This is the second year Principal Dr. Myriam Rogers has welcomed 8th graders and their parents to the Paint Branch High School Open House. This year’s event took place on Thursday, October 9th.

At Open House, 8th grade students come out and visit Pant Branch so they can make an educated decision regarding which of the three Northeast Consortium high schools they want to attend. Students and parents get to see what the school offers as different activities and organizations set up stations to show what they have to offer. At this year’s event, potential Panthers received a Panther backpack to connect them to the school through the school’s colors, mascot and school spirit.

Signature Coordinator Mrs. Candia, who put the event together, thought it went well. “In fact,” she noted. “It was standing room only!”

The night started with the National Honor Society setting up the auditorium to welcome the potential Paint Branch class of 2019. The band played a school song, with a crowd surrounding them, as people danced their way into the school.

Assistant Principal and Senior Administrator Mr. Yates thought that the band was a perfect accompaniment to the parents and students entering the building. “These band members are wonderful; they sound like professionals — I love it!” exclaimed Mr. Yates.

The evening’s program began in the auditorium as students and parents made their way into seats to see the Poms perform ahead of more from the band and some members of the school’s fine jazz musicians. These performances showed that PB not only allows education to shine, but talent as well.

Dr. Rogers gave a welcome speech and told everyone in the crowd a little about herself and how she defines her role as a principal. She ended with, “I hope everyone loves our school as much as I love it here.”

Some of the eighth graders actually know Dr. Rogers because she used to be the principal at Key Middle School where some of the eighth graders currently go to school.

The program was a little different in Dr. Rogers’ second year, something Dr. Rogers noted when she commented that she “did this different this year.” She added, “I put the athletic department in the gym so parents and students have an organized way of touring the school.”

Mrs. Candia said the she received “A lot of positive feedback [on the event] – families loved the tours of the building.” She also noted that something else they liked was “the use of technology. I embedded QR codes in the program, which families could use on their mobile device to be taken to the Open House webpage.”

Mrs. Gafford, an English teacher and yearbook sponsor, set up a station for yearbook so that the eighth graders could see more of the school’s inner workings.

Fellow English teacher Mr. Woodward, who is also a journalism teacher, set up a journalism station to showcase the school’s newspaper and the writing and publishing that the students do each month.

A parent of an eighth grader stated, “My daughter has to come to Paint Branch High School because I simply love it here! Plus, she got a new Panther backpack.”

Open House showed parents and students who may attend Paint Branch High School just what PB is all about.