SEPTEMBER 1998
Stuy Student Charged With Murder
By NICK MANCINI
The Times story indicated that Chi was having trouble in school and was thought to be a gang member. (PHOTO)
Eric Chi, Class of 1999, was arrested on June 19 and charged with murder and attempted robbery after being found to have taken part in the killing of a livery cab driver. He was discharged from Stuyvesant and out on bail at the time the article was written. NYPD to Take Over School Safety
By JANE CHO
The Board of Education voted to give the New York Police Department control of the Division of School Safety. Then-mayor Rudolph Giuliani said that it would be a way to rid the DDS of chronic corruption.

SU Passes New Constitution
By CHRISTINA WON
On June 24, the Executive Council voted unanimously to pass a new Student Union Constitution. It included specific descriptions of powers and responsibilities, created a system of checks and balances, made provisions regarding appointed positions and set guidelines for impeachment.

Philip Fisher, Veteran Stuy Teacher, Dies at 76
By ANA SOFIA IVASCU
"The man had no desire other than to teach," said then-math teacher Danny Jaye of Fisher.
Fisher, who had been a math and substitute teacher at Stuyvesant for a total of 40 years, died late in June of brain cancer.

OCTOBER
"Lee Philips, Former Stuy Math Teacher, Charged With Drug Possession"
By JANE CHO
(PHOTO)
Former Stuy math teacher Lee J. Philips was arrested on the night of August 4 and charged with unlawful possession of heroin and other illegal substances as well as for driving without a license. He pleaded guilty to "disorderly behavior," was fined and was given a conditional discharge.

Student Body Focuses on Clinton and Lewinsky
By MICAH LASHER
In a poll taken on October 1 and 2, 146 Stuy students were in favor of Clinton's staying in office despite the scandals surrounding his sex life. When asked who was most at fault in the controversy, 27% cited Kenneth Starr; 13%, Monica Lewinsky; 31%, President Clinton and 26%, the media.

Budget Committee Covers Teacher Award, Tech Crew
By ALEEMA MOHAMMED
The Thursday, October 1 meeting of the Student Union Budget Committee included discussions of the establishment of an Annual Faculty Award, certain financial dealings of the Tech Crew regarding equipment for SING!, hiring a new disc jockey to spin at school dances and, an Indicator-Sigma bake sale conflict and funding for a science magazine.

Williams College Honors Shapiro
By DANIEL COHEN
(PHOTO)
English Department Chair Steven Shapiro received the George Olmstead Prize for excellence in secondary school teaching of English from Williams College on June 6 and was honored at the school's graduation ceremony. He was recommended for the award by Cyd O. Fremmer, Williams '98 and Stuy '94.

Students Extend Helping Hand to Hurricane Victims
By ANA SOFIA IVASCU
Stuy's Spanish Honor Society held a food drive to aid victims of Hurricane Georges in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The drive, designed to be a school-wide effort, lasted from October 5-9.

Looking for Acceptance at Stuyvesant
By DANIEL KILPATRICK
(GRAPHIC - Disapproval)
In a random sampling of 234 Stuy students, 28% said that they "disapproved" of homosexuality and 23% said that they would feel uncomfortable sitting next to a gay or lesbian student in class. In the wake of the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student, tolerance and education have been frequently visited topics in Warren Donin's Prejudice and Persecution class and at GLASS meetings. Various homophobic acts had occurred at Stuyvesant; according to GLASS co-presidents Josh Malamy and Eric Weinshank, signs for GLASS meetings had been repeatedly torn from walls and Malamy recounted being called a "fag" in class.

Teachers Complain of Environmental Hazards
By NICK MANCINI
In a survey conducted by biology teacher Steven Farbstein and math teacher Barbara de Bellis, many teachers have reported similar issues concerning the environment in the school building. Problems cited included poor ventilation, mold and construction dust, all of which caused problems like chronic sinus infections, worsened asthma symptoms and allergic reactions.

"E" Schedule to Occur Every Month
By DANIEL YU
Stuyvesant implemented a shortened school day, called E-schedule, on October 5. It was established at the suggestion of then-Assistance Principal of Chemistry and Physics Stanley Teitel in order to give the academic departments time to meet with all of their members present.

Safety Officers Speak Out Against Boss Sergeant
By ANA SOFIA IVASCU
Four of Stuy's School Safety Officers spoke out against Sergeant Elsa Ortiz, saying that she had driven away 20 other security guards during her time at Stuyvesant with her disrespectful treatment and mishandling of rules. Ortiz denied the complaints and the matter was brought to the Board of Education where, the four officers said, it was never satisfactorily resolved.

Construction Fire Causes School Evacuation
By JANE CHO
(PHOTO)
A fire ignited in a dumpster on Chambers Street caused the evacuation of the entire student body midway through sixth period on October 22. Though Principal Jinx Perullo had originally said that there was no danger, she ordered the evacuation promptly after being informed further about the fire by a custodian and a security guard from the construction site.

NOVEMBER
Freshmen and Sophomores Cast Their Ballots
By CHRISTINA WON
The tickets of Scott Burr/Annie Chen and Amreeta Mathai/Mohammad Haque (freshman) and those of Christina Alfonso/Rona Luo and Ilya Bragin/Matvey Arye advanced to the General Elections after winning the November 18 Primaries.

Danny Jaye Appointed Math Department Chair
By ANA SOFIA IVASCU
(PHOTO)
Math teacher and former dean Danny Jaye was appointed as Math Department Chair on October 10, succeeding Stuart Weinberg. Jaye planned to try to establish interdisciplinary courses in which math could be combined with other subject like physics, to expand the number of computer programming classes and to foster relationships between math research students at Stuyvesant and several universities in New York.

Student Leaders March in John Glenn Parade
By JENNIFER PARK
(PHOTO)
Eight student leaders and math teacher Stuart Weinberg were invited to participate in the November 16 tickertape parade honoring John Glenn and the crew of the space shuttle Discovery. Weinberg, who had been extremely interested in the space program of the 1960's, recalled the "tremendous sense of excitement" that permeated the day.

