ABOUT

Your stories, your voices, your paper

The M-A Chronicle is a student-managed public forum, dedicated to objective and comprehensive reporting. As the online newspaper of Menlo-Atherton High School, we seek to celebrate the successes of our high-performing school as well as highlight the voices of those living on the margins. Written, produced, and edited entirely by students, we present a variety of stories about our diverse school community in a factual and unbiased manner.

Merged in 2018, The Mark is the print accompaniment to the M-A Chronicle, thoughtfully designed and compiled by a joint staff. In The Mark, we seek to amplify the voices expressed in the Chronicle and expand to new audiences by distributing to over 1200 school and community members. The Mark also serves as a platform for students to share their artistic pursuits in the form of art, poetry, literature, and photography submissions.

Material published in the M-A Chronicle and The Mark reflects the judgement of the editorial board, made up of the editors of both publications. Opinions expressed in individual articles are not necessarily representative of the opinions of the M-A Chronicle’s editorial staff, unless indicated. All opinions published—whether in bylined stories or in editorials—are not reflective of the opinions of the administrations of Menlo-Atherton High School or the Sequoia Union High School District.

Committed to expanding our coverage to a wide variety of groups, The Mark is distributed free of charge and the M-A Chronicle is accessible anywhere. To ensure maximal objectivity, neither publication accepts advertisements.

Please explore the other tabs to discover our legal, submissions, editorial, and corrections policies.

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark are public forums for student expression. The editorial staff welcomes submissions of opinions in the form of letters to the editors and guest stories, as outlined in our submission policy.

The publication falls under California Education Code 48907. Predating the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case, the law authorizes expanded student exercise of free expression, prohibiting prior restraint except in cases of “libelous, obscene, or slanderous” expressions and advocacy for “unlawful acts.”

This means that—apart from the aforementioned exceptions—the publication can freely publish as its editors see fit, regardless of the opinions of Menlo-Atherton High School and Sequoia Union High School District administrators. Such a policy allows Menlo-Atherton students to express their views freely without fear of reprimand.

The Editorial Board has the ultimate say in whether a piece is published. However, as outlined in the editorial policy, opinion pieces with a byline are indicative only of the author’s views; staff editorials will be indicated as such, and represent the views of a majority of the publication’s editorial board.

The M-A Chronicle advisor manages logistical production and aids the staff in delivering objective material, without interfering in the editorial decision-making process.

If you believe a story contains reporting that is unfactual or misleading, please contact us below through the tab on the “About | Contact” page. Please follow the same procedure if you would like to respond to a story in the form of a letter to the editor.

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark welcome submissions, with the mission of highlighting the many diverse views of Menlo-Atherton students and community members.

If you would like to respond to a story in the form of a letter to the editors, please fill out the contact form below on the “About | Contact” page. We welcome anonymous tips and story pitches, also via the contact form.

In the case of submissions, the Editorial Board reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity. Regarding tips, we require your name and contact information for purposes of pursuing leads; your name will not be published if you request anonymity.

The Mark encourages submissions as well, especially in the form of student artwork, literature, poetry, and photography. To ensure proper delivery of files, please email any potential submissions to the following email: [email protected]. As with the M-A Chronicle, editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity.

In all cases, we cannot guarantee that a submission will ultimately be published. Such a decision rests in the hands of the editorial board.

If you believe a story is factually incorrect, please also fill out the aforementioned form or email the editors at [email protected].

As stated in our mission statement, material published in the M-A Chronicle and The Mark reflects the judgement of the editorial staff.

Opinion pieces with a byline are indicative of the views of only the other. Staff editorials will not have a byline.

The opinions stated in staff editorials are representative of the views of a majority of the publication’s editorial board, with the advice of staff reporters also considered.

Authors of news stories will be indicated in bylines, regardless of the amount of oversight editors had in the writing process.
Except for in cases of explicitly requested anonymity, submissions—letters to the editors, artwork, poetry, etc.—will include the name of the author.

When stories contain photos from a source outside the M-A Chronicle, credit will be noted either on individual images or at the top of the article.

All opinions published—whether in bylined stories or in editorials—are not reflective of the opinions of the administrations of Menlo-Atherton High School or the Sequoia Union High School District.

