2016-2017 Scot Scoop Articles
Campus construction reaches big milestone
Over the sounds of a busy construction site, Carlmont administration held a commemorative ceremony as the new “S” wing project reached a significant milestone.
On Friday, Aug. 20, 2016, board members, city officials, and Carlmont staff signed the final beam of the building’s framework. The signers took turns to sign their names and a small message or phrase.
“It’s a symbolic ceremony because no one will be able to see the signatures once the building is finished, but all these people signing have worked very hard to support the project and Carlmont,” said Vice Principal Grant Steunenberg.
The new building will hold ten classrooms as well as collaborative space for students. Once the building is complete, the area around it will be repaved and designed for students to use during lunch.
District Chief Facilities Officer Matthew Zito said, “The new “S” wing along with the biotech building and the renovations of the Student Union will give the northern quadrant of the campus a new look and will be a huge improvement. The new building will have two science rooms, one photojournalism room, and seven other classrooms.”
Over the summer, the foundation of the building was poured. As the final beams of the framework are put into place, the project is on track to finish before the start of the 2017 school year.
“The project is now well into phase two. In phase one, the ground had to be dug and leveled. The project also required some large retaining walls to be built and the electrical systems in this area of the campus had to be updated,” said Zito.
The “S” wing is not the only construction happening currently at Carlmont as the Student Union and locker rooms are being renovated. In the Student Union, the kitchen and cafeteria are being redesigned. The locker rooms were cleared out and new equipment and lockers were put in. The school also plans to redesign and expand the weight room and the adjacent outdoor basketball courts.
“There have been some complaints about all the noise from the amount of construction happening in this area currently, but once the projects are done, this corner of the campus will be much nicer for the students. In the long term, it’s worth it to give the students the best environment to learn in,” said Steunenberg.
Over the sounds of a busy construction site, Carlmont administration held a commemorative ceremony as the new “S” wing project reached a significant milestone.
On Friday, Aug. 20, 2016, board members, city officials, and Carlmont staff signed the final beam of the building’s framework. The signers took turns to sign their names and a small message or phrase.
“It’s a symbolic ceremony because no one will be able to see the signatures once the building is finished, but all these people signing have worked very hard to support the project and Carlmont,” said Vice Principal Grant Steunenberg.
The new building will hold ten classrooms as well as collaborative space for students. Once the building is complete, the area around it will be repaved and designed for students to use during lunch.
District Chief Facilities Officer Matthew Zito said, “The new “S” wing along with the biotech building and the renovations of the Student Union will give the northern quadrant of the campus a new look and will be a huge improvement. The new building will have two science rooms, one photojournalism room, and seven other classrooms.”
Over the summer, the foundation of the building was poured. As the final beams of the framework are put into place, the project is on track to finish before the start of the 2017 school year.
“The project is now well into phase two. In phase one, the ground had to be dug and leveled. The project also required some large retaining walls to be built and the electrical systems in this area of the campus had to be updated,” said Zito.
The “S” wing is not the only construction happening currently at Carlmont as the Student Union and locker rooms are being renovated. In the Student Union, the kitchen and cafeteria are being redesigned. The locker rooms were cleared out and new equipment and lockers were put in. The school also plans to redesign and expand the weight room and the adjacent outdoor basketball courts.
“There have been some complaints about all the noise from the amount of construction happening in this area currently, but once the projects are done, this corner of the campus will be much nicer for the students. In the long term, it’s worth it to give the students the best environment to learn in,” said Steunenberg.
2015-2016 Scot Scoop Articles
Comeback forces overtime and victory
Carlmont Girls Varsity water polo beat Half Moon Bay 6-5 in a close overtime finish.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30 the Scots were able to come from behind to force overtime and win the game.
Carlmont was shut out in the first quarter as Half Moon Bay gained a three-goal lead and played strong defense.
“We adjusted after the slow first quarter and were able to advance our level of play,” said Carlmont Coach Bernice O’Connor. The second quarter saw Carlmont earn their first and second goals, both from junior Megan Olazar
. Down one goal at halftime, Half Moon Bay still had control of the game. The third quarter ended 4-3 with Olazar scoring Carlmont’s third goal.
