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Return of the Scots: A teacher throwback
Return of the Scots
A teacher throwback
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cARoLINA cUADRoS
Carlmont High School was initially founded in 1952 and went through numerous changes between then and now. It has grown to over 2,000 students today, and the culture has shifted during every generation since. Currently, there are around 10 teachers at Carlmont who once attended as students. They were all drawn back to the home of the Scots to contribute to the place that helped create the talented and impactful teachers they are today.
MARY coDIANNE
Mary Codianne ‘73
Q: Was there a different dress code at Carlmont when you were a student?
A: The dress code was very different when I started at Carlmont. When I went, it was the first year that girls were allowed to wear pants, and they couldn’t wear jeans; they had to wear slacks.
Q: Have you noticed a difference in school dances since 1973?
A: Our school dances mainly were on campus; they would decorate the gym. Also, graduation night was held at the school, but that is no longer the case.
Q: Was there a difference between the way mental health was addressed at Carlmont when you were a student?
A: I don’t even think we talked about mental health when I was a student. I honestly can’t even remember [mental health] being a conversation.
MELISSA HERo MARco AGUILAR MoLLY McNINcH
Q: How did the campus physically look when you were a student at Carlmont?
A: The campus looked like a prison. It was all painted grey, and it looked like there were bars on the windows. A big misconception is that it was built by the same person who built San Quentin State Prison, which is not true.
Q: In what ways have the sports at Carlmont changed since you were a student at Carlmont?
A: There are definitely more sports now. When I was on the golf team, I was the only girl in the whole league, but now there’s a girls golf team. You could earn letterman jackets before, but that doesn’t seem to be part of the culture anymore.
Q: How has the safety of Carlmont changed?
A: There used to be a lot more gang activities. At the time, East Palo Alto was the murder capital, so there was lots of violence where students were coming from. Now, East Palo Alto has changed, and our student population has changed.
Q: What is the most significant change you have seen in the student body population?
A: It would be the demographics. When I came here, I was bussed from East Palo Alto, and you had a fifth of east Palo Alto bussed to Carlmont. Nowadays, when I see the buses, there’s few, and they are kind of empty; back then, they were at maximum capacity.
Q: Why do you think students are more stressed over school now than when you were a student?
A: The pressure is what changed. I think Carlmont has been pretty consistent with the level of rigor and challenge. What changed is the pressure to get certain grades and get to a certain level in your education.
Q: How do you think immediate access to the internet changed the environment at Carlmont?
A: You have access to the material anywhere; you can’t get away from it. As a teacher, you get emails on your smartphone now, and it’s very hard not to check them.
Q: Is there something you experienced that students today no longer experience?
A: We don’t do tardy sweeps anymore. I remember [when I was a student] the one-minute bell would ring, and people would be racing down the hall, just booking it, but you don’t see that anymore.
Q: How has Carlmont changed academically?
A: Academically, it has definitely become more rigorous, there’s a lot more Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and we have the Biotechnology Institute (BTI) now, which is awesome! That was a little bit of a dream when I was at Carlmont.
Q: What is something you loved about Carlmont that you wish had remained?
A: It was really interesting for me to experience assembly days because when we would have the Heritage Fair, it was crazy. The Polynesian club would do the haka, and the gym would shake because people were so loud. There was so much spirit, but I think it has kind of dissipated a bit because a lot of the interaction happens online and through social media now.
