Madison Consolidated High School started the school year by introducing a new daily schedule for students and staff. Some students’ initial feelings about the schedule, mainly introducing a new Cub Pride period, have been met with mixed reviews. Many administrators and teachers argue that this change is helping the students, while the students prefer the original schedule.
Cub Pride is a 20-minute segment after 3rd period, resulting in the school day beginning at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 3:20 p.m. The previous schedule was 8:05 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. Cub pride allows students to work on extra school work, talk to teachers about work, meet new people of all grade levels (since the grades in the classes are combined), and working on relationships and mental health.
Student resource officer Cody Teltow said, “Overall, I think it helps students obtain a goal of not being so anxious to talk to people.” In contrast, sophomore Kylie Montgomery said, “I do not prefer it.”
MCHS English teacher Kristin Kozenski claimed, “(Cub Pride) is an opportunity for different kids from different backgrounds to gather because we typically kind of migrate towards our own personalities and our own social networks.”
During the first weeks of school, our cub pride teachers fostered the environment to meet new people and get to know each other more. One of the goals of Cub Pride was to allow students to meet and interact with new people. There is a mix of students of every grade in the classes, so students can have new relationships with students of different grade levels.
Although Cub Pride was a new change made this year to benefit the students, a similar block of time for Cub Pride was introduced years ago. It was taken out of the schedule because it didn’t seem to have as much of a benefit as the administration thought it would have.
Although the mixture of grade levels of the students in the classes could be beneficial, it also may be difficult for introverted students to connect. In some classes where nobody knows anyone, it’s harder to talk to people.
Senior Libby Bronkella said, “When teachers talk to us and ask us questions, everyone feels uncomfortable, so they don’t answer.”
Some students think the schedule does not need to be changed and don’t like how it extends the school day.
MCHS junior Mason Davis stated, “It’s not good for students to be in school that long.”
In the last few weeks, grade checks have been introduced to Cub Pride. Teachers are now asked to check students’ Skyward grades and email struggling students’ parents and guardians. However, students are to remain in their Cub Pride classrooms and not seek help elsewhere during Cub Pride.
Some students believe they should be allowed to enter another classroom during these 20 minutes to get teacher help.
Freshman Kenzie Smith said, “Students should be able to pick where they have Cub Pride.”
Assistant Principal Dan Grill, who has taken on the role of Cub Pride coordinator, said, “I’m kind of against having students working in other classrooms. Now, there might be an opportunity if we get clubs together that they might be able to go and do that.”
Students who play sports and are in clubs find it difficult to stay after school or come in before school to have time to ask their teachers questions.
Overall, Cub Pride is a fresh program being implemented at the high school, and any change, especially one that extends the day, will likely be unpopular with students.
Grill recognized that Cub Pride is still a work in progress.
Grill said, “Our administration team has appreciated the feedback from students and staff, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to continue to meet our goals of supporting student and staff relationships, fostering a positive school culture, and supporting students’ needs during the Cub Pride period. We are currently working with some of our teacher leaders and will continue to push out surveys to our students with the goal of being intentional and purposeful with our teachers’ and students’ time.”
