Senator Square: Welcome back all Carson High School Senators

Yes, there is still smoke in the air, and, yes, all teachers and staff must continue to wear facemasks to school every day for the time being. Sounds like the common proverbial expression, “Is the glass half empty or half full?”

Generally used rhetorically, this expression indicates a particular situation is a cause for pessimism, optimism, or indifference as a general litmus test to simply determine an individual's worldview. So how do you feel about the pandemic?

Are you hopeful about the future? How do the kids feel about the pandemic? Guaranteed, many of the kids in Carson City are singing the song “I Can See Clearly Now” with American singer-songwriter John Lester Nash Jr. (Aug. 19, 1940 to Oct. 6, 2020):

“I can [begin to] see clearly now the rain is gone / I can see all obstacles in my way / Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind / It's gonna be a bright (bright) / Bright (bright) sunshiny day / I think I can make it now the pain is gone / All of the bad feelings have disappeared / Here is that rainbow I've been praying for / It's gonna be a bright (bright) / Bright (bright) sunshiny day / Look all around, there's nothing but blue skies / Look straight ahead, nothing but blue skies.”

Blue skies are returning to CHS, and this school year looks to be sunshiny and bright.

CHS classes begin Aug. 16 with a “C Day,” in which students will attend all seven classes throughout the course of the day, and Aug. 17 they will return to the regular block schedule. New classes, new teachers, new students, and new faces await.

BAND CAMP EVERY DAY FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Week one and two of Band Camp 2021 is done. During week one, students and the phenomenal Marching Band staff worked together to teach marching fundamentals, music fundamentals, drill reading, and football field coordinates, and students finished learning the moves and music to 1/3 of their halftime show.

This is amazing progress, especially with the level of precision students achieved. It has been a fun and inspirational week for everyone involved. Week two looked a bit different with a modified schedule to fit into teacher trainings and student orientations along with daily “Spirit Days” to encourage students to participate in the fun.

Here is the rough schedule for each day for the band students. Aug. 9 was Crazy Hat Day, Aug. 10 was Tie Dye Day, Aug. 11 was Decade Day, Aug. 12 was Twin Day, and Aug. 13 was Blue and White Day along with a Parent Preview live performance to share student success. Mr. Jacques thanks parents for supporting their students’ involvement in music, and said, “Participating in music will bring so much joy to you, your student, and the community; we appreciate you.”

What is Band Camp? Band Camp occurs two weeks before the start of the fall semester, and, much like fall sports, which meet before the start of the school year, Band Camp is where marching band students receive focused instruction on marching fundamentals, playing their instrument, learning the halftime show, and learning how to work as a cohesive unit. To be prepared, CHS Band Director Nick Jacques provided students with the essential items and direction they needed to feel their best, perform their best, and maintain the joy of participation.


PIZZA FACTORY FUNDRAISER FOR CHS BANDS
Eat pizza, and support CHS bands. Pizza Factory will donate 20 percent of all sales to the CHS bands Aug. 17. There is no need to show a flyer, mention the band, or order at a specific time. Never before has a fundraiser been so easy. Pizza Factory is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is located on the corner of Highway 50 at Airport Road. Please come support the band. What is available at Pizza Factory? Go to http://www.pizzafactory.com/carsoncity/. For more information, even details about the fundraiser, call the amazing and generous owner of the restaurant, Darren Maxfield, at 882-9800.

SPEECH AND DEBATE IS BACK AND TOPICS ARE HOT
Carson High debate hopes to return to in-person tournaments for the 2021-2022 season. CHS debate has 30 enrolled members at the onset of this season with Evelyn Manzano and Jessica Knutson returning from competing in the online national tournament over the summer.

The first tournament of the season is scheduled for Sept. 17-18 at Reno High. Topics for this first competition include: for Lincoln Douglas, the member nations of the World Trade Organization ought to reduce intellectual property protections for medicines; for public forum, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should substantially increase its defense commitments to the Baltic states; for policy debate, the United States federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources in the United States; for the big question topic on balance, societies benefit from religious belief and practice. For more information about Speech and Debate, please contact CHS Social Studies teacher and Speech and Debate coach Patrick Mobley at pmobley@carson.k12.nv.us.

TEACHERS AGAIN TO MEET AND PRAY THROUGHOUT SCHOOL YEAR
CHS teachers Ty McMillen, Phil Brady, and Lynette Gardner are again setting up an opportunity for teachers and staff to get together to pray for the students, faculty, staff, and others about the school year. Prayer is defined as the act of praying to God; a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.

