Modern Schools exceptional - Does TD dare to dream this big?

Sam Barlow High School shows what could be possible in The Dalles if bond passes

A courtyard at the Center of Sam Barlow High School in Gresham. The School at 181,000 square feet would be close to the same size as a new The Dalles High School if a $140-million bond passes this November. The courtyard provides an outdoor environment for students while keeping them inside the school, a bonus safety feature.

By Tom Peterson

Principal Jason Bhear stands next to lock out and lock down buttons at Sam Barlow High School. With a single push, he can secure the school.

Gresham, Ore., Sept. 8, 2023 – Principal Jason Bhear points to two buttons outside his office in the new Sam Barlow High School in Gresham.

They’re labeled “lock out” and “lock down”.

If he pushes the lock out, he can lock all 25 exterior doors at once in the school to prevent an outside threat from coming in.

If he pushes the lock down in the event of a school shooter, the entire school lockdown protocol is activated—which includes doors locking, PA announcements, strobe lights activated throughout the facility, audible lockdown messages, location beacons activated, and police dispatch notified.

A second set of buttons are also accessible to staff working the front office desk.

That’s a ton of safety in one push.

One that is lacking here in The Dalles.

The current high school in The Dalles lacks these high-tech safety measures as the school built in 1941 has 23 exterior doors that are required to be shut manually. While the school does have protocols and emergency preparedness plans in place to deal with lock down and lock out situations, it’s not as efficient or fast as these new high-tech standards.

The buttons are a safety feature that Bhear said Gresham voters rallied behind during the push to pass a $290-million bond back in 2016 to upgrade both Sam Barlow and Gresham high schools.

As voters in the North Wasco County School District must decide on whether to support a $140-million bond to build a new high school on the east end of the Wahtonka Campus this November, CCCNews took a look at Sam Barlow high school to get an understanding of what safety features and other advantages a new school could bring.

The 49-year-old Bhear with twins who are freshmen at the school is stoked to show off the new digs that saw an 85 percent renovation completed in 2021. His wife graduated from the school in ‘94. She bleeds blue and gold, the school colors, he said.

Built in bleachers provide students a space to chat and relax between classes next to the College and Career Center at Sam Barlow. Common spaces similar to these would be part of the new configuration in one form or another at a new The Dalles High School.

When you enter the school, the first thing you notice is the light - natural light everywhere. It is coming in from the two-story glass entrance; it’s coming in from the two courtyards that are completely contained within the school building - another big assist in keeping students safe.

Students gather in the courtyard at Sam Barlow as the student body government put on an ice cream social on Friday, Sept. 8. The courtyard provides a space for students to socialize while keeping them inside the parameters of the campus - an added safety feature.

Before the renovation, students would spill out into the parking lot and other open areas outside of the school and now, even though it is an open campus, students can access the outdoors without having to go out the front doors, Bhear said.

“That’s a huge safety component,” he said. “They still co-mingle and socialize. They just do it inside.”

Natural light is a key feature at Sam Barlow as light from the courtyard flows into a common area that features comfortable furniture and spaces for groups to congregate.

“Are they looking to renovate or build from the ground up,” Bhear asked about the plan to build in The Dalles.

“Ground up,” I said.

“That’s a huge advantage,” he said, noting Barlow Students had to be shuffled around to different school locations while construction went on for two years at the high school, which is set amongst farm fields on the east side of Gresham. “You have to hire more staff and safety is difficult, and we spent millions of dollars on portables.”

Bhear has been with the Gresham School District since ‘98 and has worked at both high schools as a vice principal before becoming the principal this year at Sam Barlow.

Has the renovation of the school helped in recruiting teachers?

“A lot of the applicants are coming from farther away, so they don’t necessarily see the school when they interview,” he said. “But when they get on campus and see the new facility, they are blown away. What really sways them in the interview is when they hear the community supported the $300-million bond. They know they have community support.”

How about retaining teachers?

“That’s an interesting dynamic,” he said. “Millennials, if given the option to leave, have no problem packing up and going. The older teachers are the ones who tend to stick it out.”

What about the attendance of students?

“It’s much easier to track and is better for us,” he said.

The school also has multiple student management centers away from the front office and the classrooms where behavioral issues are addressed.

While touring the school, it is also impossible not to notice the space students have as large hallways and common areas allow for kids to spread out.

The front entrance of Sam Barlow includes an intercom feature for visitors and has a double door system creating a vestibule when you enter the building, providing additional safety.

“I do like the setup. It’s built more like a college campus,” Bhear said, pointing out the media center that had three conference rooms for both staff and students. “They get used a lot,” he said.

This biology lab at Sam Barlow has 1,500 square feet to give students plenty of room to work. Teachers use an FM system to amplify their voices or send signals directly to a student’s hearing aids. A monitor is also front and center for visual aids.

The school also took a special focus on the science classrooms providing 1,500-square-foot spaces for chemistry and biology labs.

The average classroom in the new portion of the building is 975 square feet, he said. Rooms are equipped with large monitors and teachers use an FM system to amplify their voices or send signals directly to a student’s hearing aids. Standard classrooms are covered in whiteboard for student participation.

Music Room at Sam Barlow

Hallway themes add a nice touch as students head to class.

The metal and wood shops within the Career and Technology Education facilities were redesigned and now include “maker space” along with new areas to accommodate engineering and robotics learning. CTE instructors noted an immediate uptick in students signing up for intermediate and advanced courses after taking the introductory wood shop class, in part because the new classroom facilities cultivate a clear learning and building atmosphere as well as strong ties to career opportunities.

Auditorium at Sam Barlow

In regard to safety, the renovation also allowed for bus parking and student parking to be separated to different sides of the school.

Ultimately, Bhear said that the new building with its eye to student needs had raised expectations.

“It’s all about Bruin Pride… It’s all about community pride,” he said.

To learn more about the North Wasco County School District bond for a new high school click here.