Those Taillights Look Even Better

My oldest sister, Janice, had six kids of her own but as she grew older, there were even more grandkids to follow. And after an unusually hectic weekend with a houseful of kids, she often made this remark, "Those headlights looked good, but those taillights look even better". I felt the same way this week.

Just over a week ago there was a lot of excitement surrounding the arrival of the film crew and cast for LOL. Nearly everyone was excited to see the prop people make changes to the building, and to see all the trucks converge on the site late in the evening. Of course, the excitement only increased when onlookers actually idenified the trailer that Miley Cyrus would use while on site.

All in all, it was an enlightening experience. I never realized it would take 100-125 crew people daily to make what is considered a low-budget film (about $14-15 million). I also learned what the "grip" people actually do, and how different and clearly separate their tasks are from lighting, sound, location, and videography staff.

It was also gratifying to see current or former South students in the role of "extras", but I observed how boring and tedious the job of an extra can really be. They had to dress warm (fall clothes despite hot, humid weather) and walk the same route over and over again until the 'take' was just right. Believe me, it didn't look very glamorous.

However, after more than a week of having virtually the entire school operation disrupted for the movie crew, it was nice for it to come to an end. Today, there is some normalcy coming back in the building and we can prepare in earnest for student registration next week.

In summary, I found the movie crew to be easy to work with and very forthcoming with information, however, by the time they left on Wednesday evening, "the tailights looked even better".

In The Midst of Dust And Debris...

...there is a lot going on. If you ventured into our building right now, you would have to wonder if we could be ready for students in just a few weeks. The first floor hallway of the main building looks like a war zone because of demolition required for the ceiling and light project. There is plywood on the floor, plastic covering lockers and doorways, and dust and debris throughout. That's the bad news.

The good news is that most of the first floor is finished, and I'm sure you will be pleased with the final product. The ceiling has new white tile and the new lights are a major improvement, both with the level of brightness and the aesthetic appearance.

If you pulled up outside, it is readily apparent the S-lot and courtyard are still in need of major work. Contractors are here today working in the courtyard, attempting to have it ready for the movie shoot next week. Paving in the S-lot will also begin next week as we try to meet the deadline of registration week (August 23-27) to have it accommodate student parking.

I had a meeting with a teacher this morning who couldn't believe we'll "make it" in time for the start of school. However, that's how it has often looked during my tenure at South. We typically have experienced some sort of major construction project, but still manage to be ready for students and staff. And it looks like this year will be no different.

The summary is that much is going on and significant progress is being made. We are truly fortunate to live and work in a district that can support facility improvements, as it definitely has a positive impact on the learning environment.

We'll see a major difference in just a few weeks.