Articles – Page 2 – AHS NEWSPAPER

Former AHS Football Coach Drops Lawsuit Against Andover

November 13, 2026

Anya Gorovits || EDITOR IN CHIEF

Longtime Andover educator and former AHS football coach Ernest Perry recently dropped a lawsuit against the Town of Andover and AHS Principal James D’Andrea.

An AHS alum himself, Perry had been coaching football at AHS for 14 years at the time of the lawsuit. The issue commenced in November 2024, when AHS asked Perry to reapply to his coaching position. School administrators maintained that all coaches were required to reapply annually, though Perry alleged that he’d never been asked to do so before.

In the reapplication process, Perry was ultimately denied re-employment. In his place was hired Jason Fielding, a younger coach and previous defensive coordinator at Central Catholic. Claiming this decision to be unjust, Perry first issued a formal grievance to Andover’s school committee before issuing a Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) complaint and eventually filing a lawsuit.

Filed on August 14, 2026, Perry’s lawsuit included three counts: age discrimination, disability discrimination and retaliation. Perry is 61 years old and has a condition called dropped foot, which affects walking ability and qualifies as a disability under MA law, according to Perry’s complaint. Perry alleged that the hiring process treated him differently from younger and non-disabled coaches, and that his age and disability contributed to the decision not to rehire him. Additionally, Perry alleged that the decision to hire Fielding may have been predetermined. He cited a conversation in which he claimed a coach was told that Fielding would receive the position before Perry had even completed his interview.

According to Andover News and public trial documents, Andover denied Perry’s allegations in its response to the lawsuit, arguing that Perry had failed to meet the performance standards required for the position. The response, however, did not specify what those performance standards were. Andover’s response to the suit also disputed Perry’s claims that he had not previously been required to reapply and denied that the hiring decision had been predetermined. Andover Head of Communications Nicole Keiser declined to comment.

The case ultimately did not proceed to trial. On October 2, Perry announced that he had instructed his attorney to voluntarily dismiss the case. According to Perry, his primary goal in filing the lawsuit had been to regain his position as AHS football coach, and he had come to believe that this was no longer a realistic outcome.

In his statement announcing the dismissal, Perry praised Fielding as a “fantastic young coach” and said he believed the football program was in good hands. He also expressed respect for D’Andrea, former Athletic Director Wayne Puglisi and coach David Fazio. According to Andover News, Superintendent Keith Taverna similarly thanked Perry for his decades of service to Andover Public Schools and wished him well moving forward.

New Alma Mater Song To Be Written

November 13, 2026

By Chrisina Saad || ARTS EDITOR

The AHS music department is planning a new alma mater song that may be completed and performed by this year’s graduation ceremony.

Jeffrey Kuchan, the band director, began collecting data in May, acquiring student perspectives on the school community. The lyrics and tone of the alma mater song will be influenced by these student perspectives.The song will be played during school events such as the pep rally, freshman orientation, and the graduation ceremony as a way to promote school spirit.

“We’re hoping that the alma mater might be a more universal, musical meeting ground for all the students at Andover,” said Kuchan.

A brief survey will be sent out during an H-Block or Advisory in the upcoming months for students to reflect on the purpose and significance of an alma mater song. Once data collection is complete, Kuchan will collect all the information and present it to a composer to translate it into a song with lyrics.

“[The alma mater song is] created by us in a sense in terms of the emotions and nostalgia, but composed by a professional musician,” said Kuchan.

AHS already has a fight song that is often played during football games by the school’s marching band, sparking energy and passion from the audience. However, Kuchan believes that the alma mater song will invoke different feelings and memories than the fight song. According to Kuchan, the alma mater song will be more universally known than the fight song, since it will be played during school-wide events.

“It should be a simple melody, something that means a lot to the people who were there, who have been through these experiences together,” said Kuchan.

Articles Sports

2025 Eagle-Tribune Field Hockey Player of the Year: Chloe Broderick

November 13, 2026

Arshiaa Prem || SPORTS EDITOR

After being named the 2025 Eagle-Tribune Field Hockey Player of the Year, now-captain Chloe Broderick reflects on her journey.

The senior has built her role on the team around determination, hard work, and leadership. These qualities were put on display during Andover’s 2-1 win over Acton-Boxborough, when Broderick scored in the first quarter and later sealed the victory with a sweep into the cage. As she prepares to continue her field hockey career at Bates College, Broderick’s impact on AHS extends far behind her performance on the turf.

For Broderick, much of that impact comes from the tight-knit relationships she has built with her teammates.

