“[The cuts were necessary because] we have lower property taxes, less state money and increased costs,” Superintendent Barry Groves said.

The cuts in funding will affect 39 programs in varying amounts ranging from $3,000 to $538,847. Among these are the Art and Music Block Grant (reduced by $61,000) and instructional material funding (reduced by $101,000). Exit Exam classes will be eliminated, as will four of eight extra counseling days.

The budget reduction process started with a focus group composed of select people from the school district community. The group identified which expenditures should be cut over a two-year period. According to Groves, members of the group from LAHS included, “a parent, a student, two teachers, [Principal Wynne Satterwhite and] computer specialist.” Members were chosen through the ASB, PTSA, various classified organizations and from the pool of local teachers.

The suggestions were then sent to Groves to be reviewed. Groves presented a report to the Board of Trustees, recommending which budget cuts he believed should be implemented. The Board made the final decisions and posted a list of the reductions on the MVLA website.

Major reductions were made to elective and enhancement programs, as well as staff training and hiring programs. CORE classes were minimally affected.

“Although we are reducing $3.2 million from our budget, we are able to maintain our current classroom staffing ratios for students.” Groves said.

The MVLA High School Foundation hopes to raise $850,000 through fundraising. But Groves does not anticipate any improvement to the budget situation in the near future.

“The 2011-2012 year may also be a difficult year for our budget,” Groves said.

Many students expressed disappointment about the cuts.

“The cuts are necessary, and I understand they were made to keep the school and overall education afloat,” senior Scott Casas said. “But the elective classes are important, and they help students find their own niches.”

Students also anticipate a negative impact on a broader scale.

“[I understand] the state is trying its best … with the dip in the economy,” junior Jamshed Vesuna said. “Unfortunately, this time [cutting education funding] affects our future, and the future of the state.”

To see the final list of reductions made, visit http://www.mvla.net.

FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR SCHEDULE

Monday, May 31
No School (Memorial Day)

Tuesday, June 1
Odd Block Schedule

Wednesday, June 2
Period 1: 8:15-9:55
Brunch: 9:55-10:10
Period 4: 10:15-11:50
Lunch: 11:50-12:20
Period 7: 12:25-2:00

Thursday, June 3
Period 0: 8:15-9:55
Brunch: 9:55-10:10
Period 2: 10:15-11:50
Lunch: 11:50-12:20
Period 6: 12:25-2:00

Friday, June 4
Period 3: 8:15-9:55
Brunch: 9:55-10:10
Period 5: 10:15-11:50

SENIOR SCHEDULE

Monday, May 31
No School (Memorial Day)

Tuesday, June 1
Senior Finals (Odd Block Schedule)

Wednesday, June 2
Senior Panorama Photo (soccer field): 8:00 a.m.
Senior Picnic (bring swimsuit, towel, sweatshirt/jacket): 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 3
Senior Check-Out Forms due at 9:00 a.m. to Registrar
Graduation Practice (large gym): 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Caps and gowns, graduation tickets, Grad Nite bids and prom photos will be available immediately after graduation practice.

Friday, June 4
Graduation Practice (Large gym; bring ticket from registrar): 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (approximately)
Graduation Line-Up (Large gym): 5:15 p.m. Do not wear caps and gowns before entering the gym, and do not bring any valuables.
Graduation: 6:00 p.m. (Tom Burt Field)
Grad Nite: Following Graduation – 5:00 a.m. (approximately)

In the final game, the all-senior team defeated the freshman Alto Boys Club (ABCs) 3-0 to cap a memorable last day of the tournament. Team Bud Casey consisted of seniors Lucas Carosella, Michael Cramer, David Ilishah, Sammy Meckler, Kalyn Nakano and Sean Small.

Team Bud Casey, named for a fictional student who allegedly has the most points in the school’s basketball history, used its experience to defeat the younger, upstart freshman team.

“We didn’t want to underestimate them, so we just wanted to not be overaggressive,” Sammy said. “Just take them out. Show no mercy—just beast it up.”

Unlike those of Team Bud Casey, the ABCs members showed their inexperience by playing too aggressively. They repeatedly attempted to catch difficult throws and ventured close to the half way line, making them easy targets.

“We did all right, [but] we could have done better,” ABCs member freshman Conrad Rodgers said. “We were tired, but there is no excuse for losing.”

After several major upsets, including defeating last year’s champion the Cougar Hunters, the ABCs rode a wave of momentum and confidence into the final game. However, in the first two games, Bud Casey routed them by taking advantage of their aggressive play.

Senior Michael Cramer and Senior Sean Small combined to eliminate Conrad for the final out in the first game, which lasted a minute. The second game was more competitive, as the teams traded hits and catches, including two back-to-back snags by Michael and freshman Steven McClain. But as the final ABCs player, Steven failed to corral a hard thrown ball by Michael and Bud Casey took a comfortable 2-0 lead.

“Dominating the ABC’s in the finals was really a sweet victory,” Sean said. “No contest, they didn’t put up a fight at all.”

