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From the Advisors’ Point of View

March 1, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Ms. Pahomov and Mr. Latimer with two advisees from the class of 2016 (aka their second set of children).

Saamir Baker

Staff Writer

Advisory has been a core part of our school since the beginning of its existence, a unique system that people find to be an attraction to come to our school. Everyone that is in or has been in the SLA community can agree that advisory is a core part of what makes SLA well… SLA. As we progress through our years as an SLA student we usually get to grow to have a dependant bond with our advisors. They become our parents at school for four years. They are the ones who hold our hands through high school up until we graduate. It is always focused on how students feel about this advisory system, and how well it helps them progress through the years.

Students mostly pay attention to what the advisors do during advisory time. Depending on who the teacher is, and their personality out of the classroom and inside the classroom can be a large effect on how advisories are ran. Some are more celebrative on different holidays and birthdays. For example, the Ames advisory especially has a tradition of giving a tasty cake to the student whose birthday falls on an advisory day. But other advisories sometimes lack in the department of having parties at all.

What students don’t think about is how it feels to be an advisor that has a family of twenty kids. What struggles they may go through trying to run a cohesive advisory and the bonds they form yet once graduation comes they are left to do this all over again with a different set of kids who have a different temperature.

So how do the advisors feel? Several SLA teachers weighed in on how their past advisory experiences impact them now.

Ms. Hernandez: The Rookie

She touched on the impact of not knowing how to run an advisory while being a rookie. Having advisory on an intense scale such as this isn’t really heard of at other schools. When talking to First Year Spanish Teacher Joselyn Hernandez, she mentioned advisory at her old school was only 10 minutes long in the beginning of school just to give out tranpasses or important documents. SLA was a different experience completely for her. This is something that is very common for teachers who taught at a different school, or even those who are teaching for the first time. But after hearing about this new system of advisory, and being thrown into a junior advisory at that, “I thought it would be interesting working with juniors and seeing the process of college planning and experiencing it first! Just to see what is expected of you.”

Ms. Pahomov: The Veteran

Reflecting on her first advisory, English Teacher Larissa Pahomov remembers everyone working to adapt to each other and the new environment at hand.

Typically your first advisory is freshman so everyone is new to the process. And because everyone is learning the culture of SLA for the first time, as she said “In some ways your first is the strongest bond.”

But now as a veteran advisor she has gained more knowledge on how to run an advisory in a more organized manner, to where she can help her kids she has to break in be on track and on progress for graduation. She is currently working with her third advisory group, taking over a junior advisory after Mr. Miles left SLA to move to Minnesota.

Ms. Hull: After Your First Children

“I was so upset I had to graduate these kids, and it upset me to the point where I couldn’t look at pictures of them and I wanted to be assimilated with my new kids.”

Ms.Hull had a struggle after graduating her first class due to the fact that she started the school with them, quite literally with that being SLA’s first graduating class. But after meeting her second advisory, while she still missed her first babies, she was able to adapt to her second advisory quickly after they got acquainted with each other. She later learned they would be her best behaved advisory.

So, Who’s The Favorite?

For the more veteran teachers, their first advisory will always be one closest to their hearts. Since everyone, advisor and advisees alike, were learning how SLA functions together for the first time and tackled the college process for the first time together. These “rookie” experiences allow everyone to bond together since everyone is new and adapting to SLA’s unique high school experience.

SLA’s Future: Are We Moving?

February 28, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

by Maddi Extebeste

Staff Writer

Many Juniors, Seniors, and some Sophomores at SLA know that the school doesn’t own the building and that SLA might be “moving” in “a few years.” What they may not know is our contract with the owner of the building ends in June 2018. Current sophomores could be the first class graduating in the new building since this year’s Juniors would be the last class graduating in present SLA.

The Options

Rumors about moving aren’t new; that’s why two other articles have been written in past years (2011 and 2016) about the same topic. Both articles are quite similar, especially in quoting Co-Principal Chris Lehmann’s answer to the question “what would you do if SLA lost the building?”

Lehmann has consistently presented three different options: renewing our lease, moving to an old school, or buying the building.

SLA buying the full lease of the building with the School District of Philadelphia would $40 million, “which would become cheap in the long run but would be very expensive in the moment”, as Lehmann was quoted in 2011.

