Staff

This week's top stories and the editors' favorite columns.  The toughest STEM contest courses in the Bay Area. Saratoga High teachers and the housing crisis. Zoom dance practices. Secret instant ramen recipes. And more. 

The Falcon will provide regular reporting on cancellations, postponements and school and district-related measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19

SHSTV covers the week's events and news, including a story on recent cafeteria price increases.

The seniors use "Toy Story" as their theme for a spectacular show.

Juniors show us what it takes to live in the scary world of Monster's Inc!

Sophomores bring us into the fast paced world of "Cars."

The freshmen class takes us into "A Bug's Life."

New bell schedule may not provide enough time for performances during Homecoming and special events.

For most of the year, it was looking as if there would be no Sadie Hawkins dance at the end of Spring Fling week, which this year will be held from March 28-April 1. 

SHSTV shows how the juniors brought Neverland to life in their Quad Day on Oct. 15.

After years of discussion about a possible switch to a full block schedule, the school recently made the decision to switch to the format in the 2016-2017. 

A change.org petition has garnered thousands of signatures

While Career Day can help provide students with new options and perspectives, it’s not always as useful as it could be. A lack of student interest and dull presentations can render the day a waste of time.

Singer Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” has stirred controversy since the song’s release in March 2013. His upbeat and catchy single quickly topped charts worldwide, was nominated for prestigious awards and lavished fame upon the artist; nevertheless, popularity comes with a price. Critics accused Thicke of promoting rape in both his music video and lyrics.

At roughly 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11, students reported seeing a fire in the bathroom across from English teacher Michael Kim’s room, 706.    

Power outage caused by tree falling onto power line across from Saratoga High School; electricity restored for some.

School may be cancelled, though unlikely, according to assistant principal Kerry Mohnike. 

August 2011 was filled with the cries of juniors who had just been informed of horrible, life-changing news: AP U.S. History would become a weighted class for the first time in its recent history. More precisely, a homework point would no longer be equal to a test point, and excellence on exams would become more vital than completing homework.

As roughly 150 students file into AP Calculus AB or BC every day, it’s hard not to acknowledge that the once senior-dominated classes have shifted dramatically to include more juniors, sophomores and, in rare cases, even freshmen than ever before.

Over two thousand years ago, Socrates introduced the power of discussion through his Socratic method, a dialectical form of inquiry and debate based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking.

 With several options available in the math and science departments, students can choose classes that best fit their needs. Yet for students who are interested in the humanities, these options are limited.

During winter break in the 2010-2011 school year, senior Vivian Tsai and her family visited her grandparents in Taiwan. On her trip, she had to bring along her calculus textbook, her Barron’s AP Chemistry prep book and the AP History textbook to study for finals in January.

Senior Sarah Hull and sophomores Abigail Small and Stephanie Tsang traveled to London over winter break to perform in London’s 26th annual New Year’s Day Parade as part of the All-American program hosted by Varsity, a leading cheerleading corporation. More than 500 high school cheerleaders and dancers from across the U.S. participated in the parade, which was viewed by thousands of people live and was broadcast internationally.

Freshmen students’ first days of high school are often fraught with anxiety and apprehension as they do not know what to expect of their classes, teachers or fellow students. Freshman Rachel Hull, however, has an edge over her peers: her older sister, senior Sarah Hull, has already told her everything she needs to know about high school.

Schools are the foundations of communities. Towns unite around their school’s football team, service-driven students give back to their communities, and high performing schools attract the best and brightest to the community.

It’s time to face the harsh reality. The Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District is projecting a deficit of nearly $942,000 for the 2011-2012 school year and more deficits in the years beyond. Though a parcel tax that voters are likely to see on a special ballot this spring may raise significant funding toward bridging this gap, the school has already dipped into financial reserves, and the district will most likely have to make cuts in the years ahead no matter what.

In recent weeks, students walking onto campus from the parking lot may have noticed a curious new obstacle—a black railed fence obstructing their path. The fence extends across the the division between the parking spaces and drop-off area in order to force students to walk around it and, theoretically, through the white pedestrian walkways before crossing into the school.

In an age where social interaction has shifted increasingly to the digital sphere, the issue of privacy has become especially controversial. How much privacy is guaranteed online? What information can or cannot be shared?

At Saratoga High, the AP season at the beginning of May defines much of academic life on campus. After a long year of work, juniors, seniors and a handful of sophomores or freshmen demonstrate their knowledge during the two weeks of testing.

For students, the days of kindergarten, when the most harmless cold merited a weeklong absence from school, are long gone. Questions of "Are you contagious?" have been replaced by "How many tests are you missing?" and "How much will your grade go down by?"

America's recession may be technically over, but the budget woes of schools in California aren't disappearing. In the face of a $3 million projected deficit for the 2010-2011 school year, the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District is making cuts in the classroom, potentially growing the size of English 9 classes to 28 or beyond—a serious detriment to students and a regrettable move by school officials.

Applying to colleges and anxiously waiting for a reply at one's mailbox is hard enough without being blindfolded. The content of recommendation letters has been kept under lock and key—so much so that they have become a thing of mystery and anxiety to seniors. The current system is understandable—if not to students at least to teachers. It prevents kids (or their parents) from taking up arms to go to their teacher's house, knocking on their front door and demanding a recommendation letter more complimentary to their college repertoire.

Students experimenting with taking multiple science courses and multiplying their math courses by two have long been prevalent at Saratoga High. Multiple English classes, however? Frailty, thy name is the SHS English Department’s concurrent AP enrollment policy.

Nineteen “witches” were hanged in Salem during the infamous trials of 1692. All it took was one accusation, a little suspicion and a whole lot of fear. Today, in another town, also beginning with the letter S, a witch trial of its own is brewing. Except this time, the feared entity is not witchcraft, but marijuana. In recent weeks, the administration, responding to the instances of marijuana use and its sale that came to their attention, has started to pursue and punish drug offenders on campus.

The Sadie Hawkins Dance has always served as the cherry on top the delicious treat that is Spring Fling Week. For most students, it is the part of the spirit-based week that they enjoy the most. This year, however, many have raised unnecessary complaints about the change of date for the annual Sadies dance: it will be held on Feb. 27, departing from its usual slot as part of the week-long celebration in March. The change, which was made by ASB in order to provide the school with another informal dance, is a positive one and receive students’ support.

Most people love getting as much help as they can. But right when help is ready to be given, it’s thrown away. Such is the tale of Link Crew this year. In the past, Link Crew has always gathered enough interested people to sign up. Those who have showed a desire to help freshmen got the opportunity to guide ninth-graders through orientation and the rest of their year. Due to the overwhelming number of applications to be on the 2008-2009 Link Crew—more than 200—guidance counselors Frances Saiki and Alinna Satake had to reject nearly half of the applicants.

A police car pulls up outside a well-lit house. Inside, kids are yelling and dancing to loud music. When the cops are spotted, a frantic rush to hide beer bottles and escape the party begins.

The general feeling among many Saratoga students regarding the school’s competitive nature, exemplified by a Facebook group called “Saratoga Kids Who Hate Saratoga” targeting both the school and the city, has once again brought to the forefront the question of whether SHS is too academically oriented for its own good.