“Considering the circumstances, we did it quickly, and hopefully we can return to normalcy soon,” senior Joe McCormick, said of the relocation.

Scheduling school space

Bill Moss, the middle school math chair, used Microsoft Excel to superimpose the high school class schedule over the middle school schedule in order to ensure that classroom space could be optimized.

“The first layer was the classes for instruction, the second level was for ancillary rooms for social workers and other services, then we went about filling holes,” Moss explained. “Middle school people didn’t want high school people in their rooms. That wasn’t going to happen.”

Superintendent Gary Schall acknowledged that there is a lack of space in the guidance office that now houses both the high school and middle school staff. “In the guidance area, we’re suffering,” Schall said. “The high school work space is three times as large as this,” he added, pointing to two offices and a hallway that leads to another office.

The district has rented three office trailers to help alleviate the crowded conditions at the middle school. Administrators are using both the superintendent’s outer office and the conference room as office space.

Many middle school classrooms are being used by multiple teachers and classes. Middle school social studies teacher Adam Berlin is in the same room for three classes. Then he must find another place to grade papers and tests and provide tutoring. “I can no longer easily offer extra help before school because most of the rooms in the building, including my own, are being used by the high school,” Berlin said. “Therefore, my extra help has to be after school, which some students are unable to attend.”

“We are surviving as comfortably as possible,” said Frank Zangari, a high school social studies teacher who graduated from the high school in 1998.

High school students chose lockers at the middle school, supplied locks for them and were required to report the locker numbers to the administration. If the locker number isn’t reported, the privilege is taken away. “If the locker isn’t registered, it gets pulled,” said Heidi Beyer, president of the high school PTA. “Students took responsibility for it.”