Students and teachers are dealing with changes brought by the addition of the newly installed portables. Serving as temporary classrooms, they will be here for a couple of years during construction of the new permanent 100 and 200 buildings.
Since the portables are located on the former JV baseball field, students have experienced what a difference the distance between the portables and other classrooms makes.
“There are a lot of kids walking in front of me,” Sophomore Amy Kubo said. “It isn’t ideal for me to get there on time.”
Teachers will take the distance into account when reporting attendance or assigning tardies, but the time allowed for passing periods will remain the same.
Out of the 21 teachers who were in the 100 and 200 classrooms, not all of them have rooms in the portables. Student Activities Director Mr. Kidd has been transferred to Room 801, in order to remain closer to the office. New psychologist Mr. Ray Henley will also be conveniently located near the office.
Prior to the first day of school, teachers who were assigned portables had two extra weeks to move their materials into the new classrooms. They had trouble moving all of their supplies into classrooms and adjusting.
“It is a smaller classroom and the carpet is inconvenient,” Spanish teacher Ms. Colleen Pieri said. “It’s a shame that there are no built-in bookshelves.”
Although it was difficult for many of them to transfer rooms, some saw advantages to the situation.
“I’m grateful that we had to move,” German teacher Ms. Judy Graunke said. “It forced me to clean out my classroom.”
Although the portables are already occupied, the installation of permanent electricity for these classrooms is not finished yet and an electric power pole will be installed instead of the generator.
“We’ve been planning to do this for a very long time,” Principal Ms. Mary Jo Fosselman King said. “If all goes accordingly, the portables should only be in use for two years.