Senator Square: Carson coach honored, mascot highlighted and Senior Sunrise ahead

It is wonderful to be back in school, to again see the smiling faces of young people walking throughout the building, going from class to class with excitement and anticipation, gently pushing at their friends to move along, so no one ends up being late to class.

No, it is not quite like this around the schools in Carson City. Students, teachers, and administrators must dig a little deeper into their imaginations to see the smiling faces of others, the smiles behind the masks. Are the smiles still there? Of course they are. But how might they be seen behind all those masks? Well, they are seen in the eyes, if time enough is made to take a look.

What an amazing opportunity is found by looking into the eyes. No one likes the masks, but, depending on an individual’s perspective, a new and wonderful opportunity is found. Frederick Langridge, 1896, found the best way of finding the positive amidst the negative when he said, “Two men look out through the same bars; one sees the mud, and one the stars.”

One day, the masks will go away. So instead of focusing negatively upon this unprecedented pandemic, look at this as the amazing opportunity it has become, an unprecedented, marvelous anomaly.

SUPERINTENDENT ENCOURAGES CARSON CITY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Good Morning! Anytime we work with unknowns and variables, change and modifications will be required. Anytime change is encountered, it will be challenging and unnerving; however, if we are honest, there are also those occasional flashes of excitement and glimpses of innovation and inspiration we feel in our core. I encourage you to let those tiny seeds of genius take root and grow.

From the requirements associated with change, we will keep many of our very best practices. However, we will also enjoy a time of renewal and replacement with new or modified systems and methods which could only be accomplished because of the conditions of the day. I am certain you have felt these feelings of concern and excitement.

Hold on to these feelings as you work closely with your immediate teammates in getting ready for one of the biggest changes in your professional career so far. I am grateful for your courage and your resolve to return to the classroom to assist our students who have now been out of school for five months.

Now more than ever, our students are relying on us to help them understand their place in a rapidly changing world. Now more than ever, our students need to understand the thinking and actions occurring in their political, social, and economic world. With your help, we will help our students to flourish so they may search for knowledge, learn from the past, wrestle with ideologies, understand the physical world, identify their beliefs, and take their place in a complicated and diverse society. Thank you for being their teacher. I wish you all a safe and healthy school year. Sincerely, Superintendent Richard Stokes.

FOOTBALL COACH NAMED BEST IN CHS HISTORY
According to Chris Murray, in the article “Mailbag leftover: The best football coach in history of each local high school” from Nevada Sports Net of Reno, NV and 2020 Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. “Carson (Blair Roman): Carson has won four state titles, although one came in the 1920s, two in the 1950s and one in the 1960s, so no recent state titles, but we will still pick the Senators' current head coach, Blair Roman, as the top coach in school history. Coaching football is in the blood as Blair's father, Keith, was a long-time Douglas football, basketball, and baseball coach (the Tigers' field is named after him).

Blair has been at Carson since 2008, making him the longest consecutively tenured coach at one school in Northern Nevada's large-class division. Blair's Senators won league titles in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and is 77-54 all-time with at Carson, although his program has not had a winning record since 2015.” Here is the link to the article. According to Angila Golik, “Thank you Blair for the awesome information about our mascot, and, for those of you who did not see it this summer, the same organization which named the Top 10 Mascots in Nevada also made a selection of the most historical and best football coaches in each division in Nevada.” Guess who was on this list?  He would never toot his own horn, so I wanted to make sure our staff was aware of this great news! So Congrats Blair Roman.” — Contributed by CHS Honors American Government and Economics teacher Angila Golik.

CARSON HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT NAMED AMONG TOP TEN IN NEVADA
Nevada Sports Net, Aug. 20, named the CHS Mascot, the Senator, as one of the Top 10 Mascots in Nevada. The article reads: “Carson High School Carson Senators: Carson, the capital city in Nevada, didn't get too fancy with its nickname, opting for Senators, which makes sense since the legislature calls it home every other year, which is a rarity considering the Silver State is one of only four state legislatures that doesn't meet every year (the other states to meet biennially are Montana, North Dakota and Texas). "Senators" isn't as rare as some of the nicknames on this list, but it's a fitting mascot for one of the oldest high schools in the state (and I say that as a proud Douglas Tiger, rival of Carson).” What a great way to start the school year. The CHS Mascot was named No. 8 in the state out of over 100 high schools in Nevada.

