Executive Editor Jumps Ship

• June 11, 2026

Tommy Kruecker-Green || EXECUTIVE EDITOR

After careful consideration and a complicated relationship with Adobe InDesign, Tommy Kruecker-Green has decided to retire from ANDOVERVIEW, effective immediately.

Joining Newspaper Production in sophomore year felt natural, Kruecker-Green said. Inevitable, even. “Not only do I naturally love to write,” he explained, “but it was like stepping back into freshman ELA.” Not the English 9 classroom, which he describes as a windowless room optimistically decorated with fairy lights and warmly lit with floor lamps—but the camaraderie within, at one special table with fellow students and future co-editors Isabella Yan and Saarvi Deshwal. Whatever Saarvi reported back freshman year about the enigmatic Mr. Aubrey apparently left Kruecker-Green intrigued. 

Kruecker-Green arrived at ANDOVERVIEW sophomore year ready to write. He left sophomore year ready to InDesign. Multiple eyewitnesses, including well-abused Command+Z keys, can report otherwise.

According to Kruecker-Green, nobody had thought to mention that the layout program operates on principles yet to be fully understood by modern science. “Move a caption a millimeter up and it vanishes into a dimension from which it cannot be retrieved,” Kruecker-Green reported. And he learned the hard way that there is no autosave. But he stuck through. Imagine Kruecker-Green’s pride when, after reaching a higher stage of newsroom evolution, he saw others struggling and knew he could actually help, explaining text justification while still privately guessing what the heck that meant. This was a newfound responsibility, one that he embraced, and one he says he will miss.

Kruecker-Green considers the introduction of the satire column as the “single greatest addition to this paper” during his time at the newspaper. “I will not pretend I didn’t enjoy writing those pieces the most,” he admitted, “nor did I approach them with appropriate restraint.” After the publication of a certain article pertaining to the filming of a horror movie in the legendary Dirt Room, Kruecker-Green received a text with a photo of the headline—the satire section label notably absent—accompanied by the urgent question: “Chat is this real??” 

“A useful demonstration of how misinformation spreads,” Kruecker-Green says optimistically through gritted teeth, “which I offer free of charge to any media literacy curriculum looking for a case study.”

This past year also brought a more formative journalistic experience, Kruecker-Green said. He had already come to the uncomfortable realization that with great journalism comes great responsibility. An article proved difficult to report for reasons outside his control, and navigating that situation taught him a lot. He said, “Naturally many stories have a lot more beneath the surface than is initially visible. Figuring out what you can responsibly do with that information, in a school environment, with all the constraints that entails, is difficult. What do you owe the reader versus what do you owe the people involved? And how do you tell the reader what they need to know without oversimplifying complex subjects?” Kruecker-Green believes this is what real journalism is about.

Kruecker-Green talks fondly of the evenings spent at the whiteboard with Isabella and Saarvi, mapping out each issue’s layout—where each article would go, what front-page stories would get jumped to an interior page. Those sessions also inevitably devolved into drawing things on the board that Kruecker-Green hopes will never be publicly released.

Kruecker-Green will miss the walks before class, trying to get a breath of fresh air after seven hours in the building before committing to two more. (He said he will miss them slightly less than Isabella does due to “a tick incident.”) He will miss the daily news quiz Kahoot, which he approached with a level of competitiveness that was disproportionate to any prize, since there was none. “I will miss, believe it or not, the dead silence that falls over the room when I ask for editorial ideas. The HVAC system, reliable in no other aspect, could always be counted on to cut out at this moment,” Kruecker-Green added. “I think it’s trying to show some solidarity.”

He will miss running late to class, half a dozen donuts in tow after a trip downtown in Saarvi’s car, involving parking decisions he describes as “brave.” He will miss her dedication, including her willingness to upload final issues at 4:30 in the morning. He will miss Isabella’s heroic organizational instincts and reminders. He will miss the other newspaper editors and staff whose collective efforts produce a great newspaper.