Renewing our lease would also be expensive and not permanent at all. The last option, moving to a building which has already hosted a high school, would probably require renovations at a big cost to SLA. One of the options was moving to the empty Vaux High School, but that building has already been sold to Big Picture by the SDP. Although these possibilities are well-known, there is a lot of uncertainty.

For example, Marcie Hull, Technology and Art teacher, said “I don’t really know about which possibilities we have if we move from this building. I don’t even want to know about it because this topic gets me anxious (laughs).”

This year, Lehmann said he didn’t consider the idea of buying the building, but that they’re still having conversation about extending the contract to be able to stay. He also explained that in the case they lose the building, the School District of Philadelphia would try to find another building in Center City or close by.

Changing the location of the school wouldn’t only have economic consequences. Its present location makes commuting more or less balanced, makes it easier for Freshmen to access the Franklin Institute on Wednesday afternoons, and doesn’t favor any specific neighborhood except Center City.

As Junior Mekhi Granby says, “If SLA moves it’s going to be more difficult and longer for students to commute, this also meaning less hours of sleep and less efficiency when they’re working at school.”

Freshmen Opinions

It’s the Freshmen’s first year here so they may not mind moving. As Ms. Hull said, “it’s going to be easier for them, having spent less time here.”

However, many of them are unaware of the potential move. Freshman Kai Bradley-Gutiérrez de Terán did not have a positive reaction to the news.

“I don’t think this is a good thing because it is really unlikely for the school to find another suitable space in the same area. By our school being in Center City, it allows for kids from all over Philadelphia to have easier commuting and easier access, making this school more diverse” He said.

“And we shouldn’t forget Freshmen’s Wednesdays at The Franklin Institute. We can get there walking with our peers from SLA but if we move it will also be more difficult to go.”

Which option would impact the community the most?

“If we finally move it is going to be a big change because this building is like our second home”, declared Lehmann.

If SLA Center City moves to another building, it would also have a big impact on students across grade levels. Juniors and Seniors know the SLA community well and “it would be devastating for them” according to Hull.

She also explained her point of view as a staff member who has been there since “the beginning” of the school.

“I don’t really want to move. It is going to be a difficult transition for everybody and a sad loss, but nothing is going to be bad because we’re not going to let that happen. After some months everyone is going to get used to it. It’s neither good nor bad, just different.”

That’s the key word of Hull’s description of that new environment: different.

Lehmann added that, “The SDP understands how important is this building for us, and they also want the best interests for the teachers, students, and families. That’s why they are trying to find a building with similar characteristics or even better so they can be adapted to our needs. And if it had a gym it would be perfect!”

Racial Unity Campaign Takes Hold at SLA

February 28, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Caroline Pitone

Staff Writer

On Monday, January 9th, the Stand for Racial Unity campaign kicked off at SLA, with students going around to advisory explaining the emphasis of the work.

Sophomore Bronwyn Goldschneider created the organization after thinking about it for six months. She herself is of mixed race — her father is white and her mother is Japanese — and they felt that there wasn’t a way to bring people of different skin colors and backgrounds together.

“My dad and I discovered there was no symbol for racial unity,” Goldschneider explained, so they decided to make one themselves.

With the help of her friends and her father, who is a photographer, she was able to produce photos of students with of all different races and ethnicities. In the pictures, each person was given a shirt with the racial unity symbol. The stance everybody was placed in, made the photo very eye catching and powerful.

These photos have been floating around the school and on different social media platforms. Not only have these pictures been hung up on the walls of SLA, but it is also easy to spot stickers on the back of computers from students. They have been the talk of students for these past few weeks. Bronwyn and the rest of the crew have been getting noticed for their leadership and recognition for racial unity.

Sophomore Sydney Rogers was one of the students featured in the picture and appreciated the opportunity that the group gave her.

“It means a lot to me,” Rogers explained. “I’ve never been apart of a non profit organization like this. I’m really involved and invested in it.”

After setting up the campaign, Goldschneider chose the Southern Poverty Law Center as the group that would receive the proceeds of any t-shirt or sticker sales.

“They basically monitor all activity hate groups in the us,” Goldschneider explained. “They try to bring the message out that there are still hate groups and to be heard about and changed. Awareness for this is the goal.”

