ASPEN NEWHOUSE: Hi, my name is Aspen Newhouse, and welcome to Woodard Wednesdays. I am here with…

BILL WOODARD: Principal Woodard.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: How are you?

BILL WOODARD: I’m good. It’s been a little chilly this week, but Sun’s out, and it’s been a good week so far.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: So, is there anything going on that we should know about?

BILL WOODARD: Nothing— well, I mean, basically, winter sports are in full swing this week, that’s the big one.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: Is there sports going on on Thursday and Friday?

BILL WOODARD: Yeah, so there’s— it’s a big week for sports. One of the reasons is we’re now in an eighteen league this year, so usually the league matches don’t start until after winter break, but because of our new expanded league we’re starting in December.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: What about Monday and Tuesday of next week? Is there anything going on that students should know about?

BILL WOODARD: Gosh, next week is always a really fun week because it’s the last week before winter break. At the end of the week there’s a holiday package, so vocal and instrumental music concerts are this week on Thursday and Friday. But the Penny Drive will be wrapping up, things like that, next week.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: I heard that there are auditions next week, do you know anything about that?

BILL WOODARD: Yeah, I heard that our musical this year is The Music Man, and so Ms. Libera, who’s a bundle of energy, is encouraging anybody who’s interested in auditioning. Should be a great show.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: Is anything happening with the school board this week that we should know about?

BILL WOODARD: Yeah, so today, on Wednesday, is the district’s Superintendent Advisory Council, which is a group of students who meet with the superintendent once a month to give student perspective. It’s going to be at Santa Barbara High at 4 o’clock today, Wednesday. And so, all, any and all, students are actually invited to attend, if they want to.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: Are there any specific topics that we should be interested in talking about for that?

BILL WOODARD: One of the major initiatives in our district is addressing incidents of racial bias and anti-blackness. There has been an unfortunate and alarming number of incidents throughout our district where students have engaged in using, you know, the n-word, for example, or other aspects that it’s happened enough, not just in our community, of course, but throughout our country that our district really wants to take a really proactive approach, and so I think she wants to get student perspective on what would be the best ways to really address both the casual use of the n-word, which seems to have happened around campus and even here at DP, and also other forms of racial bias. And that’s one of the major initiatives.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: Okay, thank you. Are there any other important events coming up that students should know about?

BILL WOODARD: Yeah, so, by the time you read this, you, probably tenth and eleventh graders, have taken the Healthy Kids Survey, which is happening today, on Wednesday, and so that information is really helpful for us to get your input and feedback. I’m actually wanting to find a forum, besides student senate, which is really great for getting students information, but I want to find another opportunity for students to give me feedback on ways they want to approve the school and whatever other major issues. So, I’m thinking of a survey and then inviting people to, like, a lunchtime principal talk where anybody can come and just to have a free forum about what issues do you want to see addressed on our campus, so look for that coming soon.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: Alright, thank you. Are there any final thoughts that you want DP to hear?

BILL WOODARD: Keep working hard, because only four weeks left until the end of the term, and so it’ll be here before you know it. So, end on a strong note.

ASPEN NEWHOUSE: Alright, thank you, I’ll see you next week.