Kenwood High School opened our doors for the 2023-2024 school year on August 28th. The 2023-2024 school year faced some big changes from the start. The most significant change included the new principal, Mr. Armstrong; the arrival of freshmen; ESOL students returning to their home school of Kenwood; new teachers; and more trailer classrooms on campus to accommodate the growing number of students and teachers. The school is now holding over 2000 students and welcoming more and more students everyday with hallways even more crowded than before.
Some staff have been at Kenwood for decades and have lived through the various growths and changes over the years. Kenwood veteran Ms. James adds, ““Students for the most part are the same now as they were 27 years ago. They all want to feel like they belong and fit in somewhere. The way in which teachers and staff try to achieve that feeling of belonging changes over the years but the goal is the same. If students feel like they are apart of this community, they will work hard and stay loyal. That has always been a great part of the Essex community and seems to be part of the “Kenwood code” to take care of those who help you out.”
Additional students, including the English Language Learner students, have led to an explosion of growth in the halls of Kenwood, which clearly changes the dynamic of our school building. This year, strengthening the sense of community among the diversity of our students is one of the main goals. New ESOL instructor Ms. Thompson shared, “I want to help my students feel a part of the community here.” As the school year goes on, it will be easier to see how the growth of the school affects students’ experiences.
Whether a freshmen or an ESOL student returning to Kenwood, the transition can be hard. Kenwood junior Julian V shared, “I was a new student once and now if I see another new student I want to help them just in case they are lost or stressed.”
It’s only the third week of school but freshmen are adjusting. Freshmen Victoria A adds, “The transition from middle school to high school was hard because you’re used to seeing the same faces and everyone being pretty close in age. The work is about the same; the only difference is how teachers teach.”
The beginning of the school year can be a busy, challenging time for teachers. Veteran teachers, Chef G; Ms. Single; Ms. Komorowski; Ms. Ferrigno; and Ms. Mariner offer new young teachers the advice, “Keep your mind and heart open, remember why you decided to become a teacher and work in a school setting. Make connections with your students, engage yourself in the hallway and inside of the classroom. Remember that these are students with different backgrounds and that they are still kids who are going through their own personal struggles in the world. Get to know the veteran teachers in your department, there are so many opportunities for collaboration.”
As far as advice to our new principal, Mr. Armstrong, our teachers agree, “It is key to reach out to our community to make sure that they are part of our school, because our community is very involved in Kenwood. In order for students and staff to be successful you have to build good relationships with the kids. It’s also important to know teachers’ individual programs and the teachers that are heavily involved within them and their needs for their programs.”
Whether you’re an incoming freshmen, ESOL student returning to your home school of Kenwood, a new teacher, or even a new principal change can be hard but it can also lead to positive differences and outcomes so we wish you successful 2023-2024 school year.
