The challenge of fitting in at school is taking on a literal twist this year at Charles Wright. With construction of the new Language and Performing Arts Center well underway, the campus is short three small classrooms and the portable drama shack. As they trickle back onto campus at the tail end of summer vacation, the Upper School faculty members are keeping their sense of humor about the whole experience.

Leon Phillips, who moved his office up to the Upper School and will be teaching both Middle School and Upper School math this year, started a top ten list on the whiteboard in the faculty lounge of ways to cope with shared offices and classrooms. This list has grown with the additions of countless teachers and we thought we’d share a few of our favorites:

4) Rainbow Week – go to whatever class, whenever.

7) Downsize – use only golf pencils and post-it notes.

9) 5 Words – Honey, I shrunk the kids.

10) Declare yourself a Mobile Classroom – let them come to you!

11a) Go on an all-garlic diet – people will give you all the space you want.

11b) Microwave your classes – 45 minute lessons in two minutes.

12) Check out library video: “Contortionists in the classroom – a teacher’s guide to fitting in.”

13) Have outdoor ed all year.

Clever as these suggestions are, they may prove unnecessary. Administrators have arranged the class schedules to minimize the impact on both students and faculty.

Meanwhile, construction work is right on schedule at the new site of the new building. Last week, crews poured 320 cubic yards of concrete in just one day as they laid out new sidewalks, footings and retention walls.

This week the massive piles of dirt that resembled Mount Rainier are disappearing. The driveway loop between the Middle School and Upper School should reopen before school starts.

CWA’s Director of Finance and Operations, Mike Doidge, reassures everyone that there is no truth to the rumor that one too many walls was removed from the old West Wing. In fact, an interior wall had to be removed to build the new exterior wall.

Crews have been busy at the other end of campus too. New poles have been installed at the athletic fields to fly the state and national flags. The Dome gym is getting a new roof, remodeled ceiling, new floor, and handful of other improvements that really improve the facility for both physical education classes and the athletic program.