In an effort to create a safe and comfortable environment for students, staff members at Souderton Area High School are working towards creating a student center in the library area.
After the Almac Center was built two years ago, the process of converting the library began.
What used to be filled with books has now become the groundwork for the Flexible Meeting Space (FMS) and the Wellness Center.
The FMS is the new office of student support advisor Breanne Dickerson. This space features “fun” desks, revolving chairs and open space for kids to work, Dickerson said.
“I am working with guidance and our principals to support students who are struggling academically,” Dickerson said.
Along with this space, the Wellness Center was also created. This space is occupied by multiple staff members.
The goal of the Wellness Center is to act as a safe space where students can receive help in the form of therapy.
“It is a place where we can have different psychologists from the district, as well as outside professionals, that can meet with students who need extra support,” assistant principal Michelle Noga said.
After receiving a grant from the Indian Valley Education Foundation, Noga was able to add comfortable seating options, whiteboard tables, fidgets for students, curtains, softer lighting, diffusers and a Keurig.
According to Haines, this flexible meeting space was made possible thanks to the raised funds from Superintendent Frank Gallagher’s late wife’s education collection along with donated funds from Souderton alumni Edward Eskandarian.
The students’ use of technology to complete research as opposed to physical books and periodicals is what prompted Haines to make the change.
“That space was kind of just sitting idle, and that didn’t feel right to me,” Haines said.
This process started five years ago with an interior design mentorship program.
The goal of the group was to design a student center in the library.
Students in the program got to work with professionals from Corporate Interiors and later Corbett Inc. to create the design for the library.
These companies donated furniture that is now located in the library.
Noga hopes that, in the future, students will be able to share ideas about what would make the space more comfortable and some funds will be put towards making that happen.
The next step in finalizing the student center is installing glass walls around the FMS and in the future, possibly adding a cafe where students can get coffee and baked goods.
According to Haines, it is unknown when exactly the student center will be complete as it takes time to raise funds and build it, but he confirmed that there is a plan that is student-driven and pathway-focused.
“I went down to the library today during Red Zone and I was shocked; there were probably 40-50 kids in there and everybody was doing something,” Haines said. “It [was] a moment of pride for me.”
