EHS staff and students address school climate for upcoming year

EPHRATA — Amid the chaos of new school clothes, backpacks and pencil shavings, students are prepared to succeed this year. While Ephrata High School’s new principal, Ashlie Miller, is still getting settled into her new position, she plans for what the upcoming year will bring.

Despite the soaring temperatures, students are abuzz with expectations and aspirations for the new school year. Miller wants to give the ones who embraced her a wonderful year in return. The community will be anticipating several events that are planned for EHS extracurriculars.

Time will tell what plans Miller has in store for the students and staff of EHS. 

“I have a lot of ideas about things, some of them are secrets,” said Ashlie Miller with a smile on her face. 

It is not just the school’s newest leader who is getting herself prepared; several of the students are primed as well. Events that occur take practice to get right, especially the sports that students compete in. One of the students, sophomore Megan Truscott, is tuning herself to be ready for the girls soccer season and other extracurriculars. 

“I’m looking forward to Cabaret,” Truscott said. “I’m also in soccer and I love it and I can’t wait to play games.” 

Students returned to school Aug. 29. Since then, teachers have been keeping them busy with classwork and room expectations like hall passes and respecting the learning environment. School administrators, including Miller and her assistant principals, have focused on the reinforcement of the cell phone policy this year. Even with the challenges of returning to early morning wake up calls for the students, the teachers have looked forward to the start of the year as it makes them happy to see pupils roaming the halls and commons.

Kent Devine, who teaches introductory welding classes to freshmen and above, and advanced welding courses, expressed joy as it relates to his classes specifically.

“My class is about welding and applied math, but it is really about having a whole new opportunity to build these relationships,” Devine said.

It’s relationships like these that set the stage for students and staff to grow.  Miller believes the school is on the right path to positively impact students.

Staff members at EHS all integrate positive behavioral interventions and support systems into their teaching. According to the Center On PBIS, it provides tools for teachers to promote social and academic success within the classroom.

“Right now, we have a PBIS team, and they are working on how can we motivate kids to stay engaged in school to do what we want them to do and have positive behaviors in class,” Miller said. “For kids to be engaged, we have to make it fun and get kids who are willing to participate.” 

Prior to the school year, staff took a survey about their thoughts on the school environment. The survey asked the staff to provide feedback on several factors in and around the school that would aid administration in planning. Miller plans to use the results to focus on improvements throughout the year. 

“A lot of people on the climate survey, with the staff, said one of the things that are lacking which we used to have was school spirit and students being into everything that we’re doing.” Miller said.

A quick look at the student section during football’s home opener Sept. 6 showed a large contingent of students who wore camouflage to go with the evening’s theme and to show support for First Responders Appreciation Night as the Tigers battled Prosser.

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Regan Shannon is a student at Ephrata High School interested in learning about journalism.