“I would say the thing I love most about field hockey is definitely the girls on the team,” Broderick said. “We’re truly so close and spend so much time together in and out of the season. I know we’re always going to pick each other up at practice and push each other to be the best players we can be, and I truly think in the past years that’s where our success has come from.”

For head coach Bridget Morris, Broderick’s leadership is especially important in high-pressure games.

“Chloe always steps up for our team in the difficult games,” Morris said. “She is our center mid, the player in the middle of the field who directs the pace of the game. Chloe is an awesome defender, and that was apparent in our game [Oct. 3] against Acton-Boxborough. Her leadership allowed us to come out with a great 2-1 win over a team who we tied 0-0 in the regular season last year.”

Broderick’s performance on-field reflects the work ethic that she has developed through her high school career. According to Morris, that commitment has allowed Broderick to improve consistently during the season and offseason.

“I would say the strongest part of my game is my competitiveness and determination.” explained Broderick. “I never want to give up on any play whether it’s a game or a practice, and I’m always just trying to work as hard as I can for my team and for myself whether it’s going to the turf in the winter when it’s freezing or it’s pouring outside.”

Broderick’s discipline and commitment is reflected in her pregame routine: before going onto the field, she eats a Honey Stinger waffle and rice cakes and puts her hair up into a bun. She jokingly added, “ I also wear the same socks each game, which is kind of crazy, but for me it works.”

Broderick added that her willingness to accept feedback is critical to her development. Rather than viewing criticism as a setback, she sees it as an opportunity to improve.

“I love getting criticism because it’s how I can improve,” Broderick added. “I know that I’m not going to improve unless I’m willing to work for it, so I try to take every opportunity to get better. My work ethic motivates the people around me because it shows my teammates that I’m willing to give my best effort for the team.”

Morris said Broderick’s dedication also makes her a dependable leader. “We ask a lot of her as a leader on our team, and she is happy to do that work,” Morris said.

Broderick’s connection to Andover field hockey runs deep in her family. She is one of three sisters to play for the school, following her older sisters Liv and Anna. Anna is now a senior who plays field hockey for Wesleyan University. Morris explained that Broderick originally wanted to play soccer before her parents encouraged her to follow in her sisters’ footsteps.

Morris added that Broderick’s love for the sport and willingness to put in the work will serve her as she moves forward into the collegiate level.

“I know that Chloe is going to take this mentality with her to Bates, where she will continue to be just as hardworking and successful,” Morris affirmed.

Articles

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

November 13, 2026

Mason Lawrence || STAFF WRITER

During one of the first two days at school, my friend Ryan McCarthy and I proceeded to go to lunch together. After getting our food and eating for a little bit, we decided we weren’t hungry any more. We wanted to go somewhere in the cafeteria and go over homework with each other’s work, and talk about other shared experiences, such as video games and watching sports—just like we used to do last year when we had lunch. As we were making our exit, a student advisor intervened and made us sit back down, because the new policy stated that no one was allowed to leave. Many feel this rule is not beneficial for other students to seek independence, have walking breaks, serve parts of our community, or practice certain religions.

Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and other specially offered programs may struggle to sit still, and I feel that for our community to succeed, individuals have to be able to succeed. These rules feel like “cookie cutter” rules, made for one type of student: but one size does not fit all.

Students with a wide range of needs (IEPs and other plans) in classrooms, also deserve to have their needs met outside of the classroom. Educator Rick Lavoie describes a metaphor using poker chips to represent students’ emotions in and out of the classroom, as well as other pre-existing emotions from home and other parts of their lives. When we talk about rules in schools, students have to buy into them, but some students don’t have the “chips” necessary to buy into these strict lunch rules.

Some students have IEPs and other plans, and some of the symptoms of these learning disabilities might mean they need to get up and move rather than sitting in one place. Maybe the best plan is to offer a space where people can take a few deep breaths and a nice walk. We can add a new idea of what lunch can be, and create a more individualized version of lunch, rather than this overly governed and restrictive model we have now.

Other students have needs that need to be met for religion– especially during the month of March for our Muslim students. Junior Aya Chaouchi said, “AHS could open part of the library for me and other Muslims.”

We can support these students by giving them alternate lunch spaces for the time when we gather in the cafeteria. “The school could put up posters to raise awareness about Ramadan to student and teachers,” said Chaouchi.

There Are Too Many Rules

November 13, 2026

By Christina Saad || ARTS EDITOR

We have all experienced it by now. Students stuck in the overcrowded cafeteria in the mornings. Struggling to memorize which caddy number their phone is in for each class. Fidgeting with the Minga system in an attempt to create a hall pass. Never in my life did I imagine I would have to submit an application to use the bathroom during class and then get waitlisted.

