Merged Issue 6.Indd

Loomis Chaffee Log FEBRUARY 20, 2014 Founded 1915 Volume XCVIII, No. 6 loomischaffee.org/log Mark Oppenheimer ‘92 visits the Island The debate champion returns to Loomis to hold a discussion with students and faculty NEWS | PAGE 2 ANDREY VDOVENKO ‘16 (LEFT) AND JOHN KIM ‘15 (RIGHT) FEATURE IN WINTER MUSICAL Peer Support in the Arts: LC’s Work in Progress by Claire Kim ‘14 Opinions Editor wo questions for you: How often do you go watch a varsity bas- ketball game, a volleyball game, Tor a lacrosse game? And when was the last time you went to a student music performance, an arts opening, or a dance company showcase? At LC, peer support for the arts and music students is considerably dwin- dling as compared with the growing spirited support for the athletics. I want to tell you before anything else that I’m a violinist in the school orchestra and a varsity fi eld hockey player in the fall. And that means I’m fair. By no means am I telling you to quit going to the games and instead to go watch a concert. Instead, I’m asking you for a heck lot more: consider going to both. Remember when our girls volleyball team played in the New England Final this past fall? Remember the Nothing but Nets charity game held by the boys varsity soccer team, the Play for the Cure held by the fi eld-hockey team? Th e school-wide peer support for these events was incredible, inspiring, and well-deserved. School spirit came to life in the sweat earned over hours of train- ing of the athletes, in the unifi ed cheers of the spectators and the fans. Th e last orchestra concert with a full audience that I can remember is the spring concert from my freshman year. My freshman year. Well, let’s see – that’s 1, 2, 3, 4, four springs ago. If I can do this math correctly, around 45 long months ago. In the four years of my LC orchestra career, I always craved for a good audience, a full, supportive, and well- deserved (we prepare for a whole term for these concerts!) audience whom we can please with a good array of classical music. Beside the orchestra concert, how about the choir concert, the jazz band concert, the student recital samplers, the Acapelican concert? Th ese groups rep- resent the diverse range of musicality in our community, parallel to the myriad of diff erent teams in our athletics. JULIA SONG`15 FOR THE LOOMIS CHAFFEE LOG And oh, I mustn’t forget the art students. How many of us discovered that one of our friends was an incredible wa- tercolor painter, potter, photographer, and sculptor, aft er going to an arts open- “Hello, and Welcome to Urinetown!” ing show for the fi rst time aft er a couple years of never going to the RAC because Th e NEO’s winter musical promises to enthrall audiences with its provocative you thought you had no interest yourself in the arts? We all have stepped into the storyline about a dystopian society. FEATURES | PAGE 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Super Bowl ads: Better or Pucker up, It’s Senior Kiss Day!!!! Worse than the Game? A Favorite LC Tradition Is Back For Yet Another Year by Bobby Turner ‘14 I was right, because this year’s Opinions Editor Super Bowl, where Seattle’s fish by Aurelie Liu ‘16 mis Chaffee. Whether it is with a love- market vendors scrimmaged Staff Writer note or a flower, Valentines Day is never hen I think of Super confused Colorado teenagers, truly complete without a kiss. One of Bowl Commercials, did not have any of those kind t’s that time of the year again. Not our long-standing traditions at Loomis I think of feeling un- of awkward moments. Just more only can we see the light at the end of is Senior Kiss Day; a day, as senior Pat Wcomfortable. That’s right: that roll-your-eyes, shake-your-head, winter’s grueling and incessant tun- Dickert eloquently puts it, “when people itchy, sliding around in your and wonder why this is even hap- Inel, we can also see pink hearts and roses get to fulfill their fantasies”. shoes, going to the bathroom pening type commercials. decorating the dining hall and various For this event, the senior class sells for the umpteenth time feeling-- Let’s start with the clas- rooms around campus. Valentines day, kisses (on the cheek!) to the entire school that’s how I feel about Super Bowl sic Budweiser commercial-- as the most exciting or depressing day of for $1 each to raise money for their Prom. Commercials. Last year seemed sporting and other testosterone- MERCE VILLARREAL`14 FOR THE LOOMIS CHAFFEE LOG the year, is never taken lightly at Loo- to put a stamp on the level of fi lled events go, the Super Bowl