“[The old policy] just wasn’t effective,” said Tracy Armitage, assistant principal. “Not all of the students understand the importance of punctuality.”

            This year’s current tardy policy disciplines students with detentions during lunch and after school. Once a student collects over eleven tardies, the administration decides upon the consequences, with suspension or the termination of driving privileges. By enforcing these penalties, the administration wishes to compel students to take responsibility and become prompt. Nevertheless, even these punishments fail to force students through the door on time.

Box 1 (Stats):

1^st Trimester (60 days b/c cancellations)

7274 total tardies, Average: 121.23 per day.

2^nd Trimester (58 days b/c cancellations)

7768 total tardies, Average: 133.93 per day.

Box 2 (Next Year’s Policy):

Tardy policy per trimester:

1. Tardies are cumulative for the trimester.
2. Tardies will result in a lunch detention,. (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd period will be the same day, while 4^th & 5^th period will be the following day).
3. Excessive tardies (beyond 5 cumulative tardies in all classes per trimester) will be considered insubordination and may result in after school detention, Tuesday/Wednesday school(s), suspension, revocation of driving privileges, and other consequences by administrative decision.

Box 3 (Reasons Why Students Are Late):

 “I just don’t want to go to class.”- Jared Paulus (11).

“I sleep in a lot and always forget things at my locker.”- Kyle Shafer (10).

“I’m late when I’m being social.”- Jaymi Lechlitner (11).

“Friends, people that walk slow, and crowded hallways.”- Derrik Simmons (9).

“I usually have to go to the bathroom.”- Sam Riley (12).

 “I’m lazy. I sit until the minute bell and then leave.”- Brittany Price (11).

“Breakfast at Mayberry.”- Matt Kinsman (12).

            “At this point, it’s all about what works with regard to the rest of [the student’s] schedule,” Renee Cocanower (director of student services) said. “Sometimes it’s not available, but usually conflicts prevent students from [getting] what they want.” 

            After the deadline, the counselors modify schedules for limited reasons: a class upgrade (ie: advancing from a standard class to an honors course), an error or removal of a class in which a student is academically incapable of moving forward.

            “If the student in Algebra II previously failed Geometry, they are academically incapable and have to be put back in Algebra II for the next year,” Cocanower said.

            The main concern remains meeting requirements and creating an attainable and organized schedule for the following year. To guarantee a student’s satisfaction, the counselors are open to receive desired changes due to scheduling errors.

            “The student receives a copy of the schedule, on which they make a notation of the change or error,” Cocanower said. “We make a copy of the schedule, answer any questions, and check over [the schedule].”

            Cocanower encourages students to schedule an appointment with one of the helpful and accommodating counselors before the school year comes to a close.

            “The counselors are only here three days after school closes, so we want to make sure everything is done.” Cocanower said. “It helps next year move more smoothly.”

            “[The dress code] was presented May 5 by public presentation and was approved May 19,” said Tracy Armitage, assistant principal.

            Recognizing the importance of an improved policy, the school views the changes as not only crucial but helpful.

            “It’s easier to monitor the clear violations of [the dress code],” said Armitage.

            The renewed dress code remains identical except with three additional guidelines: shirts and tops must have sleeves, all bottoms must be securely fastened around the waist, and all bottoms must be at least at the knee when standing. Although the extra rules appear severe, or even unnecessary, the administration simply wishes for students to attend school in a clean and modest manner. In addition, at first glance, the regulations generate a common question: are girls affected more than boys by the new policy?

            “The same rules apply to everyone,” said Armitage. 

            The dress code concerns both genders, since they must equally abide by and honor the requirements. Ironically, the new rules force the boys to pull their pants above the knees, while the girls must wear the hem below. Girls must sacrifice their beloved short skirts, whereas boys may need to purchase a new piece of attire: a belt.

-Reminder: AP testing is taking place this week and continuing into next week.

-This weekend the high school choirs, along with Concord Singers, will be performing at their annual Pops Concert. The shows are both Friday and Saturday evening at 8 p.m.

- Make sure to attend the Dance Recital on May 13, 8:00 p.m. in the BPAC.

-It’s that time of the year again, when the spirit of jazz, a satisfying meal, and a decorated gym come together to create a perfect atmosphere for the Jazz Café. Come out and see the excitement for yourself Friday May 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the McCuen Gym. Tickets are on sale now- $15 for main floor seating (includes dinner and dessert) or $8 for balcony seating (includes dessert only). 

Drawing, one of Concord’s various electives, provides an opportunity for students to artistically express themselves. Here, students in Drawing II think up ideas for an individual piece and begin their work.

            “I always like the Field Museum. It’s loaded with scads of geology, which is my favorite area to teach,” Shoff said.

            With the chance to visit not one but two museums, the students could truly enjoy an educational experience outside of the classroom.

