Students and teachers will need to adapt to the sounds of hammering and the smell of paint the rest of the school year. The Winston Salem/Forsyth County school district has decided to repair all schools across the district. Due to the long term renovations, there are plenty of adjustments to be made and changes students should be aware of during the school day.
The roofs are currently being repaired due to leakage issues among other things.
“I’m sure students have seen leaks when going around buildings. Lots of classrooms have water spots in their ceiling tiles causing them to get constantly replaced. The school district just feels the need for the old dilapidated roofs to be replaced,” Principal Kevin Spainhour said.
Last summer, both the 400 and 800 buildings were completed and they will soon work on remaining buildings around campus.
“They are starting at the 900, moving to the 200 and then they will come across campus and complete the 700 and 300, then this summer they will complete the 600,” Spainhour said.
Even though construction during the school day can be very disruptive, since it is such a long project, it has to take place now.
“I think it is disruptive with a purpose. It disrupts the environment, but the workers can’t help it. I can see the progress that they have made and see the good work they are doing and I know it is going to benefit us,” biology teacher Jennifer Malacane said.
Though construction will not displace any classrooms, painting will cause classes to be relocated in addition to other temporary adjustments.
“It will start the week of March 11 and will be a probably four to six month project. They are going to paint every single classroom, hallway, canopies, handrails and doors. Teachers are going to have to take their stuff down, leave the classroom for a day, let it dry for a day then come back,” Spainhour said.
Students see how painting can be beneficial, but are overall indifferent to the situation.
“I think it is nice they are gonna repaint the school because it looks a little junky right now. I think that it will look a little better once we are done. I am not too happy about the class changes though because it is going to cause a lot of confusion, but in the end I feel like it will be beneficial for the school,” sophomore Nia Dunson said.
When it comes to classrooms, teachers are being moved into whatever free spaces that are open during planning periods.
“We are going to use the classrooms that are open during planning periods. But one of the things that will be a challenge is that we have so many students and we are very limited in space. Free classrooms are rare but we are going to have to relocate,” Spainhour said.
For teachers, taking things down can be troubling but they can see the benefits that come from it
“Taking all the stuff off of my wall is going to be inconvenient and expensive.
You have to buy the nice double sided tape to get the stuff to stay up, so I have to replace all of that. But to get the buildings nice and painted and to make West Forsyth look nicer I will do what I have to do and locating out for one period is no big deal,” social studies department chair Debora Troxel said.
