First of all, we would like to welcome Miss Ruth Ann Whipp, our new principal, to Sir John A. Macdonald C.I. We were lucky enough to be able to meet and greet her during the second week of school, and interview her for MacNews. During the interview we discussed a number of issues which may concern you, the reader, and some topics which will let you know her a little bit better.
Miss Whipp is a principal with a lot of experience. She has been an administrator for fifteen years. She has been a vice principal at Frank Oke Secondary School and York Memorial Collegiate, and a principal at York Humber High School and Runnymede Collegiate.
As to long range plans for Macdonald, Miss Whipp said, "I really need to get a good feel of the school," before she can make any plans. She has found the staff to be "very friendly, and warm, and welcoming here." As to the upcoming year, she believes that "we're off to a good start," and that this year will be "a much more normal and stable year." She thinks that "the last two years, certainly in my experience in education, have been the most difficult. [...] I'm really hoping that this year will be a much, much better year for everybody." She later said that "it is exciting starting the year on a different note, on a positive note."
Next, we asked her about her interaction with the student body. She said, "I've already met with the student leaders once, and we're hoping to meet every Friday morning. [...] I think that's important because Mac is such a busy school. But I would also like to talk to them about issues that are important to the students in the school." She is also planning to look into the Class Rep program which we had last year.
"Will you keep an open door policy with the students?" we asked. "And staff. [...] That's how I always operate as an administrator, and I will continue to do that."
She couldn't tell us, however, about how long she was planning to stay at Mac. Like other principals, the board can transfer her to another school, if there is a shortage elsewhere. Mrs. Taylor was an example of this. Instead of staying for her expected five years, she left after her third year at Mac.
Miss Whipp seemed to be very interested in the school musical, Grease, which is currently in production. "I'm excited about it," she said. "It's a big undertaking." She also mentioned that she enjoys going to the theatre.
We then asked her why she started teaching. Her response was quite detailed: "I've just always liked working with young people. And certainly, one of the things that I've felt is that as you get higher up in the hierarchy, you have less contact with the students, and so it becomes more and more difficult. So, one of the things I've always tried to do is to have contact with students."
When we asked her the question that has plagued humanity for decades, "Coke or Pepsi?" she answered, "I drink Diet Coke, and in fact, you'll probably see me drink Diet Coke if you happen to come in here at lunch time, so I guess between Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, it would be Diet Coke, and between Pepsi and Coke, it's Pepsi."
She then responded to questions about her interests outside of school. About television: "I like The Practice, and legal shows." Radio: "I usually listen to CHFI, coming in in the morning, when I drive to work." Music: "I used to play the piano, but haven't played it in a long time." Internet: "I'm on it sometimes, depending on what I need for information." Sports: "Actually, I have a degree in Phys. Ed., and so I used to teach phys. ed., and I play quite a bit of tennis. I used to teach tennis, so a lot of my life has been involved with sports." She also said that she likes to swim, and read when she has the time.
We would like to thank Miss Whipp for answering our questions, and allowing the student body to know a little more about her.
Paul Gvildys & Nicolas Lee
As most of you have already heard, a 15-year-old Mac student was stabbed after school on Wednesday. This incident was very shocking, and gave us a lot to think about. However, since Miss Whipp is still meeting with our superintendant in the aftermath of this event, we cannot give a full update on the situation. We will hopefully be able to meet with her next week and be able to make a full report. In the meantime, if anyone has information on the stabbing, please contact the authorities or call CrimeStoppers at 222-TIPS.
MacNews Staff
Okay, so the University fair (held last Friday through Sunday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre) showed me that there is life after high school. It appeared to be a world of pamphlets, booklets, free pens and bags, nice people, and the occasional chocolate bar. I hope I wasn't misinformed. Like many of my grade twelve friends, I had originally gone to the University fair to find out more about . . . universities. More specifically, what courses and occupations would interest me. Instead, I was expected to ask questions about courses I was "supposed to know about and plan to take, instead of asking about what courses are available for me to decide on. To make matters worse, I had come up with the bright idea of "splitting up" with my friends so we could visit whatever booth we wanted. Sure, we saved time overall, but meeting up with them just made me question, "Did we go to the same University fair? What do you mean Trent was there? You could ask them questions?! Hey, how'd you get that free chocolate bar?!?! There's free water?!?!?! I bought this water bottle for NOTHING?!?!?!?! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?!?!?!?!?!"
