On Thursday, Aug. 23, students and staff walked into the building for the first time after two months away. Smiles spread across faces as friends reunited throughout the halls. Despite the merriment, students and faculty still have worries about the upcoming school year.

For many students, summer assignments mark the beginning of stressful AP courses.

“I haven’t even completely finished some of my AP assignments,” junior Catarina Araujo said.

Academics are a common fear among students who anticipate the rigor that comes with school.

“[I fear] not being able to keep up with the workload and not getting good grades,” junior Emily Jang said.

“[I’m afraid of] failing a class or getting a bad grade,” junior Hannah Kangarloo said.

Students are not the only ones with concerns about the new school year. The growing student population is a cause for concern among administrators.

“The biggest concern, of course, is the amount of students in the building, being over 2,000,” assistant principal Fred Lemaster said. “Doing cafeteria duty and seeing how many [students] are there, and just making sure students are safe when they’re walking through the building.” 

Safety is the first priority, with staff being more diligent due to the large population this year.

“We’re making sure that we’re out in the hallways, having teachers visible, and making sure that when we do see a trouble area, we’re getting together and working on it to make it a safer environment,” Lemaster said.

The students share the staff’s positive attitude about the new school year.

“I’m excited for my electives like theater and chorus,” junior Kamryn Upson said.

“[I’m excited] to make new friends,” freshman Matthew Weaver said.

School social worker, Monica Belton expresses the same excitement.

“I’m really excited to meet new freshmen, to assist our students in any way possible and to educate people about mental health,” Belton said.