Blue and GoldThe Chamblee High School

Volume 86, Issue 2

Chamblee High School3688 Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd. Chamblee, GA 30341(678) 676-6902Principal, Dr. Rochelle Lowery

on the InsIde:

news 2opInIon 6sports 7

Features 9

october 2012

Public schools around the United States are starting to take key measures to keep up with the new education reform program established in 2009 by President Barack Obama called Race To The Top.

The federal program at its core is actually a competition between state school systems to see who can show the most improvement and success at an academic level in order to win money from the government. $4.35 billion is being given by the Department of Education to the states that are able to reform and innovate local district K-12 education.

The contest is scored out of five hundred points in six weighted categories

The first category is called Great Teachers and Lead-ers and is worth 138 points. This deals with how effective teachers and principals are and how they are helping their students to succeed.

The second category is called State Success Factors and is worth 125 points. This is a measurement of how well a state is starting new plans and reforms and how they move up in rankings of state school systems.

The third category is called Standards and Assessments and is worth 70 total points. This is graded upon how well a state follows the national standards and come up with creative ways to assess students.

The fourth category is called General Selection Criteria and is worth 55 points. This deals with the conditions of

the schools, and the innovations of schools such as charter schools that make funding a priority.

The fifth category is called Turning Around the Lowest-Achieving Schools and is worth 50 points. As is clear from the title, this deals with how well states improve schools that have struggled to meet standards in the past.

The sixth and last category is called Data Systems to Support Instruction and is worth 47 points. This deals with implementing an electronic recording system for all school data and improving instruction through the use of statistics.

States must form applications for submission in order to participate in the contest, whose next round runs until December of 2012.

The program has already had many effects, as 48 states have already adopted the common national standards for K-12 learning. Charter school numbers have increased, as has the number of standardized assessments.

However, this program has its fair number of critics in-cluding many politicians and analysts on the political right, and teachers who are upset with the grading system.

Conservative pundits argue that this program is taking federal control over traditional state systems. They also argue that the program results will be faulty, and unfair for already high-achieving schools.

Multiple teachers’ unions have formed in certain states

around the nation, as teachers are frustrated that their pay-checks are being determined by standard tests over which they have no control. They argue that this grading system has not worked before, and many teachers have gone on strike as seen recently in Chicago city schools.

“I’m a strict libertarian and I am tired of the federal government trying to run things,” said math teacher Judith Landers. “All states are unique, and should handle their own education.”

Other teachers such as Ms. Marie Cabrices and Dr. Kathryn Zuehlke are frustrated with the lack of information and research for the project.

“The intention of Race To The Top is good,” said Dr. Zuehlke. “However, I think it was rushed. Not enough research was done, and it’s moving too fast for the state schools.”

However despite these criticisms, the majority of states have gotten to work sharpening their applications, and multiple states have already won grants for hundreds of millions of dollars.

“I’m okay with the program,” said Ms Cabrices. “I just wish teachers knew more about it, and understood what is coming.”

Georgia Officially Racing to the Top of Education Reformby Kunal Goel

Getting on Board: Q&A with DeKalb County School Boardby Mollie Simon

In January, three newly elected DeKalb County Board of Education representatives will take office—each with a spe-cific agenda and optimistic plans for the school district.

Marshall Orson will assume Don McChesney’s District 2 seat, Jim McMahan will take on Paul Womack’s District 4 seat, and Dr. Melvin Johnson will be filling the shoes of District 6 representative Thomas Bowen (who did not run for reelection). In addition, Dr. Pamela Speaks will continue in her role representing District 8 after being reelected on July 31.

While the voting booths are closed until 2014 (when all of the board seats will be up for reelection), the impact of bringing fresh faces to the board is just beginning to manifest itself.

To better understand the current state of the school board and the goals of the new elects, the Blue and Gold spoke with Orson, McMahan, Johnson, Speaks, McChesney, Womack, and present District 7 representative (and former Chamblee parent) Donna Edler. Below is some of what the leaders said.

The Reelected Incumbent (Pam Speaks, District 8) B&G: Why did you choose to defend your seat on the

school board?Speaks: I felt that in my first term we had a lot of things

happen that were not expected, like the economy tanking the way that it did. In 2008, when I first ran for the board, my platform was ‘ensuring a quality education for all students.’ In the 70s and 80s DeKalb was the best school district in Georgia and one of best in the southeast. It has taken a steady decline. I want to see it going in the other direction [back where it used to be] before I leave the board, in order to ‘complete the mission,’ so to speak.

B&G: What are some of the greatest challenges facing the county?

Speaks: Schools exist for the sole purpose of educating children. When we see that we are not meeting whatever standards are set before us, that in and of itself is the big-gest challenge. We have pockets of excellence in DeKalb, but we want to make sure that those pockets extend to the entire school district.

B&G: How do you think the new representatives will impact the board dynamic come January?

Speaks: There will be a definite learning curve. I firmly believe that the board members who did not get reelected had the best interests of the children and the district at heart. We have new people now, and in order for the board to function well they will have to gel with the existing board members. In the business of being a board member, you rep-resent your individual district, but you are a board member of the entire county. We just have to work together.

B&G: What was it like when you first joined the school board?

Speaks: I felt that I had a working knowledge of the county coming in, but I had to learn and learn quickly that my role a board member was totally different than my role as an administrator or a teacher in the district. As a board member, you are not meant to be involved in day to day operations of the school district. If you are, that could be considered micromanaging and you could be cited.

B&G: How has having a new superintendent impacted the board dynamic?

Speaks: Getting a new superintendant was a necessity for DeKalb at the stage in which she [Dr. Cheryl Atkinson] came. Without having a permanent superintendant there were a lot of things that we could not tackle because we knew that when a new person came in they would want to approach everything in a different way.

A Current Representative (Donna Edler, District 7)B&G: What are your main goals currently as a Board

of Education representative?Edler: My mains goals as a board member and a mother

–currently of one student in DeKalb—is to work with the superintendant and administration and the rest of the board members to make DeKalb County the best that it can be . We have to make sure we have the resources available for the district to provide every student with a 21st century global education. As a byproduct of doing that, other things will flow in terms of DeKalb regaining the confidence of the community.

B&G: How do you hope the school board is perceived

by stakeholders?Edler: We have some challenges, legal and otherwise,

and we have now gotten a new superintendent who has come in and is at the helm of beginning to affect positive results. Once those results are realized, by having our children on grade level or above, being admitted to colleges, and finding jobs, I think that that is when we will hopefully return to full confidence in the board, and I am sure the new board members feel the same way.

New ElectsJim McMahan, District 4B&G: Why did you choose to run for the Board of

Education?McMahan: I am not a politician. I am a parent. I have

never run for political office whatsoever, but the only way I could effectively make changes in the county was to run for the school board.

B&G: What do you see as the most pressing issue fac-ing the school district?

McMahan: Fiscal responsibility. We [the school district] have no money. It is hard for the school district to pay their bills. Hopefully in two years we will be able replenish the reserves and have a sound foundation for the school district.

Marshall Orson, District 2B&G: What are your expectations of the learning curve

as you transition into your role?Orson: Part of the task is understanding what the role of

a board is. I have been fortunate in other roles and capacities to have a pretty strong appreciation of the fact that a board governs through policy and not micromanagement. Coupled with that is why I am trying to go to more meetings and spend more time in that [school board] environment, so that I can accelerate that learning curve [of joining the board] by the time that my term actually begins. Of course like any institution, there are things that you will need to learn, and in the case of the current board, there may be some things that need to be relearned.

continued on page 4

news Volume 86, Issue 2page 2

Access to State Archives May Become Historyby Maddy Wetterhall

On August 28, the issue of accreditation returned to the minds of DeKalb County School District (DCSD) stakeholders when AdvancED, the parent organization of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, issued a letter of concern directed at DCSD’s superintendant, Dr. Cheryl Atkinson.

In this letter, President and CEO of AdvancED, Dr. Mark Elgart, cited complaints against the county and issues with two of the standards outlined for a school system achieving accreditation.

“The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) has received numerous complaints containing allega-tions that the DeKalb County Public School System is in violation of the AdvancED Accreditation Standards and/or Policies,” said the letter, dated August 28.

The policies not being met, according to Elgart, are standards two and four, which represent “Governance and Leadership” and “Resources and Support Systems” respectively.

“The problem is that this board is not a board right now,” said Elgart in an interview with 11Alive News. “It is actually nine political leaders [school board members] who have their own alignments and interests, and they pursue these interests instead of looking at what the school district needs. It is time for the system to be held account-able for its actions, and it is time for improvement to occur in a real way.”

The letter, which gave the district 30 days to respond, was taken seriously by school board members and by indi-viduals in the community. Accreditation has been a heated topic within Metro-Atlanta school systems after the 2008 to 2011 period when Clayton County Public Schools lost accreditation and went on probation.

Atkinson’s September 12 written acknowledgment of receipt of the AdvancED letter and reply to the points in question (standards two and four) included a list of many

of her actions since the time she took office at the end of 2011.

“Since I became Superintendent less than a year ago, I have listened to concerns from the Board, students, com-munity and staff and responded by implementing a number of systematic changes which have been approved and/or supported by the board and designed to move the district forward,” said Atkinson. “Some issues take longer than oth-ers to resolve, but we are continuously striving to achieve excellence on all SACS Standards.”

Three board members reacted jointly to Elgart’s origi-nal letter, Atkinson’s response, and public accusations that decisions regarding the county’s reply had been reached behind closed doors.

“Most importantly, we want to share with you that we welcome the scrutiny from AdvancED/SACS,” said a letter to the public from representatives Nancy Jester (District 1), Don McChesney (District 2), and Dr. Pam Speaks (District 8). “The issues that were raised in their letter [Elgart’s let-ter] have been concerns that we have publicly discussed at Board meetings and shared with various officials.”

On the same day that Atkinson’s response was sent, Jester, McChesney, and Speaks all wrote reaction letters to Atkinson and shared these thoughts on their personal websites.

“It is unfortunate that you [Atkinson] have been charged with drafting a response to a letter that deals with allega-tions of board member misconduct,” sad Jester’s reply. “I am disturbed, but not surprised, by the allegations of board misconduct.”

Speaks and McChesney also echoed the sentiment that Atkinson was put into a difficult situation in responding to the letter addressed directly to her while balancing the fact that the accusations were against the whole district.

