Thanks to the Board of Education and the determination of Point Pleasant Boro High’s Principal, Kurt Karcich, a new schedule means a new school environment for Point Boro’s Panthers. Over the summer of 2019, PPBHS went through more than a few renovations for its students to return to.

With the school’s new schedule being such a big change, the faculty, staff and the Board of Education believed that even more changes were needed to really make a difference to the school. More space had to be made in the school, due to the new “unit lunch” which entails the majority of  students in the building having a lunch break at the same time. The entire cafeteria setup was changed and parts of the walls were repainted; along with the installation of new tables, furniture, and even TVs. However, the administration did not want to stop there – they decided to install a “game room.” This new game room is full of arcade machines for the students to play and even has a token machine. For $1 per token, students can spend parts of their lunch playing classic arcade games like Pac-Man, Galaga, and many more.

The school also decided that it was officially time for the old, rugged tennis courts to go. The old courts that the school used to use, have all been completely revived. During the three-month summer break, the tennis courts went from being a dark, dirty green, to a beautiful, cleaned-up blue with the addition of some brand-new replacement nets. This change has brought much confidence to the school’s tennis team and to the phys-ed teachers who use it for their students.

In addition, many new classes were introduced with the start of the new block schedule. Many of which the school had hoped the students would find to be more interesting than some of the older elective courses that were available. These new courses include classes such as Forensic Science, Psychology and even Robotics. So far, the new courses have lived up to their hype, as many students immediately enrolled and ultimately filled up these classes. The quick success of these courses has brought happiness to the school’s teachers who now run them.

When asked for his personal opinion on the new changes to the high school, district Superintendent Mr. Smith spoke proudly stating that,  “For the 2019-2020 school year, we’ve made multiple enhancements within the high school to further support and accommodate our students. To start, students and staff have already adapted to the new rotate-and-drop schedule, and are very happy with the change. We will continue to monitor the schedule as we go along and make immediate adjustments if necessary. The cafeteria now offers a game room, new furniture and charging stations for students to utilize during their hour lunch break. This modernized area promotes a college-like atmosphere for the high schoolers to enjoy. Other enhancements include resurfaced tennis courts and a new courtyard with 15 picnic tables to accommodate students who choose to have lunch outside. I am very excited about the changes we’ve made, and I know they will allow for a better school environment while contributing to the students’ success.”

With the revamping of many areas of the school as well as the addition of exciting new courses, there is no doubt that confidence and pride will continue to be instilled into the hearts of the Point Boro Panthers.