PVP-PANORAMA No. 280 • 01/22/22

PANORAMA Palos Verdes Peninsula

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No. 280 • January 22, 2022

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2022 OPENS WITH VICTORIES Winter Heat

• The PVYBL has taken over winter sports with basketball games held all over the Peninsula.

The Palos Verdes Youth Basketball League is wrapping up its regular season and is getting ready for playoff action.

High school and middle school sports are back in action after their winter break, while spring sports leagues are preparing for their upcoming seasons.

Next edition of Panorama will be out Feb. 5 with more good stuff from grade school to high school rivalry games.

Purple vs. Purple . . . The undefeated Purple Aces and Purple Cobras battle in Purple Division action at Peninsula High.

Mask Up

Baseball Set For Spring See Page 7

PV Soccer Takes The Lead . . . Palos Verdes High senior forward Natalia Huntington breaks through the Peninsula defense.

No Pressure . . . 2022 on the Peninsula began with “Tryouts!” for all baseball and softball players.

Rivals

PVYBL

PV vs. PEN Soccer See Page 5

Basketball Ready For Playoff See Pages 11-15

Big Yellow Ball

Tryout Saturday See Page 7

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January 22, 2022

COVID Testing More Important Than SATs

Winter Changes

• Students and schools under heavy pressure to pass tests and keep things moving forward.

By Timothy Niemann

John H. Trotter,

Since Los Angeles County area schools returned to in-person learning in the spring of 2021, the everyday life of students has been relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sure, schools had mask and social distancing rules, at least for a period of time, but students were rarely missing school due to contacting the novel coronavirus.

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That was until Omicron hit.

Ever since the new variant arrived in the United States and made itself more prominent over schools’ winter break, an exponentially greater number of students have missed school, whether that be due to contracting COVID or being designated a “close

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COVID Surge Opens Divisions And More Student Struggles

On Campus

return to virtual learning at many universities around the country. The decision caused a polarizing reaction, and though many District faculty members have voiced their support, many students do not share this sentiment.

Students who oppose the decision to return to in-person learning have spoken out, voicing their concern through social media posts, emails and petitions.

One petition, created by Palos Verdes Peninsula High School junior Arman Omidvar, was spread throughout the student body and garnered more than 1,000 signatures from students in favor of returning to virtual

“I agree that being on campus right now is irresponsible given the high • Students return to campus number of cases, and I have noticed so with many opinions on high many absent students in all my classes. school life and academic studies It is also frustrating to see people on during a new COVID surge. campus not wearing their masks properly and treating COVID precautions as

By Keila Bara optional; I strongly support the arguWith the Omicron variant of the ment that is pushing to return to virtucoronavirus (COVID-19) driving an al learning and would feel much safer alarming surge of cases in the U.S., the that way,” Ashai said safety of in-person learning has been On top of the health concerns surcalled into question. rounding in-person classes, there is In Palos Verdes, specifically, talk of the issue of ensuring that students returning to virtual learning following who contract COVID-19 are keeping winter break was raised by a districtup with schoolwork in quarantine. wide email from Alex Cherniss, superMany students have contracted the intendent of Palos virus, if not over Verdes Peninsula “I know so many students who are out sick right now, as well as students who winter break then Unified School Dis- have opted for independent study because a family member is high-risk and they in the weeks since trict, on Dec. 28. cannot risk being in-person.” school’s return, and — Talani Anetema The email outthis could result in lined three potenmissing up to five tial plans for returning to school, one learning. It was also posted on the In- days of instruction. that would have pushed back the start stagram page @pvphsonline.

Not only do students miss lectures, of school to Jan. 10, one that called for Though both this account and peti- but they also miss quizzes and tests, the switch to virtual learning for the tion have since been withdrawn, it cre- which results in a massive build-up of first couple weeks and one that would ated quite the stir, especially when it work to make up. This puts a strain on result in a return to in-person school was first posted on Jan. 4. teachers as well, as they have to cooron Jan. 3.

“I am glad this petition was made dinate with the absent students and Ultimately, an email from Cherniss and I’m not surprised it received so reteach material. on Dec. 31 announced the decision to many signatures so fast,” Peninsula seMany teachers are beginning to continue in-person classes, despite the nior Maya Ashai said.

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PANORAMA On Staff Keila Bara Beau Demerjian Sammy Funk Joaquin Lugo Timothy Niemann Publisher/Editor: Tom Combs Copy Editors: Sue Demerjian,

Winton Combs Cartoonist: Jack Dickason

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January 22, 2022

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Sea Kings Notch Another Rivalry Win

Girls Soccer

• The Palos Verdes High girls’ varsity soccer team got a 2-0 victory at Peninsula High in Bay League action Tuesday.

The Sea Kings got second-half goals from Michala Fairchild and Natalia Huntington for the win. The two teams play again in two weeks at Palos Verdes High Feb. 6.

Time To Take The Bay . . . The Sea

Kings have two losses against West High that blemish a perfect record as they finish out the year with tough opponents Redondo Union and Mira Costa.

PV Ready For More Bay League Matches . . . Sea Kings junior Roslyn Tauvaa controls the ball against Peninsula during Bay League action Tuesday.

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January 22, 2022

Complex Issues Face Students Students Begin New Year . . . Continued from Page 4 hold office hours after school, which are held virtually with the intention of helping absent students if they need time to interact with the teacher oneon-one to ask questions and catch up.

As admirable as these efforts are, there is no better way to learn than in real time, and given the staggering number of absences, there are many students in the same boat and struggling to stay afloat.

