Bathrooms overflowing, Spartan Park in shambles, walls stripped of paint and dilapidated. When students left for summer break last year, the school was falling apart.

For the past couple years, the school has been in a downward spiral, noticeably deteriorating to a point of no return. Yet, when WS students returned from summer break, there was something different; improvements so subtle that they were almost ignored. Some of the bigger, more noticeable enhancements were those done to Spartan Park. The tables were raised and given foundations and a mural was painted, putting it in a much better condition, both visually and in usability.

Along with the renovations to Spartan Park, there was also a mural painted above the bleachers in the main gym, and during the 2012-2013 school year, a playground was added in the center courtyard.

Unfortunately, these recent renovations may not be enough to keep the school in shape until a more major renovation can be afforded.

“They’re improvements with the hope that some will be here when the school is [actually] renovated. What you’ve done doesn’t always stay,” said Director of Student Activities and acting coordinator for these temporary renovations Andy Muir.

Thankfully, we should know what renovations will be done within the next two months, and renovations have been scheduled to begin sometime in 2016. Some people are worried about the cost, wondering if we have the budget to do these improvements, for example, air conditioning will raise the price to $85 million, but the price is worth it. With the higher cost of renovations comes the projects that administration can’t do now, like the AC and (hopefully) work done on the bathrooms. Like Muir said, there is only so much that small improvements can do; they are no more than patchwork. The school seems to be in need of major renovations, and soon.

For now, the administration is doing its best to keep the school functioning while waiting on more costly renovations to become affordable.