Taft’s Open House opened for students and parents on the morning of Feb. 9 at the Varsity Campus. Students got to see the classes that they could take next year and meet their teachers.

Students and their families were able to go to the Varsity Campus and preview the classes that Taft has to offer. 

“It was really exciting meeting them. We had a lot of families coming through who seemed very excited about the music classes we had to offer,” said Music teacher Todd Finkel.

Many parents came to the Open House as well. It was important that the parents of students got to talk to the teachers and see the classes for themselves.

“They can sometimes help give insight into the needs of their children,” said Finkel

Students were able to ask questions and get information about classes before they took them. 

“I don’t think that there were any questions that we couldn’t answer,” said Finkel. “If we couldn’t answer them, then we found someone who could.”

Open House allowed students to get an idea of what they were going to experience in a class. This can lead to students looking forward to a class, knowing what they might be doing in it.

“It’s helpful when someone is looking forward to being in that class,” said Drama teacher Bryan Wilson.

Families got to see the best parts of Taft and what Taft students have done in the past. 

“My favorite part was showcasing all that Taft had to offer musically and showing them what we had done in the past,” said Finkel. Students got an idea of what they could achieve. They could choose to take a certain path.

There was nothing to lose and everything to gain from this year’s Open House and the process could have never been easier. 

“Picking classes was very easy. There were counselors stationed dedicated to help even if they weren’t your designated counselor,” said Taft junior Gabriela Kowalik.

On the Monday after the Open House, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors were able to pick their classes for next year on Aspen. However, students that went to the Open House got the opportunity to pick their classes earlier than students that did not go. 

Early choice for classes was a big incentive for students to go to the Open House because students that choose a class earlier than others are more likely to be put in that class if all the spots fill up. 

It was, “A chance to have some control over the future,” said Kowalik. 

Meeting teachers early and  getting to know their personalities are all an advantage. 

“Mr. Liske the Physics and Forensics Science teacher, he really helped figure out if forensics science is for me, and it was,” said Kowalik

Taft High School’s Open House truly showed us that teachers and staff are here to help students become the best selves they can be. Students were able to ask about workloads and get the answers to any questions they had.