On the first day of school, just a few things are on students’ minds – schedules, friends, teachers and the year ahead. What is not usually on the minds of students are the things that have happened at school during summer. MTHS is now the oldest high school in the district; not having a “spruce-up” since it was rebuilt in 1991, and this year the district took note.

During the summer the library carpet was replaced, many walls had a paint job and the music department got instrument storage lockers.

Throughout the year, some classroom carpets will also be replaced. Of all the aspects of the school that need renovation, or “sprucing,” painting and carpet replacement are on the top of the list.

Last year many classrooms experienced the perils of a leaky roof – the gym being the only effected part of the building considered a safety issue. The gym roof was replaced last year, but a new roof for the rest of the building is on the replacement list as the building nears its 20th birthday.

Another change affecting the school is the dramatic reduction in the printing budget. Due to budget cuts, printing will be severely reduced this year.

“We just don’t have the resources to print this year, so teachers are going to try to go electronic. We’re really trying to economize,” Principal Greg Schwab said.

Teachers may ask for students to print assignments from home or for students to contribute a ream of paper to the class. Many teachers are even paying from their own pockets for photocopies to use in class. It costs the school roughly 5 cents a page to print, which is what the school asks of the students. Every student has a printing account that can be replenished in the main office.