Back in February, the school administration announced that they would be implementing a new “House System”, upon which the structure of student life would be rebuilt. As an incoming freshman who never experienced the previous system, I saw the concept as an interesting opportunity. However, the announcement garnered a mixed reaction from the existing student body. Some people embraced the new idea, believing that the new structure would bring about positive change, while others thought the opposite. In fact, one student told me that they, “didn’t really see the point.” Despite mixed reactions from the community, the administration persisted, and the first year under the House System began.

So far, we have seen the house system affect all aspects of student life from morning routines to daily schedules. Personally, I have come to appreciate the weekly house meetings and activities as a way to connect with friends and learn about what is happening around the school. The house common rooms, which are meant to act as a communal space for students, have seen varying use so far. Some of my fellow freshmen enjoy utilizing the space during their free blocks. However, some upperclassmen have told me that “[They] already have places [they] like to go during [their] free [time].” 

Four months have passed since the implementation of the House System, and there are still a lot of questions and multiple directions that the administration could go in. I am certainly interested in seeing which aspects of students’ experiences the house system will impact. But regardless of your thoughts on the house system, it’s going to be around for a while, and it will continue to evolve and impact our school.