With this exciting 2013-2014 school year kicking off, Jesuit looks for big changes all around the campus and student life to improve the Jesuit academic experience. And, despite no longer being required by the state to offer a health class, Jesuit instead has revamped its Health class for the freshman class. Jesuit is excited to present its new Health course to the freshman class of 2017.
Mr. Mark Knize, assistant principal of student affairs, says that this new Health experience provides “important health topics for kids in context of their first year of high school.” Meeting once a week, along with their guidance meetings and class meetings, this freshman class has the privilege to take part in a new classroom environment where discussions are pertinent to their school year as adolescents and specified to their lives.
Specifically, Knize states that topics such as “nutrition and athletics” will be introduced and taught in a more personal, in-depth way that is relevant to their freshman year. He also mentioned other important key “health topics” that have been and will continue to be discussed in science class for the freshmen. By doing this, Knize and the other five teachers of this refined Health course hope to keep a format that is consistent to the freshman, and although the number of total classes has been reduced, they hope to cover all health topics that will help enrich the freshman class with the knowledge they need to fully enjoy their first year.
Along with fewer class hours, a new lineup of teachers will also be added to this new and improved 2013-2014 health course.
Mr. Ben Kirby, Mr. Mark Knize, Principal Tom Garrison, Coach Mike Grimes, and Coach Charlie De Long will be joining Mr. Andy Civello and Coach Ryan Menard in teaching the program and will be interacting with the students during the health classes. Civello, assistant dean of student affairs, describes this new classroom as “different,” allowing the freshman students to talk about Jesuit material “that matters” to their personal lives.
Civello looks at this course as an opportunity to “get to know” the freshman class, as opposed to exchanging a quick “hello” or handshake during passing periods or lunch time. Having people who have “experienced the well-roundedness of Jesuit” is something very “advantageous” for the freshman class, remarks Mr. Knize, commenting that these weekly courses will allow the new students to be able to get to know the administration on a whole “different level.”
So far the freshman class has given nothing but positive feedback to this change of environment. After teaching his first class last week, Knize is excited to see the “usually quiet” freshman “open up” early and be able to join as brothers in just the first week of school.
After his first class, Will Curran ’17 comments that it actually didn’t feel any “different” being taught by Mr. Garrison as opposed to any of his other teachers, and he cherishes the opportunity to be able to “get to know” the principal on a more personal level. So far, the freshman class has covered the “health triangle” and has learned the basic manners of staying healthy. Mr. Knize, Mr. Civello, and even Will all look forward to this change in curriculum and are hoping to build a tightly knit community with this modified health class!
