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How burnout is affecting our seniors
Senioritis and burnout settling in for students at WHS
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BAILEY MESSNER
staf writer Senioritis is usually known by students as a lack of motivation that spreads most in a senior’s fi nal semester of high school. The origins of senioritis can also be a product of long term burnout, which is typically caused by overworking and high levels of stress. BLADE staff collected a poll on burnout during the week of Jan. 10 and Jan. 17. Out of 118 radonmly selected students who were polled, roughly 88% of student respondents said they felt burnt out before winter break. Guidance counselor Tyler Egli refl ected on how WHS inclusion of eighth grade in the building might aff ect its students. “Wooster has the highest amount of burn out that I’ve observed. I think part of that equation has to do with how early some of our students start high school classes, so when they get to senior year they’ve been doing this for fi ve, six, or even seven years,” Egli said. On the poll, 22 seniors said they have experienced some level of senioritis or burnout at this point in the year. However, Lydia Otto (12) says she has not experienced symptoms of senioritis, but explains that “I feel burnout when I work multiple times throughout the week because I have homework I have to worry about.” English Dept. member Diane Mealey has seen the fl ow of burnout for high schoolers for many years. Mealey states, “When I taught eleventh and twelfth grades, after spring break was the hardest, most burned out time (and I imagine I’ll see that same pattern this spring).” While burnout is a problem for every school year, it is especially
“WOOSTER HAS THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF BURNOUT THAT I’VE OBSERVED,” EGLI SAID.
high with the current state of the pandemic. Of the WHS students polled, 84.6% of them reported that COVID-19 has caused them to get burnt out more easily.
How are students feeling?
WHS students answer questions about burnout
Polls were randomly distributed by Bailey Messner, Ashton Dunlap and Lexxe Parsons to 118 students on Jan. 10 and Jan. 17.
STELLA POWERS
staf writer On Jan. 30, the WHS Symphonic Band will perform at Severance Hall in Cleveland for the Northeast Ohio Band Invitational. This event is hosted by the Cleveland Institute of Music. “There’s four high school bands, local bands from the area, and the Kent State University Wind Ensemble, in addition to the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony which is a select group of students made up from all over Cleveland,” shared band director, Craig French. According to French, this is an incredible opportunity for students to get to play music in a world class concert hall and for other groups to get to hear them play. “The experience gained from putting yourself into that situation with only one shot to do it right is really valuable,” said French. “And just getting to say that they did that. That they’ve walked on the same stage and been on the same stage as some of the world’s best musicians. That’s also really unique, I think,” French said. Rebekah Lay (11) shared that she is also very excited for this opportunity and the big change it will be from other performances the band has done in the past. “I am really happy to be playing at Severance Hall because I have been going there to see Cleveland Orchestra performances since I was a child, and it will be a cool experience to be up on the stage, as opposed to being in the seats watching the performance,” said Lay. “It is diff erent because we only have played concert music either in the Gym or PAC at WHS, so it will be a big change to be playing at a Hall that has gold on the ceiling.” Kerry Stevenson (12) echoes Lay in regards to the performance and change of setting. “I am very excited to play at Severance Hall in Cleveland. It’s diff erent from other venues because this is more of a professional setting,” Stevenson said. People interested in attending can purchase tickets at woomusic.revtrak.net.
WHS welcomes new interim principal for second semester of the school year
LUKE POMFRET
co-editor-in-chief
The Wooster City School District has appointed new leaders into new distinct positions as of December of 2021. Former interim WHS principal Dr. John Deuber announced his retirement for the end of the 2021 year in December,. and Superintendent Gabe Tudor appointed Eric Vizzo, Cornerstone principal, as the new interim principal for the remainder of the 2021-2022 academic year. In the press release from the Wooster City School District announcing the staffi ng changes, Tudor says, “I recognize that we have had more change this school year than is typical…I am thankful that we have people in our district that are capable and willing to help us meet the needs of our students so we can fi nish the school year strong.” Vizzo was fi rst a teacher at Melrose for seven years, an associate principal at WHS for one year, and then a principal at Cornerstone for 10 years. Vizzo describes the transition from Cornerstone to WHS, stating, “It's been a big change over a short period of time, but everyone's been welcoming, whether it be students, staff or families. In the short period of time I've been here so far, it's going well.” Vizzo says for the remainder of the school year he wants to focus on scheduling next year, working with staff members on behavioral expectations and being as transparent as possible. “I think we want to continue as a staff to work on behavioral expectations for students… Some of the time in remote learning has changed how we do things, things within the building, interactions amongst each other, and my other goal is trying to be transparent. Being a principal that students and staff can come to share ideas, and therefore I can help wherever I can,” Vizzo said. Vizzo said he decided to become a principal because he loves seeing students change over time. “I like seeing students grow educationally, and I think as a teacher you often see that in your small class but as a principal or as an administrator you have a greater impact on a larger scope of students… showing students how important an education is for a good education really pushed me in that direction,” Vizzo said. Vizzo says he loves how different his job is from the dayto-day operations and seeing his former students as young adults. According to Vizzo, one of his biggest goals for the student population for the remainder of the school year is to continue enhancing school pride and having students be involved in a variety of extracurricular. Nate Steiner, WHS associate principal, says he is excited to work with Vizzo. “Mr. Vizzo has been in the district for many years, so I have had the opportunity of knowing him prior to him taking this role at WHS. He likes to do what is best for students and keeps an open mind,” Steiner said. Steiner says the transition
MOLLY BYRNE Eric Vizzo takes over as WHS interim principal for remainder of the year.
Online school: does Wooster have a plan?
MAYA GALINDO BENSON
staf writer
from Deuber to Vizzo has gone smoothly, and both principals have a strong student-centered approach to education Next fall, Vizzo will return to his position as principal of Cornerstone. Tudor said the position as the WHS principal will be posted on Feb. 1 and will be interviewing throughout the month. Schools around the nation have switched to online learning due to the COVID-19 virus. There has been an increase in COVID-19 cases school-wide in the past weeks, with 1.44 percent of the WHS population testing positive as of Jan. 19. Students and staff are required to wear face coverings while in the school building. According to Superintendent Gabe Tudor, there will not be a districtwide school shut down within the foreseeable future, but this could be re-evaluated based on the safety of each school and amount of staff with positive COVID-19 tests. Tudor said he believes students should be in school for as long as possible. “I think we know how important it is for kids to be in school, and I think our board is committed to that as long as we can do that safely,” Tudor said. Eric Vizzo, Interim Principal at WHS, says if schools were to shut down, they would close for the shortest amount of time possible. The administration has asked teachers to have a plan ready in the case that schooling would go remote, which was on the agenda and discussed at their Jan. 14 in-service day: “There is not one specifi c program that we’ve talked about. We are at least telling the teachers to have a plan,” Vizzo said. In regards to accessible technology in the case of a long term shutdown, computers would be provided to students upon request, says Rebecca Furlong, Director of Technology for WCS. The process of checking out a device would be as follows: “A parent would request a device, and we would check out a device to them during that shut down period,” Furlong said. Chromebooks would be the devices checked out to students.
