Four More Years This IHS Uses 2012 Election Campaign As a Learning Experience

Irondequoit High School 260 Cooper Road Rochester, NY 14617 November 2012 Rodequoit Vol. LXXXVI No. 1 Inside Four More Years This IHS uses 2012 Election Campaign as a learning experience By Carolann Verrioli and was allowed to ask questions, and the de- infer what points the other team would pointed that Romney lost, I felt like he Anna Carini bates commenced. make, and come up with ways to refute could've prevented America from con- News Editor and Contributor As you would imagine, it takes a those arguments. Both the Obama and tinuing to head in the wrong direction. Issue strong work ethic and dedication to study Romney teams made good arguments in Since Obama is back in offi ce, I think he up on your topic when you're in a debate. defense for their candidate. For example, will make America more vulnerable to Every four years on the fi rst Tuesday Accordingly, everyone who participated the Romney team had an excellent argu- the possibility of a crashing economy. Not of November, any American citizen in the election debate became an expert ment about School Vouchers, an act al- only that, but I think that our freedoms eighteen and over may exercise his or her on their candidate. When interviewed, lowing families sending their children to right to vote for the next man or woman Nicole Morris -a debate club member private schools to pay exclusively for that who will lead our country. Likewise, and captain of the Obama Team- rattled school, and not have to pay public school We've elected a presi- News Irondequoit High School simulates their off facts about her candidate off the top taxes, and the Obama team had a con- “dent who has already very own presidential debate and mock of her head. It takes a lot of practice to vincing argument on his Affordable Care election every four years. The debate, get to this point, which is why each team Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. sent us down the path of sponsored by the High School's debate met up a few times to discuss their topics, Despite the fact that someone is support- recovery and will con- club, occurred on the fi rst of the month ing a candidate, they may oppose some to create awareness of the of their policies. A person demonstrating tinue to do so. policies of both presiden- this idea is Jackie, also on the Obama tial candidates and prepare team. "I do not agree with all of the po- -Nicole Morris” the next generation of vot- lices of my candidate, including the No The IHS Varsity Foot- ers for the 2016 year elec- Child Left Behind program. I agree with tion. To create this unique the School Vouchers that Romney had are at risk with Obama's history of walk- ball Team lines up for a experience, four people planned. Both candidates have good and ing over the constitution. For example, snap. for the presidential candi- bad points, but that is part of being hu- he pushed through healthcare without the date – and now president man," she said. support of the people." Another student, – Barack Obama, and four There were differing reactions Nicole Morris, said "We've elected a for Mitt Romney, read an throughout IHS when Barack Obama president who has already sent us down Turn to Page 2 essay about their topic. was re-elected as President for a second the path of recovery and will continue to Each team had to address term. While the majority of students and do so. He showed good judgment on the four topics, the economic, teachers voted for Obama in the mock auto-industry, has ended the war in Iraq, healthcare, education, and election, there were a good number of is wrapping up the war in Afghanistan, foreign policies of their Romney supporters. For the staff mock and has created a consumer friendly en- Opinions candidate. Each person election, 72% of teachers voted Barack vironment." She also commented on the had four minutes to famil- Obama, and 28% voted Mitt Romney, school's imitation of the debate and elec- iarize the audience with and for the student election, 64% voted tion: "It was a good way to get people in- their candidate and topic. Obama while 31% voted for Romney volved with politics, because we're going Then, after each issue was Nicole Morris supports Obama's ideals in the 2012 IHS (5% voted for others). One IHS student to have to start thinking about it soon if presented, the audience election debate. Photo courtesy of AnnaCarol Rousse. that supported Romney said "I'm disap- we're going to exercise our right to vote." Grading Teachers New program cuts Are NYS reviews getting in the way of our educators? lunch size IHS students and staff By Carolann Verrioli their job. By Jake Fleischer and Jake week. As a result of the new poli- are frustrated with ex- News Editor There are many arguments con- Zarzycki cies, the lunches served tend to tensive internet restric- cerning this new regulation for grad- Contributors have smaller portions and contain ing teachers, and, while it is impor- less options and have had a direct tions. As the school year progresses, and tant to keep test scores and student As many students have noticed effect upon the number of stu- exam dates grow continually closer, performance in mind, many teach- this year, the sizes and options dents who purchase hot lunches. Turn to Page 3 students tend to get a tad stressed. ers are concerned about the focus on for school lunches have been re- Smahol stated that there are “less What many students don't realize, state exams. “The new regulations duced. This decrease is due to new lunches sold this year than years however, is that the teachers they put priority on state exams,” said a government regulations and stan- past.” One can infer that the stu- often complain about are now being teacher at Irondequoit High School. dards, which leave cafeteria work- dents who are no longer buying assigned a numerical grade, based, in “Since much of our teaching at the ers limited on the choices they can the school lunch are taking their part, on how well students perform on high school (and other grade levels) give to students. Upon hearing money to the snack lines and vend- state exams. Due to new state regula- go well beyond the state measures, about the new government regu- ing machines which are not under Arts tions, the Annual Professional Perfor- the new regulations run the risk of lations, Ryan Cribbin, a senior the same government regulations. mance Review process (APPR), has dumbing down our curriculum.” Oth- at IHS asked, “Why am I paying “It’s kind of ironic,” said Allison now become the basis for a teacher's er teachers raise concerns about the the same amount of money as last Maier, a junior at IHS, “that the annual review and these reviews now overall profession: “The new regula- year for less food and options? new regulations which were de- directly correlate with student perfor- tions have undermined the power of When did the students get a say signed to make us healthier are ac- mance. New York the teacher unions. in this new government policy?” tually making us eat less healthy.” State teachers are What is truly scary Clearly, many students at IHS are The program, originally titled evaluated using a We became is the potential concerned. “Let’s Move” and championed by 20/20/60 system “ for witch-hunts. The new government regula- First Lady Michelle Obama, went of points. Twenty teachers to give If a teacher is not tions put limits on the number of into effect in August of this year percent is based on liked, for what- calories that a school lunch can and impacts every public school student growth on back, but we are ever reason, there have. The Food Service Director in the country. Many students feel state assessments losing the power to is now a means at Irondequoit High School, Anne that there is just not enough food (which is the rea- for removal with- Smahol, stated that school cafete- in a given lunch, thus increas- son behind the pre- do what we do best: out due-process.” rias can now only serve starchy ing snacking throughout the day. assessments in the teach. Another teacher foods such as French fries, tater “The portions are so small that I beginning of the confi rmed these tots, and baked potatoes, once a have started bringing food from year), twenty on ” fears: “Morale is home,” said junior student achievement as prescribed down across the board. Teachers are Jessica Higgins. by the local teacher's union, and sixty genuinely concerned, but not just With over 32 mil- percent will be based on the effec- for themselves. We became teachers lion school children IHS alumn Alex Rousse tiveness of the teacher, also deter- to give back, but we are losing the nation-wide and had her novel, Sincerely, mined locally, which includes class- power to do what we do best: teach.” thousands of school room observations. Using the points The concerns are not just local, but districts to attend to, Alice Johnson, published. gathered, the teachers will be ranked state and nation-wide. While many problems are bound as either Highly Effective, Effective, questions have been raised about the to arise. “I just wish Turn to Page 6 Developing, or Ineffective. If a ten- millions of dollars required to fund the school could fix ured teacher is classifi ed as ineffec- such a program, one thing remains this and give us back tive or developing for two years in a clear: the only people that are truly our lunch,” said Hig- row, they could be in danger of losing losing out are the students.

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