New clothes, new attitudes for middle school students

From how they dress to how they behave, Carson Middle School students returned this week to a new set of rules.

"I think they've been nervous about what to expect," said interim principal Dan Sadler.

An assembly on Friday where students performed cheers they created this week was aimed to encourage school spirit and explain some of the changes.

"It's awesome, everyone coming together," said Maquala Dandridge, 12. "It's like a giant football game but with just cheers."

The student body was divided into 15 teams, each group made up of students in the same grade. Each team created and performed a cheer at Friday's assembly as part of a school-wide competition.

"It was nerve-wracking, but it was a good experience," said Elijah Wright, 13, of the Big Dogs team.

"It was definitely fun," added teammate Zach Carrubba, 13.

As part of the Positive Behavior Support program being launched this year, students will remain in those teams. Throughout the year, the school will hold assemblies to reward the teams with the highest grade-point average, best attendance and lowest rate of disciplinary incidents.

"They'll encourage each other to participate and be successful in school," Sadler explained.

The most notable change for students, however, is the standard school attire, a dark or light blue polo shirt paired with black or khaki pants, shorts or skirts.

Some students remain opposed to the uniform.

"I don't like it all," said Aubrey Moore, 13. "I like wearing what I want."

While others don't mind.

"I think they're kind of cool, the color," said Andrew Garcia, 13. "They could be worse."

Gaige Bobbitt, 13, is coming around to the idea.

"At first we were bummed, but then we started getting used to them," he said. "They're not so bad."

And Aubrey Alotta, 12, sees the purpose in them.

"I think they have a good point," she said, "because a lot of kids come to school sometimes very inappropriately dressed."

Overall, students and staff are adapting well, said Sadler, the school's former vice principal who was appointed as interim principal just weeks before school started to replace Sam Santillo after his drunken driving conviction.

"The train is moving forward, we haven't stopped," Sadler said. "We've picked up right where we left off last year."

He said the increased attention to student behavior is expected to pay off with more enthusiasm for academics as well.

"The energy and the whole attitude here at the school has been like it was today - really positive."