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Zabrina Yannella

Principal Cook explains how the student drop-off has moved so engineers can begin building the new student parking lot.

Yellow school buses drive into the parking lot, the halls fill with students looking for classes and “I missed you’s” are thrown around like confetti. It is the first day of the 2016-2017 school year.

To start off the year principal Richard Cook and vice principal Joe Wenzel talked to classes about the school year. The Writing for Publications staff took the opportunity to hold a mini press conference with Cook. Topics such as substance abuse, remodeling plans and school policies were explained.

In 2016 there were instances of substance abuse, resulting in drug busts and student suspensions.

“Every year, there are more and more users, especially with marijuana,” said principal Cook said. “We have self support groups where students can report themselves to school officials and instead of harming them, we help them providing counseling.”

The self report system is not a well known program to students and Cook plans to spread the word, but is not sure when.

Students received Chromebooks during their fourth block classes. Due to technical issues with iBoss monitoring software students were unable to access the sites they needed for their classes and assignments.