MK recycles?!? Page 2 Page 2
Manny Deus, who?
ISSUE 1, VOL. 25
Drug Policy Page 3
Gym report awaits the injured Chris Osifchin Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Mr. Benz
Cast members of “Skin of Our Teeth” gather their muses in the lead up to the show.
Fall play ends world at MK, sparks intellectual curiosity Maria Marino and Kara Kelly Staff Writer The 2007 fall play was another successful Morris Knolls production. “The Skin of Our Teeth”, by Thorton Wilder, consisted of three acts, each in which the Antrobus’, a family of four, had to face the end of the world. The first act represented the Ice Age as the family struggled to keep warm when the frigid cold began to take over their home. The second act represented the world ending from a flood, during which the play alluded to Noah’s Arc. The last act revolved around war and the theory that war will one day end the world. “The Skin of Our Teeth” was meant to show how the human race is constantly caught in crisis but is also constantly surviving. Throughout the entire play there seemed to be common underlying themes of people uniting in times of trouble and humans not only being the cause of problems but also the solutions to them. Although the play was not the easiest to follow, if the audience was able to pick up on the biblical references and allusions, the plot was not difficult to understand. For example, antrobus means human in Latin and Mr. and Mrs. Antrobus (Dylan Jacobus
Rock Band Page 4
and Elizabeth Engelberth) were meant to represent Adam and Eve. Also, their son Henry (Ezra Lowry), had a noticeable “C” on his forehead throughout the entire play. However, it wasn’t until the scene where he killed someone that it was possible to perceive that he was Cain from the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Although there was also a daughter in the family (Erin VanGelder). When it came to the acting however, the play was great. Everyone committed to their character and did an impressive job of looking natural instead of just rehearsed. Lauren Walker, who played the part of the Antrobus’ house keeper and also the seductive comic relief, stole away the show. Her witty sense of humor left audiences laughing partially with her and partially at her. The other actors did just as good a job as Lauren did. They were able to transition well from act to act and also from the serious parts of the play to the more light hearted parts. Every cast member, including the refugees, conveeners, and children had a memorable performance. The members of the cast made the play very exciting to watch and very hard to forget.
On the first day of school, several gym teachers made an announcement to their classes: if any student were to be out of physical education for an extended period of time, that student would have to write a report. According to the New Jersey Department of Education’s physical education frequently asked questions web page, schools have an extensive number of options regarding exemptions from physical education. Contingent on meeting with a physician and being diagnosed as unable to participate in physical education class, specific restrictions may be placed on the student’s participation. These are to be based on the severity of the injury. Alternatively, a student may participate in an adaptive physical education class with individual instruction catered to his/her injury. Health education or a healthrelated class (e.g. Food and Nutrition) that meets a number of core curricular standards may also be substituted for physical education until the student is healed. The school has several alternative actions available if the student is out of class for an extended period of time. These include participating in a physically licensed program (i.e. physical therapy) or assigning an inde-
pendent study project related to the physical education course.
After perusing these options, one should note that the Department of Education does not give writing a report as an alternative to participation in physical education. The gym teachers laid out the general terms of the policy on the 1st day, but the specifics will be laid out as needed. While some students, such as Kyle Skolsky, cry, “Punishment!” the gym teachers seem to have taken a different view of the matter. According to Mr. DeNure, “If you have a medical excuse for more than half the quarter, you will have to do some kind of project.” Mr. Schilling, the assistant principal, stated that, “[Report writing] is standard procedure, and is kept in the Physical Education Department. If you want credit, you have to do the report.” In the student handbook, this policy is not recognized. The only thing that is stated is that a physician’s note is required for excusal from physical education. Some say the written policy is logical because if a student is out of physical education for an injury, he/she will still be able to meet graduation and curricular requirements. Visit http://www.state.nj.us/education/aps/ cccs/chpe/faq.htm for more information on the DOE’s policy regarding physical education.
Michael Jaskot/The Quill If he suffers an injury, Phil Anzelmo will have to put away 4 square and pick up a book.
