Students are no longer walking in circles on campus or sitting the triangular-shaped classrooms. rooms. The waiting for Cal High’s new-look campus is finally over.

Cal kicked off the new school year with the grand opening of its new three-story, 63 classroom main building and library, completing the more than $25 million first phase of the school’s massive campus renovation project, which began in December 2004.

“I love this building,” said calculus teacher Jean Dillman. “It’s everything you could hope for.”

The new main building replaces the central pod that opened in 1976 that was demolished over the summer.

The new main building houses the social studies, health, math, English and resource departments, and features staff lounges, conference rooms and all student lockers on the three floors.

“When you walk into it, it’s more impressive than it is on paper,” said former assistant principal Denise Hibbard during her tour of the completed building.

Hibbard, the new principal of Dougherty Valley High School, managed the construction project during her time at Cal.

“It’s bigger and better in real life,” she said.

The new 112,122 square foot building stretches one and a quarter football fields in length, and dramatically eclipses the approximately 80,000 sf former central pod.

“The inside is bigger and longer than I expected,” said senior Amy Wyosnick. “It feels like you’re walking forever.”

The opening of the new building shifted the main school population from the center of campus to the rear of the school. With the majority of classrooms in the main building, students rarely head out to the front of the school anymore.

“I feel really isolated,” said photo teacher Paul Fortayon, whose new portable is located in the front of the school. “I never see any of the other teachers. No one really comes out here.”

Students had to find new places to congregate during brunch and lunchtime in the limited space available outside because of the ongoing construction of the open quad area that replaces the central pod in the middle of campus.

“All the old hang out spots are gone,” said junior Elizabeth Xiao. “It was hard to find everyone.”

The new library, located in front of the main building, includes a new textbook room, computer lab and larger study area. Because of rain delays, its opening was pushed back to August from its initially planned May opening.

“I’m extremely happy with the new facility,” said library media coordinator Siobhan Marzluft. “The actual sunlight and windows are good improvements.”

The demolition and moving process took place with only minor mishaps, said assistant principal Ken Nelson. The installment of classroom technology systems was the main area experiencing delays.

“There was limited time to get it all worked out,” said Nelson. “The teachers have been very patient.”

Teachers were given only four days before school started to set up their classrooms. But many students came during the summer to help teachers with the process, said Nelson.

Both students and teachers welcome the change into the new larger, rectangular classrooms from the irregular triangular rooms of the old central pod.

“I like how all the classes are evenly proportioned,” said Amy. “It creates a better learning environment.”

Each classroom includes a built-in LCD projector and bookshelves as well as brand new sets of student and teacher desks. The thicker walls have been another major improvement in comparison to the movable thin partitions used in the central pod.

But the spaciousness of three stories has also caused grumbles about the daily stair climbs.

“Two stories was fine,” said senior Nate Biggs. “(Three stories) feels almost too much.”

Elective classes formerly located in the demolished central pod are now held in portables. The counseling department and career center moved into T-building classrooms with new partitioning to accommodate three counselors in each room.

“We love being close to everyone,” said counselor Michelle Sampson. “But we have no privacy.”

Despite the use of partitions and white noise machines, Sampson is concerned about the confidentiality of students and parents’ conversations with their counselors.

With the building’s location and additional detours around the center construction zone, students have had to factor in extra time for traversing between classes.

“You always have to leave early,” said senior David Cooper. “When school started, I was late to every class.”

The issue is escalated for students who have classes in the band building, theater, or one of the new portables in the front of the school.

David and his friends make sure that one of them has a watch each day and to start out on their trek to the main building a couple of minutes before the five-minute warning bell.

“You can never hear the bell from the band room,” said senior Andrew Saada. “We’re always guessing when it will ring.”

The parking issue has improved on campus with the addition of 70 student carpool parking spaces, increasing student parking to 220 spaces, said Nelson. There are approximately 430 total parking spaces allocated for staff, visitors, and students currently.

Phase one of construction began in December 2004 and was delayed around 85 days from its projected completion date due to rain, said Nelson. The new building took 617 days of construction.

Construction cost for the main building and library, provided by funding from Measure A, exceeded $25 million.

Phase two of the three-phase construction is underway, with the completion of the central quad projected for summer 2007.

“It’s basically a brand new school,” said Nelson. “I think it’s beautiful. It’s state of the art. In terms of the learning environment, it’s phenomenal.”