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The Student Newspaper of Jackson-Reed High School

The Beacon

The Student Newspaper of Jackson-Reed High School

The Beacon

The Student Newspaper of Jackson-Reed High School

The Beacon

Joanna Chait

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief

 Joanna is excited to co-lead The Beacon in her final year of what is called “high school.” She wouldn’t know. Lucky for us, Joanna lives and sleeps in The Beacon Office. In the very rare occasion that she isn’t working on this fine publication, she can be found admiring her massive collection of “most improved” awards or whacking a plastic ball with a giant stick #fockeyislife. 

 

All content by Joanna Chait

A farewell from the Editors-in-Chief

Charlotte Guy and Joanna Chait May 26, 2022

When we walked through Jackson-Reed’s doors as the new Editors-in-Chief of The Beacon, we were unprepared for what lay ahead. Coming out of distance learning and producing PDFs instead of printed papers...

Additional incidents of hate speech reported to administration

Additional incidents of hate speech reported to administration

Joanna Chait and Hadley Carr February 9, 2022

For the fourth time in two months, racist and antisemitic graffiti was drawn in a Wilson bathroom. The latest hate speech was discovered in the second-floor men’s bathroom on January 27—a few days...

Wilson students and staff required to submit negative test result before returning to school

Wilson students and staff required to submit negative test result before returning to school

Joanna Chait and Charlotte Guy January 8, 2022

DCPS students and teachers were required to submit a picture of a negative COVID-19 test to a database prior to returning to school this past Thursday amidst a national Omicron wave. However, the validity...

AP Language and Composition students had their class from the atrium on Tuesday, December 21, because their teacher was absent. Wilson closed for virtual instruction on Wednesday.

Chancellor adapts COVID notification system in response to rising cases

Joanna Chait and Emily Mulderig December 22, 2021

  Wednesday afternoon, the Chancellor announced that DCPS is making adjustments to expedite the notification process after a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19.  Emails sent...

Community receives delayed notification of COVID cases amidst Omicron wave

Community receives delayed notification of COVID cases amidst Omicron wave

Hadley Carr, Sophia Ibrahim, and Joanna Chait December 20, 2021

Wilson will be closed for virtual instruction on Wednesday, December 22.  In the past week, over 50 Wilson students have tested positive for COVID-19, however, the school community has only been notified...

photo by Joanna Chait

DC Council: choose a name and move forward

Joanna Chait and Charlotte Guy December 19, 2021

On Tuesday, the Council will take a final vote to determine whether to change the name of Wilson High School to Jackson-Reed High School, but students are losing patience.        About a year...

Hate symbols found in bathroom

Hate symbols found in bathroom

Four swastikas, the “n-word,” and the words “white power” were written in the fourth-floor men’s bathroom earlier this month.  And just this past Friday, a student reported seeing the phrases...

Wilson 'recenters' in response to fights, tardiness

Wilson ‘recenters’ in response to fights, tardiness

Joanna Chait, Benjamin Chait, and Mailey Rash December 17, 2021

Based on observations from Term 1, administrators have begun implementing new policies to address a recent increase in fights and loitering in the hallway during class time. On October 27-29, administrators...

Wilson bathrooms see increase in vandalism

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief December 17, 2021

The hate symbols that were drawn onto the stall doors are evidence of a larger trend of increased vandalism in the bathrooms.  Sexual innuendos, explicit drawings, and inappropriate language have also...

Legislation overturns Mayor’s suggestion of August Wilson

Joanna Chait, Hadley Carr, and Ellen Carrier November 6, 2021

In an unexpected reversal, the DC Council last month rejected the city’s recommendation of August Wilson for the new name of Woodrow Wilson High School. Instead, it proposed naming the school for two...

Wilson struggles to meet COVID-19 testing quotas

Wilson struggles to meet COVID-19 testing quotas

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief November 6, 2021

Wilson has steadily expanded COVID-19 asymptomatic testing of students since early September, but it has not consistently met its weekly quotas.  Wilson’s testing quota permanently shifted to 20...

photo by Joanna Chait

Jackson Reed proposal overturns “August Wilson”

Joanna Chait, Ellen Carrier, and Hadley Carr November 4, 2021

In an unexpected reversal, the DC Council last month rejected the city’s recommendation of August Wilson for the new name of Woodrow Wilson High School. Instead, it proposed naming the school for two...

DC Council proposes Jackson Reed High School

DC Council proposes Jackson Reed High School

Joanna Chait, Ellen Carrier, and Hadley Carr October 18, 2021

DC council members proposed to rename Wilson for Edna B. Jackson and Vincent Reed Monday evening, effectively repealing the Chancellor’s proposal to name the school after playwright August Wilson.  Jackson...

