Although the warning was considered “not credible,” Wayland Police and Fire Departments responded immediately as a precaution. WMS students were dismissed from school at the regular time of 1:10 P.M. Shortly after, the building was evacuated of all remaining students and faculty.

“We were asked to search our rooms for any irregular things,” said Diane Muffitt, the WMS Band Director. “We didn’t find anything.”

State police arrived with bomb tracking dogs who scoured the school and found no traces of any bomb materials.

“What the teachers did was go around and check their classrooms,” said Wayland Police Officer Tyler Castagno. “They came back and reported there was nothing out of the ordinary, which made us feel safer and then the dogs went inside to fully check the building and didn’t find anything either.”

“I always believe that you have to be open and let people know what’s happening right away,” said Superintendent Paul Stein who sent an email to parents shortly following the clearance of the building. “It is what it is, it’s unfortunate, but it’s not anything we haven’t dealt with before.”

Wayland Middle School was deemed bomb-free by local and state police at 2:40 P.M. It will be open for normal activities tomorrow morning.

Romney has been criticized recently for changing his position on various controversial issues. (Credit: CC/Flickr nmfbihop)

In recent weeks, the direction of the Republican primaries has become ever more clear. Michele Bachmann, John Huntsman and Rick Perry have all dropped out and only Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum remain.

Paul, a candidate promising to end all foreign aid and curl the United States back up into its isolationist shell while cutting an incredible five federal departments, has amazingly finished strong in both Iowa and New Hampshire, with respectable showings in South Carolina and Florida. Despite his political agenda, I admire Dr. Paul because he has remained loyal to his principles regardless of how absurd they seem.

Rick Santorum has also fared well apparently because he represents the “average American” born from a family of coal miners. Listening to Santorum compare gay marriage to a paper towel would seemingly scare away voters, but it hasn’t.

On the other hand, Gingrich seems to have dedicated his campaign to barraging Romney with negative advertisements. Judging by his finish in Florida, it doesn’t look like Newt’s strategy is working.

That brings us to the Grand Old Party’s front-runner: Mitt.

After winning in Iowa (at first, anyway), New Hampshire and Florida, Mitt has become the primary target for negative advertisements from other Republican candidates like Gingrich and Paul. Romney is criticized for his constantly changing political agenda – otherwise known as “flip-flopping.” Desperate to appeal to conservative voters, Romney has abandoned the moderate rhetoric that won him the gubernatorial election in Massachusetts in 2003.

For Pete’s sake, Mitt, we know you’re running for office, but you can’t just flip your position on every single issue to get people to like you. This ‘adaptive’ strategy should keep you, Mr. Romney, out of the oval office.

On our nation’s most controversial issues, Romney has repeatedly changed his position.

Let’s focus on abortion. During the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial race, Romney said in a debate: “I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose.” In a historically liberal state like Massachusetts, a statement like Romney’s would appeal to voters.

Romney clearly did not realize though, that he would run for president years later and that conservative Americans would not be pleased with his stance on abortion. In recent years, Romney has become an opponent of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case that allows women to have abortions.

Romney’s “Pro-Life Pledge” states, “I am pro-life and believe that abortion should be limited to only instances of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother…I support the reversal of Roe v. Wade….”

To defend his changing opinion, Romney argues that abortion was a philosophical issue when he ran for governor, but when he became governor and was presented with real pro-choice legislature, he was forced to switch sides. This argument seems reasonable for a high school vice president but not quite for a governor of Massachusetts.

How can we believe that Romney will follow through with the promises he’s made during his presidential campaign?

Personally, I wouldn’t mind if Romney changed back to his previous political rhetoric like supporting abortion and gay rights and acknowledging the realities of global warming. What concerns me more is that Romney seems to lack principles. He has not maintained the same position throughout his political career, and there’s no evidence to show that he won’t continue to flip-flop.

Changing one’s position on a controversial topic isn’t necessarily a tragedy. However, Romney has done so on almost every issue (research for yourself). It seems he is willing to forgo any principles he had as a governor to win the nomination and eventually the general election in November.

For this reason, we cannot elect Mitt Romney.

Boys Basketball Coach Dennis Doherty graduated from Wayland High School in 1992. (Credit: Jake Adelman/WSPN)

Each year, Wayland High School employs over 50 coaches to try to lead our teams to state tournaments and hopefully even state titles. Coaches spend hours each day working with the athletes to help them improve their skills. Coaches and players can develop a special relationship with each other.

Often, one of the last things on a player’s mind while they are running sprints or doing push ups is their future in that sport. While they don’t think about it, chances are, some of our athletes will return to WHS to coach the team on which they once played. However, is the fact that we have alumni coaching our teams a good thing?

Right now, the large number of alumni coaches contributes tremendously to the success of our athletic teams here at WHS. We have numerous teams that qualify for the tournament and some which win championships. It would be hard to say that we don’t have a successful athletic program at the moment.

One of our most successful teams this year, boys soccer, has assistant coach Charles Goodhue, class of 2002, on the sidelines. Boys basketball has coach Dennis Doherty, class of 1992.

For both of these sports, these two coaches were on the last team that won a state championship. Goodhue led the team as a captain to the 2001 state championship and Doherty was the point guard on the 1992 championship team.

After taking time off, both of these coaches decided to return to Wayland to lead their new teams to similar fates.

One reason why I feel alumni coaches help is that they can form a special relationship with the players that most others cannot. Even though we just moved to a new building, alumni coaches understand the culture in Wayland. They can talk about problems and relate to issues that are specific to WHS.

