Built into the daily routine, Bruin Block is as a period during which, on certain occasions, juniors and seniors would attend their class meetings in order to avoid losing valuable class time. However, after fewer than 50 percent of students attended the first senior class meeting, with many choosing to go to lunch instead, the administration made the decision to pull students out of class for these meetings, in order to ensure full attendance.
David Bones, director of activities, said the change in class meeting times resulted from the administration trying to ensure that every student receives important class information, especially seniors.
“What we looked at was wanting to make sure we got all this stuff to as many folks as possible, and so we decided we would move it up into class time to make sure we could get [as many] seniors there as possible, because it’s crucial,” Bones said. “If seniors miss getting their cap and gowns ordered, it’s actually quite a steep additional cost if they don’t order them on time, and obviously a huge headache for them.”
Bones said although seniors who chose not to attend the first class meeting can get the information later on from the school or their friends, this method doesn’t have the same effect. He said the change in time when class meetings occur will ensure that students aren’t scrambling to find out vital information that can be delivered easily and clearly when students attend.
“If a senior misses [a class meeting], sure, they can get the information, but they’re not going to get the total package information that they would get being at the meeting,” Bones said. “We want to make sure we’re getting the accurate information out to everyone.”
Senior Piper Stretz said because the first senior meeting happened during the upperclassmen’s 68 minute lunch period, she did not attend. However, she said she recognizes the importance of exercising responsibility given the freedoms that RBHS grants students.
“I think it’s definitely the student’s responsibility [to find out information they missed at a class meeting],” Stretz said. “If a student misses those meetings, they’re not going to get the information and then they’re not going to know what’s happening. But at the same time, if the administration schedules them during a time when the students have a bunch of freedom, no one is going to go.”
Math teacher Travis Martin agreed that the responsibility should be in the hands of the student, rather than the school, to make sure they know any important information relayed during class meetings. He said he believes the meetings should remain during Bruin Block rather than the administration accommodating students’ lack of responsibility by re-scheduling the meetings during class time.
“I think we should still be having those meetings during [Bruin Block], and if a senior doesn’t find out something about graduation because they chose to skip that senior meeting and they don’t get their cap and gown ordered, well then that’s a consequence that they’re going to have to figure out,” Martin said. “They’re going to have to take some time out somewhere else to go get that ordered and figure out what they missed from the meeting.”
Martin said the rescheduling of the class meetings contradicts RBHS’ motto of giving students freedom with responsibility. However, he also recognizes the difficult position the administration is in and commends their attempt to make sure students have the information they need to get through senior year with as few road bumps as possible.
“I would say it goes against the motto of freedom with responsibility because the way I interpret it is you get the freedoms as long as you’re being responsible. So as soon as you start being irresponsible, you start having freedoms taken away,” Martin said. “I also know from a school point of view we are here to educate and help our students, so you could argue that point as well that, ‘Well but if they’re not going to come, they really need this information, we need to make sure that they get it.’”
Regardless of when class meetings occur, Bones said it is especially vital that seniors exercise responsibility by attending the meetings and gathering necessary information about graduation. Without this information, he said, added stress may hinder students from enjoying the senior year experience.
“Senior year is an exciting time, and there’s these two meetings where they can get information that’s important for making sure the year goes smoothly,” Bones said. “It’s really important that students are responsible, get to the meeting, get the information because they can just take care of it all at once and move on [to] the million and one other things they have to take care of this year.”
By Anna Wright
What do you think? Should Bruin Block be used for upperclassmen’s meetings?