In the past, Ramaz has offered health class for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, but for the past two years, Ramaz has discontinued this arguably crucial subject. After this gap, many students wonder exactly what the curriculum will be like for this year. Ms. Krupka gives an insight into what this year’s health class is going to look like. 

Q:Who is the new health teacher this year? What did the selection process look like?

A: Our health teacher’s name is Ms. Rebecca Dreisinger and we are so excited to welcome her aboard. We had model lessons for 5 different teachers, amidst dozens of resumes, and we are so pleased that Ms. Dreisinger, our first choice, accepted our offer to work at Ramaz.

Q: As a general overview, what is this year’s health curriculum going to look like? ​

A: Much of it will mirror the pre-Covid curriculum. For freshmen, time management, anxiety, peer pressure, social issues and physical health and exercise. For sophomores, drugs and alcohol, and continuing themes of anxiety and planning carefully for homework, exams etc. Junior curriculum is sex ed, life decison making, and continual discussions about social and academic pressures. 

Q: Is there going to be Covid-19 related material that will be taught, such as the purpose of masks and the vaccine? What about mental health, especially after a year of difficulty? ​

A: All grades will discuss all aspects of physical and mental health, and will particularly focus on mental health in, and after, the past year and a half.

Q: How will the curriculum change to compensate for the past two years? Juniors missed out on two years of health class— are there going to be any changes made to this year’s curriculum to try and make up for that? ​

A: Yes – Juniors, who have missed two years of health class, will have a modified curriculum that will include the most important aspects of the freshman and sophomore curriculum.

Q: The Ramaz curriculum dictates that freshmen need three years of health class. If this statement is true, have the juniors and seniors been short-changed by Ramaz?

A: ​I think ‘shortchanged’ is a tough word. There are so many things we all ‘lost’ out on because of covid restrictions, limitations, zoom classes and other areas of life that we all had to habitualize to. We are very excited to have a wonderful Health teacher this year who will speak to many of these aspects. We are also instituting a special lecture program for Junior advisory that will bring in speakers, with follow up discussion/advisory groups to address many topics juniors might need more access to.