This feature is featured in the January 2024 issue of Horizons, SISD's magazine.
The interior of the SHS campus has a new look thanks to the vision and planning of the SHS administrative team.
New furniture now enhances the common areas so that students may congregate, study and enjoy the space during times outside of their class schedule — mainly during their blocked lunch period, which allows time for extra studying, club activities and UIL-based programs.
“Block lunch and students’ experience of block lunch is really important to me,” SHS Principal Dr. Ashlee Graham said. “It serves so many purposes. While academic support is super essential, I think that the social and emotional well-being of students is equally important.”
Dr. Graham is quick to acknowledge the importance of high school students simply needing a break during a day — even high school kids need a bit of “recess.”
“Students need recess,” Graham said. “They need time to decompress and I believe we needed some additional space for students to congregate comfortably.”
Currently, SHS Raiders are using the new furniture mostly during the blocked lunch hour, but they also use it during the longer transitional periods like early in the morning or at dismissal. However, Graham has hopes the newly decorated spaces will take on new purposes soon.
“It also creates space that teachers can bring their classes to have a different experience outside of the usual four walls,” she said, “ My hope is that it starts getting used as classroom space soon!