There is a new organization on campus aimed toward creating a more unified student body. The Principal’s Cabinet is a diverse group of students that help increase communication between students and administrators.
The organization, headed by principal Dusty Johns and chairman senior Sean McCabe, started as an idea from McCabe. From there, McCabe enlisted his friend senior Ben Bogdan to help create the constitution.
“Sean came to me with the idea and I’m in the law magnet so I’m familiar with our constitution, so he brought me in to help,” Bogdan said.
After the rules were laid out, Johns tasked them to find four other students involved in diverse activities to make a core team of five with one from each of the following: ESOL, athletics, performing arts and ESE. Those five then branched out and recruited others for the cabinet from different demographics using indicators to make sure that the cabinet brought in representatives from all corners of the school.
“It’s actually something I was already pondering, but [Sean] wanted to form a group and the group was really just to talk about school culture and school climate and to take action on anything that we thought could help improve [that],” Johns said.
However, aware that SGA is already involved in many activities in this region, the cabinet invited Student Body President Ellyse Wahl to join them.
“SGA does fantastic work but their work really is surrounded by school spirit, doing community service deeds, planning and carrying out our student activities like prom, homecoming, blood drive, all of those things. Sometimes it doesn’t capture the essence of all of our students and their background,” Johns said.
“I think it’s going to be super helpful to the school to get a really diverse group of opinions shared directly to Mr. Johns because he’s the one who can really make things happen,” Wahl said. “I think it makes students feel like they have more of a voice.”
Currently, the Principal’s Cabinet is focusing on making incoming freshmen feel at home. The 19 cabinet members determined the way to make kids feel most accepted and comfortable was to get them involved with extracurricular activities as soon as they arrive.
“It gives them a school within a school,” Johns said.
To do this, cabinet members plan to visit middle schools to talk about clubs with eighth graders, giving them a sort of club rush. They are visiting Conway, Blankner, Howard and Jackson Middle this month. Johns also reports that the club rush on campus will be “revamped and revitalized,” giving students more time and access to what the school has to offer.
“I really do care about Boone’s school life. I felt like I had a very decent run of my time at Boone and I want to give that to other people who come in,” Bogdan said.
The organization hopes to continue next year, and for years to come. In an effort to ensure this, the constitution outlines how leaving seniors’ places will be filled. For anyone who is interested in being a part of the cabinet, Johns suggests getting in touch with McCabe.