Dance has become a powerful, universal way to express culture, history, and personal emotions. Throughout history, varying styles of dance have arisen, each with its own distinct meanings and traditions. Some forms of dance, such as ballet and salsa, have become extremely well known across the world. Other forms, such as the seungmu and dabke, though less known, are still powerful expressions of culture and identity. Despite their differences in technique and meaning, all dances share a common role in storytelling, celebration, and community. 

One of the most renowned forms of dance, ballet started in the courts of Italy in the Renaissance period, where it was performed in courts as a form of entertainment. It was then brought to the French courts following the marriage of Catherine de Médici, an Italian noblewoman, to King Henry II of France, where it evolved into a more formalized style of dance. King Louis XIV of France, a ballet dancer himself, helped promote the dance as an art with the establishment of the Académie Royale de Danse, the first formal ballet school. 

During the 19th century, opera-ballets evolved in Russia, where the combination of dance and classical music tells a story such as “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”. One of the defining characteristics of ballet is pointe work, a technique where dancers perform elaborate movements on the tips of their toes. The complex sequences of turns, jumps, and steps of ballet require years of practice and dedication to achieve full mastery. 
Amanda Lee ’25 has been dancing ballet alongside traditional Chinese dance since she was around five years old. One of her favorite skills is jumping, which is emphasized in the Gamzatti Variation: ballerinas have to leap at just the right moment to capture the burst of bright music.

“I really like the Gamzatti Variation ... it’s really hard but really elegant,” said Lee. 

Seungmu, or the Monk’s Dance, a traditional Korean dance, is said to reflect the philosophy of Korean Buddhism. Many scholars believe that the five main sections of the seungmu dance are representative of the Buddhist understanding of life, overcoming the three evils to achieve the state of nirvana. The dance begins slowly, with a steady rhythm, to represent birth and the start of life’s struggles. As it progresses, the energy of the dancer’s movements increases, to show the challenge of overcoming the three evils. Then, in an extended drumming section, the dance reaches its climax, representing the triumph over these struggles and the achievement of the state of nirvana.
 
Although its exact origins are debated, the dance is said to date back to the seventh century, where it was traditionally performed by monks during temple rituals. During the Japanese colonial period, the dance was stripped of its religious roots and modernized into a strictly secular dance. In 1969, the South Korean government designated the dance as an Intangible Cultural Property, showing its importance to Korean culture and people. 

The name “salsa” is derived from the Spanish word for “sauce,” which symbolizes how its origin comes from a fusion of cultures and dance styles. The dance, whose origins can be traced back to the 1920s, is highly energetic and lively, with upbeat music and rapid dance movements. The salsa dance is meant to bring people together, through its elaborate partner work and dancer lines. It is typically performed in a four-beat rhythm, where dancers only move to three of the four beats in a measure. Dancers usually keep their upper bodies still, and focus on movements involving their hips. In Latin America, dancers engage in group-oriented styles, where they form circles and are led by a caller, who tells them which movements to perform. Due to its fast-paced movements and ability to bring people together, salsa has become one of the most popular forms of dance across the world. 

The dabke is a highly energetic dance that started in the mountains of the Levantine region. The word “dabke” comes from the Arabic word “dabaka,” meaning “to make noise” or “stamping of the feet.” It used to be a work dance, where people in the community would come together and stomp their feet to repair roofs made out of tree branches and mud. From there, it was passed down generations, reminding Arabic people of the importance of family and community. 

The dance is accompanied by songs that have a slow introduction, then gradually speed up. The leader of the dance, or lawweeh, sets the rhythm and keeps up the energy of the dance. Often, they will break out of the dance line to improvise and perform more skilled movements. Today, the dabke is seen as a way of preserving the traditions that were passed down through generations.

   Beyond a form of artistic expression, dance is a way for people to express their culture, connect with others, share their experiences, and express themselves in a way that words cannot. Whether it’s through the refined and graceful movements of ballet, the energetic and dynamic steps of the salsa, the bold and synchronized stomps of dabke, or the graceful and spirited gestures of seungmu, each dance is a unique representation of the various cultures and traditions worldwide. 

Dances throughout the world

As the puck drops, Cassie Speir ’25 glides across the rink with unwavering focus, her
eyes sharp and her grip firm. She closes in on the net and shoots, sending the puck into
the back of the posts and marking her 31st goal of the season. 

Speir, a senior and forward, first discovered her love for hockey at the age of nine.
“I started in a rec league ... [because] one of my really good friends from elementary
school was doing it ... ever since I started, I just loved it,” said Speir. 

She soon transitioned into playing travel hockey, which introduced her to competitive
play and extensive travel, allowing her to go to different states such as Illinois, Wisconsin,
and Michigan. Although Speir also dabbled in lacrosse and softball throughout middle
and high school, it was hockey that she was most passionate about. 

