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Cover cutline:
Senior Chloe Bronner performs on Jan. 14, in the theater department’s production of “SIX: The Musical.” Photo by Lucy Fish.
Senioritis causes lack of motivation in students
Students, staff start American Sign Language club Activists push for student media protections
Women’s wrestling prepares for Districts
Basketball program honors those lost to cancer
Theater department performs ‘SIX: The Musical’ Review: ‘Marty Supreme’ warrants box-office success
Water polo team prepares for upcoming season
Editorial: New Year’s Resolutions require planning
Webster faces population, enrollment decline
Op-Ed: NFL season stands out from others
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Senioritis causes lack of motivation in students
Arianna Peper Editor-in-Chief
Senioritis, a term deemed by Merriam-Webster as the “ebbing of motivation and effort by high school seniors,” can have more detrimental effects than initially thought.
Jenny Lombard, college and career counselor and department chair, said it is likely that all students can run into issues with senioritis, yet some manage it better than others.
Lombard said it is sometimes just burnout, which “could look like stress that doesn’t let up, missing/skipping school, chronic tardiness, not doing homework, or even withdrawing from your normal social and extracurricular activities and relationships.”
As students enter second semester or begin to hear back from their college applications, senioritis often ensues.
Students can develop “anticipation of the next step, decision-making fatigue, or fear or uncertainty of next year,” Lombard said.
The Class of
graduates were recognized at Graduation on Saturday, May 20, at Chaifetz
As graduation approaches, students can develop “anticipation of the next step, decision-making fatigue, or fear or uncertainty of next year,” College Counselor and Department Chair Jennedy Lombard said.
by Jasper Winterton
While students may assume that their senior year grades after finishing the first semester do not matter, this can be far from the truth.
Lombard said finishing core courses is extremely important for numerous reasons: “1) to not jeopardize college admission status. 2) making sure you perform well on AP Exams 3) learning content that will help in your first year of college (many students have to take a math placement exam this semester before registering for their first college semester).”
According to an article from the CollegeBoard, colleges reserve the right to deny admission to an accepted student “should the student’s senior-year grades drop. Admission officers can ask a student to explain a drop in grades and can revoke an offer of admission if not satisfied with the response.”
The article stated, “Because colleges do not receive final grades until June or July, students may not learn of a revoked admission until July or August, after they’ve given up spots at other colleges and have few options left.”
Additionally, the lack of study habits formed during the second semester may make the transition to college courses more challenging for students pursuing this path.
According to an article from The University of South Florida, “Senioritis leads to disengagement, which could lead you to miss out on crucial preparation needed for college-level coursework and expectations.”
As for how to cope with senioritis, Lombard said, “Pick two or three things that you want to focus on at school. Whether that is a goal for your spring sport, a grade in a class, or on an AP Exam.”
Lombard also stressed the importance of maintaining health
habits, including getting enough sleep.
The University of South Florida also noted the importance of healthy habits such as nutrition and exercise.
By fueling one’s body with balanced meals and avoiding caffeine or sugary snacks to get through the day, one can gain the proper nutrition required to “stay sharp” and avoid drowsiness.
The article said regular physical activity can also “help reduce stress and improve your mood, making it easier to stay motivated and engaged.”
In addition to maintaining second-semester grades and habits, it is important to take time to enjoy the last semester of high school with friends, family and peers. Creating a balance between school and personal life can prevent burnout.
While loss of motivation can often be correlated with senioritis, according to Southern New Hampshire University, it can also be a sign of depression. Some other signs of depression include “anger/irritability, changes in sleep and appetite, lack of energy and loss of interest in hobbies, sadness and feelings of emptiness, and unexplained physical symptoms.”
Lombard said, “If you are noticing that you’re feeling ‘off,’ uninterested, or having major mood changes, talk to a trusted adult. That could be a parent, counselor, professional, etc. Ask your friends/family who are in their freshman year of college what they wish they had done as a second-semester senior.”
