Doctor Simpson Memorialized

Montclair Journal
MARCH 2008
ISSUE 4
Doctor Simpson Memorialized
Beloved Headmaster
Fulfilled Life’s Dream
By: Stephanie Sherman
Staff Writer
Dr. Vernon E. Simpson,
founder and headmaster of
Montclair College Preparatory
School, died on February 12,
2008 at Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center due to complications of
pneumonia. He was 80.
Dr. Simpson, known to
faculty, students, and friends as
“Doc,” founded Montclair College Preparatory after teaching
for a few years in the public
school system and becoming
highly dissatisfied with overcrowded classrooms and unin-
Editorial:
Doc Was More
Than a Friend,
He Was Family
By: Caitlin Kranzdorf
Co-Editor-In-Chief
Whenever someone passes away, their loss is bound to
touch at least one person. Some
people’s death leaves a void that
is larger and more profound than
others. Each life inevitably has
a beginning and each has an end.
The end of life is as invariable
as day giving way to night, the
shifting of the tides and the turning of the seasons.
Who then could be more
fortunate than to have lived a life
that touched thousands in a way
that was wonderful and nothing
short of unique? Only a blessed
few have a heart so large to love
so deeply and to be loved by so
many.
Dr. Vernon Earl Simpson,
simply known as “Doc” to all of
us was such a man. Doc embodied so many unique gifts. A man
of keen intellect, tremendous
warmth and the capacity to relate
to a wide variety of people from
all walks of life, Dr. Simpson
combined a common touch with
an uncommon ability to discover
the best in each person he met.
Doc was my more than
just my headmaster, he was my
friend. In my family, friendship
with Doc was a family tradition.
My dad graduated from Montclair in 1972 and my brother in
2002. For almost 40 years Dr.
Simpson played a crucial role in
the lives of someone in my family.
I myself have had the privilege of knowing Doc for almost
Continued on page 2
spiring teachers. He had a dream
to create a private school that
would educate, inspire, and prepare young individuals for their
future.
Dr. Simpson’s vision became a reality in 1956 when he
put a $500 down payment on
an old motel located on a small,
five-acre parcel of land. Later
that year, Doc opened the doors
to Montclair College Prep for the
first time. Doc believed that all
students were entitled to a highquality education, so he formed a
coeducational school that would
welcome all races and religions.
Although it was a rarity to find
a coed, nonsectarian private
school at that time, Doc ensured
that Montclair would go beyond
the norm and give everybody a
chance to succeed.
Dr. Simpson instituted a
rigorous college preparatory curriculum in order to ensure that
students would be prepared for
college and life beyond Montclair. He believed that students
should develop both a “healthy
body and mind,” so in addition
to offering a superior academic
program, he felt that it was important for students to be physically active during their high
school career. To this end, he
developed an impressive athletic
program and encouraged all students to be involved.
“Doc was very much an
advocate of a traditional prep
school seeking to combine rigorous academics with a competitive athletic program in an environment in which Doc hoped
to produce not only outstanding
students, but also young ladies
and gentleman who would be
Continued on page 5
Dr. Vernon E. Simpson, 1927-2008.
Family, Friends Celebrate ‘Doc’
By: Caitlin Kranzdorf and
Arielle Rapaport
Co-Editors-In-Chief
Doctor Simpson’s memorial took place on Friday, February 22nd. Over seven hundred
and fifty people attended the ceremony. The gym was filled with
family, friends, faculty, current
students, and alumni to celebrate
Doctor Vernon E. Simpson’s
life.
The ceremony was beautifully led by Doc’s longtime
friend, Reverand E.V. Hill. He
managed to create laughter by
reminding people of Docs’ many
charismatic traits. Mrs. Arlene
Silverman read a lovely poem
and that she and Mr. Warshaw
came across on the internet prior
to the ceremony.
Following Mrs. Arlene Sil-
Dr. McDonnell Named
Executive Director
Dr. Mike McDonnell is
the new Executive Director and
Headmaster at Montclair College Preparatory School, the
Board of Directors announced
on February 26. Now in his 19th
year at Montclair, he succeeds
Dr. Simpson who founded the
school in 1956.
Dr. McDonnell has been the
school’s Assistant Director since
2004. He began at Montclair as
a teacher in the Science Department and an athletic coach, later
serving as Vice Principal and
Photo Courtesy of Dr. McDonnell
Dean of the Faculty. As his responsibilities have increased,
McDonnell has remained personally active in a wide variety
of student affairs and committed
to making a difference in students’ lives.
“I will always be grateful to Dr. Simpson for the trust
he placed in me and the support
that enabled me to succeed,” Dr.
McDonnell said. “I also thank
the board for the opportunity to
continue Dr. Simpson’s life’s
Continued on page 4
Photo Courtesy of Amy Lin
Reverand E.V HIll speaks at the
ceremony.
verman, Mr. George Giannini a
former Montclair student whom
we all know very well as a current Varsity head football coach.
gave a speech filled with joyful
memories of Doc.
Mr. Jeff Kranzdorf, Mr.
John Blosdale, Mr. Howard
Abrams, and Mr. Seth Miller all
alumni spoke about their close
relationships to Doc. Mr. Oscar
Swinton and Mr. Gregory Jones
, parents of former students gave
heartwarming speeches as well.
Music interludes were dedicated to Doc by his great niece
Ashley Tesoro and Montclair
faculty members Mr. Ken and
Jeanine Smith.
Dr. McDonnell who was
announced as the new Montclair
head master presented a slide
show of Doctor Simpon’s life
starting when he was just a baby
to current years at Montclair.
The ceremony was a great
celebration of Doctor Simpson’s life and all of his accomplishments. He is one of a kind
and his spirit will be passed on
through his loved ones.
Inside This Issue...