Anyone involved in athletics knows that sports change. The speed of the game, the strategy and even the equipment used all progress each year. While one strategy might have worked last year, you can bet that it most likely won’t work this year. For these reasons, we have to be sure that our coaches stay up to date on their strategies.

You can be sure that the strategy that was dominant when alumni played would be a disaster if it were used today. Some might say that having alumni as coaches is detrimental to the success of our programs. They would say that using alumni wouldn’t allow new opinions into the system.

I disagree. Alumni can bring a new perspective and promote original strategies just as coaches new to the system do. Alumni coaches give us a distinct advantage that most schools don’t have.

Wayland Public Schools Superintendent Paul Stein. (Credit: Sammy Keating/WSPN)

Dr. Paul Stein has worked in various schools and communities throughout his career; this year, he became the superintendent of the Wayland Public Schools.

Stein started his job as the new superintendent  on July 1st, 2011, replacing Dr. Gary Burton, who had been the superintendent  for seventeen years.

After attending Cornell University as a math major, Stein discovered where his interests intersected.

“I really liked math, but I also felt the need to be with people, so I thought that being a math teacher combined my interests together,” he said.

Stein was a student teacher in upstate New York, and at the age of 21, he moved to the Boston area for graduate school.

Over the years, Stein has had many jobs in education. He started as a math teacher at an alternative high school in Somerville and later became the director of the high school.

Stein was also the assistant principal at Pollard Middle School in Needham, the principal of F.A. Day Middle School in Newton, and then the deputy superintendent of Newton Public Schools.

“I had known Wayland over the years. I originally became familiar with it when I worked in Needham, and I used to come for meetings,” Stein said. “I always liked the values of the people that worked here and also the values of the community.”

Although Stein was not looking for a job at the time, he realized the opportunity to be the superintendent of Wayland was one he could not pass up.

He had known previous Wayland Public Schools administrators Charlie Ruopp and Richard Shay.

“It was a combination of the people and values that I really liked,” said Stein.

Stein’s currently working on new initiatives, such as the One to One initiative slated to begin next fall. Stein is also an advocate of adding the study of Chinese language to the school system. He also wants to add an exchange program between WHS and a school in Beijing.

For right now, Stein is concentrating on his goal of supporting students and helping them learn.

“[The students] come first. We have a responsibility to their education, and if for some reason it isn’t working, then we aren’t doing something right,” Stein said.

As much as Stein is working on bringing new ideas to Wayland, he also wants to maintain the strong aspects of the Wayland Public Schools system.

“I think what I’m bringing to Wayland is more reflected in the goals I have for the school system,” said Stein. “Part of those goals include working with the faculty and the administrators; part of my goal is to sustain those great parts of Wayland.”

(Photo Illustration: Elaine Hunt/WSPN)

This is the third in a three-part hipster guide designed to inform and instruct those looking for a lifestyle change or simply to become more knowledgeable about this new phenomenon. So, put a kettle of tea on the stove and read on.

You now know how to dress and converse like a hipster, so you’re probably eager to meet some of these mystical creatures. Be warned though – hipsters aren’t always the most friendly, so you may have to reach out to them first.

Before you take to the streets with your cat in tow, just know that you won’t find many hipsters in Wayland. If you want to find a plethora of them, head to a city. Minnesota was recently named the most hipster state, but luckily for us, Massachusetts came in a strong fourth. That is not to say, however, that everyone who lives here is a hipster, so you must be able to spot one at 100 paces.

The key to hipster spotting is knowing where to look.

Where to find hipsters:

• Used bookstores. Hipsters like classic literature and vintage things. Now combine the two and you get vintage literature, a hipster’s dream.
• Riding fixed-gear bikes. In simple terms, a fixed-gear bike has one gear that is attached directly to the back wheel. The pedals of the bike are constantly in motion, and it has no brakes so you must peddle backwards to stop. To some, this may seem dangerous and impractical, but to hipsters, they’re the pinnacle of urban trendiness.
• Used and vintage clothing stores. Maintaining their look is no easy task. Hipsters must stay on the cutting edge of 80′s fashion.
• Farmers markets. This is where the line between “hipster” and “hippie” becomes a little blurred.
• Any music store that sells vinyl records.
• Protests. Hipsters love fighting for their rights, whether it be their freedom to speak against the government or their freedom to wear non-prescription glasses.
• Indie band concerts. Usually, one would go to these concerts with friends. Hipsters don’t believe that anyone could ever possibly share their taste in music, so they have two options for these events. They can either go alone or go with friends and act sullen and complain about how the band has become too mainstream.
• Urban Outfitters
• Coffee shops, both in front of and behind the counter. Many hipsters have liberal arts degrees, making it hard for them to find jobs in the current economy. Coffee shops are just cool enough for them to work at, and they include discounted caffeine. Coffee shops also often have free WiFi, which is key for hipsters trying to maintain their online presence.
• Indie and foreign film festivals. The thing these two types of movies have in common is that they require more sophistication and intelligence to understand than the average movie. Whether hipsters understand them or not is a different matter.
• Taking “artsy” pictures of nature and of themselves, using either vintage or professional-looking cameras. Slap some sepia on that photo and there you go, a new tumblr post.

Finding hipsters in their natural habitat is no small feat, but if you know their usual haunts, you’ll be one with the hipsters in no time.

