A few weeks ago, all seniors were told to report to the Student Learning Center in the afternoon. When they arrived, the Class of 2023 was told that the patio outside of the cafe, dubbed “The Senior Patio”, will be renovated this year.

According to Mr. Monachino, the idea for this project came about last year at a board meeting, where the need for the patio to be redone was addressed, and rightly so. The patio stands in fair condition at the moment. However, it could use a little TLC. With only two tables and a bench to cover the area, the senior hub is quite bare and does not exactly register an aesthetic and relaxing environment.

The seniors were asked to come forward with any ideas they have to improve the patio. Suggestions like new furniture, hammocks, and a beach volleyball set were brought up. Senior and Student Council member Maya Lalor said, “I don’t feel like the patio needs to be completely redone. Maybe things like new furniture and umbrellas would be nice, but the bee problem needs to be solved.” She refers to the constant battle between man and nature that can be observed on the senior patio on a warm day: Students sit and try to enjoy a lunch or free period, basking in the sun, but panic floods in as they hear slight buzzing and the yellow insect comes into view. Jumps, sprints, and swatting can be observed as the seniors try to avoid being stung. “The traps out there now don’t work very well. If we could get new traps or some way to repel the bees, that’d be great,” Maya commented. 

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Current Condition of Senior Patio

The patio has been financed by an anonymous donor, and the donation sum has not been disclosed. “We don’t really know how much money we have to work with, so it’s a little hard to propose ideas,” Maya said. 

Another idea brought to mind was that juniors and underclassmen should be looped in on the project to propose ideas. This year’s senior class will only get to use the new patio in the last portion of the year. Therefore, it might make more sense to also consult future seniors, who will be using the patio much more.

Work to renovate the patio will begin in the next few months, continuing through the summer. Seniors this year can look forward to using at least a semi-refinished patio this spring, and rising seniors will be able to enjoy a fully finished patio by the fall of 2023. 

If you have any ideas for the patio, comment below or reach out to the administration!