A longstanding tradition at Arts & Communication Magnet Academy, “Ohana” is a weekly opportunity for students to gather together for community building, activities, and building a school culture that aspires to the Hawaiian word for family.

 

Students stay with the same group of peers from year to year in Ohana, usually with the same teacher, who gets to know them when they are young and traditionally reads their names at graduation. They meet for 40 minutes every Wednesday in their Ohana teacher’s room. These are the same groups they gather in when we do a fire drill.

 

Counselors will use Ohana time to visit with classes and provide instruction on career and college planning, student government works through Ohana and the “Ohana Reps” who gather every month to share their voices with elected school officers, and at the end of the year Ohanas create games for our year end celebration, including elaborate putt-putt golf courses.

 

More than just a homeroom, Ohana means family.

For 40 minutes each Thursday students are given time to meet with teachers to get help, finish work, and ask questions about classes. Students sign up for the teacher they would like to visit (or the library if they simply need to study quietly) through Canvas, and then report to that teacher at the start of “Access.”

 

Students are required to sign up and attend in the location they indicated, and are encouraged to sign up early, since rooms are limited to a certain number of students, and sign ups are on a first come basis.

When do you go to lunch?  It depends on what teacher you have for 5th or 6th period each day.  The downloadable bell schedule above has teacher names listed. This list will determine if you have first or second lunch. A majority of middle school students have first lunch and a majority of high school students have second lunch.