The third game did prove to be a “fight” though. With 2:30 remaining, the ABCs calmed down and nearly defeated Bud Casey. At one point it was all six Bud Casey members against solely Steven and freshman Mac Kliman. Yet in just 13 seconds of focused catches and rapid fire throws the two managed to elimate 5 Bud Casey members, with help from freshman Dimitri Trembois on the last catch.

However, David, the last Bud Casey player on the court, thwarted the ABCs hopes for a comeback with a clutch catch of his own. Lucas entered to even the sides, and together the two eliminated the final ABC members. With a 3-0 lead and less than 20 seconds remaining, Team Bud Casey began to celebrate their championship as the clock expired on the 2010 dodge ball season.

“[Winning] feels like you are better than everyone else,” Sammy said. “You might feel that way normally, but it feels even better now because it’s true. We are better than everyone else.”

The team was confident in its abilities all tournament, and never doubted that the Championship would be theirs.

“I felt like the win was bound to happen,” Lucas said. “Seeing us play, seeing our spirit, we had good teamwork and strong players. We just rocked.”

See http://vimeo.com/12060899 for the video of the game.

The first game was in the Cougar Hunters’ favor, but two back-to-back catches by freshman Mac Kliman turned the tide. Senior Tim Vanneman did well to slow the momentum against the Cougar Hunters with a catch right after that, but it was not enough to prevent the ABCs from winning the first game with two minutes left.

The second game was dominated by the Cougar Hunters. Freshman Amanda Speilman, Jr. was the lone ABCs player left on the court against five Cougar Hunters with less than a minute left. She survived until there were 15 seconds left on the clock but then was hit by a barrage of hard shots.

The match was tied 1-1, so sudden death overtime was in order. In a chaotic flurry it was a Cougar Hunter who got out first. The Cougar Hunters briefly protested that they caught a ball after the hit, but the referees determined it was after the first out and thus didn’t count.

Tim didn’t want to talk to The Talon, but said, “[The Cougar Hunters] would have won” if they had gotten to the final round.

The ABCs had little time to reflect on their victory before facing Team Bud Casey in the final, but confidently said their “skill” and “everything” about their team played into the win against the defending champions.

See http://vimeo.com/12060899 for the video of the game.

The first game began with S4C senior Doug Tomlinson being called out for pushing a member of the ABCs as the two scrambled for a ball.
S4C senior Sherwin Tavana quickly eliminated two of the ABCs, however, bringing the Crew back into the lead.

The ABCs hit out all of the remaining S4C members except one in rapid succession, ending the game with a 3-on-1 against S4C junior Terence Cape.
The second game was a landslide victory for Sicky 4 Crew despite a minute-long display of dodging skills by ABC freshman Mac Kliman.

The round went into overtime tied 1-1 after two games. In overtime, the team with the first person out loses, and The ABCs won when freshman Stevie McLean hit Terence with a powerful shot.

“The refs need to watch the calls, and the overtime rules need to be changed,” Sherwin said. “We could have beaten them.”

Even after losing, Sicky 4 Crew’s players still enjoyed the game.

“It was fun,” Terence said. “We had a really good time.”

Emma Carr

Senior Emma Carr plans to spend the upcoming year in France, taking classes and studying the language in hopes of becoming “truly fluent”. She has enrolled in a program where she will spend her first semester in Grenoble and her second semester in Paris.

“I’m excited for everything,” Emma said. “Of course to learn French and grow up and everything, but the program I’m doing is really perfect. It’s relaxed enough that I can do pretty much what I want—go out, have a good time, and on the weekends I’ll be able to go explore Europe if I want to.”

Emma made her decision to travel abroad after college decisions were released this spring.

“I knew that some time, whether it be before, during, or after college, I would want to go abroad,” Emma said. “And when I didn’t get into college, well … it seemed like fate was telling me I should go for it.”

Although excited for the journey and experience ahead of her, Emma said taking a gap year abroad will definitely be experimental.

“I’m excited because this is a big risk,” Emma said. “I’m scared times infinity because I’ll be by myself and have to figure stuff out on my own, but that’s what is exciting. I get to ensure the success or failure of this next year, and I want it to be a success.”

During her time abroad, Emma plans to fully immerse herself with the culture of France and become fluent in the language. Taking classes and staying in a dorm with university students, Emma hopes to learn not only more about the culture, but also more about herself.

“I’m just excited because this isn’t the average thing to do,” Emma said. “Ten or twenty years down the line, I wonder how it will have affected me. I’ve been anxious for high school to be over for so long, to be able to break free and become something bigger than high school. And this is my first step.”

Tommaso Carli

Senior Tommaso Carli made the decision to take a gap year after attending the Gap Year Fair held this past February.

“It was really a last minute decision, but I went to the gap year fair, heard the presentation and I realized it was something I really wanted to do,” Tommaso said.

Tommaso plans to spend his fall semester in Ghana, Africa, before visiting family and friends in Italy over winter break. He will then head back to Africa to spend his spring semester in Senegal, all before getting a job in France the following summer.

