New Stairs Curb Hallway Congestion

Summer construction brings a new staircase in heavily congested area

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Photo by Katherine Harrell

A new staircase in the math wing aims to fight crowded hallways in a year of social distancing.

A new staircase in the main hallway upstairs was added during summer construction projects.

Congestion has always been a problem throughout the main hallways. Some students said that it was so crowded it felt like people were being carried through it.

Junior Annabelle Jay agreed that the hallway has always been crowded, and needed a makeover. 

“You were always touching someone,” Jay said. “There was no space.”

Sophomore Hannah Jackson took the new staircase and hallway during her first day back to school.

 “The hallway was still crowded, but it wasn’t as crowded as it was last year,” Jackson said.

Both Jay and Jackson said the hallway was the busiest during the fourth, fifth and sixth periods because everyone used that main hallway to get to the cafeteria.

The updates follow a $361 million bond approved in 2015 to renovate the elementary schools, the middle school and the high school in the district. In addition to the staircase, new hallways, building extensions and the natatorium are all projects that were worked on over the summer.