As second semester continues, it is important for students who are feeling unmotivated or experiencing symptoms of depression to seek out the support from those around them. By creating a balance between school and personal life, maintaining healthy habits, and reaching out to those around them for support, stu-
2023
Arena.
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Students, staff start American Sign Language club
Margaret Korte Print/Podcast Editor
“For a lot of deaf people, what makes it difficult for them, is that other people don’t know how to speak to them,” social studies teacher Amanda Golby said.
Golby is sponsoring the new American Sign Language (ASL) club, started by a group of freshmen in her social studies classes.
“I had a couple of students interested last semester so we spent that time planning and that sort of thing, and then when we came back in January, is when we really got going,” Golby said. “A couple of students were talking about sign language and ASL in my class. I have a background in ASL from a long time ago, and I myself know signing, and so I was interested [in the idea].”
The club meets on Tuesdays in Golby’s room, Room 293, from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Members focus on teaching the language, as well as exploring the culture behind it.
“It is very student-driven, but their goal is to kind of have a little mini-lesson each time, and then bringing in information about deaf culture as well,” Golby said. “We’ve only had one meeting, and so people are coming to, first, just learn some basics of, you know, how to introduce themselves, and learning how to fingerspell the alphabet.”
“Starting where we are right now, most of the kids who have come to the meeting do not have very much background knowledge in ASL, but we are very much open to people of all levels,
so if somebody does know more sign, we would love to have them in the meeting, and really it’s a place to learn, and practice, and that kind of thing,” Golby said.
Golby said after its first meeting, the club had already learned about some aspects of deaf culture: “We already talked about sign names and the significance of sign names in deaf culture: a deaf person is who would give you your sign name, and so we already talked about that, as we are learning even just how to sign, ‘Hi, my name is So-and-So, nice to meet you.’”
Golby said sign language, and ASL specifically, is important to her because of the ability to communicate more effectively. “I think it’s important knowing a language. I’ve run into, several times, deaf people who I’ve been thankful that I know sign language so that I could talk with them.”
“I know one time I was canoeing, and our canoe got stuck, and there was a group of other canoers who were deaf, and there was a group of us I was happy I could sign to them, like, ‘we need help,’ and talk to them about what we needed,” Golby said.
“I love it. I always have a hard time learning auditory languages, so I’ve always found this language fascinating too, in addition to wanting to be able to talk to more people,” Golby said.
Overall, the club is open to members of any level of experience with ASL.
Golby said, “We would love to have more people coming in. If you know ASL or if you don’t know ASL, we’d love to have you.”
Activists push for student media protections
Jasper Winterton Feature/Video Editor
New Voices Bill has been introduced to the Missouri Congress each year since 2016, marking 2026 as the 10th year since its first introduction.
According to the Student Press Law Center web site, “New Voices is a student-powered nonparti san grassroots movement of state-based activists who seek to protect student press freedom with state laws. These laws counteract the impact of the 1988 Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court decision, which dramatically changed the balance of student press rights.”
The New Voices Bill has been intro duced to the Missouri House of Represen tatives multiple times over several years, but has yet to be passed. The House has passed previous versions of the bill in the past; however, the bill failed to make it through the Senate or to a full vote.
legislation protecting the freedom of the press within student media, known as the New Voices Bill.
The “Cronkite New Voices Act” was reintroduced this legislative session, which includes bills SB 1172 and HB 2918, both of which still need to be voted out of their committees. According to the Student Press Law Center, Missouri hasn’t had a bill in both the House and Senate since 2022.
Kuhlmeier said, “I feel like we’ve made progress with 18 states passing New Voices, but the work is not done. Students are being censored, papers are being shut down, and advisors’ jobs or tenure are being threatened.
“My son was censored his junior year of high school as well, and the way his occurred is crazy with how much it parallels my story,” Kuhlmeier
Cathy Kuhlmeier, a plaintiff in the 1988 Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court case, said via email, “I continue to fight for kids because quite simply the courts got it wrong, and their decision has caused students to self-censor or just step away from journalism altogether.”
