Stark, simple, and austere, the AGHS campus was in need of change. Grey concrete and pale pallets covered the floor, the walls, the ceilings, and the walkways of the campus. Now there lies blooming color in the white of the plain school hallways.

The district and administration have made many alterations to create a better environment for the student body. So far, there has been a renovation of the space between class wings, a moving of the portables in the 900’s wing, and a renovation of the pool, and a renewal of the Eagle Hall.

The spaces between the hallways of the 300’s used to be filled with concrete. Now they are full of pretty vegetation, nice bark around the flowers, and artificial turf. 

Brandon Sligh, a teacher at AGHS for 7 years, regards the renovation well.

 “As far as I can tell, all the changes have been incredibly positive; the new plants are beautiful, the artificial turf is perfect for daily use and walking, and the lack of maintenance means that the space will remain enjoyable for many years without additional costs,” Sligh said.

Jeff Byars, a teacher and coach at AGHS for 31 years, enjoys teaching his classes in the portables.

 “I like the portables because you can control the temperature of the classroom,” Byars said.

While Byars approves of the new location, he also feels that the moving does not currently affect him or his teachers very much.

“I did not enjoy the move and packing and unpacking everything, but the final product should be worth the hassle,” Byars said. “I am guessing it will be 2 years before the new classrooms are ready to move in.”

Another renovation, the pool, has received a complete makeover.  Russel Peterson who has been a coach for the school for 10 years, feels very positively about the re-plastering of the pool.

 “The deck looks a lot better and is much safer now,” Peterson said.

In the past, there have been some more minor developments, such as the additions of a team room and a records board. But these changes are small in comparison to recent updates.

 “Last year they removed the deck, which had been falling apart and wearing down at a very fast rate. They also re-plastered the pool- so we basically got a brand new pool,” said Peterson.

Neighboring schools and those in other districts did not have the same opportunity to renovate their pool as AGHS.

“We are very lucky to have the facility we do. There are a number of schools in our area that have much smaller pools, and it certainly affects their ability to train, host events, and build up their programs.” Peterson said. “We are lucky to have a facility that allows us to train at a high level with multiple levels of our aquatics programs and host awesome events. Our pool is one that people from outside our area want to come to.”

Overall, many people are enjoying the adjustments on campus, feeling they were necessary and will have a lasting positive impact.