Students may have noticed, between the smell of fresh paint, and the lack of a media center, that an entirely new hall of classrooms seems to have appeared over the summer.
The project was brought about by the need for new rooms after two years of sending kids to Nelson because of overcrowding at the main campus.
Previously teaching at the Nelson complex, Melissa Tebbe was able to give some insider insight on the transition between the two environments.
“Nelson was a very quiet space, and we had a smaller number of students there,” Tebbe said. “I feel like this wing has a little bit of every department represented, so it still has a Nelson feel to it.”
Not only are the teachers loving their new classrooms, but the students are as well.
Sophomore Gracie Cook said that even though the classrooms don’t have much in them yet she loves how much more open it feels there than the rest of the building.
These new rooms certainly have their advantages, but the traffic in the hallways has only intensified.
While no longer utilizing the Nelson complex cuts down on transportation costs, students are expressing concern over making the halls more crowded than they already were.
“The change in the number of students in the hallways during the passing period is definitely noticeable,” senior Sydney Chong said. “I’m finding that it’s harder to get to class on time.”
Principal Steve Stuart explained the school’s plans to fix the issue at hand.
“There is hope for an expansion of the commons to be done by January of 2025, and an eventual plan to rebuild the media center,” Dr. Stuart said. “We are trying to make the school have more of a college feel to it.”
For now, students and staff alike are enjoying no longer having to go to the Nelson Complex.
“We wanted to not have to rely on the Nelson Complex,” Dr. Stuart said. “It disconnects [the students] from the main campus. Having everyone under one roof is very nice.”