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Marco Know Your Madrigal For President Holidays? Feast (Page 4) (Pages 6-7) (Page 9) Pony Express Volume 36, Number 3 • San Marin High School, Novato, California • December 13, 2004 byWho Denise Nilan Stole the Mustang Spirit? For many, it is class copes with the lack of the high student to teacher ratio, students do (That means no booing the difficult to imagine a San ofof sschoolchool sspiritpirit withwith littlelittle notnot censorcensor themselves.themselves. AtAt opposing team or commenting Marin campus throbbing responseresponse fromfrom thethe studentstudent homehome basketballbasketball gamesgames thethe about his or her hairstyles.) with school spirit. The class body.body. TThehe sstudenttudent sstoretore administrationadministration firmlyfirmly stands,stands, *Sit in the area designated for of 2005 and beyond must now (located(located iinn thethe hhallall ofof thethe notnot facingfacing tthehe ggame,ame, bbutut ffacingacing you school. confront the never-ending mathmath building)building) isis studentstudent thethe cheeringcheering sstands.tands. TThishis (Or stand.) restrictions and regulations bodyʼsbodyʼs onlyonly consistentconsistent obviousobvious llackack ooff ffaithaith iinn tthehe *Cheer enthusiastically for that suffocate school spirit. connectionconnection toto thethe leadershipleadership studentstudent bodybody iiss disappointingdisappointing your school. Despite multiple efforts class.class. TheirTheir offeringsofferings ofof andand hhumiliating.umiliating. AAndnd wwhilehile iitt *Keep spirit traditions such from the leadership class and sugarysugary ssnacksnacks andand MustangMustang isis eeasyasy toto blameblame a singlesingle personperson as flags, mascots, and signs faculty, San Marinʼs student merchandisemerchandise areare hardlyhardly forfor tthesehese hatedhated restrictions,restrictions, allall in your own seating area. body is failing to unite behind enoughenough toto re-instillre-instill spiritspirit thethe schoolsschools iinn MMarinarin CCountyounty (We can have flags?) their school colors. amongamong tthehe studentstudent population.population. areare ssuppresseduppressed bbyy tthehe ssameame *Reserve the front row of the The major incident WhereWhere ttheirheir ssuccessuccess lieslies setset ofof rulesrules eestablishedstablished bbyy student rooting section for that permanently damaged isis inin tthehe rallies,rallies, wwhichhich aarere thethe MarinMarin CCountyounty AthleticAthletic cheerleaders. San Marin spirit was the overwhelminglyoverwhelmingly ssatisfyingatisfying League.League. NO: ʻYangerʼ incident, which forfor thethe administrationadministration bbutut ThisThis uupcomingpcoming *Profanity occurred prior to the often fail to meet studentʼs basketballbasketball seasonseason meansmeans fansfans *Insulting or antagonizing Andersen Administration. standards. The no booing willwill againagain bebe ccorralledorralled wwithith officials, opposing teams or In 1998 students earned the policy is the top complaint restrictions,restrictions, bbutut hhopefullyopefully fans reputation of a racist school among students, something thisthis seasonseason fansfans cancan rallyrally *Costumes except for after supposedly chanting the the leadership class cannot aroundaround ourour ppromisingromising mascots N-word at a black basketball control but is frequently VarsityVarsity boysboys tteam.eam. TThehe *Body painting player on the Tamalpais pressured to restrict. playersʼplayersʼ workwork deservesdeserves tthehe *Face painting except one team. Only one student T h e enthusiasmenthusiasm ofof thethe SanSan MarinMarin small school logo or initials was punished and claimed administration attempts to community. Athletes crave not to exceed 2 square inches to be chanting the players contain the student body as the support of their school, in size nickname, Yanger. This one much as possible. At rallies and feel it is time to chant *Artificial noisemakers studentʼs action made its way teachers invade stands as if it were 1997. (drums, cowbells, to national news, and San and sit among students megaphones, clappers, etc.) Marinʼs new reputation was in hopes to discourage Marin County Athletic *Bare Chests broadcast on CNN. Since booingbooing aandnd inappropriateinappropriate League Gym Rules *Throwing things into or out then the enthusiasm of the behavior.behavior. UUnfortunatelynfortunately PPLEASE:LEASE: of the crowd Mustangs has been lacking forfor tthehe administration,administration, thisthis **WelcomeWelcome toto visitingvisiting teamsteams *Bringing balls or playing at and frustrating. onlyonly makesmakes itit awkwardawkward forfor aandnd oofficialsfficials wwithith ggoodood halftime or between games Today the leadership thethe teachers.teachers. AAndnd