“Quitting has never really been an option for me ... hocky is an outlet for me,” said Speir.
Many athletes have role models they admire, and Speir is inspired by two renowned
hockey athletes: Hilary Knight, who has won a gold medal at the IIHF World Women’s
Championship and the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Sarah Fillier, a former Princeton
University standout now playing in the newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey
League (PWHL).

“I would go watch [Fillier’s] games when I was
younger ... they did have [the PWHL back then],
but the women didn’t really get paid much, and i t
wasn’t super known. But this one’s being marketed
really well, so they are good role models to girls
who want to play,” said Speir.

Speir’s commitment to hockey is year-round,
as she competes for both the PHS girls ice hockey
team and the Princeton Tiger Lilies, a club team
in the National Girls Hockey League. 

“[I play hockey] basically every day,” said Speir.
“At school, I play defense, but for my club, I’m
usually a forward. Playing both positions has
been great for understanding the game better.”

Last season, Speir played a crucial role, leading her team to a 3–11 record to qualify for
the Annis Cup semifinals. She led not just her team, but also the state, in number of goals
in one season, embodying the team’s spirit throughout the season. 

“She’s definitely more down to earth and she connects personally with the players on
our team, and she’s really great for morale. She’s very inspiring. The energy she brings to
the game inspires other people to be more energetic,” said Co-Captain Maya Hagt ’25. 

Christian Herzog, head coach of the girls ice hockey team, who witnessed Speir’s journey
from an ambitious freshman to a leading scorer, reflects on her success. 

“She’s had a lot of success in this sport because she’s been playing quite a while, and she
works extremely hard,” said Herzog. “I would expect to hear about her accomplishments
playing in college as well. She’s definitely going to be a tough personality to lose next season.”

Hagt expresses Speir’s importance to the team, not just as a hockey player, but as a
person as well. 

“She’s so inspiring to have on the ice. But even off the ice, she works so hard. You can tell
that she puts a lot of effort into everything she does. I think she’s also a very empathetic
person. Having her as a friend and a teammate is really, really special,” said Hagt. 

Looking forward, Speir has set personal goals for this season, aiming to continue her
streak by increasing the number of goals she scores and improving her assist count. 

“I’m always working on improving my game all-around, skating, shooting, and handles.
On my travel team we’ve been working on some new o-zone faceoff plays,” said Speir. 

For the rest of the season, Speir aims to continue her streak by increasing the number
of goals she scores and improve her assist count. As for her future beyond high school,
Speir seeks to keep playing the sport she loves. 

“I just want to continue to play, probably at the club level ... [and also] keep introducing
new players to the game,” said Speir.

As she enters her final season at PHS, Speir is determined to make every game count and
build lasting connections with her team. Preparing to skate off into a new chapter of her
life she remembers and appericates
all of the moments that have led her to
become the player and person that she
is now.

“Ice hockey has taught me that hard
work makes good things (goals and other
life things),” said Speir. “It has taught
me a lot about being a very supportive
teammate and friend and my experiences
have made me a more confident leader.”

To Speir, every game, tournament has
meant more to her than her team. Most
important of all, Speir knows that hockey
has given her more than skills — it’s given her unforgettable friendships and memories
that will last a lifetime.

“In the future I hope that I can continue to play for fun and that I will be able to bring
in new players to the game,” said Speir. “Hockey is where I’ve made my best friends in
the world.”

Cassie Speir ’25: ice hockey

At PHS, bathrooms have slowly become
the center of disruptive student activity
during instructional periods. While these
issues have been present in past years, their
increasing frequency has raised concerns
about student behavior and the learning
environment. In response, administrators
have introduced more rigid disciplinary
and preventative measures to reduce
inappropriate behavior.

As of now, vaping is one of the main
issues identified in bathrooms, with
administrators focused on addressing the
health concerns associated with vaping.

“We don’t know who manufactures
those things. We don’t know what’s put in
them [or] if the new things have been out
there long enough for the harmful effects
on our bodies to be fully analyzed and
researched,” said PHS Principal Cecilia
Birge. “[Vapes] can also have marijuana
[and] THC products in [them], and that
clearly is connected to depression, ADHD,
and other kinds of health impacts.”

Beyond vaping, large social gatherings
have become a growing issue. The
main concern is that socializing in the
bathrooms creates overcrowding, making
the space uncomfortable for students who
are trying to use the bathroom.

“Whether you’re a freshman or you’re
in your senior year, [if] you go to the
bathroom and you see 10 to 15 people or
less standing around, it’s a little awkward
and unfortunate. So what we’re trying to
do is to clear out the bathrooms just for
bathroom usage, and not as a [place for]
socializing,” said Scott Goldsmith, one of
PHS’s building monitors.

