Story by Quinn Manzo Staff Writer Photos by Sarah Lee Associate Photo Editor The SPHS drama department anticipates the filming of its play Macbeth using a green screen, rehearsing in person for the first time on Friday, Mar. 5. The current plan is to bring the cast members in one-by-one and film their scenes in front […]
SPUSD assembles committee focused on inclusivity and equity
Story by Georgia Parsons Associate Feature Editor SPUSD announced the formation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee in February, aiming to address bias and discrimination within the five schools by reviewing district policies and practices. The committee will begin its work this year starting with inclusivity training, and will continue for the entire 2021-2022 […]
Teachers, parents, and district clash over school reopening
Story by Sofia Alva & Lilian Zhu Associate News Editor & Associate Webmaster Illustration by Alicia Zhang Staff Illustrator Photos courtesy of Pat Barr & Kim Sinclair Contributors Teachers rallied together through countless public comments at multiple School Board meetings to voice concerns about what they believe is the district’s decision to reopen SPUSD schools without prioritizing their safety. The reopening of grades […]
SPUSD provides lunches to community youth at no cost
Story by Georgia Parsons Associate Feature Editor Photo courtesy of Michelle Curry Contributor The SPUSD Food and Nutrition program is offering free meals to anyone in the greater South Pasadena community between the ages of one and 18 on Diamond Avenue across from the SPHS basketball gym. This program has been underway since the beginning of […]
Students set to return to SPMS and SPHS in hybrid models on Apr. 8 and Apr. 15, respectively
Story by Zoe Schlaak Associate Sports Editor Photo courtesy of Abigail Silver Contributor The School Board approved the return to campus for SPMS and SPHS students using hybrid learning schedules on Thursday, Apr. 8 and Thursday, Apr. 15, respectively, at a special meeting on Thursday, Mar. 4. SPMS has already created an unapproved hybrid model, but no […]
Abigail Choi triumphs in photography competition, reminds the community to social distance
Story by Georgia Parsons Associate Feature Editor Photo by Abigail Choi Contributor SPHS sophomore Abigail Choi emphasized the importance of social distancing via art, winning an open-call photography contest on Tuesday, Jan. 12 with her piece “Social Distancing,” which was displayed on walls across the country. The competition was sponsored by Unshuttered, a J. Paul Getty […]
Weekly assemblies recognize Black History Month at MHS
Story by Katie Hohman Staff Writer Monterey Hills Elementary School (MHS) honored Black history in weekly video assemblies in February dedicated to specific themes, like Black women in science. The series’ first assembly was on Friday, Feb. 5 and taught students about the accomplishments of Dr. Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician, and astronaut Mae Jemison. Each […]
The learning styles conundrum: What is the theory’s true value?
Story by Quinn Manzo, Georgia Parsons, & Matthew TsaiStaff Writer, Associate Feature Editor, Print Managing Editor Illustrations by Terry Song, Talulla Chow, & Maddie YooAssociate Design Editor, Design Editors Graphics by Charlotte CohenAssociate Design Editor The popular learning styles theory states that people prefer to learn in one of three ways: visually, auditorily, and kinesthetically. […]
Community applauds elementary school TK to 2 reopening
Story by Adam Kwoh Copy Editor Photos by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer SPUSD TK to 2 students eagerly stepped through their elementary schools’ gates for the first time in nearly a year on Thursday, Feb. 18, and parents, teachers, and administrators rendered the reopening day a success. As per SPUSD’s reopening plan, students arrived in separate […]
TK through second graders set to return to campus in hybrid model on Feb. 18
Story by Georgia Parsons Feature Associate Editor Photo courtesy of Abigail Silver Contributor The School Board unanimously approved the return of in-person instruction for grades TK to 2 in a hybrid model on Thursday, Feb. 18, at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 9. The reopening is contingent on L.A. County’s adjusted case rate dropping below 25 per […]
AP exams return to traditional length with paper and digital testing options
Story by Zoe SchlaakStaff Writer The College Board announced that all 2021 Advanced Placement (AP) exams will be the traditional length with both in-person and virtual options ranging from early May to June, on Friday, Feb. 5. There are two different ways to take the full-length AP exams: in-person on paper or digitally at […]
SPHS data highlights racial inequities
Story by Sofia Alva News Associate Editor Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Graphics by Charlotte Cohen Associate Design Editor The district’s annual School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) revealed evidence of racism and other inequities at SPHS. The data, which analyzes performance level across a variety of demographics, generated severe criticism from parents and students. The SPSA […]
SPHS students invited to participate in workshop combating political polarization
Story by Lilian Zhu Staff Writer Graphic courtesy of Jonathan Eisenberg Contributor South Pasadena Hometown Exchange (SPHE) is hosting “Skills for Bridging the Divide,” a student workshop focused on helping youth respect different political viewpoints on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event is open to all SPHS students. Participants of the […]
Freshman bonding program aids transition to virtual high school
Story by Lilian Zhu Staff Writer Over 160 ninth graders attended the ASB Wellness Team’s first freshman bonding event on Thursday, Jan. 24, which debuted a larger program aimed to promote acceptance among students new to SPHS. The freshman split up into mentorship groups with two upperclassmen leaders, who will be part of the ninth […]
State restrictions postpone SPUSD TK-2 reopening
Story by Katie Hohman Staff Writer Photo courtesy of Abigail Silver Contributor The district has delayed its grades TK-2 return plan indefinitely after state officials released new restrictions on Thursday, Jan. 14 that prohibit L.A. County schools from reopening due to record coronavirus cases. SPUSD elementary schools had previously been approved to reopen in January, but […]
Student experiences survey aims to address oppression at SPHS
Story by Lilian Zhu Staff Writer The ASB Wellness Team, in conjunction with the counselors and social worker Natasha Prime, released a Google form for current students to share their experiences with racism, homophobia, sexism, and other forms of oppression at SPHS. Students are also encouraged to give constructive feedback on how SPHS can become a […]