No one said change was easy. It requires us to disturb our set routines and can be extremely stressful and frustrating. However, it can also be a chance to step outside our comfort zones and cultivate new experiences.
For the teachers at North Hollywood High School, change has been a major theme in the 2023-2024 school year. At NHHS, this translates as the lengthy campus modernization process. Going on three years, from the Colfax Building (commonly known as the C Building) to the two-level gymnasium, everyone is adjusting to the new ways of coexisting at North Hollywood.
Teachers who were once settled in the matured classrooms of Frasher and the historical hallways of Kennedy, have now moved to the North and West Bungalows; and our science, math, and Spanish teachers have since moved to the C Building. And thus with Frasher; the cafeteria, the library, the auditorium, and the west and east gym have gone under construction.
One perspective on the issue is an SAS English teacher at North Hollywood, Ms. Trejo, who has gone through the motions of adjusting to the campus modernization. She expresses, “I think we need a more updated campus and facilities for the students, but I do feel the timing of it was a little inconvenient…for me.”
On the other hand, one of North Hollywood’s many math teachers, Ms. Delacruz, shares, “I feel like it’s something that has been long overdue… in one way I think we were really lucky to get access to new classrooms and new technology.”
Ms. Trejo states that the move to the North Bungalows was tumultuous and disrupting. “…You accumulate a lot of stuff in your classroom, so when they tell you now you have to move across campus…you panic a little bit.”
From worrying about your personal items being lost, to the anxiety of having to rush to pack your things, Ms. Trejo’s experience is certainly shared across campus. Moving – whether it be in a personal or professional setting – implies some sort of stress and frustration.
Ms. Trejo expresses, “The beginning of the year is always really hectic and there’s students in and out of your class…But in terms of teaching and instruction I feel like I’ve been doing pretty OK…once I’m teaching I’m in the zone.”
Hence, not only is adapting to this new school zone a task in itself, it also takes some patience and flexibility. One of the main things teachers have to deal with is punctuality and adapting lesson plans to that.
For one, as a teacher who teaches especially Freshman students, Ms. Trejo makes it clear that, “It’s not kids just making excuses. They’re coming in hot, sweaty, panicked, and over apologetic… It’s scary being in a new environment.”
However, one of the main concerns shared by both Ms. Trejo and Ms. Delacruz, as they welcome their students and students outside of their classes to have a place to eat and hang out in the midst of the chaotic changes at school; they have witnessed how traffic has directly affected their students.
Ms. Delacruz comments, “There is a lot of foot traffic, even inside the building, and you can definitely see the crowds.”
Thus, not only is punctuality a paramount issue for students and teachers, but also just finding a way to acclimate and fit into campus. It is clear that both students and teachers feel grateful for the campus modernization, but with change comes some rocky starts and challenges. However, experiencing such monumental change together is what helps ease the process.