Council to hold public hearing on name change bill

Council to hold public hearing on name change bill

Joanna Chait and Hadley Carr October 6, 2021

The DC Council will hold a virtual public hearing Wednesday, October 6, regarding Bill B24-0286, which would change the name of the school to August Wilson High School.  As an addition to their petition...

Safety measures aim to mitigate virus spread

Safety measures aim to mitigate virus spread

Joanna Chait and Emily Mulderig October 1, 2021

After a year of closed doors and empty hallways, Wilson has reopened fully for in-person school with a variety of safety measures in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. As of September 27, the school...

New schedule to include two lunch periods

New schedule to include two lunch periods

Joanna Chait and Emily Mulderig September 7, 2021

Starting Tuesday, September 7, Wilson’s schedule will incorporate two lunches, designated as Lunch A and B. Principal Gregory Bargeman announced the change Friday, following concerns from community...

Martin leaves Wilson after six years as Principal

Martin leaves Wilson after six years as Principal

Emily Mulderig and Joanna Chait July 8, 2021

After serving six years as the Principal of Wilson High School, Kimberly Martin is leaving to take a promotion within DCPS. Assistant Principal Gregory Bargeman will act as the Interim Principal.   Martin...

Lawsuit names Wilson personnel; Farrar seeks restitution as whistleblower

Lawsuit names Wilson personnel; Farrar seeks restitution as whistleblower

Joanna Chait, Emily Mulderig, and Charlotte Guy June 25, 2021

A former Wilson health teacher and coach has filed a lawsuit against DCPS, alleging that she was wrongfully put on administrative leave and investigated for staff misconduct involving a student. The...

Masks and social distancing will be required next school year

Masks and social distancing will be required next school year

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief June 22, 2021

DCPS has announced its health and safety measures for the 2021-22 school year, which require masks for all and encourage distancing when possible. The District plans to put in place “layered mitigation...

Council awaits vote on name change bill

Council awaits vote on name change bill

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief June 17, 2021

The DC Council will hold a hearing and vote on the Mayor’s bill to name the school after playwright August Wilson.  This next step in the process is called a “first reading,” consisting of a...

Delicious Mexican food will have you coming back for more

Delicious Mexican food will have you coming back for more

Joanna Chait and Charlotte Guy May 19, 2021

After a near-death experience in an uncomfortably small car (thanks Piney Branch Parkway) and the not-so-friendly reminder of DC's sweltering humidity, we finally arrived at Taqueria Habanero in Columbia...

Legislation, funding required for name change

Legislation, funding required for name change

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief May 16, 2021

Many additional steps remain to finalize the proposed name change from Woodrow Wilson to August Wilson High School.  Although the process is not totally clear, to move forward with the change, the...

Librarian position eliminated

Librarian position eliminated

Joanna Chait, Sophia Hosford, and Annette Leber April 26, 2021

Next year’s budget eliminates a full-time librarian position from the Wilson staff, but the change is receiving pushback. Pamela Gardner has been Wilson’s librarian for 15 years. Aside from her...

Three staff positions lost due to budget limitations

Three staff positions lost due to budget limitations

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief March 30, 2021

Wilson’s annual budget only increased by one and a half percent, resulting in a $1 million deficit for the upcoming school year. The change resulted in Principal Kimberly Martin cutting three non-instructional...

My experience getting the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine

My experience getting the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief March 24, 2021

“Okay, it’ll just be a little poke.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Three, two, one.”  I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on March 10. It is hard to believe that just a year ago, on...

In-person classes have resumed at Wilson

In-person classes have resumed at Wilson

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief February 24, 2021

An estimated 395 students returned to Wilson for in-person learning for the first time in almost one year.  According to Data Coordinator Joseph Bellino, about 600 students of the total enrollment...

Hybrid learning begins

Hybrid learning begins

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief February 3, 2021

About two hundred and thirty-five students began in-person learning, one day per week for a half-day, on February 2. Some Wilson staff members have concerns regarding the safety and equity of the plan.  In...

Select students may return to school this February

Select students may return to school this February

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief January 7, 2021

Principal Kimberly Martin’s reopening plan is under review for approval by DCPS central office. At least 500 students, a combination of at-risk populations and volunteers, are set to return to school...

Marion Barry

Marion Barry

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief December 8, 2020

Marion Barry arrived in Washington in 1965. He was young and notably charismatic. He had already accomplished so much for the Civil Rights Movement. Barry represented the future, one in which African-Americans...

