BYOD Update

By Conor Doyle

Special Correspondent

 

A lack of student interest in the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program at Holliston High School has lead to less than expected student participation since BYOD started at the beginning of second semester this year.

“The goal of the program was to make the school environment look more like the environment students have at home,” said school superintendent Dr. Brad Jackson, who was slightly disappointed with the lack of student participation.

“I was surprised that the students didn’t embrace it more,” Dr. Jackson said when asked how he thought the program was received. He went on to say that he thought that the faculty was blocking students by not letting them use technology to its fullest potential.

Dr. Jackson also believed that the reason for the lack of interest in students may be because they do not fully realize the value of technology. In retrospect he said he would have made the value clearer when the program was introduced.

Ms. Eagle, the school librarian, regularly sees classes working, and noticed a tepid response from students, noting that some classes participate more than others. She also noted that the level of comfort that the teachers have using their own devices often reflects how involved the class is in the program.

Several other problems with the program have arisen since it started, such as the inability to print from student devices or monitor what the devices are being used for.

Eagle also commented that the school does not offer any classes to students educating them on how best to use devices. Many staff members, including Dr. Jackson, believe that students are computer savvy enough, and do not need any further education.

Despite these problems and a slow beginning, BYOD did have some positives.

“[BYOD] certainly succeeded in helping students to bring in more devices,” said Ms. Eagle.

Ms. Anne Connoni, a math teacher at the school, supports the program, saying that it is great as long as students use the program appropriately, and don’t use their devices simply because they are there. She also stated that it has been very useful for class activities, and is especially helpful in that it minimizes problems that stem from transferring student work between school and home.

BYOD has been active for less than a whole semester, and according to Dr. Jackson, will be a gradual process that will take time for both students and faculty to fully embrace.

Historic Building Undergoing Renovation

By Grace Ballenger, Editor

To preserve Town Hall for the future, the Holliston Town Hall Renovation Committee arranged repairs on the building that began in early April.

The plans for the renovations include replacing 40% of the existing wood to prevent further rotting, stripping the paint, priming and repainting the exterior, replacing the gutters and downspouts, replacing the chimneys and redoing the roof, said Paul LeBeau, town hall employee and member of the Renovation Committee.

“The board approved the contractor in early April and they had 155 days to complete work, which would bring them to mid-October,” said Jon Juhl, head of the Renovation Committee. However, Juhl says that the construction crews are “well ahead of schedule” and that they “hope to finish by summer.”

Several years ago the Renovation Committee noticed that the paint on the building was peeling and hired the Building Conservation Associates (BCA) to determine why the paint was not lasting. The BCA determined that the problem was moisture in the walls and the large number of layers of paint, according to a press release provided by the Renovation Committee.

“Paint was peeling, the downspouts were falling off, some of the wood was rotting and some of the chimneys were starting to fall apart,” said LeBeau, who agreed that renovation needed to occur.

Funding for the project was provided by the Community Preservation Committee (CPC).

Samuel Tyler, the head of the CPC said that the committee provided $695,000 for the project while the town provided an additional $40,000. The CPC is allotted 1.5% of the money collected by the town property tax. The state then matches 20% of the total money collected by the CPC.

“It is one of the bigger proposals approved by the Community Preservation Committee over the past few years,” said Tyler who worked to be sure that the taxpayer dollars that were being spent on the project were going to be well spent.

However, the committee was able to justify the use of the money. Tyler said that the project was never “a matter of not acting. If we hadn’t [acted] the building would deteriorate to the point where it could not be used.”

Town Hall is one of the two buildings in town on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The building has a Historic Preservation Agreement, which means that permission must be obtained from the Massachusetts Historical Commission prior to beginning any work on the building, Juhl said.

In the end Tyler said renovations will help improve the building’s aesthetic appeal.

LeBeau agreed, adding that the committee is “glad to be able to fix these problems. As people drive through town [they] notice that the Congregational Church and St. Mary’s have done a lot of work on their buildings, and it’s up to us to fix this place up so it’s not an eyesore anymore.”

