Over the summer, district officials decided to move the attendance office from its old location in the main office to a new, separate space connected to the front entrance. Administrators hope that the move will make visitor sign-in and student check-out easier and will function as an extra safety precaution.

“I don’t think that there are any downsides,” principal Andy Downs said. “I think that safety and security are our priorities, and I think this has improved the safety and security of our building. That’s a great thing, and it’s something that we take very seriously.”

Administrators made the change primarily as part of a district-wide effort to make the visitor check-in process safer. In the past, workers in the attendance office had to buzz in visitors, who were then free to enter the school. While they were supposed to check in at the office, there was nothing stopping potentially dangerous people from deliberately not checking in. Outsiders will now enter a vestibule at the front entrance and will be required to sign in at the attendance office before they are given permission to enter the school.

“Security should be a first priority,” sophomore Han Cam said. “We haven’t had any intruders though, so I don’t think we have any problems currently.”

Building administrators and district representatives worked together to devise a plan last year that eventually had to be approved by the board of education. Construction started soon after the end of school last year and finished just before students and staff returned to class in August. One of the most notable features of the new space is its abundant natural light.

“I finally have a room with a view,” administrative assistant Marlene Wilcoxen said. “It’s so bright in the morning that I have to wear sunglasses.”