Student Ambassadors, faculty and administrators were stationed throughout the Rome High School campus, on Friday March 11, to offer guidance, information, and opportunity to incoming freshmen, rising students, and their families during Bridge Day.
The cafeteria transformed into a bustling meeting place for faculty and incoming freshmen. Amanda Howell, English teacher and ELA department chair, explained, “We are informing and registering kids for next school year. We are giving advice and advisement on what track to take and what courses they're best suited for. So, we've talked a lot about Advanced Placement (AP) about dual enrollment, as well as different electives with our CTAE (Career, Technical and Agricultural Education) and fine arts.”
While some students were with parents for Bridge Day, Howell said that, for the most part, parents are the ones taking in the information. "We find that those incoming freshmen parents have more questions than the students do," she said.
Nat Bomar, U.S. history/social studies teacher, said that parents were just really curious as to what happens next. "We have their eighth-grade testing scores so that we can help guide them into which pathway would be best for them. We’re really just trying to map out the next four years; trying to get a head start as much as we possibly can."
Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors all had a designated station where they could find their Wolf Pack, or advisor. Stationed at the entrance to the main gym, Student Ambassador Giselle Juarez Reano helped guide incoming freshmen and rising students to their Wolf Pack. She expressed that her passion for being an advocate began in middle school. “In middle school I was in leadership, which is kind of the same thing as being a Student Ambassador. I wanted to do that same thing here at the high school, help people find their way."
The main gym was set up as a showcase for pathways and student organization options that RHS offers in addition to academic core. Dual enrollment, German Club, JROTC, League of Young Voters and HOSA (Future Health Professionals) were just a few of the options that fellow RHS students showcased.
Principal Dr. Eric Holland maintained that the bottom line is that it's all about building positive relationships. “It’s good when we can sit down with parents and provide them with academic support but more importantly to keep building those positive relationships so that they know who will serve as their child’s TAA for the next four years, until they graduate.”
Holland explained that every Wednesday, during advisement, a student will visit their TAA (Teachers as Advisors).
“We don't just advise them today, we advise them throughout their educational journey,” he added. “I really enjoy parents coming in with smiles on their faces and having the opportunity to talk about their child’s academic progress.”
