Pirate News: HHS students treasure ‘Pirate Time.’

Hart High School sophomore Tristyn Bigsby works on a Khan module in geometry during Pirate Time.

Pirate News: HHS students treasure ‘Pirate Time.’

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Pirate News is a service of Hart Public Schools in cooperation with Oceana County Press.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

HART — Pirate Time at Hart High School is an 18-minute window carved into the end of the school day schedule that is a treasure for students and teachers.

“Every student is on the same schedule for this time,” said HHS Principal Brandon Bruce. “We have developed a calendar for staff to use in which we work through specific lessons. This is also used for club meetings and student organizations.”

Pirate time, which has been a part of the HHS school day for the last few years, runs each day from 2:57-3:15 p.m.

At the beginning of the school year, students used Pirate Time to focus on the “Pirate’s Code,” which is a school-wide behavior agreement. The code centers on four main characteristics that all Pirates must possess — empathy, courage, responsibility and integrity.

The code not only applies to students but adults as well. Students must “listen and encourage others; treat everyone with kindness and respect; and respond appropriately to conflict” under the empathy category. Adults will “be flexible to student situations; actively listen to seek understanding; and encourage others and respond to their needs.”

Pirate Time is utilized in many other ways, and technology plays a big role. Students, now in their third marking period for the school year, are using Pirate Time on Mondays for SAT preparation, Bruce said.

The 18-minute window is also used for career exploration, grade checks and Educational Development Plans (EDPs).

Students also watch videos through a Josten’s video series that “teach character development by showcasing tangible life lessons through a school year’s worth of episodes with rich, raw and engaging video content,” its web site states. “Designed for the classroom, teachers have access to a critical thinking discussion guide to foster student-led discussions for each episode.”

Normally the video is watched during one Pirate Time session, and then the discussion takes place the following day, said Bruce.

Students can also use the treasured time to work on modules through Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a non-profit educational organization that has created a set of free online educational tools. The organization produces short video lessons, and its website includes supplementary practice exercises and materials for educators.

Students use Xello, a computer software for career exploration. Xello helps prepare students for future success with “an engaging program that builds self-knowledge, personalized plans and critical life skills,” its web site states.

A big advantage to using Pirate Time for club meetings and student organizations is that students do not have to seek transportation home by staying after school for the brief sessions. HHS has several groups, such as fishing club, chess club and book club, that meet during Pirate Time. Student representatives also keep their peers up to date on the dress-up days during spirit week for homecoming and other school events.

“Lots of stuff gets accomplished during that time,” the principal said. “There are a lot of benefits to it. It’s a very valuable time.”

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