Homeroom for Arrowhead Students Focuses on Career Exploration

The first Arrowhead homeroom of the 2018-2019 school year took place on Wednesday, September 19, between second and third period. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors discussed career exploration, while seniors reflected on their high school career.

South Campus homeroom began at 8:34 am and ended at 9:14 am and North campus began at 8:44 am and ended at 9:24 am. Students found homeroom locations and teachers in their Skyward under the “homeroom” tab.

Homeroom teachers were instructed to guide students through presentations and a variety of activities. Students were expected to bring a laptop to homeroom.

The purpose of homeroom differed from grade to grade, but was primarily focused on “helping them [the students] explore, reflect, and develop an understanding of his or her self, create a vision of his or her future, develop individual goals, [and] prepare a personal plan and actions for achieving the vision and goals,” says Sue Casetta, Director of Learning at Arrowhead High School via email.

Freshman learned about Arrowhead while also being introduced to essential job traits sought after by employees.

The freshman homerooms began with a Kahoot. Then students participated in group discussions, and became familiarized with the clubs offered at Arrowhead.

The presentation shown to students stated that teachers hope freshmen will be more comfortable with Arrowhead and their peers after this homeroom.

Sophomores were reintroduced into career themes from last year’s homerooms. Teachers led students through finding careers that interested them, that they can create goals for. The presentation shown says that a main goal of the class is for sophomores to feel more prepared for the rest of their high school experience and after-graduation plans.

Laura Lampshire, a freshman and sophomore grade math teacher, says she believes homeroom is beneficial because “students should be thinking about what they’re going to do after high school. High school is a great time for students to explore their options, take classes, find out what they’re interested in, and find clubs and activities that really excite them and help them decide what they want to do after high school.”

Juniors focused on career paths, but they also experienced lessons on managing their time. They were directed through a “North Campus Survival Guide,” lectured through how to use Career Cruising, and finished with a discussion on letters of recommendation.

Seniors focused on reflecting on their high school journey and finished with discussing ways to manage their stress.

Rayen Elmergreen is a sophomore English teacher at Arrowhead. She led a homeroom class for the sophomores.

“Students get out of it what they put into it,” Elmergreen says. “So if they take it seriously and really kind of spend time exploring the things that they’re being asked to it can be beneficial. If they take it like a joke, it’s going to seem like a joke.”