So, if you're like me, I advise you to search on the internet for careers or subjects you may be interested in. Also, speak with your teachers, family and friends about universities and future jobs. Sometimes they can be helpful. For the rest of you who are feeling cool and calm about the rest of your life, grab a couple of free pens, and drink up that free water.
Peculiar Display
I believe that the students of Mac should bethankful for the extra-curricular activities that are available to us before, after, and during school. It gives us something to do, to look forward to, to develop deeper friendships outside of school.
Every day of the week, there is something great going on to improve the environment of the school, and the sociability of the students. Clubs are an exciting and effective way to get involved in the school. They are the pride of Macdonald.
Unfortunately, there are some awesome clubs that are hidden in the shadow of popularity. As the title states, I am talking about the MCF (Mac Christian Fellowship). I personally attended the first official meeting, Thursday after school in room 219. It was a great opportunity to meet new people, and to share how our school and our lives are going. Those who think that MCF is for Christians only, think again! This year, this fellowship group is open to all those interested in having fun, and making a difference in the school.
Well, this article is getting pretty long, so, if you're planning to do nothing but watch television on a Thursday afternoon, make good use of your time and drop by room 219 Thursdays after school, and be part of the love!
Love_Lee
Is it just me, or is the U.N. useless? Take the crisis in East Timor. A few weeks ago the Indonesian province voted on whether to separate or not. Right after it was announced that East Timor voted for independence, the Indonesian Militia started a campaign of terror. Innocent women and children were slaughtered on the streets. Some have even been decapitated, or worse.
And where is the U.N.? It's in New York debating whether or not to help. Of course, a week ago, they decided to help. Unfortunately, it's too late. Over 100,000 East Timorians are already dead. The lesson: if you're going to help, don't wait until it's too late.
Crazy Canuck
It's back! The new TV season is here. Of course, there's good returning ones, and bad new ones. Below are the bad, the good, and the ugly.
Drama: Yes, I know. Dramas are boring. But "The Practice" really changes all that. This season, watch for exciting new stories and the usual . . . great acting. It's the good.
Cartoon: It's been on for around a decade. Each show is a retelling of an old story. But why do so many people watch the "Simpsons?" It's the most fun cartoon ever. This season, watch for amusing stories with Homer and Bart. It's the good.
Comedy: What do you expect . . . She left "Married . . . With Children," and now she's "Jesse." It wasn't that good with Married, and it isn't that good in "Jesse" too. It's the bad.
New Show: He created the "X-Files" - his best show ever. Then "Millenium" came. Remember how bad it sucked? He's back with "Harsh Realm." It has a good concept, but don't expect to see it in a few months. It's the ugly!!
genix_vision
They make us eat in the cafe. fine, we'll deal with it. But is it really fair for them to subject us to, ah-hem, "singing?" Or, as we like to call it, "a sick cat being run over by a truck repeatedly." We're all for Mac spirit, but what the heck does Karaoke have to do with spirit? Personally, we hated every solitary song they played, and it was only made worse by, ah-hem, "renditions" of these songs, by people who need computerized audio enhancement as much as Britney Spears. Now, it must take a great deal of guts to get up and sing for the entire student body, but really people, we don't exactly WANT to hear it!! A brief note to the administration: eating in the halls may be messy, but when you force us to eat in the cafe, and expect us to listen to this crap, it just makes us CRANKY!!!
As for this "Slime the SAC" fiasco; it it f---ing necessary?! Does hurling oatmeal at fellow students really make you prouder to call yourself a Mac student?! HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU HURL OATMEAL TO RAISE MONEY?! SAC, please, we need some more creative ways to raise money - this is just getting tiring. For anyone thinking of running for president next year, some original fund-raising ideas should be a requirement. As for spirit week in general? We appreciate the effort, but we don't feel "spirited," and probably won't even remember it a week from now.
