In an evening spent on-campus Jan. 30, current and incoming families had the chance to get firsthand information about the variety of classes offered at Miramonte. Students and guardians were encouraged to attend this opportunity, held annually, known as Open House.
“[Open House] is a great way to look into the classes you are considering taking next year; it allows you to see some of the possible work you will be doing,” junior Olivia Tomasco said. Starting at 5:30 p.m., teachers opened their classrooms, preparing to share and inspire students to step out of their comfort zone and explore possible courses for the following year. Individuals gained insight on which classes are required for graduation, in addition to the wide variety of offered classes that students can choose from, depending on their interests. “At the beginning of the year, I saw everyone carrying flour babies and I was a little confused. But then I learned more about it at Open House and found the course description super interesting,” freshman Jake Williams said. Referring to AP Psychology, Williams is looking forward to taking it his senior year.
Walking into the event with an open mind for students and parents is vital, as Open House provides a once-a-year opportunity to learn about classes that might be less popular, but nevertheless a possibility for students to engage further in. “Many students choose classes based on suggestions from friends or private college counselors, who have likely never even seen the curriculum of those classes,” science teacher Jyllian Smith said.
Earlier that day, there was an elective fair at lunch, where both students and teachers set up a table, sharing information and fun stories about courses they have taught or taken. Senior and Physiology teacher’s assistant Pateel Horoupian was in charge of gathering models and information for the science elective fair. “Since I have taken most of the science courses offered, I was able to answer questions from personal experience,” Horoupian said. With all the classes offered at Miramonte and the variety of options to consider, open house makes the process less stressful. “Open House is a great place to learn about new electives and ask questions,” Horoupian said.
The night was separated into five sections: a Parents’ Club reception (5:30–6 p.m.), welcome and performance, session #1 (6:30–6:55 p.m.), session #2 (7:00–7:25 p.m.), and session #3 (7:30–8:00 p.m.). Almost all classes were available to visit, leaving all attendees with the opportunity to visit a class they had never heard of. “Many of my [AP Environmental Science] students say that they had never heard of the Earth Science class, so Open House would be a good place to hear about it,” Smith said.
In addition to the Open House, incoming Miramonte parents were invited to the cafeteria to get a variety of important information for their children as they head into their first year of highschool. Topics covered included course selection, athletics, wellness and mental health support, and all about the Parents’ Club, as well as a chance to meet staff who would be supporting future students throughout their high school careers.