“To me, the letter should have been addressed to the DeKalb Board of Education instead of you [Atkinson], because the alleged complaints are with the board, not the

superintendent,” wrote Speaks.McChesney, in his letter, suggested that the school

district go ahead and put out an open invitation for SACS to come and visit the system.

While his suggestion was not acted upon, the type of visit he mentioned will still be taking place—just not voluntarily.

On September 18, Atkinson received a letter back from Elgart stating that the accrediting body had scheduled a school district visit for October 17 to 19.

“AdvancED has determined that an on-site investiga-tion is warranted and necessary to evaluate the adherence of the DeKalb County School District to the Accreditation Standards and/or policies,” stated the letter. “The purpose of the on-site investigation is to afford all parties the op-portunity to provide information and evidence related to the stated concerns.”

Details about the visit, which will be at no cost to the county, have not trickled back to the school level.

According to Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction Candace Steadman, the county has not provided the schools with specific information regarding the visit, and the schools have been told to, “focus on the schoolhouse,” and not on accreditation issues.

The problem of accreditation is important as students who are applying to college are often required to graduate from an accredited school system in order to be eligible for admission.

While the SACS visit is a serious matter, it should not be viewed as a last step before the system potentially loses accreditation.

In accordance with Georgia Senate Bill 79 enacted in April 2011, the governor of the state of Georgia could tem-porarily replace school board members, “if the local school system or school is placed on the level of accreditation immediately preceding loss of accreditation.”

School System Accreditation Status Back Under Fireby Mollie Simon

There are three stories behind how the City of Chamblee and Chamblee High School acquired their names.

One account credits the postal service, which randomly selected the name of a petitioner requesting the addition of a new post office.

Another story claims that the ‘Chamlee’ family started the town, and the town’s name was later altered.

The third story, most often regarded as the correct version, is tucked away in one of the many files located in the Georgia Archives Building, which houses all of the historical documents and official records for the state of Georgia.

On November 1, 2012, the public will no longer have access to the Archives to

answer this question about Chamblee and many others. Due to budget cuts, Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has decided to reduce the number of staff at the Archives from ten employees to three—one of whom is a custodian.

“We talk about this [limited access to the Archives] as a period of time that could be the Dark Ages for public records,” said Vicki Walch, the executive director of the Council of State Archives as stated in the New York Times.

Historians, reporters, writers, students, genealogists, lawyers, demographers, and others conduct research at the Archives building, and with the proposed budget cuts, the hours of operation will be drastically reduced. Researchers must now schedule

an appointment in advance, and because of the limited number of employees, the ap-pointments will be hard to come by.

Democracy is built upon a free flow of information—record keeping holds elected officials accountable for the decisions they make. By keeping a detailed log (one of the many types of official government docu-ments stored in the Archives building) of how money used for educational purposes is spent, the voters’ interests are protected and ensured. Without this stream of knowledge, government corruption and scandals could slip by unnoticed.

Files that protect legal and property rights are stored in the Archives building as well. For example, all records of disputes and settlements concerning county and state

boundaries are main-tained there. Neighbors disagreeing on a shared property line between their estates can ac-cess the information simply by visiting Mor-row, Georgia, where the Archives building is located.

Many people are interested in their ge-nealogy. On a quest for information about her family’s history, Paula Deen, host of a popular cooking show on Food Network and author of several cookbooks, vis-ited the Georgia build-ing. She discovered that she had an ances-tor who once owned slaves. The reduction of operation hours at the Archives building will make it more dif-ficult to answer such

inquiries regarding the past. Georgia will become the only state in

the nation without an Archives building that is fully accessible to the public at all times. State law, however, dictates that the Ar-chives must be available to the community every Saturday. Although public appoint-ments are available, more than 100 support-ers of the Georgia Archives assembled on October 3, 2012 at the state Capitol building, claiming that Kemp’s decision is violating the state law.

When looking at the situation from an economic standpoint, laying off seven of the Archives’ staff and reducing the hours of operation can save approximately $730,000, especially with an increasing dependence on technology and the growth of electronic databases.

With an $18.3 million state budget, this is only a trivial amount. A valuable resource for primary documents will be lost, and with it, the state government will become less transparent and democracy will be threatened.

It is impossible to predict when an elec-tronic birth certificate will be considered a valid document or how the authenticity of electronic documents will be proven or protected.

Technology is changing so quickly that equipment that works well one day could become outdated and obsolete the next (like floppy discs), losing the information stored on it.

It is imperative to keep the Georgia Archives building easily accessible to all members of the public—preserving our states’ documents, photographs, and histori-cal records will protect our rights as citizens and preserve the democracy that our ances-tors died fighting for.

As for the answer about where Cham-blee’s name came from, one would have to visit the Archives building personally to find out.

Volume 86, Issue 2page 3 news

DeKalb County commissioners voted on Tuesday, September 25 to eliminate the $30 recycling registration fee in the hopes that more people living throughout the county will start recycling.

County officials want to double the number of homes that recycle from 34,000 to 68,000 in the next two years.

This decision came after the county determined that it was costing more money to separate out trash and recyclable waste from landfills than they were getting from the recycling fees. County officials sus-pected that DeKalb residents were either not aware about recycling or did not want to pay the fee.

“It was a way to get more people throughout the county to recycle,” said a representative from the sanitation division of the DeKalb County Public Works de-partment. “We hope that more people will participate in the program [because of the change].”

Now that recycling is free throughout the county, some Chamblee students have more of an incentive to get their families to start recycling.

“I think a lot more people will start to recycle now that there isn’t a fee,” said junior Maddie Vice. “[My family] already recycles but now it’ll be easier.”

According to the Atlanta Journal Con-stitution, the national average for recycling is about 40 percent. DeKalb is striving to be slightly above the national average at 41 percent.

As a result, some teachers and students think that although recycling may now be free, more people will not start participating in the program because of a lack of time or simply not remember it.

“No, I don’t [think that more people will recycle now],” said math teacher Judith Landers, an avid recycler in her home. “It’s not about the money; it’s about doing the right thing.”

In some states, like California, recycling is mandatory. Although the state of Georgia has not taken this measure, DeKalb hopes to bring awareness to county residents about the importance of recycling and being

green. “The trash from the softball field is

recycled, and I also recycle at home,” said softball coach and Language Arts teacher Adrienne Keathley.

On the issue of the whole county but, she has a different viewpoint.

“I don’t think there is enough publicity about the issue. I only found out [about free recycling] because I keep up with the

news. It’s not being spread to all parts of the county,” said Keathley.

It has only been a short time since DeKalb released its new recycling plan, and hopefully in the future DeKalb residents can live in a greener community where more people are conscious about recycling.

Recycling Becomes Free in DeKalb Countyby Solina Jean-Louis

It would be next to impossible for a Chamblee student to have been unaware of the abundant college visits that occurred within the past month and a half.

Reminders of the visits have been plas-tered everywhere from the front page of the school’s website to the regular email blast.

Admissions representatives from 84 dif-ferent colleges nationwide visited Chamblee last year alone, according to counseling secretary Nancy Farrey.

Juniors are strongly encouraged by counselors to take advantage of this oppor-tunity when beginning to weigh their options for college, but some teachers are preventing students from attending a visit if it takes place during their instructional time.

While it is at the teacher’s discretion whether to allow or refuse a student to miss their class in order to go to a college visit, the decision should ultimately rest in the hands of the student.

Currently, college visits are open to any interested juniors or seniors who wish to learn more about a specific college or gen-eral college-related topics [e.g. admission process, financial aid, deadlines, etc.].

College representatives typically give a brief presentation about the university, but, more importantly, allow for a ques-tion and answer session. Students can ask the representatives specific questions that can only be answered face to face, and the representatives typically give insight into the admission process as well as special programs that the school may offer.

While information and tips are helpful, there is another crucial benefit to college visits that students and perhaps even teach-ers may not realize.

“The person who comes sometimes is the one who reads the applications,” said Farrey. “They can put a name with a face later on and remember a student who was

present at a visit.”This comforts students because they

know that at least one person at a seem-ingly large college is looking out for their interests. So, while a student could hy-pothetically research information about a college online or collect a pamphlet that a representative left behind, it would not be comparable to the experience he or she gets out of an intimate college visit.

Junior Joya Reasor said that she has been to college visits for Howard University and the University of Georgia so far this year.

“The visits push me to work harder since I see how many other students are interested as well,” said Reasor.

Teachers do not have to worry about these students skipping and not making up any missed work.

Students who choose to attend col-lege visits do so to genuinely gain more knowledge about a university. Although

there may be a few students who go simply to miss class, they represent only a minute minority.

Physics teacher Marie Cabrices admitted that college visits are “a little disruptive” since students can sometimes miss some-thing important like a test during class.

“Make-up work is always a hassle,” said Cabrices.

However, Cabrices said that she has never denied a student from going, as long as they get permission in advance.

If a student makes the proper arrange-ments with a teacher days in advance, then there should be no reason as to why they should not be able to miss one class period for the opportunity to prepare for their future.

“Most [students] do it [attend college visits] to better their education, and the visits really help,” said Reasor.

College Visits Divide Students and Teachersby Liya Mammo

Monet Knox, of Chamblee’s class of 2014 was cross-ing Chamblee Dunwoody Road early in the morning last year in order to get to Stadium Drive when an oncoming vehicle struck her.

After several nights in the hospital, Knox was released with minor injuries and was able to return to school the following week.

Knox is one of the lucky few that can walk away from a pedestrian accident with only minor injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Association and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a pedestrian is killed by an automobile every 111 minutes on average.

After the incident with Knox, principal Dr. Rochelle Lowery talked to the City of Chamblee police department to discuss the possibility of having the blinking lights that indicate a school zone turned on earlier—at 5:30 a.m.—because of the dark mornings. This request is still awaiting approval by the DeKalb County traffic engineers before it goes into effect.

Buford Highway is considered the most dangerous road for pedestrians in Georgia—the number of injuries and fatalities along the 30-mile road is triple that of any other roadway in Georgia.

According to research conducted by attorneys at Montlick & Associates law firm, an average of 30 pe-destrians per year are killed on Buford Highway, with approximately 250 others injured in pedestrian accidents on the roadway.

Crashing at 60 miles per hour is the equivalent of dropping a car from a 12-story building, according to Road Safety Authority. The posted speed limit on Buford Highway is 45 miles per hour, but most cars are traveling at over 50 miles per hour.

