A NATIONALLY ORGANIZED EVENT
The following is a selection from an article in Time Magazine to provide context for the event and who is organizing it. Read the article
here
.
The Academy's Role: Please note that Academy High School does not promote a political stance in any of these conversations, but ensures the safe participation of students on-campus.
Academy's Safety Preparations: Academy staff have been trained in 2016 on safety protocols, intruder response training, and crisis response protocols and will be re-trained this year. In addition, the Academy provides drills and has already provided fire, earthquake, and lockdown drills.
A SCHOOL SANCTIONED EVENT
A few Academy students have met with some teachers and Directors to consider how Academy students might lead in a student activity that is safe, educational, and intended to have students think well.
Through these planning meetings we've determined:
- School safety is the highest priority and therefore a school-sanctioned forum prepared by students with a clear agenda approved by administration ahead of time is required for the 17 minutes and will ensure that if students are participating they are doing so in a safe and appropriate manner. This is a forum to support students’ voice, not a political demonstration.
- It is important to prepare for and consider how potential student misbehavior (so very possible in high school) would detract from the message.
- The school will be in contact with local law enforcement as necessary for student safety and if students leave the school boundaries, since they will then be seen as truant.
- The student organizers are requiring other students to sign an agreement they created that states: "I agree to participate respectfully and will stay with the students, returning to class after the event. I agree to act respectfully to honor the lives lost and the messageI understand that I will face truancy charges if I take advantage of the situation, or go beyond appointed boundaries.."
- This is a student-organized event and the school is ensuring all safety measures.
- No student is required to walkout and the Academy will provide staffing inside classes for those who choose not to participate.
- Any student that does not attend will continue class activities with their teachers until the end of their Block 2 classes.
- After 10:17 a.m., students will return to class.
- Signs will not be necessary because as students are planning it - this is a time of memorial and learning not of debate or platform for a political statement.
- Students are using this time to ask "What can we do to create change we want to see?"
Student Organizations Include:
- Parents can join students in front of school
- A student created a sign up sheet that includes an agreement to participate respectfully.
- Announcements by students
- Meeting next week to plan the agenda for 17 minutes
AS A PARENT, HOW CAN I SUPPORT?
- Please talk to your student about whether they will be joining the event and why.
Our faculty and staff view student-initiated forums that are school sanctioned as an opportunity for thinking well and carefully. Technically, this is not a walkout as students are not leaving campus boundaries and remain supervised throughout the school sanctioned event. We hope that this forum becomes a clear opportunity outside of teacher-led class time for students to initiate and enact our school's very real and very meaningful
mission and vision
.
- Please remind your child that they are not allowed to leave the campus, go to the corner store, or go home without parent permission. We are a closed campus. If students leave campus without permission, they will be considered truant, parents will be notified.
Parents/guardians - as you have any questions or concerns please contact the office.
Sincerely,
The Academy Staff