On Jan. 10, 84 percent of students attended school in-person at Peninsula, implying that 16 percent were absent that day. This illustrates the severity of the matter, highlighting just how many students are contracting COVID-19 and missing vital instruction from their teachers.

If school were to return online, no student would be disadvantaged for being sick, as they can join an online meeting and attend school from the safety of their own homes.

“I know so many students who are out sick right now, as well as students who have opted for independent study because a family member is high-risk and they cannot risk being in-person,” Peninsula senior Talani Anetema said.

“It seems unfair that students who cannot be at school because of the vi-

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rus are being penalized, falling behind and struggling to understand the content being taught in class and having to schedule make-up tests,” Anetema said.

“There is also a clear strain on teachers who have to figure out how to teach students who are not in class. It seems illogical not to switch to a virtual format again because we have done it before and know what works at this point,” she said.

This issue is incredibly complex, with many factors having to be considered by those who have control over whether campuses will remain open.

From a student perspective, however, it seems most responsible and logical to return to virtual learning, as efforts to enforce COVID-19 safety protocols are not as effective as one would hope, and students are continuing to miss classes crucial for their learning.

As of now, it appears as though campuses will remain open, which leaves only the option of taking every COVID-19 precaution seriously to ensure the safety of others. As long as in-person learning continues, it is imperative that every student and faculty member strictly follow safety protocols and gets fully vaccinated. Without the cooperation of everyone, the COVID numbers will only worsen.

PVNET.COM

With Testing, Protocols . . . Continued from Page 2 contact” with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

The first few days back from winter break were bedlam at many schools.

Some schools implemented testing protocols for everyone before returning to campus. Some schools tested students on the first or second day back from break. Others did no testing at all.

Regardless, many classrooms sat just three-quarters, or, in some cases, half full. Many of the students missing class were those designated “close contacts,” which the CDC defines as “Someone who was less than 6 feet away from an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24hour period.”

By this definition, many students were designated close contacts simply by sitting close to someone in class who later tested positive.

The CDC rules for close contacts have been changing, seemingly by the

week, since Omicron hit. The first week back from winter break, students could not return to school until they received a negative test if they were designated a close contact. Since then, the protocol has changed so that students wait until the fifth day after exposure to get tested for COVID, but do not have to miss any school unless that test comes back positive.

The change in CDC protocol has allowed for fewer students to miss classes, as only COVID-positive students need to remain home.

Schools are trying to do everything they can to make their way through this historic surge in COVID-19 cases, desperately trying to avoid going back online, which resulted in more than a year of remote classes at the beginning of the pandemic.

Having mixed opinions themselves, students continue to make their way to campus for in-person learning each day, hoping that they’re not next in line to contract COVID.

Editorial and Advertising deadline is 6 p.m. Monday the week of publication. PVP-Panorama is published every two weeks.

Our next edition is out Feb. 5.

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Spring Sports "Tryouts" Open 2022

Transitions

• All four Peninsula Little Leagues, the PVP Girls’ Softball League and Peninsula Junior League marked the new year with player skill assessments.

Everyone gets a team, but that doesn’t mean "Skill Assessments" are fun and relaxing for kids or adults.

At every league, players are divided by age and then are led through a series of fielding, throwing, batting and running drills.

Players are observed by managers and coaches who determine a player’s baseball and athletic skills. A player’s age is the most determining factor in which division a player will be placed.

Girls’ softball opens the spring sports season with its first games on Feb. 12 while the Little Leagues begin play Feb. 26.

Catch This . . . Players at Silver Spur Little League line up for fly balls during “tryouts” at Ernie Howelett Park.

We Got This . . . Softball players get ready to show off their skills during girls’ softball “tryouts” at Cornerstone School.

Part Of The Uniform . . . Players and fans mask-up for a long day of “tryouts” at Lunada Bay Little Leauge.

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Basketball Warms Up Winter

PVYBL

• There are only a few regular season games left for the Palos Verdes Youth Basketball League before playoffs begin next month.

Undefeated Black Magic and Black Death will battle today for first place in the boys’ Black Division at the Miraleste gym. The Amazons will try to revenge its only loss of the year when they face the undefeated Green Gechos today in the girls’ Orchid Division at the Peninsula High Field House.

Season Ending Battles . . . The

Bears will face the Bad News Bears, and the Badgers will play the Dirt Dogs to end the regular season this weekend at the Miraleste gym.

Editorial and Advertising deadline is 6 p.m. Monday the week of publication. PVP-Panorama is published every two weeks.

Our next edition is out Feb. 5.

Black Division Up For Playoffs . . . The Jolly Roger and Blackout have two regular season games remaining in the Black Division before the playoffs begin.

Playoff Ready . . . The Purple People Eaters held back the Purple Tigers to remain in a three-way tie for second place in the Purple Division.

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January 22, 2022

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The Final Battle . . . The Bears got a win over the Badgers to remain in a firstplace tie in the Brown Division at Miraleste.

Upper Divisions Take A Shot . . . The Jolly Roger lit up Blackout for a big win in the Black Division at the Miraleste gym last week.

Purple Keeps The Pace . . . The Purple Aces ran past the Purple Cobras to take control of first place in the Purple Division at Peninsula High.

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Purple People Eaters . . . The Purple Aces got a win over Purple Cobras to begin the season in the Purple Division at Peninsula High.

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Penquins Keep It Cool . . . The first-place Penguins tamed the Cobras for a big win in the Dahlia Division at Peninsula High.

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January 22, 2022

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Set To Score Points . . . The Black Swans and Black Pearls battle for second place in the Dahlia Division at Peninsula High.

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