Escondido –

On September 26, 2014, Classical Academy High School made the official transition into the old North County Times building. The new school is all under one roof, meaning students no longer have to walk from building to building to get to class. “Walking all the way from art to English or biology. I’m really not going to miss that,” sophomore Ruby Eddo said.

More classroom space. Less walking. Rooms with windows. The old halls were buzzing with speculations about the new campus.

“I’m excited about having a new auditorium for rehearsal and choir space, and hopefully drama class space,” junior Emily Sturges said. Additional assets include a media center, Smartboards in every classroom, and a two story study hall.

The thing that excites Mrs. Schick the most is having a better lab environment for her chemistry classes.

“I have been teaching chemistry in a house for the last two years, a situation in which, if we use too much electricity, all the lights go off,” Mrs. Schick said. “To be able to give the students here the opportunity to take a class like it’s supposed to be [taken] is truly amazing.”

Mrs. Schick’s new classroom includes lab stations, a chemical storage room, a chemical shower, and a ventilation system. “It looks like a real high school chemistry lab,” she added.

Although many students and teachers have expressed their delight about the change, that doesn’t mean 144 W. Woodward Ave. doesn’t hold sentimental value for some. “This was my first home at CAHS, and I have fond memories here,” French teacher Ms. Pummer said. Many irreplaceable moments have taken place at the old campus. Sophomore MacIntyre Stary said that the hardest part of the move was, “having to leave behind a bunch of old memories.”

After years of planning, CAHS has officially found its own place to call home. “Not only is it a dream realized, but it’s a goal achieved,” Executive Director Mr. Curry said.