Sophomore Areli Hernandez, who lives on a side street directly off of Buford Highway, must confront the perils of this dangerous roadway on a daily basis.

“Just the other day, I was walking [on Buford] when a speeding car crashed into a sign right in front of me,” said

Hernandez. “It was so close, and I was really scared.”Hernandez depends on her legs as a means of trans-

portation. She always uses the crosswalks, but they are primarily placed at intersections, which are far apart and an inconvenience to get to.

“There need to be crosswalks in between stoplights, not just at the ends,” said Hernandez. “I would also feel much safer if people were more informed by [the county] adding signs that say there is a pedestrian crossing.”

The Georgia Department of Transportation will soon begin an $11.5 million project on Buford Highway to im-prove intersection and pedestrian safety.

Six pedestrian hybrid beacons, a raised concrete median, pedestrian countdown timers, ramps for disabled access, and sidewalks on both sides of the roadway will be added to the 2.3-mile stretch of Buford Highway from Lenox Road to Afton Lane.

The project is expected to be completed by April 30, 2015.

New Construction Strives to Prevent Pedestrians Accidentsby Maddy Wetterhall

Volume 86 Issue 2page 4 news

B&G: Do you think that there may be further terms in your future after these two years?

Orson: It is hard to say. Two years is not a very long time. This was a unique election because of the state law [HB 1290] that will be implemented to shrink the board. So, in a typical year this would have been a four year term, but since this is only a two year term, it is not a long time to expect a lot of changes. Therefore, I am hoping that in two years we can make progress, and then if voters feel that if I have done a good job, it may be appropriate for me to have a further term.

B&G: How do you plan to balance the needs of your constituents along with the needs of the entire county?

Orson: I think our first agenda has to be looking into the needs of the entire school district. There are some that want to parlay that into ‘we have a responsibility to our specific area as we are elected by our individual districts.’ School boards are perhaps unique political institutions in that it is clear from the outset that their responsibilities are to the district as a whole and not to smaller constituencies. So, while we all come to the table informed by our experi-ences in a particular area, our responsibility is to the entire district.

Dr. Melvin Johnson, District 6B&G: Why did you choose to run for the Board of

Education?Johnson: I decided to run for the Board of Education be-

cause I wanted to ensure excellence as it relates to boys’ and girls’ achievement in the DeKalb County School District.

B&G: What do you feel you can bring to the table as a school board representative?

Johnson: I don’t have to wonder as to value of a teacher. I have experienced it. I have been a teacher, a principal, an assistant principal an assistant area superintendant, area superintendant, and deputy superintendant. So, I know the value of a teacher and how important it is to involve the whole community in the education of a student. I know that teachers are the number one individuals and part in the School District that have a direct relationship with our kids on a daily basis.

B&G: What are your main goals come January, when you assume your seat on the board?

Johnson: My number one goal is to restore public trust in the educational process and to restore excellence in the DeKalb County School District. Also, our goal should be to take every student to the highest level that they can possibly accomplish, be it the normal students, average students or excellent students. The students who need additional sup-port should be given that support. The accelerated students should be given the same attention [as others] so that they

will not be limited in going where they need to go in terms of excellence.

The Final Terms: Representatives Set to Leave Of-fice in January

Paul Womack, District 4B&G: What are your views on the newly elected board

members?Womack: That was the choice of the electorate. We do

live in a democratic society, and I think they [the new elects] will have a very tough role to hold next year just given the nature of the beast with the economy and the financial problems that we are facing.

B&G: What are your goals for the remainder of your term?

Womack: I want to bring to conclusion the investigation into how and why we [the school district] overspent our budget without the board’s knowledge. I have called for the governor to investigate, and for some reason I am getting a deaf ear downtown [in the state capitol].

Some say I called for this investigation because of poli-tics and to get reelected, but I haven’t backed off of it. It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with kids in the classroom getting shortchanged and tax payers not getting what they signed up for.

B&G: Why do you think you were not reelected?Womack: I won the primary and most of my supporters

thought I had been reelected. [Womack took 47 percent of the votes in the primary and had to participate in a run-off with McMahan, who then won 65 percent of the votes on August 21.]

This has been a very interesting four years for me. I also served 12 years on the board back from 1981 through 1992. To me, the board of education is one of most important positions a voter will vote for. Education is the future of the county, the state and the nation. Since I have been on the board of education this past term, we have had nothing but problems. We had a superintendant [Crawford Lewis] indicted, a chief operational officer indicted and budget problems. I can understand the citizens wanting a change, but I am the only business person on the board; I have started four successful companies and have sold three of them.

B&G: How has being a board member differed from leading companies?

Womack: When you are a school board member, you have got to have a superintendant that you have confidence in, and we do have that in our superintendent [Atkinson] now.

Some of my good friends in the political world thought I was crazy when I voted for her. My vote is a very precious thing to me. Some of my Republican friends who questioned

my vote have said that I am being vindicated every day now, so that is reassuring. Dr. Atkinson is a very big plus for the DeKalb School District, and I trust her.

B&G: How do you think the school board should be viewed by stakeholders?

Womack: With skepticism. We are being investigated by SACS [Southern Association of Colleges and School], and they don’t come in on a whim.

B&G: Do you think there is a learning curve when joining the school board?

Womack: Oh yes. You see, you think when you join the school board you have all of the answers, but you are dumb as heck. When I ran the first time [in 1980], I thought I knew everything, but it didn’t take me more than a year to realize how dumb I was.

Don McChesney, District 2B&G: What are your goals for the remainder of your

term?McChesney: I would like to see a steady rise in student

achievement and see us get our financial house in order and regain the respectability of the public.

When you are on the board you see a lot of things the public doesn’t. What you read and what you hear [from the public viewpoint] is not always accurate. Newspapers do not make money selling good news. They make money selling controversy.

B&G: Why do you think you were not reelected?McChesney: A combination of things, like the anti-

incumbent mentality of ‘everybody on the board is not very good.’ I often voted for things that I lost. Many of the votes were five to four.

B&G: Do you think there is a learning curve when joining the school board?

McChesney: There is a very steep learning curve. The amount of material and the reams of paper [you encounter as a board member] is massive. You have to have expertise in multiple areas, and I think you enter [the board] a little naïve.

B&G: When you were a student in DeKalb, did you think about the school board?

McChesney: As a student then, I never even thought about the school board. When I was in the county school district it was in the 50s and 60s, and it was one of the top school districts in the United States. The only time I ever thought of the school board was when I was a teacher. The view from the school house up and the view from the board room down are quite different.

B&G: Will you run for the school board again in 2014?

McChesney: I think you can count on it.

Getting on Board: Q&A with DeKalb County School Board Continued

Average SAT scores for 2012 were released early September of this year and Chamblee’s average score was higher than any other school in DeKalb County.

The state has been in a five year slump, but this year the average score spiked to 1452, and the national average score rose seven points for an average score of 1498. Chamblee’s average SAT score was 1613.

Despite these seemingly significant changes, Cham-blee’s PSAT/SAT prep teacher, Mart Macon-Gee, has reason to believe that Chamblee should be concerned about its average SAT scores. In 2009, the average score was 1662 and in merely three years the score has slipped 49 points.

“We have superseded the county now for years; we should now compare ourselves to the rest of the state,” Macon-Gee said.

The state includes schools such as Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, whose average

score was 1914, or Northview High School in Fulton, whose average score was 1751.

Macon-Gee also pointed out a decline in the student population’s interest in academics as they become more and more concerned with football and overall school spirit.

“I think that this whole school spirit thing is taking over,” one senior said, who wished not to be identified.

An apathetic attitude has been developed towards aca-demics at Chamblee as the students have put much of their efforts elsewhere. Not only are students abandoning their studies, they are pressured into thinking that the SAT is the better test to take over the ACT.

“The SAT is a cognitive test, the ACT is an achievement test,” Macon-Gee said.

The difference between the two mean that students are not identical concerning academic abilities, and possess different skills that may cause an individual to score higher

on the ACT than on the SAT and vice versa. Colleges and Universities usually accept either test, so students should not be pressured into taking only one test. Studies cited in the Atlanta Journal Constitution suggest that individuals take both tests at least once.

Even though Chamblee has been suffering a slump for the past few years, overall scores in Georgia have been improving. Minorities in Georgia are outperforming those in the rest of the nation, lowering the performance gap in Georgia to 270, 35 points away from the nation’s achieve-ment gap number of 305.

Information was taken from various AJC articles; De-spite the Changes, Scores take a Tumble by D. Aileen Dodd, and Georgia SAT Scores Rise as National Scores Falter a Bit by Maureen Downy.

Chamblee SAT Scores Exceed National and State Averagesby Sasha Holton

Freedom of Expression Limited for Chamblee’s Republicansby Mollie Simon

When outsiders look at Georgia, the stereotypical figure is more often than not a Republican farmer clad in hunting gear with a Southern accent.

From an insider standpoint, it is clear that assuming all Georgians are Republican is an over-the-top and uninformed viewpoint. In fact, if an individual walked down the halls of Chamblee, they would see quite the opposite scene. Shirts with President Barack Obama’s face and the word “Change” are a norm, and students with shirts espousing Republican ideas or bearing the name “Romney” are few and far between.

The fact of the matter is that the state of Georgia is much like a doughnut in terms of politics. Georgia has been a “red

state” (voting Republican) in every presidential election since 1996. Yet the majority of the Metro-Atlanta area, as well as concentrated population zones such as Columbus, Savannah, Macon, Augusta and Athens have voted Demo-cratic in elections.

In fact, from 1872 until the election of Governor Sonny Perdue in 2003, every governor of Georgia was a Democrat. But further political contrasts are seen in Georgia’s House of Representatives, where 114 representatives are Republican and only 63 are Democratic.

According to the New York Times, in 2008 Georgia’s 15 electoral votes went to presidential candidate Senator John McCain (who took 52 percent of the state), while 79 percent

of DeKalb’s votes went to President Barack Obama. “We live in one of the most liberal counties in Georgia

and attend one of the most liberal schools, so naturally I think some amount of shunning or shaming of Republicans comes with that,” said senior Chadwick Smith, who has volunteered with the Democratic Party.

