the district didn’t receive public
requests for the service, they wanted to be ahead of the game. “Pretty soon, parents would be expecting something like this. We’d rather provide it before it’s expected,” said Sokolowski. Many students are excited about the new app. “Most mornings are already frantic and stressful, and having to be out the door by 6:40 doesn’t help,” said Amber Scott, 10. “An app that would tell me how late my bus would be super helpful. Any extra time in the morning would be beneficial.”