Church Meeting Officially Opens Community High

Sounds of youth and optimism filled the spacious sanctuary of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church this morning as Ann Arbors Community High School officially opened. Dean Bodley, dean of Community High School, says the church was used because the old Jones School, home for the school, could not house the 520 students, teachers and parents who attended the welcoming and orientation session which began at 8 a.m. today. About 90 students did not come to school as a result cf the bus driver's strike. Using the church as a meeting place is indicative of the community-school relationship upon which Community High School is being built, said Bodley. . "We've invited the community to become deeply involved," Bodley told the students. The administrator, who prefers to be called a facilitator, congratulated the students on accepting the challenge of attending Community High School. I "If we as individuals can accept this challenge, we will reap the benefits," he added. The benefits from a commitment by the school district, faculty and school family will be "prescription learning" for the students, according to Bodley. Frequently referring to the student body and faculty as a "school family," Bodley told the students that with the advantages of attending Community High School come responsibilities. "You will be responsible for your own conduct. We don't intend to hassle or harass you," he said. "We want you to be deeply involved in evaluating the: school and policy making." He predicted the students I would find attending Community High School harder work.l much more confusing, but hopefully more rewarding than attending a traditional school. "We want you to expand your mind. If your inquisitiveness has been squashed, wel want to rekindle it," Bodley said. Although no set of rules will be posted at Community High Snhool, Bodley said there willl be two safety rules : no smoking except in the teacher lounge and persons must wear shoes. The old Jones School, 401 N. Division, is still in the process of being renovated. Bodley said: "We feel good that Jones School can again be a school. . .We intend to provide this community with more than we take from it." ! After the speech, the students met in temporary forum groups with the staff's 24 teachers. During orientation' students will meet all the teachers and then each will select one for his permanent forum teacher. Next week students, will be out in the community becoming acquainted with some of the more than 300 community resources which are available to the school. gpeaking about the crowd ot students in the church on a weekday morning, the Rev. Robert Potts, staff associate' at St. Andrew's and human relations ombudsman for the public schools, said, "they add a little life to "