CCHS Builds Houses out of Homerooms
Homeroom restructuring and the addition of houses are the latest changes to the CCHS social structure. Vice Principal Robert Conrad recommended and developed these changes with the aim of bringing the CCHS community closer together. Students can look forward to competitions between houses and prizes for the victors.
With almost 1,400 students, CCHS is bigger than ever. To maintain a tight sense of community, students from all grade levels have been mixed into the new homerooms this year where it will be easier for students to make friends from all grade levels.
This change affords students the opportunity to make stronger connections and gives upperclassmen an opportunity to be role models for new students. Mr. Conrad feels “every student should view their homeroom as a place where they are accepted and know that somebody’s got their back.”
A house is composed of six homerooms. Every student belongs to one of 12 houses, each led by a faculty house dean and two student house leaders. Each house has it own unique name, color, and crest. Mr. Conrad hopes the addition of houses will build community, accountability, and “ultimately bring everyone closer together.”
What better way to bring kids together than to introduce school wide competitions? At least once a quarter, students will be able to earn points for their houses through indoor and outdoor contests. Students can look forward to a Homecoming pep rally, accompanied by the first ever house competition.
If competing is not their jam, students can also win points for their houses by attending school plays and contributing to food and clothing drives.
Competitions will come to a head at the end of the year when the annual “Catholic Cup” takes place, where one house will be crowned champion and receive a prize and bragging rights.
Houses are named after saints whom students should use as role models in everyday life. For example, Francis House ought to reflect virtues such as simplicity, peace, and stewardship based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi.
Mr. Conrad explained that the idea of a house system did not originate from Harry Potter, but from his time as a Theology teacher. He split his classes into groups and noticed they were more comfortable sharing their opinions and feelings with their groups as opposed to the whole class. He hopes students at CCHS will find friends and fully express themselves within their new houses and homerooms.
