Progress reports come out this week, and The Piedmont Highlander editorial board would like to give the administration a solid C for the beginning of the school year. Ms. Pope your grade is pending since you are a new addition to the staff. A C isn’t a failing grade, just passing. We believe that you can improve and learn from your mistakes, just as students are expected to.

While you may have our best interests at heart and tried your best, the fact is that there are 182 students without a Physics teacher and 152 students without a Spanish teacher. This is unacceptable.

Here is how you can improve.

First, continue looking for teachers on Edjoin, but do not stop there. You must be more proactive in the hiring process. Reach out to other teachers the moment you find out there will be another vacancy. Use all the resources Piedmont has to offer. Have you started looking for history teacher Todd Barry’s replacement for the spring semester when he goes on paternity leave? If not, this is a good way to demonstrate improvement. In other words, start now.

Second, ask for help. Reach out to your faculty, your students, the school board, and the community as a whole. Before you chose the online curriculums did you consult any Spanish or science teachers to review the content?

Third, make a plan. Prepare for the future. With the H1 renovations and the destruction of Witter looming, what will happen to graduation, lacrosse, acting, track and field, or campus safety during demolition? You must be preventative because you can no longer afford to be reactive.

Remember, a C is not a failing grade. You can still bounce back from this grade, but you need to hire those teachers, ask for help, and continue to plan ahead if you want the A. We are here to help. Come to tutorial on Tuesdays from 8-9.