By donating online, you can order a T-Shirt with the racial unity symbol, and also, you are able to purchase stickers that can be put anywhere you would like.

Teacher Profile: Hanako Franz

February 28, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Meymey Seng

Staff Writer

Tenth and eleventh grade English teacher Joshua Block is traveling to New Zealand to visit schools and research education. He will be there from late January until the end of the school year. After knowing that his friend Hanako Franz was looking for a position, he immediately told her and she gladly accepted. Alongside Ms. Franz is a student teacher from Penn, John Taylor-Baranick, or Mr. TB.

About Her

Ms. Franz was born in Japan but grew up mostly outside of Pittsburgh. Aside from being a teacher, her hobbies include hanging out and being really loud with her friends, which is one of her favorite things. Another activity she enjoys is doing taiko, which is Japanese drumming, which Ms. Franz describes as healing. She also loves to read, simply lying down with a book. Although, some of her hobbies like biking could result in pain, but can be laughed at when looking back. On her first day substituting at SLA, she was riding her bike when she hit a pothole, falling on her side. She then got on a trolley and was a little late, but luckily did not have a class first period. Once she healed, she went biking again.

Although teaching was not what she always wanted to do, she had a change of heart when she was in her early twenties.

“I had this moment when something hits you and your thinking really transforms. When I was in Japan, I remember it so vividly, where I was in college but my major was undecided and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I always enjoyed working with young people and education is something that I think is so critical in terms of any sort of like social change,” said Ms. Franz. “So I remember being in my grandma’s kitchen making toast, I had been thinking for months about what do I want to do, and I then I was just sort of like, teaching!”

A Big Change

Before becoming a substitute teacher, Ms. Franz used to work at Olney Charter High School. Also, the school system gives the substitute teacher’s freedom over where they can go. So out of all the schools to substitute at, why SLA?

“I’ve known Josh [Block] for years. When I decided that I was going to sub, I thought that I would just be a sub at a lot of different schools, explore the different schools in the school district because I’ve only taught at two schools in Philly. I decided to do that and then I heard Josh was looking for a substitute. He has a really sweet schedule and it was hard to say no.”

Restarting the Queer Straight Alliance

Since being at SLA, there were many reasons that caused Ms. Franz to start up the QSA club once again. When working at Olney, she was apart of their QSA club and thought it would be a good idea to continue that. She knew that Mr. Block supported it in the past and that it was something that he hoped would continue. “For me as a queer educator, it’s always really important for me to be out. My first day, I came out to all of the students because I know how hard it can be when you don’t have any adults around you that are queer.”

So, she wanted to try and start the club to see what the interest level was. If there were students interested, she would want to be apart of helping.

Something that amazed her was during the first Queer Straight Alliance meeting, many students said that they feel like they can be out. “It seems like SLA has created a safer environment than a lot of schools. For the most part students sort of did that after school and weren’t super affectionate in public. So it’s cool to see students hold hands and they can express themselves.”

Experience So Far

Some things that stood out to her is how tech savvy the students are at our school. “Students know more about Google Docs than I do,” she said. She has also noticed that the students are encouraged to be creative in many different ways.

At her previous school, she taught ninth graders and the advisory was structured differently. “I never experienced an advisory system where it’s two times a week after class at the end of the day. I like having a space where I get to interact with tenth graders. I think that advisory has the potential to be really transformative and a space where you can build really strong relationships with your students, outside of the class and super academic focus.”

One tradition that Mr. Block’s classes has is a Friday performance, singing, dancing, or more at the end of class.

“We are continuing that, and one Friday, I was trying to get students to do it and a lot of them were shy. They’ll dance at their tables, but won’t do it in front of the class. There was one student who was dancing a bunch at her table during the period, so at the end of class I was like alright, come on, you’re up, and then she wouldn’t do it. Then another student just put a song on, and that student went in front of the class and killed it. The room was dying, Mr. TB was crying because he was laughing so hard. She danced to ‘You Name It’.”

Fitting Right In

Both teachers and students are happy to have Ms. Franz on board.

“Working with Ms. Franz is a treat. She brings so much life to the classroom and her enthusiasm is contagious. Besides being a smart and experienced teacher, she is a very supportive colleague,” said student teacher Mr. TB, who co-teaches with Ms. Franz.