To solve this issue, PHS staff have
increased the number of bathroom
sweeps, in which building monitors and
administrators routinely inspect the
bathrooms to check for inappropriate
behavior.

“Personally, I usually do it every period.
If not every other period, every day. With
some of the other guys, they do it every
other period or whenever they get a
chance. Same thing with administration,
whenever they get a chance, they pop their
head in,” said Goldsmith.

When students are caught vaping
or inappropriately socializing in the
bathrooms, they are required to meet with
their Assistant Principal and can face a
variety of disciplinary actions, ranging
from detention to suspension.

“If students are using or are in
possession of substances at school,
[then according to] our handbook, it’s
an automatic suspension. Then, [it]
depends on the number of infractions,”
said Birge. “[It’s] three to five days out of
school suspension [for the] first offense.
A second is five to 10 days. And the third
is another five to 10 days. When students
are suspended more than 10 days during
any school year, it raises the question [of]
whether this building is the best fit for
the student.”

But while routine sweeps are performed
to minimize such disciplinary issues,
emphasizing education ensures students
understand its risks and make informed
decisions.

“Our goal is to help students rather
than penalize students,” said Birge.
“Don’t promote the so-called ‘coolness.’
Recognize the harm that it does to your
body and your mind.”

Though the work of the PHS
administration has made progress in
minimizing these activities, student
reports are very useful for the main office
and can help minimize the occurrence
of vaping and other bathroom activities.

“Report it. You don’t have to report
it right away,” said Goldsmith. “But
whether it’s adults, students, staff, visitors,
bathrooms are meant to be used as
bathrooms.”

PHS Investigates: bathrooms

Vending machines have long been a
staple in high school, providing students
with easy access to snacks and drinks
during busy school days. At PHS, however,
recent changes to the snack and drink
options in vending machines have caused
varying opinions and discussions among
students and faculty. This shift in snack
choices comes in part as a result of working
with PPS’s new food provider, Pomptonian
Food Services, and a stricter adherence to
state nutrition guidelines.

As administrators strive to balance state
regulations with student preferences, PHS
vending machines have become a testing
ground to find the right mix of health
guidelines, pricing, and taste.

The decisions regarding what goes in the
vending machines are complex, involving
both the school district and third-party
providers who stock the machines.
Pomptonian manages the food in the
cafeteria, but is not directly responsible
for stocking the vending machines.

“It’s just the transition between one
school food service and the next. This
piece of the vending machine has kind
of fallen into a vague area that we are still
trying to figure out,” said Dean of Students
Diana Lygas, one of the main coordinators
between PHS and Pomptonian.

For now, a third party vending machine
company continues to replenish snacks
based on sales trends and overall
availability.

In addition to a change in providers,
state regulations limiting the grams of
sugar in the vending machine products
have resulted in alternative snacks and
drinks such as baked Cheetos, zero-sugar
Gatorade, and reduced-fat Doritos being
stocked in the machines. However, as long
as the food adheres to the regulations, the
school is working to provide what the
students want.

“We are trying to get enough data [for
what] our students’ preferences are,”
said PHS Principal Cecilia Birge. “We
can still bring some of the favorites back
while meeting the guidelines; [those are]
improvements that we’re hoping to make
together with Pomptonian.”

In an effort to gain student input on
the vending machines, Lygas recently
conducted a Canvas survey. In the survey,
many students have expressed that they
would like to see non-diet gatorade, chips,
and fruit snacks back in the machines.
PHS will be working with Pomptonian
Food Services and a third-party vendor
to provide food in the vending machines
that meets everyone’s needs.

“What is popular, what’s not, it takes a
little time for the company to get used to,”
said PPS Business Administrator Matthew
Bouldin. “So we’re definitely listening
to the feedback. We want to hear what
[people] like and what [they] don’t like.”

PHS Investigates: stocking vending machines

“If you can recognize these songs, you’re a real fan of Sabrina
Carpenter,” reads an Instagram reel. At the 10 percent mark, a
radio hit like “Espresso” plays, but the songs get progressively
harder to recognize. By the 100 percent mark, an original
fan is expected to know the “Girl Meets World” theme song
from early on in Carpenter’s career. Other videos on social
media made by these self-proclaimed “original fans” claim
that “only true fans deserve tour tickets,” advocating for
Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan system to include
a test of fandom membership in order to
prove “concert eligibility.” In today’s
fandoms, simply enjoying an artist’s
music isn’t enough to be considered
a real fan — you now have to pass
a series of loyalty tests to earn your
place. The pressure to be considered a
“true” fan has turned artists’ fanbases
into exclusive clubs where entirely
random criteria are more important
than genuine appreciation.


