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Alvirne senior backs Article 1

By Jennie Martin - Guest Columnist | Feb 23, 2020

Editor’s note: The following is a guest column that addresses the upcoming March 10 vote in Hudson as it relates to the annual school district election ballot.

Hello, Hudson. I have debated writing this, but I have decided to go for it. I know many people are still against the renovation to the high school, and I respect your opinion, but I want to explain why you should vote yes and maybe change your opinion from the perspective of a student. I am 18 and I will be voting yes. I am a music student and a former athlete.

1st – Safety

The majority of this project is for safety: about 80 percent of it. The parking lot is going to be changed to create a sidewalk for students. There is currently not one, and the parking lot is crazy.

A few years ago, a student was walking out of school and almost (got) hit. This happens on the daily.

Luckily, we have Mr.Beals directing traffic at the top of the parking lot, but you have students driving, students walking, parents driving, and buses. When I tell you the parking lot is crazy, it’s beyond that.

The new parking lot would give the buses their own route and (be the) same for parents. It would be more efficient and keep students safe.

Currently, a parent or anyone wishing to enter the school must enter through the Stech Lobby. This lobby is a direct entrance into the cafeteria. It is not safe. This was not the designated front entrance. The designated front entrance was the front of the building on Derry Road, but that is not handicap (accessibly) compliant, and 102 has grown significantly.

If someone outside of the school wishes to meet with the principal, a guidance counselor or anyone else, they must be escorted through the heart of the school to the office area. The resource officer is located on the first floor with no windows. The new entrance will move all of these offices inside a set of two doors, so people will not have to be put into the school to meet with anyone. They will be in the entrance area.

The cafeteria is a hallway. It is the only way to access the CTE center without going outside. It’s how students reach the science wing.

The cafeteria is a straight walk from the entrance. It is very unsafe if something were to happen, so the new entrance would turn it into a room with hallways outside allowing it to be locked in an emergency. We’ve had two incidents at Alvirne where students have felt very unsafe. This would make safety more of a priority and make school feel safer for students.

2nd – Auditorium

I see comments that say they don’t want to pay $17.5 million for an auditorium. But in reality, this is only 20 percent of the cost. As a band student, I feel under-looked. Our school has one of the best music programs in the state. Everyone talks about how they want improved classroom space for learning, but this is an improvement.

The current music room has two band classes, two chorus classes, piano classes, guitar classes, music theory classes and unified music. One band meets at 6:30 in the morning. The auditorium would provide additional teaching space.

There are currently 1.5 practice rooms in the band room, but they are very hard to get because someone always beats you to it. Sometimes, if I wish to practice, I have to practice in the instrument room, which is not a place for practice. It is a place for storage of instruments.

If the music department wishes to have a function, they use the gym. They displace all of the gym classes, which takes up their class time. They also take up the gym for practices. Some teams have to go to other facilities to practice, which costs the school transportation money and money for the facility which is in the budget, which affects your money. The band must lug all 100 or so chairs up the stairs, as the percussion instruments are being taken in the elevator.

Some percussion instruments need to be rolled outside, up the parking lot, alongside 102 and inside the building. That makes for needless wear and tear on an expensive instrument. This winter it was snowing and we had to roll this instrument down the science wing, down the stairs into the cafeteria, then up the stairs into the gym and then onto the stage. Six of us, myself included, carried that.

Our band director tripped when carrying it. Luckily, he wasn’t seriously hurt. The problem with this is: Students spend at least three hours after school setting up, but the auditorium would be set up with the stage connecting toward the band room, so set up could be done during the day, easily, without disrupting the gym.

The theater students do so much with that gym. They set up the set for days on scaffolding. I can’t speak much to that because I am not in theater, but they deserve just as much as the music department. Back to my point about education. This is an improved classroom for music and theater students.

In the class of 2020, I believe 15 students in the first 20 of the class are music students. This would help education in so many ways. It provides opportunities for so many. If you have any questions, you can ask Mr. Beals. He won’t hesitate to answer.

It breaks my heart to think that the track team gets an improved track but the music students don’t get an improved education space. Nothing against the track team. I love them. Just a comparison. If you have read this far, thank you. Sorry for such a long post.

If you still want to vote no, that’s OK. You have your reasoning, but for the people on the edge, I hope this helped change your mind!

Jennie Martin is a senior at Alvirne High School and originally wrote this column for publication on the Residents of Hudson Facebook discussion group, after seeing other social media posts against Warrant Article 1.

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