“And Mr. Aubrey, I will miss you,” Kruecker-Green said. “I have always admired your calm, steady mentorship, even at times when the ship seemed adrift in a sea of missed deadlines, nonexistent photos, interviewees gone AWOL, and other newsroom disasters. Thank you for believing in me, and in all of us.” 

According to Kruecker-Green, there is more room in this paper—and probably more places in your life than you’d expect—to be creative, and to make an impact. “An editorial I wrote was brought up by the principal at a staff meeting,” he said. “Of course, one does not anticipate these things when writing. One never knows which piece will reach the right audience. But you write anyway.” Kruecker-Green, not known to be a big talker, is emphatic that your words matter.

It has been four years at AHS, and three in room 224. Is it a cliché to say it all went by so fast? Kruecker-Green said, “Yes, but it’s only the truth. And you know, I would do every bit of it again. Adobe InDesign can never take this from me.”

Longtime Teacher, Hand Set to Retire

• June 11, 2026

Kaveri Dole || SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Stephanie Hand, a special education teacher at AHS since 2002 is set to retire at the end of this school year.

Hand dedicates herself to her students not just through teaching her inclusion science classes in the special education department, but also through managing individual cases of her students with disabilities with the required care and personalization.

Her classes tend to fall between three to four students, where for each student Hand writes and monitors Individual Education Programs (IEPs), which are legal documents for students with disabilities to support them in school that include instructions for care, any accommodations they may need, and any special services provided for them.

In reality, teaching is Hand’s second job, after previously working for the federal government Social Security administration. While she occasionally worked in instruction at her prior job, Hand says, “Theres nothing that compares to teaching.”

Hand originally got a Bachelors in Science for geology at the University of Michigan before her federal government job. After taking time off from that job to start a family, she sought an occupation that aligned with her new responsibilities as a mother. 

That is what drew Hand to teach non special education classes at Littleton in earth science, environmental science, and chemistry. Then, she obtained a master’s degree in special education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and subsequently joined the AHS special education department. “It was a whole different ballgame,” Hand said, recalling the shift she made to teaching.

“She will be missed,” says Ms. Thibedeau, another inclusion teacher in the AHS special education department. 

The AHS Special Education department is losing its science teacher to retirement at the end of this school year.

Stephanie Hand has taught inclusion and small-group science classes in the Special Education department at AHS since 2002, working with groups of three or four students at a time. Her retirement comes as the department continues to navigate budget constraints that staff say have already reduced the number of available teachers and support positions in recent years.

“There’s nothing that compares to teaching,” Hand said. “The teachers in this school are giving and sharing and just amazing colleagues.”

Hand’s responsibilities extend beyond the classroom. In addition to teaching, she manages student caseloads by writing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). IEPs are legally required documents for students with disabilities in public schools that outline the student’s specific learning needs, what accommodations and support they’ll receive, goals for their academic progress, and what services the school must provide.

It remains unclear who will take over Hand’s role next year. Department staff say the transition plan likely will not be finalized until the fall.

“She’ll be missed,” said Karen Thibedeau, a special education teacher at AHS, who has also worked in the department since 2010 and knows Hand personally. “She’s always been very engaging and inviting.”

Hand’s retirement highlights ongoing staffing pressures within the department. Thibedeau noted that she previously shared her classroom with Hand, but the co-teacher position was cut due to budget constraints. Under current guidelines, restoring the position would require a class of 16 students, a threshold the teacher described as too high given the individualized nature of special education instruction.

A portion of the department’s budget is also directed toward out-of-district placements—a legally mandated expense for school districts that cannot provide appropriate services locally. This includes special needs students living outside of Andover that still attend AHS for the specialized program. Staff say those costs reduce the funding available for in-district positions and support staff.

“It always comes down to numbers,” Thibedeau said, referring to budget restraints. “With a couple of the retirements, they don’t have to cut any positions, but they’re not adding any.”

That means staff who remain may absorb responsibilities previously held by those retiring, including coverage of Hand’s courses. Department teachers said they do not yet know how those assignments will be distributed.

