THE PAW PRINT

The PAW PRINT was created to showcase the things KO students are doing in core and Encore classes as well as all around our campus. In each issue we will publish student writing and art in addition to articles, interviews and entertainment.

Welcome to The Paw Print, KO's very own E-magazine! Our Ezine is just like a school newspaper, but we will be fully digital. The Paw Print is a place where all KO students can submit their amazing work. We know we have lots of writers and artists on campus who may not ordinarily have their creations showcased, so we are here to give them a space to do that! Do you write poetry? Stories? Songs? Do you doodle amazing things? Do you create video content? We want to highlight what you are doing!

If you would like to have your work published, please fill out the google form! It must, of course, be school appropriate. Depending on your preference and comfort level, we can post with your name in the credits or we can post anonymously.

Each issue will contain student work, along with book and movie reviews, interviews, polls and information about the amazing things students are doing on campus. The Paw Print is about YOU, so please share your amazing creations with us so that we can share them school wide! Our goal is to publish monthly, but we cannot do that without your submissions.

Please follow us on Instagram @thepawprintezine to know when the latest issue will drop! You can access our website from the KO website homepage under the Students tab or click here: https://sites.google.com/nv.ccsd.net/ezine/home

Thank you! We look forward to showing off your amazing talent!

Mrs. O'Brien and The Paw Print staff

If you would like your work to be considered for publication in The Paw Print, please complete the form and attach your work. You can only submit one item per form.

https://forms.gle/xYgS8uenonmQwYXz7

Do you want to shout out one of your friends for being amazing? Want to wish someone a happy birthday or thank someone for something? Just complete this form to have your shout out included in the next issue! Please be aware that publishing dates vary.

https://forms.gle/PbtUkZcVBjLmvYxY8

Thank you so much for always being there for me and making me laugh!!!!

Thanks to Camryn for always being by my side since day one! You are always special in my heart and I hope to spend more time with you!

I give this shout out to my friend Adrian because he's kind, generous, giving and willing to help others if they need help on something. He always helps me with what I need and he helps me with class work. He also supports me when I don't feel good.

I want to shout out my best friend Alice because she has always been there for me for my highs and lows I hope we are best friends forever because I don't think I could get along with someone else how I do with you. You make me happy. I love you!

Could never have made it through orchestra without you! Thanks for putting up with my nonsense all the time. I'd officially be lost without you. You owe me snacks.

Maya you are the funniest and nicest person I've ever met. I'm so proud of you, but I'm really sad because I won't be able to see you again once this semester ends. I'll miss you a bunch! I love you, Maya!

You're the funniest person ever dude! Anytime I talk to you I feel like I'm watching an Adam Sandler movie or watching Mr. Fluffly. You're a super cool person and thanks for being my friend king!

Grim birthday, Casey misses you! Where's your hair? You owe me a Kirk.

Thank you for being my friends and I hope we can all have the lives we want and need!

I want to tell Axel, that I am glad you are my friend, you have always been there for me during my ups and downs, you never judged me for who I am, you are extremely nice and understanding. Thank you for being a great friend.

For three months single you are doing pretty good!

I wish you have a good Christmas and I lowkey wish you get all the Josuke merch you could ever want. Sometimes I wonder what got you so deep into JJBA but you know what? You do you bucko. You a lil' weirdo, but thats funny :3 😛

I am shouting out Axel because he's an amazing friend, and he's actually having good grades and coming to school.

Thank you for always making sure nobody is getting ignored, even on accident, and matching everyone’s energy. It’s nice to always have someone to talk to. You’re there for everyone, and I appreciate it. A lot. Thank you, Jasper. You’re a good friend.

Thank you for being a good friend and cousin.

I am shouting out Charlie because he is a really supportive friend, always there, and never leaves during peoples time of need. I wish I knew Charlie last year. Good luck in high school, bro!

Talk to the Paw is where Cougars help Cougars! Each issue, our student advice team answers your questions about school, friends, and everything in between—with honesty, humor, and heart. All submissions will be posted anonymously.

https://forms.gle/Mrm2QipaBaG3gQSv6

If someone likes you, their actions would be more focused and more purposeful when it’s about you specifically. Frequent eye contact, physical touch, nervousness when around you, playful teasing, and jealousy are all other signs that they would like you.

When they are just being nice, his behavior is consistent and generally friendly to everyone they interact with. So signs would be like general politeness, casual conversion, no extra effort, casual conversations, and very neutral responses.

Our advice is NOT professional, and we cannot completely answer this question for YOU as every situation is different. We hope this helps a little!

