SGA has launched a new initiative for schoolwide monthly town halls in hopes of giving student leadership opportunities to increase student body engagement throughout the school community.
Once a month, town halls will occur during third period in the auditorium. Students will attend one of two town halls, depending on what floor of the building their third period class is on; students on the second floor attend the first town hall, and students on the first floor attend the second one. On days with town halls, there will be no advisory and classes will be slightly shortened.
The goals of these town halls are to empower the student government and engage the school community. In efforts to give a voice to student leadership, the town halls are almost entirely student led. “Town halls are giving the school community an opportunity to hear from both student and adult leadership in person, to improve school culture and to help keep students be connected, updated and informed,” SGA secretary and junior Catherine Bucsa said.
Each of the town halls will discuss a different topic. The most recent town hall included counselor introductions, a National Hispanic Heritage Month presentation and the Gloco theme announcement. Students in SGA bring ideas to the sponsors Keith Schwartz and Amy Buckingham. From there, subjects are decided upon with guidance from SGA sponsors.
Administration has been in full support of this town hall movement. “I was just standing there in awe. I was really impressed,” Assistant Principal Mitzy Seyohm said.
The school has seen town halls before, but the operations are different this year. There was a spring town hall last year, however, they were administration led and lacked leadership from SGA. With the new town hall structure, student leadership has been given the opportunity to take charge.
Response from students has differed after the town hall this year. Students seem to be in favor of the new town halls and how they are run. “I thought that compared to last year’s town hall it was really fun. I liked that we had the opportunity to win gift cards for answering questions,” senior Nikolai Prykupenko said.
This school is not the only one to attempt to introduce town halls into the school schedule. Quince Orchard administration held a town hall for each grade level the third week of school during their homeroom, although students do not seem to be fans. “I was almost falling asleep. They were telling us we were doing such a good job at staying quiet… that’s cause we were all asleep,” Quince Orchard sophomore Anaya Usman said.
Conversely, both SGA and administration at this school have expressed their intent to make the town halls as enjoyable as possible for the students. After the first town hall, a feedback form was sent out to all the teachers with the intention to improve future town halls. It is with this feedback that SGA and its sponsors plan to make town halls a more successful experience.
