Behind the Scenes: Communicating Change

Andrew Smith ~ April 15, 2019

Recently the student body has experienced some changes brought upon them that came as a surprise to most. After gathering information from teachers, administration, and the student body these changes are either very welcomed or just hated all around. Many students complained that they were only able to use one bathroom in the entire school. Other students complained about the new procedures in place about visiting the nurse’s office and the Guidance Department. The main issue for everyone, though, was the lack of communication between staff, students, and administration. This was an issue not just for students, but staff as well.

The main issue across the board was the lack of communication throughout the school. A survey was sent to the student body asking this question: “On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think the communication between administrative staff and students is?” Out of the 40 students that responded to the survey, I calculated an average of 4/10. None of the students choose above eight; however, a majority of the students choose 3/10.

The same survey was sent to principal Mrs. Carbonneau. She responded by saying, “I can’t speak to the lack of communication among the population you noted. Everyone receives the same emails and messages at meetings. I believe that the school can continually improve through open communication and conversation. I would like the student leadership groups to be the student voices and advocate for improvement. Counter to improving our school climate is criticizing. Open communication and conversation to share perceptions is key. Everyone can improve by working as a team.”

One of the points that a staff member made to me is that there is change happening for the better, but the changes aren’t being shown to the student body. These changes are being explained to staff members and then the staff members are expected to communicate what they believe the plans are to the students.

I also asked students what they thought could be implemented to improve communication throughout the school. One student said, “Admin needs to communicate the fact that they are ready willing and able to punish people for vandalism and vaping in the bathrooms. Rather than lock all of the bathrooms, they should punish kids so that they don't want to do it again. By punish I don't mean send them down to Mr. Gallagher’s where they can play on their phone all day. I mean some good old fashioned community service, fines, having to write ‘I will not vandalize’ 100 times on the board, etc. The classic stuff.”

Another student said, “I don't think it's possible because there's so many students. I think it's good that the teachers are telling their students what's going on. I believe they're doing the best they can.” There are definitely different opinions about this in school.

Some of the primary and noticeable changes around the school are the new way to enter Guidance and the nurse's office is through the main office. Students spend an average of three- to-five minutes waiting before they get to speak to a school counselor or the nurse. The other major concern is the lack of available bathrooms; as most of us are aware, there is a vaping problem at our school. Most students are saying that locking all the bathrooms is not the best solution to this problem, while staff and administration may disagree.

One student said, “There is only one bathroom in the school. If someone needs it, then they need to go all the way across school to use it. So they say, ‘I'll wait until a break’. Then break comes along and 15 people are waiting to use the bathroom. If you need the nurse's office, then you should be able to go down without having to go through the main office.”

Another student went on to compare our school to a prison saying, “Everyday the school is turning more and more into a prison facility. Education is about learning and ‘preparing us for the future.’ I believe they are making things much harder than they need to be.”

These two students didn’t agree, and represented the views of the majority of the students taking the survey. But there was a small number who agree with the changes that have come. One student stated, “I think some of the new changes, like with the new entrance to the nurse's office are good for the school, even if they are a little annoying.”

In my survey to Mrs. Carbonneau, I asked her, “Why have the procedures been put in place?” and “Why were they implemented so late in the year, why weren’t they just put in place for the next school year?”

Mrs. Carbonneau said, “The nurse’s office is a space that needs to be protected due to confidentiality. Students should not be just dropping by and visiting or avoiding class. It has been an ongoing administrative concern that students don’t always have the privacy they need to communicate with the nurse. As for passes, the amount of students wandering without teacher knowledge has caused a safety concern. Students need to be where they are suppose to and without passes they may not be telling the truth and instead lying to avoid something.” She continued by saying, “This change in procedure has been discussed for months. The benefits of the change far outweigh the drawbacks. We will reflect on the process and continue to improve our approach.”

Overall, Littleton High School needs some changing; but, it needs to come from everyone all around. Not just the administration, not just the staff, but the students as well. Everyone should be working together to make the school how everyone wants and expects it to be. As we say every morning: “Have a great day, and BE KIND!”

2019 Junior Class Prom

Kaylee Quinones ~ April 16, 2019

The junior class has decided on its prom being at Ogontz Camp in Lyman, New Hampshire, one of five locations that were considered. On its website Ogontz states that it is, "A rustic event center in the mountains of NH. Ogontz provides homemade food & lodging for public & private events with a focus on the arts & weddings." This is a 350-acre private camp that also hosts music workshops throughout the summer. Their regular season runs from Memorial Day Weekend in May to Columbus Day Weekend in October.

There was a survey sent out via email where all junior boys and girls names were posted from the class. Out of all of the students, the class had to select four boys and four girls for prom court. After everyone had completed the survey, there was a set of criteria sent out to the teachers. The list of criteria was class involvement, character, attitude, scholarship, and participation in extracurricular activities. After the staff makes its selection, the king and queen will be revealed the day of prom at the conclusion of the grand march.