“We’ve started a few of our games slowly and improved over the course of the games. We’re trying to improve on starting our games strong,” said Carlmont’s Izzy De Wood.
Carlmont was able to tie up the game late in the fourth quarter with two goals in quick succession from Sara Yolland and Olazar.
“We are going to improve on finishing our opportunities in games, we didn’t finish and they were able to equalize late and force the overtime,” said Half Moon Bay Coach, Justin Ferdinand.
In overtime, Yolland scored the winning goal to finish an exciting come-from-behind 6-5 win for Carlmont. The Scots continue their season and will be playing Burlingame next.
O’Connor said, “We’re looking to improve our decision making in game situations and controlling the speed of play.”
Carlmont serves up victory
Carlmont girls tennis beat San Mateo High School 4-3 on Thursday, Oct. 14 to earn an important win in their race for a playoff spot.
San Mateo Coach Ed Schumler said, “Today’s match is important. This is our second time playing them. We’re trying to make the playoffs again this year.”
Both teams have been steadily improving this year, and are trying to be in form for the end of the season. Carlmont doubles pair of junior Jessica Ma and freshman Sakina Bambot beat San Mateo in a match that went to three sets.
San Mateo won the first set 7-5, while the next set went to Carlmont with a score of 7-5. The final set went to a tiebreaker with Carlmont coming out with the win. This was the close and deciding match that gave Carlmont the win.
This win negates Carlmont’s earlier loss to San Mateo.
“This season we’ve been playing aggressively and hard in our games. We’ve also been giving the young players a chance in the top matches,” said Carlmont coach Amina Halsey.
Carlmont has been giving some younger players chances this year, as they have 11 seniors on the roster.
“We’ve reformed well this season and we’re trying to improve our play as we reach the end of the season,” said Halsey. Carlmont plays again next Tuesday, Oct. 20, against Menlo Atherton.
Carlmont girls tennis beat San Mateo High School 4-3 on Thursday, Oct. 14 to earn an important win in their race for a playoff spot.
San Mateo Coach Ed Schumler said, “Today’s match is important. This is our second time playing them. We’re trying to make the playoffs again this year.”
Both teams have been steadily improving this year, and are trying to be in form for the end of the season. Carlmont doubles pair of junior Jessica Ma and freshman Sakina Bambot beat San Mateo in a match that went to three sets.
San Mateo won the first set 7-5, while the next set went to Carlmont with a score of 7-5. The final set went to a tiebreaker with Carlmont coming out with the win. This was the close and deciding match that gave Carlmont the win.
This win negates Carlmont’s earlier loss to San Mateo.
“This season we’ve been playing aggressively and hard in our games. We’ve also been giving the young players a chance in the top matches,” said Carlmont coach Amina Halsey.
Carlmont has been giving some younger players chances this year, as they have 11 seniors on the roster.
“We’ve reformed well this season and we’re trying to improve our play as we reach the end of the season,” said Halsey. Carlmont plays again next Tuesday, Oct. 20, against Menlo Atherton.
Mistakes lead to tough defeat
Carlmont varsity football lost 49-21 at San Mateo High School on Friday, Oct. 30.
The Scots were coming off an exciting homecoming win against Mills the previous week and were looking to build on that momentum.
In the first quarter however, San Mateo took the lead when their defense recovered a fumble. After a defensive stop, San Mateo scored again, then leading 14-0. Carlmont tried to stay positive after the errors of the first quarter.
“We’re trying to have a short memory about mistakes because getting down on ourselves can put us out of games,” said sophomore quarterback Timmy Palthe.
The Scots showed life as their offense made some exciting gains down the field. Carlmont scored twice in the second quarter, though one of their extra points were blocked. San Mateo managed to score twice in the second quarter, making it 28-13 by halftime.
After the half, San Mateo came out strong, scoring twice in the third quarter.
The Bearcats’ played a solid defense, leaving few holes and forcing mistakes that preventing Carlmont from scoring in the third quarter. Going into the final quarter, San Mateo had a commanding lead of 49-13.
The Scots completed a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, but San Mateo’s lead was too much. The Bearcats ran out the clock to win the game 49-21.
After this loss at San Mateo, the Scots now have a record of 3-5 as they prepare for the rest of their season.