Melo and Dramatic
This Tuesday the SAC held their first assembly of the year. It was. . . entertaining, to say the least. Now, there wasn't much of a point to the assembly, unless the point was to get me out of Finite, but it still was enjoyable.
Now, the plot of the assembly was that everyone in the SAC was trying to get the key to the (almost always open) SAC room. However, I couldn't help but notice that they WERE in the SAC room, but nevermind that TINY little fact.
However, I did learn a very valuable lesson in that assembly. If you ever need something that is hard to get, dress up and dance to pop songs in front of the person you need something from. The Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys songs accompanied by the half-dressed dancers, will somehow cause them to spasm uncontrollably, allowing you to do whatever you want. If that doesn't work, you can always Tae-Bo them into submission.
Now, I'm not saying that I didn't like the assembly, it was one of the few assemblies that I didn't fall asleep in since I've been at Mac, but there were some "problems" with it. It sort of. . . well. . . didn't make much, no, scratch that, ANY sense.
However, I have learned that assemblies with scantily clad people running around other people who are claiming to be impotent, are a lot more fun to attend than those damn harrassment policy assmeblies.
See ya!
(Temporarily returning, maybe) StoopidHead
Two weeks into my OAC year and I'm already feeling burned out. It's not just me, it's all the rest of the OACs also. Let me tell you about one of my never-ending days last week:
And the cycle repeats. OAC is not looking good.
Kidz
The niners were welcomed recently during a special grade nine activity day. These new grade nines are the first to be facing the new High School curriculum introduced by the Harris government. This new curriculum is still on shaky ground, and for these niners, it will be shaky throughout their high school careers since they will be the first to experience each shaky year.
But is this an excuse to be a little whiny? Reports of niners complaining as to why they had to participate in grade nine day are still flooding the SAC. Teachers have reported niners whining about how big the school is, and how they are no longer the big kids in school.
Everyone in this school has had to start off at the bottom, but we survived as will some of you. To survive at Mac, remember these rules:
Life, love, food, and all the other stuff.
Smutton
Many, many years ago, when people did what they thought was moral and right and good, the age of rationale was upon us. Philosophers guided the masses, not athletes, wrestlers, or supermodels. In my point of view, we are reliving an age of primitivity. As a child learns the art of imitation, so we too follow suit.
One may say that our society benefits from free speech, liberty, and every other ingredient of the honorable American pie. They have evidently resulted in our right to become copycat fools.
The point is that even though man has progressed technologically, mentally we remain 2000 years behind Plato and Aristotle.
So, in conclusion, though we are approaching the year 2000, think about your place in society. Worship, be worshipped, or somehow believe yourself to be of the enlightened.
Pharaoh
The adventures of me in University land started in Union station (I am sure you know where it is. Following a crowd of fellow students, I arrived at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. What a place!!! There I was greeted by plenty of colourful university stands, each one convincing me to give my tuition money to them. so many choices, so many decisions! Sigh...
Fortunately the fair was well organized, with plenty of opportunities to explain to me just what is what. After spending an hour bumping into other students in an attempt to gather as many booklets and free pens as possible, I headed to the seminars.
Let me tell you something, the seminars were a bonanza of information, ranging from scholarships to universities to planning your university budget. Oh, and don't forget the free potato chips, multimedia CDs and cold water. Buty seriously, the university fair offered a lot of information about universities, how to get scholarships and making decisions about the future. I honestly recommend attending the fair (maybe next year) to anyone thinking of going to universities.
AK-47
Who was upstairs this week? It was friggin' cold . . . anyone been in the caf lately, I think they are playing the music TOO DAMN LOUD . . . I think our school is dirty sometimes . . . anybody been to a MAC FOOTBALL game lately: didn't think so! . . . 2 English exams in OAC, what the hell is going on here? . . . what's with the fresh crop of the lovelies this year? I'm likin' it so far! . . . to all those smart kids who think they are better than me: SUCK IT! (except DAD!) . . . that's all for this week . . . to be continued . . .
ANDAY
"The old law 'Eye for an eye' leaves everyone blind."
Martin Luther King
We argue on of gods, not God,
And might all strife resign,
If only I could find in yours,
What you reject in mine.
Walter De La Mare Back to top.