According to Boston.com News, only one county in MA fits CDC guidelines to fully open schools (and it is not Needham). Moreover, according to CNBC, 90% of schools in the country are in counties with substantial levels of spread where the CDC says it’s not safe for schools to fully reopen for in-person learning. Why, then, would many governors be pushing for in-person learning when it clearly does not seem safe?

Mark your calendars for April 13th, the day to vote in the Needham town elections. Local government is where your vote makes the largest impact and this year there are two super important contested races: the Select Board and the School Committee.

The one redeeming factor of junior year is that students do not have to take MCAS, a boring ordeal that underclassmen (usually) must go through. However, last spring, MCAS was canceled due to the shutdown. I, like many other students, hoped that the state would exempt students from MCAS. But no. The state has failed us students.

Assassins is a hallmark of senior spring, as there’s nothing like the adrenaline rush of having a random classmate camped out in your backyard, or discovering the betrayal of a sibling who has let your assassin into the house. Assassins has the power to rip families, friend groups, and cohorts apart -- which is exactly what we need this spring.

In August of 2020, a new term was heard for the first time: Fall 2. This change gives dedicated athletes a chance to participate in a fourth season and introduces another new term: the four-season athlete.

Homeroom is, in fact, a lovely aspect of the Needham High experience. Starting at the very beginning of 9th grade, new students are thrown into a lively community full of laughs and joy.

Only amid the coronavirus pandemic have the tides turned significantly, causing an overwhelming number of schools to abandon the standardized test requirements and take a test-optional approach to admissions. But is this change meant to last beyond the virus, or is it just a temporary measure?

On February 3rd, Needham Public Schools superintendent Dr. Gutekanst announced that all students kindergarten through second grade will be returning to full in-person learning beginning March 8th. This means that both cohorts will be learning at the same time, in the same classroom, and in person for the remainder of the school year.

If you have spent any time at the YMCA in the center of Needham the last seven years, then you may know who Marcus Nelson is. For the few of you who pay attention to local politics, you would know that Marcus is running for Needham’s Select Board.

Hey sexy seniors! It's that time of the year - time for senioritis, also the stresses of prom and finding a roommate on Facebook. Lucky for you: Hilly is here to help!

As of Monday, March 15th, school administrators are being surveyed to “gather feedback on potential tournament expansion to state semi-final and final rounds." The students of the nine approved spring sports await the decision on their tournaments, which is set to be made this coming Wednesday, the 17th.

We have slowly gotten used to seeing our friends and teachers in masks and have become accustomed to having conversations without actually seeing the person talking to you. Now, as the weather is getting warmer and the snow is melting, teachers should be encouraged to give classes mask breaks again.

The Needham High School Mock Trial team has not won a trial since… well, let’s just say no one can remember. Yup, you heard that right. Needham Mock Trial has gone many years without winning. That all changed during the 2020-2021 Mock Trial season.

Art in Bloom has been an annual tradition in Needham for the last 13 years. The collaboration between the Temple Beth Shalom Garden Club and Needham High’s Art Department usually takes place at the Needham Free Public Library, but took place virtually this year!