On August 23, the school bell rang to start off the 2024-2025 school year. This school year had new core values and an altered outlook on prior rules to improve the district.
Upon entering the school on the morning of August 23, high school students were directed to their seminars to cover the new rules and expectations. Going forward, beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, seminars are a blended combination of students from all grade levels, with at least three from each graduating class. Senior Nevaeh Rhodes said, “It’s definitely new but it’s good.” Rhodes is in educator Lisa Sonntag’s seminar, and said, “I haven’t had her in the past years, but there’s good to it… [blended seminar is] a connection in ways that we probably wouldn’t have gotten by ourselves.”
This year holds new acronyms and phrases in order to help students see a different outlook and get a new viewpoint for the year that may not have existed prior. The HARK acronym was created to help students understand this perspective. The acronym is displayed on posters around the school and in classrooms for students to see and understand the expectations within AHS. Furthermore, ACSD is furthering the Trojan CommUNITY principle by emPOWERing everyone in any way possible. There have also been altered restrictions within the school district’s dress code and phone policies, amongst other rules, in order to create a more lenient and comfortable environment focused on education.This year aims to bring newfound positivity to the students and staff. Educator Elizabeth Herrick-Williams is doing what she can to foster this environment for the school. “I think it will be improved,” Herrick-Williams said. She said that this year will be “exciting” for both students and staff. With the district’s new changes in mind, Herrick-Williams said, “I think we’re ready to fail in new ways. We’re ready to fail forward.” Herrick described failing forward as “how you approach a mistake. How you hold accountability and know not what to do, that helps you grow.”
The first day of school brings a variety of emotions to ACSD. Sophomore Hope Matthis said that she feels “good” to be back in school. This is Matthis’ second year at AHS and the school district, and she said, “The people are great and I love my teachers.” Matthis enjoyed her first day back at AHS. “I like being here because I like being able to hang out with my friends.”
All across the school, with new changes and goals, students and staff alike are ready for an exciting new year at AHS.
