By Airis Cervantes
As the seventh graders and the largest Freshman class in the past two years enters Lane, there have been some changes around the building.
Some teachers have had to change classrooms, the staff lunchroom has been converted into the Academic Center lunchroom during fourth period, and some teachers have had to change their regular routine.
“I don’t go [to the staff lunchroom] anymore. I bring my lunch everyday and eat in the English Department,” said English teacher Mr. Valderrama.
Before the Academic Center was created the staff lunchroom provided teachers with a different menu from the students. Now, the crowded, noisy lunchroom, “does not seem very appealing,” Valderrama said.
“There’s too many [students] and it’s too noisy. You try to get out and hope you don’t get bumped by a seventh grader,” said drafting teacher Mr. Pietka.
Pietka has changed his routine and now goes to lunch sixth period and grades papers during his free fourth period.
Not only have teachers had to share their lunchroom with the seventh graders, but some teachers have been asked to move classrooms for the convenience of the LTAC students. As the seventh graders adjust, organize, and carry heavy boxes at the start of the school year, teachers are doing the same.
Biology teacher, Mrs. Ciciora, moved from room 425 to 360 over the summer with the help of her husband and son.
“At the begging I didn’t like it because I don’t have cabinets. I put it all on the floor,” Ciciora said.
An advantage is that, “it’s cooler by 10 degrees.” However, Ciciora’s concern is that a lot of her equipment needs to be locked up and there is currently nowhere to put it. Still, Ciciora understands it was necessary for her to move classrooms.
“I don’t mind. Just give me cabinets that lock,” she said.
Other teachers have experienced a greater change because of the Academic Center. In the past few years Mr. Chipman only taught world studies to Freshmen, but this year he teaches it only to seventh graders. He is also balancing two German classes. Overall, moving from the third to fourth floor has been a great experience.
“I am more secluded but I’m not in the mix anymore,” Chipman said.
Although. Chipman has become aquainted with his neighboring teachers on the fourth floor, he realizes that he is far from his history and language department.
