The Eagle Times

The renovations being made to the high school are something that everyone knows
about, but not many people know the full extent of what is going to be done. 
The renovations will take four to eight years to complete. In an interview with
Administrator Lester Bourg we were told that an architect has already been hired to
complete what he called the “Master Plan.” These renovations and additions
will not only make a better learning environment, but it will also make the
school a safer place. 

Many people may think that Principal Perry LeGrange or Bourg decided this, but in
actuality, it was a board of parents called the building committee who initialized this project.  After that, they hired an architect to approximate the cost.  Finally, it was sent to the schools financial committee for approval.

Though the first obvious renovation to the school was the gym bathrooms, the first issue that will be solved by the “Master Plan” is safety.  There will be new handrails on the stairs, as well as a new fire escape outside of Nicky Biver’s classroom. 

The “Master Plan” is the overall idea of what the school will look like when
finished, and how we will get there.  Though most people think that the gym is
complete, it is still far from it.  The air conditioning is yet to be added, and the old locker rooms have not yet been renovated.  There are also plans for replacing the stairs leading to the choir room.  The cafeteria bathrooms are also getting redone. 

As for the school itself, much more is in store.  There will be a new library located downstairs, and all the faculty offices will be moved. New classrooms will be located upstairs, as well as the addition of a new hallway leading from one staircase to another.  Even the very shape of the school will be changed, making it go farther out towards Regina St.  Though it will take up to eight years to complete, the freshmen, and maybe even the sophomores, should expect to see some of the changes being made. 

One thing that holding the school back from finishing the projects is the lack of public funding, so we have to raise our own money.  A lot of money will come from the tuition, as well as fund raisers such as the magazine sale and casual days to help.  These are just two of many ways to help raise money for the school.

We interviewed a couple of students in different grades to see what they think about the changes being done to the school. Dallas Landry, a senior at St. John High, said, “Except for the air conditioning in the gym, I really don’t have an opinion because I’m not going to be here after this year.” Obviously the senior class would not have much to say, so we decided to interview a person who would be around to see the changes happen.  Quinn Moore, a freshman, said that he tripped on the stairs, so it’s about time they made handrails, and that air conditioning in the gym is a great idea.  Danielle Daigle, another freshman, says that she thinks it’s good that they are renovating the school because it will help the learning environment as well as make it a safer place for the students.  She also hopes that this will be finished by the time she is a senior so she can enjoy some of it.

Although we are paying the price now, these renovations will make the school a better place for future high school students. 

By Eric Dardenne and Alannah Myers