With the end of the school year approaching, questions regarding the status of Robinson’s new buildings begin to circulate. 

The construction which began during the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year is mostly set to reach completion before orientation day, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. 

“Yes [construction will be completed], for the most part,” Robinson Principal David Brown said. “I don’t know if we will have full use of the gym and auditorium by the first day of school. But, as far as the new building and getting people into the right classes, getting rid of the portables and getting the field ready, all of those things will be ready by Aug. 1.”

Many students are looking forward to the completed school for a less distracting and more nurturing learning environment.

“In terms of the new school next year, I am most looking forward to the improved facilities. The new school will offer better classrooms, technology and amenities, which can enhance the learning environment,” Isabelle Robert (’24) said. “Moreover, the new school will have better infrastructure, including improved heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, which can contribute to a more comfortable and conducive learning environment.”

The completion of construction won’t just affect Robinson, but also the surrounding roads. 

“Yes, that’s still the case. That street is supposed to be closed. When it will be closed? I’m not sure. But, it is going to be closed because that area across the street where student parking is now will be practice fields, and that’s all Robinson property, so there won’t be a throughway through our property. So, they will be closing Rembrandt between Manhattan and Lois,” Brown said. 

With the new school, comes a return to the old student parking lot. Many seniors look forward to having their own reserved parking spots which they are allowed to paint, but they may have to wait just a bit longer for that privilege. 

“So, there may be a delay on that [senior parking spaces]…because we have to make sure all of these portables are out from the student parking lot, but they allegedly are supposed to come and repave,” Brown said. “So, if they get all those things done before the start of the school year, but, even if that’s a little bit delayed, yes we will make sure that seniors have a parking space and that they have an opportunity to paint it.”

The impact of RHS construction stretches far beyond the confines of the classroom, but also to the surrounding community. With the cranes, trucks, etc. being a large presence in the surrounding areas, the RHS community will be glad to see construction come to an end. 

“I think that they [the surrounding RHS community] will be happy too. If you live around here, you’ve had trucks, cranes, noise and dirt, so once this is done and we’re back to normal, I think that they’ll be happy as well,” Brown said. “We’re going to have a rededication of Robinson probably in the spring of next school year, and obviously invite the community in so they can see all the great things that are happening.”

Even with all the downsides of portables, students will still miss some of their upsides in the coming year. 

“Something that I’ll miss about the portables is the proximity between my classes. This year, I was able to quickly walk to my classes [which were] in the portables [since they] were close to one another,” Ayan Nallamshetty (’25) said. 

The end of construction will not only improve the physical surroundings for students, but also the overall environment of the school. 

“Just more togetherness, even the way it’s set up now, it almost separates us into two schools: the north side and the south side,” Brown said. “The faculty members don’t get to see each other as much because of the divide, but when you bring everything back to normal and that sense of normalcy, it will make everything better for everyone.”