Editor: 2 Table of Contents Nina Ramezani Special Education Funding How Seniors Find the Col- lege of Their Dreams What is the Deal on Bath- 4 - 5 6 - 7 room Policy and Passes? News Opinion We Need to Put the “Christ” Back in Christmas Traveling is Always Beneficial Travel is Not Worth the Hassle Required World Languages for All Four EXPRESSIONS Years December 2019 8 - 9 Feature The Uncovered Mysteries of the Football Locker Room These Tigers Really Have Black and Gold Snowflakes Fall and Winter in Their Blood Activity Comes to Life 10 - 11 The Perfect Family Doesn’t Exist Athlete? More Like Not in Sports Their Genes May Not Be the Same, But Class-lete Our Love for Them Doesn’t Change Doctor’s Orders: Drink Dr. Pepper! Basil’s Half Page 16 SLOHS Drama: Thespian 12 - 13 Back Page Lives Matter! Arts & Entertainment Holiday Buying Guide Smashing Stories of SLOHS Crashes The Cookie Recipe Coolest Cars of SLOHS How to Play Dreidel Student Perspective on OCD: How Olivia 14 - 15 Dong Combats Her Condition People Cover photo courtesy of Expressions editors December 2019 3 Expressions Staff Editorial Staff Nina Ramezani Celia Lober Nayah Holmes Editor-in-Chief People Editor Back Page Editor Feature Editor Alexis Haas Basil Lloyd-Moffett Katie Cole Sports Editor Copy Editor Opinion Editor Bella Nino de Rivera Sylas Grove Krista Garza Web Editor Arts & Entertainment News Editor Editor Reporters Amanda Angel Maxwell Collins Kailey Limon Andrew Nguyen Fiona Stevens Anthony Arroyo II Carmen Davila Phineas Lloyd-Moffett Bayley Perlmutter Kathryn ZagRodny Ronan Biggs Nico di Santo Brielle Machado Sebastian Ramirez Adviser: Gwendolyn Brussel Noah Jaworski Eleanor Mann Adrian Reynolds Scott Nairne Sophia Campbell Makena Johnson Sullivan Medici Mia Robinson [email protected] Disclaimer: Official Student Publications “The San Luis Coastal Unified School District is committed to upholding the rights of each student to free expression, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, Article I of the California Constitution and the California Education Code. Consistent with California Education Code section 48907, stu- dents will publish only legally protected speech, which does not include obscene, libelous or slanderous material, or unwarranted invasions of privacy. Students will also refrain from publishing material which so incites students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on school premises or the violation of lawful school regulations, or the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school. The views, opinions, and content expressed herein are those of the stu- dent author(s). Therefore, the content may not necessarily reflect the official policies, opinions, or positions of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, its schools, administration, faculty, staff, or the Board of Education.” 4 News Editor: Krista Garza SLOHS Special Education Funding By Reporter Fiona Stevens San Luis Obispo High School has a lot of fun clubs, classes, we don’t have enough aides to help support the students and the and opportunities, but it costs money to make all these things teachers in those classes. Since we don’t have enough aides, when go round. SLOHS has a fantastic special education department, one is sick, we often don’t have a replacement for them, making with hard working teachers and paraeducators, but some of these the situation even worse,” said Casteel. teachers don’t think they’re getting their fair share of funding. Last year, special education teacher Kathy Erwin tried to raise “What most of us in the more severe [special education] classes funds for special education classes through recycling aluminum district-wide find is we need more of a variety of specific cans and plastic bottles. She encouraged teachers to put special learning materials for these special students. Many modifications recycling bins in their classrooms, and used the money made are needed for instruction and specific materials need to be from recycling to buy new materials. purchased to support their learning style. These items are not “This year my students do not write or speak, so the need for always available on our site,” said special education teacher Kathy textbooks, paper, and pencils are definitely not our focus. These Erwin. students need more materials that are hands-on, like in an Within the special education department, some teachers also elementary classroom. Early reader books are needed, but are not wish they had much more funding for teaching positions. in our library. Age appropriate, up to date puzzles and learning “I wish we had more funding to be able to pay for more games all add up to more than the district provides,” said Erwin. instructional aides in the classroom, for both special education In many regular classes, things like colored pencils, markers, classes and to be able to support special education kids in the calculators, and binders are available to us. Students with special regular education classrooms,” said special education teacher needs, however, need different resources that are more expensive. Trina Casteel. These needs are just as important as the needs of regular students. Administration said it was the district that allocated funding. “Our classroom projects, such as Tiger Cafe and recycling, are “The district allocates approximately $5,600 for above and vocational opportunities for my students to learn work skills, in beyond kinds of purchases for special education. As a whole, the addition to raising some funds for the above mentioned class departments submit their needs and we fulfill their needs almost materials,” said Erwin. 