With that said, these teachers are committing to all who have any interest to be available to pray every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 6:40 a.m. to 6:50 a.m. in Brady's room 137, near the North Foyer. They will be in his room by 6:30 a.m., and anyone who is available and interested in joining will be welcome. Prayer will begin at 6:40 a.m. on the dot, and they will conclude the prayer right at 6:50 a.m. This will give teachers time to get to their posts for the day prior to contract hours. Meeting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is best because teachers will be leading their Homeroom classes in an Social Emotional Learning lesson.

They hope to see many attend prayer, as they are able, throughout the school year. If not able to attend, please let them know if there is anything specific to pray for as the school year progresses. They are so thankful to work with such a wonderful group of people. Email tmcmillen@carson.k12.nv.us, pbrady@carson.k12.nv.us, or lgardner@carson.k12.nv.us for details.

TEACHERS SPEND WEEK PLANNING FOR 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR
Teachers worked nonstop last week preparing for the 2021-2022 school year where the numbers of students they will have in their classrooms is double what it was last school year.

Teachers spent the week revisiting programs like Google Classroom, Screencastify, Zoom, Edpuzzle, Wevideo, Camtasia, Pear Deck, Khan Academy, Discovery Education, Art Hub, YouTube, Kahoot, Gimkit, Quizizz, and many others in getting ready for Aug. 16. According to CHS Language Arts teacher Briggette Pugh, “The number one thing I learn every year at Back to School Professional Development days is how excruciatingly hard it is to sit still and attempt to absorb a geyser of information, ideas, and data…my brain does not work like that, and developing student brains for sure does not; most years it is three days of being hooked up to the Matrix. Good grief!” Pugh said this last year, but it still applies to this year too as some things never change.

Though being a teacher is demanding, it does come with some perks. Language arts teacher Robben Williams, science teacher Joseph Clark, and math teacher Jordan Glover are seen Aug. 12 enjoying some tacos for lunch they purchased in front of CHS. from the Moreover, CHS Blue Crew and CHS Leadership students have been working hard too at giving tours of the high school to freshman as well as handing out new Chromebooks. Pictured are CHS math teacher Shanell Cavener’s Blue Crew students and P.E. teacher Ann Britt’s Leadership class.

OLD YEARBOOKS, NEW YEARBOOKS, DIGITAL MEDIA
The CHS yearbook staff still has a great number of past yearbooks available for a donation, and to order the 2021-2022 Carneta, it is $85 right now, students need to go to the CHS Finance Office at this time, or purchase online at yearbookforever.com. The CHS yearbook is a completely self-sustaining program, and they do not receive any funding from outside their advertising and book sales. Digital Media does weekly video announcements and creates other videos covering events, activities, and news. Their website may be accessed by going to senatorsnow.org. Please email CHS Language Arts teacher and Yearbook Adviser Cynthia Mills at cmills@carson.k12.nv.us for more information.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT CHS
Many of the events happening at CHS are just beginning, and many have been recurring throughout the summer months in some capacity or another. Aug. 16, from 2:45 to 6:30 p.m., is volleyball practice in the Big Gym, and band rehearsal will take place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. in either the band room, the front fields of the high school, or on the football field when available.


SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
As Carson City School District begins the 2021-2022 school year, here are a few reminders regarding the Rotary Student of the Week, Senior in the Spotlight. The Noon Rotary Club of Carson City will recognize a senior student each Tuesday of the month, beginning Sept. 7, 2021.

A senior from Carson High School will be recognized every Tuesday, except for the third Tuesday, where a senior from Pioneer High School will be recognized. To identify all students, the Rotary Club has implemented a couple of changes regarding the selection of students: CHS counselors will select one student twice per month who has excelled academically, etc. and once per month select a student who has overcome challenges, works hard in classes, etc.

Pioneer High School counselors will follow the same process, except they will select one student each month). Please note additional information will be provided regarding the honorarium students receive. If I've missed anyone in this email, please pass along the information. Students will then be asked to join Rotary meetings at Noon, in person, in the upstairs banquet room at the Brewery Arts Center. The club honors the student for his or her many accomplishments with lunch and a certificate.

Questions about the selection process are to be directed to the CHS Guidance Office at 283-1910, emailing Counselor Nicole Hendee at nhendee@carson.k12.nv.us, or by contacting Renae Cortez, the Executive Administrative Assistant for both Superintendent Richard Stokes and the Board of Trustees with Carson City School District, at 283-2100.

Senator Square columnist Phil Brady is an English teacher at Carson High School in Carson City, Nev.