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Blocked Out!
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Written by David Martinez, Reporter
(Right: Kayla Strouth gets blocked from a website by the new KCS security settings.)
Websites being blocked at Dobyns-Bennett has always been a pain, mostly because it doesn’t let anybody have fun on the web. The school calls it security, but sometimes they go overboard blocking sites. However, this hasn’t stopped students from going on blocked websites. Students have always found a way around the blocked sites, but this was easily done because the firewall the school had was very old. The 15-year-old firewall was updated over the winter break by the Dobyns-Bennett Network Administrator, Mr. Fields, along with the help of the Technology Coordinator, Mr. Davis. In March of 2009, a virus spread throughout the Dobyns-Bennett computer system, but this firewall was implemented to make more layers of security so such virus can’t infiltrate the system anymore. Hackers will have no luck with this new firewall!
Mr. Davis has been working at Dobyns-Bennett for about four years. He had no previous experience in the field, but yet, he managed to adapt to the school organization’s network. Before the firewall was updated, an AVG anti-virus software program was upgraded. “When that virus (in 2009) infiltrated our network, we were still using an older anti-virus software program that didn’t detect it at first, and that was one of the main things that we considered to upgrade to our current AVG anti-virus software, which it would have, at that time, prevented or at least let us know of the infection before it was too spread out,” said Mr. Davis. According to the student handbook, computer users will not make deliberate attempts to disrupt the computer system performance or to destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means.
Every single time someone goes on one of the school’s computers, a log is filed, making it easy for one of the technology administrators to look exactly where students have been at when surfing the web! This allows the technology staff to keep track of the students going on unauthorized websites. “If a student violates the computer policy that we have here, the first offense is five days off of a computer, second offense is usually two weeks off of a computer, and the third offense is usually the remainder of the semester without access to a computer on campus. But depending on the offense too itself, other disciplinary actions may be taken, it just depends on the actual offense,” said Mr. Davis. It’s very common when a student falls behind when they are assigned projects, classwork, or simply just homework on the computer when they can’t log on to their account at school.
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14 Days of Valentines
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Written by Megan Lincoln, Editor-in-Chief E-edition
February 14th is the most romantic day of the year across all of mankind. Valentines are being distributed and love is in the air, but Valentine’s Day can be pretty boring if all you do is the typical date: dinner and a movie. Guys, if you really want to make a lasting impression on that certain someone, why not make this occasion last for the first 14 days of February?! Check out the tips below for each day. You can personalize these anyway you’d like to be sure that this February is not one that your love will forget any time soon!
Day 1: Recreate your first date. Show her that you remember where it all began. Take her to that first restaurant, but chances are the movie you saw is already out of theaters. Rent the movie and snuggle up on the couch to relive that first memory.
Day 2: Make her favorite food YOURSELF. No help from a restaurant or from Mom. Kick everyone else out of your house, put that special song on repeat, and have her over for a homemade delicacy. Even if you mess up, she will be flattered that you tried your best. And DON’T forget the candles.
Day 3: Create a chocolate factory right in your kitchen. Make all kinds of chocolate treats with your love. You’ll have fun making these special treats and even more fun eating all that chocolate!
Day 4: Go on a vintage picnic. Bring a blanket and a basket full of food. After you eat, you can lie on the blanket and watch the clouds go by together. Nothing says “I love you” like a heart-shaped cloud!
Day 5: Can’t afford to go to the beach? Yeah, me either, but not to worry! Bring the beach to her! Dress up in your best Hawaiian shirt and swimming trunks. Make up some fruit drinks and watch a romantic movie set on the beach.
Day 6: Make fortune cookies together and write special notes to each other to place in the cookies. You can find a recipe here. (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fortune-cookies-so-easy/)
Day 7: Make up a scavenger hunt. Write out everything you love about her on heart-shaped pieces of paper and hide them. Write a riddle at the end of every one explaining where to find the next one!
Day 8: Bring a stereo to her house and play romantic music out in the yard. You can dance the night away, and since it’s not in public, no one will see your bad dancing skills!
Day 9: Have a pajama day! Plan to watch movies and eat junk food all day in your goofiest pajamas. Netflix can provide a romantic movie to give cuddle time or a comedy to create some laughs.
Day 10: Play a few games with her. Maybe play catch in the park or go bowling. A little competition might be just what you need after all the lovey-dovey stuff!
Day 11: Make her breakfast and take it to her before she wakes up, with her parent’s permission, of course. Heart shaped pancakes with pink food coloring in them would be marvelous!
Day 12: Write her a letter. Tell her exactly how you feel about her, and let it come from the heart. This is something she’ll definitely treasure throughout the ages.
Day 13: Send her flowers! If she likes the more traditional look, go for a dozen roses. If she is more whimsical, try some color-dyed daisies! Senior Brittany Davis says, “Flowers always makes a girl smile!”
Day 14: Pick her up from her house with a fully unplanned day. Tell her you’ll take her anywhere she wants to go and do anything she wants to do. Who knows where you’ll end up, and that’s the exciting part!
If you follow this schedule, you’re sure to woo your woman. Senior, Marlon Conners says, “It will be a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it!” So, hang on tight! This Valentine’s Day is going to be one for the record books!
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A Snow Day? No way!
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Written by Emily Garrison, Editor-in-Chief
“It’s snowing. Do we have school today?” is a question often asked by students and parents in the Kingsport City school district. This question is also often followed by, “Seriously? My roads are still icy!” Though school board policy excuses any student whose parent fears the danger from bad winter weather from school that day, some are wondering why school remained in session in the first place. If all of the surrounding cities and counties are out on a day of bad weather, then why aren’t we?
Friday, January 13, 2012 was the first day of this school year that Kingsport had the threat of icy roads and snow. Practically every other school near our region was either delayed or canceled. Even college classes were canceled! Yet, Kingsport City Schools ran on a normal schedule. So who makes the call, and how do they decide? Director of Kingsport City School Transportation Services, Ken Barnes, stated, “As the Director, I am required to drive areas in Kingsport at 4:00A.M. that would be most vulnerable to snow and ice, and inspect the roads. This may include the Superintendent driving another side of Kingsport, simultaneously, to ensure that an informed decision may be made…” According to the Kingsport City Schools website, these two men consult with the Highway Department and City Road Crews before the superintendent makes a decision. Also, according to Barnes, they remain in contact with the Department of Public Works Snow Shed while making the decision.
But why is the decision to stay on schedule made even if in some places there is still snow and ice on the ground? Barnes included that “not all inclement weather affects all areas of Kingsport, and it may only affect areas such as Rock Springs or Lynn Garden.” So, instead of making all of Kingsport pay back in the spring for calling off school for only a small portion of the city, the people that the weather affects may be excused from school. The KCS website says, “If parents believe that road or weather conditions are dangerous, and school has not been dismissed or cancelled for the day, parents may keep their children home. Absences during these circumstances are excused and the students may make up the work missed.” This is actually a good policy, considering all of the make-up days that certain counties surrounding us have to attend while we are enjoying three-day weekends and end-of-the-year trips.
So—seniors expecting to be exempt from exams especially—if you don’t want to miss many days, then expect to stock up on de-icer and snow shovels, warm up your car early, and get to school!
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