Earlier this week, RBHS administrators announced a construction project that will occur over the next few months. The modifications will start during spring break and mostly concern the main entrance, specifically the concrete plane and stairs. Assistant Principal Brian Gaub believes the renovation is positive change.
“We chose to do it April, May and June because we didn’t want it to be going on during the start of school. Come mid May we won’t have the seniors, so there will be even less people,” Gaub said. “It’s easier to have students already familiar with school deal with change than at the start of the school year when everything is kind of confusing to a fourth of the population. So we chose to do it at the end of the school year to avoid running into the beginning of the next.”
Since the plans for the reconstruction have been present for the past four years, organizers were able to account for all the possible disruptions it might have for students. Instead of going out the main entrance, after spring break bus riders will go out of the Studies’ wing and Performing Arts wing. Junior Amanda Loethen, who takes the bus once in a while, isn’t too concerned with the alteration.
“[I’m] not really worried. That door is closer to my 4th hour class anyways,” Loethen said. “The only thing is [that] congestion will probably be annoying because there won’t be as much space to stand when we’re waiting for the buses. I think it will look better, it’ll just make our school look nicer.”
Gaub said that they will rip out the concrete during Spring Break to avoid majorly disrupting class with the loud construction racket. Freshman Gillian Lancaster, similarly to Loethen, doesn’t expect her schedule will drastically transformed.
“It’ll change how I go to school in the morning and after school, but it won’t really have an impact. The noise might interfere with school, it just depends how loud it is. Some of the closer classes might [be disrupted],” Lancaster said. “I think the [big ramp] is a good idea for people in wheelchairs or who struggle getting up or down stairs. ”
During summer school, buses will be rerouted to the North Entrance for pick up and until the project ends, the main entrance will be regarded as an emergency exit only. Overall, Gaub thinks the impact won’t be too much for the school to handle.
“Bus riders are the ones that are really going to notice a difference, Gaub said. “But it’ll a nice upgrade for the school. It’s a couple months of noise and congestion but it should be a nice improvement.”