In order to be considered a “true”
fan, not only do you have to know
the lyrics, but you have to know the
meaning behind each verse,
every milestone in the artist’s
life, and even the outfits they
wore at a specific concert. This
leads to a contrived hierarchy,
where long-time fans view themselves as superior to newer
ones who may not yet be as familiar with the artist. This
mentality is given the perfect opportunity to thrive on
social media, which teenagers are heavily exposed to and
influenced by. Through videos posted by die-hard fans that
promote standards for belonging to the fandom, such as
being able to understand a niche interview reference or an
obscure childhood fact, students who only recently started
liking an artist’s music
feel as if they must
know every possible
detail in order to
be considered a
real fan.


The idea that
only those who
fit the criteria of a true fan
should be able to join an
artist’s fanbase significantly
undermines the idea that
a fandom should be about
inclusivity and shared love for
the artist’s music. When longtime
fans create arbitrary standards of
worthiness for
newer fans to
gain “entry” into
the fandom, they
cultivate an atmosphere that’s less based on celebrating and
enjoying the artist’s work, and more about separating the true
fans from the fake ones. In a space originally meant to bring
people with a shared passion together, the concept of being
a die-hard fan has become a weapon that pits fans against
one another, creating a toxic space where only a select few
get to claim ownership over the music they love.


The current concept of a “true” fan has significantly
undermined the point of fandoms. By plaguing
fanbases with arbitrary “tests” and pecking orders
to prove worthiness of being part of the fandom,
older fans are shutting out newer ones, stopping
keeping fanbases from being inclusive spaces. This
shift harbors a toxic environment where ownership
over an artist’s work becomes a source of division
that can tear these fan communities apart.


While many teenagers may feel pressured to conform to
this culture, they, as the largest consumers of music, have
the power to realign fandoms with their original value of
unity. Superfans, in particular, have a responsibility to take
a step back and recognize that just because they have been a
fan of an artist longer than their classmates, it doesn’t mean
they are automatically superior. By discouraging demeaning
behavior toward newer fans and offering guidance instead
of judgment, long-time fans can help cultivate a welcoming
and supportive space. In doing so, fandoms can thrive as
the communities of warmth and excitement we all want
them to be.

The pitfalls of “die-hard” fandom

This year, on September 27, Spectacle Theatre’s Cabaret Night at Princeton High School kicked off the academic year with a variety of performances. Held at the Black Box Theater, this annual event serves as a creative showcase for students to express their artistic talents. The event is not only a set of performances, but also a celebration of artistic expression and the PHS community spirit.

“[Cabaret Night] is just a way for us to start the year with a performance that gathers everyone together. The ticket sales will be a fundraiser for Spectacle Theatre,” said Julianna Krawiecki, PHS’s drama teacher. “[The fundraiser will] go towards the expenses throughout the year, [such as] helping pay for costumes, buying paint and lumber to build set pieces, or the rights to the shows that we do throughout the year.”

Luke Gitterman ’25, the House Manager and co-emcee for Cabaret Night, expressed his excitement for the evening.

“We do this opening Cabaret Night every year, usually at the end of September. It’s a fantastic way for everyone to come back and show off their talents, whether they’re returning students or newcomers,” Gitterman said.

Gitterman, along with Noa Zacks ’25, the President of Spectacle Theatre, introduced each act during Cabaret Night, while keeping the audience engaged. Additionally, Gitterman’s responsibilities included managing tickets and organizing the theater, while Zacks helped to coordinate the performance schedule to make the event transition smoothly.

Cabaret Night has become a cherished tradition at PHS, evolving over the years and becoming a highlight of PHS’s arts calendar. This year’s event featured a variety of performances, including scenes, songs, and monologues, that highlight the hard work of the Spectacle Theatre.

Preparation for Cabaret Night began early in the school year. The performers started by choosing what they were going to present to the audience.

“The cabaret night is nice, because you get to pick your own material and really do what you want. If there’s a song you’ve been yearning to sing or a monologue you’ve been learning to yearning to perform, Cabaret is your time to just do what you want, because you don’t always get those opportunities,” Zacks said.

“There were monologues and scenes and songs, and unlike the productions we do at the school, it’s kind of like everybody brought their own little thing to the table,” added Anna Kaufman ’26.

After pieces were chosen, there was a long process of rehearsing and working with Krawiecki on refining their performances.

“I work with my voice teacher and my acting coach on choices both vocally and physically to really try to embody the character and immerse myself in the world because we don’t have a set or costumes so we just need to make the world around us,” Kaufman said.

Spectacle Theatre officers have the most work to do, because they handle all the logistics, while also running the lights and sound during the event.

“The officers advertise it to the community and offer the opportunity to more students. They help put together the repertoire, the accompaniment list, [they] schedule when people are going to come in and do a rehearsal, and design a poster and a program,” Krawiecki said.

