On Sept. 22, Bonita Vista High School (BVH) received a $22 million bond from the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) to rebuild some areas of the campus. This included demolishing a string of classrooms from the 800’s to 900’s buildings called “relocatable”. In other words, these classrooms could be moved around when needed. BVH Principal Lee Romero adds on to the reason behind the relocatable buildings being placed on campus.
“When [cities] build a school, [the city] never builds it to 100 percent capacity, they go to 90 percent capacity and they put in portables [classrooms]. The reason [as to why cities] do that is because there’s always a fluctuation in population. They build schools never to the max so they can save money in the event the school reduces enrollment,” Romero said.
The classrooms were added to the school over 20 years ago as temporary buildings, however throughout the years BVH has continued enrollment which has caused the buildings to stay for additional years. BVH English 9 Accelerated Global Scholars teacher Gina Vattuone, shares similar and conflicting views to Romero.
“I was extremely grateful to have my own classroom. However, [the 800’s and 900’s classroom teachers and I] feel a little separated from the rest of the BVH community, particularly my colleagues in the English department,” Vattuone said.
Vattuone was originally a teacher who traveled from place to place on campus, so having her own room was something she was very grateful for. Since being put into a relocatable, she enjoys having her own AC, along with windows she could open if ventilation is needed however she dislikes the lack of sufficient storage. BVH Integrated Math I and head track and field coach Ray Peterson adds his input onto the many benefits he takes from having a classroom in the 800’s building.
“I have been fortunate all my years here [in the 800’s]. The AC always works and I get access to all the windows and if I need to. Not a lot of traffic goes by here during class periods [as well],” Peterson said.
BVH teachers like Vattuone recognize that having their classroom be relocatable means that they are not as connected to their fellow roommates but for teachers like Peterson it isn’t found as much of a bother Even so, Romero believes that all teachers should have a good quality classroom to teach in.
“I believe good teachers aren’t made because of classrooms. BVH [Accelerated Biology and Environmental Science teacher Michelle] Mardahl, she’s been in the cafeteria because her room had a flood. She is still a good teacher. I think good teachers can teach anywhere, but it is very difficult for teachers to teach in sub-par classrooms,” Romero said.
Moreover, Romero considers the back classrooms as “sub-par” and “illegitimate.” There have not been many complaints about the state of the classrooms other than the common complaints that most teachers at BVH have shared.
“They [the 800’s and 900’s classroom teachers] have never complained that [they] are not legit, real classrooms, but they complain that [the classrooms] leak, [the classrooms] smell because of water that has been on the ground, the air conditioning does not work, the electricity doesn’t work, the internet’s not working, but I do not see more of that happening [only from the relocatable]. I do not get complaints for specifically being relocatable,” Romero said.
The bond that was settled for BVH by SUHSD only targets rebuilding some parts of the BVH campus, such as the quad, the dance, the auto shop, photography, sports medicine, and the removal of the temporary classrooms. However, Romero saw that the 800’s and 900’s were the last thing to be replaced. Romero is disheartened that teachers who are in the rooms must stay there for the time it takes to complete the projects.
“I don’t like [teachers being in the portable classrooms], but there is no other choice. The school is old. The [BVH’s] gym is old and it needs to be replaced at some point, but there is nothing as a principal I could do at this moment, there really is not,” Romero said.
Romero believes that it is time to remove the old classrooms on campus and explains how BVH desperately needs to be renovated. Vattuone expresses her hopes that the back classrooms get replaced with permanent classrooms but expresses her gratitude while teaching in one of the back classrooms.
“I hope that when they do rebuild it [the back classrooms] that the architect talks to teachers, because there’s a lot of functionality that could be improved and how the classrooms are. I am very grateful and lucky that I didn’t have too much damage from anything or rain damage [throughout the years working at BVH],” Vattuone said.