August Wilson

August Wilson

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief December 8, 2020

Often known among Wilson students as the author of “Fences,” August Wilson is one of the most famous playwrights of all time. He is a popular choice to name Woodrow Wilson High School’s name after. August...

Wilson's new name to be announced by January

Wilson’s new name to be announced by January

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief November 14, 2020

Eighty-five years after opening only to white students, and honoring a president whose racist policies later would be condemned, Woodrow Wilson High School is undergoing a historic change: by the end of...

Back to school, sort of: Camila Reinoso

Back to school, sort of: Camila Reinoso

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief October 10, 2020

She used to wake up at 6:45, take a shower, and eat breakfast. She used to walk to the Takoma Metro Station with some neighbors, and ride the Metro for an hour until the train pulled into the Adams Morgan...

Transitioning on Teams: New teachers navigate virtual learning

Transitioning on Teams: New teachers navigate virtual learning

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief September 23, 2020

Math teacher Grant Franke walked into Wilson for the first time on August 20 to pick up his new computer. He introduced himself to the few staff members lingering in the school, who were wearing masks...

One hundred gather in front of Wilson as support for name change skyrockets

One hundred gather in front of Wilson as support for name change skyrockets

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief July 1, 2020

About 100 Wilson teachers, students, alumni, and community members gathered in front of Wilson on Friday, June 19 to call for the school’s name change because of Woodrow Wilson’s racist legacy. Participants...

Wilson plans for safe fall reopening

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief June 23, 2020

Principal Kimberly Martin is waiting to see how the school will reopen on August 31. Some ideas have been suggested by Chancellor Lewis Ferebee and Mayor Muriel Bowser has released her guidelines for re-opening...

Maxwell Stone: the programming phenom

Maxwell Stone: the programming phenom

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief March 7, 2020

When Maxwell Stone was 10 and his brother was eight, their father created a competition between them: whoever created an app that was accepted onto the App Store would get the latest iPhone.  Most...

Why, Wilson?

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief December 20, 2019

When you look at a clock you expect to find one thing—the correct time. And if you go through the trouble of building a giant white tower with windows, and a weather vein, simply to display a clock,...

Wilson can't afford to get rid of APs

Wilson can’t afford to get rid of APs

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief November 19, 2019

Recently, there have been many conflicting ideas about the necessity of Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Georgetown Day, Sidwell Friends, and six other private schools in or near the DC area have gotten...

DCPS in $23 million budget deficit

DCPS in $23 million budget deficit

Joanna Chait and Emily Mulderig September 8, 2019

DCPS’s budget for this year is on track to be overspent by more than $23 million. They have until September 30th (the end of the fiscal year) to make up that money. When the situation became public over...

DCPS fails to prioritize at-risk student funds

DCPS fails to prioritize at-risk student funds

Hannah Bocian and Joanna Chait June 9, 2019

A new report done by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute shows that about 40% of the funding designated for at-risk students in DCPS hasn’t been targeted to help them but has instead been used for other needs...

The Beacon talks to newly elected SGA officers

The Beacon talks to newly elected SGA officers

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief June 9, 2019

Next year’s Student Government Association (SGA) is the first to be elected under a new voting procedure which requires members to take a specialized class, cuts down on the number of positions, only...

LSAT votes in favor of a seven period schedule; change is unlikely

LSAT votes in favor of a seven period schedule; change is unlikely

Hannah Bocian and Joanna Chait May 5, 2019

The Wilson Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) has proposed to switch to a seven period school day, most recently used prior to the 2015-16 school year. The vote, which was held on April 9, overcame the...

Students work around internet block

Students work around internet block

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief April 24, 2019

Whether you are sitting in class with a sub trying to watch YouTube, looking up a definition of a vocabulary word, turning in an assignment, or using your phone in the atrium, the internet determines much...

Crew raises remarkable $200,000 in 2018

Crew raises remarkable $200,000 in 2018

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief January 27, 2019

The Wilson Crew team raised $200,000 in fundraising efforts last year, smashing seasonal goals and bankrolling new initiatives for the team. “We are not funded by DCPS because we are technically a...

Wilson cuts social-emotional learning class

Wilson cuts social-emotional learning class

Joanna Chait, Editor-in-Chief December 15, 2018

Wilson did not renew the social-emotional learning (SEL) class, for this school year. The removal is a reflection of shifting priorities in DCPS. Last year, Wilson introduced the SEL class and shorter...

Technical troubles inhibit class productivity

Ellie Aladjem and Joanna Chait October 5, 2018

Freshman Jillian Upshaw was completing an assignment on a Wilson computer, and everything seemed to be going fine. Then, for no apparent reason, the computer screen suddenly went black. She could not log...

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