DECEMBER
Freshman and Sophomore Elections Conclude with Controversial Protest:
By NICK MANCINI AND JANE CHO
("We did bend the charter constantly, but we bent it equally for all candidates." - Sam Jacobson, Elections Committee Co-Chair.)
After the freshman ticket of Amreeta Mathai and Mohammed Haque, as well as sophomore running pair Ilya Bragin and Matvey Arye won the November 24 General Elections, the opposing tickets in both grades challenged the results. The other freshman ticket, that of Scott Burr and Annie Chen, called into question the allegedly improper enforcement of election rules and said that contracts and charters had never been given to the candidates. The losing sophomore ticket (Rona Luo and Christina Alfonso) said that their opponents had campaigned aggressively within 30 feet of the election tables, which is against guidelines. Eventually, both losing tickets repealed their charges.

Close Shave, Dave: CFO David Gringer Avoids Impeachment by SU Executive Council
By MIKE KWON and JANE CHO
(PHOTO)
SU Chief Financial Officer David Gringer was cleared of all charges of misconduct after two hours of questioning by the Executive Council, in its first impeachment hearing ever. Charges against Gringer included not respecting campaigning boundaries during elections, bribing voters, intimidating freshmen to vote for the candidates he endorsed and publishing false campaign literature. No motion was made to vote on impeachment for any of those issues.

Bye Bye Birdie Says Bye-Bye After Four Performances
(PHOTO)

JANUARY 1999
Seven Fires and Three Evacuations in Three Days
By CHRISTINA WON
Over the course of December 21-23, a total of seven fires were lit in Stuy - in boys' bathrooms, in a recycling bin, even an attempt at burning a magazine in the library. Three of the fires led to evacuations, and on Tuesday, December 22, sophomore Jeff Lewis (a pseudonym) was arrested.

Student Charged with Starting Two Fires
By MARY PARK
(While with Blaufarb, Lewis says, the Assistant Principal said that if he cooperated and told him the names of others involved, it would be "All right, or else we'll throw you to the dogs.")
After his arrest by a Fire Marshall for "attempting to start two fires," sophomore Jeff Lewis was driven to the local police precinct and later charged with third degree arson. He spent the night of January 6 in a cell at Bellevue Hospital, was interviewed by psychiatrists the next morning, and went to Family Court on January 8, where he was sentenced to attend an Alternate Detention Center every day until February 16, the day of his trial. He said that the most lenient punishment he could receive there was two years of probation; the worst, being sent to a juvenile detention center for 18 months.

Ten Stuyvesant Students Selected as Intel Semifinalists
By TIAN YU
Out of 117 applicants to this year's Intel Science Talent Search, 10 - a small number compared to other years - were named semifinalists in the contest. Of the 300 chosen from across the country, 40 will be named finalists and will compete for the top prize of a $50,000 scholarship.

FEBRUARY
Tampered History Finals
By JANE CHO
After two breaches in security regarding the European History and American History Finals, both tests were revised at the last minute. In one case, Social Studies Chair Caryn Caputo discovered that the final exams had been searched for on her computer, and in the second, teacher Mel Garskoff caught a student exiting the office, who later admitted to looking for a copy of the American History final.

Kirsten Wickelgren a Finalist in Intel Competition
By CHRISTINA WON
Kirsten Wickelgren advanced to the Finalist level in the Intel Talent Search on January 25 as the only finalist from Stuyvesant. Her paper, called "A Re-calculation of Light by the Sun Based on an Equation from String Theory" will be exhibited in Washington, DC and Wickelgren will compete with the other 39 finalists for the $50,000 top prize.

MARCH
Perullo Announces Retirement
By CHRISTINA WON
(Sources in the administration say that they expect someone with a more hard-edged philosophy to be instated - the sentiment in the Board of Education is that Perullo was too diplomatic.)
In a message over the PA system on February 24, Principal Jinx Cozzi Perullo announced that she will retire "for personal and professional reasons" in June of that year. Several administrators would be considered to take the position for the following year.

Student Union Feuds with COSA
By GAURAV MALHOTRA
An emergency session of the Executive Council of the SU was held on February 26 to discuss recent conflicts with Coordinator of Student Affairs John Lapolla. Council members cited Lapolla's temper, a decrease in the amount of time he devoted to the SU and several other issues. At another meeting the next day, all present agreed to a resolution calling for Lapolla's resignation.

New AP Policy Finally Approved by SBPC
By JOHN LEE
At the School Based Planning Committee meeting on February 24, an Advanced Placement course policy - including a new appeals process that would be available to those who wanted an AP course and were rejected - was approved. The policy then went on to be inspected by Principal Jinx Cozzi Perullo and the Assistant Principals.

Parents Fight to Exclude Students
By CHRISTINA WON and TIAN YU
(PHOTO)
Controversy over the inclusion of students arose at the March 10 School Based Planning Committee meeting, at which members met to discuss plans for a new Stuyvesant Leadership Team. Freshman parent representative Daniel Koob and Parents' Association President Dong Joon Lee proposed giving students non-voting positions on the SLT, saying that the responsibility was too much for the students. They were in the minority however, as all students and administrators believed that students should have an equal voice in SLT decisions.

APRIL
Two Student Leaders to Help Select Principal
By TIAN YU
After weeks of deliberation, the Executive Council appointed former Spectator editor Micah Lasher and SU President David Meadvin as the student representatives to the C-30 committee that would help choose a principal to follow Principal Jinx Cozzi Perullo.

Students Sign Up for Classes Online
By MICHAEL KWON
Spring 1999 marked the first year in which Stuy students could sign up for courses through the Internet, using a process created by Susan Brustein of the program office, Assistant Principal of Technology Services Steven Kramer and Michael Zamansky of the computer science department.

MAY
Second Annual Gay Day
By AVA LIBERMAN
May 28 was chosen as the date of Stuy's second Gay Day, a time for celebration and education about issues like love and sexuality. Co-President of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Supporters Josh Malamy planned to have a lecture series in which different activists from the gay community would speak, as well as the May 28 event.

Student Union Tables Discussion of Chief Financial Officer's Role
By JENNIFER PARK
After heated debate over voting protocol, the Executive Council agreed to table an amendment to the SU Constitution that would make the Chief Financial Officer the permanent Budget Committee Chair. Another issue made it further - the Council voted unanimously to give the Club and Publications director a voting spot on the Budget Committee.

