May 2025 / Vol. 2, Issue 1
INSIDE STORIES
Scott’s Interview / p.2
Standing Tall / p.3
News Media Survey
Results / p. 4-5
Film Review/ p.6
Inside Scoop / p. 6
New Design Times Team
Xin Ping Chen
Mori Francis
Mya Jones
Marrow Snell
Modiline Turner
Talking to Scott
An interview by Xin Ping Chen
There’s been many changes this school year that left some students with mixed emotions due to the additions of Photels taking away students phone usage during classes and how some well-liked teachers were excessed. What did Scott have to say?
Did you have high expectations of Photels when they first appeared this year? What were they? Do you think it helped at all?
Highexpectations?Iwashopefulthatitwouldhelpinthissituation. Theteachershadsuchanissuelastyearwithphonesintheclassroom,so weneededsomething.Sowelookedatacoupledifferentoptionslike Yondrpouches,butitjustseemslikealot.…Alsoyouwouldhaveto Yondryourphoneallday.Itseemedlikeyouwerelockingyourphone up.WithPhotelsitseemedlikeyouhadachoice,you’reabletoputit awayornotuseitperthestudent’schoice.
Do you think these new systems would have helped students from previous years? Absolutely.AndIthinkit’sbecauseyoudon’thaveyourphone,alotof kidsnowconcentratealotmore.Butit’sdifferentforeveryone,some kidsneverhavetotaketheirphoneoutandsomekidsarealittle… addictedtoit.
(continued on p. 2)
Talking to Scott
Xin Ping Chen
Whyhavetherebeensomanystaffworkingasteacherscomparedtolastyear?
Wetookalargebudgetcutlastyear,sowehadtoletgoofteachers.Basically,thecitygivesusthisbudgetandthe firstplacewespenditisonstaff,andbecausewelostamilliondollars,wehadtoletsometeachersgo.Wealsohadto returnstafftoteaching.Forexample,Melissawasinthesupportpositionandwehadtoreturnhertoaclassroom becausewelostfiveteacherslastyear.
Thebudgetingsystemisabitcomplex,butbasicallytheteachers’unionhasanewcontractwiththecityso alltheteachersaremakingmoremoney.Thatcostiscausingouraverageteachersalarytorise.Basicallyevery teachercostsusmoremoney,butwedidn’tgetmoremoneyfromthecity.Thatmeanstheschool’sbudgetof$6.5 millionisn’tenoughtopayteachersbecausetheycostmore.Whenwegotourbudgetthisyear,wenoticedthat we’reamilliondollarsdown,sowehadtocutteacherstosavethatdeficit.Andwecan’tgetabudgetincrease becausethecitydoesn’tseeitasahugeproblematthemoment,unfortunately.
Wouldyouratherhireexcessedteachersorteacherswho’vebeenfiredbefore?
Imean,it’saprettybigredflagifsomebodyhasbeenfiredbefore.Soexcessedteacherswouldbebestbecauseit’s justwhoeverisontopofthesenioritylistandI’dbemorecomfortablehiringateacherwhohasbeenexcessed.
Whydidyoudecidetoexcesssometeachers?
Yeah,itmayseemprettyrandom,butthere’sathingcalledthesenioritylist.Inthecity,peoplewiththemost seniorityareprotected,soifsomeonetaughtforten yearsthey’reatthebottomofthesenioritylistandwecanonly excesspeopleatthetopofthesenioritylist.Seniorityisusuallylistedbyteachingtitleanddepartment.Solike, there’stwelveteachersintheEnglishdepartmentontheEnglishsenioritylist,andbecausewecanonlytakethetop, weweren’tallowedtoexcessanyoftheteacherswhoaredual-certified.Andwedidn’thavemanydepartmentswe couldchoosefrom,likewecouldonlychoosefromthreedifferentdepartments.Wehadletgoofonesocialstudies teacherandtwoscienceteachers.
Hastherebeenanybacklashwhenstudentsrealizeateachertheyhadwasexcessed?
Nope.Notfromstudents.Someweremadeawareofitbecauseofthebudgetingcommitteewehaveafterschool everymonthwithstaffandacoupleofparents,likeweinformthemonwhyweproceededwithcertainthings.And it’snotreallyourfaultbecausethecitygivesusmoneyandwejusthavetodealwithit.It’sbecauseweconveyedthat informationtherewasn’tanybacklash.Therewereafewstudentsthatwereupsetsincetheywereclosetothose teachers.
HowmanyteachershaveyouexcessedsinceNDHSexisted?Roughestimates?
