Octagon 2017-18 Issue 4

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THE

OCTAGON

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sacramento, CA Permit No. 1668

VOL. 41 NO. 4 • Sacramento Country Day School • 2636 Latham Drive, Sacramento • March 6, 2018

Alumna joins growing number of women running for office BY ANNA FRANKEL Tepring Piquado, ’97, who attended SCDS in grades 7-12 and taught math and science courses from 2001-04, is running for an empty seat in California’s 54th Assembly District. The special election will be held on Tuesday, April 3. Q: Where did you get your unusual name? A: I was named after a Vulcan woman named T’Pring who was betrothed to Spock on the original “Star Trek.” I like to think that because of my name I am influenced by logic and reason. Q: What is it like being a woman running for office right now? A: As a computer science major and then (going) on to get my doctorate in neuroscience, I’ve been in (a) position where I’ve been one of a few, or the only, woman or minority in a classroom or in a business meeting, and I’ve been marginalized. (But) I’ve grown up, and I’ve been able to assert myself, use my voice and not let myself be bullied. So while I think there are real problems (for) female leaders, female colleagues and female students, I believe I have the background experience, expertise and confidence to stand up to anyone that is misbehaving. Q: Did you participate in student government at Country Day? A: I was our student representative in ninth, 10th and 11th grades. I ran for student-body president, but I didn’t get it. Q: Have you always known you wanted to run for political office? A: I don’t think I really thought that I was going to be politically active, although I did go to Georgetown (University), which has a long history of amazing political figures. I really started being interested in that kind of public service when I was a science fellow. I earned my doctorate in neuroscience, and I had the opportunity to apply for a position called a Science and Technology Fellow at the state Capitol. It was there that I started to understand the way that a public policy researcher or (having) a research background could really influence the legislative process. So I finished that year, and then I went

PIQUADO page 3 >>

KREPS TO THE RESCUE Middle school physical education teacher Jason Kreps assists senior Jake Longoria after he dislocated his shoulder twice in the Feb. 16 playoff basketball game against Forest Lake Christian School. Longoria had to leave the game after the first quarter. Assessing and treating sports injuries are some of many jobs that a school nurse could provide. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

Illness, injuries spark talk of school nurse BY LARKIN BARNARD-BAHN

S

ince its founding in 1964, the school has never had an official school nurse. Do we need one? Sophomore Bri Davies, who has missed 68 classes this year because of illness, thinks we do. She said that it is strange that SCDS doesn’t have a registered school nurse when most schools, such as Jesuit High School and Rio Americano High School, do. Junior Leo Eisner de Eisenhof, co-president of the Pre-Med Club, feels the same way. He said that when he transferred to Country Day from The Village School in Houston, Texas, this school year, he was “extremely” surprised that the school didn’t have an official nurse. “I asked (chemistry teacher Victoria Conner) within one of my first days, ‘Where’s your (school) nurse?’” Eisner said. Assuming it was illegal for a school to not have an official nurse, Eisner said he looked it up but found that it wasn’t. Nevertheless he said the school needs

one. gency situations. Formerly a Wilderness “I don’t think I could’ve gone through First Responder and a CPR/AED/First Reelementary school without a nurse,” Eisner sponder instructor, Crabb is BLS and CPR trained and will take a Wilderness Emersaid. “Because of recess, I got scratched up, gency Medical Technician course in June. and (there was) a bunch of blood. At the But even with these certifications, Crabb sandbox, someone threw said he and Wilson cannot coma bunch of sand in my pletely cover the job. I don’t think eye, and the school nurse “When we think of school nurshelped clean it out.” I could’ve es, we think (of ) bandages, therHowever, administra- gone through mometers, ice packs and over-thetive assistant Erica Wilcounter medicine,” Crabb said. “All son, who is trained in elementary school of these examples are already covcardiopulmonary resus- without a nurse.” ered on campus without a nurse. citation (CPR) and Ba“(However), a nurse provides —Leo Eisner de sic Life Support (BLS), things we don’t (immediately) Eisenhof think of - for example, preventasaid that she fulfills all the duties of a school tive screening, immunization, renurse. ferrals and interventions.” “(I do) anything (from) Band-Aids to Nurses are important for children who wrapping ankles to taking care of bee stings don’t have access to healthcare options, so and anything you would normally go to have SCDS isn’t in need of an official school taken care (of ),” Wilson said. nurse, according to Crabb. “I say to parents all the time (that) I’m the “Our demographics don’t include those school nurse. Because it’s really true.” most at risk,” Crabb said. Wilson also said that middle school history teacher Bill Crabb can help in emerNURSE page 3 >>

AP Studio teacher brings in professional artist to scout potential mural locations BY JACK CHRISTIAN

COLOR Muralist Franceska Gamez painted abstract heads and a body in one of her murals. AP Studio Art teacher Andy Cunningham brought Gamez to school to give students advice on the possible new mural. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF FRANCESKA GAMEZ

“Where’s all the color?” Sacramento muralist Franceska Gamez asked while walking the high school grounds with the AP Studio Art students on Jan. 12. “There is something very therapeutic to the aspect of color,” she said. Gamez is not the only one who has noticed that the Country Day campus lacks color and vibrancy. The AP Studio Art students, led by senior Lea Gorny, are currently in the process of proposing multiple new murals to the administration for approval. These mural proposals are in direct response to head of school Lee

Thomsen’s unilateral decision to dio Art students and head of high paint over three student murals in school Brooke Wells toured the camAugust of last year. pus to discuss potential mural locaTo help with this tions. process, AP Studio Art One location they teacher Andy Cundiscussed was the There is ningham brought in wall behind the physsomething Gamez to give the stuical education office, dents advice, as Cun- very therapeutic to where the mural by ningham said he has Lenora Yerkes, ’99, the aspect of color.” never done anything was painted over. —Franceska Gamez like this before. Gamez said she “My role is simply liked this location beas a conduit for comcause of the verticality munication and to of the wall and because provide access to people, like Fran- the mural could be viewed by both ceska, (who are) able to come in and middle and high school students. help ease the nerves of a budding “The only problem would be muralist,” Cunningham said. MURAL page 4 >> During Gamez’s visit, the AP Stu-


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