By Hudson Ogden
Sweet Home High School has been around since the early 1900s.
Before the school got its first building, the students were taught in a neighboring church.
After getting a high school building in 1913, it got multiple add-ons. These ranged from the library, boiler room, and classrooms (1934) to the activity gym and more classrooms (1948). Since then, we have added the auditorium (1950) and also both B and C buildings (1970s). Since then we have not been able to add major changes to the high school itself.
The high school’s next major change might begin this year and last for more than three years.
In order for the high school to be able to afford the remodel of the school, they need voters to approve a general obligation bond that would allow the school district to receive a $12.2 million grant that the government gives to the school with no extra cost to local taxpayers.
The school district has already started to make big plans for what to do with the campus, if we get this money.
According to our principal, Ralph Brown, the first issue is security. With 40-plus entrances in this open-campus school, anybody could walk into buildings or classrooms.
The school district is planning to build a two-story building which will replace both B and C buildings.
This building will be part of A building; it will be on the outside of where the English hall was, and connect to A building by a new hallway which will cut through where the library is currently. The new two-story structure will be accessible with a handicap and service elevator.
The English hall will be completely torn down, along with the woodshop, the art building, the modules, and both the B and C building. With the new space available, the current site of B and C buildings might be turned into a new athletic field for PE classes.
The site might also be able to house a greenhouse. The new buildings will use materials that will create a safer environment and meet current building codes, meaning the buildings will be able to withstand the climate of the Pacific Northwest better.
For example, the design of the roof would be updated. This would lead to fewer leaks and less money used to repair the ceiling.
The Sweet Home School District is already looking for many architectural possibilities to efficiently use the space they have. They have been going to other schools in order to see how they use their space.
Mr. Brown has said that he wants a bus area specifically for buses. The area currently used is also in the parking lot next to the pool and main gym. This causes an issue because the buses can be stuck in traffic as cars come and go at the end of the day. They have already bought an empty lot next to the auditorium that is attached to 18th Avenue. This might be the new load/drop off place for the buses.
The school also has plans on having an entrance to the school near the bus driveway. This would mean that a major entrance to the school, the driveway near the baseball fields, would be closed off.
Furthermore, with the finances associated with the bond, we will be able to afford building additional new structures, such as multi-use science labs. The district also hopes to use a portion of the money to improve career and technical offerings. These offerings are electives such as metals, forestry, culinary, etc. This will help students find a specialized field if college is not for them.
Despite all these amazing plans for upgrades to our school, we don’t have the money yet. The primary election is coming up in May, and the school district still needs the bond to pass if we are to get all the upgrades that we need. So, please try and convince everyone eligible to vote for the bond.
– Hudson Ogden is a freshman at Sweet Home High School.