Touring Berlin High School

About two dozen people showed up at Berlin High School Wednesday evening to take a tour of the school and to get a firsthand look at the condition of the building. Assistant Principal Jim Sachs conducted the tour that lasted about 40 minutes. Many parents in attendance were from the Griswold school district as the Griswold parents club was involved in arranging the tour. Additional tours will be arranged through the Willard and Hubbard parents’ clubs in the coming weeks. All are welcome to attend these tours.

Mr. Sachs pointed out various areas of concern as he led parents throughout the facility. One of the first stops on the tour was the English room. The room is currently unusable due to significant leaks in the ceiling. Another stop was the music room where student musicians were busy practicing. Sachs explained that the large garbage pail in the middle of the room was placed there to catch dripping water. “Welcome to Lake Redcoat,” said Band Director Mark Bowling.

As the tour group descended a short set of stairs, Sachs pointed out that the steps are a code violation. When the women on the tour stepped into the women’s locker room, BHS sophomore Tori Prokop pointed out that the locker room has two dozen shower stalls that almost never get used. She said students generally don’t have enough time in their schedule to shower after gym class.

Throughout the tour, the high school was buzzing with activity. Cheerleaders were practicing in the gymnasium, about a dozen women were taking a Zumba class in the cafeteria, and more than a few students were enthusiastically decorating the hallways for a Pep Rally on Thursday. Parents had to tread carefully not to step on the students’ creative work.

In the auditorium, as several young actors were noisily rehearsing on stage, Sachs explained that the auditorium has poor acoustics and that it can only seat one-third of the student body. Helen deRito, mother of two BHS students, noted that the band concerts are held in the A-gym because the stage in the auditorium isn’t big enough for all the children in the band. “The gym is not where a concert should be,” said deRito.

As the tour moved on to one of the science labs, many parents were surprised at the size of room. “I was taken aback just looking at that small room,” said one mother on the tour. The tour ended on the second floor of the library which accommodates the media center and special education area. One parent said seeing this crowded and inefficient area was “quite disturbing”.

“I think the teachers and students here do an excellent job every day, and that’s with a building that’s obviously less than adequate. It would be amazing what they could do if we gave them the right kind of building,” said Helen deRito.

Assistant Principal Sachs noted that students and educators are doing their best to work around the building’s deficiencies. “The teachers are fantastic. They work really hard. And the kids come in and plug away every day, and they don’t complain. We have limitations with the building, but we’re making the best of it and we just hope people understand what we’re dealing with,” he said. “Everyone’s a good sport about it, but it’s not really what it should be.”