Beyond staffing, special education teachers also raised concerns about AHS’s rotating eight-day schedule, which they believe creates challenges for a student population that benefits from consistency and routine. Students participating in off-campus work placements, such as internships at local businesses, face scheduling conflicts when academic classes fall on the same day as their placement.

“You go out in the real world, you’re working on a five-day schedule,” Thibedeau said. “Every day is different, it’s not really a set cascade.”

AHS Competes in ICDC, Earns Top-20 Finish

• June 11, 2026

Anushka Dole || ONLINE EDITOR

Four students from Andover High School travelled to Atlanta, Georgia, from April 25-29, to participate in the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC). Juniors Julia Walsh and Deena Droubi earned top-20 finalist placements in their event: Hospitality, Tourism, and Operations Research.

ICDC brings together qualifying students from around the world to compete in business-related events, the two main categories being roleplay and paper events. In roleplay events, competitors are given a prompt on the day of the competition, while in paper events, students spend months developing projects to present to judges.

“For [the] Independent Business category, you’re making your own business…and you have to be able to support it with financials and revenue projections,” said Rebecca John, AHS junior and one of the competitors at ICDC this year. “You’re proving…why your business would be successful compared to others out there.”

ICDC lasted five days, and DECA-related events extended beyond the competition itself. The competition included a preliminary and finalist round for each event, while students had many opportunities to explore Atlanta and participate in the DECA-sponsored activities.

“Massachusetts DECA did an ice cream social…we went outside, we explored Atlanta [and] met a lot of cool people,” John said. “It’s very much a networking kind of [event].”

This year, eleven Andover students qualified for the international competition, though only four ultimately attended. According to Shreya Soni, a junior at AHS who qualified for the Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making event, scheduling conflicts played a major role in preventing students from attending.

“The timing of DECA was a big factor,” Soni said. “The Scandiniavia trip was at the same time…[and] AP exams were the week after ICDC.”

Looking ahead to future seasons of DECA, both Soni and John emphasized the importance of consistent preparation and dedication in preparing for DECA competitions.

“If you really want to qualify [for ICDC], it’s important to…start early so you can make revisions as you go,” Soni said.

John echoed this sentiment.

“There’s definitely a positive correlation between the amount of effort you put in and how well you do,” she said.

Graduates Choose Nontraditional Paths

• June 11, 2026

Janaesa Macasaet || ARTS EDITOR

While many seniors plan to attend college immediately after high school, others choose a different route: taking a gap year. For seniors Sophia Call and Joe Desmarais, this opportunity provides growth and experience.

Desmarais decided to take a gap year to further pursue performance arts. A longtime member of the Theater Guild, he will attend a postgraduate program at Idyllwild Arts Academy next year. 

“It was mostly the prospect of an additional year of intensive training and experience,” Desmarais said. “I’m going into performance, so I feel like I’m going to need as much additional training and experience as I can get.”

Desmarais acknowledged the challenges of taking a nontraditional path. 

“It’ll be by far the longest living away from home I have ever done,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle it.” 

Call’s gap year will look vastly different, extending beyond a calendar year. She plans to spend 18 months in the Dominican Republic on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

“I knew it was perfect for me because I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in college and what to study,” Call said. “It gives me time to figure that out and set goals for my college career.” 

During her mission, Sophia will complete service projects, while speaking primarily Spanish. Though nervous about living alone in a foreign country, she is excited to help others and gain new opportunities. 

“I hope that with this gap year I can learn more about what I want to do in college, learn more about myself by helping others, and most of all grow closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ,” she said. 

Both students highlighted the stigma surrounding gap years. Call noted that students are led to think “there is one path after high school.” Desmarais encouraged students to not feel ashamed for taking time before college. 

“Don’t let society fool you: there is no shame in a gap year,” Desmarais said. 

Likewise, Call encouraged students to “consider what is really best for you, not just what others are influencing you to do.”