Bomb Threat at Stuyvesant
By MICHAEL KWON
At 4:10 on May 4, three police officers entered Principal Jinx Cozzi Perullo's office and told her that an anonymous phone call to the First Police Precinct had been a threat to bomb the school. The police searched the building and nothing was found, but teachers were warned to keep an eye out for suspicious packages.

Perullo Forms Gender Studies Committee
By CHRISTINA WON
("I fear for the future…in ten years, you could have 20 percent of the incoming students being girls." - Principal Perullo)
As the female population of Stuyvesant declined, Principal Jinx Cozzi Perullo formed a committee of teachers, parents, students and administrators who would discuss the issue and try to understand why the percentages are changing.

JUNE
More Allegations Against Plass: Ex-Principal Knew of Complaint, Teachers Say
By MICAH LASHER
("Everybody knew. Everyone in the school knew." - Lee Phillips, former math teacher.)
Nicole Erlichman, Class of '85, said that she had filed a complaint of sexual harassment against Biology Department Chair Richard Plass before her graduation and that it was not acted upon. Plass, who had been taken into custody on May 21, was charged with sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

Leigh Succeeds Lee as Parents' Association President
By JOHN LEE
Stuart Leigh was elected to be PA President, Linda Cates as First Vice President and Kathy Park as Second Vice President at a meeting on May 18. Katherine Kline was chosen as Sophomore Parent Representative to the School Based Planning Committee and Su-Bok Son as Junior SBPC Parent Representative. Marilena Christodoulou was chosen as Corresponding Secretary.

SEPTEMBER 1999
Former AP Succeeds Perullo as Stuyvesant Principal
By MICHAEL KWON
(PHOTO)
On August 25, former Assistant Principal of Chemistry and Physics Stanley Teitel was officially named as Stuyvesant's 13th principal. He planned to continue many of the initiatives that former principal Jinx Cozzi Perullo had championed, as well as to crack down on students sitting in the hallways during classes and to establish a system of peer review, a process that will involve teachers observing other teachers in their classes.

Interim Chairs Named for Three Departments
By JOHN LEE
The three newly vacated positions of Assistant Principal of Chemistry/Physics, Social Studies and Biology/Geo Sciences have been filled on an interim basis by teachers Olga Livanis, Mel Garskoff and John Lapolla, respectively. The three would hold those positions until a C-30 committee could appoint permanent replacements.

Plass Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to Probation
By MICHELLE WILSON and MICHAEL KWON
(Teachers are becoming less friendly, fearing that they will be the next Plass." - Christen Russo, '00)
Former Biology Chair Richard Plass pleaded guilty on August 17 to charges of sexual harassment, admitting to various sexual acts involving a female monitor. He was sentenced to three years probation and a revocation of his teaching license. Students reported a chill in teacher-student relationships, possibly due to discomfort after Plass's case.

Jim DeSimone, Coach of Boys' and Girls' Swin Teams, Dies of a Heart Attack
By GAURAV MALHOTRA
Jim DeSimone, who had been the swimming coach at Stuyvesant for 22 years, died of a heart attack while life-guarding on September 4. "He was never late, he never missed a practice," said Marguerite Mohan ('02), of DeSimone.

OCTOBER
Joyce and Gottesman Removed Indefinitely
By MICHAEL KWON
In a process largely unknown to Stuyvesant's administration, social studies teacher John Joyce and English teacher Carl Gottesman have been assigned to non-teaching positions after coming under investigation for charges of sexual misconduct. Both departments brought in long-term substitutes to take over Joyce's and Gottesman's classes.

Mazzetti Settles in as COSA
By CHRISTINA WON
(PHOTO)
English teacher Frank Mazzetti replaced John Lapolla as Coordinator of Student Affairs; he had been appointed by former principal Jinx Cozzi Perullo as one of her last acts at Stuyvesant. Mazzetti, who had served as COSA for a year at another school, called the position "challenging" at a school like Stuvyvesant, but expressed enthusiasm for the time to come.

SLT Sets Goals for the Year
By SARA CHOE
The new School Leadership Team held its first meeting of the year on September 22 to discuss the year's goals, which included creating a set of bylaws for itself, as well as a budget and a layout of the following year's Comprehensive Education Plan. Senior Class President and Vice-President David Hyun and Kieran Krug-Meadows were named to represent the student body.

Villacastin and Kang Elected to Junior Caucus Amid Controversy
By JOHN LEE
After a challenge from the losing junior ticket of Erik Green and Garth Johnston which forced a re-election in the fall, Andrew Villacastin and In Han Kang were elected to the junior caucus. Green and Johnston cited doubling of signs on bulletin boards, rumors that their own signs had been torn down by opponents, and the distribution on the part of the winning ticket of literature that had not been approved.

Simion Wins Prestigious Award
By EUGENE OH
(PHOTO)
Math teacher Iftimie Simion was awarded the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished High School Mathematics Teaching by Principal Stanley Teitel on October 5. The award honors teachers who have coached the highest-scoring teams on the American High School Mathematics Exam and is presented by the Mathematical Association of America.

Student Union Elections Finally Reach End After Primary Setbacks
By JOHN LEE
(PHOTO)
After a chaotic campaign week, the freshman ticket of Paul Bolotovsky and Elena Lagoutova and the sophomore ticket of Amreeta Mathai and Scott Burr went on to win in the October 27 General Elections. Although problems with the scanning wands disrupted the electoral process, over 700 freshmen and sophomores voted in the elections.

Parent and Students Clash at SLT Meeting
By ALEIYA GAFAR
Tensions rose at the October 20 Student Leadership Team meeting when Parents' Association President Stuart Leigh commented on the behavior of the two student representatives after they abstained in a vote. Anger flared up on both sides but relations improved at another meeting several days later.

NOVEMBER
Trashcan Fire Ignites Concern
Spanish teacher Milton Diaz extinguished a fire in the fourth floor boys' bathroom on November 4 quickly enough to prevent the alarms from sounding and a visit from the fire department. The fire led Assistant Principal of Organization Steve Satin to consider electric hand dryers as a replacement for paper towels in the bathrooms.

Stuy Holds Halloween Dance
By REGINA KIPERMAN
(PHOTO)
In what was described by SU President David Gringer as "The most successful event we've ever had," almost 600 people attended the Halloween Dance on October 29. The dance featured a Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction, student bands The Steel Breeze and Hybrid and disc jockey DJ Bunny.

