By Rachel Bacchus
With the school year soon ending, it is important to think over what would improve the next year. Learning what students want within the school can help improve morale and make the next school year even better than the last one. For that reason, students of Ponte Vedra High School were asked what changes they would like to see around the school.
The most common ideas proposed by students were physical changes to the school. “I would like to see more seating in the court yard, and tables shaded from the sun,” said Taylor Dunn, a Junior at PVHS. “There’s not enough seating in general in the school and some students are forced to sit on the ground or in the pods, which now they’re not allowed to do, so it’s unfair to not give those students an area to eat lunch,” said Taylor. Many of the suggestions involved improvements to the courtyard. “I think they should fix the umbrellas outside,” said Daniel Joe, a Sophomore at PVHS. Of course, one could easily guess what the most common request was. “We should get more parking,” said Nate Smith, a Junior at PVHS.
Other ideas consisted of changes to how the school operates. “The school needs better use of funds,” said Hayden Hootsel, a Junior at PVHS. “That and more inclusivity.” “Lower restrictions in the hallways,” said Connor Boss, a Junior at PVHS. “Sometimes people actually need to get to a class, but then they get held up just because they don’t have a hall pass.” A few students had suggestions on the academic side of how PVHS operates. “Teachers should change the formative percentage,” said Lucas Butler, a Junior at PVHS. “They should take them up from thirty to thirty-five.” One interesting idea involved the way teachers plan test dates. “Maybe teachers should get together and talk to average students so they can plan tests accordingly,” said Raina Shen, a Junior at PVHS. “Sometimes students have five tests in a single day and all those review packets due that day, creating a lot of stress.”
As seniors move on from PVHS and start college, the school will continue to change with the comings and goings of students. These changes reflect the needs and wants of both the current student body and school faculty. As simple as they seem, they serve as a testament of the times that they were employed.
Students should spend more time reflecting on what changes they wish to see in the future, both for themselves, and the students that will come after them.
