Construction Forces A-building Relocation

YIFANG NIE
Co-News Editor

Despite the funding issues facing school districts across the nation, Alhambra Unified School District has found funding to renovate AHS.

In addition to the new science building currently being built, all of the classrooms in the B-building were improved with new ceilings and lights over the summer. The same makeover is planned for classrooms in the A-building, as well.

As a result, half of the teachers in the A-building moved to new classrooms on Feb. 9 for third quarter, while the other half will move during fourth quarter.

Some teachers who were informed that they must temporarily move out of their classrooms are irked with the decision.

According to art teacher Connie Yim, she was relocated to a room in the M-building, which she will need to share with both her drawing and ceramics classes. She previously held both classes in separate rooms.

“We are going to come back to a nicer classroom, [but] I’m disappointed this happened halfway through the school year. It could have happened during summer break, if [the administration] had planned it right,” said Yim.

Her biggest concern is that the new classroom only has one sink, which poses a problem when her drawing classes do projects with brushes. To accommodate, she plans on having her art students work with materials that don’t require washing, like colored pencils.

“I’ve changed things to accommodate one sink. My ceramics class will be drawing, [too]. It’s too bad they  have to leave just when they were getting the hang of it,” said Yim.

Similarly, students, such as senior Jenny Cao, who is in Yim’s Drawing and Painting 5-6 class, disagree with the decision.

“It sucks. I hope the district finds a resolution to this chaos. They always mess things up with their ‘projects’; they haven’t even finished the new science building or the auditorium yet,” said Cao.

However, Assistant Principal of Business and Activities Jeremy Infranca insists that the construction is for the better.

“If we do the work now, we can do more projects on our site later,” he said.

In the meantime, teachers whose classrooms are between Second St. and the hallway between the A and B-buildings must adapt to their new locations, while teachers whose classrooms are between Third St. and the hallway must begin to prepare to leave their classrooms for fourth quarter.

Although transitioning to a new classroom may be a hassle for both students and teachers, Infranca believes that it will not harm students’ education in any way.

“We realize that it’s an inconvenience to the staff and students, but we’re confident learning will continue because of our great teachers,” said Infranca.