Students make efforts to improve social climate

Springfield High School students are making strides in improving the school’s social climate.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20130522/NEWS02/705229891

ublished May 22, 2013 in the Rutland Herald Students make efforts to improve social climate By Christian Avard Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — Springfield High School students are making strides in improving the school’s social climate. Members of the Student Climate Committee presented three solutions to make transitions smoother for incoming students. The committee is composed of students nominated by other students and selected by teachers. Alex Hall, Siera Lavin and Elliot Thompson set out to improve relations between freshmen and upperclassmen and they gave a presentation to the School Board on Monday. “We wanted to help fix the animosity toward the freshmen every year. Upperclassmen and freshmen don’t seem to get along that well and we want to change that,” Hall said. The committee set up a mentoring program where upperclassmen provide guidance, support and academic help to freshmen. According to Hall, juniors and seniors were receptive and up to 30 students signed up to participate. Hall said mentors are also helping mentees beyond the classroom and freshmen are grateful to have upperclassmen to turn to. “We’re hoping that this will further student relationships. We plan to talk to eighth-graders this month and get a jump on next year,” Hall said. The Student Climate Committee also introduced group art activities to students. Lavin said a number of large blue-themed paintings have been hanging in the student cafeteria “for years” and students wanted to “change the scene.” According to Lavin, the cafeteria will get a makeover and freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior classes will play a role in the new design. Students will design up to 135 wooden tiles per grade, or one per student, and the tiles will appear in large panels separated by grades. Each student, through their individual contribution, will have created artwork that will unify each class and the school as a whole, according to the committee members. They presented the idea at a recent Vermont Principals Association conference and it was well-received, they said. “Big schools with money that we couldn’t ever imagine, like Burlington and South Burlington, were so excited. They said, ‘This a great idea. Springfield this is amazing. How did you come up with this?’ We were proud of that,” Hall said. Students are also coming together through club fairs. According to Thompson, many students were not aware of the various clubs offered at the school. She said to remedy this problem, the committee held a club fair and it brought together all grades and enhanced student connection. Thompson said the club fair was a “roaring success” and students either joined clubs on campus or started their own. One of the clubs students started was a Gay-Straight Alliance chapter. The Gay-Straight Alliance is a student-led organization that provides safe environments for all students regardless of sexual orientation. Thompson said the response has been overwhelmingly positive and the three strategies will close the gap between freshmen and upperclassmen. “There were things that were already going on in school that we just didn’t know about. Advisors came up walked around and signed up for clubs and it was great to connect with everything. We weren’t given that opportunity before,” Thompson said.