Guidance counselor Mary Testa even concluded that while not typical for Andover High School seniors, gap years can be “restorative and helpful” for students.

As graduation approaches, students like Desmarais and Call demonstrate the numerous ways students may achieve success.

Armstrong Named Distinguished Citizen

• June 11, 2026

Abby Chachus || STAFF WRITER

Math teacher and senior class advisor Scott Armstrong was honored as Andover High School’s Distinguished Citizen at graduation on June 1.

As senior and graduation committee member Kari Belson put it, he is “more than just a teacher,” he is also a source of “support and encouragement” for students across the school. According to Belson, seniors felt that he “really shows up for the students and the school.”

Belson’s speech emphasized how Armstrong “understands that we are more than just students—we are people balancing busy schedules, responsibilities, and challenges.” She added that “he doesn’t just teach the material, he prepares us for what comes next,” and he encourages them to “support one another as a community.”

Armstrong said that he felt “honored and surprised” when the seniors selected him. He said he appreciated being recognized and felt humbled by his selection. He spoke highly of the hard work put in by past recipients.

He also took time during an interview to give the graduating class a short message. “The world needs good people,” he said. “Go out and make the world a better place.”

Senior class co-advisor Holly Breen said Armstrong deserves the award because of the “unwavering dedication” he shows to every student at AHS. She called him a “strong advocate for all kids” who makes sure students feel “seen, heard and included” while also pushing them to participate in plays, concerts, games, and other school events.

Breen said Armstrong holds students and colleagues to a high standard because he believes in their potential, while also creating a place where everyone feels “valued and welcome.” She added, “he works tirelessly not only for his students, but also for his family and the entire AHS community.”

She also notes that many people do not realize how much he does “behind the scenes,” including helping bring back the Homecoming dance in a more inclusive way. In her view, “his efforts often happen quietly in the background, but they have made a lasting difference in creating a welcoming and connected experience for students at AHS.”

EDITORIAL: AHS Fire Drills Need a Reality Check

• June 11, 2026

In just two weeks, Andover High School students evacuated three times due to fire alarms. On Friday, May 8, the alarm sounded during fourth block. The first time especially, confusion about evacuation procedures was ever-present.

The alarm on May 8 disrupted lunch block. Because our planned fire drills are never during fourth block, what students in the cafeteria were meant to do was left unclear. 

Additionally, students taking AP Economics had just started the AP Macroeconomics exam in the field house on May 18. Prior to testing, no instruction on what to do in the case of an emergency was given, causing a chaotic environment during the alarm. Students were unsure whether they should exit the building, and upon leaving, they were asked to stay by the doors—an unsafe position in the case of a true emergency. 

Though our school fire drills typically pass smoothly, these past evacuations proved that students, teachers, and administrators are not fully prepared for real alerts. We at ANDOVERVIEW are concerned that if there had been a real emergency during the alarms on May 8 or May 18, something could have gone seriously wrong due to the lack of communication. 

Fire drills are meant to prepare schools for unpredictable emergencies, yet our drills often occur under the same controlled circumstances: during morning blocks, with students seated in their normal classrooms. Real emergencies, however, are unpredictable. They can happen during lunch, passing periods, and exams. The confusion seen during AHS’s recent evacuations suggests that our current preparation may not fully reflect those realities.

The AHS community deserves reassurance that emergency procedures are clear and effective, no matter the circumstance. We hope these incidents encourage improved communication surrounding emergency situations, and a reevaluation of student and staff preparation for them.

The Powerhouse of the School: How Jimmy D’Andrea’s Devotion and Spirit Energizes the AHS Community

• June 5, 2026

Samin Faiz & Areeta Faiz || STAFF WRITER AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

“Good mornin’”

“Helloo!”

“Heyyhowyoudoin’?”

A familiar, vaguely Southern cadence breaks you from your stupor. It’s 7:45 a.m. Groggily, you daydream about all the things you’d do to get back under the covers as you draw nearer to those dreadful blue doors.

“How are you?”

