Principals highlight advantages of new high school

Assistant principal Rafael Benítez and principal Jason Wedgbury see the new high school as an opportunity for students. 

“Our current building is old, outdated and inefficient,” Wedgbury said.

The current building on Division Street has been open since 1954 after moving out of the previous high school, which was located where the Cedar Falls Rec Center is today. “The new building is a need for the community, current students and future students,” Benítez said. The school everyone is in right now is approximately 17 acres compared to the new high school, which is on 69.6 acres.

Welgbury said, “The new building provides a much greater opportunity for students to engage in the learning environment with improved technology and collaborative spaces for both students and teachers and the community members.” With about 70 acres there are more spaces for the automotive, metals and woods classrooms. It also has an upper-level academic wing and will feature many sources of sunlight. 

Wedgbury said, “Having additional space for our school population and adequate parking, the new location allows for more activities to be located on our property, including football, soccer and rugby.”

Wedgbury said another important reason for this new building is much-improved school safety. “There are fewer entry/exit points, students won’t need to use an outdoor hallway to get from one location to another and we will have better and improved camera surveillance.”

Benítez pointed to “climate control environment” as key advantages of the new school. The school right now does not have air conditioning in all areas, and it would cost a lot to add it to the remaining areas. “We are the only building that is required for heat advisory situations,” Wedgbury said.