Although there are no full-time band and drama teachers this year, Superintendent Carl Toliver is currently hoping to have those positions fully staffed by next year.

Since he is retiring in a few months, he visited the newspaper class with a smile and an open mind earlier last week. He came to hear the students’ perspective about Stagg, bringing with him a cart full of breakfast burritos and a case of Sunny D.

Mouth full of eggs and chorizo, the former principal listened to what the class had to say. With each topic that came up, he felt that he could make some sort of change that would benefit the students.

One issue that came up was the lack of drama and band classes. Currently, Joseph Updegraff, band teacher, is only on campus for two class periods, and then he goes to teach at a nearby elementary school.

With that and the total lack of a drama department, Toliver said that he may be able to get those staffing positions that the budget does not currently allow.

Students who heard about this later found this possibility exciting.

“Kids will have an opportunity to expose themselves to more art forms,” Alyssa Trent, a freshman, said. “If there is a drama program here, it will make our school better as a whole.”

Agreeing with her, freshman Cory Chu said that music is a huge part of a teenager’s life. He said that a full-time band teacher is much needed.

Another topic that came up was the need to inform students of the a-g requirements they need in order to go to a University of California or state university.

Toliver said that students should be informed early on so they will be well prepared and know what classes they should be taking and which they don’t need.

He suggested that students should be taught as young as fifth grade, the importance of college.

Along the same lines is the need to get young students ready for life beyond college. He said that there are plenty of jobs out there.

He vividly remembers seeing a huge ship and thinking that there must be hundreds of possible jobs associated with that ship. He also notices how restaurants are always crowded, even with the dismal state of the economy. With those examples, he said that students should understand that there are a multitude of jobs in the world.

Another important discussion was the current benchmark system. In most math and English classes, students have to take a benchmark test every few weeks. Toliver said that benchmarks will likely not be around next year and that most testing will be what is required by the state. The decision to move away from the current benchmark system is soon to be looked over by the Board of Trustees, Julie Penn, deputy superintendent, said in an email.

Junior Vohn Hosey looks forward to the chance of there being no benchmarks next year because he said that they are a waste of time. “The tests have stuff from elementary school on them,” he said.

Hosey finds that without the tests there will be more time to learn high school material, instead of what he feels is “eighth grade stuff.”