Last Thursday, close to 75 students took advantage of the new Husky Life Skills program to attend the first of four Husky Skills sessions that will take place during the extended Student Resource Time (SRT) period each quarter this year.
The daily SRT period is 30 minutes, except on Thursdays when it is one hour and 35 minutes. SRT is designed to offer students time for schoolwork during school hours. However, not all students need to use the time for schoolwork.
When brainstorming ideas on how to maximize learning opportunities during the Thursday SRT period, the high school administrative team consisting of Mitch Street (Assistant Principal/Dean of Students), Whitney Gray (Assistant Principal), and Jarrod Mason (Principal) came up with an idea that was a hit with students: mini sessions on life skills that aren’t taught in the classroom.
Students learned the finer points of flower arranging in the Floriculture and Floral Design session led by Sandy Fern and Pat Simmons. This was one of five mini sessions offered as part of the new Husky Life Skills program. (Photo provided)
For the first session, students could choose from several offerings which included Basic Automotive Care (Jarrod Mason, HHHS Principal), Traffic Stop Behavior/Expectations (HHSC SRO, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department), Cooking 101/Meal Prep and Planning (Linda McClure), Floriculture/Designing a Small Floral Arrangement (Sandy Fern and Pat Simmons) and All Things Games (Led by HHHS teacher’s Travis Kauffman and Brad Batman). These specialty sessions were taught by Heights’ staff and members of the community. Students weighed in and shared additional suggestions for the next round slated for Thursday, Dec. 14.
“I attended the Cooking 101 class today because I thought it would be fun and informative,” sophomore Emma Trees said. “I liked that I not only enjoyed my time in the class but also took away some new lessons I can use later in life. If there is a chance to take another class next quarter, I will definitely sign up!
“We were pleased with the interest and response from our students,” said Street, in what he thinks could expand beyond a quarterly offering. “They enjoyed the variety of sessions offered, hands-on learning opportunity, and the takeaways. It was a great use of the time to engage students in areas that can provide lifelong value. We already have Sewing and Taxes 101 sessions planned for the next quarter and will expand upon the classes already carried out this past time. We are also looking at a soundboard engineering intro class.”
Students who chose the session with SRO Deputy Kevin Neal gained insight into what happens during a traffic stop. Deputy Neal is pictured during a mock traffic stop helping students learn what to expect and how to properly respond during an interaction with a law enforcement officer in this scenario. (Photo provided)
This is a great idea. Practical experiences that will benefit students no matter what career path they choose!