Do you have your over-sized glasses? Your cat sweater? Your iPhone? There is only so much preparation one can do. Now you have no other choice but to seek out these hipsters and try to win their affection. Catch the next train into Boston and put your new-found hipster knowledge to the test!

10. The food. It’s like a ski lodge cafeteria. For a high school, that’s impressive.

9. The stairs. Yeah, they take some getting used to, but I think everyone will have damn nice legs after a few weeks. Tip: don’t break your foot, it makes the stairs the worst part of the day.

8. The Eno boards. For the teachers that can use them, they totally rock. For the teachers that can’t… At least they double as whiteboards.

7. THE THEATER! It’s amazing! It’s huge, high-tech and the seats are so comfortable. Looks like the “little” theater grew up.

6. The bathrooms. Automatic toilets, sinks… Not soap. And not towels. Actually, the paper towel dispenser is a little finicky. Still an upgrade. Locks on all the doors means I’m in heaven!

5. The armchairs in the academic center. They have desks! I could never decide if I wanted to study or just relax, but now I can do both.

4. The courtyard. Come spring, it’ll be the place to eat lunch. For now, though, I’m just trying to get through it as fast as I can.

3. The Student Learning Centers. Seriously, how many times have you had to promise a teacher you’d print your homework during lunch and turn it in ASAP? On second thought, maybe the SLCs aren’t ideal…

2. The Language Lab. Rolling chairs, a full computer at everyone’s desk and we can’t record orals (yet)?!

1. The colors. Honestly, I think they’re fun. It took a little getting used to, but the Care-Bear-vomit look is growing on me. Much better than the uniform gray and blue colors in the old school.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

I start this week by offering my deepest regrets to the Griffin family. On my right wrist is a purple bracelet that says, “Strength – JG.” I plan to wear this bracelet during the rest of my track meets and games in which I play.

The winter season is halfway over for some, and for others it’s almost done. Here is a quick recap of how teams are doing so far.

Girls basketball is still searching for the elusive first win, but having played against them, I’m confident it’s only a matter of time before they get it.

Boys hockey made some line changes and was able to recover after a 3-0 loss to Lincoln-Sudbury with a 7-2 victory against Dracut.

Girls hockey saw their seven-game win streak come to an end against Waltham on Saturday, losing 3-1.

The boys swim team fell to Westford Academy, but the girls were able to prevail and are 8-0 this season.

There is a reason I ended with the swimming teams; I’m using it for a transition to this week’s topic – team. I can honestly say that I had not been a part of a true team until this past fall while on soccer. It was a collaborative effort from the top down that made me love every teammate. It gave me extra incentive to perform; not only was I out there for myself, but I was representing and playing for my team.

You are not a team just because you’re all on the same roster, all wear the same uniform and all have the same coach. There are plenty of things that need to be put aside, like egos, disputes or whether or not you and your teammates are friends. If all that gets worked out, it can create an unbreakable bond and help performance.

The team factor is more profoundly seen in the more grueling sports. Defining a grueling sport will probably spark its own argument, but swimming is one example. Swimming has been called a cult because of how much time they spend at the pool and how much time they spend together out of the water. But all that time spent together has created a strong team bond.

It’s like the corny part in any sports movie when the team comes together, then the music starts playing and they win a bunch of games. I think the bond created does actually contribute to success, and one thing you cannot question about the swim team is their success. However, just because teams are or aren’t successful doesn’t mean that they do or don’t get along. There is more to sports than that, but in high school sports, I think really loving your teammates can win you some games.

I hope the players who read this will do their best to become better teammates and commit to creating a team atmosphere.

As always, check Warrior Scores for the latest.  And it actually feels like winter; now all we need is snow that sticks.

Conductor Benjamin Zander was dismissed from his post at NEC after nearly forty years of service. (Credit: CC Flickr Katrina Kokosova)

On Thursday January 12, New England Conservatory President Tony Woodcock released an “urgent message” stating that Benjamin Zander is “no longer with the institution” – a euphemism for ‘Zander was fired.’

Zander was the beloved conductor of my orchestra, the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (YPO), and the artistic director at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, a private school affiliated with New England Conservatory (NEC).

After transforming the culture at NEC and Walnut Hill, Zander was allegedly fired because he allowed Peter Benjamin, a registered level two sex offender, the opportunity to continue his career as a videographer after serving time in prison and undergoing therapy.

Woodcock and New England Conservatory’s decision to dismiss Zander was unfair not only to Zander, but also to the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and the rest of the NEC community.

Perhaps the best way to describe Benjamin is as a “background figure.” He did not record every rehearsal, only our concerts in Jordan Hall. Legally, NEC felt obligated to take action against him.

However, he posed no danger to any orchestra members. I never saw anybody in any contact with him. Zander’s decision to hire Benjamin, while somewhat imprudent because Zander failed to inform the administration of Benjamin’s past, did not jeopardize student musicians. It certainly did not warrant Zander’s dismissal.

Zander was also fired just eight days before a concert packed with extraordinarily complicated music. Our orchestra will now be under the direction of two able conductors, Hugh Wolff and David Loebel, each conducting two pieces. Under these circumstances, though, our ability to perform at the same level we did with Zander is questionable.

Why did Woodcock decide to fire Zander immediately? Was he a threat to the school or the students? No, he was not.

In his letter to YPO, Zander wrote, “I believe that terminating my services as soon as possible had become a priority [to Tony Woodcock].”

If Zander was correct, which I think he was, then we can draw one conclusion: Woodcock was more invested in settling some sort of personal vendetta than in YPO and the student body at NEC and Walnut Hill. His decision was selfish.

