The Sentinel St. Luke’s School
377 North Wilton Road - New Canaan, CT - 06840
April 2010
The Death of SNEFS Caroline Hopkins Contributing Writer By now you’ve probably heard a lot of talk of the great “food switch” hitting SLS come next fall. Terms like “smoothie bar” and “Panini station” are ringing through your ears as you dream of the truly delicious potential of the upcoming school year. Why the sudden change? Come the end of this school year, St. Luke’s’ three year contract with SNEFS’ Catering Service (our current food source) will draw to a close. As a result, our school has been faced with the genuinely difficult decision regarding whether to renew the contract, employing SNEFS for another three years, or to bring in a new food service entirely. Once the high authorities (those up in the business offices) decided it would be best to switch food services, the daunting task arose as to how SLS would decide
Exams: The New March Madness Alexandra Jaffe Editor in Chief
Next year, exams will be held in March for St. Luke’s Upper School students. Instead of midterms in January and final exams in June, there will be one set of exams in March, the week before Spring Break. The switch has been under discussion for several years now, but a special task force this year studied the issue even more in depth and motivated the change for next year. There is substantial reasoning behind the concept of March exams. Mr. Bailey explains, “When you take an exam in June, for the most part, you never see that exam again. It’s not useful to you in the learning process at all. By having the exams in March it enables the teacher to then use that after it’s corrected and given back to the student as a formative assessment, something that can be useful to both the student and the teacher.” Other logic for March exams is that during the last couple months of school, especially as June gets closer, students have an increasingly difficult time focusing in class and staying committed to their work. Statistically, students at St. Luke’s do more poorly on final exams than their other grades throughout the year reflect. In addition, if students do very badly on the March exam, they still have half of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter to redeem themselves. March exams do not mean that learning stops at Spring Break. For April, May, and June, students will continue to learn new material and teachers will continue giving tests and other as-
Inside this issue...
PROMania
sessments, however, there is no huge final exam looming overhead. This also means juniors and seniors can take more time to prepare for AP’s, SAT’s and ACT’s, and SAT Subject Tests, which all seem to fall in a very tight and inconvenient window. Other private schools in the area like Rye Country Day School and Greens Farms Academy use the March exams system and have found it to be very effective. The weight of exams in students’ grades is being changed as well. In the past, final exams comprised of twenty percent of the second semester grade. Now, semester grades will be calculated excluding the March exam. March exams will factor into final grades only, comprising ten percent of the calculation. This dramatically reduces the impact of the one exam in students’ report card grades. Although it seems to be a foreign concept, once you look at the facts, March exams seem to be a positive change for students. That is, students other than seniors. Mr. Bailey confirmed that seniors will have to take March exams. Seniors are predictably not too pleased about this. “I don’t think that seniors should have exams in March because they already have so much stress on them waiting to hear back from colleges,” said current junior Theo Kelly. Teachers of AP classes will use March exams as an opportunity to administer a practice AP test. The only classes that will definitely not have March exams are semester-long electives. The new introduction of March exams is sure to bring questions and concerns, but they are truly designed with the students’ best interests in mind. Hopefully students will realize that the new system of exams is to their benefit.
