Knoch unveils new high school commons area
JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch Scool District opened the doors to a new era for its students Friday, Feb. 21, with the high school showing off its new commons area.
The high school held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new commons area, which is part of a $39 million school renovation project.
Knoch High School students had not yet seen the commons area portion of the project before Friday’s grand opening. Junior and senior students walked through the current auditorium entrance and through a new, long sliding door, where senior class president Elaina Ross and junior class president Hannah Butler cut the ribbon to open the brand new space.
The area includes a new cafeteria, an area of “learning steps” where students can gather and study, and a large TV screen in the middle. Jenny Webb, Knoch’s communications director, said the screen will be used in multiple ways, such as displaying anything from important school messages to a football or basketball game from the previous week.
Kurt Reiser, Knoch High School’s assistant principal, said the new space is a welcome change that benefits the school district and community in many ways. In addition to multiple school functions during the day, the space can also be utilized for various activities with the school’s theater arts and music programs. It can also be used for receptions, banquets.
“We’re really excited to have the space. We’re excited to see the vision of the architects and the school board, that we were able to design a space for students that we think they’re going to love being in,” Reiser said.
The new commons area will be the future main entrance of Knoch High School. The whole project is anticipated to be finished in time for the 2025-26 academic year.
Butler and Ross both emphasized it is nice for a smaller district like Knoch to have a brand-new building after using older facilities for a long time.
“This opening is monumental for everyone. Everyone has been talking about the cafeteria the most,” Butler said. “Being from such a small school that’s been so outdated for such a long time, every time we would go to a different school they would have everything that seems renovated. When your by a lot of places that are bigger than us, it’s nice to be able to call this ours.”
They also said there are particular features that students will enjoy. The old lunchroom used to be more divided, oftentimes by upper and lower classmen students. Now, the layout of the new space will bring students more together.
“It’s really exciting for everyone here,” Ross said. “It’s something new, and it’s something to look forward to being in. This school was really outdated, and this is really nice.”
