Conference period exists so students can come in and get help from their teachers, but are they taking full advantage of the time?

While teachers open their classrooms to offer extra help, some students stand and socialize with friends, while some shoot hoops in the gym, and others simply go home.

The Camas High School student handbook indicates this time is designed for teachers to be regularly found in their classroom or their teacher offices. Its purpose is “to provide students contact with teachers individually or in small groups without a great deal of competition from meetings, activities, etc.”

Teachers appreciate the conference period. Math teacher Mrs. Fisher says, “I like it. Not enough people are using it; I am thinking about handing out invitations to conference period and putting candy on them”. Fisher went on to say she gets, “two students on average in conference period.”

Students have mixed emotions regarding conference period.  Some use the period, while others enjoy catching up with friends that they do not have classes with throughout the day. Cael Prentice stated, “I like to play basketball and hang out with friends during conference period.”

Regardless of how many students are actually utilizing conference period, it remains an optional part of the CHS school day. If teachers do not have any students that show for conference period they still have to remain in the classrooms “just in case” a student should appear. Since, overall, students do not appear motivated to use the conference periods, perhaps Fisher was on to something when she mentioned candy accompanying the invites to conference period.