Kuhlmeier was in her junior year of high school when she, along with her classmates, brought the Hazelwood School District to court in response to their principal censoring and deleting articles from their newspaper without their permission. The students claimed their First Amendment rights had been violated, and after the case was appealed to the Supreme Court, the court found that the principal’s actions did not violate the students’ free speech in a 5-3 ruling.
Since the court case, organizations such as the Student Press Law Center, along with activists, have worked to introduce new
According to the Principals Guide to Scholastic Journalism, “The first direct experience most Americans have with press freedom, and the censorship that limits it, begins when they are in school working on student media. That’s why journalism educators, judges and First Amendment advocates have urged schools to support and foster student free expression because it is key to persuading young people ‘that our Constitution is a living reality, not [just] parchment preserved under glass.’”
Kuhlmeier said during her senior year in high school she “got threatened to be suspended or expelled for not asking the principal’s permission to miss school when we appeared on the Phil Donahue show. Class wise, we had shifted to yearbook production, so it was more carefully watched. It was very tense all year because it was a hot topic with the media, and the principal didn’t like the exposure being in the school.”
Kuhlmeier added she runs a foundation to help support student free speech and holds virtual classes to share her side of what happened in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier.
Women’s wrestling team prepares for Districts
Isaac Choi Junior Sports Editor
Women’s wrestling team began its season on Nov. 22, with a new head coach in Webster alumni Reed Ditker. It’s next meet is on Jan. 31, a tournament at Seckman High School.
“The team has had fantastic growth so far this season,” Coach James LeMay said “With the team being a mixture of inexperienced and experienced players, I feel the team is really good at adapting to new situations that they’re put in,” LeMay said.
About the new head coach, LeMay said, “I had to take a step down this year.”
About what was different from this season, LeMay said, “The amount of women competing, the experience across the team.”
LeMay said the team needed to improve most “in refining their individual skill sets.”
For example sophomore Amelia Beatty said, “This year, I’m looking to improve my offensive work and shot confidence, so I can better score during matches.”
LeMay appreciates “how much the team truthfully desires to get better, which makes it a lot easier for us to grow as a team.”
LeMay said, “The team’s strategy is to prepare them for any situation and help them compete at the highest level.”
LeMay most looks forward to Districts.
“It’s because this when you see what all of the team’s hard work is for, and everyone might want to say ‘State’ for this question, but I focus on Districts, because it shows what level you can compete at, as well you obviously can’t get to State without making it through districts first.”
Beatty agreed, “I’m really looking forward to Districts this year. We have a really great women’s team that’s been working hard, and I think that will definitely show at Districts.”
Overall LeMay said he has “a wonderful group of hardworking players that complements the boy’s team very well.”
Graphic from Canva
Basketball program honors
Sam Enlund Social Media/Sports Editor
Webster Groves basketball programs honored Kelsey MacBryde, Tyson Knapp and Jon Clark on Monday, Jan. 5. The men’s team played Saint Louis University High, and the women’s team played Parkway North High School. Both teams ended up winning the games: The men’s team won 83-62, and the women’s team won 50-42. In support of the event and in memory of MacBryde, Knapp and Dr. Clark, current students, alumni and staff were in atten-
dance at the game.
Between games everyone in attendance listened to a presentation to honor those lost to cancer. The presentation included details about the people who have been lost, and the activities and programs that they were involved in, including the things that were most important to them.
Junior Jackson Tabash said, “It was important for the community because Kelsey, Tyson and Dr. Clark were all amazing people from Webster, and everyone loved them, so it meant a lot to us to go out and play for them.”
Head women’s basketball coach Annie Lybarger said, “Honoring these three individuals meant a great deal to our specific program. Kelsey played basketball her freshman year and created bonds with many of the girls. She grew up with the majority of our junior basketball players, and I know she holds a close place in their hearts. Tyson was a member of our boys’ squad team. The Squad Boys would come to practice, volunteering their time to help us prepare for games. Tyson also brought his smile, humor and hustle when he showed up for us.”
