Larger classrooms, tighter security, up-to-date technology, and air conditioning are among the improvements at Lakeshore High School thanks to a $36-million bond and other funding. The district opened up the high school and middle school last night for tours given by students as they showed off the changes. Margie Potts graduated from Lakeshore in 1970 and was amazed by the upgrades.
“Now I can’t complain where my tax money went,” Potts said with a laugh. As she walked through the high school, Potts would point out what used to be in rooms and marveled at all the changes, adding she’d “get lost roaming through here now.” Linda Frappier added she loves all the technology improvements.
Superintendent Phil Freeman says Career and Technical Education got a boost.
“We’ve expanded the welding program so we can accomodate more kids and more equipment,” said Freeman. “We’re also adding machine tooling for the first time as part of our CTE program at the high school next year.” The auto shop has two additional bays, and improvements in the welding shop have slashed the district’s natural gas costs. Along with noticable improvements for Career and Technical Education, the arts got some help with a dedicted room for the high school choir and the addition of a dance classroom.
But the classroom changes weren’t all that was put in the spotlight during the open house. Freeman says Lakeshore is also resolving an identity crisis with a brand new logo.
“For years before I got here, no one knew what the official logo was,” Freeman said. There were so many logos being used, there was confusion. “We want one logo,” said Freeman. “We want people to look at one thing and say: ‘That’s Lakeshore.'”
High school junior Nick Molloy loves the new look, saying it’s more vivid with “different aspects of the school added. Fellow junior Andrew Vigansky said to a person, students love the new look. “It really represents Lakeshore, and I’m proud of it.”
“This is just the beginning of the process of our marketing campaign,” added Freeman. “We’re working on our vision, our mission and our core values as well.”
You’ll also see a lot of the district’s new tagline “Grounded in tradition, committed to excellence.”