You take out an AirPod and offer the principal a friendly nod. You don’t consciously think about how you’re doing, but the smile you thought you forced seems to warm you up inside. He turns to greet the next student without losing an ounce of enthusiasm.

Over the rustle of chairs and sleepy murmur of your classroom, the voice of Andover High School Principal Jimmy D’Andrea recites the pledge. Cheerily, he goes through his usual announcements, praising the recent accomplishments of your peers—just as he did on his Sunday call the night before.

After Chemistry fries your brain, you decide to open Instagram and fry it some more. Before you can feast your eyes on Korean street food, four new stories from @andoverprincipal catch your eye: A comprehensive victory for the basketball team, upcoming state band competitions, an eventful show choir season—and now he’s in Houston with the robotics team?

At long last, the lunch bell rings. You’ve barely scraped the last of your meal when a bubbly “Hello! Trash, anyone?” drifts into earshot. You look up, puzzled, to see D’Andrea—wait, wasn’t he just in Texas?—pushing a garbage bin as he navigates his way through the cafeteria.

After school, he even set time aside for the two authors of this very piece—the ones who badgered him for an interview—minutes after hanging up from a meeting.

You’re not even wondering how he does it anymore. The only question you have left to ask yourself is why?

“Over February break, I spent one day at UMass Amherst with Science Olympiad. The following day, there was the state swim meet, followed by the state track meet. The following Monday, there were a couple of basketball games,” said D’Andrea. “On Tuesday, I was with robotics getting ready for the trip. Wednesday, we had basketball, and Thursday through Sunday, I was in Washington, D.C. with one of our robotics teams.”

Somehow, the most difficult adjustment for him has little to do with his demanding schedule: “I will say, the biggest challenge is that this is the furthest North I’ve ever lived in winter.”

D’Andrea is aware that things can get hectic at times. “But if you love what you do, then you really enjoy it;the students give me energy,” he beamed.

His efforts are most notably documented on his Instagram page. Students, faculty, and families are fascinated all the same.

“It’s super cool that he updates the accounts every hour of every day—I’m all for it,” said senior Kian Keyhan, the captain of the science team. “I know a lot of people outside of the Andover community who also follow the school, like AHS alumni or kids from other schools.”

His active presence—both inside and outside the building—serves to make every student feel respected, valued, and seen. From the start, D’Andrea has devoted much of his time to turning that goal into reality.

“My first impression was that he was genuinely excited to be here,” said Assistant Principal Alicia Linsey. “He took the time to listen, ask questions, and … all summer he held office hours to meet members of our community and learn more about AHS.”

Engineering and math teacher David Strong, who is also a parent at AHS, notes D’Andrea’s efforts at making sure athletic, academic, musical, and artistic achievements are all adequately represented: “He’s very equal opportunity in terms of trying to provide a visible power.”

One pattern D’Andrea noticed early on was that while students felt deeply connected to their extracurricular communities, they rarely ever felt that connection with the school. As a result, helping students feel part of something greater remains one of his top priorities. Encouraging a first-name basis plays an instrumental role in doing so.

“He wants to really … build that connection with the new generation, with us teenagers,” Keyhan added.

“It’s funny because I would say that has happened at every school where I’ve been,” D’Andrea said, though it initially started because students struggled with his last name, which wasn’t uncommon early in his teaching career.

With his approachability, a truly special student-principal relationship blossoms at AHS. Try as you might, however, you can’t get D’Andrea to take credit as he humbly tilts the spotlight to the student body instead.

“I’ve been extremely impressed,” he said. “I think our students are amazing. There are so many incredible things that are happening on a daily basis.”

As a student-centered decision-maker, D’Andrea brings a high level of enthusiasm everyday, whether it’s in meetings, classrooms, or school events. In a school powered by the energy of its community, he is determined to create an atmosphere of compassion and keep pace as a catalyst for student ambition.

“I’m sure all students would agree,” said Linsey. “What really makes Mr. D’Andrea stand out is his presence.”