Lybarger added, “Dr. Clark was not only the assistant principal when I was at Webster, but the father of our assistant varsity coach, Jenna Clark. Dr. Clark impacted so many in our community and had a love for Webster Girl’s basketball. Even after retirement, Dr. Clark came to many of our games to cheer us on. All three left a mark on our program and impacted our WG community in so many ways.”
MacBryde was one of the lives honored on Jan. 5. She was a member of the women’s basketball team and a friend to many still currently playing on the
Junior Scottie Adkinson attempts to shoot the ball while being defended during the game against Saint Louis University High School on Monday, Jan. 5. The game ended in a 83-62 win for the Statesmen.
Photo by Sam Enlund
Students watch as a presentation honoring Kelsey MacBryde, plays during the men’s and women’s basketball games.
honors those lost to cancer
women’s basketball team.
About MacBryde, junior Opal Hayes said, “Kelsey was just like a ray of sunshine, because sometimes the season can be really long, but every day Kelsey came in with just a big smile on her face, and she always made everyone laugh even when we’ve gone through a hard day or had a long day at school.”
About honoring MacBryde, junior Kyndal Richardson said, “It felt good. It was a good night to remember her and honor her in that way.”
Alongside MacBryde, Knapp was also heavily involved in the basketball program and served as a manager for the men’s team.
Senior Quincy Williams said, “Tyson was a part of our boys’ basketball team. He brought so much to our team that many don’t see. He not only played but also managed. Some players on the team never got to play with Tyson or be on the team while he was managing, but I know I can never forget the full-of-laughs moments with Tyson. Hits a special place for me and, I know, to anybody that was a part of those teams with Ty.” Williams also added, “[Knapp] will always hold a special place in my heart and to me. I will always honor Tyson in every game I play.”
Men’s Varsity head coach Justin Mathes describes Dr. Clark and his involvement within the school and the community.
Mathes said, “Dr. Clark is one of the most influential people in our community in decades. His work ethic, passion for students, and leadership helped elevate our entire school district. He invested deeply in our kids and always kept them the focus.”
Both coaches, Mathes and Lybarger, wanted to raise money to help and partner with the American Cancer Society.
Mathes said, “We wanted to raise money for the Kelsey MacBryde
Memorial Trust and partner with the American Cancer Society. Look for more ways to help the ACS in the fight for a cure at the upcoming girls’ tournament (Webster Winter Classic) in February.”
The women’s team for the last three years have worked with Coaches vs Cancer for the team’s tournament held in February. Last year, MacBryde was honored before each game, something the women’s team wants to continue again this year.
This year, the women’s tournament, the Webster Winter Challenge, will take place in Robert’s Gym, and will be Tuesday, Feb. 2, to Saturday, Feb. 7.
MacBryde, Tyson Knapp and Dr. Jon Clark games.
Photo by Sam Enlund
Senior Micah McCoy and junior Ann Lawless complete their handshake before the women’s game against Parkway North High School. The game ended with a 50-42 win for the Statesmen.
Photo by Sam Enlund
Theater department performs ‘SIX: The Musical’
Sam Enlund Social Media/Sports Editor
Webster Groves High School’s Theater Department performed “SIX: The Musical (Teen Edition)”, from Thursday, Jan. 15 to Saturday, Jan. 17.
Performing in the musical were seniors Jenifer Carr-Schwartz, Chloe Bronner and Lilly Hodel, junior Amelia Mueller, and sophomores Rin Blank and Amelia Ornstein.
The creative team involved in producing the show includes Alley Dickens, senior Charlotte Snell, sophomore Miriam Yau and junior Martha Poppen.
Todd Schaefer, said, “It was unlike anything we’ve ever produced here. I put that as probably the closest to a Broadway scale show we’ve done in my 22 years here.”
