Every year, Superintendent Rob Clayton goes to all of the high schools, including Greenwood, to talk to a selected group of students. On March 23, nine students were selected from the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior class. He came to talk to the students to get opinions on how they feel things are going around school, if they feel anything could be fixed or changed, and about why certain projects were taking place in our school or other schools instead of ours.

One of the topics Mr. Clayton cleared up was the situation on why schools like Warren Central and East got new sports facilities and our school did not. He explained that although our sports facilities are not the newest and best shape they could be in, they are amazing compared to how old and desperately needing an update. The students at Greenwood and South Warren tend to bash Central and East about getting new facilities when we get nothing but we forget how nice our schools are compared to theirs. Also Central and East got state funding for these new facilities because it took three or more construction projects.

A new project that a lot of people aren’t aware of that is happening in the school is the installation of a new air conditioning unit. As most people who go to Greenwood know, one day you could be sitting in class freezing to arctic weathers or sweating to the sauna you are trapped in. This new project will cost about 16 million dollars which is a lot of money for something when the new school, Jody Richards, only cost 12 million dollars.  

Lots of people wondered why and were angry by Greenwood getting a new sign in front of the school when their were obviously other things inside the school that could be fixed or replaced. Mr. Clayton cleared up this talk with explaining that the state only gave money for construction projects and not for education purposes like new textbooks.

Mr. Clayton is very good at making personal connections with the students. One of the topics they discussed was how many of the teachers should be making very good student-teacher emotional relationships that creates respect for both the student and the teacher. With these relationships, lots of communication and learning can occur within the classroom. This is one of the ideas he is really trying to improve not only at Greenwood but at all of the high schools.

These discussions between Mr. Clayton and the students are very kind of him because he isn’t required to listen to the opinions of the students, he just chooses to do so. A lot of students appreciate this because it is one of the only times they can really feel like they are being heard. “I have a new understanding on the school’s decisions and we got zaxby’s so it was a fun time.” said Kelly Lin one of the selected students.