This 2011 school year, changes have been made to Santiago in many aspects.

From the first day of school, the change in the bell has been evident to all students who attended Santiago in previous years. Principal Reginald Thompkins decided that Santiago needed a new bell, citing as the reason that the former bell was “disruptive” and Santiago needed “something softer.”

“I have received both positive and negative feedback,” Thompkins says of the bell. For those teachers and students who dislike this sound, Thompkins says that “we are not married to it.” This new bell was the only other option with Santiago’s current bell system, but Thompkins says other options are still being explored, and it could change again.
Students may also have noticed the new rule at school this year — parents may not drop off items at the front desk for students. “The front desk turned into a delivery system,” says Thompkins. In addition to all of her other duties, handing out kids’ forgotten items was too much for Cathy Dabney at the desk. “I was calling 50 kids a day,” says Dabney. This was in addition to her other duties, including answering phones, directing parents, managing the copy center, helping substitutes, relaying messages to and from teachers and security, inputting field trip information, and taking care of keys.