What We Need at Our School

There are many good things to say about Heritage Woods Secondary School, from the reputation of our sports teams, to ways we help the community, and even other foreign countries through programs such as KWAP and Move4MANA. These things demonstrate our willingness to make a difference and push the limits of what high school is, but unfortunately, no school is perfect— not even ours.

Today, students at Heritage Woods Secondary School need more to benefit from their high school experience. Have you ever walked through the Grand Hall after school, when the rush of those who leave immediately has passed, and see the lack of happiness expressed by the remaining students? The well-being of students should be just as important as their grades, so why not make that so? The students of HWSS need a positive and inclusive environment, one where all can thrive. Students wanting to stay anonymous say the school needs “people to talk to, not just the people they consider friends”, and “a break from school.”

The lack of connection we have to fellow students is significantly larger than it was in previous years, as the pandemic has narrowed down our ability to socialize. This doesn’t mean that time spent at school should always be spent alone. A question worth asking is why students crave a break so early into the school year? Right now, many students experience physical and mental burnouts due to school. Motivation is lost doing homework and building this motivation back up has been extremely difficult. This poses an important question: what improvements can be made?

Another anonymous student says, “we need more enthusiasm, participation, and school spirit.” The effects of the pandemic have caused our school to dissociate from those in other grades and classes, leaving grade 9’s and new students without the classic HWSS experience.

So, you, reading this right now, go log your Move4Mana, text a friend who goes here asking how their day was, think of a club to join, and wear your Kodiaks merch every Friday. What we need, most importantly at HWSS, is for all students to recognize that they have the ability to spread positivity and to better our school.

Written by Katelyn McCaskill