We strive to be factual and objective in our reporting. If you believe a piece contains incorrect facts or potentially obscene information, please fill out the contact form on the “About | Contact” page or send us an email at [email protected]

If we deem the proposed correction to be applicable, we will edit the story and place an editor’s note at the top of the page. 

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark strive to publish accurate information that does not misrepresent those interviewed or photographed. The Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle and The Mark will only remove content under extreme circumstances.

Per state law, decisions about content removal are only made by the student Editorial Board––not administrators or staff. 

If you were quoted or photographed in an article published by the M-A Chronicle or The Mark and you wish to have a quote withdrawn or anonymized, or a photograph removed, send an email to [email protected] with the applicable URL(s) and background information about the content you wish to remove. The Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle and The Mark retains full discretion to approve or deny any removal requests regardless of the following policy. 

In most cases, the Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle and The Mark may consider removal requests if they meet the following guidelines:

  1. The content is inaccurate.
  2. A substantial amount of time has elapsed since the publication of said photograph(s) or article(s); the content reflects views or opinions that you had as a child and now substantially misrepresents you. 
  3. When you were photographed or quoted, you were under the influence of controlled substances or alcohol. 
  4. The content misrepresents your gender expression.

By publishing content or media on the M-A Chronicle or The Mark, you forfeit any rights to remove said content to the Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle and The Mark.

 

National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker 

The National Scholastic Press Association promotes the standards and ethics of good journalism as accepted and practiced by print, broadcast and digital media in the United States. The prestigious Pacemaker recognizes overall excellence and distinguishes the top student media produced during a school year. NSPA’s Best of Show competition is presented as part of each national convention, both fall and spring.

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark provide ratings based on the following criteria:

 1/10: Terrible, not a single redeeming quality.
2/10: Terrible.
3/10: Terrible, a few possibly redeeming qualities.
4/10: Just below average; negatives slightly outweigh positives.
5/10: Mediocre; not good, not awful.
6/10: Parts are good, not strongly leaning towards positive or negative.
7/10: Above average; enjoyable, but not brilliant.
8/10: Great.
9/10: Incredible.
10/10: Flawless, transcendental. 
Mission Statement

The M-A Chronicle is a student-managed public forum, dedicated to objective and comprehensive reporting. As the online newspaper of Menlo-Atherton High School, we seek to celebrate the successes of our high-performing school as well as highlight the voices of those living on the margins. Written, produced, and edited entirely by students, we present a variety of stories about our diverse school community in a factual and unbiased manner.

Merged in 2018, The Mark is the print accompaniment to the M-A Chronicle, thoughtfully designed and compiled by a joint staff. In The Mark, we seek to amplify the voices expressed in the Chronicle and expand to new audiences by distributing to over 1200 school and community members. The Mark also serves as a platform for students to share their artistic pursuits in the form of art, poetry, literature, and photography submissions.

Material published in the M-A Chronicle and The Mark reflects the judgement of the editorial board, made up of the editors of both publications. Opinions expressed in individual articles are not necessarily representative of the opinions of the M-A Chronicle’s editorial staff, unless indicated. All opinions published—whether in bylined stories or in editorials—are not reflective of the opinions of the administrations of Menlo-Atherton High School or the Sequoia Union High School District.

Committed to expanding our coverage to a wide variety of groups, The Mark is distributed free of charge and the M-A Chronicle is accessible anywhere. To ensure maximal objectivity, neither publication accepts advertisements.

Please explore the other tabs to discover our legal, submissions, editorial, and corrections policies.

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark are public forums for student expression. The editorial staff welcomes submissions of opinions in the form of letters to the editors and guest stories, as outlined in our submission policy.

The publication falls under California Education Code 48907. Predating the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case, the law authorizes expanded student exercise of free expression, prohibiting prior restraint except in cases of “libelous, obscene, or slanderous” expressions and advocacy for “unlawful acts.”

This means that—apart from the aforementioned exceptions—the publication can freely publish as its editors see fit, regardless of the opinions of Menlo-Atherton High School and Sequoia Union High School District administrators. Such a policy allows Menlo-Atherton students to express their views freely without fear of reprimand.

The Editorial Board has the ultimate say in whether a piece is published. However, as outlined in the editorial policy, opinion pieces with a byline are indicative only of the author’s views; staff editorials will be indicated as such, and represent the views of a majority of the publication’s editorial board.