Finally, what I find the most astonishing aspect of this ordeal is NEC’s treatment of Zander, despite his contributions to the school over the course of 40 years. Zander attracted students and teachers to the school. He fundraised and donated his own money for incredible orchestra tours like the one to Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic that I was a part of last summer. He even convinced rock legend Sting to attend one of our rehearsals.

After Saturday’s rehearsal, the second since Zander’s firing, I spoke with a musician who had been a member of the orchestra for four years. She told me she was unsure if she could continue to play in YPO without Zander. Zander brought these remarkably talented musicians back to NEC each year. He was an invaluable member of the NEC community, and he was banished from the conservatory in an abrupt and unfair manner.

Zander was a leader at NEC. His philosophy, detailed in his book The Art of Possibility, urged people to always maintain a positive outlook and avoid the “downward spiral” of pessimism. Zander made a living through speeches to corporate executives around the world about the importance of classical music and “the art of possibility.” He inspired YPO’s musicians and anyone else who had heard him speak or conduct.

While I was checking my luggage at Logan Airport before flying to Europe with YPO, the attendant recognized Zander several booths down from me.

He told me, “I know that man! He’s Ben Zander, right? I’ve seen his talks on YouTube – he’s amazing.”

Zander influenced people everywhere, and his personality is truly unique. He will be dearly missed at New England Conservatory.

Jim Griffin: 1964-2012. (Courtesy: The Barber Family)

Wayland High School guidance counselor Jim Griffin, 47, died Sunday morning, January 15th, 2012, after losing his battle with cancer.

Wayland Public Schools counselors, Wayland Youth and Family Services, and Human Relations Services will all be available for students and faculty on Tuesday. Because Griffin was part of the WHS guidance staff for eleven years, students’ counselors may not be available in the coming days.

(UPDATED: 01/17/12 at 6:30am) There will be visiting hours at the Rogers Funeral Home, 380 Cambridge St. in Cambridge on Thursday, January 19th from 4 to 8pm. The funeral mass will be held at St. Eulalia Church (50 Ridge St. in Winchester) on Friday, January 20th, at 10:00 am.

Jim Griffin Family Support Trust, established by Middlesex Savings Bank:

Jim Griffin Family Support Trust
c/o Middlesex Savings Bank
150 Commonwealth Road
Wayland, MA  01778

Donations can also be made to The Jimmy Fund or to the Relay For Life via Julia Griffin.

(Credit: Elizabeth Karpacz/WSPN)

This past Wednesday, the Wayland Warriors lost their wrestling meet against the Waltham Hawks, 45-25.

“We’re struggling. Record wise [3-7-1], we are not doing as well as teams have done in the past,” said head wrestling coach and history teacher Sean Chase.

The meet started off with junior Kevin Skowronski at the weight class of 152. Skowronski won his match, 18-4. He earned four points for Wayland, making the score 4-0.

After Skowronski’s win, a Wayland wrestler forfeited and a Wayland wrestler lost, leaving the score at 12-4, Waltham.

Junior Kevin Kelley, who is normally in weight class 182, was bumped up to 185 for this meet. Kelley pinned the Waltham wrestler in the first round, ending the match and making the score 18-10, Waltham.

Senior John Monahan’s match ended early because the Waltham wrestler was injured. Then Waltham forfeited the next weight class making the score 22-21, Wayland.

After a few other matches, junior Jesse Goddard of weight class 126, won his match, making the score 36-25, Waltham. After this, there was one more match which Wayland lost.

The final score of the meet was 45-25, Waltham.

Senior John Monahan

“There were a couple different ways that we could have won it. I don’t think the score was reflective of how close the match really was. Kevin Skowronski at weight class 152 [wrestled well]. Kevin Kelley and John Monahan came through in their matches tonight as they always do,” said Chase.

“Tonight we were focusing on personal goals. It was meant for individual improvement,” said Kevin Skowronski.

Their next meet is Saturday, January 14th against DCL opponents Concord-Carlisle, Boston Latin, and Acton-Boxborough. The meet will take place at 10am in the Field House.

Girls basketball Coach Brewster Cupid directs one of his players. (Credit: Martin Narciso/WSPN)

At the start of the 2011-2012 girls varsity basketball season, two new coaches were hoping to lead the team. Amber Wantman was chosen as head coach with Coach Brewster Cupid as the assistant.

Wantman had only been coaching the team for a week and a half when she was let go. This came as a surprise to the team.

“So am I surprised? No. Am I shocked? Not really. I am just very grateful for this opportunity,” said Cupid, who is now the head coach. “I learned a long time ago that at any given day you can be asked to step up to the plate.”

Cupid, a University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduate, has been coaching basketball and football for eight years, and found out about Wayland through the Dual County League’s reputation.

“If you are a follower of girls high school basketball, you know that the DCL is the place to coach,” said Cupid.

Cupid looks to keep Wayland’s reputation as one of the strong teams in Dual County League.

“The bar is certainly set high for us as a team to really build on the chemistry that coach Thompson has established over the last 15 years,” said Cupid. “That’s something that I’ve noticed and appreciated that coach Thompson did.”

Despite an 0-7 record, Cupid hopes to pick up where Coach Thompson left off and finish strong.

“We’re going to be stronger, we’re going to be more conditioned and we’re going to be fundamentally based,” said Cupid.

