Pueblo Administrators Limits Hall Passes

Iram Arce El Guerrero Pueblo 2015

By Iram Arce

A new rule effective at the beginning of November 2015 limited students’ hall passes. Students are no longer allowed to obtain passes from their teachers during first, fourth, and seventh periods. Students who do not follow this policy will receive a consequence, including ISA (In-School Suspension)—according to Assistant Principal Alma Carmona-Alday.

Carmona-Alday said that students wandering the halls became a serious problem earlier this semester, and many teachers complained about the noise levels in the halls. Many students were ditching their classes and talking to their friends during class time.

No Passes Sketch By Sela M

She explained that the three worst times for students being in the halls are first period, because it is the beginning of the school day; fourth period because of the confusion between students having class or lunch; and seventh period, because it’s the end of the school day, and some students do not have a final period and need to be off campus.

Mr. Frank Rosthenhausler, assistant principal at Pueblo, said that administrators are doing everything possible to limit the traffic in the hallways, especially due to the shortage of security staff—two away from fully staffed.

However, there are exceptions.

“We understand that some students have important needs,” Rosthenhausler said, “and some students will be allowed to leave their classes. However, what we administrators are trying to do is stop chronic offenders who are always asking for a pass with no legitimate reason.”

This policy will remain in effect for the rest of the school year in the hopes to better our educational life, Rosthenhausler said.

“If we [administrators] start something, it is our responsibility to finish it,” Carmona-Alday said. “Our primary job is to keep our students safe, followed by keeping our students in class, and help them to be successful.”

Shoes & Glasses Available For Students

Kenya Acosta El Guerrero Pueblo

By Kenya Acosta

Attention Pueblo Students, if you are in need of glasses or any shoes, please contact Nurse Kate Straub, who has been helping our Warriors for eight years.

Shoes Sketch By Sela MSome of the sponsors for providing students with free eyeglasses and shoes are as follows: the Educational Enrichment Foundation; Focus on Vision; and the Lion’s Club. Last year, Straub provided 38 kids with glasses and helped 21 with a brand new pair of shoes.

“I promise that anyone who needs [to wear] glasses or shoes will not leave without them,” said Straub.

All Pueblo students are eligible, no matter the legal status or home income. Take advantage of Pueblo’s great opportunity. The process is very minimal, Straub assured, and if you are in need of glasses and/or shoes, please see her at your earliest convenience.

Pueblo Celebrates Dia DeLos Muertos 2015

Iram Arce El Guerrero Pueblo 2015

By Iram Arce

Dia De Los Muertos Yulissa Tarango Daniella Contreras Alejandra Navarrete (kneeling) Damaris Ponce Lazaro Tovar
Left to Right: Yulissa Tarango, Daniella Contreras, Alejandra Navarrete, (kneeling) Damaris Ponce & Lazaro Tovar pose for Dia de los Muertos “altar”.

This past Monday, several Pueblo teachers and hundreds of their students boasted their Dia de los Muertos displays (or, “altars”, as they are referred to in the Mexican culture) throughout Pueblo.

El Dia de los Muertos is a day to celebrate, remember and prepare special foods in honor of those who have departed. On this day in Mexico—usually Nov. 2—the streets near cemetaries are filled with decorations of paper, flowers, candy, skeletons and skulls, as well as parades.

Dia De Los Muertos Display Mr Gray
Mr. Gray’s student display for Dia de los Muertos

On this day, death is laughed at in its face. Many euphemisms are used for death, la calaca (the skeleton), la pelona (“baldy”), la flaca (“the skinny”), and la huesada (“bony”). In parades, children carry marigolds, and music is played and dances are made to honor the spirits.

Dia De Los Muertos Display Ms Mejia
Ms. Mejia’s student display remember the 43 of Ayotzinapa

Here at Pueblo, many students learned about the Mexican culture and the significance of Dia de los Muertos. One student, junior Ana Lopez, said, “Ms. [Cathy] Gastelum really taught us a lot about this holiday. I learned mostly that we should always mourn our lost loved ones, and this holidays is an easy way to mourn those who have passed.”

Another junior, Anamim Yarisa, also in Ms. Gastelum’s classroom, said, “Everybody should reflect on those who have passed. A holiday like Dia de los Muertos makes it much easier to say goodbye to somebody we’ve lost.”

Several other teachers partook in this holiday with their students, including art teacher Mr. Ned Gray, Spanish teacher Mr. Jesus Orduño and social studies teacher Ms. Jessica Mejia.

Dia De Los Muertos Display Betsy Shepard Jesus Orduno
Mrs. Shepard & Mr. Orduño’s student display of Dia de los Muertos

Mr. Burney Starks Honored In Game

Avae Velasquez El Guerrero Pueblo

By Avae Velasquez

On Oct. 10, Pueblo’s boys and girls basketball hosted the first annual Burney Starks Alumni Game. Along with Assistant Principal Frank Rosthenhausler, former coaches and athletes participated against current athletes.

