Hor @ sKoOL

 ***DISCLAIMER: THIS IS FICTIONAL, no school could ever be this cool***

My Week at Smith School

Going into a new environment, whether it be a workplace or a school, can be rough for anyone. This past week, I began my first week of high school at the Smith School. I anticipated a great first week, as the school has a brand new state of the art building complete with two gymnasiums and 28 classrooms, and I was not let down. One would assume that with 25 teachers, there is bound to be one that no one likes. However, at the Smith School, that simply does not exist. It feels refreshing to be attending a brand new school in our small country town. Put simply, I have found my new happy place, and here’s why.

The School Overall

Now, obviously since it’s a brand new school it’s going to have fancy, new things. However, although it is brand new, it doesn't have any of that fancy ‘5-star $80 steakhouse’ feel that you may think it does. The classrooms have somewhat comfortable seats and desks, where you will only be comfortable for about 35 out of the 40 minutes that you’ll be in the classroom, and the bathrooms have nice tile floors that you almost don’t want to step on. The hallways between classrooms feel exactly as they should, vibrant and unique. Abstract shapes blanket the brick walls evoking a welcoming and fun atmosphere throughout. Teachers stand outside their classrooms between classes and greet any and everyone that makes eye contact with them, adding one more item to the already welcoming list.

Learning at the school

You probably picked up this review and thought, ‘let’s see what this bozo has to say about the area’s new school and how bad the teachers are,’ and you’d be entirely incorrect about that. My life at schools up until this point were filled with stress and frustration fueled by teachers that didn’t know how to teach, or simply didn’t care about us students enough to want to teach. Here, at the Smith School, all of that has gone away. Now, I really enjoy my core classes. For example, my math teacher, Mr. Hinklefidget, does a great job at keeping the class at a controlled behavior and making sure that we all understand the material. Compared to previous math teachers, I think I’ve learned more already in the first week than I have before.

What is offered

Your typical school, whether it be elementary, middle, or high school, offers extracurricular activities and possibly some clubs as well. Here at the Smith School, there are far more activities and clubs to be involved with. For instance, there is the ‘Corn Hole Club,’ where a group of students gather each Wednesday night in the top floor gymnasium to play some competitive corn hole. I’ve always been a decent corn hole player, and with a club at the school, I’m going to be an even better one. Additionally, the Smith School has a graduation requirement that is quite out of the norm, however I believe it will prove to be successful in the end. This graduation requirement essentially ensures that students will respect each other, their teachers, their loved ones, and anyone that they happen to come across. I believe that an instructional course like this one should be required at all levels of education, and the Smith School is doing something that will hopefully catch on across the globe.

Your day at a glance

The Smith School seems to push the boundaries into a brighter light and expands upon them, making an even better environment. In middle school, most students typically had an eight-class schedule where each class was 45 minutes and lunch was held during the 4th and 5th periods. Here at the Smith School, they only have six classes which are only 40 minutes long. These six classes include only the core subjects; math, science, english language arts, reading, history, and technology. Elective classes are offered outside of school hours at no extra cost. The school day begins at 9 AM, and runs until about 1:50 PM. Afterwards, a student is given the opportunity to attend any two elective classes of their choosing. There are no required materials, and there is no requirement of attending the class until the end of the year. When I attended a mechanical engineering class after school, I asked why it was like this and I was told that the school wants to give every student an opportunity to be able to gain more knowledge of their favored elective subjects.

Overall

For a student like me, one who is curious-minded and likes to explore new environments and gain more knowledge while doing so, the Smith School is the right school for them. In only the first week, I have started to feel a pleasant change in my school life and I now actually enjoy it. If there were more schools like this around the globe, I feel that our world could be entirely different. It’s one thing to hear it from a parent or a teacher, but to hear such positive things from a student is another. This school gives us opportunities that no other school does, and that’s why I have written such a positive review. If you’re considering enrolling, do so now - it’s worth a shot!