Red Lipstick is a Necessity on Senior Kiss Day CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 awkwardness, the pinnacle of the features at least one every single most painful thirty seconds you year. Th is time, they could have will ever see. With Kate Upton’s made it more sappier and corn- Editor’s Picks Mercedes-Benz Car Wash and ier, with an awfully cute Golden Bar Rafaeli’s Go Daddy elongated Retriever forging a relationship smooch, I thought the greatest, with a Clydesdale horse. I couldn’t Potential Schedule LC Swimming’s His- EVLC Hosts Inaugural and certainly most popular sport- believe it – this is beer we’re talk- ing event in western civilization ing Changes toric Victory 3v3 Tournament could not top itself. Thankfully, Lauren Rubino ‘14 comments on proposed As coach of Loomis Chaff ee Swimming You’ve defi nitely seen their fl yers accross SUPER BOWL, PAGE 6 schedule changes for next year, and how and Diving, Fred Seebeck had never de- campus- now learn about the people behind the status quo might be the best option for feated the Big Red from Phillips Exeter Th e Island’s newest club. students and faculty alike. Academy. Th at all changed on February 8. PAGE 6 PAGE 6 PAGE 8 Printed with soy inks on partially recycled paper. Please recycle this publication. NEWS Loomis Chaffee Log PAGE 2 FEBRUARY 20, 2014 Veracross Issue Comes to a Head by Jean lee ‘15 system is one of Veracross’s grade and pay little attention to leges as it is deemed appro- many of these inconveniences son why he uses the system Staff Writer primary benefits. Immediate the teacher’s feedback on area priate, but whether they can and grievances composed by is conveniency. If the grades access to their grades puts ad- for improvement. “I have seen decide their teachers’ work the teachers. It allows for flex- are promptly uploaded on Ve- ver the past couple ditional pressure on students. students who look at the B writ- methods is highly debatable. ibility of which assessments racross, students do not have of years, the Loomis Since there is not a set time ten on top of their paper, sigh, Teachers feel that the students are counted more heavily over to ask the teacher individually Chaffee community when the grades would be up- and throw it away in the recy- should not be given the rights others, and can be used to fit to view their overall grade. Al- Ohas encouraged teachers to use loaded, many students eager to cling bin without even turning to enforce teachers in chang- many complex grading systems though he is happy to answer Veracross, an online grading know their test or quiz grades to the back to see why,” said ing their styles. Many argue of teachers. Also, teachers can questions from students and is database that allows students constantly check their portal an anonymous teacher. Many that teachers should be given control when the grades are ex- more than willing to go over immediate access to their to see if any updates have been teachers strongly prefer to talk freedom in however they want posed to the students; that is, whatever problems they may overall grades as well as scores made. Teachers do not want to students about general areas to work, just like how students teachers may upload the grades have, simply letting the stu- received on assessments. It is dents get direct access to his clear that Veracross has the or her grade is quicker and re- potential to become an ex- quires much less effort. In an traordinary tool for Loomis acdemically challenging setting students; an understanding like Loomis Chaffee, students, of one’s current standing in a passionate about their studies, class is undoubtedly vital to inevitably care very much for showing strong academic per- their grades and achievments. formance. However, not many Having a convenient system teachers are taking advantage like Veracross, according Mr. of it, and many students are Osei-Mensah, would not only thus calling for a more wide- save time for teachers, but also spread application of this on- motivate students to perform line grading book. Thus, the better in school. Student Council has taken the Another argument for imple- initiative to devise a proposal menting the Veracross system to require every teacher to use is that grades should be trans- the Veracross. As with any parent. Students should be new proposal, the suggestion able to address whatever ques- of universal implementation of tions or concerns they may Veracross at Loomis is shroud- have about their grades, and ed in controversy.

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