Editor’s Note: Information in this article is accurate at time of publishing, but has likely changed since.

Last summer, SWR made upgrades to improve the school and students’ safety, and there are more upgrades to come this summer.

Mr. Frank Pugliese, principal, said that all of the renovations are proposed and not yet definite, but the situation looks hopeful. The auditorium will continue to be upgraded and according to Mr. Pugliese, “work is to be determined.”

The parking lot will be expanded and the number of parking spaces will increase. It will also be redesigned for traffic flow and safety.

“All students who are eligible to drive to school will be able to next year,” Mr. Pugliese said.

But the parking lot isn’t the only renovation; the cafeteria will be reconstructed as well.

“The line for food will be changed, and the physical space will be expanded,” Mr. Pugliese said. There will also be more seating available for students. This space will come from the demolition of the storage room.

Finally, the offices adjacent to B-wing will be reconfigured to give the staff new office space and bring it up to par. “The staff needs privacy to do their job, and the students should feel comfortable in guidance appointments and know that it is confidential,” Mr. Pugliese said. “The nurse needs the space to do her job and increase the comfort of the students.”

“It’s nicer to play in. It feels more inviting…It makes me feel proud when I play in the gym because it looks better.” -Abigail Korezekwinski

Mr. Pugliese also wants to repaint all of the ceilings in the school.

Last summer’s upgrades boosted the physical appearance of the school. The first significant upgrade made was the beginning of a new auditorium. “New seats and carpets were added, and the room was painted,” Mr. Pugliese said.

“It’s really nice,” senior Ethan Eisenberg said. “I haven’t performed yet on the stage. I will be in the spring play, Clue, and I suspect [the upgrades] will help because the audience will be more comfortable.”

In addition to the new auditorium, new features were added to the gym. New gym lockers were installed and the old bleachers were replaced. “It’s nicer to play in. It feels more inviting because the bleachers are now made of plastic and actually look like bleachers compared to what they used to look like. It makes me feel proud when I play in the gym because it looks better.” Junior Girls Varsity Basketball Captain Abigail Korzekwinski said.

Finally, according to Mr. Pugliese, the “biggest” change has been the increase in security and the execution of the ID scanners, which he said have been successful.

“Although the community is very safe, you can never anticipate what could happen,” Mr. Pugliese said.

The security measures introduced over the summer were the replacement of all the windows and doors, a security vestibule, and the ID scanners. These developments were put in place to increase student safety.

“The increased security staff is doing their best to know who is in the school at all times,” Mr. Pugliese said.

Students and faculty are now obligated to scan their ID cards to ensure that everyone in the building is accounted for while the security vestibule requires all parents and other visitors on school business to sign in and show ID to get into the school.

“The card scanners are going great,” Mr. Pugliese said. He thanked students and teachers for their cooperation because “the introduction to new policies such as these could be a disaster.”

Mr. Pugliese also mentioned that the windows and doors had been changed to improve safety and security and to help with heating.

“If you look at Miller Ave, Wading River, and the Middle School, they feel fresh,” Mr. Pugliese said. “There’s something nice about something new.”

Republished from Shoreham-Wading River’s print newspaper, The Wildcat Pause (April 2019 Issue).