Few clubs as school begins as teachers, board work on contract
M. Tarantella and E. Weinberger Staff Writers
Every year, a club fair open to all students is held at Morris Knolls. The purpose of the fair is for students to learn about extracurricular activities that they are eligible to join. The number of diverse activities and clubs offered at Morris Knolls is immense, so the club fair is always a huge hit with students. Normally, the club fair is held near the end of September so clubs can begin as soon as possible. This year, however, speculation arose when it was announced that the club fair had been postponed until October 11, 2007. Now that the club fair is over, one would think the speculation would cease, but surprisingly that is far from true. Now more than ever, answers are needed re-
garding what occured before the club fair, and more interestingly its connection with the Morris Hills Regional District Education Association’s (MHRDEA) teachers contract. Every two to three years, the MHRDEA teacher’s contract is renewed by the teacher’s union and the Board of Education (BOE) but strangely this year a controversy began to brew. Before the contract could be finalized, an issue was brought up surrounding the issue of healthcare. Although the negotiation is conducted privately, the effects on the school and students were highly visible. The most evident effect that the contract had on the students as a whole was the club fair and the speculation that surrounded it. Most of the upperclassmen’s concerns were about the potential effects that such a delay
could have on their college applications and credentials. For underclassmen, the main concern was joining new clubs and making new friends. These concerns arose only because rumors had been circulating that the clubs would not start. Thankfully, most clubs did run, college applications are safe, and new students are now members of clubs. On October 4th, the Board of Education and the teachers union met for their third meeting regarding the MHRDEA contract. The topics of the meeting were healthcare conditions and percentage wages in salary, which was put in danger of being altered by a new rule called the Neptune Decision, which allowed the school board to, “Choose not to increase the salary of their teachers after a 3 year contract.” The main priorities of the teachers’ union, (as described by Mr. Elbin),
are preserving teachers’ healthcare and obtaining the standard percentage pay increase comparable to the total increase for all schools in New Jersey. The meeting ran until approximately 3:00 AM. About ten of the original twelve items which were being negotiated were settled through a tentative agreement for healthcare, and salary increases. The union still needs to come up with a salary guide for the people affected by the contract. A vote also needs to be cast as to whether or not the changes on the contract are accepted by all those who are influenced by it. Despite this, “Most teachers are doing volunteer work again,” according to Mr. Elbin. For now, the teachers’ potential contract has been stabilized, and will hopefully remain so.
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DECEMBER 2007
Mysterious origins of science wing’s name revealed
Ann Grimm Staff Writer
Last year, hard hats and caution tape surrounded Morris Knolls students during the lengthy construction of the new science wing. Amid the dust and loud noises, a modern building was constructed, making spacious classrooms that perfectly suit a science room. Passing through this new wing, some students have noticed the large silver name mounted on the wall, reading Manuel E. Deus. However, the name cannot be interpreted into anything concrete because not many students know who he is. Manuel E. Deus is in his twentieth year as the business administrator of the Morris Hills Regional Board of Education. His job entails transportation, the cafeteria, facilities, purchasing, payroll, financial reports, and overseeing health benefits. Superintendent Palestis described Mr. Deus’ job by saying, “…all the students and teachers focus on the education piece… but it really is a business…” Essentially, Mr. Deus is responsible for everything but the curriculum. Regarding the new science wing, Mr. Deus
was directly involved in the designing and execution of the contracts. After putting together an entire addition onto the school, the Board of Education voted on naming the building. Due to Deus’ efforts toward the project, they voted on naming it after him. According to Deus, he was completely unaware of this decision and was shocked when he found out. The secret was kept for several months while his name was being made to be plastered onto the wall. When the day of the ribbon ceremony approached, the superintendent noted, “…we wanted to put the letters up without him knowing it so we ordered the letters and had our people come in during the night and put them on the wall so when we had the ceremony the letters would be covered.” However, Deus was growing suspicious, questioning, “Who put the holes in the walls for the pin, and why are the pins covering something?” The night of the event, the superintendent and Mrs. Deus worked behind the scenes to make sure the man of the night got out of the house.
