New locations for favorite destinations at South

This summer, there was construction to switch the space for the Main Office with the space for the Counseling Center.

Currently, the Counseling Office is across the hall from South’s main entrance. The Main Office is to the left of the entrance. For the first couple of days, there was confusion about where the Main Office was and how to access it. Thankfully, there was a sign made to make entry protocols clearer.

This change was mainly made in order to upgrade security. This new system has two sets of doors: The first set lets students and staff into the lobby, and the second set lets them access the school. This system has made the school more secure by having at least one set of doors locked during class while still allowing students in through the office.

 Jessica Kuehn, who works in the main office, said, “Students would walk through and would smile. It creates more of a connection and it makes the space more accessible. Since we can make eye contact with everyone coming in, it makes [the building] feel more secure.”

Some students expressed that the office switch wasn’t necessarily a positive thing. At the beginning of the year, long lines at the Counseling Office made it hard to change schedules and talk to the people working there. 

“It was a bit busy in the beginning of the year but that was just an adjustment period,” Kuehn said.

There were also mentions of negative associations with switching office sites. Students expressed they felt they were in trouble when going to the Counseling Office because that’s where the Main Office used to be. However, other students noted that this was just a minor tweak in the system to benefit both students and staff in the future.

Overall, South has had many building changes for security within the last couple of months, and students are still adjusting to this new environment.

Article by Jada Jones