DECEMBER
SU Mulls Over Block Scheduling and Letter Grades
By SARA CHOE
Modular (block) scheduling and the possibility of switching to a system of letter grades were two issues visited at the November 8 Executive Council meeting. Although both ideas met with a sense of approval from the Council, Principal Stanley Teitel said that Stuyvesant was a long distance from adopting either plan.

SLT Reaches Consensus on Consensus - Sort Of
By MICHAEL KWON
The issue of what determines a consensus among the members of the School Leadership Team as well as what voting protocol would best serve the Team's purposes was called into question at the SLT meeting on November 16. The discussion, which did not reach a conclusion at the meeting, was provoked by the frequency with which the SLT tables issues when it cannot reach consensus.

Giuliani Holds Town Hall Meeting At Stuyvesant
By EUGENE OH
(PHOTO)
Then-mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani visited Stuyvesant on November 11 along with various city officials with the goal of familiarizing them with the Stuy area and community. Issues discussed at the meeting included homeless shelters, air pollution, drug dealing, MTA problems, educational issues and several others.

Cuban Authors Speak to Latin American History Class
By SUZANNE GRANDT
Cuban writers Yvonne Conde and Jos? Raul Bernardo spoke about their work and experiences with Latin American history teacher Jose Badue's students and the Spanish Honor Society on December 2 and 7. Conde discussed a 1960's exodus of Cuban children to America; Bernardo, his experience of being taken prisoner by Fidel Castro and his subsequent escape to the US.

JANUARY 2000
Accreditation Rethinks Graduation Requirements
By JOHN LEE
Student Union President David Gringer presented a proposal to the Accreditation Committee on January 12, in which he called for many changes in the graduation requirements for Stuyvesant. Some of those changes included the elimination of a term of drafting, a return to six periods of science, elimination of gym for sports team members and the ability to take up to seven elective courses. The proposal was to be voted on at a later date.

Rothenberg Wall Officially Unveiled at Dedication Ceremony
By EUGENE OH and STUART LEUNG
(PHOTO)
"Celebration," the name for the Rochard Rothenberg Memorial Wing, was dedicated in a ceremony held in the theater on December 20. Present at the ceremony were former Stuy principals Abraham Baumel and Jinx Cozzi Perullo, Math Department Chair Danny Jaye, Memorial Committee Chair Bruce Winokur, Rothenberg's widow Rita Rothenberg and the memorial's creator, Madeleine Segall-Marx.

Freshman VP Resigns
By JOHN LEE
Citing academic and political conflicts in his personal life, Freshman Class Vice-President Paul Bolotovsky resigned from the position on January 5, just two months after he had taken office. Freshman President Elena Lagoutova chose Natalie Toren as Bolotovsky's replacement and on January 14, she was officially voted in by the Executive Council.

Evan Fink Advances as Single Intel Finalist
By EUGENE OH
For his paper, "Error-Resistant Codes for Transmission Over Media Subject to Conditional Noise," Evan Fink was announced to be a finalist in the Intel Talent Search. He will compete for scholarship money and other prizes with the other 39 finalists from across the country during a trip to Washington, DC, scheduled for March.

Former Bronx Science Teacher Appointed as Social Studies AP
By SHARI ABRAMS
(PHOTO)
February 1, the first day of the spring term, saw former Bronx Science teacher Jennifer Suri in her first day as Social Studies Department Chair. Suri, who had taught at several other high schools in the city before coming to Stuy, planned to consider becoming involved with the School Leadership Team, having been the Chair of the Bronx Science SLT.

Two Paintings Censored From Art Show
By SARA CHOE
("If they take down still life [paintings] with cigarettes, where are they going to stop?" - Rick Saverese, ('00))
Senior Rick Savarese's painting, which depicted a toy hand grenade, was censored from the January 14 Winter Concert and Art Show by Art teacher Amy Cappell. Senior Sophia Taskova's painting was censored by Principal Stanley Teitel because it showed a pack of cigarettes.

MARCH
Biology Chairman John Lapolla Resigns
By EUGENE OH
(PHOTO)
Interim Chair of the Biology Department John Lapolla resigned suddenly to take a position outside the school system, an action usually not allowed midterm. He told his research chemistry class that he was leaving for personal reasons - his wife was pregnant and he wanted a job that would provide more financial security for his family. Principal Stanley Teitel named Biology teacher Carol Ann Held to the position for the remainder of the term.

Student Union Journal Temporarily Halted
By EUGENE OH
The Student Union Journal, which contained an article that criticized the academic value of the elective course Oceanography, was shut down temporarily by Principal Stanley Teitel after he found that COSA Frank Mazzetti had not approved it before it was distributed. After Mazzetti, Editor Steven Blau and SU President David Gringer met the next day to discuss a charter however, the ban was lifted.

Students Walk Out in Protest of Diallo Verdict
By SUZANNE GRANDT
(PHOTO)
On March 3, more than 200 students left Stuyvesant to join a citywide march to protest the acquittal of the four policemen on trial for the shooting death of Amadou Diallo. The students marched over the Brooklyn Bridge to join hundreds of other high school students in front of Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Soph-Frosh SING! Adviser Quits Over Controversial Script
By JOHN LEE
Early in March, faculty adviser for Soph-Frosh SING! Minnie Kelly resigned, citing racially stereotypical material in the script as well as not having been given a chance to review the script before it was given to the cast and crew and being told that no script had yet been written when one in fact had been. English teacher Tim Simonds replaced Kelly as faculty adviser after looking at a revised script.

APRIL
Double English and Block Scheduling Approved
By EUGENE OH
Over the course of two meetings, the School Leadership Team passed proposals to allow students the option of taking two English classes and to instate block scheduling on a trial basis. However, after debate, the issue of keeping or discarding the 7.5 periods of science that are now required was tabled.

"Offensive Material" Delays Short Play Fest
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
Much like Line, which was recently cancelled because the administration had found "offensive" material in its script, the March presentations of A Short Play Festival was postponed by the Studio Theater Workshop for the same reason. The offensive material was explained to be suggestions regarding sex as well as "ugly language," explained English Department Chair Steven Shapiro.