According to Reagan Porfido, the class secretary, “the venue is different from most proms done by LHS classes, and the decorations will be very hands-on.” The only decorations being used from Ogontz are centerpieces from past weddings. Every other decoration will be hand made by a student or parent. “We have a different venue, and overall I think it will be very original,” Jenna Doucette, class president, states.

Recently, the site has caused quite a dispute. The price of both buildings are just too much for the class to afford, so it wanted to condense prom to just using the dining hall. Many people prefer that it be in the more prominent building, but others say that there will be an awkward amount of extra space in the venue. Parents also agree that there is enough room in the dining hall since it fits 200. A class meeting commenced and no decision was made as to which building was going to be used. There is a survey out for the class to see what all students think regarding which building they should be in for prom, and the results will be posted soon.

With all the controversy about what building should be used and how things should be handled, we are missing one thing. Prom shouldn't be about the money; it should be about being with your class and having a night to remember. When will you ever get all these people together again? We can’t even get everyone to our class meetings. You only get one junior prom. Yes, you may go with someone else your senior year, but that’s not your prom. Prom is close so let’s have a night to remember.

NBA Playoffs: First Round Predictions

Fred Finkhauser ~ April 19, 2019

The NBA playoffs only just began on April 13th, but there have already been some great games. There were some upsets and some wins that were expected. So who will come out of the first round? The matchups in the West are the Golden State Warriors vs. the LA Clippers, the Houston Rockets vs. the Utah Jazz, the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Denver Nuggets vs. the San Antonio Spurs. The matchups in the East are the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Detroit Pistons, the Boston Celtics vs. the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers vs. the Brooklyn Nets, and the Toronto Raptors vs. the Orlando Magic.

The Warriors have a clear advantage over the Clippers. It’s the 1st seed vs. the 8th seed. The Warriors have their five all-star lineups while the Clippers have no all-stars. Many fans and journalists expect the Warriors to be are winning the series 4-0 and they are also favored to win the championship. The Clippers don’t have enough to beat the Warriors. However, in the second round, the Warriors will have a challenge. They will face the Rockets or the Jazz. I expect the Rockets to win that series 4-2. The Rockets have the number one offense, and the Jazz have the number one defense. The Rockets have arguably the best scorer in the NBA in James Harden so it will be interesting to see what the Jazz will do to stop them.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Portland Trail Blazers series will be an exciting matchup. Paul George of the Thunder is dealing with a shoulder injury that is unknown by the public. This injury has negatively affected his shooting. However, the Trail Blazers also don’t have their starting center Jusuf Nurkic because of a leg injury. The Trail Blazers will have a harder time defending the paint without him. Since Nurkic is out, then the Thunder will probably win the series 4-3. The winner will face the Denver Nuggets or the San Antonio Spurs.

The Nuggets are a young team that has no playoff experience, but they finished with the 2nd seed in the West. They also have Nikola Jokic who is one of the best centers in the league. Jokic dominates the paint, and he can also shoot the three. However, if he has an off night, then the Nuggets will struggle. The Spurs have players who have a lot of experience in the playoffs, and they have one of the greatest coaches of all time in Gregg Popovich who has won 5 NBA championships with the Spurs. With the Spurs playoff experience and their excellent coach, I expect the Spurs to win the series 4-3.

A Parisian Tragedy!

Gabbie Buczala ~ April 19, 2019

The Notre Dame Cathedral was built over 800 years ago on a small island called Ile de la Cite in the middle of the River Seine in Paris, France. This detailed and astounding building took a course of 200 years to build. Construction started in 1163, during the reign of King Louis VII and wasn’t completed until 1345. Many memorable and historic events took place in the cathedral, including the crowning of Henry VI of England in 1431 and Napoleon I in 1804. Throughout the decades, the cathedral had been damaged and vandalized many times. At one point, it was in such a tragic state the city almost demolished it. However, Napoleon saved it the year he was crowned. The cathedral had finally been restored to its former glory in the middle of World War II until word got around that the German soldiers might destroy the new stained glass windows. As a precaution, the windows were removed until after the war had ended. The city only took such a drastic precaution to protect one certain stained window, the Rose Window. This was the largest glass window produced in the world during the 13th century. The Notre Dame has always been known as “our lady” and is still in use today. One of the most distinctive artifacts is the famous bell, which has now been modernized and rings on its own. Along with the bell, the 17th-century organ is one of the most fascinating and beautiful sights to see and hear, as it is still completely functioning to this day. The cathedral is used for Roman Catholic Church for Sunday mass, and it is also the seat of the Archbishop of Paris.