Katherine Goguen scores the game winner against Boston Latin. (Courtesy of Grace Cartwright)

It had been two seasons since the Wayland-Weston girls hockey team won a game. On Saturday, December 17, the losing streak ended in dramatic fashion. The Wayland-Weston “Warcats” were tied 0-0 against Boston Latin, in the final minute. With just 14 seconds remaining, freshman defenseman Katherine Goguen of Weston netted a goal to put the Warcats up 1-0. Fourteen seconds later the buzzer rang and the Warcats won their first game.

“Last year, we would have been happy with tying Boston Latin. This year, we wanted to win,” said senior captain Jess Greenwood.

With two seasons of misery behind them, the Wayland-Weston girls did not stop there.  They went on to beat Brookline 10-1, Newton South 7-2 and Lincoln Sudbury 1-0, to improve to 4-1 on the season.

“We want to keep up what we started. Four wins in a row is pretty good,” said Greenwood.

“It was exciting, and it felt really good since we never had it before,” said junior Jane Haffey.

The previous seasons’ losses haven’t lowered expectations. “It was tough, it was very frustrating and at times discouraging, but people kept their heads high and kept trying to play their best. This year, my expectations were to be more successful and maybe make it to the playoffs, said Haffey.”

With a huge monkey finally off their backs, the Warcat’s look to continue their success this year.

“This season is different,” said Haffey.

“We are a young team, we have a lot of new freshman and a couple eighth graders as well.  Everyone is starting to put it together,”  said Greenwood.

The girls continued their win streak on Saturday, beating Mansfield 9-0, making their record 5-1. Their next game is home against Dover-Sherborn on Wednesday, January 11.

On Thursday, January 5th, the theater will be filled with students and faculty members during the Rachel's Challenge assemblies. (Credit: Matthew Gutschenritter/WSPN)

On Thursday, January 5th, there will be a special, school-wide assembly, that will commence an event called Rachel’s Challenge. The BATHE (Being A Teenager is Hard Enough) group will facilitate the event and it will consist of two assemblies, a training session and an evening presentation.

The first presentation will be for freshmen and sophomores and the second for juniors and seniors. Both will last about an hour.

After the assemblies, a group of 100 select students, as well as a dozen faculty members, will go through a training session led by a member of the Rachel’s Challenge staff. This training session will teach students and teachers how to maintain the positive impact of Rachel’s Challenge.

“Even though it’s significant that we’re moving into a new facility, it’s important that we think about the cultural elements that we want to continue. It’s continuing kindness and compassion,” said Tutwiler.

There will be a presentation for parents and community members in the new WHS Theater at 7:00PM to share with them the message their children heard during the day.

Rachel’s Challenge is a program in honor of Rachel Scott, the first victim in the Columbine High School shootings of 1999. Rachel’s Challenge aims to motivate students to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.

“It’s a powerful program, and it teaches a lot,” said Tutwiler.

What is BATHE?

BATHE (Being A Teenager Is Hard Enough) is an organization founded by seniors Tyler Mordas, Michela Luchetti, Tori Hill and Matthew Gutschenritter. Led by advisers Lisa Nowak, Deborah Buchman and Jennifer Mast, BATHE’s mission is: “To improve social awareness as well as improve the social climate at WHS. Through events, activities, and education, BATHE will help make the high school a more supportive and accepting community for students. BATHE believes that issues like stress and bullying can be best addressed and solved by fellow students, not adults.”

Founded last year, the group created a class this year, which meets once in every eight-day cycle to discuss ways to achieve its goals. The class is composed of roughly forty students from all grades.

“[They are] a group of really conscious students who want to see improvement in the climate in and among students,” said Patrick Tutwiler.

BATHE began last year when Hill and Luchetti approached Nowak with a vision of what they wanted for the group.

“It just sounded like an amazing opportunity,” said Nowak. “It’s something that had been missing from my experience since I got here.”

In March of last year, Nowak and Mast accompanied members of BATHE on a field trip to the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) headquarters at Bridgewater State University to learn about the impact of technology on teenagers and bullying.

“I joined to make a difference in our school and to try to eliminate bullying,” said junior Catherine Barber.

Even students who aren’t active participants in the group support the cause.

“I do support the message that they are sending. I think what they are doing is extremely helpful,” said junior Madi Brown.

Since being founded, BATHE has organized a number of events. They met with the entire faculty to discuss staff-student relationships, led bullying workshops with freshmen, planned and organized an anti-bullying day and have prepared for Rachel’s Challenge.

The cafeteria in the new school will offer new options for students. (Credit: Allison Wei/WSPN

With Wayland High School students and faculty moving into a new school, one of the many changes will be the lunches the school offers.

Currently, the school offers a main entre that usually comes with vegetables, fruit and milk in the main line. A second line is for fast food that has burgers, patties and pizza. In addition there is the snack bar, which offers bagels, chips, cookies and drinks among other things. There is also a salad bar twice a month.

In the new facility, there will be five main lines: deli, grill, main course, pizza and salad. The new snack bar will be similar to the current one. So far, two new workers have been hired to help manage the new lines.

“Our goal is to get everyone to take a meat or meat alternate, a fruit, a vegetable, a grain and milk,” said Food Service Director Cheryl Judd. For this reason, each line will have fresh fruit, some form of vegetables and milk to meet these goals.

On a Roll
The deli line will offer an assortment of fresh meats and cheeses on a variety of breads and rolls. It also comes with the homemade soup of the week.

