Administration is considering having students leave their backpacks in second period next assembly rather than first due to some complaints from students. This new policy, which does not allow students to bring their backpacks with them to assemblies, was implemented due to the growth in size of the student body. This topic as well as other topics concerning construction, the isolation of the P Quad, extracurricular classes, and the possibility of expanding the Forum were all discussed at the October Forum in room 26 at lunch today.
Construction is set to begin Nov. 26, when school ends for Thanksgiving break. The fencing will have to surround Senior Court with enough room to build the two-story math and science building.
Principal Bjorn Paige said, “On the south end of [senior court] there are poles that go down the middle of the walkway [of the 70s]; the fence will hit those poles. On the East end, the walkway that goes from Robotics to the 120s, that stays open. They may have to divert the end of it depending on construction, but that walkway will remain open the whole time. To the north end, the fire road, the fire marshal has to come in and tell us exactly where the fence goes, but the fence goes somewhere on the fire road…. And then on the west side, for part of the construction, I think it’ll be all of this year, we’ll lose the walkway that goes in between the gym and the big gate.”
Paige also discussed getting together a sort of committee to walk the parameters of the future fencing in order to see if there will be sufficient room for mobility after they are put in. The fencing will be plywood, meaning that there will be an opportunity for students to paint murals, according to Paige. Since next year is the 80th anniversary of San Dieguito, the art students are thinking of painting an eight-decade mural. There will be holes in the fences that will be filled with Plexiglas so that students will be able to see the progress being made in the constructiom.
During the homecoming assembly today, students were directed to leave their backpacks in their first period classrooms to create more room for the increased number in students. In general, those who attended the Forum agreed that there was a greater amount of room even with the larger number of students in the gym.
Still, there were a few complaints regarding this change, so students discussed other alternatives and forms of improvement. Suggestions included leaving backpacks in second period and blocking off a designated area of the school for students to leave their belongings. Both teachers and students agreed that teachers should be more lenient with students arriving late to class because of long distances between first and second period. According to Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones, the school will try another alternative next assembly and have students leave their backpacks in second period.
Students and teachers agree that SDA should better integrate the P Quad into the rest of the school. In order to do so, some suggested that lunch activities be held in that area as well as some art. As the trailers in the P Quad are currently being rented, students cannot paint on the walls, but Paige still hopes that art can be integrated into the P Quad. He also mentioned that the school has ordered tables for that area, which will hopefully bring more students to that area of the school. In regards to the patches of dirt located in the P Quad, students discussed the idea of adding succulents and rocks to personalize the area a bit more.
Also discussed during the Forum were extracurricular classes. These classes were held last year after school and funded by the Foundation. Due to cuts in Foundation funding, they will no longer be able to financially support these classes; however, if enough students are interested in beginning these classes again, there is the possibility of finding other forms of support, according to Paige. Students also agreed that there should be more advertisement of these classes if they go on this year because last year not as many people were informed.
Students brought up the idea of expanding the Forum. Those that attended this Forum discussed different location options which could possibly allow for a bigger space for those who attend. Such locations included the theater, the band room, the gym, and outside. Some students thought that holding the meetings closer to the center of campus would be more beneficial for those with far second periods.
If the Forum were to move classrooms, the best option would be to still keep the semicircle set-up that has been present at the meetings held in room 26, according to the students and teachers that attended. Also discussed was the issue that some students only come for the pizza and leave directly afterward. Suggestions included saving the pizza for the middle of the meeting and closing the doors so that people feel more obligated to stay.