This year, as a new group of eighth graders prepare to transition into high school life, they are in need of guidance. This is where Bridging the Gap comes in.
Bridging the Gap, held Dec. 14, is a student and staff-led presentation on what student life is like on campus, as well as other important information like workload, the IB program, and other parent and middle school inquiries. An eighth grade open house, although not mandated by the district, is common throughout the PPS district. However, Jan Watt, the main architect of this event, believes that Cleveland’s unique approach to this program is what makes Bridging the Gap so successful.
“Some schools do it differently and people are welcome to disagree with us. But in my opinion, our students sell this school and that’s why our focus is on students, both on the panel along with a teacher and a parent, but in the halls, manning doors, in the classrooms that people chose to visit kids doing demonstrations,” said Watt, special projects coordinator.
“I think the more the public understands that our own student body has bought into its own school, that is much more impressive than having adults do the talking at every single stop. I would prefer that they not do that. I want the students to sell this school,” Watt said.
One of the major talking points during this year’s events across the district is the expected decline in enrollment. Experts at Portland State University have predicted that by 2036, PPS could lose 2,700 of its current 14,000 enrolled high school students.
Decrease in enrollment will need to be addressed in order to continue to receive funding from the district. Luckily, Cleveland’s Bridging the Gap’s high turnout and effectiveness may relieve the pressure.
“We can make a pretty good guess that there were over 700 here, which was huge,” Watt said. “In terms of my personal fear, because we had to reschedule it, and because some people have already made up their minds, I thought the number would be fewer and thank goodness it wasn’t.”
Mckenzie Vo, a sophomore who volunteered her time to help with the event, said, “It was really a great night. We got to see all the people interested in the school and be able to answer questions and points of confusion. I have high hopes for ninth graders next year. They all seemed super nice and excited.”
Watt proudly proclaimed, “I figured out there were 350 different bodies or tasks that go into a prep for this. The culinary department really stepped up to provide all those refreshments. colleagues of mine who painted the green banisters, all of that prep goes into it, along with all the manpower the night of. Easily 300 people by the time you count all the people in the small groups in the halls in the doors, and then all the places that were open, because they all recruited their students. So it’s a bigger undertaking than a lot of people understand.”
