Between Christmas tree wars, tug of wars, challenges, breakfasts and pancakes the JC advisory  has been taken and ran with in so many ways.

One year after the implementation of the advisory program, Foreign Language Chair and Head of the Advisory Committee Danica Attanasio is satisfied with the program.

“I think the program in the first year has gone very well, I am very pleased with the way things worked out,” Zavodny said.

The program has gone so well that, according to Attanasio, the committee plans to make no changes to the program for the upcoming school year.

That’s good news for advisors like Social Studies Chair Jake Hollin who have had a positive experience with the program. “I have been very encouraged by how the students from different year levels have worked together.  It has also given me an opportunity to work with some amazing young adults.  I think [the senior’s] example of leadership and positive attitude has carried over to everyone,” Hollin said.

The introduction of the advisory program included starting the day immediately with mod one to curb student lateness. “The idea was to keep students from being late as often as possible because they were responsible for reporting to their first class rather than a homeroom of sorts,” Attanasio said.

According to Attendance Moderator Molly Tebin, lateness has not decreased but rather, “it’s about the same.”

Still, library media specialist Anne Baker  enjoys the social and community program. “It’s something I look forward to every day especially because I didn’t have a homeroom. It was nice to have met a handful of kids in the way I did this year,” Baker said.

Baker lets the students have some control over their time in advisory “I encourage them that if they want to make it a great experience they can be active, but for me, it’s really great.”

Guidance Counselor Carrie Siemsen, however, has mixed feelings about the advisory program. “I think it has the ability to be a great program, but I think it will take some time for it to reach its full potential. The advisees need to work with the advisors to make it as great as it could be,” Siemsen said.

For senior Viktor Polyak, it was harder for seniors to make the adjustment to the program. “As a senior, I don’t like it that much since there are a lot of people I’ve never met or seen, which makes it hard to get into interacting with them,” senior Viktor Polyak said.

Both Hollin and Baker feel that the program benefits underclassmen especially. “It is going to hurt to have our seniors leave, but I have some incredible underclassman who are going to be taking the reins next year,” Hollin said.

“I  like it,. In the morning, it’s nice to just relax. I haven’t really gotten to know any upper classmen because of it,” freshmen Faith Bahr ’14 said.

Overall, Zavodny is pleased with the progress of the program, “I’ve heard some grumblings from teachers, but I’m hearing a lot of good things from both advisors and advisees about what they are doing in their groups,” Attanasio said.

But as for the future, “We are excited,” Hollin said.

Allison Walczyk is the Section Chief for “The Patriot” and jcpatriot.com.