New Food Policy Met With Mixed Reactions
By EUGENE OH
Principal Stanley Teitel announced a new cleanliness policy on March 20, which stated that students would not be allowed to bring food into the building or to eat in the hallways. The policy was met by civil disobedience, as students handed out paper bags and empty cups on the bridge to others who attempted to enter school carrying them. SU President David Gringer proposed a plan that called for more garbage cans around the school and a new program called "Adopt a Stuyway," in which organizations within the school will "adopt" certain stretches of hallway and be responsible for keeping it clean.

Simonds Quits as Theater Workshop Faculty Adviser
Citing Studio Theater Workshop script controversies and saying that the Studio Theater Workshop had run astray of its original goal - to focus on acting - faculty adviser Tim Simonds resigned from the position. Simonds had created the workshop and his intent with it was to produce plays with small groups of people in order to allow them to better their acting.

MAY
SLT Fails to Conclude 7.5 Periods of Science Debate
By EUGENE OH, with additional reporting by JEFF AMLIN
A School Leadership Team meeting early in May dispersed after the tabling of the issue of eliminating 7.5 periods of science until the following year. It had been the primary goal of the student representatives to the SLT since the beginning of the year and frustration and anger resulted from the putting off of the issue.

JUNE
Sheth and Christodoulou, Kelly and Mathai Advance to General Elections
By MICHAEL KWON and EUGENE OH
In the race for Student Union President and Vice President, the Primary Elections saw the tickets of Peter Christodoulou and Isha Sheth, as well as that of Matt Kelly and Amreeta Mathai, advance to the General Elections. In the Junior Caucus race, the tickets of Scott Burr and Cathy Ng and of Anthe Vorkas and Alejandro Torres advanced, and in the Senior Caucus race, the tickets of Steven Blau and Kate Blumm, In Han Kang and Jennifer Leung and Mariecel Pilapil and James Chelnis advanced.

Spark Distributes Used Condoms
By DAVID CAO
An unknown number of condoms that had been expired for about month were handed out by the SPARK office in April. SPARK Counselor Gene Smith said, when questioned, that he had not received the type of training necessary to distribute condoms in school.

Kelly and Mathai Elected SU President and Vice-President
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
It was announced on June 6 that, after what Student Union President David Gringer described as one of the best election turnouts in Stuy history, Matt Kelly and Amreeta Mathai had been elected to SU President and Vice President. Mariecel Pilapil and James Chelnis won the Senior Caucus race and Scott Burr and Cathy Ng won the Junior race.

SEPTEMBER 2000
SU Vice President Forced To Resign
By ANA SOFIA IVASCU and MICHAEL KWON
Newly elected Student Union Vice-President Amreeta Mathai was forced by the administration to resign her post after having been found cheating on a chemistry test. Isha Sheth, former SU Vice-President, was appointed to serve another term.

Joyce Sues Accusers for $36 Million
By EUGENE OH
After being investigated by the Board of Education for charges of sexual misconduct, former Social Studies teacher John Joyce sued for $36 million the three graduated students who had accused him, saying that they had done so because he had given them low grades.

Physics Teacher Richard Hampton (1937-2000)
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
(PHOTO)
Former physics teacher Dr. Richard Hampton died on September 7 after a five-year battle with colon cancer. He had taught at Stuyvesant while undergoing chemotherapy and many said that his positive attitude endured even through his illness.

OCTOBER
Seniors Have Their Freshman Friday, Despite Warnings
By YOUSAF KHALID
Despite a September 14 announcement made by Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel Services Eugene Blaufarb which warned seniors against harassing freshmen, various acts of hazing took place. None, however, were reported to the school administration.

Grasso, 19-Year Veteran, Excessed
By JULIE CHEPOVETSKY
After 19 years of teaching at Stuyvesant, Technology teacher Vincent Grasso was excessed and his place given to Rafael Colon, who had been excessed from the High School of Economics and Finance. He was given an ATR position, meaning that he is the first substitute called when teachers are absent, and the UFT filed a grievance regarding the change in his status.

Primaries Run Smoothly
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
After a campaign involving 21 tickets, freshmen Sophia Mokotoff and Michael Litwak and Karl Co and Stella Binkevich were victorious in the October 17 primary elections. The sophomore tickets of Alex Herman and Danny Krinsky as well as Christina Ward and Caleb Chung also advanced.

NOVEMBER
Herman and Krinsky Win Sophomore Elections by Two Votes
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
(PHOTO)
Alex Herman and Danny Krinsky were elected to the Sophomore Caucus and Sophia Mokotoff and Michael Litwak to the Freshman Caucus in the SU general elections. Differences in this year's election included the use of paper ballots rather than scanners and ID cards and the election of two girls to the positions of class president.

Stuyway Plan Replaces Five-Minute Policy
By YOUSAF KHALID
Starting September 16, students were allowed to leave the building for lunch and return anytime during the period for the first time since Principal Stanley Teitel's five-minute policy, which allowed students to return to the building only after the warning bell of their lunch period. Teitel was convinced to lift the policy by pressure from the SU and the recent cold weather and agreed that it would not take effect again unless the hallways became littered again.

Amid Disputes over Profits, Student Union to take Over School Store Next Term
By ABRAHAM ZAMCHECK
After conflicts between the administration and the Student Union regarding the profits of the Student Store, it was decided during a November 8 meeting that control and profits of the store would be transferred entirely to the SU. The SU said that in the past, it had had trouble obtaining its total share of the profits earned by the store.

Chemistry Department to Drop Double Periods
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
A new chemistry program will entail a single period of chemistry every day and a weekly lab to take place either from 7:30 to 8:45 or from 3:00 to 4:30. Students received two grades: a letter mark for the labs and a number grade for instruction.

JANUARY 2001
Administrators Remove Three Poems from Writing on the Wall
BY ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
("We didn't put up the poems because they're shocking or sensational. WE put them up because they're quality pieces of art." - WoW Coordinator Cynthia Lugo,'01).
Poems written by Susan Liu, Joe Dobkin and Virginia Norling were removed from their Writing on the Wall cases by administrators on December 19. Although the school argues that the pieces contained sexually explicit and offensive language, the Writing on the Wall coordinators and faculty adviser argued that the language was part of what added to the poems.