New History Course at HHS

By Katrina Milbocker

Special Correspondent

A new history elective is expected to run as part of the Holliston High School (HHS) curriculum next school year and will be the first history elective open to students that will not be leveled.

U.S. on the World Stage: 1970-Present will be offered to upperclassmen interested in current events and the impact they have on today’s society.

There was a, “curriculum review five years ago” and a “recommendation” was given that more history classes dealing with world “economies, humanity, and the Middle East” be created, said Ms. Paula O’Brien, the history department head.

“I had the idea of having a course that’s more modern but would also incorporate…economies from the Middle East,” Ms. O’Brien said. It will be, “a class where students who love history can come together and share their love for history.”

The elective will be a mix of Honors and CP1 level students, clarified Ms. O’Brien. The hope is that such integration will enhance class discussions.

Students will be able to decide what level of credit they would like for taking the class. “[Those enrolled] will be given two weeks of time to look at what the expectations will be to earn honors credit,” said Ms. Katherine Stackpole, the designated history teacher for the new class.

“I think that’s cool because…if you’re just learning current events then the leveling won’t matter as much,” but, “if [students] have that freedom [to choose levels], they’re going to have to use it responsibly,” said Adam Mooney, an eleventh grader at HHS.

The goal is for students to “challenge themselves” with the optional course loads while being in a multi-leveled class, said Ms. Stackpole.

“There will be some different assignments and different assessments” for those at the Honors level, Ms. Stackpole added. Those who declare themselves as honors students will have a heavier workload outside of the classroom.

This elective will enable students to explore what happens in the world after World War II. Unlike other subjects, history classes do not have an endpoint. This elective will cover as many recent historical events as possible.

“When you look up what has been going on you find that…the U.S. has changed [from what students currently learn in history]…always ending [with] the Cold War,” said Ms. Stackpole. It is important for students to understand foreign relationships in the present as well.

“We get to talk about things that happened while I was alive!” Ms. Stackpole said. “We hope it will be interesting for [students].”

Ms. O’Brien said students need this, “global awareness” before going off to college. It is essential because, “if you go into business, you are going to travel the world.”

Ultimately the success of this elective is up to the students themselves. It is expected that those who take the class next year will enjoy it enough to recommend it to their peers, said Ms. O’Brien.

“We’re gonna see if it works,” Ms. Stackpole said. The curriculum for the new elective will be finalized this summer.

Middle School Dress Code Debate

By Grace Pecci

Special Correspondent

The constitutionality of the dress code at Robert Adams Middle School (RAMS), which was established six years ago, was recently debated.

A small card with an American flag as the background had been passed around the school with The Massachusetts General Law Part 1, Section XII, Chapter 71, Section 83 stating “Dress and appearance of students protected. School officials shall not abridge the rights of students as to personal dress and appearance except if such officials determine that such personal dress and appearance violate reasonable standards of health, safety and cleanliness.”

Principal Peter Botelho indicated that he did not know who sent this around. Other teachers at the middle school did not want to name the person.

TJ Farrell and Nick Pecci said that they were walking downtown in Holliston with a group of friends and a parent pulled over her car. She asked if they liked the dress code and gave them about 200 cards to pass out. Pecci, Farrell, and a few other kids passed the cards around the school.

Eighth grade Social Studies teacher Mr. Jesse Conant compared school dress code to a scenario such as screaming “fire” in a movie theater. He said that although humans have rights for freedom of speech, there are still laws that prevent people from screaming “fire” in a movie theater when there is no fire.

It is similar to the issues with the dress code because although there are laws stating that school officials cannot take away the rights of students for dress and appearance, “there are laws in the country that do apply if people are wearing something that can cause problems,” Mr. Conant said.

“Dress code has constitutional issues connected to them, that is true. However, reasonableness is the word that comes in school law,” Mr. Botelho said.

