Forum Report 12/19/13
Overall feedback for CommUnity day seemed positive, according to facilitators and participants at Thursday’s forum, the monthy informal gathering to address school issues. .
Junior Kate Shapiro, representing the CommUnity Day committee, said, “Everything worked out really well.” The committee is starting a club to organize next year’s event.
The Forum also provided a platform for ways to improve CommUnity day: senior and facilitator Marin Callaway shared concern that there was not enough discussion in her classroom and that being observed by adults from other schools was awkward. Some reported that freshmen felt isolated and blamed for school problems, which led to a discussion on how to increase interclass bonding.
Several advocated smaller, more frequent events throughout the school year to build connections between different classes. The Senior Citizens club was proposed as a platform for organizing events for seniors to get to know freshmen.
Senior Katherine Chapman suggested designating a single day every month to hold these kinds of activities. Callaway also suggested a Senior Buddy system, much like the buddies many had in elementary school. While no conclusions were reached, it was clear that an effort to bridge the gap between seniors and freshmen was much needed, the speakers indicated.
To follow up on the controversy about prom at SeaWorld from the October Forum, Junior Director Bo Templin reported, “We didn’t have enough time, money, or manpower to switch locations.” Prom 2014 will still be held at SeaWorld, but Templin made the point that if SDA were to switch prom locations with a larger school like LCC, SeaWorld would actually be getting more money.
He also said that ASB was working more closely with the Animal Care Club to support animal welfare. In addition, Art Wars is currently planning a fundraiser for humane animal treatment. ASB representatives reminded students that attending prom was to support SDA, not SeaWorld.
The Forum on Dec. 19 yielded an unusually small crowd for a lunch forum, with about 40 students in attendance. The previous lunchtime forum attracted about 80 people.
Among those students Thursday were four SDA alumni: Elliot Horen, Devin Murphy, and Emily Nathan of the class of 2013, and Derrik Marrow (class of 2012).