TOWER

the

In loving memory of Katie Ecclestone

September 3, 1971 - August 15, 2015

Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015

Volume 88
Issue 1
thetowerpulse.net

A WEEKLY TRADITION SINCE 1928

@thetowerpulse

Gross e Pointe S outh, 11 Gross e Pointe B oule vard, Gross e Pointe Far ms, Michigan 48236

New superintendent brings administrative changes

JENNIFER MAIORANA 16 //
Editor-in-Chief
r. Gary Niehaus
officially became
superintendent of the
Grosse Pointe Public
School System (GPPSS) on June
1 and has been adjusting well to
the Grosse Pointe community
and lifestyle since, he said.
Its been a great transition,
Niehaus said. I was able to be a
part of both high school graduations, and I got to meet my whole
administrative team before they
left for summer.
The GPPSS administration
has already been able to learn
from the new perspectives and
ideas that Niehaus has, Deputy
Superintendent for Educational
Services Jon Dean said.
Dr. Niehaus has been doing
this work for a long time, and
he really knows how to connect
with people, Dean said. He
knows how to come in, assess the
situation and make good, sound
decisions. Ive only been working
with him since June 1, so a little
less than three months, but Ive
been really impressed.
One decision the GPPSS administration has already made
for the upcoming school year was
to reassign Debbie Redlin to Parcells as an assistant principal and
Steven Wolf to South as an assistant principal, essentially switch-

ing their positions, Dean said.

We looked hard at it and felt
that it was in the best interest of
the school district to make that
decision, Dean said. Grosse
Pointe Public Schools are fortunate enough to have outstanding
teachers and certainly outstanding administrators.
Redlin had prior experience
being a middle school administrator and Wolf had worked at
a high school in North Carolina
before Parcells, Dead said.
I know both of them do a
great job with relationships,
Dean said. I think that Ms.
Redlin will make great relationships at Parcells and really connect with those students and
teachers and the same with Mr.
Wolf.
Its of interest to me to
know what can I do as a
superintendent to support
what your needs are as a
student.
DR. GARY NIEHAUS
SUPERINTENDENT

Redlin said she was assigned

to Parcells as a district decision
and did not know much about
why she was moved. Despite this,
she said she was going to make
the best of the move.

Parcells is a wonderful
school, and I am excited to be
there, Redlin said via e-mail.
Principal Moussa Hamka said
he did not want to comment on
whether or not he was part of
the decision to switch Redlin
and Wolf. However, he said he is
looking forward to working with
Wolf.
Any time you lose somebody
who has been in an institution
for years and developed relationships, its always a loss, Hamka
said. Theres always going to
be an acclimation period where
youre transitioning, however,
Im very confident in Mr. Wolf s
skill set. I look forward to him
taking what Ms. Redlin has done
and extending it to newfound
heights and successes.
Wolf said he is excited to be
at South and looks forward to
working with high school students again. He said his strengths
are best suited to benefit high
school students.
At the middle school level, I
felt that I had to find my niche
in terms of how I connected and
built relationships with the kids,
where at the high school, it felt
more natural; its who I am, and
it didnt take much effort to do
that, Wolf said. My biggest asset
will be supporting students and
their beliefs.
Senior Class President Marga-

GETTING INVOLVED // Dr. Gary Niehaus was the invited speaker at the Grosse Pointe
Rotary Club meeting on Monday, Aug. 24. Niehaus was a rotarian at the Charleston Rotary
Club in Illinois before moving to Grosse Pointe.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. GARY NIEHAUS

ret Sohn 16 said she values when

administrators such as Wolf
make an effort to listen and connect with students.
One of the most helpful resources are the students when it
comes to education, Sohn said.
We are the ones going through
it and we have a strong view on
what needs to be changed and

what doesnt.
In regards to Wolf entering
South and Niehaus entering the
GPPSS, Sohn said she remains
optimistic and hopes these
changes will improve faculty to
student relationships.
And Niehaus said he hopes to
reach out to students and build
relationships by attending foot-