~Primaries Leave Election In the Air
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton race for the
Democratic nomination pg. 3
~Secret Lives of Teachers Outside of MCP
A look into the lives of Mr. Bleifer and Mr. Abrams
pg.4
~Dr. Farris: Teacher of the Month
Dr. Farris is awarded teacher of the month for his
hard work and dedication to his students
pg.5
~Honoring a Popular Hollywood Figure: Heath
Ledger
An unexpected death leaves fans in shock
pg. 6
PAGE 2
Editorials and Opinons
Montclair Journal Staff
Writing Staff:
Josh Rose
Taylor Burgess
Morgan Engle
Stephanie Sherman
Kenny Jackson
Andrew Cohen
Shelby Frenkel
Shane Marechal
Phil-Woo Roh
Ryan Alberts
Zack Sokolow
Michael Hillel
Josh Idell
Camryn Grimes
Ben Lin
Shoeb Mohammed
Katie Cryer
Adam Jenkala
Co-Editors-InChief:
Arielle Rapaport
Caitlin Kranzdorf
Advisors:
Mr. Gernes
Mr. Erenberg
Managing
Editor:
Michelle Marshall
Doctor Simpson Was
Much More Than
Just a Headmaster
Continued from pg.1
Friends and Family celebrating Doc’s life at his memorial.
Photo Courtesy of Amy Lin.
Faculty Rememberances
Doctor Simpson founded Montclair Prep in 1956. Between now and then Doc
left thousands of people with precious memories. Many of MCP’s faculty members had known Doc for quite some time and had formed a close relationship with
him. Here are some of the teacher’s fondest memories of Doctor Simpson.
In 2004 Coach G. and I were in a heated discussion regarding the manliness involved in the
sport of tennis. I had been coaching the team since
1999 and Coach G. had been giving me a hard time
for most of those 5 years.
Doctor Simpson called me in his office and
sat me down. He handed me a very old yearbook
and smiling said, Coach G will not make fun of
you anymore. I opened the book to the page Doc
marked and there was a picture of Coach G as a
junior at Montclair.
The caption .Tennis team captain George Giannini. In 1994 Doctor Simpson hired me to restart the boy’s soccer program. I was working for
KABC News at the time but fit the coaching into
my schedule. At the conclusion of the season Doc
sat me down in his office for one of his famous
talks. Two hours later Doc told me that I needed
to be a teacher and Montclair was the perfect place
for me.
Fourteen years later all I can say is, Doc, you
were right. Thank you for helping me to see the
light.
Mr. Ken Erenberg
One of my favorite memories of Doc was
when my 6th grade class would march into his
office carrying their mythological animals. Doc
called it “The Zoo” and loved the stories each
child told him about the creature he/she created.
He always made every child feel special and he
insisted we place the animals in the waiting room
so he could enjoy them everyday and show them
off to visitors. He was absolutely the best.
Mrs. Arlene Silverman
I have unforgettable memories of Doc. I met
him a few years after arriving to L.A. from Argentina, and he gave me his trust and the chance to be
a teacher again in this country. Teaching again was
a blessing for me, and I thank Doc Simpson for allowing me to be part of the Montclair’s family and
this remarkable experience.
He was always willing to help me with his
unique gentleness, and after almost 20 years of
working for him I will miss his presence, the frequent visits to his office, his advices, his smile and
his kindness.
He will be always in my heart.
Mrs. Silvia Bagden
My most outstanding memory of Doc was
when I sat with him at an MCP football game, not
long after I started working at Montclair. We had
a long conversation that lasted through most of
the game, covering a very broad range of topics in life. It was fascinating and educational to
get his views-the wisdom of age speaking-as
well as hearing him talk about the many people
who had passed through the school’s gates over
all of the years-approaching half a century at that
point.
I had other great conversations with him as
well, and I am thankful and very blessed to have
known him, as he gave me a chance when other
prospective employers did not, and I shall never
forget that. No doubt he is deeply missed by everyone whose lives he touched over his lifetime of
good works, always helping others-to me, that’s
Doc, in a nutshell. Rock on, Doc, and God bless.
Mr. Jim Blake
On the day before classes started in September, Doc came into my newly painted classroom.
He looked around at the posters and maps and
with a youthful sparkle and smile he said, “I wish
I could be a student in your class.”
Whenever I think of Doctor Simpson a smile
comes over me because that is the way he always
greeted me. He was so warm and personable. Every time I met with him whether it was just to chat
or to discuss a problem, he would end our discussion not only with a bit of wisdom but with a
phrase in Spanish. As a Spanish instructor it made
me feel that he was really connected with me and
really understood me.
Mrs. Amalia Lejboicz
13 years. I can hardly believe
that he will not be there when I
walk with my classmates in that
graduation procession in June of
this year. In short to me: Doc
was family.
My grandpa who I never
met and for whom my brother
is named passed away when my
father was 14. Less than two
months after that my father began high school at Montclair.
In so many ways Doc became the closest thing to a father
figure my dad had. He became a
confidant, a mentor and a sounding board as dad graduated and
moved on to college and life.
My dad was always amazed
by what an incredibly loving
man Doc was and will forever
be. He cared for each and every
one of his students whether he
knew them on a personal level,
had spoken to them once in his
office, or had just waved hello.
The task of educating
brought Doc enormous pride and
joy. His very presence brought
happiness and color to the campus. When his face lit up so did
others. Doc had that wonderful
smile, an infectious laugh and
an enthusiasm for life that was
just catching. For Doc, education was an intensely personal
matter.
As an elementary school
student eager to attend Montclair, I remember when my
brother would bring home candy
and say “Caitlin, Doc called me
to his office today and gave me
this just for you”.
I remember how this made
me feel important. Even though
I wasn’t a Montclair student yet,
the fact that Doc knew about me
and thought enough to do something nice for me, for no reason
at all, made an impression upon
me. I had never heard of any
school principal doing such nice
things simply to be nice.
Doc’s passing leaves an incredible void in all of our lives.
I have never known anyone else
quite like him, but I, like so many
of “Doc’s kids” sure hope to be
like him.
Dr. Simpson touched the
lives of thousands of us in such
positive ways. While his life on
earth ended February 12, 2008
his presence on earth did not end
that day. Doc’s life and his love
will continue. It carries on every
school day when we begin first
period and it continues on every
night when we finish the day’s
homework. It moves forward when the
Mounties march down the field. It carries to the entire world as
we graduate, move on and begin
our careers and raise our own
families and it returns to Montclair when we visit as graduates
and maybe someday enroll our
own children as future students. Because every time we share our
knowledge; every time we use
that knowledge for good and in
every way that makes the world
a better place, a piece of Dr.