Palthe said, “We [want] to improve and gain experience during the remainder of this season.” Carlmont plays at Capuchino High School next week on Friday, Nov. 6.
The Scots also have their sights set on a victory in their upcoming rival game against Sequoia on Nov. 13.
Carlmont varsity football lost 49-21 at San Mateo High School on Friday, Oct. 30.
The Scots were coming off an exciting homecoming win against Mills the previous week and were looking to build on that momentum.
In the first quarter however, San Mateo took the lead when their defense recovered a fumble. After a defensive stop, San Mateo scored again, then leading 14-0. Carlmont tried to stay positive after the errors of the first quarter.
“We’re trying to have a short memory about mistakes because getting down on ourselves can put us out of games,” said sophomore quarterback Timmy Palthe.
The Scots showed life as their offense made some exciting gains down the field. Carlmont scored twice in the second quarter, though one of their extra points were blocked. San Mateo managed to score twice in the second quarter, making it 28-13 by halftime.
After the half, San Mateo came out strong, scoring twice in the third quarter.
The Bearcats’ played a solid defense, leaving few holes and forcing mistakes that preventing Carlmont from scoring in the third quarter. Going into the final quarter, San Mateo had a commanding lead of 49-13.
The Scots completed a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, but San Mateo’s lead was too much. The Bearcats ran out the clock to win the game 49-21.
After this loss at San Mateo, the Scots now have a record of 3-5 as they prepare for the rest of their season.
Palthe said, “We [want] to improve and gain experience during the remainder of this season.” Carlmont plays at Capuchino High School next week on Friday, Nov. 6.
The Scots also have their sights set on a victory in their upcoming rival game against Sequoia on Nov. 13.
Season ends, but uncertainty remains
Carlmont football’s season ended last Friday with an intense overtime 24-21 loss against Sequoia. The team finished the season 3-7, going 2-3 in league play.
At the start of the season, the expectations of this year’s team were uncertain after a 5-5 record in 2014-2015 season.
“We started this summer with a new offensive and defensive coaching staff, so this season we learned a lot about our offense and our in-game execution,” said sophomore quarterback Timmy Palthe.
The pre-season started off with a 33-0 loss to Aragon and a 32-18 loss to Woodside. Though the team gained momentum with a 20-0 victory over Yebra Beuna, the pre-season ended with a tough 42-0 loss to Menlo.
“The pre-season was difficult, as we played two division one teams and had some injuries that hurt us,” said Palthe.
In the first league game, Carlmont beat El Camino 19-6. This game was in close contention until a defensive stop sealed the Scots’ victory. Carlmont then played at home against Jefferson. Though the game started slow, it intensified and came down to a nail-biting 21-14 loss for the Scots.
Next came the Homecoming game. After a week full of school spirit leading up to this game, the crowd was ready to see a win. Carlmont won 28-6, taking the lead early and keeping control. When the final whistle sounded, the fans stormed the field to celebrate their Homecoming win.
Trying to carry momentum from that game, Carlmont went to San Mateo but was stopped short. San Mateo capitalized on the Scots’ mistakes, leading to a 49-21 loss for Carlmont.
The last league game was at Cappuccino, where Carlmont suffered a 40-6 loss. This put the Scots’ league record at 2-3.
“This year we have many graduating seniors, but many of our young players were able to get experience this season. The team learned a lot in the games and will continue to improve and build,” said Palthe.
The Screamin’ Scots stayed positive and supported the team until the last minute of every game. “Even though our record wasn’t strong, I still had a lot of fun cheering for the team,” said senior Sam Levy.
Carlmont football’s season ended last Friday with an intense overtime 24-21 loss against Sequoia. The team finished the season 3-7, going 2-3 in league play.
At the start of the season, the expectations of this year’s team were uncertain after a 5-5 record in 2014-2015 season.
“We started this summer with a new offensive and defensive coaching staff, so this season we learned a lot about our offense and our in-game execution,” said sophomore quarterback Timmy Palthe.
The pre-season started off with a 33-0 loss to Aragon and a 32-18 loss to Woodside. Though the team gained momentum with a 20-0 victory over Yebra Beuna, the pre-season ended with a tough 42-0 loss to Menlo.
“The pre-season was difficult, as we played two division one teams and had some injuries that hurt us,” said Palthe.
