Peace Room Changes Disrupt Students

BY ARIELLE LEVINE News Editor

This January, five teachers replaced Ms. Anjole Wright as Peace Room staff. The change from a single staff member to multiple has some students concerned that the Peace Room’s original vision has been compromised.

In 2021, the Restorative Justice Committee opened the Peace Room in response to nationwide mental health concerns among teenagers.

For two years, Ms. Wright served as the single supervisor of the Peace Room until she resigned in 2023. During her tenure, she established strong connections with students and created an environment that allowed students to adjust to their “new normal.”

According to Special Educator Ms. Collier, the Peace Room is a resource for students to step away from a classroom environment and take a break while “getting what they need” to return to the classroom.

School data shows that students are still widely using this resource. Between January 24th to 31st, 2023, 302 students signed in.

But without Ms. Wright’s guidance, some students struggle to connect within the space.

Sezer, many students still have more of a general connection to the space rather than a personal connection. “One of the main reasons I went there was to communicate with someone willing to help me. But I haven’t been able to build that bond with whoever’s in there right now,” said Ela.

“When you’re there with that one person, they make you feel confident in yourself and just confident that you want to stay,” she says.

Autumn misses the consistency of having the same adult present “if you were going through a hard time.”

Abisola says that speaking on behalf of the student voice allows any student to step up and “make things better for other students.” She says that it is important that “any” student can share their voice because “We all experience things differently. We all have a different take.

“It is unfair that we as students are subject to rules and policies that we had no input in,” said HCASC President Oliver Song, “We need to advocate for ourselves.”

Mr. Wallace says that the school cannot run without the voice of students. “I want decisions to be made with kids’ input rather than just going to adults to make decisions,” he says.

Student democracy, with the active participation from students, makes the school “more than just a school,” according to Abisola. “It makes it a community and a good place to be.”

HCASC Liaison Aly Abel says that it is important at Wilde Lake, in particular, student voices are heard to reflect “our diversity” as a school. “It is important to get all voices in order for education to be equalized,” she said.

Aly says that giving the diverse demographic of students a space to voice their opinions and talk within Wilde Lake “gives a new light to the people who are already there.”

HCASC President Oliver hopes that more students embrace the space of student democracy. “I hope that students who are not normally active in expressing their voices are involved in making sure that they can advocate for themselves,” he said.

As Sajana says, “I think we’re all seeing the cusp of democracy right now. Whether kids are aware of it or not.”

Advisory Chopped Down Again

From Three Days to Once a Week

BY ZOE MACDIARMID Editor-in-Chief

For the second time this year, Advisory — the 20-minute period between periods two and three — was cut back. Administration announced on March 20th to students that Advisory would only be held on Wednesdays.

Earlier this year, in November, Advisory was changed from five days a week to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

floor main stairwell, ensuring that students get to where they need to be. He says the school offering Advisory is a “balancing act.”

“How much are people using Advisory in the way that it was meant to be used as compared to well if it’s not going to be used then should we maybe rededicate that to academics,” said Mr. Molin.

Sophomore Mary Gill has been going to the Peace Room since it opened, so she has experienced the changes of the Peace Room firsthand. She says she notices the lack of a significant personal connection.

“It is always a different person here, and there’s not that one person you can talk to,” said Mary.

The new staff members, such as Science teacher Mr. Walters, says he recognizes that building valuable relationships takes time.

According to freshman Ela

With Student Services and a Guidance department, some question the necessity of a Peace Room. Still, students see the Peace Room as different.

Ela says that she would look to the Peace Room as a safe space in the building for support over the guidance office. “I know [the counselors] want me to go back to class,” she said, “[In the Peace Room] they wait until you’re ready to leave.”

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Assistant Principal Brett Molin says that much of this decision has to do with giving back more instructional time to teachers. He said that on Advisory days, approximately 25 minutes worth of instructional time is lost.

According to Administration,the time taken for advisory disrupts the flow of state mandated testing and preparation for seniors graduating. Accommodating testing on an Advisory bell schedule was “almost impossible” last year.

During advisory, Mr. Molin spends his time on the second

Students, like junior Madison Hays, value the advisory time for their academic success. “I’m disappointed that we no long have advisory,” she said, “the time was really helpful for catching up on work and getting a breath of fresh air from back to back classes.”

Sydney Dandridge, junior, says that the connection she built with her advisor outside of academic time over the past two schools years is valuable. “I just miss my advisor She is a mentor figure to me, but due to the new advisory schedule, I have lost a lot of time with her,” she said.

Mr. Molin says the future of Advisory for next year has not yet been determined by the school.