Tahoma Junior High

How is overcrowding impacting the junior high?

 

Rob Morrow, Tahoma Junior High principal:  “Our school was originally designed to house 1,000 students.  We have been consistently in the 1,200-1,250 range the past several years.  We have added the equivalent of nine portable spaces, have converted office space to classrooms, and are utilizing the commons as a classroom part of the day.  All common areas are consistently overcrowded.  Adding portables, converting office space etc. does not widen hallways, increase the number of bathrooms, or enlarge the lunchroom.   All of our programs that require specialty space have been modified or have had restricted enrollment: Music, art, drama, technology courses, health and fitness, and business classes have had enrollment restrictions and/or program modifications due to space restrictions.  Our core classroom offerings will also see problems.  As enrollment continues to grow, hiring new teachers will not be an option as we have no classrooms for them to teach in — which will lead to overcrowded classrooms.

Deborah Thompson, English teacher: “Due to overcrowding, many of us teachers have to share classrooms.  When one teacher has a prep period, he or she leaves the room and another teacher uses the classroom for that period.  I have three rooms this year: two in the building and one out in a portable (in and of itself a sign of crowding in the schools).  We are all doing the best we can, but one consequence of having to move from room to room is simply that teachers are rushed and things are forgotten or misplaced.  Students have questions before and after classes, so trying to give them the answers they need, as well as erase anything written on the boards, gather all of our materials/assignments, get to the next classroom, write the learning goals for the day up in the new room, quickly answer any questions the new hour’s students have before class, set up our computers to take attendance for the new period, and pray that nothing crucial (such as worksheets or student work) was left behind in the last room can be rather daunting and unnerving.  Simply the trek from the first room to the next can be formidable, as the hallways are crowded and so movement through them is slow.”

Patrice Lindgren, SAIL program teacher: “I do not have office space.  I am now in a room that doesn’t allow for life skills such as laundry, in-room handicapped-accessible restroom, and kitchen.  I have taught 1/5 of my cooking lessons because it is a hassle to switch rooms for one period.  I have taught 1/3 less messy hands-on science lessons because we do not have the table space.  My developmentally disabled students have to change into their PE clothes in restroom stalls because the PE locker rooms are so overcrowded — it over stimulates them.  Also, we pass in the halls earlier or later than passing time as to not get overwhelmed.  The commons are too small to house everyone at lunch; the students that overflow into the central area are loud.”

Ken Riggs, choir director: “We have only one music room for both the choir and band programs.  Some music classes have to be held in portables, and class sizes are large – between 50 and 70 students in each choir class.”