Locker distribution delayed by shortage

The increase in student enrollment may lead to a potential shortage of over 400 lockers, said Business Manager Anne Alban. The current Blair population of 3,500 is more than 400 students above the school's capacity.

The locker shortage has led to a delay in locker distribution. The earliest lockers will be distributed is sometime next week, Alban estimated.

Due to the shortage, seniors were given the option of sharing lockers for the second straight year. Last week, seniors who wanted lockers had to fill out a form that stated whether they would like to share, keep their own, or give up a locker. Alban believed that these options would help ease the locker shortage. "Many seniors are willing to share lockers because they are located on the first floor," she explained.

Sharing lockers, although an inconvenience, could make enough lockers available so that all students would receive one. According to Alban, if students continue to cooperate by sharing or giving up lockers, everyone will receive a locker.

Alban advised students to share only with a trusted friend. "We make the [locker sharing] forms very secure so that we can maintain locker safety," Alban said. "Still, it is the student's responsibility to pick a trust-worthy person to share a locker with."

Many students have felt uncomfortable carrying their books and other school materials between classes. Senior Faith Bowier described not having a locker as "very annoying. I already have three books and there is no where for me to put them." Not having a locker could also mean losing books more easily. "They shouldn't charge us for a lost textbook if we have nowhere to put them," she said.

During the 2002 school year, there was a shortage of 300 lockers. "We are not worried about the locker shortage," Alban said. "We solved the issue last year and this year isn't much different."

Blair's enrollment is projected to decrease when Northwood reopens in 2004. Only ninth graders who would normally attend Blair will transfer to Northwood. "We see the number of enrollment decreasing," Alban says, "which will mean enough lockers for all students in 2004."