We need to get more house pins, and I propose a different style of pin. Jewel/metal pins are pretty cheap - prices vary. I'll find a price list and post them. Last school year the cost of the pins was reimbursed by the school. If Sahwn is reading, perhaps we could get an idea of how much the school is willing to invest (if any).
Also, I think the Houses should have a visual representation at assemblies that goes beyond Noah dressing as the golden monster of Sideris. I think we should have banners created, one per house, that the Heads take to each assembly and otherwise store in their classrooms. I'll try to find prices for those (these will likely be expensive).
Both items above suggest the need for a fundraiser of some sort. Car wash!
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An impromptu car wash is too "Dodgeball" for Conor. I agree regarding the banners and pins. I put Dentoni on the banner last year, but she was too busy on the jumpsuits for the Takagi video.
At any rate, the second awards assembly found my seniors sitting with seniors of other houses and cheering each other on--class affiliation trumping house affiliation. I WANT my house to support EVERYONE. I want seniors to bond. But I also want houses to bond.
I have heard other teachers talking about the high school equivalent of "fifth grade buddies." I don't want that. I want a group of seniors supporting and mentoring a group of juniors, sophomores, and freshmen. That's why I'm sold out on the house system.
My question is: how can we, at awards assemblies, foster a spirit of competitiveness between houses and support for our "level"?
Pins and banners, yes. Agreed. I also would like to see some more House colors besides just mine. I mean, I don't mind being the freak wearing the golden robes, but it would be nice if we were all freaks, and I use the term "freak" in a very positive way.
I am planning to ask my House teachers to don some sort of gold next year during events and assemblies, and I think it'd be neat if we all did that.
As for the awards ceremonies, I have a few ideas. It partly depends on whether we're going to put everyone in Houses or not. I don't know if Shawn will go for that yet, but Lori was saying at our lunch that she thought we should...and I know that's something JP and I are at least tentatively in favor of doing. As Lori pointed out, kids who don't want to do it can still just choose not to participate in House activities, but in the long run, I'd rather not give the "cool" kids the chance to opt out of being in a House because they're too "cool."
Anyway, if everyone's in a House, we can do something like the following as described, and if not, then we can just have all the House students sit together.
We definitely want "mixing" of grade levels in general, but I don't see a problem with, at an awards ceremony, having classes sit more or less together within the Houses. For example, seniors toward the top, down to freshmen at the bottom. Or even better, have the seniors at the front so they are visible examples to the lower classes.
Then we could each instruct our Houses in the tradition: Everybody cheers for everybody, of course. But in addition, Houses cheer rowdily for students from their own House (maybe even standing up); and also in addition, seniors give the same sort of rowdy cheer for other seniors, juniors for juniors, etc.
What do we think?
Robotics has a pin making machine. I'm just saying.
Oh, yes, and one more thing. My AP seniors told me that, for that last assembly, they all sat together and eschewed the house alignment. You can imagine what NOT having Amy Morley yelling right next to me did for my morale--and for the morale of the other Conors.
I have no ideas regarding assemblies. They happen so infrequently that I'm not sure how to make something happen there.
Noah mentioned potentially putting all students in houses. I would still be against this idea, mainly because I would want students to join of their own accord. I would want the house system to be something that entices students to join. Forcing it could potentially draw in some students that would not have otherwise participated, but I still think there's still some development to be done before it goes schoolwide.
I don't disagree with the idea of waiting and developing it more before we make it schoolwide. The reason I think it might not be as big an issue is that students who don't want to participate can still choose not to participate; and the main reason I would like to see it more universal is because having the option not to be in a House gives students a way of making some sort of anti-Charterian statement. That being said, I definitely see the merits of ironing things out a bit better before going schoolwide. I can go either way.
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