While the Spectacle Theatre’s routine school productions have a lengthy audition process, Cabaret Night allows any student to perform, as long as it’s related to theater.

“I really wanted to do a duet with my close friend It’s our junior year we only have one more chance after this cabaret,” said Kaufman, who sang “In a Crowd of Thousands” from “Anastasia” with Konrad Hedges ’26.

“A lot of it is just you do it with your friends, and it’s a great way to build community and get to know people that you don’t,” added Zacks.

“It’s a lot more laid back, and it really bridges this connection between the community, people that love theater, and the actors. All of the other shows [are] very organized; there’s not a lot of connection with the audience other than the story that’s being told. The audience gets to know you. You get to know your audience based [on] how they react,” Zacks said.

During Cabaret Night, students also have more opportunities to demonstrate their leadership skills, instead of simply following a teacher’s directions.

“For [other Spectacle Theatre productions], they’re teacher-led. [However], for Cabaret Night, the club leaders lead the whole event,” said Krawiecki. “I’m there to help them get from point A to the finish line, but it’s overseen by the Spectacle Theater officers.”

Konrad Hedges ’26, a performer at Cabaret Night has expressed his appreciation for the event. “[Cabaret Night] is nothing but support and love, and you get to share your talent and really just have fun in a group of people that will support and nurture the talent that you bring to the Cabaret,” Hedges said.

Spectacle Theatre's Cabaret Night: a chance for student expression

The election season has a tendency to contribute to our stress. Whether it be the Instagram comment sections littered with inflammatory comments, the outspoken family members who are suddenly political pundits, or the relentless news coverage dissecting each and every rally and debate, ideological friction emerges all around us. These constant reminders of political divisions often turn classrooms and dinner tables to battlegrounds of “us vs. them,” forcing people to vigorously attack and defend to protect their values — often closely tied to their candidate of choice. Clearly, Harris vs. Trump is the resounding and ever-present conflict that seemingly defines the current extremely polarized environment. The 2024 presidential race, with its focus on this political division, shows a concerning trend regarding the disintegration of professionalism.

Instead of engaging in essential debates about these policies, much of the conversation has been dominated by sensationalism and personal attacks. This shift away from professionalism and logical debate significantly undermines our ability to make informed decisions — ones based on policies of the candidates, not social media posts. Since the next administration’s stance on vital issues like financial aid and student loans will have real consequences for us as students, it’s critical to focus on these policy issues rather than getting caught up in all the drama online.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have each spoken considerably on their opposite educational policies. A Harris administration will entail substantially higher funding for public education, broader support for clean energy education, and widespread expansion of financial aid. In contrast, Trump’s advocacy of dismantling the Department of Education, promoting personal school choice, and relaxing environmental regulations would lead to substantial changes in educational standards and the overall allocation of resources. At a time when tuition costs are skyrocketing, the candidates’ policies on financial aid and student loans will directly impact the accessibility and affordability of higher education for PHS students.

Given that PHS is a public school, a Harris administration would mean more funding for our school. Additionally, Harris’s history of supporting student loan forgiveness would likely continue if she is elected and make potential student loans less worrisome for seniors in the midst of the college application process. A second Trump administration would mean less funding for PHS, or — judging by a previous vow to cut funding for schools with vaccine mandates — maybe even no funding at all, as our school district requires students to have several different vaccines.

Although most PHS students can’t vote yet, that doesn’t mean we are powerless. As young people heading into adulthood, our opinions are valued, and our passion has the ability to influence the world around us. Whether it’s by speaking at district board meetings, knocking doors for a candidate, or bridging political gaps through open conversations, our age group plays a key role in shaping and depolarizing the political landscape of our country. Our voices matter, and our involvement can help bridge the gaps in this politically divided society, which helps contribute to a more inclusive and responsive environment for all. 

What this election means for PHS

Even before the school year begins,
frustration abounds over scheduling. Emails
and students fly into the counseling office
during the first few weeks of school, all
scrambling to switch in and out of classes.

Student scheduling ensures that students
have access to the courses they need for
graduation, while maintaining balanced
class sizes. An effective system helps in
optimizing the use of school resources,
aligning teacher availability with student
needs, and accommodating individual
student requests.

At PHS, it involves a wide range of staff,
including the administrative team, which
consists of the principal, assistant principals,
and the counseling department.

The process begins with reviewing and
modifying the previous year’s Program of
Studies. The curriculum office, the School
Board, Principal Cecilia Birge, and John
McMichael, supervisor of the counseling
department, collaborate on this task starting
as early as October of the previous year.