In the first league game, Carlmont beat El Camino 19-6. This game was in close contention until a defensive stop sealed the Scots’ victory. Carlmont then played at home against Jefferson. Though the game started slow, it intensified and came down to a nail-biting 21-14 loss for the Scots.
Next came the Homecoming game. After a week full of school spirit leading up to this game, the crowd was ready to see a win. Carlmont won 28-6, taking the lead early and keeping control. When the final whistle sounded, the fans stormed the field to celebrate their Homecoming win.
Trying to carry momentum from that game, Carlmont went to San Mateo but was stopped short. San Mateo capitalized on the Scots’ mistakes, leading to a 49-21 loss for Carlmont.
The last league game was at Cappuccino, where Carlmont suffered a 40-6 loss. This put the Scots’ league record at 2-3.
“This year we have many graduating seniors, but many of our young players were able to get experience this season. The team learned a lot in the games and will continue to improve and build,” said Palthe.
The Screamin’ Scots stayed positive and supported the team until the last minute of every game. “Even though our record wasn’t strong, I still had a lot of fun cheering for the team,” said senior Sam Levy.
Change is coming to downtown San Carlos
Downtown San Carlos is about to undergo significant change, as construction in Wheeler Plaza, bounded by Cherry Street and San Carlos Avenue, is set to begin early this year. The redevelopment of Wheeler Plaza will affect 2.65 acres of land west of Laurel Street, mainly the parking lot behind the former Foodville.
“Wheeler Plaza is going to add parking, housing, and retail space to downtown San Carlos. This project is also going to try to maintain the small-town feeling that is unique to our town by having space for pedestrians and a plaza. [The redevelopment] will also add new housing in close proximity to small shops on Laurel, boosting their business,” said Lisa Costa Sanders, the principal planner for the City of San Carlos.
Wheeler Plaza will be transformed into a mixed-use development that will take the place of current above-ground parking and retail buildings. The planned area is a 2.4-acre parcel of land that will be replaced by below-ground parking, street-level retail spaces, and condominium housing above.
“The vision for Wheeler Plaza started in the ’90s and it’s taken a long time to get it done,” said Sanders.
The construction plans were originally proposed in 2009. Originally the push-back against this project was voiced by people worried about the changes to Laurel Street.
“I’m not happy about the change because of all the traffic problems that will make it difficult to get around. Also, the new building will change downtown,” said sophomore Kevin McGee.
Wheeler Plaza will add retail space and more parking once the project is complete. One current proposal is an open-air plaza for pedestrians on Laurel Street.
When construction begins, the loss of the parking lot will cause traffic and parking problems on Laurel Street. The parking lot that currently occupies the space has 182 parking places, and the City Council has worked to open the parking structure behind the San Trams building to public and permit parking in order to account for the lack of space.
“During construction, there will be free valet parking in the San Trams parking structure. Hopefully this will ease the traffic on Laurel Street. The parking complex is the first part of the development that will be finished. Once it is open, we will open it to public parking,” said Sanders.
The stage is set for construction to begin in the early part of 2016. The first step will be the demolition of the parking lot and surrounding retail buildings. These retail buildings include Foodville and the all other spaces on San Carlos Avenue from the former Oriental Rug Shop up to Hole in One Liquor Store. A low-income, six-unit apartment building on Walnut Street will also be demolished. After clearing out space on San Carlos Avenue, the underground foundations, building basements, and parking levels will be constructed.
The above-ground levels of parking will be finished and opened first, followed by the retail spaces and condominiums. There will be three to four spaces for businesses or restaurants.
The parking structure will have 252 public parking spaces and 195 resident parking spaces, and the three floors of condominiums above will provide a total of 109 new housing units.
Wheeler Plaza is not the only development in San Carlos. An empty portion of land between El Camino and the train tracks will be developed into retail and office spaces, as well as housing.
This development is called Transit Village, and will also begin construction in 2016. Another development is the Landmark Hotel, which is set to be built on Industrial Avenue near the intersection with Holly Street.
Sanders said, “We [the city] are working to have someone to supervise any problems that may arise during the construction of [these] developments.”