In the halls of Chamblee, a stark political imbalance is clear. When ideological discussions emerge within class-rooms, students overwhelmingly turn to Democratic views, which can cause unfair treatment of Republicans who try to express their beliefs.

continued on page 7

ad specIal Volume 86, Issue 2page 5

Volume 86 Issue 2page 6 sports

If you ever played Madden ’04, you probably remember one thing that stood out above the rest. Michael Vick was a video game god. He is still considered by many to be one of the best sports video game characters of all time because he was virtually unstop-pable. He truly had the moves of Barry Sanders and an arm like John Elway. The video game ver-sion of Michael Vick could take a good team and turn them into a Super Bowl contender.

It is easy to admire Vick and the way his 4.3 speed twists bodies on the field, but in real life after eleven years all he has to show for it is two playoff wins. Vick may be the most athletic running quarterback the league has ever seen but for all his talent and blaz-ing speed he has only two wins to show for it. History has shown during the existence of the NFL that running quarterbacks do not win Super Bowls.

The league has seen its share of running quarterbacks in Dono-van McNabb, Steve McNair, and Daunte Culpepper. They have all promised to study more film and pass more but that rarely happens. Instead what often happens is that these athletes try to turn NFL contests into games that resemble backyard two hand touch where often the fastest person wins vs. the mere mortal. Unfortunately, everyone is bigger, faster, and stronger than the average weekend warrior in the NFL these days.

Highlights sell tickets and put fans in the seats but for how long? Defenses have become smarter at containment and dare running quarterbacks to beat them with their arms. The hits a running quarterback takes begin to take their toll and seem to age a running quarterback more quickly than a passing one. Vick’s head diving antics to get extra yards instead of sliding feet first have resulted in not playing an entire season since 2006. Even the Kevlar flak jacket that Vick wears when he takes the field won’t be able to stop the hands of time or to stop the toll from the hits his body takes from choosing to run first and pass second.

During the 1985 NFL season, Randall Cunningham, a running QB, eventually took over the job of Philadelphia Eagles quarter-back from Ron Jaworski of ESPN television fame because of his run-ning ability. In 1991, Cunningham suffered a devastating ACL injury in a game against the Green Bay Packers which took away much of

his speed and agility. It was only after he stopped scrambling and started relying more on the pass that he became a part of one of the greatest offensive juggernaut teams of all time, the Minnesota Vikings of 15-1 fame. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Randall had a future Hall of Famer in Cris Carter and on the opposite end a rookie wide receiver by the name of Randy Moss.

I have to admit after Vick’s first season I caught a bad case of “Falcon Fever” myself believing much like the Madden version of Vick that he would be the one to take Atlanta back to the Super Bowl and seal the deal. Pundits have often joked about Tim Tebow “being the best throwing halfback in the NFL” but is Vick just a faster more athletically gifted version of this? Some experts even predicted after his rookie season that when Vick could no longer rush past everyone that then and only then would he truly unlock his potential as a dual threat because he would have to pass.

Will Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III be part of this trend that comes and goes in the same way the Wildcat offense was in vogue a few years ago? Will they learn from the running quarterbacks that came before them? Until someone is able to break the mold, running makes highlights but passing still wins championships.

Q&A: Athletic Eligibilityby Alex Bragan

Born to Runby Todd Spearmanm,

Sports Columnist

Introducing the Blue and Gold’s New Sports Columnist

Volleyball is truly a team effort wherein communication is essen-tial: one player cannot be running all over the court, saving the ball from hitting the ground, thus there is a great deal of talking needed for success.

There is no doubt that Cham-blee’s 2012 team is full of spirit- their warm up was to the tune of the latest pop hits, with the pounding bass marking passionate volleys and spikes.

The Bulldogs have put a great deal of effort into their sport. They began practicing last year, with weekly practices invigorating what is often thought of as down time for many student athletes. In terms of preparation, the team has long been ready for the state rounds, but their attitudes may be the deciding factor in their success as a team.

“During practice, our team has a really fun spirit,” manager Danny Bastos said, “It’s when we get into the game that we start

facing problems. Our team always does really well on the first match in a game- but if something goes wrong in the second match, we have a hard time recovering.”

During the AAAA first-round home match against Alexandria, that seemed like it would become the Lady Buldogs’ fate.

They dominated the first set, but lost the second- earning a groan from the managers and fans. Unlike during the regular season, a team must win best three-of-five set rather than two-of-three to advance to the next round of the state playoffs.

“If someone messes up in a game, it tends to mess with the entire team,” said the other man-ager, Roy McReynolds, “Some of our players blame each other. There’s a real attitude problem on the team.”

It would seem like the team put these differences aside, because after they lost the second set, they

went on to win the third and fourth sets. As a result, the Lady Bulldogs become the first Chamblee team this school year to earn a trip to the second round of the state playoffs. After Blue and Gold press dead-line, Chamblee will play Veterans High School, which is located near Macon, in the second round of the state playoffs.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress,-Frederick Douglas” reads the back of the ladies’ warm up shirts, and it would seem that this struggle has come to fruition.

The team is more prepared than ever to square up against their next opponents in state rounds,

“We always have a sound strategy,” said main setter Danielle Bennett,

“Never let them get happy. If they’re good, we have to crush their spirit. If they’re bad, we crush them mentally and physically. You can’t ever give them a chance.”

Volleyball Finished Second in the Region; Won First-

Round State Matchby Emily Kandzierski

Sports have come to be an integral part of any high school experience. Surveys suggest that 55.2 percent of American students participate in school athletics. Most, however, do not consider whether or not they actually qual-ify to play their sport of choice. Chamblee’s Athletic Liaison Alan Loper sat down with the Blue and Gold to talk about things every student should know about athletic eligibility.

Q: Is there anybody who auto-matically qualifies for sports?

A: No mater what, all freshman are eligible for any fall sport, and will continue to be eligible for spring sports as long as they pass five out of their seven fall courses for the remainder of their four

years of athletic eligibility.Q: How many credits must

students have to participate in athletics?

A: In accordance with Dekalb County requirements, in order to play a sport, by the season of the sport (fall/spring), sophomores must have 6 credits, juniors 12, and seniors 18.

Q: We’ve heard that there are different credit standards. Is this true?

A: The GHSA (Georgia High School Association) only requires five credits for sophomores, 11 for juniors and 17 for seniors. Typically, GHSA standards are followed.

Q: If a student doesn’t pass the required five courses in spring se-

mester, can they play fall sports?A: If the necessary course

requirements are not fulfilled dur-ing the spring semester, a student may attend summer school to get the remaining credits needed; it is considered an extension of the spring semester, allowing them to play should they make up their credits.

Q: Can a student still play sports if they have just moved to the school?

A: If a student moves from one school to another, he or she are considered a migrant student and cannot play varsity sports for a full calendar year, unless he or she can prove that his or her move was “bona-fide”.

continued on page 7

Volume 86 Issue 2page 7 news

A “bona-fide move” is defined as any move in which all of the student’s family moves from residence A in their old

district, to residence B in the new district. If the move is not considered “bona-fide”, an appeal can be made the GHSA

Hardship Committee.Q: Do these rules still apply

if someone comes for a magnet program?

A: Yes, the normal hardship would still need to be filed.

Q: Can said student still play Junior Varsity sports?

A: The rules discussed above only apply to Varsity sports. All students (except seniors) can participate in JV athletics, so long as they meet the other requirements.

Q: Is it possible to participate in two sports per sea-son?

A: As long as the coaches approve, a student may par-ticipate in a typical maximum of two sports per season.

Q: Can a student in joint enrollment still participate in athletics?

A: Yes, as long as he or she is still carried on the school attendance list, and given he or she meets other require-ments.

Q: If a student plays a sport for a club, can they also play for the high school, even if the seasons overlap?

A: Yes, as long as the student is allowed by both coaches and is able to make practices, they are allowed to do so. If, however, a student misses any portion of a county sponsored meet to attend a club sponsored meet, that student will be kicked off their school’s team and stripped of any awards.

Q&A: Athletic Eligibility

“I really don’t feel like I can express my political opinions,” said a Republican junior (Student A) who wished to remain anonymous. “I feel like by voicing the unpopular opinion, I’ll get shot down and totally overpow-ered by people who just don’t want to hear a view from the other side of the story—or political spectrum rather.”

Deciding whether or not to express political views depends highly on the individual, but Chamblee is not conducive to Republican opinions.

“I know there a few other students that have similar beliefs to me who don’t feel they can freely express their ideas,” said Republican senior James Hanley. “It is a comfort thing. I just say what I feel, but sometimes you are actually verbally attacked for saying how you feel.”

Caution in expressing political alignments can be a problem for individuals of any party, but it has become exceedingly tricky during the presidential race.

“Unfortunately, I hesitate to tell anyone about my politics because of the current political climate,” said a Libertarian teacher (Teacher A), who wished to remain anonymous. “Also, people are always uncomfortable when they are around others with different opinions. They want to prove that they are correct.”

Students are often quick to associate certain beliefs with broader political platforms, so people are careful not to make off-handed comments about personal convictions.

“You can go from being fiscally conservative to being a racist in a conversation. It is a slippery slope,” said Hanley, who is black. “I think that just speaks to general political ignorance. Especially with this presidential race, a lot of it is race based. It is a black guy versus a white guy. I have had people come up to me and be like, ‘Why don’t you like Obama? He’s black.’ But, that is not a reason to like someone, and that is not a reason that someone should be

a president.”Much of the ability to handle discussions about politics

in a mature and calm manner has to do with age.“I think it requires a certain level of maturity [to talk

about politics],”said Hanley. “I think junior and senior year you can have better conversations about politics than in say your freshman or sophomore years.”

There are ways that the Republicans of Chamblee feel the debate over politics could be better approached in the classroom.

“Just by addressing the fact that there are two sides to every story and having students look at both sides, some of the assumptions people make can be put to rest,” said Student A. “Also, by making the classroom an environment where people can express their ideas more openly and freely without judgment, it would be easier for people to accept others’ opinions.”

Sharing thoughts can simply be easier for Democrats than it is for Republicans at Chamblee.

“I do like attending a majority Democratic school. It usually means I’m not shunned for my beliefs, so I am more willing to share,” said Smith.

While most students at Chamblee are not yet of vot-ing age, they are a representative sample of the rest of the county. In February 2008, during the presidential prefer-ence primary in DeKalb, 148,994 individuals voted with the Democratic Party ballot, whereas a mere 36,581 individuals voted on the Republican ballot in DeKalb, according to the county’s website.

