autumnshort
entertainment editor

McPherson High School went through several changes throughout the summer preparing for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year. Six new teachers were added to school’s staff.

John Hamilton, replaced Matt Jirgens as a teacher in the history department. Hamilton will be teaching AP Human Geography, History I, and History II. 

“I graduated from NWMSU in Marysville,  Missouri with a BS in Geography,” Hamilton said.

Along with Hamilton, Megan Peraita is joining McPherson High School’s staff. Peraita will be taking over Emilea Harlin’s job in  Language Arts. She will be teaching Pre- AP English II and English III. Peraita just graduated from college at Washburn University. She majored in English.

“I am looking forward to teaching at a well-respected school that sets high expectations for their students and works closely as a team to achieve those goals,” Peraita said.

Nick Griggs will be the new Choir director at MHS. He will be teaching Concert Choir and Mixed Ensemble. 

“I’m looking forward to meeting the students, parents and MHS faculty,” Hamilton said.

Three new teachers will be joining the special education department. Rebecca Pflugheoft, Jessica Rawson, and Travis Sears.

“McPherson is a great place and I couldn’t have asked to be a part of a better team,” Peraita said.

MHS not only has new teachers joining staff. Emilea Harlin transitioned from teaching English to where she now will be a high school counselor. Additionally to Harlin, Akeisha Donovan has been hired as CTE Secretary.

“ I’m very excited and fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of such a great community and district,” Hamilton said.

All of the incoming staff members are excited for the new school year at MHS.

tjsmith
mhl editor
If you’re taking College Algebra this year then you most likely got a letter in the mail discussing a zero hour. What exactly does zero hour mean?

“It [zero hour] is a regular class that is offered before school with the class time as the other classes during the day.  We had such a big enrollment this year that we just didn’t have anywhere to put it other than before first hour,” McPherson High School’s new counselor Emilea Harlin said.

The length of the class will vary throughout the week. It will be 53 minutes three days of the week and only 47 minutes for the other two days.

“I think the idea of having a zero hour is great for students who don’t have anything in the morning, but some people have meetings in the morning or the 1st hour S.P.S class which would conflict with the class,” McPherson High School senior Chris Rakowski said

McPherson isn’t the only school that has zero hour in the mornings. Other schools in our area have had zero hour for years.

“I’ve had zero hour all three years of high school so far. It’s really not that bad to have. After a while you get used to the hours and it doesn’t feel like you’re waking up early at all,“ Marion High School senior Andrew Kjellin said.

Many McPherson High School students think that zero hour has a few advantages over taking the class at a conventional time.

“You take the class before school so you actually have a free hour during the day,” Harlin said.

jeniarbuckle
feature editor
This 2011-2012 school year is serving as, you could say, the year of changes. With the new addition of CS3 commodities being fully initiated within the school structure, we are also adding many changes to this year’s school schedule. 

“The biggest change is the fact that Advisory Period will be at the end of the day on Mondays, and that classes on Monday and Tuesday will only be 45 minutes in length.  On Tuesdays, teachers will have collaboration time during the advisory time slot.  This will also allow teachers to have students complete tests on Tuesdays, as we will have a test center located in the library,” principal Bret McClendon said.

These changes made were set in order to maximize advisory time, find time for teachers to work on advisory and curriculum changes, as well as meet and discuss specific student needs. 

“This benefits students and teachers by having some time built into the daily schedule for make up work and collab time,” guidance counselor Emilia Harlin said.

While students and teachers will benefit from the testing centers on Tuesday, those who are not specifically assigned to a testing center will be released from the school at 2:30.

“Students will not be required to be in the building during collaboration time on Tuesday’s unless assigned to the test center by a teacher.  Teachers will then have more time to work on advisory contacts and with other staff to help students,”McClendon said.

With a minimum of a few small changes being made every year, most of the teachers are used to adapting to new elements of the school system.

“It’s all about working out the kinks and figuring out what works best overall for MHS,” Harlin said

abbysteiner
Staff Writer
Many students at McPherson High School have been busy preparing for this year. The Marching Band started getting ready for their season the first week of August. Band camp was divided into two sessions for three hours each. 

“We are leaning our music and drill for this years competition show. We are also helping the freshman feel comfortable with marching and the harder music,” junior Hailee McClenton said.

Many other clubs are preparing for the year, including KAY club. KAY exec board members have been meeting the last couple weeks to start scheduling meetings and events.

“We have been meeting to prepare for this year, and to talk about what we’re going to do to get as many people to join as possible. We also set up the bulletin boards throughout the school, and set up the meeting times and projects for the year,” junior Meredith Hess said.

KAY is also helping with an ice cream social by serving ice cream. The ice cream social was put on by Central Office.

“We helped serve ice cream, along with other clubs at the school. It was fun to help out and meet new people,” Hess said.

Along with KAY and Band, many other clubs have been spending time preparing, planning, and organizing before the school year even starts.

“It sometimes sucks coming in to work during the summer, but once the school year starts, it’s definitely worth the extra preparation,” Hess said.

marenhansen
Staff Writer
This summer McPherson has experienced one of the hottest summers on record. High temperatures have been over one hundred degrees consistently since the middle of July and the heat has affected students in the variety of different places they’ve been this summer. 

“One of the biggest effects the heat had on me had to do with getting sick. I had to miss a day and a half of band camp because of it,” sophomore Katherine Geist said, “The heat didn’t directly cause it, but it definitely made it worse.” 

There have been two main options that students have taken to try and beat the heat: locking themselves inside their houses with the air conditioner blasting, or spending every second of the day in or near water: the lake, the pool, even the backyard sprinkler. 

“To stay cool I went to the lake a bunch during the summer.” sophomore Janaye Hanschu said. Besides the lake, the city pool is also a popular spot to spend the afternoon cooling off. 

All in all, the heat has played a major role in many students’ summers. Whether they’re eating ice cream and sitting in front of the AC or tubing on Lake Kanopolis, they have definitely found amusing ways to beat the heat.

gunnarhein
Staff Writer
Emilea Harlin has made a huge transition in her career as an educator, she has gone from being an English teacher, to a high school counselor. Harlin attended Pitt State University and received her bachelor degree in education, primarily in English. She also attended Wichita State University for her masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and is currently seeking her masters degree in Counseling through Ft. Hays State University.

“I thought about being a counselor for a while, since I was in college,” Harlin said. “It all just happened much quicker than I thought it would.”

Harlin has always had a passion for working with kids and educating them.

“I was very impressed with Mrs. Harlin,” senior Tanner Hein said. “She was always very patient with our class.”

Hein is not the only student who enjoyed Harlin’s fun, exciting, and creative personality.

“She was a really good teacher,” senior Morgan Beckwith said. “She was very open-minded and I am glad she got the counseling job.”

Harlin enjoys having the ability to influence and make positive differences in peoples lives. 

“[I love working with high school students] because I love school, and I think that being involved in children’s lives is the most important thing a person can do,” Harlin said. “I get to work with kids on a one on one basis, and help kids on different issues that I can’t help with in a classroom.”