With a longer Wolverine+, teachers have the opportunity to hold enriching classes such as Brain Teasers, Wellness Wednesdays, Karaoke Fun and college application support.
There are open group work areas throughout the week, a unified lounge on Wednesdays and Fridays, silent reading on Wednesdays and a silent open study hall on Fridays. On Tuesdays, Ms. Harlan holds open brain teasers, and on Wednesdays, a class watches and analyzes episodes of “Survivor.” The guidance office holds a “rocktober” trivia class and place for coloring on Wellness Wednesdays.
Futureology also holds classes geared towards aiding students with the college application process. On Wednesdays, Mrs. Nguyen presents a college topic such as UC Application 101, College Essays, and How to Highlight Your Extracurricular Activities. After these sessions, she sends them a copy and recording of the presentation that they can view on the “CUSD-Futureology” YouTube page. On Thursdays, there is a class offering general college application and essay support where seniors can come in and get feedback on their applications.
Mrs. Nguyen shared, “I think these Wolverine+ sessions give seniors some more knowledge and clarity about the college admissions and application process so that they feel more confident about applying to college. There is a lot of random information out there about college admissions that can sometimes be false or misleading and I’m hoping to dispel a lot of those myths so that seniors are making informed decisions when it comes to applying to college. Once students attend one of the sessions, I think they feel more comfortable coming back and dropping in to ask questions. I want all seniors to know that the College and Career Center is here for them and they’re always welcome to stop by for support.”
On Fridays, Mr. Harney holds an A+ Karaoke class where students gather in the choir room to sing according to a theme. Possible themes include Disney and Pixar, Broadway, holidays, or a decade, such as 90’s hits, and sometimes it’s ‘anything goes.’
Mr. Harney shared, “It is a fun and supportive place for students to try singing a solo. Also, it is just good to have a break from the stress of school. Everyone in the room is invited to sing along with the person on the mic, and the words are projected on the screen. Everyone has a great time. Any Aliso student is welcome to join in!
These Wolverine+ classes are helpful to students because they offer a break from studying and encourage students to explore new skills and get guidance on the college application process.
Ms. Harlan explains, “In the special offering I host, Open Brain Teasers, I present various brain teasers and riddles to the group and students think and collaborate to elicit the correct response. Candy is given to students who answer the riddles correctly. ‘Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them’ is one of the standards for mathematical practice that students struggle with. Brain teasers and riddles are a good way to work on persevering problem-solving without necessarily doing mathematics. The students seem to enjoy it. Come join us!”
These special Wolverine+ classes are great options for students to take a break from studying and learn or practice a new skill.