100% of the time. So there isn’t an allocated amount of money Physical learning materials aren’t the only thing the special that is sent out to any department,” said San Luis High School education department wants. Teacher Adam Basch, for example, principal Leslie O’Connor wants to expand the alternative education opportunities available The district gives the school money and the administrators help to students. distribute it throughout. “All education settings need therapeutic learning for kids The school is also given a certain number of paraeducators by who need really intense care. Similar to the TLC [Therapeutic the district. Just like staff, they are paid for the work they do each Learning Community] that Morro Bay High School has,” said day, and having a large number of them is something the school Basch. cannot afford. Still, it’s a problem in special education. TLC is typically for students who are extremely emotionally “We don’t have enough aides to help us even within our special disturbed and need significant counseling, often requiring one education classes. So kids are often suffering because they need on one aides. This would be expensive, but could really help the more individual attention. We have kids in regular ed classes and children in question. How Seniors Find the College of Their Dreams By Reporters: Noah Jaworski, Makena Johnson San Luis Obispo High School has a 98 percent graduation rate. know the rep,” said College and Career Center specialist Colleen In the United States, 69 percent of students who graduate high Martin. school go on to continue their education, which means many Not only are the colleges coming to visit SLOHS seniors, SLOHS students are trying to find what college is right for them. but students are going to visit colleges across the country. For Here at SLOHS, teachers are preparing students for their future example, Cuesta College has invited any SLOHS students to come life in college. With help from the school, students may have an tour the campus and see if they are interested in going. easier time transitioning into adult life after high school. “[The reps] often know the ins and outs of the physical sites, and Recently, many colleges have come to visit SLOHS, such as share secrets or different things people might not know. They also Oregon University, and the Fashion Institute. These visits talk have really good information about financial aid,” said Martin. about all the different opportunities the school offers and helps As the 2019-20 school year approaches it’s halfway point, more students understand what’s to come. They also help students hear and more colleges are coming to help students find their paths about colleges they wouldn’t otherwise have considered. in life and start their journey to becoming the people they were “The good thing about a college rep visit is that often times that meant to be. For more information, contact Colleen Martin at rep is the first person reading your application, which means you the career center or you school counselor. are putting a personal touch on your application by getting to Editor: Krista Garza News 5 What’s The Deal With Bathroom Policy and Passes? By Reporters Phineas Lloyd-Moffett and Kailey Limon Recently, bathrooms at San Luis Obispo High School have been plagued by vandalism. The custodians at SLOHS have to clean up these messes. In response to these attacks, ad- ministration has issued a new bathroom policy. “Students would smash paper towel dispensers, flip over trash cans, and spread more un- pleasant things [like human excrement] all over the walls,” said SLOHS custodian William Johnston. Administration is now requiring students to have a hall pass whenever they go to the bathroom. This newly issued pass is a disk with the corresponding room number on it. Students will now have to sign out on a sign out sheet, writing the time they leave the class- room and where they are going. Then they write the time when they return. “We are seeing a decrease in bathroom vandalism as well as the number of students out of class just ‘wandering’,” said assistant principal Jessica Miller Vandalism wastes administration’s time by forcing them to monitor the bathrooms.