PTSO Discusses Equity And Updates Courtyard Progress

The PTSO held their monthly meeting on Feb. 2, where they discussed equity within the school and updates on the courtyard construction.

Lilly Khalkho

At the meeting, sophomore Jagadeepram Maddipatla, a student equity ambassador, discussed how the school can be more inclusive. Maddipatla commented on the school’s efforts towards diversity and inclusion with a form where students can anonymously talk about their challenges. “I think [the survey is] a pretty important resource,” Maddipatla said. “It provides a lot of feedback to the county and if more people knew about it, then more people would use it.”

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On Feb. 2, the PTSO held their monthly meeting, which focused on ways to increase the equity at Rock Ridge. Equity Lead Cassandra Dean invited two student ambassadors, sophomore Jagadeepram Maddipatla and junior Anais Alvarez to answer questions about how they felt about equity in the school.  These ambassadors are student leaders responsible for amplifying the voices of students of color by engaging in discussions about student stories and experiences as well as issues concerning racism, justice, and inequity.  “I [have been] exposed to a lot of conversations that were important,” Maddipatla said. 

The board also discussed  future plans to show appreciation for teachers. The PTSO plans to create a “Zen Room” on campus to serve as a space for teachers to destress and take a break. Additionally, throughout the year, the PTSO hopes to provide teachers with supplies they usually have to buy out of pocket. They also hope to fulfill teachers’ requests for water coolers in teaching lounges soon. 

The PTSO members covered updates on subjects from their previous meeting on Jan. 12, including the status of the courtyard renovations.To help build the courtyard, the PTSO has set aside $10,000 from their budget and is using grants from Home Depot and other local businesses. Construction is set to be underway in spring.

The next PTSO meeting will be held on March 2.