            “Usually half the students enjoy the Field Museum and the other half, the Museum of Science and Industry. That is why we go to both,” Shoff said.

            The museums provided the students information connected to their classroom work, while presenting the facts in an interesting and new form.

            “I love the fact that they can see actual examples of things they learn from the class,” Shoff said.

            Even though the students stepped outside of the normal classroom setting, they still were able to soak in information that could later be talked about in class.

            “It was for fun, but afterwards we discuss things. We learn a lot about fossils, and there is a section about earth through time. There are also exhibits on meteorites and minerals, which are areas that are taught in the Earth Space class,” Shoff said.

Kaitlyn Horner

What sport do you play?

Softball

What is your best memory while doing the sport?

Going out there, being on the field, and being on the team.

How did you start playing and how old were you?

A lot of my friends were playing and I want to, but I didn’t have the time. So, I finally made the time for it. I started playing in second grade, so I was around eight years old. I quit for a few years and started playing again in seventh grade.

What do you enjoy about the sport?

I enjoy the concept of it, and that it’s all a team effort.

Do you play on any other teams outside of school?

I play on a travel team out of Mishawaka.

What is the hardest task to complete?

Most of the time it is just pushing myself to be the best. I get frustrated a lot, and when I get frustrated, I don’t play well. Getting over that obstacle is tough. Not playing this year is even harder though.

How did you feel about tryouts?

Tryouts are pretty intense. Coaches are looking at what you are best at and what you need to work on. Tryouts are also for building the team and also the chemistry within everybody.

What person influenced you the most?

Last year, it was Chelsea Herendeen. She pushed me to be my best and kept my head in the game.

Is there a sports team that you follow?

I watch everybody, but I like watching the national teams.

What is one thing you need that will help you play this sport?

You need a good attitude along with a hard work ethic.

What position do you play?

I play mostly outfield, but can also play second base and short stop.

Do you play any other sports?

I play soccer and also basketball.

How is the team doing so far?

We’ve improved a lot, and we’re getting better as each game goes on. Hopefully we will be successful and end the season well.

Are you looking forward to any event coming up soon?

I look forward to every game as it is; every game is just a game and doesn’t matter how big it is.

     If you didn’t already know, I am a member of this band and participated over the weekend as well. Going into it, I was not entirely thrilled since I was required to play in the symphony orchestra earlier that morning, previous to the band’s performance. Waking up around five in the morning, my mindset and attitude was definitely not a positive one and lacked the spirit of desiring success. Altogether, I pretty much dreaded the idea of moving forward to a state competition, which consisted of another insanely early morning the next Saturday, and a long bus ride down to Indianapolis. Many other band friends held the same opinion and viewed traveling to State as a complete waste of time and energy, since the future nearly positively did not hold an extremely hopeful placing, or at least one to compensate for the effort.

     However, yesterday, as I enjoyed my relaxing Sunday afternoon, feeling lethargic and not even caring, I received a text message on my cellular telephone informing me of our success. Not surprising at all, the friend who told me of the news did not act overwhelmingly excited about the situation and even mentioned that Saturday will “suck”. I thoroughly wish that the symphonic band, including myself, would appreciate the opportunity and find joy in attending the competition. Unfortunately, there is no desire or spark within the musicians and the idea just never sounded appealing. Last year the band failed to move on to the next level and not a single band member was disappointed or affected in a negative manner. This year, those feelings are present and ironically the band has received a higher honor and performed much better.

     I still attempt to uncover the reasons behind our attitude. Perhaps playing the music over and over, repetition after repetition, drives us crazy and creates a burning hate for the pieces we are practicing and performing. It is the idea of having too much of a good thing. That’s one possibility. Maybe it is the pressure and desire we see in the band directors that leads us to not hold the same wants and expectations, in sort of a subconscious rebellion. Perhaps we do not wish to put more work into the music, or play it any further, since we have already been overloaded with several rehearsals and practices of the pieces every single day during the school class period. No matter what manufactures this disgust toward band success, nearly every single member wishes against moving forward and would rather simply sleep in and enjoy a regular, music-lacking Saturday morning.

     I am trying my very best not to sound pessimistic (yet I know I’m failing) since I do wish to see that hope and passion in the band, including myself. I’m not saying that this weekend will always be a dread to me throughout the week, especially because I want to change my attitude and once again put forward my share of effort and work. I truly do believe that the directors put all they have into seeing their bands succeed and desiring to influence their students in a positive manner, hoping they as well want to strive for a higher goal. This article is not meant to be discouraging or disheartening, but merely to express my opinion which parallels with several others.