Day in the Life of Lebris
which food service to choose. Food services from all across the state sent in their menus and their bids, hoping that they would be chosen as the lucky ones to provide St. Luke’s students and faculty with the best part of their day- their meals. For months, the Mrs. Gabriele and the rest of the decision making committee made it their mission to journey far and wide in order to visit other schools, scrutinizing their cuisine in the hopes that they would be able to score the ultimate food service. After many months deliberating amongst and consulting with the heart of the SLS community- the students themselves- the decision was made to employ Flik Independent School Dining Service. The competition was rough, but Flik won its victory through its promising menu, presenting us with deliciously fresh, healthy, and diverse assortment of choices- including sushi- and let’s not forget that smoothie bar and Panini station! Along with the menu change, our SLS cafeteria itself will be experiencing a makeover this summer. Beginning this coming fall, there will be no more waiting in line or entering PINs. In fact, the dining area will be taking on a 360 degree configuration in which stu-
See CAFETERIA page 2
Jokes Issue on Back
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April 2010
HILLTOP NEWS
AP: Another Peril Sam Fomon Contributing Writer
I was one of the lucky ones: I got away. The year was 2009. I escaped with my writing hand intact, my legs only partially numb, and my brain, for the most part, un-muddled. It was a trial of wills, of memory, of sheer hardheaded stubbornness to defeat this monster they call the AP test. Each year, the battle rages on, and we, insignificant souls, must annually struggle to triumph over our three-hour facepalm-inducing foes. I was a particularly young recruit, joining the fray at the ripe age of 15. After my freshman year, aided by the crucial mentorship of the then head of the science department Mr. Thieret, I took the leap (or plunge, as some would say) and decided to take AP Bio as a sophomore. I was confident that I would enjoy myself thoroughly in the class and face plenty of hard work digesting the prodigious and comprehensive curriculum. Yet, at the same time, I was apprehensive about taking my first AP test. Having heard tales from my sister and her fellow soldiers of the scholarly battles waged in the multi-purpose room, I had learned that APs were often a grim and grueling affair. All the same, the fact that I—frail and young thing that I was—would be attempting to slay only one adversary and not a whole army of APs comforted me. Thankfully and to my surprise, I emerged unscathed, psychologically sound, and in one piece, having retained the capacity for hope, love, and
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ever be. Take the time to review your notes, learn forgotten concepts, and take plenty of practice tests, but acknowledge there’s only so much to be done. Get enough sleep. We already dislike the sacrifices in sleep school forces us to make, so take advantage of the fact that if your test doesn’t start at 8 am, that’s an open invitation to sleep the morning away until you have to stroll in for your test at high noon. Take your merry time getting out of the house on the morning of your test. The last thing you want to be in is a rush before you’re in that dreadful room for three hours. The contrast in pace and duration may well be fatal. Have a hearty—though not necessarily healthy—breakfast. In your emotional state, you can afford to have the sugary cereal, and in my opinion, indulgent snacks are always the best companion to test prep. Just don’t go making yourself sick.
Unfortunately for us, it’s undeniable that APs will remain a daunting undertaking and a source of stress and dismay for students everywhere. However, I sincerely believe that we can all confront the demon AP, vorpal sword in hand, and, having slain the beast, go galumphing back.
CAFETERIA from cover dents will be able to serve themselves the hot food rather than wait to be served by a member of the cafeteria staff. That’s right, the full SLS eating experience is being taken to a whole new level. FLIK me if I’m dreaming- It can’t get any better than this! Here’s a sample of a typical week’s menu with Flik food service:
happiness, thus disproving the myths I had caught wind of. But this fateful year, I must grapple with four such foes. With the pressure and expectations placed on AP-takers, one would think we were slaying the Jabberwock. Even having taken one AP already, I must admit I have contemplated the impending peril of the month of May many times in uffish thought, not without alighting on the consequences of my decision to take four more my senior year. All the same, it’s a decision I readily made. If there is anything I’ve learned about APs, it’s that yes, there are survivors, and no, the legends are not true. APs are challenging and frightening and harmful should you make sudden moves in their presence (or sudden decisions to take them without careful thought), but they not as bad as they are made out to be. To my delight, I’ve discovered that in every AP course, there’s a teacher with the savoir-faire, (mutable) patience, and invaluable expertise and experience to help you achieve that elusive score of four or five and practically guarantee a three. If this is your first year taking an AP, here are some words of lighthearted advice from a soonto-be-war-weary combatant to make that first test day a frabjous one: • Don’t cram. If you have been an active participant in your AP class all year, you’re as ready as you’ll
The Sentinel Staff Editor in Chief Alexandra Jaffe Co-Editor Jon Salamon Arts Editor Kelly Wendt Staff Writers Elina Berglund Maria Carlucci Megan Cullinane Jenna Decatur Theodor Trampe Contributing Writers Nikki Bennett-Fite Emily Bergmann Megan Flood Sam Fomon Caroline Hopkins Sam Sexton Tim Verklin April Walsh Ellie Werner Faculty Advisor Mr. Flachsbart
April 2010
iPad Invasion Megan Flood Contributing Writer
