Morgan Students Speak Out About New School

They couldn't vote in the April 11 referendum that approved a new $64.75 million high school for Clinton, but they certainly have a vested interest in it.

They are the students of The Morgan School, now and in the future.

Of six students who recently sat down with the Clinton Patch to talk about the new school, only half of them, all freshman today, would walk the halls of the new building if it is completed in September of 2015.

First, the existing school and its issues.

Three words to describe the current school?

"Outdated, embarrassing and wet," said Kendra Dean, a freshman.

Wet, you ask?

"Two weeks ago in AP Biology there was this huge puddle of water flowing across the entire hallway," said junior Patrick McAllister. "The water was coming out from the bottom of the walls."

When classes take place in June, the heat is "unbearable" said Caroline Best, a senior.

In the winter, there's no heat in some areas of the building, said Judy Chicoine, a freshman.

"When it rains, it's impossible to hear in the English wing," added Best.

"It totally disrupts classes," said McAllister.

"How can we learn when we can't hear what the teacher is saying?" asked Rory Smith, a junior.

There's little pride in the physical building when visiting students and teams from other schools come to Morgan, they said.

"Students deserve to be proud of where they go to school," said Chicoine.

What would they like to see in the new school?

Mandatory: an auditorium that can be used by the community as well as the school, two gymnasiums, WiFi, updated technology, air-conditioning, heat, and good acoustics.

Wish list: food court style cafeteria, bike racks, better drop-off system for school buses vs. private vehicles, playing fields, roof top garden, plenty of parking, a definitive and grand entrance, murals painted by the students.

Dean and Chicoine, who are writers and reporters for the PawPrints online newspaper, asked teachers (and in a separte article, students) what they'd like to see in the new school. The students concurred that the faculty list was less than grandiose.

What do teachers want? Windows that open and close, lockable closets, decent bathrooms, more bookcases, and a more efficient layout of the school to give students enough time to get from one class to another.

What do they think of the price and the new location?

"You get what you pay for," said Best. "It needs to be a new building."

It can be very expensive to renovate, said McAllister.

Maina Carey, a freshman, said she can't envision new technology working in the old building.

They agreed that the property of the existing school is "valuable" and would be a good investment for a company such as Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets to purchase.

The new location of the school, just a short drive north on Route 81, is a good one, they agreed.

Dean said the location, which is adjacent to the Peters Recreational Complex, makes sense since so many of the teams use Peter's fields for practice.

What did they think of the Clinton Taxpayers Association (CTA's) efforts to

They all agreed that "a vote is a vote" and a referendum vote is "what Democracy is all about."

"If you are a summer resident and missed the vote, that's too bad. It's your responsibility as a taxpayer to be aware of an upcoming vote," they said.