“Having Ms. Franz as a teacher is a very influential, impactful, and refreshing. Ms. Franz is laid back and is already contributing to SLA, bringing the Queer Straight Alliance club,” said Junior Mekhi Granby. “Having Mr. TB as a teacher is super uplifting, he always has a smile on his face and brings his energy to class every time.”

“She seems like an agreeable person to be around. I haven’t had her for that long so I’m not familiar with her style of teaching yet, but if I had to pick something that I liked it would have to be her class discussions,” said Senior Fatu Castillo.

With all her contributions so far, the students at SLA feel very comfortable and are excited with welcoming Ms. Franz.

Why is There a Black Student Union?

February 28, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Mekhi Granby

Staff Writer

In the winter of this year, SLA got a new club: The Black Student Union.

The club has frequently been advertised in the advisory memo as having lots of meetings, which has generated a lot of attention among students, and a lot of confusion as well.

Sophomore Zoey Tweh and senior Alicia Jones are the co-leaders of the group, with English teacher Matthew Kay, and Health/Phys Ed teacher Pia Martin serving as sponsors.

“The black student union hopes to accomplish an inclusive community that prioritizes taking care of each other,” Tweh explained when asked what the purpose of the club was.

I hope it will be a place where we have speakers come in and talk to the group either educating them on an issue we chose to focus on or simply speaking to us about whatever their expertise is, be it: Black History, activism, telling their stories, as well providing suggestions and opportunities. Which leads to the other hope that this will be a community that is constantly providing opportunities for those within the BSU, that they may not otherwise have access to or time to seek out themselves.

“We hope this will be a space for people to increasingly become more comfortable in who they are and loving where they come from, in other words, we will constantly be encouraging people to practice self-love. We hope that every year from now on Black History Month will be celebrated at SLA in a meaningful, well thought out way. And that it will be a safe space in the school where people can speak about how different issues are impacting them in and outside of school. As well just a great space to enjoy ourselves, listen to music and eat,” said Tweh when asked the purpose of the Black Student Union.

Tweh’s initial issue was with SLA’s curriculum for not including anything special for Black History Month. She then spoke to Mr. Kay who told her that “Instead of going to the principle and complaining, you should do something about it.” Kay suggested either starting Black Student Union or founding a committee for Black History Month. Tweh chose the first option.

Kay has previous experience as a member of a Black Student Union in college

“I know nothing about the BSU, except that it exists” said Senior Colin Pierce, who is caucasian, when asked what he knows about the BSU. From being an advisor and mentioning the BSU multiple times while reading the advisory memo English/Journalism teacher Larissa Pahomov has noticed a ton of confusion first hand surrounding the BSU.

This is SLA’s first Black Student Union, but the world’s first BSU originated in San Francisco State University some time in the 1960s. The concept isn’t completely new, but it was definitely new to some students at SLA. Some students know barely anything about the BSU while some know more than others.

“I know that the Black Student Union was created by a group of African-American students who wanted to discuss issues blacks face including racism, police brutality and other things. I also know that they wanted to discuss black history and even do something for black history month,” Junior Jaszmine Randle, who is African-American expressed.

A factor that plays into the confusion is the fact that SLA already has a student union — a chapter of the Philadelphia Student Union, which seeks to take political action but is not connected with any particular racial or ethnic identity.

“I somewhat agree because it is a good idea, however I somewhat disagree because I feel like it’s segregating things considering there is already a regular student union and it doesn’t make sense because white people are still allowed in black student union , and blacks are still allowed in regular student union so it’s pointless to separate the two,” said Randle.

Tweh clarified that the club does not prohibit non-Black students from joining.

Most BSU meetings contain a majority of African American population but African Americans aren’t the only race included. “In our meetings there has been a latino, caucasian, and middle eastern presence, ” Tweh explained.

“Being an exclusive group was not the vision, there are other black student unions around the country and I doubt that there’s one that doesn’t have a presence of other races,” Tweh remarked. Students of any race are welcome to join the black student union with the notion of it being more focused towards African-American issues and culture.

“We appreciate different cultures, and it’s really a safe place for everyone,” said Tweh.