This article is featured around the educational use of the iPad for daily use in school. I have interviewed Mr. Foley and Mr. Chuhta on their experience and how they would like to see the iPad used for technological advancement. Mr. Foley is the Academic Technology Coordinator and his job is to see how new technology could be used with the everyday learning experience. Mr. Chuhta is Assistant Head of the Middle School, and eighth grade science teacher who loves his iPhone and it’s implications. 1) Megan Flood - Is the iPad a replacement for everyday school supplies and life as a Saint Luke’s student? Foley - I don’t think it is a laptop replacement but it is 80% way there. You cannot make a movie on an iPad application but only on website browser and recording a podcast would be better with laptop. The laptop is not going anywhere anytime soon. However, you can read a book, a textbook, take notes, access the web, watch videos, Wiki, and social network all on the on iPad. The iPad is a personal network device just like the iPhone and iPod. Form factor is that it is a lot like notebook and changes capability and the bulk of what students can do on a computer like device. Yet we still have to think about that not every student has a laptop or even a Macintosh. Chuhta - I think the iPad can be a replacement
Mr. Chuhta sporting an iPad. planner with all you calendars and homework visual on iCal. The iCal maybe could connect through Wipple Hill, so if your teacher changes an assignment it automatically uploads to your calendar. iPad would allow for whole new layer in technology and do it a lot better. Students would not have to carry physical textbooks and they are still on the server forever, no more 65-pound book bags. For example if a student is in AP Bio and needed to reference something in their Chemistry book from last year they just look at previous text book and then go right back to the AP Bio textbook. Once the OS 4.0 comes out and multitasking is involved it would seem seamless and a great educational tool. The next step is to see how it can be used and the different implications for students and teachers depending on which subject they teach or what they are learning that period. On a daily basis students email, search web, look online for homework, maybe print a paper, take notes and read your textbooks. The only improvement the iPad needs is to be able to read a textbook and take notes as same time. Once text books come out in iBooks, I bet a textbook app will come out that allows the reader to highlight and annotate their book. Foley/Chuhta - Some apps that are effective are Notability and Pad notes. Notability you are able to type notes, draw pictures and voice record at
FEATURES
same time. When you go back to typed notes it could bring you automatically to the part in the lecture where it was spoken. In Pad Notes if a teacher has a template on the smart board, a student could have it beamed to their pad, work on it, beam it back, the teacher correct it and then beam it back. This is available from direct connect ability through wifi network. 2)MF - Should St. Luke’s have One-to-One program with iPad or computer for SLS students just like teachers? F - Not sure yet laptop or iPad so the point to having a couple iPads in building is to test them out: Chuhta, Preston and Bruner have or are testing them to see how teachers would be able to use it in the classroom. Once OS 4.0 is available in the fall it will be easier to see how we would be able to handle lots of iPads on network and how applications will be integrated and which ones would need to be standard on a SLS iPad. Furthermore, we have to handle the document management because there is no specific folder for one student on an iPad, all documents would sort of be in a cloud in the web. C - Know what get with laptop and I still don’t know what have with iPad. There is the coolness factor, but I am yet to be sold on ease of use; it is not a tablet. On tablet there is one note type of program where a student could write and write forever, not quite there on iPad. I am very happy with the direction that SLS is going and how open SLS is to discussing the new technology and how it can advance the classroom experience. 3) MF – could a student have an iPad for class with all books and note and leave back pack at home? F – Yes 4) MF - Would you say disappointing product? F - Apple has vision for experience and that threw people off the speculation of the iPad. Everyone thought it would be an Apple (PC) tablet. Apple doesn’t think like that, they create something that doesn’t exist but think should and express their vision right there. Kevin Quindlen a student says he thinks his iPad is “awesome because he can do all his homework and take all his notes right on his iPad. Overall he thinks is iPad is awesome.” 5) MF - Describe the iPad for educational use and experience please. C – I don’t know yet and still trying to figure out if iPad can have significant changes to the way a student does work. For example for my Veneer Probes in a physics lab if you have a pad you could go around school and take pH samples and when you get back to classroom it would already be in graph for you. It can streamline a way to gather data, however we have to depend on other companies – I was told there is app for that but they are not releasing it yet. If there were Microsoft apps a teacher could take notes and edit paper with portable device. Send lab to kids sheets, kids write on them and then beam back to teacher and class would become paperless. Lot of implications but don’t know what all of them are yet and even Apple might not know what to use. All Apple knows is that they want to make the work seamless and easy. It would be great student tool – iPad cart, if we could standardize the apps on the iPad. For science we would need apps for gathering data and graphing tools, history would need the research aspect (which the iPad does already with the browser) 6) MF - Would you say someone needs to come out and say how to use it? C- Apple threw it out there and wants people to figure out what to with it. They also did it to answer the Kindle and Nook; only Apple did it better. The iPad is a Kindle in more ways with Internet and this and that now there is a possibility of use in school and anywhere. 7) MF - Is it worth continuing research and learning how to use for the SLS community C- The question is not should it be continued, it is what classes would utilize it the best and who would benefit from it more – teachers or students.