A Numbness We Can’t Afford

• May 7, 2026

ANYA GOROVITS || OPINIONS EDITOR

In the 365 days of 2025, the U.S. saw 407 mass shootings.These shootings were part of a broader gun violence crisis that caused tens of thousands of deaths across the country, including 226 children and 1,038 teens killed in mass shootings alone, according to the Gun Violence Archive’s official 2025 report.

Most Americans are aware of this stark reality: they’ve watched these numbers rise each year for decades. They watch countless shootings shown hurriedly on the news before returning to their daily lives. In school, students briefly discuss the latest tragedy in their history class before returning to the standard curriculum. Legislators put out quick statements before quickly moving on.

“[Mass shootings] have become a symbol of American culture and American freedom,” said sophomore Ari Friedman. Indeed, they’ve become almost synonymous with America’s identity, present in our history since the 1966 University of Texas Tower Shooting. On the World Population Review’s mass shooting map, most countries report 0–10 mass shootings from 2000–2022. The U.S. reports 109.

A pivotal moment for modern school shooting conversation was the Columbine shooting of 1999, during which two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher. The event fundamentally reshaped how schools, law enforcement, and the public regarded gun violence.

“When Columbine occurred, that was a time that really changed the national consciousness,” said AHS Principal Jimmy D’Andrea. Then came Sandy Hook in 2012, a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that killed 20 first graders and 6 staff members. Rather than a turning point toward action, this shooting marked a new stage: acceptance. News of recent shootings no longer came as a surprise, and such stories quickly stopped making headlines.

Today, school-age students all around America have become used to yearly ALICE drills. 

“The fact we even have to do these drills is dystopian, but I’ve usually just gone with it. It’s a fact of life,” said sophomore Ari Friedman.

School shootings should never be a fact of life.

“You can’t allow it to numb you, because that’s how things that aren’t normal become normal,” said junior Grace Arnold. Yet that is exactly what has happened. This country has watched children be killed in their classrooms, again and again, and decided that the right to own a gun matters more than the right of a child to survive the school day.

Though communities advocate for “policy not prayers” after each major shooting, nothing ever seems to reach Congress. Around 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks, yet they haven’t been passed, killed by political opposition funded by gun industry lobbying. 

“Profits matter more than people in America,” said AHS history teacher Fred Hopkins. He described how the Second Amendment’s true purpose has become severely distorted. Originally written to enable collective militia defense in a newfound country with limited defense capabilities, the amendment is now interpreted as the right of every American to own murderous weapons. 

Beyond gun legislation, school shootings are driven by a crisis in mental health and an American culture that seems to value silence over support.

Today, America’s emphasis on individualism has created an outlet for violence. AHS junior Tyler Bates expressed that this individualism discourages struggling students from asking for help, leading to their desire for violent expression.

“If people are still angry, this anger and aggressiveness will come out one way or another,” said AHS French teacher Olga Kostousova, who believes that gun restriction laws are very necessary, but they work only if we also address the deeper cause of violence.

Ending this crisis requires both stronger gun legislation and a cultural reckoning around mental health. It requires universal background checks, and real investment in mental health resources at the community level. It requires a culture that stops making shooters famous and starts recognizing people in crisis before it’s too late.

Most of all, it requires refusing to be numb. Many people today feel that there is not much that can be done on a legislative level to achieve peace for American children. They feel that just taking this horror as “a fact of life” is better and simpler than fighting for change. They believe that ordinary people have no voice and no ability to change this cynical symbol of America. Yet it is this belief that limits our ability to stand up for the lives of American children.

“I absolutely have hope that change is possible. But people kind of have to wake up and choose to be affected by it,” said Arnold.

In 2018, survivors of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, organized a national walkout that drew hundreds of thousands of participants. The pressure was enough to push Florida to pass its first significant gun restriction legislation in decades. So ordinary people, students especially, do have power. When enough people speak up, change does occur. But when we remain numb, we refuse change, and we let our schools remain war zones.

