Settling into new spaces

By Kayla Rudd | Photo by Irene Ybarra |

Six weeks into school, students and teachers are getting used to their new homes on campus. Last spring the administration made a decision to move classes around for the 2015-2016 school year.

“We moved freshmen to third floor and part of second floor Rough Rider building to have them more centralized and not have to move around too much,” principal Melvin Echard said.

All algebra I classes and English I classes are on third floor of Rough Rider, and English II and III are in Saber.

It was a big move for the English and world language departments, many of whom switched places in two different buildings. English teachers Mary Quintanilla, Jason Penney, Javier Cavazos, Natasha Christian, Christine Starnes, Katherine Goodloe all moved from third floor Rough Rider to third floor Saber. One teacher has moved twice. English teacher Paul Riser moved with his team from 302 Rough Rider to third floor Saber and from there to D12. He’s teaching AP English IV classes.

“I feel very supported by the teachers around me. They’ve been very welcoming and have offered their help to move to Data hall,” Riser said.

World language classes have moved from third floor Saber to most of third floor Rough Rider and part of second floor.

Since most of the freshman classes are in Rough Rider and then their art and biology classes are in the Arts and Science building, they really only have to move between two buildings.

“I feel like I have time to get to class to class since all of my classes are in Rough Rider and one in Arts and science building,” freshman Desmond Herrera said.

All the moving around took some time for teachers to get used to, but they do so with a common goal.

“It feels good to be teaching freshman since we are the gateway to help set the mind set for them,” co teacher Mills Rogers said. “We prepare them for [the rest of] their high school careers.”