Lately when you hear about schools in Wichita, it's often related to closures and school boundary changes, but more than a hundred students met today to get back to what matters most to them: getting back to normal.
“You could be a little more strict on the grades and enforce that,” said one student.
More discipline? It might not be what you’d expect to hear from a high schooler, but Wichita Superintendent John Allison says students from seven area high schools are setting the bar high when it comes to expectations.
“A lot of times credit is not given to our high school students with their maturity level, but they talked about pride in their school, that they need high expectations established for them in the classroom, and that they need to be held accountable,” said Allison.
It’s a discussion students look forward to every year.
“We got to figure out what the faculty can do for us and what we can do for the faculty,” said Wichita West High School junior Cameron Carruth.
In an atmosphere where schools are closing around Wichita, these students are getting back to what’s important.
“We were talking about boundaries before, and today it was more personal for a student who can improve things at school. So it was more from a student perspective which is really good to see,” said Northwest High School junior Shayla Cotman.
And students found many of their everyday struggles at their high schools were a commonality across school boundary lines.
“I'm not the only one that struggles with time management between sports and school. Also talking about peer pressure, and some kids don't know how to get to the next level. That kind of shocked me a little bit,” said Cotman.
The district will use all of that input they heard in planning for next school year.
