Students returned to campus this year with new Chromebook policies, a new look for the gymnasium and more class options. According to Principal Charles Park, all new changes are in hopes of improving the conditions such as building upgrades and how money is spent along with academics of the school. 

Currently, the top half of the gym sits with plain white walls with a mix of maroon on the lower half. Before, one wall featured a bulldog with a “Welcome to the dog house” along with another bulldog donated by the Associated Student Body (ASB) Class of 2006 painted along the wall at the back of the gym.  

Due to the repainted white look, students find the it unappealing, especially for those in sports who practice in the gym. 

 JV cheerleaders and sophomores Nayeli Vivas and Scarlett Garcia find the blank walls disappointing as they often practice there and use the artwork as a needed visual. As a flyer, once Vivas was in the air, the bulldog was helpful to look at.

“I have nothing to spot anymore, since I’m a flyer and I’m just, like, looking at a blank wall,” Vivas said. 

Despite the undecorated look, Park plans to add murals during winter, which will potentially affect athletes during volleyball and basketball season from November to February.

“If I was a student looking at the gym right now, I would go, ‘Is this done?’ And the answer is no,” Park said.

In addition to a mural, a Bulldog Nation sign, a West Covina High School sign with flourishes, and the school’s athletic logo will be added. 

The paintwork isn’t the only change in the gym. Before, tech theater would spend time setting up lights for special school events.  Students and staff may notice the new stage lighting added to the gym ceiling. Now that the lights are automatically set up, tech theater and theatrics teacher Kim Segura can now focus on teaching her students how to program the lights instead of setting them up. 

“I think it’s actually a really good thing, because what people don’t see is that it took us days before and then the day of, and then days after to, like, go through that whole process, to be able to set it up, program it and then take it down,” Segura said.

Not only has the gym changed, but the Chromebook loaning policy has as well. Each year, incoming freshmen receive a Chromebook from the school to be able to do school work. Students are expected to take care of them and return them once they graduate. Despite the expectations, according to Park, West Covina Unified District realized that students were failing to uphold them. Replacing Chromebooks requires additional funds resulting in a non-cost effectiveness for both Edgewood High and West Covina High according to Park.

“So as a principal, if I see gaps and I know that we can improve it, then we take steps. It’s also a district initiative. We’re not the only school with this Chromebook loaner program,” Park said.

As a result, Park said that both schools implemented new policies that aim to combat the money that the district can no longer spend due to budget cuts spent on Chromebooks. The school will no longer provide loaner Chromebooks or replace ones that are damaged or lost.

Sophomore Jack Luna recently lost his Chromebook for the first class periods. With the new loaner policy in place, Luna resorted to using other materials. 

“Luckily, my teacher let me use my phone, but for my other class, I didn’t have to just write on paper, which sucks, because it was like a computer assignment,” Luna said.

Along with the new Chromebook policy, dual enrollment classes have been added to provide a new demanding college level course. According to Park, the competitive nature that both Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment classes provide encouraged him to implement dual enrollment courses into the regular school year. 

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program that offers college level courses to students to earn college credit. To receive the credit, students must pass the end of the year exam with a 3,4 and 5 (may vary per college and major). 

In contrast, dual enrollment classes are college courses that give students credit as long as students pass the class. Dual enrollment classes were once an option strictly during the summer offered by Mt. San Antonio College.

For example, senior Julie Liu decided to take the sociology course due to how the class gives credit.

“t doesn’t have an AP test at the end, but it still qualifies as a five credit class, so it was easier,” Liu said. 

Park decided to add the dual enrollment courses to enhance the academics on campus.

“When you compare apples to apples, when you talk about the AP program, every high school who runs an AP, they understand it’s the same language. It’s the same kind of competitive nature,” Park said. 

All in all, the Chromebook policy aims to reduce spending money out of the school funds, the gym renovations work towards a more modern facility, and the expansion of classes offer students more rigorous options.