Living in an area with such a landslide divide in politics can cause Republicans to hold back their views.

“I just feel like people make so many assumptions, and if I say I’m a Republican people will just assume that I’m all about myself and my opinions or that I’m a bad person

because I don’t believe and stand for the same things as them,” said Student A.

Simply mentioning a Republican ideal—even for people who are not Republican—can cause incorrect labels to be placed on an individual.

“In our economics class, a lot of political talks go on, and they go well. But, I have noticed that many people are fiscally conservative whether they associate themselves with that or not,” said Hanley. “It really speaks to the stereotypes. People don’t want to be labeled as a Republican whether they have those views or not. It is type casted as a bad thing, which is kind of sad to me. Though, with people like Rush Limbaugh [radio talk show host], it is easy to see.”

With a certain level of political blindness in American classrooms (see “Ignorance Ingrains Itself in American Culture”, September 25, Blue and Gold online edition), it is understandable why many tiptoe around these issues. When asked whether high schoolers are too young to take sides in politics, Teacher A offered a different perspective.

“No. High school is not too soon for politics because you have to evolve. You must start somewhere to be a mature and informed adult eventually,” said Teacher A.

While students may profess certain views, it is key to recognize that political opinions often originate at home.

“You kind of get politics from your parents like a dis-ease,” said Libertarian senior Conner Hart.

Naturally, there are expectations to this rule.“I am not sure how my dad is registered, he won’t tell

me,” said Hanley, who will be unable to vote in the upcom-ing election as he turns 18 at the end of November. “My parents have definitely given me the freedom to decide [my political alignment] for myself.”

Freedom of Expression Limited for Chamblee’s Republicans Continued

Obama, Romney Clash on Number of Issues in the Debatesby Kunal Goel

News Analysis

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney aggres-sively confronted President Obama on a number of issues at the first presidential debate in Denver, Colorado.

As Romney tried to make up for ground lost in recent polling, he consistently attacked the president’s record with a fiery attitude, and simply dismissed a struggling President Obama on many issues.

The debate itself was split into five parts, all dealing with domestic policy. Three parts dealt with the economy, one part with healthcare, another about how the candidate would govern, and a last general-question section. The all-important third man in the room was experienced moderator Jim Lehrer, who struggled mightily to even out the time of speaking for both candidates, as both Romney and Obama continuously interrupted him.

Historically speaking, the beginning of the debate has always been the most important. President Obama received the first word and began the debate with a joke about the fact it was his anniversary on that day.

“I just want to wish, sweetie, you happy anniversary,” said President Obama speaking to his wife Michelle. “And let you know that a year from now we will not be celebrat-ing it in front of 40 million people.”

In his opening speech Romney continued the joke himself.

“I’m sure this is exactly where you want to be for your anniversary,” said Romney. “Here with me.”

However, this light tone diminished quickly, as the first question, dealing with taxes started a full out debate about which plan does what.

President Obama started his argument by repeatedly mentioning that Romney has a plan to give a five trillion dollar tax cut, skewed to the wealthy, and to give the mili-tary two extra billion dollars, all of which would not be accounted for.

“I’m not looking for a five trillion dollar tax cut,” re-sponded Romney to this accusation. “What I’ve said is I won’t put in place a tax cut that adds to the deficit.”

Obama then came back with another attack, perhaps his strongest line of the debate.

“Well, for 18 months he’s been running on this tax plan,” said Obama. “And now, five weeks before the election, he’s saying that his big, bold idea is, ‘never mind’.”

However, the Romney camp came to the debate very prepared, as their plan going in was to come up with a number of “zingers” and attacks against the president, which Romney was able to deliver very well.

“You’ve been president four years. You said you’d cut the deficit in half,” said Romney. “It’s now four years later. We still have trillion-dollar deficits.”

Many times, Romney used an effective listing method, proving that he did his research as he manipulated numbers to peg the president, leaving Obama flustered and without rebuttal.

Outside of policy discussion, there was a clear difference in the body language of the two candidates. Romney stared down the president, and was quite animated. Obama on the other hand looked much more tired, and sometimes looked at Jim Lehrer as if he wanted support.

This body language gave the aura of a very old and tired man, whereas Romney came off much the opposite.

Lastly, and most importantly, Romney proved that his debate skills outmatched those of the President in the first debate. After months of hiding behind advertisements to attack the other candidate, the opportunity arose in this debate, to confront the opposite party in a lie, or rebut various arguments.

Whether supported by the facts or not, Romney was able to do this in the Colorado, and President Obama was not. Therefore, Romney was able to win the first debate and has benefitted in the polls, in which there is now a statistical tie between the two candidates.

“You know, four years ago, I said that I’m not a perfect man and I wouldn’t be a perfect president,” said Obama in his closing statement. “And that’s probably a promise that Governor Romney thinks I’ve kept.”

However, the roles of the two candidates switched dramatically in the second debate, hosted by Hofstra University in New York City, and moderated by Candy Crowley of CNN.

continued on page 9

Volume 86, Issue 2page 8 edItorIals

The Blue and Gold accepts and encourages all signed letters

and other submissions but re-serves the right to edit such sub-

missions for size and content.

The Blue and Gold exists to serve the needs of the Chamblee High School student body and

therefore is a forum for free expression.

The opinions and views ex-pressed within the Blue and

Gold do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty and

staff of Chamblee High School or DeKalb County. The views

expressed in all signed articles represent the views of the

author only. Likewise, all un-signed articles represent only

the views of the staff and edito-rial board of the Blue and Gold and in no way reflect upon the views, opinions, or beliefs of Chamblee High School, its faculty, staff, or students or

DeKalb County, or any agent or affiliation thereof.

Editors in ChiefMollie Simon

Suzanne Lechner

EditorsNews -Maddy WetterhallFeatures - Liya Mammo

Staff WritersAllison Bennett

Alex BraganKunal Goel

Sasha HoltonSolina Jean-LouisEmily Kandzierski

Sarah MageeDan Richardson

Kobi Warner

AdviserChristopher Smith

The Blue and Gold is a student publication of

Chamblee High School3688 Chamblee-Dunwoody

RoadChamblee, GA 30341

Staff

Blue and Gold New Tests Interrupt Learning Environmentby Suzanne Lechner

Added Costs Mar Traditional Senior Yearbook Purchaseby Suzanne Lechner

Roundtable Meetings Waste Time and Energyby Mollie Simon

In their continuing effort to expand trans-parency, the DeKalb County School District administrators have once again proven their talent in obscuring helpful information.

On September 13, the district announced the dates for five “Parent Roundtable Meetings” to take place throughout the month of October. These meetings were intended to replace the Parent Advisory Committees that the county had previously hosted.

“Learn more about the status of current issues faced by the district and hear about new initiatives launching in the 2012-13 school year,” said the flyer advertising the meetings.

Instead of the events being a way for parents to find out about the state of the county and ask questions (as advertised), the meetings were a means for the county to poll parents.

The argument proposed by Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Atkinson was that the previous Parent Advisory Committee format was inef-fective. She stated that parents went to those meetings with targeted, area-specific questions which used up valuable time as they were items that only certain administrators could address.

At the October 16 meeting at Tucker High School, which took place from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, Atkinson emphasized trying to get parents

out of the event on time in order to watch the presidential debate.

If the goal of the parent roundtables was truly to better utilize time, then the district may need some schooling.

The first thirty minutes of the meeting at Tucker were employed by senior DCSD staff to give two-minute synopses of their depart-ments, for the regional superintendent to be introduced, and for the regional principals to be introduced. In effect, one-third of the meeting was spent naming people in the auditorium.

The senior staff briefings proved particu-larly elucidating as Chief Financial Officer Mi-chael Perrone clarified the county’s monetary issues.

“We just went through a difficult budget, and we are probably about to go through an-other one,” said Perrone.

He also mentioned that the county was starting the process of incorporation into the state accounting system; a process which was “too complicated” for people at the meeting to understand and was therefore not explained in detail.

Following the introductions, the well-filled auditorium was split into breakout groups which were instructed to address specific questions such as: “What causes parents to

stay involved in their school?” and “What do you see as absolutely essential things to know about the district?”

After parents discussed the points, every-one was asked to reconvene so that the group recorders could share the ideas they covered.

Instead of answering questions, the admin-istrators asked evidently active parents (as they had taken the time to attend the meeting), to preach to the choir and share their new concepts for the county.

The same task of getting parent input could have easily been completed through an online survey which more individuals could have ac-cessed. Additionally, as for the fact that parents were “encouraged to submit their questions in advance” (as stated in the press release regard-ing the meetings), no one’s questions were addressed in the supposed “open forum”

After the first group recorder had shared their team’s ideas during the final conferring stage, the next recorder summed up the feel-ing in the Tucker room best with one word, “ditto.”

The parent’s remark was greeted with ap-plause and a high-five from the first recorder, but when all was said and done, the score was unchanged: parents-0, DCSD-0.

In the past month, most students have had to take at least one Student Learning Objective test (also known as an S.L.O.). These tests, given in a pre-test/post-test format, are sup-posed to gauge teacher effectiveness in classes that do not include an End of Course Test.

While the idea of measuring teachers based on what their students actually learn sounds beautiful, this format is not conducive to evalu-ating teachers.

The pre-/post-tests use class time that could be used by teachers to do their jobs by teaching students. Printing and grading the tests also diverts teacher attention from lesson plans and student needs, which goes against the proposed mission of the tests.

More importantly, though, the students look at the tests, see that they are not graded and decide to “Christmas tree” the answer sheet. Then, DeKalb County officials trying to base teacher pay off of the results cannot accurately measure the students’ growth and thereby,

teacher effectiveness. With EOCTs at least, a student’s test grade is worth fifteen percent of his or her final grade.

For some classes in which SLOs were administered, the tests were not truly level based, and students could answer most of the questions on the pre-test. Therefore, there would not be a measurable increase in grades for the post-tests, even if the teacher was truly outstanding. In most cases, the teacher can guess what a student does and does not know based on the classes he or she has taken and how well he or she is scoring on test questions that require basic knowledge without the help of an inaccurate pre-test.

There are also some students who are motivated outside of the classroom, and study actively even without teacher input. These students would score well on the post-test even if they had a terrible teacher, but because of the system, their success is reflected as that of the teacher.