Senator Schumer Visits to Discuss Recent Elections
By YOUSAF KHALID
(PHOTO)
The 2000 Presidential election and the actions taken by the United States Supreme Court regarding recounts of votes were the main topics of Senator Schumer's talk with Stuyvesant government students on December 14. The question-and-answer session that followed the address touched upon topics such as the Middle East and school vouchers.

FEBRUARY
Stuy Students Protest Bush's Inauguration
By LING WU KONG
(PHOTO)
About 60 students from Stuyvesant and a similar number from LaGuardia High School bused down to Washington, DC to protest President George W. Bush's inauguration on January 20. The protesters, the Stuy contingent of which was organized by the Stuyvesant Social Action Committee, spoke out against some of Bush's policies, the questionable election that put him into office, the nomination of John Ashcroft for Attorney General, minority and women's rights and the right to choose.

Sixteen Intel Semifinalists For Stuy: Second Most in Nation
By BETTY LUAN
Sixteen Stuyvesant students were named semifinalists in the annual Intel Talent Search, second only to the Bronx High School of Science's 17. Each semifinalist will receive $1000 as well as $1000 for his or her school and will move onto the finalist level.

Rafael Junco: 1951-2001
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
(PHOTO)
Spanish teacher Rafael Junco, who had taught at Stuyvesant for five years, died on January 22 of complications following a heart attack after an operation. Junco, who loved singing and acting and once participated in Senior SING! was well known for the energy he brought to his classroom.

Three Intel Finalists for Stuy
By BETTY LUAN
Stuyvesant's Dmitriy Aronov, Jerry Moy Chow and Caroline Ming-Phuong Nguyen were three of the 40 finalists chosen from across the country in the Intel Talent Search. All finalists will take a trip to Washington, DC to compete for scholarships and other prizes.

MARCH
Four Shows for SING!?
By YOUSAF KHALID
Cast and crew members of SING! 2001 wanted to add a fourth show to SING! this year so that more of the school community would have the opportunity to see the annual contest. Meetings were scheduled during which Student Union officials, SING! coordinators and the administration would decide whether or not to have a fourth show.

"Zero" Period to be Renamed "First"
By BETTY LUAN
Due to technical difficulties, it was announced that beginning in September 2001, zero period would become first, making the school day go from first to tenth periods, instead of the zero though ninth schedule that had been the Stuyvesant tradition.

Stuy Holds Advocacy Day
By EUGENE OH
("We found it rather disturbing…that it never seemed like anyone cared about actual events occurring in the real world." - SSAC Co-President Josh Schaffner)
Stuyvesant's first ever Social Advocacy Day, organized by the Stuyvesant Social Action Coalition, took place on March 1 with guest speakers Public Advocate Mark Green and former New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Norman Siegel. Several workshops were also held to discuss subjects such as police brutality and prison reform.

APRIL
Scrawled Threat of Violence Has Stuyvesant Scared
By LAURA KRUG
Hundreds of students stayed home and building security was expanded after a scrawled message threatening violence for March 27 was found on a desk. The scribblings mentioned the shooting at Columbine High School and contained racial slurs; the administration would not comment on whether the person who had written the message had been identified.

Senior Drunk Day
By BETTY LUAN
As many as one-third to one-half of the senior class took part on in the annual tradition of "Senior Drunk Day" on March 15, according to one senior's estimate. No special action was taken by the administration., although the Student Union was locked early.

Social Studies Department Awaits Curriculum Change
By SUZANNE GRANDT
A plan to switch the social studies curricula for juniors and seniors beginning in the fall of 2001 was approved by Social Studies Chair Jennifer Suri. After a three-year changeover process, juniors will take American history as their social studies class and seniors will take Government and Economics, reversing the traditional order.

Amnesty Holds National Week of Student Action
By LI DONG HAN
Stuyvesant's chapter of Amnesty International held a National Week of Student Action on the week of April 2, whose goal was to increase awareness of human torture in Peru. Amnesty members circulated petitions and invited Dr. Ernest Duff from Solace, a rehabilitation center for victims of torture, to address the student body.

MAY
Unhindered by Pressure, Politics and Policy, SU Plans Town Hall
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
The Student Union has planned a Town Hall meeting to be held at the end of May in order to inform the student body about school politics and to address Principal Stanley Teitel about his role in implementing new policies. Issues to be discussed included the perennial 7.5 periods of science a week, the required-shorts policy in gym and exempting sports team members from gym.

Stuyvesant Wands Lose Their Magic
By ABRAHAM ZAMCHECK
The scanning wands that are used in everything from voting in Student Union elections to distributing textbooks have been extremely inaccurate, resulting in overdue books lists containing dates like 1904 and 1905. The wands replaced a system of paper book receipts which were able to leave a paper trail but which caused difficulties in tracking multiple books out on student accounts.

Burr and Quach, Hsu and Suri Advance to Generals
By LAURA KRUG
After a May 25 primary election in which over 1000 students turnout out to cast ballots, the tickets of Scott Burr and Andrea Quach and of Jukay Hsu and Himanshu Suri advanced to the General Elections. In the Senior race, Amit Friedlander and Thomas Kunjappu as well as Amreeta Mathai and Mohammad Haque advanced through the primaries and in the Junior race, Danny Krinsky and Janet Hsueh and Neena Lall and Laura Lee moved on.

Under Fire, Stuynet Creator Scraps Teacher Evaluations from Website
By ADINA DAVID
Stuynet.com creator Gary He removed the teacher evaluation forum from his website on May 17 after two weeks of confrontation with teachers who were upset by the contents of the evaluations. Students had been able to post anonymous evaluations on the site, which had sections for writing comments and areas to rate teachers; He said the site received about 200 hits a day. At a faculty meeting on May 21, teachers brought up the idea of refusing to write college recommendations for the Class of 2002 and there was talk of a lawsuit for a time.

Stuyvesant Teachers Join UFT in Rally for Contract
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
Many Stuyvesant teachers joined the United Federation of Teachers rally for a pay contract at City Hall on May 17. New York City teachers have been teaching without a contract since November 15, 2000 and little progress has yet been made in securing a new one.