Four hundred seven mass shootings in one year. Two hundred twenty seven dead children. 

These are not statistics to scroll past. They are a demand, one that has gone unanswered because too many people have decided to stop asking for change. America, and Americans, have the power to choose differently. The true question is whether we will, before another classroom becomes a tragedy we forget by next week.

Bubble, Bubble, Toil, Trouble: Failures of Scantron tests

• May 7, 2026

ADVIKA SINGH ll STAFF WRITER

Are Scantrons a lifesaver or mistake? At Andover High School, the jury is still out. Many favor the quick results, while others say a few filled-in circles doesn’t show what a student really knows. As we keep bubbling in answers, one big question remains: Are we choosing easy grading over critical thinking?

Let’s be realistic: teachers are human. They need sleep and aren’t trying to decipher every student’s chicken-scratch handwriting. For those managing classes the size of a small village, Scantrons aren’t just a tool but a life raft.

“When you have large classes taking large, multiple choice tests, Scantrons can help speed up the grading,” forensics teacher Cole Hauser noted. He suggested the efficiency of the exam benefited both students and teachers: “There’s a quick turnaround on feedback for the assessment. Students are able to see how they did almost right away which can be helpful, especially for students who feel a lot of post-test anxiety.”

In contrast, English teacher Jennifer Percival chooses to skip the bubbles entirely, believing English should focus more on skill development. “I suppose if I gave Scantron tests, feedback would be faster, but I also think … it would be difficult for me to ‘see’ a student’s thinking,” said Percival. “Unless part of the assessment required students to defend their answers, I wouldn’t be able to see the thought process.” 

Furthermore, I believe using Scantrons for subjects such as English and math is unreasonable. English relies on subjectivity and the ability to defend an opinion, none of which is captured by filling in a bubble. Similarly, in math, the process of solving problems is often more important than the answer. When we use Scantrons, we shift focus from critical thinking to luck and accuracy. Education should be focused on our ability to demonstrate intellectual growth and the ‘why’ behind answers, and not centered on a score spit out from a machine.

The subject a teacher instructs often determines the practicality of Scantrons. While many educators appreciate the efficiency they bring to subjects requiring memorization, like science or social studies, freshman Maria Barsegov believes some classes are a better fit for the technology than others. “It’s okay to use Scantrons for social studies because there isn’t solving or thinking, but that it’s unfair to use for math or English,” she observed. In her view, subjects that involve showing work should allow students to demonstrate their abilities.

The student body at AHS is just as split as teachers. While teachers focus on “feedback” and “efficiency” students are more concerned about how the format affects their actual grades. The biggest complaint among students is the lack of partial credit. On a Scantron, you are either 100 percent right or 100 percent wrong.

As a student, I’m familiar with Scantron exams, and to put it bluntly, I detest them. While I empathize with teachers who are tempted by prospects of a lighter workload, these benefits are outweighed by academic costs for students. For struggling students, partial credit is often the line between a C and a D+ or a C+ and a B, and losing that opportunity greatly alters your overall grade.

Junior Adelelaide Buzay found Scantrons stressful. “Scantron tests are efficient but don’t allow room for mistakes. I find them confusing,” she stated. This sentiment is common among students who believe Scantrons to be unfair. An anonymous freshman shared a story about a teacher reliant on Scantron exams: “I have a teacher who gives no partial credit and only does multiple choice and … her tests only have a few questions which makes it harder.” When a test only has ten to twenty questions, each bubble carries a massive weight. Without room for partial credit, students are left distressed.

Despite concerns of fairness and partial credit, the siren song of Scantrons still calls to many. For some, the stress of waiting weeks for a teacher to grade something is more dreadful than the grade itself. Freshman Bhavika Sharma stated, “ I like Scantron exams because the results return quickly.” In a high-pressure environment, this nearly-instant feedback allows students to see their mistakes without the anxiety of a long wait.