Describing what he was most excited about going into the show, Schaefer said, “Those six queens. The girls that we put in as the six queens were kind of an unusually talented group of six singers. I
mean they were singing stuff that 30 year olds struggle with, so the fact that we got six high school kids to tackle that material, that was the celebration… But those six singers, they were the show, and they wowed those crowds for three nights.”
The musical was directed by Snell. Preparations for SIX began during the 2425 school year, and rehearsals began in September. The first months were focused on choreography, and in December, rehearsals on scene work began.
Snell said, “Putting together a show takes a whole team of people to make it possible. I am very lucky to have had a
great team of people working together on this show that made it so amazing.”
The musical, based on the stories of Henry VIII’s six wives, including Catherine of Aragon who was played by CarrSchwartz.
Carr-Schwartz said, “Every show always has a couple things that don’t go perfectly, but I think each night went really well, and I am so proud of everyone involved. Every time something got off or a mistake was made, everyone handled it incredibly, the actors, the techies, and everyone in between. I couldn’t have asked for a better three nights.”
Bronner, who played Jane Seymour, said her favorite thing about the show was how they had such a small cast.
Bronner said, “We were all super close by the end and had such natural onstage chemistry which really brought the show to life.”
Informing readers for over 45 years.
The cast of “SIX: The Musical” performs on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Since its release in December 2025, “Marty Supreme” has been widely discussed and highly reviewed, a reputation that is certainly deserved.
Starring Timothee Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”), the film follows Marty (based on Marty Reisman, a table tennis champion), an ambitious athlete who is striving to popularize table tennis, and hoping to rise to fame along with it.
The story has little to do with sports, however, instead mostly following Marty through numerous (sometimes self-induced) obstacles. Chalamet’s character is doubted by others who see both him and table tennis as inconsequential, a form of entertainment rather than a real sport.
The film also stars Gwyneth Paltrow (“Iron Man”) as Kay Stone, a formerly-famous actor who is making her return to the stage.
Chalamet’s performance in the film has been lauded, and for good reason.
The viewer will find themself disliking and distrusting Marty, who Chalamet expertly portrays as selfish and prideful--but the character is not entirely one-sided.
Despite giving a lack of attention and obligation to those around him, Marty receives the same treatment from skeptical executive figures. He is often patronized by those more powerful than him, and Chalamet is able to showcase the resilience Marty exhibits, both when he is in the right, and when he is not.
Marty’s frustration at not being taken seriously, in combination with his willingness to take advantage of others, is what make him such a complex character, and what makes Chalamet’s performance so interesting. Chalamet’s goal is not to make his character likable, but to portray him as he is.
The acting of each supporting character is also strong; nothing jumps out as especially good acting because it is all so believable. It is easy to forget they are characters in a film when they all perform so seamlessly.
The film is an extensive saga, stretching to a two-and-a-halfhour runtime. The viewer hardly has time to dwell on one event before the next one plays out: almost every scene in “Marty Supreme” is action-packed, keeping the viewer hooked.
The movement is constant, with one groundbreaking event after the next. (In fact, this reviewer does not recommend sitting in the very front row of the movie theater. It makes each scene feel even more graphic, and all of the movement does not result in the most pleasant experience.)
Despite the constant switching of subject matter, each new event does feel tired after enough time has passed. Though it
Graphic from
keeps the movie fresh for the first hour-and-a-half or even the first two hours, the constant plot twists eventually feel relentless, a series of scenes that might as well happen, just to make the movie longer.
Overall, the acting and storytelling of the film justify its rave reviews, as long as the viewer is aware of what they are getting into before the movie starts: they should be aware of the long runtime, and be prepared for several twists and turns (both figuratively and literally).
“Marty Supreme” is rated R for language, sexual content, violent content, bloody images and nudity. It is available to watch in theaters.
Timothee Chalamet stars in “Marty Supreme,” released to theaters on Dec. 25, 2025.
“Marty Supreme” film website
Water polo team prepares for upcoming season
Photo by Parker Collier
have some really talented players, and I think we’re gonna overcome it,” senior Will Roche said about the upcoming season.