Warrior Grill
The grill line will have grilled chicken, burgers and chicken patties. But the main difference between this and the current hot lunch option is that the food will be made from a grill, as opposed to the preheated meals the school offers now. The Warrior Grill will also have weekly specials that include reuben melts, steak bombs and turkey melts.

Main Event
The line that serves the main course has a rotating schedule. Monday is the macaroni and cheese bar, Tuesday is the hot dog bar, Wednesday is the hot submarine sandwich bar, Thursday is the nacho and taco bar and Friday is the pasta bar.

A Crust Above
The pizza bar will have everyday choices such as cheese, pepperoni and vegetarian pizzas. There will also be weekly specials, such as buffalo chicken, hamburger and Hawaiian pizzas.

Fresh Creations
The salad line that will include everyday choices such as chicken Caesar, buffalo chicken and Greek salads. Weekly specials will include Cobb, grilled sesame chicken and spinach salad.

“We’re trying to have the salad bar every Thursday, but if that becomes very popular, then we will try to do it more often,” said Judd.

On January 3rd, the first day back, there will be a grand opening in A Crust Above, and a second slice of pizza will cost only $1.00

“We can’t put everything out there, so we decided to have the everyday options, and then some weekly specials,” said Judd.

Gluten-free options will still be available. These options include pizza and roll-ups on a brown tortilla.

Judd also hopes that students can have a voice in what they choose to eat.

“I hope that there will be some kind of suggestion box or way of communicating. We have tons of capabilities now to bring more offers,” said Judd, “a lot of the food is similar, but we’re upgrading the quality of what we bring in and the flexibility which we hope students will like.”

Two ice rinks are going to be built on the Cochichuate Ball Field. (Credit: Caitlin O'Keeffe/WSPN)

On Saturday, December 17, volunteer groups will construct two ice rinks on Cochituate Ball Field. One rink will be 46 by 146 feet and the other will be 100 by 100 feet. The bigger rink will be for free skating, and the smaller rink will be for hockey players.

“I’m hoping to get January and February out of the rinks,” said Director of the Board of Public Works Don Oullette.

Warm weather threatens the sustainability of the rinks.

“It’s been abnormally warm, but eventually we’ll get a cold snap. Four to five weeks of operation would be great,” said Oullette.

The rinks will be open during daylight hours, but it is currently under discussion whether or not the lights will be turned on for nighttime use due to expenses and potential disturbances in the surrounding neighborhood.

The Board of Public Works is not interested in anything elaborate for the rinks’ first year.

“This is simply a mechanism to keep people off the ponds and on the ground. There will be no fees, no program, none of that kind of nonsense,” said Oullette. “If the Recreation Department or the schools want to use it, it’s available. If it’s successful, we can make it annual and get more creative.”

Looking to the immediate future, the Board of Public Works is optimistic about the rinks.

“The majority of people we have spoken to think it’s a fantastic idea,” said Oullette.

The town used Cochituate Ball Field to erect the community rink in the 1940s, but the site was chosen this year because of its ease; alternate locations may be chosen in the future.

(Photo illustration: Caitlin O'Keefe/WSPN)

For many Wayland High School students, it would be a dream come true to receive their own Macbook or Macbook Air. With the One to One Learning Initiative set to be launched in September 2012 at Wayland High School, this dream is becoming a reality.

“In the One to One Learning Initiative, every student is provided with a laptop. Students can use it all day and at home, though it belongs to the school,” said Wayland High School Principal Patrick Tutwiler.

Students would not be able to use their own personal computers, a stipulation other schools that have successful one to one programs recommended to Wayland.

The plan has been three years in the making. Teachers have been educated in the use of technology in the classroom and have begun to utilize programs such as It’sLearning.

“Last year, we had a very focused effort on professional development here and at the middle school,” said Tutwiler. “The year before we started our teacher One to One program. This has been talked about extensively.”

To learn more about One to One programs, a group of Wayland High School teachers and students visited Yarmouth High School in Maine. The state of Maine formed a contract with Apple in 2002 to provide every student with a laptop once they reach the seventh grade.

“When you walk into the school, there are laptops everywhere. Every kid has a laptop, and all the kids are plugged in,” said Jacob Sussman, a WHS junior who went on the trip.

Sussman believes that the laptops will add logistical ease to high school life.

“Anytime a teacher wants to use something on the computer, they can just say, ‘Hey kids, take out your laptops,’” said Sussman. “It’s nothing revolutionary to us; it’s more of an efficiency boost.”

Tutwiler is also of the opinion that the laptops will facilitate students throughout the day and believes that they are fundamental to the learning experience.

“This isn’t cheap, but we need certain things. This is something we should pay for; this is fundamental,” said Tutwiler.

If the initiative’s budget is approved, the money for the laptops will come partly from the school budget but primarily from the district budget. The program will be accessible to all students with a possible nominal fee of about fifty dollars.

Not only will the laptops be available for every student, but they will provide everyone with easy online access at all times.

“Often in the media center, computers are taken or other computers are slow. It would be good to have my own,” said Sussman.

During his trip to Yarmouth, Sussman noticed more homework being done on students’ computers than with textbooks.

“Pencils and papers are outdated there,” said Sussman.

According to Tutwiler, the high school is making small steps towards using online textbooks. However, some teachers like using books and paper, including Tutwiler. Instead of seeing less pencils in the future, Tutwiler is seeing a bigger change.

“One to One is a supporter and enabler of the four Cs: creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. Also, students are digital natives. This initiative embraces who you are,” said Tutwiler.

