It’s been several months since more than 60 students participated in the first of two Holyoke High School North Student Summit activities—and today, students and staff say they can feel many positive changes throughout the building as a result.
During the School Committee meeting on Monday, March 10, a group of seven Student Summit participants and three staff members talked about their experiences and the changes they’re seeing at school as part of a student show-case. Presenters included students Grace Bechard, Parker Brunelle, Evangeline Cauley, Jessayra Maldonado, Heriberto Morales, Aiden Robinson, and Kierstin St. Lawrence, along with inclusion teacher Edeni Colon Rivera, Principal Lori McKenna, and Dean of Management and Operations Lynn Bechard.
Thanks to the impact of the Student Summit, participants are now describing an elevated vibe and brighter moods throughout the school, with improved student and teacher engagement, more motivating learning opportunities, and improved relationships. Teachers and staff also report improvements in both learning and engagement at school—and they expect these changes to continue to evolve now that the Summit has evolved into a monthly opportunity for students to provide on-going feedback and to brainstorm alongside school staff.
Additional Summit activities are planned for later this spring, with students to be provided opportunities to reflect on what is working better now and what are some next steps that students and staff can do.
From the beginning, the Student Summit was built on the framework that belonging leads to academic success, Principal McKenna said. “We have been leaning into this, knowing that kids need to feel like they belong before they are able to achieve academic success. We have agreed that it is the adults job to work intentionally so that students feel like they belong.”
As they closed their presentation to School Committee members, Principal McKenna asked students to fill in the blank: “If we are a community that believes in belonging, then Holyoke High School is…” she prompted.
The students responded with:
Inclusive
Respects each other
Student voices matter
Collaborate
We communicate
Is a place where everyone can be themselves
Works together