The same situation can happen in reverse. If a teacher is lively and exciting, but the stu-dents are unmotivated, then the post-test grades will not show an adequate increase from the pre-test in the eyes of county officials. The teacher, then, will be blamed for the students’ mistake.

A better way to evaluate teacher perfor-mance would be for students to fill out online surveys during fall semester of the following year (or summer if they are seniors). At this point, students will have received any Ad-vanced Placement test results and can, for the most part, effectively rate a teacher based on personal growth.

Students who take the time to answer the survey questions and comments (if officials decide to provide that option) should be taken seriously by the county administration. These are the students who pay attention in class, and they would be able to evaluate their teachers more thoroughly than the S.L.Os would.

The senior year yearbook is the one most students will purchase, even if they did not buy the memory of one of the other three years of their time in high school. It is a hard-back copy of the four years spent in high school with long good-bye letters from friends scrawled across every empty space.

The yearbook itself is expensive at $90, which can be paid in multiple installments, but for seniors there is an added cost of $25 to actually have their picture appear in the section with the rest of their classmates.

The extra money goes to Cady Studios which takes the picture with the standard senior background (blue) and either a black gown or tuxedo. The picture package itself has to be bought separately.

All other grade levels take part in a free photo shoot before which students can choose

whether to purchase a picture package or not. The photo is automatically sent to the yearbook staff for insertion.

It is understandable that it would cost extra for seniors to borrow the costume, but instead, seniors are essentially blackmailed into buying a photography session at Cady Studios, whose nearest location is in Alpharetta. Cady Studios offered two in-school sessions, but the slots were limited.

Cady exploits the opportunity by strongly encouraging seniors to book elite sessions that can cost up to $400, not including the actual pictures themselves. The seniors from every school partnered with Cady, who sign up for special treatment, are listed on Cady Studio’s website to encourage others from the school to participate.

To add insult to injury, Cady Studios

even hosted a special assembly last semester, wasting class time, to inform students about this program, should they wish to preserve a memory of themselves in the yearbook with their classmates.

With the added cost, the senior yearbook is now $115, a hefty sum for a book, let alone one that will be read from cover to cover only once and then sporadically when the current seniors hit their mid-life crises.

Instead, it would be more beneficial to of-fer these advanced choices only as an option to seniors, not as a requirement for their yearbook picture. Many would still want the official cap and gown photo to show to friends and family, and the rest would be perfectly happy with a normal yearbook photo.

The Blue and Gold Wants to hear from you! Do you have and article idea or an opinion about arecent Chamblee event?

If so, please stop by trailer T4A!

In this day and age, the future is everything. There is always new technology on the horizon, new ways to help improve the lives of Americans, and of course, there is the new generation.

As many Chamblee students have recognized, there is a lot of pressure put on high schoolers to do well now in order to improve their futures. It seems like the young people in this generation are perfectionists. They have been “trained” to always be better than everyone else and be the best at everything.

This becomes very apparent when adolescents get to high school, and especially when they are applying for colleges. These days, students are expected to go to col-lege. If one wants to succeed in life, it seems as if they have to have a four-year higher education degree under his or her belt.

The question that faces many Chamblee students now is how to get into college.

In a survey of 73 Chamblee students in grades 9-12, 93 percent said that they feel pressure on a daily or weekly basis to do well in school because they have to focus on their futures. Eighty-two percent said that they feel like one mistake can ruin their entire academic career.

“Colleges can see everything now,” commented an anonymous online participant. “If they see that you made a C in 11th grade math, your chances of getting into that school will probably be reduced.”

Students do not know who to blame for all the stress they feel. It can be parents, teachers, or sometimes even themselves.

“A lot of the stress that students feel is self imposed,”

said SAT prep teacher Marti Macon-Gee. “You should do the best you can do; that’s what colleges want to see.”

Sometimes being the best that you can be is not enough. Eighty-six percent of participants felt like they have to be straight-A students, take many Advanced Placement classes, and be involved in extracurricular activities to even be considered for a school or scholarship.

“Colleges have become much more competitive in recent years than they were before, and scholarships are more difficult to come by because of the bad economy,” said an online participant.

Many teenagers in generation Z feel like they have to plan for their lives ten years from now while they are still in high school.

“I feel as if there’s a lot weighted on your future be-cause if you get into a top notch college, then you’ll have more job opportunities. Therefore you [will] make more money, and life is less of a struggle,” said an online participant.

These days, unfortunately, attending an exceptional college does not necessarily mean that one will come out with many job opportunities. It is becoming extremely tough for college graduates with degrees to find work.

“It isn’t guaranteed that you’re going to get a job after college in the job market today. Wherever you start [after high school], as long as it is college, it is fine,” said Macon-Gee. “Doing your undergraduate degree at a less expensive school [to avoid financial debt] is fine, and then you can transfer to another more prestigious school for graduate school if you want.”

According to the National Association of Colleges

and Employers, the U.S. jobless rate for people ages 16-24 with a bachelor’s degree actually rose to 7.4 percent in April, from 6.9 percent a year earlier, but was still down from 8 percent in April 2010. This gives current college students hope for the future.

At the end of the day, the future is important, but students are forced to put way too much pressure on them-selves to be perfect at everything they do. Students need to relax and realize that whatever happens will happen. Teenagers should try their hardest, but not to the point where they begin to feel stressed out all the time.

“I try not to freak myself out too much about grades because if I did, I would never get anything done,” said junior Ana Levie-Sprick. “If I mess something up, that means I just have to fix it for the next time.”

Volume 86, Issue 2page 9 news analysIs / edItorIals

Students Overwhelmed with Planning for the Futureby Solina Jean-Louis

There is no doubt that the cities of Dunwoody and Cham-blee have some stark differences: According to citydata.com, Dunwoody’s median income in 2009 was $84,194-almost double Chamblee’s $44,845.

One has a population with a 64.1 percent white major-ity, whilst 90 percent of the other is composed of ethnic minorities, respectively (City-data)

City-Data also showed that the gap in the two cities does not stop there. In Chamblee, the 1.2 percent reported same-sex cohabiting couples is double Dunwoody’s 0 .5 percent.

The disparities between the two cities are noted cu-mulatively by even their voting tendencies. Dunwoody’s mayor, Mike Davis, is heralded for his conservative poli-cies; whereas Chamblee’s local government is significantly more moderate.

Perhaps the differences are best demonstrated by a simple drive through the two cities. Along the streets of Chamblee, you can find many different housing situations, and a hearty number of yards sporting President Obama’s campaign signs. A tour of Dunwoody would show one

eerily similar houses, with a significant lack of apartment complexes and condos. Maintaining this contrast are the many Romney campaign signs that decorate the yards and cars of Dunwoody.

Having attended a Dunwoody elementary school, Senior Corin Rogers remarks upon his transition into Chamblee.

“There was such a culture shock. In my old school, there were two African Americans in the entire system,” said Rogers, “There weren’t that many other minorities for that matter. You can’t exactly say the same for Chamblee, I think it makes us a much more tolerant group of teenagers.”

That Chamblee is teeming with diversity, not only seems to make them a more liberal group, but also a more accept-ing one. It is a commonly held belief that being exposed to different cultures makes one more tolerant of different cultures and customs.

Within the winding streets of the suburbs of Dunwoody, there is no publicly announced doctrine of prejudice, but it has been implied.

Across the street from my cookie-cutter Dunwoody house, lives an older, white couple who are celebrated in

the community for their generous missionary work in South America. My next door neighbors and I had the gall to set up a basketball hoop in front of our houses in the col-de-sac.

It might seem to an outsider that this was not a bad decision, as it would increase the sporting activity and friendliness of the neighborhood children. The missionar-ies, however, saw this sporting endeavor for what it really was: a threat to the community. Being a good neighbor, they promptly phoned the police.

“That basketball hoop could attract all sorts of undesir-ables- drug dealers and gang members- we just can’t have that sort of thing in our town,” said the older couple. “After all, this isn’t Chamblee.”

This is not to say that every person in Dunwoody would agree with the types of remarks made by my neighbor, nor would every Chamblee resident be known for his or her accepting nature.

There is some truth behind exposure being the key to tolerance, and when most of a city is very similar, acquain-tance with diversity can be hard to achieve.

With Great Wealth Comes Zero Diversityby Emily Kandzierski

Trying to keep the ball of democratic enthusiasm rolling after an energetic perfor-mance by his second in command Joe Biden in the vice presidential debate, Obama came out aggressive and alive, attacking Romney again and again.

In contrast with the first debate, Obama himself had numerous zingers, and seemed to continually accuse Romney of false-hood.

“Governor Romney does not have a five-point plan,” said Obama referring to Romney’s economic plan. “He has a one point plan, which is to help the rich.”

Romney’s performance was not as

weak as that of Obama in the first debate, but many times throughout the debate he seemed flustered and speechless, trying desperately to gain control of the debate by constantly referring back to the President’s record.

“If I become president, I’ll get America working again. I will get us on track to a bal-anced budget. The president hasn’t. I will,” said Romney. “I’ll make sure we can reform Medicare and Social Security to preserve them for coming -- coming generations. The president said he would. He didn’t.”

Perhaps the climax of the debate was when the discussion turned to Libya, a topic

where many expected Romney to score some points. However, President Obama was having none of it, and for the first time in the election, put Romney in his place.

“The suggestion that anybody in my team, whether the Secretary of State, our U.N. Ambassador, anybody on my team would play politics or mislead when we’ve lost four of our own, governor, is offen-sive,” said President Obama as he stared down Romney and pointed his finger at the Governor. “That’s not what we do. That’s not what I do as president, that’s not what I do as Commander in Chief.”

This sequence drastically shifted what

was an even matchup, to a win for Obama in the second debate. Obama came out swinging and did not stop until Crowley called goodnight.

Whether his performance will be enough to quell the momentum Romney gained after the first debate is yet to be seen, and both will continue to campaign hard until Election Day.

However, this matchup is a best of three series, and the third and final debate will take place on Monday, October 22 in Boca Raton, Florida.

Obama, Romney Clash on Number of Issues in the Debates Continued

The Blue and Gold Wants to hear from you! Do you have and article idea or an opinion about arecent Chamblee event?

If so, please stop by trailer T4A!

Volume 86, Issue 2page 10 Features

The main office at Chamblee is like the hard drive of a computer or the capitol building of a city. It is the epicenter of ac-tion, and without the help of a core group of volunteers, it could not function at its optimum efficiency.