Despite Controversy, Elections Results Stand
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH and LAURA KRUG
("This was the worst Election Day I could have imagined." - Matt Baer, '01, Head of Elections Committee)
Despite a host of campaign violations that almost caused the Elections Committee to disqualify a large portion of the candidates, it was decided that the original June 1 general election results would stand. Jukay Hsu and Himanshu Suri would become the new Student Union President and Vice President, Amit Friedlander and Thomas Kunjappu would take the Senior Caucus and Danny Krinsky and Janet Hsueh were elected to Junior Caucus. So many violations took place that for a short time, removing two thirds of the candidates and running a re-election among the remaining ones was discussed.

COSA Calls it Quits
By JENNY LIN
(PHOTO)
English teacher and Coordinator of Student Affairs Frank Mazzetti announced that he would retire at the end of the school year for personal reasons. He had taught humanities, Existentialism and song writing and hoped that the Student Union would make strides in areas that they had not previously affected. Many accomplishments of the SU had been orchestrated in large part by Mazzetti, including allowing juniors to take a second English class.

September 11, 2001
Allen Clancy: 1941-2001
by ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
PHOTO
Allen Clancy, a math teacher who loved teaching younger students and sharing laughs, died on Wednesday, August 1 at age 60. Famous for his creativity in the classroom and compassion for students, he elected to teach basic courses rather than advanced ones because his priority was preparing younger students for calculus and beyond..

September 11 Special Issue
An Administration in Crisis
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
PHOTO
As the World Trade Center tragedy erupted five blocks away, the Stuyvesant administration faced pressing decisions. Believing the towers wouldn't fall, they sent students to homeroom. After the south tower's collapse, they evacuated the school, guiding students up the West Side Highway to safety.

Painting for Peace: A Community United by Tragedy
By JANE PAE
PHOTO (of group)
As New York City reeled from the shock of the World Trade Center tragedy, hundreds of Stuyvesant students gathered in Greenwich Village on Sunday, September 16 to paint two giant murals commemorating the previous Tuesday's destruction and the lives it claimed.

Moving Into Tech
By LAURA KRUG
"For some of those kids, those people are still jumping"--Assistant Principal of Student Services Eugene Blaufarb
Stuyvesant students and teachers reported to Brooklyn Technical High School on September 20, the first day of their three-week stay. They learned about their abbreviated schedules and were cautioned against harassing Muslim students. Seniors were assured the college office was on track, and teachers were urged not to overload students with work.

Pressure from Parents, Change of Plans
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
After selecting Brooklyn Technical High School as Stuyvesant's foster home in the wake of the World Trade Center Tragedy, the Board of Education decided to start our school day at 11:00 A.M., stick to 40-minute classes, and reshuffle programs. But a deluge of e-mails from the Parents' Association urging the Board to lengthen periods and keep programs the same led to a change of plans.

October 24, 2001

An "A" for Air Quality
by LAURA KRUG, with additional reporting by ABIGAIL DEUTSCH
*PHOTO*
In response to concerns that the World Trade Center disaster had made air unsafe, the Parents' Association's consultant found the air satisfactory two weeks after the school returned to the Stuyvesant building from Brooklyn Technical High School.

Amid Chaos, Custodians Lend Helping Hands
*"We did what we had to do. We worked our hearts out and we're happy with what we did."--Custodian Michael Scoma*
By JOHN LEE
Stuyvesant's custodians were tireless in the aftermath of September 11, working 24-hour shifts for a week, cleaning bathrooms, without water or power. They also helped convert Stuyvesant into a relief center for workers. In the end, custodians were both thrilled with what they'd done to help and concerned about their health in light of nosebleeds and headaches.

November 8, 2001

Suspicious Package at Stuyvesant Tests Negative for Anthrax
by YOUSAF KHALID
Stuyvesant received a package meeting several criteria for suspicion two months after September 11. It was addressed to senior Nina Townsend, whose name was misspelled; in addition, she didn't recognize the return address, and the school's address contained errors. Police took the package to the Department of Health, which found no anthrax or other contaminant.

November 21, 2001
Oh and Mokotoff, Ohsawa and Gringer Win General Elections
*We believe there were many violations we couldn't possibly know about." --Ben Abelson, BOE Chair*
by REESE DAVIDSON
The first election under the shadow of the Board of Elections' new rules saw Mitchell Oh and Sophia Mokotoff win sophomore caucus and Max Ohsawa and Meredith Gringer take freshman caucus. BOE Chair Ben Abelson voiced doubts over whether candidates had followed the rules, which forbade campaigning on election day and distributing an abundance of campaign literature, which he found difficult to enforce.

Changes in the Student Union Create New Openings
by THERESA LANGSCHULTZ and JASON REIF
Citing failure to fulfill her responsibilities as Assistant Pub-Club director, Student Union President Jukay Hsu removed junior Jenny Chen, despite her protests that she had not been warned she might be removed and that she'd never been told what her responsibilities were in the first place.

January 18, 2002
A Stuy High: Stress, Drugs, and Cabin Fever
By ABBIE ZAMCHECK
"There's just no shame in the amount of drinking that goes on in Stuy now"--senior Roy Braid
In spite of the administration's emphasis on normalcy, students said getting back to business after September 11 has been slow and hard. Assistant Principal Eugene Blaufarb called students "incredibly resilient" and said that those who were in counseling before September 11 needed the most attention. A student who once dealt drugs said students on the whole were moving toward harder drug use. Emotional and academic stress and the inability to leave for lunch were cited as possible reasons for the surge in substance abuse.

Four Months Later, a Cloud of Doubt Lingers
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH and LAURA KRUG
"I worry now, you know? I'm thinking, what's on my pants?" --Custodian Kyle Hogan
Custodians, students, and faculty displayed a range of attitudes towards the question of air safety, but worry was not uncommon. Several custodians voiced concerns about their own safety, partly prompted by scattered high readings in substances like lead.

"Back on Top:" 15 Intel Semifinalists for Stuy
By YOUSAF KHALID and BEN MAGARIK
"It's incredible given the circumstances and uniqueness of the term that our students were able to keep their focus." --Principal Stanley Teitel
In spite of the difficulties of the term, 15 Stuyvesant students were semifinalists in the 61st Intel Science Talent Search. Stuyvesant had the second most semifinalists in the nation.