On Monday, April 15, the city of Paris along with the world watched in sadness and horror as the centuries-old cathedral burned. At 6:20 p.m local time, which is 12 p.m ET, the first fire alarm rang out, interrupting the beginning of Monday mass. Although the security guards didn’t see any sign of fire, they started evacuating. One worshipper said a group of them decided to stay until a police officer came in and told the priest that this was serious, that they needed to get out. Approximately 25 minutes later, the second alarm rang out and the fire was raging. Almost 400 firefighters were sent to extinguish the fire, however, it took them several minutes to get there due to the rush hour traffic. Shortly before 8:00 p.m, the famous spire that made the Paris skyline so amazing, burned to a black shell and fell to the ground as thousands watched in horror and sadness. Around 11:00 p.m French President Emmanuel Macron stated: “The worse has been avoided, the facade and two main towers did not collapse.” It took 9 long, hard working hours for the fire to finally be extinguished.

During the fight to put out the fire, two policemen and a firefighter were injured but are said to recover completely. The following morning, an investigation was started to see what could possibly have started the fire. Thankfully, many sacred artifacts and relics were saved, and the stained glass windows appeared to be untouched. However, there are some tragic damages. The famous spire no longer stood in its spot, and the centuries-old oak rook now charred and left with gaping holes exposing the inside of the cathedral to the outside. Charred rubble covered the inside, yet the pews and golden cross remained intact. French President Emmanuel Macron stated they plan on having the Notre Dame Cathedral restored completely in the next five years. Globally, 700 million dollars have been privately donated to aid in the reconstruction of the cathedral. This is a tragic loss for not only the city of Paris but the world as well.

Crusader Girl’s Tennis Serves Up New Season

Bre Lemay ~ April 15, 2019

Crusader spring sports have been off to a particularly rough start, but they are starting to bloom as time goes on. Due to poor weather conditions, the fields and courts were snowy and wet for the first couple weeks of the season. As summer is rounding the corner and spring has finally sprung, the conditions are looking, and feeling, much better.

The varsity girls tennis team has been off to a great season, with a 4-0 record so far. At The first game, at Prospect Mountain High School, the girls won 6-2. On 4/16, they crushed Inter-Lakes High School in a home game 8-1. On 4/17, they beat White Mountain Regional High School 9-1. Their last game so far was on 4/18, winning against Profile 6-3. So far, their team brings them a great chance of success this season.

The top six players this year for the Varsity team are seniors Laney Hadlock, Lexi Walker, Gabbie Leavitt, and Nicole Piette, and sophomores Olivia Corrigan and Mckayla Dermako.

I spoke with Olivia Corrigan about her thoughts on the season so far. She said that she is enjoying this year because Coach Smith is including more people in matches, such as people outside of the top six players. She hopes that her team will make it very far this year, hopefully going undefeated and getting a chance at winning the State Championship, which they are already in line for.

However, probably the most valuable part of our interview was when we talked about her team. Corrigan said, “My favorite part of tennis is just being with people that support everyone and having a good time with everyone on the team, win or lose.” Teamwork is the foundation of any sports team, and having this relationship between teammates may just be the thing that brings out the best in theirs.

Overall, things are looking great for the team in the future. With over 10 Varsity players and 4 leaving this year, the upcoming middle school team is very promising, outnumbering the amount of High School players now.

Looking at the schedule, there are ten matches left, with five being home, and five away. Coaches Mr. Smith and Mrs. Ross have been coaching the team together for quite a few years. With both of them working in the Littleton School district, they dedicate their time after school to many hours of practices and games. They have truly given the varsity team the support that they need to succeed, fight, and win.

So, if you are around on a nice afternoon, check the home game schedule below for any games and feel free to swing by if there are. The girls would love to see fans there, and always appreciate your support!

Home game schedule

4/30/19 4:00 PM vs. White Mountain Regional High School @Home(Remich Park Courts)

5/02/19 4:00 PM vs. Lebanon High School @Home(Remich Park Courts)

5/03/19 4:00 PM vs. Profile High School @Home(Remich Park Courts)

5/08/19 4:00 PM vs. Berlin High School @Home(Remich Park Courts)

5/09/18 3:30 PM vs. Moultonborough Academy @Home(Remich Park Courts)

A New Slice of Pizza in Town

Kaylee Manzella ~ April 17, 2019

Recently, a new addition has been added to our town: Domino’s. Domino’s is an American Pizza restaurant chain that was founded in 1960. In Littleton, it provides a good, healthy source of competition for the already existing Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut is also an American pizza restaurant chain that was founded in 1958.

Before Dominos moved in, Pizza Hut and other restaurants did not deliver; due to Domino’s arrival, the delivery game in Littleton has changed. Many restaurants in Littleton deliver to keep up with the competition. Pizza Hut started delivering a week or so before Domino’s moved in to get a bit of leverage and let it be known that they will deliver as well as the incoming Domino’s restaurant. A man also started his own sort of delivery system for some restaurants on Main Street: Gold House, Jing Fong, and Chang Thai. People ask him to pick up their order and he brings it to them. I haven’t heard much about his service, besides a couple of times.

