Walking down the hallways of GHS with less people crowding together, quieter lunch periods and classes with empty seats can feel odd for students that have been attending this school for multiple years. But the students are not the only ones going through change this year. Thirteen teachers last school year did not have a classroom of their own and were moving all of​​ their things that they used in class on carts through the busy hallways. The traveling teachers then taught in other teachers’ classrooms during their planning period.

“When I was just going down the hall or up the stairs, it wasn’t too bad,” history teacher Ms. Alise Pape said. “But when I had to go from the theater to the opposite end of the school, getting through the traffic was really crazy.”

The traveling teachers last year not only struggled with moving from classroom to classroom through the hallways, but there were also other aspects of teaching that were impacted. Not having your own space comes with challenges that many would not consider.

“I think the most challenging piece was that we would do projects in class that I would want to hang up on the walls, and I didn’t have that ability,” business teacher Mrs. Jeanette Kleppinger said.

On the other side of things, taking a walk through the loud and busy hallways every 50 minutes gave some of the teachers a boost of energy to keep them going throughout the day.

“I love having control over the space and the vibe of my own classroom, but I do miss walking,” Ms. Pape said. “I feel like it was fun to get up and move and I think it keeps you awake and alive throughout the day. It feels really foreign to not have to move every class period.”

Ms.Pape and Mrs. Kleppinger both have never had their own classroom in their entire teaching careers. They are still adjusting to all of the changes from last year into this one.

“I do kind of miss traveling a little bit because I got to meet a lot of other teachers in the building and see students in the hallways,” Mrs. Kleppinger said. “That’s a lot different than seeing them in the classroom.”

Overall, these teachers are excited to have their own space and their own environment and the benefits that come with it. The classrooms assigned to the 13 teachers are part of many changes at GHS this year.

“Having my own classroom is kind of fun in the way that you get to build a community with your own space,” Kleppinger said. “You have all the materials and everything you want and need, and you can create an environment for your students to learn in.”