Simpson lives on. Let’s all hope that we can
live our lives in a way that makes
Doc proud of the people we have
become. Let’s continue to support Doc’s vision as adults and
to live our lives in a way that
reflects the devotion he gave to
us. Let’s all strive to be a credit
to our school, our families, our
community and “our Doc” in everything we do. God Bless Dr. Simpson!
Photo Courtesy of Dr. McDonnell
Doctor Simpson at his high
school graduation
News
PAGE 3
Cheating Scandal
Rocks Prestigious
Local School
By: Andrew Cohen
Staff Writer
Harvard-Westlake is a pretigous school in the San Fernando Valley.
Recently, six students were
expelled after administration
learned that mid-term exams
were stolen and shared.
The six students whom
were expelled were sophomores
and more than a dozen students
are either to be expelled or face
serious out of school suspension.
The school is nationally
known for their academic excellence and such accounts really
ground such a reputation. This
goes to show that no matter what
kind of students you are working
with, cheating will always be an
issue.
It was evident to the teachers of the history department that
cheating had taken place because
of the numerous students who
scored exceptionally well.
The department at the
school then received an “anonymous” tip that the cheating had
taken place.
The kids who stole the actual exams were expelled and
the rest whom face suspension
merely looked at the papers, with
no premeditated choice to look
at the exams.
Such things really affect the
feeling of community at a private school. A senior named Michael Kaplan at Harvard-Westlake wrote on the online forum
about the school that no longer
kids feel safe to leave their bags
around the school as they used
to, and teachers feel the need to
lock doors and check in on classes more than ever before.
Hopefully the school will
one day return to the prestigious
reputation that has know been
tainted due to a truly debilitating
act.
Photo Courtesy of www.dailynews.com
The remaining democratic candidates, Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama at the CNN debate.
Primaries Leave Election In the Air
By: Kenny Jackson
Staff Writer
February 5th came and
went. It was unlike any day in
the history of American voting.
The day came to be known as
“Super Tuesday” because it was
the closest the country has ever
come to having a national primary election. 24 states had either
primaries or caucuses and the
one thing people learned about
this election is that it is unpredictable.
By:Andrew Cohen
the prestigious schools in Los
Clinton came out of SuStaff Writer
Angeles, never had I seen such per Tuesday with 823 delegates
Dr. Simpson is the main alacrity for the sports programs
reason why many of the students from a school Director until I after winning Arizona, New
Jersey, Massachusetts, Califorat Montclair Prep ever chose to met Doc.
nia, Tennessee, New York, and
attend the school in the first place. Doc sat me down and Oklahoma. Obama finished SuWhen my family first moved to asked me about baseball. We
per Tuesday with 741 delegates
California, my sister and I were talked for a little while and it was
after winning Missouri, Alaska,
in the middle of the school year then that I realized I would probUtah, Colorado, Idaho, Minneand it was a tough time getting ably never find a school director
sota, Connecticut, Kansas, North
integrated into the competitive that would care so much about
Dakota, Illinois, Delaware, and
private school system. his school’s athletics and the stu- Georgia.
Fortunately for me, I was dents that wish to pursuse them. It appears that Clinton’s
accepted to Stephen S. Wise ElI am going on my fourth strategy was to win the big states
ementary, but my sister wasn’t year of varsity high school basewhile Obama’s strategy was to
so lucky. The only school that ball and each year has been more
show that he could win across
gave her a shot at a high qual- amazing than the next. the whole country. On the other
ity private school education was
In just my time being here side of things McCain came out
Montclair Prep, and my family we have made the playoffs every
as the Republican front runner.
is extremely thankful for that to year and have had very good opMcCain has 680 delegates after
this day.
portunities to win CIF. An entire winning Missouri, California,
My sister ended up to attend state of the art baseball field, in
Arizona, Oklahoma, New York,
Montclair from 6th through 12th fact one of the best I have ever
Delaware, New Jersey, Connectgrade and graduated with friends played on was constructed for the
icut, and Illinois.
she is still very close with today. Montclair baseball team about a
Romney came out of Super
My sister is currently pursuing year ago. Tuesday with 270 delegates by
her dream of learning everyI received a partial scholar- winning Massachusetts, Utah,
thing she can about the fashion ship from Brandeis University
North Dakota, Minnesota, Conindustry and she is an aspiring for baseball and a guaranteed
necticut, Alaska, and Montana.
designer.
spot on the roster and getting Lastly Huckabee came out with
As for me, I chose a dif- onto a competitive, great aca176 delegates by winning Tenferent route to focus on in high demic college baseball team. nessee, Georgia, Alabama, Arschool. I would love to be a If it weren’t for Doc, I doubt my
kansas, and West Virginia.
baseball player at the profession- family would be nearly as happy
Though on the Republican
al level and I have been working or successful today. side, McCain clinched the nomion it since I was a little boy. After all is said and done I nation and Huckabee finally
When I was choosing a will probably owe my entire life
withdrew from the election. So
high school, Montclair was by to Dr. Simpson, just as many of
it appears that both sides have a
far the most interesting school you reading this do today.
comeback kid. Five months ago
for me. After visiting many of
How ‘Doc’ Inspired
One Student’s Life
McCain was all but out with no
money for his campaign yet now
he is the Republican nominee.
With Tuesday’s win Clinton will not drop out. She will
see this to the end. That means
that Obama and Clinton will
be spending a vast sum of their
campaign money while McCain
can save up for the general election. In the past the main problem for the Democratic Party is
that they are never able to come
together and cross the finish line.
One has to ask themselves if,
once again, the party will have
the same problem.
While the remaining 14
primaries are relatively smaller
and more spread out there are
still about 600 delegates up for
grabs. The three largest delegate
primaries that remain are Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and
Mississippi. Though what will
most likely happen is that the
Democrats will not have their
candidate until their national
convention has been finished in
June.
By far this election has
been unique in many different
ways. With the National conventions in August and September
this is sure to be both a very long
winded race and very exciting.
This is defiantly one election that the next generation will
be reading about in their history
and social study textbooks. The
only question is how that chapter
will end.
MCP News
Dr. Simpson Created
an Environment of
Loyalty and Trust
PAGE 4
By: Morgan Engle and Taylor
Bergess
Staff Writers
One of the biggest words
that comes to mind when you
think of Doctor Simpson is loyalty. Doc was a man that had such
a great following with people.
