Sahaj Datta | The Chronicle
Mason High School (MHS) is opening its doors wider than ever before for future Comets. On Nov. 19, MHS will host its first-ever open house and exhibit a wide variety of opportunities that potential students can expect if they were to attend MHS.
Principal Ben Brown, who has taken the lead of planning the event, said the idea for the open house stemmed from a desire to make learning at Mason more visible to families. He said the convention was inspired by finding more engaging and accessible ways to show the outside community what happens inside MHS’s classrooms every day.
“Historically we’ve been doing something called Teaching and Learning Night, which is a districtwide event [that provides] opportunities for families that are curious about what their children are learning,” Brown said. “The thing is, it was tough to try to explain to teachers what exactly we wanted them to provide at this event. [Around that time], I remember driving around and seeing all the private schools with all their open house signs, so I got to thinking: what if [Mason] had an open house?”
Mason High School (MHS) Principal Ben Brown holds up sign promoting Open House event.
Brown said he pitched this idea to Superintendent Jonathan Cooper, who gave them the go-ahead to pursue planning an open house for this school year. He said planning the open house has been a shared effort that brought out the creativity of staff and students, and that seeing the district and different groups collaborate has been one of the most rewarding parts of the process.
“One of the best parts of my job is that we can take an idea and get with really talented people and build the vision together,” Brown said. “It’s kind of [exciting] to feel like we’re breaking new ground and getting our name into the arena [amongst the other schools in the area] to experiment on something that is a shared effort together as a school community.”
Learning Experience Designer Jill Arminio is working on the academic portion of the open house, which focuses on providing families with opportunities to learn more about the classes offered at MHS. She said she’s mostly involved with helping the teacher leaders of departments have a clear idea of how they’re going to set up and explain their subjects.
“It’s exciting that we get to have a separate part [of the open house] for [MHS]’s academics,” Arminio said. “[Teachers] will be able to showcase what they do in their classrooms and their curriculum, and just use that time to be able to highlight [their classes].”
Arminio said the setup of the academic fair will allow families to move freely between departments. She said it was important to design the open house in a way that would allow families to have all their questions about MHS answered in one place.
“The [booths] are going to be set up around the small commons in a gallery walk-style,” Aminio said. “Parents will be able to go up to different departments and learn about them. Some departments may even choose to invite students in [to work in the booths]. Every table might look a little different [because they will] be personalized to their content area.”
Arminio also said that she believes the event is much more than a bragging right for Mason. She said it’s a celebration of the district’s growth and the addition of opportunities for students every year, and of Mason’s community and connections that make it thrive. Arminio said she hopes guests leave with a sense of pride and curiosity about what’s possible here.
“I think it’s really [important] to highlight our great curriculum, our great [school] and our great opportunities,” Arminio said. “[Our community] will be able to see this amazing building, experience it, ask questions and connect with professionals all in one place.”
Associate Principal of Student Life Brandon Rompies said he’s in charge of the logistics of the event, things like figuring out how many people will be attending, how to increase that number, and the spacing for all the different activities set to take place. He said families can expect a lively atmosphere that highlights all areas of MHS, and that the goal is to give visitors a sense of Mason’s opportunities while keeping the experience welcoming and student-oriented.
“It’ll be at the high school [and] there’ll be a kickoff meeting in the auditorium [where] we’ll share basic information with families,” Rompies said. “Then, there’ll be options for families to attend an [athletic, academic, or activity] fair. We’ll also have tours [of the building] that some of our student groups will be leading. It’s going to be a busy, bustling campus, and we’re excited about that.”
As the date approaches, Rompies said staff and students are working hard to make sure the event runs smoothly. Rompies said the team’s excitement is a clear statement of Mason’s mission to create a welcoming environment for every student who walks through its doors.
“It’s gonna be a great night for [our community] to be excited about Mason High School,” Rompies said. “We want this to be the best place. We want this to be the best school in America. We want it to be the best experience for the students who are coming here.”
