September – 2017
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Thursday, September 28, 2017 Vol. 44 No. 1 Convocation marks start of school year by Haley Gervino ’18 Ava Cashman and Jack Decker. technology so we can connect He then presented the more on a personal level,” Mrs. Kingswood Oxford’s annual senior shield to senior Presi- Demers said. “This new rule will Convocation took place on Sept. dent Mark Place and senior be for assemblies and advisee 5, marking the official begin- Vice-president Noah Gibson. group. Let’s get more communi- ning of the 2017-2018 school Senior head prefect cation between our community.” year. The assembly brought Skylar Barron addressed Senior Ben Tauber the entire school together to the school with a discussion then introduced the chosen commemorate those who won on the importance of effort. speaker, Bradley Hoffman ’78. prizes, present other honors, and “My mom always told me Ben mentioned Mr. Hoff- listen to a variety of speakers. she’d be proud of me even if I man’s credentials and spoke Dux Prizes were given came home with straight D’s but briefly about his time at KO. out to those who had the tried my absolute best,” she said. Mr. Hoffmann concluded highest GPA in their forms. She ended her speech the assembly by reflecting on In Upper Prep, Elias Brant by explaining how she wanted how KO influenced his life. won; in Form 1, Sung Min Cho; every student to try their best. “I He started off explaining in Form 2, Olivia Pear and challenge all of you to make the how he came to KO. “I initially Emma Henry; in Form 3, Esha greatest amount of effort going didn’t want to go because I didn’t Kataria; in Form 4, Mia Seymour; into this school year,” she said. want to leave my friends,” he in Form 5, Apara Kashyap. Associate Head of said. “On the first day off school, Mr. Bisgaard presents the 2018 Class Flag to seniors Sharif Mutasim and Head of School Dennis School Natalie Demers spoke I got on the wrong bus and all Carolyn Doyle at the Convocation Assembly. Photo by Jacqueline Pasani. Bisgaard presented the class flags. along with Mr. Bisgaard. my friends from my old school Seniors Sharif Mutasim and They both mentioned made fun of my suit and tie.” me and I regret that,” he said. “If The KO administration Carolyn Doyle received the 2018 the importance of community, Mr. Hoffman continued I could go back to high school I encouraged the student body as class flag, having amassed the restated the Kingswood Oxford to talk about how he was influ- would take every opportunity.” well as the faculty to use the oppor- most community service hours. Mission statement and introduced enced once he got to KO. He implored students to grab tunity of a new year to disconnect Mr. Bisgaard also presented new regulations on cell phones. “I personally didn’t take all every opportunity by the horns and come together as one in order to the 2024 class flag to sixth-graders “I want to disconnect from the opportunities that KO presented and try something new this year. pursue a better space for everyone. KO administration revives midterm exams by Hannah Bash ’18 science teachers Tim Allerton Ms. McKee expressed sense of consistency,” he said. the language exam, which was and Alex Kraus, Spanish teacher the faculty’s concern for the “Pedagogically, it didn’t supposed to take place when The KO community has and Academic Technology students well being before really make sense to have exams at school first resumed in January. seen various changes and addi- Coordinator Juan Martinez, break. “The committee reallyt the end of the year and not halfway As of right now the schedule tions since the start of this year, English teacher Ron Monroe, wanted to do what was best through as well. Also midterms give for midterms has language placed and the most shocking one of all Upper School math Department for the kids because there was freshman in particular a learning first on November 14, then might be the return of midterms. Chair Sandra Goss, and Dean of so much stress before break.” experience to prepare for finals.” history on November 20, math on Starting on Nov. 14, students will Students Will Gilyard. Director In addition, Mrs. Demers The committee met twice December 5, and lastly science begin taking midterm assess- of Academic Planning Carolyn said that various KO graduates over the summer with the task on December 12. The midterm ments again, which haven’t McKee headed the committee. expressed that it was hard to take of creating a schedule that would for English classes has been set been seen at KO since 2012. There is not one particular exams in college after not having a account for the five academic aside for the entire week after According to various reason for why midterms have major assessment for a year and a classes. “The staff wanted to create Thanksgiving break, allowing teachers, the conversation about returned but rather a variety of half. “Since we are a college prep a way in which each class had the for teachers to assign a paper, bringing back midterms has existed reasons pertaining to class time school, it is not good if the gradu- ability to assess in a way that works oral presentation, or harkness for several years amongst faculty lost, student life, and the college ates last took an exam a year and for their subject, whether that be discussion during class time. members. However, teachers preparatory aspect of our school. half ago going into college,” she oral presentations, papers, hark- Assessments will take place spoke at length about the possi- One of the main reasons is said. “Having an exam twice a nesses, or labs,” said Mrs. Demers from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m., with a 30 bility of midterms at the end-of- that faculty members wanted to year better reflects the exam expe- The proposal was presented minute advisee period following it. year faculty meeting this past June. help relieve the stress and chaos rience in college and creates the in August at the opening faculty After each assessment, there will There needed to be a most students feel in the week opportunity for students to show meeting, and after some minor also be three classes for students proposal, so faculty members leading up to winter break. Mrs. their best during the year as well.” suggestions the schedule was set. to attend, but no homework will volunteered to be on the Demers said that faculty tried Mr. Monroe also added According to Mr. Monroe, the be due in those classes to ensure committee. These faculty members putting a calendar in the staff lounge to the list of reasons. “Our final schedule was pretty close that students have adequate time were Associate Head of School to avoid the overlap of assessments thinking also came from the to the original. One of the major to study for their assessments. Natalie Demers, Upper School before break, but it didn’t work. fact that there needed to be a changes was the movement of Continued on page 16 What’s Inside this Issue: OPINIONS ARTS FEATURES IN-DEPTH SPORTS Cell phones Actress Remy KO welcomes An honest Field hockey banned in McCoy new faculty look at starts season assembly, shines bright in and staff with acedemic strong, recovers advisee group Paris open arms dishonesty from last year page 6 page 9 pages 12 and 13 page 15 page 18 THURSDAY THURSDAY September 28, 2017 SeptemberSeptember 28,28, 2017 2 News Editorials 2017 3 All communications are down! by Benjamin Small ’19 before on the first couple days, just being tions. “I completely agree that phones should ties as phones during advisee group.“I there and no one else talking at all. It’s not be used in advisee group to send messages think it’s kind of pointless because people The KO administration instituted kind of awkward at times if you’re not to friends or take pictures and send them to can just pull out their computer or watch a new policy this year that prohibits the on your phone and everyone else is.” friends or check your social media,” said Mr. videos on their computers,” Nat said. use of cellphones in advisee group as Associate Head of School Natalie Baker. “But let’s say the advisee group wants Senior Angela Yang said that she well as before and during assemblies. Demers said that one of the goals of to play Kahoot, I think phones should be fine often needs to check her phone during Dean of Students William Gilyard said the ban is to prevent the kind of situ- because we’re doing something together.” advisee group. “Sometimes, I need to check that the goal of the cell phone ban is to foster ation Sam described.“In assembly, Students said they agreed. “I think the schedule with my phone,” she said. an environment of face-to-face conversa- you’d see all these people sitting next that they have a good point about discon- “You should be able to do work on your tions. “Those skills of being able to commu- to each other heads down,” she said. necting and getting to know people better,” phone when you need to. But I like the idea [of nicate, to articulate your ideas in a face-to- “And then in advisee group, we sit senior Nat Bates said. “However, I do think the policy] because I need help with the issue face manner seem to be dwindling,” he said.