Players have been preparing in multiple ways for water polo during the off season.
About how he prepares for water polo, senior Chase Curtis said, “I have a pass to a gym with a pool, so I’ve been swimming a lot… it’s just conditioning for me, personally. There’s a lot of people that do club water polo teams, but there’s no official off season for the school water polo team.”
The Varsity water polo team ended last season with five wins and eight losses. Chaminade, CBCand Lindbergh were listed as teams that presented a challenge to the varsity and JV teams.
“As a team, we just kind of need to get the fundamentals down. Knowing where we are in the pool as a team has been an issue, so we kind of stray from our positions a lot, and that leaves a lot of scoring opportunities open for the other team,” Curtis said about how the team can improve.
Connor Spellecy Contributing Writer
Despite the beginning of spring sports being two months away, Webster Groves members of the combined Webster Groves/Clayton water polo team are already preparing for the 2026 season.
The water polo season is set to begin in March, with the first Varsity game being played against Pattonville High School, and the first JV game being played against De Smet Jesuit High School.
“I think we’re gonna struggle with not having all the seniors we had last year. We lost a huge portion of the team… but I think we
However, the team has things that they believe will help them for this season.
“I think the team is tight-knit and welcoming, and I think that everybody feels like they have a place on the team,” said sophomore Oliver Franke.
There are also things in the season that players are excited for, and events that they hope to do well in.
“The first game’s always fun… It’s always fun for the new guys to see how an actual game works and how different it is from practice,” Curtis said.
Read the full version on wgecho.org
Editorial: New Year’s Resolutions require planning
In a survey done by Forbes Health, it was found only 13% of New Year’s resolutions lasted four months.
Every year, it is a common trend in the United States for individuals to set goals for what they would like to accomplish within the following year. Often, these resolutions are centered around personal health and well-being, finances, and new hobbies.
However, the high rates of failure for New Year’s resolutions can often be correlated to a lack of motivation, expectations and plans.
In an article from Metropolitan State University of Denver, psychology professor Randi Smith said, “The one thing that dooms resolutions to failure is an all-or-nothing attitude.”
By setting low expectations of the achievability of a goal, one is inevitably setting it up to fail by creating a lack of motivation to accomplish it.
In order to achieve a resolution, several things must be done, including a self-evaluation of one’s current lifestyle and how it might be preventing the goal from being accomplished.
An article from Forbes, published in December of 2025, said, “Without recognizing and addressing underlying challenges and doing the work to strengthen boundaries, people may unconsciously and repeatedly gravitate toward the same damaging situations.”
Therefore, without evaluating how to achieve a goal, it becomes extremely difficult to maintain one’s New Year’s resolutions.
Along with this, vague resolutions like “eating healthier” lack a plan of action. With an emphasis on the larger goal, an abrupt change in lifestyle is created, which is harder to maintain compared to smaller goals.
A licensed clinical psychologist said in a Very Well Mind article, “People tend to set New Year’s resolutions that are really big, and they might be achievable, but there are probably 30 steps they need to take before they get to that place. And so they make it unattainable by not setting smaller, more immediate goals.”
With the struggles of consistency in New Year’s resolutions, it is important to find ways to keep oneself accountable for building these habits. Some examples of doing this include creating a daily schedule for daily habits, journaling or logging specific activities into online apps that track one’s progress.
Despite the struggles in shifting lifestyles and creating a focus on a goal when life gets in the way, successful New Year’s resolutions are still possible. By understanding why a goal is valuable to oneself, creating smaller plans on how to actually achieve it, and putting in the work to make it happen, one can achieve almost anything they put their mind to.
Sophomore Campbell Hoefgen practices blocking before playing the John Burroughs School water polo team. The game ended in a 14-9 win for the Webster/Clayton Varsity team.
Webster faces population, enrollment decline
Jasper Winterton Feature/Video Editor
“I would say (public school enrollment declining) is a national issue, because now when I go to conferences we’re talking about marketing and branding when that’s never been an issue,” Dr. Jana Parker, superintendent, said.
