By CONNIE NOLEN/Community columnists

“Do you know where Miss Borland’s room is?” Distressed and lost, PHS freshman Morgan Whitman needed to be pointed in the right direction. Walking Whitman to the long hallway so that she could see her destination, I gave more students directions on the way back to my room—and I noticed many teachers who were also studying schedules and helping students find their way.

On the first day of school, all freshmen feel a little lost. At Pelham High School this year, everyone experienced a bit of first day freshman flashback. The vibrant cleanliness of the building enhanced by fresh paint, new baseboards, and extensive repairs gave the building a new and improved atmosphere.

Beyond the cosmetic repairs, the building feels larger thanks to the removal of some of the nearly 2,000 student lockers that were recently crowding even the most narrow of hallways. With fewer students and wider hallways, why isn’t finding PHS classrooms incredibly easier this year? Renumbering has added to the challenge.

PHS has been logically renumbered. The days of rooms downstairs numbered in the 200s are no more. In addition to the traditional first, second and third floor numbering, the different buildings representing additions to PHS now have letter designations—which simplify conversations about the new building, the old new building and the most new building.

The northern section of the school, once known as the Jefferson County wing, is building A—easily remembered as A for Away since this section is farthest from the centrally located office. Sections near the auditorium are designated as B—indicating that B is the Bridge connecting to the centrally located C building housing the main office, library, cafeteria and counseling center. Finally, the newest addition in front of the gym towards the baseball field is designated as the D building—closest to the Dugouts providing an appropriate mnemonic for the D section of the building.

Locker and room numbers have A, B, C or D attached to them also making everything easier to find. PHS has a fresh face and we’re off to a great start.