Just Keep Swimming

Stevenson plans to revert QLC to a swimming pool to promote student mental health

By Professsional Napper and Kelly’s Uber Driver

On Mar. 7, Stevenson High School formally announced the decision to revert the QLC back into a swimming pool in light of mental health concerns. The administration believes the change to be the only solution to solving what they perceive to be a never-ending studying crisis.

During the 2001-2002 school year, in response to students’ complaints of the ILC being too loud, Stevenson transformed the former swimming pool into the QLC. However, with the current infux of students spending unhealthy amounts of time at the QLC, the administration has decided to turn back the clock and revert the space to its previous identity.

As a result of this planned transition, many surveyed students who frequent the QLC claim that they will simply migrate to studying in the ILC. Others are concerned that this transition will ultimately end in mimicking the crisis of 2001.

“The thought of having to return to that place [ILC] again is absolutely revolting,” Tim Wilson ’23 said. “I can’t even hear myself think with everyone talking whenever I am in there.”

To accommodate these complaints, the administration has implemented 30-minute ILC Calendly appointments as a failsafe for the projected increase in the ILC population. Assistant Director of Business Affairs Joyce Wang expects the appointments to help minimize the excessive studying and noise.

“We hope that by requiring students to make appointments to study, we will be able to control the studying crisis,” Wang said. “The administration believes that this is the only course of action that will keep Stevenson students at the top of the rankings where we should be.”

Another accommodation the administration will provide is waterproof iPads and free lamination services for notecards to allow students to study in the water. Despite these changes, many students have expressed signifcant discontent with the plan. Some of the surveyed students question the lack of a quiet learning environment and validity of a second swimming pool.

“Who would even use another new swimming pool?” Wilson said. “It’s not like we can swim to a 36 ACT and high AP scores.”

Along with the reversion, the administration has hired trained aquatic yoga instructors to help students unwind and destress. However, these instructors are only available during early bird periods and require students to bring their own equipment.

“Once again, we have provided more mental health resources for students to access if they need,” Principal Groy Tobble said. “At this point, it’s up to the students whether or not they want to do the downward dog in our new pool and use the services we provide them to their full potential.”

Knowing that students still want to use the space for academic purposes, the administration has decided to refer to the location as the Quiet Swimming Pool. They say that implementing a strict no splashing rule will allow students to productively swim and study.

“Obviously, it’s going to be a big change, so we expect some pushback,” Tobble said. “But, I feel like in the long run, the students are going to look back and thank us for giving them this unique opportunity.”

The administration asserts the new swimming pool will both reassure parents of Stevenson’s dedication to student mental health and set an example for other schools. However, as a result of this ambition, tensions between the community and the school run high.

“Sometimes I feel like the school has selective hearing,” Wilson said. “Are we just numbers to them?”