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Day in the Life Theodor Trampe Staff Writer
Mr. LeBris is back after an extended absence from St. Luke’s. Some people remember him from his days on the hilltop with Sully; however, those that don’t will be able to learn about Mr. LeBris from this description of his daily routine. 3:30am: My alarm goes off and my fiancée yells at me for waking her up. 3:40am: I shower, shave and groom myself for a day at St. Luke’s. 4:00am: I take my dog for a walk and try to get him to go to the bathroom. He doesn’t. 4:15am: Relaxation time. I sit down with a pot of coffee and complete the New York Times crossword puzzle in pen. 4:30am: For breakfast, I have either the blood of small children or a bacon, egg and cheese; whichever I have on hand. 4:45am: On the short drive to school, I daydream about the screams of children and the grueling tests I will administer throughout the day. 5:00am: Finally at school, I sit down, turn on my 1980s radio station, and begin to write these tests in my favorite program, LaTeX. 7:00am: Both Tisch and Mitchell arrive at school. Together we crack extremely funny science jokes and make fun of students. 7:45am: Students finally arrive at school and beg for extra help. Initially, I ignore their pleas and verbally abuse them instead. However, I eventually enlighten them with science knowledge. 8:00am: I take pleasure in my first torturing session of the day, Honors Chemistry. 9:00am: I take pleasure in my second torturing session of the day, AP Chemistry. 10:15am: Finally I get a break from the torturing sessions. I invade the Commons and harass slacking students. 11:00am: First Lunch. 12:30pm: Second Lunch. During this lunch I get to make fun of students in the Cafeteria with Murphy and Brown. 2:00pm: I take pleasure in my third torturing session of the day, Regular Physics. 3:00pm: Finally, a break from administering mental anguish! During lacrosse practice I can finally administer painful physical torture. 5:30pm: I drive home from school after a hard day of work. 6:30pm: My fiancée and I have a side of beef for dinner. 6:45pm: Sports Center plays while I drift off to sleep. Naturally, I dream of laborious Physics equations.
