by Nicole Alvarez ’23
“There is an awesome opportunity here to include more participation, more voices, more YOU!”
With the announcement of a digital start to the school year, Murphy students wonder alike – will we still be able to connect with others, stay informed on school news, or experience yearly traditions we’ve looked forward to? Luckily for us, our ASB has been hard at work to ensure we have the best year possible, regardless of the changes to our world.
Mrs. Campbell, an ASB director, and Bethany Carino, a student on ASB’s Communications Committee, have offered to answer our burning questions.
Can you tell me about ASB’s ‘New Look’ for this year?
Mrs. Campbell – “For the past few years, the advisers have wanted to mix things up. We found that too often, ASB was in charge of everything – and really amazing leadership talent wasn’t getting a chance to shine. We have moved away from Class Officers, and are now working with committees! We have sophomores, juniors, and seniors all working together on more streamlined tasks. The committees are Communication and Announcements, Recognition, Theme of the Month, and Student Engagement. They all must collaborate, but each have their own focus to ensure a great year for AMHS. We’re also bigger – with 32 Student Council members! We will be partnering with Leaders of Change, and hopefully other leadership on campus to ensure all voices are heard and represented.”
How will the Murphy Minute fill in for our school announcements?
Mrs. Campbell – “Who loves announcements over the intercom? Exactly. Murphy Minute will be brief headlines to announcements. The Scratching Post will include more details, but the Murphy Minute will serve as a guide – directions to find more info. Brevity will be key! We will post these to social media, Moodle, and of course, The Scratching Post.”
In what ways will The Scratching Post be beneficial to students?
Bethany Carino – “The Scratching Post is going to be a weekly digital newspaper, sent out on Wednesdays through student emails and Remind. The whole purpose of The Scratching Post is to be a way for students to get important info and updates about school in a more straightforward and condensed version. There, students will be able to find announcements, Theme of The Month, Wildcat Wednesday activities, student/teacher shoutouts, and the school’s social media. Alongside the Scratching Post, there will be Monday Instagram Live on the @archmurphy account. The Monday Instagram Live will happen before school, and will be hosted by students!”
Are there any other ways ASB plans to adjust to online school?
Bethany Carino – “We are aware it’s not the most ideal situation that many students would like to be in, but ASB is here trying to make the best out of it. For seniors especially, it’s not the final year of high school we were all hoping for. One thing we have done so far is distribute senior tie-dye kits, since it’s a tradition for seniors to wear tie-dye on their last first day of high school. We are trying our best to make all the senior traditions happen safely, like the Senior Sunset. Right now, there’s a chance the Senior Breakfast might turn into a baking/cooking show. We wanted to make sure students didn’t feel alone during this time, so we are trying to get as many people as we can to be more engaged. We are focusing on the use of social media, since most students use it. We try our best to be active, and we keep our DM’s open on instagram for any suggestions or feedback. There are still more ideas to come! We hope all students are doing well with adjusting to online school, and are not afraid to reach out to ASB if they have any questions, or even just want someone to talk to. Hope to see everyone on campus soon!”
Mrs. Campbell – “There is an awesome opportunity here to include more participation, more voices, more you! This council is really focused on inclusivity and making sure all students feel a part of the community – AMHS is not just a physical place!”
Special thanks to Mrs. Campbell and Bethany Carino (Grade 12) for lending their time for digital interviews, along with all of our ASB leaders that have been working hard to rise to the occasion of our changing world.
Into the Jungle 