Christopher High Prepares to Open New Wing

When classes begin at Christopher High School on Monday, many students will find themselves in a brand-new wing that has been under construction since late last year.

The two-story building features 36 large classrooms, effectively doubling the capacity of the school. The $20 million “Phase II” construction also includes a new aquatics center and parking lot.

“We have enough space for everybody, and we are not as congested,” said John Perales, principal of Christopher High.

The school was at maximum capacity before the addition, with approximately 1,000 students, Perales said. This year, the school will enroll 1,480 students, with a capacity of 1,800 students.  

“This really finishes the school,” the principal said.

Many teachers at the school expressed relief at having the extra space.

“Last year, my classroom was very crowded, which made it hard to monitor the room effectively,” said Evan O’Reilly, who teaches English. “Having a larger classroom will allow me to get more creative with my seating arrangements, with group work and also in monitoring the classroom.”

The English department and classrooms will be based in the first floor, while the social studies and foreign languages classes and offices will be housed on the second, along with a computer lab. This setup has been widely approved by the teachers, because it will allow for the teamwork that is necessary for an effective academic department

“It is going make it easier for us to collaborate together,” said Karen Skahill, a history teacher in the midst of decorating her classroom. “All of our teachers are in the same area.”

With school set to start on Monday, the teachers could be found throughout the building. They were meeting with colleagues or putting the finishing touches in their classrooms. Some had already experienced the reaction from students to the new wing. 

“He walked into the quad and said, 'This is so awesome,'” recounted Jane Ellis, a Spanish teacher, about her son, an incoming junior. “For a 16-year-old to be excited about starting school says something.”

Faculty said the campus is popular with students, resulting in a more engaged and studious student body.

“The students and the staff take pride and ownership of it,” said Darren Yafai, a history teacher and director of athletics. “If you are in a facility that is simple and minimal, or even lacking, and you expect great things from the faculty and students, that’s kind of contradictory.”

Plans to build a $12.5 million theater have been put on hold for the next four or five years, because of the economy. However, this hurdle will not stop the school from having a theater program.  

“We are launching a theater program,” said Perales. “We'll work out of our black box theater.”

The new aquatics center, featuring an activity pool shared with the city and a 13-lane competition pool, is expected for completion in October. The 248-car parking lot should be finished by Monday.