Everyone can agree that it’s important to get in the zone before any big event. Whether it’s a math test or a big game, we all have different things that get us ready. For the senior football players, it’s music. If you’ve ever been to a game at Gordon Straley Field, you know that when […]

Let Your Mind Run was published on April 10, 2018 by Deena Kastor. This book is written for primarily an athlete-based audience. It talks about how shifting one’s mindset toward training and common tasks can positively affect one’s outcome. She was burnt out of running by the time she was a senior in college. Kastor […]

Girls Golf Favorite Snacks Before every girls’ golf match, the talk among the team is which mom is on snack duty. To the team, getting a good snack is the catalyst to setting up a good mental morale for the team. Since the matches take hours to play, it is important they eat enough not […]

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before has hit Netflix and if my Instagram explore page is any indication, people have been obsessed with it. Based on Jenny Han’s bestselling novel, this adaptation has been captivating people with its feel-good main couple, relatable self-awareness, and feisty sisters of the Covey household. As for my opinion, […]

Officer Miller keeps our school safe   Monitoring the entrances, roaming the halls, and checking the security cameras are a few of the responsibilities school safety officer Adam Miller has to do to keep the  school a safe place. When he’s not patrolling the school, he is a city of West Lafayette police officer. Working in […]

It’s the middle of the school day and Anna Trautman doesn’t feel well, so  Mrs. Holderly takes her blood pressure and explains everything. In the end Anna was okay and got to return to class pain free. New nurse Mrs. Holderly has wanted to be a nurse since she was a young girl. When she was […]

Meet new Food Service Director You might think that planning the meals for a total of ten schools isn’t easy. According to the new Food Services Director Courtney FitzSimons, you are most certainly correct. Courtney graduated from Ball State University and worked at the Anderson School District before coming to West Lafayette. She is married, […]

  Being new to West Lafayette High School is a different atmosphere than what Sandberg has seen before. She says, “Everyone has been very friendly, My last school was kind of cliquish, and I haven’t seen any of that here.”  Sandberg has three kids, and is expecting one more in January. “I am really excited […]

As teachers welcomed new and old students to West Side this year, students did the same for many teachers. This school year has brought a great variety of new staff members. Mrs. Boyd is one of those. However, she has a little something that makes her special. Although she is a new teacher this year, […]

A teacher plays an important role in making sure students learn and live to their full potential. Mr. Josh Hembrough, health and PE teacher, was inspired by his middle school teacher, who was also his track coach, to become a positive influence for kids. Hembrough said, “I really liked how he taught the class and […]

Marine veteran and experienced band director Cory Chapman takes on teaching at West Side. As a high school student, Chapman played percussion in his school’s band, which made him want to pursue a career in band. “Music has an ability to reach everybody at a certain level and I want to be able to share […]

Mr Abrams is the new guy on site.  He is passionate about his profession and cares about the kids here. When asked what is his favorite thing about teaching here at West Lafayette, Mr. Abrams said, “The students. They are good kids and seem to value their education.” This is one of the main reasons […]

Joel Strode has always had ambitions above teaching. “I realized I liked the other side of things as far as the administrative role. I enjoyed that part of the duties, and the opportunity to continue here in this building and continue to work with athletics is pretty exciting,” says Strode. Prior to his reveal as […]

“I have really enjoyed getting to know the students here with such a diverse population,” said new FACS teacher, Ms. Hart. After seven years at Rossville, she decided to return to the West Lafayette area, where she graduated from Purdue. She liked the area so much, she came back to teach here. “I took all […]

New administrators, new teachers, new students. As the school year picks up speed, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of new faces roaming the halls this fall. A familiar face the school is thrilled to welcome back, however, is that of Michael Tetrault. Returning after a two-year break, Tetrault is here part-time teaching Exploratory […]

New teacher and former journalist Mrs. Riley loving it here From copy editing and interviewing to leading a classroom, new teacher Mrs. Riley applies her journalistic writing skills to her new job teaching advanced composition and ENL. After high school, Mrs. Riley went to college for journalism. Following her graduation and undergraduate degree in journalism, […]

Past student teacher returns, teaching English full time Students may have recognized this friendly face around the building this year.  Former student teacher Miss O’Farrell is here for a permanent position, teaching 7th grade English. “I really like the energy that the students have. It’s their first year at West Side and my first year […]

Ms. Windler will overcome the new challenge of working with older students this school year Though the Happy Hollow Elementary school library may seem similar to the one at West Lafayette Jr./Sr High school, the students at the high school will be keeping Ms. Windler busy in the 2018-2019 school year.   The new librarian, […]

“After a robust twenty-four year business career, I always wanted to teach,” said new teacher Mr. Cullen.  “I realized I should do it now because I’m not getting any younger.” Prior to becoming the new Business and AP Computer Science teacher, Mr. Cullen spent most of his working life as a  “change leader” for various […]

Mr. Wood Follows in his Father’s Footsteps in Teaching and Coaching Students have been met with the friendly smile and conversation from Coach Wood for many years. Things are about to change. This year, West Side students will be met not only with the smiles and conversation of one Mr. Wood, but two. One of […]