He went on to explain that standards for the school dress code were determined by students and parents initially but then it was elected by school boards.

According to three seventh graders, Kathryn Johnston, Lexie Aylward, and Elena Daly, many of the recent problems with the dress code at RAMS include yoga pants that are too tight, straps that aren’t wide enough and skirts or dresses that aren’t long enough. The main problem with boys is seeing their boxers.

Mr. Botelho understands that students have individual styles, but he said that there is a need for reasonable standards. The dress code was initially established by former principal, Jessica Huizenga, along with the input of parents and students. Over the years, it has been slightly revised.

Mr. Conant said the big thing with dress code is that teachers and administrators look at school as a professional environment and take school seriously. He sees students breaking the dress code often, but it depends on the time of the year and the weather. When the weather is nicer, girls break the dress code more often by wearing shorts and skirts that are too short, and their tank top straps are not wide enough.

Johnston feels that the dress code is stricter about the clothing that girls wear.

“Girls have it so hard,” Johnston said. She doesn’t understand why the middle school has a dress code if the high school doesn’t.

“Guys have two rules, girls have fifty,” Aylward said

Elena Daly understands some of the rules but feels that some aspects of the dress code are annoying. She said that it is hard to find clothes that fit the dress code regulations.

Mr. Botelho said that a lot of students like to have no restrictions upon their choices and don’t understand the need for reasonable standards. The parents “want to have some guidelines in a middle school, it’s hard to make them perfect.”

Enigma Debuts New Website

By Emily Hebert

Special Correspondent

“Enigma”, Holliston High School’s literary magazine, is planning on publishing their first collection of online work sometime in late May.

The student-run magazine is most excited about “finally launching the website, which is great in terms of visuality and the frequency of publication,” said Mr. Chris Murphy, the club’s advisor.

The club has been working towards an online publication of works past and present, available through the HHS website. This will be the first year that the club’s final product will be free. The objective of the website is to make it “as widely available as it could possibly be,” said Mr. Murphy.

“Anything can be added online, before it was that only someone in a writing class or in ‘Enigma’ could submit,” said Maddy Walker, senior at HHS and the magazine’s editor-in-chief.

What made the 2012 publication special, said Walker, was that “everyone has made their own individual contribution to create an accurate reflection of the club as a whole.”

By working through the website, Mr. Murphy and the club were able to revisit the archives of former students’ and “Enigma” members’ literary works. Murphy said he was able to revisit why the club started in the first place.

“Enigma” is “a place to showcase writing talent of anybody in the school community,” said Mr. Murphy. Mr. Murphy has been the club’s advisor since 2001.

“‘Enigma’ is about loving the potential that resides in every student driven to voice their own perspective,” noted Walker in the 2012 publication’s letter from the editor.

“Being published gives [young writers] something to work towards,” said Caitlin McCaul, senior at HHS and “Enigma” member. “It makes them feel like their writing is worth something.”

When looking for “Enigma”-worthy literary work, the club members look for genuine creative thought, said Walker.

Mr. Murphy said that he gravitates towards pieces that have a sense of “obvious individualism. We look for pieces with original voice; something unique about them, with sincere expression.”

“Enigma” publishes “mostly poetry with a couple of short stories,” said McCaul. Maddy later added, “But we are trying to encourage more short stories.”

“Enigma” meetings are every Wednesday, in room 600.

New Ice Cream Shop in Holliston

By Olivia Noe

Special Correspondent

Café Dolce Tempo Ice Cream & Café opened on April 16th.

Co-owner, Kostas Migos, known locally from the family business Bazels Pizzas & Subs, opened Dolce Tempo to give the town a taste of the North End pastries and desserts.

“I checked out what was in town, and I tried to see what was missing so I could bring something new to the town,” said co-owner, Kostas Migos.

Dolce Tempo brings a different feel, selling many delicious treats including ice cream, gelato, milkshakes, Italian pastries, coffee, and many more. The desserts attract costumers of all ages.