Student network password changes cause

short-term confusion, long-term security
LAUREN PANKIN 16 // Supervising Editor
The username or password is incorrect. Back to
school means new books, new threads, and new...
passwords?
For the first time in more than three years, student network passwords have been updated, Technology Director Steve Woloszyn said. Although the
districts auditors encourage password changes on a
periodic basis, the school system did not issue new
codes for several years because the process was not
yet set up.
It (not issuing new passwords) was a lack of
effort on our part, since we ran out of time to implement the change with proper notification, Woloszyn said.
Last spring, staff members were notified that they
would have to personally update their passwords
twice a year, Woloszyn said. In the future, students
will receive new passwords annually at registration.
Network passwords are linked to many different
student resources, including Gmail, Naviance, Outlook, Google Drive, MyStar, Pinnacle for parents

as well as students and general school computer

However, John Bornoty 16 said that he would
access, Information Systems Supervisor Kevin Kur- rather learn a new password than have his online
kowski said via e-mail.
security compromised.
We felt it made the most sense if each student
With technology advancing, students especially
only had to use one password for everything, and who use technology the most are capable of more
that it might actually be more confusing if students and can access more things without people knowhad to also keep track of their old
ing, Bornoty said. Changing the
password just for Naviance, Kurpasswords may have been very necI have used it as
kowski said via e-mail.
essary so that things stay secure for
my password for othCurrent seniors have used the
students.
er non-school related
same passwords since freshman
Counselors and teachers will
things. Changing it
year, which could potentially cause
help students and parents adjust to
a slower adjustment time, Maddie
the new passwords, Kurkowski said
will be very hard.
Thompson 17 said.
via e-mail. If a student does get conMADDIE
I think that it is a disadvantage
fused about which password to use
THOMPSON 17
to most of the students, especially
for Naviance Family Connection,
some of the juniors and seniors,
the login page has a forgot your
Thompson said. I have had the
password? link. Enter the persame password ever since 8th grade, and since I sonalized student number@students.gpschools.
have used it for so long, I have used it as my pass- org school email address, and the password will be
word for other non-school related things. Changing e-mailed to the student.
it will be very hard.
With contributions by Jennifer Maiorana 16.

COMMEMORATE: Young Americans for Freedom to stake flags in

remembrance of the 9/11 victims this Friday

JON THEROS 16 // Staff Writer

Commemorating every life lost during
the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Souths chapter of
Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) will
stake 2,753 flags on the front lawn on Sept.
11 as part of its Never Forget project.
Since 2003, Souths chapter has joined
other YAF organizations around the country in this
annual ceremony, Vice-Chairman Lindsay Stanek 16 said, adding
that she encourages students who arent members of YAF to come out
and help put flags in the ground.
It takes about four hours to place over 2,700 flags on the lawn,
Stanek said. Chairman Julia Fox 16 said she sees this commem-

oration as something Americans should do every year out of respect.

We believe we have a responsibility as Americans to remember
that day in respect for this country and those who died, and we believe
the best way to do that is to represent each of them with a flag in our
memorial, Fox said.
Along with the flags, a moment of silence is scheduled for 9:11 a.m.
during class and YAF members give out buttons to teachers and students in remembrance.
I want to remind everyone that each flag represents a life and to
remain respectful while they are in the lawn this year, Stanek said.
YAF meetings are held in room 198 after school on Thursdays. The
first meeting on Sept. 10 will include more information on how to get
involved with the 9/11 project.

GRAPHIC BY LIZ BIGHAM 18

IN THIS ISSUE
Traveling Abroad
Head to page 4 to
read about summer
trips and students
favorite memories.

Fall Sports
Flip to pages 6 and
7 to find out about
the fall sport teams
plans for this season.

ball games, walking through the

halls and attending club events.
Im open to people coming
and talking, Niehaus said. Its of
interest to me to know what can I
do as a superintendent to support
what your needs are as a student.
See NEW SUPERINTENDENT BRINGS ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES on Page 3.