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SLS Meets Mickey Emily Bergmann Contributing Writer
With the fourth quarter in full swing, finals and AP exams are looming over us like Dementors. Some of the readers of this article probably long for their youth, when math homework was addition and they were able to frolic and gambol in the spring weather. If you a. have these feelings, and b. are a member of one of the St. Luke’s Choirs or Bands, then you are most likely feeling worse and having withdrawals from Walt Disney World. From April 22-25, the vast majority of the St. Luke’s Chorus, Chorale, Concert Band, and Jazz Band headed to Orlando to participate in the music competition Festival Disney against several other ensembles. The itinerary was jam-packed, not only with the Chorus and Chorale competing against each other, but with male members competing as
OPINION the Men’s Choir, female members competing as the Treble Choir, and Take Note and Acafellas competing as jazz choirs. The endless rehearsals all paid off in the end, because St. Luke’s brought home “Excellent” ratings for all six competing choirs and the Jazz Band. The Concert Band improved from 2008’s competition with a “Good” rating. However, even with the busy schedule, there was still time for fun; those on the trip received passes for the parks in their downtime. Disney World is fun for everyone-those students who had never been, those who hadn’t since they were small (myself included) and even those who attended Festival Disney 2008 (in which St. Luke’s also brought home several trophies). For most of us, the sight of the cerulean towers of Magic Kingdom’s castle was enough to widen our eyes and awaken our inner children. But like anywhere, some experiences at Disney can be less than positive. Here’s a list of some good and bad things about going to Disney World:
Ellie Speaks the Truth
Top of the Hilltop
Ellie Werner Contributing Writer
As the year is coming to an end, there is one thing that I have noticed throughout my years at St. Luke’s that has always been troubling to me. The lack of sleep that us students get is extremely absurd. There are many factors that contribute to this sleep deprivation problem that is sweeping our school. Every day we have to be at school by 8:00 am. For most of us, this means waking up between 6:30 and 7:30 am to allow us enough time to get ready. This would seem like a reasonable for us to wake up and to get to school, if we could get to sleep every night by 10:00 pm or earlier. However, I can speak for the majority of the upper school when I say that 12:00 am is an early night. With having to do an after school activity, whether it be a sport or the play, most of us don’t get home until around 6:00 pm. Add in the hours of homework, the time your family forces you to eat dinner with them, showering, getting your stuff together for school tomorrow, and everything else that has to be done once you get home… it’s surprising that we even have enough time to sleep before getting ready for school the next day. The pressure of teachers to get the piles of homework done keeps us up until the wee hours of the morning. Add on the pressure from coaches or theater directors, and you have one extremely stressed, and completely sleep deprived teenager. The school expects so much out of us, that we end up walking through the halls every day like zombies, exhausted from getting 3 hours of sleep the night before. We all know that by the time the weekend comes, we’re not excited for the time we get to spend hanging out outside of school, but for the chance to catch up on sleep. Also… JUNIORS STOP PARKING ON CAMPUS!!!!!
Song: Like a G6
Movie: The Last Song
TV Show: Glee (finally returned)
Celebrity: Sandra Bullock
Awaited Event: Prom
Restaurant: Filling Station
Technology: iPad
Birthday: Charlotte Seiler’s Half-Birthday
Trend: Seniors and sophomores going to prom together
April 2010
Different Strokes Theodor Trampe Staff Writer
A number of countries in Europe have brought up proposals to ban the usage of Muslim body-covering burqas and face-covering niqabs. This proposition is being considered in France, Italy, and Belgium because leaders from these nations feel that these items devalue the secular nature of their countries. Leaders from these countries also feel that the burqa and the niqab demean women. Due to events such as the War in Afghanistan, the western world has been taught to view Islam as a religion in which women are treated as inferior by their male counterparts. It is true that in some cases, the burqa and the niqab serve as a tool to subjugate women. During the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, women were required by law to wear burqas at all time. Clearly, some sects of Islam use these articles of clothing to control women; however, it is not representative of the entire religion. In fact, some women actually choose to wear these pieces of clothing as a sign of their religious devotion. Although it is a commendable effort to try to invigorate women’s rights, it’s disturbing that anyone would think their system of beliefs is more righteous then that of a distinctly different group. Somebody who proposes any sort of regulation on a cultural practice that they have no exposure to can only base
Theodor Trampe, ‘11 their opinion on prejudice. Furthermore, in principle, how is banning the burqa and niqab any different then requiring women to wear these garments? From an objective perspective, there is no difference between these two situations. Both situations involve restricting the freedoms of women and because of this, neither situation is justified. Social issues are always a hotly debated topic because there can always be different sides influenced by different cultural values. The government can never win in this kind of situation. Although banning the burqa and the niqab could help to improve the status of Muslim females in society, it also reduces the power of freedom and personal choice; key tenets of a democratic society. The lawmakers who proposed this ban may feel that their actions are honorable; however, they are better off simply ignoring the issue and allowing people to act on their own accord. This path can place no blame on the government and ensures equality for everyone.