Mrs. Deus took him out to dinner, and she made sure she took extra long to get ready to ensure that the secret would not be spoiled. That night, when the curtain fell down and his name was displayed in shiny new letters, he was honored. But Mr. Deus should not only be honored for his work on the science wing, but as the superintendent put it, for his “20 years of service, which is highly unusual. Today school administrators really don’t stay in one place for a long time…” Deus is an exception, and despite his impending retirement on August 31st, he will have spent 20 years as a loyal contributor to Morris Knolls High School.
colai Oterro got almost all of the participants on stage with him to dance to MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This”. After the Talent section, all audience members who purchased a ticket were invited to vote for their favorite candidate. Deliberation from the judges panel, composed of Mrs. Gannon, Mr. Hyrnyk, and Ms. Ottavinia, combined with the tallied audience votes, determined Vinny DeRosa as 2007’s Mr. Morris Knolls. On winning the competition, Vinny said, “It feels great to win but, it was a great group and I would’ve been happy with any of the guys winning.” He also wanted to give a big thank you to Mr. Myers and Mr. DeBlasio for helping with his talent performance. To join
the winner, four other contestants were chosen to form the top five in the contest. John Pieper finished just behind DeRosa, coming in second. Pete Lionetti, David Lavin, and Nicolai Otero filled out the rest of the spots. They became the escorts for the senior girls nominated for Homecoming Queen at the homecoming game on October 19th and the dance on November 3rd. Besides providing entertainment for the school, the boys did something great for a fellow Morris Knolls senior. In the weeks leading up to the show, all contestants were asked to raise money for the Tina Witowsky Fund. The amount of money that each individual candidate raised was also factored into
Photo Courtesy of MHRD.k12.nj.us Manuel E. Deus, namesake of the new wing
Varsity Fall Sports Season Records
Congratulations to the boys varsity soccer team for its first state playoff win in 18 years, best record in 12 years and team captain Sean Pauls for making first team All-State, County, and Conference.
Wins Losses Draws Wins Losses 3 Football 6 Boys Tennis 4 17 Boys Soccer 9 11 1 Girls Tennis 6 15 Girls Soccer 11 9 1 Boys XC 7 2 Field Hockey 13 6 2 Girls XC 6 2 Volleyball 19 7 0
Vinny DeRosa crowned Mr. Morris Knolls after tight competition Sarah Ninivaggi Staff Writer
The 2007 Mr. Morris Knolls competition on October 16th was a hit yet again this year, providing audience members with a great show. The contestants included ten seniors: Chris Turner, Dylan Jacobus, David Lavin, John Pieper, Pete Lionetti, Casey O’Connor, Ryan Turso, Nicolai Otero, and Vinny DeRosa. All were nominated by other Knolls students to perform in the pageant. The boys did not go on stage alone, however; each was required to choose an escort. The girls were Ashley Cocilovo, Sarah Scherr, Alison Reichhard, Amanda Hedden, Emma Grabowski, Dara Kohn, Samantha Sergi, and Alexandra Golden. Casey O’Connor took a slightly different approach, choosing a friend, Greg Albert, to be his escort, adding some extra comedy to the night. The components of the show were: Swimsuit, Talent, and Formal Wear, as well as a Question and Answer segment. The contestants took to these categories very creatively. Swimsuit especially was a laugh for the audience, from David Lavin’s scuba gear to Dylan Jacobus’s mermaid costume. The talents were mostly musical, with the exception of Steve Turner’s humorous Hulk Hogan impression. Other acts included everything from John Pieper and Ryan Turso’s hilarious rendition of “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, a unique ribbon dance performance by Pete Lionetti, and Ni-
Morris Knolls is recycling during its 2007-2008 school year, thanks to key student advocates. For years, trying to establish recycling at Morris Knolls has been an uphill battle. The Ecology Club and its president, Cynthia Onorevole, as well as former students, Cathleen Onorevole and Amanda Broadwell have made it their responsibility to promote the use of recycling at the school. Many students and faculty members have doubted the legitimacy of the recycling program at Morris Knolls. However, Mr. Ternosky, the supervisor of buildings and grounds, is striving to end this uncertainty. During a recent interview Ternosky confirmed that recyclable products are collected and brought to the Denville Municipal Center by the custodial staff. The Ecology Club has even gone so far as to create a new collection system to
Character Education
Sarah Ninivaggi/The Quill Mr. MK Vinny DeRosa poses with collaborators Mr. DeBlasio and Mr. Myers.
