Part of the mission statement of Rio Norte Junior High School is to create a “flexible, positive, and nurturing learning environment, in which all its members have the opportunity to experience a sense of belonging and personal growth, and… have the opportunity to develop academic excellence.” While this mission is great, however, there are some contradictions. For example, what students can eat, what electives they can take, and where they can hang out during brunch and lunch are quite limited. All of these aspects can be improved to give Rio Norte a more engaging, fun campus.
One of the possible topics to be improved is the different electives provided to the students. Rio Norte lacks many electives to cover all types of students’ interests. For example, New Knights Texas Middle School provides many more choices of electives, such as cosmetology, archery, and engineering courses. Such electives not only teach students actual professional skills but also allow them to explore potential career paths. In addition, these courses promote responsibility and leadership. By adding more electives to Rio Norte, students will have the opportunity to experiment with new subjects and fields of interest they wouldn’t have originally pursued.
Another possible addition is providing increased seating and outside spaces throughout the campus. Currently, many students end up sitting on the floor near the office or in hallways because there aren’t enough benches or tables for those who sit on the floor. Having more benches and sitting spaces throughout the campus would make students feel more comfortable and welcome in a place where they can sit, rest, study, and socialize with others during breaks. These additional seating areas could be in a quiet area for students who prefer a calming atmosphere, or in social areas where students can gather and talk. Additional outdoor seating spaces would make the campus more appealing for students to socialize during breaks.
Another aspect to consider is the quality of food and snacks that students are exposed to during lunch or break times. The options that are currently available at the cafeteria are not great, and there have been occurrences where students have taken snacks like Cheez-Its or Goldfish from the lunch staff, and thrown the actual meal away. This is wasteful, and it doesn’t leave students with many choices. To address this issue, the school can add working vending machines with a wider range of healthier food and snacks, including fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
Ultimately, Rio Norte does an amazing job at making a positive and nurturing learning environment, however, with students sitting on the floor, throwing away food, and being limited to the Rio Norte’s amount and choice of electives, these are suggestions to improve student engagement and well-being.