Educators say renovations to Pocatello High School is necessary

Renovations to Pocatello High School are set to begin this summer. After some controversy over the project, educators say a change is necessary.

Staff and administrators say the necessity comes down to three main factors; student safety, additional classroom space and making the campus ADA.

“It’s kind of a pain because sometimes it’s really cold or it’s raining or snowing,” Lexi Robinson, freshman class president for Pocatello High School said.

It’s educators, however, who say it’s more than just a nuisance to staff and students. The cafeteria holds 300, students but the current enrollment is more than 1,000.

“We don’t have a common area, so kids are eating lunch in stairwells. That’s ridiculous,” Kay Jenkins, a history teacher at Pocatello High School, said.

There were concerns over the renovations, such as that they could take away from architectural integrity. But teachers and staff say a student needs come first.

“I sincerely believe that we have a responsibility to maintain the architectural integrity of the school,” Pocatello High School Principal Lisa Delonas. “We also have a responsibility to our primary purpose, which is the education of our students. So to find a compromise that marries those two is the task at hand.”

The school district is currently working closely with Hummel architecture, constantly re-adjusting designs to meet their end goal. You can see those designs by visiting the District 25 website.