Despite rumors, MK is a green, eco-friendly, recycling machine
Maria Marino Staff Writer
the final decision of the winner. The show would not be the success it was without some extra help. Teachers Mr. Rizzo and Mr. Gambale were responsible for organizing the event. The show was also hosted by the senior class officers, Kayla Foley, Jackie Halm, Kaitlin Lundell, and Ashley Anderson. Reid Stefanik provided the music for the nights as the official disk jockey.
involve more of the student body. Some of MK’s students are now going around and gathering the recycling bins from all of the classrooms to lend a helping hand to the school custodians. This new method of collection is meant to promote recycling and motivate everyone to put in the extra effort to recycle. Morris Knolls has also begun to recycle items such as cardboard, ink cartridges, tires, and batteries. Paper can be deposited in the blue or green recycling bins found in most classrooms, and aluminum cans and plastic bottles can be deposited in the bins in the cafeteria. Mr. Ternosky agreed when he said “We have invested a lot of money into the collection and containers and we would like to see people use them”. The basic hope of those involved in establishing this program is that the school community will utilize the recycling resources and take a huge step toward improving the environment.
THE QUILL
MORRIS KNOLLS HIGH SCHOOL 50 Knoll Drive ~ Rockaway, NJ ~ 07866-4099 ~ (973) - 664-2200 WRITING STAFF Ann Grimm Maria Marino Katie McAllan Sarah Ninivaggi Chris Osifchin Shaun Sintic Michael Tarantella Elissa Weinberger Kyle Walker
EDITOR IN CHIEF Alex Fitzsimmons LAYOUT EDITOR Michael Jaskot COPY EDITOR Nathan Berger ADVISORS Mr. Curtis Mr. Collinsworth Ms. Maier
EDITORIAL / LAYOUT STAFF Zach Assaf Christian Bloomquist Jin Woo Chung Victoria Diab Dan Downs Steven Gregory CARTOONISTS Mr. Luttenberger
THE QUILL, ISSUE 1,VOL. 25 December 2007. Published four times per school year by Redmond Press, 493 Route 53, Denville, New Jersey. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the editors. All photographs, graphics, and articles are property of THE QUILL unless otherwise noted. THE QUILL apologizes for typographical errors appearing anywhere within. The opinions and ideas expressed throughout this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the staff, or the school. Anyone wishing to submit articles or letters to the editor may electronically mail such material to
[email protected]. All submissions must be signed, though they may be published anonymously at the writer’s request.
DECEMBER 2007
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At drug policy seminar, thoughts and opinions collide Maria Marino Staff Writer
On October 10th, Morris Knolls hosted a seminar concerning the implementation of random drug testing. The Board of Education, along with concerned faculty and students, piled into the auditorium to voice their opinions on the matter. Presenting the potential new drug testing policy was Chris Steffner, who discussed the issue in a PowerPoint presentation that was distributed to the audience. Statistics, U.S. Supreme Court precedent, and real school testimony were used to advance the argument of why it is necessary for Morris Knolls to adopt the new drug testing policy.
Instead, she said that there should be a The current drug policy in the school follows what is called the “under suspicion” policy that will prevent students from reaching the point of addicpolicy. According tion. She believes that to this policy, if any with a random drug teacher or administrapolicy in place, the tor suspects that a stuschool will be able to dent is using drugs, the detect students still student must undergo experimenting with a mandatory drug test. drugs who have not In this instance, the yet become addicts. police are notified only If implemented, if the student is found Photo Courtesy of WSU.edu this new drug testto be carrying narcotThis is a needle. Needles are bad. ing policy would pool ics. Steffner argued that this policy should be strengthened because together all students involved in extracurit pertains only to students who develop ricular activities and who park on school grounds. When the school decides to run into noticeably frequent users.
the test, it will randomly select a group of students from that pool and have them sent to an as-yet undecided location to be tested. The random drug testing is used mostly to deter drug usage by students who are normally undetected abusers because they seem to be model students who actively participate in non-drug-related activities. After the conclusion of Steffner’s presentation, the audience was given a chance to ask questions and share its opinions on the matter, an opportunity which many individuals took advantage. The Board of Education is expected to vote on the random drug testing policy in the near future. If passed, the new testing would begin in time for the 2008-2009 school year.
