Craig High School serves around 80 students in grades 9-12. Most are white; some are Alaska Native. They have the same hopes and fears as any other students of that age. They have fewer opportunities because of where we are, but like teens everywhere, some make the most of the opportunities available and some don't. Some want to live here forever, and some can't wait to leave. In short, they're pretty average.
What's really different here is the school. Seven full-time teachers offer all the core subjects and some electives. Then a handful of shared or part-time teachers offer electives. I don't know the average class size, but 20 is considered a large class. Our course offerings include digital photography, ceramics, yearbook, drawing and painting, home economics, marine technology (boating), robotics, drama, Academic Decathlon, construction, welding, Native carving, Native Arts, and Spanish. Our students compete in several sports. We have teams in Cross-Country, Volleyball, Wrestling, Swimming, and Girls' and Boys' Basketball. That's pretty good, given the number of people on staff.
With seven teachers, everyone teaches all the same students. We don't all eat lunch together everyday, but everyone eats in the workroom at some point. We rarely have to use kids' last names because very few kids share a first name with anyone else. When that one kid is going bonkers, we're able to problem solve. Someone will know that kid's family outside of school. The kid's said something to someone that might be relevant. The kid is falling asleep in class lately. It's nothing formal, but we try to come up with ideas to help whatever teacher needs it, but also to see if we all need to be consistent in dealing with that student or situation. What a wonderful asset!
Then there's the school building. The lobby or commons is large enough to set up the tables and create a cafeteria, though the tables are only down from breakfast to lunch. When you walk in the front door into the commons, the auditorium is straight ahead and the gym is to the right. To the left is the single hallway with all eight classrooms and the library. There's an unfinished second floor that's used for storage.
There's only one set of restrooms, and they're up at the start of the hallway. They're also opposite the office. Students can't skip class unless they completely leave the campus. No hiding in the bathroom! There's also only one hall. If you're late to class, you stand out like a sore thumb! All the lockers are on that one hall. None of that "I had to go all the way there for my locker, and my class is here, so that's why I'm late." Juniors and Seniors get two lockers, side by side. The Freshmen and Sophomores get one locker each, at the far ends of the halls. Still not a long walk. Our kids don't even lock their lockers. If someone stole something, everyone would know within an hour whose it was and who stole it.
The kids have known each other their whole lives. They have a lifetime (their lifetime!) of memories of each other. Everyone already knows the embarrassing story from elementary school because they were there. Kids don't have to pretend to be someone they're not. Even if the person they're talking to is new and doesn't know anything, after they're seen talking together, all their classmates will be filling the new kid in!
Our athletes normally miss two days of school when they travel to away games. That's why they have to qualify by grades before every away game. If their grades drop temporarily, they can't play until they're back up. It's also not unusual for a student to be away for a week. Sometimes it's for a medical appointment off-island that takes a bit of time in travel. Or sometimes the whole family is traveling "down south" to shop and/or visit. The absences are always excused because that's how life runs here. Athletes and traveling students have to be pretty dedicated to make up all the work they miss. In fact, they usually do it before leaving.
The biggest difference between CHS and a larger school is the sense of caring that fills the hallways. The teachers are few in number, so we've created a mutual support system. There aren't that many kids, either, so while some can be a little mean to each other, the bottom line is that they know they can't be really mean. They have to attend school together, and there's usually only one section of a course. They can't avoid anyone. They have to learn to coexist relatively peacefully. They've done a decent job of it. There are the same cliques as elsewhere, but there's not a competition among them. They're just groups of kids who share some interests.
I recognize that larger schools have advantages. And I know that small schools struggle to offer their kids an education that equals that found in even a small city. I also know that, for me, relationships between my students and me are the most important part of teaching. If they don't know and trust me, they're not going to learn. As much as I loved my students last year, and all the students from all the years, I've never been in a school that felt as nurturing as this one. It's how we take care of one another that makes this school truly unique.
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