The Ridge Point High School VOICES chapter hosted a town hall meeting last Friday to discuss district resources and programs, including course selection, modes of communication, and the possibility of a block schedule.

The meeting was packed with students, from football players and marching band members to STEM kids and student government leaders ready to provide input on their school community.

Many students expressed interest in having more liberal arts-focused opportunities, such as AP European History, AP Music Theory, and AP Comparative Government. Students also mentioned having a more consolidated platform to receive school announcements, rather than navigating to three or four sites. Some admitted to Principal Brogan that they had never read his Friday emails, feedback he took graciously.  

The discussion around adopting a block schedule was more divided: students who supported the schedule admired its similarities with a college structure and easier homework load, while those against it disliked the lags in learning that may occur by skipping days between classes and the boredom of sitting in one class for multiple hours.

Eleventh-grade student Meredith Murray believes the block schedule “promotes deeper learning with more focused class periods.”

Recently, Principal Brogan posted his weekly email in Schoology as well as sending it through Outlook in response to student suggestions on how to improve communications.

VOICES Representative Raya Patel, a junior, thought the town hall was successful.

“It was refreshing to see real change come from a simple discussion,” she said.