Dr. Ehrmantraut meets with seniors during lunch
Seniors meet with Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut during lunches to talk about their experiences at BSM and their futures.
Ehrmantraut meets with seniors during lunches to get their input on BSM.
February 16, 2018
BSM has many plans for the future of the school and is seeking the students’ input to ensure it strives to be the best school it can be. BSM’s President, Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut, has been meeting with seniors in an effort to better the school and make an impact on the students.
These meetings are arranged during students’ lunches and have been going on since the first months of the school year. “[Seniors are] invited essentially based on their lunch. They’re invited through a personal invitation, and then they’re reminded with an email,“ Ehrmantraut said.
The conversations have been rich. You really start to see themes emerge about what the school does well, and things that we could do to improve the experience.
— Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut
Seniors were split into groups of about 15 to make the conversation engaging and comfortable. “We want to have a sizable enough group where you feel comfortable, but small enough so people can actually participate in an active manner,” Ehrmantraut said.
These conversations have been well received by the seniors and have given students a voice in the school. “I think it went well. [Ehrmantraut] was really nice. He really cared about what we had to say,” senior Paige Greely said.
The reason for these meetings focuses on a few set goals. “One has to do with really getting feedback about their experience in our school, both strengths and weaknesses. So one of the goals in those conversations is to hear from all the students as they reflect on their experience and have them communicate what are things we do incredibly well, that we need to continue to do to make sure that we have an exceptional school, but also what are the things we should be doing, or could be doing that would improve the experience for the next generation,” Ehrmantraut said.
Another part to these meetings is talking to students about the future. “The second part that’s really important too, especially in a school like ours, is to get them to start thinking about what they want the relationship with the school to look like after they graduate. Becoming an alum from a school like [BSM] is different than other schools. I want them, before they get busy with graduation and college and those pieces, to think about what type of relationship do they want with BSM over the course of their life. There are some pretty incredible benefits with being a BSM graduate, but the key piece is the graduates need to stay connected once they leave,” Ehrmantraut said.
Ehrmantraut also hopes to get to know the students more. “A third piece that’s important for me is just connecting with seniors on a more personal level. It’s a great way to know people that I haven’t gotten to know well. I know their faces, I know their names, but this is another way to make connections,” Ehrmantraut said.
I want them, before they get busy with graduation and college and those pieces, to think about what type of relationship do they want with BSM over the course of their life.
— Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut
Ehrmantraut will continue meeting with seniors until the first part of May. So far the lunches have been going well and have been informative for the administration. “The conversations have been rich. You really start to see themes emerge about what the school does well, and things that we could do to improve the experience. That’s been fantastic. I can see the wheels turning about alumni engagement, when they start thinking ‘oh, I should start thinking about that.’ So that’s good as well. I feel as though the 15 people in the room are comfortable sharing what they’d like to share and if they [aren’t], I try to prod it a bit. It’s been good. It’s been a participatory process and I’d say an engaging process for the students,“ Ehrmantraut said.
