Modernization finally complete, plus summer changes

Originally published by The River City Review inside the West Sacramento News-Ledger on Sept. 24, 2003

At the end of last year students left an unfinished school. River City went through many physical and academic changes over the summer, including the addition of a new schedule and the completion of modernization.

According to Mr. Geivett, three trees were torn out because the roots were too big and were sticking out of the ground, which caused a safety hazard. Three new trees were added to the campus in their place and several bushes were added as well. The plan for the newly planted trees is to have raised planter boxes surrounding them.

Many walkways were repaved all over the school and the iron fence surrounding the school was completed. The painting of the school was completed as well as the bus/fire lanes and rooms 1, 2, and 3 being repainted.

Not all changes were physical however; academic changes were also made. All students are now required to pass Algebra 1 and all freshmen are now required to take geography.

Freshman Richard Bayabos said, “I think that geography is easy, not really hard at all. I enjoy it a lot.”

A new bell schedule is in place this year, with school now starting at 8:00 a.m. Sixth period now ends at 2:18 p.m. and 7th period now ends at 3:15 p.m. Mr. Geivett decided to change the schedule with the support of the district office because last year buses ended up getting to R.C. late after 6th and 7th periods because the driver had to pick up Golden State students. Passing periods were extended one minute.

“There were too many students wandering the halls. It was just too crowded,” Geivett said.

Students also started school earlier this year on August 13, but will be getting the two weeks of summer vacation that were lost, back during the year. Thanksgiving break has been extended to a full week this year, and winter break will now be three weeks long. Another week has also been added to spring break, extending it to two weeks. With first semester now ending the week before winter break, the second semester will begin the day students return from break.

The change was made because, “with the old schedule students forgot most of the information taught over the long vacations,” said Geivett.

The new look of the school and the new academic changes will take some time to get used to. “I really think it helped to improve the campus’ appearance and in the long run will improve the academic performance of the students,” said Ms. Woods, R.C.’s Health and Driver’s Education teacher.

This story shared a byline with co-news editor Matt Richardson

Editor’s Note: The Review is a high school publication at River City High School in West Sacramento, Calif., for which Daniel Wilson wrote and edited between 2000-2004. The stories published in this category appear in their original form with the only corrections being removal of hyphens for line breaks and the fixing of typos.