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April 2010
Prom Memories
PROM
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Nikki Bennett-Fite Contributing Writer
It’s that time of year again! Prom is in the air, and you rarely hear anyone talking about anything else. Prom is a time of inevitable embarrassment, confusion and excitement. Who will I go with? Once that has been decided, which after party will I attend? Luckily, here at St. Luke’s we have plenty of teachers who have gone through it all before. That is, except for Mr. Flachsbart who was of course, “too cool to go my prom. My girlfriend and I went out for a nice dinner and then we went to the NCHS post prom all night at Waveny. Somehow I wound up winning the grand prize gambling in the “Casino” -- I think it was a TV -- I gave it away.” Good job, Flachsbart. On the other end of the spectrum, we have our dear old veteran, none other than our superstar in the Math departmentMrs. Greene, “Prom was SO long ago. I remember asking a Jr. to the Sr. Prom so early that by the time we went we were barely friends. The best part of the prom was the beach the next day, freezing but we were determined to stay for every last drop of daylight!” That actually sounds quite pleasant to me, minus the awkward date. Much better then wining a television…and then giving it away. Now I will admit that I was a little unorga-
nized in my interview process of these fine candidates, as I did it through email, at late notice. I say this as a precedent for Mr. Sargent, our third interviewee’s, quote. “Sorry, I was running around all day and had a tennis match so I just had a chance to look at this. Next time, come and find me in person for a quote.” Is it just me, or are some of you left with the impression that whatever happened to him at his prom, it was so embarrassing that now, even 30 years later, it’s too painful for him to recount, and now he’s making up excuses to try and get out of it? I guess we’ll never know Mr. Sargent. I didn’t reach any other teachers for exact quotes, but I would imagine they would go something like the following… Raff: “I wore shorts.” Lord: “Unfortunately I had to shave half way through.” Mr Lebris: “Well kids, as I was driving home from prom I hit a deer. The deer was on the side of the road in pain, so I grabbed a stick and killed it. When I got home my father did not believe that I had hit a deer, he thought I had been drinking. So he made me take him to the spot where I had hit the deer to prove that the blood and fur strategically placed on the front of the car was not fake. Now get out of my office.” What will your prom story be? Only time will tell.
Promzillas on the Hunt for the Perfect Dress April Walsh Contributing Writer
Cinderella’s fairy godmother styled her elaborately and flawlessly in a matter of seconds. The saddened teen was prancing in a mystical ball gown within the blink of an eye. Cinderella did not have to wait in line for a dressing room, visit a tailor for fittings or Google “prom dresses” 5000 times for the perfect design. Instead, her fairy godmother came to the rescue. We all don’t have fairy godmothers so if you don’t have a prom dress by now, don’t panic. For the wise ones, the search is over. For us foolish girls, the chaotic process has just begun! Yes, the Prom ’10 facebook group is daunting to look at (this group asks each girl attending the prom to post a picture of her dress. This group exists to confirm that no one will show up wearing the same dress. Any girl to violate the terms and agreements of this group- show up in a dress someone postedwould probably be one of the worst crimes committed in St. Luke’s History!) Imagine if someone else appeared at the ball with Cinderella’s gown on. That would create quite the prom drama- prama! Indeed, the Lily Pulitzer’s Guide to a perfect prom evening suggests that you should select a dress months in advance. However, it also suggests that one should start thinking about a date at that time- and how realistic is that? I set aside this past weekend to hunt for prom dresses. On Saturday morning I jumped in my car and drove to White Plains where my mother and I proceeded to enter Bloomindales, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom’s and BCBG. Did I have any luck? No. We then journeyed to A Step Ahead in Stamford and I still could not find anything to meet my satisfaction. In a fit of hysterics on the ride home, being the promzilla that I am, I continued to fret. How miserable it would be to show up in a hideous dress! Why was I cursed and doomed never to find the perfect prom dress? Clearly the evening of May 14th 2010 would be a complete failure without the perfect dress! I wailed on and on until my mother and I made eye contact and burst into laughter. These claims are ridiculous for a number of reasons. They would be faulty premises if made into syllogisms so clearly they would be illogical (Thanks Mr. Bisson!) I certainly am not doomed or cursed. I