“October is the time when we begin
to review every single course and say: Is
this outdated? Is there a new thing that
we can add in? Do we need to hire a new
teacher? Do we have the expertise? Maybe
some teachers have a certain passion that
they want to develop in a certain course.
So there’s a lot of reshuffling, refining and
redesigning,” Birge said.

Afterward, beginning in February and
March of the previous year, students and
families submit their course requests. This
data is collected and analyzed to determine
the number of course sections needed.

At the end of April, the supervisors send
the data to Birge and the assistant principals,
who work to create all the students’
schedules. After students and parents
finalize their requests in June, the counseling
team enters the data into Powerschool’s
scheduling algorithm throughout the
summer, fitting students’ requests into the
master schedule. For this year’s scheduling
cycle, Assistant Principal Lauren Freedman
served as the “master scheduler,” managing
staff scheduling and assigning teachers to
courses and classrooms.

Throughout these few months, while
administrators work more on building a
master schedule, counselors meet with
students to help them make course requests
for the next school year.

“We want to make sure that every kid
makes informed decisions. We’re also
tracking each student’s graduation progress
and helping them think about post-high
school as well,” said counselor Meghan
Brennan.

After schedules are finalized and released
to students and families towards the end of
August, the counselors revise any errors or
course changes, beginning in the first week
of school.

“We collect all the schedule change
requests on a Google Form. We do that to
address all requests in a fair and equitable
manner,” Brennan said.

In the time between when schedules
are released and the first day of school,
scheduling changes are restricted exclusively
to freshmen with scheduling errors. Then,
in the first week of school, all other grade
levels are also permitted to schedule changes
in the case of errors.

“For the first few days of school, we don’t
allow schedule changes unless there is an
error. And there’s a few reasons for that,
one of which is so that students will try out
the class. A lot of times, students request a
class change, they spend three days in the
class, and then they realize they want to
stick with it,” Brennan said.

Finally, during the second week of school,
elective, course level, and free period change
requests are granted. These are often more
complex than finding a simple swap between
periods through friends or scheduling tools
such as Saturn, an application that allows
students to visualize their schedules.

“What Saturn doesn’t know is [there are
class] caps. You might say, I just want to flip
and move in, but what if they’re all filled to
the brim?” McMichael said.

In addition, some course requests might
be irreconcilable.

“You might request eight classes, but two
of them are [what] we call singletons. There’s
only one period of each and they’re at the
same time. You can’t be in two places at
once, so you’ll have a hole in your schedule
and end up with a free,” McMichael said.
In order to allow for more scheduling
flexibility this year, P.E. and science classes
were uncoupled. Previously, the two classes
were linked to allow for the P.E. class to be
replaced by a free period and lab period
once every schedule cycle.

“There were less issues this year because
there [were] more variations that the
computer could utilize,” Brennan said.
Brennan emphasizes the importance of
prioritizing mental health, maintaining
balance, and planning ahead while
navigating this process.

“We also want to think about what
[students] want to do post high school, so
that they’re setting themselves up for success
in taking classes that will help them reach
those goals,” Brennan said. 

Tower Investigates: How does PHS schedule classes?

   These days, racial literacy has become one of the most important skills to learn in order to interact with the world around us. As described by PPS, racial literacy means understanding the experiences and perspectives of different cultures and races, being aware of our biases, and being willing and able to acknowledge and address racial issues. Completing a racial literacy course teaching these skills is a graduation requirement for the classes of 2025 and beyond, and many students end up taking Princeton Introduction to Racial Literacy (PIRL) due to its convenience. Racial Literacy, the in-person option for fulfilling the requirement, is a semester-long course limited to juniors and seniors. PIRL, on the other hand, is a digital, asynchronous class that is open to all students, regardless of grade. However, due to the online and solitary nature of PIRL, student learning is greatly impacted and prevents them from developing the compassion and awareness expected of being “racially literate.” 
   When taking PIRL, there are no opportunities for social interaction among students, which impairs their ability to effectively retain the information they’ve learned through the course. Thus, students find themselves missing out on discussions, group activities, projects, and other opportunities to test their knowledge and interact with the material. The course states that communication is limited in order to allow students to reflect on their “thoughts and behaviors about race and oppression;” however, in reality, the lack of collaborative projects and feedback on assignments often acts as an obstacle for comprehension. Students can feel as though they are alone in the course and therefore care less about it, which often worsens understanding of the material. 
   Furthermore, with the need to read and watch lengthy passages and videos that are often difficult to comprehend and carry out the course’s intended purpose in a vague manner, students can often find themselves struggling to stay focused on the content. For instance, in a required text called “Stones, Fruit, Sand & Beliefs,” students are asked to contemplate the question, “What do we learn about our beliefs (values) from studying stones, trees, fruit and sand?”, and to “identify a proverb that resonates with [them]” from a list of nature-related phrases. This activity has little relevance to the stated purpose of the course, and it is even more likely to cause students to struggle to learn and feel a lack of commitment to learning about racial literacy when paired with online learning’s many opportunities for distraction and the lack of accountability in asynchronous environments. As students are only required to complete one activity per module, they often end up doing the bare minimum. 
   Additionally, the course does not provide students the opportunity to share their experiences with others, or give them a platform to participate in conversations about current racial justice issues. Because they don’t get the chance to learn from other students who might provide thought-provoking insights, students who typically do not face racial injustices are less likely to understand the purpose and impact of the course. 
   Despite its asynchronous format, PIRL should encourage students to speak up about race-related issues. This could be done in several ways, like creating discussion assignments where all students can contribute their opinions, or having mandatory online meetings (on various dates, to preserve flexibility) for students taking the class in order to discuss material and learn from each other. By implementing these adjustments, PIRL can become a course that not only enhances students’ understanding and empathy, but also provides a space where students can learn to have meaningful discussions surrounding marginalization. 