With each new school year comes a plethora of policies in an attempt to solve age-old problems like cheating, skipping, and distractions in class. The school administration has added new policies this year and reinforced old ones like the phone and bell policy. Some policies have proven effective, while others have caused inconvenience and frustration from students.

The phone policy requires students to put their phones in a case, usually located near the door, before each class. While this policy has existed for several years, the administration is reinforcing it in wake of an anticipated state-wide cell phone ban in schools.

The phone policy is just one initiative the school has taken to limit distractions during the school day. However, one new and entirely unrelated policy has unintentionally become the biggest distraction for students and teachers: the e-passes.

According to Assistant Principal Joanna Ganci, the e-pass system was added this year to prevent issues such as crowding in the hallways, abuse of the paper passes, and excessive paper usage. However, it has also caused new problems.

The e-pass requires a significant amount of time to fill out. There is also no universal way to fill out the passes: some teachers write passes for students themselves, some ask their students to fill them out on their own computer, and others keep a computer at the front of the classroom that is dedicated to filling out passes. While allowing students to fill out their passes limits the amount of time teachers waste writing passes, it does not prevent distractions completely. Every time a student needs to create a hall pass, they or their teacher must use a computer to do so. This is particularly detrimental to classes that do not use laptops frequently.

“If the students are going to sign themselves out and we’re not using laptops, the distraction of a student taking out a laptop and having to sign themselves out is a lot more than [what] it was with the older system,” said social studies teacher Michelle Chachus.

“It’s just more electronics,” Jacqueline Salvesen, a health teacher, said, expressing a similar sentiment.

More importantly, however, the e-pass system has left students, including me, feeling less inclined to use it. According to junior Sahithya Srinath, the complexity of the system makes it feel like a hassle to do something as simple as going to the bathroom.

In an environment meant to foster learning and self-development, the least desirable thing is for students to feel unwelcome. However, a certain number of policies and regulations can do just that.

The bell policy keeps students from leaving the cafeteria before 8:00 AM. According to assistant principal Holly Breen, this is meant to prevent unsupervised roaming around the school. This policy existed in the past, but was not strictly enforced. In previous years, students including Srinath would use this time to reach out to teachers, since it was often the easiest way to quickly communicate with them outside of class. Now, that is not a possibility. Srinath expressed a sense of disconnection from teachers as a result.

Additionally, several clubs and activities meet in the mornings, which conflicts with the purpose of the bell policy. There have been instances where I needed to attend a morning meeting and was essentially interrogated about my intentions. Regardless of the bell policy’s purpose, something is deeply wrong if I prefer to use a side entrance to attend a mandatory meeting in order to avoid hall monitors.

But, as much as we like to complain about them, school policies exist for a reason. They are meant to promote a safe, constructive environment for students to focus on their studies. However, sometimes there is no perfect solution to problems that these policies aim to prevent.

“If people don’t want to go to class or pay attention to class, they won’t, and [a new policy is] not going to stop them,” said junior Agrima Biswas.

Students will still roam the hallways, despite the complexities of the e-pass system. Students will be distracted during class, regardless of whether or not they have access to their phone.

Policies are essential in any academic environment, but there is a fine line between regulation and overregulation.

Performative Allegations and Going Analog: Students choose creativity over consumerism

November 13, 2026

Advika Singh || STAFF WRITER

Whether it’s using digital cameras or iPods, imitating analog media is all the rage. People spend weeks hunting down vintage-looking tech for the aesthetic, then immediately go document the experience on social media. In the end, this “offline” movement ends up keeping everyone logged on.

At AHS, students view these trends in a more positive light. Although social media puts immense pressure on teenagers, often labeling one as performative for posting a sketch or a favorite book– many students and faculty members disagree with that criticism. To them, making art is always worth it. Even if someone creates something to gain clout it is still better than not creating at all.

Being performative is viewed negatively, yet performative culture often serves as a stepping stone to exploring new hobbies. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, 63 percent of teens view social media as a place to express their creativity. Engaging with art, even if sparked by an online trend, still gets people reading, creating and experiencing.

“Peformative art is still art, but it can be annoying,” said senior and co-president of the AHS National Art Honor Society (NAHS) Brianna Yu. “I remember the ‘you need to nerd out’ trend. There’s a lack of personality that comes with these trends but you can’t do art performatively. You can enjoy the aesthetic, but if you’re making it yourself, that’s not a performance.”

