October 2018 FAIRFAX HIGH SCHOOL VOL 144, ISSUE 2 the Colonial Gazette @colonialgazette UTLA: Strike a Deal or Strike? Fairfax teachers meeting in the library at lunch to hear about the latest contract negotiations with the district. PC: Johanna Elias Mina Choi Each side then had maximum of fve days to select a At that point, the district will present its last ofer, and the Editor-in-Chief representative to the fact-fnding panel, and a maximum union will be free to strike. of fve days afer that the state Public Employment Even though a strike looks increasingly likely, UTLA AUSD (Los Angeles Unifed School District) Relations Board selected a chairperson. Although the is unhappy about the proposed contract that the District and UTLA (United Teachers of Los Angeles) feels is fair. are continuing lasting negotiations which “[Te District’s ofer] provides for a fair pay raise have recently entered the fnal phase, fact- for teachers, additional teachers in high-needs schools, L teacher pay aligned with student needs and increased fnding, before a strike can legally occur. UTLA, in an efort to publicize what it feels is the unfair contract “We did not believe transparency in the UTLA contract. It shows our being ofered to LAUSD teachers and staf, is considering commitment to helping students most in need,” LAUSD holding a strike to protest underfunded classrooms, low Superintendent Austin Beutner said. pay and insufcient resources provided to schools. In that they were With what they feel is a lack of support from the the middle of August, teachers voted overwhelmingly to District, many Los Angeles public school teachers counter give preliminary approval for their union leaders to call bargaining in good that they are facing difcult situations that negatively a strike. afect the experience of both students and educators. According to an email sent to UTLA members, “Te UTLA believes that the District is essentially “starving” results [of the votes] authorize the UTLA Board of faith.” their public schools from the necessary means to Directors to call for a strike if LAUSD does not show successfully function in a classroom, which has brought good faith in mediation [the step before fact-fnding] and -Fairfax UTLA Representative Robert O’Hare the union members to take drastic measures. ofer a fair contract that respects educators, our students, “Te negotiations have been going on for about 18 and our communities.” months… On the [numerous] things that the Union has Representatives from UTLA and the District met three requested [over the course of those months] from the times for mediation sessions. But afer the fnal meeting exact date the panel was ofcially seated is unclear, the District, we did not believe that they were bargaining in on Oct. 13 and more than 18 months of negotiations, both three-person group has no more 30 days from that date good faith,” Fairfax UTLA representative Robert O’Hare sides were still far apart on contract terms and agreed to to submit a non-binding report. Tat means the process said. • enter fact-fnding. should be completed no longer than the end of November. Opinion 3 & 4 A&E 5 Center 6 & 7 Features 8 & 9 Sports 11 & 12 Why Do Kids Juul? Meet Inktober Artists College Readiness Local Eats: Somi Somi Sports Fairfax Needs Designed by Heiyeon Shin NEWS LAUSD’s Latest Digital Endeavor: Naviance Upcoming Events Angie Shin Oct. 23-31: Fairfax ASB’s Annual Haunted House News Editor Oct. 31: Halloween Grams distributed Senior Portraits (3-7 p.m.) Los Angeles Unifed School District is implementing Nov. 7-8: Naviance this school year as another technological Nov. 9: eChoices Application Window closes resource for students and their families. Naviance is an American college and career readiness sofware or Coalition Application by waiving their Family provider designed to help high school students plan Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) status, a and track their progress towards college and career federal law enacted for the privacy of student education readiness. LAUSD ofers the services of Naviance to all records. Waiving a student’s FERPA status allows Briefs four high school grade levels, adding this platform to its Naviance to access key information about a student and list of growing digital endeavors. Several schools across guide her college progress in a personalized manner. the nation have already phased in the interface. Additional resources that Naviance provides for Homecoming “I don’t think a lot of students at school know what long-term goals include the Career Cluster Finder, the Max Yu can also be bought at the time StrengthsExplorer, the SuperMatch college search and of each event when they will Naviance is,” senior Danny Tach said. Reporter Not many do. LAUSD has only recently introduced the Resume Builder. be $5 for the game and $40 for the dance. Te football the online platform to