The Poly Optimist John H. Francis Polytechnic High School Vol. XCVIII, No. 5 Serving the Poly Community Since 1913 December 2012 Michael Strong Showing Jackson at Scrimmage Redux Parrots beat Taft, Van Nuys and Pacific Senior Alexis Palisades, finishing 11th out of 60 schools. Campos put the By Yesenia Carretero fied has sent teams placing 10th, talent in talent Staff Writer 12th and 13th in the scrimmage to show. the state competition. Poly’s Academic Decathlon squad “Finishing eleventh means we By Yesenia Carretero & Rudy Guijarro finished second in a scrimmage with have a great chance of going to state Staff Writers nine other LAUSD teams at North with a little more hard work,” Block Hollywood High on November 17. said. Photos by Tracy Salcido Senior Alexis Campos’ “I was very happy to see that our Individual student scores are electrifying dance steps and gestures THRILLER: Parrots could be forgiven for mistaking senior Alexis Campos team got higher than Taft, Van Nuys, available immediately after the at Leadership’s Tuesday talent for 80s icon Michael Jackson at the Leadership Talent Show Tuesday. and Pacific Palisades,” veteran Poly scrimmage, but school scores are showcase were as close to Michael Aca Deca coach Brian Block said. sent out a week later. Jackson as any Parrot will ever get. “Last year those schools finished “The top school at the scrimmage Campos’ dazzling recreation had Opportunity In higher than our team.” was Franklin,” Block said. “The the Parrot crowd screaming like Sixty LAUSD schools competed Franklin coach has the last period of tweeners. at six different sites, with Poly plac- the school day for his team to study. “I didn’t expect that reaction,” ing 11th overall. And every summer they spend a Campos said. “I thought some a Room at Poly Last year, the Parrot team finished week at a house owned by alumni people weren’t going to like it.” third at site and 13th overall and in the mountains. Parents help with Campos’ performance of New Parrot behavior modification made state. Jackson’s 1995 hit “Scream” was In terms of points, last year’s [ See Strong, pg 6 ] marred only by a malfunctioning program offers a second chance. team got 20 more questions correct mic, spoiling the crowd’s enjoyment out of about 2,000. In terms of place, oly has a new in-house behavior of his vocals. By Rudy Guijarro this year’s team scored two places Elves at Work modification program aimed at improving Jackson’s version was a duet with Staff Writer higher. But comparisons are difficult support for students with issues sister Janet. Campos had sophomore because subjects change from year Poly’s annual toy detrimental to themselves and others. Maria Romero set to do Janet’s part P to year. Ninth Grade Center Coordinator Lourdes De drive is in full swing but she didn’t perform. The scrimmage is for practice, Santiago is in charge of the program, which was developed in response to a “She dropped out the day before but results are a strong indicator of a for the holidays. LAUSD initiative called the Positive Behavior Support Plan. because she felt pressure,” said team’s competitive advantage. Poly’s program, known as the Opportunity Room, began in February. Campos, “I don’t blame her though. The scrimmage helps a team By Nam Woo At that time, suspension rates were at an all-time high. I understand.” identify strengths and weaknesses Staff Writer “We needed to do something about the suspension rates,” said De Juniors Crystal Cruz, Lillian and plan areas for study over the Santiago, “because part of the Positive Behavior Support Plan was Valencia, and Kasandra Rodriguez remaining nine weeks. incorporating a program that would mitigate our high suspension rate.” Poly’s Leadership elves are hard looked great together on Brenda “This year’s team is strongest in Poly’s behavior modification program was designed to fit the school’s at work on their annual Toy Drive Lee’s 1957 hit “Jingle Bell Rock,” music and economics,” Block said. needs. and doing what they hope to do a lot especially on the well-handled and “The team’s weakest subjects are “We focused on what the Opportunity Room would look like and what we of – count money. clever dance routine. Their voices science and history.” “We’ve collected $10,700 from were also a good match. Their In the past three years, LA Uni- [ See Opportunity, pg 6 ] the community since August for the performance, based on the 2004 toy drive,” said Leadership sponsor movie “Mean Girls,” even included a Brian LeClair. bit where the music stopped. LeClair is quick to stress that Freshmen Danny Gaono, Jason Band Takes First Place Leadership has no monopoly on the Lara and junior DeAnthony Hawkins Christmas spirit of giving. began to setup. traded dubstep routines to Skrillex By