World language classes: bulging at the seam
Katie Giebelstein, Reporter
November 25, 2019
The world language department is short handed this semester as a result of a teacher retiring and the district not hiring someone to fill the gap, leaving only five full time teachers to handle 406 students, according to a breakdown of students in the courses. Of the five, two teach Spanish full time, on...
Scholarships lead to better future
Kaylee Milem, reporter
November 25, 2019
Senior Adam Parcel is very active in the scholarship application process. He has already applied for around 24 college scholarships, and has already received one. “It’s from the Quad City area on youth leadership. It is $250 for the book store, which is not much, but anything helps,” Parcel s...
Teachers re-certify their rights
Joseph Heirigs and William Heirigs
November 19, 2019
Due to recent developments, some individuals and teachers are led to believe that the state doesn’t particularly care for the future of education. On Wednesday Oct. 30, the law known as Chapter 20 of the Iowa State Codes was recertified by the teachers of Iowa. Chapter 20 primarily protects the power...
2019 Hunger Drive comes to a close
David Sanchez, reporter
November 18, 2019
Seventeen high schools in eastern Iowa and western Illinois vy for most cans collected before the Thursday, Nov. 14, delivery date marks the end for this year’s Student Hunger Drive. The Student Hunger Drive helps provide food for 23 counties around the Quad Cities area with the aid of the River ...
‘I want you to say I am valuable. I have a purpose’
Joseph Heirigs, reporter
November 16, 2019
On Nov. 13, iJAG (Iowa Jobs for American Graduates) hosted the artist, motivational speaker, and songwriter, TC Boyd, to motivate West High students. TC Boyd displayed a video that detailed a trying and vital time in his life, a short movie overlayed with his song, “It ain’t easy.” It entai...
Falcon Friends take off
November 5, 2019
Prior to Wednesday October 30, Mrs. Rommel’s class learned about Newton’s law of motion and the basic structure of CO2 dragsters through instruction given by St. Ambrose professors, Dr. Opar and Dr. Serianz. They were able to create fully functioning dragsters that were later used to compete in a...
Elizabeth Warren looks for support in Davenport
Katie Giebelstein and David Sanchez
November 5, 2019
In the gym of Davenport North High School Sunday, Nov. 3 Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Warren held a town hall meeting to talk to her Quad City supporters. She talked mostly of her plans for change when she becomes president, such as; removing college debt and providing free college education, and fix...
Is PBIS enough?
Megan Dunn, Reporter
October 15, 2019
In December of 2018 the Davenport Community School District was ordered to cut 13.2 million dollars by the 2019-2020 school year in order to balance the budget. This meant offering retirement incentives, getting rid of teachers, and a hiring freeze. The impact at West has been evident with some clas...
Picking up the pace
Reagan Hoffman, reporter
October 15, 2019
When it comes to attendance at West, staff and administration ensures students get to their classes on time. It is now harder for students to skip with policies such as lock outs and sweeps that were instilled the previous year. Although these policies are working, the sweeps have some students start...
New superintendent moves towards the future
Tim O'Leary, Media editor
September 20, 2019
On Aug. 1 Dr. Robert Kobylski officially became the superintendent of the Davenport Community School District. Kobylski, who has worked with multiple districts as well as with private security, plans to solve some of Davenport’s issues with a boots on the ground approach. “Every day I’ve been visiting two-three ...
New school year, updated policies
Laurence Walker, print editor
September 10, 2019
The 2019-2020 school year will be another year of change. This will be Principal Cory Williams’ second year at West and there is an entirely new superintendent. Last year, the new administration introduced the lockout system and rid West of the strict backpack rules, among other things. This year, ...
Senior Falcon festival
Joseph Potts, reporter
May 24, 2019
An annual picnic for graduating students was held on May 22 at the Mississippi Fairgrounds as way for seniors to get together one last time before graduation. The senior picnic has been a long running, approximately 30 years, tradition for the school. “I think it would probably go back around ...
My name is Olaoluwa "Ola" Johnson. I am currently a junior and it’s my first year working as a reporter on the Beak ‘n’ Eye. Although I’ve only been on the Beak ‘n’ Eye for a short amount of...