Friendship consists of trust, respect, and understanding. What qualities combine to create the ideal friend for you? You seek friendship in those that motivate you, support you, and also allow you to be lighthearted and free. I have never heard of seeking friendship in a person who tramples and destroys. Each person admires unique individual qualities and gets along with certain personalities and attitudes. It makes sense, since many of us observe personalities and wonder how they have friends. The truth is, other people mold more easily with them. If this was not the case, then we all would either have the exact same friends or no friends at all. A friendship is a strong, built relationship that contains no intimacy. 

Love is formed by differing characteristics. Love consists of attachment and an unstoppable connection. When you fall in love, their feelings intertwine with yours and completely affect you. The pain your loved one experiences also strikes you. On the other hand, you take complete joy and thrill in their success and when their smiles are permanently drawn on their countenance. Love is only found in one individual, not with many. Love also involves a physical element which is not present in a friendly relationship.

According to Mohatta, a content writer for ecards and greetings familiar with topics such as love, inspiration, humanity, and truth, “Your heart beats will never increase in anticipation of meeting your friend. You will not lie awake at night thinking about your friend. You will not feel totally lost, if you don’t meet your friend for a few days. You will not have dreams in your eyes thinking about your friend. But in love, you will do all this and much more. Indeed, there is no comparison between love and friendship.”

            “The owner’s communication with the animal is important, because it is the only way to get across what is want,” Gould said. “The dog doesn’t need verbal [communication], but just needs to know what the owner wants.”

            Gould believes that the trainer and owner have to be completely responsible for successful communication. In the relationship, it is necessary for one individual to be the boss.

            “In the wild, there is always an alpha,” Gould said. “You have to be that alpha. It makes it easier on the dog.”

            By nature, dogs are pack animals which operate under a designated leader, or alpha animal. The alpha is the head boss and dominates over the other members of the pack, making every decision for the group. In the home, the owner and family are equivalent to the pack, as well as additional animals in the household. It is the responsibility of the owner to establish their position as alpha, or else the dog will respond naturally and begin to demonstrate superior behavior.

            Gould views a dominating and controlling animal as unacceptable. One of her pet peeves is seeing an owner allow their dog to dictate in the relationship.

            “[The owner] has to be more determined with the dog, and cannot let them win. If the dog takes over, the owner might as well be the one on the leash. I want my dogs to be obedient.”

            Choker collars, if used properly, serve as a helpful tool in dog training. Gould and the other trainers at K9 Obedience prefer using the choker collar to teach their animals obedience. A gentle tug with an instant release alerts the dog that it has done something undesirable that needs correction. The name of the collar is very misleading since proper use of the device does not involve choking or strangling of the animal.

            “The collar is used to annoy the dog and get their attention,” Gould said. “They will make up their mind and realize that it is easier to just obey.”

            Using this physical form of communication, the dog learns what the owner expects and desires. Since dogs don’t communicate through speaking, spoken language is not nearly as important to them as it is humans. However, correct verbal communication may also be valuable in animal training.

            “The tone of your voice is the most important. Words don’t matter.”

            For example, a dog may be reprimanded in a sweet, comforting voice and not understand the scolding words of their owner and continue to wag their tail happily. Identical on the other hand, if an owner communicates encouraging words to their pet in a lecturing manner, the dog will only respond accordingly to their tone of voice and cower in shame. Dogs are also very sensitive to the facial expressions and eye contact of their owner.

            Although humans have the capability of being misleading with their words, animals have forms of communication that are never deceiving.

            “Dogs communicate with humans through their posture, and sometimes verbally also with a whine or bark,” said Gould. “My dog walks up to put his paws on my lap and will just stare at me.”

            Dogs bark for several reasons, including when intruders approach their territory, when hearing an unexpected or unfamiliar noise, or even when they are simply playing. Barking also expresses a diverse combination of feelings including stress, fear, or even happiness and pleasure.

            Through the body language and behavior of a dog, an owner can typically understand the emotions of their pet. Over time and through efficient training, the bond created between the human and animal grows and allows both of the individuals to connect.

            “The bond you develop with the dog makes the communication 50/50. The dog knows what the trainer wants, and you can tell what the dog is feeling.”

            Gould not only trains dogs in obedience, but also occasionally gets involved in teaching personal protection. The dogs are taught to attack on command, stand alert and prepared, and also become familiar with the signal to come out of the mode.

            “My dog is partially trained. It takes a lot of trust.”

            Gould and the rest of K9 Obedience are available to train dogs outdoors at Goshen Animal Clinic. With sessions typically Wednesday evenings or Saturday mornings, any owner wanting assistance may sign their dog up for only $100.

            “The can keep coming and coming, and only have to pay $100 at the very beginning,” said Gould.

            With the motto “Train, Don’t Strain,” K9 Obedience has celebrated many success stories. The team transforms timid and fearful dogs into social creatures, and morphs defiance into obedience.

            “We do it so people have a better pet and a better companion.”