We always ponder the question of “Why do people come to
Montclair?”, “Why do teachers
who were former students decide to teach at Montclair?”, or
“Why do parents keep their kids
in Montclair throughout their
school years?” The answer to
all of these questions is made up
of just two words: Doc Simpson.
He was a man idolized and admired by all of those who knew
him. His special qualities attracted people to him. Mr. Grzelkowska said “Doc Simpson
was the most inspirational, compassionate, selfless, opportunity
granting, human being I have
ever met”.
Former students of Doc
turned out to become teachers at
the same school because of him.
Doc’s ability to be a great educator and a great boss resulted in
teachers and administrators that
were more than just employees.
When we ask a teacher who has
been at Montclair for a while and
may have attended school here,
what they think of him, most will
say that they consider him more
of a father than a boss.
His ability to communicate,
educate, nurture, and reach out
to others inspired great loyalty
and respect in those who came to
know him well. They respected
what he did for the community
and what he did for the school.
There was even a deep feeling
of loyalty within student body,
mostly because Doc was always
around and always available
to the students of Montclair. If
there was ever a problem, he
never turned anyone away and
all the students knew that they
could count on him to help out.
Mr. Simpson said “Doc Simpson
was the most loyal all the way to
the end. Doc always gave second
chances, he was a true family
person”.
The loss of Doc Simpson is
huge and it will be felt throughout Montclair and the larger
community for a very, very long
time.
Mr. Gika commented
“Doc Simpson had a unique ability to see the good in people even
when all action seemed to show
the contrary, his faith in people
was never unfounded and rarely
ever in error, for your vision, and
your faith we thank you”.
All of the staff at Montclair has their own personal stories about Doc. Just the fact of
bringing up Doc and all of his
wonderful qualities brings most
staff members to tears. He will
live on through all of us. It is
only appropriate for everyone to
celebrate his life.
Photo Courtesy of Jeanine Smith.
Boys Basketball celebrates their league championship with Doc in 2005.
Why Teachers Come Back
to Montclair To Teach
By: Arielle Rapaport
Co-Editor-In-Chief
Doctor Vernon Simpson
created Montclair Prep in a very
unique way, different from all
private or public schools in the
San Fernando Valley. “Doc” established a sense of community
and family structure, where students, faculty, and parents could
feel cared for. It is very rare to
find an administrator who had a
personal relationship with every
faculty member and almost every individual student.
Walt Steele, head administrator commented that, “Alumni
that became teachers felt that
they had their freedom to express
subject discipline in a creative
and innovative way that Doc
Simpson allowed in our school.
Doc’s ability to mentor students
and continuity to build relationships led to many students wanting to contribute back to him by
teaching”.
Montclair provides a special type of atmosphere because
many alumni have come back
to teach after receiving their degree. Many of our teachers today
have known Doc since they were
in high school and have formed
a close relationship with him
throughout the years. Mr. Ribeiro, Mrs. Haeussler, Mr. Boles,
Coach Giannini, Mr. Krupp, Mr.
Patterson, and Mr. Smith graduated from Montclair and returned
Secret Lives of Teachers Outside of MCP
By: Stephanie Sherman
Staff Writer
Montclair Prep has been
known for its outstanding
teachers. Though many of our
teachers have taught at MCP for
many years, teaching students
wasn’t their only vocation.
Teachers including Mr. Bleifer,
and Coach Abrams, had quite
interesting jobs before educating
the students at Montclair.
Most students only know their
teachers as primarily educators,
but it’s important to see that the
educators at Montclair are also
well rounded and productive
individuals, educating the minds
of tomorrow.
I’m sure many of you have
posed the unanswered question,
“Has my teacher only been
teaching here at Montclair?”
After interviewing some teachers
at Montclair, I was able to find
the interesting and fascinating
jobs that were previously held
by teachers at Montclair.
Mr. Bleifer’s passion was one
for the law. Before teaching at
Montclair, Mr. Bleifer majored
in political science and became
a civil litigation attorney.
writing the sports section during
football season for The Daily
News for thirty-four years, Coach
Abrams has also taught beginner
seminars for people learning how
to bet on horses for horse racing.
He has been teaching this for ten
years and currently teaches on
weekends at San Anita, Del Mar,
Hollywood Park and Fairplex.
Coach Abrams is known as the
“handicapper,” which is a person
who teaches and helps groups on
Photo Courtesy of Arielle Rapaport
which horse to bet on. I asked
Mr Bleifer and Coach Abrams enjoy a day at school.
him what made him decide to
Investing five twelve hour days strongly desired. Mr. Bleifer start this trade and he stated,
in this stressful job, Mr. Bleifer responded by stating, “I was “Horse betting is something I
continued this profession for tired of being involved in a enjoy and it is very interesting.”
many years. When asked what negative profession.
Although I have only named
I was
made this profession different making money off of people’s a few of our teachers whom
from teaching, Mr. Bleifer miseries and I didn’t enjoy it. have had an interesting past, it’s
answered, “There is an equal As an attorney, you don’t always important to shed a new light
amount of work when you’re receive the glamorous cases that upon your teachers. In trouble
teaching and when you’re a are portrayed in Hollywood. I with the law or need some legal
lawyer. However, the demands am much happier teaching here advice? You can always contact
and rewards are much different. at Montclair.”
Mr. Bleifer. Interested in learning
As a lawyer, I spent time trying
Coach Abrams has also how to bet on horses? Talk to
to resolve conflicts, while as a had interesting jobs in which Coach Abrams. Our fine teachers
teacher, I spend time teaching he started before teaching are well-rounded educated
how to avoid conflicts.” My at Montclair. He received a individuals who can instruct
conversation with him continued bachelor’s in journalism and their students on academic
and I had asked why he had began writing the sports section subjects as well as prepare us for
left a profession he had once for The Daily News. As well as the professional world.
because of the different type
of environment Doc provided.
When asked about why he came
back to teach, Mr. Smith replied
that he “enjoyed the discipline,
the structure, and personal attention that Doc provided. Mrs.
Haeussler said that, “ I felt comfortable here, that I could be a
part of something that I enjoyed
during my high school years.”
Having alumni become teachers
is just one more example of how
Doc created a much more than
just a school, he developed a
feeling of family. Doc was a very
special person who touched each
of our lives in a different way. He
is the heart and soul of Montclair
and will be missed greatly.
