A group of students with big personalities who are ready to make a positive impact on high school in the next four years. The class of 2028 has entered the building and is prepared to make its mark on the school through their athletic abilities and bright minds.
This year, the freshmen class is doing something different called teaming. The four core content teachers are working together to create a smoother transition for the freshmen from middle school to high school. These teachers include Mrs. Simmons with History, Ms. Fields with Math, Mrs. Fiero with Biology, and Mrs. Couling with English. Instead of having one long block period, the freshmen switch halfway through.
For Allie Morris, having her older sister in high school is helpful in many ways. She explains, “I can ask her for help if I need it. I can also talk to her throughout the day when I have a bad day, and she makes me happy!” Morris adds that joining clubs is also helpful for her because she is able to make new friends and have input on what is happening in the school. This year, she plans to join the student council, quiz bowl, and track. She is also hoping to make it to some of the sporting events. Morris is excited to make new friends and is very optimistic about what this year holds.
Mya Barrett also has an older sister in high school, she believes that this and her involvement in the school is going to make this year go very smoothly. By having a sister who has been in high school for the last three years, many of the teachers and coaches already know her. She explains, “I already know where all my classes are and all of the teachers already know who I am. The coaches already know me too, so they know what I can do.” Barret also adds that goal setting is something that she is doing to help her out during this year. Some of these include focusing on her grades and finishing this year with a 4.0.
Gavan Vick is looking forward to the fun opportunities high school has to offer socially and athletically. He explains that, in particular, he is excited about games that he is participating in for sports as well as going to watch games. He also adds that getting to know new people at those events is also interesting for him. Sportswise, he is planning to join the basketball team because he has done it in past years. He thinks that will allow him to make new friends and he just genuinely enjoys playing the sport. Vicks goes on to say that hanging out with his friends Hunter Watts and Charlie Cole is something that he is going to enjoy the most while in high school.
Cason Lipscomb is planning to get involved in the school through sports. He was going to play football this fall but joined too late. In the winter he wants to join the wrestling team; he has done it the past three years in middle school and wants to continue with it through high school. In the past weeks Lipscomb has been in high school, and he has grown close with Mr. Simmons. He says, “If I need help, I will probably go to Mr. Simmons. I have his from World History and have grown close with him in that class.” Overall, he is excited to have fun during his next four years in high school.
(Julia Stevens)
Mrs. Couling is one of the teachers who is participating in teaming as the English teacher to the freshmen. She sees a uniqueness in their class through the energy they bring into their classes and the hallways. She explains, “They have a lot of energy, and a lot of it is really positive energy. I think it is really good and I feel like they bring a lot of energetic light in the hallways.” She is also seeing them adjust to high school very well and are learning a lot quicker than other freshmen she has taught. They are beginning to notice when they are behind on work and that they need to get their work done on time or else they will fail. Mrs. Couling says, “In my class, they finished up early and asked me if they could work on other work. They are starting to see that they need to get their work done on time.” Overall, she sees great things ahead for them and is excited to see how they end their career at Concord.
Mrs. Fiero is teaching Biology to all of the freshmen. This year, she is excited about the new team teaching that has been introduced. She explains that the year-long Biology schedule can bring new opportunities for her class and the students: “I am excited to see what the full-year schedule looks like versus the half-year schedule. I think we can get through more content and get to do different things.” Her first impression of the freshmen was that they were a good group of students. They were very respectful and seemed excited to get back to school. As of now, Mrs. Fiero thinks that they are adjusting well to being in high school. She says, “I think there is a lot of adjustment that still needs to be done. I think that a lot of them were unprepared for what high school was going to be like; many of them were just a bit overwhelmed. Academically, they are all very bright, but they are working on becoming more independent.”
Many teachers and other students within the school can see the greatness that the class of 2028 holds. They are already creating bonds and excelling with everyone through their classes, sports, and clubs that they are in. We wish them the best of luck with everything they do and are excited to see what other amazing things they accomplish.
