Just like that, summer is over and students have returned to campus, though it may not be the same as previous years. The school has undergone a significant change this year, having welcomed Kevin Spainhour as the new principal last March.

Spainhour has enforced many new and pre-existing policies that have been put in place to benefit the student body as a whole. He made it clear that he wants the school to be a “safe, community-centered school that demonstrates integrity and equity,”.

Students are no longer required to place their cell phones in the phone pockets when entering class; they are just asked to keep them put away during class time unless told otherwise. However, teachers reserve the right to require it.

As for the dress code, all previous requirements still apply.

“You should know what to wear and what not to wear, let’s just respect one another,” Spainhour said.

Chromebooks have been provided for all students this year, not just because of COVID-19 but because “every student deserves to have the resources they need to succeed and thrive,” Spainhour said.

Students who participate in sports and extracurricular activities must enroll in the “It’s My Call, It’s Your Call” program which allows for random drug testing; this is not a new policy, but this year, students will also be subject for random COVID-19 testing.

Principal Spainhour and the administration want students to enjoy school and not see it as a chore they are required to complete.

“If you are required to come to school everyday, we want it to be as comfortable and nice as possible. We plan on making some renovations to the school this year, expect to see some new things happening,” Spainhour said during the class meetings.

“We want to show West some love, West needs some love,” Spainhour said.

Spainhour is family oriented and values the sense of unity that West has.

“Starting my position at the end of last year gave me a taste of the school, and I loved it,”.

Along with that, Spainhour proudly plans on implementing the idea of “One West” into the school and surrounding community.

“‘One West’ means many things; it means we are a family, a team and it means we are number one. You are a student at a school everyone wants to be at, you are the best,” Spainhour said.

He went on to thank all of his students and staff that have stayed strong in these past few weeks of school regarding our dedication to wearing masks and the gun violence that occured at Mount Tabor.

“Mainly, I want to say thank you. Thank you for being dedicated to wearing masks. I know it’s uncomfortable, but if we want to be here, we have to. Things have been rough these past weeks, we know the anxiety and stress concerning gun violence is real and we couldn’t be more proud of how you guys have handled this,” Spainhour said.

Students and staff are excited to be back in school this year and are determined to make it a good one alongside Principal Spainhour. Students seem to have taken a like to Spainhour’s personality, ideals and ideas surrounding the school.