Leigh Students Head Back to School Amid Construction, Changes
With the pool closing, school reconvening, and fall athletics starting, everyone is starting to feel the end of summer quickly approaching. But unlike any other new school year, this year there’s also the sound of bulldozers and change coming.
The 2019-2020 school year officially started on August 14th, but Leigh Public Schools hosted an open house for the whole community. And while some were there to support the kids, get out of the house, meet the teachers, or eat the burgers, others came to sneak a peek at the new construction plans.
As Mrs. Stephanie Petersen, the school superintendent, said, “We are ‘Under Construction, Building Our Future’ this year! With construction starting in August the teachers thought this was the perfect theme, and I agree! Open House was a success, it is always so fun to see the students again! We really appreciate the school board grilling up the burgers and the donations from Citizen State Bank and Steve's Madhouse Market. We appreciate everyone being understanding with the construction process. Our new Jr/Sr High School is going to be a wonderful addition to our town!” ‘
In addition to the new construction at the current elementary site, there are also many new students in the Leigh Community Schools family.
The new Pre-Kindergarten 3-year-old class has over 20 smiling faces this year.
There was also a total of eight elementary kids new to the district this year. The high school welcomed four new students, including Hannah Dronsett, a foreign exchange from Nessodden, Norway.
When asked about the difference between here and Norway, Hannah commented on the difference in temperature, size of the town, and the landscape in general. Where Hannah’s from there isn’t corn or beans in every field, and there’s certainly no softball conditioning in the 100-degree heat.
“This is a great experience for me to come to Leigh High School, and while it’s much different from my home in Norway, I still think it’s amazing nonetheless,” Dronsett said.
New changes in the Leigh High School also include split lunch periods, which will allow the students more time to eat and less crowding. Patriot Period was also added, which will set aside class time for group meetings.
As high school business teacher Mrs. Abby Sayers said, “I am really excited about the new schedule. I like that we will have a Patriot Period everyday where we will get to know our students on a more personal level. The Patriot Period is also a very convenient time for clubs and organizations to meet and for students to ask for additional help outside the classroom. I think it's a great year to be a Patriot and enjoy our last year in this building!”
Like Mrs. Sayers, the high schoolers also look forward to watching the progress on the new addition that will soon be home for many of them.
The district and its students would like to thank all the teachers, administrators, community supporters, and board members who helped host the school open house, help with construction plans, or make the 2019-2020 school year have a great start.