Montclair
Welcomes
a New
Headmaster
Continued from page 1
work.”
“We will miss ‘Doc’ greatly but we will build on the strong
foundations he left in our care,”
Dr. McDonnell continued. “In
addition to the many student
lives he touched, his legacy includes an outstanding faculty
and staff, a knowledgeable and
supportive board, and a motivated and involved parent organization. I am confident Montclair
will continue to thrive.”
Dr. McDonnell is a 1988
graduate of the University
of California at Los Angeles
(UCLA) (BS, Kinesiology). In
1996 he earned a doctorate from
UCLA (Ed.D) and did research
on student use of the internet. Born in Laramie, Wyoming, he
is the son of an Air Force officer
and attended schools across the
United States (including Palos
Verdes High School) and graduated from Yokota High School in
Tokyo, Japan.
MCP News
Dr. Simpson’s Educational Legacy Will Live On
Continued from page 1
fully prepared for both college
and the world beyond,” said Jeff
Kranzdorf, class of 1972 and
longtime friend of Doc’s.
Doc created a nurturing educational environment at
Montclair. He had an “opendoor policy,” a guideline which
he followed by always having
his own door open to everybody.
Whenever an individual would
walk into his open door, Doc
would exude feelings of warmth
and comfort. He cared about his
students, and took a genuine interest in their problems, successes, and futures.
“I can say that no other
headmaster of a school I have
been to has ever put so much
heart and so much enthusiasm
into his school as Doc did. Although a very busy man, Doc’s
doors were always wide open,”
stated senior Shane Marechal.
“Doc Simpson had a unique
ability to see the good in people
even when all action seemed to
show the contrary. His faith in
people was never unfounded and
rarely ever in error,” Mr. Edward
Gika stated.
Many students dread revisiting their high school, but Doc
ensured that his high school was
imbued with happiness and fond
memories. It was common to
see alumni return to visit with
Doc. Many alumni had such
fond memories that they returned
to join the faculty and teach the
next generation of students at
Montclair.
“Doc has been such an in-
Photo Courtesy of Dr. McDonnell
Doctor Simpson with his wife, Monteene and nephew, Mark Simpson.
spiration to so many of us,” stated Sergio Ribeiro, class of 1995,
and a current teacher. “I remember when he told me many years
ago that I should pursue a career
in teaching because he felt that
I would be able to make a difference in someone’s life. I am
eternally grateful for his encouragement and guidance.”
Dr. Simpson believed that
Montclair’s faculty was its greatest asset. He hired talented professionals and gave them the resources and support necessary to
inspire and educate.
“Doc was a mentor who
would work with you and help
you succeed,” Elizabeth Haeussler stated. “He was always
encouraging, supporting his students and the faculty. He was
always willing to give a helping
hand.”
Dr. Simpson trusted his
teachers and gave them freedom
in their classrooms, but he influenced them greatly with his wisdom and experience. One of his
most valued philosophies was
the so-called “three F’s.”
“[Doc] asked faculty to
use the ‘firm, fair, and friendly’
policy with students. It was important to start off the year by
being consistent, firm, and fair
about enforcing rules. However, being firm and fair were possible while also maintaining a
friendly, positive, and nurturing
demeanor,” Dr. Mike McDonnell recalled.
Originally taught in a single room of the motel, Montclair
has been remodeled throughout
the decades in order to accommodate the expanding student
body. In addition to numerous
classrooms scattered across the
campus, Montclair has expanded
to include a full-size gymnasium,
dorms for international students
and the Annex, which houses the
theater and multimedia lab. In
recent years, a state-of-the-art
computer lab and athletic field
have also been added to the campus.
In 2006, Montclair celebrated it’s 50th anniversary.
During the past five decades,
Montclair has educated thousands of individuals, won numerous state and local athletic
championships, and seen countless alumni go on to successful
careers in a multitude of fields.
Through all of the changes and
successes, Dr. Simpson has been
the one constant.
“The key to Doc’s success
is that he knew how to handle
PAGE 5
friends, employees, and students.
Although he was the boss, he always respected you,” stated Astrid Finkelstein, Doc’s personal
assistant.
Doc was born on May 13,
1927 in Hartshorne, Oklahoma
to Carl and Alba Simpson. Not
long after his birth, the Simpson family moved to East Los
Angeles and then again to
Bakersfield, California. Doc
was thirteen when he came to
Bakersfield, where he would be
raised with his twin brother, Virgil.
The first in his family to attend college, Doc enrolled at the
University of Southern California where he double majored in
biology and psychology. Years
after he founded Montclair, Doc
ambitiously continued his education at CSUN, where he received
his master’s degree, and UCLA,
where he received a PhD.
Dr. Simpson is survived
by his wife Monteene and his
brother Virgil; Doc’s nephew,
Mr. Mark Simpson, Director
of Development and CFO, and
Mrs. Shannon Peffer, Finance
Department, maintain their close
involvement in Montclair, and
remain committed to the continued success of the school.
Although the Montclair
community will always miss
Doc, his legacy will continue
to thrive. Doc was a beacon
to his students, faculty, friends
and family members. He was a
man who genuinely cared for the
well-being of everyone, and his
sincerity and hopefulness will always be remembered.
Teacher of The Month: Dr. Farris Austin Mandel
Leads Team to
League Championship
His eagerness to
educate and his
dedication to his
students makes him
a unique teacher
By:Stephanie Sherman
Staff Writer
January’s Teacher of the
Month award was granted to the
well-deserving Dr. Farris. Also
known as the “renaissance man,”
Dr. Farris has proved that he
should be recognized with this
award.
Dr. Farris’ fascination with
teaching began when he had the
opportunity to teach his class
in the fifth grade. His desire to
share his enthusiasm for the subject matter while simultaneously
helping another student gave Dr.
Farris great pleasure.
He had always desired to
emulate his own favorite teachers when he was in school and
strove to possess the qualities
that make an excellent teacher.
Those qualities include a deep
knowledge of the material, empathy for the student, and great
Photo Courtesy of Arielle Rapaport.
