![Standing center stage, senior Ananya Akula conducts the Phoenix Chorale. “[Conducting and teaching] is really fun,” Akula said. “Music education is what I want to do.” On the day of the choir assessment, Akula found out that she received the President’s Music Scholarship – a full ride to the University of Miami Frost School of Music.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ananya-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Fatima Qaderi grew into the person she wanted to become when she was younger and continues to work towards growing more confident in using her voice when it matters. “I didnt get treated the way I wanted to be treated, and I realized that it wasnt just them treating me the wrong way, it was me treating me the wrong way,” Qaderi said. “I forced them to like to look at me in a way where Im someone who needs to be respected; they cant just disregard me, they cant just look over me because I have a different opinion, because Im a woman, because Im Afghan, because Im Muslim, or whatever. It just took going through different experiences to figure out how [I wanted to] be heard.” Photo courtesy of Fatima Qaderi.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_3870.jpeg)
![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-1200x800.jpg)
![Held up by a group of cheerleaders, flyer sophomore Leyu Yonas poses as part of a stunt, also supported by flyer junior Shayne Mitchell behind her. (Left) Prior to the pink out football game on Oct. 13, the athletes practiced in the aux gym from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Right) On Oct. 19, the cheerleaders competed in their District Championships at Woodgrove High School. “We definitely put all our effort on the mat [at Districts], and it showed,” Mitchell said. Left: Photo by Nadia Shirr. Right: Photo by Steve Prakope via Victor O’Neill Studios.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/feature-image-1200x823.png)
![Sophomore Xavier Smith (6), the Phoenix quarterback, runs the ball as his teammates help hold up the defense. “My [offensive] line collapses, so I just [have to run], and its a good way to get first downs because [Tuscarora’s] defense was really good,” Smith said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5383-1200x897.jpg)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-1200x662.jpg)
![Gracing stages, football games, and even the big screen, Taylor Swifts popularity doesn’t seem to be declining anytime soon as she’s been almost everywhere on social media, and just this December, [Swift] won TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year award. This brought along magnificent pictures of Swift, articles praising her, and some controversy between Swifites (Swifts most devoted fans), and other people on whether or not she should have won this award.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/taylor-swift-person-of-the-year-1-1094x1200.png)
LCPS Discusses 2023-2024 School Year Calendar, New Policy 5055, Student Transportation
On Nov. 29, the School Board discussed the calendar for the 23-24 school year, a policy detailing sexually explicit content, and updates on student transportation.
At their Nov 29 meeting, the Loudoun County School Board finalized Policy 5055, which discussed parental notice of sexually explicit content. The new policy implemented by the school board, Policy 5055 requires thorough examination by parents for material deemed explicit, which in turn limits English teachers by flagging most literary material.
December 19, 2022
On Nov. 29, the Loudoun County School Board held its second annual Tuesday meeting, which was initially moved due to winter break. The board discussed the 2023-2024 school year calendar, the student transportation operational update, along with parental notice of sexually explicit content in schools.
2023-2024 School Year Calendar
The School Board presented the options for the 2023-2024 school year calendar for students and staff. The board set guidelines to regulate future calendars and policies. The School Board presented five calendar options to choose from; Denise Corbo, the Human Resources & Talent Development Committee chair proposed another, “option 6.” The board members decided on option five for the official 2023-2024 school year calendar. The school year is expected to start on Aug. 24, 2023, and will end on June 14, 2024. Winter break has been shortened from 11 business days to eight.
The board members also discussed whether students and staff should not have school on Veterans Day. Ian Serotkin, the Curriculum & Instruction Committee chair, believed that students and staff shouldn’t have school on the federal holiday. “Every year our veteran community reaches out and asks why [we have school on holiday] and I never have an answer for them,” Serotkin said. “We don’t treat any other federal holiday like this.” Serotkin supported a motion in the meeting to cancel school on Veterans Day, but the rest of the board members voted against it.
Policy 5055
The School Board also implemented a new policy that targets sexually explicit content in schools. Policy 5055 requires parents to be notified of explicit material that has been flagged. Parents would then review the explicit material, and decide whether or not they’ll allow their child to view it. If parents aren’t comfortable with the material, the policy states that alternatives will be available. There is an exception to this policy, however: standardized testing. This includes the SAT, ACT, NAEP, AP, SOL, and IB tests.
This policy heavily targets and affects the English department of schools. English teacher Scott Schwarz is conflicted about the new policy. “I think the idea behind the whole policy is precipitated by this false notion that teachers are teaching inappropriate books,” Schwarz said.
Schwarz believes that this issue has suddenly become a problem, using Shakespeare’s classic, Romeo and Juliet, as an example. “Romeo and Juliet has been taught for hundreds of years,” Schwarz said. “Where was their objection to that [back then]?” The logic behind the policy would require the Bible to be deemed explicit. “The Bible would be flagged as inappropriate by this policy,” he said. “For example, the story of Lot and His Daughters [would be seen as explicit, as well as] the story with Onan.” Schwarz said that these books portray the real world, and that if high school-level students aren’t aware of these things outside of a classroom, they are essentially living a false reality.
Student Transportation Update
After the pandemic disrupted school transportation in Loudoun County, the School Board gave a positive update. According to a presentation the school board showed during their meeting, there were 115 second-load buses in the morning during the 2021-2022 school year. Currently, the number has gone down drastically to five second-load buses. There were 118 second-load buses in the afternoon, and that number similarly went down to six. Despite this improvement, some sports are still struggling to request buses for their athletic trips.
With the extreme decline in second-load buses, the amount of students late to school because of a late bus has gone down just as drastically. Compared to last fall, the amount of complaints submitted during a two-month period regarding bus issues has dropped exceedingly from 320 to 85. Junior Mathew Ortega has been riding the bus since the beginning of high school. “I used to be late almost every day before this year,” Ortega said. “Not only can I sleep in later now, I actually get to school on time.” These changes have proved themselves to be extraordinarily effective in getting students to school on time.
The next school board meeting is on Dec. 13, 2022.
![Standing center stage, senior Ananya Akula conducts the Phoenix Chorale. “[Conducting and teaching] is really fun,” Akula said. “Music education is what I want to do.” On the day of the choir assessment, Akula found out that she received the President’s Music Scholarship – a full ride to the University of Miami Frost School of Music.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ananya-600x400.jpg)
![Senior Fatima Qaderi grew into the person she wanted to become when she was younger and continues to work towards growing more confident in using her voice when it matters. “I didnt get treated the way I wanted to be treated, and I realized that it wasnt just them treating me the wrong way, it was me treating me the wrong way,” Qaderi said. “I forced them to like to look at me in a way where Im someone who needs to be respected; they cant just disregard me, they cant just look over me because I have a different opinion, because Im a woman, because Im Afghan, because Im Muslim, or whatever. It just took going through different experiences to figure out how [I wanted to] be heard.” Photo courtesy of Fatima Qaderi.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_3870-600x471.jpeg)
