The counseling and principal offices have been moved into the hallways, next to classrooms and restrooms for safety and efficiency. This school year, the offices are now complete and being used by staff.

A benefit to the new offices is that staff and students can move quickly from classrooms to the offices. The staff can also move faster from the offices to the restrooms. Staff spend less time in the halls because their students are located nearby. It widens the opportunities to be helpful to students.

“I’m more available in the area where my kids need me to be,” Chris Ottinger said, “I can be in the bathroom quicker, I can be in the back hallway quicker.”

The offices are also beneficial to students, they don’t miss as much class time by roaming the halls looking for their counselor or principal. Students have spent lots of time walking to appointments or trying to find staff and administration. Having the offices located in the hallways keeps students within their designated area.

“When I need to talk to a student, I can call them and they can come here without having to go all the way up to the front office,” Jim Piper said, “So it keeps those kids in class a little bit longer.”

There are disadvantages to the hallway offices as well. The windows looking into the offices create concerns of privacy, as people can look inside the offices to see what staff are doing. The windows add to the safety of the staff and students during meetings or appointments.

“I feel like there needs to be some sort of covering [over the windows],” Kelly Hicks said, “Also, we need it open for protection of the staff.”

The offices connect counselors and principals with others in ways they weren’t able to before. They are beneficial to keeping staff nearby, as well as helping students get to their appointments faster and limit time spent out of class. Staff have more time to get things done because of the shorter walking distances, benefiting everyone at Karns.