Flip to page 4 to get an in depth look at a volleyball game against Ogema Heights, Central’s new Athletic Director, and a boys’ tennis tradition
the
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September 30, 2014
Volume 94
Sports
Issue 1 Focus
Black Gold
Graph
2014 MIPA Spartan Award Winner
Photo: courtesy of K. Rodriguez
ic: E. S imon
For an exploration of summer adventures, turn to page 6
Traverse City Central High School 1150 Milliken Drive, Traverse City, Michigan 49686
Changing security protocols and infrastructure
As security hightens, TCAPS adjusts its Open Carry gun policy and adds classroom Boots and door Blast Shields
Andrea Bavikatty & Shaine Kearney Staff Reporters
Open Carry Last January, Grand Traverse County Commission candidate Andy Marek came to a TCAPS school board meeting openly carrying a firearm. This act has sparked a citywide conversation around open carry rights on TCAPS property. Michigan law MCL 28.425o states that if an individual has a Concealed Pistol License (CPL), that person has the right to openly carry a gun on school grounds. In order to comply with the law, TCAPS had to slightly change its policy. “If a community member or an individual owns a CPL, then they are allowed to openly carry a weapon onto our grounds,” TCAPS Interim Superintendent Paul Soma said. “We have to
have procedures on how we deal with that, but the law defines the fact that they can do it.” If someone were to open carry on Central’s campus, that person will be required to check into the main office just like any other guest. Their CPL will then be verified, and they will be asked if having their weapon is absolutely necessary. If they insist, then that person will be escorted by a staff member for the duration of their campus visit. The new possibility of someone carrying a weapon on school grounds has caused some staff to rethink their reaction. “[If I were to see someone with a gun at Central] like with any visitor, I would make sure they had a pass,” English teacher Dave Hendrix said. “If the person had a pass, then someone in the main office had talked to and addressed that personIf the person didn’t have a pass, which is very unlikely, I would automatically call my wing office and follow whatever
Photo: S. Kearney
Photo: S. Kearney
Remove the Boot from the wall
procedures from there.” The Boot TCAPS has also recently implemented a few more security measures in order to increase the level of safety for its students. “There seem to be different layers [of security] every year,” Hendrix said. One of these new “layers” is the installation of the Boot, a rectangular plate of steel with two pegs that inserts into the floor and therefore prevents it from opening. When properly engaged, the Boot can resist as much as 16,000 pounds of pressure. TCAPS board members were
Photo: S. Kearney
Insert the slab into the bracket
first introduced to the Boot during a conference last May. “The issue of safety and security came up, and we called up [the Lockdown Company—the producer of] the Boot,” Soma said. “When we analyzed it, we felt it was a material improvement to safety and security, especially when a lockdown is the right approach.” Central High School Liaison Officer Joseph Soffredine explains its merit. “If used properly, the Boot will provide a good locked room,” he said. “It’s a good idea and will significantly increase the level of security at Cen-
Guide the pegs into the holes
tral.” The Boot is not to be touched by students. Should a student be caught tampering with the Boot, disciplinary measures could include, but are not limited to, suspension or criminal charges. “It is similar to someone pulling a fire alarm,” Hendrix said. “If anyone were to modify it or carry it out of the room or prop a door open with it, if anyone touches the Boot for the wrong reason, this would cause some very severe consequences.”
see Security, pg. 7
New Early College program
Warehouse Sale
The Michigan Department of Education recently approved a program that allows for both a Central and NMC Diploma
Margo Hoagg Photo Editor
Photo: C. Brower TCAPS recently held a sale in order to get rid of old, unused equipment while generating revenue for the district. “This is two decades worth of stuff that has been accumulating,” Purchasing Director of TCAPS, Ken O’Brien (above) said. “We decided rather than let it sit and collect dust, why don’t we try to sell it?” This is the fourth sale the district has held. “We’ve gotten probably $30,000 this year from the stuff that we’ve sold,” O’Brien said. There will be one more sale on Oct. 24.