PIRL had the right intentions, but the wrong methods

Over this coming summer and the next few years, PHS plans to undergo construction to address potential overcrowding and maintenance issues. The need for these changes stem from increasing enrollment numbers in the district, as well as the increasing age of the PHS building itself. 
For the summer construction plans, PHS will be using funding from a previously approved referendum in order to modify older parts of the building. These changes include replacing half of the roof of PHS, power washing the other half, getting new doors and locks for the doors, redoing the entire cafeteria to increase its efficiency during break, modifying the school’s vestibules, improving the building’s wiring and surveillance cameras, and installing proximity readers which require scanning students’ IDs to access different places around the school. 
These changes come in addition to the regular maintenance of cleaning the entirety of the building and painting a new section of the school, both of which occur every summer. However, some changes may take longer than the summer to implement. 
“There’s going to be an update with ... the type of ID that we give and the [proximity readers], so there’s going to be prox readers on the bathroom [and] rehearsal doors ... [but] prox readers are going to happen more around the time between teacher’s convention and next year” Assistant Principal Rashone Johnson said. 
Plans have been placed on hold until the New Jersey Department of Education approves the referendum, but they push for bigger changes within PHS. The referendum would most significantly change the layout of the Numina Gallery and technology office to increase school capacity due to school population growth. Overall, the spaces would be split up such that three new classrooms, one small group room, and two other flexible spaces that could be used for the gallery or instructional work could be made. The corridors surrounding these rooms would become the Numina Gallery, and the technology office would relocate to PMS. In addition to these renovations, the school’s outdated HVAC system would be replaced as well.
“These [construction layouts] are some of the potential plans and nothing’s finalized. We’re still working with the school administrators,” said Matthew Bouldin, Business Administrator and Board Secretary of PPS. 
Tentatively, construction using the referendum will start in November 2025 when the designs are finalized, and construction will be done around December 2027. While there will be major infrastructure changes over the next couple of years, there are also future plans for the building in order to address other potential problems like overcrowding. 
“We put out a report in 2021 as part of [the referendum’s] process which shows a potential addition to the high school if you are facing to the right of where the trailers are right now to the [Learning] Commons ... it could be something in the future,” Bouldin said. 
Bouldin emphasizes that the main focus of these projects is making sure that PHS’s facilities can accommodate students while maintaining optimal class sizes. 
“We can always increase class sizes except for at the very low levels like kindergarten [which] is capped, but pretty much every other grade level, the Department of Education doesn’t have hard caps ... It’s  a combination of improving our facilities but also expanding them to be able to house the students,” Bouldin said.

Coming this summer: PHS Construction

   In recent years, PHS has been reducing accessibility to harder courses through introducing stricter prerequisites. There has been much debate as to whether or not this shift widens academic gaps by restricting those without the means to keep up. What this discussion often misses is that these restrictions give students a transitional period between primary, secondary, and higher education. This slower approach allows them to fully develop the skills to thrive in more difficult courses. Making advanced classes harder to take is actually one of the better changes to our education system in recent years. 
   This debate largely began in 2015 with the passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA),  a plan to ensure that public schools across the United States provide all students with a quality education. Under ESSA, states are encouraged to develop more rigorous academic standards, such as more restrictive prerequisites for advanced classes. Another goal of ESSA is to reduce academic disparities for underprivileged students. ESSA ensures that even students at schools with less resources are being taught with rigorous standards for the content of the material that is covered. ESSA provides states with lower performance rates additional targeted funding and technical assistance. This means that under ESSA, academic disparities based on demographic factors are addressed. 
   There were additional reasons for enacting these policies; taking advanced classes as underclassmen in high school often means a significant mental burden for students. Being introduced to the pace and depth of college-level coursework in the first years of high school would overwhelm any student. This burden can not only affect students’ academic performance but also damage their overall well-being, potentially leading to heightened stress, anxiety, and even burnout. In a 2018 study conducted on a group of over two thousand students in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes, researchers Suldo et al. found that even with ESSA, 71 percent of the students experienced burnout, an alarmingly high proportion. Allowing students to continue to race ahead would only worsen this. Instead, if students are encouraged to classes later on in high school, students are given time to develop skills like time management and study techniques that can be used in higher level academics. This way, when students sign up for advanced classes, they are better equipped both mentally and academically, reducing the risk of burnout and other mental health issues. 
   Low grades are also a stressor for students that jump into advanced classes without being fully prepared. “Easier” classes provide a glimpse into the subject, leaving students with the opportunity to explore various interests without compromising their GPA. 
   The shift toward lower accessibility of advanced courses is a positive step towards creating a more equitable educational environment for all students. By developing a more demanding outline of criteria for enrollment, administrators ensure that students are well-equipped with the skills needed to thrive in such demanding classes, which in turn decreases the chance that they will struggle later on. In advocating for policies like the ESSA, schools grant students the opportunity to reach their full potential in high school and beyond.

