Communication with administration has never been perfect; the time between responses, the limited amount of information and the guarded language has created a barrier between students and administration. 

This year has been harder than normal due to the pandemic having stunted communication. All meetings were online for a long time, and for those still virtual the meetings remain online. Instead of setting up a meeting over email, the entire meeting is over email, and that can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication. 

The lack of proper communication has failed many students this year and many worry it may continue next year. It failed them when they don’t know when student services has someone there-if they knew what it was at all- and when they didn’t know the schedule changed. When they get lost in the halls because they couldn’t find the map online or when they spend too much time searching the school site for the information they ultimately couldn’t find. 

Most recently scheduling has been the topic of email meetings. With many single section AP classes being added to sixth hour, leaving fourth hour entirely empty, concerns were raised by multiple students about the issue. The response from admin was guarded and repetitive, words like “complex” being used three times in a single email.

Often when words are repeated, the person is either trying to convince you or themselves of something. Complex implies that it’s hard to understand. 

My communication with faculty has been a mixed bag, on one hand I usually get quick responses from teachers but on the other hand when emailing administrators or counselors I usually have to wait a few days to a week. I know others who wait multiple weeks to months before a response is given.

What does that say, other than the fact that I am not their priority?

The communication between faculty and students needs to be refined and streamlined, categorized by group or topic and looked at critically. Keeping the wants of the school more in the background and putting the students’ needs at the forefront. 

In my personal experience, administration as a whole keeps the schools best interests at heart more than students. While this may not be entirely true, the fact that more than one student feels as though their needs are not being met or considered is distressing. 

The fact that I am not the only one is alarming, a blaring red flag.

In the end no matter what you see in the administration and staff, communication needs to be fixed to allow easier, faster and more effective communication between students, faculty and administration as a whole.