With the weather turning colder and leaves starting to change color, it is clear that summer has officially passed. The start of the new season signifies that the school year is gaining traction; gone are the classes full of icebreakers and syllabus instruction, replaced for good with curriculum work and traditional teaching. 

September and October are critical months during this period, as they inevitably sculpt the remainder of the year. Questions have already begun to circulate the building as students prepare for yet another 180 days. What activities will they involve themselves with? What skills will they begin to learn? 

The most important inquiry, however, pertains to the FHS staff themselves: what goals are at the top of the administration’s checklist to have a successful year? I sat down with Principal Hanna to ask him this very important question as he describes FHS’s “portrait of a graduate,” field-trip policies, and more. 

With general teacher leniency coming off of a difficult year, the question of pacing is a topic of uncertainty. Expecting students to adjust to in-person course loads immediately is arguably unrealistic. However, there will inevitably be a return to classes that progress at a regular speed. In order to provide students with the maximum amount of valuable material, this change may be sooner than expected. 

“Making adjustments around what we know students are able to understand will definitely still happen for the starting part of the year,” Principal Hanna began. “Over the next 2-3 years, we’re going to take a look at our daily units, to make sure they’re viable and in support of everyone involved, and as realistic as possible.”

In years past, field trips have accompanied classes looking to add diversity to a mundane routine. Traveling to Washington D.C, Boston, and even Europe have been exciting bonding experiences that cultivate student creativity whilst providing instruction at the same time. With an influx of students looking forward to that aspect of their high school experience, field trips are undeniably one of the most anticipated returns to academic normalcy. 

“Right now, we’re going slow. We’re keeping our clubs moving forward, hosting outdoor events, and getting everything back to normal as soon as it’s safe,” Principal Hanna stated. “Bus shortages, costs increasing, and other things have made it difficult, but getting field trips up and running eventually is the goal.”

The term, “portrait of a graduate,” is said to sum up the entirety of the FHS administration’s objectives for the coming year. Students hear flickers of the term in conversations, or mentioned in passing by their teachers, but it has never formally been explained. By definition, an FHS portrait of a graduate encompasses all of the skills that are needed for that student to be prepared for the next stage of life. By the end of senior year, a Franklin graduate should be well on their way, equipped with the necessary tools, to be successful wherever they choose to go. 

“Working on incorporating a curriculum that has windows and mirrors, to see your own and also other’s experiences will be important come June,” Principal Hanna noted. “We’re building teams within the school, so that nothing is on an individual basis. Students and teachers working together to support social and emotional goals is one of our biggest goals, and one that we’ll work on all year long.”

Working towards the goals that the administration sets for the year, as well as ambitions that students themselves are striving for, will be vital towards a rewarding year. Keeping a healthy balance between extracurricular activities and mental health will prove beneficial as the school year gets underway.