All public places strive to include and welcome everyone who sets foot in their building. 

Schools especially want all of their students and staff to feel welcome where they are. Chapman aims for all who enter to feel welcomed. 

According to Guidance Secretary Allison Mathis, the first impression with a student is key to helping them feel accepted within the school.

“We never know when a new student is coming to us what the outside factors are that have created them for a school change, and they need to know that no matter where they have come from or what they have dealt with in the past, that they are coming into an environment that is very family oriented and very inclusive and that we want everybody to feel like they are someone within our building,” Mathis said.

Chapman faculty and staff don’t pursue this welcoming environment by just smiling when a guest walks in the door. They want everyone to know that they are welcome where they are and that their teachers and administrators care deeply about them.

“We have a lot of teachers who really have invested in their students’ futures and want to help them,” junior Kaia Grace Lawter said. “And our administration is really good about taking the time to have a conversation with kids and not even necessarily talk about school but just about their day and what they are going through.”

Sophomore Ella Hollis explains how her school experience is better if she feels welcome where she is. 

“It makes me feel more supported and safe and that people actually care if I succeed or not,” said Hollis.

If students don’t feel encouraged and cared about, they aren’t going to enjoy their school experience.

Junior Matthew Davis gives an example of the welcoming experience Chapman has to offer. 

“Every day when you walk the halls, like coming into the school, someone is always talking to you, welcoming you into the school,” Matthew Davis said.

Assistant Principal Matt Davis explains that having a genuine welcoming feeling doesn’t just make someone feel special but also helps the rate of success.

“I think welcoming leads to being comfortable, which leads to a better success rate,” said Matt Davis.

Assistant Principal Amy Driggers explains how Chapman’s welcoming feel is different from other schools in the district and state.

“(Students) recognize that our love for them is genuine and it’s not done for any other purposes but for their success, that it’s sustained,” she said. “It’s not just something that we bring out when other people are watching. It’s part of the culture of the school.”