bbecauseecause ssportsmanshipportsmanship andand rrespect.espect. *Re-entry into the gym after Measure E by Dina Rosenberg failure - by only 1.28% - of property value and attract not completely understand impact on schools is expected Measure E which would have families who are interested the financial situation the to be dramatic. The district generated $1.7 million for in higher quality schools. district is in,” stated San may be obligated to close schools, the school district Had Measure E passed, Marin teacher Lisa Kemp. one high school, one middle will face difficult decisions it would have continued Although Novato voters may school, and one elementary concerning schools, teachers, to fund library services, have believed that raising our school, which could possibly and students. classroom technology, class parcel tax from $98 to $185 result in larger classes and less For the past twelve Given the current size-reduction, counseling was too much, Novato is focus on individuals. “It will years the Novato Unified state budget crisis, without at the secondary level, and actually still far behind other be extremely sad to witness School District, the largest a parcel tax Novato schools physical education and music districts. Mill Valley has a the possible closing of various district in Marin County, will forced to make programs at the elementary parcel tax of $387 and Tam schools, and hopefully if the has been funded by “A+ for substantial cuts. There is a level. Because this measure High Schoolʼs community ballot passes in March it wonʼt Kids,” a special supplemental strong possibility that various is essential to the existence recently raised theirs to be necessary,” explained funding. Now that “A+ for schools may close, many and the quality of Novato $200. Our community has San Marin student, Shaina kids” is expiring, the N.U.S.D. teachers will be cut, and schools, it is necessary that let down every student and Madfes. Novato schools will be forced to make libraries, special assistants, it is reconsidered by Novato teacher in the Novato Unified could also feasibly lose fifty- extreme adjustments in the staff members, and certain citizens School District and , due to two teachers, forcing some of budget. Measure E proposed programs and courses may The Novato School the important role of this our best faculty to take other extending the existing parcel potentially all be eliminated. Board feels as though Measure measure, it is critical that it positions. If this measure tax, and increasing it from Measure E would not have E did not pass because the be put on the ballot in March is not reconsidered, Novato $98 to $185 per parcel for only benefited the schools, public was not well informed for a re-vote. schools, and our entire eight years with an exemption but our entire community as regarding the necessity of With the failure of community, will be severely for senior citizens. Due to the well; excellent schools support these funds. “Citizens did this assessment, the resulting damaged. OPINIONS Pony Express December 13, 2004 • Page 2 Workinʼ the Spirit Fingers Question Man by Kristen DʼAngelo Collected by Denise Nilan Ever since the dawn of man, or stunts, a cheer, and two dances. Most What was the worst holiday gift youʼve at least from the beginning of pom-poms teams begin preparing for competition in and short skirts, cheerleading has been August or September, we did it all in two ever received? stereotyped as being the “sport” of choice weeks. The team was putting in double and for those select few who seem to have been Saturday practices (cheerleading is allowed blessed with a to because weʼre pile of rocks for not considered a brains, and fritter sport in MCAL their days away rules). We were fretting over their practicing four nails and boys. hours a day, six And while we all days a week Freshman, Nathan Jarrell - Freshman, Ayla Potter - know that squads for two weeks, “I got a Spanish to English dic- “My grandma gave me Barbie of San Marinʼs while finding tionary in the fourth grade when heads - just the heads. Sheʼs y e s t e r y e a r s time to do our I had no interest in Spanish.” nuts.” werenʼt exactly s c h o o l w o r k , exceptional, a work after- small group of school jobs… h a r d-wor k i ng eat…sleep. girls and three very dedicated coaches The Regional Competition was have been putting in the hours in attempt held in January in Antioch. We competed to reverse the negative opinion that against a number of extremely talented has implemented itself in the Mustang teams, and werenʼt expecting to place. populationʼs mind. Imagine our surprise when San Marin Sophomore, Josh Boccaccio - Sophomore, Tiana Fields - For those of you who know Mustangs was announced in first place, “I got a $20.00 gift certificate to “My boyfriend gave me