Early College has been implemented as a program for students who may start beginning the ninth grade with the goal of concluding their high school careers having both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in a major of their choice, at no cost to students. In their fifth year of the program students are required to take one class at Central. “As an Early College student, they will stay for a thirteenth year,” Director of Admissions for NMC, Cathryn Claerhout said. “Typically, within five years the student will graduate with an associate’s and up to 60 credits.” Early College has been offered in Michigan for over 20 years, and had 23 programs in the state. This year 30 more have been approved. It wasn’t until last year that a grant had been approved for TCAPS. “NMC and TCAPS have been working together for a long time,” Early College coordinator Lindsey Dickinson said.” Early College had been talked about previously. NMC and TCAPS applied together for the grant.” To coordinate the logistics TCAPS and NMC had to design a curriculum or majors. Dickinson said currently two programs are offered: the robotics program and the liberal arts program. “The liberal arts program has more flexibility, it’s great for a student who maybe wants to be a lawyer, or a journalist or a vet—you name it.” Both administrators and counselors agree that some students have difficulty keeping up with a college-level workload. Administrators frequently integrate more intense studies even before ninth grade to ease students into Early College expectation. “Students need to be able to test into college level work,” Director of Admissions, Cathryn Claerhout said. “We can give them building block courses earlier that will give them that level of support.” Freshman in Early College are not thrown as deeply into the work load until their junior and senior years, but have college classes gradually throughout their high school career. Students usually find out within the first few weeks whether Early College should be their academic career path.
Graphic: H. Lancashire
“Early College is a big commitment,” Claerhout said. “It would be very difficult for students to be engaged in sports or a lot of extra curricular activities. It’s a very academically minded program.” Students are held to all college level responsibilities, so the adjustment can be a little shocking. “I’m still 14, it will be more challenging than a regular high school experience,” first-year Early College student Paige Carrigan ‘18 said. “It will be intense.” The program first caught Carrigan’s eye when she was in the early phases of learning more about high school. “During freshman orientation the program just stood out to me and my mom, and we wanted to look into it more,’’ Carrigan said. For students up to the challenge, the benefits they reap are substantial. “Early College is a great opportunity for students both financially and for personal and academic growth,” Claerhout said. The program is recommended to high achieving students. “It’s a good opportunity for a student who has been doing well in the high school who may be able to exceed more,” Dickinson said. Students can gain a better understanding of the challenges they may encounter, which will help them make their way into the workforce with confidence. “It’s a good idea because of the money it saves, and to get a head start on college,” Carrigan said. “It will prep me for the real world.”
Briefs
Influx of transfer students
New exchange teachers
Central’s transfer student enrollment has increased over the past several years. “We’re up approximately forty to fifty kids from the previous school year,” Assistant Principal Jay Larner said. Larner feels the steady increase is due to Central’s diverse programming for students. “Part of the appeal of CHS is that we do offer a wide variety of educational opportunities,” Larner said.
This year TCAPS has recently changed its Chinese Student Exchange Program in welcoming two new staff members from the Confucius Institute of China. This institute promotes and facilitates Chinese culture exchanges throughout the world. Wei Lu and Yiling Liu have been assigned, possibly for up to three years, to teach Chinese I, II, and III at TCAPS for both Chinese exchange students, and any student interested in learning the
“That’s part of a comprehensive high school experience.” Career Tech Center, Advanced Placement classes, Sci-Ma-Tech, and classes in conjunction with NMC are a few of offerings. These programs are all part of a district-wide effort to attract students to TCAPS. “We are trying to become what we call a destination district, meaning families want to be here,” Larner said. “Traverse City is a des-
tination to come and raise a family, Graphic: C. Hansen and part of the attraction is our offerings at Central.” Transfer student Eric Brown ‘15 was drawn to Central for several reasons. “The proximity to the college is pretty neat. I’ve never seen something like that before,” Brown said. “Everyone is really friendly and it’s a good community feel.”
language. “TCAPS has not had Chinese teachers available, so its great to finally have them this year,” Hannah Hagarty ‘16 said. At Central Lu and Liu will teach all three levels of Chinese sixth hour. Lu said the diverse abilities of the students will be challenging, but manageable. “It’s hard to balance, but I don’t think it’s difficult to teach different levels,” Lu said. As to Lu and Liu’s Central
Photo: E. Simon
experience so far, both feel they are in the right place. “I love this city and I love these schools,” Lu said. “I ended up where I belong--that’s the feeling.”