POINT
COUNTERPOINT
The proposed drug policy is a hotly contested topic in the Knolls community. Two students voice their opinions on whether the policy should be implemented.
Drug policy bolsters security Drug policy usurps civil liberty Nathan Berger Copy Editor
OPINION
In every stable society, there is a necessary balance between the liberties of the individual and the security of the populace as a whole. Every great civilization has faced this issue, and a steady democracy can only exist as long as the people it represents can be assured that the laws supported by the majority are followed and enforced to a reasonable extent. Whether or not one supports laws regarding the legality of mind-altering substances, a patriotic American will nonetheless recognize that, even if one is not in agreement with them, all laws should be upheld to the greatest degree possible. The New Jersey State Legislature, recognizing that drug abuse is a growing issue in many school districts around the state, changed New Jersey Statute 18A:40A-22 in 2005 to read, in part, “[School districts [may] combat this problem through the random drug testing of students participating in extracurricular activities, including interscholastic athletics, and students who possess school parking permits.” Overall, the fundamental principle of random drug testing is just that: it is random. Every student enrolled in an extracurricular activity or parking on campus will be entered into a pool from which a certain amount of students will be randomly selected for a noninvasive test that will determine whether that student has been ingesting unlawful substances. All parties should be satisfied and mollified by the fact that this test is not selective, as those who are not abusing substances have the assurance that they will not suffer from any adverse consequences, and those who are abusing substances can be certain that they will not be discriminatorily targeted by a biased “secret police” intent on rooting them out. The infringement of civil rights by a policy like that in consideration by the District, upon close observation, is an argument that lacks tenacity in any reasonable measure. The current system is actually “secret police”-based, as reporting drug abuses requires an individual to report someone else on suspicion of using drugs.
Whether or not it is intended, the person in charge of apprehending the “suspect” will have his/her own bias immediately upon hearing the target’s name. This will undoubtedly influence his/her actions in questioning the “suspect,” and said suspect will be faced by an aggressive, domineering person who has already made up his/ her mind regarding what his/her reaction to whatever the “suspect” says will be. In a random process, all of these discriminatory elements are removed. Every student in the testing pool may be confident that his/her testing will take place in an environment free from persecution, where nothing is assumed to be true. Every participant in extracurricular activities can be certain that, if he/she is caught having taken illegal substances, his/her punishment will be sub rosa, with no reflection in his/her discipline files, and will not be reported to law enforcement authorities. The lack of a suspension from school, replaced rather with temporary removal from extracurricular activities, ensures that no student shall be deprived of his/her right to an education because of poor decisions that he/she may make. The primary issue with the District’s proposed random testing is maintaining the façade that the testing itself does not exist. The school administration must be charged with developing an appropriate policy by which selected students may be drawn surreptitiously to a secure location without arousing attention, and, more importantly, without disrupting the students’ school day in a way which may be detrimental to their performance. The testing itself must be accurate, and the District must be expected not to cut corners in selecting a laboratory; it is only reasonable that the name and contact information of the laboratory chosen be made public so that each individual may conduct his/her own research on it in order to confirm that it has no history of issuing false positives. If on-site testing is to take place, as proposed, people licensed to conduct such tests should do so under the auspices of a known laboratory. Regardless of the testing location, there should be an appeal process by which positive reports may be contested and confirmed. A random drug testing policy is a sound and beneficial idea, and the security that it provides to all law-abiding students cannot be underestimated.
