Students at the junior high participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities such as clubs and sports. Students also take part in academic groups such as the academy and honor society. With the second marking period coming to an end for students, school board officials are already looking ahead to the next school year and suggested changes.
One of the changes that may be possible is a move for ninth grade students from the junior high to the high school and a move for the sixth grade class from elementary to the junior high making it a middle school. Students and some faculty members have varying opinions on the change. Although there is no final decision yet, some students and teachers worry about what will happen to the extra electives and clubs if the ninth grade class is moved to the high school. Many agree and argue that the junior high dynamic and set up currently in place works effectively and allows students to be involved with school sports and activities.
For more details on these proposals please see the news stories on this site.
Here is an inside look on what some of the various activities, clubs, electives and sports the junior high has to offer.
Ninth grade students played Dubois this fall season as shown above, but they also played many other teams. Next year some wonder how the football teams would be organized since at the high-school grades 10 through 12 play together on one team. Photo by Emily Simmons
The eighth grade girls’ volleyball team works together to try and win against their rivals from Hollidaysburg. Students wonder if they will have to try out against older students to be able to play their sport in a new middle school or high school set up. Photo by Kizzy ThompkinsThe eighth and ninth grade cheerleading squad works together to cheer on players for a variety of sports at the junior high. At the high school, the cheerleaders also do the same thing; some members of the cheerleading squad also question if they would just join the current high-school cheer-leading squad. Photo by Emily SimmonsBrock Porter teaches his students English skills on the computers. This allows students to be able to work the technlogy of the computer while also learning English material. Photo by Faith BonghiAcademy students Tyler Barry, Paige Matthews and Vanessa Gil of ninth grade working on math. The academy program that started this year allows students to work together and use technology to get work done. Photo by Sarah HarmonIn this photograph are members of the ninth grade committee, Halle Miller, Shianne Graham and Madisyn McMulin who helped collect money for the Sharing for the Holidays fundraiser. The ninth grade committee is a group at the junior high that helps plan ninth grade activities and fundraisers. Photo by Emily SimmonsThe eighth and ninth grade combined symphonic orchestra is a group that regularly practices and rehearses for performances through out the year. Students while at the high-school who participate in band next year possibly won’t have the opportunity to do both symphonic and band as they are both two separate electives. Photo by Emily Simmons
One of the electives offered at the junior high is Human Systems and Disease. This class is offered to ninth grade students. This class is one of many that may not be offered if the ninth grade class is moved to the high school. Photo by Emily SimmonsThe ninth grade basketball team has games and practices regularly. Some wonder if next year they would still have a ninth grade basketball team or a combined grade team. Photo by Emily SimmonsThe seventh and eighth grade basketball teams practice after-school frequently and have games almost every week. Students in the eighth grade seem to be mostly excited for this possible change, some basketball players feel it would work a lot better to have a normal grades 9-12 school. Photo by Emily Simmons
The Altoona Junior High School Drama Club is one of the many after school clubs that students participate in that would be affected by the changes possibly to be made next year. The club practices after school during the week usually in preparation for one of the two plays the club puts on annually, this year the spring show is “The Little Mermaid Jr.” Photo by Faith BonghiBreanna Lorde, Megan Weathersbee, Jake Stolarski, Helena Bassler and Tori Chirdon play a game called statues in their ninth grade elective class drama. This is one of the class that some students may not have the opportunity to take next year due to pending changes. Photo by Faith Bonghi
The photos above are just some of the clubs, sports, classes and student activities that would possibly be affected by the impending changes that may occur as soon as next year. There are many other groups that are not shown above that may also be effected such as art, literary magazine , yearbook, newspaper, pop cultures, human systems and disease, tech ed and many others could also be changed.
