You can’t judge a book by its cover. This is a lesson we try to teach children from a very young age. Typically it’s used in reference to people, but in this case we are using it to describe our building.
The “cover” of Berg Middle School looks pretty good. Driving by, you see a well kept building and campus. Entering the building, you see a large, bright entry way. Walking through the empty hallways, you are impressed by the hard work of our custodians in the shiny floors and general cleanliness.
Unfortunately, once you get past that “cover,” all of your senses come into play as you start to see, hear, smell and feel the problems. Put 900 5-8 graders in the hallways during release times and hope you don’t have to get anywhere in a hurry. Feel the variance in temperatures from one hallway to another and one classroom to another. It’s not so conducive to learning when you sweat in one room and freeze in another. “Make sure you dress in layers and bring your coat if you need it” is our best advice to students and guests. If you sit in a classroom containing up to 30 adolescents, you’ll not only notice there’s not room to move, but smell that there’s not much air circulation, especially if there’s not a window to open.
You might think the lesson for the day is “The Tell Tale Heart” as you listen to the steady thump, thump, thump or buzz of some system that’s malfunctioning. Look at the cords and cables that have been added in the best way they can in a building built in 1965, before anyone ever imagined the technology that would be available today. Chances are you’ll run into one of the district’s maintenance workers since they are here 50 percent of their time.
As Berg Middle School Principal I — along with 28 middle school teachers who support this letter — urge you to not judge the Berg Complex just by its cover. Take advantage of the remaining tour on at 1:30 p.m. Sunday or visit preservethepride.com to find more information on the challenges of the building. Please help Newton become a more attractive community to live in, improve the ability of teachers employed by the NCSD to teach, and create a more comfortable and functioning learning environment for our children. Please vote yes on Sept. 13.
Lisa Sharp
Newton