Last Wednesday, on August 23, the school held its annual back to school night. The event started at 6:00 p.m., the parents meeting in the gym where the principal and other staff members talked to the parents about the school, how the night was going to go, and a little about the staff. The parents who attended got to spend some time learning their child’s schedule and reliving a small piece of high school.
Each teacher got 15 minutes to talk to each class, several teachers gave the parents a small demonstration on how they taught and the methods they use, giving them an example of how their children are being taught. Peter Flanders, a math teacher at Ripon High, said,
Peter Flanders, a math teacher at Ripon High, said, “I do not have a favorite thing about back to school night, let me put it this way, speaking for 30 kids and I’m fine, I love it, but put me in front of five adults and I freak out,”
Ripon High teachers gave the parents their contact information allowing the parents to email, text, etc. them with any questions on the class or their child. Seniors were on campus wearing matching green T-shirts, they wandered the school grounds helping to point parents to the right classes and answer any questions the parents may have.
“I love talking to people and seeing my friends parents on campus, it is also fun to help people out and give them directions to the one place I have to be every day.” Janessa Inderbitzen, a senior, says. She attended back to school night wearing green and helping out.
Each teacher talked in different ways, some using power points to line out their info or the curriculum, others speaking a pre-planned script, while many just spoke about themselves in an impromptu way.
Chris Musseman says, “My thoughts on back to school night would have to be, it is always nice to see parents and get to know them.” The event ended at 8:00 p.m. they wrapped up the night in 7th period, every parent who attended getting a two hour taste of their kids´ everyday lives.
Mckenna Daley a sophomore at Ripon High said,“I was excited to see what my mom thought of my teachers and how she felt about them, next year I hope to do the same.”