While observing the construction workers outside, Tutwiler noticed that besides manual labor, much of the constuction work for the new school involves utilizing technology.

“If we don’t do this, students will be less prepared to do things the work world needs them to do,” said Tutwiler.

9. Watching the Pats win and debating why Ochocinco thinks eight five is the same as eighty-five.

8. Baking, cooking and eventually eating! (Best done with friends and several movies.)

7. Reading the book for English that you secretly love, and then pretending you haven’t read ahead so you can read it all over again.

6.. Taking the T into Boston to walk around Quincy Market, watching the street performers and getting one of those Boston-themed flattened pennies.

5. Doing homework in front of the TV because you have all day and you swear you can do calculus a little distracted.

4. Browsing websites like uncommongoods.com and dailygrommet.com for holiday present inspiration.

3. Walking your dog around and around the block, enjoying the amount of layers you’re wearing because the cold means that snow can’t be far off!

2. Going to the mall, if only to hang out with your friends at the Lovesac store or play with Siri at the Apple store.

1. Not changing out of your pajamas, drinking copious amounts of hot chocolate and snuggling into your favorite blanket with a new movie on your iPod.

The class of 2014 enjoys their Sophomore Semi. (Credit: Jake Adelman/WSPN)

The dust has cleared after this year’s Sophomore Semi and the class of 2014 made it out alive, despite the stress leading up to the event.

Until a few years ago, having a date was not a priority. The Class of 2014 took it a step further and made bringing a date to Semi as important as it is for Prom.

This year, sophomores employed clever strategies to ask their dates, just as juniors typically do for Prom. For example, some sophomores chose to ask their dates from across the Commons by writing, “Semi?” on a piece of paper instead of a simple face to face, “Will you go with me?”

In past years, Semi has taken place in early November and would have happened weeks ago. This year though, it was in early December. Sophomores began asking for dates in the early weeks of the school year, as early as three months prior to the event.

The fact that students asked dates so much earlier just shows that getting a date has become much more important in their eyes. Many high school students thought that it would be embarrassing or awkward to go alone when in reality, it was quite the opposite. Semi used to be a time for the class to bond. It was rare if someone had a date, but now, finding a date is stressful.

If the pressure of the asking itself wasn’t enough, timing the “proposal” was just as nerve-wracking. The worst scenario imaginable was if you asked too late, and the person you wanted to go with already had a date, but it was also a bad idea to ask too early. This left most people to wonder, “When is the best time to ask?”

As questions like, “Will I be turned down?” and “Is there anyone left?” arose, more pressure mounted on students. There was also the problem of whether a girl could ask a guy. It’s completely OK for a girl to ask a guy. Just because it doesn’t happen as often doesn’t mean it should be against the rules.

Attire for the big night also left sophomores anxious. Luckily for guys, it was easy to pick between a grey and black suit. Girls, on the other hand, had to find the perfect dress. This process can be very stressful, not to mention costly. Some girls even went to the extreme of ordering up to seven dresses online from various stores and then deciding.

The class of 2014 was stressed, but it wasn’t worth worrying about. Whether or not you had a date or whether he or she was the one you wanted to go with, it’s no big deal. Your date was really only there to take pictures with. The rest of the night, you could dance and hang out with your friends. It didn’t even matter what dress or suit you wear. As long as you had fun with your class then you probably had a great time. In the end, that’s all that really matters.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

I’ve been 16 for three months now, which means that, like most kids my age, I’m undergoing that lovely process known as Driver’s Ed. For those of you who don’t know (or don’t remember), this means 30 hours of classroom time, 40 hours of personal driving time, 12 hours of professional driving time, and 6 hours of observation. (As if it’s not enough for your driving to just endanger some driving instructor’s life, you have to drag another kid along.) As I’m writing this, I’ve finished my classroom time, driven 30 hours, and taken 9 lessons.

And I’ve noticed a few things about the system.

Let’s start with the classroom time. To put it quite frankly, it’s insane. There is no way you need 30 hours to go over the rules of the road. They’re actually not that hard – otherwise most people wouldn’t be carrying driver’s licenses. My teacher spent nearly ten minutes explaining stopping at a stop sign. What is there to explain? You STOP. The videos they show us aren’t too enlightening either. However educational, no video stuck in the 80’s or 90’s featuring rap with the opposite of rhythm (also known as people just talking) and general bad music about how to pass a truck will teach us how to drive. Let me put it simply-if we gouge our eyes out to save ourselves looking at these videos, we won’t become better drivers. Driver’s Ed is hurting us!

My point is that most driving seems to require common sense. Sure, they taught us how to turn left and right, but until you actually do it, you’re just wasting your time. So why teach us? Leave it to the folks in the driving lessons. That takes me to my next point – driving lessons. At least here I can understand the point – actually teaching driving makes sense. My issue here lies with the teachers.

The last one has actually led to a fun game for me. For my last four or five lessons, I’ve gotten on the highway. If my teacher is the comatose kind, I play my invented “Highway Game”. Normally, on a highway, the speed limit is 65. But in my game, I go faster and faster to see how long it will take my teacher to realize I’m speeding. Even the most brain-dead ones have caught on to my game before the cops have, as I’ve never been pulled over. What does that say about our police force?

As bad as the sleeping teachers are, they’re not as bad as the angry ones. These lovely gentlemen are ready to jump down your throats for stopping a few inches past the stop lines. Shockingly, I’m not too enlightened by their crazed, like the lunatic I was once stuck with who had me drive across the grass in a parking lot, swerve across an opposing lane of traffic, and turn into my lane, cursing the company and his job the whole way (true story.)