If a friend is ignoring you; just try your best to be nice with them, especially if it just started. They could just be having a bad day/week. If it continues even after trying to be nice, try to distance yourself from that person as well. You can also try talking to them about it, explaining your concerns. Just remember, ignoring someone or vice versa, doesn’t mean you have to automatically start drama. BE KIND PLEASE!

What you could do is prioritize your time and make a daily schedule and break down big projects into smaller parts. You can also create a schedule to help keep up with big projects or just little stuff (like IXLs). So, to create a schedule you could write what you wanna do on that certain day either on a calendar or notebook so you can keep track of what you're doing. Limit distractions, turn off unnecessary notifications and declutter your workspace to help you stay focused. Don’t take on more than you can handle. Don't randomly swap in between any either.This can make you stressed and make the work sloppy or incorrect. Don’t stay forever on something if you can’t get it. Take a break and go back to it later. Learn how to say no to things, don’t force yourself into doing things that you don’t want to!

Yeah, of course! For style, if you want to develop one then we would suggest looking at a couple of artists' styles and seeing what you like (Make sure the styles kinda match though). After that you can put it all together, maybe change it up again and there's a new style! It’s like taking inspiration. This does NOT mean plagiarizing other artist’s work though.

With anatomy it really helps to just study it. You can start with drawing certain parts of a body like the torso, and after just put everything together!

These are my two characters Vespera and Winnie, sharing an embrace.

Are you coaching anything else during the school year?
No, he is not coaching anything else during the school year.

How did you schedule your team’s games and meetings?
The school handled game scheduling, while team meetings were scheduled around the late bus schedule.

What was your favorite thing about coaching?
His favorite part of coaching was inspiring players and helping them build confidence, especially those who were unsure of themselves.

Were there any stressful parts of coaching?
Yes. The most stressful moments were during close games and when a player got injured. Coaching is supposed to be fun for everyone, and injuries are stressful because you never know if they might be serious or long-term.

Was it difficult deciding who would be on the team?
Yes, it was very difficult. Forty-three girls tried out, but only twenty-five made the team. By the end of the season, they had twenty-one players remaining. Choosing the final roster, including alternates and managers, was a tough process.

Is this your favorite sport to coach?
Yes. He has loved football since he was six years old, playing in the youth league all the way through high school.

How did you handle team drama?
Whenever drama arose, the team held meetings where everyone was encouraged to have “thick skin” and talk things out openly and respectfully.

What is your leadership style?
He leads from the front—similar to a military style of leadership. He never asks his players to do something he wouldn’t do himself. For example, if a player drops a pass, everyone does push-ups together.

Why are you interested in coaching football?
He enjoys coaching girls’ flag football because he believes it allows him to teach valuable lessons—both about the sport and about life skills that can help players in school and beyond.

How would the team describe you?
“Tough but fair.”

What is your approach to team discipline?
He always refers to his players as “ladies and gentlemen” to remind them to act respectfully. If anyone acts out of line, they are given extra conditioning as a consequence.

How do you measure success?
Success is measured by improvement. It’s not always about winning—it’s about getting a little better every season. Even small progress, like running a little faster or improving a skill, counts as success.

What are your core values as a coach?
Respect—for teammates, coaches, and opponents—is most important. He also values self-achievement and constant personal growth.

Have you ever coached any other sports?
Yes. He has coached high school track for four years and middle school girls’ basketball at his church.

Are you planning to coach girls’ flag football again next year?
Yes, he plans to continue unless the school finds someone better suited for the role.

1) If your day were a movie, what would the title be, and which actor would portray you?

“ I would choose Andie MacDowell to play me, as people compared me to her for her curly hair, and also because I always wanted to be tall”.

2) Can you walk us through your morning routine before your students arrive?

“I come in early, depending on traffic, I check my computer, set up my board, and check my emails.”

3) What do you teach?

“This year I teach 8th-grade geography, regular and accelerated.”

4) What time of the day are you most productive, and what do you do during that time?

“Morning /night 7-8 pm to do grading, I mostly do grading at night as it is more peaceful and quiet, also early mornings for the same reason¨.

5) What's one thing you wish people knew about a teacher’s daily routine?

“There is not enough time. We are always rushing.”

6) How do you manage your time and prioritize tasks throughout the day?

¨By knowing certain things and being able to do things quickly, prioritizing personal needs and multitasking¨

7) What does your lunch time look like for you?

¨During my lunch, I sometimes listen to music, and check emails.¨

8. Do you have a prep period? If so, what do you do during that period?

¨One prep, and I go to meetings, meet with parents, and talk with history teachers about plans and future things ¨

9) What's a small thing that always makes your day better?

¨When I see my students happy and ready to learn¨

10) What's one hidden talent or surprising fact your students might not know about you?