Starks passed shortly after the end of the last school year, and as a Warrior who graduated in 1968, he always strived to make things better, and it was always a dream of Starks for alumni to play against current players.

1st Annual Burney Starks Alumni Game
1st Annual Burney Starks Alumni Game (Photo courtesy of Kuuleme Stephens)

“We thought we’d pay homage to Starks,” Rosthenhausler said, “and we organized this game to bridge the gap between the alumni and current students.”

There were about 20 alumni players at the game, and they played our current boys’ basketball team during the first half and played against our current girls’ basketball team during the second half.

Senior Danielle Orozco said, “The game was fun because it was something that I’ve never really done before. Plus, it was a really touching thing to do for Burney.”

Rosthenhausler said this was a great event, and he’s happy to see future, current, and alumni faces all enjoying the same activity.

Pueblo Pride Day ~ October 27, 2015

Iram Arce El Guerrero Pueblo 2015

By Iram Arce

October 27 was Pueblo Pride Day, a time when our Warriors and other volunteers met after school in the cafeteria at 3:30 p.m., and for an hour, they cleaned and better our Pueblo community.

Pueblo Pride Day Warrior Volunteers
Volunteers participating in Pueblo Pride Clean-Up Day

This event, which was started by the Science Club (sponsored by Dr. Lolita Levine) was bigger and better this year. CCLC provided snacks and water for  participants who worked hard to beautify our campus.

Students and volunteers performed duties such as weeding the garden, picking up trash and painting the red drive way curve.

“Everybody is smiling, and that’s the best part,” Levine said. “It’s nice to see teachers and students working side by side.”

Students were separated into different groups in the cafeteria, which will each be led by their own leaders for different sections at school.

Pueblo Pride Day Elizabeth Raizk
Ms. Elizabeth Raizk hauling off some brush.

One of the group leaders is Ms. Elizabeth Raizk, one of Pueblo’s science teachers, and she was in charge of the garden group.

“This is how we show our Pueblo community that we are doing more things [community service] to make Pueblo a better place,” Raizk said. “Pueblo gets cleaner, and it shows our community how great we are. This event is a win-win scenario.”

“I really want to emphasize our school and nourish our soul,” Levine said. “This is not just a school—it is our home.”

Kenya’s Questions ~ What Would You Fix About Pueblo?

Kenya Acosta El Guerrero Pueblo

By Kenya Acosta

The title is self-explanatory. Every two weeks or so, I will ask students to respond to a particular question. Their answers will vary from simple to complex responses. Here is this edition’s question:

What would you fix about Pueblo?Pueblo El Guerrero Kenya's Questions Cartoon

“Students mistreat the school, and they really shouldn’t.” (Leslie Robles, senior)

“They [teachers] don’t care about their students’ feelings, they only care about their job.” (Daniella Contreras, senior)

“The air conditioning isn’t right. They want us to work in a proper environment, yet they don’t provide proper temperatures for class. A lot of teachers have to use their own money when the school should be providing the supplies. School trips aren’t handled efficiently. The athletics department and our academic programs don’t get the same amount of treatment or funding, and there really should be a balance.” (Jose C. Martinez, senior)

“The lunch lines are horrible in first lunch. By the time you get your lunch, it’s time to go.” (Frankie Verdugo, senior)

“The food has no flavor and I have no morale to keep going. Our staff here at Pueblo wants us to do our best, but we can’t do that by eating this quality of food. We also need more supplies for teachers; they shouldn’t have to pay for classroom supplies with money out of their own pockets.” (Hector Jimenez, senior)

“The food is nasty.” (Emilio Grijalva, senior)

“The sausage was literally hanging out of my corn dog during lunch because it was so soggy and wet. What type of corn dog is wet? I can’t stand the cheese here, too, it’s disgusting.” (Mina Van Garder, senior)

“We don’t get enough food.” (Payton Rios-Sanders, senior)

“The ratio between students and teachers should be way different. There should be fewer students in our classes; a class of 35 or more is ridiculous.” (Kimberly Lerma, junior)

“I think that we don’t have enough time in our classes.” (Eneida Flores, senior)

“I took credit recovery ‘Edgenuity’ during the summer. The site crashed the last few days, and once I finally got back on the site, all of my work was gone. I feel like our school should spend our money more wisely. I remember during my sophomore or junior year; we spent over $4,000 dollars on our Cyber Café that nobody uses. They’re planning on doing tutoring there, but we have a library for that.” (Roman Romero, senior)

“There’s almost never soap in the restroom, and that’s absolutely disgusting.” (Shaira Perez, senior)

“Sanitation is a super huge problem. There’s no toilet-paper, no paper towels. This is illegal, isn’t it?” (Aaron Andrade, senior)