Alex Fitzsimmons Editor-in-Chief
OPINION
If the founding fathers were alive today, they would be disappointed with Morris Knolls. Further entrenching a political and social trend that has been gradually usurping civil liberties for decades, the Morris Hills Regional District school board recently opened discussion on a proposed measure to randomly drug test all students who qualify under a set of criteria. O’ John Locke, where art thou? First of all, the criteria to qualify for the program are laughably broad-sweeping. The measure subjects students who either participate in extracurricular activities or have campus parking privileges, as well as all athletes, to random drug testing. The program, ingeniously devised to apply to almost the entire student body while maintaining the right to call itself voluntary, is virtually inescapable. It is nearly impossible to attend four years of high school without fulfilling one of the three aforementioned criterion: being an athlete, driving to school, or participating in extracurricular activities. It is completely rational, not to mention scathingly ironic, to assume that students who do not fulfill any of the three criterion are more likely to be chronic drug users. To be fair, the Supreme Court has upheld in numerous decisions that random drug testing in public schools is constitutional, and it is difficult to refute the statistics presented by the board claiming that a random drug testing policy reduces the incidence of drug addiction. Notwithstanding, the moral depravity necessary to implement such a blatantly invasive and unethical policy cannot be justified with statistics, flow charts, or legal precedent. Quite simply, the school board is exploiting a legal technicality. If a similar policy was expanded to encompass all citizens—young and old, students and professionals—not only would the public literally take up arms against the government, but the policy would be deemed unconstitutional almost instantaneously. Although the justices of the Supreme Court may have no problem relegating students to the status of sub-humans who are undeserving of the fundamental inalienable rights guaranteed to all citizens, that does not mean the school
board has to comply with the justices; in other words, unless wholly devoid of moral thought, the school board has the capacity to recognize that there is rarely a correlation between legality and morality. Just because a governing body has the legal right to enact a policy does not mean that it should exercise that right. But in this simple yet so habitually abused philosophy lies the problem. Government, by virtue of its definition, cannot and has never chosen to not exercise its governing capabilities; in other words, government survives by governing. Therefore, a government will never willingly exterminate itself, and thus every action a government takes is inherently designed to perpetuate its existence. Since government can never take action that would undermine its existence, it necessarily takes action to expand its existence. It is for this reason that a vigilant citizenry must recognize when its own liberties are being dissolved and advocate against it. Civil liberties are the hallmark of American culture and the underpinning of this country's founding. The most elemental difference between the United States Constitution, a timeless document rooted in liberty and limited government, and every other nation's legal text is that the U.S. Constitution recognizes and respects the sanctity of the individual. The rigors of time, combined with both misguided and unscrupulous politics, have gradually eroded this recognition and respect, to such an extent that a local school board has no qualms about enacting an intrusive, oppressive policy that so viciously yet so calmly assaults the concept of individual freedom. The ruthless maiming of civil liberties as perpetrated by the school board does not even begin to touch upon the policy's practical follies. Put concisely, instead of sacrificing the taxpayer's dime to such an amoral policy, the Board of Education could devote those resources to, say, education. But no, that would make too much sense: the school board has “other” interests to consider. The only thing more depressing than the policy itself is the fact that this debacle is only one small component of a national trend that, spearheaded by a combination of ignorant and deceitful bureaucrats, has been usurping and eroding the civil liberties of the American public for decades. O’ John Locke, can thou resurrect thyself?