The writer of the article, Chris Murray, named CHS’ mascot as very unique. Murray said it would be difficult to find other schools throughout the country called the Senators, if they even exist. As many know, Carson High School was established in 1871 and is one of the oldest high schools in the state. I believe Reno High is the oldest and Carson is 2nd oldest; however, Sparks High School may have dibs on that. We have had several locations over this time, and there is an article about this which CCSD Associate Superintendent Tasha Fuson published, which was researched and written by CHS Language Arts teacher Rebecca Rodina several years ago. For those of you who are math geniuses, like myself, the year 2021 will be the 150th anniversary of CHS.

We are part of something that goes way beyond the present, and, as much as things change, and always will change, you cannot change history and all that is associated with this tremendous school. The future will bring more change and more history, we are certainly living it right now, but I have worked at CHS 22 years now, 4 at a different school, and I can personally attest to the great place this is, the friends I have made, and, most importantly, the great kids with whom I have been associated.

Our mascot is iconic, particularly the old one with the cigar in the Senator's mouth. As you know, in times like these, and for good reason, the cigar has disappeared, but it is not forgotten. I thought it was some great information to share with Carson High. Have a great start to your year.
— Contributed by CHS Athletic Director, Head Football, Weights, and Physical Education teacher Blair Roman

TIME TO REGISTER FOR SPORTS
According to CHS Athletic Director, Head Football, and Physical Education teacher Blair Roman, “We will be running three sports’ seasons in one semester starting in January. Winter Sports begin practice Jan. 2, 2021, and the first contest is Jan. 15. The last contest is Feb. 20; Fall Sports begin Feb. 20, except for Football which begins Feb. 13. The first contest is Mar. 5, and the last contest is April 10; Spring Sports begin April 3; the first contest will be April 16, and the last contest May 22.

This semester, starting Sept. 8, coaches in various sports will be running off-season workouts and practices following Covid guidelines instituted by the NIAA. Academic eligibility for Winter Sports will be determined by the athlete's first quarter posted grade since those sports start Jan. 2 and the 1st semester will end Jan. 15. Fall Sports, which begin in February, will still use first semester grades, and Spring Sports will use third quarter grades. Students must have a 2.0 GPA or higher, and no Fs, to be academically eligible.

Athletes should register for all sporting activities at registermyathlete.com. It is not too late to register for football, soccer, volleyball, tennis, cross country, and girl’s golf as well as the Winter Sports of basketball, wrestling, and ski team; registration will not close until Dec. 20, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. Spring Sports, including baseball, softball, swim, track and field, and boys golf, will not close until Feb. 16, 2021.

Photo or cell phone pictures of physicals will be accepted if readable. Form B of the NIAA pre-participation form must be signed by both parent and athlete with both pages uploaded together. Form D, physical history, must be uploaded separately from Form B. If no physical is needed, complete and submit top portion. Medical insurance is covered by Carson City School District for any school sponsored activity. If student already has medical insurance, CCSD will be a secondary insurance. Contact the Athletic Department at 283-1900, or go to senatorsnow.org for more information. For questions, please call Coach Roman at 283-1608.

SENIOR SUNRISE IS SEPT. 4
They will likely be wearing pajamas, be wrapped in blankets, and be carrying cups of Dutch Bros or Starbucks as they gather to celebrate the beginning of their senior year. The Class of 2020-2021, while practicing social distancing and wearing masks, will gather together at 6:00 a.m. Sept. 4 on the bleachers of the CHS football field to watch the sun rise; it is the beginning of their last year at CHS, and, for some of them, their last year as students who were raised in the Carson City School District. Fall is in the air, and the beginning of every school year at CHS offers the current class of seniors the opportunity to get together in the morning, have some baked goods, hot chocolate, and coffee, and make a few personal decisions.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Though he graduated last year, it was decided the first CHS Student of the Week this year would be Rich Wright as he was nominated by Language Arts Department Head Cheryl Macy just after the last issue of Senator Square was published last year. According to Macy, “Rich Wright graduated last year and proved to be a stellar student; he is hardworking and conscientious, and, during remote learning last spring, Rich was always on our online class meetings ready to learn with a good attitude.” He is one of those people you can always rely on. He takes his schoolwork seriously and is always 100 percent respectful. I always looked forward to hearing about his reviews of the latest superhero movies or what he did over the weekend.

— Senator Square columnist Phil Brady is an English teacher at Carson High School in Carson City, Nev.