Students criticize Samohi redesign; teachers pleased
Just eight days into the school year, teachers and students at Santa Monica High School are adjusting to a new design there that splits the large campus into six small campuses.
Faculty members said Friday they are surprisingly pleased with the new arrangement, and described the six new “houses” as cozy and better tended to. But many students had a different view, saying the new design is a waste of time and money that limits class options.
As the school year gains momentum, Samohi principal Ilene Straus said the wrinkles will be ironed out in the ambitious project to make the massive campus more personal. Staff members already are assuming ownership of their new houses, designing T-shirts and putting up posters.
Under the new design, Samohi is separated into six schools, each one named differently — “S” “A” “M” “O” “H” and “I.” Students are assigned to a house and each one has its own principal, two advisors and a teacher leader. The campus as a whole shares music, arts, sports and other, non-academic resources. The idea is to have students taking most of their academic courses in their respective houses.
But getting there will take a while.
Straus said it’s a three-to five-year process, and was started this year by physically setting up the houses and scheduling lower classmen to their new houses. Associate principal Mark Kelly said about 60 percent of freshmen and sophomores have four classes in their assigned house, and others have two or three.
While administrators work toward the ultimate goal of one day having six relatively distinct schools, Straus said the move has sparked energy at Samohi. Though the ultimate goal is to allow teachers to spend more time with students, she said it also has given staff the opportunity to throw away truckloads of trash and start fresh in their new houses.
And it may foster a bit of friendly competition, Straus said.
Teachers, most of whom signed onto a formal grievance last school year that challenged the legality of the redesign, seem pleased with the new arrangement and said the Sept. 3 opening was one of the smoothest in their experience.
“I was not enthusiastic about this change,” said French and composition teacher Helen Janka, a Santa Monica resident who has been teaching for 40 years. “I didn’t feel that the concentration of students among 25 teachers would work... but in spite of many of us not wanting to do this, it’s a fresh start and there’s an excitement to it.”
Carol Jago, an English teacher who has taught at Samohi for nearly 30 years, spent 27 years in her old classroom before being asked to move. She said the new room required a little work but she likes the redesign so far because it makes her job manageable.
Jago showed off the girls’ bathroom down the hall, where a Claude Monet poster hangs on the wall and a small bureau is set up to make the bathroom more comfortable. Bathrooms at Samohi have long been criticized by parents and students who say they are dirty and unattended to.
But while administrators are setting up their new offices in the houses and teachers are settling into their new rooms, many Samohi students said they miss the old arrangement where they could pick any teacher and share classes with whomever they chose.
264,“If you’re stuck with bad teachers you have to deal with them for years,” said Samohi sophomore Azad Naficy. “And it’s the same way with friends.”
Naficy is not alone.
“It’s stupid,” said sophomore Sam Allman, who said the point of the six houses has not been explained or shown to him. “I liked being able to have more teachers. This new plan, they constrict you to the same building and the same students for four years.”
Though much of the actual scheduling so far has been confined to lower classmen, juniors and seniors said they have not been convinced that the new arrangement will be a positive change.
753,“It’s weak,” said junior Tito Molino. “I mean, I don’t see what the purpose was. Last year they said it would help us not be tardy to our classes, but it’s not true.”
Not all Samohi students are against the redesign. While some are experiencing growing pains, others said they are looking forward to a time when more of their courses can be taken in their respective houses.
“I think we’re doing a good job and it’s going to get better,” said junior Gus Walsh. “I’m looking forward to getting to know my teachers. Right now my classes are in a few too many houses.”
Sam Allman
Samohi sophomore
<BOX>
The six houses at Samohi
- S house
Building: Language
Principal: Gregory Runyon
Teacher leader: Meredith Louria, English
Advisors: Michelle Kenney (grades 9, 10)
Al Trundle (grades 10, 12)
- A house
Buildings: Business and downstairs of Technology
Principal: Anuar Shalash
Teacher leader: Rosa Serratore, math
Advisors: Susan Dresher (grades 9, 11)
Wendi DeMorst (grades 10, 12)
- M house
Building: Downstairs of History
Principal: Mark Kelly
Teacher leader: Lasonya Roberts, English
Advisors: Amanda Audet (grades 9, 11)
Kelli Luddy (grades 10, 12)
- O house
Building: Upstairs of History
Principal: Patty Flynn
Teacher leader: Amy Beeman-Solano, English
Advisors: Laura Simone (grades 9, 11)
Lisa DeMirjian (grades 10, 12)
- H house
Building: English
Principal: Ruth Esseln
Teacher leader: Tassie Hadlock-Piltz, History
Advisors: Linh LeCassidy (grades 9, 11)
Wendy Wax-Gellis (grades 10, 12)
- I house
Building: Upstairs of Technology
Principal: Kathleen Martin
Teacher leader: Eva Mayorial, science
Advisors: Frank Gatell (grades 9, 11)
Jami Orlowski (grades 10, 12)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 15, 2003. Read the original PDF.