Lisa Gilliland CPS '10

1. Describe an average day at your school (give us a feel of a walk through the halls).
welll first of all we don't have halls, hehe, um but lets see I get there at around 7:45 usually to get a good parking spot, then i sit in my car and finish my hw or talk with friends until the bell rings at 8. First period i have Animal Behavior which is fairly boring, just lecture and reading with occasional interesting points, then i go to math, yippee. On mondays and thursdays we have assemblys during the break period (each class is 45 minutes, break is 50- new schedule this year), on tuesdays we have a school-wide forum and fridays we have various meetings. Third period I have World Religions which is a really interesting class, new this year. Fourth I have English - Currently I'm in the Urban Bohemians seminar. Next is lunch which is like 40 minutes? Then I have AP Spanish Language, then Advanced Vocal Ensemble (i'm in a senior a capella septet) and 7th I have free so I leave for softball.

2. How much of a resource is your school in your life’s development? Do you think it actively contributes to your greater learning in life? Do you feel that your classes cater to your immediate and future needs?
I'd absolutely say that my school and my education have contributed greatly to my learning and desire to learn. Since I came to CPS I have learned a lot both in the subjects and in the art of being a student- how to best study, when to ask for help, how to write a paper etc., things that I think are essential in the future. Some of the classes, while very interesting, are not particularly useful for daily life, however these classes are seminars, however most of the classes & seminars are very current (World Religions, Issues in Science, Psychology, etc.)

3. How do you think your curriculum could be better formatted to teach you life skills?
I think it would be really fun and helpful to have a one semester shop like class- one of the ones you see on cliche TV shows where students learn to cook, sew, and clean and build and fix things. If it were a class taken for one semester in the Junior year (freshman and sophomores take 1 semester of various Sex Ed classes) that would be pretty helpful and fun!

4. Is there respect at your school between students? Students and teachers? Teachers and parents? Parents and students? How does this affect your learning environment?
There is a lotttt of respect between students and teachers. Students are held responsible for all of their actions and because of the success by the students to act maturely and intelligently teachers have gained a lot of respect. Likewise we respect the teachers because we know how much they love and respect us. I also haven't heard about there ever being any disagreement between the teachers and the parents, but because I am neither I don't have an inside view. I find that the overwhelming amounts of trust and respect the teachers and students have for each other, and the respect that we have for the administration (and vice versa) have affected the learning environment in a very positive way. It is this strong relationship (student-teacher) that make CPS a strong academic school, and one that middle schoolers want to go to. I believe it is one of the most unique attributes of College Prep.

5. If you could change one thing about you school, what would it be?
I would probably want there to be a little bit less stress involved, but obviously that is part of the way the school shapes us to become successful human beings. There is great spirit (although clearly we're not the most athletic school...) and a lot of opportunities that students at other schools don't have (snow trip, retreats, events etc.)