Advisory is a new class this year at Cherokee Trail high school, and it has received a lot of mixed feedback. Before this notable change, freshman seminar was the only advisory-like class out there. This was where first-year students were given a safe and familiar environment to help the transition from middle school to high school. However, the recent change has included that Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors must be enrolled in an advisory class.
The feedback on time used in the class has been both positive as well as harmful. “It’s pretty chill, kinda gives you some time away from school,” Isaiah Jones (10) said,” You get to be your person and have a supportive teacher, and be able to have time to chill and do your work.” Moreover, many other students feel that advisory is a good use of time and a chance to catch up on work while under a watchful eye.
However, some students do not believe advisory is helpful in the slightest. “It’s a waste of time; I don’t like it; it’s boring,” said Theodore Lee (12). Seniors especially find advisory to be pointless when they have already gone through freshman seminar. “We already had freshman seminar, so we don’t need it again,” Lee (12) states. While freshman seminar was meant to build community while entering high school, most upper-level students have already found their place in the school.
For underclassmen, however, that sense of community is still needed. Freshmen and sophomores who never had a proper first year due to Covid-19 appreciate the ideals of advisory. “I think it’s a good way to bring the school together as a community,” Peyton Castro (10) said,” It helps you find out what’s going on in the week and how you can get involved.”
One big part of advisory is the weekly announcements. The announcements are now played during advisory instead of being conveyed over a speaker during the first period. “I think advisory is a good idea because we get to see the announcements all at once,” Macklin Frazzini (11) said.” Those announcements are played when everyone has a chance to see them, allowing the CT community to stay up to date.
With the school’s closure last year, teachers and staff are aware of the mental health decline following the pandemic. “From what I know from some of our beginning of the year presentations is [that] we’re really focusing on student’s wellbeing and mental health, and even teacher’s health and wellbeing,” said Teacher Tina Walker.
While there are positive and negative outlooks, most can agree that advisory was choreographed to create a sense of community and generate positive mental health. While this change is undoubtedly new and has much growth to follow, one can expect that advisory is possibly here to stay.