simply did not begin my quest soon enough. While it is important to have an idea of what style you would like, it is important not to be too specific or you will just disappoint yourself (though who knew a long pink a-line dress with a strapless sweetheart top was too much to ask for? Is it that difficult to find a Prom dress inspired by Molly Ringwald in “Pretty in Pink?” I am still a little bitter about my lack of success on Saturday…) Don’t be too picky. Be willing to work with different styles that compliment your body. Be patient if shopping online. I never knew there were so many prom dress options out there! It is also important to try on your dress when it comes if you choose to order it online to ensure that it fits. Don’t wait until the last minute! No one wants to show up in a stunning dress that has a saggy waistline! Also, be careful shopping on the Internet! Many online sites do not do returns. Sometimes the pricing can be very misleading. Try not to pick a dress that is extremely expensive and will only be worn once. Be creative by journeying to consignment shops, boutiques and even bridal stores to find different dresses that may be more affordable. Another thing to keep in mind is that your date will probably be too nervous to even notice what you are wearing (trust my personal experience.) The only person you should seek to impress is yourself. Lucky sophomores that have the honor of attending, don’t be ostentatious, you have two more years for the spotlight and there is no need to make a scene. Juniors, don’t let your prom dress this year be your absolute favorite, or you will be regretful come senior year. Seniors, let’s embrace our last prom! Don’t set expectations too high. I have to continuously remind myself not to transform back into promzilla! As long as you feel confident, there is nothing that can ruin the evening. Look for a dress that makes you feel pretty. Prom is the one night a year that every girl gets to feel like a princess. While a dress is important to find, it is far more important to feel beautiful and have fun!
April 2010
¢INEL
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Jokes!
(compiled by Maria and Tim)
Where does a cow eat?--- a calfeteria
Knock knock, whos there? Dishes. Dishes who? Dishes the police put your hands up!
Q- Where does a fish keep his money? A- In the river bank!
Q: “Knock, knock….Who’s There?…..Tank……Tank Who?” A: You’re welcome!
What kind of language do billKnock knock, whos there? Gorilla. boards use? Sign Language! Gorilla who? Gorilla me a hamburger! What do you call a sheep with no legs? Q. Why are some fish at the bottom A cloud of the ocean? A. Because they dropped out of school!
Why couldn’t Dracula’s wife get to sleep? Because of his coffin
Why can’t you tell secrets in a cornfield? Because they’re all ears.
What was the witches’ favorite subject in school? Spelling
On Thursday, April 1, 2009, Mr. Flachsbart bought the winning ticket to the Connecticut Powerball lottery. The winning number was 8675309. Though he initially kept his winning a secret, the word got out when Connecticut News 12 started tracking down Mr. Flachsbart’s 10th grade students for interviews about him. Sophomore Greg Sellhausen said, “This has been the shock of a lifetime. I never thought I’d actually know someone who won the lottery. This is just too cool!” Mr. Flachsbart continued to keep quiet about his incredible winning until the Sentinel’s exclusive interview with him last night. He says, “I can’t wait to get some sun with my wife and three kids. I haven’t decided whether I will be returning to teach next year… but if I do you can bet I’ll be going on one heck of a spring break trip!”
Congratulations, Mr. Flachsbart!
