Streetsboro High School Opens Doors

New Streetsboro High opens record-courier.com/news/20170104/new-streetsboro-high-opens

After a harried Christmas vacation for teachers and staff, classes were back in session Tuesday at the new Streetsboro High School, 8585 S.R. 14.

“It’s been an excellent first day,” Principal James Hogue said. “The kids are excited to be in the new school.”

He said teachers and staff deserve credit for working hard during their break to prepare the classrooms and facility for the first day of class.

Teachers, who are planners by nature, have had to be flexible with their lesson plans until they get used to some of the changes in the building, Hogue said.

“The teachers and staff have really been great,” he said. “They’re not done yet. They did a good job being flexible and modifying whatever their plans were going to be. For teachers, a lot of things have changed.”

Counselor Ira Campbell said he and many others still have some bins to unpack, but also said he was prepared to do his regular job.

“I’m able to do my job, but there are still things,” he said. “Most teachers are in the same position, a few things still to unpack, but they’re all ready to teach class.”

Journalism teacher Polly Dierkens said it was hard work getting things moved while trying to carve out time for family and relaxation.

“The transition was definitely rushed and challenging,” she said. “I’m really happy to be in my my new room. It’s spacious and bright, and I love the colors.”

Ultimately, Dierkens said the extra work was worth it to get into the new high school as soon as possible.

“I’m glad they didn’t show it to us and then say it’s going to be six months before we have access,” she said.

She said teachers spent much of they day Monday preparing for classes.

“They did open up the building a couple times during break,” she said.

Jim Boardwine, who was moving theater, English classroom and songwriting equipment, said the break was busy for him as well.

“I had six- to eight-hour days during break,” he said.

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He said some his storage for theater equipment was up stairs at the auditorium.

After all the work, though, student Elliot Nichols called the first day “underwhelming,” but in a good way.

“I expected a lot more chaos,” he said. “It’s been really smooth. It’s also a lot easier to navigate than the other school.”

English teacher Maria Judd said she’s excited to be in her new room, which she said includes a new audio system to help students hear better. The system is hard wired into the ceiling and includes four speakers balancing the sound throughout the room.

“It’s so much better than the little speakers hooked up to your computer,” she said.

She said the first day was “great.”

“There were a lot of lost kids,” she said. “I got lost the first couple times I was in the building, myself.”

Hogue said it’s important parents know where to drop off and pick up students.

In the morning, he said students should be dropped off at Door 6, which is the back entrance to the commons (on the side of the building where the track is located). In the afternoon, he said students should be picked up in the same location.

“All the students in the morning have to come to the commons,” he said. “They eat breakfast, chill out with their friends, and at 7:12 a.m., they go into the building.”

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