A new school year has once again started at Old Rochester Regional High School. On the first day, each class had an assembly in the auditorium. Here, Principal Michael Devoll greeted the students and gave a pep talk to encourage another great year. He also introduced Bill Tilden, the school’s Athletic Director, as the new campus aid. As campus aid, Tilden is employed at both the high school and the junior high. He acts as “an extra set of eyes” to help the busy administration.
The position of campus aid existed a few years ago, but was removed due to budget cuts. However, over the past few years the administration has realized its need for such a position. Too often, the principal or vice principal were being pulled out of meetings to deal with fairly trivial issues, such as accompanying a forgetful student to the parking lot to retrieve something from his or her car. With a campus aid, occupations like these fall to the aid’s responsibility.
This year, Tilden will be busy as the first campus aid to cover both the junior high and the high school. His duties include supervision of all three lunch periods, in-school suspension and hallways during passing time. Tilden also acts as a sort of emergency response to small-scale issues.
As well as being campus aid, Tilden will continue his position as ORR’s Athletic Director. He says his new job will not affect his athletic duties, besides pushing his hours a little more into the afternoon. “I love the kids here,” Tilden said, so when the administration offered him a chance to spend more time with them, he thought, “why not?”
During the first few days of school, Tilden could be most often found directing befuddled freshmen to their classes. Though Tilden’s directions probably saved many students from embarrassment, he is not alone in aiding the freshmen. Each freshman has a “senior buddy” from whom they can seek advice.
In late summer, all seniors in the National Honor Society (NHS) sent letters to their assigned group of freshmen students, introducing themselves and the school. At the end of the first day, the freshmen got to meet face-to-face with their senior buddy.
Paige Santos, a senior at ORR and a member of the NHS, felt positively about the meeting with her three freshman buddies. “They weren’t overwhelmed,” Santos said, struggling to find the right words to describe the younger students’ quiet behavior, “but they were taking it all in.”
Santos tried to ease any lasting first day nerves by providing helpful advice. She told her buddies to join a club or sport as soon as possible, as it’s a great way to get involved and meet new people. Santos warned them that older students regret not joining a club earlier, as high school “goes by fast,” and students should take advantage of these four great years at ORR.
By Renae Reints