“Everything comes through the front of-fice first, and everything goes out from the front office,” said Administrative Secretary Jean Coleman, who has worked in the main office since 2007. “It is the front line of the school, so it is hectic.”

Each day, a number of selfless volunteers work in the office, redirecting and answering

phone calls, sorting mail, helping visitors navigate the building and much more.

“At first, you feel very incompetent, because you don’t know what is going on. People call, and you don’t know the answer, but then you learn that you don’t need to know the answer; you just need to know who has the answer,” said parent of two Chamblee alumni Linda Podger-Williams, who has been volunteering in the office for eight years.

Most of the volunteers join the forces in the front office when their children or grandchildren come to Chamblee High

School.“We were moving

him [grandson] over here because of the school system, and I wanted to double check [by volunteering] that it was as good as I thought it would be,” said ten year volunteer Barbara “Grandma” Moore.

Often, these com-mitted individuals end up staying when they realize that there is a different side of Cham-blee that can only be seen by actively volun-teering at the school.

“It really makes you feel like a part of the school,” said 11 year volunteer Susan Levi. “You learn the teachers, you learn what goes on, and you know why things happen. If you

are working here as a parent, then you know how things tick.”

Some, like City of Atlanta safety officer and volunteer Tony Turman, also hold day jobs or volunteer for other organizations.

“Originally my wife was the volunteer, but then she wasn’t able to continue. It was supposed to be one day where I stood in, but then I stuck with it,” said Turman, the only male among the front office volunteers.

These dedicated volunteers give their own time to help make the school a better place even after their children—or grand-

children have left the school. “You don’t do it because of your kids;

you do it because the school needs you,” said Podger-Williams.

Most agree, though, that helping the students can be one of the most important parts of being a parent volunteer.

“It helps the students’ morale and con-fidence to know that their grandparents are interested in their daily lives and want to support them,” said Janice Hammond whose grandson graduated from Chamblee last year.

There is always a need for more parent involvement and help at the school, but individuals should not feel that they need to commit long-term.

“There are volunteer opportunities for any parent’s schedule,” said mother of two alumni and 14 year front office veteran Patty Ferrer.

The front office is not the only option for parents looking to volunteer at the school.

“We have a lot of committees for PTSA [Parent Teacher Student Association], and we need more people to step up in those areas rather than the same ones taking on the responsibilities and doing multiple things,” said Coleman.

Volunteering is not only a way to keep Chamblee running smoothly, but it also builds relationships among parents at the school. Additionally, as with any community service role, volunteers can leave each day knowing that they have made the school a better place.

“I think everybody should volunteer,” said Levi. “It is a feel-good thing to volun-teer. It doesn’t cost you any money, and it pays very well.”

Front Office Volunteers Guard Front Linesby Suzanne Lechner and Mollie Simon

Students often have limited views of their teachers. Young kids frequently think that teachers actually live in the school. In high school, teens assume teachers work 24/7 because they assign so much home-work.

But believe it or not, teachers do actually have lives outside of school.

Ninth grade math teacher David Scott,

has been at Chamblee for five years. He is known to be nice, helpful, and funny by students but there is a lot to him that students do not know.

During his childhood and teen years, Scott lived in places throughout world.

He was born in Philadelphia but moved to North Carolina before he turned one. From ages four to nine, Scott lived in Kenya,

Africa, then moved back to North Carolina for fourth and fifth grade.

However, from sixth to 12th grade, Scott lived in Berlin, Ger-many, where he established his early persona.

“I was a smart kid in high school, always trying to do the right thing,” said Scott. “I also had dreadlocks, so obviously I liked to stand out and be different.”

Later, Scott graduated from Cov-enant College, a Christian liberal arts college located in Lookout Moun-tain, Georgia, where he fostered some hobbies.

“I did a lot of creative writing in college,” said Scott. “I played a lot of music, and I was a big talker.

I still talk to college friends for about an hour at a time, we like hearing about each other’s lives.”

Scott advised future college students to, ”Remember what you’re paying for and use your time wisely.”

In college, Scott had many different jobs relating to language. He was a German

translator for a teacher, a foreign language tutor, and a teacher’s assistant. His first job out of college, at age 22, was as a Kroger bagger.

Something else that many students do not know about Scott is that he is not just a math teacher at Chamblee. He also teaches classes to the homeless and unemployed.

“I do a good bit with my church because we have an extensive ministry program for the homeless,” said Scott. “I’m teaching a class called ‘Jobs for Life’ to the homeless, a lot of which are former criminals.”

Other hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music (his favorite bands are Radiohead and the Beatles), and spending time with his parents in Lilburn.

Scott has three younger brothers and an older sister, and he is very close with all of them.

“We are always in each other’s busi-ness,” said Scott with a laugh.

As for sports, Scott played a few intra-mural sports in college and was on the soccer team freshman year, where he accidentally scored one goal in his own team’s net.

Great Scott! Teachers Have Lives Tooby Sarah Magee

Students Confess Double-Standard for Teachersby Kobi Warner

For many students, there is a stereotypi-cal image of all teachers being female. But, thanks to recent social changes, it is now okay for both males and females to become educators.

Males and female teachers both have their pros and cons. But, one thing that all teachers alike share is reputation.

When it comes to reputation, it does not matter if a teacher is male or female. Students will judge them based on peer pressure, even if a student has a completely

different experience with the teacher.German teacher Uwe Neuhaus stated

his opinion on how students should judge their teachers.

“When I was a teenager, I did not judge by gender, but by ability,” said Neuhaus. “First impression is everything when a teacher wants respect from their students.”

Junior Sams Khan feels that reputation is defining for teachers and how they teach a class.

“Ms. [DeAnn] Peterson has the best

reputation,” said Khan. “She always teaches each class differently. She is well adapted to her environment even though she is teaching the same class twice [per day].”

English teacher Jennifer Andriano says that respect is the difference between kids learn¬ing and not respecting their teach-ers.

“There has to be a mix of knowledge, ability, and respect in a teacher,” said Andri¬ano. “That way you’ll have your students respect and attention, while still

being able to teach them.”Andriano also says that if a teacher

achieves that level of respect with his or her students, he or she can teach them academic and life lessons.

Another difference between teach-ers is the experience they have had as an educa¬tor and how many years they have been teaching.

continued on page 12

Volume 86, Issue 2page 11

Mention this ad... and get 50% off a pedicure!

Offer expires on November 15

As teenagers gradually progress toward adulthood, they typically outgrow juvenile traditions like they do a pair of jeans.

With Halloween just around the corner, one would think that the holiday might have lost its former significance and allure in the life of students. It appears, however, that this assumption is false.

Certain aspects of Halloween are geared straight at the younger demographic of the population. Dressing up as a beloved fictional character, bobbing for apples, and carving ghoulish jack-o’-lanterns are just a few activities that are a part of the classic childhood Halloween experience.

Nothing fully captures the true child-like spirit of Halloween like a night of trick-or-treating, and a large group of Chamblee stu-dents still observe the traditional Halloween activities that they enjoyed as children.

Junior MaryConnor Thompson shared that she went trick-or-treating last year with a group of friends. Thompson said that she plans on going again this year but has planned an alternative activity if she could not.

“If I don’t go [trick-or-treating] this year, I’ll probably stay at home in my costume, watch scary movies, and scare little chil-dren,” said Thompson.

Junior Justin Clay said that he went trick-or-treating as a banana in ninth grade and does not plan on stopping now ,just because he is older.

Students celebrate Halloween in other ways as well.

Sophomore Hannah Podhorzer said that she will most likely attend a neighborhood party with family this year after having gone trick-or-treating every year up until

middle school.While perhaps more students than ex-

pected still value the holiday, others seem to have outgrown it or find that other matters require more of their time.

“I feel like I had something due the next day,” said Podhorzer jokingly when asked to describe her last Halloween.

Although she said it jokingly, Podhorzer made a relevant point. Some students simply do not have the time to celebrate Halloween. With Halloween falling on a Wednesday this year, more students could choose to skip the festivities and complete school work instead.

“It was more meaningful growing up,” said Podhorzer. “We were more excited to dress up and get candy and now it’s just a regular day.”

However, children and teens are not the

only ones who partake in Halloween. “My dad likes to dress up still,” said

Podhorzer, who recalled how she and her father dressed up as Marge and Homer Simpson for Halloween once.

Even as adults, it is likely to still have that inner child that is just dying to be heard.

As a whole, Chamblee students do not seem to mind going trick-or-treating as teenagers, something that might be viewed as taboo by parents who believe that trick-or-treating should be reserved for the enjoy-ment of younger children only.

“It’s still fun. You get candy and get scared. What’s not to love?,” said Thomp-son.

Halloween: Old Habits Die Hardby Liya Mammo

Buzzzz! The sound of the buzzer fills the room and Chamblee’s quiz bowl team is vic-torious once again. Next step: television.

The Chamblee quiz bowl team, spon-sored by Advanced Placement macro/micro economics teacher Carolyn Fraser, sent a request to Dr. Rochelle Lowery to be considered for High Q, a local television

show for high school quiz bowl teams. High Q chose Chamblee to be one of the teams to participate in an upcoming episode.

In most quiz bowl tournaments, two teams of four people square off. A referee reads a long question about a certain topic giving clues that go from obscure to obvi-ous. When a student thinks of the answer,

he or she hits the buzzer and the team earns 10 points if the response is correct. After that, they get a chance to answer bonus questions.

For the members of the quiz bowl team, this after-school activity is very important because it is a good way to stimulate the mind outside of the traditional classroom setting.

“My favorite part about quiz bowl is that it tests your knowledge in a way that’s very active, especially compared to a test you take at school,” said junior Sounak Das who has competed for Chamblee’s quiz bowl team for three years. “It also takes some-thing that’s super nerdy and not [naturally] very spectator-friendly and makes it fun to watch.”

Senior Kailyn LaPorte said that “power-ing” a question (answering within the first sentence of the question being read) is her favorite strategy and sometimes tourna-ments give a five-point bonus for this.

Just like sports, quiz bowl has strategic elements to it. Even if a student knows the correct answer, nervousness and anxiety can cause a participant to tense up and forget. Das says it all comes down to “reflex and

confidence.”There is no “I” in “team”, and teamwork

is crucial for the quiz bowl team.“A quiz bowl team is only as strong as

its weakest link,” said Das. “Members need to know their strengths, and they also need to know that if they have no idea [what the answer is], they should give the opportunity to someone who may know.”

