Staff and students are looking forward to moving from portables into new classrooms. The new science wing along with several new hallways will be opening on Jan. 5. All foreign language and ESOL classes, some English classes and some learning center classes will be moving into the new facilities. Two new computer labs along with new work rooms, mechanical rooms, wire closets, and staff offices will also open to benefit staff and students. However, it is possible that the Promethean boards for all the new classrooms will not be installed by the time classes resume after winter break.

A hallway will open in the back of the school on every floor. On the ground floor, the hallway will connect the art wing to the G-wing. On the first floor, the hallway will connect the auditorium hallway with the previously renovated social studies hallway. Finally, on the second floor, a hallway will start out with the science wing, leading down to the Tech. Ed rooms. Both sides of the school will be connected, allowing students to walk straight through.

“Basically, the first, second and third floor gain a main hallway,” said assistant principal Christopher Merrill. Many students believe that they will benefit from this. “I think that it will be pretty convenient and save students a lot of time,” said sophomore Will Altekruse.

The hallway between the main office and the social studies hallway will close, causing a lot of traffic in the hallway that will be newly opened in the back of the school. The empty portables will be closed, but will not be able to be moved until approximately May.

The new science wing, located on the second hallway, will be a great improvement. According to science resource teacher Rosemary Suckow, the current rooms are so small that they cause difficulties and safety issues, such as students tripping over book bags as they attempt to complete labs. Some rooms only have one or two sinks available. 

The new science wing will provide an increased amount of space available to both students and teachers. Also, the new rooms are equipped with fume hoods, safe electrical outlets, new gas jets and water faucets and spacious lab tables.

Before the rooms are ready to go, teachers need to pack their things, which will then be moved by MCPS workers. 

“We try to help them as much as possible,” said Merrill.

Science teachers will especially suffer, because packing science things means packing chemicals and lab equipment.

“The administrators have volunteered to help with the move, but it is going to be a lot for everyone to deal with, since we have so little time to move so much,” said Suckow. 

Teachers are not required to stay during the move itself. However, many teachers will most likely come in over the break, even though this is voluntary, in order to unpack and make sure that their classrooms are prepared for students when they come back from break.