It’s ironic for students to be told to think outside the box, when only being rewarded for filling it in. It’s better if a teacher is reading your work because the machine can only see lead marks on a paper, and not the person holding the pencil. A Scantron can’t see the logic, effort, or the ‘almosts’ defining how people actually learn. We’ve built a culture that values convenience over students’ abilities. By handing grades over to a machine, we aren’t just losing partial credit but the most important part of education: growth.

Capstone Pass System Carries On

• May 7, 2026

JANAESA MACASAET || ARTS EDITOR

Principal Jimmy D’Andrea has confirmed that passes that allow Capstone students to leave campus for research purposes will remain for the next year, denying rumors that they would be completely eliminated. 

Seniors in the Capstone Research class spend the year answering a question through both qualitative and quantitative methods. These passes allow students to leave campus for primary research. They may interview professionals, complete case studies, run experiments, or utilize outside resources such as Memorial Hall Library using these passes. 

Entering the school year, the status of the passes were initially unclear, concerning a number of students. 

“Multiple students have met with me because there were rumors circulating that I wanted to get rid of the CAPS passes, which was not accurate,” said D’Andrea. “I just want to make sure that we knew if a student was leaving, and then making sure that they were getting back.”

According to Capstone teacher Rebecca D’Alise, the passes were under review at the start of the year as school administration and staff worked through logistics. 

“The status at the beginning of the year was ‘To Be Determined,’” said D’Alise. “As a CAPS team, we were asked to work with administrators to make sure that there were strong protocols put into place to make sure that students [were] able to utilize this unique experience while also adhering to school expectations and safety requirements.”

Senior Kari Belson explained that at the start of the year, many students believed they would not have access to the Capstone passes at all. Belson’s project is focused on menstrual health education in elementary schools, which is greatly eased by the passes. 

“For some people, it was an issue to not have those Capstone passes,” Belson said. “A lot of research, especially observational studies, can only happen during the school day.”

After deliberation, passes were later made available, but the delay made it challenging for students such as herself, whose topic is focused on elementary schools, to start their primary research. “It was really important for me to have that opportunity,” she said. 

Other students echoed the idea that Capstone passes are essential. Senior Claire Woodring emphasized that these projects benefit from real-world interaction that cannot be done inside the classroom.  

“If a student can’t continue their research until they do an interview, or something similar that can’t happen in the school building, arguably more time is wasted by Caps students not doing anything in class because they can’t make any progress on their work in the classroom,” Woodring said. 

Woodring added that while misuse may occur, the removal of passes would limit opportunities for meaningful research. “I think it’s important to keep in mind that this is a senior-only class,” Woodring said. “The people taking it are, or are about to be, adults, who are going to have to be responsible for themselves, and a special privilege like the Caps Pass is an opportunity to work on that.”

The passes remain available, with a few changes made to the system. The process to request a pass has not changed—students and teachers have their own personal conversations if there is a need for a pass, often requiring the student to be in good academic standing in the class. 

Otherwise, passes can now only be used during long blocks or last blocks to ensure that students come back to school on time; students must ensure that their interviews are held within safe locations; students must retrieve all of their items before signing out to leave. 

“We just want to make sure that we know where students are and that they’re getting back to school,” D’Andrea said.

D’Alise mentioned that another significant change involves the use of Memorial Hall Library during the secondary research phase. Previously, students were able to use the library for both primary and secondary research—now, passes can only be used for primary research, such as observations and interviews. 

D’Andrea emphasized that the review process was for the system to be improved and for students’ safety to be maintained. 

“I think the program has always been great. I had some questions about the process for the passes, and I think the collaboration with the teachers has been really positive,” said D’Andrea. “I’m a big supporter of the program because I think it’s great to give students an opportunity to do deep research in something that they’re interested in.” 

D’Alise emphasized that the pass system enriches the Capstone course and has lifelong benefits. 

“I would be extremely disappointed to see the [Capstone] pass eliminated from this class as it presents students with the opportunity to develop a number of skill sets beyond primary research, such as maturity, accountability, and responsibility,” D’Alise said. “These are skills that students will need as they leave AHS.”