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Macdonald says farewell to special education department
With the multitude of classrooms and faculty members at East, it’s often difficult to give each one equal attention.
Students may have passed special education teacher Sherry Macdonald’s classroom while strolling to their English classes without giving it a second glance. Looking inside that door, however, one would find the chairperson of the department. After 12 years at East, Macdonald is retiring from teaching.
“I began teaching back in Virginia Beach, Virginia in the 60s…before dirt,” Macdonald said.
Her Southern drawl points to
more>>'Thank You For Smoking’ puts spotlight on tobacco companies
In an entertainment era of seemingly endless remakes, sequels and romantic comedies, it’s refreshing to see something outside the norm. “Thank You for Smoking,” as might be implied by its title, is clever, witty and unique.
This film is the unsung tale of a lobbyist, Nick Naylor, who defends one of the most hated corporations in the world: Big Tobacco. One might think that it would be difficult to create a likeable character out of an individual who defends the death of thousands of people a day, but the director, Jason Reitman, succeeds.
Naylor is a
more>>Munsey to switch from science to pickleball
Her educational and professional resumé is one of the finest to be found among employees of the Wauwatosa or any school district. Over the past 12 years at Tosa East, she’s taught everything from Math Topics to Advanced Placement Chemistry. Colleagues and students praise her as diligent, dedicated, well read and wryly funny.
So it may not come as a surprise that chemistry and physics teacher Robin Munsey’s decision to take early retirement at the end of this school year was not made lightly.
“My husband retired last year, and I just
more>>Math Emphasis creator retires
For 11.5 years, Katherine Levy has been helping students…and helping students to help students. When she retires this year, she will leave behind a unique new program called Math Emphasis.
“I started teaching PASS, and I spent most of the period helping students with their math,” Levy said.
This caused Levy to start the Math Emphasis program two years ago. The class was designed to help students who were having problems in math. Both the math teachers and the school administration were very receptive of her idea and
more>>Barrington departs East, newspaper
Although she is often recognized for advising the Cardinal News for the past 17 years, Linda Barrington’s dedication to the betterment of students is present in everything she has done since she began teaching English at Wauwatosa East 32 years ago.
“I learned during my first year at East that there is a difference between working hard and ‘working Barrington hard,’” English teacher Drew Mullen said. “I thought that I had to keep up with that crazy woman, but I realized that if I wanted to experience the benefits of things like
more>>Pentek to keep with career in psychology
Not everyone is aware that Tosa East has a school psychologist, especially because she switches between three schools, but Karen Pentek has been very influential for those who worked closely with her. When this school year comes to a close, so will Pentek’s work in the Wauwatosa School District; she will be retiring after 35 years.
“It’s comforting to know that there is someone available to help students,” junior Megan Bedrosian said. “Having a school psychologist available to the student body is really valuable.”
After completing her teaching internship
more>>Why I will not be kissing the floor today
I am writing this on May 22. You will read it on June 2. As a journalist, this is something I am not supposed to admit. I am supposed to insist that I am speaking to you at the precise moment that you are reading.
But I’m not, and right now that seems particularly important. What I’m feeling right now in regards to the end of my high school years is completely different from what I will feel in an hour, or in a day…or in a week and a half, when you see this.
At the moment, I am not feeling the least bit sentimental. I feel pure relief and pure
more>>Music in Review: East needs musical community
Here at Wauwatosa East, music’s influence is evident:
1. Walk down the hall and take a look at people’s T-shirts. Almost one out of four people has a band’s T-shirt on every day.
2. Many cliques seem to form around certain genres of music. There are punks, jam band kids, emo kids, hip hop kids and an ever-growing group of underclassmen that are in love with metal.
3. One of the most controversial and consistently broken school rules is the “no headphones” rule. Often, I have seen bold students arguing with administrators, complaining
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