‘Student Voice’ dialogue begins

By submitted, 03/30/18 2:23 PM

HOPE – The inaugural session of a planned on-going dialogue between Hope Public School District administrators and campus “Student Voice” representatives uncovered key issues of student/teacher engagement here.
HPS Superintendent Bobby Hart, along with Hope High School Principal Bill Hoglund, Yerger Middle School Principal Josclyn Wiley, Hope Academy of Public Service Principal Dr. Carol Ann Duke, Beryl Henry Elementary School Principal Dr. Roy Turner, and Clinton Primary School Principal Ashlea Stewart, met with “Student Voice” representatives from each campus at the HHS MAC conference room March 27.
The session was introductory to what was agreed will become an on-going series of dialogues on a quarterly basis that will bring one new SV representative into the team from each campus annually to provide continuity to the program.
After establishing a series of norms for the sessions designed to keep the discussion on task, the students began to address a series of questions about campus life, academic quality and educational improvement, facilitated by Hart.
The students agreed that there are common factors that are liked by most students on each campus, including social interaction with peers, but also the interaction by teachers; although there remains some need for teachers to become more aware of students outside of class.
Conversely, the lack of time for social interaction during the day, and a disparity in tolerance for social interaction from class to class were also registered.
Collaboration as a key teaching tool impressed the students, and the need for greater personal relevance within the curriculum was also discussed, as well as a need for teachers to maintain focus on the whole of the class rather than upon singular distractions.
Student representatives for the 2017-2018 academic year include Riley Bramlett and Joelys Lopez, Clinton Primary School; Romelo Ford and Isaac Hellums, Beryl Henry Elementary School; Carlie Beck and Hunter Mathis, Hope Academy of Public Service; Alana Flenory and Leslie Rodriguez, Yerger Middle School; and, Jaidyn Simington and Roger Hall, Jr., Hope High School.