This year, there seems to be an endless list of changes happening at FHS. At the beginning of the school year, students discovered many teachers’ classrooms had been relocated. Two of the old classrooms are no longer even classrooms, but instead are being used as the loading dock and receiving area for the district.
Due to the construction of a new elementary school below the middle school, the school district’s loading dock had to find a new home. The upper side of the high school was the most logical place and out-of-the-way location.
With the new garage door now on the side of the building, trucks will be able to deliver the necessary supplies that keep Freedom Area School District running. One of the old classrooms is now being used as long-term storage for items such as filters and cabinets. Residing inside the other classroom is both short-term storage and a maintenance office.
A chemical room that holds cleaning supplies was also added in an old storage room near the old classrooms. Recently, a road has been going around the side and back of the school. Eventually, trucks will be able to use the road to back up to the loading dock area and unload supplies, then follow the road behind the high school to exit. Outdoor storage is being created as well to hold items such as the Big Red Marching Band trailer and other outdoor equipment.
“I feel that these are positive changes and the first step of many in improving Freedom Area School District’s education system,” Building and Grounds Director Gary Mortimer said. The entire renovation project is expected to be completed in a year and a half.