February 8, 2002
Justice Kennedy on Justice for a New Generation
By LAURA KRUG
"In the wake of September 11, I went through the same reaction, even removed from the site--shock, fear, anger, puzzlement--as to why this could have happened." --Anthony Kennedy
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and Harvard Law Professor Arthur Miller led a discussion with history teacher Matt Polazzo's tenth-period class. Students discussed issues ranging from the importance of tolerance to the meaning of the pursuit of happiness.

March 1, 2002
Parents Debate Air Quality Over Shouts and Shushes
By REESE DAVIDSON
PICTURE
Waving hands, shouts, and bouts of applause defined a Parents' Association meeting to discuss suing the Board of Education for failing to supply Stuyvesant with better air filters. Some parents favored obtaining High Efficiency Particulate Arresting filters and trying to move the barge from its location 50 feet north of the school. Others had more moderate goals. In the end, parents voted to investigate obtaining pro bono litigation.

Stuy Applies for Exemption from English Regents
By THERESA LANGSHULTZ
"The Regents aren't an accurate gauge of students' abilities."--English teacher Eric Grossman.
Several administrators and teachers applied for exemption from the English Regents, the six-hour, two-day exam administered to juniors in January. Interim Acting Assistant Principal of English Eric Grossman called the time teachers must invest in preparing their classes for the the exam "wasteful."

March 14, 2002
Six Months Later, A Ceremony to Remember: Flags and the Pledge Enter the Stuyvesant Routine
By ABIGAIL DEUTSCH and PATRICK MANGAN
PICTURE
Six months after September 11, students, school and city officials, and news media packed into room 229 to commemorate the tragic day. Like many other ceremonies held throughout the city on Monday, the event at Stuyvesant focused on remembering the past, while looking ahead to a hopeful future. It also featured a donation of flags for every classroom; shortly thereafter, students learned they would recite or listen to the Pledge of Allegiance every morning.

Clinton to Speak at Graduation
By NANDITA GARUD
"It's something to inspire us after what happened" on September 11. "A good memory to leave stuy with" --Danny Abajian
Inspired by former President Bill Clinton's humble origins, senior caucus members Amit Friedlander and Thomas Kunjappu invited him to be keynote speaker at the Class of 2002 graduation.

Glass to Hold Day of Silence, City-Wide Forum
By JOSH ROSS
"While some will only be participating in a day of silence, there are those who have gone through years of silence." --junior Misko Lencek-Ignaki
In honor of those who fear peer harassment, students spent a day in silence, carrying around cards explaining why they would not speak. Some teachers applauded the students' spirit; others expressed doubt that school was the place to express their concerns.

March 27, 2002
School Grapples With Possibility of Budget Cuts
By REESE DAVIDSON
"I feel pretty cheated, and unlucky that it had to come now, just when I was ready to fill my schedule with great classes." --sophomore Eli Blumm
In anticipation of "severe budget cuts for the coming year," students were asked to prioritize their class choices when programming for next term. Rising seniors' preferences were prioritized because they might never have the chance to take the classes again. Their limited options upset several students.

Senior Captures Sixth in Intel
By BETTY LUAN
Senior Nikita Rozenblyum came in sixth at the Intel Science Talent Search for his project on topology. He was treated to a luxury weekend in Washington, D.C. with the 39 other semifinalists, and returned with a planet named in his honor.

Protesting the Barge, Air Quality: Demonstration in the Rain
By THERESA LANGSCHULTZ
PICTURE
Parents, teachers, and downtown Manhattan residents gathered in the rain to protest an alleged lack of environmental concern for the downtown area. Some felt that more people should have attended, and that their message was going unheard; others, who did not attend the rally, did not feel it was necessary to move the barge, as the protest aimed to do.

April 18, 2002
PA Votes to Sue Board of Education
By THERESA LANGSCHULTZ
In a vote of 161 to 84, parents present at a Parents' Association meeting voted to sue the Board of Education for insufficient action regarding air quality issues at Stuyvesant. At stake were improved filters and the relocation of the barge; some parents said the Environmental Protection Agency was not testing for enough substances, and had not adequately cleaned the school in the first place. Board of Education officials responded that the air was safe.

After Complaints, Video Homeroom to Receive Prior Review
By GEORGIA FAUST and JOSH ROSS
PICTURE
A Student Union Video Homeroom segment featuring an exploding atomic bomb and the quote "What would Jesus Do?" became the subject of controversy after it was aired to students and staff. Those responsible for editing the videos before they air did not or could not do so for his video. After the controversy, Steve Satin became responsible for reviewing each video before it aired.

April 29, 2002
Soph-Frosh Stuns Juniors in SING! Upset
PICTURE
By CHRISTOPHER LAPINIG
Technical problems and shaky performers led Junior SING! to a third-place finish after Soph-Frosh delivered a solid performance, coming in second, and seniors, showing experience and poise, won first.Soph-Frosh produced a Victorian murder mystery; Juniors, a Western crime mystery; and seniors, a 1980's bowling-alley drama.

May 15, 2002
Students Walk Out to Protest Budget Cuts
By THERESA LANGSCHULTZ
PICTURE
Hundreds of Stuyvesant students joined high school and college students citywide in a walkout to protest proposed budget cuts. Principal Stanley Teitel faulted the walkout for being during school hours, necessitating cutting. That didn't stop an estimated 1,200 students from leaving school.

Tribeca Film Festival Launched by Stars and Two Presidents
By THERESA LANGSCHULTZ
with additional reporting by ABBIE ZAMCHECK
PHOTO
Stars, dignitaries and the press flooded TriBeCa streets and shops during the first annual Tribeca Film Festival, founded by Robert De Niro and intended to inspire young filmmakers and revitalize downtown Manhattan.

May 31, 2002
SU Election Subject to New Rules
By THERESA LANGSCHULTZ
PICTURE
Rules restricting campaign materials, specifying elections procedures, and detailing grounds for candidate removal governed primary elections for Student Union President and Vice President and senior caucus. The Board of Elections created the rules to even the playing field, but some SU members felt they went too far.

Will Stuyvesant Remain on Top?
By LEXI PRITCHETT
Three new specialized high schools will give opportunities to students who narrowly missed admission to Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech. The schools, housed on City College of New York campuses, are an attempt to reduce the outflow of gifted students to suburban schools because local high schools are unable to satisfy their needs.