The biggest issues FHN currently faces are a constantly breaking HVAC system, a roof that leaks with every rainfall and drainage of areas such as the weight room courtyard. Treasurer of the Board of Education (BoE) Patrick Lane recently came to FHN during a light rain, and found a surprising issue.

“You have water problems, and not just water leakage,” Lane said. “Water was coming in from underneath the door [to the courtyard by the band room]. We have spent hundreds to fix the roof and we have not been successful. Due to all that moisture, the building has mold problems and we’ve eliminated the mold, but we have to decrease the temperature so we don’t encourage the mold to grow back.”

But that isn’t to say that those are the only things they plan on fixing given the passing of Proposition S. The next big priorities the district has for FHN is painting, changing the lights from fluorescent light bulbs to LED lights to save more money on energy and new flooring. FHN isn’t the only school that would be positively affected by the passing of Prop S. Schools across the district will be given funds to help rebuild, add or replace things that aren’t working for them. For instance, the elementary schools, like Henderson Elementary, don’t have proper safety vesicles (the room where visitors are held before entering the school from the entrance).

“Henderson [Elementary] right now is absolutely bursting at the seams,” principal Nathan Hostetler said. “Right now their cafeteria is also their gymnasium, and they’re eating while they’re playing kickball. It’s a mess up there, and they do a fantastic job with what they have but there are just too many kids in the building. They’re going to get a new wing, so for those kids that would be attending Henderson, that’s a difference maker.”

Among problems of building integrity and safety, there are also problems of efficiency. Hostetler wants the building to flow better through open space planning, and make it feel less like a clustered maze of hallways. With this open space, he believes there will be more room for students to collaborate with students, teachers with teachers and departments with departments. It appears that his focus, in the realm of design, is one of community throughout the school which is inhibited right now with tight hallways and departments separated on opposite ends of the school.

“We’ve talked about the building doing power lunch, and if we do that we’ll need to make sure we have spaces for students to sit,” Hostetler said. “There are no real large open spaces in this building. It’s all hallway.”

Planning is always key when it comes to a problem as large as building a school worth tens of millions of dollars, and while there are aspects left to professionals such as supplies and construction itself, there are other aspects left up to the district and the students and faculty within it. Before the vote to enact Prop S, administrators are looking at the other high schools to see where things went right and how they can implement that into a new FHN. There will also be input from faculty at FHN to see what they’re looking for or needing in a new building. While not confirmed in any formal events, students do have ways to give input or get information regarding the new building or the other changes across the district. The best way to stay informed is through the district website, but emailing the school board members or asking the teachers to find something out works too.

¨A lot of long term fixes won’t happen without the bonds,” Hostetler said. ¨Nothing will fall apart but we’ll continue to drive a used car.¨