Back-to-School
Night to be held
next Thursday
KATHARINE KUHNLEIN 16 // Staff Writer
Souths annual Back-to-School Night
will be held Thursday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
Parents will have the opportunity to
meet their childs teachers first face-to-face
before hopefully continuing communication throughout the year, counselor Beth
Walsh-Sahutske said.
Back-to-School night is a vital avenue
for communication, and it is important to
attend, according to math teacher and parent Beth Bornoty.
If I wasnt a teacher in the building,
and didnt already know all the teachers, I
would want to go and meet them and hear
how they plan their courses, Bornoty said.
Bornoty said it is important to walkthrough a students schedule so the parents
know what their childs day looks like.
Parent Linda Mlynarek agrees, and said
by experiencing the students daily routine, it can help form a solid relationship
between students and parents. Also, by attending parents meet teachers face-to-face
and hear about the different courses.
Students also see the benefits of their
parents attending, as they can meet teachers and know what their childs day is like
from start to finish, Benna Ames 16 said.
I encourage my parents to go, so they
can meet my teachers and learn about the
classes Im taking, Ames said.
Ames said she thinks all parents should
know how their childs education is progressing and how to keep in contact with
teachers.
Walsh-Sahutske agrees and hopes parents will learn how to check their students
grades and become more aware of the different rules each teacher has pertaining to
tardiness and late work.
I encourage all parents, especially those
new to South, to attend because Back-toSchool Night is a great way to meet the
teachers and other parents, Mlynarek said.

Senoritis
Check out page 8
for funny senior I.D.
photos.

news // 3

Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015

Solar Car team travels to Texas, places eighth in competition

Paul Attard 15 said the students on the team are great and capable
That happened the night before scrutineering even started, and
when it happened, I thought our chances of racing were over, Rose
The Sun Devils, Souths Solar Car team, traveled to Fort Worth, kids.
For next year, one thing the current team could improve on is said. But instead of using that accident as an excuse to not race, we
Texas in July to compete in The Solar Car Challenge, a national
having far more testing. This year, we tested the car a week before the worked even harder, fixed our car and raced with our car functioning
competition held at the Texas Motor Speedway.
Twelve members of the team participated in the almost week-long competition, but that really wasnt enough to see the full capabilities as well as it possibly could.
of the car at hand, Attard said. It takes a lot of
Next year, instead of going around the speedway in a circle, Solar
event. They were pitted against 17 teams hailing
work to build the car, but getting it done on time Car Challenge teams will travel America from Dallas to Minneapolis.
from all around the country in the Classic
to allow for this would only help in the long run.
Since next years race is a cross-country race from Dallas to
The 12 months of work
Division to see whose solar car could travel the
Sam Hoffman 16, the other co-captain of the Minneapolis, we want to have the car done early so we can test it
leading up to the race had
furthest over the course of the competition.
team said they are starting from scratch with the on the road before the race, Rose said. Also, since the race is much
finally paid off.
The Sun Devils finished in eighth place,
new car.
longer, this year our fundraising goal is $40,000, which we hope to
putting them above all of the other Michigan
MICHAEL ROSE 16
Next year we are
achieve before spring, so then we can focus all of
teams including the Detroit-based Heroes
SUN DEVIL MEMBER
building a whole new car,
our attention on making the car the best it can be
Alliance, according to the Solar Car Challenge
Do not be afraid to try to
Hoffman said. The new
for the race.
website.
make your vision for the solar
car will be lighter and more
Hoffman encourages all students that are
Co-captain Michael Rose 16 said the best
car a reality.
interested to join Sun Devils, no matter their
moment of the event was when the team passed the scrutineering efficient than cars in the past. For members
level of expertise. He said that the solar car team
phase, which requires teams to review and comply with a 32-page rule next year, new ideas are always taken into
SAM HOFFMAN 16
SUN DEVIL MEMBER
consideration. Do not be afraid to try to make
is an experience like no other.
book.
Not very many high school kids get to race
My favorite moment this year was after two days of scrutineering your vision for the solar car a reality.
It wasnt all smooth sailing when they got to
on a professional race track or race across the
hearing the OK that our car was approved for the race, Rose said.
Those words meant so much more than just we would race, but the 12 Texas, as the team helplessly watched its car take off on its own and United States in a car that they built, Hoffman said. You should join if
drive right into another teams minivan, Rose said.
you want to learn, have fun, build and be with a great group of people.
months of work leading up to the race had finally paid off.
JACK HOLME 17 // Page Editor