its schools this past year. College counselor William Garcia cleared up some Te Homecoming football game will start of at 4 p.m. Naviance ofers fve diferent ways to search for colleges, confusion about Naviance among seniors by showing game in which the Lions will “We are going to get this three diferent ways to search for scholarships and them how to navigate the platform during the senior face of against the University win because we have been data maps on colleges that have accepted and enrolled pullout in the auditorium on Oct. 10 during PSAT High School Wildcats is just pushing our limitations Naviance students. Naviance can also assist seniors with testing. Assistant Principal Jessica Caceres was also around the corner on Oct. 26. and constantly bettering the admissions process, as its interfaces allow teachers present to shed light on the fnancial aid resources that and the homecoming dance ourselves and coming up with to send their recommendation letters and counselors Naviance ofers. is scheduled for Oct. 27 from new strategies,” senior Jenz “Naviance was fun to use for the personality surveys! 7-11 p.m. to send students’ transcripts directly to their Naviance Tanedo said. Te school could have defnitely helped students learn When tickets were initially profles. Tere is also a synchronization function for students’ multi-school applications and College Board more about how to navigate Naviance a little earlier, sold throughout October, See HOMECOMING, they were $15 for the dance profles, as well as countless other features. but I hope underclassmen can familiarize themselves Page 10 Students are free to add colleges to their list of with the platform so they can fully utilize its resources,” and $3 for the game. Tickets considered schools once they sync their Common senior Jenny Kwak said. • PSAT an understanding of what Continuing Korean Tradition a Single Beat at a Time Andrea Alfaro the actual SAT questions will Reporter be like. Because it’s only a practice for the actual SAT, the Benny Chung Te PSAT (Preliminary PSAT scores won’t be used in Business Manager Scholastic Aptitude Test) was students’ college admissions. administered to all Fairfax However, students who score Fairfax’s own Korean Drumming students in grades nine high enough can qualify for a students participated in the annual through 11 on Oct. 10. Te National Merit Scholarship. Korean Parade in Koreatown on Oct. exam was held from periods Tis year, senior Jiho Kim one through four afer 6. Tey walked along Olympic Blvd. was named a semi-fnalist students had breakfast in the (between the streets of Berendo and from Fairfax. classroom. Serrano) wearing colorful cultural While students were Te PSAT serves to garments and performing traditional taking the PSAT, seniors were familiarize students with Korean percussion, a signifcant part pulled out of periods one the format of the SAT, a of Korean tradition and history. through four as well to go college admissions exam, Te Korean Parade has always over FAFSA and do college and allows them to develop been one of the largest performances applications. • Te Fairfax Korean Drumming Band marches enthusiastically at the Korean for Korean Drumming students. Parade. In preparation for the special day, PC: Johanna Elias students in the class spent a month “Te parade was really fun, but Drumming teacher Miri Kim have Girls Summit of practice learning the basics shooting at Majorey it was also tiring because I had to taught Fairfax students traditional Valerie Melendez including how to beat drums and Stoneman Douglas High wake up at 7 a.m on Saturday and Korean percussion music since Reporter read Korean percussion notes, as well School, Delaney Tarr and we fnished the parade by 5 p.m. I 2000. In the program, students are as how to understand drumming Kyrah Simon, all of whom think it was a really good bonding able to learn new musical talents and About 10,000 senior and dynamics. Tey memorized and spoke about the impact of experience. [Te Korean Parade] is a immerse themselves in the Korean junior girls from Los Angeles rehearsed specifc music for the voting and the importance milestone for all Korean Drumming culture. Unifed School District large community event. During of registering. Tey argued players because we practice really Currently, the class’ main focus high schools were invited the fnal stages of practice, students to attend the Girls Build that when women vote, their rehearsed outside in the lower hard for it every year,” sophomore is to recruit new members to spread voices empower others and drummer Daniel Aaymer said. and expand the Korean Drumming Summit at the University of quad next to room 504 to work on Southern California Galen promote change. uniform marching and formations. Former UCLA Ethnomusicology legacy for generations to come at “You’re not only the professor Dongsuk Kim and Korean Fairfax.