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St. Hogwarts School
¢INEL
As we all know, St. Luke’s is the most magical place and town. There’s no denying the similarities between SLS and the most magical school in the world- Hogwarts. Just like Hogwarts, St. Luke’s is open for students age 12-18, and we offer classes in the knowledge that every witch and wizard should know. But above all, we have the same artillery of teachers that they have at Hogwarts. Mrs. Doran is more than comparable to Professor McGonagall. They both take delight in the subjects they Mr. Decatur and Professor Flitwick teach, and although the class is difficult- more and more so as you get more advanced, both teachers love to teach students and learn from them as well. Flitwick, the Charms teacher who sees the worth in everyone, could be Mr. Decatur’s identical twin. Not only are their physical statures remarkably similar, both have distinctive voices that every student would recognize from a mile away. Hagrid is almost one in the same with the BFG (Big Friendly Giant) because he is big, intimidating, but approachable with a heart of gold. Although he has an attraction to things that most others Mr. Flachsbart and Professor Lupin aren’t- that is, he finds beasts to be beautiful, he’s still a good person. Nobody can deny that Mr. McClure fits this profile exactly. As intimidating as they are, Mr. McClure and Hagrid know everything there is to know about what they are interested in. Mr. Flachsbart is very similar to Professor Lupin. Both have a similar physique—lanky and stylishly unkempt. They also share a great intellect that is evident in their teaching. The only difference is that, to our knowledge, Mr. Flachsbart is not a werewolf. Finally, Mrs. Sarno is a much-loved teacher who works far away Mrs. Sarno and Professor Trelawney from the main building in a classroom that is a hike from student’s lockers. Professor Trelawny works up in an obsolete corner of the castle, not unlike our art teachers. But the personality of Professor Trelawny--spacey but nice--is an exact match to our Mrs. Sarno.
April 2010
Mrs. Doran and Professor McGonagall
Mr. McClure and Hagrid
Mr. Bailey and Argus Filch
The ¢inel
St. Luke’s School
420 South Darien Street - Old Cannon, TC - 04860
Jokes Issue
SLS Mascot: Seadog The much-anticipated new mascot for St. Luke’s is finally announced. Mr. Davis is proud to reveal that henceforth the mascot of St. Luke’s is the Seadog. After more than a year of extensive discussion, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously in support of the mascot change. The board and administration are excited to introduce the new mascot to the students and they expect a very positive response. In lieu of a student vote, the mascot was decided by a thorough investigation by a special committee, put together by Mr. Davis and Mr. Bailey. Other finalist ideas were the St. Luke’s Spiders and the St. Luke’s Seahorses. However, spiders were decided to be too creepy and seahorses were too harmless. Seadogs are the perfect balance of symbol and strength. A s one board member stated, “A favorite lunch menu item among students, Seadogs seem to accurately represent the St. Luke’s student body. A seadog by definition is an experienced sailor. Here at St. Luke’s, we encourage students to explore the sea of knowledge.” There are a number of measures that St. Luke’s is taking to integrate the Seadog into student life. For one, seadogs will be served at least once a week in the cafeteria as the hot lunch to boost school spirit and moral. On the athletics end, uniforms for all varsity sports are currently being redesigned to accommodate an insignia of a seadog. Maintenance is arranging for a seadog to be painted in the middle of the turf football field. The board hopes that the decision to become the St. Luke’s Seadogs will be met with support from both students and alumni alike. On a related note, the athletics department is searching for a student willing to don a Seadog costume at sporting events and other school affairs. If interested please contact Mr. Helstein for further details.
Seniors Not Allowed to Drive Next Year The St. Luke’s administration has decided to permanently revoke driving privileges for next year’s senior class. Current juniors have continually parked on campus even though they are forbidden to during the period between spring break and the end of the school year. Since tennis activities begin after spring break, the tennis court must be cleared, leaving the park-
ing situation very tight. Even teachers must scramble for parking in the morning. The school’s new camera system has caught multiple juniors driving and parking on campus. Many of these videos have been converted to photos that are kept as records in Mr. Yavenditti’s office.
Next year’s seniors may elect to either have their parents drive them, be a part of a carpool, or take the newly implemented Senior Fun Bus. This rusty, muffler-less bus will pick up next year’s seniors every morning at 6:55am, and drop them off at the Mobil station in New Canaan at either 4:45pm or 7:00pm after school. “I can’t wait to take the Senior Fun Bus next year,” says rising senior Jake Archey, rather excitedly. “I park on campus all of the time when I’m not supposed to, and I am very sorry for it. But the Senior Fun Bus will be a nice remedy to my bad karma.” Other rising seniors are also very enthusiastic about it as well. Last week, Maria Carlucci was randomly selected to ride in the Senior Fun Bus and evaluate it based on a few criteria. Maria declined to comment on the Fun Bus, but expressed her excitement with a double thumbs-up. Mr. Decatur and Mr. Yavenditti will alternate driving the bus each week. If neither is available, Dr. Wilcox will take the wheel.