“I am most excited to try Africa cuisine,” Tommaso said. “I really like trying new foods, and I have never had the chance to travel to mainland Africa.”

After spending a year abroad, Tommaso plans to enroll in a four-year university by the time he’s back from working in France.

“I have not decided where [I’ll be going to college] yet because I think I will be looking into American universities in Europe as well.”

Overall, however, Tommaso looks forward to the unique experience ahead of him and hopes to make his travels abroad not only significant for himself, but for others in Africa as well.

“I’m really excited that I will have the chance to make a real difference in someone else’s life,” Tommaso said. “I will be seeing people who have been much less fortunate than me throughout their entire life and giving up a little bit of my life to help improve theirs is something I am really looking forward to.”

The speaker came from the Holocaust Survivor Speakers’ Bureau to speak in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, which occurred this year on Sunday, April 11.

The Jew Crew organized a speaker for this week because it was the soonest date that it could host her after the Diversity Assembly.

The speaker spoke in the theater during third and fourth periods. Many teachers brought their classes, and students with free third and fourth periods were encouraged to attend as well.

She discussed her experiences at the start of the Holocaust and the instability of her life as she was shuttled from place to place in rural Bulgaria until the end of the war in 1945.

“Her story is very important,” Jew Crew cofounder and Co-President junior Jacqui Treiger said. “It is important to remember how horrible and horrific the events of the Holocaust were, and the people who have experienced it are not going to be around much longer.”

Wangsness shared the same opinion.

“This is an important thing on campus,” he said. “It helps bring the situation to light and it is good to have a firsthand witness who lived through it.”

While Jacqui said that the Jew Crew will consider a few other options for Holocaust Remembrance Day next year, she believes that another speaker is not out of the question.

“This was definitely a great opportunity and experience,” she said.

Marijuana was initially discovered in a bag on the floor of the boys locker room during second period on Wednesday, May 5. A freshman student found the bag and turned it in to the PE teacher John Payne.

“Lots of kids came up to me like, ‘Why didn’t you give it to me?’” said the student who found the bag, a male freshman who asked to remain anonymous for his own protection.

During brunch the same day, the student who found the bag was approached by the student who was formerly in possession of it. The bag’s finder decided to inform Assistant Principal Seth Leslie as to whom its former owner was.

“It’s illegal,” said the student who found the bag, citing this and possible disciplinary actions as reasons for revealing the student in possession.

The student who informed Leslie was called into a meeting with Assistant Principal Ralph Cave and Leslie on Thursday, May 6.

“The administration’s obligation is to make sure that everybody’s safe here, and drugs on campus is an issue of safety,” Leslie said. “We need to make sure if there’s drugs on campus that … we deal with it.”

According to Satterwhite, “multiple people were involved in this incident,” though the extent of “the problem,” Leslie said, is still to be determined.

“We don’t want to accuse children of doing something wrong when they’re not,” Satterwhite said. “Sometimes [sorting out the facts] takes a very long time.”

A number of students were searched and suspended for possession of marijuana earlier last week.

“It’s the standard consequences of having any kind of illegal drugs on campus,” Satterwhite said.

School policy states that “students caught with paraphernalia or drugs or under the influence” on campus receive three days of suspension for the first offense and five days for the second. Selling leads to expulsion.

According to Satterwhite, drug sales were not involved in the incident.

“Anything that’s happen[ing] on campus that potentially jeopardizes the safety or feelings of safety of students is a concern for us,” Leslie said. “We just need to make sure that if we hear anything or we suspect anything that we investigate. We want to make sure everybody’s safe.”

At the moment, the administration is still investigating the incident.

“[We’re] trying to help kids make their best choices,” Satterwhite said. “Our biggest desire, obviously, is to get kids to stop.”

M-Block member junior Tyler Stout called the game “very intense” and “a battle of the warriors.”

“We just came out there balls to the walls,” junior Tyler Stout said. “We were dodging balls quickly and just attacked.”

Tyler emphasized how his team learned from its mistakes during the match.

“I think we learned the valuable lesson that we can’t step over the line,” Tyler said. “Sometimes the cookie just doesn’t crumble the way you want it to.”

M-Block is set to play Victorious Secret in round three next week.

Dressed in shirts with “claw slashes,” Nightmare on Almond Street took down a team comprised of members of the girls basketball team and their coach Keith Mims.

The teacher team stormed onto the court while being welcomed by a loud series of boos from the crowd. However, the boos only seemed to encourage the “Nightmares” as they went on to dodge, catch and throw their way to victory.

“We at least wanted to get one win in the first round,” said Kiernan Raffo, Nightmare on Almond Street player and PE teacher. “We just kind of went in and played and I don’t think any of us knew what to expect.”

After Raffo made a diving catch to end the first game, their dominance continued with math teacher Matthew Chaffee throwing people out at a rapid fire rate and science teacher Lisa Bolton also coming up with some solid catches.

The team played well first round and hopes to continue to compete in the dodgeball main stage.

“I think we’re better than we thought we were going to be,” Raffo said. “And also, Chaffee’s legit.”