Embracing the challenge of PHS’ s advanced classes

   All teachers and staff members are tasked with the responsibility of fostering a positive learning environment for their students. Whether that be allowing students to go for walks when they feel anxious in class, asking students what they did over the weekend, or opening up office hours for students to ask questions, a major part of teaching is creating a space for students to feel comfortable in. However, this comfortable environment can begin to crack as students and teachers delve into more sensitive subjects. Body image is not always an explicit topic in our classes but it tends to come up far more frequently than we may realize. A simple comment on a character in a book’s described appearance, the analysis of the human form in an art piece, or even a seemingly harmless joke about the body stirs up the discussion of body image in the minds of students. Discussion of body image can be incredibly triggering to some students leading to body dysmorphia, unhealthy eating habits, and mental health issues. Considering how quickly a discussion of looks can turn into one of body image, it seems that avoiding the subject of bodies all together could be beneficial at PHS. 
   Gym and health classes contain a large majority of the insensitive discussions surrounding body image that happen in school. It is understandable that a class that is intended to encourage health and fitness would bring up the body as a topic, but these discussions are often not handled particularly well. Each year as the holidays come around, our gym and health teachers remind us not to eat too many carbs over the holidays and to make sure we walk off the extra calories. While these reminders to students before the holidays can be helpful, they can also be incredibly triggering. They also fail to take into account the fact that dieting and weight loss may not be healthy options for some students. These comments also perpetuate a harmful norm that weight loss is the ideal solution to body image issues. By idealizing this solution, teachers continue to push that assumption on to students creating even more harmful standards through which students assume they should view themselves.  
   Insensitivity to body image discussions are oftentimes unintentional, speech rooted from previous stereotypes regarding specific body types. For instance, art teachers’ comments on the ideal body figure in sketches, discussing what they think is a “good” or healthy figure or, teachers undermining student’s knowledge on certain “healthy” products because they don’t look fit; these are all instances that one may come across. The idea that weight was an indicator of status comes up in every single history class at least once. However, pointing such a fact out in reference to a historical figure in front of students living in an environment without those body standards can harbor internalization and self comparison. Even the media that teachers chose to show to students can be harmful by implicitly pushing body image standards and harmful norms. It is important to make use of a diverse array of representations to ensure that students do not feel singled out or pressured by the implicit displays of body image in the classroom. 
   Although a comfortable learning environment does stem from our teachers, maintaining respect between students, especially surrounding body image, is the key way to ensure that students feel good in their own skin. Walking through the main intersection at PHS makes every student privy to hundreds of harsh comments, jokes, and implicit ideas that can be incredibly harmful to mental health even by stirring up harmful ideas in students’ heads. It is important that students take even a second to think about the consequences of what they say and how things could be interpreted. In a perfect world, we would eliminate all comments about others’ appearance including compliments on clothing or hairstyle as those comments bring attention back to the body rather than highlighting the merit of those around us. However, this kind of respect between students stems from our teachers leading by example by eliminating harmful comments and opening up the more difficult conversations surrounding body image in a sensitive way. 
   Going forward, our teachers should put a greater emphasis on sensitivity surrounding body image. Before a sensitive lesson, teachers should give students a trigger warning and allow students to leave the room if they are struggling with a certain subject so long as they check in with her before the end of the period. That reflects a level of trust and mutual respect between the teacher and their students. Additionally,  Teachers should also work to include greater representations of all body types so as to not push harmful body image standards on to students. We must speak cognizantly about body image — no one knows what another person can be going through and what even back-handed compliments can trigger.

The Tower

Aarna Dharmavarapu's Work

The Tower