By Samantha Coe, Staff Writer
September 29, 2023
ROCKLAND- This year's new Dog Block schedule had many teachers and students excited and anxious about how it goes, and happy to get a break from classes, but the first Dog Block went well.
Dog Block happened on Wednesday, September 28, paired with shortened classes for the rest of the school day.
This idea was floating around and also seen at other schools hoping to bring it to Rockland.
Assistant principal Ms. Kathleen Paulding said, “I went to a workshop and saw that some other school was using it and I brought it back to Rockland.”
Dr. John Harrison said that the “goals with Dog Block are to get students connected to the High School, particularly students who may not be connected, hoping they’ll try something new”.
This also helps with the kids who have afterschool jobs and activities and doing fun things that don’t fit their schedules.
Mr. Chris DeVine who will be participating in basketball said that he thinks, “it’s a great way for students to come together with the same passion. I love basketball and I know Mr. Anzalone is very passionate about it as well. Great Way to have students come together and have a fun activity during the school day”.
All the staff members were able to join together and brainstorm ideas of what activities they wanted to share.
Ms. Paulding said, “Students get to see us as human beings. Sometimes [students] don’t realize that we can have other interests and hobbies, so I think it’s an opportunity for someone who would always want to learn something different than before and they can do it with a teacher, hopefully, make[ing] connections.”
Unfortunately, seniors didn’t get a choice this time because of college and post-graduation workshops, but this also helps in the future when grades need to have assemblies so it doesn’t take time away from learning.
Mr. Chad Bigsby is “really excited” to work in the radio and tv station with Ms. Lisa Breeden of WRPS because he doesn’t “know much about Radio and TV production, so I’m excited to learn and just to hype it up and bring my teaching skills to the club”.
Junior Asaph Milson chose Introduction to Portuguese with Mr. Jared Lordi.
He said, “There were a lot of options that were interesting, and it’s good to get a break from classes because sometimes it gets tiring having the same routine every week.”
After the first meeting of the Dog Block, Junior Ashlee Canfield said she plans to go back to Mr. Richard Little and Mr. Fred Damon’s “History of Rockland” Dog Block next time it’s offered because she learned a lot.
“I wanted to know more about the town that I live in,” she said. “Rockland was very famous because a lot of people used to come here in buses to watch movies and go to supermarkets. Rockland used to have three supermarkets and now there are zero.”
Throughout the year there will be 13 Dog Blocks scheduled and Dr. Harrison will be sending out a survey for students and staff in February to get feedback and decide if this will continue next year.