Regis Penn ’25

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In recent years advisory meetings have served as a time when students of all classes have come together to bond, compete in games, and watch the SJET advisory show; however, this year has introduced new changes to advisory.

Advisory period has always provided students with “sustained small groups, primarily for community building,” Assistant Principal for Student Affairs, Mr. Fahy, said. Despite these good intentions, however, the advisory program has faced some challenges. A loss of community time is among the main issues, with students reporting that advisory periods had begun to take nearly 10% of total community times throughout the year. “This lack of free time was a common piece of feedback among students and teachers,” Mr. Fahy said. 

In response, the school has limited advisory meetings to six per semester. “We think we can obtain some of the goals of the advisory program,” Mr. Fahy said, “while also retaining some free time in Community Time.” 

This decision has demanded the transition from SJET advisory shows to a new approach. “Although it’s unfortunate that advisory shows are no more,” Martin Mejia ’25 of SJET said. “Our new format is more transferable to corporate settings.” SJET has shifted to social media platforms to continue reaching its audience this year.

Advisory game days will undergo minor changes regarding how games are assigned to advisories. “Most people seemed to like doing something together as an advisory group,” Mr. Fahy said. “It’s the right balance between loose and programmed.” This year, students have been choosing which activities to participate in for game days.

Advisory meetings have undergone numerous adjustments over the years at Strake Jesuit. Nevertheless, these adjustments are made with the best interest of students, teachers, faculty in mind. It remains true that advisory meetings are “fundamentally about community,” Mr. Fahy said.