Dr. Farris tutoring a student during 7th period.
enthusiasm for the material be- shocked when the award was
ing taught.
given to him, Dr. Farris had truly
Although Dr. Farris tries to deserved to be recognized by
challenge his students, he is al- both his students and colleagues.
ways available to help any stu- When asked what his feelings
dent in need by setting appoint- were when awarded, he stated,
ments with them. Dr. Farris goes “Well, I’m thankful and grateful
above and beyond expectations for this award, however, there
and is eager to help anyone by are a lot of excellent teachers
devoting his own time to helping here who also deserve to be recthe student.
Continued on page 6
Although surprised and
By: Caitlin Kranzdorf
Co-Editor-In-Chief
Austin Mandel, a senior
at Montclair will be attending Brown in fall to play for
their soccer team. Austin just
recently broke Aaron Crouch’s
record of career goals in a high
school at MCP. He is now the
all-time leading scorer. After
scoring 3 more goals in the 8-2
win against Kilpatrick, he also
became the top goal scorer in
area with history with an impressive 116 goals.
The record of 114 career
goals was held by Craig Sherman of Oakwood and it didn’t
take Austin too long to score
his 114th goal to tie the record
but as the game progressed, he
broke the record six minutes
later. I asked Austin, “how
does it feel to be the stop goal
scorer in area history?” He replied, “It feels nice to know
that all of my hard work is
paying off.”
Austin is also 1st in state
in goals and total number of
points according to maxpreps.
com. Austin led his team to
a league championship title
against Village Christian on
February the 8th. The Mounties
with only one game ahead of
Village came out on top with
the league title. This is exceptionally exciting because it is
the first time in Montclair history after many years of soccer,
that the boy’s varsity soccer
team is the league champions.
Unfortunately, the boys
lost to New Jew in the first
round of playoffs. In memory
of Doc, each player wore a
black sweatband around their
arm and after every huddle
they yelled Doc instead of
the usual “prep”. It was very
touching for the fans to see.
The boys played their hearts
out and that is what counts in
the end.
PAGE 6
Entertainment
Honoring a Popular Hollywood Figure: Heath Ledger
By: Michelle Marshall
Managing Editor
In 1999 a new actor was introduced into the movie making
industry with his breakout role in
the chick flick, “10 Things I Hate
About You”. It was a man who
captured the attention of the audience and intrigued them with
both his good looks and charming demeanor. Heath Ledger was
an icon in Hollywood. He was a
man who put everything into his
roles and took acting to a highly
personal and different level. Perhaps this is the reason the actor
that so many of us love passed
away on January 22, 2008.
It was a true American
tragedy to see one of the move
diverse and inspirational actors in cinema these days pass
away so suddenly. His death was
mourned by millions all around
the world. Ledger is not only being mourned by the mother of
his child, Michelle Williams, his
daughter, Matilda, his family and
close friends, but all of his fans
as well. He made a huge impact
on many people and his talent
on the screen and gentleman attributes off of it, will be missed
greatly.
Heath Ledger chose challenging roles that allowed him
to expand his acting ability. He
played a gay cowboy aside Jake
Gyllenhaall in 2005’s “Brokeback Mountain” which honored
him with an Oscar nominee. At
the time of his death, he had
just finished filming the upcoming Batman movie, “The Dark
Knight” in which he played the
joker. This role really took a toll
on his health. The joker is a mentally ill man with no mercy who
finds pleasure in death. When an
actor has to take on a roll like
that, they must embody every aspect of the character.
Before his death, Ledger
was quoted saying that he had
been having trouble sleeping
and had anxiety and was taking
sleeping pills. Unfortunately,
this was the reason for his death.
Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose in the early weeks
of January. It came as a shock
to the world. Such an incredible
man dieing so young.
Not only was he a beloved
actor, but he was a devoted father as well. Unlike many of the
celebrities these days, Ledger always tried to keep his personal
life out of the tabloids. Now, his
spirit and legacy lives through
his daughter with Michelle Williams, Matilda. Williams and
Ledger met on the set of “Brokeback Mountain” and instantly
fell in love. After filming, their
romance continued and months
later their daughter, Matilda was
born.
Although their relationship
ended a little over a year later,
their love for each other lived
on. Many choose to remember
the good times instead of the bad
and when people refer to Williams and Ledger all they could
think about is the couple at the
2006 Academy Awards; Williams, in a radiant yellow floor
Photo Courtesy of www.google.com
Heath Ledger and his two year old daughter Matilda, a few months
before his death.
length gown, and Ledger in a
fitting suit and bow tie to match.
They were the ideal Hollywood
couple.
The tragedy of this story
is the fact that a little girl lost
her father at such a young age.
Although she is too young to remember the man she calls “Dad,”
reminders of him and who he was
will forever surround her in movies. Perhaps she is lucky that her
father left his mark on the movie
industry. His movies are eternal
and will always be there for her
to look back upon. When you
look at pictures of their daughter
Matilda Rose, the resemblance
of Ledger is overwhelmingly apparent. Although we lost an incredible man, he will forever live
on through that little girl.
His friends, family, and
fans all around the world mourn
his premature and sudden death.
We have lost a talented and kindhearted son, father, and friend.
“My heart is broken”, says Michelle Williams; the rest of the
world’s as well.
Photo Courtesy of www.google.com
Heath’s family carries his casket during the funeral ceremony.
Dr. Farris Goes Above and Beyond For His Students
Continued from page 5
ognized. I do as good of a job as
everyone else.”
I was quite surprised at
how modest Dr. Farris was with
his responses, considering how
much time and effort he dedicates to his students and lectures
every single day.
The trophy of the apple
may have been a wonderful
award, but Dr. Farris stated, “I
gain the greatest pleasure when a
student comes up to me and says
‘I learned so much in your class’
or ‘because of your class, I want
to be a biologist.’ A teacher is
just as good as his students and
I enjoy helping my students succeed.”
Dr. Farris has quite a huge
work load, yet he still has time to
be well-prepared for his classes
and be in charge of both the honor’s society and the chess club.
“I had always had a high
work load. In college and graduate school I worked extremely
long hours. I work hard because
I have the desire to get whatever
task I’m doing done properly. I
devote myself to something that
will be done correctly and well.
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well,” stated Dr. Farris.
Although he teaches biology, physics, psychology, and
psychology classes at Valley
College, Dr. Farris still manages
to devote his own time outside of
class to discuss a student’s prog-
ress and/or struggles.