In a recent poll I sent out, I asked some students from the high school to answer whether they prefer Domino’s or Pizza Hut more and what makes one better than the other. Of the 40 students I asked to vote, 21 of them voted for Pizza Hut and the other 19 voted for Domino’s. A senior in our school, Gabbie L. voted for Pizza Hut, her reasoning for preferring Pizza Hut was that they have larger pizza than Domino’s and better-tasting sauce. That follows the lines of most of the other people’s responses as well. They have better tasting pizza, better crust, thicker dough, and great customer service.

The 19 people who voted for Domino’s stated mostly that it is new and they wanted something different than Pizza Hut. A Senior, Victoria T., said, “It is a new addition to Littleton and is a welcomed change from Pizza Hut.” There were also many responses regarding their garlic bread knots being delicious. Students also said their crust is better, they offer good pricing, and better choices for dietary purposes.

Domino’s and Pizza Hut serve very similar things. They both sell pizza, that's a given; they both have chicken wings, pasta, bread & sides, and desserts. However, Domino’s has sandwiches listed as something on their menu while Pizza Hut has listed their P’Zone’s. An offering of Pizza Hut that is not available at Domino’s is their personal pan pizza. Domino’s has a small pizza, but that is still to feed up to three people and costs $6.99 while Pizza Hut’s personal pan costs $3.99. Domino’s large pizza, however, is $10.99 while Pizza Hut’s large pizza costs $12.99. Their pastas have the same price for most of them I believe, $7.99 for both restaurants. Most of their prices are very similar and don’t range very much.

In conclusion, Pizza Hut and Domino’s both seem to be very good restaurants and should both be welcomed and visited if you get the chance.

Toastmasters Trains Students

Jamielee Lamarre ~ April 15, 2019

Toastmasters is an organization that helps with public speaking for students or anyone who is interested. This year I have decided to join its six week program to see what it was about. It is held every Tuesday from 4-6. Four other students -- Madeline Carbonneau, Austin Hastings, Jenna Doucette, and Claire Hennessy from LHS and DBMS are involved -- as well as Mr. Stinehour.

I was a little hesitant to go at first, but as I walked in, my stress went away. It is a very welcoming environment, and everyone there makes it feel that way. It’s a handful of people in a small room in the All Saints’ Episcopal Church. Anyone in the school was welcome to come, but a few dropped out or decided not to show up. Despite this, the few people we have had made it pretty fun.

Now that you know what Toastmasters is, you may be wondering, what do we do? Well, we all go down to the church, and into the back room. When you go in, there’s a snack table filled with food such as brownies, grapes, cheese and crackers, chips, and drinks. This is all provided by Mrs. Fillion. Once we’ve all gotten snacks, we sit down and read the schedule for the day. Jill, the President of Toastmasters, usually opens by going over what we’re doing and assigns people “jobs”. Different people each time take the role of the “um,” “uh,” “like,” and filler word counter, and timing the speeches.

After Jill starts, we begin doing an activity called Table Topics. In Table Topics, people go up to the lectern and are given a random question relating to that week's theme. Once you get the question, the time starts, and you have to talk about what your answer is and why. This helps with on- the- fly speaking and is used in everyday life. These speeches should take 2-3 minutes. Usually, all of the students participate in this, and sometimes others get involved as well.

After Table Topics, each student has to get up and present their speech that they have been preparing for a week. These speeches are supposed to be 3-5 minutes long, and everyone is more prepared for it. After we have all given our speeches for the day, we get evaluated on them. People like Jill and Diane evaluate us, but last time the students evaluated each other. Evaluating your peers makes you have to focus on what they're saying, and being evaluated helps you know how to better yourself.

After the speeches and evaluations, there are sometimes presentations given by Dayna or Tim. These presentations can be given by anyone, and there are different topics each time. Some topics include using gestures or how to organize a speech. These are helpful for anyone who needs it.

In closing, we talk about how the day went and what we have to do next week. Each week we have to read another chapter in our toastmasters book and write another speech. Overall, I think that if you have the opportunity to be involved with one of these programs, I would highly recommend it. It can help you with everyday conversations, presenting something in class, and being confident in your speaking abilities.

April 30th is our last meeting in the 6-week session. It will be unlike any other we have done before. This time the students will be taking rolls of running the meeting. Madeline Carbonneau will be the MC, I will be running Table Topics, and Austin Hastings will be closing the meeting. This will all be held at Thayers Inn, and anyone is welcome. I hope that in reading this, you will see the benefits of a speech class for high schoolers and join us on April 30th.