Student choice day does not return after two years

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Photo by Mia Thornton.

Principal Jason Urban addresses the student body during the student choice day pep rally on March 18, 2018.

Student Choice day is gone for reasons that are not widely known because they were made by school administrators as well as the department chairs.

This was a day where students could choose from an array of courses given by teachers. Most classes were different from those normally taught at school. In past years there have been comedy shows and other live performances, as well as classes that covered different topics such as interviewing and North Korea.

“I taught a poverty simulation, Mr. Beast story corner and also a session about North Korea,” social studies teacher Matt Bockenfeld said. “If I were to do it again, I’ve actually thought about this before, but I’d do something about the rise of China. I’d call it ‘The Third World War’ or something.”

Attendance is the main issue with student choice day. Many students did not attend nor cared to show up for classes they had signed up for. Approximately 24 percent of students did not attend, according to Kyle Goodwin.

“Due to attendance during the previous student choice days, students are communicating to the staff the lack of desire for student choice day,” assistant principal Chrissie Sturgill said.

The opinions of the student government were considered when they met towards the beginning of the year to discuss how to improve attendance.

The day is designed for students to partake in classes that they may be interested in but lots seem to find skipping the better option.

“It is hard to have a day that we say is about the kids if the kids are not choosing it,” Bockenfeld said. “Hundreds and hundreds of kids were just not showing up to school.”