42Fifty

With the weather getting chillier and the Christmas lights starting to rise, Standing O Theater Company (SOTC) welcomed its second annual Coffeehouse on Nov. 21 at the local Oak and Bean in downtown Oswego.  SOTC president and OH senior Hayden Esbjorn said, “Back at the very beginning of the school year, I emailed the owner of Oak and Bean asking if she would be able to let us use [their space] for Coffeehouse again this year. As last year was our very first year doing it, and we were extremely successful.”  Coffeehouse is an event that consists of students who choose to perform a talent of their choice, mostly singing, with some like to spice it up with their musical or stand-up comedy acts. Below is a photo essay of these wonderful acts, alongside what they performed.

Each month, dedicated staff are awarded for going above and beyond in monthly PRIDE nominations, an SD308 program honoring teachers and staff for their spectacular contributions to the community.  Every month, employees from around the district are nominated for their outstanding contributions and characteristics. According to the district website, this PRIDE program stands for Proudly Recognizing Individuals Demonstrating Excellence. In Nov., five OH staff members earned the award: English teacher Adam Jensen, Multilingual English teacher Iram Herrera, Career & Technical Education teacher Kristen Anderson, World Languages teacher Keith Strnad, and OH Building Engineer Timothy Lysne, and they all showed amazing gratitude in their departments.  “I had zero expectations for [the award]" said Herrera. "I kind of just tried to do my job through my abilities, so it was definitely a weird moment when it happened.” Herrera was nominated for making his students feel connected and supported.

As OH experiences its first year with a full week off for Thanksgiving and continued use of the “present survey” on special schedule days, students and staff are noticing how these changes affect attendance, stress, and classroom pacing. The extended break, approved as part of the district’s revised calendar, was designed to reduce the high absence rates that typically occur around the holiday. While many appreciate the extra time off, some say the shift has created new challenges in the classroom. “Getting the whole week off definitely helps students and staff recharge,” OH English teacher and yearbook adviser Ewa Tulak said. “But depending on where classes are in the unit, that timing can throw things off.”