Downtown San Carlos is about to undergo significant change, as construction in Wheeler Plaza, bounded by Cherry Street and San Carlos Avenue, is set to begin early this year. The redevelopment of Wheeler Plaza will affect 2.65 acres of land west of Laurel Street, mainly the parking lot behind the former Foodville.
“Wheeler Plaza is going to add parking, housing, and retail space to downtown San Carlos. This project is also going to try to maintain the small-town feeling that is unique to our town by having space for pedestrians and a plaza. [The redevelopment] will also add new housing in close proximity to small shops on Laurel, boosting their business,” said Lisa Costa Sanders, the principal planner for the City of San Carlos.
Wheeler Plaza will be transformed into a mixed-use development that will take the place of current above-ground parking and retail buildings. The planned area is a 2.4-acre parcel of land that will be replaced by below-ground parking, street-level retail spaces, and condominium housing above.
“The vision for Wheeler Plaza started in the ’90s and it’s taken a long time to get it done,” said Sanders.
The construction plans were originally proposed in 2009. Originally the push-back against this project was voiced by people worried about the changes to Laurel Street.
“I’m not happy about the change because of all the traffic problems that will make it difficult to get around. Also, the new building will change downtown,” said sophomore Kevin McGee.
Wheeler Plaza will add retail space and more parking once the project is complete. One current proposal is an open-air plaza for pedestrians on Laurel Street.
When construction begins, the loss of the parking lot will cause traffic and parking problems on Laurel Street. The parking lot that currently occupies the space has 182 parking places, and the City Council has worked to open the parking structure behind the San Trams building to public and permit parking in order to account for the lack of space.
“During construction, there will be free valet parking in the San Trams parking structure. Hopefully this will ease the traffic on Laurel Street. The parking complex is the first part of the development that will be finished. Once it is open, we will open it to public parking,” said Sanders.
The stage is set for construction to begin in the early part of 2016. The first step will be the demolition of the parking lot and surrounding retail buildings. These retail buildings include Foodville and the all other spaces on San Carlos Avenue from the former Oriental Rug Shop up to Hole in One Liquor Store. A low-income, six-unit apartment building on Walnut Street will also be demolished. After clearing out space on San Carlos Avenue, the underground foundations, building basements, and parking levels will be constructed.
The above-ground levels of parking will be finished and opened first, followed by the retail spaces and condominiums. There will be three to four spaces for businesses or restaurants.
The parking structure will have 252 public parking spaces and 195 resident parking spaces, and the three floors of condominiums above will provide a total of 109 new housing units.
Wheeler Plaza is not the only development in San Carlos. An empty portion of land between El Camino and the train tracks will be developed into retail and office spaces, as well as housing.
This development is called Transit Village, and will also begin construction in 2016. Another development is the Landmark Hotel, which is set to be built on Industrial Avenue near the intersection with Holly Street.
Sanders said, “We [the city] are working to have someone to supervise any problems that may arise during the construction of [these] developments.”
Coach Liggett reaches his 1000th win with Carlmont softball
Varsity softball coasted to a 3-0 win over Capuchino High School on April 12. This marked head coach Jim Liggett’s 1000th career win.
“Really, 1000 of anything is noteworthy, and 1000 wins is a milestone,” said sophomore Josh Fong.
Fans, alumni, and former players all packed the stands and tried to get a view of the field to see if Liggett would reach 1000 wins with the result this game.
“It’s unbelievable how many people came out to watch this game. It really shows what we’ve done all the relationships that have been created. It’s more about the people than 1000 wins,” said Liggett.
The game started well with Carlmont taking a 2-0 lead from some strong hitting in the first inning. Carlmont’s strong pitching from sophomore Abygail Lan kept Capuchino off the base paths. Strong defense from Capuchino stopped Carlmont from scoring as it remained 2-0 through the second inning.
The Scots added another run in the third inning with the help of smart base running. Capuchino stranded two base runners in the top of the fourth inning, but their defense kept Carlmont from increasing their lead.
Despite a lead-off double from the Scots in the fifth inning, the score stayed 3-0. With momentum on their side and the fans cheering loudly, Carlmont quickly moved through the sixth and seventh innings to capture their 15th win of the season and clinch playoffs.
After the final out, the teams and fans walked onto the field to celebrate and congratulate Liggett on his achievement.
