To best understand the impact of Norra Latin, we turned to the students to uncover their thoughts about the transition from Annex B, C, and OPG into one building for Middle and Upper School students. The change has yielded positive results yet with all change there is a transition period where we have to be open-minded and welcoming. 

One common sentiment that emerged is that when stepping into the building for the first time in August they were struck by the architecture and grandness of the building. As a 9th grade student put it, “The architecture and painting were the first things that came to mind and I was stunned”. The consensus among the students is that the arches, artwork, and soaring ceilings are what make the building so special. 

However, not all students agreed on everything. When it comes to the new arrangement with the Middle and Upper Schools in the same building, there are some conflicting opinions. Some students think that it was best with separate buildings as having such a wide variety of ages makes it difficult for the school to act as one. An 11th-grade student made the point that “There are different expectations for how a 10 year old and a 19 year old act and having them in the same building feels a bit weird”. It is mostly the youngest and the oldest students who hold this viewpoint, while students aged in the middle think that it leads students to have broadened perspectives. As an 8th grade student said, “I think that having this mix makes us feel like a real school instead of having to go between different buildings with different grade levels having everyone in one building feels right”. 

Due to this significant change there are some adjustments that we have to get used to. Several students said that it has been difficult to find the right classroom. An 11th grade student said, “Since the building is symmetrical it’s hard to know which side a classroom is on, I end up walking loops around the building almost every day”. 

These changes will need some getting used to, but almost everyone still feels that this is a positive change for their learning environment due to larger classrooms, more room during break times as well as having more opportunities for different types of learning and activities.