New alarms added to locker room to increase security pages 3
Take a look at Algonquin’s world travelers
pages 8-9
Varsity football writes letters to Ashland player
page 16
Harbinger The Algonquin
SEPTEMBER 2016 vOL. 29 NO. 1
The Student Newspaper of Algonquin Regional High School 79 Bartlett street, Northborough MA 01532 | arhsharbinger.COM
A wave of maroon and gold takeover homecoming
District calendar proposals impact religious holidays Riya Pujari & Carey Davis
Editor-in-Chief & Online Editor A series of proposed district calendars is being discussed by the Combined School Committee which could potentially eliminate days off on religious holidays and shorten February and April vacation in future school years in order to be more representative of all religions and increase in-session school days. Superintendent Christine Johnson recommends proposals for district calendars that the Combined School Committee takes under consideration, ultimately deciding whether or not to implement them. The three calendars that are being reviewed and debated include the 20172018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 school years. In Johnson’s first proposal, the 20172018 school year will have only one minor Photo Rafaela Coelho change. “The first calenFollowing a reinvigorated Spirit Week (see “Tomahawk spirt runs deep” on page 15), students gather at Dick dar will be ‘17-18. No Walsh Field to show their support for the football team in their homecoming game against North Middlesex on changes. Status quo,” September 23. The T-hawks won 34-7 to improve their record to 3-0. Johnson said. “It’s the historical calendar with a recommendation for a halfday on Good Friday.” Superintendent However, in the Christine Johnson year of 2018-2019, Johnson’s proposal has more significant changes. Shannon Youngberg learning environment. “So the second year, which would be “Cell phones have some very ‘18-19, I’m recommending no religious News Editor practical uses,” Mead said. “Inholidays in the school calendar,” Johnson The administration adjusted the cell creasingly so, in the classroom.” said. “We are in session on Good Friday, phone policy in hopes of limiting distracHowever, there is a lack of we are in session on Rosh Hashana, Yom tions and increasing productivity in the support of restricted cell phone Kippur.” classroom for the coming school year. use among some of the student According to Johnson, removing reAccording to principal Tom Mead, the body ligious holidays would allow the school focus was not to change the entire policy, “I think the stigma around district to properly recognize all religions but to make minor modifications and stress cell phone use in school is and faiths. pre-established rules. The new policy en- mostly unjustified,” Hat“[Representing all religions] is a chal“Unless otherwise directed by teachcourages teachers to use their own discre- ton said. “Cell phones lenge and given the fact that we are a mulers or staff, personal cell phones and tion to determine whether cell phone use can be extremely useful ticultural nation, which is outstanding, it is other related electronic devices must during class will be productive. in school if teachers are hard to capture all those celebrations in a be off, and put aside during class.” “What has been emphasized a little willing to let students be school calendar,” Johnson said. bit more is the primacy of the teachers’ a little more independent, “As we become more diverse, in perexpectations for the use of cell phones and this is certainly taking a haps ways we weren’t before, there are “If a student leaves a class during in the classroom,” Mead said. “The deci- step back from that.” new celebrations to recognize and it’s very class time, the student may not sion about class time itself, I want to leave The adjusted policy doesn’t difficult to be respectful of everyone beuse his/her cell phone outside of squarely in the hands of the teacher. That’s just oversee cell phone use while cause there are so many and so varied,” that assigned classroom.” really up to them how they permit and al- in the classroom, but also Johnson said. low and encourage students to use their cell anywhere in the school. Principal Tom Mead also recognizes “Cell phones and other electronic phones in pursuit of learning.” According to assistant Algonquin’s growing diversity. devices may be used before and The idea to improve upon the poli- principal Mel Laughton, “Our school, slowly but surely, is cy was initiated by instructional support an authoritative figure reafter school, during passing time, beginning to reflect more of the world teacher Marie Porteus, who believes cell serves the right to confisout there in respect to heritage and ethand during lunch, in effect, during phone addiction is hindering students’ edu- cate a student’s cell phone nicities,” Mead said. “And that also has an un-structured and non-learning cation. if caught with it in the hallimpact on this whole issue in the sense interludes of the school day.” “One big thing that I don’t think kids way during class time. that we don’t celebrate all of the world’s realize is that all the time that they’re on the Some students doubt religions here, we celebrate some of them. Source: The Student Handbook phone, they’re losing class time and they’re how consistently this rule will be There’s that to think about in the sense of losing instruction,” Porteus said. enforced because it is difficult to acknowledgement, recognition, and apMead expressed that the new policy is constantly monitor the halls. preciation for other people, their beliefs, in no way intended to restrict all use of cell their religions.” phones, but to promote use in appropriate Cell phones, page 2 situations where it will be beneficial to the Calendar, page 2
School handbook limits cell use
New policies prohibit use of phones in halls, classroom
What’s the new cell phone policy?