Everyone has seen the new adjustments at school this year from security cameras to the new bridge system. The latest of them all was the safety gate.

Principal Gina Aguilar indicated two reasons behind the safety gate. The first was due to a district survey that decided the new area, or “The PRIDE Pathway,” was not a necessary campus access point so the pathway was designed to eliminate that.

The second reason, Aguilar described, was that students going between the two campuses had to walk through the middle driveway that is frequently used by trash trucks, maintenance vehicles, food services trucks and those leaving the front of school. “Now students are able to walk out of the way of traffic,” Aguilar said.

Senior Jessica Genadry believes this new campus addition “will prevent people from walking in front of cars” and thinks “it’s great.”

Sophomore Jasmine Pham said, “I personally feel it isn’t necessary because there is already a distinguished walkway for the kids to walk towards the bridge it seems unnecessary to spend money on creating a whole new walkway when there already is one.”

During the construction process, several students were aggravated by more changes whereas others didn’t mind. Regardless, everyone knew that it was coming but no one realized how soon.

Aguilar, who believes in the importance of communication, feels upset that she was not able to notify anyone. “We were not given an estimated completion date, which was unfortunate, because we were unable to properly notify teachers and students.”

Regarding the bridge traffic, Pham feels as though “it has become smoother compared to the beginning of the year, but there is still a crowd of people at the ends of the bridge at the beginning of passing period.”

Due to the lack of notification given to students, Aguilar was worried regarding the traffic initially. She had an Assistant Principal and a Campus Supervisor present to regulate the pathway. “We were pleased by how it went and think it even improved the flow of students through the area.”

Genadry believes that “people know how to walk so it is not really an issue that we don’t have arrows on the ground from the sidewalk in the gate. I think it actually minimizes the amount of people stumbling into me.”

“I had one parent ask about the exits as they saw the initial posts being put in.  Since then I have had no complaints and a few positive comments about it. I’ve received a couple suggestions from students on how to improve the aesthetics of it,” Aguilar, who enjoys listening to student feedback, said.

“The PRIDE Pathway” has three exit points, bars and a blue coloring that both Genadry and Pham describe as “prison-like.” The color in particular stands out to Genadry. “If we had it that cardinal color it would be great or possibly cardinal and gold.”

“The best part is that it is quite spacious and the worst is that it creates a longer road for student who are going to classes,” explained Pham.

Aguilar feels as though the road itself needs to have work done to it as well. “I was hoping that would be done before the path was opened, but I am now pushing for that to be done ASAP. We actually have some ideas to dress it up a bit once it is repaved.”

“Personally, I don’t think that it changed my feelings on being safe. I felt safe when it wasn’t there, and I don’t feel any different now,” said Pham.

Referring to safety, Genadry believes, that the school does “a good job” and the only change she would wish to see would be “spice up spirit and spice up the colors so everyone feels more enthusiastic day by day.”

This summer, Aguilar hopes to focus on the uneven concrete. Additionally, she said, “As a part of their gate initiative across the district, they are working on the entrance to West Campus as well. We will continue to evaluate campus safety on an ongoing basis and  make necessary changes.”

“I think the bridge system is pretty great. Everybody has a lot to complain about it but I think it’s fine. Just walk on the bridge, walk down, it’s all good,” said Genadry.