With aging lockers and a decline in students applying for lockers, the administration has deemed it necessary to rework the school infrastructure and instead focus on enriching the beauty of our hallways. The school administration will be hiring the service of engineers and contractors to remove the lockers from the hallways with work designated to start at the beginning of spring break with students out enjoying their vacation.
The administration hopes to achieve the complete removal of all lockers around the school before the start of the new school year and students who miss the iconic purple of the lockers will surely be met with hallways that feel empty.
Interim principal Mr. Panjabi says, “The lockers have proved useful for many years but we’ve seen lower numbers for applications of lockers that simply don’t warrant keeping them anymore. This was a unanimous decision by most staff members and the hallways could look better with a bit of color and decor with the lockers gone.”
Students and staff members alike have long commented on the deteriorating state of the lockers with many simply accumulating dust as fewer students apply for lockers each year as many simply prefer to carry around a backpack or suitcase, but it’s also a matter of beautification for the school as the color of purple lockers doesn’t look well on a hazel drywall background.
Sophomore Fiona L. says, “Not many students even use lockers anymore if any at all, and from an artistic perspective, the purple of the lockers doesn’t match with the background of the walls. It’s a distasteful blend of colors.”
English teacher Mr. Kyle says, “There’s not much use for the lockers here since all the students mainly have everything they need in their backpacks, and in my honest opinion, the color of the lockers doesn’t match the professional environment of the school.”
Because of the sheer amount of lockers in the school along with their weight, the workers are in for a tough time during the summer break. Lead engineers have carefully evaluated the request of the school administration, and have drafted a rough plan on what they must do to ensure the request is met while not compromising on the safety of fellow workers and also the integrity of the school infrastructure.
The school district’s engineers and contractors will first have to empty the lockers of all valuables which is essential for reducing the weight, using specialized tools such as pry bars to break open the lock. Additionally, the lockers are bolted to the walls and floor along with some being dangerously close to utility lines. Workers will have to remove the attachments and bolts carefully while utilizing the blueprint of the school to work their way around the utility lines. Concerned about the weight of each locker, the plan involves the workers using dollies and straps as they carefully navigate to the school elevators and load them onto their trucks.
Mr. Panjabi says, “The school administration and staff here have formulated plans to redesign our new hallways to match the artistic brilliance of our students and give a chance for students to construct their own school environment. However, while the school is undergoing construction, students should expect some areas to be closed.”
Beginning next school year, students might be met with construction workers roaming around the hallways as they work on covering the empty parts of the wall. Once complete, art students and the Galileo community alike will have the privilege of decorating the walls and imprinting their legacy upon the walls of our high school.
