Alex Paul
The good news is that SHHS Principal Pat Stineff has a large office with lots of glass looking out on the front of the new Sweet Home High School.
The bad news is that although she most of her files, computer and phone system have been moved in, the bulk of her furniture hasn’t. Boxes and files line most of the office floor.
Stineff is a good sport about it, although late last week she was starting to wonder if the furniture would be in time for freshman orientation on Tuesday.
“They said it would take three to four weeks and it will be four weeks when school opens,” Stineff said, sitting at a makeshift desk and computer table.”
As she prepares to lead the school for the eighth year, Stineff looks back at the construction projects of the last two years and says the results have been worth the headaches.
“I’m absolutely ready for school to start,” Stineff said. “I certainly learned a lot about construction over the last two years, and especially about how to talk to construction people to make sense. They did a very good job.”
Stineff said both McKenzie Construction and Hyland Construction were excellent to work with.
“I also have to praise our staff. Everybody just rolled with the punches and did a very good job. Sure, there were some problems, but no one broke down. Actually, moving everything is probably the most stressful part of the whole thing.”
A year ago, Stineff had to use a compressed air horn to signal the start and end of classes, since portions of the school had been demolished to make way for the new building.
“I think Billy Snow took the horn for the track meets,” Stineff said of a tool she won’t miss. “I think we’ve gotten the bell system worked out. We still don’t have the phones working right yet.”
The computer system also “went down” a couple times during registration last week, causing long lines at times.
Stineff said the new library and cafeterias are ready to roll when doors open.
The six person custodial staff has been working briskly to complete last-minute details, Stineff said.
“It could have been really nasty but it hasn’t been because we have a great custodial staff,” Stineff said. “They have been working very hard. We basically moved into the office areas last week and the custodians only had one day before registration and teachers came in.”
Stineff said very early registration numbers show about 793 students, but she warns, those figures should not be taken too seriously until well after school starts.
Cindy Watkins was busy Thursday in the new library, where sophomore Kayla Thompson was helping stock shelves with books.
Fellow sophomore Stacy Grove was working on one of the computers in the room and said she likes the amount of windows and light in the new building.
“It’s cool, it looks great,” Grove said.
Mrs. Watkins said she liked the amount of light in the new library. “It’s nice and bright,” she said. “I think we actually lost table space, but the library is excellent.”
Head custodian Don Frick said his crew was installing numerous signs and shelves for teachers.
“Overall, the construction was very good,” Frick said. “We’ll all be glad when things get back to normal though.”
Frick said the layout of the new building appears to be good, “but we could use more storage.”
“The big thing for a while will be learning about all the new things and how they work,” Frick said. “For example, we had a power blip last week that flipped an emergency shut off valve for the gas ovens. We had to remember that and figure it out.”
Diana Bondeson said working out of the Foster Elementary kitchen last year worked out, but admits there was a distinct lack of work space.
Not so in the new high school kitchen. Staff members joke they will need “roller skates” to get around their work stations.
“I love it,” Bondeson said. “There’s so much more room and I really like the large counter areas. We can have two food lines going at once.”
Students will see many changes to the food service program this school year.
Number one is that no money will be accepted at the cafeteria. Students will use ID cards with bar codes. Parents will replenish funding as needed. This is expected to cut down on serving time.
New tables will seat up to 500 students at a time in the bright and wide open dining room.
“Also, we will have a kiosk and students can pre-order special sandwiches and we’ll have them ready when they come for lunch,” Bondeson said.
Students will also be able to select from a large number of daily entrees as well as ala carte items ranging from ice cream and yogurt to cookies and smoothies.
Lunch prices will be $2 at the high school, $1.75 at the junior high, $1.50 for elementary students and 40 cents for reduced priced meals.
Millie Bostrom takes over direction of the kitchen staff after several years at Wiley Creek Community. She succeeds former kitchen director Pam Lessley, who now heads up the food service program for the Lebanon School District.
“I love my new kitchen,” Bostrom said. “It’s going to be wonderful. The equipment is awesome.”
Bostrom said she also hopes the new dining area will be used for community events in addition to school functions.
“The sales representatives who come here have been in awe of this kitchen and set up,” Bostrom said.
Also new for the dining area this year will be that all foodstuffs have to remain in the dining room, no trays can be taken outside or downtown, where they have tended to become a trash problem at times.
Coreen Melcher, manager of the student store, spent last school year working out of the snack bar at the new gymnasium.
Thursday, Hegge Woodshop was busy finishing a new desk area in Melcher’s new office area.
The new student store is located in the common areas, across from the dining room.
“We’re ready,” she said. “It’s been busy around here, but every one’s ready for school to get started.”