The dreaded phrase …

Young Voices, by Whitney Bostick

Students know it's coming even though they may not want to admit it. The temperature is dropping, and they can catch glimpses of leaves turning yellow. The Back-to-School sales have started along with the local fall sports. Then that reminder of the end of summer arrives -- the Alaska State Fair. Then the dreaded phrase, "School starts September 3rd." Along with the new school year comes some additions. Palmer and Colony have new principals, Mr. Wolfgang and Ms. Cyd Duffin. Palmer also has a new assistant principal, Mr. Joe Geraci. Districtwide we have a new interim superintendent, Mr. Bob Doyle. Also, districtwide there is a new home school support program.

The new home school support program provides students who have had to go out of district for home school programs. By being back in this district, home school students can participate in sports, extracurricular activities and music lessons. Not to mention not having to travel to other districts to take a class, because Mat-Su has their own correspondence study school site. Lastly, when the time comes for those state exams all students love so much, the program provides a place for home school students to take them. To participate in the home school support program you need to register by Nov. 1 of this year.

So far the district has no official goals, because they are still being worked out by the school board. Unofficially some of the goals are to "increase student achievement and enrollment. Feel we can serve and serve them well," said Public Information Specialist Kim Floyd. Other than that the district is "getting ready for a great year and welcome back!"

Palmer High School is also getting ready for a great year with their new assistant principal, Mr. Joe Geraci. Mr. Geraci was acting assistant principal last year, but now has the job permanently. As assistant principal, Mr. G. is in charge of school climate. For this school year some plans to improve Palmer High's climate includes a parent center in the school, and more after-school activities. The parent center would be a home base for parent volunteers to "hang their coat" in the school. Besides bringing in the parent center Mr. G will also try to get the community more involved in the school. To do this he would like to have more after-school activities where the community is more involved, by doing this he hopes to build stronger community ties.

Some of Mr. G's other goals are to bring down truancy, make sure all students are appropriately placed (such as students whose needs might be met better in another program or at another school), and make PHS a place "where kids want to be in school." Some new things Mr. G. is bringing in this year might make the school more or less enticing for students. Thanks to Jostens and Pepsi, the entire student body will be receiving planners this year. These planners will also serve as hall passes, so don't leave class without them. Another addition to the classroom will be a character education curriculum. For after-school extracurricular activities Mr. G. would like to have security and at least 10 parent chaperones besides staff chaperones.

One of the last additions will be attempting to have more recognition in areas besides athletics and academics (for example, community service and perfect attendance) besides equaling academic recognition to that of athletics.

Mr. Winter is no longer the interim principal of Palmer High; he is now permanently the principal after being assistant principal for the year before his interim. Mr. Winter only has a few new things for PHS, but the new additions could reinvent the school.

The first new change to PHS will be the new schedule and a new bell schedule. Classes now start at 7:30 a.m. The new schedule contains six classes for the entire year on a three-day rotation. For those veteran students of PHS, instead of 100-minute classes the classes will only be 80 minutes. Mr. Winter said there will be "glitches here and there." However, he believes the students will adapt fast with the staff adapting quickly behind them.

The final new experience for PHS in the last five years will be all three administrators returning, which will be a great benefit this year. A possible academic benefit is one of Mr. Winter's goals to reach this year. He would like to have more activities with the staff in a social setting, so co-workers could possibly be seen differently than they are in the work environment. Mr. Winter would also like to strengthen the International Baccalaureate program and develop Career Pathways. With glitches and all, Mr. Winter thinks it is going to be a great school year.

Colony High's new principal Ms. Cyd Duffin wants to know "what new things Colony has in store for me." Ms. Duffin wants to gather information from students and staff to see what has been working, what hasn't, and how it could be changed. For Ms. Duffin's goals she would like to do everything she can to support and enhance student success and achievement. She would like to "unite the community and staff around a common vision and build a path to positive thinking and positive action." Colony's forecast for the upcoming year, predicted by Ms. Duffin, will be "sunny skies, but there will be challenges, obstacles, problems. The clouds and rain are a part of life. We just need to bring an umbrella and dress warmly." Even though there will be challenges for Ms. Duffin she would like the community to know she's committing to them "through thick and thin." "I have a great deal of empathy for the students because of how many principals they have gone through," she said. Ms. Duffin would also like the community to know she is "student oriented, approachable and a problem solver."

So it looks like it will be a great year for everyone, even though the dreaded phrase will soon come true and pass, and in no time students will be counting the days to winter vacation.

Whitney Bostick is a junior at Palmer High School.