The the Parking Lot Gets a Little Bit Emptier Keep You Friends Close, But
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News Northside’s fall play takes center stage The HoofDecember 2009 | thehoofbeat.com | Northside College Preparatory High BeatSchool | [email protected] | Vol. 11 No. 4 Sabor a Café, Sabor a Café, Sabor a CaCollege reps visit Northside 3 | The pitfalls of awards shows 11 The parking lot gets a little bit emptier the school originally opened, the Student funding it had received was consid- erably higher than what it would get parking lot fees in subsequent years. “For the first five years, we re- see steadily ceived this extra funding because we were a brand new startup high increasing prices school,” Mr. Timothy Devine, LSC secretary, said. “And so [Chicago by Olutoye Adegboro Public Schools (CPS)] knew there Students who stare directly would be lots of additional costs across from the main entrance of and we could supplement with these the school will notice that the stu- extra funds.” dent parking lot contains a fewer Though the school does raise number of cars than the number of money through the Friends of parking spaces. Though a low num- Northside, the school’s “parent vol- ber of cars in the student parking unteer fundraising organization,” lot has usually been the case in the according to www.friendsofnorth- past, many have attributed the lack side.org, to supplement the funding of parking lot usage to the recent provided by CPS, Northside needs hike in the parking spot registra- additional funding to support vari- tion fee, which currently stands at ous school programs and activities. $150, that was passed by the Local This funding is obtained through School Council (LSC) last spring the fees issued to students at the and implemented with the start of beginning of the year, one of which the 2009-2010 school year. includes a parking spot registration Since its establishment in 1999, fee for students interested in attain- Northside has always had a parking ing a spot on the school’s student lot available for student use. The parking lot. student parking lot has generally Parking registration fees also as- maintained a steady usage amongst sist with the maintenance costs of Price increases in the cost of a parking lot permit has led to a decline in the number of students using the the student body in recent years. operating the school. school lot. Photo by Sarah Schoonhoven. In years past, parking lot regis- “Anybody who sees our school tration fees have increased, as the on a daily basis is blown away by dent population was increasing, our in part because it has attempted to the wishes of their constituents.” original price for a parking spot was how clean it is kept,” Mr. Devine funding was decreasing.” raise prices periodically, keeping Despite the steady increases in $50 in 1999, though it rose to $100 said. “It costs a lot of money to With a greater student popula- prices below many other schools. parking registration fees, many stu- afterwards, and is currently $150. keep a building like this clean.” tion, the amount of supplies and “In my 11 years as an LSC dents feel the parking registration The current price was voted upon Increased parking registration textbooks needed for any course member, not one student has ever price is still too expensive when by last year’s LSC. fees can also be attributed to the ris- must increase as well, which means brought the issue up as a concern,” faced with certain alternatives. “The Local School Council actu- ing student population. more funding must be obtained to Mr. Devine said. “There is always “I find that the student parking ally sets all of our fees and costs,” “The first year of this school, provide the materials necessary for a student representative on the lot is too expensive in comparison Dr. Peggy Murphy, Northside’s As- we had about 450 students,” Mr. every student. LSC and their view is always taken to the parking lot I can find right sistant Principal, said. Devine said. “Second year, [we had] Despite the increases in parking very seriously and they get to vote next to it,” Mimi Guiracocha, One of the reasons parking regis- up to about 700. Then we hovered registration fees, the LSC has not on these fee increases or decreases, Adv. 015, said. “I usually get here tration fees have increased over time around 800 to 850 for a number of received any complaints regarding and each time the student has voted at around seven in the morning or is the decrease in the amount of years, [and] now we are at about the price of parking in the student in favor of the fee increases. So we so and there’s always parking right funding the school receives. When 1100. So at a time when our stu- parking lot from the student body, take that as them trying to represent next to it… and it’s $200 I save.” Keep you friends close, but keep your brothers closer by Matthew Brennan, Adv. 010. were too similar to last year’s play, small group of people, all of whom find items appropriate to the period Fall play “The It followed their journey towards Arsenic and Old Lace. were genuinely interested in the for a reasonable price. I visited more finding their true loves and finding “I read a lot of plays and choose a whole thing,” David Jaffe, Adv. 204, than 15 thrift stores looking for the Importance of out that they are actually brothers. text that I think students can perform said. “When I did plays in elemen- right props and furniture for this On the play’s opening night, the successfully and be challenged by,” tary school, there were always a lot show, which became incredibly time Being Ernest” cast was met with a standing ovation said Ms. Sitz in a email interview. of people, and the director would in- consuming.” at the end of the entertaining play. “When choosing a play, I consider variably address us as a group. With Lead by Mr. Mike Lill, fine arts debuts at After the end of the play, the cast cast size, appropriateness of the so few people in the cast, Ms. Sitz department, Northside’s stage crew entertained spectators in front of material for a high school cast, and was able to give us advice individu- put in long hours constructing and Northside the auditorium and received many general quality of the material. I want ally as well as collectively, so I feel painting the various sets for the play. congratulations. to choose a show that will engage I learned something about perform- The stage crew is one of the various by Jeffrey Joseph “Overall, I was quite pleased with the cast and me, as well as provide ing - besides which, it was all a lot avenues through which students can Every year Broadway comes to how the play went,” said Ms. Sitz. entertainment for audiences.” of fun.” become involved in the Northside Northside in the form of Northside’s “Performing Oscar Wilde so that The auditions for the play, which Playgoers get to see the finished theater. annual fall play. This year’s play was contemporary audiences understand brought out Northside aspiring product of all of the work that the “I always need help searching the Importance of Being Ernest the humor can be challenging, but thespians, were held right at the start cast and crew of the play put in but for props, designing the poster and by Oscar Wilde. The show ran for all of the actors put a tremendous of the year from September 14-15, a lot goes on unnoticed behind the program, and styling hair and make- three nights, starting on November amount of effort into bringing life to this left the crew of the play with scenes. up for performances, all of which 20, and was directed by Ms. Kyra Wilde’s language.” ample time to work on perfecting “One of the difficult aspects won’t take up too much time,” said Sitz, English department. The Im- The route to the November show Wilde’s play. The auditions were of putting on a play that probably Ms. Sitz. “Stage Crew is also a great portance of Being Ernest is a Brit- date started with picking the play attended by about sixty students wouldn’t occur to most people way to participate in Northside ish comedy of manners set in Lon- which was to be performed. The in total and consisted primarily of is finding appropriate props for productions.” don during the 1890’s. The action other main contenders for this year’s students reading lines from the play. the production,” Ms. Sitz said. Currently, Ms. Sitz does not of the play revolved around the play were Harvey and The Curious After final cuts were made, only nine “Particularly with a show like “The know what next years play will be, so friends John Worthing, played by Savage, two comedic plays set during actors remained. Importance of Being Earnest” those who are interested will have to Benjamin Sullivan-Knoff, Adv. 108, the 1950’s. However these plays did “The thing I liked best about which takes place over one hundred wait until next year when Broadway and Algernon Moncieff, played not make the final cut because they working on the play was that it was a years ago, it can be challenging to comes back to Northside. News | pages 1 - 3 Features | page 5 Diversions | page 8 Editorials | page 11 page 2 •Bill Ayers pays Northside a visit •Northside teachers get in the • The history of Chicago’s liraries • The horrors of four-day weeks •Annual NHS food drive helps feed gift-giving spirit •Dancing lessons help you get • No need for panic: FML takes on Freshman the hungry during the holidays • Mr.