Mikey Novek, a 12th grader, has had the pleasure of having
Dr. Farris in the 10th grade for an
honors biology course and in the
12th grade for both honors physics and honors psychology.
Mikey was asked what distinguishes Dr. Farris from other
teachers and he stated, “In terms
of his teaching, it’s his dedication. He is one of the most dedicated teachers I have ever had.
Unlike what most students say,
he is not a walking dictionary,
but a walking library. He has a
wealth of knowledge that he is
willing to dispense to all students
interested and is always open for
discussion. Some of the liveliest
intellectual conversations have
been with him.
Dr. Farris deserves this
recognition because he is like a
beacon for intellectual vitality,
which is what teaching is really
about in the long run, and he is
very thoughtful and acts in the
best interest of his students.”
Josh Statland, a 12th grader,
is currently in both Dr. Farris’
honors psychology and honors
physics classes and he had stated, “Dr. Farris is an incredibly
smart teacher who gives you in
depth answers to your questions,
which enables you to have a full
understanding of the material.
He’s a strict upholder of honor.”
Mollie Morrow, a senior,
agreed with Josh’s statement
and added, “Dr. Farris genuinely
cares for his students.”
Ms. McNamara had nominated her colleague and stated,
“My students are constantly talking about what they have learned
from him and are always energized and thoughtful after leaving his class. He is an inspiring
example to both students and
other teachers.”
His students love him and
his colleagues admire him. He
is a wonderful and intelligent
teacher who is always concerned
for his students.
His dedication and hard
work ethic proves to everyone
that he deserves this honor. Dr.
Farris exemplifies a great teacher
and is a person of high character.
Entertainment
Not Your Average Animated Film
By: Brandon Gayle
Contributing Writer
Rarely but occasionally
does an animated film come
along that shows that movies
don’t have to be live action to
carry a message. Based on the
graphic novel series, Persepolis
tells the true story of Marjane
Satrapi, an Iranian woman who
grew up amongst the fires of the
fall of the shah and the rise of the
Republic.
The film deals with personal loss that comes from war
and the consequences of totalitarian government. The horrors
of the theocratic government in
Iran are shown in full force as
Marjane tells her coming-of-age
story through the war with Iraq,
her personal exile to a boarding
school in Vienna, and her return
to Tehran.
Persepolis exposes us to
the reality that we must not think
that a revolution against a government will make everything
better.
The oppression and restrictions cause Marjane to rebel and
buy illegal Iron Maiden and Michael Jackson CDs and garb. Her
delight in rebelling endangers
her and her family from the police and the watchful eyes of the
government.
The impressive piece about
this movie is the animation. In a
Photo Courtesy of www.google.com
Marjane in Persepolis rebeling against the oppressive rules displayed in the movie.
period of time where unlimited
possibilities are open in the art
of animation, Marjane chose to
draw her characters in simple
black and white.
Animation seems to be
used for mostly children’s stories, but is quickly turned around
when the people of Iran start to
disappear into prisons.
Marjane wrote and directed
the film based on the series of
books written and drawn by herself. She now lives in Paris with
her husband. She is the greatgranddaughter of one of the
shahs of 19th-century Persia.
Persepolis has won awards
in the Cannes Film Festival, The
São Paulo International Film
Festival, and the Vancouver International Film Festival. It has
possible nominations for best
foreign film and best animated
films.
Persepolis is rated PG-13
for mature thematic material including violent images, sexual
references, language, and brief
drug content. The movie is an
excellent piece of art and is recommended for all types of movie
goers.
PAGE 7
Usher’s
Newest Song
Hits the
Charts
By: Ryan Alberts
Staff Writer
After a lengthy hiatus,
R&B icon Usher returns to the
music scene with “Love in This
Club.” Although it will be extremely difficult to match the
success of his last album, 2004’s
“ Confessions”, Usher does his
best to aim high.
“Love in This Club” has
an insanely catchy hook and the
verses are almost just as catchy
as the chorus. Although it is nowhere near the musical genius
that is “Yeah!î “Love In This
Club” does hold a candle to it.
The weakest link of “Love In
This Club” is Young Jeezy’s rap,
which includes absurd double
entendres ( “Iíll be like your
medicine, you’ll take every dose
of me, i’ll bag you like some
groceries”) .
Even though the rap is an
unnecessary add-on, it does not
take away too much from the
overall song.
Although it has been a
while since Usher has a mainstay on the charts, “Love In This
Club” is just what he needs to
rocket his career back to the top.
Sports
PAGE 8
Tennis is
Back in
Action
By: Michael Hillel
Staff Writer
The Montclair Prep Tennis
season is just around the corner
and the team is hoping to ride the
momentum from their previous
season. The Mounties have won
26 consecutive Alpha League
matches, which includes 3 consecutive Alpha League titles. “I
would like to have a 4th straight
league title,” says Coach Ken
Erenberg when asked about his
plans for the 2008 season. The
Mounties lost in the second
round of the playoffs last year
and are optimistic about their
chances this upcoming season.
Two key returning players are
senior co-captains Sam Sobo and
Erik Becker. Coach Erenberg
speaks highly about his co-captains, “This is Sam and Erik’s 4th
year on the team, and they have
made All-League every year. I
expect them to battle each other
for League MVP,” Sam and Erik
competed in the Alpha League
Individual Championship Tournament and faced one another
in the semi-finals. Sam won the
close match, yet Sam and Erik
are focused on this year and winning as a team. Sam addresses
his match with Erik and their
hopes for the upcoming season,
“It was a great match that could
have gone either way. Erik and I
are both stronger players and we
are hoping to lead our team to
four consecutive Alpha League
championships.” The Mounties
only lost two seniors and have
many returning players which
include, Lily Popkin, Jessica
Petrullo, Maddie Hunter, Austin Mandel, and Brad Richlin.
The 2008 Tennis Team will have
their first league match March,
11 against Whittier Christian.
New England
Patriots: Champions
or Choke Artists?
Photo Courtesy of Caitlin Kranzdorf.
The boys Volleyball team stops to pose before getting on the bus.