The desire to participate in online trends increasingly intersects with consumer culture. Like the sudden popularity of vinyl, digital cameras that mimic analog, and the wider #analog movement seen across social platforms. These trends showcase genuine desire for tangible experiences in a digital age but also create an environment where buying the aesthetic is a substitute for engaging in the craft. According to the New York Post, teens spend an average of 4.5 hours a day on their phones, making the pivot towards physical media feel like a bold statement.

“People are seeking out older tech because of overexposure to technology, and stuff being pushed onto them, when they don’t even want it,” explained math teacher Corey Cheever.

Past eras are often romanticized because they represent a time before social media. Today, consumer culture takes advantage of that very nostalgia. Companies sell the look of being retro or creative before we figure out if we actually care about the hobby itself, leaving us buying into an aesthetic because it’s what we’re being fed.

Even something simple like reading gets turned into a performance. Online, books are treated less like stories to immerse yourself in and more like accessories to display how niche you are. However, this performative culture also brings new ways to engage. English teacher Jennifer Percival sees a middle ground between finding a connection and sharing for an audience.

“People using books to increase their fan base and gain followers, that defeats the point of enjoying a book and recommending it to others,” said Percival. “It’s the nature of the world we live in, to be honest. However, if someone who is an avid reader stumbles upon a book because an influencer pushed the title on to them, does it matter? It does not seem different than a book club or someone looking at what their friend is reading from a Goodreads list. This is just another type of community.”

English teacher Rebekah Gerard pointed out being performative is a gateway to figuring out who you are. “If you are doing something performatively, you should ask if you’re faking it until you’re making [it and if] it’s something that will eventually become a part of your identity or if you’re doing it to be perceived in a certain way.”

When the prevalence of social media pushes perception over passion, the true value of human effort can get lost behind algorithms and curated perfection. Buying the right camera or reading the right books is an easy shortcut to looking cultured without doing the work. Consumerism hands us the aesthetic and social media acts as a stage to perform it. Yet, starting an interest online doesn’t make it fake.

“When photography was invented, people said art was done,” explained Yu. “That’s when impressionism happened. And impressionism is arguably the most important movement in art, and I think it’ll adapt in the same way with social media.”

Ultimately, performative culture and social media aren’t killing creativity but altering how we encounter it. Beneath these trends remains the desire to create, connect and express. As senior and NAHS co-president Qiqi Wang said “When everything online becomes hyper-perfect, the imperfections of real human ideas and mistakes become even more valuable.”

Articles Arts

Editorial Cartoon

November 13, 2026

Mason Lawrence || STAFF WRITER

NAHS Will Draw Your Posters

November 13, 2026

By Clara Strong || COPY EDITOR

To combat the use of posters made by artificial intelligence (AI), students in AHS’s chapter of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) are volunteering to draw posters and other art for AHS organizations.

Brianna Yu, senior and co-president of the local chapter of NAHS, and the other NAHS co-presidents will be facilitating communication between organizations and artists. They will connect organizations who want posters or other art pieces with willing student artists, and match the art style of the student to the preferred style of the art. There are already flyers up around the school that allow organizations to request art. Also, student artists will receive volunteer hours for their work.

Yu came up with the idea after seeing posts from NAHS chapters at other schools about making flyers to reduce AI use. She emphasized the detrimental effects of AI use on art, artists, and the environment.

“[AI-generated art] is not art. It’s generative. It sucks. Like, get a talent with such a skill issue,” Yu said. “No one wants to see AI in schools. People use it because it’s convenient, it’s quick, it’s easy. But you have such a talented student body at your hands.”

Carly Penney, art teacher and the advisor to NAHS, said, “Making art is vulnerable, but it’s a safe way to improve your tolerance for healthy risk-taking in your work… Substituting this experience with AI is not going to help you grow as a person or artist.”

“If we want to do something where it’s like, oh, we need one post every single week, we can’t really do that,” Yu explained. “But if somebody needs… a flyer by this deadline, I can easily distribute that type of work to whoever wants to take it.”

Yu said that the initiative was also a way to spread awareness of the Fine Arts program at the school, which she explained often doesn’t get much funding.

Brendan Locke is a senior and a member of NAHS who plans to help draw posters. “School is a place where too many people use AI instead of working harder,” he said. “I want to design these posters that otherwise would be made with AI to show everyone how much better art with a soul, made by a soul looks… NAHS will show that human effort always comes out better than using AI.”

