Fortuna High Announces Possible Schedule Change

By Becca Parker

    The administration at Fortuna High is in the process of proposing a more effective school schedule. The Principal Clint Duey says the schedule will be more effective with the starting and ending of the many sports season. Duey says, “Many freshmen play fall sports which start before school is in session, to make it easier for them to come into a high school sport, we think that starting school the second week of August will be an easier way for them to have transition time into high school before beginning their first high school sport.”

    Tara Kajtaniak, a teacher at Fortuna High says, “The staff at Fortuna High has always been dissatisfied with the way the first semester ends after the two week break the school takes for winter break. So us as a staff think that it will be more effective if we can make the first semester end the week before we are released for winter break.”

    The proposed schedule is to begin school the second week of August and to end school somewhere towards the end of May. Many students are concerned that it will possibly interfere with the week of fair where they show their animals. But Principal Duey assures them that he will make it possible for them to still be able to show their animals at the fair. Duey says,  “I will provide buses to take the students who show animals to and from the fair, so they are still able to feed and care for their animals.” Duey also says, “This schedule change is still in the works and the parents and students of Fortuna High will know more about it at a later time.”  

Gogh big or Gogh home

Art teachers Daniel Holmes and Kirsten Escalante are teaming up and forming the perfect art duo in the new class being offered, The World of Art. The combination of art, ceramics, and photo allows student to get an overall understanding what it means to be an artist. New projects and higher expectations are aimed towards the class members, but they’re handling it with ease.

Inspired by real artists, the students are exceeding in this new class. Holmes is thrilled about the progress the group has made, “So far, so good. The students are finding things they enjoy that they wouldn't have discovered otherwise.” Things are going well even though some of the class members are hesitant to try new things.

However, Holmes and Escalante aren't giving up hope. So far the students have gone above and beyond. The class is accepting the new curriculum, and they are looking forward to future projects.

Melina, a junior, likes the show Supernatural.

New Theater Class at Fortuna High is full of drama

One of the newest courses being offered at Fortuna High this year is the theater class. Jared Ourique, the teacher of the new course, reported that there are thirty-four students enrolled in the class this year, which is a fairly large number of students. When asked how he managed to get the class to happen, Ourique said that he just asked students if they would be interested in taking the course and enough of them were interested.

Ourique explained that his love for theater came from his old classes in theater when he was in high school. He said that “Theater made me what I am,” and that it gave him the confidence to speak in front of others along with the friends he found there.

The class started off with improv in the beginning of the year, and they are currently researching different styles of theater. Ourique hopes to eventually have the class writing their own scripts, doing improv skits, and having performances open to the public. The place where class takes location is very fluid as well, as the class moves from C 4-5, the theater, and Ourique's normal classroom depending on what the class needs for that day.

Codi Oswald is a senior at Fortuna High in the Modes of Writing class. He is part of the Fortuna High Marching Band.