Rocky Hill Students Trying to Improve High School

Junior James Wang has watched the . He thought about the process and tried to determine the missing link. Earlier this year, Wang thinks he figured it out. 

“One thing I noticed with the whole process was the lack of a student's voice,” he said.

This year, Wang formed the Rocky Hill Educational Future Group, which is a student activist organization working with parent organizations in town to help bring voters to the polls in support of a June referendum. If approved, would be renovated as new.

“I thought we needed to be a part of the process," he said.

In late March, Rocky Hill High School was awarded by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges Inc. Commission on Public Secondary Schools. 

“I felt if this one (referendum) didn’t pass we would really be in trouble," Wang said.

After hearing his school was placed on the Wang said he became worried about the possible effect that the high school going on probation could have on the town.

“Even though this does not affect us, it affects the community,” Wang said. “If we don’t do something now, we are going to have to do something later. And we would rather do something now.”

Wang said if the school were put on probation, there would be possible ramifications such as lower property values, a negative affect on the business community and students having a difficult time getting into college.

On April 12, the Town Council and expand the 30-year-old school to the voters, asking them to decide the project's future at a June 5 townwide referendum. The state is expected to reimburse the town about 44 percent of the project's costs, leaving taxpayers here to pay the remaining $28.55 million.

Wang said the Rocky Hill Educational Future Group has been focused on getting ready for the public hearing earlier this month and now their attention has shifted to getting out voters to the polls to support the referendum.

The group, which meets every Tuesday after school, met with the political action committee  and its this week to determine the "next best approach" for both organizations.

If the referendum does pass and changes are made to the high school, many of the members of the group would not get to experience them. 

“I know it won’t affect us, but it would affect our siblings and neighbors,” said junior and group member Sydney Greenspan. She added that she wanted opposing sports teams and their parents to be impressed when they , not trying to locate the areas of concern. 

Several students have approached Wang about wanting to join the group, which currently has 35 members. He told them to wait until after the hearing was over and the referendum was set. With both items complete, he plans on expanding the group.

“Hopefully, this time around, the one thing that is different is students get involved. Maybe things would be different,” Wang said.