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DECEMBER 2007
Let the good times rock and roll for Rock Band the game
Chris Osifchin Staff Writer
Since being featured at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Rock Band, a descendant of the popular music game Guitar Hero, has been greatly anticipated by gamers around the country. After Guitar Hero II was released, the companies that developed the game were bought by separate corporations. Harmonix, the company responsible for Rock Band, was bought by MTV Networks, a good omen for a music game. The instruments of the game include a guitar (can also be used as a bass), drums,
and a microphone. The guitar and drums are played the same way as in the Guitar Hero series. The microphone is similar to the Karaoke Revolution games, with the lyrics scrolling across the top of the screen and the singer having to match the pitch to the scrolling bars above the words. As for any game in the music-rhythm genre, the soundtrack is the most important part. Rock Band boasts a good one, with the track list ranging from the 1960’s, with the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”, through the current generation of music with the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dani California.” A feature that fans of the genre have
Dr. Palestis speaks about and defends the MK Food Ban Katie McAllan Staff Writer
At Morris Knolls High School, the newly enforced rule, (referred to as the “Food Ban”) that no longer tolerates food or non-water drinks in classrooms, has received much disagreement from the students. Dr. Palestis, the school’s superintendent, imposed this rule last year in order to protect the education of students. “What I saw is a situation in which food in the classroom really was disrupting the educational process,” stated Dr. Palestis. Despite this reasoning, students still believe that some of the complaints came from the janitors. However, Dr. Palestis argued that “It was my decision and it was not based on feedback that I received.” Some students claim that certain foods help them concentrate, and that
coffee wakes them up. However, the superintendent claimed that some students were abusing the rule. “I personally observed students handing each other food and students eating breakfast sandwiches out of one another’s hands,” said Dr. Palestis. He also brought up a situation where teachers had to wait for students to finish chewing or swallowing before the student could answer a question. This rule is also imposed at Morris Knolls’s sister school, Morris Hills. “The most important part of my job really is to make sure that learning takes place in the classroom and that it’s taking place in an environment that is conducive to learning,” stated Dr. Palestis, “The whole bottom line to me is what the school is all about, which is education and learning.”
Quill Sudoku Puzzle
One of the more revolutionary feabeen clamoring for is online play. Rock Band, like its competitor Guitar Hero III, tures in Rock Band is the career mode. will allow gamers to play with each other Harmonix totally revamped their career system from what over the Xbox Live they had previously network or the Playused in the Guitar station 3 network. Hero franchise to Another new feainclude an actual ture not seen so much storyline. Accordin games is the syncing to IGN.com, ing of the game with Rock Band World the Rock Band web Tour’s purpose isn’t site, www.rockband. to unlock songs, alcom. The web site is though that will be used as a community a part, but to build portal to have players your band from tomeet other players, tal nobodies to stapost scores on a leaddium-packing rock erboard, and provide stars.” To play in a general forum for this mode, you must participants. have two people A new part of playing. this game, something Photo Courtesy of Stuff.co.nz Rock Band is bethat fans have also A shot of Rock Band the video game. ing sold as a bundle for been calling for, is create-a-character. In Rock Band, you $169.99 and was released on November 20, can now choose from various hair styles, 2007. The package includes a guitar that can clothing and tattoo models to customize also be used for playing bass, a drum kit, and a microphone. your rock star.
Latest addition to Zelda series proves innovative, refreshing
innovative and intuitive touch controls from the DS. To run, press down upon the side of the screen you want to go. The newest chapter in the Zelda fran- To swing a sword, draw a quick slash. chise, The Phantom Hourglass, continues the The coolest example, by far, is Link’s tradition of great gameplay with new ideas boomerang. Simply ready the boomerthat breathe new life into the Series. Ninten- ang then draw the path you want to do’s The Legend of Zelda series is one of the throw it. The game allows for intricate, most revered and winding paths beloved gaming to be drawn and franchises. It has several puzzles been known for in the game reits many revoluquire it. tionary innovaThe Phantions, from the tom Hourglass battery save in the also brings back very first game to Wind Waker ’s revolutionizing sailing, but this 3D game play time, Link needs in the Nintendo to plot the course 64’s Ocarina of on the map beTime. The series fore setting sail. Photo Courtesy of Jotstiq.comAnother nifty is also known for its polished andA quick movement with the DS pen allows you to fight. feature is the use stellar, if slightly dated, game play. of the microphone. Several puzzles require The Phantom Hourglass is a direct shouting or blowing into the microphone sequel to the Gamecube’s Wind Waker. to simulate Link shouting or blowing out The game takes place with the hero Link a candle. sailing on a boat with Princess Zelda when Graphically, the game really pushes she is suddenly abducted by the mysteri- what the DS can do. The visuals are rather ous Ghost Ship. Link falls overboard blocky, but they’re sharp, clean and bright; trying to save her and washes up on an much better than its N64 predecessors unknown island. Ocarina and Majora’s Mask. The game has At first, it seems like standard Zel- a great musical score, though it’s mostly da-fare, but it quickly becomes apparent recycled from past games, but it’s good and that it’s not quite the same thanks to the often catchy.
Kyle Walker Staff Writer
