As the excitement for the middle school grows, and with it any questions as to how it will affect the high school, principal Kevin Poelker wants to set the record straight.
“The middle school is taking its cues from the high school, not the other way around,” Mr. Poelker said. “I think we can have crazy attention on the middle school and have all kinds of positive attention on the high school.”
The addition of the middle school will bring changes to the high school. Both lunch periods for high school students are expected to be moved to a later time in order to accommodate a lunch period for the incoming middle school students.
There will be some shared spaces such as the gym, Inclusion Center, Learning Center, and most fine arts spaces. In addition, there will be some events, such as all-school masses, that include the middle school. Otherwise, they are two separate schools operating in two separate spaces.
“We want to engage [with] the high school where their comfort level is,” middle school dean Joe Kilmade said. “We’re not going to make people get involved if they don’t want to.”
But for many high school students, they will want to. There are expected to be a variety of leadership opportunities for high school students to engage with middle school students, such as mentorships and freshman and sophomore service hours.
“I am excited to start building the De Smet Culture for kids at an earlier age,” junior student council member Hank Anderson said. “I’m excited to try and be an inspiration for these young kids and show them the ropes.”
The construction has become quite evident to the high school students this year. But it isn’t all for the middle school. Some of the additions are being made to benefit the high school, such as a new locker room, the new Entrepreneurship Center, Learning Center, and renovated music room.
Mr. Poelker said the high school itself still has room to grow, and expects the growing energy surrounding the middle school will lead to growing applicants for the high school. And it all starts with the Class of 2026.
“The school goes as your senior class goes,” Mr. Poelker said, “and when the seniors are active and positive, everything goes better. It is an exciting time. You get to be in the senior class that brings in the middle school. That is an awesome opportunity.”
