With the new 2023-2024 academic year already upon us, many changes are beginning to present themselves at the Creek. Some have been accepted with a bitter swallow while others have been thoroughly embraced.
Students and staff alike shed a bittersweet tear as we celebrated Mr. Brent McDonald’s retirement from principal last school year. Mac left behind a great legacy, one that Dr. Matthew Mahony has already taken care of with many staff and faculty welcoming his leadership.
“Dr. Mahony is a good man and great principal,” said history teacher Mr. Andrew McCorkle. “I have the same positive attitude about going to work in the mornings as I always have.”
Students agree.
“Dr. Mahony has done a great job taking over the new role as principal,” said senior class president Payton Carey. “He is very friendly and encouraging. You can tell he cares a lot about the students and school, from academics to athletics. I’m very excited to see what Summer Creek’s future holds with him.”
Though even with new, strong leadership, change can be uncomfortable, especially for the group of students who have been here the longest. Many upperclassmen experienced a sense of jet lag or rough waters at the start of the school year, though not regarded as necessarily a negative experience.
“Things feel more structured, or rather, there is an attempt for more structure,” senior Nathan Argueta said.
However, the structure and changes bring about other frustrations in student life as well.
“I understand them, but I’m not necessarily happy about them,” Argueta continued.
The frustrations in question: the temporary buildings, or portables, on the front lawn of our school.
With our school garnering more students than ever before, reaching nearly 4,000, our administration had to pivot to accommodate the students. The result: portables. While it is an understandable solution to a prevalent problem, students feel annoyed with the selection of classes placed in them.
“Putting advanced math classes in the portables feels like a punishment for the advanced academic kids,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said. “It makes sense, but it’s still annoying.”
This is especially true for the unfortunate voyagers that have two periods in the T-buildings. Nonconsecutively.
However, some students feel no difference, commenting on their start of the year to be the same as expected for their respective grade level.
“The hype about being an upperclassman is not there. It really feels like sophomore year part two,” junior Chizitere Okolie said.
If you are a current senior, graduated, or any student who has experienced a high school junior year, you’re aware that the tumultuous dread that looms with it is pretty standard. It’s almost comforting to know that while many developments have occurred within the school, the academic life of a student remains unchanged, the most important priority in these circumstances.
Other changes like student dress code, lack of teacher aides, or locked restrooms may be universally challenged, however, Summer Creek’s new era of greatness is just beginning with more positive changes to come.
Still, “They should really build a new school soon,” a student jokingly said.
