FHS Transition FAQs

There are three floors in the new building.

The bell schedule will remain the same as we move from this building to the new one. 

Elevator usage will be reserved for students and staff who receive mobility support. 

There will be no student access to the roof. The roofed areas above the third floor are mechanical mezzanines that house HVAC and other systems.

Passing times are currently 6 minutes long, which is 1 minute longer than last year. As we transition to the new building, we will be increasing passing time to 7 minutes. This is a temporary solution for the rest of this school year while the building is still under construction. We will see how it goes and make a decision on whether to increase or decrease passing times for next school year when construction is complete. The extra minute will not come out of classes, but rather Eagle Time. Eagle Time will be 22 minutes long after Winter Break. We will work together as we all get familiar with our new building. 

For the remainder of this school year, our parking situation will remain the same. When we move into the new building, the current cafeteria will be demolished to make way for a large student parking lot. In the future there will not be separate student parking lots. Parking will continue to be free, but next year will be open to all students not just juniors and seniors. Students will still need to register their vehicles with the ASB Office. 

We will continue to have an open campus at lunch, however, please remember that this is a privilege that not every high school allows. Students are expected to arrive back to class on time and should plan their time off campus accordingly. With construction continuing, access to the new building is limited to just two entrances which may increase the time it takes to get back to class. Please plan accordingly. 

The Commons is where lunch will take place. There are two bays where our food service staff will serve lunch right off the Commons. There will also be a student store selling food located on the opposite side of the Commons. Lunch will be approximately at the same time, but which lunch you have may change based on the new layout of the building. Lunches will continue to be free. With new equipment, our food service staff will be looking into the possibility of having more scratch made items and meals. 

Yes, there will be a student store off the Commons. 

The new building has an HVAC system and central heating as well as ceiling fans in each room. 

When we move to the new building it will still be first semester so schedules will not change. This also means that your classes will be the same size. We will have a normal schedule change from 1st semester to 2nd semester at the end of January. 

There are 42 classrooms in the three-story building that is opening in January. There also are learning spaces in the athletic wing that opened in September and the CTE wing that will open in September of 2023. 

The building is organized by department, so each department is in the same general area. For example, all math classes are on the 3rd floor. 

The learning commons and collaboration spaces that make up the library space are over 3,000 square feet. 

The 3 story “academic wing” will be open after Winter Break. Demolition will begin in January on the 400s hallways and the construction crews will work south from there. The new landscaping, roads, and parking will be in place for the start of school next school year. The new building including the new CTE wing will be completely finished and ready for learning on the first day of the 2023-24 school year. 

Each classroom will have multiple bulletin boards inside and each classroom also has a bulletin board in the hallway. The commons will also have a 15-foot screen for to advertise events, making announcements and providing recognition. 

Classification is based on student enrollment, not building size. We will remain a 3A school. 

There will be 170 high definition cameras in the new building some with 180 degree views and some with 360 degree cameras. 

In building new schools, the sizes of the stairs and the number of stairwells is based on school enrollment. The size of the three stairwells are based on our student population and will be large enough for all students to get to class on time. 

Each classroom will be equipped with new tables and chairs. The individualized desks that are attached to chairs are not ideal for creating flexible learning spaces so we will be using tables instead of individual desks. 

We have created safety and evacuation plans for the new building. We will continue to conduct evacuation drills in the new building. A three-story school building is not unique to us, please be reassured that in the event of an emergency, student safety is our top priority and based on the emergency exits, stairwells, and procedures that we will soon practice, we are confident that we can evacuate the school in a safe and timely manner. 

Yes, to maximize space in the building, which is an incredible gift from our community, staff will be sharing rooms. There currently is also a lot of sharing in our current building. Teachers in the same departments are located near each other to minimize the amount of moving that they will be doing and to keep department specific equipment in those department specific classrooms. 

For this year, the path from the new building to performing arts will be along the north side of the building. You will walk out by the gym and head west towards the fine arts building. Next year, when the building is finished and the old building is gone, there will be an exit from the CTE wing that leads to the fine arts building. 

Demolition of the old building will begin in January. For the rest of this school year, the entrances to the building will be on the south side coming from the CTE building and on the north side between the gym and sports medicine classroom.

When the building opens in January, there will be two. Once construction is complete there will be many ways to enter the building in the morning, but once the bell rings, the main entrance by the office will be the only unlocked entrance to the school.   There are multiple entrances, but during construction of the CTE wing and demolition of the old school, we will be only using two

There are two restrooms located on each floor, one in the PE hallway, and a future restroom in the CTE wing. 

Yes, there is a single occupancy bathroom located near each gender specific bathroom. 

Teacher’s are in the process of packing and we have hired a moving company to move all teacher boxes. If there is a teacher you’d like to help box things feel free to reach out to them. 

Yes, both the Commons on the first floor and the second-floor landing will be great spaces to hang out in. There are also spaces in the hallways for collaboration. 

There will be signage to direct students and community members. The majority of the building is open to all students, but there will be some staff only areas. 

At this time, Ferndale High School has no plans on instituting school uniforms. 

Yes, Eagle Time will remain the same as we move into the new building, however, it will be 4 minutes shorter for a total length of 22 minutes. 

Yes, an event to celebrate the new building will happen at some point. 

The only lockers in the new school are located in the locker rooms. 

Everyone will receive a map during Eagle Time on December 13th. Maps will also be available on January 4th, our first day in the new building. 

Construction of the new building will not be complete until Winter Break. In many ways each student will need a freshman orientation type tour to find out where their classes and key locations are. The admin team is planning how to conduct tours for every student on the first in-person day of school in the new building. We are working on videos to provide virtual tours for students. Additionally, each student will also be given a professionally made map of the new campus to help navigate our new space.

The new building will be easier to navigate in terms of similar classes being located together. For example, all World Language classes will be on the 2nd floor so no matter what teacher you have for a world language, you know to go to the second floor. The counseling office is located to the left of the main entrance on the first floor.