Like many institutions across the world, St. Louis U. High is beginning the transition from pandemic-era policies to a post-pandemic environment, or the “New Normal.” As the SLUH community, as a whole, navigates this new atmosphere, the Instructional Council is working to provide the school with a framework which it can use to settle into normalcy.

A central focus for the Instructional Council moving into the 2022-2023 academic year is the development of the “New Normal,” committee, made up of sub-committees dedicated to Academics, Spaces, and Expectations for students, faculty, and staff.

“I’ve been challenging the IC to look at what we call the ‘New Normal’ pieces for the school,” said Principal Ian Gibbons, SJ. “We know how we did pandemic, we know how we did pre-pandemic. Now we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to do the New Normal.”

The New Normal will address topics such as dress code, homework, policies, communications, and activities. Each of these smaller pieces will serve to create a fuller sense of normalcy in the school community.

“It’s looking at things like what are some of the smaller details that we’re going to have to figure out?” said English Department chair Frank Kovarik, a member of the IC executive committee. “It’s all for coming back in a more final way from the pandemic and adapting to our new schedule and things like that.”

One such piece that the Instructional Council’s committees are considering is the use of common areas around the school outside of designated class time.

“I've been working on the Space Committee, so to speak, that is looking at common areas, common policies, ways that we gather, ways that we promote being together,” said Gibbons. “For example, how do we make sure those spaces are safe and accessible during Studium, during Activity Period, or before or after school. We want to make sure they’re helpful in the wider mission of the school and serve to promote collegiality and community.”

The Instructional Council as a whole acts as a governing body within the school to initiate conversations about changes in policy or practice. Composed of 17 members of the faculty, staff, and administration, the IC is then broken down into smaller committees and subcommittees dedicated to specific issues. 

These committees bring up not only the concerns, but also a solution or ideas on how to solve the specific issues. With a variety of the faculty and staff of SLUH being on these committees, the IC is able to consider several different perspectives on the issues. 

“It takes on all kinds of initiatives,” said theology department chair Jon Ott, a member of the executive committee. “It’s a way to get feedback from the faculty to the administration, and it’s a way to bring forth initiatives from the administration to the departments.”

After the recent changes to the upcoming academic year’s new schedule, the Instructional Council is set to continue its dedication to the improvement of academics and student experience at St. Louis U. High based on the requests and concerns of not only the students and faculty, but also the rest of the SLUH community. 

“I’ve really appreciated my time on the Instructional Council,” said Kovarik. “It’s given me a really valuable perspective on how our school works, how decisions get made, and how priorities get set.”