By Jason Arndt
Inadequate space at Raymond School is one of the areas noted as main issues of concern in a study conducted by architectural firm Eppstein-Uhen of Milwaukee, residents learned at an Oct. 1 community workshop held at the school.
Safety issues previously noted, and the new study completed by the firm, indicate the school’s gym is one of the main areas of concern in the building, which was constructed in 1961.
“When we pull the bleachers out (for games) whoever is sitting in the front row of the bleachers is actually sitting on the court. They are actually in play,” explained Jamie Wolff, Raymond Physical Education teacher.
“It is not uncommon to have people sitting in the stands getting crushed into by players, because they are right on the court.”
Spectators are not the only people at risk during games according to Wolff, who has also served as the school’s volleyball coach from 2000-2010.
“Last year we had a cheerleader from Raymond School who was cheering on the sideline and a player went after a loose ball and crashed into the cheerleader.”
Her head then cracked against the brick wall and she was transported to the hospital with a concussion, Wolff said.
Former student Megan Hribar was a cheerleader at Raymond School and attended the workshop. She explained her experience as a member of the squad.
“It’s very cramped over there. We are assigned to such a little area for 20 girls to cheer in,” the 15-year-old student said.
Hribar is now a freshman at Union Grove Union High School and witnessed injuries and safety hazards at the gym.
“I have noticed kids getting pushed down to the ground and heads getting smashed into the bleachers and into the walls,” Hribar added.
Besides all that, Raymond School’s gym does not meet the standards of the Westosha Conference for playing home volleyball games.
“That poses a problem for athletics, because the Westosha Conference we are in will not allow us to play home volleyball games here because our ceiling is not high enough,” Wolff explained.
“Every game is a road game for Raymond School.”
In addition to athletic events, the school is forced to cancel classes when the portable stage is set up in preparation for concerts and theatrical plays.
“We have very limited seating capacity here,” Wolff said. “Another part is the large portable stage we have in here and shuts down Physical Education classes while the kids are in the computer class or band room watching videos for a week to three weeks.”
Also, teachers use a portion of the locker rooms to store classroom material including textbooks due to the school’s limited storage capacity.
“We actually took the shower areas in the locker room and converted those into storage areas now,” Wolff said. “There are doors on them so that homeroom teachers can actually store their textbooks and supplies in there.”
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