The Webster Groves School District has been experiencing a decline in enrollment due to factors including senior property tax freezes, rhetoric surrounding public education and people remaining in the neighborhood. Along with the enrollment decline, the district faces a loss of $450,000 a year due to the property tax freeze.
Mayor Laura Arnold said, “When our seniors want to move out of their homes, they do not have many options in Webster Groves. As a result, they tend to stay longer in their houses. That means younger families with children do not have the opportunity to access homes in the school district.”
Mayor Arnold added that due to the cost of housing in Webster Groves, it is harder for young families to move to Webster even if there is housing available. She also
said families are generally getting smaller, and due to that larger houses are more likely to hold fewer children now, meaning that the same housing stock is holding fewer potential students.
The declining enrollment is not unique to Webster Groves, as there have been reports of a decrease in public school students following COVID-19.
According to a K-12 Dive article, there was a 2.8% decrease nationwide in the number of public school students between 2019-2020 and 2024-2025, and a 0.3% decrease between the 2024-2025 school year and the year before.
The article also states, ”Due to enrollment declines, two distinct concerns about the quality of students’ educational experiences emerge. Students who exit public schools often move into settings that are less regulated and more variable in performance.”
Dr. Parker said, “Since COVID, it’s been difficult to recoup. There are a lot of variants for why students left. Some of it is homeschool, which is a newer thing around Missouri. Then you have parochial, so faith-based education, and then you have private schools, so (public education is) competing with those.”
A Brookings research article projected
that public school enrollment will continue to decrease, with a census reporting a population of 54,737,335 students enrolled nationwide in 2021, and a predicted population of 48,955,000 in 2050, a 10.56% decrease.
The article also said, “At the same time, the pandemic-era shift may prove less durable than it appears: Homeschooling demands intense parental effort, and as more adults return to on-site work, some families may decide that public schools once again offer the most practical option.”
Dr. Parker added public education has been under attack nation-wide, and the district is focusing on marketing and branding to help with the enrollment decline.
“I feel so fortunate to be in Webster, because we are this isolated little pocket, and my job is to really protect that pocket and protect our students and our staff to enable us to move forward in ways that we know is best for everybody,” Dr. Parker said.
Dr. Parker said if the school needs to make cuts to help with the budget impacted by the enrollment, it will make cuts that will impact students the least.
“People are staying, which is a blessing and a curse, but then that leaves less opportunity for new families to come in,” Dr. Parker said.
Op-Ed: NFL season stands out from others
Isaac Choi Junior Sports Editor
This year’s NFL Season is unlike any other season; the amount of change, surprise and parity all resulted in the playoffs to close out the season.
The season began in the wildest way possible in a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. The game began with the ejection of Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter because he spit in the face of Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott. This took place before the first snap of the game. People called the incident “spitgate.”
This of course shows that the season started out with a bang, and made out that this season would be unique, and it defi-
nitely was.
A major part of the season was how different it ended up being, and also how different it felt to many fans. For instance, the Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs after making the playoffs for 10 straight years. In fact only eight of 14 last year’s playoff teams returned to the playoffs this year.
The other six playoff teams that made the playoffs this year such as the Patriots, Bears, Panthers, Jaguars ended playoff droughts from two-six years. All three were also in the bottom 10 of the standings last season.
Another way this season was different: one the according to Pro Football Reference, the league’s passing yards per game was 209, the lowest since 2006. This was
likely due to the new dynamic kickoff which set offenses up in better field position than they ever had been.
To continue, the NFL also had its first tie in four years and the second highest-scoring tie in NFL history in the game between the Packers and Cowboys with a score of 40-40.
Also retired NFL quarterback Phillip Rivers, one of the best quarterbacks of the century, came out of retirement at age 44 after not playing a game in four years to play for the Colts, and although he didn’t win a game,he played well coming within one score, in two out of the three games he played.
All of these things really add up to this crazy NFL season that somehow still has more to come.