The veteran coach’s track record speaks for itself with 41 years of coaching, 40 playoff appearances, and eight Central Coast Section championships.
Now in his final season coaching Carlmont softball, Liggett has reached 1000 wins.
Liggett said, “I hope the team didn’t feel too much pressure. This wasn’t something I was focusing on. The girls wanted to reach this and they’re a strong team. We’ve been playing very well this season.”
Varsity’s next game is set to play away against Mills High School on April 14.
Varsity softball coasted to a 3-0 win over Capuchino High School on April 12. This marked head coach Jim Liggett’s 1000th career win.
“Really, 1000 of anything is noteworthy, and 1000 wins is a milestone,” said sophomore Josh Fong.
Fans, alumni, and former players all packed the stands and tried to get a view of the field to see if Liggett would reach 1000 wins with the result this game.
“It’s unbelievable how many people came out to watch this game. It really shows what we’ve done all the relationships that have been created. It’s more about the people than 1000 wins,” said Liggett.
The game started well with Carlmont taking a 2-0 lead from some strong hitting in the first inning. Carlmont’s strong pitching from sophomore Abygail Lan kept Capuchino off the base paths. Strong defense from Capuchino stopped Carlmont from scoring as it remained 2-0 through the second inning.
The Scots added another run in the third inning with the help of smart base running. Capuchino stranded two base runners in the top of the fourth inning, but their defense kept Carlmont from increasing their lead.
Despite a lead-off double from the Scots in the fifth inning, the score stayed 3-0. With momentum on their side and the fans cheering loudly, Carlmont quickly moved through the sixth and seventh innings to capture their 15th win of the season and clinch playoffs.
After the final out, the teams and fans walked onto the field to celebrate and congratulate Liggett on his achievement.
The veteran coach’s track record speaks for itself with 41 years of coaching, 40 playoff appearances, and eight Central Coast Section championships.
Now in his final season coaching Carlmont softball, Liggett has reached 1000 wins.
Liggett said, “I hope the team didn’t feel too much pressure. This wasn’t something I was focusing on. The girls wanted to reach this and they’re a strong team. We’ve been playing very well this season.”
Varsity’s next game is set to play away against Mills High School on April 14.
New complications with over-the-counter drugs are identified
Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in the painkiller Tylenol, and though it may be very good at reducing or numbing one’s pain, a recent study shows that it may also make the user less empathetic.
Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. A recent study conducted by researchers at the Ohio State University and published in the scientific journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that “acetaminophen reduced empathy in response to others’ pain.” The data indicates that “participants who took acetaminophen consistently rated pain—both emotional and physical, and both their own and someone else’s—as less severe than those who took the placebo.”
This study, along with other hypotheses, raises questions about unknown effects of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and how these drugs may be hurting consumers.
Junior Siobhan Ang said, “Hearing about that side effect does make me wonder what other side effects painkillers could potentially have, especially if someone is taking them often.”
Acetaminophen is a common drug ingredient in the U.S. It is found in more than 600 medicines including; cough, cold, and allergy relievers, and nearly a quarter of American adults use it weekly. When taken in excess, it can cause severe liver damage.
To avoid the loss of empathy and liver damage a consumer may consider avoiding Tylenol and acetaminophen-based drugs and take ibuprofen instead. This, however, isn’t much better as Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can damage the user’s stomach lining. This damage can result in a peptic ulcer which is small painful sore that often occurs in the stomach.
Many of the dangers come from misuse of OTC drugs. Taking more than the recommended dosage can cause health complications.
Often, over-the-counter sleeping pills contain antihistamines. These pills can lose their effectiveness over time which can cause users to take more than the recommended dosage. This may result in daytime sleepiness, dizziness, and a thickening of bronchial secretions.
“It doesn’t seem like a big deal if you take one or two tablets when you’re in pain. Knowing the effects that taking too much medicine can have, I’ll look more carefully at the labels,” said sophomore Miguel Encarnacion.
The simple solution is to take the proper dosages, but despite warnings, 66 percent of Americans admit to taking more than the recommended amount at a single time, according to a study by the National Council on Patient Information and Education. Concern arises when there are over 300,000 marketed OTC drug products that Americans could be misusing at the risk of their own health.