I say gentlemen, not to be sexist, but out of an observation. I’ve had eight different teachers, all were male, and seven were pretty old. Why is it that we’re trusting old men as driving teachers? From the looks of some of them, the hospital might be my first step. What do you even say during the lesson? My teachers seem to like to make chitchat, and somehow “remember the ‘60s?” doesn’t cut it. Of course, teaching people to drive isn’t a fun job, so I’m guessing this a dead end, last resort kind of deal. Terrific. I’m thrilled to be stuck with some cranky old man because he doesn’t have anything else to do.

Driving itself is actually pretty fun, but I’ve met very few people who enjoy the hoops they have to jump through to get a license. Looking at all the stupidity we have to put up with, I’m actually amazed there are so many drivers. Maybe that’s why they all seem like they’re in such a bad mood.

10. #186: A female kangaroo is called a flyer.

9. #102: A one-minutes kiss burns 26 calories.

8. #26: The Hawaiian alphabet only has 12 letters.

7. #42: Frogs cannot swallow with their eyes open.

6. #84: Oysters can change genders back and forth.

5. #47: Giraffes have no vocal chords.

4. #128: Dragonflies have six legs but can’t walk.

3. #9: The average speed of a housefly is 4.5 mph.

2. #302: Ketchup was once sold as medicine.

1. #123: Beavers were once the size of bears.

The south building will hold all of the academic classrooms. (Courtesy: Wayland High School Building Committee)

Scheduled for completion on January 3rd, the new high school is nearing the end of its 800 day construction period. Now that the building structure is complete, work is now focused on finishing the interior of the new buildings.

Two weeks ago, the school received a Certificate of Occupancy for one of the two newly constructed buildings, permitting people to enter the building without needing hard hats or jackets.

In upcoming weeks, furniture such as tables, chairs, and desks will arrive at the new buildings. According to Principal Patrick Tutwiler, everything is on schedule for the school-wide move-in after winter vacation.

One of the biggest differences between the new school and the old school will be the classrooms. The rooms will be much larger, with about a 200 square foot increase. Each classroom will be equipped with new technology including brand new Eno Boards with more advanced projectors than the Smart Boards the current school has in some classrooms.

The south building is divided into four different sections on its two floors, with each side of each floor representing a pod. These four pods will consist of social studies, math, foreign language and English departments. The science labs will be along the front of the building.

The south building will also include Student Learning Centers (SLC), which will be on each floor in the designated pods. These areas will have couches and computers where students will be able to study or relax during their free periods.

The north building has a state-of-the-art cafeteria. It will include multiple food stations, giving students and faculty more options than the two lines the Commons currently has. There will be a variety of rectangular and circular tables where students can socialize and eat, as well as higher ceilings, making it a more open space.

There will also be a new school store and a new theater double the size of the current Little Theater.

Students will not find themselves outside as much because all academic classes will be in one building, but there are still opportunities in the new school layout to enjoy the outdoors. The High School Building Committee (HSBC) decided to add two terraces, with several stretches of meadows students will be allowed to use.

Although many are skeptical about the new school, Tutwiler sees it as an opportunity.

“The beauty in the building is that it’s a blank slate,” said Tutwiler. “We’ll be more imaginative and innovative. I think going over there will bring the birth of new ideas and traditions. There are so many hand prints on the scheme and orientations of the building. This truly reflects what the community wanted.”

During the month of December, freshman, sophomores and seniors will tour the new school with their wellness classes, and juniors will tour with their English classes. They will use this opportunity to get acquainted with their new classrooms and lockers, and to get a sense of the new buildings.

Erin Dalbec performs with her band, The Beatings. (Courtesy: Erin Dalbec)

From playing the marimba, glockenspiel, drums and bass guitar to singing, Wayland High School’s Library Director Erin Dalbec has done her fair share of dabbling in music.

Dalbec first played in her high school winter percussion ensemble in 1989, trying out the marimba and the glockenspiel. Then she discovered composers Leonard Bernstein and Gustav Holst. The music that really inspired Dalbec was Sonic Youth, The B-52′s, Teenage Fanclub and Sebadoh.

“When I was in high school, I had a close knit group of friends, and we shared our love of listening and making music,” said Dalbec. “This was before the days of the Internet, so we learned about music from listening to college radio and trading mix tapes.”

Dalbec’s group of friends decided that they wanted to form a band, and Dalbec jumped at the chance to be the drummer.

“We did not play very well, but we had a good time practicing,” said Dalbec.

After going through many band names, the group settled on The Dainty Nogas. They wrote several original songs, learned Pixies covers and played at their high school’s talent show and at several parties.

Now, Dalbec is in a band called The Beatings. The band has been together for over ten years, with minor lineup changes. Dalbec not only plays the bass guitar but also sings.

“Our sound changes a little on every album, but in general I would call our music melodic, dischordant, sometimes poppy and sometimes noisy; it’s a little bit of this and that.”

In addition to performing with The Beatings, Dalbec is currently working on material with some friends for a potential dance music band.

“The fun part about being in a band is touring the country with friends, meeting new people and performing,” said Dalbec.

WHS was decked out with school spirit for the annual spirit day today. The freshmen wore green, sophomores blue, juniors red and seniors wore orange and black. After a day filled with mini games such as minute to win it and charades, this years seniors were victorious.

Check out a video of the class of 2012′s flash mob during the Pep Rally.