Especially with high schoolers who have such busy schedules, it can be hard to pursue after school activities, but the quiz bowl manages to make it work.

“It’s hard with everyone being so busy, but the talent and knowledge of the team is stronger than ever,” said four-year member, senior Brandon Smith.

The quiz bowl team at Chamblee has not participated in any tournaments yet this year, but after their debut on High Q, they will participate in one on November 11t and possibly more this semester.

After the Blue and Gold’s press dead-line, the Chamblee quiz bowl team com-peted Sunday, October 21s.

Quiz Bowl Team Prepares for the Big Screenby Sarah Magee

Roll Up Your Sleeve to Avoid the Sneezeby Sarah Magee

photo by Sarah Magee

It is that time of year again: flu season. Every fall, many people hurry to clinics, doctor offices, and drugstores to get their

flu shots or flu mist in order to avoid getting the nasty virus.

Although there are people who despise

getting shots, many still insist on the vac-cinations because they would rather get a shot than be out of school for two weeks

with the flu. Not everyone knows

that nasal spray flu mist is also available, which can be administered with a mist sprayed in the nose and approved for every-one ages two through 49, with the exception of pregnant women.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that “everyone six months of age and older should get the flu vaccine.”

“A flu vaccine is need-ed every year because flu viruses are constantly changing,” reports the Center for Disease Con-trol and Prevention’s of-ficial website, www.cdc.gov. “It’s not unusual for new flu viruses to appear each year.”

Lee Ann Jean-Louis, mother of junior Solina Jean-Louis, is the chief

nurse in the CDC’s Occupational Health Clinic, and she suggests the website as a good source of information about the flu vaccine.

“I get flu shots, and it’s no problem for me,” said junior Zac Maslia. “I’m used to shots because I get allergy shots, and it’s just easier to have doctors put a needle in my arm than having to deal with the flu.”

Others find the vaccination to be unnec-essary. Last year, 58 percent of Americans did not get the shot, according to the CDC’s website.

“I don’t get flu shots because I rarely get sick,” said junior Luke Qin. “I think it’s too much trouble. Plus, I think I’m invincible.”

Some are afraid of ancillary risks like headaches, nausea, and fever.

A study conducted by the CDC con-cluded that on average, more than 200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized each year for the flu. This number is large, and that is why many people insist on getting a flu vaccination.

The CDC projects that flu shots will be up about five percent this year.

“More people are definitely coming in earlier this year to get their vaccinations,” said Stephanie Dowell, a registered nurse at Walgreens who administers flu shots.

Features

Volume 86, Issue 2back page

Local Chamblee Band Crusades to Fameby Dan Richardson

When confronted with the thought of marriage, many Chamblee students are caught off guard.

“I would really only get married if it’s

Zooey Deschanel,” said sophomore Ben Wagner. “Other than that, I won’t do it.”

With age, however, comes maturity and a longing for stability. While largely

unknown, Chamblee had two faculty members tie the knot recently.

Teddy Carter, an 11-year veteran of Chamblee High, wed his fiancée ex-actly one month ago. After meeting at a restaurant downtown, Carter courted his wife for four years be-fore popping the question.

“It was not a traditional proposal,” said Carter. “She was going to be in Las Vegas, so we took advantage of the oppor-tunity.”

The heat of the Mo-jave Desert matched the couple’s passion, and at 9:00 p.m on Friday, Sep-tember the 14th, they were wed in the world famous Stratosphere Hotel.

Carter claims married life has far exceeded his expectations.

“It’s great. It’s everything and more than I thought it would be,” he said.

For some, with marriage comes family,

and on this matter, Carter is quite sure of his stance.

“We’re not thinking of starting a family. It’s too late in life,” said Carter,.“All 1200 students of Chamblee are my family.”

Surprisingly enough, Carter’s wedding was only separated by eight days from that of social studies teacher Robin Mask.

Mask, a ninth grade geography teacher, married her fiancée on September 22nd at the Julia Thompson Smith Chapel at Agnes Scott College, which proved a sublime backdrop for the matrimony.

Mask described her proposal as a recre-ation of the couple’s first date.

“We went to Porter’s [restaurant] for lunch, and then walked to the same park we went to our first time out,” said Mask.

Her husband popped the question there, and Mask was ecstatic.

She has described married life as being “more at peace”, but admits “it’s different for everybody.”

When asked about a possible fam-ily, Mask’s answer differed greatly from Carter’s.

“We are definitely trying to start a fam-ily. I think it’s what a lot of people want to do,” said Mask.

Chamblee Staff Say, I do, I do, I do...by Alex Bragan

Chambleeans Incentivize Their Way Through The Weekby Dan Richardson

Every human being who has attended school has, at one point or another, experienced the Monday Blues.

That dreadful moment when, while still half asleep, you realize that it is only Monday, and a feeling of utter disappointment and depression rolls over you. The students and teachers of Chamblee are pros at combatting these sad mornings and the long school week in general.

One of the classic ways that people motivate themselves through the week is through the promise of Friday. The counting down of days until the weekend begins splits up the school week into more manageable sections. If a student can make it through one day, they are that much closer to free time and a school-free weekend.

“I frown upon Mondays, but after Monday comes Tuesday. Then comes the Hump-day, then the day before Friday, and finally Friday itself,” said junior Zac Maslia. “I just take it day by day. It’s how I manage to stay sane in this school.”

Students may even focus on smaller increments of time,

just to get through a day, and not even think of a week. Get-ting through a school week is mental to most people; not stressing about it usually makes it seem shorter.

“I will think about the rest of the week if I have a big test, but I never dwell on it for long,” said junior Roy McRenyolds. “I just wake up, go to school, and then count the hours until 3:20. I do this five times and then it’s the weekend.”

Some teachers prefer not to think about the length of the week at all. They focus on that day and what they have teach and get done.

“I don’t think of the school week as five days,” said math teacher Judith Landers. “I take it day by day, period by period. I am prepared and I have my lesson plans for the rest of the week, but I don’t worry about tomorrow.”

Other teachers get through the week by getting grading, planning, and teaching certain lessons out of the way, so they can enjoy the other aspects of their lives.

“I’ve been in a bad school before, and here at Chamblee

the kids try and want to learn,” said math teacher Kosal Chan. “So I focus 100 percent of my effort on helping the students, and that’s all the incentive I need.”

Some people are just motivated by the obvious. They have bills to pay, they are required to be at school, or this is what is expected of them.

“I have a mortgage and a car payment, I need to buy food,” said German teacher Aukini Anderson. “It’s really the satisfaction I get from seeing a student finally under-stand something that they’ve been struggling with. That and the great teacher community that makes these facilities bearable.”

While some students have a similar outlook, it is dif-ferent in that they feel like celebrating once a weekend rolls around.

“I take it day by day, since I don’t want to be here, but I have to be,” said junior Louis Khan. “I do go and celebrate once I’m outside of school though. I’m free to do what I want when I want.”

Among the hundreds of students that attend Chamblee Charter High School, one group has separated themselves into an ensemble of musical talent.

Juniors Simon Needle and Charlie Beech, along with senior Morgan Young, comprise the local band Marco Polo and the Crusaders.

Marco Polo and the Crusaders began in sixth grade, when Needle and Beech first decided to start a band, but the actual band itself did not form until eighth grade. The intriguing name was not conceived until sophomore year in Dr. Kathryn Zuelke class.

“We were both in Dr. Z’s class watching a video about fireworks,” said drummer Charlie Beech. “It mentioned how Marco Polo got firework technology from the Chinese. Then it just popped into my head and it sounded really cool, and you know you have to give the people what they want.”

These three musicians have over 20 years of combined musical experience. Needle has played guitar for five years, bass for two years, and trumpet for eight years. Beech has played the drums for four years and ukulele for three years.

While Young has only played bass for a year, she is said to be “picking it up fast” by her bandmates.

“It’s a good thing Simon learned to play guitar when he did,” said Beech. “It has made him pretty great with all his experience, and it helped him transition out of the awkward ‘bed wetting stage’.”

Their last performance was at the Chamblee pre-home-coming game performance, Jamblee, but Marco Polo and the Crusaders have also played at Brittany Pool and Maddy’s Rib Shack, among other establishments.

While they may play at many places, they have always practiced at the same location. Charlie’s basement, which is nicknamed the “Man Cave”. Charlie likes practicing at home and enjoys seeing Roger Rat,who he proclaims is the band mascot. He believes Roger Rat is a hardcore fan, always showing up when they practice.

“We always practice where the drummer [Beech] sets up, which is most often his house,” said Simon. “It’s just a real pain to move all of Charlie’s equipment.”

Marco Polo and the Crusaders writes many of their own

songs. Needle, the singer, guitarist, and recognized leader of the band, said inspiration comes from all different kinds of music.

“I am personally inspired by artists and bands from James Brown to Sublime, John Mayer to Odis Redding, and, of course, Chuck Berry,” said Needle.

Like any good band, Marco Polo and the Crusaders comes with fans. Ally Jones, who has been a fan for over a year, has been called a “groupie” by members of the band.

“I first heard them first when I hung out with them,” said Jones. “They are alternative but play all kinds of songs, and my favorite is definitely ‘Miss Summer’. I know they are writing new stuff but they still haven’t played it for me.”

Marco Polo and the Crusaders plan on releasing an EP (Extended Play) by Christmas.It is titled, You, Me, and Dr. Z and contains many original songs and covers. They will release it on their soundcloud. To listen to this upcoming, local band check out:

http://soundcloud.com/marcopoloandthecrusaders

page 12

Students Confess Double-Standard for Teachers ContinuedSenior Roddas Workneh believes that it depends on a

teacher’s abilities.“It is determined by their own teaching abilities,” said

Workneh. “And if they can make their class a comfortable learning en¬vironment for a student to voice their own opinions or questions.”

Students prefer a teacher who can edu¬cate them on

subjects that they will be able to remember. For senior Rahel Tebo, male teachers provide that much needed education.

“They are more to the point and don’t give as much busy work,” said Tebo. “They simply want us to learn the material that they are teaching.”

Although many students can argue which gender makes for the best teacher, others feel reputation and gender do

not matter.Everybody has their opinions on which gender is the bet-

ter teacher, but one thing is certain. The future is dependent on how well any and all teachers can educate their students, academically and emotionally.