Alton High Students Share Experiences with Administrators as Part of New Workshop

ALTON - Alton High School students had the chance to share their experiences and opinions with administrators.

During the inaugural Reimagine Alton High Workshop last week, students spoke with each other and administrators about their experiences in Alton Community Unit School District #11. Students addressed the graduation rate and attendance issues and shared their perspectives.

“It was one of the best experiences that we've had with student voices,” said Alton High School Principal Stacie Franke. “This is their campus. We want them to have a voice and what they want to see occur on campus, but we also want them to have a voice in the problem-solving of it. We want them to know that the door is open to have the conversation, and the door is open to problem-solve, and really to make this place a culture of belonging that all of the students want to come to.”

Franke explained that each of the four assistant principals chose eight to ten students to represent the student body in these conversations. A few students from Alton Success Academy also participated. Administrators chose students who they felt could speak to the general experience of all students at AHS.

During the workshop, students were asked to consider the graduation rate and student attendance, both of which the district hopes to improve. Students shared that more support and additional extracurriculars might improve attendance.

“Some common themes regarding student attendance is really understanding that students come to school with different experiences, and we need to make sure that we're supporting students when they walk through the door,” Franke said.

She noted that students also shared their experiences with bullying and talked about the work they find most meaningful in the classroom. All of these conversations contributed to the administrators’ understanding of how student attendance and graduation rates are affected by the school’s climate.

The Reimagine Alton High Workshop was modeled after similar workshops for community stakeholders. Starting in 2025, the district began inviting community members, business owners, and other stakeholders to have conversations with district administrators about the schools. This workshop followed a similar format but was targeted toward the students themselves.

The students’ conversations were extremely valuable, Franke shared. Administrators learned more about the student experience and what students need to be successful. As they reflected on the workshop, the administrative team expressed their excitement to hear student voices in settings like this.

“The administrative team was just over the moon with how well they did,” Franke said. “The administrators were so incredibly happy and excited for those student voices and the way that our students really rose to the occasion.”

This was the first of two Reimagine Alton High Workshops planned for this semester. The students will meet again next month, allowing administrators time to make appropriate changes and adjustments so they can further support students.

Franke shared that the district plans to host quarterly or monthly Reimagine Alton High Workshops next year as well so district leaders can hear from the high school students and engage with them. She emphasized the importance of listening to students and responding to their opinions and suggestions. This is an important part of the workshops and a value for the Alton High School team.

“We went into this knowing that this was an opportunity for us to have student voices, and we needed to look at that, and we needed to make changes, and we needed to respond to it so that they feel that that experience was valued, and they want to continue to have a voice,” Franke said. “I was very proud of them.”

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