Ukiah High School recently experienced a shift in campus layout. Mr. Matt LaFever, a teacher that has been at Wildcat Nation for nearly 8 years, relocated his long-time classroom of E11 to C6. The move came for a variety of reasons, but regardless of why, called to question both LaFever’s and his student’s ability to adapt to change and learn new ways. For this reporter, E11 has been known as “LaFever’s room,” “An English room,” and “The Mock Trial room.” However the room change is perceived, this change reminded both students and staff that Ukiah High School is not just an academic campus, but a home away from home.
The room change was a result of LaFever moving into a new role on campus composing Ukiah High’s WASC report, a document that needs to be completed every six years and administration has tasked him with. This report determines Ukiah High’s accreditation which actually provides value to the diplomas Wildcats earn at the end of their tenure here.
LaFever’s students’ opinions on the new room, C6, varied from critical to expectant, with one Freshman Advisory student saying “The room needs to be updated” and “It feels like a detention room.” A member of the UHS News team complained “The room is dark and gloomy” and added, “it just doesn’t feel like a journalism room.”
However, Mr. LaFever said he planned to use the change as an example of how important it is to be able to adapt to changes in life, even if they are unplanned. He said, “Life is always evolving and shifting, this is a coachable moment on why we need to be able to adapt to change.”
Mr. LaFever added that it takes a while to get used to any space and that the room will need a few months to really feel like his room and for everyone to settle in. However, he also pointed out that it only took students two months to adapt to E-11 at the beginning of this year after a whole year away from school, driving him to believe that this change will be just as successful. “It amazes me that it took students only two months to make E-11 their home after over a year of absence, home is where the heart is.”
Fundamentally, this experience has taught Mr. LaFever and his students that every teacher, classroom, and student in Ukiah High School has a personality. The landmarks of Ukiah High School, subconsciously, or consciously make a mark on Wildcat Nation.