Locke said, “I am worried that using AI to solve every problem you have will lead to a future where no one knows how to make any decisions for themselves, artistic or not.”

Cafeteria Handles Serving Time Changes

November 13, 2026

Areeta Faiz || OPINIONS EDITOR

This year, changes have been made in terms of when the cafeteria serves lunch on half days and breakfast.

Late breakfast is being served to students from 9-9:30 AM instead of any time before 10:30. During half days, lunches one to four are to be incorporated into the schedule and will be available in 15-minute windows beginning at 9:44 AM.

Breakfast will not change between 7:45-8:15 on half or full days. The shorter window after 9 was an administrative decision to minimize the number of students wandering throughout the building and ensure they get to class in a timely manner. However, the half-day lunches were a different situation, according to Taylor Pirog, Director of Food Services.

“The Department of Education requires [students]…to have what’s called ‘seat time’ on a half day to eat lunch,” Pirog said. The National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act state that meals must be served in a congregate setting and must be consumed by participants on site if the day extends beyond 10 AM. This means that lunch will no longer be served after school, so timing is a natural concern.

“It likely won’t be as busy as a regular lunch day,” predicted Pirog prior to the first half day on October 9. “I’d hate for someone to wait in line for 15 minutes and then not have a chance to eat.”

Everyone involved will work hard to troubleshoot those situations as they go. The Office for Food and Nutrition Programs recognizes the potential for operational difficulties and allows schools to offer an expedited service by simplifying their menus.

“We’re going to have really quick, fast style grab-and-go meals like sandwiches and pizzas,” Pirog said. Instead of hot entrees that take time to serve, menus will also feature more snack and breakfast-style options.

Staff and students tend to understand the change but feel similarly about the situation.

“I see what’s happening, but I’m literally eating lunch at 9:44 for 10 minutes,” said sophomore Myer Dawson. “This is more of a weird brunch.”

Adrienne Ritchey, operations supervisor of the cafeteria, noted that the lunch staff now serves about double the number of kids than they used to on half days. “[Before the change], it was quicker and there was more time for the staff,” said Ritchey on the October 9 half day. “Bottom line, we liked it better [before].”

The half day lunch mandate applies to all high schools that are part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Eligible participants like AHS receive federal cash reimbursements and food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. NSLP school meals are also held to a higher standard for quality and nutrition.

Articles

Sufferin’ Succotash! Coyote vs. Acme is a Riot

November 13, 2026

Michael Catino || CORRESPONDENT

If you have seen any theatrical shorts featuring the silent duo Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner, then you’ll know all about the signature brand used in the many attempts to catch the Roadrunner: Acme. From the green Bat-Man’s Outfit to the falling anvils, this company’s gadgets have been known to blow up in the coyote’s face since his debut cartoon, Fast and Furry-ous. But all that changes in the live action/animation hybrid film Coyote vs. Acme, where we get to see this cartoon star enact some revenge on this global corporation.

Loosely based on Ian Frazier’s New Yorker article, also called Coyote vs. Acme, this film follows Wile E.’s legal battle against the Acme Corporation for selling him faulty products; he is assisted by his washed up personal injury lawyer, Kevin Avery, and his niece, Paige–the overenthusiastic law student from Harvard. Initially, Avery is uninterested in taking Acme to court, fearing the “biggest corporation in the world” could run him out of business. But thanks to the hijinks of Wile E. Coyote, the firm soon finds itself facing off against Acme’s top lawyer, Buddy Crane, and its CEO, Foghorn Leghorn, first going to court in coyote’s hometown of Albuquerque, then taking the case all the way to a Congressional Hearing in Washington DC.

Coyote vs. Acme is filled with hilarious gags highlighting the classic rivalry of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner from the original Warner Bros. cartoons. This is blended with the humorous and often frustrating challenges faced by a washed up lawyer like Avery, who has a cartoon for a client. And while he and Paige seek information on Acme and its confidential programs, the coyote seems to also have some other hidden motives for pursuing the case, putting him at odds with Avery in a not-so-serious plot twist that challenges their already complicated relationship.

Though I laughed my way through this movie, I found the ending to be somewhat disappointing. While not so egregious that it ruins the plot or takes away from the viewing experience, the way it did end feels very rushed in a film that, up to this point, has built up its story from the usual formula of the coyote chasing the Roadrunner to bringing the lawsuit against Acme to Congress with good, consistent pacing. Overall, despite its flaws, Coyote vs. Acme is great for anyone looking to have a fun time with Wile E. and the crew from Avery’s law firm on the TV screen or in your local theater.