Many students returned to class several weeks ago, anticipating the long-awaited refresh that so many of their teachers raved about at the end of last school year. Over the summer, WCHS received a mini makeover, including new wall paint, new floors in the gym and updated room numbers.
“MCPS regularly maintains schools on both a scheduled and as-needed basis,” WCHS Business Manager Lisa Wellek said. “At WCHS, we specifically requested classroom renumbering because the numbers had become non-sequential after years of renovations and additions. The full-school painting project was part of a scheduled update to refresh the building’s appearance; the gym floor replacements and new PA system were also added to the project scope.”
The building changes go deeper than surface-level appearance. These improvements help take a step toward an organized community for the WCHS student body. With a more organized environment, the school can run more smoothly.
“As a freshman, I struggled at first to find all of my classrooms,” WCHS senior Sydney Langer said. “I think the new setup of having the room numbers in order makes it a lot easier to find classes. Still, it took some time to adjust this year after having the other class numbers for the past three years.”
Along with the room numbers, the walls were also painted. The paint is more than a simple switch. From chipped paint on the walls to a crisp, bright white, the new update has refreshed the school. To get to the final product, it took weeks of preparation.
“The prep work was extensive,” Wellek said. “Staff removed everything from walls, cleaned out closets, and covered shelving so painters could move efficiently. We had just eight weeks to paint the entire interior. Our building services team removed all furniture, cleaned the rooms, and emptied the closets. The contractors handled the painting. Afterward, our team came back to strip and wax the floors and return all the furniture and closet items to their places.”
Students who are taking a PE class or participating in certain after-school sports also get to experience a new update. The main gym had a new floor installed. This renovation was done over the summer, just in time for the fall volleyball season.
“The new gym floor is very nice,” Langer said. “I cannot wait to go watch basketball games with my friends. I think the new gym will liven up the space, which is good for the student section’s spirit.”
More changes at WCHS are in future plans. This fall, the fire alarm system is being updated. Updates depend on the budget allotted to WCHS by the county, PTSA and various booster clubs. Without the hard workers at WCHS, none of this would be possible.
“As with any project, there are challenges, mostly communication and occasional delays,” Wellek said. “Fortunately, we had a strong team: our MCPS construction liaison, contractors, and Ms. Amaya (our building services manager). While a few finishing touches are still in progress, overall, the projects went really well!”
