Not only has the snow this year affected school getting out, but has also caused the oral communications classroom ceiling to be a hazard to the staff and students.

“Right before christmas, last semester, we had a leak and the pressure from all the ice and snow took a lot of the ceiling tiles out and onto the floor and it started melting,” said oral communications teacher Tyler Choate. “We were displaced for a few days, but we were able to get back in right as we were fixing to take the break for Christmas.”

Even though this time was not severe as the last, it has still made the classes relocate to a safer location.


“After christmas, we got another load of snow and we didn’t get the whole thing fixed,” said Choate. “It started doing it again in the same place and we have some insulation hanging from the ceiling and some displaced ceiling tiles, but they are up there working on it as we speak. We have been in the auditorium and the library.”


The auditorium has made students be more comfortable around their peers even though it isn’t their everyday classroom environment.


“I like to talk a lot more, because it is a more open environment and we are all closer together, sitting arms length apart ,” said  senior D’Angelo Holiday. “We conversant a lot more; it is oral comm so that’s what you gotta do.”

Mrs. Choate also has enjoyed the open environment and thinks that it has helped the students.


“The kids were rowdy at first when we went down to the auditorium, but they quickly learned they liked it down their and they were a little bit more open and relaxed,” said Choate. “I had some students, that normally don’t talk that much, starting to open up.”

Not being able to use the classroom has not been an issue to the students and most enjoyed it.

“It is so nice to be in here. The seats are nice and comfortable and it’s less of a rigid environment, your able to communicate better with the teacher and other students and everything flows more freely,” said senior Alan Fielder. “There are a lot of other people who were quiet that talk a lot more in here.”

The students not only enjoyed the open environment but how it was different from the normal class room setting.


“Sitting in these chairs are a lot more comfortable than in a classroom desk. I focus a lot more with these lights than the harsh classroom lights,” said senior Bailey Garringer.


Choate plans on being back in her classroom by the end of this week.