Jasmine Aquino “The whole school is welcome 2011 hit “First of the Year.” Staff Writer “The breathing exercises prepare the wind players for to participate in the toy drive,” Le Freshman Naekisha Pick has a practice and performing,” said Tinajero, “but it also helps Clair said. nice voice but Jill Scott’s 2007 “Hate them relax before an intense competition.” Leadership started collecting Poly’s marching band, percussion and colorguard on Me” was not the right vehicle to The band ran through their show on the football field money from teacher classrooms on won awards for their “Les Misérables” field show at the showcase it. a few times for practice, then headed back to the band November 27 and will continue until 30th Annual Highlander Marching Band Competition Junior April Ocampo sometimes room to eat, put on their uniforms and load the U-Haul December 12. November 10 at Granada Hills Charter High School. found the melody and sometimes with the drumline equipment. “We send envelopes to teachers First place trophies went to the band and auxiliary missed it as she worked her way The band headed back to the bus after the and the teachers and the students (Colorguard) and a second place drumhead was given to through teen sensation Justin performance and changed into warmer clothes to watch then fill the envelopes,” said Le the percussion (drumline). Bieber’s “Die in Your Arms.” the remaining bands compete. Clair. “Sometimes there is 50 cents “This was such a great start for the competition Junior Araxi Derderian sang At nine that evening, Assistant Drum Major Diana in a envelope, sometimes there might season,” said senior drum major Martha Tinajero. “But Selena Gomez’s “Rock God” (2010). Escobedo, drumline’s Drum Captain Jasmine Aquino and be $50.” our work is just beginning. The district finals are in two The lunch bell left senior Yesenia Colorguard Co-Captains Natalia Aparicio and Elisama Last year Leadership col- weeks and we have so much more we can still improve.” Estrada in the wings waiting to Miguel accompanied Tinajero to the field for the awards lected $23,000, the year before that The band was placed in Division 5 with competitors perform Kelly Clarkson’s 2005 hit ceremony. $12,000. Santa Paula High School and St. Genevieve High School. “Because of You.” The five stood amongst the other school drum majors Leadership buys the toys and “Our biggest competitor of the night was, however, The proceedings were rather for about an hour in the cold night air and performed turns them over to the LA fire the weather,” said Tinajero. “Since we performed in the haphazardly MC’d by seniors their salute for Granada drum majors after each award department. LAFD distributes the evening, the winds were strong and freezing, making Khrista Abasi and Victor Sanchez, was announced for Poly. toys to families, orphanages, and it hard on the musician’s hands and difficult for the who apparently didn’t know the acts Poly’s band is now preparing for their next anywhere toys are needed. Colorguard to have control over their flags, but we well enough to work without cheat competition, the LAUSD Championships on December “I’ve done the toy drive for 18 managed.” sheets. 8. A division change for Poly will mean new competitors, years,” Le Clair said, “but the toy The band arrived at Granada six hours before their The bare-bones production was including North Hollywood High and Van Nuys High. drive itself started in 1958.” coordinated by leadership’s Abasi performance. At noon, band members began breathing The band won the first place banner at last year’s and senior Josselyn Lopez. exercises in front of the band room while the drumline competition. [ See Toy Drive, pg 6 ] Ingredients We Pick For Success the Flicks These Parrots are Quick looks at cooking up change. 2012’s best films. Photo by Vanessa Aquino FOOD - page 5 Google Image FILM - page 7 2 December 2012 The Poly Optimist polyhigh.org/opt.jsp OPINION EDITORIAL GUEST EDITORIAL Why the Pilot Model is Best After over a year of research, exploration, and discussion, control. The current teacher-written draft of the EWA specifies many Poly teachers have concluded the Pilot model grants us that teachers will perform research-proven practices already the most significant local control and freedom from suffer- outlined in our WASC accreditation plan, such as creating and ing district mandates. The process has been time consuming, administering common assessments, collaborating to analyze particularly given the initial lack of direction from LAUSD and the student data from those assessments, and partnering with UTLA. our colleagues to support our students by planning lessons to The Pilot model is superior based on two critical factors: target standards identified by that data.