Imeanweexcessedfiveteachersthisyear,andIthinkbeforeweonlyexcessedlikethreefromallotheryears combined.Soatotalofeightapproximately.Wecurrentlydon’tknowifwewillhavetoexcessanyonethisyear.
Ifyouhadthechoice,wouldyouhaveexcessedteachersfromothersubjects(English,math,socialstudies, etc.)teams?
Wedidn’treallywanttogetridofanybody.Evenifweweregivenachoicewestillwouldn’tdoit.Iratherviewitas whocanbeexcessednomatterwhatcertification,especiallyifthatpersonisdoublecertified.It’shardtoconsider thesechoicesbecausetheyareapartofourcommunity,alotofthemaregoodteachers.
September 9, 2024: While on the roof of New Design School I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take this photo–a cityscape with blue sky and a tall building in the background seemed like a good picture to me. And turns out it was–in my eyes at least.
STANDING TALL
December 18, 2024: The streets the day of the 9th grade field trip were vibrant and lively. I couldn’t help but look up. Right outside MoMa (Museum of Modern Art) and down a couple blocks, I saw a big church at a red light. It looked good with the sky, so I took the photo. It came out better than I expected.
by Mori Francis
December 18, 2024: My teachers wanted to take the scenic route to the museum so that we could all take photos. Every time I see a very tall building that stands out, I can’t help but take a picture of it with the smaller buildings in the background.
Photo Portfolio
News about the News
New Design Times Survey Results
by Mya Jones
The student news team for the NEW DESIGN TIMES wanted to know how the school community was feeling about the current news cycle–both here and the rest of the world–and who you turn to for information, and what you do to turn off.
After collecting your amazing answers, we’ve found there are all sorts of ways you handle the news and relax and disconnect. We appreciate receiving your opinions for this survey, and we hope we can get more answers from you lovely readers in the future.
With what the president is doing and lack thereof, I was wondering if anyone had reactions to what was happening in the world? After all of the chaos, I am now taking small breaks in between each time I watch the news.
Students, staff and teachers responded that they get their news from many sources, including ABC, FOX, New York Times, PBS, NPR, CBS, Spectrum and NBC. Most people choose not to watch the news at all or use other methods for information like ground news, which gives the viewer an overview on how different news outlets tell a single story.
During my time with the New Design Times newspaper I’ve gotten more involved with watching the local news at home, wanting to get some ideas on how I should interview people in the near future and being informed with the current election votes coming to a close. I have mainly been watching the morning news on ABC, getting small pieces of different stories that happened recently before I start my day.
I want everyone to know that there’s nothing wrong with not wanting to be connected–being in your own world is pretty nice and comforting. But it’s also good to know what’s happening around you for your own safety.
Marrow’s Movie Review: One of Them Days
One of Them Days, released in January, is notable for the acting debut of world-renowned R&B singer Sza, who gives a knee slapping performance as the whimsical and messy lead Alyssa.
The plot centers around the friendship between Dreux (played by Keke Palmer) and Alyssa, who live together along with Alyssa’s boyfriend Keshawn. When Keshawn runs off with their rent money, the girls go on a wild goose chase through Los Angeles to make enough money to pay their rent and save their apartment, running into love interests, exes and enemies. They also find elements they need to progress with their dreams.
This movie, directed by Lawrence Lamont, is outstanding for its comedic genius, with the iconic Keke Palmer playing co-lead character Dreux who's struggling to move up in her Job as a waitress.
At New Design you already know we don't play when it comes to fashion or music and neither does this movie with cute outfits galore and catchy numbers like: TGIF by GloRilla, Nissan Altima by Doechii, and BGC by Flo Milli.
Criticisms I had about the movie include the use of product placement in the first few minutes of the film and the number of stomach problem jokes.
Warts and all, I can tell you One of Them Days is a good comedy and an enduringly lovable movie for all the black girlies, so whoever is reading this should see it! —
Marrow Snell
INSIDE SCOOP!
Jakell’s Creamery, open Thursdays at New Design’s Shop, is the brainchild of New Design junior Jakell Wharton.
How did you come up with this idea?
“Jakell’s Creamery” was inspired by the diversity of my Guyanese culture and wanting to experiment with its flavors to put into something everyone enjoys, such as ice cream and other sweets.
What is the hardest thing for you?
The hardest thing for me is traveling for all of my ingredients, like fresh fruits from the best places, usually Queens, and the spices.
When and how did you learn how to make ice cream?
I’m self taught. I started learning in early sophomore year. I took a culinary class. Growing up I was exposed to cooking a lot, since my grandmother is a pastry chef. — Modiline Turner
