MCPS: No Policy is Not a Policy
May 3, 2016
MCPS: a county filled with rules and regulations, boards and commit- tees and almost every kind of admin- istrative policy. Yet, with all of these governing bodies that address numer- ous issues within the county, there is no clear cut policy written by MCPS addressing transgender students’ us...
We Need Proactive Mental Health Support
March 22, 2016
If you think it’s difficult to read an article about suicidal students, consider what it would be like to be one. In light of recent tragedies, mental health awareness has become more of a hot topic at CHS. Students and staff have rallied together in organizations like Sources of Strength and National...
We Have a Microphone, Now Speak Up
February 25, 2016
If The Little Mermaid taught us anything, it was to value our voices. Oftentimes, students take their voice and ability to represent themselves within the school system for granted. Or they underestimate it. Whether or not students use their voice for prom or progress, it’s time to realize...
Chin Up, Churchill
January 4, 2016
Chin up, Churchill. Recently, there’s been a case of negativity going around, whether it be because of acts of violence or accumulation of academic stress. But even in the face of it, it’s important to stay positive, to find those cliched silver linings in storm clouds wherever we can. Ordinarily,...
CHS Rises UP as a Strong Community
December 22, 2015
On Nov. 10, CHS stepped UP. The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) came to CHS Nov. 10 to protest the CHS Gay-Straight Alliance club and our general acceptance of diversity. Though the general feelings of disapproval towards the WBC are widespread, it was clear through the student-created Facebook group...
Wellness Weekends Not Done So Well
October 29, 2015
Wellness Weekend at CHS doesn’t work so well. Every so often, CHS has a Wellness Weekend, where teachers are instructed not to assign homework on Friday to be done over the weekend and turned in on Monday. It’s supposed to allow students a little time to destress, focus on extracurriculars or...
Quarter Exams Only Add More Stress
September 29, 2015
Those two weeks in January and June that you have reserved for stress, tears, and nights of poring over notes? Go ahead and schedule two more. Every nine weeks, to be exact. MCPS has decided to replace two-hour semester exams twice a year with 45-minute quarter exams four times a year, starting as...
New SMOB needs to make role relevant
April 29, 2015
With the way SMOB works right now, we see the candidates everywhere we look in the month before the election. We watch the “Meet the Candidates” video in a darkened classroom and try to ignore the sleeping student next to us, then vote for the student we think wore the better outfit. And then we...
Shame on you, parents. Where’s the integrity?
By Fiona Asbury, Opinions Editor
February 24, 2015
Dear Dr. Benz, My child has been dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety brought about by this time of year. He has worked long and hard this past semester, copying his classmates’ homework, finding answers online, and begging his teachers for 10 percent grade bumps. Please consider this request...
Chromebooks cause more harm than good
By Fiona Ashury, Opinions Editor
December 23, 2014
The typical school day includes going to class, listening to lectures and taking notes. But what if that giant backpack full of papers and notes disappeared and was replaced with one computer? This is a reality, CHS, and it’s called a “Chromebook.” Chromebooks, Google drive accounts, and Google...
Clubs not always started for wrong reason
By Fiona Asbury, Opinions Editor
November 20, 2014
Seventy-five SSL hours is a burdensome requirement for many MCPS students, but an easy enough feat to accomplish. Although nowhere in the graduation requirements does it call for a student to start his own club, volunteer regularly at a retirement home and protest for equal pay, more and more CHS students...
Social media new medium for censorship
By Fiona Ashbury, Opinions Editor
October 27, 2014
Twitter. It’s a quick, easy way for news to spread and ideas to be shared. At the Observer we use our @CHS_Observer account as one more way to communicate with the CHS community in an informative and relatively light-hearted way. However, on Sept. 29, this social network became a way for our rights...