Out with the old, in with the new

Emily Motta, Staff Writer

In the middle of the forum, loud pounding, dust, and blue fencing pave the way to a revised student store and attendance office, making some students wonder how school money is allocated.

Renovations beautify old structures and make them more inviting to all. They make places more lively and inclusive, so why aren’t people getting excited about the updated forum, and where does this money come from?

“Public Schools get state funding every year,” Principal Wan states, “a $190,000 annual budget for this school.”

With this, the school is able to decide where money needs to be spent. Money is budgeted towards many things in our schools, and when you want to use it there is a long process of approval. Once approved, the administration can decide how it will be used.

“Every so often there is money for renovation projects,” Wan said. “The administration staff can determine where they would like to spend that money.”

The administration chooses what they believe would be the best for the school’s interests and goals. In the case of the attendance office and student store, it was decided before principal Wan.

“My understanding is that they wanted to remodel it because one, it had never been remodeled,” Wan says, “[and two], it wasn’t inviting.”

 However, some students have other opinions on what they want to see changed. 

“The bathrooms and locker rooms [should be renovated],” Sophomore Katherine Hayner explained. “Bathroom sinks, showers, fixing unusable lockers, and better water fountains” are all on her wish list.

To many, fixing the facilities that we use every day is a must.  Some believe that these issues should have priority over enhancing the school’s physical appearance. 

Wan believes that school renovations make the school more inviting.

“I’d like to see the media center redone,” Wan explains. “[It would make the media center] a little bit more of a modern, dynamic space.”

Everyone has ideas on what they want to change, but the reality is that renovations are expensive. The budget affects everyone on and off-campus, so it is crucial that we spend wisely.

“What the school spends money on impacts me and my educational environment,” Sophomore Katherine Hayner says, “especially when it comes to sports because they are very important to me.”

Everyone has an opinion on the budget and what it should be used on, though many students don’t know how to voice their own opinion.

Wan encourages students to provide their input. “Talking with the principal always helps share that idea,” Wan says. “I think the biggest area students can have a voice in is the school site council.”