Jaden Rodriguez
New English Teacher Ms. Helm met with parents of her English II students, introducing them to the course content and expectations.
For a few hours on Thursday, the average THS student was old enough to drive a minivan. Parents became Raiders for the evening, roaming the halls for Welcome Back Night to meet teachers and sample their teens’ daily routine.
The new building left many questions for Raider parents last January, but it’s safe to say they were impressed tonight. Parents found the new building easy to navigate and enjoyed its look. Freshman parent Kristy Barto raved, “It’s pretty!” Senior Parent Clarissa Hosford was relieved that finding classrooms was less of a headache in the new school. The old THS building often confused parents – and new students – with its unusual A/B building numbers.
Many parents appreciate the more ‘laid-back’ feel of Welcome Back Night compared to Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences. Not all parents attend the open house, though; teachers found most of the attendees to be parents or guardians of underclassmen.
Spanish Teacher Sra. Costa said, “It’s always fun to put a face to a name early in the year.” English Teacher Mrs. Galway recognized that there is a lot of excitement around the beginning of the year, so it’s easier to form connections with parents.
The next formal parent-teacher meet-up comes at fall conferences, held in early November ahead of Thanksgiving. Unlike the open-house style of Welcome Back Night, these sessions are scheduled one-on-one conversations with teachers. Families will receive a notice to sign up via ParentSquare.