Excited about the opening and business coming in, Migos said “I want it this place to be contemporary, vibrant, fresh, and unique so everyone that comes in will have a great experience.”

Madison Waldo, a current employee at Dolce Tempo and a senior at Holliston High School, appeared very enthusiastic when she said, “I love my job, it’s so much fun and a great way to meet people in town that come in here. I’ve never had a job like this before so I’m still learning a lot.”

Waldo also mentioned how refreshing the café looked and explained how it really attracts other teens that go to HHS.

The employees aren’t the only ones who love the new place; customers have been posting on the Dolce Tempo Facebook group, and post how great their experience was when they visited.

Wendy Thorsen Bruno, a mother and resident in Holliston, recently tried out Dolce Tempo and posted, “I loved the gelato!!! Now just get some sugar free stuff for us diabetics!”

Shortly after customer Bruno, posted, Dolce Tempo took her suggestions into consideration and is now selling sugar free ice cream.

Another local in Holliston, Alison Malcolm, visited Dolce Tempo recently and posted “VERY well done guys, and VERY affordable! Stopped this afternoon for the first time and it was delicious! Definitely will be back!”

The positive feedback is fantastic for Migos, because when asked where he pictures the place in 5 years he said, “Hopefully paid off, and maybe have another one somewhere else.”

Computer Replacement in the Library

COURTNEY BROWN

Special Correspondent

Computers in the library were recently replaced with more modern technology, taking the spot of the older computers and monitors that had been in the school.

“The updated computers give a cleaner look to the library,” Said Mr. Meo, network administrator at HHS. “The operating system is the same, but the monitors have been replaced.”

While the computers do give the library a better image, they also have many more features that benefit the school, as well.

“These updated computers are black instead of white,” said Mr. Meo with a laugh. “They have a faster processor, and the screens have been replaced with an LCD screen, making them more energy efficient.”

While all computers in the library were updated, computers in the computer labs were not.

“At some point, the school will be converting computer labs into classroom space because of BYOD (bring your own device),” Said Ms. Eagle, the librarian at the school.

The computers were installed in the library and not in the labs for this sole reason. “With BYOD, labs might become meaningless,” said Mr. Meo.

These computers being installed in the library seem to have benefited the student body’s needs for the better in the eyes of Mr. Meo, who said, “The updated computers in the library have impacted the school by allowing kids to be more productive on the computers because they are faster.”

The older computers were slow and frustrating for the student body to use because they were long overdue in being replaced.

“About 5 years ago, the school updated to the older computers with a 3 year plan. The computers were put in in 2006 and by 2009 were obsolete, but money was not available to replace them,” Said Mr. Meo. The school’s older computers faced an incredible amount of destruction to their monitors and casings over the years from the students who have attended HHS.

When asked if it was possible that the updated computers would face the same destruction, Ms. Eagle replied with, “It will be impossible, or harder to deface these computers.”

Mr. Meo seemed to have thoughts along the same path, stating “If they are cared for, and students aren’t destructive, they should last about 2-3 years.” When asked about how long they were to last if not respected, Mr. Meo replied, “About two weeks.”

The computers also seem to give the school a more modernized feel to it.

“These computers make the school look vaguely more updated,” said senior technology intern Dan Rong. “And they are definitely more efficient.”

Students around the school seemed to be surprised when they walked into the library and saw that the computers were installed.

“I was surprised because I had never heard anything of them wanting to replace the computers…I thought they would stay in there until they broke,” Said Rong.

This surprise must have been a good one, for some students seemed to have their own cry for help.

“One of the old keyboards had keys from other computers on it that instead of a qwerty keyboard (the standard look for a keyboard) said, ‘We want new computers,’” Rong said.

The students not only have more efficient, updated computers to look forward to using but a new set of keyboards as well.

“It feels better to have these newer computers because they’re faster so they work more frequently,” said Rong. “You don’t need to try 5 different computers to see which one will work.”