The M-A Chronicle advisor manages logistical production and aids the staff in delivering objective material, without interfering in the editorial decision-making process.

If you believe a story contains reporting that is unfactual or misleading, please contact us below through the tab on the “About | Contact” page. Please follow the same procedure if you would like to respond to a story in the form of a letter to the editor.

Submissions Policy

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark welcome submissions, with the mission of highlighting the many diverse views of Menlo-Atherton students and community members.

If you would like to respond to a story in the form of a letter to the editors, please fill out the contact form below on the “About | Contact” page. We welcome anonymous tips and story pitches, also via the contact form.

In the case of submissions, the Editorial Board reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity. Regarding tips, we require your name and contact information for purposes of pursuing leads; your name will not be published if you request anonymity.

The Mark encourages submissions as well, especially in the form of student artwork, literature, poetry, and photography. To ensure proper delivery of files, please email any potential submissions to the following email: [email protected]. As with the M-A Chronicle, editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity.

In all cases, we cannot guarantee that a submission will ultimately be published. Such a decision rests in the hands of the editorial board.

If you believe a story is factually incorrect, please also fill out the aforementioned form or email the editors at [email protected].

Editorial Policy

As stated in our mission statement, material published in the M-A Chronicle and The Mark reflects the judgement of the editorial staff.

Opinion pieces with a byline are indicative of the views of only the other. Staff editorials will not have a byline.

The opinions stated in staff editorials are representative of the views of a majority of the publication’s editorial board, with the advice of staff reporters also considered.

Authors of news stories will be indicated in bylines, regardless of the amount of oversight editors had in the writing process.
Except for in cases of explicitly requested anonymity, submissions—letters to the editors, artwork, poetry, etc.—will include the name of the author.

When stories contain photos from a source outside the M-A Chronicle, credit will be noted either on individual images or at the top of the article.

All opinions published—whether in bylined stories or in editorials—are not reflective of the opinions of the administrations of Menlo-Atherton High School or the Sequoia Union High School District.

Corrections Policy

We strive to be factual and objective in our reporting. If you believe a piece contains incorrect facts or potentially obscene information, please fill out the contact form on the “About | Contact” page or send us an email at [email protected]

If we deem the proposed correction to be applicable, we will edit the story and place an editor’s note at the top of the page. 

Removal Policy

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark strive to publish accurate information that does not misrepresent those interviewed or photographed. The Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle and The Mark will only remove content under extreme circumstances.

Per state law, decisions about content removal are only made by the student Editorial Board––not administrators or staff. 

If you were quoted or photographed in an article published by the M-A Chronicle or The Mark and you wish to have a quote withdrawn or anonymized, or a photograph removed, send an email to [email protected] with the applicable URL(s) and background information about the content you wish to remove. The Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle and The Mark retains full discretion to approve or deny any removal requests regardless of the following policy. 

In most cases, the Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle and The Mark may consider removal requests if they meet the following guidelines:

  1. The content is inaccurate.
  2. A substantial amount of time has elapsed since the publication of said photograph(s) or article(s); the content reflects views or opinions that you had as a child and now substantially misrepresents you. 
  3. When you were photographed or quoted, you were under the influence of controlled substances or alcohol. 
  4. The content misrepresents your gender expression.

By publishing content or media on the M-A Chronicle or The Mark, you forfeit any rights to remove said content to the Editorial Board of the M-A Chronicle or The Mark.

 
Our Awards

National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker 

The National Scholastic Press Association promotes the standards and ethics of good journalism as accepted and practiced by print, broadcast and digital media in the United States. The prestigious Pacemaker recognizes overall excellence and distinguishes the top student media produced during a school year. NSPA’s Best of Show competition is presented as part of each national convention, both fall and spring.

Our Ratings

The M-A Chronicle and The Mark provide ratings based on the following criteria:

 1/10: Terrible, not a single redeeming quality.
2/10: Terrible.
3/10: Terrible, a few possibly redeeming qualities.
4/10: Just below average; negatives slightly outweigh positives.
5/10: Mediocre; not good, not awful.
6/10: Parts are good, not strongly leaning towards positive or negative.
7/10: Above average; enjoyable, but not brilliant.
8/10: Great.
9/10: Incredible.
10/10: Flawless, transcendental. 

Contact Us