Wolverine Wednesday was introduced a year ago at Watkins Mill High School, where students were given an extra period for help. This year WW changed, we have an extended third period instead of an extra period.
The purpose of WW is for students to connect and learn outside of the classroom curriculum with peers and teachers. This year WW will be focusing on mental health, social-emotional learning, and academic support.
“I think any opportunity that we can provide students to explicitly learn about social/emotional health and mental well-being is a benefit to them,” assistant principal Veena Roberson said.
WW was changed from homeroom to third period because the feedback from teachers and students last year thought everyone would be more comfortable participating in community building and learning about social-emotional health and mental well-being with people they see on a daily basis, unlike homeroom which was weekly.
“I like the idea of getting to know the kids differently than as a teacher,” honors biology teacher Karen Doerrler said. “Getting to know different sides of their personality than I normally would in a classroom setting.”
Students who don’t have a third period won’t be able to participate in any WW lessons. Staff who also don’t have a third period will be helping teachers who have large classes like physical education. They could also help create and modify the WW lessons.
“I like the format of Wolverine Wednesday more this year because it is attached to a class of students that we already teach,” said math resource teacher Melissa Ashby.
Students and teachers have a mixed relationship with the new schedule. While some like it, others don’t. It could be because students don’t like their third period classes or they like working alone in homeroom with no lessons attached.
Sophomore Josselyn Sotelo said, “I feel like homeroom was better because it felt like it was a class, like a free study period I could use, however, when I was in third period it just felt like an extended class.”
“I think any opportunity that we can provide students to explicitly learn about social-emotional health and mental well-being is a benefit to them,” said Roberson.