Spikers Back
To the Court
And Ready
To Hit like
Superstars
By: Ben Lin
Staff Writer
The Mounties “tough
spikers” are back to the court,
getting ready to win as many
games as they can and make it to
playoffs this season. The returning
players are Josh Statland, Patrick
Sheck, Ben Sperling, Frank Lin,
Adam Pirouti, Arik Alfi, Patric
Cane, and Anthony Rivero. They
will be coached by Mr. Krupp,
who has been coaching both girls
and boys volleyball for 5 years.
When interviewed about the last
year’s boys volleyball team, Mr.
Krupp said “They played beyond
expectation, we had a lot of fun,
and I saw vast improvements
from my players.” Although they
did not make to the playoffs, Mr.
Krupp is very optimistic about
getting into the playoffs this year
due to the vast improvements
he has seen from his players.
Moreover, Mr. Krupp revealed
that Josh Statland and Patrick
Sheck will be leading the team
for this season. In addition to
that, anyone who steps out will
be taken into account. As to the
possible starting 6 players, he
hasn’t decided yet. “it all depends
on who does better in practice.”,
said Mr. Krupp.
Lastly, Mr. Krupp will
focus on shaping his players to
concentrate on defense and to
make good decisions on the court.
“We will be a fundamentally
strong and sound team!!”
By: Michael Hillel
Staff Writer
With an 18-0 record going
into the Super Bowl and playing 12 point underdog New York
Giants, the stage was set for the
2007-2008 Patriots to become
the greatest NFL team of all
time. Although, the results of this
exciting game shocked football
fans across the nation included
the entire New England Patriots organization. The game was
relatively even throughout most
of its duration, but in the electrifying 4th quarter of this contest
things began to get interesting.
The giants scored a touchdown
to go up 10-7 with about 4 minutes left in the game. The Patriots then quickly answered back
with a touchdown of their own to
make it a 14-10 point game with
only 2 minutes and 42 seconds
left. Finally, Eli Manning was
able to spark a quick drive for
the Giants that set up his game
winning 13 yard touchdown pass
to Giant’s receiver Plaxico Burress with only 35 seconds left on
the clock. The pats were unable
to answer back and the astound-
Boys Baseball Wants
to Win A Ring
By: Morgan Engle
Staff Writer
One of the most anticipated baseball seasons ever at
Montclair. The last two years of
baseball at Montclair the Mounties have become very close to
winning the championship. This
year is expected to be different.
With a new coach the Mounties
Is Roger Clemens a Liar or a Victim of Envy?
By: Andrew Cohen
Staff Writer
Roger Clemens is arguably
the best pitcher to ever play the
game of baseball. In 2006, a
poll of 32 baseball analysts from
ESPN voted him the greatest
pitcher of all time.
At this point, Clemens has
won seven Cy Young Awards,
which is given to the best pitcher
of each league. This is two more
than any other pitcher. For two
years Clemens won the triple
crown of pitching, which has
never done before. This means
the pitcher has the most wins,
strikeouts, and best earned run
average in the league. However, Clemens hasn’t been being praised, he’s been scolded.
Recently, the infamous Mitchell
Report, which lists players who
abuse steroids in Major League
Baseball, has involved Clemens
in their reports. His trainer Brian
McNamee, came out and “admitted” he injected Roger with steroids during the height of his career. Clemens has been denying
all allegations since McNamee’s
statement and it has become
a law suit! Clemens says that
Brian injected him with vitamin
B12 and Cortisone but never steroids. Clemens, aka “The Rocket” repeatedly says that steroids
were never a topic of discussion
in any of the club houses he ever
played with.
Roger filed a deflamation
lawsuit against Brain and recently a key piece of proof for
Roger’s case has been brought
to attention. A seventeen minute
conversation between Roger and
Brian that took place on January 7th in which Brain sounded
extremely out of shape. He was
calling to say his son was dying
from a serious illness.
Roger recorded the entire
conversation and McNamee
sounded extremely contrite.
McNamee was quoted saying,
“It is what it is, and it’s not good.
And I want it to go away. And
I’m with you. I’m in your corner. I don’t want this to happen.
But I’d also like not to go to jail,
too. But it has nothing to do with
you. But I would like to sit down
with you in person and talk with
you.” Also he said, “No, you
treated me better. You treated me
like family. From day one I was
family to you, and you treated
me like that. You know, I’m glad
to hear your voice. I just - you
know, I don’t believe that, you
know, it is, whatever. I just - the
bottom line is I’m glad to hear
ing score remained 17-14 as the
Giants had pulled off one of the
greatest comebacks in Super
Bowl history.
With New England’s stunning Super Bowl loss, the 1972
Dolphins remain the only team
in the history of the National
Football League to have an undefeated Super Bowl. VOA news
reports that after the game, Pats
Quarterback Tom Brady stated
“It (the loss) doesn’t take away
from the 18 wins we had. Those
were all great, and we enjoyed
those, but the one we wanted the
most just eluded us this season.
We’ll be working extremely hard
to come back next year and try
to figure out the problems from
this game, so we can move forward.”
Most coaches say that a
team is only remembered by the
games they have won. With this
monumental Super Bowl Loss,
will the 2007-2008 Patriots be
looked at as the spectacular team
who won 18 games in a single
season, or the team that crumbled when all the pressure was
on them? Only time will tell.
your voice. I’m sorry that your
family is going through this.
And I’ll do whatever I can do
to help.”
Analysts don’t know what
to make of the phone call because McNamee never came
out and clearly said that he lied
about the steroid use but he
merely implied it. McNamee
wasn’t aware the call was being
recorded or that lawyers were
with Clemens at the time of the
call. Unfortunately, this mess
is just the beginning with Clemens, and if he really is telling
the truth, it just goes to show
the kind of hardships players go
through due to being truly great
at some points in their careers.
When there is success there is
envy, and some of these players will always be accused of
cheating no matter how good of
citizens they are.
are looking to start of on a fresh
winning start in league.
In the pre- season of fall
ball the Mounties were very successful in their games. Getting to
know their coach and some new
teammates they clicked together
and rolled through the competition.
The team consists of ten
seniors that are looking to make
their last season something to
really remember at MCP. Team
leader and starting senior Andrew
Cohen says, “This season we
have chemistry and hard work on
our side which will mix together
to make a winning season.” The
team plays at Mid- Valley field
on Louise and Oxnard in Encino.
The first game will be Friday
against Grenada Hills where the
Mounties are looking for a win
to kick off the season.
Senior Captain Andrew Cohen.