SUN DEVILS // The South Solar Car team travelled to Texas

this summer. They placed eighth in the national competition,
above the other Michigan teams.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE GROSSE POINTE SOUTH SOLAR CAR TEAM FACEBOOK PAGE

New superintendent brings administrative changes

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Along with being a more active member of the
community, Niehaus said he has four main focal
points for this fall: enrollment, special education,
the North/South dynamic and the failed technology
bond.
Enrollment in kindergarten and first grade
classes is down due to the lowered birth rates
during the recent recession he said, but he said he
has begun to work with the Chamber of Commerce
in addition to the city managers and the mayor to
discuss new advertising tactics.
We are trying to figure out how to bring new
families into Grosse Pointe to bring these-aged kids
into the school system, Niehaus said.
In regards to special education, Niehaus wants
to increase co-teaching and get more students with
special needs back into traditional classrooms with
their peers, he said.
We want to spend some time at the high school
level with our 19-26-year old students, Niehaus
said. We are working with Full Circle to begin to
evolve and develop work programs so that kids can

have full time jobs once they have finished the Full
Circle program.
Along with this, Niehaus said he strives to create
a more cohesive community by promoting #oneGP
on social media.
Theres a perception that theres an issue with
North and South, but honestly the results show that
theyre both producing good-quality high school
education, Niehaus said.
Lastly, the recent technology bond failing is also
an important matter to consider, he said.
Weve got to come back, look at and analyze
our needs and wants from the tech(nology) bond
and determine whether we can go back with our
needs versus our wants and whether we can get the
community to buy into the now-called building
infrastructure, Niehaus said.
In addition to these four areas, Niehaus plans
to improve security and crisis management at the
schools.
We are pretty insular in a lot of ways, but there
are people that penetrate this from time to time,
Niehaus said. What I want to do somewhere along

the way is explain to our kids that we really do want unexpected situations.
to keep them safe and secure.
I dont want to go through it again, Niehaus
At his previous district, Niehaus actually said. And if I do, I want to make it just as practiced
experienced an active shooter.
as last time. We got kudos from law enforcement,
We had been in school for 12 days, and the the newspaper and others because we executed it
teacher (of the shooters class) had been hired four fairly well. But, there were an awful amount of God
days before the start of school.
moments in that day, too.
Three out of four administrators
Moving forward, Niehaus
Theres a
at the high school were in their
said he plans to increase
perception that theres
first year, Niehaus said. When
communication among the
an issue with North and
the student shot four shots
students, staff and administration
South, but honestly the
into the ceiling, it puts you in a
in order to make effective
results show that theyre
position where youre kind of like
changes.
both producing good
oh.
Administrators are looking
quality high school
There were no injuries, but
forward to stronger collaboration
eductation.
this incident was an eye-opener
and the new ideas Niehaus brings
for Niehaus and the school
to the table, Hamka said.
DR. GARY NIEHAUS
district, he said. Nobody expected
He has a way of looking at
SUPERINTENDENT
anything like this to happen in a
things with a different vantage
community similar to Grosse
point, a different view, and it
Pointe, so Niehaus plans to bring
helps us reanalyze what we are
in a safety team to conduct a complete evacuation doing to make sure we are being effective in all of
of the high schools in order to prepare students for our practices, Hamka said.

add @thetowerpulse on Snapchat

by taking a picture of this QR Code