Over the summer, South underwent many renovations. There have been notable changes in the hallways, the front main offices, and almost a complete makeover of the cafeteria.
The floors have been retiled, the lunch lines have more decor, and the doors have been repainted. Mo Woods, a senior, is fond of the new tables.
“I particularly like the new seating, where instead of having a benches that are like, wide; it’s, like, individual seats. I like not having to take up anyone’s space and stuff like that. 
And I also love the booths because I just feel like it’s so much welcome and open ended,” Morgan said.
That welcoming feeling was a key element in the design process, according to Principal Lisa Smith. “We wanted it to be a space that was welcoming, comfortable, and was more than just a standard cafeteria. We wanted it to be a place where students can go to relax and socialize during their school day,” Smith said.
Similarly, Jean Picha, a campus monitor who supervises the cafeteria, believes that the renovations elevate the lunch experience for students while making work easier for staff.
“I would say it makes it easier because if the kids are happy, you’re [going to] have a nice lunch and go back to class and everyone has a good day that way,” Picha said.
While the ultimate decisions on renovations are up to Lisa Smith, there is a willingness to listen to student opinions surrounding possible changes to the school.
“Although there are limits within the renovation process, I value the opinions from our students and will seek out their input for any future improvements they might like to see,” Smith said.
The changes to the cafeteria weren’t the last of the renovations to the school, according to Smith, with touch ups expected to be done in the upcoming summers to the athletic hallway, the media center, and the rest of the bathrooms.