¨I like to draw and paint in my free time.I also write book ideas and titles for the future.¨

11)What is your after-school routine?

¨I go home and drink a nice cup of tea to relax and hang out with family.¨

Bonus question! If you could teach another subject, what would it be?

¨Music, art history with no grade. I had taught it back during COVID, and I liked to watch kids happy to learn.

Career Inspiration & Motivation

• What inspired you to become a Principal?

He decided to become a Principal because it had always been one of his goals.

• Was there a specific moment or person who influenced your decision to go into school leadership?

He had lots of amazing and inspirational educators in his life, including his uncle and several of his teachers, who all inspired him.

• Did you always know you wanted to work in education, or did that come later?

He always knew he was good at talking to people; he also knew he was skilled at teaching. As a kid, he learned that this ability was the foundation of teaching and education.

Education & Career Path

• What steps did you take in your career to become a Principal?

He had to be a teacher first and obtain his undergraduate degree, as well as a Master's Degree. He then had to go through training, and after all that, he had to apply and complete an interview.

• What was the biggest challenge you faced on your journey to becoming a Principal?

The biggest challenge is always your own personal fears. He was afraid of leaving something comfortable and going into a new thing; he also didn't think he was ready to do a principal job, but he was.

• If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself when you first started in education?

He would give himself advice to talk to people who've already been through it, and talk to the experienced teachers and staff, and get knowledge from them.

Passion & Purpose

• What do you enjoy most about being a Principal?

He really enjoys being able to lead educators and the school. He's glad that this school is a performing arts school and is really glad that kids have the chance to explore their passion for the Arts.

• How do you stay motivated when the job gets tough?

He stays motivated because he tends to reconnect with people.

• What is the most meaningful part of your role?

The most meaningful part is that he's giving kids an experience in the Arts.

Impact on Students & School Community

• How does being a Principal allow you to make a difference for students?

It allows students to have the best experience in our school, and make changes if it's not.

• What is one thing you hope to inspire in the students at our school?

Students should be kind, compassionate, and understanding of their peers and the world around them. Empowering and strengthening their life and understanding of the Arts is very important.

• What goals do you have for our school in the future?

Our school should be the number one performing arts school in America. Growing our performing arts programs and motivating strong readers and mathematics students is a priority.

Personal Reflection

• What is something students might be surprised to learn about your journey to becoming a Principal?

He's been in education for 25 years, he taught history and sociology, and government for a long time, coached three sports, basketball, football, and then track and field. He's won coach of the year and won state championships. He also helped start Del Sol's magnet programs 10 years ago.

• If you weren’t a Principal, what other career could you see yourself doing?

He thinks he could have been an excellent chef, or maybe pursue music like a jazz artist, or maybe he would have been a professional athlete.

I am not silent.

I am curious,

Out-spoken,

The creative sort.

Many adults on this island would say I am a disgrace,

Another repulsive child,

But I know more than they do.

Knowing more is a crime.

I think,

I learn,

I know.

If I ask,

I will be punished.

I know better than to ask.

In this tiny little world,

Everyone is the same sort of wrong.

“Right,” they call themselves

I am….

“Curious”

“Creative”....

..“Revolting”..

I am an abnormality in a world full of people with indistinguishable minds.

When The Last Leaf Falls

The wind swirls,
Knocking on the almost empty tree branches,

For one leaf remains,

Holding steady on to its branch,

The wind whirling around it,

Acting like a sibling trying to get the better spot,

But the leaf held tight,

The last leaf to fall from a tree is a wonderful sight,

It is the sign that new will come soon,

The last leaf falls when there is new in the air,

New in the season,

New in the world,

So when the last leaf falls,

Know that there is going to be new that follows.

Can I be the poem

and not the poet?

The captured, and not the capturer?

The admired, and not the admirer?

The written, and not the writer?

The loved, and not the lover?

I've been the poet

The capturer

The admirer

The writer

The lover.

For once could I just be the loved

and not the lover?

Is it not possible?

Am I not meant to be wanted?

For once could I be the moon

And not the Moonstruck?

Knock,Knock

Who's there?

Pudding.

Pudding Who?

Pudding up the Christmas Tree.

What do you call Santa when he has no money?

Saint "Nickel" less.

What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?

It's Christmas Eve!

Knock,Knock

Who's there?

Icy

Icy who?

Icy you!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1O024AVkG61B_Pq371pitIuP1MZTTYQggsNFzU84IeBA/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1riInSdvh2nLmy8W5aKa5zCOlSBXLBscqudEvs4QD37E/edit?usp=sharing

Click the link to make your own copy and play!